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Forums > Stand Up Paddle   Board Talk & Reviews

Tips for 1st board! - european dummy inside

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Created by MattJ75 > 9 months ago, 24 Sep 2011
MattJ75
4 posts
24 Sep 2011 11:48PM
Thumbs Up

Hope the title is captivating enough to convince some of you in spending a few minutes reading and giving advices....even if the subject is not that original!
Here I am from Slovenia, new to SUP world, 6'6' and 220lbs. Seeing I played basketball for some years (swim and gym right now, guess I can consider myself kind of..fit) I saw the thread about Luc Longley and went like "If there's a board for the guy, there should be one for me too!". Fact is, have no chance to try and test boards in order to choose the one that fits better, same thing for buying one just for beginning and changing it after a few months. I don't care spending more time in learning on a board not for beginners, if then it can last more. (also consider I should buy it via internet) Surfing is not the 1st priority, I'd mainly use it to cruise/race up and down the coast (choppy conditions here and there). No downwind cause here winds r...breezes compared to yours!
I'm sure you can help me. If needing more informations just ask!
Thanks!

matt18
VIC, 534 posts
25 Sep 2011 9:46AM
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laird hamilton coast runner
surftechsup.com/boards/laird-14-coast-runner/

MattJ75
4 posts
28 Sep 2011 10:12PM
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Thanks for the advice! looking around on the net I see that it's often compared to the Bark 14' expedition...other boards I was considering are Naish glide 14' or the Nidecker 12'6" All water race....other thoughts to share?

robon
114 posts
29 Sep 2011 12:12AM
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Cheers from Canada.

Consider boards made for open water paddling with high volume for your weight plus whatever gear you bring along while touring. The Starboard Race 12'6" series are great for touring, are very stable, and perform well in a variety of conditions. The 29.5" or 31.5" wide models would work well for you. I have the 31.5" version and it can carry a lot of weight and is very stable. Starboard also has the Coast Runner and Open Ocean 14 foot boards that will be faster than the wider and shorter Race series, but they aren't as stable at 28" wide, but certainly aren't considered to be tippy boards either. The Coast Runner doesn't have as much rocker(flatter profile) as the Open Ocean model, so it will be faster in flatter conditions and seems more suited to your coast line. At your height and overall size, a 14' board might be the better choice for coastal cruising.

Good luck and there are a lot of good options out there these days.

matt18
VIC, 534 posts
29 Sep 2011 8:06AM
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+1 star bord coast runner
good recomendation robon

Savage1
NSW, 63 posts
29 Sep 2011 10:42AM
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Those Nidecker boards look great, if I was over there I'd be considering one.
I don't think there available here in Aust.

DavidJohn
VIC, 17505 posts
29 Sep 2011 11:20AM
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"I'd mainly use it to cruise/race up and down the coast" .. At your weight and height (6'6" and 220lbs), and what you want the board for I would not recommend a specific flat water board like the Nidecker (as nice as they are) and you really don't have a lot of boards to chose from.. How long do you want this board to be? .. Is up and down the coast ' open ocean' conditions?

DJ

billboard
QLD, 2816 posts
29 Sep 2011 12:28PM
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Highly recommend a Bark Expedition 14 or as someone else advised a Pearson Laird coastrunner 14. My pick would be the expedition and I know of someone a similiar size to you that owned and loved that board - you really can't go wrong with anything out of the surftech range.

robon
114 posts
30 Sep 2011 1:27AM
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DavidJohn said...

"I'd mainly use it to cruise/race up and down the coast" .. At your weight and height (6'6" and 220lbs), and what you want the board for I would not recommend a specific flat water board like the Nidecker (as nice as they are) and you really don't have a lot of boards to chose from.. How long do you want this board to be? .. Is up and down the coast ' open ocean' conditions?

DJ


DJ, you don't think there aren't a lot of options for this type of open water touring these days? The SB Race, SB Coast Runner, SB Open Ocean, SB 2012 14' tourer, DC 14', Fanatic 12'6 30.5" and 14' option with more rocker, Angulo Shaka 14, Bark Expedition 14 and maybe the 2012 Laird 14? Seems like a lot of choices off the top of my head, but I'm not familiar with the OPs paddling conditions either.


DavidJohn
VIC, 17505 posts
30 Sep 2011 8:41AM
Thumbs Up

robon said...

DavidJohn said...

"I'd mainly use it to cruise/race up and down the coast" .. At your weight and height (6'6" and 220lbs), and what you want the board for I would not recommend a specific flat water board like the Nidecker (as nice as they are) and you really don't have a lot of boards to chose from.. How long do you want this board to be? .. Is up and down the coast ' open ocean' conditions?

DJ


DJ, you don't think there aren't a lot of options for this type of open water touring these days? The SB Race, SB Coast Runner, SB Open Ocean, SB 2012 14' tourer, DC 14', Fanatic 12'6 30.5" and 14' option with more rocker, Angulo Shaka 14, Bark Expedition 14 and maybe the 2012 Laird 14? Seems like a lot of choices off the top of my head, but I'm not familiar with the OPs paddling conditions either.





