Im posing this question for every one to have a good think about.

The question is,
Is Carbon Fibre needed/neccessary for wave/surfing SUP boards?

It appears that most international brands as well as Aussie brands now offer carbon fibre layup on their wave/surfing SUP boards.

Their reasoning for using carbon I can a only pressume is for
the light weight and increase in stiffness that carbon fibre supplys.

We can all appreciate a lighter weight for surfing, especially as we
ride large SUP boards.

Using carbon fibre to stiffen a surfing board makes no sense to me.

Stiffening a surfing board is a negative effect not a positive efect.

The main reason I think PU/PE (standard surfboards) surfboards are still
so popular, is the quality of flex that this construction offers.
It is a feel that we, most of us have grown up with.

I think that surfing boards need FLEX, to respond quickly through turns, this makes the board feel lighter and looser and faster.

But so much of surfing a board is a subjective feeling.

The point I'm trying to make is that a flexible board goes/feels better than a stiff board.

I know that the sectional thickness of SUP boards, engineering wise, makes them stiff or rigid. But there can still be some flex or vibration in the thick SUP boards that we surf.

You just have to want to put flex or vibration into a SUP board.

So what do you think? Take a bit of time to run it thru that wave program in your head first.

Regards
Boardbumps

Personally, I dont get carbon boards, although I wont take away from people that are much better than I that can tell the difference. I think, and its only my opinion if I want a board to be a half a kilo lighter then Ill drop a cr$p. I had the same discussions with my old sailboarding friends, my view is that the normal human being cant really notice the difference in performance and boards magazine backed that up with a test a couple of years ago. SUP doesnt have the same speeds involved so perhaps the difference is even harder to detect to anyone that is not an elite athlete. Interesting question I think.

I've demo'd a couple of carbon boards and thought they surfed great, although they were too big for me. Their lightness (and it's more than a half kilo) seems to make them really lively to surf and easy to throw about. I've heard they're much more durable (paddle strikes, compressions, and snapped boards all much less likely, apparently) - so am seriously considering one for my next board.

i know some of the top sponsored guy are surfing them well, but i agree with flex issue. that how a board works- loaded up and release.


i think people think because their light they can throw them around- dish panning i suggest.

now before i get shot to pieces why aren't the pro shortboarders using carbon- answer no or the wrong flex or feel. if it really worked they would be using carbon .

you have firewire, dms,hayden all working to get the right flex in their boards.

yet some sup companies are going carbon sups. i reckon it's a hangover from windsurfing.

sups certainly do flex. i remember testing flex with dale for a new board one time - my favourite blue 8'8, believe or not i surfed that board for a quite a while. we flexed a normal epoxy board, a divinycell stringer epoxy board and a top and bottom carbon stripped stringer epoxy board.

we felt the carbon stripped board had the nicest flex pattern

I have surfed a carbon 8.5 Starboard Pocket Rocket as well as the wood version. The carbon model felt so much more alive and flickable compared to the heavier wood board. The weight difference was signifigant. I found the wood board to be be very dead feeling in comparison and it vibrated much more paddling across chop or being pumped. All I know is that the carbon version was superior on the wave in every way. From firiends' experience, it turns out the carbon boards seem to be more durable and scratch/ding resistant in the Starboard line up as well. Can't speak to the negative flex issue regarding carbon SUPs since I've only ridden one carbon board and loved it.

the ultimate SUP would flex, but I doubt if a SUP can really flex like as much as a surfboard due the needed tickness without breaking.
Most of them are too fat and long pump on a wave anyway.

The closest thing that stays in one piece I know are the Hobie Torque and now RAW boards with out a stringer for flex but Carbonrails to offer enough rigidity to prevent breaking....awesome looking boards but never tried one.
I love the idea behind it but are very happy with my rigid and heavy Starboard WP8.10 Silver and Naish Hokua9.0 as well.
Main reason to NOT go carbon is just the price tag: My 2th hand 8.10did cost a 3th of the 2.3kglighter Carbon babies in the shop.
Maybe if i ever win the lotery...

I have surfed the Hobie Torque in many different wave types and have clocked up plenty of hours on them. The Torque series has carbon on the rails only and no stringer at all. The boards do have considerable flex. When bottom turning the board twists (or flexs) towards the inside rail and then twists back towards the other rail during transition. What does this mean? 5 to 10% faster top turn or reo.
Crisper turns. It may sound strange but you can feel the board doing it.

jack mack sums it up well... the better brands design//engineer the flex & use carbon with the experience that comes with time.
ultimately it is the same argument that Firewire faced in the early days, its all about the feel underfoot & that is an extremely subjective perspective to deal with. Personally, the lighter the better but not stiff as...