Hi Guys.
I'm looking at buying my first 'real' SUP and am after advice.
As a background, I'm around 6' 1", a tad over 90kg and a mature age! I regularly paddle a surf ski and have paddled a plastic SUP for a few hours.
I paddled a number of different SUPs at the demo in WA and had a great time - thanks organisers and shops. I'm after a general purpose board for fitness and fun that can be paddled in the river (most of the time), the ocean and maybe a downwind. I also want it family friendly.
My preference is for a displacement hull, cruiser style.
The Fanatic Ray was recommended and I paddled the 11' demo, although I felt more comfortable on the longer boards. I was surprised that - in flat water - I managed to stay upright on the Falcon 14x25.
After some discussions at the demo day and reading some of the forums/reviews, the 12.6 class appears to contain many SUPs that look great and I read on one site that for my weight and height 29" would be about right.
Thanks in advance.
There are sooooo many good 12'6 boards out there. Its best to give them a try.
Try all the name brand 12'6 in or around 27 to 28 wide... 30 is fairly wide these days.
Fanatic, Hobie, Naish, JM, Lahui Kai, Starboard, DC all make good boards. google a few and get a demo on what you like the look of.
At 90kg I would probably be looking more at a 14' rather than a 12'6, this way you can also go narrower. In my opinion to get on a 12'6 that you feel comfortable on you would have to go fairly wide which will impact the glide of it. For someone your weight in the 14' range you could be looking at as little as 26/27 wide.
As one of the very few guys around in Perth who downwinds on a 12'6, I can tell you if you are strating out you will have a lot more fun on a 14' board.
As stated above all the big brands do pretty good 14's and 12'6s now and there is a good variety of displacment vs planing hulls, shop around, demo as many as you can, speak to different people and paddle in all conditions.
I was going to post a spiel on my 11'6" Nalu, but I've said it before & didn't want to repeat myself...so here's a comment I've made before (some people are getting touchy about brand-bashing, or worse - brand favouritism. 
)
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Review/Naish-Nalu-116/
I don't necessarily agree that at 90kg a 12'6 will be too small. I have ridden both fanatic and starboard 12'6's in 25 wide and I'm near to 100kg. I do think you need to choose your model carefully though, I found the starboard Allstar I think it was, felt low on volume for me, the falcon actually felt quite quick but a little tippy for me at my size in the 25, but very quick with good glide.
I only have a 14, but at times do wish I had 12'6 for in and outs through waves etc....... Can I have one of each?..
Hi SupNewbe,
There are plenty of good 12 and 12'6" boards around and I think 90kgs is fine on the right 12'6. The Fanatic Falcon 12'6" is fast in all three sizes but at 90kgs, the 27.5" is best suited to your weight. I was around 90kg when I downwinded the 25" and also the 27.5". They go brilliantly along the coast and in enclosed waters on a downwinder. The 27.5" feels like a little sports car on a wave compared to a 14'ers
In enclosed waters or shallower waters, I reckon the 12'6" is faster and easier than the 14's due to the shorter pitch of the chop. The Surftech Laird Slice is a nice board too in 12'6" however, my thoughts are that most carbon race boards make a pretty expensive "family" board unless you go for the AST construction (heavier).
The Fanatic Ray 12' is a great family board and perfect for what you are looking for, so long as racing isn't on the cards. It's stable, fun and easy on a Downwinder and at a price waaaay below a carbon raceboard.
Just my thoughts, but I'd avoid carbon if the "Family" are going to be left to play with it without supervision. Railtape is a no brainer in this scenario too.
DM
Hi Snowie,
The "Shorter Pitch of chop" is the distance from one peak of a wave to the peak of the next wave in front or behind it. When in shallow water, the peaks generally become closer together and steeper faced than the waves in deeper water. A 12'6" board with good rocker for surfing, will sit in that shorter trough better than the longer 14ft board and not bog into the wave ahead.
In terms of upwind (into the chop), I would think the 14ft will most likely be better as the longer length will "span" the crests better and pitch less than the shorter 12'6".
However, this is also be complicated by the bow type, shape and volume, nose and tail rocker which will also affect how the board both downwinds and also upwinds, by either piercing or riding over the waves.
Gee's talk about opening up Pandora's box
DM
It sure does. I've only ever ridden 14'ers and hoped you had given me a reason to look at a 12'6". 14' would make more sense although I find it easier to step back rather than forward so that my paddling turns the board against the wind with less effort so you're reducing the waterline back closer to a 12'6" board anyway- but I've got a low volume nose and you only ever torpedo downwards into a Sydney ferry's wash once. 
We all talk about what suits DWers a lot but upwind into chop doesn't get as much discussion...although there have been a few good posts/vids like the Candice Appleby one recently.
Worth considering though when you're buying a board as most training is out and back so 50% of your course and sometimes 70% of your time is either upwind or across wind (DW being faster and taking less time) and you can't always find cover. Lately I've found in 4-6km flatwater circuit races, the difference between two board noses can dictate who does better in each section esp. if one person is having to paddle one sided more than the other - and knowing it could give you a little edge. The typical Surftech nose has done better against me in a sidewind whereas DW or straight upwind my Jav has been marginally better up to a certain size chop, yet my Bullet is great in sidewind and, of course, any angle DW but sux upwind. The side profile of the board would be a factor too - not just the nose.
Hi Guys.
I've paddled a few different boards and learnt heaps at a BOP race training session.
I've spent just over an hour paddling a Jamie Mitchell Navigator, NSP 10ft, 12'6 (27.5) Fanatic and a few minutes in a Surftech Bark competitor. I felt reasonably stable on all the boards until I tried 'surf style' paddling boths sides with pivot turns!
The competitor was my favourite.
My current plan is to look at cheaper second hand 'race shape' boards so I can learn more and gain a better understanding of what to look for. I'll try and get a decent paddle.
Some of these may not be for sale now, but what are your opinions of these 12'6:
Jimmy Lewis Blade
Amundson TR
NSP Race
C4 Waterman Switchblade
Thanks
Hi Guys.
My last post.
I picked up a second hand Fanatic Falcon HRS 12'6' 30.5" and am having some fun and learning a lot with the training with SUPP.
