Author Topic: How short/small can you go  (Read 13172 times)

bajasurf

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How short/small can you go
« on: November 04, 2013, 07:05:34 AM »
I am #220 5'10. 51yrs old..  I learned to surf a 8'x32x4.5 Simmons SUP this summer.  After a long frustrating summer, I got it down pretty good. Kind of got to keep it moving, but just a light strokes now and then. Waters at my feet. I figure my Simmons SUP is probably around 130- 140 liters

Looking at making a new board.

So how short can I go?  I was thinking of making a fishy SUP in the 7.6 range by 31" wide x 4.5.  I think board be around 115 to 120 liters.  Too small?

How small have you gone?  Big guys like me?


supsurf-tw

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Re: How short/small can you go
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2013, 07:12:53 AM »
I don't think anyone can answer that. You'll just need to keep going down until you find your limit. I DO think there's a point of diminishing returns, just like crawling where the paddling and wave catching abilities are so sub par that it takes the fun and enjoyment out of it. With crawling there's 2 dimensions; paddling and wave riding. With SUP there's 3; paddling,wave riding and also balancing, which adds a whole other issue into the mix. You may be able to go smaller but at what cost?
Boards:

 
8-10 x 31 Egg
8-11 X 32 Double wing Fangtail Tom Whitaker
8-6 X 30 1\2  Inbetweener Tom Whitaker
8-4 x 30 Hyper quad Tom Whitaker (wife's now)
8-4 X 31 1\4.  Round (wide) Diamond Tail Quad Tom Whitaker
 9-4 X 30 1\2. Swallow Stinger Quad Tom Whitaker (ex wifes now)
10-0 Brusurf for teach

TallDude

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Re: How short/small can you go
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2013, 07:37:54 AM »
Like Surfsup said, 'you have to find your min.'  I'm 235# and 6'-7. I've found my " fun minimum" is about 135 liters, which is half sunk. I surfed a 9'2 x 28 x 3.5  T-Patterson (rising sun) for a couple days this summer. It's about 119 liters with a pulled in nose and tail. It wore me out, trying to balance on a ripper shaped board that was 95% under water. First of all, you need a steep wave. I literally paddled into the waves under water, and would just thrust the board out the face to get it to pop. You have to be deep to even get into a wave. A Simmons shape will give you more stability with less volume in a shorter board. If you are planning a pulled in fish 7'-6 x 31 at 115 liters, you are going to have to either lose some weight, or ditch the paddle. I'm thinking of a fun minimum, not 'only fun if you can actually catch anything' on a board that's 3" under water.    
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

SlatchJim

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Re: How short/small can you go
« Reply #3 on: November 04, 2013, 10:02:41 AM »
The misnomer in this concept is the reason someone would go smaller and shorter.  If you like a more longboard style, there's no reason to exhaust yourself reducing stability.  If you're a shortboarder style-wise, you'll want the smallest board that works for you.  Stability is like horsepower, you don't always need it, but it's really nice to have it when you do. 

coldsup

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Re: How short/small can you go
« Reply #4 on: November 04, 2013, 02:05:56 PM »
No connection here but these guys have been surfing short SUPs very well for years.

http://www.gongsup.com/-GONG-SUP-Bamby-.html?lang=fr

Basically, if you go real short sup you need pitching waves as you ain't going to paddle into one :D  They look fun but you'll need to work at it I reckon.

supthecreek

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Re: How short/small can you go
« Reply #5 on: November 04, 2013, 03:24:29 PM »
"After a long frustrating summer, I got it down pretty good. Kind of got to keep it moving, but just a light strokes now and then."

Sounds like you had a long frustrating summer ;)   What's your inspiration to go shorter?
Seems like you are at a correct spot with the Simmons, and a Fishy shape is going in the same basic direction... with a long frustrating winter heading your way ;D

How about going hi-performance with standard pulled in nose & tail... a bit longer and slightly narrower. Have a go at a different type of board for the really good days.

I'm just throwing stuff out there because you didn't mention why you wanted to go shorter.

Have fun, let us know what you are thinking.

skipinjb

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Re: How short/small can you go
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2013, 03:56:36 PM »
Not only what was mentioned so eloquently " the point of diminishing return.....there is a point you lose the swing weight and go more vertical or yawing to much then down the line.  What I am shaping currently is a delicate balancing act in itself but....I do know the paddle is your friend ( tighter turning radius) and with that you should slooowly reduce the size then to radically drop in size.....so in order to decide what size remember what has been mentioned you do not want to go so small you spend more time working/struggling then having fun. For myself at 5'11" and 193 lbs I think my bottom end is 7'4" ( with the new and improved design I have for 2014) but a maximum of 7'10" . My new 8'0" at 115 ltrs , this seems huge to me but its at the end of the spectrum on functional use in all types of conditions. It's also something that I think will be a great demo for those who have yet to break the sub 8'0" envelope......

stoneaxe

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Re: How short/small can you go
« Reply #7 on: November 04, 2013, 05:50:15 PM »
Variables on variables.....my 8-4 x 33 x 4.5 I'd guess is 150-160 litres. Half to 3/4 sunk with me on it at 260 lbs. It's great if it isn't too bumpy but I struggled on it last Saturday while waiting for waves. It's also a problem at a break like that. It took me a 1/2 hour just to get out. After that you DON"T want to get pushed back inside so it's all about trying to get in earlier....not easy on the 8-4. Lots of scrambling paddles only to miss.....while watching smaller guys with only slightly longer boards getting in early with ease and not giving up much in the way of performance.

