Messages

16

Gear Talk / Re: Which Naish Glide? I am pretty confused

« on: September 03, 2016, 05:15:23 PM »

I just bought a '16 Glide 14x30 GTW (because I'm a big guy) and according to the scale at my local shop it was 31lbs. I could've gotten the GT for much less but I wanted the lighter weight. At your size I'd go with the 14x29 as others have suggested. The 14 footers just cruise so nicely.

17

SUP General / Re: HELP Need some advice

« on: August 18, 2016, 03:24:46 PM »

I own the Glide 14x30 GTW and I demoed the SIC.  Didn't get a chance to try the Amundson.  I'm 12 years younger than you but I weigh quite a bit more than you.  I really liked the SIC, l like all of SIC I demoed, but they didn't have enough volume for me.  It would be plenty for you though.  I'd also suggest you consider the Glide 14x29.  If you read reviews on it, people really notice the 1" difference and you don't necessarily need the extra volume of the 30". 

 

18

Technique / Re: Flatwater Paddling Technique Question

« on: August 18, 2016, 02:58:56 PM »

One quick follow up from looking at your signature.  Assume you're talking about the Naish Glide here, correct?  Not entirely familiar with the newer models but if the stock fin has changed much that isn't doing you many favors.  They used to be pretty straight and deep daggers--if that's still the case that's not doing you any favors.  Something swept back more like an Allison Ninja (what I use on mine) would help a bit with tracking.

Ya, it's a brand new '16 Glide and I ditched the stock fin asap.  Running a Futures Triangle Cutaway, the biggest one they make.  I'm a big guy and I like the larger fin for added stability.  I'm going to try another larger fin and see what I think.  Should arrive in the next day or two. 

Thanks again.

19

Technique / Re: How do you get out in reasonably sized waves? Help please :)

« on: August 18, 2016, 11:38:53 AM »

The only thing I disagree with creek about is paddling on your knees. I don't find that to be effective in getting out.

Although I tend to paddle out on my knees more than I like, the one big thing I don't like about it is getting hit in the balls!  It hurts like a mofo!   

20

Technique / Re: Flatwater Paddling Technique Question

« on: August 18, 2016, 11:32:57 AM »

Thanks for the quick responses.  It's funny because I thought a big touring flat water board would be easier to use and I find it requires way more finesse than my surf specific boards. 

I am in a parallel stance when I paddle.  And it is a displacement board.  I just figured out the whole leaning opposite of paddling side 3 sessions ago.  Seemed counterintuitive to me, but totally worked.  I know for a fact that my left leg is a tad longer than my right and I tend to favor/weight that foot.  When I was younger I skateboarded a lot and ride goofy and push with my left, so it's my dominant foot for board sports (skating, snowboarding, SUS), even tho I'm right handed. 

I've played with stroke technique too and just get frustrated. Guess I'll just have to keep practicing and maybe try a slightly staggered stance.  Like I said before, I thought this would be a lot easier than it is, but it really does take a different set of skills.  Kinda cool and fun to be learning something new tho.       

21

Technique / Flatwater Paddling Technique Question

« on: August 18, 2016, 09:40:57 AM »

Hey guys,

I feel kinda dumb even asking about this but I can't figure this shit out to save my life.  I usually SUS but I recently bought a touring/race board for the days I can't get to the surf and to stay in shape.  New new board is big, 14x30 and I love it, but something's not right.  When I paddle on my right side, I go straight.  I don't turn and it tracks straight.  But as soon as I change sides and paddle on my left I turn to the right really quickly. I only have a handful of rides on the new board and the last couple times out I spend 80% of the time paddling on my right side, which is kind of bass ackwards for me because I had surgery at the beginning of the year to address a left neck/arm/shoulder issue and bought a flat water board to rehab and now my left arm and traps aren't getting any work. I also have a really hard time turning the board to the left period.   

And here's what has me so confused:  When I take out my SUS boards to surf, I have the exact opposite effect.  I usually paddle on the left and tend to turn right to get into waves because I ride goofy. 

So, seems to me either something is wrong with my new board?  Or with the fin?  I just ordered a new fin, so plan on trying it out to see what happens.  Any suggestions on what to look for?  The board looks straight and not warped at all.         

22

SUP General / Re: "Big Man" Boards?

