Is anyone still stoked on SUP ?

[SurfnCJ8]

Haven't been on here in a while and usually don't comment much, but saw this post so thought I would drop in and say hello. I am curious to hear more about the 9.2 Speed also. I have an 8.10 but struggle on it more than I like so don't ride it that often. I've wondered if the 9.2 might be better for me.  There is a small group of us that Sup surf frequently. We've noticed there aren't as many people out on them here as there used to be. I think a lot have moved to foiling here as well.

[surfafrica]

Yep. Still stoked to SUP. Had to take 5 years off for surgeries & recovery, but I got back in the water in 2024. Currently riding an 8'2 x 29, 101 L Infinity B-Line. Hoping to get back into form enough to get on a new 7'6 x 26, 87 L custom Blurr V3 that I'm dreaming up. ...but I have some work to do to get there. Had a great few days in Oahu in December.

Here's a short clip of a few waves of my first session in 5 years. I was a bit wobbly!

[PonoBill]

Yes, I'm back into it. I bought a new Starboard 10'2" Wedge. I'm still winging but some medical bullshit knocked me out of the water for a bit, and when I came back I'd forgotten how to jibe. I'll get it back, but I miss SUP surfing and I'd like to fill the floppy bag that used to hold my triceps back up with some muscle. Pure ego, no one is going to be impressed by that other than me, but when I point at something I don't want to see any jiggling under my arm. I'm gonna toss it on the car and go bother people at thousand peaks.

[sflinux]

Yep.  Never tried sup foiling as I don't have a SUP board (mini tuttle) and foil (mast plate) that will mate together so was never bit by the bug, though have been a longtime kite foiler but SUP is my polar opposite no wind activity.  Very curious to try Beasho's foilboard shapes though as they make a lot of sense to me.
Recently picked up a 10'3" x 27" longboard sup by Donald Takayama.  Swapped boards in the water with my buddy for him to test.  After 30 min, his response was he had to get one of these for his quiver.  Longboard SUPS are fun.
I feel like after a decade my SUP surfing experience has come full circle.  I got into surfing as I was attracted to Colin Mcphillip's style of longboard surfing.  I started SUP surfing on a 11' Laird Pearson Arrow and a long a$$ wooden paddle.  Broke a rib on that board learning and progressed down to smaller boards.  Now over a decade later, after trying boards down to 7'4" long, I am stoked on gear that initially brought me into the sport, riding gear like my heros like a paddle the same length (nose height) and a board the same width that Colin would ride.  The OGs nailed the designs in the beginning with a blend of glide, performance, and fun.
I am still looking to the future of what performance is possible and continue to train SUP surfing with a 23" wide prone surfboard like my hero Mo Freitas would ride (though with a much higher 1.1 guild factor).  Training on a board 3" narrower makes a board 3" wider feel easy.  Once you go narrow, you become aware of your shoulders.  Like carving a skateboard in a bowl with speed, where shifting your weight is better done more subtly with your head & shoulders, rather than done with the amplified effect of your arms.  And moving your feet narrower to avoid over torquing the board (like keeping your feet in between the bolts while bowl carving on a skateboard).  Riding a retro skateboard like a Neil Blender polarizer feels like relevant land based training for riding a narrow SUP.

[ilmsup]

Ilm, cool to discover yourself in a 'Mellow Summer Waves' video!  That's awesome. And I have had Tiago's Mauka Lodge in the back of my mind for a few years. Do you recommend?   

Definitely recommend the camp though late fall to early spring is the time to get more consistent waves. He uses mostly Sunova creeks.  I was quite satisfied with my board. 

Portugal almost always has something to surf but they go through periods where the wind makes it challenging to impossible.  This past week it reached 3.6 meters and I saw them towing on the Nazaré cam. I took one look at the cams near Lisbon and stayed home.  The paddle out looked impossible at nearly all the breaks.  For most of December we had small clean surf with consistent offshore wind.  But this year has started out with big messy waves.  That should change next week as the wind goes offshore again.  I did the camp in September when it doesn't typically get so big you can't paddle out.  We had at least a crumbly wave to surf and the day he made the video it was beautifully clean.  I will take small clean surf any day over big messy surf. 

