I have been recently the guinea pig for 2 "blind test" experiments in SUP volume:

- I traded boards on the water with a lighter guy, which didn't knew the volume of his board. I found afterwards it was 84 litres (Imagine 7'6" x 27"), and I weight 97kg and was in a 3/2 wetsuit. Well, I could paddle on it: I could manage to get up and stay afloat by constantly paddling but after 10-15s would fall, victim of deconcentration or getting tired/out of breath. However, I was able to catch waves somewhat reliably by paddling prone, and standing up at the last second in front of the wave, U-turn and take off in less than 5 seconds.

However, on the wave things were a bit "Meh": the board was obeying too quickly for my reflexes, and I didn't have the time to properly set up turns. I guess you need some time to get used to it before reaping the benefit of super low volume boards, and being younger would help :-)

- My facetious shaper, who likes to pushes his testers out of their comfort zone, sent me a 7'5" Gong Fatal, that should have been 130 liters, but was actually 7'4" x 28"x 5.25" x 94 liters... Without telling me. This amounts to ~ 10 litres of negative flotation (including the weight of the board, paddle wetsuit, but adding the pad volume) So I am on the spot, falling repeatedly on what I believed was a 130 litres board... Well after some time (2-3 hours), I was able to use it somewhat comfortably on glassy sessions. But sessions with lots of water movements were doable, but still quite hard. What I learned:
- on powerful waves, my surfing level definitively raised a notch: I could aim for the power, knowing that the board will nearly manage itself, never in the way, but tapping all the juice for insane accelerations
- on low volume boards, having a comfortable front width (1' - 2' ahead of the handle) helps a lot
- a lot is "in the head". If I had been told it was a 94 liters boards, I would have quit trying to surf it after half an hour, disgusted. Sometimes you need a good kick in the *rse to progress :-)
- how hard is too hard? there is a fine line there: if you begin to blow take offs, I don't think it is worth it. I guess a bard quite hard to paddle around, but still stable enough to manage take offs if you are focused may be the optimal for progressing.
- you can get too confident: I perforated (slightly) an eardrum on a wipeout flat on the ear on a late take off on a hollow wave, because I thought that I could take off on anything with this board.

So, will I keep it? yes! but I will also keep my standard Fatal, 7'3"x29"1/2 125 liters for weaker waves and days I do not feel in top form.

Here is the only vid I have of me on it, on a session with fickle (short period) waves that were closing or flattening out.

I tried paddling a 23 inch wide 85L wind surfer the other day. At 103kg I knew it wasn't happening, but I just wanted to see how close I could get. Not very close as it turns out. I'd love to demo a bunch of low volume boards someday just to see how small I could go, just keep dropping 5L at a time or something. Getting that perfect size dialed in seems like an expensive proposition.

Select to expand quote

exiled said..
I just wanted to see how close I could get. Not very close as it turns out. I'd love to demo a bunch of low volume boards someday just to see how small I could go, just keep dropping 5L at a time or something. Getting that perfect size dialed in seems like an expensive proposition.

You can try to swap boards with other SUPers, or maybe look at longboard rentals for beginner longboards, some may be in the 100 liters range, especially the foam ones.

It is good for balance training, but I don't think it is mandatory at all. Plus I guess there is no "perfect" size: what could feel perfect one day can be hell in days with more chop or when you are less fit.