Standup Paddle Surfing 101
Mar 19th, 2007 by billb
Currently the Stand up 101 is a post, but I plan to re-edit and add to that post and move a new version here. For now though, click here to find SUP101
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Kio ra! From Aoteraoa, SUP is relatively new sport to New Zealand, But seems to be gathering steam as the next best thing since cream cheese with jam on toast. Being a water baby it only seemed natural to want to try this, which naturaly lead to surfing the net for information and lucky enought to find a local distributor who had a demo. My first steps into SUP started last Saturday on open sea in 1>2foot choppy conditions on a south point 11′6×287/8, I can report with confidence that I didn’t have to much trouble standing and getting around on this thing, and reported as such to the store owner. However my delima is this… should I go with the above mentioned board or the only other option which is another southpoint 10′x27″schaper bonga , which unfortunately is not available as a demo. After reading the blogs on this web site I’m left wondering whether my skill was more to do with the size of the board than natural ability. I 6′9 and weight in at 210 pounds, From what I can gather on this site the bigger the board the faster you will pick it up and my one outting seems to confirm this. The diffrence between the two boards comes down to cost. I have been informed that the smaller bonga is for more confidant and intermidiate level persons and provides better control in the surf, a stage I might add which I’m no were near, however because of the $100.00 dollar diffirence between the two boards and my concern that I would quickly outgrow the larger 11′6 board, should I even be considering the bonga?
The information you were given is correct and the 10′ board is months away from you being comfortable on it. The extra $100 will be worth it in stoke. Much frustration can be attained from a shorter /narrower board.
Hey Guys. I stumbled on this site when I was feeding my Jones for racing (Hi Bill).
I’ve been a whitewater kayaker for a long time and we’ve got a cousin to your stand up surfing called “striding”. It was invented by a fella named Jeff Snyder whose from Maryland. Basically it’s whitewater kayaking while standing up!
Here’s a link to a picture:
http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River_detail_id_3192
I’ve been on the Upper Yough (Class IV-V) on Mothers Day when Jeff came striding by (standing) while taking his Mom on a tour of the river. She sat calmly in the front of the boat as he effortlessly ran class IV-V water. What a site!
Anyway … thanks for the site Bill.
See you at the track.
-Kyle
I am writing from Whangarei, New Zealand. I have the Southpoint Kalama and Bonga Perkins standup boards. I started out with the Kalama model. I bought the Perkins model 3 months later. It has taken me about 6 times out in the surf to get the hang of the Perkins model. It is very tippy in choppy onshore conditions. It is very responsive. You can drop into waves much later than the Kalama, which often nose dives during last second take offs. Nothwithstanding this, the Kalama model is a high performance board as well. It is very responsive. You can turn sharply, carve up and down big waves, lift the front of the board up like a skateboard while dropping down the lip of a wave as it is breaking, etc. It is probably much faster than the Perkins model because of its shear size. The Perkins model is more like a longboard. I often use both boards depending on the conditions. I tend to use the Perkins board in low tide conditions. Both boards are so much fun to ride.
Hey Bill,
We want to make sure that folks can get started in the sport correctly also. I look forward to more from you in the 101 section.
We posted some info about getting started in SUP on our site under Stand Up Paddling Basics… http://www.wernerpaddles.com/go_paddling/tips/
More in video format at Werner TV…
http://www.wernerpaddles.com/wernertv/
We will be producing even more to make sure SUP’rs are enjoying their time on the water as mush as possible.
Hey Bill,
this is a really useful website, thank you! I was wondering if you could help me with some advice - I’m a surfer in Jamaica and have been intrigued by SUP for a while - it looks like a wonderful way to be on the water even when there are no waves to surf and a very good way to stay healthy, mentally and physically and have a blast. I’d very much like to buy a board but don’t know where to begin - there are no SUpaddlers here. I’m pretty small - under 5′3 and 115lbs. Would like tp get something to cruis on but also to begin learning to catch small waves with too. Mahalo nui loa,
Nathalie
Probably the best place to start is on the companion (and newer) site ke nalu. Ke Nalu has a board comparison feature that starts here: http://www.kenalu.com/forums/showcase-index/ It’s gotten a bit out of date because there are SO many SUP board now. You are blessed with small size, that’s a huge help in SUP, it gives you a far greater range of choices. The Surf/Cruise issue is a little problematic. A board that would be great for you to surf on would be slow in a cruise.
I’m surprised to hear there aren’t any sUP surfers in Jamaica, I would think it would be huge there by now. I would check with any local shop that handles longboards and see what they have for SUP. You might find it’s alive and well there. if that’s not so, then any windsurfing dealer that handles Starboard can order any of the Starboard line for you, which is extensive. Here’s a link to their catalog download page (via Ke Nalu). You want the 2009 catalog. http://www.kenalu.com/index.php?s=starboard+catalog&x=0&y=0 The Starboard super fish is a fine surfing board, okay for cruising, and it sails great. the Element or Gun would cruise better but wouldn’t surf as easily with your size.
You don’t need a big board. Probably something in the 9′6″ range. It will be a little challenging at first, but you’ll master it quickly and it will remain a good board for you for a long time. If you got something bigger–say 11″–you would be able to stand up on it the first day and three months later you’d want a new board. you will anyway, but that’s typical.
Hope this helps, if you have other questions please feel free to drop me a line. You’ll love SUP.