SUP Surfing

[Barneyrubble]

Going to give SUP surfing a go tomorrow night.....any advice?

[mountain man]

yes, keep away from me.

[surfinsmiler]

Don't forget your running lights and anchor?

[ATTMFKH]

see you at BH in Sept for the 1st Scottish SUP comp

[Black]

Alert the coastguard & local shipping before you board the vessel. Remember your flares, maybe a lifejacket & gps would be useful. Packed lunch?

[insideout]

Probs need a go pro mounted on the end for all the barrels you'll be getting

[lewy]

Yes - come to Bantham where SUPS are a rare sight indeed. There's loads of room and even if it is a bit crowded, just paddle into the middle of the line up/pack and jump on every wave you can - don't worry if anyone else might already be on the wave just put your head down, keep your eyes forward and paddle like feck - oh don't forget to paddle back out on your knees.

[Matt Rose]

As you paddle for a wave, shout 'Make way for the king'

[Barneyrubble]

Jeez - I was expecting a bit more abuse than that Weeders....you all gone a bit soft

I do like Matt's idea about shouting "Make way for the King!" but I reckon some manic circular paddle waving above the head needs to be added.

[Wilson987]

LOL @ the above comments, brightened up my morining

[insideout]

I do like Matt's idea about shouting "Make way for the King!" but I reckon some manic circular paddle waving above the head needs to be added.

In that case if you are going to shout 'make way for king' you need to incorporate some of these moves into your warm up on the beach and maybe when you're outback too, just so everyone knows you mean business.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Gc6kCoVaWQ

[Barneyrubble]

I do like Matt's idea about shouting "Make way for the King!" but I reckon some manic circular paddle waving above the head needs to be added.

In that case if you are going to shout 'make way for king' you need to incorporate some of these moves into your warm up on the beach and maybe when you're outback too, just so everyone knows you mean business.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Gc6kCoVaWQ

Easy done - hit a few surfers on the way past too

[buttholesurfer]

As you paddle for a wave, shout 'Make way for the king'

[REO]

[REO]

yes, keep away from me.

me to!

[toddstorm]

Going to give SUP surfing a go tomorrow night.....any advice?

1. Get some ibuprofen - it's harder than it looks and you are going to hurt like f%*k over the next few days in places that you didn't even know you had.

2. Stay well clear of everybody else.

3. Be prepared for a serious addiction - the learning curve is massively short, steep, fun, frustrating and strangely fulfilling.

4. Try to stay with your board and not rely on the leash - check your leash every session - change it twice a season.

5. DO NOT wear a winter suit - you will poach even in a summer suit in water temps of 11' plus

6. Bask in the inner smugness that even though you are four years late to the party - the party has still only just started.

7. Repeat of line 2 above - surf shit waves - then repeat line 6 above.

8. Do not buy an eleven foot board - there is no need - 9' ish is plenty big enough and once you find your feet you can go shorter. (depending on weight, skill, commitment)

9. Don't be a cock - repeat line 2 above. DO NOT 'CALL THE SETS' - whoever the tosser was that thought that was a good idea - see line 2. There is no need to surf the same peaks that crawlers need unless you go too small with the board. Plus it's more fun on your own or with a few enlightened mates.

10. Welcome to the antichrist club - s'funny how originally surfers were the maverick punks of their generation and now they are the upright, uptight, conservative, custodians of our swell scowling at anyone that dares to be different. (actually thats just as bad a stereotype as saying all paddle surfers are fat, fifty, flatulent and a f'ing useless in the surf).

Having said all that behave your self and generally you will not have any hassle. Attitudes are slowly mellowing.

[Chris F]

Good for you! If more SUPers were like you and abided by those rules there would be no attitude at all.

[Barneyrubble]

Well...here's my initial thoughts...

1. Way more difficult than it looks....balancing on a board even in very slight chop is not easy...lots of off board action!

