G'day,

After getting hooked on this SUP thing I'd like to give surfing a go and I'm wondering what type of board would suit a rank beginner who has crap balance. Never done any surfing. I'm 6ft, 81kg and 59 years young. To be honest I'd probably be starting with tiny whitewater and go from there.

I'm also hoping my better half could use this board for a harbour paddle. In fact it would probably get used more this way. The extra width would suit her but it would need to track well for a bit of touring and not have too much rocker - bit of a hybrid needed I guess.

I've got a Jimmy Lewis 14 ft Sidewinder for around the harbour so could keep to this brand or happy to go to another.

Thanks

Perhaps a board like a Naish Nalu 10'6" would be perfect. And you'll always keep it in your quiver...

Basically every brand does a board like it. All are pretty good.

Use a single fin only for touring / flatwater, multifin (thruster/quad/2+1) for waves.

You could also look at a high peformance longboard SUP, which may paddle slightly slower, but as you progress in your skills, you'll appreciate the tweaks to the shape. JL Striker / Destroyer, Sunova Steeze / Style, Smik Stylelord etc

Especially as you aren't in the 'clydesdale' weight class, the high performance longboard shapes will rip on waves and still be very stable overall due to the wide nose and flatter rocker compared to pointy nose boards.

All of the boards mentioned above surf really well regardless of size, so there is no need to get the smallest size imaginable.

Thanks Hoppo.... really good information.

Being a rank beginner surfer (never caught a single wave shock horror!) would the Naish Nalu 10'6" style of board be easier to learn on than some of those high performance longboards you mentioned like the JL Striker?

Also, what would paddle the easiest on flat water the Nalu or the Striker or wouldn't there be much difference? My other half keeps getting pushed to the back in this process but really the board will be used on flat water more than waves.

Honestly there wouldn't be much difference between a Nalu and a 10' Striker.

An 8' Striker is a different argument altogether.

As you go shorter on a Striker, you increase wave performance, but slow the paddle speed on the flat... it's all about what compromises are you prepared to make to suit each endeavour.

A 10' board is a perfect do everything type of board for waves up to (and above) head high, flat water etc. You really cannot go wrong.

Good luck!

Select to expand quote

Reddo said..
Thanks Hoppo.... really good information.

Being a rank beginner surfer (never caught a single wave shock horror!) would the Naish Nalu 10'6" style of board be easier to learn on than some of those high performance longboards you mentioned like the JL Striker?

Also, what would paddle the easiest on flat water the Nalu or the Striker or wouldn't there be much difference? My other half keeps getting pushed to the back in this process but really the board will be used on flat water more than waves.

I ride a JL striker exclusively now 10x31. I wouldn't put it in the high performance longboard category. It is more of a cross between a performance longboard and a 'noserider' like the Black n Blue. Hence why it used to be referred to as the "quiver killer" (I don't like that terminology as it implies we don't need more boards!?!). Anyway, after nearly giving up SUPing shortly after starting (from longboarding background) because I did choose a high performance board that was too tippy and gave me more frustration than enjoyment, I gave it another go after I bought the striker. I absolutely love that board. I am smiling constantly (except when the wind goes onshore). It is so stable (I'm 98kg, early 40s, average height) for a weekend warrior who has to deal with wind from one direction or another constantly. It turns well, it paddles fast, has low rocker so is really good for flat water too. I get 20-30 waves per session and have most fun up the front of the board which it is just built for and does not require wax etc. with the extended deck pad. It is really light, very hard to damage, has a great handle, and I didn't want to go much past 10 foot as they get much harder to handle out of the water on cars and in garages, etc. I highly recommend for a beginner who wants to get into surfing smaller waves but also spend a fair bit of time just paddling around enjoying the serenity without having to focus on staying on. But, if your local has bigger or steep waves, I would go for something else with more rocker and more of a pulled in tail (i.e. a high performance longboard).

Select to expand quote

But, if your local has bigger or steep waves, I would go for something else with more rocker and more of a pulled in tail (i.e. a high performance longboard).

Something like JL Destroyer 10x29 :)

Select to expand quote

Reddo said..
Thanks Hoppo.... really good information.

Being a rank beginner surfer (never caught a single wave shock horror!) would the Naish Nalu 10'6" style of board be easier to learn on than some of those high performance longboards you mentioned like the JL Striker?

