Author Topic: Introduction and a couple questions  (Read 4008 times)

dstgean

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Introduction and a couple questions
« on: January 26, 2011, 07:06:02 AM »
I've bee reading the forum for a while now, and just got my approval to post.  thanks.

As a brief intro, my name is Dan and I grew up in Encinitas (my parents still live there) and now live in the Chicago 'burbs.  I get down to Sanibel Island quite a bit as well since my in-laws live there for most of the year.  Anyhow, after growing up surfing and getting landlocked after college, I got into sailing to scratch the itch a bit.  Worked pretty good along with kayaking, but finally had a chance to do some standup down in Sanibel.  I love it!

Even better, my wife and daughter do too....

So I'm looking for a couple boards to go with the Kialoa paddle I got last Spring.  What I'm looking to do is mostly flatwater with the occasional small weak surf you see in the Gulf at times. 

I'm 220 and pretty fit and my wife is little at 125 or so.  We'd like to get a couple boards for the mostly flatwater we see at home on the Fox River near Chicago, lakes in Wisconsin, Lake Michigan, and flat water in Sanibel (and small waves there as well).  For my Encinitas fix, my dad "the Professor" at Swamis, has a bunch of boards--but no SUP's.  I'll have to demo some of Dave's boards down at Cardiff Reef when I'm out over President's day weekend.

After having rented a few boards, I'm thinking I'd like to get one longboard shape and one flatwater shape.  I've build a couple boats and thought I might try the CLC SUP.  Kinda hard to get two boards that are dialed in for both a 125#er and a 220#er.  I suppose floaty isn't too bad for my wife, but I couldn't really paddle a low volume board designed for her.  I'd like to have the longboard be a surfable all rounder that isn't painfully slow on flatwater and a 12'6 or 14' flatwater specific/possible downwinder.  I'm drawn to the kayak style bow for that board, but I'll have to demo some to know for sure.

Any favorites in either category?  Tough to demo anything in Chicago--and even SW Florida.  I tried the barge of a rotomoulded Yolo, the 11'+ BIC with the plastic skin, and an epoxy Starboard.  Not in love with any of them.  Any problems with a larger volume board for my wife?  Should I get a lower volume board for her and a larger volume board for me instead?

Thanks for all the collective wisdom/opinions of the forum! 

Dan

Dwight (DW)

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Re: Introduction and a couple questions
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2011, 07:18:51 AM »
Any problems with a larger volume board for my wife?  
Dan

Weight.

Get a light board and it won't matter and she won't hate it so much for being a beast.

dstgean

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Re: Introduction and a couple questions
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2011, 07:43:50 AM »
Light is right for sure.  Not sure how much difference in weight there's gonna be between a 9'+ and an 11' board in the real world.  I'll have to check it out. 

For flatwater the glide is where it's at IMHO.  My kayak is 19' for the same reason.

Dragging a 50# plastic kayak will take the joy out of a quick paddle--a 10-20# board is in a whole other ballgame.  Thanks for the reminder.

Dan

PonoBill

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Re: Introduction and a couple questions
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2011, 07:56:12 AM »
You carry a board a lot differently than a kayak. Weight is going to be very important to your wife. When we did our board test several years ago the most common issue women mentioned was weight--they liked the light boards.

How well you can use a board you get for your wife depends a lot on how performance oriented she is. If you get her something long, light and with plenty of glide it can be a good second board for you. If she's not going to get in the surf at all, consider a touring/race/downwind board for her, like a Naish 12' Glide. Then if you find some good downwind conditions you can borrow it.

If she's getting into even small surf then you have to get her something small that will fit the surf. Something in the 9' range.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

dstgean

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Re: Introduction and a couple questions
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2011, 08:20:19 AM »
Right on Bill.

Naturally, I'm thinking a little selfishly wanting to get two boards I could use.  However, with 90% of the riding being flatwater, touring, and possible downwinders I was thinking she would use the faster board to equalize the speeds a bit.  That said, she's ripped and will likely be fast in her own right down the road.  However, the current norm includes me waiting up a bit which is psychologically a downer.  She's a competitor though and having a board that she could not only keep pace but put the hammer down if she wanted to seems like a good idea.

I like your 12' Naish suggestion.  For flatwater and downwinder use should I go with a wave piercing bow or a surfboard style bow on that one?

I could see how carrying even a light board long distances would suck dince you use your fingertips.  I can see why there's a market for straps & carrying options.

I'll be out in Encinitas in February, so I should have a chance to demo some options with her.  No replacing her own experience on a board rather than some preconceived notion I might have.  I feel the same about a board myself.  I don't think I've ever bought a board off the rack either, so maybe I should be calling Dave over at King's.

Dan

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Re: Introduction and a couple questions
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2011, 09:03:30 AM »
It's not just the carry weight, its the pulling weight. For your wife, a heavy board is like pulling a battle ship with her paddle. Nothing to you, a huge deal to her.

dstgean

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Re: Introduction and a couple questions
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2011, 11:58:09 AM »
It's not just the carry weight, its the pulling weight. For your wife, a heavy board is like pulling a battle ship with her paddle. Nothing to you, a huge deal to her.

Got it.  Both boards will be light.  Any favs for downwinders, flatwater boards, or the kayak style bows?

Dan
« Last Edit: January 26, 2011, 12:46:36 PM by dstgean »

dstgean

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Re: Introduction and a couple questions
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2011, 05:51:05 PM »
What's up with the imagine rotomoulded boards shown on the ad space on the left?  I'm done dragging my 50+# Perception kayaks around.  They look like good crossover boards to leave at my father in law's house (outside but out of direct sunlight) in Sanibel.  He wants to get some sit on tops for down there rather than dragging the perceptions back and forth from the WI summer home.  I can imagine, sorry couldn't help it, a couple of the rotos with a clip on sit on top seat fulfilling both missions pretty easily.

I'll still be looking at epoxy boards too, but these are interesting as are the inflatables.

Dan

 


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