Some of you will know Big Left, but most of you will know places like it. Direct ocean swell, 1 km off shore, lots of water moving around so often choppy. ?But the waves are usually a good size (often overhead by my standard).

I have been taking my 8'10" x 29" Speeed out, but with my up-size to 95 kg, it is just a hassle keeping vertical, and too often I bobble just at the wrong time and either fall or simply miss the wave. Or I paddle hard and miss it, just to be smacked by the next one.

So, I want something that is more stable, a bit longer to get on easier, but still fun on the wave... (I have a 9'5" starboard widepoint, but don't like it out there.)

I was thinking of the Sunova Insane, about 9'5", but given the "gun" shape I don't know how stable it would be. ?Maybe I need to go longer and 29-30" in width.

Any suggestions/recommendations?

(Vital stats: 95 kg, 6'3", sup surfing a few years to an intermediate standard at best.)

Hey CSE .
have you or do you use you boards as a quad .
i do this when its big and it really stabilises the board and is easier to catch swell .
i to have issues in big surge swell ,it s hard to stay up right.but the quad set up is nicer.
just a thought .

No - the Speed is set up as thruster (no quad option).

maybe have a look at the 9'11 insane, pretty much the same dimensions as your speeed just longer with more volume, and it has a 5 fin setup, or you could just get a custom one

Jarryd

tom carroll outer reef model will do the trick.

Atlantis Venom will eat that place alive!!!

the outer reef models look pretty good, but seem a little wide for me for big surf, unless anyone has any personal experience on them in big surf, have heard good things about the atlantis venom and for the price

Jarryd

Jimmy Lewis 9'2 Stun Gun here's one i prepared earlier...

I've used it in 2 foot beach break mush to solid over head surf, it's a 127 liters and 30 wide... stable as a table and goes like sh#t off a shovel... but then I'm biased

9.6 2016 GTW 145 litre Hokua .
i have a 9.10 155 litre Hokua .
great for big waves.

need a pin tail bro

Spot on about quad set up makes board so much more stable easier to catch waves

Have surfed quads in short and longboards before and my 10' Vex has the option for quad, might give this a go after reading this.

Love how Quads are smooth at top speed and have so much grip on the face!

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Souwester said..
Have surfed quads in short and longboards before and my 10' Vex has the option for quad, might give this a go after reading this.

Love how Quads are smooth at top speed and have so much grip on the face!

Make sure you use the right size ,or just test a few sizes to see what you like best ,each board can be different .

eg I have a 7.0 it likes small rears .where my 9.6 it a bit slidey with those small rear s ,so I use just a little bit bigger .

i like the turns you can do with quads ,you seem to throw more water out .and more speed ,which is handy in bigger swell .

also better if you like to tube ride ,you can stay higher on the face .I wouldn't of though having quads it would be easier to catch waves
, but until I tried it myself ,it works for sure .If you find the right size ,you will still have the looseness of
a three fin .

Thanks for all the suggestions!! ?Really helpful.

I can't figure out the Venom - can't find it on their site. ?Found an old link but it is dead: https://www.thesurfboardwarehouse.com.au/atlantis-venom/

The Stun Gun looks good. I read a few reviews from here and in the US; all very good and many describe the same sort of conditions. Without your comment, and the comments in the reviews, I would have thought that the size (9'2"x30.25"x3.8" 124L)?would be too small for 95 kg in choppy conditions, but that is the recommended size.

I need to look at the Hokua too. I have the 8'8 X32, but I guess the "standard" Hokua is slimmer and built for bigger waves.

Thanks again.

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Tardy said..

Souwester said..
Have surfed quads in short and longboards before and my 10' Vex has the option for quad, might give this a go after reading this.

Love how Quads are smooth at top speed and have so much grip on the face!

Make sure you use the right size ,or just test a few sizes to see what you like best ,each board can be different .

eg I have a 7.0 it likes small rears .where my 9.6 it a bit slidey with those small rear s ,so I use just a little bit bigger .

i like the turns you can do with quads ,you seem to throw more water out .and more speed ,which is handy in bigger swell .

also better if you like to tube ride ,you can stay higher on the face .I wouldn't of though having quads it would be easier to catch waves
, but until I tried it myself ,it works for sure .If you find the right size ,you will still have the looseness of
a three fin .

Yeah I will try and find some different sizes to find what works, I know what you mean about that sliding feeling!

Quads unreal in steep waves IMO, stick to the face like a fly on a wall.

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cantSUPenough said..
The Stun Gun looks good. I read a few reviews from here and in the US; all very good and many describe the same sort of conditions. Without your comment, and the comments in the reviews, I would have thought that the size (9'2"x30.25"x3.8" 124L)?would be too small for 95 kg in choppy conditions, but that is the recommended size.

I would also recommend a "stun gun like" board: pointed nose to pierce chop not to be slowed on takeoffs, but nose not too pulled-in to avoid catching a front rail on takeoff, some length, and a comfortable width, 30" for me.
For me (95 - 100kg) it is a 8'4" x 30 125l Gong Curve
to get an idea of the dimensions: www.gong-galaxy.com/magazine/pics/1-hour-4-boards/
This sort of board is quite classic and can be found in many brands.

Personally, I do not like these boards to be too long: I find that too long and I risk the front part become cumbersome, hit chop, be pushed by the wind, and need to run too much fore and aft to drive them efficiently. Try to keep them as short as your paddling technique allows.

