Hi all,
First time on a forum. I've just started looking at boards as I'm about to head off on a trip around Australia with my fianc?? and 3 daughters. I was planning on a kayak as I though it would be better for all the family to enjoy and to also catch some dinners. I also have a mini mal that I was going to take but reckon i will move that on.A good friend of mine bought a 10" mana 6 months ago and his pictures on facebook have got the better of me.
He has suggested a mana the same as his. ( he's also a big guy)
I am 6'4 and weight fluctuating between 105&110kgs. I'm fairly fit and strong from working as a tradie I'm really keen to hit the surf but wouldn't imagine to big and obviously some flat water stuff too.
I want something to learn on but don't want to have to upgrade in 6-12 months.
I went to a shop in Elwood Victoria on Thursday and they where suggesting the Nalu.
I've come across a good second had 11'4" Nalu 2010 model. If the Nalu is he board you suggest is it worth paying the extra for the 2014 model?
Garnsy, I have an 11'4" 2010 nalu and at the same ht and weight as you...I wouldn't trade it for anything!
If you're traveling with your family, you'll find that it will meet nearly every need from small surf to flatwater exploring and even can handle putting one of the kids on the front whilst you have a paddle.
I don't know what the difference is between 2010 & 2014 but both will meet your needs - you just have to decide how much your want to spend I guess.
Awesome thanks sailhac.
I would like to be able to chuck the kids on with me for a paddle too. From what I've read they are a big board to manoeuvre in the surf. Would you agree with that? And do you think it's a board that i can keep for a long time and I can improve my skills on without having to upgrade?
Thanks for your reply.
Garns
Anything over 10' is big in the surf imo but the Nalu with its big rocker turns well. I still grab it when the surf is small and always return with a smile. Stepping back on the tail will get it turn easily, although you're throwing about 9' of board across your front. I've had a few people offer to buy it but won't sell it. I've had mates get hooked on sup after lending it to them also.
It's not the most stable board as it's relatively narrow for its length but once moving, it glides well, surfs well, and I haven't heard of many other boards that surf as well whilst also holding their own on flatwater cruising and even performs well on downwinders.
As for maintaining skills, not sure but if I had to keep only 1 of my 3 boards (the others are a 9'8' custom and a 'loaner' 8'8" - both wave boards), I'd choose to keep the Nalu.
I've got the 11'4 nalu GT (2013).
I'm not sure what the difference is between the year models, although I think the GS construction came with 3 fin boxes until 2012 and then from then on only came as a single fin. The GT has always had 3. This was my first board and I'll be keeping it for a good while. If you get the Nalu, try and get 3 fins as it's pretty skatey running just a single fin in bigger waves. I couldn't see any reason that you'd have to upgrade within a few years. What will happen is that you will buy more sup boards to add to the collection.
Unless you're just mucking about and happy to fall in a lot, you'll struggle to put a big kid on with you at the same time. I'm 100kg and I can paddle with my 30Kg daughter on it, but only just. Two daughters (50 + 30Kg) have a ball tandem paddling. It's not a platform that you can really fish from or have a BBQ on or anything though - it's more a longboard style surfing board, but not too bad for covering distance on flat water. For instance, I often launch at my local beach, paddle a kilometre or so over to my favourite spot, surf that for a couple of hours then paddle back - no drama at all, doesn't matter if it's windy or not. So it's a good board for paddling around little coves, etc. and catching a few waves. It surfs nicely, and is pretty forgiving. It's pretty good for noseriding and with a bit of size the board can really carve some turns. But it is still a big board - so be careful in the surf (and always wear a leash if you are anywhere near other people - in fact, always wear a leash 
).
Sailhack mentioned downwinding... I've tried that on my 11'4 a few times. I can't really agree that it performs well on downwinders (at least in the 20 to 25 knots that I've tried it in), but it is possible to catch some runners - and it is nice and stable compared to my 14' downwinding board.
Same as foamballer - I launch on a local public beach and paddle around the corner to where there's a nice little wave. Although it's possible to paddle with my 10yo on it, he normally surfs and I can put one of my girls (both <30kegs) on it.
Re; downwinding - you're right foamy, probably a bit of an exaggeration on my behalf but although you probably won't win a race - you can catch some good runners on it and it's not an unpleasant experience downwinding on it.
