design qualities in shorter sups

That's why you should get Greg, Rod or Muzza on SUP in the surf. For my money these guys know more about gravity (not sail) propelled wave riding rockers and hydrodynamics than any of the bigger production labels available.

I reckon it's not that much different to a shortboard as we progress led by the likes of yourself into the future. Same rail shapes, hard edges and rockers just scaled up and with enough volume to stand on to paddle. Once you're on the wave it just feels like surfing to me with really long arms to drag that big sucker around on rail.......

It would be worth your while contacting Tully at Noosa surf works and picking his brains about anything performance sup related. These guys are at the forefront of stand up paddle design/production and surfing in Australia at the moment and their boards and surfing speak volumes about the amount of knowledge and skill that go into every single board that they make.

I agree with some of that - however SUPs have their own perculiar design challenges - as you mentioned the volume v width thing.

I don't think that a conventional pulled in nose, shortboard outline is necessarily the best one for a SUP however.

I think there is PLENTY yet to learn about high performance SUP design.

Very interesting thread. Don't get to read to much on sup design as it is all so new.

It looks like you've got a thruster setup on the Laguna Goaty. How do you find that compared to the 2+1 the majority of sups run?

CMC are you still running H2's in your sup? Whats your take on fins for sups?

Anybody else with input on the thuster V 2+1 setup, I'd like to hear it.

I've heard the only rule to shaping was the wide point needed to be forward of centre.
Everything else varies depending on the riders needs. You should build it Lacey, would be great to see how it goes.

My first board, the 8'3" is so much fun but mainly in smaller waves 3ft and under. I find it a bit skatey and hard to bury the rail when it gets bigger. It nose rides great, catches waves easy and turns on a dime and I have learnt a lot from it.

I've almost finished my new board. 8'7" x 28 1/4" x 4". I have gone for more of a no nose shape for better spin weight and less catching rails when coming off the top, less volume and thinner rails behind centre so I can dig the rail in more. I also put less concave in the nose. I guess we'll see how it goes in the next few days.

FINS...I have only ridden a thruster once and liked it but am not game enough to put it into my board. I'm going to have to try it though with an FCS converter. What thruster fins are people using? I'm assuming something a little bigger than normal?

Brendan,
QUADS.
I use SF4 performance core or on a fish style board, Simon Anderson large fronts with simon anderson medium rears.