Check out the New Sunova Placid

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supthecreek said..

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.

Hey STC, ta for that vid. Great riding and sheer joy for you. One question: How does the stability of the Placid compare with an 8'10" Speeed? I like my Speeed in clean conditions, not so much in wind and chop. I'm hoping the Placid may be the cure!

Thanks for the vid STC.

The gopro never shows the reality of the situation, but I could not help but be reminded of what it was like to ride my old minion. I would cut up the wave but kind of slide back down, not cut back down on the rail.

I have been riding my placid quite a lot, and your board seemed to behave differently. Again, it may just be the GoPro fish-eye playing tricks.

Of course, it may be the fins. I use c-drives in thruster.

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cantSUPenough said..
Thanks for the vid STC.

The gopro never shows the reality of the situation, but I could not help but be reminded of what it was like to ride my old minion. I would cut up the wave but kind of slide back down, not cut back down on the rail.

I have been riding my placid quite a lot, and your board seemed to behave differently. Again, it may just be the GoPro fish-eye playing tricks.

Of course, it may be the fins. I use c-drives in thruster.

I never felt it slide back down the face, but a nice slide as I pushed a cutback, or when dropping late on a steep wave, I found it easy to kick the tail a bit sideways, to set the rail on a high track across the top of the wave in order to get down the line faster.

My fins were just the right amount of loose on those waves, and they really let the board do it's thing.
I have never ridden C-Drives, but I am guessing they are harder to slide because they have a lot of base that may make them grippier.IMO, the Placid is all about riding the tail to middle.... this board seems to function best with a loose tail.
But it also felt super solid on a bottom turn or when I needed drive to get down the line

Curious to know what you see that makes you feel mine acts differently?
I am just in the beginning stages of learning this board, because unlike many boards.... I needed to "learn" the Placid.
I hope to get some SoloShot footage on the next outing.

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supthecreek said..

cantSUPenough said..
Thanks for the vid STC.

The gopro never shows the reality of the situation, but I could not help but be reminded of what it was like to ride my old minion. I would cut up the wave but kind of slide back down, not cut back down on the rail.

I have been riding my placid quite a lot, and your board seemed to behave differently. Again, it may just be the GoPro fish-eye playing tricks.

Of course, it may be the fins. I use c-drives in thruster.

I never felt it slide back down the face, but a nice slide as I pushed a cutback, or when dropping late on a steep wave, I found it easy to kick the tail a bit sideways, to set the rail on a high track across the top of the wave in order to get down the line faster.

My fins were just the right amount of loose on those waves, and they really let the board do it's thing.
I have never ridden C-Drives, but I am guessing they are harder to slide because they have a lot of base that may make them grippier.IMO, the Placid is all about riding the tail to middle.... this board seems to function best with a loose tail.
But it also felt super solid on a bottom turn or when I needed drive to get down the line

Curious to know what you see that makes you feel mine acts differently?
I am just in the beginning stages of learning this board, because unlike many boards.... I needed to "learn" the Placid.
I hope to get some SoloShot footage on the next outing.

Well, it just triggered a memory in my head from my minion days.

If you look at 0:40 or 0:44 or 0:55 or 1:59, and other times, it looked like the board slid back sideways down the wave, with the water squirting out the side and slightly forward - the nose was always pointing along the wave.

I used to love that feeling on my minion, but on my placid, possibly because of the fins, I don't feel it does that. Mind you, 9 times out of ten I am surfing at a place with bigger waves (but again, that may be me misjudging your waves thanks to the GoPro) so I feel like my board as to turn more.

As I have said elsewhere, the placid is my go-to board right now.

I saw that young fella was fatally bitten on the news - unimaginable loss for his family, friends and I'm sure the community around that area. Condolences to all impacted by his death.

Spewin' for you Backbeach - a snapped sled is a real bummer, but good on ya for keepin' it real- you can always get another one.

RIP little frother. Condolences to family and those around them.

The snapped Placid worries me.... Certainly doesn't look like waves that would snap a board.
Taking mine to the Abrohlos Islands next week and this is going to be on my mind, especially as I can only take one board.

Please excuse my ignorance, but what is the normal SUP construct? Are stringers not commonplace?

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Simsurf said..
Please excuse my ignorance, but what is the normal SUP construct? Are stringers not commonplace?

