Standup Zone Forum
Stand Up Paddle => Gear Talk => Topic started by: dannyo on January 26, 2010, 08:20:40 PM
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Hey folks, I'm new here. I've been out a few times on flat water and am looking to get a board. I live in Austin, so most of my paddling will be inland, fly fishing and family related. The reason I ask about SUP ATX is that they are somewhat local and have demos pretty much every weekend on Town Lake (main lake that runs thru town...actually, it's the Colorado River). I've scoured the net looking for reviews to no avail. Not one. However, I did see a mention on this site, and somewhat negative for that matter.
Has anyone paddled one of these? Does anyone know anything about 'em? They have a screaming deal going on right now, but just want to make sure it would be worth it.
Thanks for the help. I'm glad to be a part of this place.
Danny
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Hi Dannyo,
Austinite here too. Haven't tried the ATX boards but I would encourage you to talk to the guys at Austin Paddle Sports. They are demoing this weekend too. check out the group at meetup.com. I personally ride Starboards and the dealer in town can order you boards, at least I think he is still selling boards.
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Thanks Juan. I actually called Austin Paddle Sports a week ago, but they don't have regular store hours. I guess I will just have to go to the demo or schedule a time to go to the shop. Do you paddle town lake or elsewhere?
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I am on Town Lake pretty regular.
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tried the Sup ATX yest. Decent intro level board for the price.
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Cool, you got to try it. I actually went down there right before work and didn't get a chance to try it. I did, however, get a chance to put my hands on it. I was pleased with the finish of it and it seemed like a decent piece of equipment. Like you said, it's very hard to beat the price of the package right now. I still have some thinking to do, but I'm pretty close to buying 2 of 'em. One for me, one for the wife.
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I actually just got two of the SUPATX boards. I live in california and they work great on the ocean for flat water paddles and wave riding. I was suprised how well the board performed given its name "Lakerider" Me and my wife got in the water for less with supatx than if we would have gotten just gotten one board and paddle from other manufacturers.
Here is some info I received while corosponding with the folks over at SUPATX before receiving my boards.
Our boards are hand-shaped epoxy/EPS boards that come ready-to-use with the fin, installed traction pad, built-in handle, air breather valve, and leash plug. We glass the boards with a double 6oz layer of fiberglass and epoxy on the deck and single 6oz layer on the bottom.
We offer 11' and 12' boards.
The 12' board is 31" wide, 4.5" thick, and approx. 29 lbs.
The 11' board is 31" wide, 4.5" thick, and approx. 27 lbs.
We also offer a soft top board.
The Softtop 11'11" board is 31" wide, 4.5" thick, and approx. 31 lbs
Our paddles are 83" long and are very easy to cut to size. They have a blade size of 9.25" in width and 17.5" in length. The total weight of the entire paddle is 30oz
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I am always sceptical from 1st or 2nd posts glorifying equipment..too coincidental for me. Suddenly everyone out of the wood work has a SUP ATX AND a first post and loves the board.
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I would like to hear comment from some one familiar with SUP design and epoxy vacuum bag construction that can address the price difference between boards from China selling for $700 and those selling for twice that. All claim some form of R&D design or pro shaper input. All appear to have similar construction. I'm not trying to call out the cheap boards as crap or the expensive boards as over-priced marketing. It would be great to understand the unvarnished basis of the apposing price points. What makes an all round 11 to 12' board a keeper vs. one that will be on Craig's list?
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I am always sceptical from 1st or 2nd posts glorifying equipment..too coincidental for me. Suddenly everyone out of the wood work has a SUP ATX AND a first post and loves the board.
Same thought.
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I have a 12' SUP ATX board and it's decent for the price. It's a real stable flat water board and is great for that. As I said in another post it's thin in the nose and it nose dives in waves over waist high easily. It also dings pretty easily compared to my other two boards (I also have a NSP 11' and a JLS 12)'. Their paddles are great, espically for the price. The ATX was my first board, I figured for the price of the package I wasn't putting a lot of $ at risk to see if I liked the sport. If you're going to surf it though, I'd consider another board like the NSP (rounder nose and more rocker). Hope that helps.
BTW as far as construction all I know is the ATX board I can see the glass under the resin, my other two are solid white epoxy. The ATX board dings and the other get scratches and small chips; I prefer the white epoxy or tuflite (my longboard is made out of that). SUPs are long and heavy compared to surfboards, no matter how careful you are you are absolutely going to hit it on something (or with the paddle). If you buy a traditionally glassed board get a big tube of suncure!
