Hi all
I tried SUP for the first time last weekend and loved it. Tried a Starboard Whopper about 10ft which glided very nice, and tried a Naish about 9 ft something which was more stable but didnt glide as much.
I would like to get a board but want to get the right one. (to learn on)
If anyone with experiance can suggest some dimensions and boards it would be hugely appreciated. I would go to a shop for advice but I kinda feel they are more inclined to sell their product, which is only natural.
So basically I am 78kg have surfed a long time ago, realise that I will probably shift to another board once I get the hang of things, want to predominately surf on the SUP, live in and will mostly be SUPping in Perth WA.
YeeeeHooooo.

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Rocky71 said...

I would go to a shop for advice but I kinda feel they are more inclined to sell their product, which is only natural.

Going into a shop is the best way to get all the information you need to know on all the boards they sell. The people in the shops aren't gonna tell you BS about a board and what it does etc.
For example go into a shop and tell them what you want to achieve from SUPing. They are certainly not gonna sell you a race sup if you tell them you want to surf waves.
From there you will be able to make your own mind up.
But to answer your question. I personally think that the whopper is too big for you. Im about 72kgs and use the Starboard 8'5 x 29.
Try something shorter and 30 inches wide. At your weight you will find it easy with practice.
If its Starboard your after have a look at the 9'8 x 30, 9'5 x 30, 9'0 x 30 and if your super keen the 8'5 x 30. The volume of these boards range from 148L to 130L
Hope this helps

Ok, so I will be looking out for something about 9.5 x 30.
I have had a look at Naish, Starboard, Fanatic and RRD on the Web and Naish and Starboard seem to have the widest choise.
I think after my searching I like the Naish Mana most as it is pitched as a beginer board has one that specs 9.5 x 31 and is easy to turn on the wave.
Has anyone got any reviews of the Mana?
Thanks for your direction and advice Greenroom.

I'm going through the newb thing myself. If you are going to be on flat water get a "pointy" SUP I reckon, either 12'6" or 14' long. 28" -> 30" wide will give a heap of stability.

I ended up with a Jimmy Lewis M14 14' x 28". I want to catch waves so I got a planing hull, although hybrid planing/displacement hulls can also do wave riding well apparently.

My SUP newb wife got a Fanatic Falcon 12'6" x 30" which is very stable and easy to paddle. I demoed a Fanatic Falcon 14' x 30" which as a newb I found very easy to paddle. JP Cruisers at 30" wide was nice & easy to paddle too (I tried out the 12'6").

As many say, you have to demo the board you are considering if at all possible. Wider is slower but easier to start out on.

Check out the used market. Aim for reducing the depreciation of your first SUP purchase by getting a good used board or a big name brand if buying new (Fanatic, Naish etc). You will drop quite a lot of $ when turning over any new SUP. You may want to change boards down the line. That was my reasoning anyway. A Toyota will hold more value than a Great Wall and be a better product. If money is no object just go out and buy whatever you want from the big names.

Looks like I might head down to Pelican point to try some boards out, the hire rates are good so will be able to test drive a few different shapes and volumes.
Um Rocky71 and Skipd are same person. Didn't do it on purpose , woops.

I come from a similar surfing background. I tried a Fanatic Pro Wave 9.3 first up and was falling off all over the place in pretty sloppy surf.

The shop let me swap over to a Naish Mana 9.5 and I have never looked back.

A shop can be a good choice to get advice & pick-up a board - many shop owners tend to be there for the long haul & have hard won reputations for being honest & backing up the products they sell. If you expain your situation many shops may hire you 'demo' board for you to use and even take the hire cost off a new board.

I caught up with the owner of the shop running a demo day & said Hi. He let me take his new Fanatic Pro was 9.2 carbon out for a paddle. It felt so light and responsive. When I get more experienced I will probably pick up a smaller SUP like that but I'll definitely keep the Mana 9.5 for sloppy day or paddling through the bar up the river to the boatshed cafe.

Probably the biggest thing I learned from starting out in the surf is dont get a board which is too small - it isn't fun. Look at the volume of the boards, e.g. the Pro-wave I was first on was 130ltrs, the Mana 9.5 is 190, that extra volume makes it really stable.

Lastly, buy a well known brand. On the NSW south coast I've seen a lot of guys muddling around in the surf on those massive soft tops you can pick up for $800 ono. I don't really rate myself, but on the Mana I was punching out through breaking waves half to a metre in absolute bottom to top height and the other guys were just getting washed in on their corky pieces of junk. And the Naish Mana is fun to surf!

Hi Rocky71,

You are welcome to drop into our shop, we have 4 brands to choose from and are more concerned with getting you on the right board rather than a particular brand. We have Fanatic, Coreban, Surftech and the new NSP boards.

Here is a few to consider which will suit your current weight and desires:

Fanatic Allwave 9'2"
Surftech Channel Islands Surf Caddie 9'1"
Surftech Generator Bamboozle 10'
NSP Cocomat 9'2"
Coreban Performer 9'6"

These boards are more specifically tuned to medium messy waves of Perth, if you are going to want to do fitness or cruising on the river or ocean, that list would change somewhat.

Cheers,

DM

on the above list I'd recommend the Allwave if you want to surf all of the time.....will do you for a couple of years progression until you move onto a lower volume board...but bet you'll keep it for choppy/mushy days.

Bought a new Fanatic Allwave 9"6. Have taken it for a couple of paddles and caught a couple of waves and I love it. It has sail adapter so Of course I am pretty keen to plug my sail into it for a light wind day and mess about on some waves.
Thanks to the shops for all your advice and I wish I could have bought one from all of you. I'll be back. Thanks also to tips from above members pointing me in the right direction.
Aloha.