Balance is a weird thing

[Eagle]

Yeah but these kids are full-size adults out of university.  But makes you realize that Connor and Kai have been doing this since tots.  So they must have developed crazy alien balance over the years.  Certainly kids around 12-14 yo have hopped on as well with absolutely no problems.  That makes more sense as they are small and light.  But big adults paddling around perfectly ok even on flat was somewhat of a surprise.

[PonoBill]

Probably something wrong with that Costco special. I paddled one a few weeks ago and it felt pretty good. The tail swings a bit with each stroke, but generally, I'd rate it "doesn't suck".

DJ -- I'm always slow to react. But I expect the tail of a ruddered board to move sideways quickly, that wasn't happening as fast as I needed. I'm sure the board was acting the same, it was just everything was coming at it faster. I'm sure I'll adjust, but I took the V1 because I knew it responds more quickly. That's WHY I took it, but I assumed I'd be paying for that response with lots of falls. The big surprise to me was that the V1 felt more stable and I didn't fall much.

[UKRiverSurfers]

Answer to OP

Because using the word Stable or unstable is simply too simplistic and your post proves that.

[Area 10]

Yeah but these kids are full-size adults out of university.  But makes you realize that Connor and Kai have been doing this since tots.  So they must have developed crazy alien balance over the years.  Certainly kids around 12-14 yo have hopped on as well with absolutely no problems.  That makes more sense as they are small and light.  But big adults paddling around perfectly ok even on flat was somewhat of a surprise.

There's an obvious explanation: that you are just a wobbly old man like the rest of us

[Eagle]

Yeah but these kids are full-size adults out of university.  But makes you realize that Connor and Kai have been doing this since tots.  So they must have developed crazy alien balance over the years.  Certainly kids around 12-14 yo have hopped on as well with absolutely no problems.  That makes more sense as they are small and light.  But big adults paddling around perfectly ok even on flat was somewhat of a surprise.

There's an obvious explanation: that you are just a wobbly old man like the rest of us

Yep.

[Eagle]

"Go for something more stable, even if you think it is a slower board.  You'll be faster on that slower board because you're more stable than you will be on the tippy board that is supposed to be faster.  I 100% guarantee that.  Even if you can paddle with those fully loaded strokes on flat water there is no guarantee you'll be able to handle it on the ocean. For example I can handle the 14' x 23" Starboard Sprint very well on flat water. In fact I love it.  But I know it is probably beyond me in anything but the tamest rough water conditions."

This is good advice when it comes down to balance speed and board width.  For me 23 is fine to play around on to improve balance -> but if racing AW would go for a 24.5 board.  Larry has def proven himself both winning a gold medal and winning Chattajack 3x.  Very impressive balance speed and endurance for a guy 50 something.  Easily kicks butt vs guys in their 30s and 40s -> even 20s.  Chk out his PB speed on his Sprint. 

http://larrycain.blogspot.ca/2015/08/choosing-right-board-for-you-part-3.html

http://www.supracer.com/2016-chattajack-stand-up-paddleboard-race-results/

[PonoBill]

Yeah but these kids are full-size adults out of university.  But makes you realize that Connor and Kai have been doing this since tots.  So they must have developed crazy alien balance over the years.  Certainly kids around 12-14 yo have hopped on as well with absolutely no problems.  That makes more sense as they are small and light.  But big adults paddling around perfectly ok even on flat was somewhat of a surprise.

There's an obvious explanation: that you are just a wobbly old man like the rest of us

That's a given. Wobblier than most. Speed is my friend for two reasons--easier to stand on a board that's moving fast, and you automatically go further between falls.

[Beasho]

Balance is definitely weight dependent. 

1) You could take it to an extreme and remove all weight.  The board will rarely ever tip over.

2) I use an old 12' Windsurfer One as my race and fishing board in the East Coast.  When the kids were young my two daughters would hop on the nose and stern.  @ 60 + 80 lbs I was adding 140 lbs to the board.  It is only 26" wide.  With the two of them on the board I could only stand for 8 - 10 minutes before I was totally wiped out.  Bending my knees, super wobbly . . . .  Otherwise on flat water I could practically sleep standing up on that board.

3) When I was learning to SUP I was counting every calorie I consumed.  At that time I used 750 Incremental Calories an hour.  SUP was my primary form of exercise.  As I got better this number started to come out a bit high.  In other words I was netting out the same number of calories but gaining weight.  Mmmmmmm.  Conclusion:  The Software was overcoming the hardware limitations.  In other words I was learning to be more efficient and maintain balance on what was otherwise a more unstable platform

Like a airplane that Flies by Wire a human on a SUP is hugely unstable, impossibly so for some.  I am glad we can learn our way through it and hopefully its keeping our minds and bodies more flexible (plastic) and potentially extending longevity in the best of worlds. 

[1tuberider]

You wanna get rid of the new unlimited?

[PonoBill]

Geezer balance issues are mostly inflexibility and stiffness, as well as joint compromise. I have it in spades. When you watch as kid balance it's swoopy movements and if they overcompensate it's just inexperience. Geezers move herky-jerky and overcompensate from extra force required to get balky stuff to start moving. Young folks can learn to improve their balance rapidly, Geezers have to work at it longer for smaller increments. So it goes.

1Tube--perhaps. It's a lovely thing, but I think I'm wedded to my V1.

[connector14]

"Speed is my friend for two reasons--easier to stand on a board that's moving fast, and you automatically go further between falls."

I absolutely love this.....and agree.  Another stat that should be part of the data collected on the meter...."distance per fall" !  (speed @ launch would also be cool).