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Topics - Board Stiff

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16
My Speeed arrived last week and I got it in the water for a quick test about an hour before sundown last Sunday. Waves at Jenness Beach were clean but only about knee high, and there wasn't much wind. I paddled out on my knees and was able to stand up, turn around, and catch the second wave I paddled for. After that, though, I ended up falling a lot while paddling around or paddling for waves and didn't have much more success catching waves, mainly because I was falling whenever I'd turn to paddle for a wave or move forward to get in position.

I went back out today, and had much better luck. I got to Long Sands beach around 4:00 this afternoon, just as the wind was starting to die down a bit. Once I got outside I was able to stand up and got a lot more comfortable. I still fell a bunch of times as I was attempting to turn for waves or paddle out over some, but as the session went on, I started to get my legs under me and figure out how to position my feet for stability. Once I figured out how to step back and keep my rear foot on the center line, I found it very easy to spin around and position for an approaching wave.

Whereas the first time out, I'd been trying to position myself in a parallel stance forward of the handle to paddle into waves, I had more success today in surf stance with one foot back a ways and the front foot just forward of the handle, both on the centerline. With the wind still blowing offshore at a decent clip, I found it easier to lineup farther inside than last time and take a later drop. The Speeed was much more controlled in this situation than any of the other boards I've surfed before (Crusier, Allwave, Nalu).

I caught 3 or 4 really clean, chest high waves this way and had some of the best rides I've ever had! Each time I was able to get into the pocket and race effortlessly down the line. It was amazing how rock solid the board felt with the inside rail slicing along the steep face of the wave, and the outside rail just suspended over the water below! When closeouts appeared, it was easy enough to shift my weight a bit and pull out of the wave, and on the couple occasions that I stumbled onto the right spot on the tail, I was amazed at how sharply and easily it cut back.

I don't have the surf experience or knowledge to offer a very technical review of this board, but I can say that despite being the lowest volume board I've ever paddled, I was surfing it better on my second time out than anything else I've paddled before. It is a really fun board, and I think it will help me improve my surfing a lot!

17
Gear Talk / Speeed arrived! Care and Feeding?
« on: October 20, 2015, 11:09:33 AM »
My Sunova Speeed 8'10 arrived today. Took about 6 weeks, which wasn't that bad considering it's coming from Thailand and I ordered just as our friends down-under were starting to stock up for spring.   :)

Now for some questions about care and feeding!
  • Are other Speeed owners using rail/helicopter tape? If so, any tips on what type, width, and where/how to apply?
  • In the picture below, what is the cutout in front of the handle for?
  • Also in that picture, what is the circle in front of the cutout? GoPro or mast mount? Vent plug?
  • Any other tips to keep this beauty in good shape?  :D


Thanks!

18
Gear Talk / What size Sunova Speeed should I get?
« on: September 02, 2015, 10:22:36 AM »
Hey Zoners,

I've been really intrigued by the reviews of the Sunova Speed lately and am thinking of adding one to replace my recently sold 2013 AllWave 8'10". With so many different sizes available in the 8' - 9' range, I could use some advice from those experienced with this board about which size to choose.

I'm 5'8", 170 lbs right now (been as low as 158 and as high as 185 over the past couple years) without gear. Heavier, obviously, with warm suit, boots, etc in the winter. I mostly SUS at Jenness Beach in Rye, NH or Long Sands in Kittery, ME. 90% of the time I'm out there, it's waist high or smaller, and usually pretty weak. I'd say my SUS skills are beginner/intermediate... I could balance comfortably on an 8'10 Allwave in most conditions, catch waves up to head high, make a bottom turn and go down the line, though I'd fall quite a bit too.

Lately I've been riding a 10'6 Naish Nalu. Very easy to balance on in all conditions, paddle through whitewater, and catch waves on, but it's very slow on the small, weak waves that I typically get out in. I'm thinking the Nalu will remain my rough condition or lazy day board when I don't want to worry about balancing too much, and the Sunova Speeed will be my goto board at least for small days when I need something speedier or when I want to continue to improve my SUS skills and performance. So I don't mind a size that's going to challenge my balance (I just went to a tippier race board too, so developing my balance is a priority for me anyway), but I'm almost 40 with no prior surf background and don't get out SUSing more than once every week or two on average, so I also need to be realistic about the progress I can make on a lower volume board.

