Hi All, intelligent, critical SUPers....

i am a 65 year old , 6-2"" and 98 kgs on a good day. I have years of sup behind me on all sorts of boards. My current board is a 9-11 Jimmy Lewis Kwad, awesome board. I am a snob..I love Hawaiin boards with experienced shapers behind them.

i am tossing up several boards :

Starboard 9-5 widepoint
JP Surf wide body 9- something
Fanatic Allwave 9-4
Maybe I would mention Sunova Speed of a similar length.

I'd love to hear your thoughts...I have a slight bias towards the Allwave for its 170 odd litres - which I find a comfortable volume in me old age...

Much thanks in anticipation...

Diceman

Where are you based? There are plenty of other Australian shapers, as least as experienced and talented than the brands you mentioned: Sunova. Smik, Deep, ...

The Speeed is kinda the odd board out in that line up. Very different shape than the others you mentioned. I'm not sure that any of those boards would really give you anything on the JL board. They will all probably be a little slower on the wave but turn better from the tail, but not wildly so. What are you hoping to gain here?

Hi guys, many thanks for replies...

im based at Mt Maunganui, NZ. Our own little version of Gold Coast...boards are crazy expensive here!
I love my Jimmy Lewis but I've thrashed it to hell and just feel like a change. I would like a lighter board without losing JLs amazing durability...

Also, I had a Deep longboard style board and loved it but it wasn't solid...I was getting pressure dents from kneeling part of the time.

I have a shorter Allwave and it is a great board... I recon it would be a good match for the wave type at the mount. Have used but never owned a JL board (Kwad and Worlwide) and it is easy to tell they are rock solid.... I would like to give the Super Frank a go as I reckon that would be a great board in a wide variety of surf types....

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diceman said..
Also, I had a Deep longboard style board and loved it but it wasn't solid...I was getting pressure dents from kneeling part of the time.

Have a talk to Simon at DEEP if you like the boards because he is making some with a new construction which is more durable as well as more enviro friendly.

If its any help, i have a 9 5 whopper and an 8 8 jp widebody, i seem to keep going the whopper .

Diceman

It is always a bit daunting to be looking for a new board. I am 63 y and you have a few kg on me with respect to weight. I have owned a whopper and think it is a great board to start out in the surf on but you should be able to find a board that will work a bit better in the waves. You mentioned a larger Speeed. I have three Sunova and the Speeed is the board I keep going back to. There must be someone in NZ that can let you go for a surf on their bigger Speeed? Demo if you can.....one of the best ways to get a small idea of if the board will work for you in the conditions that you go out in.

Good luck!

Bob

Guys, terrific comments, very thought provoking...thanks!

Comment on Deep is intriguing because I do like those boards...

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diceman said..
Also, I had a Deep longboard style board and loved it but it wasn't solid...I was getting pressure dents from kneeling part of the time.

kneeling will dent normal boards, even PVC sandwich ones. If you kneel you must shop for ultra-reinforced decks if you want to avoid dents.

Yep I take your point on decks Colas....I've been spoiled by JL . They are so incredibly strong.

There seem to be no comments on the Starboard Widepoint. Does anyone have any experience with this series? Are they any good.?I'm hoping to test drive one in November but would like any info from those who know. Cheers.

I owned an 8'2 wide point for years. Most durable board I have ever owned and great fun of sloppy waves. When it was clean and steep it felt too wide though.