Board opinions/advice for my size/conditions

[Vertsup]

Hi All,

New to sup, but not new to surfing. A little background, I've been surfing for approx 30 years but sup is something that I will be doing much more often due to where I now live (South East Florida).

While I have yet to demo any boards (that is on the agenda), I thought I would ask those with the sup experience what type of size boards I might consider.  I will be using the board for flatwater, ocean and when traveling to central Florida perhaps I will pick up a few waves. I will assume that 75% of my time will be flatwater, and ocean. I definitely want a board that will function in some waves to approx waist high though.

With all that said, I am 6'2" and generally weigh in the range of 215-218. I have noticed a variety of boards for the various conditions but I am not too certain on what "volume/liter" I should be looking for that will suit the various conditions, in addition to length and width. I won't be in the market for boards for specific conditions ie. more surfing or racing etc.. for some time. So this board I would like to be a great performer in the various conditions listed and a good quality board. My next question will be about types of paddles.

There are a lot of manufacturers out there and right now I am just trying to get a general sense of where I should direct my interest and what other things I might want to consider when investing in this sport that I intend to engage in for the long term.

Thank you for any suggestions. 

[DavidJohn]

Start by demo'ing a board like the new Naish 10'10" Nalu.. IMO it should be perfect for what you're after.

DJ

[AJR]

Get a good paddle - Kialoa, Ke Nalu, Werner, etc.  don't waste time and money in a cheap one.  If funds are an issue get a used one off Craigslist, classifieds, etc. 

I'd also recommend buying your first board used.  Use the demos to figure out what you want.  The first board is often quickly replaced because the learning curve is steep early on.

[hbsteve]

Accessories for flat water and ocean should include a PFD.  The USCG requires them.  Enforcement and requirement are two different things.  I understand that the fine isn't cheap.  There has been a lot said about this topic elsewhere on this forum.

[Weeble]

If you are in the Fort Lauderdale area, there are a few places that you can rent from and try a few different board types.  My girlfriend and I have been into backwater paddling (The intra-coastal and the New River System) for a few months now, and it took us some time to research boards and such, but we could  not find many true demo situations like the ones you read about where you can try out a bunch of the best boards.  However, there are some places where you can at least rent the Starboards and few Naish’s where you can at least get an idea of the board types and such.  BTW, we both ended up buying 2 NSP boards because we came across a great deal and basically were at the point where we needed to buy something so that we could quit renting and start boarding consistently and build skills.  Our NSP’s are the 2012 All-purpose style, slight rocker, rounded nose….good all-around board.  One is 10.2 x 32" x 4 7/8, the other is 11' x 31" x 4 1/4".  I am 6’2” and about 205lbs, and both boards float me just fine.  During our time of renting, we tried many boards, and I found that it was true on “floating” part…some boards floated me great, others that were roughly the same size, barely held me up....so try them out before you buy them.  In our case, the NSPs have worked great.  We bang the hell out of them, and they have held up just fine as our first timer boards.  I don’t know if I will ever try to surf them…I just don’t have those kinda skills…but I enjoy distance paddling and touring, so my next board will probably be a tahoe or raven. 

Here’s a few places that might be of help:


The Beach Shack.  They don’t have a website, but they do have a facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beach-Shack-Paddleboards/290154574335667
  They are right on Fort Lauderdale Beach, by the Swimming Hall of Fame.  They have rentals, lessons, etc.  Ask for Dawn, she is way cool and knows her &^#%$/. We have rented from her and purchased some gear as well.  If you rent from them, you can either SUP on the beach, or paddle the intra-coastal as their location is basically a half a block from either.  I am pretty sure that you can demo a few boards there, but not positive.

Surf World -  http://www.surfworld.us/
Pretty cool shop, one of our bigger ones.  They do rentals, a lot of Starboards.  I have never rented from them, but I have purchased some gear.  They have a competent staff.  They are a bit north of Lauderdale, in Pompano

Sunrise Paddle Boards  - http://sunrisepaddleboards.com/WHAT_S_SUP_.html  These guys are on Fort Lauderdale beach as well.  They rent and sell the SUPATX boards.  We rented there once.  Not sure about how good their staff is as only one guy was covering the store (it’s in a giant tourist trap called Beach Place), but we were treated well, picked up the boards and did our own thing.  We didn’t like the SUPATX boards so much, but everyone has their own opinions on boards.

There is another place in the Pompano area, small shop, nice boards.  I have heard that they rent, but I have never rented there, just checked out their boards.  The name of the shop is Precision Paddle Boards

[Bulky]

I'm a big fan of buying the first board used as well.  I imagine FL has a market where there's probably a good deal of used inventory floating around.

As others have said, I think 11 ft is about what you want and no smaller than 30" wide.  Narrow boards will give you more glide, wider will make it easier to catch waves when you get there.  Since you're an experienced surfer, you might not need to go as wide as I did (32").

As far as volume, my current goto board is 186L and that floats me fine at 240.  Since my skills and balance have improved, I could probably go down to 160 or so for surfing, but my ocean cruisers are all 200L or so.

Again, going used will let you go entry-level at $500-$600. The second board is where you know a bit more about what kind of paddling you'll be doing and then you can pay to get something geared to that.  For now, I'd prioritize anything that gets you out on the water the quickest.

[stoneaxe]

I agree with the others. You should be able to find a used board in decent shape to start. I'm sure you can find a Naish, Starboard, or other in the range. The Starboard 11-2 Blend is a great all around board at your size. Good glide and fun to surf longboard style.
The Ke Nalu board and paddle showcase would actually be a great place to start. You'll find a bunch of older boards that you're likely to find on the used market in there. A bunch of subjective opinions on the boards with specs that were available or tested (weights) for all the original boards tested you can click on the picture to enlarge it.

http://www.kenalu.com/maui-stand-up-board-and-paddle-showcase/

[Strand Leper]

Epic responses, all.  Thousands of dollars of advice, in moments, for free.

I second (third) everyones' opinion on buying used.

I bought many boards on Craigs List (and here) while I tried to dial in the right sized board.

Saved lots of money.... sold them for about what I paid for them later on...

Oh, and that paddle thing, buy a Ke Nalu.  Adjustable length with no sacrifice in performance allows you to really dial in your stroke.

A quality paddle really amplifies the enjoyment... flatwater, surf, touring, downwind... doesn't matter... a quality paddle makes it funner

Good Luck!

Tim 

[stoneaxe]

Meant to include this link. http://www.kenalu.com/forums/showcase-index/

[OUTSIDEWAVE]

If you have surfed for a number of years  then you probably have a preference on board shapes  I do,   Check out he shape of things to  come in shape shack  I  am heavily influenced by ben  aipa and steve  boehene  infiniti.   

[eastcoaster]

My first board was a Surftech Universal 10'6".   In my opinion, it was the perfect first board.  Very stable and easy to paddle.  I started on the Gulf side of Florida so basically flat water with very small waves.  I have moved on to other boards but still have the Universal.  Great board for friends and family to kick around on.  Also use it when my wife is being lazy and wants to cruise around with me or I take my 110lbs Rottweiler for a ride.  Floats us both easily.  I am 6'2" and around 195.

[phxsurfer]

Just put up a Naish Nalu wood 11'4" for sale that might be perfect for you.   This was my first board and it worked great.  I am wanting to go to something smaller for waves.  Let me know if you want to check it out. 

http://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=15564.msg140356;topicseen#new