We had one of those days here yesterday where's there's good size overhead surf coming through but wind, heavy chop and a lot of water moving in between the reefs made even standing hard work. When you got on a wave it was superb but in between rides and paddling in needed a low stance and a bit of luck.

Looking around the carpark it was interesting to see what everyone pulled out of the garage to make the most of the conditions. Boards that we have learnt on and discarded over time came out of the woodwork and my observation was that everyone was having s great time making the most of the good size swell.

Boards such as :

Starby Widepoints 8/10 and 8/2
Fanatic Allwave Pro 8/3 x 32
Naish X32,s
Sunova Speeds

all were given a dust off and hit the water.

Just wondering what what everyone else has tucked away for those windy / choppy days ???

Blue Planet Funstick - 9'4" x 33". It's my go to board when it gets choppy but great fun and fast when riding as a quad. It's pulled in nose means it doesn't catch chop and at 33" wide has plenty of stability. It's light so doesn't feel like a large board.

I only have the one board, starby pro 8' x28 so I just go out in anything. If you go out enough in crap it becomes easier and it makes the great days even sweeter.

Atlantis Mistress 10 footer.
Does it all and covers all conditions. I also have a 8ft Sunova Flash, 12 ft PSH GUN and DC foil SUP.
The mistress is just my go to board if unsure of the conditions.

Yeah mick smith totally agree I been telling the boys that for a while now . I ride a 7'10 x28 sb pro in any condition s .some days it's f$&?@$ hard work but I don't wNt sacrifice the performance for a bit of extra stability

Oversized Acid 9'1 or Starby Pro 8.0

Smik Hipster Twin Longboard 9'2"x29". Very stable, catches everything, wave rides amazingly (like a much shorter board). Absolute go to board when it's less than ideal. 10/10

9,1 Sunova Acid (125 litres) does it for me .the length helps you hook on and it never nose dives

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micksmith said..
I only have the one board, starby pro 8' x28 so I just go out in anything. If you go out enough in crap it becomes easier and it makes the great days even sweeter.

7'7" Jimmy Lewis Destroyer. Versatile, stable and surfs great (setup as a quad)

Sunova speed 8.10 , some people find it unstable but i find it really stable in Sh... conditions , more than the pointy nose boards, maybe the low rail as explained by bert burger in the speed video presentation, it moves right and left but never to a tipping point...

9'4 Creek... in anything! (I am 106 kg)

JL Destroyer 8'5 when bigger and rough
Starboard Pro 8'10 when bigger and smooth
Infinity New Deal 10x29 when small - both rough and smooth


I am 110Kg.

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MarkW81 said..
Blue Planet Funstick - 9'4" x 33". It's my go to board when it gets choppy but great fun and fast when riding as a quad. It's pulled in nose means it doesn't catch chop and at 33" wide has plenty of stability. It's light so doesn't feel like a large board.

Agree with MarkW81

Blue planet funstick is the go to
But also Surefire 8-5 Degenerate

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TBM said..

micksmith said..
I only have the one board, starby pro 8' x28 so I just go out in anything. If you go out enough in crap it becomes easier and it makes the great days even sweeter.

7'7" Jimmy Lewis Destroyer. Versatile, stable and surfs great (setup as a quad)

Sounds like you found a beauty. Well done TBM

I find that I just have more fun on the bigger boards all together. I like to surf for four or five hours instead of blowing my legs out in two. If it gets windy, with a lot of water surging on the reef, the Blue Planet All Good is my go to at 8'8"x31". Doesn't feel nearly as wide as it is, and holds in on the steepest sections.

Living in Brooklyn NY I only have my one sup, a Sunova Steeze 8'10" (I think 29.5" wide), because thats all that will fit. When I go up to Massachusetts to my family home there, I will get out my Fanatic Allwave 8'9" at 32" if its too bumpy, and it feels oh so stable in comparison. But getting better at the tippy steeze...