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Hmmm, no posts anywhere on the net, 8000 facebook fans and then, wham....tons of suspiciously good praise as first and second posters? Whatever SUPATX is, I wanted to buy one ( for my wife) and they are sold out of every color and style through May and beyond. They were okay via email (after I checkout out and thought I had one coming) and told me of the status but I was a little terbed that it did not say it was out of stock before I tried to buy it (only in an email later). Not good eCommerce etiquette, if and item is out of stock it should say that on the site instead of trolling for orders and hoping once taken the person will hold for the board if they get the news later.
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dannyg - a little searching on this forum should find you some posts about past dealings of this company.
I am following what my mom taught me and not saying anything.
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I hear you but for those of you on the left and right coasts, you have no idea how little choice there is to buy a SUP in Texas. You're either going to pay a lot or order and wait awhile. The surf shops have just caught on in the past year or so. There's one place in Houston with a over a dozen boards, one guy in Galveston, and the guys in Austin (unless you want to drive to Port A or South Padre). The good news is no crowds here...
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If you get stuck and can't find quality boards, or selection, give us a shout out...
We've been shipping boards all over Texas for years...dozens into Austin for our clients on Travis and Lady Bird lakes...in fact, we have a visiting client in town right now from McKinney north of Dallas...
Freight transit times for SUP's is no more than 2-3 days...
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double 6 top and single 6 bottom is very light glassing :P
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I hear you but for those of you on the left and right coasts, you have no idea how little choice there is to buy a SUP in Texas. You're either going to pay a lot or order and wait awhile. The surf shops have just caught on in the past year or so. There's one place in Houston with a over a dozen boards, one guy in Galveston, and the guys in Austin (unless you want to drive to Port A or South Padre). The good news is no crowds here...
There is another Austin option
http://www.austinpaddlesports.com/ (http://www.austinpaddlesports.com/)
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double 6 top and single 6 bottom is very light glassing :P
It is not strong enough ,especially for SUP.
For high performace long board is ok
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hey Hans
Welcome to the Zone ;-)
Corran
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I checked back on this thread to see if there was an answer to my question about high and low-priced epoxy board construction. I was hoping for an informed response. Anyone?
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Here is a reply I received from SUPatx while looking for a first board:
"Our boards are made over seas in china as you can tell
thats the only way we would be able to offer a product like this for this
price. Our boards are made with eps foam and are glssed with 3 layers of
6oz hexel fiber glass on the deck and 1.5 layers on the bottom. the epoxy
we use is from resin research and the specs are below. As you can tell the
boards are made from american materials and of such a high quality."
But alas I have not ridden one.
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I am from the Austin area and am familiar with these products. They ride OK, but I wouldn't personally buy one. Not a big fan of the company or how they do business. I have also heard some stories of quality issues. Some boards are just fine, but I have heard of others where they came out of the box delaminated. Just remember, you get what you pay for.
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Friends of mine have 2 12" ATXs on order. They should be here next week. Looking forward to comparing them to other boards I've seen and own.
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I have a 12 foot ATX on order as well. I should have it sometime around July, 17th.
-- Richard
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regarding Epoxy board cost and different types of construction - from cheapest on up:
1. EPS core with a couple of layers of fiberglass. Hand layup, no molds required, minimal materials cost. Boards lack stiffness, both under your feet as well as overall, ding easily and then leak.
2. EPS core with a couple of layers of fiberglass and some veneer to improve local stiffness, often just on deck. Can be done without a mold, and materials cost is fairly reasonable still.
3. EPS core, light layer of fiberglass, a "bulking" material such as Coremat, woven Bamboo or such to improve local strength, covered by more fiberglass. Requires a mold, but materials cost are still reasonable.
4. EPS core, light layer of glass, thermoformed PVC sheet foam, more glass or Carbon. Requires heated molds, materials cost and need for more skilled labor are going up. Stiffness is going up, weight going down. Tough, resistance to snapping and dings, minor dings will not cause leaks into the core.
