
Thanks to this thread and a push from Tino, I was lucky enough to pickup an 8'5" stateside. I picked up my first SUP back when my Starboard 9'8" Extremist was extreme. At 155l and me at 160lb, it turned like a supertanker. My second board was a Naish 9'0" Mana. At 140l, it surfed like a Panga. I was hooked on SUPing, but after a handful of surf tries, I stuck to flatwater and moved on to race boards.
Appropriate since I've only been out a handful of times on the Speeed and that includes flatwater and a no paddle surf. I am a surfer first and generally ride performance longboards. I have no illusion of trying to ride a SUP like my shortboards, but figured one day, I'd get a surf SUP that worked. When I saw the Speeed, my instincts said this board will work.
First time on a wave was a revelation. Dropping in I had a moment of doubt, but stepping back and I was carving with ease. Realize that carve was not an experience I've had before on an SUP, so although I was hoping, I still wasn't expecting it. The tail is what attracted me in the first place and the bump channeled diamond is one key that makes the Speeed special. Transitions are smooth, but I luv that bite you get from the cut channels. I got an oddball set of fins (I'm guessing) 94 fronts and an 83 center. They work fine, but I'll bet smaller sides and matching middle will speed turns up a bit. I'm a front foot surfer and got caught a couple of times trying to drive turns from too far up. A quick step back and I was snapping a turn. The whole experience reminded me of my first Tri-fin, an Al Merrick Tri-plane hull. It was a new era board with a channeled hull bite and this is definitely a new era for me. I mentioned smooth, but the whole Speeed / Sunova construction is Smoooth in the water. Disclaimer: I've only been out in 2-3' wind swells.
Although Bert mentions the Speeed has Tomo / Vanguard ques, I'll come right out and say there is nothing Tomo / Vanguard like about this board. The flipped blunt nose really adds to paddling stability, but the expected pushing of water never occurs. The paddle speed is very good and there is very little yaw like curved "shortboard" shapes. I was amazed how fast this board paddled when I got down and prone'd it. I see it as blunted flipped nose performance longboard with a Speeed tail. I keep pressing the phrase 'performance longboard' but besides trimming and barrel hunting, there is no traditional longboard nose work to be done on the Speeed. I originally thought the sweet spot for paddling was forward on this board, but it turns out it is dead center of the board length, which is in front of the handle and the balance center.
I can only add that everything Bert and Tino have presented regarding the Speeed and Sunova is true. Looking forward to my next Sunova.
P.S. I'm imagining an 8 Ball with a Speeed Tail