Author Topic: "Big Man" Boards?  (Read 3248 times)

Danahmad

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"Big Man" Boards?
« on: August 06, 2016, 12:51:16 PM »
Hey all,

(Please be kind, as we are complete amateurs and are just trying to get fit)

Myself and a friend are looking into SUP boarding as a way of losing some weight. Found a great article that boasted about how many calories you burn. The problem that we're facing is that pretty much all of the boards that we're finding are for a maximum capacity of 300lbs. We're starting at a little bit more than that, and we don't want to buy something that we can't actually float on.

So, my questions are;

What would you recommend for someone who is around 350, at 6'0? (And 6'2)

Would a board with a volume of 280 do the trick? Specifically the Riviera Voyager?

Since that is a "racing" board, does that mean it wouldn't be ideal for exploring local lakes and rivers? That's pretty much all were looking to do, get some sightseeing around locally while shedding some pounds.  ;)

Thanks in advance!  ;D

TallDude

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Re: "Big Man" Boards?
« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2016, 03:28:37 PM »
Lots of big boys around here. Paddling distance is a great way to shed some pounds without beating your body up. Hopefully you guys have a body of water near by that you can paddle on a regular basis. Here is a board that would be great for you and let you do some distance in even choppy conditions. https://www.boteboard.com/paddle-boards/2016-ahab-native/ 
I'm 6'7 and 240lbs. I started on a 16' x 32" wide touring board. I was about 260lbs then. I actually dropped down to 225lbs my first year paddling. Over the past few years, I haven't done the distance I used to, so my weight has gone back up a bit.  I'm trying to change that now and have been paddling a lot in the evenings. 

Welcome to the Zone :)
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OUTSIDEWAVE

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Re: "Big Man" Boards?
« Reply #2 on: August 06, 2016, 05:44:43 PM »
welcome to the zone,  glad to see you are interested. Everyone here is very  helpful and  easy going.  One thing to remember  though always always wear a life jacket ( pdf) and use a leash. If not  then you could  drown.  Look at the number of posts here  where seemingly good swimmers and athletes as well as younger foks beginner have lost their lives  to this simple mistake.

Good luck  just go for it !
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ericmichaels

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Re: "Big Man" Boards?
« Reply #3 on: August 06, 2016, 06:12:05 PM »
If you want an inflatable the tower xxplorer is the big boy board

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Danahmad

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Re: "Big Man" Boards?
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2016, 06:35:39 AM »
Thanks for the responses!

Saw the Ahab, absolutely loved it, but way out of my price range.

I already have my life jacket ready to go, definitely thought about that when I first started looking into this. And I'll definitely use the leash, that strikes me as common sense.

Unfortunately, I have to keep my price limited to what my local shop has in their end of season sale. Today I'll be testing the 12'x36 Atlas Extra and the 11'6x32 Riviera Original, as they currently have them in clearance. I have the overwhelming feeling that they're gonna be a bit too small for someone of my build.. haha

And yes, we live about a minute away from a Nature Reserve that allows SUPs, Kayaks, etc, and there's always the Bay about 15 minutes away, so definitely have options!

Something that also frightens me a bit is initially getting onto the board, and getting back on once I (inevitably) fall off, as I don't think that's something that'll come easy to me..

Hopefully I won't look like too much of an idiot!

Thanks for the welcome! Looking forward to today's crash course!

 Wish me luck! ;D

TallDude

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Re: "Big Man" Boards?
« Reply #5 on: August 07, 2016, 10:01:44 AM »
Let us know how it goes. I'm going to guess the 36" wide Atlas Extra will feel better. There was a guy at my local paddle spot who was in the 400+ range. He was getting into paddling and was having trouble getting back on the board. I think most people will try to climb back on from the side like getting on a horse. Get themselves up laying flat on on the deck with their legs hanging off the one side. Then they try to swing one leg up on the board, then the other. If you're having trouble with that, try climbing on from the tail. This is how I get on my lower volume surfboards. I grab both rails and pull the board under me. Because the board is a lower volume relative to my weight, the tail sinks under me. I pull myself up till I'm centered. Looking at the bigger guy trying to get on, I thought some added handles on either side near the back of the standing area would have helped him. Good luck. I hope your demo day is a success :)
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exiled

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Re: "Big Man" Boards?
« Reply #6 on: August 07, 2016, 10:33:22 AM »
Don't write off either of those boards too quickly. 250L of volume will displace 550 lbs, so either board will float you. 36 inches of width is probably as wide as you'll find too. It is going to be harder for you, but not impossible. A few sessions of paddling it around like a canoe before you feel confident enough to try standing isn't the end of the world as long as you are determined to make it work. Remember that balance is a skill that can be learned, you may never become a tight rope walker, but you can become better than you are now.

