Beginner Surf SUP Board Help

[SUPDaddyBear]

Hi all,

I have just started trying my hand at SUP Surfing using my 10'4 RRD inflatable and am after some advice on a first hard board?

I am wondering what kind of volume I need to be looking at? I am 5'11 and around 90kg/200lbs

I live in the south east of England where we don't get massive swell and it can often be quite mushy.

Any advice on size, volume and design would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
James

[JimK]

As a BIG guy

I'll recommend the best everyday board I've found for BIG guys and that is the Fanatic AllWave the 9'8 PURE LIGHT or even the AW 9'4 will work too. There should be plenty of Fanatic dealers in England So there is no need for me to quote you But I'd still be happy to help and answer questions I try EVERYBODY'S EVERYTHING I can get my hands on. So I feel I can give unique "Big Guy" perspective (not something you find in company websites)

PM or Email me happy to help

JimK
Extreme Windsurfing.com

[SUPDaddyBear]

Thank you for the advice JimK.

Funnily enough one of my friends has a 9'4 AllWave Pure that he offered to let me try so will definitely take him up on that.

[surfafrica]

A friend of mine has an Allwave.  We've found it a bit heavy and the rails a bit thick. Though as Jim mentioned, maybe the Pure Light version removes the weight issue.  If you can find a Sunova near by, they are a bit lighter and more refined.  Gong SUP makes some nice boards that I think are easy-ish to find in Europe (though maybe not in England?).

As for volume, my crew would recommend a V/W ratio of 1.45 to 1.5 for a beginner who has a bit of experience looking to progress in the surf.  That really seemed to be the sweet spot for a bunch of my friends when they started out.  At 90 kg, that would end up being 130-135 L.  But the best option is to try a few sizes.  Float (volume) doesn't equal stability.  Length, width and shape really come into play there.  Some find boards with too much volume feel more tippy in chop and a lot harder to handle on the wave.  Of course, not enough volume brings challenges too (like harder to get moving to catch a wave).  As my friends progressed towards more being advanced beginners to low intermediates, they've moved to a V/W ratio of 1.35-1.4.  (we're a group of land locked Canadians in our 40s that weigh from 66 kg up to 115 kg)

If you are in mushy waves, boards with slightly wider tails can be a big bonus.  Wide tails offer added stability and a boost of speed (which can be handy in mush).  Me and few friends have used SIMS shapes (specifically L41) and really enjoyed them. 

[Zooport]

As a BIG guy

I'll recommend the best everyday board I've found for BIG guys and that is the Fanatic AllWave the 9'8 PURE LIGHT or even the AW 9'4 will work too. There should be plenty of Fanatic dealers in England So there is no need for me to quote you But I'd still be happy to help and answer questions I try EVERYBODY'S EVERYTHING I can get my hands on. So I feel I can give unique "Big Guy" perspective (not something you find in company websites)

PM or Email me happy to help

JimK
Extreme Windsurfing.com

+1 on the Allwave.  That's what I started on and it was great.  Stable but still performs well enough on a wave.

[surfafrica]

Funnily enough one of my friends has a 9'4 AllWave Pure that he offered to let me try so will definitely take him up on that.

The 9'4 Allwave is 33" wide and 173 L.  For a guy at  5'11 & 90 kg, that is pretty big board for surf.   The 8'9 Allwave (32" wide, 145 L) is probably more in your range (and will feel very different from the 9'4). 

[JEG]

Imo, a 9ft allwave would be perfect for you.

[devon_sup_surf]

I was in your situation a couple of years ago. A couple of inches and a couple more kg and in SW England but otherwise similar.

Whatever board you buy- you will outgrow IME. So don't spend £££ and buy sensibly.

I started on a battered and well used 11' Jimmy lewis. it was great. I lost  £50 in depreciation when I moved it on.

I then bought a 10'5 Laird which is a proper surf shape. It's heavenly. I'm about to sell it as it happens- around 155L- but IMO it's not really a first surf sup- more a second board.

Troll the classifieds, try lots, and know that if you get into it you will likely change boards again soon.

Spending £1400 on a brand new board that's right for you now will mean you will be struggling to sell it for £700 in 6 months time....

[southwesterly]

Kirk at L41 has the perfect board for you.

Here's an 8'8" x 32" 140 liter mush buster that's fast and stable.

[stoneaxe]

You'll get a 1,000 different answers from 500 people on that one....but the best (IMNSHO  ) is to try and demo if possible. Devons advice is good too...don't fret too much....find something that is within the range of boards that will likely suit you...plenty of range mentioned here and there are matrices on some of the manufactures sites that give an idea. Then buy it used if possible...you'll outgrow the 1st board quickly and you'll have a better idea of how you will use it. Save some $ for the 2nd board...sell the 1st or keep as backup and for friends.

[surfafrica]

+1 on stoneaxe's advice

One universal truth: if you are immediately comfortable on a board the first time you try/demo it, it is too big.

OK not a universal truth but something to be mindful of. It usually takes a few sessions before you (and your muscle memory) figure out a new board.

[stoneaxe]

Damn close to universal....

