VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Here's a few of my SUPs, before I switched to Starboard and lost some weight:

piC of the Year!

Did you get rid of your nipple ring then

Wait a minute Dave....that isn't you...you have an 8 pack this dude only has a 6 pack. Those are totally your nipples though.

Go as small as you possibly think you will ever be able to handle and just suck up the 2-5 sessions of pain. Otherwise you will be pissed off when you outgrow your 30" wide tank in a session and have to fess up to wasting a bunch of money turning it.

In my opinion, if you can windsurf your balance is good and you shouldn't buy anything bigger than an 8'5" around 120L. I weight 190 and ride a 7'7", Winddoc is a touch heftier than that and just picked up an 8'0". Smaller = more fun in waves, no questions asked.

nanmoo wrote:Go as small as you possibly think you will ever be able to handle and just suck up the 2-5 sessions of pain. Otherwise you will be pissed off when you outgrow your 30" wide tank in a session and have to fess up to wasting a bunch of money turning it.

In my opinion, if you can windsurf your balance is good and you shouldn't buy anything bigger than an 8'5" around 120L. I weight 190 and ride a 7'7", Winddoc is a touch heftier than that and just picked up an 8'0". Smaller = more fun in waves, no questions asked.

I'll give a counter-point just to round things out. I believe the BWD sup crew tend toward smaller SUPs than many, and nanmoo leads the charge.

Optimal board depends on what you're using it for. If it is about going for a paddle and riding waves when the surf is small (i.e., "too small to surf"), then you will probably want something bigger and floatier. It is quite a bit less fun to have a nice leisurely paddle on a 9.0 or less than it is on a 10.6. It is also a lot more work to catch and ride ankle high waves, with no extra reward for the smaller more maneuverable board. It's a slog, whereas the big board will be cruisey and easy.

Most of the regular surfer types I know who also SUP, use their larger SUPs for when the waves are small/weak. When the waves are good enough to justify a small performance SUP.....they switch to a regular surfboard. That's another board choice strategy to consider.

(and I intend no disrespect to the bwd sup crew ... as I personally have a 9.3 SUP and a room full of surfboards that seem to be gathering a layer of dust ... )

Thanks for the counter-point juandesooka, makes total sense. I guess I need to look at where I'll be using it the most.

From a surfers's perspective, I agree with Juandesooka. But I come more from a windsurfing background and have found moving to as short and low volume a SUP as possible for waves much more rewarding than sticking with a larger, slower, heavier board. I don't have the interest in improving my shortboard surfing as it would mean battling the crowds too much and short sessions due to paddling fatigue.

I have learned so much in a short period of time surfing a smaller SUP and am again ready for something even smaller. At my height and weight, I'm tarting to push the limit in board size for my ability (8.0 x 28"), but the performance on the wave is worth it. I fall more, but I get back so much more in performance. Sailing an 8.6 SUP is pretty darn fun too compared to the long board style versions. On the wave, an 8.6 will be very stable, yet it will turn so much better than a 9.0 plus board.

If you only want to putt around in flat water sailing and SUP the occasional wave, then a bigger SUP will be slightly more versatile. It will frustrate you with poor performance when it counts though. My opinion, of course!

juandesooka wrote:It is quite a bit less fun to have a nice leisurely paddle on a 9.0 or less than it is on a 10.6. It is also a lot more work to catch and ride ankle high waves, with no extra reward for the smaller more maneuverable board. It's a slog, whereas the big board will be cruisey and easy.

This is the only part of what JDS says that I disagree with. In one foot waves my 7-7 is more fun than my 8-0 which was WAY more fun than the Pocket Rocket and certainly tons more fun than any big board I've used. Just check out a clip of a short boarder pumping down small waves generating speed aand slashing around, you can do the same thing on a small SUP. But yeah, JDS is right, it isn't lesiurely.

Hey,

So this thread has got me thinking. We are considering a smaller SUP in the family. My boys are 14 and 16 - each have fish surfboards. I sold my 9'6" longboard caused I sucked at surfing. I have the 10x34 Whopper. We were considering another surfboard but I think it would gather dust.

