Check out the New Sunova Placid

We check out the New Sunova Placid in the TR3 construction

Tardy can I have an autograph

Thanks Tardy.
Not sure when getting next board bit need something to fill gap between 102 L Starby Pro and 83L 77 Sunova Flow .
The 7'7 was a step to far for me and I can only go out in this in total glass and with a Coronavirus mask to hide my identity from the Kook police .

Just picked up a 9'4 Placid from Surf FX a few days ago and they should have called it "The Rocket".She goes she goes she goes!!! Nothing Placid about it.

Select to expand quote

rockmagnet said..
Just picked up a 9'4 Placid from Surf FX a few days ago and they should have called it "The Rocket".She goes she goes she goes!!! Nothing Placid about it.

good one rocky...i wouldn't mind one in a bigger size too ...

Select to expand quote

Tardy said..

bomberdave said..
Hey Tardy how would think the placid would compare with a creek???

I Can only compare the 8'10 125,3 ,litres creek to 8,7 ..125 litre 31.5 wide placid .because thats all I've ridden .

creek being narrower is probably better in bigger swell being longer it did catch waves easier ,but you can't throw it around like the
placid ,placid has more fin placements and more rocker ,so easier to use in lumps .

down the line cruise style surfing ...creek
cut loose ,lip bashing ....placid

the creek has more speed .the placid is for more performance surfing .hope that answers it .

thanks for the insight

Select to expand quote

cantSUPenough said..
I have had a love-hate relationship with mine (8'7 x 31.5 125L and I am 100 kg).

The guy in the vid said it is sensitive to fin size/placement - that's the truth. I have had it out and it just didn't want to turn. I have had it out in bigger waves and it just seemed a bit slow. I have had it in some medium waves and I thought its lack of speed made it hard to catch waves I might have caught on an acid - which figures, it is 1" narrower and 6" longer.

But with Tardy/Phil's advice, I have experimented with fins, and tried it in different conditions, and I am liking it much more.

I have had it out a few times where I have had a ball on it. Nice and maneuverable, fast enough, and really stable.

Yes - this board is wide and very stable.

At the same time I have been using my new Infinity Blurr V2 (8'5 x 30.5 121L) and my 9'1 Acid (30.5 125L).

I love the V2, but at that width and length, and my weight (100kg) and height (6'3), I need good conditions or I bobble a bit too much (it is quite thick because it has stepped rails so that may contribute to instability). It is fast, maneuverable, light, tough as nuts. If the conditions are good, I take the V2. If it gets a bit lumpy, I take the Placid. As it gets bigger I take the Acid. And I just got an Insane (9'11 x 29.5) and took it out in 1.5X ocean bigger waves - it was great - but a bit tippy.

So, for me, the Placid is working much better with the right fins and the right waves.

I put the quads in from the start which seems to work for me. Cant wait to get some decent surf so I can get the full feel of the board.

It's a bigger board at 9'4 x 155 litres. I'll have to wait to get some better surf as we have had 4 months of Northerlies in Qld with the odd half decent days. The points are working occasionally but those days are gone for me. I'll do some experimenting but for the moment in crappy surf it's okay.

Hi all.
i'm a bit late to this conversation but trying to decide between a 9'4 Creek and a 9'4" Placid. Seems like a bit of experience on here with both so looking for some advice and detailed feedback on your experiences I am 6'5" and 100kg. Intermediate but can hold my own and throw a board around ok Main surf spot is mellow reef break chest high to overhead. Looking for a board to throw around a bit more, bounce off sections and full rail cutbacks. Stability is a must to remove the swim time on the choppier days.

Any and all advice appreciated

Simon

Hi Simon ,agree with bigZ,i would be looking at the 8,10 or 8,7 ,I'm 95 kgs and find the 8,7 quite stable but i don't feel i would like to drop any smaller ,
9,1 creek might be a another option too ,the creeks do paddle a bit fast having less rocker .

Select to expand quote

Simsurf said..
Hi all.
i'm a bit late to this conversation but trying to decide between a 9'4 Creek and a 9'4" Placid. Seems like a bit of experience on here with both so looking for some advice and detailed feedback on your experiences I am 6'5" and 100kg. Intermediate but can hold my own and throw a board around ok Main surf spot is mellow reef break chest high to overhead. Looking for a board to throw around a bit more, bounce off sections and full rail cutbacks. Stability is a must to remove the swim time on the choppier days.

Any and all advice appreciated

Simon

Hi Simon
Both VERY different boards.
I'll try to compare them... but it's apples and oranges.

Beware all who like one word answers to complex questions.... I only have one speed.

OK Simon, your size is a big factor here... more involved than sufficient volume.
FYI:
I will routinely run my own "stability tests"
I take 5 or 6 boards to a calm flat-water landing, put them all side by side and film myself, using 2 cameras

Stability
The Creek:
I designed the 9'4, for me at 106 kg (5'10) in full winter gear, so I added some "stability tools"... meaning slightly fuller nose and reasonable width...
BUT, it is not a "stability board"... it's a performance board, that isn't impossible to stand on.
I have a 9'1 and a 9'4. I almost never ride my 9'1.
I have also surfed the 8'10 without struggle... but, the 9'4 gives me much better overall performance because it keeps me "powered up" in all situations. I think the Creek is best with more surface area, than less.
The Creek has a very sweet tail carve and likes full rail cutbacks.
The channels carve, but resists sliding the tail out, for a quick snap.
It handles anything, so a great travel board.
also, I still think this is the fastest board I have surfed.... Bert nailed the rocker or something

The Placid:
I feel this is a "stability board" because: it is so darn stable... it really is.
Even at 72 and 106 kg, I could probably ride the 8'7 without too much problem.
I have the 9'1, but have an 8'10 coming next week... I will sell my 9'1 to facilitate the upgrade.
Why?
Like Can'tSUPenough, I have a love/hate relationship with my 9'1 Placid.
First 3 sessions... like CSE... I couldn't turn it. Perfect 5' glassy waves. I'd throw a turn and the board would simply go straight.
I NEVER struggle to turn a board backside.... but I fell off the Placid on every backside bottom turn.
Ran as Thruster, quad, Twinzer with small center... nothing worked for me.
After 3 sessions I put it away... for good.

When I got home to Cape Cod.... I decided I HAD to come to terms with it.
Crappy, windy, rainy day. 3' bumpy lumps... I figured "Why not, it's not like I'll blow a good session"
I went quad, with tiny rears... tiny, like 3.5" and short base (not nubs)

Wow... it became loose and snappy!
Super fun!
Loved the loose tail, BUT.... the nose felt piggish and in the way.
The nose on the 9'1 is very big, but that's why it's so stable.... so I am hoping the smaller 8'10 will play better for me.
The tail will get you to the lip with ease.... or slide into a nice slashing cutback.
It really is an interesting board... and it has turned me into a "tiny rear" quad guy
I ordered more baby backs to run in all my quads!
I agree it's a bit on the slow side, but that plays well for snapping quick turns.
Overall, I think it's the most stable of all Sunova's except for a few in the GenRation line.
It might be perfect for a mellow reef break from chest to OH.


at 6'5, I would not go any smaller than a 9'4 Creek... whereas the 9'1 Placid should be fine.
Very different boards, so it depends what appeals to you most.

The forward Quads in this pic are pretty small as well, so I included a pic of my rears, next to a stock Sunova 105 side




Stability testing helps me answer questions about similar and dissimilar shapes and volumes.
I record all my tests with 2 cameras
I constantly refer to these videos when I get stability questions... because it's very easy to mis-remember how different boards measure up.



My Soloshot to see how they sit in the water


my "Kook Hat Cam" records my candid impressions and records a good look at how the rails sit in the water

Placid 9'1

Creek 9'4

9' 4" Placid
Finally got the Placid out in decent waves today. Head high with the odd bigger set on a down the line reef break.

First wave was fairly solid and a late takeoff. The Placid soaked up the drop with ease and powered off the bottom. I wasn't prepared for the grip from the board in the bottom turn and was rocketed back to the lip. A bit of back foot and the board carved nicely off the top. Things only improved from there and I am still grinning like an idiot from the session.

To say the board turns well is an understatement. This board will do what you want it to, when you want it. Maybe 20 waves today with a little bit of bump on the face and the board did not slide or lose traction once. Can do critical turns in the pocket or bounce off crumbling sections with confidence that board will bite when you need it to. I also found the board very stable and it climbed whitewash easily.

Took me a while to work out my foot placement after riding a 10 footer for a long time but found that back foot needs to be a lot further back than I am used to. Width did require a little front foot side to side movement but am confident I will dial this in next session.

Board is slower than I am used to but by moving forward a little was able to easily pump through sections where more speed was needed. This slower speed was no issue in cutbacks and actually felt that it held its speed well. Again, I've come off a 10 footer so being able to throw top turns and cutbacks in more critical sections of the wave probably helped with speed through the turns.

Today was using the quad set up on the fins that came with the board, but will give the thruster set up a go using the smaller centre fin. If I can get some, I'll also try the mini flyer set up recommended by STC.

At this stage I am happy I went with the 9'4" and looking forward to seeing what it can do in different conditions.

Note I am not affiliated with any shops or with Sunova. Just a punter paying normal retail for everything.

Hi Simon - I am glad to hear you like the Placid.

As you may have heard, I had a love/hate relationship to start with - but now it is pretty much all love.

I have a lot of Sunovas and other brands, but now my go-to is the 8'7 Placid unless the waves are too small or the waves are very big (1.5x OH or bigger). (In the small waves it feels a little slow. In the big waves, I want a bit more length to get on to them a little earlier - the 9'10 insane).

I have been using my c-drive fins in thruster and I am happy.

I am 6'3" and 100 kg (plus steamer, etc.). When I drift up to 103+ kg it gets a bit squirmy, especially where I normally surf (1 km off-shore ocean reef and often powerful and lumpy). But I am amazed at the stability. Previously I mostly rode a 9'1 and even 9'4 acid, but I think the placid is more stable than both.

I thought the width would be an issue. It's not.

And I am a wanna-be surfer, trying cut-backs, off-the-lip, etc., and in my head (I stopped using the gopro because it lied ) I do great bottom turns and I get vertical on the placid - better than any other board I have (at my current weight). As I say, that's in my head.

I hope you enjoy yours!

hhhmmm ,thats a tough one ..i mix my fins up in sizes ...but i would buy a quad set ,check out shaper fins ..their site or wet fins .thats where i buy mine from ..but i use 7 fronts and 3 rears ...seems to work for me ,get vertical , certainly makes a big difference with after market fins .a large Quad set of Shaper AM2 might be worth a try ...FCS tabs .not future .

Hold please.....
I had a born again moment today at 5:30 am.
Grabbed another board.... all ready to go out, then had an epiphany and pulled out the 8'10 Placid.

Wow.
Video after I nap

Select to expand quote

100yearsold said..

supthecreek said..
Video after I nap

That's a long nap "supthecreek"
where's the video?

what? huh? .... oh yeah... the video. I'm still groggy
I wish I had set up my SoloShot, so it would be easier to see just how loose it was..... but the wind was suppose to blow it out any second, so I just raced into the water.