5. EPS core, light layer of glass, thermoformed PVC sheet foam, light glass, veneer, Carbon. All of the cost and advantages of #4, just more so. (windsurfing boards have been built this way for years, pushing $2000.- for "average" production models)
and for the future:
6. Hollow core with pre-molded PVC-cored skins and foam spacers - Mark Raaphorst has been building them like this for years
For photos of much of the above, check my www.boardlady.com/anatomy.htm (http://www.boardlady.com/anatomy.htm)
Eva
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Hmmmm, that was a very interesting article Eva. Me being new to this sport, its nice to see how these boards are put together and will come in handy for any future purchases I may make.
-- Richard
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Nuggets of wisdom from The Board Lady! I love it. Thanks Eva! (Zoners, she's a legend, and it's great to have her contribute to the Zone!)
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I have a 12 foot ATX on order as well. I should have it sometime around July, 17th.
-- Richard
Just got an e-mail from SUP ATX saying that my order has been delayed and won't be shipped until the week of July, 19th... UGH!
I don't know much about boards and am new to this sport but this still looks like the least expensive way for a first timer to get into it. I really like the looks of the C4 Waterman boards and if stand up paddling turns out to be something I like doing then I may look into getting one of those next year. You all have me a little on edge about the SUP ATX board so I hope it turns out to be a good starter board.
SUP ATX Factory Tour - How Stand Up Paddle Boards Are Made (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBnzh-B__lY#ws)
-- Richard
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FWIW . . . I ended up getting two SUP ATX boards in the last two months - one for me and one for the missus. My original intent was just to get one for the missus and then get a higher end board (Laird) for me. But after tooling around on the first one we got, I figured might as well save a few hundos and go with the cheaper model.
I love that this board is getting me out on the water - but I can definitely see down the line that I'll want something better made and better quality.
My main problem with the board is that dings and deformations show up way to easy. Also, and I don't know if this happens with other boards, but I can already see an indent on my board where my feet go . . . yes, I'm decent size (215) . . . but not sure if this is common.
Also, the board seems to resist catching swells and when it does it's like being on the back of a giant squirrel who's looking for that last nut before snowfall. Is that due to technique? Sure - I guess in part - but I did demo other boards before this one and never had a problem.
Paddles are of decent quality (haven't broken it yet).
All in all - good starter board - but you get what you pay for.
Hope this helps.
Jaco
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Hey folks! Just wanted to revisit this topic. I ended up buying 2 of the SUP ATX boards...I guess back in March. After having spent a decent amount of time on the board, I suppose I owe you guys a little review.
Quality - Just as everyone suspected. You get what you pay for. That being said, I've taken it to Port Aransas 4 times and it has only received a little bit of punishment. I would like to note that beyond the 4 times in the surf, the construction has held up perfectly well under freshwater lake usage.
Flatwater Ride - Look, these boards are tanks. 12x31. They do the job, though. I'll put a kid up front and I have no problem paddling. It tracks fairly straight. As a disclaimer, I have NOT paddled any other board. My paddling background comes from whitewater kayaking, kayak fishing, canoeing.
Surf - The 4 times I've been to Port Aransas have been awesome. If you've ever surfed on the Texas coast you know how difficult it is to paddle out and you know how inconsistent and choppy the waves can be. This board can catch anything! The drawback to me is that it's just too long. I also have an 11', but even that seems too long. It doesn't turn well in the surf, but I didn't expect that from it.
Fun - It is awesome fun. I had a party at the lake and everyone just loved them. They are built for high fun and recreation. Anyone can stand on it and paddle. Anyone can throw a kid on the front and have fun. If your goal is to have fun, inexpensive fun at that, then this board may be for you.
Value - The package is a great deal. Pehaps the best part of it is the paddle. It comes with a carbon fiber paddle that is light and cut to size. The sub $800 deal is great for a family to get on the water. If the quality holds up, the board is a great starter board and will even allow you to hone your skills untill you want/need a new one.
If you were on the fence about this and you think you will be happy having a board made in China and of decent quality that will allow you to progress without breaking the bank, the SUP ATX Lakerider might be the perfect board for you.
As a note, I will be buying a new board sometime and it will not be a SUP ATX. The reason being that I want a board specifically for surfing. I'm looking into a wide board around 9' - 10'. I will not replace this board until it is broken beyond repair.
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Also, in case anyone is wondering, I'm not affiliated with the company and I have my own gripes about them that I would prefer not to air on the forum. If you have any questions, shoot me a pm. I know that doesn't mean much, but I'm really not just a dude that only has 6 posts and is trying to write an overconfident review for a company...I think I was pretty objective, at least.