Yesterday was a classic example of picking my confidence board . 6-8ft and strong SW wind on beaches . Went to a secret spot that required a long paddle into the wind . Waves smaller there but water movement and wind were crazy. The oversized 9'1 Acid was definitely the correct from my quiver .
Pointy nose to get through chop and for paddling into wind
Good length for glide and need to paddle long distance into wind
Nose kick to handle bumpy messy waves
Enough tippiness at that length to allow me to be challenged and to make most out of waves
The Acid tail is perfect for killing off speed . Helped me stay on some very long waves
Just over 30 wide in the guts so plenty of stability whilst in sweet spot.
She is such a good girl. Cooks , cleans , pays bills , looks good and has smarts about her too. An all rounder that i can rely on

I dont get out when there is onshore wind, so problem solved :-)

But sometimes, when I get a new board and I am eager to try it, I have been out in crappy conditions anyways (howling onshores, etc...), and...
actually all boards work!

I mean, if you are a competent SUPer (basically who do not paddle with his/her feet close to the rails), if you focus on your balance you can actually manage junk conditions, you just have to have a positive attitude. The difference being that I will be exhausted after 30mn on my hardest board (Gong Alley 7'8" 27"3/4 105l) but I can manage 2 hours on my stablest (Gong Karmen 8'4" x 30" x 120l)

So it depends on my mood. Getting out for an intense amped up 30mn session can be more fun than overstaying for 2 hours and getting bored by the end.

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micksmith said..
I only have the one board, starby pro 8' x28 so I just go out in anything. If you go out enough in crap it becomes easier and it makes the great days even sweeter.

Likewise, except I have 2 speeeds, crap conditions I go out on the bigger one.

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colas said..
I dont get out when there is onshore wind, so problem solved :-)

But sometimes, when I get a new board and I am eager to try it, I have been out in crappy conditions anyways (howling onshores, etc...), and...
actually all boards work!

I mean, if you are a competent SUPer (basically who do not paddle with his/her feet close to the rails), if you focus on your balance you can actually manage junk conditions, you just have to have a positive attitude. The difference being that I will be exhausted after 30mn on my hardest board (Gong Alley 7'8" 27"3/4 105l) but I can manage 2 hours on my stablest (Gong Karmen 8'4" x 30" x 120l)

So it depends on my mood. Getting out for an intense amped up 30mn session can be more fun than overstaying for 2 hours and getting bored by the end.

Hey Colas
interesting re where feet are positioned from rails when paddling, i've never thought about this. What's the logic?
Cheers

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SupChickadee said..
Hey Colas
interesting re where feet are positioned from rails when paddling, i've never thought about this. What's the logic?
Cheers

The logic is here :-)
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/SUP/Mastering-lateral-balance-on-a-small-SUP-board

It allows you to roll with the punches of the chop. With the feet wide apart, the slightest chop nudge will make you dig the rail deep and ...roll over!

Also, you can then use low volume boards (less liters than your weight times 1.3) that are easier in the chop as they do not get bounced around like a cork by the chop. You want just enough volume and length to keep some comfortable longitudinal balance however. Having to balance in all directions at once can be overwhelming.

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colas said..

SupChickadee said..
Hey Colas
interesting re where feet are positioned from rails when paddling, i've never thought about this. What's the logic?
Cheers

The logic is here :-)
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/SUP/Mastering-lateral-balance-on-a-small-SUP-board

It allows you to roll with the punches of the chop. With the feet wide apart, the slightest chop nudge will make you dig the rail deep and ...roll over!

Also, you can then use low volume boards (less liters than your weight times 1.3) that are easier in the chop as they do not get bounced around like a cork by the chop. You want just enough volume and length to keep some comfortable longitudinal balance however. Having to balance in all directions at once can be overwhelming.

Brilliant thanks will give it a go

General everyday East Coast conditions I go to the Fanatic AllWave I'm big so I use the 9'7 but really they all work and shine in everyday surf

JimK
Extreme Windsurfing

Placid - if I were restricted to just one board

My all arounder. Another way I see it is my all terrain vehicle. Custom sunova Surf 10-6x31. 5 future boxes.
The size and width guarantee stability in the wind, chop and current. The thinned and foiled rails will handle the juice
if I can get some.

Awesome vid and great soundtrack, got to love Sunova

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moogengronko said..
Placid - if I were restricted to just one board

Which size for less than perfect conditions ?