I'm thinking any 12'6" and maybe even any 14' board will be too small for someone 6'6" and 220 lbs for use in the open ocean.. Also the words 'cruise up and down the coast' can vary alot in what those conditions might be.

That's why I asked what size board he wants.. Over 14' there really is not much to choose from.. and imo even in the 14' range there is not a lot that would be suitable.. Do you have another list of those over 14' boards? .. .. It also depends on what brands are available to him.

Also do'able and enjoy'able are two very different things.

The two girls that did the Destination 3 deg trip used the 17' Glide and 18' Bark after finding the 14' boards too small and these girls are light and very experienced.. If I was doing open ocean coast runs these are the type of boards that I would choose.

DJ





PTWoody
VIC, 3982 posts
30 Sep 2011 3:04PM
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Slovenia is nestled on the Adriatic Sea just north east of Italy. Never been there myself but I suspect the coastal water, being enclosed within the whole Mediterranean basin, is not the kind of wild coastal conditions that we are used to with the Pacific, Indian and Southern Oceans surrounding Australia.

MattJ75
4 posts
30 Sep 2011 7:03PM
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PTWoody said...

Slovenia is nestled on the Adriatic Sea just north east of Italy. Never been there myself but I suspect the coastal water, being enclosed within the whole Mediterranean basin, is not the kind of wild coastal conditions that we are used to with the Pacific, Indian and Southern Oceans surrounding Australia.


Good point.
Fact is,



that's my playing field. Not open ocean conditions but in cruising along the coast you may get choppy conditions and strong current here and there.
I thought that 14' could be the right measure.
Starboard coast runner seems good. Bark expedition too. But maybe it's better to wait for the 2012 models to enter the market? This very next weekend I will go to a big surf expo and hopefully will get the chance to test some boards and see how they feel. The 2 aforementioned plus?
Thanks all for answering and giving advices!

robon
114 posts
1 Oct 2011 3:49AM
Thumbs Up

DavidJohn said...

robon said...

DavidJohn said...

"I'd mainly use it to cruise/race up and down the coast" .. At your weight and height (6'6" and 220lbs), and what you want the board for I would not recommend a specific flat water board like the Nidecker (as nice as they are) and you really don't have a lot of boards to chose from.. How long do you want this board to be? .. Is up and down the coast ' open ocean' conditions?

DJ


DJ, you don't think there aren't a lot of options for this type of open water touring these days? The SB Race, SB Coast Runner, SB Open Ocean, SB 2012 14' tourer, DC 14', Fanatic 12'6 30.5" and 14' option with more rocker, Angulo Shaka 14, Bark Expedition 14 and maybe the 2012 Laird 14? Seems like a lot of choices off the top of my head, but I'm not familiar with the OPs paddling conditions either.





I'm thinking any 12'6" and maybe even any 14' board will be too small for someone 6'6" and 220 lbs for use in the open ocean.. Also the words 'cruise up and down the coast' can vary alot in what those conditions might be.

That's why I asked what size board he wants.. Over 14' there really is not much to choose from.. and imo even in the 14' range there is not a lot that would be suitable.. Do you have another list of those over 14' boards? .. .. It also depends on what brands are available to him.

Also do'able and enjoy'able are two very different things.

The two girls that did the Destination 3 deg trip used the 17' Glide and 18' Bark after finding the 14' boards too small and these girls are light and very experienced.. If I was doing open ocean coast runs these are the type of boards that I would choose.

DJ








Interesting videos and an epic adventure. Yeah, I imagine a 6'6" individual would be reaching quite far with their stroke and a 12'6" would probably be too small. At least in length anyways and it might be a little awkward for someone that tall to paddle an SUP shorter than 14 and keep it tracking straight? Not totally sure but it makes more sense to go longer.

MattJ75
4 posts
7 Oct 2011 2:16AM
Thumbs Up

Here I am with some news...had the chance to demo some boards last weekend. Fact is, right now should avoid boards <30" width. I tested the Jimmy Lewis Maliko (14' x 28" x 290lt.) and even if lenght and volume are just fine, had some problems with stability: hence the decision to start out more gradually. Will consider Laird Coastrunner and Bark Expedition, any other 2012 solution worth waiting?
Thanks all!

DavidJohn
VIC, 17505 posts
7 Oct 2011 7:08AM
Thumbs Up

Try the new l14' NSP if you can.. That might be a good board for you.

DJ

PTWoody
VIC, 3982 posts
7 Oct 2011 11:57AM
Thumbs Up

MattJ75 said...

Here I am with some news...had the chance to demo some boards last weekend. Fact is, right now should avoid boards <30" width. I tested the Jimmy Lewis Maliko (14' x 28" x 290lt.) and even if lenght and volume are just fine, had some problems with stability: hence the decision to start out more gradually. Will consider Laird Coastrunner and Bark Expedition, any other 2012 solution worth waiting?
Thanks all!


As Robon mentioned, the Starboard Race 12'6" x 31.5" if you considered dropping down to 12'6". It would be stable but naturally you'd give up some glide. As DJ says, check out that wide ass NSP 14'.



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"Tips for 1st board! - european dummy inside" started by MattJ75