Thanks again. I've learned tons from this place.
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Thanks Dannyo, that review was very helpful and makes me feel a lot better about SUP ATX's product. I'm still waiting patiently for my board (1 month and 4 days now) and will also post my experiences with the board once I recieve it.
-- Richard
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Good luck, Richard. I think everyone else gives very sound advice when talking about quality versus price. It all boils down to how the board is going to be used. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
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Well, I got my SUP ATX board yesterday. Im new to SUP boarding so this might seem like a dumb question to most of you but will it damage my 12' board to haul it like this in my pickup on the highway? The only reason I worry about it is because my truck is a short bed (six foot) which leaves 5 to 6 foot of board over hanging the tailgate.
(http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o65/jrmcswain/More%20Photos/IMG_0159_0597a.jpg)
-- Richard
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My wife and I took the ATX board out for the first time today and really enjoyed it. I will definitely be looking to buy a second SUP board sometime in the fall of this year. I have no experience with other board brands so, I wont attempt any comparisons at this time. However, this board is much tougher than I had originally thought it would be. I was worried about transporting it in my truck with 6 feet hanging over the tailgate. After our outing today though, I think I could easily hang 8 feet of this 12 foot board over the tailgate and not have to worry about it.
I purchased a Paddle Guard from C4 Waterman and it fit the ATX paddle like a glove. I had heard that these boards ding easily but, after returning home and inspecting the board carefully I couldn't see a single scratch or ding on it (probably due to the installation of the paddle guard).
I have not decided for sure yet but, I may try a different SUP brand for my second purchase just to see how they compare. Would I buy another ATX board? At this point the answer is yes but, I have not had this board very long so I'll have to see how well it fairs over time.
(http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o65/jrmcswain/More%20Photos/IMG_0211_0654b.jpg)
Neither of us has ever done anything like this before. I found it to be harder than it looked and fell into the water several times before starting to get the hang of it. My wife got on the board and paddled away never falling once while we were at the lake today.... UGH!
P.S.. We also purchased a couple of How-To Stand Up Paddle Surfing DVDs from C4 Waterman and they were awesome. I would recommend them to anyone that like us are new to this sport.
--Richard
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SUP ATX really are the cheapest way into this sport, aren't they. Just shy of $800 and you get the whole package: fully-outfitted board AND a carbon paddle. I've not seen another comparable package like that anywhere else.
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Hi everyone, I am new to this forum. I am here because I just recieved my SUP ATX last friday and it exceeded my expectations. I am an avid cyclist/mountain biker and always purchase equipment of high quality because I understand what it takes to have an enjoyable experience from the start. I was apprehensive about a total package costing $800 but could not find a reason why there boards were any different than a bigger name brand beginning board would be. I ordered in May and received on July 30th. It was aweful waiting all summer so I became bitter and bought a kayak which is a lot of fun.
Now for my first ride on the 12ft 31" wide behemoth of a board. It was simply awesome. I immediately took off. I have the luxury of living on the water so I cruised around the lagoons with ease....much faster than a kayak. My neighbors were inspired asking me what is that? I live in NJ so its still not that popular. My second time out I had people asking me to try it and two other people are planning on purchasing from SUP ATX. There is nothing better than having an enjoyable experience right from the start. SUP ATX provided that and then some. I am going to use this board as much as I can until I feel there is a need for something better. I would also like to mention that I was avoiding a boat in a lagoon and the wind crash me sideways into a triple jet ski ezdock and there was no damage to my board and I stayed upright the entire time. Very stable craft!!!!!
I say all beginners should use this board and use the extra money for buying beer.
Carl
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Greetings.
I ordered a SUP ATX as well. It's been one week, and "Peter" has told me that the board should ship this week. I'm very excited as I have been a surfer my whole life, but been land-locked for about 10 years making weekend trips my only option.
SUP should get me back in the water more often, and with regards to the surf, it seems that SUPers can catch many more waves than even longboards, so I don't have to be AS concerned with swell timing and chasing storms.
Like others, I will post a thorough review of my experience with the company, the board itself, and anything else that may be useful for other newbies as they become exposed to this forum.
Looking forward to getting my board and sharing the stoke.
Cheers!
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I ordered a SUP ATX as well. It's been one week, and "Peter" has told me that the board should ship this week.