Don't worry about looking like an idiot, just be sure to be safe idiot. Keep that life vest on, practice away from people and boating lanes. Fall and struggle as much as you want, but come in before you're exhausted.

stoneaxe

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Re: "Big Man" Boards?
« Reply #7 on: August 08, 2016, 06:44:13 AM »
Welcome to the zone. One of the best weight loss sites on the web..... :). I'm 6-4 and was 300+ when I started. 9 months later I was 240 or so. It wasn't just the paddling, it's not magic and weight-loss doesn't come from paddling alone. I watched what I ate....basically severe portion control...for a couple months while getting on the water 4-5 times/week. Getting out there doesn't just burn calories....it makes you want to be able to do more which gets you in the right frame of mind to control food better.
I started this for balance therapy. My 1st board was a 12-6 x 31 Starboard cruiser. I understand folks telling you to go wide but I disagree somewhat....it's working hard to stay on a board with all the muscles working constantly to fight for balance that causes most of the calorie burn. A 36" wide board just doesn't provide that as much...makes it too easy. I think the best board for anyone that wants to lose weight is one that makes them work harder initially and even that board will quickly get easier with time on water. The 12-6 that I started on that took me 3 months just to stand on is the board I paddled across Cape Cod Bay in the 1st CCBC 9 months later and if I can do that from where I started, overweight, in terrible physical shape, and with a screwed up balance system I think anyone can do it....just takes some patience in the beginning.....I also couldn't care less about what others thought I was doing looked goofy.. ;)

Everyone is different, there's an argument to be made  that you may be better with a more comfortable board that gets you out there more often but usually the more effort something requires the more benefit it gives. If you're the type that will push through the challenge then the right board will make you work to master it.

As for getting back on a board...how's your upper body strength? I think that is the key to getting back on a board easily especially from the side. It's a learned motion, a quick scissor kick combined with a sort of pull up then push up while swinging your leg up. I struggled a little the 1st couple times doing it and then it wasn't an issue.

Good luck in your search, there are plenty of boards that will do what you want, demoing is best of course if you can do it.
« Last Edit: August 08, 2016, 06:59:39 AM by stoneaxe »
Bob

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bigmak

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Re: "Big Man" Boards?
« Reply #8 on: August 08, 2016, 10:26:49 AM »
I am 6'5", about to turn 40 and currently weigh 325lbs.  My ideal weight is somewhere around 280.  I own 4 SUP boards and SUP regularly, both in small surf and on flat water, as it's the one fun exercise I can do right now due to the fact I'm rehabbing from surgery from back in January.  If you weigh 350 and just want a board to putz around on, then a 280L board will float you.  A 250L board will float you too, but for me, I personally wouldn't find it ideal, but that's just me.  If you were surfing, I'd say it'd be good because my current SUS board I use all the time is 237L and it's perfect at my current weight.  What will float you, and what would be ideal for what you're looking to do are two different things.  When I demoed boards, I tried out a 180L board for fun and sure it floated me, but my feet were under the water.  It'd be ok for surf, but for flat water paddling, it'd suck because of how much work it'd be to paddle.

I just bought a new board just for flat water and did a lot of research and demoed a bunch of boards and my board is 14'x30" and has 315L of volume and I love it.  Floats me so well.  I was adamant about having a board with over 300L because of what I wanted to do with it.  If you are only going to do flat water paddling in lakes and rivers I would personally recommend a board as close to or over 300L as you can find but that's just my 2 cents. 

If you can, demo boards and just see what works.  I think wide is good for big folks learning.  The board I learned to surf on was 11'3" and is 38" wide with 252L of volume and I weighed 340 at the time.  It's the perfect board for a BIG person learning how to surf.  Now it just collects dust tho.   
Custom Kronos 10'x33
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SUP Leave

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Re: "Big Man" Boards?
« Reply #9 on: August 08, 2016, 02:17:30 PM »
Good on you for wanting to get in the game. I think you will do fine on either board, be easy on yourself at first. Just go out and practice paddling around shallow safe water, prepare to fall off for a bit, you will find yourself figuring out the balance very quickly. Then after you get comfortable you will want to go faster and further and the #1 key to that is weight loss.

SUP is a good way to inspire yourself. When I first came to the zone I was 7' tall and 450 lbs -  Now I am 6'2" 230#. Total transformation.

Make paddleboarding great again!

deepmud

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Re: "Big Man" Boards?
« Reply #10 on: August 09, 2016, 04:47:51 PM »
If you aren't surfing, a iSup will float you, and it's still fun after 3 seasons  now. I started over over 285lbs. On my 12'6" x 30 inflatable, I can consistently paddle at about 4.8 mph (average is actually 4.3 after some turns and a "phew" breaks :D )  -  I was losing more weight from running my treadmill this summer but got some BAD shin splints, picked up almost 10 pounds in a few weeks too :( - like Talldude says  you gotta' watch the intake. I'm down to 275 this week again. I've paddled only about 50 miles this whole summer (Alaska has limited seasons of liquid water).

I figure the iSup is like those runners with parachutes behind them :D e.i. it's a  good workout, and when I finally upgrade to flatwater 14' hardboard ($$$) I will feel like I'm flying.

On the Tower Adventurer(14' x 35 and 8" thick) : I have one, it's steady, it's an aircraft carrier - and getting back on after falling off it's like getting onto a dock with no step ladder. No fun - I feel like a walrus trying to get on a big iceberg, and I have no tusks to get a grip on the thing. You can't get it to sink and go under you. Tooooo floaty. Maybe if I put a bunch of handles on it.....

If you have to, the Costco Jimmy Stiks I saw last week is under $500. You can't swap fins out much but it will get you on the water and burning calories. I bet you can sell it for more than half what you paid for it in a year if even.

surf4food

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