Awesome thanks guys. I've just been to check out the 11'4 and its in excellent condition. I had planned to test a couple out on tues but thinking I don't want to miss this one as its nearly half the price of the new one. I just spoke to guys in shop and they reckon there hasn't really been any changes in the last 3 years. They were also suggesting other brands that are thicker for someone of my size and weight.
Very tempted to just go back and get this one. What's your thoughts? Should I go test a couple out first and risk missing this one?
Cheers
Garns
It depends on what you want to do with it, but in the end the 11'4 is a good board and should get reasonable resale on it if you work out its not for you. It will feel a bit tippy (from side to side) initially compared to a wider board - so if you do test ride, you've got to realise that it might take 30mins or so to get used to it. Has it got 3 fin slots? I've never heard of this board getting broken, but since this one is half the price, I guess you've got to ask why - check for major repairs. I've knocked mine around a lot in pretty heavy surf and apart from some minor repairs it is going strong. If it looks OK then personally I'd just grab it. Oh yeah, don't forget to put some wax on the front part of the deck - there's no grip up forward - get the shop to throw in a block.
I noticed this:
www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/StandUpPaddle-Surfing-and-Cruising-Boards/~ae1zo/Naish-Gt-11-4.aspx?search=lT$riExlz8sdkMeY2HleJgOydTIwgGpg
Also, not that I want to complicate your decision any, but apparently the inflatable touring and race style boards are pretty good (but take up space in the car rather than the roof racks). http://naishsurfing.com/NALU%20AIR%2011.0-All-around%20Cruising/. I'd definitely try one first as a bigger guy might make it sag just a bit too much.
On the issue of portability, the narrower profile of the Nalu vs some of the wider boards like the mana means that you can usually fit two of them side by side on the roof racks, whereas wider boards you have to stack. Depends on how you're doing your travels - but something to think about.
It does have 3 fins and its the GT model. It's through a friends friend not through a shop. Looks like its hardly been used. No ware on the mat where you stand and no dings or scratches. $1200 with bag and leg rope. New they are nearly 2k without the bag paddle and leg rope. That's no negotiating though.
I think you'd probably get one new for around $1800 in a shop, possibly with a leggie thrown in. If it's a black and white naish board bag (which comes included with a GT at that price - was earlier in the year anyway), you'll notice it doesn't have much padding, but has been more than adequate for my needs and keeps the dust off. So I think you're comparison price might be a bit high, but nevertheless $1200 seems like a fair price to me.
Ok! I didn't negotiate in the shop that was just the price they had on the tag. It's definitely the Naish bag with no padding. So $1200 is fair but not as much of a bargain as I thought.
This is where I start to think is it worth paying the extra and go new for the later model. I'm not sure if this guy is willing to negotiate.
The Naish website says maximum rider weight 98kgs. Is 105-110 ok?
Might go test one at the shop tomorrow and see what they can do price wise.
Select to expand quoteGarnsy said..
This is where I start to think is it worth paying the extra and go new for the later model. I'm not sure if this guy is willing to negotiate.
The Naish website says maximum rider weight 98kgs. Is 105-110 ok?
Might go test one at the shop tomorrow and see what they can do price wise.
I agree it's not a drop everything bargain.
The later model will have the new colours - so I guess a better resale value if it comes to that - so that's probably worth a few hundred. Then there's a warranty as well. You're not likely to need it but that's worth something as well. A new leggie is always better than a used one.... etc. etc.
Don't worry about the weight rating, particularly if you're fit. I'm 100-105kg. Tippiness is the main thing. So definitely test it out if you have the opportunity: if you just can't stand up on it then if won't be much fun - but make sure you try it for at least 30 minutes to get a good feel for it. Like I said before though it's more stable than my 27" wide 14 footer - so everything is relative.
Might as well grab the Mana as well and compare them at the same time?
I came across these video files last night and thought I'd make something from it. This is from my first session surfing the 11'4 Nalu in ocean surf (had a few goes in the river waves beforehand) and as you'll see I was pretty ungainly - still trying to adapt after riding a short-board for years. It was also my GoPro's maiden voyage...
In any case, you can get some idea of how the Nalu behaves.