« on: August 08, 2016, 10:26:49 AM »

I am 6'5", about to turn 40 and currently weigh 325lbs.  My ideal weight is somewhere around 280.  I own 4 SUP boards and SUP regularly, both in small surf and on flat water, as it's the one fun exercise I can do right now due to the fact I'm rehabbing from surgery from back in January.  If you weigh 350 and just want a board to putz around on, then a 280L board will float you.  A 250L board will float you too, but for me, I personally wouldn't find it ideal, but that's just me.  If you were surfing, I'd say it'd be good because my current SUS board I use all the time is 237L and it's perfect at my current weight.  What will float you, and what would be ideal for what you're looking to do are two different things.  When I demoed boards, I tried out a 180L board for fun and sure it floated me, but my feet were under the water.  It'd be ok for surf, but for flat water paddling, it'd suck because of how much work it'd be to paddle.

I just bought a new board just for flat water and did a lot of research and demoed a bunch of boards and my board is 14'x30" and has 315L of volume and I love it.  Floats me so well.  I was adamant about having a board with over 300L because of what I wanted to do with it.  If you are only going to do flat water paddling in lakes and rivers I would personally recommend a board as close to or over 300L as you can find but that's just my 2 cents. 

If you can, demo boards and just see what works.  I think wide is good for big folks learning.  The board I learned to surf on was 11'3" and is 38" wide with 252L of volume and I weighed 340 at the time.  It's the perfect board for a BIG person learning how to surf.  Now it just collects dust tho.   

23

Gear Talk / Re: Starboard atlas extra vs avanti

« on: August 04, 2016, 04:38:04 PM »

Get the Avanti.  I'm 6'5" and right now I'm back up to 325 and been surfing my Avanti lately.  I've used it when I was as heavy as 340 and at my latest "lightest" weight of 295.  (In my opinion it works best in surf when 325 or less)  It's my board for small, mushy waves and maybe up to about waist to chest high.  It's a tank, but it's just so easy to ride.  I can walk all over it.  I can stay out forever because I don't get tired as quickly.  I love it.  Don't know if I'll ever get rid of it, but a lighter carbon version is sounding a bit tempting.  Although I don't find the weight to be too big of an issue and I have the AST version.  Not too much fun tho when surf starts to get a little bigger tho.  I took it out once in overheard surf (only because it was the only board I had on me) and broke the leash like immediately. 

24

SUP General / Re: MIA Paddler - Tahoe

« on: June 20, 2016, 01:19:34 PM »

Been meaning to post to this because I was actually up at Tahoe when this happened.  I got there the day the young guy disappeared and heard about it the next morning from my aunt.  I had my brand new 14' board that I'd picked up the day before and as tempted as I was to take it out, it was way too windy, even for me who's fairly confident on a board.  My turnaround point for my regular paddles up there is Obexers, right where the guy disappeared.  I turned around there the morning after the event and it was eerie knowing somebody had just drowned right near where I was paddling. 

This trip up was my first time in a few years that I used a leash and waist PFD up there.  I'm a good swimmer and don't worry about getting back to shore if something happens but there was a lot of wind that weekend and better safe than sorry.  I felt like the new big 14'er could get blown away pretty easily.  And my cousin told me the authorities started passing out tickets last year for no PFD.  I also fell in once during the 3 different times I got out and it was cold.  Damn cold!  Especially with the wind after I got back on the board.  I had my 1mm shorts on under my board shorts, but only a rash guard on top.  Thankfully I was close to home when I fell.  Headed straight to the hot tub after I got out and it took a few minutes to warm back up.  Poor kid probably got too cold to make it back.  Sad story.     

25

Gear Talk / Re: New guy wanting advice on board

« on: April 26, 2016, 05:04:46 PM »

As a big guy with an Avanti I personally feel it will be too small for you. I tried to learn to surf on it at 335lbs, 340+ with a 4/3 suit on and it wasn't great. When you're that big you sit so low in the water, even on the Avanti, that it's tough to move so much mass. I have a Joe Blair 11'3x38 that I learned to surf on I bet would work for you. Joe's boards are priced nicely too. You need 250L or more and at least 34-36" wide. The Avanti gets fun once you get below the 325 mark. Just my $.02.

26

Gear Talk / Re: Big man downwind/touring recs please

« on: April 05, 2016, 08:59:08 AM »

Hey Clay. Thanks for the list of shops nearby.  I knew all of them but Mike's. I think I am going to try to demo boards around here. 

I've narrowed my search down to just a couple of boards.  I guess that's one "good" thing about being big is that only so many boards will work at my size.  And also realized the price for a couple of the boards I was looking at is more than I'm comfortable spending on a DW board.  It's crazy how expensive the DW/touring boards can get!  And once I get healthy again I plan on SUS'ing as much as I can so don't need to drop so much coin on a board.

Well Johnysmoke, I'm curious to hear about that Bark Eliminator.  It's one of the boards that's still on my list.   