[red_tx]

Howdy Team. Long time.. Good to see this board is still going.

Although Foil is on my brain since 2014, I still regularly Stand up Paddle.

Switching between Stand up Foiling and Stand up Paddle boarding takes some patience and I believe it makes you better at both..

I actually truly believe that Stand up Foil boarding made me a better surfer.. I pump more and scrap a bit harder...hard to explain. (Stretches your brain, like going from guitar to Banjo and back.)

I am having my buddy shape me a custom standup longboard for nose rides.

-red

[Tom]

Haven't been on here in a while and usually don't comment much, but saw this post so thought I would drop in and say hello. I am curious to hear more about the 9.2 Speed also. I have an 8.10 but struggle on it more than I like so don't ride it that often. I've wondered if the 9.2 might be better for me.  There is a small group of us that Sup surf frequently. We've noticed there aren't as many people out on them here as there used to be. I think a lot have moved to foiling here as well.

I caught the firstnwave I paddled for on my new 9 2 Speed and the ride reminded me of why I loved th 8 10 Speed. It turned out to be exactly what I needed: stability, easy wave catching, turns good, and will ride about any size wave I'm interested in riding. I am really happy that it turned out to be what I envisioned. I think the key to ordering a custom board is to start with the volume you are most comfortable riding.

[surf4food]

I think a lot have moved to foiling here as well.

To me that's just crazy. I really have to wonder how many who moved to foiling have stuck with it or will stick with it. So many just jumped on the bandwagon. I'm sure it's an amazing thrill and feeling for those who master it, but how many reach the point before saying f**k it? I agree with a post I saw in an earlier thread pre-covid that it will go the way of windsurfing.

[SlatchJim]

Still SUP, but the weather on the weekends has conspired to keep us out of the water.  Had the boards loaded and ready to go in Santa Barbara the weekend before Christmas and it was waaaay too big for me.  By what we saw, it was way too big for all but about 5 guys in the water.

[red_tx]

I think a lot have moved to foiling here as well.

To me that's just crazy. I really have to wonder how many who moved to foiling have stuck with it or will stick with it. So many just jumped on the bandwagon. I'm sure it's an amazing thrill and feeling for those who master it, but how many reach the point before saying f**k it? I agree with a post I saw in an earlier thread pre-covid that it will go the way of windsurfing.

Silly surf4food! Foiling is not going anywhere. FAST.. we are just getting started. -r

[surf4food]

.

[/quote]

Silly surf4food! Foiling is not going anywhere. FAST.. we are just getting started. -r
[/quote]

Not saying it will soon, but it will eventually. Plus, windsurfing is still around, just not at the level it was in times past.

[surfercook]

Nice quiver,Tom. 77? Can't imagine still surfing at that age. Goals! I salute you, sir. 

[Roundhouse]

As a cancer surviver at 68 years getting to know the lay of the land, I just got back out SUP surfing again. Surfing is like riding a bike after over 55 years on the water but getting out on a bigger day or dealing with chop is going to take some practice. I sold my shorter boards and only kept my 10 foot Naish that can also serve in flat water. I went shopping for a new board to surf and was very disappointed. SUP shops have evolved into Kite and Foil shops or just full of pop out imports. Waiting in line for a custom board to be built is frustrating when you have so little time left. I guess the market just finally saturated and young people have moved on.

[OUTSIDEWAVE]

Yeah, I am. I'm on the downhill side of 71 looking at a close-up view of 72 and I'm still working so I find my time limited at best. I'm a bunch further away from the ocean and I used to be however I just got a new wetsuit I haven't even tried it out yet And looking to get back in the water really quickly seems like months go by and I realize I haven't been on the water yet every day I go on Surfline and check the surf. So bottom line yeah I am. What time is fleeting

[LaPerouseBay]

This looks incredbly fun.  Low motor, smaller front wing, upwind/downwind and set waves. 
 
Nice to see the technology continue to advance. 
https://youtu.be/UO9t_HMa6Nk?feature=shared