Hi, I’m having a bit of dilema and am looking for help. I have always wanted to get a lay down paddleboard for exercise and mainly to cover long distances at a fair rate of speed. Now I’m starting to think I might want a standup. I know the exercise on the standups would be great, and I could catch some waves with them too, making them a little bit more versatile. My main question to you all is “how are standups when it comes to covering long distances?” How is the glide? Is it just as good as a laydown board? I have heard of standups being used to cover long distances but for some reason I am under the (possibly faulse) assumption they are slower than laydowns. If it matters the laydown board would be 12 feet and the standup would be 12 feet as well. Thanks.
not a SUP expert, but the general rule is a board designed for long distance paddling will not be particularly good for surfing. So more than standup vs laydown I think the question is do you want to surf it or use it for distance paddling. It seems to me that is the big design trade.
You can still use your surfing paddle board for distance it just won’t be as fast. Surfboard design is all about tradespace, so consider which trade you want to make.
OR how about this, start with a flat rocker open ocean 12’ paddleboard that you can do both laydown and standup paddle on, and then once you have your SUP ballance and paddle technique go to a 10’ SUP surfboard?
have fun with it
I was wondering the same thing yesterday?
Is there a SUP design that suites both long distance and wave riding?
Does anyone have any solid measurements for this application?
I think an SUP would be worth having.
this summer i standuped this thign while gaurding, it can also surf and paddle great: http://www.watersafetyproductsinc.com/modules/cart/product.php?template=main.htm&wid=1&did=2&cid=60&sid=0&mid=0&sort=0&s=0&f=0&sf=&d=0&pid=519.
edit: not surf great, but I can get a solid hang five on it.
If lite to no wind…I might stand up for surperior fitness!
Roger
4est generally has the right idea here from what I can tell.
I’ve never used a SUP but I’ve raced against them in a handful of paddleboard races. The few guys who keep up with the faster laydown paddlers generally paddle a SUP that looks more like a normal paddleboard. They’re usually 14- 16’ long with a sleeker template to help spread the water apart and put it back together with the least amount of drag/surface tension. Great for speed/glide but not so good for surfing.
The guys on the 12’ SUPs that look more like a typical longboard are at the back of the pack. With these, I’d think you still get quite a bit of glide and the great workout plus the added bonus of being able to actually use it for surfing. It’s just not as fast as the racing or open ocean paddling SUPs.
As far as laydown boards vs. SUPs, I love my lawdown paddleboards. They’re a great workout and learning how to catch and ride open ocean windswells is pretty awesome. It’s been like learning how to surf all over again.
SUP can cover serious distances – IIRC, Archie Kalepa did Molokai to Oahu.
I doubt any SUP will ever compete with the lay-down paddleboards, simply because a lay-down paddleboard can have an aspect ratio that no SUP could ever match, due to the need for stability with the SUPs way higher center of gravity, but do you care about going “competition fast”?
Getting a 16’ SUP with a sleeker design will probably go plenty well.
Good luck!
After reading all the previous posts I was wondering if the SUP would be able to keep up with conventional paddle boards if paddled in the prone position. If the difference is not too great then Monkstar could have the best of both worlds by getting a SUP.
what about the catamaran longdistance SUPs? those should be able to get really high aspect ratios.
I think a 12’ laydown board (as in a Joe Bark or Waterman style paddleboard) is going to paddle faster than most 12’ standup boards, and you’ll probably be able to use it in more varied conditions as standup boards are not fun upwind or in a lot of chop. However, you could go with a basic stand-up design between 11’ and 12’ and get your workouts in and have a board you can surf, take your girl or kids out for a tandem, use as a fishing board, etc, etc. In VA Beach you’ve got the ocean and back bay so you usually find a nice piece of water to paddle. The bigger standup boards are pretty fast and in a downwind/downswell course they have proven themselves faster than the prone boards on occasion (Hennessey’s Maui and some Santa Cruz area downwind races). I read someone saying when the wind is blowing over 25 knots they’re actually faster than an OC1 - basically your body acts as a sail. These boards aren’t cheap to come by compared to the 12’ and under SUPs. Everybody is getting into the act and there are getting to be a lot of boards out there.
My answer - get a prone and a stand up !
The SUPs I’ve seen so far are wide heavy monsters, specialty paddleboards are sleek and light, no contest in efficiency there. A 12’ ,long board looking, lay down, paddle/surf board might serve dual purpose. Old windsurf boards 11’, 12’, not too wide, make great utility paddle boards.
lets talk about station wagons.
if my aluminum block and dragster frame and
my alchahol burner had a fiberglass '56 nomad body dropped onto it
would it be better than a 46 ford wood panneled
two door ?..
the fourty six coasts down hill better.
…ambrose…
and it goes faster with a tail wind
or no boards on the roof
into the wind.
What do you want to gain from the workouts? Added strength for catching waves or overall fitness ?
Also how late in the season do you want to paddle? SUP can be a bit more pleasant when the H20 temps take a dip. You get pretty wet on a 12’ stock prone board. There’s a photo of a guy in Sandbridge on the Infinity site paddling a 14’ SUP though the ice last winter.
Hey Ambrose,
I’ll talk about station wagons.
I got a 1955 Handyman 2 door wagon apart in the garage.
It’s got a V8 on a stand and a Turbohydro in the corner of the garage.
John Carper told me he has a Nomad apart in his garage.
It seems alot of people like wagons.
I’ll vote Chevy on this one.
OldGrom, I am planning on using this well into (if not entirely through) the winter. That’s another plus I see with the SUP. There is a greater chance of staying dry/warm. But in the summertime, i am planning on paddling (SUP or prone) to false cape from Sandbridge (from the pier or even possibly the market) and I envisioned that using a prone board towing a smaller board with gear, which I could do with the sup as well. then again, in the summer time a sup would be great for those really flat barely breaking days. I am looking for overall exercise too, that’s where the sup comes ahead again. It looks like I’m leaning towards the sup but for about 5 years now I’ve had my heart set on a prone board, going long distances. I wish I could just get both! thanks for everybody’s help, please feel free to add more comments.
yeah thats it build dont get.
build one of each.done deal.
aquisition of materials next.
styro blank s
1 sup’er
one stroker
we behin’ you gangie
Geev UM!
…ambrose…
need more experience before I do that.
This is where it all starts, like Ambraddah said,
“Geevum”.
That translates to charge 'em/rush 'em/do it.
It’s easier than you think. Check out acheateaux’s threads - he’s been making paddleboards and SUP for awhile - doing his own glassing as well. I’ve shaped some of my own in the '80’s/early '90’s but the work & family thing means use all available spare time to surf or paddle (motto: surf first). Still, I like to lurk here and dream of the day when I can see my designs come to life under my own hands (or computer program).
for some swaylocks is in existance to encourage the less than couragous to
their higher potential…
everybody has a first time.
the materials+sweat and time =dreams manifested…
…ambrose…
go daddy go…