Author Topic: Real World- High Performance/Low Volume SUS Strategies  (Read 13746 times)

supdiscobay

  • Peahi Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 797
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Real World- High Performance/Low Volume SUS Strategies
« Reply #30 on: November 14, 2017, 08:00:12 AM »
Back in 2008 we started taking our 11' and 12' SUP boards to Santa Cruz with our prone boards.  Wanted to try to catch waves with the stand ups.  That first day, we had a ball at cowells with small rollers that were barely breaking.  I felt bad because the local longboarders saw us catching waves and getting long rides.  Several paddled out but soon realized they couldn't catch these rollers.  Tide was still too high for them.  Over the next couple of years, both my wife and I ended up transitioning to riding SUP full time and not even bringing our prone boards.  I went to a 9'6" Blair, then an 8'10" Blair, then 8'10" Kings, even had a couple different 100+/- ltr boards.  Now I generally ride most of the time my 8' Kazuma Fugu, at 115 ltrs.  185 lbs and it surfs like a short board, but is a nice compromise, over going sub 8' and closer to 100ltrs.  Which I have done, but it was work. 

4 years ago, I had Joe Blair build me one of his big boy prone PU shortboards, a 7'4", 24" wide.  I had a lot of fun on it and over the past few years I have bought a 6'6" x 20.5" and then a 6'2" x 20".  As fun as a short SUP is, there is nothing that compares with proning into a solid 10' face and dropping in.  The motivation to prone surf again really was pressed by my 3 boys, who are all excellent shortboarders.   So glad I did it.  I still ride the 8' sup 80% of the time and even take out my 8'10" Kings, when conditions are better for it.  My wife is on an 8'5" Starboard Pocket Rocket and probably going to pick up a 7'4" Hypernut, which she demoed in Maui and loved it.  But that other 20%, I am prone surfing.  It has made me much better on the stand up. And yes it is difficult and my wave count is much lower.  But I cannot measure the benefit to my stand up surfing.  Huge difference!

So for those of you who started surfing on an SUP and then got into prone surfing, Big props from me!  That's not an easy transition.

My wife and I both now would sacrifice wave count for ride quality. That wasn't the case when we started sup'n full time. The shorter boards are just more fun to ride.  You need to find that lower volume/shape that allows you to really turn, but also provide enough glide and balance.  Pisses me off when I am out with a bunch of sup's on 10'+ long boards hanging outside, and when they do catch a wave they just go straight, or maybe a little roller coaster.  What a waste of a wave.  We like to actually surf the wave, you know top to bottom and staying in the pocket.  Yes I do fall a bit.  But I have fun, and can do stuff with my short sup that I could only have done on my prone shortboard many years ago.  All because I try it on the sup, and eventually get it down. Well most of the time anyway.

I am only 56, which I gather is young for this forum, and I am sure as I get older my board size will grow and I likely will transition back to full time sup, and probably increase board length or volume.   But until that happens I want to keep progressing and go as low/short as I can.  So for all you like minded souls go for it.

I just picked up a foil, a week before I broke my ankle 2 months ago. It's going to take a few more months to recover, but I am looking forward to that learning curve in the spring.  Hope you all have a great winter surf season, no matter what or how you ride.
8'5" Starboard Pocket Rocket, 8'0" Kazuma Fugu custom,  8'10" Kings Sidewinder, 10' Starboard Noserider, 14' BARK Carbon Dominator, SIC F16 V3, KeNalu and Quickblade paddles, 19' Eaton Prone, 67" Goode 9700

anonsurfer

  • Sunset Status
  • ****
  • Posts: 439
    • View Profile
Re: Real World- High Performance/Low Volume SUS Strategies
« Reply #31 on: November 14, 2017, 09:13:22 AM »
An 8' wavestorm funboard is far more maneuverable than any SUP that will ever be made.

I disagree.  I have stand up surfed a 8' Wavestorm surfboard, it is a slow cumbersome barge compared to my regular SUP boards. 
Home Break: Doheny
Tic Tac v3 (Hoglet): 6' 6" x 23" x 3.6" x 67L
Omni: 6' 9" x 23" x 3.75" x 68L
Tic Tac (OG): 7' 0" x 22.75" x 3.5" x 70L
In The Pink (Incoming): 8' 0" x 22.9" x 3.25" x 70L

Blackproject Surge S77 (Soft Flex Shaft, T-Grip, +0" OH)

SlatchJim

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 2614
    • View Profile
Re: Real World- High Performance/Low Volume SUS Strategies
« Reply #32 on: November 14, 2017, 10:26:43 AM »
I think we'd all agree that low volume is a sliding scale that the size of the rider governs. At 257# (this morning), I tend to slide that scale up a ways, coming in at a water equivalent of roughly 117 liters. I've SUP surfed down to 140 Liters but not all that comfortably.  Performance on the smallest board I can practically stand on improved for me, say 20%.  Both my long hammer and Stoke are roughly 165 liters and that feels just right, so my guild factor of 1.4 is a very happy medium.

I came into sup from a longboarding background riding a 10' 25+ pound Weber stylist, or 9-6 Johnny Rice performance longboard.  My Stoke at 9-6 is as short as my shortest longboard and I swear that with the paddle there to act as a balance lever, I'm surfing as well as I ever have (not that I surf with any notable style).  If I weighed less, I'd ride a smaller board.  Should I ever lose weight, my wife's board is going to get absconded and she'll be getting a newer custom.  I've got that as a motivator. Her board rips it up.   :D

 


SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal