Longboard options

Is there a board suitable for paddling distance (exceptional glide) in the ocean in chop... yet possible to ride the odd wave.
I was thinking about a downwind or touring board (eg Sic Bullet) but have alao been looking at the Smik longboard style SUPs and wondering how they might compare.
I have never tried one of the long thin downwind or race boards. Not interested in racing but do find myself a k or so off shore from time to time... a long paddle on my current board (Smik Spitfire).. so was wondering about something more suited.
I also do interval training on my sup several times a week, often 2 or 3ks, so a longer thinner board would be better.
Interested in others experiences/oppinions.

Hi mate, if it's more distant paddling you want in the ocean the Starboard Generation would be the pick, the 14 foot will be best for riding chop or paddling down wind. The 12 footer will be fine for riding small waves too.

As Hoppo mentioned the Sunova search is an option, SUPBoardermag on their website has plenty of videos showing what the Generation is capable off.

Cheers.

Steve.

Sounds like a 12 x 28 will suit you well. You could look at something like the generation in 14 x 28 size too. This will be more compromised in small waves, but will ride swell better. The sunova is also a wonderful option.

I've got a 12"6' x 29 Surftech Mickey Munoz ( similar shape to SB Generation )I've had this board for over 10 years, I still enjoy this board everytime I drag it out, it catches anything upto about head high, no dramas on flat water or chop, it has plenty of glide, I've even fished off it a couple of times. A good addition to any quiver. I'm 6"2 and about 100 kegs.

FYI, I had a similar thought and have just ordered a custom 11' version of the Sunova Point Break and titled it 'Bodhi' on another post... I wanted a do it all surf type of sup that wasn't a longboard. Something for paddle training on and small waves, but also can handle well OH stuff too.

So the Style Lord wasn't my cuppa tea. Great board to surf (i can imagine ideal for competitive SUP longboarders) but with negligible glide (I think because of its crazy rocker), i found my Spitfire had better glide and caught waves easier... so...
Swapped the SL for a 10'2 SB Wedge.... wow.. what a board. Best glide I have experienced on a SUP it catches the smallest bumps with ease and super stable. My friend who has not supped before caught his first wave in seconds in the ****tiest of conditions (onshore 10knot chop).
Perfect for what I want (glide, stability for ****ty conditions).
To be clear, the SL surfs waaay better (in another league altogether) and weights probably 1/2 the weight. The Wedge is a weight lifting exercise (starlight construction... should be starweight instead) but i think this weight lends to its glide and ability to handle going out in windy conditions.. And i get a workout in the process :-) it also punches through the lineup like nothing ive experienced which was a surprise.. again prob due to weight.. like paddling an aircraft carrier really.
Definitely would have preferred something 1/2 or 1/4 the weight.. but thats compromises.
It has got me thinking..as I love the Smik boards, if a custom 10' Spitfire would be possible as a better alternative. (Obviously my budget is well blown for now.... maybe next year).
On another note.. picked up a cheap 8' Hypernut on gumtree... what a fun little board. Initial 4.5" fins were useless but with some 5.5" fins.. amazing. Super stable, tracks amazingly and catches everything.. not quite as well as the wedge but just as stable with glide similar to the Spitfire (8'8) but tracks way better and surfs waaay better than the wedge (less weight and length). Its a really interesting comparrison.. And this is starlight construction that is actually very light. Definitely a board worth looking into!

I've just picked up a used custom Smik Hipster twin Longboard, 9'2 x 27" x ~95litres.I was thinking 27" wide would be tippy but surprisingly I'm finding the specs perfect for me (72kg, 5'11, 63yo). My only other board is a 2014 Starby Pro 8x28x96L and I find the Smik a lot more stable. I've have two sessions first in howling offshore, low tide and small surf, 2nd sesh moderate offshore and tiny tiny surf but I could still catch and ride the waves on offer. The glide is insanely good and I'm learning to put more effort in to get it to turn. Overall stoked!!!I am a kitefoil addict, I actually rarely sup surf but this board is changing that thinking.


(Excuse the bin supports)

Hi Slack, yes longer boards take more effort up the back to turn.....I love the glide of a longer board but would still like to turn it from the middle like my surf skate.....always a compromise......you probably have tried this but have you tried the middle fin all the way forward? That will make it a bit easier to turn as will the smallest middle fin or no middle fin or even just one middle fin. I have tried them arw pros and cons with each fin set up.

Thanks for that Hoppo, I'm lacking waves to get into it but I did notice my board initiated a turn better if my rear foot was on that side of the board. Interesting and I am enjoying the longboard style. Cheers Slack

Note: I won't be slashing anything

Seb,

It depends a lot on the type of longboard you want, your waves and your surfing style.

Your Wedge does everything a longboard will, except give you that old school longboard vibe.

If you want that 60's log vibe, a JL black and blue is mint and probably the only true log sup out there. If you want a slightly more higher performance nose rider, the Sunova Style is mint too.

Basically (to me) almost every other longboard sup out there is more of a high performance longboard, mostly to be surfed from the tail. Perhaps the only exception to this would be the Smik Style lord.

Do you want to walk, cross step, nose ride and pivot turn? or do you want to surf shortboard style from the tail? If from the tail is your preference, stick with the Wedge.

I've got a custom 10'4" x 28.5" Sunova HP longboard sup and am picking up my new 11' x 30.75" Sunova Point Break on Friday. I know there will be overlap with the two boards, so i'll swap the longboard's fins from a thruster to a 10" or 11" single fin, to try and change up how I will surf it (nose ride more). The point break has more outline curve so it should 'surf' more and also turn from the middle better. It will be surfed as a thruster with a smaller centre fin and I don't plan on trying to nose ride it at all.

Seb, take a look at the Sunova Style mate. A nose riding and pivot machine!

Oh yeah. I cannot edit the post now, but Infinity New Deal is also an option. That's the one that has me most tempted and the 9.6x31 seems like the sensible all around choice for me.