Author Topic: input wanted on lining out a suitable long term paddleboard set up-tall guy  (Read 9694 times)

Boardfit

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It took me about 4 years and hundreds of miles to go from a 31" wide race type board to a 25" race board. You'll get there with time on the water.

So I'm reading this as it takes time to get balance better and better? When does it peak? Or does it just get better always?

Boardfit

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You'll definitely want to get another board. What you have I certainly wouldn't recommend but if you can stand without falling in boat wakes and chop after just 12 hours on that board you have decent balance and it will feel much easier with more hours in. You eventually won't even think about it unless conditions get crazy. Pretty much everyone has good balance compared to me though and what I was looking for in a board (the challenge of balancing) is exactly opposite of what you're looking for.

Part of what is throwing me I think is the title of your post....if you're looking for a long term solution I don't think real wide is the way to go. If nothing else give yourself a little time to find out what works...long term solutions shouldn't be made in haste.....of course the reality is that in a year you'll be posting about your 3rd board....the custom 14' x 28" touring board you're having made..... ;)

Agreed on all points...I usually aquire things in numbers...

By long term I just meant something that I'd be happier with than the $400 cheapo I bought to try the sport out. I couldn't see paying even $700 for a board when I didn't know if I'd like the hobbie or not.

Boardfit

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@Boardfit  - Im a BIG guy, 335lbs  6'2" and had an AWESOME discussion with loads of members on this site about boards for Bigger guys.  Click Here to check it out.

Im bigger then you and I ordered a  Starboard Atlas Extra 12' x 36".  Im a beginner but i do kiteboard on a surfboard and after talking to everyone I settled with this one..  Why?  It's wide.. Stability should be awesome with a board that wide, and Length.  The board offers up enough displacement for me as a Beginner(SUP, I Kiteboard) to get the hand of it and use it on flat water and the waves in the lake here as I progress..  There is a model that is not as wide that would work for someone your size too.

The most recommended board from other members for a bigger guy was the Starboard Avanti 11'2" x 36".  It was better for the lighter of the big guys(like you) and useful in flat water and in waves.

Ill post in the other topic how the board works for me when i get it(hopefully monday) and give it a shot.  Check out that topic.  Lots of info from several big riders!
thanks. I actually read that whole thread before I registered on here. It came up in my google search.

TallDude

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I've raced a 19' x 22.5" Richmond in flat water. I was wet 3 times during the 5 mile race. I dropped almost 10 min off my time from the previous year. My current 18' x 25" is not fun in the open ocean if it's choppy. I spend more time bracing than paddling. My 14' × 28" custom Hobie elite is my go to in any conditions.  Two days ago I was paddling in some pretty messed up 15 mph head wind with capping with 5 to 6' crossed up swells, and I was comfortable keeping a decent pace on that Hobie. Unless you have some predisposed medical conditions that limits your balance,  height and weight are not going to hinder you greatly. 
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

Off-Shore

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It took me about 4 years and hundreds of miles to go from a 31" wide race type board to a 25" race board. You'll get there with time on the water.

So I'm reading this as it takes time to get balance better and better? When does it peak? Or does it just get better always?

I have a very tippy board I race on (a Think XO 14'), and whilst I agree balance got better and better noticeably from the day I started SUP, if I don't paddle this board for a month and get back on it, it's always a bit of an adjustment. So before any major race I will take it out every day in all conditions for 5 days or so pre-race to get myself dialed in. And 4 years after starting to SUP, I still fall a lot because I like pushing limits in all conditions and recreationally that is just fine. On the other hand, falling in racing is a big no no as I reckon each fall adds a minute or so to my finish time which can mean losing lots of places.
SB 9' x 33' x 4.1" - RPC 9'8" iSUP - SB All-Star 12'6" - Blue Planet Bump Rider 14 - SB Ace 14 x 27 - RedAir 14' Elite Race - SIC Bullet 14v1 TWC - SICMaui F16v3 Custom

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/HksupaHk_SUP_and_Downwinding

Eagle

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It takes time on the water for your balance to get better and when it peaks is anyone's guess.  As long as you are out on the water on a stable board you will get better balance at a good pace.  The problem with a tippy board is that you can develop poor paddling habits trying to stay upright and out of the water.  If you constantly balance check and your feet cramp up from gripping it will be tough to get in a good rhythm and have fun.

