I just bought a Sunova GenRation SP25 which I am looking forward to receiving in a couple of weeks. I am another buyer who needs to give a lot of credit to Supthecreek who went over the top to help me decide which model and size will best fit my needs. There are not a lot of Sunovas on Maui so I expect to get a lot of questions about the board including its construction. My previous Sunovas were both XXX construction which I am familiar with. This new board is built with the TR3 Paulownia wood. I am trying to find out if the layup is now the same between the GenRation boards in TR3 and the rest of the Sunova TR3 line. The rail paint is different because it is solid black instead of the brushed silver or bronze of the other Sunova boards. Does anyone (Dylan?) know on the GenRation TR3 boards:
1. What is the layup and is the TR3 GenRation construction any different for the extra cost from the other TR3 Sunovas?
2. Is there still a difference between the top and bottom laminates and reinforcements like in the XXX?
3. Are there still carbon rails under the solid black paint?
4. As someone else mentioned, many of the TR3 boards have a seam in the paulownia back in the stance area. Is this a reinforced area?

Thanks for any information. I would feel pretty foolish not having any answers when people ask about the construction of this great-looking new board.

I'd like to know the answer to a couple of those question too John ..

the Pine over the balsa I feel is a little stiffer in flex ,but I don't mind that .the pine also has two joins
in the rear bottom and top, unsure how the over lap is made ,but the glassing is super strong and not had any issues with my
TR3's ,really tough boards and the wood soaks up the big bangs .you will love the SP25 ,
Sunova's are not the lightest board around ,but they make up for it in strength and performance .

Seems to me this is the kind of questions the brand will be happy to answer... did you directly ask them?

Hi Obijohn,

More than happy to answer your questions here, stoked Creek was able to get you sorted with the right board.

Regarding the layups, the Genration boards and standard SUNOVA boards have more or less the same lamination layers. The foam, wood and carbon rails are exactly the same. The standing area reinforcement differs slightly as gram glass is replaced with ounce glass for a cleaner finish as deck pads are an optional extra.

We do however offer 4 layup options on all of our SUP's in TR3 and XXX tec. These range from lightest to heaviest; Vapour Light, Team, Standard and Bulletproof. So it really comes down to how the boards are ordered.

The default layup for the Genration boards is Team, whereas it is standard for SUNOVA. You can choose the layup at the time when the order is placed if it is being made to order. The layups are designed that higher traffic areas have greater reinforcements and lower impact areas less, the whole board is layered accordingly.

I hope this covers everything, don't hesitate to reach out if you have anymore questions.

Cheers,

Dylan

Hi obijohn,
Thank for the kind words!

Opps, my answer took so long to prepare that I didn't know Dylan had answered before I hit "Post"
------------------
Since you bought an "in stock" board from Christian, it is possible that we never got around to specific build discussions.
Most SUPsters do buy "off the rack" so the build options a re lesser known.

Different builds are available if you order one through production, not from stock.
Both TR3 and XXX can be built in any of 5 strengths (at no added cost)
Starting at the lightest (and weakest)
- Vapor (basically a throw away contest board for the well healed)
- Team (slightly lighter than Standard build)
- Standard
- Bullet Proof (adds about 2% to the weight)
- Bomb Proof

I have never gotten into layup specifics because they wouldn't mean much to me...
I basically use the old method.... if it holds up and surfs well, I like it!

ALL of my Sunova and GenRation boards have passed every test I have thrown at them over the years and around the world.
I have hardly gotten a ding worth fixing in the past 7 years... and then, I just throw a sticker on instead of fixing

-------------------------------
1. What is the layup and is the TR3 GenRation construction any different for the extra cost from the other TR3 Sunovas?
The basic difference is
stock Sunova's are "standard" build
stock GenRations are "team" build

GenRations cost more because the GenRation Pros receive Design Royalties for their input working with Bert to refine each model.

2. Is there still a difference between the top and bottom laminates and reinforcements like in the XXX?
Sunova uses strength where needed and flex where needed, so there are areas on the deck that are stronger and stiffer, while the bottom has more flex build in for feel and comfort
All boards built by Sunova have very complex layups that differ around the fins, in the nose, standing area or bottom.
According to Bert, there can be as many as 9 layers of glass in small areas as needed.

