hi All.
Im new to this forum, I have enjoyed lurking reading reviews and watching some excellent videos.

Im after advice on my next board.

I live in UK North East, long background of windsurf/kiting, been supping for 9 months on a starboard drive 10'5 x 30" @160 which feels heavy (cheaper construction)

Im 52, 80kgs, 6'tall, with shot knees lol.
Will use on flat water and 2'-6' waves from clean to mush on shore.

Boards im looking at, as they are on sale.

2016. Fanatic allwave pure 8'9 x 32. @145
Fanatic allwave hrs 8'5 x 32 @ 135

2016 Quattro glide pro. 8'8 x33 @ 143
Quattro glide pro. 8'6x32 @ 130
can get Quattro in Ast construction as well.

My concern is width, would they be to wide?
What volume is a good jump?

Would love over a Sunova speed 8'10 but a bit to expensive for me.

Thanks in advance.

Those options are all ok but I reckon you will out grow them pretty quick as they are intermediate surf sups so pretty wide and easy to ride. If you want to have an intermediate board for a year then drop down again they are good options. Otherwise look at something 30" wide and 130-140L that see you progress further.

If you are keen on focusing on surfing then look at a more advanced shape but with the 30" of width and 130-ish litres in volume e.g Fanatic Prowave 9'2 x 30.5" @130L...or obviously a Sunova!

You should drop up to 30L at this stage with just a bit of practice to get used to it.

Thanks for advice StevO

i was thinking around 130lts x32", but shop guy was pushing towards the 140lts and 33" wide.

Yes Sunova would be great, but boards I'm looking at are on sale, nearly 1/2 price of a speed.

If if I got a lottery win would have a full quiver of Sunova's as they look lovely boards, fingers crossed

Hi Rgmacca

I've been using a board a fraction under 30'' for the last few years. I recently paddled a 9' Starboard Hypernut which is 31.5'' and it did feel really wide, although I didn't surf it, it made me wonder if it would feel cumbersome on a wave. I have begun to look at narrower options since.

Have you looked at Loco? they're up your way -

locosurfing.com/

A few questions for you: Are you looking at new boards on sale or second hand boards? Do you want to really progress your sup surfing or have a board to do a bit of flat water paddling and some surfing? Are you keeping your Starboard Drive or selling it to get your next board?

Select to expand quote

rgmacca said..
with shot knees

If your knees impairs your balance, you want to keep something stable. A too hard board will slow your progression.
That means a wide board, especially in the nose and tail.
The width is more important than the volume for stability. You need enough volume to float you OK, at your level 130l+, but width in the nose and tail will be paramount.
Also, coming from a 10'5", you should not go too short: shorter boards needs a better paddling technique and more experience reading the wave, and it takes time.

From the pics, the Quatro glide pro seems really nice! The 143lt may be the best one if you have bad knees, or the 130lt if your knees are no problem.

You may want also look at the Gong line, since you are in the UK (Disclaimer: I am a Gong ambassador). The "Cloud" line is the one you want (the Mob line will be too short), stable with enough paddling speed, the 9'1" should be perfect: www.gong-galaxy.com/magazine/pics/1-hour-4-boards/ They are cheaper than other brands as they are sold direct, you save the importer+distributor+shop margins (~ 50%), but you pay the port and cannot demo them.

Thanks for feed back guys.
Went to shop this morning and have got a Quattro 8'8 to Demo. 33" 143lts .
Will give me an idea on size at least. It's the carbon one so be interesting to see how it rides.


ChrisP3, I have checked out loco on line, have a couple of nice vids as well.

stev0, I always look for a bargain ;)
looking at new old stock, will use it for flat water and surf. I'm 10mins from beach. not sure on keeping the Drive yet, sometimes think better keeping it than selling it cheap and regret it
I Want a board to progress with, but get a good wave count and not have the stress of mixing it with surfers in the line up.
i can't see me getting radical at my age

colas, will look at Gong, thanks for link.

Thanks again.

If you get a Quattro then put rail tape on it straight away, cos a friend of mine got one and a few weeks later the rails looked like they'd done 5000 miles.

Good advice, thanks.
the demo one has plenty of paint off rails, no dings though.

Does he he like the board?

Yes, he likes it a lot. I tried it too. The only problem with going short in typical U.K. conditions is that you lose a lot of the advantage that attracted you to SUP in the first place, if you come from a surf background. You really notice the extra difficulty moving from break to break, and if your waves are small mushy beach break crap, your rides are typically shorter and take-offs are later. So surfers tend to keep a bit of length, and reduce width as they progress whereas kite surfers and windsurfers of course are into the sinker board mindset and often the a main issue for them is getting a board that will fit in the back of their van with their other boards rather than requiring a roof rack. I was out a couple of days ago at a local break that is a mile offshore. It was a fat wave that breaks over an outgoing tide so is hard to get into. I was on a 16ftx24.5" downwind board. I had a great session, with many rides in the 300m range. A friend, who is younger and better than me (a wind/kite surfer) was on a very short SUP and had to spend his time making the most of the shorebreak, no more than 50m off the beach, with waves about a third of the size. To me, his board choice was nuts. To him, my board choice was nuts. So it just depends what your local conditions are like, and what you want to achieve.

Good advice.

Im ex windsurfer/kite back ground, a bit of long board surfing over the years but not at a good level.

Your ur right on conditions, the times I have bought advanced kit with the idea of "perfect" conditions in mind, only to spend most of the sessions
under powered Flandering around. Taken in by the hype lol.

I hope to get tomorrow in some decent surf to give the Glide another go.
Am thinking the 8'8 might be a good all rounder to keep wave count high.
Cheers.

As an old guy with no knees it looks as if you are already comfortable at 30" wide. Width length, and volume, in that order, are the most important factors in determining stability.

My first "short sup" was an Angulo 8'8" x 32" x 140 liters. It was only 4" thick at the stringer and as a result I could turn it easily.

Of the boards you mentioned the AW in pure, light I believe, would be a quantum leap from your current ride, and you could still progress while surfing instead of splashing!

I think the Quattros would be too wide given you are comfortable at 30" already.

No matter what you get, I promise it will be not your last!

Thanks for reply.

I have given the Glide a few goes now, and it's not lighting a fire for me. It feels a bit too wide, and slower to catch a wave.
I like the idea and watching vids of shorter boards.

At heart I think I'm more of a long boarder, the style suits me more. Old school lol .

was looking at a fanatic stylemaster at 10'x30 135lts. Would think more challenging but suited to my local conditions more so.
Cheers.