[devon_sup_surf]

As above- if it's comfortable initially its def too easy.

It depends a bit on how quickly you aim to progress. If you get the bug and find your progress rapid- changing boards every 3-6 months and taking the depreciation hit from new to second hand becomes costly. Even if you're comfortsbly off- it can taint the experience And journey a little IMO.

Buying second hand, preferably after demoing on suitable (eg a nice little thigh or waist high wave and not too much chop is perfect).

If you're uk based- buying a sup for around £500 is unlikely to cost you that much in depreciation. Maybe you sell it on for £400 6-12 months later. That's pretty cheap fun! But spending big money can really hit you. The hard board market is incredibly poor. I have been watching nice sup boards for sale for at least 6 months in the UK.

Bigger boards- around 10"- usually sell much better. The market for begginner/improver boards is much higher. But most people like inflatables.

Most dealers and shops are very friendly. But the amount of BS and marketing rubbish they come up with is very hard to cut through.

As I was in your situation not long ago- if you manage to pick up a hard sup board for £300-400- general purpose but with a bit of wave ability- 9.5'-11" and 150-170L it will likely suit your needs nicely. If its battered it doesn't matter. So long as it's just cosmetic. If you outgrow it in 6 months it will sell on easily.

[Area 10]

The conditions in the S of the UK are extremely poor. They are typically the surf of surf conditions where virtually no-one in this forum (except Brits) would go out in.

If you want to compete, then by all means persue the smallest board you can stand on. Probably anything in the 130-150L range will be quite a challenge. Below that and you'd need to be an advanced SUPer. You probably don't need to go vastly different in length and width from your current inflatable. A hard board of the same width and length will perform MUCH better as it is.

The All Wave isn't a bad suggestion either. Personally I find that often with the S ofvthe UK you are struggling to make the very weak, small, and fat waves. So for that, a bit of length helps. The Stylemaster 10-6 (not the 10 or smaller) would be a great performer if you are up for the challenge of low volume. I wouldn't go much wider than 32" if I were you - it makes getting speed up to make those marginal S coast waves pretty tricky. Ideally you'd be 31-32", probably.

I saw DJ catching some really small waves near Melbourne, on what I think was a Naish Mana. He's quite a big unit, and the board was not big (you could PM him to see what it was) but he was catching these tiny S-coast style waves really well. In fact I reckon he was faring better than I was on his Naish 11 (because that board has quite a bit of ticket so responds to waves eith a bit more juice). The Naish Mana 9-5 or the Naish Quest 9-6 would be worth looking at. Personally, I wouldn't go smaller than that at this stage of your paddling career and in the really crappy conditions you are going to be in a lot of the time.

[supthecreek]

Hi all,

I have just started trying my hand at SUP Surfing using my 10'4 RRD inflatable and am after some advice on a first hard board?

I am wondering what kind of volume I need to be looking at? I am 5'11 and around 90kg/200lbs

I live in the south east of England where we don't get massive swell and it can often be quite mushy.

Any advice on size, volume and design would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
James

Hi James

I may be wrong, but from what you wrote, it sounds like you may be be a total beginner to surfing on any board.

If that is the case, many folks forget what a challenge learning how to surf on a SUP, particularly if you don't have any surf experience other than a few times on you inflatable.

Age is also a huge factor in the learning curve.

I personally believe that the learning process should be fun and as easy as possible.... this allows you to learn more quickly and have fun in the process.

Width is important in a beginner board, IMO

I was always a good surfer.... but I chose the huge Starboard Avanti to learn on
11'2 x 36" at  230 liters..... YES 36" wide 
I was 5'11 and 285 lbs (129 kg)

I learned easily and fast.
The big board taught me how to turn a much bigger board than my surfboards.
It was an awesome board that doubled as the board that helped me fall in love with flat-water paddling.

IMO.... small boards are not the only goal in SUP... and NOT a good place to start your journey.
Overall fun and enjoyment are what drew me into this sport.
I ride small and large boards.

I would strongly suggest you find a nice longer, wide board used board, of good quality.... at least 10' x 32" and I think THAT is minimum size to learn as a total newbie.... unless you are under 45 and up for a challenge.

I don't suggest a heavy, cheap junker..... get a good name brand, with a model that has a good reputation and a stable, good surfer.

The following boards all have plenty of volume for you and enough width and shape to make learning fun.
They are ALL good boards, that many experiences SUPsters would be happy to have in their quiver.
They hold their value, so buy a good, used one and it will not waste your money like a cheap brand.
In the UK, you will have other options as well..... but these are a good guideline.

10' x 34" Starboard Whopper - 171 liters - I owned the Avanti
9'10 x 33 Fanatic Allwave - 190 liters - I owned 5 Allwaves
10' x 33" Naish Mana - 190 liters - I owned 3 Mana's
10'10 x 32" Naish Nalu - 201 liters - I owned the narrower 10'6 Alana (but the 10'6 is too narrow to learn on,IMO)
10'2 x 33" Sunova the ONE -184 liters - I surfed this board 5 days ago and had a blast!