Great vid Foamy - sums up the Nalu well...including the soundtrack & resulting smile!
Awesome vid! Put a smile on my face and just got me even keener.
I went to 4 different shops today and they all took a look at the size of me and suggested the Nalu 11'4 but one guy suggested the 10'6. He said I look fit and reckons it would be better suited for the surf and not much different on the flat compared to the 11'4.
The same guy said don't limit myself to Naish.
Not one shop suggested the Mana.
I'd be a bit worried about weight on the smaller board. I'm 105kgs at the moment and just turned 40 so not expecting to get any lighter:)
1 shop had the exact same board as yours and said I can have it for $1400 as the new models were arriving this week.
I've arranged to test out a couple tomorrow so hoping that helps me make a decision on the board.I haven't even looked at paddles yet:)
Decision made. Tested out the Nalu 11'4 and the Mana 10" ended up with the Nalu.
I got last years model which had a small repair in the tail that was damaged out of packing.
Very happy with price $1250 and still has warranty. No bag or leg rope though.
I did what you said and spent a good hour on the Nalu. After an hour I felt very comfortable on it.
The mana was more stable at the start but didn't seem to glide as well.
Thanks for all your input. Much appreciated.
Now I'm just keen to get out there.
Congrats..
I reckon you should have got the new 2014 10' Mana..
It's very different to the old 10' Mana (so much better)
Your friend would be very jealous.. 
DJ
Select to expand quoteDavidJohn said..
Congrats..
I reckon you should have got the new 2014 10' Mana..
It's very different to the old 10' Mana (so much better)
Your friend would be very jealous..
DJ
Hey DJ
The mana I tried was the 2013 model. Is there much difference between 2013 & 2014? I'm not picking board up until Friday.
Maybe it's worth trying the 2014 model?
I am after an all round board but all shops I went to for advice went straight for the Nalu.
Cheers
Garns
Select to expand quoteGarnsy said..
Hey DJ
The mana I tried was the 2013 model. Is there much difference between 2013 & 2014? I'm not picking board up until Friday.
Maybe it's worth trying the 2014 model?
I am after an all round board but all shops I went to for advice went straight for the Nalu.
Cheers
Garns
No harm test riding another board is there? More time on the water just feeds the soul
Don't forget to try out some paddles. When I'm ready to buy my next paddle I'll be looking for:
- some flex in the shaft, but not so much that it feels floppy
- a shaft diameter that's not too thin (my 2013 Makani adjust. feels a bit thin these days and a bit floppy), but the 2014 version is about the right diameter. Some paddles with oval cross-section shafts feel pretty comfy.
- around the 8.5" paddle width, but might try narrower - 95-100 sq in)
HeSelect to expand quotefoamballer said..
I came across these video files last night and thought I'd make something from it. This is from my first session surfing the 11'4 Nalu in ocean surf (had a few goes in the river waves beforehand) and as you'll see I was pretty ungainly - still trying to adapt after riding a short-board for years. It was also my GoPro's maiden voyage...
In any case, you can get some idea of how the Nalu behaves.
Hey mate,
I just checked out some of your other vids and noticed you've changed boards or added to the collection. What's none other board your on?
Garns,
I got the GoPro quite a while ago, but apart from the video above, I really haven't used it on the Nalu at all. A couple of months ago I started getting into downwinding and bought a 14 foot Naish Glide (as the Nalu's not really ideal for downwinding), it's not designed as a surfing style board though. As I'm learning, the art of downwinding is definitely not as easy at it looks (or more accurately, as easy as people make it look), so I started videoing and posting the videos to get some feedback and hints. The GoPro is pretty good for analysing what you are doing. I'm not really into videoing myself for posterity as such but I have found out that it is interesting to go back over the footage and have a bit of fun editing at the same time.
I ride the Nalu 2 or 3 times a week still, but I've deliberately been trying to get out on the Glide more. That board at 27" wide is just a bit too tippy for me and I need to work pretty hard to keep paddling and maintain momentum out in rough conditions without bracing/pausing, etc. - I figure the only way to do get that balance is to get more sea-time on it. So I've been flat water paddling it, surfing it, downwinding it and try and get out 2 or 3 times a week on that board too. This was one of the reasons I mentioned stability earlier on, as I know it takes a lot of effort if the board is too unstable for you.
