I had a go on a friend's Starboard Rio L Longtail over the September school holidays and it put a smile on my dial so I started looking at longboards and like the versatility of a WindSUP for family use.

I'm after something to cruise around on those 5-10kn lazy days so lack of straps isn't an issue. I don't want an inflateable one either.

I've been told to make sure it has a centre fin of some sort and also to try to get a flatter bottom that will glide easier rather than a surf shaped bottom with more rocker. Three boards seem to fit the bill, the BIC 11'6, the JP Windsurf SUP and the Starboard 11'2x30. The BIC and the JP have a flip down centreboard and the Starboard has a bolt in centre fin (i'm assuming a tuttle box). Does anyone have any experience with any of these boards? Pros and cons? Thanks in advance.

I have the BIC WindSUP 10 and love it. It is a very stable board and I paddle it in choppy conditions without too much issue. I probably should have purchased the 11'6" for even more stability and catching waves even easier. It is great with a sail on light wind days.

I like the BIC because it is easy to carry, not too heavy, and really well built, and great for the activity you described. I have not compared it to your other options so I can say how it compares.

Eventually I wanted foot straps, so I purchased another board, so if one of those other boards allow foot straps you might want to go with that board and then at least you can purchase foot straps one day should you want them vs. having to purchase a new board.

I think the Starboard 11 2 x 30, has a USBOX , FOR THE BOLT IN CENTER FIN.

Thanks guys, this is for light wind only so footstraps aren't an issue, but a centre fin is a must as I want to be able to go upwind easy.

I've used my 10'6" Starboard Drive (AST Construction) to teach people to windsurf on. It has two slots for FCS type fins on the sides near the center that work just fine. After a couple of hours I move the fins to the rear tri-fin position to get them use to going upwind without the center support. The board is also a great SUP board for waves.....classic longboard shape and hangs five pretty easy. If the rails were thinner and it was the carbon construction, it would be my FAV longboard style sup.

Select to expand quote

Paddles B'mere said..
Thanks guys, this is for light wind only so footstraps aren't an issue, but a centre fin is a must as I want to be able to go upwind easy.

not taking exception to this. Upwind easily. My experience with centerboards is limited since Mody Dick were a minnow.

my tri finned board goes upwind nicely , I find that digging the rail in, acts as a suftace ..fin sort , of when needed.

eventually a turn comes up, that's where I don't like the center so much. It takes some technique , and develop it, to go upwind.

I do feel strongly that a TRI fin , or twin, aides upwind greatly.
a BIC Presto, added the side bites, cut down the trim box center fin, tried different sizes, most were ok.
had a brain wave, tsumi actually , to add the center fin,its removable, rather large..but then they are ...mostly.
largest consideration was where to place it.

This entire application was for my 8YO neighbor Sarah. I have sailed it , since the shape is so old, that takes more getting used to than I see fit.
She has graduated to a ProKido Formula .

+1 for the Starboard 10' 6" Drive - such a versatile board. Mine doesn't have the central side fins - just the rear tri-fin set-up - but I find that anyone I've taught to windsurf using this board is heading up-wind easily in short time. And I enjoy windSUPing with it on light wind days.

Thanks gents, I'll chase some info on the drive.

I had a look at both the Starboard 12'2x30 and the BIC Wind 11'6 this morning and settled on the BIC. The way the wind (or lack of it) is looking tomorrow it might get its first outing.

The big BIC has had 2 outings now. Session one in very light open bay conditions in 0-5kn swirling wind with a 7m sail, heaps of fun, took a few runs to get the trim right front to rear to get it gliding properly but came home very happy. Session two today in very light open beach conditions with a 0-5kn onshore wind in a small swell with a 6.1m sail, same again not enough wind to really load things up but came away very happy. Something to note for windsup buyers who intend to use them for light conditions is that a centreboard is worth it's weight in gold, I sailed today with a couple of mates on the same size boards with the same size sails without centreboards and the difference was night and day for going upwind and just picking up speed. 200+ litre windsups and longboards are fantastic, they let you sail on days when you simply couldn't sail anything else and they are ridiculously good social fun and easy to use, everyone should have one.

