I just lucked into a 7'11" x 26" x 94L Sunova Speed. What a funky shape. Surprisingly stable on flatwater and in clean surf, very fun in the one session I had in smaller surf w/ some fast beach break -- actually felt more stable than 28" wide BlurrV2 in clean stuff, but then tried in terrible conditions and was very hard to stand on -- decided to buy it after that session figuring that whether or not I like it in surf I can use it for balance training.
Was wondering how folks w/ multiple boards use this one, what are the conditions that make you grab it? Thanks!
Just finished a major repair on my 8"10 speed bought that board in 2015 didn't have the heart to send it to the landfill. Yes not so stable in rough conditions and I could never master the stomp on the tail two paddle stroke 180 to catch waves I think because of the very parallel outline. Works in all kinda waves but put that board on a point break =
Select to expand quoteKisutch said..
actually felt more stable than 28" wide BlurrV2 in clean stuff, but then tried in terrible conditions and was very hard to stand on
Just guessing here: the wide nose seem to provide most of stability, so I guess if you lift a bit the nose to avoid ploughing in chop (a common reflex), you are left with a 26" board... whereas a pulled in nose 28" board stays 28" if you lift the nose a bit.
I really like a small trailer on speed I used to have completely transformed it. At that size should be full performance for you in any wave you can catch but might need a little more size or shape. Mine was so big for me it was more of a longboard so I'm curious how it works out for you as I used to think of getting a really small one, but eventually the nose kind of turned me off. The side to side roll rate is different and that might take some getting used to, mine would really punish me in chop when I was learning. The wide nose can help on takeoff though where being forward on a narrow nose can sometimes cause you to tip the wrong way, and of course it can fly down the line, a great shape overall.
7.11 is 26" wide so will feel tippy in chop. I currently have the 8.10 which is 29" wide and feels stable in all beach conditions. I am 58yrs old and 73kgs. I have had it for a year and it is a magic board that is my main go to board in almost all beach break conditions. Have been on sups for 5.5 years and this is the best overall board for catching any size or type of waves except shallow fast sucky waves. The rails hold on all waves no matter the size and I am super confident to take up to double overhead waves on it even on the backhand. You do need to get on the tail to turn it with no ability to turn from the middle due to parallel sides. I ran quobbas on it ....2 large sides and medium centre....for a while which made it turn nice but found in big waves I couldn't handle the extra speed. It was too fast! If I was retired I would have 2 Speeds... one with quobbas up to 3ft waves and the other with stock fins above 3ft. The short rocker on the nose is just enough to keep it from nose diving. It really paddles onto waves like a machine. I would classify this board as a legendary design as it just works on so many levels.
I'm a speeed freak as well. I've had a few of them and have currently two. 8'2" and a 7'11" . I also have a 8' flow v2. the 7'11" is the only one that gets wet. I'll take the flow for a spin every now and then but aways come back to the speeed and think why don't I just stay on this board. I've tried Al sorts of fin set ups but like the standards with a small trailer best. If there's water moving in the line up they can become hard to turn and stand on. Throw in wind and chop and you'll use most of your energy just trying to stay up right. I'm 60 and 86kg so my paddle used as an outrigger is my best friend. Enjoy your speeed they are the best boards
I too am a Speeed Freak. I have had 5 Sunova boards and I can almost alway find a reason to take the 8'10" Speeed out. Performs well on beach break knee high to head high. Above head high I start to think I need a smaller board. Looking for a used 8'5" or 8'8" Speeed. For me it does most things well and it is a keeper. I have a 9' Revolution that Is better on the nose than the Speeed but that would be expected. I run my Speeed with small C-drives. Have tried Quoba's with it but prefer the hold with the Cdrives. The 8'10" Speeed is stable in most conditions but does become a handful when the waves are overhead. I have even used it for flat water conditioning paddling and other than the odd comment that the board was underwater ( which it wasn't) it did well and paddles without too much yaw.
Cheers
Bob
Select to expand quoteFRP said..
I too am a Speeed Freak. I have had 5 Sunova boards and I can almost alway find a reason to take the 8'10" Speeed out. Performs well on beach break knee high to head high. Above head high I start to think I need a smaller board. Looking for a used 8'5" or 8'8" Speeed. For me it does most things well and it is a keeper. I have a 9' Revolution that Is better on the nose than the Speeed but that would be expected. I run my Speeed with small C-drives. Have tried Quoba's with it but prefer the hold with the Cdrives. The 8'10" Speeed is stable in most conditions but does become a handful when the waves are overhead. I have even used it for flat water conditioning paddling and other than the odd comment that the board was underwater ( which it wasn't) it did well and paddles without too much yaw.
Cheers
Bob
I am copying FRP so hope to be converted also on my next visit to Tofino and taking delivery of the same board. Except that I will sure be running the SUnova fins for added stability and hold. I am sure that there will be way more speed than I need :-)
Another speeed fan. I have the 8.2 which I think is great in all conditions.
Recently acquired a flow. think 8.4. Jury still out on this new board as only been out on it a few times.
