I seems to be missing out on days when the waves are there but so is the wind and chop.

I am looking fir something that will be super stable in crap conditions , can handle decent size wave but don't want to go too big so definitely under 9 ft. So I am in the situation where I am almost looking at boards that I learnt to ride waves on and sold / upgraded and obviously went smaller.

Currently ride a custom 8/5 with about 120 Lts which is superb until the wind and chop is in. Also have a JL Striker for better days.

So I find myself looking at Widepoint, surf wides by Starboard and JP. The JP,s Surfwides look limiting in the nose rocker department and the Widepoint 8/10 (new version post 2018) look a bit high in volume although the new outline is a huge improvement over its predecessor.

Is there anything else out there that people have tried and have had success with in less that perfect conditions

My advice may not be the best, since I hate onshore winds and do not SUP then, but I think the most important thing in chop is honing your technique and balance. The reason is that what works for paddling in chop (less volume for less cork effect) and on the wave (less width for less bouncing on the wave face, especially in the nose) are both things that decrease static stability, so you need enough balancing technique & experience to manage boards that will handle chop well. Less volume is mandatory if you go the narrow route, on narrow boards an excess of volume becomes hell quite fast.

Alas this option is also quite tiring. The more common option is just to use your usual board shape, but oversized. You will have to fight the cork effect, and it will provide a more casual & bumpy ride, but it will be less tiring overall. For instance I have the Gong Karmen 7'11" 105l for good waves, and the same shape in 8'4" 120l for crappy conditions. Using the same shape eases transitioning between the 2 boards.

Longer boards are also easier, chop can stop short boards in their tracks, making take offs hard.

Thanks Colas, had a look through the Gong site and there are a few options there and great price but alas based in Perth so no chance of a demo. After the holy grail of stability vs performance in a wave sup for crap conditions, needs to transform into a 6 pack after every session as well ????

An oversized Acid may do the trick. The pointy nose is good for paddling into wind . There's enough width, yet the board is responsive due to rail shape and tail (performance). It's my go to board whenever I have doubts with conditions . The length helps with wave count .

For example The Speeed is my other option but is less versatile and the nose is terrible when paddling into wind .

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Rossall said..
Thanks Colas, had a look through the Gong site and there are a few options there and great price but alas based in Perth so no chance of a demo. After the holy grail of stability vs performance in a wave sup for crap conditions, needs to transform into a 6 pack after every session as well ????

We can just make you a custom to suit perfectly what you need always a option!! Still can not get it to turn into a 6 pack after every session but can buy you a carton when we come over for the KOTC.

Why are you length limited? I guess a blown up short board would help, but it's still a small board.

To be really comfortable and have fun in chop conditions I see my full longboard as a true 4x4.
First thing is, I am stable. Now I can relax and use the mobility of the length to find the rare good bits.
And when I get one the length guarantees getting the most out of that wave, flat spots, crumbling sections, whatever.

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surfinJ said..
Why are you length limited? I guess a blown up short board would help, but it's still a small board.

To be really comfortable and have fun in chop conditions I see my full longboard as a true 4x4.
First thing is, I am stable. Now I can relax and use the mobility of the length to find the rare good bits.
And when I get one the length guarantees getting the most out of that wave, flat spots, crumbling sections, whatever.

Agreed

I had the amazing experience of surfing a spot the other day where the surf was pumping and the proners couldn't handle the sweep from the current and the wind chop coming with it.

My 10 x 29 handled it amazing well. I still came off a few times from the rails digging into the chop and the current pushing it further in. But I had an amazing surf and felt humble inside knowing the surfers had no chance and they moved to a smaller, easier break.

Nice one Nuggy - what a buzz.
what stick is your 10 x 29?

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Rossall said..
Thanks Colas, had a look through the Gong site and there are a few options there and great price but alas based in Perth so no chance of a demo.

Gong doesn't sell boards out of Europe, but I like taking them as examples since [1] I known them very well [2] the Gong site gives tons of information (dimensions, pics) on each board, much more than any other, so it is easy to use them as reference. I am not saying that you should buy Gong boards, especially in OZ where you have access to a lot of quality shapers and brands.

I guess it depends also on how "crappy" are the waves:

- With a decent swell, even small, messed up with wind chop, I focus on a board that will smooth the ride on the wave face. For intance yesterday I went out in a nice 1' swell breaking hard on a shallow sandbar with some fast sections but with 9knts onshore wind, so I took my Gong Alley 8'1": a board normally designed for bigger waves, but with a long narrow nose, so I could be aggressive on the wave face without being bounced around. It is a tad oversized for me (120l for my 100kg) to provide stability in chop). It is less stable than the Karmen (narrower nose), but then it bounces less while surfing.