Also, what would paddle the easiest on flat water the Nalu or the Striker or wouldn't there be much difference? My other half keeps getting pushed to the back in this process but really the board will be used on flat water more than waves.

Reddo,
go the Nalu 10'6".
You probably wont find one second hand, as everyone keeps one in their quiver.
It's the perfect all round "never surfed before" board.

Select to expand quote

Helmy said..

Reddo said..
Thanks Hoppo.... really good information.

Being a rank beginner surfer (never caught a single wave shock horror!) would the Naish Nalu 10'6" style of board be easier to learn on than some of those high performance longboards you mentioned like the JL Striker?

Also, what would paddle the easiest on flat water the Nalu or the Striker or wouldn't there be much difference? My other half keeps getting pushed to the back in this process but really the board will be used on flat water more than waves.

Reddo,
go the Nalu 10'6".
You probably wont find one second hand, as everyone keeps one in their quiver.
It's the perfect all round "never surfed before" board.

Another vote for the Nalu 10'6"
At 100 kg I found I was a bit big for it, but 81 kg would be perfect.
Lovely board, and 3 in the "Buy and Sell" at the moment

Thanks guys, the Nalu must be quite a board.

So many options we are spoiled for choice.

Please bear with me......I've been reading about the Starboard Whopper at 34". Wouldn't a board like that be easier to learn on than say the Nalu at 30"? Remember we are talking about an old bloke who has never stood on a wave!

Reddo - the nalu comes in a 32wide as well. I haven't personally ridden one but they appear to be a pretty common beginner / intermediate board. As others say its one you wont grow out of. Im guessing by your age, your balance probably isnt the same as some of the younger guys or ex-surfers that now sup so dont go too lean a board. Too lean and you will be working harder to paddle / balance and will likely lose the fun.

Find a local store and ask to demo a board

Goodluck on the quest

At 80kg, a 30" wide board like that will be plenty wide. If you go wider and it'll just slow you flat water paddling as will the extra curve in the outline.

The round nose will also make it feel more stable than what a pointy nose board would at the same width.

How wide is your Sidewinder? Personally I think a 30 wide is to narrow for you if you have never surfed, most comments are from surfers who have much better balance. Eventually you may be ok to go to a Nalu but I would buy a board 32-33 wide. I have a Sidewinder and a Naish Mana 10ft 33 wide and have a ball on smaller waves, I think you are better off doing something similar. However you need to demo the sizes and judge for yourself!!

Hi Dave, my Sidewinder is a 27.
I'm thinking you are probably right, I should err on the larger side. I'm going to be the world's worst surfer when I start. Really bad!
How does a board like the Mana paddle on the flat though? The wife would be on it when I'm on the Sidewinder. She'd like the extra stability, I guess it would probably be a bit slow. Can't have everything...... Nalu down the track

My wife paddles my Mana and my Sidewinder is the same as yours, perfect combo if you ask me. I run the Mana as a single fin 9 inch and it tracks pretty well on flat and surfs ok straight down the line which is all you want to do to start with. If you can get a JL board at 10x32-33 it's just as good if not a bit better construction but I love the look of my Mana.

Yeah, it looks cool.
That all makes a lot of sense I reckon. JL have a board called a Maestro which is around that size but I may just stick to a Mana or Whopper, all seem pretty similar.

Select to expand quote

Reddo said..
Yeah, it looks cool.
That all makes a lot of sense I reckon. JL have a board called a Maestro which is around that size but I may just stick to a Mana or Whopper, all seem pretty similar.

IMO the mana has a lot of rocker / slower paddle,the 10 ft JL Striker would be a better choice,especially construction wise.

Select to expand quote

justaddwater said..

Reddo said..
Yeah, it looks cool.
That all makes a lot of sense I reckon. JL have a board called a Maestro which is around that size but I may just stick to a Mana or Whopper, all seem pretty similar.

IMO the mana has a lot of rocker / slower paddle,the 10 ft JL Striker would be a better choice,especially construction wise.

Yep I agree but a beginner with no surf experience needs rocker.

Although many will not agree with me I would suggest a different, rather unorthodox approach. Although it may be a little bit more challenging at the beginning it may get you surfing faster and save you some money in a longer term.

