Hi Just new to paddleboarding and would like something around the $1000 mark but could push maybe to $1500 for right board .Want it mostly for flat water or small waves but also will want to put my French bulldog on it she is around the 14 kg mark plus Im at the nearly 90 kg. Any advice would be great.Thanks

Hi Pooroldmum,
There are some good boards mentioned in here:
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Review/Best-board-for-taking-dog/
The Seabreeze search engine can be your best friend. Type in 'dog' and you get some really great SUP threads including some great vids of people paddling with dogs - and surfing with them.
Happy hunting...

PS... the sky's the limit...

Of course, once you’ve identified the board you want (probably 10 to 11 ft or a tad more and reasonably wide) the next challenge is to find one in your price range. And there’s not a wealth of choice in your neck of the woods. The Gold Coast retailers who are site sponsors on here seem to be terrific for advice ... bit of a drive for you but they will certainly look after you. Might even have the right board at the right price (used or ex demo) and help you with the other gear you need... I guess you already browse the buy and sell section here. Gumtree can be good too (there's a Starboard Whopper at the Tweed coast that looks like fun ... and a Fanatic Ray -- not ideal in the waves but good on the flats... and... and...)

(Seems to me like a lot of people like the bigger Naish Nalu models or the NSPs)

There are quite a few good boards around for what you have described such as the NSP that Chris De Aboitiz uses in the video above as well as the 11'0 Fanatic Fly and Naish Nalu 10'10, however you will probably find it hard to get a new one for that money.

If you are looking for a new board check out Blue Planet Zen Master or Nirvana models from the Waikiki Nose Rider Series, from memory you should be able to pick up a new one for around the $1500 mark.

I've got three of their boards at the moment and have had other brands over the years and the construction is as good as anything else on the market but the price is a little more reasonable. There is a thread running on here about their boards. www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Review/Blue-Planet-SUPS/

Good luck in your search.

I've got a nice Sunny King Bamboo 11'6 that I've been very pleased with. Came in under $1500 new.

Check out ecsboards.com.au. NSW based and theyve got full packages from $1000- $1500. The cruiser or evo could be the goer but if youre worried about the deck getting scratched up by little frenchy the STHB is more durable.

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pooroldmum said..
Hi Just new to paddleboarding and would like something around the $1000 mark but could push maybe to $1500 for right board .Want it mostly for flat water or small waves but also will want to put my French bulldog on it she is around the 14 kg mark plus Im at the nearly 90 kg. Any advice would be great.Thanks

Blue Planet, Cheap, very helpful and good quality, I've attached the link for retailers in NSW. They advertise all over Seabreeze if you have any difficulty.

www.blueplanetsup.com.au/

Cheers and good luck

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Tern said..
I've got a nice Sunny King Bamboo 11'6 that I've been very pleased with. Came in under $1500 new.

Yeah give Nick at Sunny King a call, nice line of all-round boards that would be suited to your purpose and he ships everywhere.

Regarding the pooch and scratches.
A tip I've read about, though not tried myself, is to get one of those non slip plastic bath mats, with the little suction cups on the bottom, and stick that on the nose.

The new Atlantis boards (eg Halo) look pretty nice to me, full PVC wrap construction and light.. would be my pick.

you can buy a good brand name, with known quality for $1500 and under. Can even pick up a 2015 model.

Have a look at mongoboards northern beaches NSW
I had a look at there boards at Lennox head..
Mick and Alice are really nice people that have invested a great deal of time and effort into their brand... Worth having a chat and if possible supporting the local guy.