On adding fin surface to gain stability, my opinion is the opposite: too much fin means the various chop and water movements will trip up up, smaller fins help keeping the balance by having the board more free underfoot. This is why I do not use my favorite C-Drive fins on these "mini gun" shapes.

Was there a few weeks ago. I would normally ride a 8" x28 but because of paddle and size went up one size to 8"5 x 29... deffently need the extra size and width!!!

Whoops got photo sideways again

looks look a nice left nonetheless

been sick yesterday and today, only wave days since i got my gorgeous new acid 9'1"

short of fondling it i have not had any meaningful action yet

made me sicker to look at cams

whatever the case i am eager to see what the tippiness of this board will be

i am 92 kg, 6'2", so similar in stature to you

bought the board for steeper bigger waves, which often, in these parts, have wind and chop on them

i will post when i finally get out on it

my go to has been an 8'8" starby airborn---previous go to was an AW 8'11"

i am hoping i can fight through the greater tippiness of the acid, such that it becomes new go to--acid is slightly higher volume than the very thin airborn--i think the acid will still be tippier based on it being skinnier and more pinned on the tail and nose

i d love to actually tyry the damned thing......

@Colas - I don't know how you do it. 8'4" would be much less stable than my Speeed

@boundeast - I am actually going to demo a 9'1" Acid today. (Hope you're feeling better)

This is what Big Left looks like this morning. ?So the board needs to deal with spiders too...

I have a 9 6 custom insane an 8 10 speeed and used to have a 9 2 Stungun. I am about 105kg and surf bumpy offshore reefs a lot.

Big left looks fairly full my pick would be the speeed. Just practice more. My speeed is more stable than my insane due to shape.

Was wondering what you didnt like about your widepoint?

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cantSUPenough said..
Thanks for all the suggestions!! ?Really helpful.

I can't figure out the Venom - can't find it on their site. ?Found an old link but it is dead: https://www.thesurfboardwarehouse.com.au/atlantis-venom/

The Stun Gun looks good. I read a few reviews from here and in the US; all very good and many describe the same sort of conditions. Without your comment, and the comments in the reviews, I would have thought that the size (9'2"x30.25"x3.8" 124L)?would be too small for 95 kg in choppy conditions, but that is the recommended size.

I need to look at the Hokua too. I have the 8'8 X32, but I guess the "standard" Hokua is slimmer and built for bigger waves.

Thanks again.

I think I have said too many good things about the Venom on Seabreeze - they seem to now sell out very quickly when new stock comes in. My mates and I have 6 of them between us

@hilly - Thanks, good point. I will try an Acid today, but maybe I simply need to get my strength back (I was out of the water a lot late this year with travel) and lose some kgs. ?

@grumpycat - when I have ridden it after riding the speed and other lighter/smaller boards, it just seemed a bit big and heavy to?me. Maybe that's just the price of going back to any bigger board. (Maybe I should give it another go - it has been a while).

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cantSUPenough said..
@Colas - I don't know how you do it. 8'4" would be much less stable than my Speeed

Don't let the 8'4" fool you. What is important is the width, with 30" I am comfy, with 27" I am in hell.

Length is important until you can master the row, then you do not need it. You just need enough to penetrate early in waves big enough to suck you back into the lip. And I do not have the expertise and physical condition to survive waves that would need me getting a 9+ board anyways...

Cant agree more Colas, I had a 28 wide for first board, was great on flat water but in the ocean it was just too tippy and I was going no where fast, now have a 30 that is a bit better shape in regards to the distribution and am progressing well.

Have you thought of a surfable longboard shape? At 31 wide this custom 10-6 Surf from Bert is stable in the messy stuff and surfs great due to the thinned out rails and reduced volume. Paddling longer distances and ease of mobility make it fun far out. In this vid I ranged a 1/2 mile down the beach hunting some corners.

@Colas - it is interesting what you say about length. On my 7'10" I felt OK with the row (after practice) but I feel you have to always be in surf stance because of the length-ways stability. But then, that was 29" wide so nothing was working for me... Based on your comments and another friend's suggestion, I am going to try my 8'8 X32 Hokua. I have used it a few times out there, but not for quite a while. It is pretty thick and I seem to remember thinking it was a bit corky, but I will give it another go.

@surfinJ - Was your board based on an existing shape?

@Jack - where did your post go - I am sure I saw one earlier?

Yes, the 10-6 Surf. I had it widened to 31 and then thinned out. Quad plus center box as well. I has handled easily up towards double overhead.

Took the Hokua 8'8 X32 out today. ?Could not believe the difference.

1. Was not as stable as I had hoped, even though it is 32" wide. ?It was fine, but still hard work. ?It is 140L so maybe it was a bit corky.
2. I had it set up as quad. Surprised how loose it felt during a couple of the bottom turns. Tail slid out.
3. Felt like it was harder to control when flying down the face of some of the bigger waves - seemed to bounce around and sometimes it was hard to change foot position. Certainly need to paddle in surf stance.
4. Took me a while to "dial it in". Too many times I tried doing a bottom turn but the board did not turn as fast as expected and I fell on my belly/face
5. The tracking was certainly worse.
6. Did some great turns (for me) when I figured out where to put my back foot. Had to put it almost on the rail.

Caught some great waves (caught some slop too), especially toward the end (glassed off, bigger swell, but still lumpy).

3 hr session - happy me.