Very large surf SUPs or large all around shapes are only easier at the very beginning stages. After you develop better balance they will be in fact more difficult to balance in rough conditions (corky) and much more difficult to control when on a wave. And they tend to be pretty crappy for flat water paddling too.

I would suggest getting a high performance SUP longboard that is no more than 40-50l above your weight in kilograms. At 80kg you are lucky as there is a plenty of these shapes in 120-145l range. High performance longboard SUPs are very versatile and you will not outgrow one any time soon and they are almost as good for flat water as 32-34 inch wide "surf" shapes. They are also one of the most stable shapes.

Now the controversial part. Rather than venturing into waves immediately, spend a few weeks practicing in flat water - starting with easy smooth conditions and progressively moving to rougher chop and smaller waves. Don't try to surf. Work on you balance, changing directions, falling and getting up. Rather quickly you will get your "SUP legs" and will be able to transition to learning how to catch and ride waves - and at this stage your smaller, higher performance board will make it easier and more fun. And as an extra benefit you will not be stuck with a large, ungainly board you won't want to use anymore.

My 2 cents.

Select to expand quote

DaveSandan said..

justaddwater said..

Reddo said..
Yeah, it looks cool.
That all makes a lot of sense I reckon. JL have a board called a Maestro which is around that size but I may just stick to a Mana or Whopper, all seem pretty similar.

IMO the mana has a lot of rocker / slower paddle,the 10 ft JL Striker would be a better choice,especially construction wise.

Yep I agree but a beginner with no surf experience needs rocker.

Good point,was thinking more flat water.

BigZ I also agree with you because that worked for you and it is sound advise, the hard question is what does Reddo want out of this.also how often do he and his other half paddle, how close to the ocean are they and how serious are they about paddling and advancing in the surf. OR do they just want to be casual paddlers who like to go out together from time to time.
I have been paddling for 4 years now and live no where near a beach but love to drive the hour or so and paddle as often as possible. I rarely have a chance to surf but this year I had 3 weeks down the beach and used my Mana as often as possible, it was my first board and it's still great fun to ride.
I only have space for 2 boards and have thought about getting a different surf sup but the Mana is just to much fun on small waves and I don't want to rip a wave I like to cruise now. Did the ripping as a Cripple when I was young, now I'm 59 I am not interested in doing that again.
if Reddo wants to advance and let it rip he should buy a performance sup YES but if not why bother with the steep learning curve, and his wife will also be using it so she needs stability too.
I used Strava when I got a Naish Glide and kept track of the speed between both boards and honestly there was not a huge difference, tracking was the biggest variable. A larger single fin set up made that easier and if you are doing a casual paddle it sis fine, my wife has no trouble paddling with me as long as it's not a race.

Select to expand quote

Reddo said..
G'day,

After getting hooked on this SUP thing I'd like to give surfing a go and I'm wondering what type of board would suit a rank beginner who has crap balance. Never done any surfing. I'm 6ft, 81kg and 59 years young. To be honest I'd probably be starting with tiny whitewater and go from there.

I'm also hoping my better half could use this board for a harbour paddle. In fact it would probably get used more this way. The extra width would suit her but it would need to track well for a bit of touring and not have too much rocker - bit of a hybrid needed I guess.

I've got a Jimmy Lewis 14 ft Sidewinder for around the harbour so could keep to this brand or happy to go to another.

Thanks

I have long been an advocate of newbies having enough width to ease the learning curve.
Just as strongly been an advocate of women having manageable boards for recreational paddling.

At your weight, I think you would find the ONE by Sunova a perfect "hybrid" that will suit both your venture into surf and your wife touring around flat-water.

9'5 x 32" at 160 liters
Flatish rocker
Surfs easily and well..... paddles well
9.9 kg

After SUP paddling classes, the ladies would lug their cumbersome longer boards out of the water.
I would hand the ONE to the women and they lit up with a big smile and said "It's so light! I love it!"
They loved paddling it as well.

This video has a lot of surfing good waves, but also a fair bit of paddling flat-water.
Around the 7:00 min mark, I give a detailed look at the board, including the flatish rocker.