- On slower shorter waves - but with nice little "wedge" peaks - 2 days ago, I have taken my 7'3" Gong Fatal, a short and wide board to be stable in chop even with the proper volume (105l), for pumping and exploiting each bump on the "wave"

- On weak wind waves with no real underlying swell, I would just take a longer board, wide at the tips, a Gong Karmen or a longboard SUP to get as much power as possible from the wave, or a very wide tailed SImons short shape, even if it means a bouncy ride.

- And if the waves never have hollow sections, foiling is great...

Check out the Blue Planet All Good. They are designed for choppy conditions. I have the Funstick (one size bigger) and it's my go to board for windy choppy days. Stable as but still performs really well (once I put decent fins in it).

Cheers Mark

When its windy and rough with onshore wind: Naish Mana 9'5.
Stable, surfs well and is also FUN for the whole family.
Ciao

P.S. Please consider that I am 190cm tall and 110Kg differently slim.

Thanks guys maybe heading for a custom again but this time home grown in Australia. Design brief if under 9 ft, turns on a sixpence, stable in 25 kts cross shore, super loose and carvie and turns into a 6 pack of VB at the end of each session. As i already have a 8/5 x 30 and want to open up the time on the water a little bit more I was thinking 8'8" x 31, low fine rails so it sits low in the water to aid stability yet turns with plenty of bite, prob swallow tail to maintain some width in the rear end, wider nose for stability, medium nose rocker BUT extra nose kick in the last foot for steep late drops. Any other ideas ?

I would second checking out the Blue Planet All Good, which sits right at the specs you are thinking; 8'8" X 31", fairly thin at 3.75", and very low rails (much more than I was expecting). I was recently looking for a board for your same purpose; something more stable for wind and chop than my 8'7" Sunova Flow, but still with good performance on the wave. Bought an All Good, and have been very happy with the decision. Surfs really well with the right fin set up. For me, it surfs best in waist to head high. Stability is good, but if it gets really nasty, I need to go to my Tabou Supasurf at 9' X 31.5". Incredibly stable, and surfs very well for a 9' board due to the well pulled in tail with wingers. Owned a Starboard 8'10" Widepoint for awhile for terrible conditions. Ridiculously stable standing around, but too wide in the tail to surf well for me, and it bounced all over the place on a rough wave, so I sold it and kept the Tabou for those conditions.
Check out the All Good. If you go with the heavier bamboo construction, the price is excellent. Mine came in two pounds heavier than advertised, but I have been rationalizing that the extra weight keeps the board from getting knocked around by wind and chop.

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Rossall said..
Thanks guys maybe heading for a custom again but this time home grown in Australia. Design brief if under 9 ft, turns on a sixpence, stable in 25 kts cross shore, super loose and carvie and turns into a 6 pack of VB at the end of each session. As i already have a 8/5 x 30 and want to open up the time on the water a little bit more I was thinking 8'8" x 31, low fine rails so it sits low in the water to aid stability yet turns with plenty of bite, prob swallow tail to maintain some width in the rear end, wider nose for stability, medium nose rocker BUT extra nose kick in the last foot for steep late drops. Any other ideas ?

25 knots cross shore get a kite or a wing. Downwinder comes to mind. Would not be enjoyable surfing in those conditions.

Smik twin fin pretty close to those specs...

Naish Hokua 8'8x32 if you can find one.

I'd kill for a 25kn cross shore at the moment but wouldnt bother supping in it.

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Rossall said..
Thanks guys maybe heading for a custom again but this time home grown in Australia. Design brief if under 9 ft, turns on a sixpence, stable in 25 kts cross shore, super loose and carvie and turns into a 6 pack of VB at the end of each session. As i already have a 8/5 x 30 and want to open up the time on the water a little bit more I was thinking 8'8" x 31, low fine rails so it sits low in the water to aid stability yet turns with plenty of bite, prob swallow tail to maintain some width in the rear end, wider nose for stability, medium nose rocker BUT extra nose kick in the last foot for steep late drops. Any other ideas ?

The last idea is about Fins set choice. As Ishie said talking about the Smik. More than the dim specifications, that 's the Twin Fin choice which is the most important parameter to fit the box of the stable super loose carvie board.
If you don't find in the Smik what you want to, go to a Twin fin custom, definitively is your board. See Paul.J about it.

ordered the " fish and chips" blue planet last Nov -- not available any more - new model out! BUT they built me a custom one -- quad only and 2018 construction/carbon -- 8'11" by 32" and 144lts weighs 10 k on bath scales - I weigh 87 k so works out @ 1.65 ratio. Can stay out longer and less tired which translates into surfing better. Easier to paddle out Easier to wait out back and manouver for waves Absolutely rips for speed and carving type surfing - not vertical snaps. Can really recommend this, if this is the way you surf. Steve