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Messages - ilmsup

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1
General Discussion / Re: Outer Banks in September?
« on: August 16, 2023, 02:40:52 AM »
That is the heart of hurricane season which should bring several large swells.  Many will blow out with the wind and you may find you have to wait to  surf the leftover swell when the wind dies down.  I have surfed cape fear region a lot  (which is a smaller less windy version of OBX) and also Florida.  I found NC waves to be far steeper so you need a shorter SUP with a good rocker and thinner rails. But if there is a lot of wind you will need a higher volume board.  When I took my board designed for NC waves to FL I found it much harder to get into the waves there.  I was in Palm Beach where the waves go from flat (most of the time) to 6-8 feet with a strong northwest wind back to flat.  My board was too light for the wind and much harder to chase down the waves as it was a slower gentler break.  Nice in the wave all the performance need for a steep wave was not as necessary.  I found I would get one or two waves and then have to walk quite a distance upwind.  On the other hand the board was perfect for the fast steep waves in NC when there was little to no wind.  When there was a hard offshore I had the same problems as Florida. I am just intermediate however.

2
Travel, Trips, Destinations / Re: Portugal SUP surfing
« on: September 02, 2021, 06:22:15 AM »
Nice video Rick.  I used two different Creek boards.  One 8’10” and the other 9’1”.  The volume was 125 and 135 respectively.  They both had enough stability for the conditions we had.  With the large one I could handle it when the wind went onshore and the conditions crapped out. I missed the performance of my 8 foot board I had in the US but I wanted to try some more stable boards on this trip.  Did you bring your board over from the US?

3
Travel, Trips, Destinations / Portugal SUP surfing
« on: September 02, 2021, 03:35:39 AM »
I am planning a move to Europe and Portugal will likely be where I settle.  They have so many surf camps but as usual finding a place that rents performance SUP boards is a research project.  Sometimes the surf shops will have one or two but that don’t always advertise.  I found one such shop in Fonte da Telha.  I decided to do a week at Mauka Lodge between Mafra and Enciera.  It was great and I discovered that the owner Tiago has boards he rents out of Lisbon.  So that takes care of the Lisbon area for me.  But next I am off to Algarve.  If anyone knows of a place in southern Portugal where they rent SUP surf boards please let me know.

4
Gear Talk / Re: Different board for different conditions?
« on: March 29, 2021, 08:10:09 AM »
I like the looks of that board a LOT. It might be the camera angle, but the nose looks like it's got a lot of volume in it. It also looks from the picture like the dropped rail in the nose decreases the rocker at the nose. That's exactly the opposite of the Foote boards I have with dropped rails--Bill uses the drop in the middle third to tighten up the rocker at the edge of the nose by bringing the rail step up to meet the top of the deck--hard to describe and even harder to figure out what he did by looking at the board. I wouldn't expect your board to work well in offshore wind. I think the better you get, the more important your equipment is. My SUP surfing has suffered greatly from my foil addiction and now I'm a one-size-fits-all surfer. The fact that you're asking these questions means you've progressed to where you're feeling something and adding some additional tools to the belt with be worthwhile.

At the Kai level, his quiver looks like a good-sized surf shop except every board is the same color.

It is really brilliant how he gave me thin rails and added stability in the middle.  There is a lot of rocker in the front. I remember going straight down the face of a wave that I thought for sure would pitch me it was so steep.  I also remember a riding wave that started barreling and when I finished a young female paddler said,” Ï saw that!,  I’ve never seen that on a SUP.”   That being said I am not that great a surfer.  I would say I am kind of stuck in that intermediate and on a good day advanced intermediate level.  I learned late in life and dońt use nearly the performance this board offers.  I do feel I have advanced paddling skills that help me maintain my balance.  I started out SUP surfing on a 10 foot volume board with good rocker in the nose and never had any problem with wind or chop.  It was like turning a cruise ship but if I used the paddle and put all my weight on the back I could do the switchbacks needed to work a wave.  In fact I took the barge out in victory at sea conditions and actually felt a little sea sick from all the rock and roll in the ocean.   I discovered then that there comes a point where the conditions are so disorganized that you will be spending a lot of time paddling for a very short ride.

I plan on moving to Europe and don’t know if I should try and bring this board with me or not. 

5
Gear Talk / Re: Different board for different conditions?
« on: March 29, 2021, 06:44:45 AM »
Well I came upon and interesting discovery while looking at various boards online.  I kept finding boards that were longer, winder, and thicker than mine and yet the volume was less than what I thought the shaper had told me mine was.  So I did the measurements and I found that my board is 7ft 11in long, 29.5 wide, and the rails are an inch thick at the tail increasing to 3 inches in the center and then decreasing again to a half inch at the nose.  He added some volume where you stand that tappers to the front of the board.  That platform of sorts adds roughly an inch of thickness and is about 24 inches wide.  I found some information on line that helped me calculate the volume given the specs.  I now think the volume is between 90 and 100 liters.  That explains a lot about the struggle I have in windy and choppy conditions.  I am 80 kilos or around 175 libs.  It also explains why I haven’t found many people who can paddle it in the ocean.  They are either too heavy or dońt have enough SUP experience.  Before this board I was paddling an 8ft 5 board that was 32 inches wide and a volume of 135.  It was heavier with much thicker rails.  When I asked him to shape a new one for me I told him the thickness was a problem because I couldńt engage the rails in a steep wave which on a couple of occasion cause it to slam into my shins. I think the rails on that one were about 4.75 inches. I don’t know why I thought it was 124 liters.  You cańt give up 5 inches in length 2.5 in width and an inch or more in thickness and only drop 10 liters in volume.

