Just wondering what boards and what liters/ dimensions you have progressed to surfing over the years ??

My first surf shape was a pro wave 8"10 119 L - 29.25 wide. It took me a long while to get used to that board at 6"2 and 90 plus Kgs. It had a very small sweet spot when standing and a lot of yaw.
It was hard in heavy chop but I got used to it and used to glide into anything at just under 9 foot. Surfed well but wanted to try something different.

I then bought a yob 8"3 107- at 29 wide. I have been surfing that since the start of the year and moving back down south to where the waves are from the desert up north ????. I couldn't believe how stable the board was being slightly underwater but also down to 87kg has helped, Obviously the shape helps as well but it surfs unreal is easy to control in the chop still a bit of work but found a new love haha. So I just sold my prowave.

I just picked up a starboard pro 8"0 by 28 at 105 liters to give a shot, Will be interesting to see how that goes at 28 wide and 6"2 have not had a chance to ride the board yet. Anyways for me dialing down the liters to where you really feel you can surf the boards how you want is well worth the effort.

Interested in other people's journeys and where they are now and your progression. Cheers keep frothn

Picked up my first SUP just over 6 years ago.
It was a Naish 10'10" oil tanker (aka Nalu), and at 32" wide, 4 & 3/8" thick and 201L it must have been quite a terrifying sight coming down at wave at you. Especially with a 6'2" hairy beast (and quite a bit rounder at the time) on board.
I would really have to sit down and look through my photos, and do quite a bit of brow furrowing to remember them all, but have ranged since then from up to 11'4" all the way down to 8'0", with many varying designs, styles, shapes, widths, volumes and construction. Some more successful than others. Lots of fun trying, and spent too much doing it.
Currently on a 9'0" x 28" x 125 litre longboard shape with some funky tail magic, and very happy with that.

I have had more than 45 boards in 10 years SUPing, and tried many more.

At 100kg, I had lengths varying between 5'9" to 9'11", width from 27" to 32" (tried 24"), volumes between 105 to 155 liters (tried 84 liters). And plenty of very different shapes.

If I was to have one board now for Hossegor, it would be something like 7'8" x 29" x 110 liters, semi wide nose. But I have a quiver (8 boards in the van) so I have also:
- longer boards (9'3"), the max that fits in my van) to noseride, cross-step, drop knee turn
- shorter boards (6'10") to have more fun in smaller waves (Summer is coming!)
- lower volume boards (105l) for powerful/fast waves
- higher volume boards (125 liters) for gutless waves or lots of water movements or more paddling speed (shifting peaks)
- wider boards (30") for stability
- narrow boards (27") for hollow waves.
- a foil board (and a wing sail in the future?)

I would recommend to get down in size (try to decrease one parameter at a time) to progress and know your limits, and then settle on the dimensions that maximizes your fun for the kind of spot you ride. If you can have 2 boards, having a comfy one and a challenging one is a good option.

But I have not explored yet all compromises. For instance, I am yet undecided on which is better: an undersized fast and stable shape, or an oversized tight-turning nimble one. (in the Gong line: undersized Karmen or oversized Alley?)

started with 8'6X30 at 117 litres (and 106kg) and progressed over 2 years down to a 7'4X24 @75L (80kgs).

Going to try 7'0X24 @73 litres (and get down to 77kgs or so).

I actually don't mind negative volume boards. My jp 7'2x25 was WAY better / easier when in negative volume.

i'm around 5'11 I think / 180cm

71 years old
130 kg down to 95 kg.... fluctuate between 95 kg and 103 kg .... depending on how much time I spend on road trips

Started at 62 yo on 11'2 x 36" (230 L)
worked my way down in weight and board size
basically bandied about between 8'10 and 9'6
plus I always had a 10'6 because I like a longboard in my quiver

I have an 8'3 x 32 (123L) that is fun in the right conditions

as I get older I have settled between
9'0 x 31 (130 L) summer
9'4 x 32 (148 L) winter gear

I have lost count of how many boards I actually have.....
but there are 8 or 9 that I ride quite a bit.

and now my newest love
12' x 32 (199L) glide and carve in one awesome package... an insanely fun direction!

My goal is to have a great performance board at all times
but have lots of variety to keep things interesting.

