Simmons Inspired Sups... Are they a great 2nd board?

[TallDude]

I'm just about ready to start shaping a Bob Simmons inspired - wide tail SUP. The owner of one currently for sale here on the Zone, had this to say about his:

( I'm 5'9" 225 pounds (naked and dry). I obviously don't have much time on it but here are a few observations:

It's very stable… no different than what you'd expect from any other 30" wide, 125-130 liter board.  When it's really bumpy with weird, mixed current the shorter length and thin rails seem to grab a little more when you have a wobbly, off balance moment, but it's pretty subtle.

The light weight is VERY noticeable and the board accelerates like no other board I've tried.  If you're in the right spot, 1 or 2 powerful strokes are all you need to drop in controllably.  This was a real eye-opener for me.

The second big shocker was how freaking LOOSE the board is!  It redirects so quick that the board kinda zipped out from under me on my first few waves.  However, you DO need to ride it on the tail.  If you're too far forward, it tends to bog a bit (it's not a nose-rider) but that also might be more a function of my weight.  But it's pretty cool to be able to kick out of a wave like you're on a 6' surfboard.

As far as the negatives for the board… it seems like it tops out (for me) in about shoulder high waves.  We've had good swell at times this last week and I was pretty uncomfortable/out of control on anything head-high+.  The wide tail is a lot to manage.  And when the wind came up and it got junky, I was bouncing around a lot more than usual.  Again, not surprising but the board definitely has limits for what I usually surf.)


So after that review, do I want to spend my time and energy building a board like that? Or do I pull the nose and tail in a little, and make a more versatile shape. I haven't personally surfed one of these wide tails. I question how hard of bottom turn you can make with one, or do you just surf it flatter and more upright?

[Biggreen]

Good question.  Do you already have varying lengths of a more versatile shape in your quiver? If so, then definitely go for it. I have a buddy that's had a Simmons shape for about a year now and never really liked it until about two weeks ago when he finally got the fin set up worked out. Seems like it would be a fun small wave, summer doldrums kind of board with a bit more versatility.  And maybe a different style/way of surfing that would be fun as well. Would you run it as a twin?

And as a buddy always tells me, "never forget the art of just gliding". Certainly seems like it would be fun for that. That said, I don't have one, so what do I know! Looking forward to seeing pics of whatever you decide on.

[pguidry]

I have one as my main board.  I usually keep a board at the house and one at the beach 2 hours away. I'm looking to get a new 2nd board as I've lost 30+ lbs this year. I can't decide what to get. I want to demo some boards but I've considered just getting another Simsup.

[Dwight (DW)]

When it's really bumpy with weird, mixed current the shorter length and thin rails seem to grab a little more when you have a wobbly, off balance moment, but it's pretty subtle.

Step rails are doing that. Option is to do a more moderate rail. After all, it is a crappy wave design for most of us. So it doesn't need to hold in hollow surf, if you have a head high plus board in your quiver too.

However, you DO need to ride it on the tail.  If you're too far forward, it tends to bog a bit.......

That does not apply to all boards. Not mine anyway.

As far as the negatives for the board… it seems like it tops out (for me) in about shoulder high waves.  

Same for mine too. I embraced this, and am working on expanding its expertise at ripping sub head high waves. It has to be so awesome, its worth hauling two boards to the beach. Otherwise its a hassle. For me, I'm going up in length from 7'3 to 7'6 and lowering the nose rocker just a little more.

[SlatchJim]

Board shapes and sizes will cause more of a stir in discussion here than mixing politics, religion and Yankee salaries in a government provided health care salad bowl.  You can only know if they work for you if you get to demo them.  That doesn't negate the value of building your own, but it will help you figure out ahead of time if the board will be worth all that toil.

Advice: Demo a kings Simmons, a SUP Sports Hammer, a L41 Simsup, and an Infinity Phoenix.
Buy foam, make board, ride board, keep or sell board.  You know you'd like to do this anyway.  It's like Nacho says, "Sometimes, when joo are a man, joo wear stretchy pants.  It's for fun." 

[supsurf-tw]

Matt I think you'll find that it'll be just like surfing on a short, wide fish type surfboard...they'll have the same limitations, however in the right conditions they're loads of fun

[andygere]

I would not pull in the nose and the tail.  The parallel rails contribute a lot to how the board rides, and the volume they provide add a great deal to the float and stability.  My L41 S2 is my go-to board, and I'm comfortable on it in head high point break surf.  These boards surf differently than most SUPs, and it does require a bit of change to your riding style, but that came quite easily to me. These are low-rocker boards, but the belly in the forward section gets them up and on plane quickly, so takeoffs feel different.  In my opinion, the K-rails (stepped rails) really make these boards performers, and let you lay them down and turn off the rails unlike most typical fat-rail SUPs.  Unlike typical thin rail SUPs, they offer a lot more stability when paddling around the lineup.  Build one to match what is working, ride it and see.

[TallDude]

I ran into SoCal today and he loves his Phoenix. He said to say hi His comments seem similar to others, "got to get the fin set-up right." Running it as a twin, really narrows the conditions you can use it in. Running it as a quad, with the right cant, can be magic in most conditions. I'm obviously designing it for my 6'7, 235#, and size 14 feet. I included the foot size because a wide tail may feel narrower under my feet. I don't know if anyone else drags their big toe on a hard bottom turn, but I do. I'm getting more excited about shaping one now. I'll be picking your brains for specific's.

[southwesterly]

8'11 and 7/8ths  x  32" and 15/16ths  x  4" an 9/16ths.

My view on things is that I want the largest (and easiest) board with the most performance, instead on the smallest board with lots of performance. A board that I have to work hard just to wobble around on defeats the purpose of why I surf a stand up board in the first place.

[OUTSIDEWAVE]

so southwesterly I like what you said that is how I feel  so what are you riding that you like the most