I have never had that problem with this board.  As you can imagine it is te best board to have in glassy conditions with little to no wind.  It also explains the exceptionally light weight which is under 15 lbs.  I owned a BIC 9 foot 22 inch wide longboard and this paddle board weighs less than that board.  The high performance may be a bit overkill for my surfing ability so I feel I could give up some of that.  I still want to count on the board to allow me to drop in on super steep waves or easily abort if the wave closes out.  That has been great with this board.  But I do need more volume for less than ideal conditions.  The question is how much? I want to add length for sure but not go above 9 feet.  I will be in San Diego where I hope to rent an Infinity that has 135 litters. 

6
SUP General / Re: Is there SUP Surf life after 70?
« on: March 26, 2021, 07:10:35 PM »
Hi,
Ilmsup, sorry to hear about your dad's fall.
A new study found an increased risk of dementia (>40-50% increase) by eating processed meats (i.e. bacon).
Article:
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/ajcn/nqab028/6178922?redirectedFrom=fulltext
Summary:
https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/mental-health/544545-new-study-suggests-bacon-and-processed-meats-may
Best of luck to joining the 100 club.
Thanks SFLNUX.  I think the stress of caring for my mom for 15 years may have contributed.  She had a severe stroke at 75 and lived another 15 years in a nursing home.  It really gives you a sense of urgency to make the most of your good health after that. 

7
I would think that shops that offer lessons, also rent.

Yes but it is usually flat water particularly when they are offering lessons.  They want the highest volume boards out there.

8
SUP General / Re: Is there SUP Surf life after 70?
« on: March 24, 2021, 05:45:59 PM »
There sure as hell better be!  70 is young!  My dad’s family often makes it past 100.  Had my dad not fallen and broken his hip a couple of months before 95 he may have made it.  But it seems like the 90s suck.  He was crippled and had dementia.  So I am making it my life’s mission to keep it going after 90! Here’s a man and woman who won a track race at 100 and 102!

https://youtu.be/tOzCoDvRqyk


9
Epic Boardsports in Cocoa Beach had surf rentals the last time I was there, which just prior to Covid.

Ocean Air Sports in Avon, NC has some they rent (rented a Fanatic Stylemaster 115L in February)

Thank you!

10
We need a new term because the moment you google SUP, Standup or anything resembling that you end up with a shitload of places that will rent you touring SUPs.  And now there is iSUPs taking up space.  I want to paddle a lot of different surf SUPs under a variety of conditions but man is it difficult to find the places that rent performance surf SUPs.  I do find them on occasion in tourist destinations throughout the world known for surfing but on the east coast it seems SUP renting is only for flat water touring.  Anyone know of places in Florida or NC. 

11
Gear Talk / Re: Different board for different conditions?
« on: March 22, 2021, 07:11:47 AM »
How wide is your current board?  I think your guild factor of 1.5 is good.
I can fit a 9'6" in a Honda Element.  For longer boards I use Kanulock straps for some piece of mind, and try to park near friends.
I definitely swap out fins, and agree with your observations.  In addition to quads, you should try keel fins in weaker waves.   In addition to a 2+1, you could try a single fin for more speed.
For me personally, I don't like to use a longer board if it is windy, the portage is too much of a pain in the arse.  At my break, when the tide is low, the waves tend to get steeper and pitch more.  I find that I don't like using a longer board in these conditions, and prefer a board in the range 7'4"-9'6".  If the tide is high and the wind is offshore (sub 15 mph), I agree with Beasho a longer board will help.  The other option is using a board with a wider tail, to accelerate into the wave.
 For cleaned up wind chop, you could go wider.  I also prefer going to a narrower tail.  I find narrower tail more important than width at the board's wide point. Something like a pintail is easier to submerge and will not be susceptible to the same leverage forces as a wider tail, which makes balancing easier imo.
For Hard onshore, I prefer to prone paddle (7'4"-11'6") or kitesurf (<7'6" twinfin in normal conditions, or quad when powered).
My boards rotate in winter versus summer.  I prefer more volume and a bit more length in winter because I weigh more (thicker suit) (gf=1.4+).  I also prefer pintails in the winter as the winds and waves have juice.  In the summer, I can use lower volume boards (less rubber).  In the summer, the winds mellow out and the seas are calmer, making lower volume boards more fun (gf=1.2+).  The waves are softer in the summer, so I prefer using wide tail boards with high performance rails.  I choose the optimal fin setup for each board for the particular conditions.   
For choppy conditions, I found using a shorter paddle helps.  It forces you to have a lower center of gravity.  The stroke reach is more compact and with higher cadence, which helps with balance.

