What's SUP???

Caribchakita · Joined: 05 Jun 2001 Posts: 312 Location: Bonaire

As in Stand Up Paddle Board..yehhha..I have one on order for Cape Cod and one coming for Bonaire. I went with the 12'6 Sportech from Starboard. Who else is on a SUP??

Ann Phelan
www.bonairecaribbean.com

dennisrodger · Joined: 17 Jul 2001 Posts: 52

I just got a 12 foot, 28 inch wide board and I'm having a blast. Doesn't look like much from a distance but it's even fun on flat water and a great workout. Eventually I'll kook out in some waves but at this point it's a nice alternative for calm days or riding small waves (cause I'm not much of a surfer).

It's kinda the opposite of the windsurfing stoke on flat water in that the joy is really the peacefulness and challenge of keeping an uninterrupted flow and paddle stroke. The more I do it the more I realize how critical technique and focus is.

Try it......you'll like it.. Very Happy

Dennis

Caribchakita · Joined: 05 Jun 2001 Posts: 312 Location: Bonaire

I hope it fits on my car..haa..12'6..egads...I heard it's harder than it looks..where do you SUP??

dennisrodger · Joined: 17 Jul 2001 Posts: 52

Yeah, they're massive boards, I put mine on top of my X-Terra and that works OK but the board is huge. Fortunately they're pretty light too. I've been going in a little bay in So Cal where it's usually pretty flat so I can get the strokes down before venturing into the surf. I've done a lot of research online about surfing them so I'm gonna take that plunge soon.

I think one of the key things I found is to have the proper length paddle. I started off with a standard size one that you are supposed to cut down to the right length for you. Since it was over $300 bucks I wanted to be sure and get it right so I used it full length at first for a while. I found at least half of my falls were the result of jacking around with the too long paddle.

I think your windsurfing background will go a long way toward shortening the learning curve. From what I've seen and heard, I think it's easier for windsurfers to get it than surfers cause we're used to standing and balancing on a board all the time; rather than just when we catch a wave. The best thing so far is that, at least in my case, I'm just now starting to see how much skill makes a difference. I figured I kinda had it down once I stopped falling and could stay on but then I began to experiment with a smoother stroke and more consistent movement and the difference was amazing. It's funny, the more you muscle it on each stroke, the more you sink the board and the less progress you make. The more you finesse it, keep your weight centered and make smooth strokes, the more the board glides. So what may seem like a quickly mastered activity, actually has a lot of subtleties you don't really notice at first.

Caribchakita · Joined: 05 Jun 2001 Posts: 312 Location: Bonaire

Thanks Dennis..cannot wait to try it..got one for Cape Cod on order and one for Bonaire..thanks Starboard...

Come try it in Bonaire sometime!! I will do demos all winter once I get it figured out.

Ann Phelan
www.bonairecaribbean.com

Brian_S · Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Posts: 249 Location: SE Michigan

hey Ann and Dennis,

We've been talking about getting SUP's for the no wind days, primarily as core workout and just getting wet. Will probably order one on the off season. I think we're gonna get a van though - this windsurfing SUP gear is starting to take up space.

Dennis: we're going to bonaire Feb 22 - Mar 2 in case you're interested.

Brian

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

Wouldn't an old longboard serve the same purpose for one tenth the cost (or free)?
And why stand up? We just sat on our longboards and used a kayak paddle.
I.e., is this just clever marketing, or is it really something different?

\m/

dennisrodger · Joined: 17 Jul 2001 Posts: 52

Good question Isobars. I don't have much surfing background but compared to windsurf boards I find the thickness of the SUP boards to be the real difference. My physical memory has made me certain several times that the board was gonna dump me off the side but the thickness appears to keep the board upright when most any WS board would probably have dumped me off.

Regarding surfing longboards, dunno about that, but the longboards I have tried surfing were nowhere near the 4.5 inch thickness that provides so much flotation and a solid paddling platform.

That said, as the sport catches on I'm seeing folks paddling everything. Last week before the wind came up I saw a guy paddling a StarBoard GO board around and another on what appeared to be an old longboard. Guess ya just have to try em out and see.

spyder · Joined: 24 Sep 1996 Posts: 2790 Location: oahu

JoeT · Joined: 27 Aug 2007 Posts: 30

I've been traditional shortboard-surfing for 15+ years and am a little concerned what the 'lineup' is going to think of me and my SUP board cruising around faster than any longboarder can paddle and stealing all the choice set waves.... probably none too pleased. oh well. just like a longboarder... but more annoying. not as bad as a windsurfer in the lineup though, heh.