My long winded way of saying conditions change everything. I could go shorter/smaller in perfect glass but would only get to use it a few times/year.
Bob

8-4 Vec, 9-0 SouthCounty, 9-8 Starboard, 10-4 Foote Triton, 10-6 C4, 12-6 Starboard, 14-0 Vec (babysitting the 18-0 Speedboard) Ke Nalu Molokai, Ke Nalu Maliko, Ke Nalu Wiki Ke Nalu Konihi

supstoked

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Re: How short/small can you go
« Reply #8 on: November 05, 2013, 07:55:16 AM »
I am 6'2" x 175lbs.  About a year ago I acquired a 7'4" x 33.5", thick rails, maybe 140 liters.  This started me down the road to shorter, better surfing boards.  I had been riding 9' x 29" for a couple of years prior.  After several months on that I bought a Corran Retro 7'8" x 30" x 114L.  It was hard to get used to after 33.5 but I got it down after a week.  I put in three months of solid surfing in Costa Rica.  Around the same time I got a King's Simmons 7'11" x 31.5" x 118L.  This board had far more stability due to the added width and the absence of the chine in the bottom of the Corran.  However the board did seem to be a little sluggish compared to the Corran.  Next was a 7'4" x 30" x 110L  L41 SimSup.  The flotation was adequate with this board and it surfed incredible.  However the stepped rails and the rounded bottom (nose) made it an unstable paddler for me.  During the time I was riding this board in Hawaii, I used a 7'8" x 31? x 98L Starboard Airborne.  This board was still within my realm of enough flotation to catch a wave, but it was a lot of work.  Too much work to be fun for me.  I am expecting a 6'11" Infinity Phoenix asymmetrical this week and we'll see how that works out.  I think I have figured out the bottom range for myself and will start working my way back up.  It's been an expensive year but worth it.  Like most people, I don't have the luxury of shop demos for these types of boards.
Lots of foil boards 6’7”-7’4”, L41 TVD’s and Jimmy Lewis Strikers..

jdmotes

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Re: How short/small can you go
« Reply #9 on: November 05, 2013, 10:37:25 AM »
 Verdict still out for me (and it may well always be)... I'm 63 yrs old and around 185~190 range with half a century of surfing experience... Currently on a 8'2"X29"@108 liters. When I first got on this board I thought, 'holy-moly' - this thing's a bitch to paddle; Then I caught a wave on it and thought, 'holy-moly' - am I nineteen again?'. Plus: the more I paddle it the better I feel paddling it... The reward is in the ride!
 With all that said, I'm still looking forward to getting my hands on one of our new 9'6-NR (nose-rider) SUPs and doing some 'old fashioned' hanging five!!!    Paddle on,    JD
JD Motes/Water Bound Sports LLC
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magentawave

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Re: How short/small can you go
« Reply #10 on: November 05, 2013, 02:49:29 PM »
I weigh about 200 and I'm dropping down from an 8' x 30.5" x 4 9/16" thick 129 liters L41 Simsup to a 7'-8" with 115 liters and a narrower tail.
Pluto Platter: 7-10 x 29.25 x 4.25 x 114.5 liters

supthecreek

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Re: How short/small can you go
« Reply #11 on: November 05, 2013, 08:00:11 PM »
OK... I'll play
I am 65
I weigh 215lbs
My board is not that short at  8’11, but very thin nose, rails and tail…. Only 123 ltrs
My full wetsuit – including boots, gloves, rasher w/ hood – wet probably adds 20lbs
So I am at about 245lbs riding a 123 ltr board. It wears me out now that I’m in full suit…. It’s my limit in winter. Lots of work, shorter sessions.
The cold, wind and wetsuit are definitely limiting factors.(+ age)

Today, I rode my 145 ltr Allwave, just to get a break for my leg muscles…. It felt corky, but was a necessary break from my sinker.

Newps

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Re: How short/small can you go
« Reply #12 on: November 06, 2013, 09:07:09 AM »
I am riding a  L41 SIMSUP 7'8" x 31"x 4 1/2" 122L.  I am 5’10” 180 lbs with a wetsuit.  I can paddle this board with no issues, it’s very stable and punches through the surf.  It’s only drawback is the glide into the wave.  I miss the glide I had on my old PSH 9’6” 156L.  Once I am on the wave I much more prefer the L41 over the PSH.  I’ve only had this board out in the surf 6 or 7 times, so I am still in the learning curve on it.  I could go smaller but I doubt I ever will.  I want to catch waves, lots of them, if I were to go any smaller it would decrease my wave count.  I only have one SUP board so it’s has to work in all conditions. 
L41 SIMSUP S4 - 7'4" x 30 1/4" x 4 1/2" 112L
L41 SIMSUP S5 - 7'6" x 27 1/2" x 4 3/16" 106L
L41 SIMSUP S4 - 7'8" x 31"x 4 1/2" 122L - Modded w/ a King's TUT Tuttle box and using a King's foil.
L41 SIMSUP S4 - 7'10" x 30 1/4" x 4 1/2" 120L
Starboard Whopper - 10' x 34" x 4 1/3" 171L - w/ FCS GL-1 fins

supstoked

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Re: How short/small can you go
« Reply #13 on: November 10, 2013, 04:01:07 PM »
Just got my 6'8" infinity a couple of days ago.  I have had three sessions on it.  Paddles good and rips waves!  Here's a shot with my wife on it.
Lots of foil boards 6’7”-7’4”, L41 TVD’s and Jimmy Lewis Strikers..

bajasurf

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Re: How short/small can you go
« Reply #14 on: November 10, 2013, 04:38:42 PM »
The board looks great   What do you weigh?   Width of the board?

 


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