My basic comfort zone is 1.3 to 1.4 times weight
But I don't mind higher volume in my fun boards

Frothn said..
Nice work guys, I really found the swing weight from getting down to closer to 8 foot is amazing. Shorter board so much easier to turn and put on rail, also feel a lot more confident pulling into steep or pitching sections. Knowing that you can hand the line without it getting pulled up from under you in the wave. I now can confidently pull in or hit the end section or when it closes out ect with confidence, it just makes you surf better.

Smiles on the dial all around when your wave count is through the roof and your loving life haha.

THIS!
I moved down to a JL Supertech 7'10 and make some steep drops even pitching drops that i would never make on my 8'7. So much more control.
The sacrifice is a bit harder time getting onto the wave. Later take offs.

I've progressed onto longer boards.....just more fun in all the conditions I surf in. I still have a shorter board which is great on a wave....but I miss the easy early entry.

Frothn said..
I found there is a lot less swing weight with turning the board though when shorter

As I am short and cannot widen my stance due to stiff hips, I also love short boards because I can have a proper stance on them for efficient turns: front foot just behind the handle, and back foot on the kickpad. On longer boards I have to move a lot, breaking the flow of turns.

Progression and regression in order over last 20 months with boards I have used
1.Started with 9'0 Starboard Converse isup ....surprisingly good for a first crack.
2. Waterborne Evoke 7'11. Just too hard to get in wave with that wide shape
3. Atlantis Venom. Awesome for gliding onto sliders but a pain out of water . Not good for beach breaks
4. 8'8 Speeed . The game changer for me. Was absolutely awesome for getting on wave, great nose kick and wash paddler
5. 7'5 ECS Slab. Awesome for mushy stuff and for rebuilding confidence on a short board
6. 9'1 Acid . My favourite all rounder and current go to for most conditions except steep low tide beach breaks .
7. Starby Pro 8'0. Next challenge . Quite tippy for its size but very lose on tail and catches waves pretty well for size . Use in clean conditions up to 2ft for now.

The Speeed at the time was the one that really made it easy for me to gain confidence . Performance shape but oversized and yet not wide .

Angulo Surfa
8'8" changed it all for me. Wide at 32" which I needed due my injuries (crappy balance), short enough to turn on a wave, and the step bump tail helped tighten up the turning radius.

And the carbon was pretty light back in the day!

2018 Starlite

Personally I want a mix of wave count and to be able to advance what I can do on a wave . I keep losing weight so that changes things too. Down from 66kg to 60kg and even less . So 120 L boards start to get massive . 100L is nice for Starby Pro but theoretically still voluminous . As an all rounder I love my Acid 9'1 most. Wave count high and loose enough even at that size for me

I started with a 10'6
then went to a 9'3
then to a deep minion 7ft board.

Zeusman said..
I've owned that many boards of various shapes and sizes I won't bother listing them.
However what I've i guess "settled on" these days is a few boards for various conditions and moods.
My custom boards are:

10'6" longboard nose rider at 9.6kg and 30" wide

9'6" semi gun shape, which is a go to board for most conditions. 7.5 kg and 29 wide

11'11" gun "Daddy Massive" 9.5 kg and 29.5" wide.

Two of the Naish Hokua boards come by Jerry Lopez, the 9'6" and 9'0", both in carbon and super light. 7.5kg & 7kg . I ride both of these as quads.

All of these boards I can ride quite comfortably in most conditions. A few years ago I got over the whole "must go shorter and narrower" mentality that is a big part of Surf SUP culture and began opting for a balance of comfort and fun mixed with performance.

Nice allround quiver.
I think many people got caught up with the too short and narrow boards phase and have now gone back to more comfortable and easier boards to surf and catch more waves on in a variety of different conditions.

Also, with the lighter boards, you can tolerate a bit more volume and length and still have a very nimble board.

My Gong Alley 8'1" x 29"1/4 x 120l is quite comfy, but at 5.8kg with pad feels as loose as an old 7.5kg 7'3" 105l

Plus it takes off on anything, it is unbelievable, the combination of added board length plus ultra light weight means that you can "pump" horizontally the board for an early take off.

And on the other hand, lighter boards are definitively less stable and more tiring. I switched between boards with the exact same shape but one 5.8kg and the other 7.8kg, and the difference was quite noticeable. This adds another reason to not get too small a board with these ultra light constructions....

Also, I hurt myself quite often on my smaller Alley (7'8" x 27"3/4 x 105l 5.2kg with pad): muscle micro tears from the stress of staying upright on tired muscles. It never happened before on heavier boards... but late drops on hollow waves are a dream...