3. Are there still carbon rails under the solid black paint?
All GenRations and Sunova's have Carbon Rails., including the TR3 Tec which updated to carbon rails in 2022


4. As someone else mentioned, many of the TR3 boards have a seam in the paulownia back in the stance area. Is this a reinforced area?
Not reinforced, just the most efficient use of Paulonia Sheets
The seams are "V" shaped so there is no weak point caused by a straight seam
They all have a seam in the bottom, but the deck depends on board size (smaller = no deck seam)



TR3 is not a new tec for Sunova
The ONE ECO tec used the Paulonia layup since 2016
Two years ago ECO tec was updated to become TR3, now the standard build for all Sunovas (XXX Balsa is now an option at a higher price)
My 2016 ONE ECO saw lots of duty without any issues

ALL my new boards are TR3

I have put some of them to the test for almost 2 years without any issues

Thank you Dylan and Rick for your explanations.

Of the 2, TR3 and XXX - with the same layup, typically which is the lighter board and which would be stronger (for deck compressions etc).

Can you notice the reduction in flex on the TR3 boards, say when surfing in chop? Or is it so small not to matter?

Cheers!

I would 2nd the comments on the strength of the Vapour Lite construction, bloody awesome and super light

Select to expand quote

Hoppo3228 said..
Thank you Dylan and Rick for your explanations.

Of the 2, TR3 and XXX - with the same layup, typically which is the lighter board and which would be stronger (for deck compressions etc).

Can you notice the reduction in flex on the TR3 boards, say when surfing in chop? Or is it so small not to matter?

Cheers!

Hi Hoppo
It is my experience that TR3 is noticeably lighter, Paulonia is denser than Balsa so it does not absorb as much resin.
The difference was so extreme that I doubt my boards are a completely accurate representation, but the 9'0 Flash is the only board I have in both TR3 and XXX.

My 9' Flash XXX was several years old.
My 9' Flash TR3 was 4 months old.
I weighed both at the same time, on a digital shipping scale (no fins)



Being denser, Paulonia is also resistant to deck compressions.
I'm no lightweight (but trying to be) Spent most of the past 3 years around 107 kg (now 99 kg)

I got my first TR3 boards January 2020.
In July 2021, Dylan asked me how they were holding up.

So, I took pictures of my 4 TR3 boards (Placid, Flow V2, ONE and Flash)
Not one of my boards had a mark or a depression in 1.5 years (deck pics below, taken July 3, 2021)


NOTE:
I surf a lot in varied conditions, from OH and rocky to sucked up shorebreak.
BUT, I learned years ago how to keep my boards out of the impact zone and away from harm, whenever possible.

The one thing I can't avoid, is standing on the deck for hours... and I see very little deck depressions in any of my boards, in either construction. There are slight depressions in boards I have surfed for 6 years, but hardly noticeable without looking carefully.

Hoppo asked
Can you notice the reduction in flex on the TR3 boards, say when surfing in chop? Or is it so small not to matter?

As far as feel on the waves, I don't feel any difference surfing the TR3 vs Balsa... and I interchange all the time.
I don't know as I have ever felt "flex" in a SUP,
but the signature Sunova "soft bottom feel" is alive and well in the TR3, IMO

My straight up favorite board is my 8'8 SP25 TR3
It is silky smooth under my feet and performance simply blows me away.
Never surfed anything so effortless and high performance.
So... TR3 is ok with me!

Thanks mate. Appreciate the in-depth reply as always.

I just want to hit a weight goal before I order another board... and if (as you say) the TR3 is both lighter and stiffer, it's a no brainer to order the cheaper of the 2 constructions.

Cheers!

Wow. Dylan and Rick, as usual, you guys knocked it out of the park with a ton of great information. Thanks for taking the time to be so thorough. I think a lot of people benefited. (Plus I am stoked to learn that my new SP25 will be in the lighter 'Team' construction.

I have a xxx generation board, indentations formed on the deck pad pretty quickly, not that they bother me as I will keep the board for a fair while and don't intend on getting rid of it, (can be a put off, if trying to sell second hand). My other xxx boards all have indentations, not to the same degree and I have had them a lot longer.
Overall all of these boards are very well made, I am not particularly gentle or loving with my boards but they have all survived the test of time.