I've got a normal 6'10" short surfboard too that I probably ride once a week. Another reason I don't video much on the Nalu or shortboard is that my local surf spots are either a shallow craggy reef or a pretty dumpy beach break. It would only be a matter of time before I lost the camera.
I've got a new 14 foot board on order (the 2014 Glide) which is a bit wider, so then I'll have to make a decision whether to sell the old Glide or not. I wasn't going to mention this as it's not really the best option for a newbie, but if I could only have one SUP board now, I would probably go for the 14 footer. That misso's video I've got on vimeo shows that although you can't do much on a wave, it's still a ball in small surf (like learning to surf again) and you can tour around, keep up with the whales and do downwinders too. I wouldn't recommend that in your situation though - particularly with kids, where a 14 foot board is just too big.
Like I said earlier, I'll be keeping the Nalu - it's a great board for everyday mucking around.
Select to expand quotefoamballer said..
Garns,
I got the GoPro quite a while ago, but apart from the video above, I really haven't used it on the Nalu at all. A couple of months ago I started getting into downwinding and bought a 14 foot Naish Glide (as the Nalu's not really ideal for downwinding), it's not designed as a surfing style board though. As I'm learning, the art of downwinding is definitely not as easy at it looks (or more accurately, as easy as people make it look), so I started videoing and posting the videos to get some feedback and hints. The GoPro is pretty good for analysing what you are doing. I'm not really into videoing myself for posterity as such but I have found out that it is interesting to go back over the footage and have a bit of fun editing at the same time.
I ride the Nalu 2 or 3 times a week still, but I've deliberately been trying to get out on the Glide more. That board at 27" wide is just a bit too tippy for me and I need to work pretty hard to keep paddling and maintain momentum out in rough conditions without bracing/pausing, etc. - I figure the only way to do get that balance is to get more sea-time on it. So I've been flat water paddling it, surfing it, downwinding it and try and get out 2 or 3 times a week on that board too. This was one of the reasons I mentioned stability earlier on, as I know it takes a lot of effort if the board is too unstable for you.
I've got a normal 6'10" short surfboard too that I probably ride once a week. Another reason I don't video much on the Nalu or shortboard is that my local surf spots are either a shallow craggy reef or a pretty dumpy beach break. It would only be a matter of time before I lost the camera.
I've got a new 14 foot board on order (the 2014 Glide) which is a bit wider, so then I'll have to make a decision whether to sell the old Glide or not. I wasn't going to mention this as it's not really the best option for a newbie, but if I could only have one SUP board now, I would probably go for the 14 footer. That misso's video I've got on vimeo shows that although you can't do much on a wave, it's still a ball in small surf (like learning to surf again) and you can tour around, keep up with the whales and do downwinders too. I wouldn't recommend that in your situation though - particularly with kids, where a 14 foot board is just too big.
Like I said earlier, I'll be keeping the Nalu - it's a great board for everyday mucking around.
Sounds like you hit the surf a fair bit. Lucky you. Your kids must be older than mine or a very understanding wife.
I tried the 2014 mana today and had another go on the Nalu. I have to say the Mana felt a lot more stable and felt vey comfortable on it but definitely harder to glide through the water.
The Nalu felt more tippy but has time went on I felt a lot more comfortable.
I'm leaning towards the Mana as I think it might be easier for me to learn how to surf with the extra stability.
Thought I'd made my decision but now confused again haha. Either way I'll be picking up a board on Friday so will ponder until then.
Cheers
Garns
HeySelect to expand quotefoamballer said..
So Garns, what did you get?? What did you do about a paddle?
Hey foamballer
Had another crack on both boards today and it was a bit choppy. Ended up with th Mana, I just felt more stable.
It's fair to say I was fairly useless on the Nalu the first 2 days I tried the boards were very flat conditions and I thought I was better than I actually was.
I bought the Makani 8.5 adjustable. I did a bit of reading last night and they seem like an ok choice. The handle did slide down a bit at one stage today so I tightened the 2 screws when I got home and now its all sweet.
Now the learning starts. Think the mrs is over me talking about bd researching it already :)
Thanks heaps for your input in making my decision.