We are thinking of foregoing rep soccer for next year....and replacing the 120 days on the soccer field with 65 ski days at Baker and 20 surfing days.....probably Westport, WA.

What I spend on rep soccer is about $1,500 per year....savings for a SUP.

Heading down to Westport, WA / Gorge in a few weeks....might try to pick up a smaller SUP?

Kind of like Starboard SUPS.....PS Winddoc did you sell your Quatro? I can't see it here anymore.

Anyways, using the boardfinder on Starboards site....I entered the following into their board finder:

http://www.star-board-sup.com/2013/prod ... ard_finder

Rigid (not inflatable)
Surf
Advanced *
165-210 lbs
choppy waterconditiions
Medium lateral stability

* Ps - I'm not Advanced...more likely Beginner or Intermediate but I have the 175L Whopper so want something more challenging to grow into....and my boys can use it (they weigh 125 lbs).

I do want a windsurf option. I am probably 175 lbs when the winter fat comes off.

The Starboard boardfinder spits out the Widepoint 8'10"x32" (143L) and Widepoint 8'2"x32" (130L) and the 9'x30" Converse (130L), 9'5"x30" Converse (140L) and 9'8"x30" Element (148L).

Thoughts? Something to complement the Whopper?

The short Widepoints interest me? Anyone ever tried these? I understand they are pretty rockered, so would suck in flat water as a SUP, but32" looks pretty stable for an 8'2" (130L). I like stable. And from reviews they sound fun on a wave.....Big Winds calls them their Oregon Coast SUP.

Read this in a review about the 8'2" Widepoint:

the 8.2wp is fairly stable and paddles well for its short length. its very loose and twitchy but glides well again for its size. on a wave it feels like there is no board below your feet.

Moo....don't tell me to get the 7'11x30"!!!

Keith

no he will tell you to get the 7'7" x 28. boards are more stable when they are fully under water. hey didn't you already have a 9' converse? winddoc had the 8'10" WP last season but sold it for the 8'6", which is also sold. keep in mind these guys surf A LOT so they get pretty comfortable each jump down in size. i'd suggest something a little small for you like the pocket rocket your kids would probably dig it. don't know much about the WP 8-2. anyway the Element is pretty much a barge, you can try mine out anytime you are over here. lately ive been casting for Bass off it!

Hey dwd,

Ya, I had a 9'8"x30" Element. Was fine for me in flat water, tougher in choppy, crappy whitewater smallish waves (but I have not done that much SUP surfing....and have never SUPed glassy waves).

Whereas, the Whopper is pretty much idiot proof in any whitewater.

Just thinking something smaller that my sons could use, and me, to challenge myself when I get bored on the Whopper.

We don't get a lot of waves in the 'Wack.....so I won't SUP as much as those guys but Westport, WA is good and is only about 4.5 hrs from Chilliwack. And no ferries.

Our family is seriously considering this "no soccer" thing for one year. Will free up 120 days and 400+ hours for me. We are used to 7 practices and 3 games each week from Sept - April.

K

Extra large water skiis with alpine touring bindings and metal sidewalls - good for the slopes and running (with a paddle aid) onto breaking waves - hey if a new board will work wonders on the upper body of bwd, why not try the whole-shebang Keith, might even help with the sights on the guns!

It's a 7'7" by 27" Dave, jeez sort it out Bru.

The 7'11" is actually really stable, pretty much the same as the Pocket Rocket but shorter and bit more aggressive.

Kristian had the smallest widepoint (7'10" I think?) out at Cox a month or so ago, that board looked like the best of the widepoint options I've seen or ridden. The 8'10" is overly kooky for someone who can already windsurf. Chris got rid of it in short order for that reason. I found it to be a weird board compared to the Pocket Rocket, it has more rocker so I expected it to turn more off the rails compared to the PR, but turns out that width makes it more of a tail turner. Thus I found riding it was like a longboard, that happened to be short and fat. With the PR you can rail and pump up and down waves a bit more, not as good as a 7-7 or 8-0 Pro though. Also has a flatter rocker which would be better for flatwater. Sometimes I would pull all but one fin off and take it to the lake for some flatwater freestyle SUP.