Thanks for all the feedback, psyched to get the Speeed in the water again, we have some small long-period waves this week with offshore winds, excited to see how Speeed compares to my L41 if I can get them both out
The best selling board in the sunova SUP range is the 8'10 speed. I always tell people to start there .. not that they listen haha
Select to expand quotethat guy said..
The best selling board in the sunova SUP range is the 8'10 speed. I always tell people to start there .. not that they listen haha
I started riding proper SUP surf with the speed 8.10 also..then went shorter, more pointy nose direction but my speed always saw water and i believe that it would be my only board quiver if i had to choose only one, god forbid.
As one of the guys said above really a legendary shape , probably one of the only "tomo" shape that really works. Some of the similar shapes from other well know brands did not really live up to the hype..some worked but only if you went very low volume but the big models were dogs on the waves. The SPEED works incredibly in most sizes
Of waves and regardless of board size you choose you will be amazed.
A keeper for sure.
Just to chime in with something different..I must be the only one who didn't love my Speed! I traded mine in as I wasn't using it. Not enough control when the waves were big, too tippy in chop, too much volume in nose for steep drops and hard to swing around when reverse sweeping for a wave. I definitely see the appeal for some riders though, it absolutely flies and is great for gutless surf and any situation with glide/paddling required. After 1.5 years supping I've learnt I'm more suited to a more traditional shortboard shape ( because that's what I'm used to ) and performance. I could see the appeal in a low volume Speed for long, fattish point breaks but not many of those where I live. Each to their own!! Glad so many are having a positive experience with what is definitely a unique board.
Got another day on this board, big tide swing so I got a variety of conditions - barely breaking longboard waves, shorebreak, and some head high/just overhead steep, racing waves. This board is really versatile - it could catch the rollers that stood up outside but didn't quite break, felt almost like I was on 9' New Deal rather than 7'11" board, but then it is basically a 9' with the nose chopped off. It's a clever board in that it feels stable for its volume paddling, but you can feel the 26" width when you go to turn or pump and the board responds faster than expected. I didn't get many good sections for top turns/cuttbacks, mostly just racing steep/fast waves, but got a few fun turns in - feels very quick from tail but I thought I could feel the swing weight a bit after being on 8x28 Blurr the day before (which has less bulk up front), but maybe I'm dreaming. It has a nice bite when doing a shallow bottom turn to drive down the line, held nicely in steep stuff. I really wanted to try some deeper, more vertical bottom turns on it cause I was working on those w/ Blurr the day before but just couldn't get that type of wave, hard to compare boards!
In the wildly variable beach break I surf, where you can get every type of wave in one session, this board is a pretty good all-in-one solution. But I'm not sure if I'll surf it that much cause I kind of like going out with a board that does one thing well and looking for those waves. I'd rather be on my 9' New Deal on the softer waves, and I'd rather be on my Blurr on the steeper stuff, L41 on the weaker stuff - but maybe after more sessions this would change.
After session I found a ~2"x3" dark, soft spot on bottom of board with tiny crack. I cut the balsa out of a smaller area and foam underneath is dry. Anyone know if Sunova posted a repair video for dings? They have a great series online but I can only find the overview vid and crazy delam fixes. Was gonna try my first ding repair (only done solarez before) since the cost of board was only about 2x a pro repair. cheers
Select to expand quoteKisutch said..
Got another day on this board, big tide swing so I got a variety of conditions - barely breaking longboard waves, shorebreak, and some head high/just overhead steep, racing waves. This board is really versatile - it could catch the rollers that stood up outside but didn't quite break, felt almost like I was on 9' New Deal rather than 7'11" board, but then it is basically a 9' with the nose chopped off. It's a clever board in that it feels stable for its volume paddling, but you can feel the 26" width when you go to turn or pump and the board responds faster than expected. I didn't get many good sections for top turns/cuttbacks, mostly just racing steep/fast waves, but got a few fun turns in - feels very quick from tail but I thought I could feel the swing weight a bit after being on 8x28 Blurr the day before (which has less bulk up front), but maybe I'm dreaming. It has a nice bite when doing a shallow bottom turn to drive down the line, held nicely in steep stuff. I really wanted to try some deeper, more vertical bottom turns on it cause I was working on those w/ Blurr the day before but just couldn't get that type of wave, hard to compare boards!
In the wildly variable beach break I surf, where you can get every type of wave in one session, this board is a pretty good all-in-one solution. But I'm not sure if I'll surf it that much cause I kind of like going out with a board that does one thing well and looking for those waves. I'd rather be on my 9' New Deal on the softer waves, and I'd rather be on my Blurr on the steeper stuff, L41 on the weaker stuff - but maybe after more sessions this would change.
After session I found a ~2"x3" dark, soft spot on bottom of board with tiny crack. I cut the balsa out of a smaller area and foam underneath is dry. Anyone know if Sunova posted a repair video for dings? They have a great series online but I can only find the overview vid and crazy delam fixes. Was gonna try my first ding repair (only done solarez before) since the cost of board was only about 2x a pro repair. cheers
EVERYTHING anyone will ever need to know about repairing a SUP
All the basic information
Super easy instructions
every possible "fix" is covered in detail
Eva was the best... and sweet enough to leave her full site online for us!!
boardlady.com/
Click the "Repairs Menu"