Welp, this is the week the board was to ship. No ship.
They alerted me during the order that my card would be charged a couple of days before shipping and the charge has not even been applied. This makes two weeks. I'm starting to get a little frustrated as the warm weather slips away from me.
I know, I know, "wetsuit", and I'm down, but I'd still like to play in baggies for awhile.
Very eager to get my SUP life going.
Come SUP ATX - hook a brutha' up.
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They must not like those ultra runner guys...
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They must not like those ultra runner guys...
indeed...
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Ok, now I'm getting nervous.
It's been over two weeks now, so I broke down and called SUP ATX today.
Now. I'm really bummed.
It's a call service. They ask you silly questions like, "how did you hear about SUP ATX?" - which is irrelevant now that I've already ordered and am simply inquiring about where the board is...
Dropped another email to "Peter Bailey" but since he's not on the web site's staff list, most likely he's just a contract communicator as well.
Can't blame the gazillionaire owner, I guess - he's just running it like a business - blame me for low-balling my entry to the sport.
{sigh}
so I wait...
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Ok, now I'm getting nervous.
It's been over two weeks now, so I broke down and called SUP ATX today.
The only problem I had with SUP ATX is the wait time (a month and a half in my case). The product is good though so, I dont think you will be dissapointed with the quality. The SUP ATX website has a link to their Facebook page which was a big help to me so, you might try there. I do believe that they are working on a solution for the long wait times though.
-- Richard --
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Weather the boards are any good or not is irrelevant if you have to wait over a month to get a board.
Is there no shop even remotely close to you that you can go and support / buy a board from?
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I ordered a paddle from these guys as a spare to keep at my parent's place across the country. It was a price point decision, and I think I got a good value for what I was looking for. It's a bit heavy as carbon fiber paddles go, but it's nicely made, plenty sturdy, and despite a wider blade than I prefer, it paddles quite well. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it came with a nice CF palm grip, better than I was expecting.
As far as the transaction went, I had a similar experience to others when I called SUP ATX for some information before purchase. The call center rep did give my number to one of the "tech guys" and I did eventually get a call that cleared things up. At the time, the web site showed an adjustable paddle, but that was not available yet, and not at the same price ($145) as the fixed length model. Shipping was included in the price, and it got there in about 3 weeks. For an outfit that is selling as many boards as they are, they need to improve their website, and find a way to get customers accurate information without waiting a few days for a phone call from the "tech guys".
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Update again.
First, there is a lot of great information, and quality folks posting here. My participation in this thread netted two personal emails for direct assistance with my issue with SUP ATX, and it was very helpful, ...so, thanks.
Second, most likely due to the contacts I was given from folks here, I got an email and a phone call from SUP ATX. I was given a story about the boards having issues with customs at the loading dock in LA; and while that may or may not be true, I inquired about what they DID have in stock.
Because I could care less about "color" and waiting extra weeks just for a particular color sounds silly to me, I opted for one of the boards they could ship out to me right away.
Voila, my board is now on it's way - complete with adjustable CF paddle.
I can't wait!
So "a" moral to the story is that once you buy from them online, make sure to inquire if the board you ordered is in stock. They are all the same shape design, so if color is of little importance, ask them to ship you something they have in stock NOW.
Waiting for shipments from China sucks, yo.
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I ordered one of these way early in the year, after 3 weeks with no contact I emailed to find out they were out of stock so I canceled. Would have been nice if the website said that, which is basic technology so clearly they were just trying the net orders and hope people did not cancel. I went with a 10.6 NSP for a 100 bucks more as a second beater/dog board and I am glad I did. I have seen what happens to ATX boards after even mild abuse. Way under glassed.... Plus there whole "image" just doesn't have good aloha, I would rather spend an additional 100-200 and support some of the other emerging "real" companies. I understand the motivation to go cheap, hell I even tried it, but there are better boards and companies just one notch higher on the dollar ladder. My 2 cents
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I got an email and a phone call from SUP ATX. I was given a story about the boards having issues with customs at the loading dock in LA
Is this the Opium core model direct from Asia?
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UPDATE:
The SUP arrived on Monday.
Unfortunately, sans paddle. {sigh}
But I was so excited, I went knee paddling in the river, anyway. Afterwards, I called "Peter" whom I've now spoken to enough to be on first name basis.
