Short Surfing SUP's - Why bother?

I don't get why people buy Harleys. Compared to any other bike they don't go, the don't stop, they don't turn. The seat, the sit up & beg position, and the vibrations aren't comfortable for more than a few minutes, you look silly with a full face helmet on one so you have to have an open faced helmet, then you eat bugs so you get one of those skeleton bug stopper half mask things, so then you end up looking like a wanna be tough guy and your face is still open to getting grated if you come off. You're on a bike that's only really good for making noise for the sake of making noise, and I've heard tractors that sound better. And don't even get me started on leather tassels.

Despite all that, people buy them.

I am in my 60 ties and longer board ( 9'1") suits me for paddling up the beach to diff breaks and longer arc turns and cutties - way I HAVE ALWAYS SURFED.

If you grew up with a short board and can no longer ride them because of injury - why not try and get a SUP thats going to surf the way you like and have done all your life.

I love the advantage I have in paddling a kilometer or more up the beach to an uncrowded break - carparks are only at ends of beaches where I live.

If you are a young hottie, from what I can see - the cross training affect from SUP to shortboard will improves both sets of skills.

Steve

Yeah its almost as boring short boarders riding 5'4 twiggs that they can hardly catch waves on and try and perform aerials on every decent section and just end up looking like twats. Paddling for waves that they never catch, trying to take off so deep they cant make it and still shout everyone out or paddling for the clean section of wave and complaining when they nearly get run over but hey each to their own

I am a fairly crap surfer, but I am reasonably competent on a SUP. I have never had the upper body strength to paddle for a wave, then have the strength left to get to my feet. On a SUP I can surf for hours on end without becoming exhausted.

I have a shortish SUP (8'11") because it weighs almost nothing and is easy to lift to and from the storage rack and fits inside my car without too much dicking around.

The only thing I miss out on with a short SUP is the super early takeoff you can get with a really long board.

Even with a relatively short SUP I can still drop into a wave as it is breaking and I am already on my feet and riding. When you consider a ride on a small wave, or a closeout beach break, can be as short as 10 seconds then the extra 2-3 seconds is a heap more surfing, and arguably in the best part of the wave.

On my SUP I can go and have good surfs on breaks that other people don't ride because the waves might be considered inferior. That's a bit of a joke because I am often out alone in perfect waves because I surf the alternate breaks.

Because I have had a heap more surfing on my SUP, my short board skills have improved and I can now have decent surfs on my 6'6".

As a crap surfer the novelty of being in the perfect position on a head high wave has never worn off. When I am in that position on my SUP it just feels so good and the SUP feels just as short and nimble as my short board.

I also get to play air guitar with my paddle and that is always fun.

Its a good point and valid question. I understand where you coming from... but I think you got a variety of answers here that I would concur with. Might I say... I think there is a point at which you certainly need to consider taking out your short board, as some short and light sups are just too much work...but I also think the answer I like the best... is the one that points out there is sometimes not a lot of logic... its just something you like! For me... the stand up feeling has me hooked... not always about the surfing part...but the inbetween time.... waiting, lining up... moving from break to break... and still feeling it was all worthwhile getting out, even in poor surf conditions.But thanks for the topic... I hope we get some more answers ..

I would love to be surfing a 6'8" short board but prolapsed discs put paid to that 11 years ago. I'm just stoked to be able to do a bottom turn. I'm with you on the contempt for dishpan turns, though. And you can do rail turns if you have a go.

l do it for myself Sandys1 , who cares what you , or others , think . The average punter on his SB doesn't look that crash hot either . Maybe get a mate to film yourself , see how you look , reality might kick in about your own shortcomings .

Its called progression....

I am riding a 7"3 Naish, having come down from learning on an ocean liner many years ago.

I would suggest most SUP riders ride the smallest board their ability or weight allows them to - and the better they get the majority of riders have or will upgrade to a smaller board.

The new 2015 boards from the larger brands have improved their design and materials to allow surfers to ride smaller boards, which turn on a dime and are exciting, dynamic boards to ride...

I might fall off every now and then, and be worn out after a long surf, but one wave & the board speaks for itself..

Progression up to a point and then onto a too small board that doesnt work for you is possibly an ego trip.
Surely it has to be mainly fun with some hard yards, not the other way round.

Where you surf and how you surf -- cruise, carve or vertical -- maybe a mixture -- will influence your choice - progression doesnt necessarily mean smaller, less volume, My next board I am looking at a 10 t0 11 foot cruiser to get me out into ankle and knee height waves which will obviously be uncrowded.

Age matters as much as literage - flexibility seems the main issue - shorter for me at the moment doesnt work - doing stretches every morn last 3 months but that cannot fix buggered knees or shoulders.

Steve

I quite often take surf boards and sups with me when surfing.

Given the option I gravitate to the short sup coz it's more enjoyable and a challenge. The short boards get left for trips away, or crowds in more critical waves, which are few and far between these days.

im thinking about supping before I go to sleep..........bit bored by the short board thing.

why short board when you can skateboard anytime.....and not have to get wet

Different strokes for different folks.
Personally I just love playing in the ocean and a varied quiver helps keep it stay fresh.
Always love watching people ride different craft and draw their own lines.

"There is no such thing as a bad wave. Just poor choice of equipment and bad attitudes"

Each to his own, ride whatever you're going to have the most fun on and let everyone else choose to do the same.

I like the feel and manoeuvrability of a short sup (currently riding a 7'7"x27')... but not so tiny that I can't stand on it without needing to paddling in circles not to fall off, but I also enjoy surfing my 12'6" in the right conditions and if I could afford to have more boards I'd probably have a 10' or 10'5" to choose from as well.

I also surf a short board occassionally - but I suck at it!!! So I usually just jump on a sup to have more fun.

If one person wants to cruise on a 12' longboard style sup and the next guy wants to rip on a 6' short sup that they can barely paddle on - its their choice, as long as there's respect for everyone else in the line up it shouldn't matter - just enjoy getting out there, ride whatever you want to ride and appreciate that SUP is a sport that offers us so many different choices.