Author Topic: SUP Travel Packing Tips - 2 Boards  (Read 4714 times)

APPST_Paddle

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SUP Travel Packing Tips - 2 Boards
« on: December 11, 2018, 07:40:11 AM »
I'm heading to CR in a month, and I'm debating 3 things actually:

1. Taking 2 boards - 7'6" JL Super Frank, and 8'8" JL SuperTech (if it's a typical forecast of waist/chest most days and a few bigger head high+ days)
2. Taking just the 8'8", it's more oriented for steeper waves
3. Taking just the 7'6" SF, because I feel like I can ride it more aggressively.

So, I have a 8'8" Riviera bag, I've used it before with the SuperTech and basically it fits with a board sock around the SuperTech, and some pool noodles around the nose/tail parts of the rails for support. I put both boards in and it fits, but it's tight thickness wise. I doubt I'd be able to get a lot of padding around the SuperTech nose/tail. Any suggestions from someone who's travelled with 2 SUP's in a single bag, or should I just take a single board and keep it simple.
7'6" JL Super Frank Lean
8'2" JL SuperTech 
10'1" JL Black and Blue
14' BIC WS Tracer
6'5" JL Flying-V/GoFoil Maliko 200
Kenalu Ho'oloa 95, Werner Rip Stick 79

surfcowboy

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Re: SUP Travel Packing Tips - 2 Boards
« Reply #1 on: December 11, 2018, 09:06:15 PM »
I’d be concerned about it ripping if it’s tight around the middle. My bag got shredded last trip. Make sure you strap or tape around it for sure.

On another note, I’m headed to Tamarindo  (first trip, want it to be easy and yeah, I know it’ll be nutty lol) next month too. 18th - 25th looks like the dates. What town you hitting?

APPST_Paddle

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Re: SUP Travel Packing Tips - 2 Boards
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2018, 02:51:44 AM »
I’d be concerned about it ripping if it’s tight around the middle. My bag got shredded last trip. Make sure you strap or tape around it for sure.

On another note, I’m headed to Tamarindo  (first trip, want it to be easy and yeah, I know it’ll be nutty lol) next month too. 18th - 25th looks like the dates. What town you hitting?

Yeah, just going to suck it up and roll with 1 (which one that is TBD). I'm going to be in Nosara 11-15, Avellanas (south of Tamarindo by about 25 minutes) 15-21. PM me - I would definitely suggest heading to Avellanas if you can.
7'6" JL Super Frank Lean
8'2" JL SuperTech 
10'1" JL Black and Blue
14' BIC WS Tracer
6'5" JL Flying-V/GoFoil Maliko 200
Kenalu Ho'oloa 95, Werner Rip Stick 79

eastbound

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Re: SUP Travel Packing Tips - 2 Boards
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2018, 05:40:26 AM »
careful with tamarindo---very commercial, not much open range for a cowboy like you---and that's on the peaks and around town--i reco guiones highly, in case youre not locked in

Portal Barra 8'4"
Sunova Creek 8'7"
Starboard Pro Blue Carbon  8'10"
KeNalu Mana 82, xTuf, ergoT

APPST_Paddle

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Re: SUP Travel Packing Tips - 2 Boards
« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2018, 07:49:46 AM »
careful with tamarindo---very commercial, not much open range for a cowboy like you---and that's on the peaks and around town--i reco guiones highly, in case youre not locked in

Ditto - I've only ridden Tamarindo once, and raced back to Avellanas afterwards. I haven't tried Playa Grande, might this trip.
7'6" JL Super Frank Lean
8'2" JL SuperTech 
10'1" JL Black and Blue
14' BIC WS Tracer
6'5" JL Flying-V/GoFoil Maliko 200
Kenalu Ho'oloa 95, Werner Rip Stick 79

SUPJorge

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Re: SUP Travel Packing Tips - 2 Boards
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2018, 12:46:37 PM »
Been to Tamarindo twice and Nosara (Guiones) 4x. Surfed Tamarindo, Playa Grande, Avellanas, Ostional, Guiones and Garza. If you rent a car, drive around and try the different spots. IMO, Guiones and Garza are far and away the best of the list, then Avellanas (nice lefts), then Grande (close-outs) and Tamarindo a distant last. Rented boards the first time and took two boards in one bag every other time. Packed them up real safe in an oversize bag. Pain in the ass to do so but, again IMO, ultimately worth it. Good luck!
14' SIC Bullet V2 - 9'1" Naish Hokua X32 LE

APPST_Paddle

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Re: SUP Travel Packing Tips - 2 Boards
« Reply #6 on: December 12, 2018, 01:31:17 PM »
Been to Tamarindo twice and Nosara (Guiones) 4x. Surfed Tamarindo, Playa Grande, Avellanas, Ostional, Guiones and Garza. If you rent a car, drive around and try the different spots. IMO, Guiones and Garza are far and away the best of the list, then Avellanas (nice lefts), then Grande (close-outs) and Tamarindo a distant last. Rented boards the first time and took two boards in one bag every other time. Packed them up real safe in an oversize bag. Pain in the ass to do so but, again IMO, ultimately worth it. Good luck!