27

Gear Talk / Re: Big man downwind/touring recs please

« on: April 01, 2016, 10:51:13 AM »

Thanks for all the responses guys.  And thanks for the healing vibes from a couple of you.  Yeah Bulky, I may be getting ahead of myself.  My PT yesterday told me I may be a way out from paddling again, but a guy can dream, can't he?  I'm going so stir crazy already and it's only been since the new year that I've been off my boards. I find out more in a couple of weeks.  Might not be until end of July before I get the OK.     

And JimK, thanks for the input.  I realize it's a little different than what we discussed.  Just wanted to get some other ideas and brainstorm a little. 

I knew I wanted something over 300L.  My largest SUS board is my Joe Blair 11'3x38 that's 250L (which I learned to surf on when I weighted in at 335 and over 340 with a 4/3 suit on) and it floats me really well and I knew I wanted more volume than that.  When I weighed 295 this summer I tried to put my daughter (65lbs) on too and it didn't work.  Want something I can get my daughter on too (maybe).  And I'll definitely will be wearing my camelbak.  I see all these regular sized folks on their big flat water boards (like my 150lb cousin on that 270L board I mentioned before) and I'm jealous of how far out of the water they are.  Looks so much easier to paddle than what I'm on.   

I wish I had more options for demoing boards.  Seems easier to do on Maui or down in Socal.  Here in SF Bay there's a few places that sell boards, but not a lot of boards to demo in the size (width) I'm looking at.  I'd also have to spend like $50-70 per board to demo them, unless I opt to buy it at the store where I demo and then I'm stuck with the brands they have and the 1 month time limit they give for applying the demo fee towards the purchase. 

The Naish Glide 14x30 looks really cool, except it's 37lbs, which if I was healthy I'd be all over it (I think my JB is probably 35lbs) but that's a lot of weight to lift up onto my truck.  The Boardworks Great Bear also looks interesting but no weight listed.

Thanks again for the responses.  Definitely gave me something to think about and chew on.         

28

Gear Talk / Big man downwind/touring recs please

« on: March 31, 2016, 02:46:32 PM »

So, another big man thread.  I normally SUS, but just went under the knife and doc won't clear me to surf for another few months.  In the meantime want to start open water paddling to keep in shape and rehab.  I'm a total newb to downwind/touring boards and have some questions.  As I've mentioned in other posts, I'm big: 6'5" and hover between 295-315 depending on time of the year.         

I have some questions about flat water boards, like the relationship between length, width and volume.  The only board like this I've ridden was 12'x27" at 275L and I could stand up, but it was way too narrow.  So what is most important?  As in will length make things more stable vs width?  Is volume just as or more important than dimensions?  I know length helps with glide, but will a 14'x29" board be just as stable as a 12'6"x31? And what about tail shapes?  Is a boxier tail more stable?  If I want to do open ocean paddling, as well as flat water paddling in lakes, should I go for a touring board or more race oriented board? One thing I know for sure is I want something that is stable and will float me really really well, AND is not too heavy (can't lift anything too heavy for a while so preferably 30lbs or less). 

Boards I'm looking at are:
JL Searcher 12'6"x33.5 363L
Amundsen TR-T 14'x29.5" 304L
Sunova Faast 14'x29 347L
Sunova Venture 14'x31.5" 338L
Fanatic Falcon 14'x29.75" 317L
JP Sportster 14'x30" 299L 

Thanks.     

29

SUP General / Re: Kelly Slater and team created a "perfect" mand made wave

« on: December 21, 2015, 01:09:31 PM »

It's definitely in Lemoore. I grew up there and the reason for the nasty looking water is that's just how it looks when it's pumped out of the ground.

30

Gear Talk / Re: SUP for Very Large Paddler

« on: October 31, 2015, 01:54:46 PM »

Well, I'm 6'5" and was 340lbs when I started SUP'ing.  I'm now 300lbs.  My first board was a Starboard Avanti.  Second board was a Joe Blair 11'3"x37.75".  It's a BIG board and would be great for your friend (and reasonably priced).  It's what I really learned to surf on at 335lbs.  I also rented a Naish Mana 11'6" in Maui and it worked really well.  I'd also recommend the Atlas Extra.  My latest purchase is an AW 9'10" at 190L and I honestly think that anything under 200L and under say 34" wide would be way too hard for him to learn on.  I think he'd get frustrated.  I'm 39 and pretty athletic and am finding the AW to be challenging.  While it floats me fine and is 33" wide it's very unforgiving compared to both my Avanti and JB.  I spend way more time in the water on the AW, especially if there's any chop.  Just my 2 cents.