Tiring SUSing in sloppy conditions.

[Zooport]

We have had 3 weeks of windy mornings here in SoCal and I am still going out and making the best of it.  The surf has been really bumpy most mornings and a total mess on some mornings.  I'm finding that it is way more tiring for me to SUS in sloppy conditions.   I keep my knees bent a little to absorb much of the chop, but it's like constantly doing squats and knee bends.  I'm finding that I tire more rapidly.  Does everyone experience this, or is this just a symptom of my relative newness to the sport?  Would using my big board instead of my AW 8'10" help?

[Board Stiff]

I feel your pain! Not sure if it gets better with more time in the slop,  but I'm trying that plus some squats and lunges in an effort to build endurance in my legs.

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[Ake G]

X2!

Think it's an endurance issue with me.....this Spring up here has been big and choppy w/onshores since March.

Work and real life does not allow me to get out as much these days have been very rusty OTW. As always, more water time in bad conditions and frequent shorter sessions ........keep a lower center of gravity.

8'10" is still a short board no matter what anyone says here unless you are small in stature. Even an Allwave. Most guys where I am seem to ride longer and narrower boards for paddling speed in crap conditions.

Yes, Leg squats and other weight work with LOTS of STRETCHING! is very helpful.

[PonoBill]

Think of it as high quality gym time and lots of motivation without paying a trainer.

[stoneaxe]

Absolutely...much longer sessions when it's clean and not sore the next day.

[NorthJerzSurfer]

I have found that I would rather have a higher wave count and longer session- than get one extra snap turn on a wave because I rode a board too short or narrow for the conditions.

I know everyone is going as short as possible..but for people that SUS in chop  frequently - all the work takes away some of the fun. 

I am one of those guys who gets to surf when my schedule permits- not conditions- so I’m always looking to make the best of junk conditions.

I have a 9'5 allwave that I ride in those conditions (Thanks JimK!) even though I will ride an 8'5 with 50 less liters when its glassy .

[SUP Leave]

I had 3 straight sessions where I got the conditions wrong. Even on my big All Wave I felt like I was just wasting time.

I had a session two times ago where I had onshore windswell from the SW and a NW swell. Both short period. I had to go because I was jonesin' but I worked my ass off for about 4 waves. Two of which sucked out and swallowed me like a foam monster taking my paddle twice!

I kept telling myself that it was good exercise and would make me a better surfer.

Yesterday we had calm conditions 7s period and waist high waves if you could wait for one. I didn't realize how much in shape I was getting. In the crappy conditions I was making it about 1.5 hours before I was spent. Yesterday I forgot to put on my watch, I told my wife I would check in at 0930 to let her know the plan. Well I figured I would be well knackered by then, starting at 0645. I got off the water after too many waves to count, grinning like an idiot. 11 am! Shit!

My honey-do list got a couple things added but it was worth it.

[AJR]

Happens to me all the time.  You can also try running all five fins (quad set plus a 4-5" center fin) to make the board more stable. It stiffens it up a lot but that's better than falling and missing sets.

[supthecreek]

WOTB - time to expand the quiver.

SUP is like golf.... you need a bag full of clubs... 1 for every possible situation

[supuk]

WOTB - time to expand the quiver.

SUP is like golf.... you need a bag full of clubs... 1 for every possible situation

how much do you way compared to the volume of the board, i find having to much volume when it choppy make it almost harder as you tend to get nocked around more by the chop. Having the board sitting lower and letting the bumps pass over the board works better for me and 90% of our surfing in the uk is in sloppy surf.

[J-Bird]

WOTB,

You just need a bigger board to have fun in the sloppy conditions.  A lot of people around here will try to steer you to use smaller boards, and they work great when its clean, but in the messy big stuff, big board = big fun. Good luck man.

[SUPladomi]

i find having to much volume when it choppy make it almost harder as you tend to get nocked around more by the chop. Having the board sitting lower and letting the bumps pass over the board works better for me.

I am only a beginning intermediate SUSer but I share supuk's experience. If the board sinks a bit, it seems to make things smoother. However the tradeoff is that it presents more of a challenge for me to catch the wave as I have to be in a more critical section. I think I prefer that to getting bounced around.

[supdiscobay]

i find having to much volume when it choppy make it almost harder as you tend to get nocked around more by the chop. Having the board sitting lower and letting the bumps pass over the board works better for me.

I am only a beginning intermediate SUSer but I share supuk's experience. If the board sinks a bit, it seems to make things smoother. However the tradeoff is that it presents more of a challenge for me to catch the wave as I have to be in a more critical section. I think I prefer that to getting bounced around.

A critical drop in is the best part.   Get in the pocket and start taking off in the critical section of the wave.  Get in the line up, don't just sit outside.  Lower volume is great.  I can't stand it when an sup sits outside on a 11-12' board and catches the wave early (I sound like a longboarder don't I)  They usually just go straight and stay way out in front of the wave, which sometimes works out fine.  Yes it may be a little harder to balance when its gets rough.  But once you catch the wave, its a lot more fun.  Surfing isn't just riding a board on a wave.  It's going with the wave and adjusting to every change that wave makes.  When I get tired, I take a paddle up the coast a bit or just outside the line up, and rest.  Wavecount is great, but quality of the ride is just as important to me.  Don't waste a wave and just stand there. Work it.  The smaller the board the more you can work it.  I have had 4 boards in the past 2 years, each a bit smaller than the last.  Everytime, the new board was a bit tippy for me, but after time on the board, I got comfortable.  So, I dropped from a 166 ltr 10'er to a 118 ltr 8'6".  And every wave is a lot more fun because of it.
That doesn't mean I don't go out on my larger boards depending on the conditions.  And every time I think about selling a board, a day comes up that suggests I shouldn't. You can't win, so just have fun!  I would rather be out in slop for an hour, than not at all.

[surfcowboy]

Hey man, we're coming into the long days and I've been sneaking out for glass off in the evenings. This weekend the tides should let us have some great late sessions. Hope you get some glassy waves. I need a few myself.

[Zooport]

Hey man, we're coming into the long days and I've been sneaking out for glass off in the evenings. This weekend the tides should let us have some great late sessions. Hope you get some glassy waves. I need a few myself.

Agree.  Thanks, same to you.