The 8'10 seems to be the most talked about size on these forums. SUPtheCreek's reviews have been great, and his initial video of the small waves he tried it in looks a lot like the conditions I get out in.  Creek is a fair amount bigger than me but also tons more experienced on surfboards and SUPs than I'll ever be, so I'm not sure if these size and skill factors cancel each other out when extrapolating the proper board size for me. I recall someone else about my size posting that he had trouble burying the rails when turning on the 8'10, so I'm not sure if that argues for a smaller size. Also, all else equal, will a longer size be faster on very small waves, or is the length advantage negated by the increased width in the longer Speeeds? Anything else I should consider?

FWIW, playing around with the board volume calculator on Kings' website, it looks like the Speeed 8'10 would be a comfortable volume, the 8'5' would really be a stretch, and the 8'8 might be the sweet spot between challenging but possible.  ???

19
Gear Talk / Naish 2016 lineup
« on: August 18, 2015, 07:22:31 AM »
Just found the new 2016 Naish product specs on their website:

http://www.naishsurfing.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/2016SUP_BoardSpecs.pdf

I'm excited to see a non-carbon Javelin for poor folks and board abusers!  ;D

20
Gear Talk / Racing - what do you wear in cool, wet weather?
« on: August 04, 2015, 01:56:52 PM »
Gearing up for the Lobster SUP Cup this weekend, and we could have some rain and temps in the 60s during 10 mile paddles on Lake Megunticook or Penobscott Bay.  What do folks wear in these kind of conditions?

I'm thinking a wetsuit would be too warm, unless it gets really rainy and windy, but normal race wear (board shorts and a t-shirt) could get cold if rain and wind keep up over 2+ hours. Neoprene vest and shorts under my shirt and board shorts usually keep me warm enough during a surf session this time of year, but that's usually with warm air temp and sun to warm me up between falls. On land I'd wear a lightweight rain shell over my shirt and shorts, but I'm not sure if this would backfire on a board if I fall in and wear it over wet clothes.

Any suggestions?

21
Gear Talk / KeNalu adjustable part?
« on: June 28, 2015, 07:04:58 PM »
Last summer's paddle length experiment (cut, test, cut some more, retest) predictably resulted in a paddle that's just a little too short, especially for my new Konihi blade. I'd like to experiment some more, preferably with the option to go shorter and longer, so I'm thinking the KeNalu Adjustable Part is what I need next.

Could anyone who's used this provide some feedback for me?
  • Can it be used with my existing ergo-T handle, or do I need to also purchase an Extended ergo-T handle to use with it?
  • Is the adjustable part comfortable and reliable to use on an everyday race, surf, training paddle, or would you limit it to use in an extra loaner/backup paddle?
  • Once you dial in the right length with it, will you have enough shaft left to ditch the adjustable part and put a regular or extended ergo-T handle on directly?

Thanks!

22
Gear Talk / Which KeNalu: Wiki vs Ho'ola vs Konihi?
« on: June 16, 2015, 09:14:34 AM »
Hey Zoners,

I replaced my no-name paddle with a Kenalu Maliko the summer before last and immediately loved its bite, power, and relatively lower weight. As I've trained and raced more, increased my paddling distance, and focused on my stroke more since then, I've noticed that my arms and shoulders seem to tire before I tax my cardiovascular system. Especially when heading upwind, I often feel that I can't increase my cadence to a point where I've got my heart rate up, and heading into strong winds, it's as if I come to a dead stop between each stroke before dragging myself and my board towards my well-planted paddle. Consequently, when out for a long paddle in windy conditions, I often wear down from shoulder and arm soreness while I've still got gas in the tank, and in races, I can only crank up my cadence for very short spurts.

So I'm thinking it might be time to try a smaller paddle blade, which I'm hoping would allow me to increase my stroke cadence, and also put less wear and tear on my arms and shoulders. I've seen lots of positive reviews on the forum for the Wiki, Ho'ola, and especially the Konihi, and I'm hoping someone who's tried them all can tell me how they differ from each each other in terms of performance, feel, and best use case.

For reference, I'm 5'8 175 lbs (150 not counting the spare tire  ;D), and most of my paddling is on the NH/Maine seacoast. Most of my training paddles and races are in the 4 - 10 mi range, though I'm trying to do some longer events this year too, if I can avoid burning out my arms and shoulders. If I get one of these smaller blades, I'll still have the Maliko available for surfing or other conditions where it might be better suited, so I'm really focused on which of the small ones will be best for racing and longer distance paddling, while minimizing wear and tear on my joints.

Thanks!