2. Physicaly demanding in a diff way to surfing......my legs were really tired/burning from balancing for two hours!

3. Steering the darn thing straight is not easy...but I'll get that with practice/technique....used to be a river kayaker

4. Simply catching a wave is not easy - you get thrown backwards/forwards...trying to paddle straight at the same time as get the wave not easy. Once I'm on then nae probs but wtf do you do with the paddle....I twirled it around as discussed above

I'm not aching from last night....cos I'm an athlete (!?) but feel like I had a good workout...legs feel it most and shoulders a wee bit. Can see how dangerous these things could be in the wrong hands....heavy missile!

It was simply different and good fun in wee surf......reckon I'll be after a second hand one for summer....stick the the prone surfing for better waves.

[toddstorm]

The balance comes fairly quickly - you are constantly dealing with lateral stability (side to side) and longitudinal stability (front to back). You end up learning to weight heel and toes alternately, it becomes second nature. Core stability increases very quickly another bonus is how easy you will find prone surfing after a month or two on a stand up - although lots don't bother with prone again.

Paddling out through whitewater (preferably on your feet) becomes almost as much of the whole deal as catching waves - practice this one and it automatically makes the other easier.

The paddle actually becomes an extension of the boards planing surface, fins and rails combined. You use it to project the turning point off the the boards centre on bottom turns making them harder and faster, and to unweight the fins if you want to break them out. You can also use it to maintain stability (like a damper) when it's choppy and to hold tight in the face. Obviously you can also use it as a machete to mow down any wayward muppets that fail to get out of your way! (JOKING - honest I have only ever spanked someone once and they came up smiling inanely - which actually made me feel a little uncomfortable and I had to swallow a bit of my own sick!)

If you are not hurting you will be tomorrow or you are not trying -

Always go hard and never, ever back off. It's much better to try and fail spectacularly than just sit around getting cold. Remember Standups are only there for the amusement and entertainmant of real surfers. What else would they have to talk about?

One last thing - please don't ever describe it as 'awesome'


Matter of interest - what board were you on?

[wannabesurfer2003]

Liking the hints Todd, will keep all of them in mind except for the one about not buying an 11ft board, purely because I picked up my 11ft board Friday afternoon

[skimmer2]

Liking the hints Todd, will keep all of them in mind except for the one about not buying an 11ft board, purely because I picked up my 11ft board Friday afternoon

Think it depends on what you want to do - 11ft is fine if you want to do a bit of everything....you'll get the glide/speed that shorter boards don't have. Mine is the same length of my longboard (9ft 6). Wouldn't want to paddle it for any distance but it is fine for surfing and general mucking aboot. Goes well on the wave too....turns nice

What did you pick up Wannabe?

[toddstorm]

Four or five years ago there was not much choice in the UK (worldwide actually) for boards and most people started off on Jimmy Lewis 11's or Starboard Blends. These were, and still are decent boards, however Standup has sort of split into two disciplines that have left boards like this in a sort of no-mans-land.

Distance - where the boards tend to be longer and faster usually 12'6 plus and

Surf - where performance boards tend to be 9'6 and less.

The guy here with the Nah Skwell should try the 7'8 that they do - it's short but stable and makes you really think about going where the wave is critical. Great in smaller stuff but hard work when it gets bigger. 9' boards can really rip it up, and for surfing the lighter you are generally the smaller/narrower you want to go until you loose the 'glide advantage' that a Standup gives you. Temper this with the ability to stay on the board as much as possible - if you are continually falling it does look a bit shit on the rest of us and there is the chance of hoofing the board into someones face hence the need to keep well clear of other other guys whilst getting the basics dialled. In fact just stay clear of everyone.

Generally you will not get grief from other stand-ups (this is bound to happen sooner or later though). TBH once you get it wired you will not want to go back to join the zoo anyway. Standup gives you loads of options.

The distance thing is a different kettle of fish and at certain levels is rapidly becoming a highly coached, highly technical discipline. So much so that it could end up the way that windsurfing did where everyone moves rapidly to super hi-performance boards that cost the earth and make everything else obsolete. (plenty of used kit for us though). With the weather and conditions that we have had recently - totally shit surf for months - flat water assing about, fishing from boards and stuff is a great way to stay fit and get out on the water with minimal kit.