From my understanding, which may be wrong.
Your average surfboard / longboard is a polyurethane blank, constructed with a stringer, ply or carbon, down the centre, then glassed with polyester, which has little actual strength. The polyurethane blank and stringer have strength.
Normal SUP is an EPS (struggling, encapsulated poly styrene maybe) blank, that has no strength, basically an air filler, but glassed with epoxy, which has strength. This is a flow on from windsurfer construction, rather than surfboard construction. Sometimes laminated with wood of some description, bamboo, high density foam (dyvnicel ?) in load areas.
Some brands use higher tech constructions - JImmy Lewis with PVC sandwich, Sunova with timber in the rails to stiffen the board, but still EPS core.
No stringers to be found, as far as I know, apart from the Sunova "rail stringers"
I may be totally wrong though

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cantSUPenough said..
as I have said elsewhere, the placid is my go-to board right now.

Why ? If i may ask ?

Thoughts, prayers, and condolences to the friends and family of the young man who was killed.

There is a group called Bite Club on FB that might be of use to his family. It's for folks who have been attacked, or for families who have lost someone.

Based in Oz. I am a member because of my adventure a while back..


Chomp! Horrifying!

It was a Great White. Marine Biologist measured the marks. 9-11 feet 1000 pounds of landlord.

Higher Authority was on my side that day. One chomp. Shallow water mung so bad no visibility.

Board is now in a museum in Chatham MA.

Creatures in the water spook me a little, but I am pretty okay with it now.

Alligator's paddling in mangrove creeks scare me much more than they should.

Welcome to Florida Yankee Boy!

Managed to source some smaller rears to follow up on STC's recommendations (they are actually smaller than the photo makes them look). Going to be testing this board in a variety of conditions on a trip next week and will be testing all fin set ups. Will feedback on how it goes.

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anchorpoint said..

cantSUPenough said..
as I have said elsewhere, the placid is my go-to board right now.

Why ? If i may ask ?

Sorry, I just noticed your question.

I have been through a journey of approx 20 boards: acids, flow, speeed, X32, minion, and a bunch more.

As you know, SUP surfing is a compromise: stability, paddle speed, maneuverability, etc.

I have found, personally, that the placid has hit a sweet spot. I can catch the waves I want to catch. I can survive late drops. I can pretend to be a grom and have fun trying to get vertical. I can stand out the back without falling off. I can paddle back out through breaking waves.

I usually surf at an ocean break, 1km out, on a reef. It is often big (overhead+), but often lumpy. (Sometimes I surf at a more placid reef break, and sometimes at beach breaks.)

I was quite surprised at its stability. And given its length, it is easier to get your foot on the tail. It may be wide, but I have never felt it was a problem. I had to play a lot with fins, as originally I did not like the placid, but with C-drives I have found a great combo.

If it is very small the placid is a bit slow.

When it is very big you either need to be willing to catch it quite late, or I go up to a longer board (insane or my longest acid).

(I am 58, 6'3, 100 kg + and my placid is 8'7x31.5" 125 L)

Hey thanks for all the kind comments everyone.
The Wooli mob are really shaken up by the event, especially the locals who rescued the lad. Its a close knit community and even moreso in the surf.

On a much less sombre note just tossing up whether its worth spending $400 on a professional repair or attempting to do a homegrown jerry job?
My thinking is the boards surfability is seriously compromised with added weight and potential to snap again.
I don't think it'll have much resale value.
Would I be better to cut my losses and throw the dollars into a replacement board, whilst my mate and I repair the placid for a flatwater/small wave shed ornament? Otherwise get a pro, e.g Dale Chapman, to fix it and surf it as the regular?
Any advice appreciated. Cheers

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backbeach said..
Hey thanks for all the kind comments everyone.
The Wooli mob are really shaken up by the event, especially the locals who rescued the lad. Its a close knit community and even moreso in the surf.

On a much less sombre note just tossing up whether its worth spending $400 on a professional repair or attempting to do a homegrown jerry job?
My thinking is the boards surfability is seriously compromised with added weight and potential to snap again.
I don't think it'll have much resale value.
Would I be better to cut my losses and throw the dollars into a replacement board, whilst my mate and I repair the placid for a flatwater/small wave shed ornament? Otherwise get a pro, e.g Dale Chapman, to fix it and surf it as the regular?
Any advice appreciated. Cheers

FOR sure it can be fixed ,but it will never surf the same as it will be a bit heavier ,unless the pine is removed and re sheeted .I've never fixed a completely broken board before ,but you could do it yourself with large sheets of glass cloth and perhaps a few wooden dowels .IT will still ride ok ...just a little heavier ...i don't think i would spend too much $ on it ,give it a go yourself as you say still going to be a board you can use ...