Of course as your balance improves you can use tippier boards with good technique just fine.

So your conclusion to get a nice stable board is sound when first starting out.  For example my wife felt our old 27.5" wide race board was too tippy when she first started and could only paddle very short distances.  She did not like that board much and would have stopped paddling long ago.

I put her on a 30" wide touring board and she really felt a lot more comfortable and took to the sport.  Now after a year she still has not fallen in paddling.  She hops on that same race board she felt tippy on and paddles it in all conditions now.  Plus she paddles our 27.25" and 28" downwind boards every week in winds 10-20 kts.
 
So definitely your balance will get better and it seems directly related to time and fun on the water.  Would give you some direction which big board to get but have no clue about that.  Can say though if you do have a chance to demo a few boards that will help your search to find the board you will have fun on.   :)
Fast is FUN!   8)
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stoneaxe

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You'll definitely want to get another board. What you have I certainly wouldn't recommend but if you can stand without falling in boat wakes and chop after just 12 hours on that board you have decent balance and it will feel much easier with more hours in. You eventually won't even think about it unless conditions get crazy. Pretty much everyone has good balance compared to me though and what I was looking for in a board (the challenge of balancing) is exactly opposite of what you're looking for.

Part of what is throwing me I think is the title of your post....if you're looking for a long term solution I don't think real wide is the way to go. If nothing else give yourself a little time to find out what works...long term solutions shouldn't be made in haste.....of course the reality is that in a year you'll be posting about your 3rd board....the custom 14' x 28" touring board you're having made..... ;)

Agreed on all points...I usually aquire things in numbers...

By long term I just meant something that I'd be happier with than the $400 cheapo I bought to try the sport out. I couldn't see paying even $700 for a board when I didn't know if I'd like the hobbie or not.

That makes it wide open, get something fun that will get you on the water a lot. You'll figure out what you want beyond that as you go along. As you can tell by how pretty much everyone is talking and the fact that we've all had many....getting new boards is a journey not a destination.
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

Boardfit

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So i went and bought one of these at Dicks for my gf to ride along side me with. I was excited to try it myself to see how stable it would be.


http://m.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=13222057&camp=CSE:GooglePLA:13222057:13413797:PADDLE%20SPORTS&CAGPSPN=pla&CAWELAID=120138600000122357&catargetid=120138600001586827&cadevice=m

We were both very unimpressed.  When I stood on it the middle of the board sagged down under water and it felt like the whole board was under water. She said that it was a lot more work to move than my board was. We took the board back after trying it out for an hour and a half.

PonoBill

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Wow, someone actually bought one of those, or at least borrowed it briefly. I looked at them on the wall at the Sports Authority in Maui and said "those are going to be there forever".
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.

Boardfit

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Wow, someone actually bought one of those, or at least borrowed it briefly. I looked at them on the wall at the Sports Authority in Maui and said "those are going to be there forever".

If it was as good as the sundolphin blow molded that I rented k would've kept it. It was just horrible though.

Today I rented a Bote HD 12 and gave it a spin. I liked it .

stoneaxe

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How many different options do you have to rent in a 50 mile radius? If you have options pick a few weekends and go try a few different boards.
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

Boardfit

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How many different options do you have to rent in a 50 mile radius? If you have options pick a few weekends and go try a few different boards.

Yeah I checked today and found several rental places. This Bote 12 was the only 12' that I could get today though. There's a Yolo cruiser about 1.5 hours away from me that I'd like to try on a weekend soon.

I rented the Bote for 3 days so I could take it to all the same spots as my board has been on.

stoneaxe

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Smart move....I've always liked the looks of the Bote's. The fishing rigs especially were unique when they 1st came out.
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

Boardfit

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12 fits in the back....almost.

It's good for 80mph on the interstate.
« Last Edit: July 13, 2015, 06:42:01 PM by Boardfit »

Boardfit

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This is the board that i actually own.

 


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