This is very helpful.  Here in SoFla, the surf goes from well overhead to flat in a day and is less consistent overall than in NC.  There is always a backwash but when it gets overhead the backwash feels like a lot of boat wake.  You can see it in the waves wobbling as they are getting ready to break.  I’ve decided I need a longer board with more glide that can gain enough momentum to plow through these conditions.  My short board is great for late takeoffs and steep waves but it comes up short chasing down a slow breaker.  Backwash or a hard offshore kills late takeoffs.  I use to surf a 10 footer 29 in wide 140 liter board here and never encountered these problems because that tank had tremendous glide that could plow through anything.  It had relatively narrow rails too so it could engage in a steep wave.  It was far more difficult to turn and required the paddle along with putting weight on the back to make a sharp turn.  My current board just requires me to turn my head and it follows.  I don’t think I need 10 feet  though or even much more volume.  I paddled a board in Mexico in glassy conditions that was only 110 in volume and I am able to paddle my current 125 board in somewhat choppy conditions and through boat wake.  The problem is if you have to use your paddle strokes as braces than you can’t get any speed which is what you need to plow through backwash.  So I understand now the need for different boards for different conditions.  Glide for slow breakers and shorter boards for late takeoffs and steeper waves. 

12
Gear Talk / Re: Different board for different conditions?
« on: March 10, 2021, 01:30:46 PM »
There are so many things I love about having a small light easy to transport board but you’re right that one the conditions head south a fun day can turn miserable.  Based on what you’re saying I should probably get a second board with significantly more volume.  Not sure what that sweet point will be and what shape it should have. 

13
Gear Talk / Re: Different board for different conditions?
« on: March 02, 2021, 07:28:24 PM »
Thanks for the helpful feedback.  That was a great video of some awesome conditions supthecreek. 

It is really when winds hit above 10kt and gust go even higher that it feels hard as hell to paddle and my wave count dies.  I think you are both right that a longer board would be better in those conditions.  And you’re right that I love the lightness of the board but that may also be why it is more challenging when the wind starts blowing hard.


14
Gear Talk / Re: Different board for different conditions?
« on: February 28, 2021, 09:07:46 AM »
Thanks.  Well most surfing in the east is knee  to shoulder high.  For head high and larger the wind has to cooperate and be light or I will be frustrated as hell.   A very calm large long period swell is great with my board but when the wind picks up I could use more drive.

15
Gear Talk / Different board for different conditions?
« on: February 28, 2021, 08:02:50 AM »
Do any of you switch boards according to conditions?  I paddle a locally shaped 8 footer with tapered rails.  It is very light and the volume is about 124.  I am 180lbs.  I love it in certain conditions but struggle in others.   I have a also found it to be a great board for the steep waves of NC as the rails are tapered, but find that in South Florida the backwash and the wind get to me. Moreover the waves are not as steep so I could probably give up some of the performance for a heavy board with more stability.  The weight of my board at 15 lbs which makes it lighter than the longboard I just sold.  When there is a lot of wind I have to be particularly careful as a gust of wind can send it flying high in the air.

I also wonder if any of you swap out fins based on conditions.  I use a quad set up of all small fins but I feel I should use a tri-fin with a large center fin when there is more wind. 

If you could comment on which boards are most suited for the types of conditions below it would be greatly appreciated.

1.  Clean steep light offshore, light cross off.  My board is perfect for these conditions.

2.  Clean hard offshore.  This is frustrating because the board is great once you get into the wave but the light weight makes it hard to paddle against the strong wind.  When I turn sideways a strong enough gust can knock me off.

3.  Cleaned up wind chop.  When the wind switches off shore after being onshore I find there is a lot of wobble in the water that frustrates my ability to catch waves.  Add a little cross-off wind and my wave count drops to very few. it is similar to paddling on a break with bad backwash. 

4.  Hard cross/off.  If the wind is too strong I won’t catch any waves and will finish with the walk of shame as it can be exhausting paddling on my knees against the wind and useless trying to paddle standing up against the wind for long periods.  If it is moderate wind I will still spend far more time paddling the surfing.  Some days it seems I catch as few as 3-6 waves in a session last and hour. 

5.  Light onshore.  My board is fine in these conditions for small to mid size waves provided the wind has not been blowing hard at any point during the day. 

6.  Hard onshore.  Doubt any board is good in these conditions.  I remember paddling a board with a ton of volume that felt like I was on a cruise ship when the waves were large and the onshore blowing hard.   I had no problem with stability but felt rather sea sick after awhile.  More recently I tried out someone’s Nash  mad dog in choppy conditions and found it far easier to catch waves than with my board but crappy conditions don’t give you much of a ride.

I have already given this a lot of thought.  It seems I could use more length when the wind picks up but i am reluctant to go longer than 9 feet as I like to put my board in the car.  I am also not a fan of thick rails.  When I switched from a narrow ten foot board with thin rails to a wider 8.5 foot board with thick rails I found that if I wasn’t careful the latter would slam into my shins on a steep waves if I tried to engage the rails.  That is what motived me to buy the board I have now.

Any thoughts?  Below is my current board:





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