SUPJorge - yeah, I like Guiones, I thought Garza was just a big flat bay until the day I was leaving and saw a little reef break out in the middle. Any advice on that one? Avellanas Rivermouth is my favorite spot of the area.

Agreed with Tamarindo, and actually Avellanas up near Lola's has a tendency to closeout as well.
7'6" JL Super Frank Lean
8'2" JL SuperTech 
10'1" JL Black and Blue
14' BIC WS Tracer
6'5" JL Flying-V/GoFoil Maliko 200
Kenalu Ho'oloa 95, Werner Rip Stick 79

surfcowboy

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Re: SUP Travel Packing Tips - 2 Boards
« Reply #7 on: December 12, 2018, 09:44:46 PM »
Yo, I’ll hit you up for sure.

Totally know about Tamarindo but we need to do some investigation and it’s easy to hub from.

I have buddies with houses in Santa Theresa and Nosara so I know there are better spots for sure. I’m actually checking out if we could spend winters down there working remotely so I’ll also be checking data infrastructure as well, Tamarindo seems to have that sorted with co-working spots even. 

The dirty secret is also that I’ll be focusing on prone surfing more, renting and trying a ton of different boards. (Why can’t we do this with SUP’s?) Also taking a surf mat and fins. Lookout tiny barrels!

Locally it looks like I’ll be ferrying across the River for a buck and hiking up to Playa Grande but honestly, I’m traveling as a solo surfer, so I really need a couple of folks to surf around just for safety. I’ll have no issues with that in Tamarindo lol.

I’ll definitely want to slip around and see some spots within an hour or so, which down there I hear can be like 10 miles, but mostly just relax and catch a few waves in 80° water.

Keep the ideas coming for sure. Sorry to hijack your thread man. What about his bag guys?


eastbound

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Re: SUP Travel Packing Tips - 2 Boards
« Reply #8 on: December 13, 2018, 03:15:31 AM »
cowboy, check the remotework community in Nosara--extensive--they even have two private schools now for rich expats

seems you know the ropes down there tho
Portal Barra 8'4"
Sunova Creek 8'7"
Starboard Pro Blue Carbon  8'10"
KeNalu Mana 82, xTuf, ergoT

APPST_Paddle

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Re: SUP Travel Packing Tips - 2 Boards
« Reply #9 on: December 13, 2018, 03:21:16 AM »
Yo, I’ll hit you up for sure.

Totally know about Tamarindo but we need to do some investigation and it’s easy to hub from.

I have buddies with houses in Santa Theresa and Nosara so I know there are better spots for sure. I’m actually checking out if we could spend winters down there working remotely so I’ll also be checking data infrastructure as well, Tamarindo seems to have that sorted with co-working spots even. 

The dirty secret is also that I’ll be focusing on prone surfing more, renting and trying a ton of different boards. (Why can’t we do this with SUP’s?) Also taking a surf mat and fins. Lookout tiny barrels!

Locally it looks like I’ll be ferrying across the River for a buck and hiking up to Playa Grande but honestly, I’m traveling as a solo surfer, so I really need a couple of folks to surf around just for safety. I’ll have no issues with that in Tamarindo lol.

I’ll definitely want to slip around and see some spots within an hour or so, which down there I hear can be like 10 miles, but mostly just relax and catch a few waves in 80° water.

Keep the ideas coming for sure. Sorry to hijack your thread man. What about his bag guys?

Ha, no worries about hijacking the thread. I think I'm just going to roll with one board depending on conditions. Ironically enough, I'm thinking about the same thing eventually, but in Nosara since there's a solid ex-pat community there. I have a friend that lives in Dominical as well, but logistically that's a pain to get too with a SUP.  I work from home, and when I'm a bit older, I could definitely see living part of the year in CR.

You may want to check with Marco and Costa Rica SUP based out of Tamarindo. I met him on my 1st trip (getting my arse beat bc I was on a huge Naish Mana, and had just broken a rental paddle). Really nice guy, and he has a decent quiver of SUP's, or at least he did then. In fact, I may reach out to him as well.

