You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
So...wasn't really massively keen to join the SUP thing but I bought the bread knife a good quality inflatable kayak for her birthday and was thinking that I might get an SUP so I can join her and the son pootling around in Loch's / lakes / calm seas etc. Give the chance I'd rather be mountain biking or kitesurfing, but I also like the idea of using it to surf and maybe have a go on some moderate white water. Our kayak is an Aquamarina and seems very well made so I will likely go with them for SUP.
Choices are surf specific, all-round or whitewater - I like the look of the latter as I could use it for everything and wondering if anyone has experience of using something similar? The Aquamarina one is the Rapid - shortish (9'6) but 33" wide and 6 inches thick, 289L, if that means anything to anyone (it didn't to me until about a day ago...).
I’ve got a Red Paddle Flow - pretty much same dimensions. It’s great on white water and surfs well, on flat water it didn’t track well so I added a central fin box so I could put a bigger central fin in for flat stuff, then remove it for rapids. Whilst it’s not as quick as my 14ft Starboard (but that’s a 24”) I reckon it’s not far off the 10’6 Ride. It also turns on a sixpence and you can do pivot turns easily. Have taught a few people to SUP on it too as it’s vv stable. So maybe a bit slower than the typical starter size of 10’6, but loads more fun and more usable. I would 👍
Simply speaking, length = speed (actually 1.34√length in feet = displacement speed in knots), so a short surf board will be slower. It's not so much slower for the same effort as you just hit your own bow wave at that speed and to actually accelerate past it is basically impossible without a wave to push you.
And arguing the other way, a surf board needs to be significantly stiffer to drive out of the bottom of waves. I've no idea who makes good budget boards but it would be worth reading reviews carefully if that's what you want.
I'm intrigued by the idea of running rapids on them. Isn't that a recipe for broken ankles? Or entrapment...
entrapment
Very valid point - leash to a waist band with quick release at a couple of points
broken ankles
Fall forwards onto board, or other three directions horizontally into the river. Helmet important 👍
Just to chuck another thing in, I had a few lessons recently and used a Jobe Venta 9.6 for some of it which is supposed to be usable for surf/easy rapids and has the option of mounting a sail for windsurfing.
Way more stable in terms of falling off than the two other boards I tried, both of which were 10.6 all rounders but one was rigid (Jobe Titan), the other inflatable (another Jobe, not sure which)
I found the differences between the Venta and both all rounders to be quite pronounced. Much much easier to move around on the board and much quicker to turn, some of which is due to the board being shorter etc, some is down to being able to easily get to the back of the board. That eagerness to turn might be a real disadvantage if your focused on touring, and the short length the same.
I’ve no doubt it’ll be a poor equivalent to a dedicated windsurfer/surfer but as I’m only thinking about one and board it’s an interesting option. Its supposed to be good for river rapids to some degree, no idea how sensible that is however. Seems a lot more sensible than rock bashing a rigid board at least.
Like bikes, the obvious solution is multiple boards 😀
Forgive me for the thread hijack....
We have a v old polyethylene sailboard that various family members have used to sail. Its big and floaty. It has a fully retracting centreboard and a small skeg.
Is there anything about this that would make it awful to use as an SUP? Do i just buy a paddle and set off on my vogage on Llyn Padarn?
Thanks
Ian
Tbh in the last week or two, I've seen folks SUP on all sorts from the likes of that to various sized surfboards.
Give it a go.
I’ve used a white water board. I wouldn’t buy one unless that’s your gig, for me it’s a compromise too far. I can run basic rapids on my 10’6” jobe Yarra.
Most of my stuff is trying a bit of distance a bit of glide helps!
Are they just shorter or are the other dimensions, stiffness different?
Tbh in the last week or two, I’ve seen folks SUP on all sorts from the likes of that to various sized surfboards.
In the last week or so I've seen more people fall off while trying to stand up than those actually successfully paddling across the sea and then wondering why their board has scooted 30ft away from them as their leash wasn't attached, it's frankly hilarious if I'm honest.
I suppose it's a bit like turning up at any given trail centre and watching dem skillz being thrown down every weekend.
Anyway back to the OP, I'd just go with a decent all-round say 10'6" board and then you can do most things well enough until the point you feel you're capable of specialising and buying a board that exactly fits your needs.
I watched a bloke at Elie on Sunday who had an inflatable wing or hand held sail for his SUP. Looked a lot like wind surfing but without the mast and attached boom to hold onto. Looked like one hell of a core work out. He did make decent progress on it though.
Wing surfing apparently.
@oldtennisshoes that pic is indeed a wing but he’s on a foil board. Learning to foil involves much face planting. V cool but for the kids, not me
Wingfoiling is all the rage in the wind sports community at the moment. Doesn’t look anywhere near as fun as kitesurfing as far as I can tell, but I am biased.