One other good thing with Stand Up is that Standups will make you think about board design and the effects that it has on what actually happens in the water way more than prone surfing (because you spend more time on your feet actually doing it) - this has to be a good thing plus there are a few 'enlightened' Shapers about Escape Surfboards for one that can make a custom board that will not cost the earth (way less than imports) and tune/individualise the board to your ability and requirements - remember what that used to be like? So that not only can you avoid the masses you can keep the business local as well.

[Underdog]

One other good thing with Stand Up is that Standups will make you think about board design and the effects that it has on what actually happens in the water way more than prone surfing

Most of your comments are quite good but I'm calling Bullshit on that one. Spending just 10 mins on Swaylocks will prove that.

(and what is this "prone surfing" bollocks? - just because you are involved in a new discipline doesn't mean you get to rename the original "propper" one. You are Suppers and they are Sufers. Just saying)

[majordom]

the main problem is that too many SUPers are not surefers but have got
into it from windsurfing or kiting and have no idea of the etiquette or culture
of surfing and no idea how to behave in the lineup

call them out if they misbehave and respect if they rip - just like anyone in the surf

[Jason Beaver]

One other good thing with Stand Up is that Standups will make you think about board design and the effects that it has on what actually happens in the water way more than prone surfing

Most of your comments are quite good but I'm calling Bullshit on that one. Spending just 10 mins on Swaylocks will prove that.

(and what is this "prone surfing" bollocks? - just because you are involved in a new discipline doesn't mean you get to rename the original "propper" one. You are Suppers and they are Sufers. Just saying)

Sounds like someone needs a cuddle.

[wannabesurfer2003]

Hey skimmer, I got a good deal on a board by a company called "hydralite", a pretty basic thing by the looks but a fairly decent crossover shape and size by all accounts!? It's 11' x 31" x 4.25" so she is a lump but nice epoxy build and fairly light for the size. Got the board and a decent bag all in for around £200 less than on the net, this guy bought one for his wife but she never used it so it was all brand New, still in wrapping when I picked it up!!

I wish I had bought a paddle sooner cause while I was struggling in 2ft slop on Friday there were a good half dozen SUP'ers catching and gliding all morning long!! I was a little jealous to be honest! I was straight into the shop on the way home and now have a paddle too........bring on the small stuff.

[skimmer2]

Hey skimmer, I got a good deal on a board by a company called "hydralite", a pretty basic thing by the looks but a fairly decent crossover shape and size by all accounts!? It's 11' x 31" x 4.25" so she is a lump but nice epoxy build and fairly light for the size. Got the board and a decent bag all in for around £200 less than on the net, this guy bought one for his wife but she never used it so it was all brand New, still in wrapping when I picked it up!!

I wish I had bought a paddle sooner cause while I was struggling in 2ft slop on Friday there were a good half dozen SUP'ers catching and gliding all morning long!! I was a little jealous to be honest! I was straight into the shop on the way home and now have a paddle too........bring on the small stuff.

Sounds like a good allrounder....just wait till you get it in the surf...just don't go near anyone and start small.....and get ready for falling off backwards/sideways/forwards and so on. Takes a bit of getting used to all that volume on the wave too..

[wannabesurfer2003]

Yeah mate, totally agree, fully intend to start small and in a little corner far away from everybody. I have been playing around on the lake at work getting paddle fitter and practising turns etc so I am itching to get a few ripples under my belt! Fully expect to go arse over tit several times........

[skimmer2]

(and what is this "prone surfing" bollocks? - just because you are involved in a new discipline doesn't mean you get to rename the original "propper" one. You are Suppers and they are Sufers. Just saying)

So what do you call a surfer who is also a SUPer? SUPfer? Surpfer? All the same...both surf...just differently. Come to think of it so do Spongers.

Spongsupfer? Sursupsponge?

[wannabesurfer2003]

^^^Haha, too much time..........^^^