23
Gear Talk / Drysuit deal
« on: June 02, 2015, 05:30:49 AM »
If anyone's in the market for a SUP/SUS-friendly drysuit deal, Amazon's got the Ocean Rodeo Soul available in Blue, size L for $685 ($200 below typical price). This is the lowest price I've seen that size in 6 months (last time it only lasted for a couple days), and the first time in any of the non-discontinued colors.

I picked one of these up in a different color when it went on sale early this Spring, and it seems like it will make cold weather surfing and downwinders more comfortable. I haven't used it enough to do a full review yet, but it's easier to get in and out of than my winter wetsuits, and it doesn't require a frigid change in the parking lot before getting back in the car.  ;D

24
SUP General / Nearly-frozen waves
« on: February 26, 2015, 08:51:28 PM »
The frigid weather in New England has produced some really cool waves!



More photos in this article.

Any Zoners on the Cape or Nantucket surfed these slurpee waves?  :o

25
Travel, Trips, Destinations / Rincon, PR
« on: December 28, 2014, 07:46:01 PM »
I'm going to be in Rincon, PR for a few days in late January and would love to get some paddle surfing in. Any Zoners have recommendations on where to rent boards down there, or where to find SUP friendly breaks?

Thanks!

26
NorthEast / Nantucket SUP?
« on: September 25, 2014, 05:15:21 AM »
I'm heading down to Nantucket this weekend and noticed that the surf forecast looks pretty good there. Anybody know of any shops down there that rent SUPs? Also, any good and SUP-friendly spots to surf?

Thanks!

27
NorthEast / NH/ME border downwindah
« on: September 03, 2014, 07:18:51 PM »
The wind was only 10-15 knots today, but out of the WNW it was lined up perfectly for a run down the Piscataqua. I launched at Cedar Point on the north end of Little Bay about 30 minutes before high tide, and cruised down to Goat Island. Here's the route and data from my GPS app. The wind wasn't enough to build any real bumps, but it made for easy paddling at a decent pace anyway. Other than the Marine Patrol down by the 95 bridge and a couple small motor boats here and there, I had the river to myself most of the way.

Anybody in the area know of some other local downwind routes? I'd love to do some more, especially in the open ocean if there are any good runs nearby. My dream is to hitch a ride to the Isles of Shoals someday and downwind back in a howling east wind.  ;D

28
Gear Talk / low volume on Laird Surfer SUPs?
« on: August 19, 2014, 07:46:12 PM »
I've been looking at different boards to replace my 11' Oxbow Cruiser (primarily for surfing longboard-style and on smaller days, and for my wife to occasionally flatwater paddle or do yoga on), and the Laird Standup Surfer caught my eye.

I noticed, however, that this board's volume is substantially lower than that of many similarly sized (in length and width, anyway) surf/all-around SUPs. The 10'6 x 30 Surfer, for example, is only 140 liters, which is smaller than my 8'10 Allwave, and smaller than many 10'6 x 30 boards by Naish, Fanatic, Jimmy Lewis, Starboard, and others that I looked up for comparison (mostly 155-165 liters and up). The only board I could find that was as low volume as the Surfer in that length and width is the SIC Recon (10'4 x 31, 144 L).

So I'm wondering how volume affects stability and performance (both surfing and cruising), independent of length and width. At 5'8 and about 165 lbs, 140 liters should be plenty of volume to float me, but how would a lower volume board  perform differently from a higher volume board with the same length and width? And does a lower volume board sacrifice any durability (i.e. does a thinner board snap in two easier when pounded by a wave)?



29
Gear Talk / Ding! Need advice
« on: August 19, 2014, 06:35:31 PM »
I got my first ding today paddling into a submerged rock:




It's hard to tell from these pictures, but the rock appears to have punctured the "high-resistance skin" on the bottom of this Fanatic Falcon, as well as gouging some deep scratches in it. Fortunately it happened about a minute before I got out of the water, so there wasn't much time for water to infiltrate.

I don't know anything about board construction beyond the marketing info, so I'm hoping the Zone can give me some advice on this. Should I keep the board out of the water until I get it patched up?  How is a ding like this repaired? Can anyone located near the NH seacoast recommend someone locally that does a good job with ding repair? And what should I expect to pay?

Thanks!

30
Events / 2015 Lobster SUP CUP Preview
« on: August 14, 2014, 07:32:03 PM »
2014 Lobster SUP Cup last weekend was fantastic, and before the stoke can fade, Mark and Thor posted this awesome preview video announcing next year's event:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LVOKBOXoDc
 ;D

I'm marking my calendar right now!

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