Another option is the Fanatic Allwave. I started on the 9'5 and loved it. Super stable and allowed me to progress my SUP surfing skills. Have downsized since but kept the board for flat water paddling or family fun with the kids.

Thanks everyone for your input. I don't know what I'd do without this site, the info you can gather for a newby is outstanding.

Anyway, I've just laid my hands on a Naish Mana that was brand new but an earlier model. It was a hard decision, The Sunova One came close, as did the Nalu, as did the Whopper. Spoilt for choice.

I just took her out on the harbour and she's a lot of fun. I'm getting used to moving the feet around more and getting back on the board to pivot. She's damn agile compared to the 14, horses for courses I guess. No trouble with the straight tracking. I'll try her at Bondi when a seriously light day happens.

As it happens it's the same colour as your Mana DaveSandan....which is really weird as my Sidewinder is the same colour as well. Matching boards haha! Maybe I'll just watch out for what you pick next, it would save a lot of running around!

Select to expand quote

Reddo said..
Thanks everyone for your input. I don't know what I'd do without this site, the info you can gather for a newby is outstanding.

Anyway, I've just laid my hands on a Naish Mana that was brand new but an earlier model. It was a hard decision, The Sunova One came close, as did the Nalu, as did the Whopper. Spoilt for choice.

I just took her out on the harbour and she's a lot of fun. I'm getting used to moving the feet around more and getting back on the board to pivot. She's damn agile compared to the 14, horses for courses I guess. No trouble with the straight tracking. I'll try her at Bondi when a seriously light day happens.

As it happens it's the same colour as your Mana DaveSandan....which is really weird as my Sidewinder is the same colour as well. Matching boards haha! Maybe I'll just watch out for what you pick next, it would save a lot of running around!

Sounds like a bunch of good decisions Reddo!

By the way Dave, what's your system for carrying them on the car roof? Manu on first fins facing down and then Jimmy on top? They can't be a good fit, one long and thin the other short and fat.

Select to expand quote

Reddo said..
By the way Dave, what's your system for carrying them on the car roof? Manu on first fins facing down and then Jimmy on top? They can't be a good fit, one long and thin the other short and fat.

Hey Reddo, I take my fins out after each paddle Jimmy first with the deck on the racks then Mana on top. I also have them in bags as I wash down the boards after as well, dry them off then bag up. If you don't want to bag then grab some foam and put it between the boards so they stay apart.

Select to expand quote

DaveSandan said..

Reddo said..
By the way Dave, what's your system for carrying them on the car roof? Manu on first fins facing down and then Jimmy on top? They can't be a good fit, one long and thin the other short and fat.

Hey Reddo, I take my fins out after each paddle Jimmy first with the deck on the racks then Mana on top. I also have them in bags as I wash down the boards after as well, dry them off then bag up. If you don't want to bag then grab some foam and put it between the boards so they stay apart.

Dave ! Impressive ,do you still get time to surf ?

Select to expand quote

justaddwater said..

DaveSandan said..

Reddo said..
By the way Dave, what's your system for carrying them on the car roof? Manu on first fins facing down and then Jimmy on top? They can't be a good fit, one long and thin the other short and fat.

Hey Reddo, I take my fins out after each paddle Jimmy first with the deck on the racks then Mana on top. I also have them in bags as I wash down the boards after as well, dry them off then bag up. If you don't want to bag then grab some foam and put it between the boards so they stay apart.

Dave ! Impressive ,do you still get time to surf ?

Going to Noosa in 2 weeks so hopefully!

Select to expand quote

DaveSandan said..

justaddwater said..

DaveSandan said..

Reddo said..
By the way Dave, what's your system for carrying them on the car roof? Manu on first fins facing down and then Jimmy on top? They can't be a good fit, one long and thin the other short and fat.

Hey Reddo, I take my fins out after each paddle Jimmy first with the deck on the racks then Mana on top. I also have them in bags as I wash down the boards after as well, dry them off then bag up. If you don't want to bag then grab some foam and put it between the boards so they stay apart.

Dave ! Impressive ,do you still get time to surf ?

Going to Noosa in 2 weeks so hopefully!

You should score this time of year.... love Noosa

Thanks Dave. Enjoy Noosa. Make sure you let me know further down the track what my next boards going to be!! Make another good choice please!

I will post pictures!