I explained that I didn't get the paddle, and he apologized profusely and promised to ship it next day air so that I would have it Tuesday.
And Tuesday, it did arrive along with a SUP ATX trucker cap and some truck roof racks which I thought was way cool of them to toss in as a sort of apology for a frustrating experience. It's cheap stuff, but cool none-the-less.
The board itself... well, yea, the glass is pretty lean. I have longboards with more glass than this SUP and it does feel fragile ...but light.
Tonight, I will get my first session in along the Chattahoochee River in Northeast Atlanta.
Rock on...
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Congrats Surftrip. No worries on the board layup, the important thing with a first SUP is that it gets you out on the water! If it gets you out there with a minimum layout of $, so much the better. If you click with the sport, you can always move up to a higher-end flatwater specific race board, but regardless, what you have now should be a good all around conditions SUP. enjoy!
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nice! how was the first session?
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nice! how was the first session?
Welp, since you asked...
It rocked!
Because of my surfing background, I really had no issues at all getting up. I launched the board from a boat ramp in the river, hopped on my knees, put the paddle vertical along the board, and just jumped up.
I paddled upstream about 1/2 mile, just chillin' and getting the feel for it. I think I still need to find my "sweet spot" for maximum efficiency, but I cruised along pretty well --- especially for moving upstream.
It felt really cool and I chased around some ducks and egrets, before finally turning around and cruising, much easier, downstream.
I noticed my legs (calves) stayed really tight. And a bit of my core. I attribute this to small stabilizer muscles, rarely used, firing to help me keep my balance and the board in optimum position.
I need to get better turning as my turn was far from elegant, but for flat water in the river, I had a blast!
Headed back out tonight. ...with the vid cam this time.
WORD!!!!
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regarding Epoxy board cost and different types of construction - from cheapest on up:
1. EPS core with a couple of layers of fiberglass. Hand layup, no molds required, minimal materials cost. Boards lack stiffness, both under your feet as well as overall, ding easily and then leak.
2. EPS core with a couple of layers of fiberglass and some veneer to improve local stiffness, often just on deck. Can be done without a mold, and materials cost is fairly reasonable still.
3. EPS core, light layer of fiberglass, a "bulking" material such as Coremat, woven Bamboo or such to improve local strength, covered by more fiberglass. Requires a mold, but materials cost are still reasonable.
4. EPS core, light layer of glass, thermoformed PVC sheet foam, more glass or Carbon. Requires heated molds, materials cost and need for more skilled labor are going up. Stiffness is going up, weight going down. Tough, resistance to snapping and dings, minor dings will not cause leaks into the core.
5. EPS core, light layer of glass, thermoformed PVC sheet foam, light glass, veneer, Carbon. All of the cost and advantages of #4, just more so. (windsurfing boards have been built this way for years, pushing $2000.- for "average" production models)
and for the future:
6. Hollow core with pre-molded PVC-cored skins and foam spacers - Mark Raaphorst has been building them like this for years
For photos of much of the above, check my www.boardlady.com/anatomy.htm (http://www.boardlady.com/anatomy.htm)
Eva
My question is, what is the best kind of board in the $900 to ~$1100 range for lake paddling, calm ocean paddling, and easy river paddling? Thanks!
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Spirit; I'm in Arkansas and have limited access to boards to try so I bought a SUP ATX about 5 weekss ago. I've been on it almost everyday and it's been a pleasant experience. I dinged it once on some rocks but it's not taking on any water that I can tell. Last saturday i paddled it on our big lake in semi-windy conditions and did almost 9 miles in 1 hour and 50 minutes. 'course I almost died form exhaustion but that's more about me than the board ;D
My next board will probably be a 14' race board but I can't figure out what to buy because I can't demo anything here in Arkansas. I think I want to race but there is nobody to race here... oh well. I'm 46 next month and this is good supplemental exercise; plus the lake is right across the street so it's easy to access. Plus it fits nicely on top of my Aloha pontoon. Loading and unloading form the pontoon gives lots of opportunities for ding/damage but the
SUP ATX is doing nicely.
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regarding Epoxy board cost and different types of construction - from cheapest on up:
1. EPS core with a couple of layers of fiberglass. Hand layup, no molds required, minimal materials cost. Boards lack stiffness, both under your feet as well as overall, ding easily and then leak.
2. EPS core with a couple of layers of fiberglass and some veneer to improve local stiffness, often just on deck. Can be done without a mold, and materials cost is fairly reasonable still.