7'6" JL Super Frank Lean
8'2" JL SuperTech 
10'1" JL Black and Blue
14' BIC WS Tracer
6'5" JL Flying-V/GoFoil Maliko 200
Kenalu Ho'oloa 95, Werner Rip Stick 79

SUPJorge

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Re: SUP Travel Packing Tips - 2 Boards
« Reply #10 on: December 13, 2018, 09:16:24 AM »
APP - The surf spot in Garza is the reef break, past the point, way out to the right (standing on the beach looking out). You need to paddle out to get to it. It can get big and has a hard bottom, so you have to be careful. The bay is pretty meaningless, as you noticed.

I can also vouch for Marco and Costa Rica SUP. As APP says, he's a really nice guy with a decent SUP quiver. We rented from him on our first trip. He had a custom Chelu that my girlfriend just loved. He had been hired by someone for the week but had time to talk to us and let us follow him around. Great local knowledge, started us off at "La Casita" (right across the mouth of the river), then to Grande, then to Avellanas.

APP - If you see Marco tell him Jorge and Dani say hi. He'll remember that Dani was upset when the Chelu flew off the roof leaving Avellanas and he consoled her by explaining that "it was only a surfboard." Super guy.
14' SIC Bullet V2 - 9'1" Naish Hokua X32 LE

surfcowboy

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Re: SUP Travel Packing Tips - 2 Boards
« Reply #11 on: December 13, 2018, 06:38:38 PM »
East side thanks. I didn’t actually know about the scene in Nosara. That’s great to hear.

Also thanks for the SUP tip. It’s be great to rent for a day and have some fun in good waves.

joelcr

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Re: SUP Travel Packing Tips - 2 Boards
« Reply #12 on: December 14, 2018, 03:53:25 PM »
APPST-

Just thought I’d add in what I know about that zone.
It’s smaller that time of year, so just your shorter board would
be fine. Way easier to travel with. The good thing is offshore winds
most every day, and sunny.

Better you pack one board, and 2 paddles in case one breaks.

Nosara surfers can have an attitude toward standups, I never really liked surfing my sup there so much. Early morning is best.  Ostional is close by and can be fun on a northwest. More powerful waves too.

Garza reef needs a bigger south swell to break. Marbella might be another spot to look at. Avellana will probably be good. You can always look at a boat trip to Witches Rock or Ollie’s Point. That would be fun.

Hope you score.

APPST_Paddle

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Re: SUP Travel Packing Tips - 2 Boards
« Reply #13 on: December 14, 2018, 07:20:57 PM »
APPST-

Just thought I’d add in what I know about that zone.
It’s smaller that time of year, so just your shorter board would
be fine. Way easier to travel with. The good thing is offshore winds
most every day, and sunny.

Better you pack one board, and 2 paddles in case one breaks.

Nosara surfers can have an attitude toward standups, I never really liked surfing my sup there so much. Early morning is best.  Ostional is close by and can be fun on a northwest. More powerful waves too.

Garza reef needs a bigger south swell to break. Marbella might be another spot to look at. Avellana will probably be good. You can always look at a boat trip to Witches Rock or Ollie’s Point. That would be fun.

Hope you score.

Joel - thanks for the advice. I agree on the 2 paddles, I always bring 2 now. I havent had too many issues with surfers at Nosara or Avellanas, but I generally am out at sunrise. I'm going a bit eariler than I normally do (usually early Feb or March), so I've never been skunked surf-wise, maybe a day or two when the offshores were super strong.

I definitely want to try Garza if there's some swell, when I saw it breaking, Guiones was well overhead and the paddle out was a pain.
7'6" JL Super Frank Lean
8'2" JL SuperTech 
10'1" JL Black and Blue
14' BIC WS Tracer
6'5" JL Flying-V/GoFoil Maliko 200
Kenalu Ho'oloa 95, Werner Rip Stick 79

surfcowboy

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Re: SUP Travel Packing Tips - 2 Boards
« Reply #14 on: January 27, 2019, 08:21:30 AM »
Appst we have to update this or maybe do a proper north CR thread?

Apologies for not reaching out but I had 2 things come up. First my wife had a cold for the start of the trip and just barely recovered enough to have some fun so we stayed closer to Tamarindo. Secondly, and this was nicer news, I decided to do the intermediate surf program at Witches Rock. That kept me busy most days and handled my local spot travel for me.

It was a great idea as it turns out. They put me on great waves, finally corrected my pop up (I’m a “real” prone surfer now after years of learning on my own) and I didn’t have to think, just surf.

Next trip, I’ll probably explore more on my own and just get a guide for a day or two, and do a trip to Witches Rock and Ollie’s (camp is not at the breaks, btw.)

Hate that we didn’t meet up, but I’ll bet we do. This is now my goto Winter trip and since work was really easy to do from there I think we might go for several weeks next year and just work remotely.

 


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