I have been looking at AHD tactik which is 250 litres and I reckon I can fit it in the van as bow could fit between the front seats. Looks like a good flat water board for drifting around on and flat water paddling. Anyone got a secondhand one they are would like to unload?

Select to expand quote

Paddles B'mere said..
The big BIC has had 2 outings now. Session one in very light open bay conditions in 0-5kn swirling wind with a 7m sail, heaps of fun, took a few runs to get the trim right front to rear to get it gliding properly but came home very happy. Session two today in very light open beach conditions with a 0-5kn onshore wind in a small swell with a 6.1m sail, same again not enough wind to really load things up but came away very happy. Something to note for windsup buyers who intend to use them for light conditions is that a centreboard is worth it's weight in gold, I sailed today with a couple of mates on the same size boards with the same size sails without centreboards and the difference was night and day for going upwind and just picking up speed. 200+ litre windsups and longboards are fantastic, they let you sail on days when you simply couldn't sail anything else and they are ridiculously good social fun and easy to use, everyone should have one.

Yes the 11'6 BIC is a great choice P B'mere, there's 3 of us got them in Hervey Bay, absolutely heaps of fun, starts planning in about 5kn,
great upwind almost like a Raceboard, great in small waves, and awesome to paddle as well
They'll get you out on the water every day and guaranteed to put a stupid grin on your face which you can't wipe off
You may like to get some thruster fins which give you a bit more oomph with bigger sails we generally run between 7m-8m sails

am REALLY surprised that such 80 cm wide boards do so well in light winds
raceboards are MUCH narrower

They do go very well, it's not really fair to compare them to a race board but their versatility and durability is what really makes them fantastic. I've just sailed mine again today in open bay conditions with a 10kn onshore breeze (fair bit of chop) using the 6.1m sail and Ducati has hit the nail on the head, I left the water with a stupid grin, I had a ball. Brad was using his 377 Phantom with a bigger sail and was faster than I was but I could turn around easier and also mess around catching small swells in the shallows with no fear of busting anything. The big BIC is king for messing around.

in terms of light wind - the Serenity was KING in very light winds
then there was the Formulas when wind was up
in between were the raceboards
wide boards > 70 cm typically schlogg poorly ...
that's all i am saying

am looking forward to seeing local BIC WindSUP on the water = Franco Ittiandro
next summer with his HSM SuperFreak @ AAO

Select to expand quote

joe windsurf said..
wide boards > 70 cm typically schlogg poorly ...

Nonsense. That might apply to shortboards, but several posters here have already said that a 10.6 ft long SUPs schlog well enough to induce stolid grins. That's my experience, too, with several SUPs, including the BIC 10.6 and a few blowup boards. My Kona Mahalo, which is 75 cm wide, has been quite competitive to much narrow race boards (Fanatic Ultra Cats and similar) in light wind racing. That's at the "fun" level, where falls around the marks are not uncommon. Even 84 cm wide inflatables are a lot of fun for fooling around:
I did not like the volume distribution on this particular SUP much - the nose should not go under on a 280 l board. It did that a bit for me, but I'm 20 kg heavier than the cute girl in the movie. I think they just took a SUP and added a mast base, without changing anything. But it was still fun, and had a decent enough glide.

Tibor and I had a great time riding the tandem inflatable up at Myall lakes a couple of weeks ago, most fun I've had sailing all year. Fully planning over 20 knots, pic is from Lake Macquarie on its maiden voyage

Now you're talking, that tandem is so ridiculous it'd have to be fun. Ducati is still on the money, these windsup's come with a box full of stupid grins, they're great. There's no slog, they just cruise along effortlessly if you get something without much rocker.

btw, i don't consider 75 cm WIDE on a windsurfer board - ANY MORE
it used to be