3. EPS core, light layer of fiberglass, a "bulking" material such as Coremat, woven Bamboo or such to improve local strength, covered by more fiberglass. Requires a mold, but materials cost are still reasonable.
4. EPS core, light layer of glass, thermoformed PVC sheet foam, more glass or Carbon. Requires heated molds, materials cost and need for more skilled labor are going up. Stiffness is going up, weight going down. Tough, resistance to snapping and dings, minor dings will not cause leaks into the core.
5. EPS core, light layer of glass, thermoformed PVC sheet foam, light glass, veneer, Carbon. All of the cost and advantages of #4, just more so. (windsurfing boards have been built this way for years, pushing $2000.- for "average" production models)
and for the future:
6. Hollow core with pre-molded PVC-cored skins and foam spacers - Mark Raaphorst has been building them like this for years
For photos of much of the above, check my www.boardlady.com/anatomy.htm (http://www.boardlady.com/anatomy.htm)
Eva
My question is, what is the best kind of board in the $900 to ~$1100 range for lake paddling, calm ocean paddling, and easy river paddling? Thanks!
For flat water paddling like you are describing, I would point you towards a displacement design, and if you stick to a planing hull, then a pointed nose with minimal rocker.
The best deals going on displacement hulls these days are the Hovie Nomad at Paddleboard specialists for 1100, the Boardworks Raven for 1200.00 and the Amundson T/R for 1299.00.
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Wilverine, just saw on SUPATX they are selling the Jamie Mitchell Kai Lui race boards, $1085 for 12-6 and $1185 for 14!!! AND free shipping! Have not heard much about these boards, but if you have had good experience with your board maybe you can be the guinea pig and give a review!
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Jimmy stycks has a pretty decent starter package for under a $1,000.00. 3 layers of 6 on top , 2 on the bottom . The 10,6" and the 11,6" are Good for flat water and even small surf .
The 12,6" "woodpecker" , loks strange at the beggining, has a full deep vee across the entire bottom and at 30" wide is super stable and quite fast. I can honestly reccomended it to anyone starting out that just will do flat water. By far has better gliding capabilities than any "all around " out there.
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I ordered one of these way early in the year, after 3 weeks with no contact I emailed to find out they were out of stock so I canceled. Would have been nice if the website said that, which is basic technology so clearly they were just trying the net orders and hope people did not cancel. I went with a 10.6 NSP for a 100 bucks more as a second beater/dog board and I am glad I did. I have seen what happens to ATX boards after even mild abuse. Way under glassed.... Plus there whole "image" just doesn't have good aloha, I would rather spend an additional 100-200 and support some of the other emerging "real" companies. I understand the motivation to go cheap, hell I even tried it, but there are better boards and companies just one notch higher on the dollar ladder. My 2 cents
Agreed and well said ... you get what you pay for
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I bought a 12 0 confort top SUP ATX as my first board, knowing nothing about boards or surfing, just to lake paddle. Got it 4 days. Road it every chance I got till it fell of the car and died. :( Loved the work out with long rides up to 4 hours. Local surf shop estimate $400 bucks to repair or give me $400 store credit for a new board. Bought an 11 foot Boardworks SUP and took it back after one day. Just did not glide like my 12 footer. Then found out that Boardworks has a new 12 6 recreational racing and touring model out call the Raven. Out of stock with a three week delivery window. So I an anxiously awaiting delivery. Last weekend, I took a test ride on a Starboard Carbon race board. The dealer raved about the Starboard and how fast it was and how poor the quality of the SUP ATX board is. He did seem very knowledgeable and is an avid rider himself. IMO, the Starboard did seem to have a nicer glide, could get more paddles in on each side before turning, but was not quite as stable as the SUP ATX board. I am thinking the Raven will have qualities similar to the Starboard, but be a little more stable. Has lots of tie down points, which I love too. Anybody have any thoughts about the quality of Raven construction?? For a starter board, I would recommend the SUP ATX. No sense buying and beating up a really nice board until you are sure that you want to stick with the sport. Price can keep folks off the water. Go for the cheaper SUP ATX to start, enjoy it and buy more beer with the difference. When you destroy yours like me, you can then move up!!
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ordered 2 carbon fiber shaft paddles with fiberglass blades last week.they arrived yesterday only $160 including shipping.very happy