Restricted to production only? Pigs Ass. Sounds like coles and woolies are into the sup market aswell.

Isn't this a bit of a dead end ? the faster and more specific these boats ( yes boats they're not boards anymore) become, the more like stand up canoes they become. If we're interested in racing each other let's get C1s (k1s if you really want to go fast). Stand up paddle boarding for speed seems pointless to me. The undoubted qualities of SUP are Surfing, cruising, downwinding, gliding, fishing, seeing under the water, looking at whales, paddling from one break to another. 11'6, 12' , 15'3" these are just artificial constructs aren't they? Let's just get surf skis and be done with it.

Greenleader , does weight have a bearing on the speed of these things ,I don't know but it seems to me it might be a very small effect

I think it's just too early to make regulations, shapers themselves don't even know what's the best design...
I mean, are you sure that 12'6 kayak type boards with deep scooped deck are much faster than narrow planning hulls with flat rocker ?
I'm not... maybe they are in some conditions but they aren't in other conditions and at the moment lot of us can still fill the gap with training and technique

so imho, in the 12'6 class as long as your board is mono hull it should be all ok...

Then, to attract more people to the events I think it's up to the organizer to offer special awards to the "winner on a surfboard", "first production board" or even to " the shortest board user" if someone decides to race on his favorite 7'11 !!

how about sup 2.two man boards that could be another class,the system isnt even functioning correctly yet in australia,we have 5 clubs for sup and we arnt that organised yet ,the outrigger boys have got the raceboys covered,let them make the rules and if you really want to break the water speed record on a standup craft take performance enhancing drugs and go for it on anything you can standup in.there wont be to many rules for a while,it will happen but not yet.most sup have only one board,maybe two for the lucky ones,if anyone was fairdinkum about a 12.0 class it would be a standard surfing shape,that way folks might get interested a bit more by just being able to justify owing one.

some sick idea's i love the one where you can bye each others boards that's sick!!!

one more thing to think of is if it keeps going the way it is and we end up racing canoes then ask around and see if anyone will sponsor a stand up canoe event and just see how mush interest you get.. All the interest the sport gets at the moment is because its related to surfing!!

Hey scotty that's not just restricted to the big brands all local stock boards would be sweet as well.

Eric is right it is still early days and I'm sure thing will change 10 times yet.

With the weight issue it would all even it self out, look at the Battle of the paddle they had a strong head wind most of the way and that gave chuck peterson the edge( i read that in the stand up mag) just remember the bigger the guy the more power he can have.

Its part of human nature to want to race and be the best its not for all but deep down its there and its pretty simple if you don't like racing then don't enter a race but as the sport grows there are more and more people who do.

Jacko

I agree with Eric it's way too early to put in regulations, we have 3 categories now it's pretty simple and we should keep it simple. We could clear up any confusion by removing the word STOCK.

1/ Up to 12-6 fixed rudder
2/ up to 14-0 fixed rudder
3/ Unlimited.

You can race a 14-0 or a 12-6 with an adjustable rudder but it would be classed as unlimited.

Let’s keep it simple and give the designers free reign and confidence that all there R&D won't be a waste like the swim suits.

Rob

Piros said...

I agree with Eric it's way too early to put in regulations , we have 3 catergories now it's pretty simple and we should keep it simple.We could clear up any confusion by removing the word STOCK.

1/ Up to 12-6 fixed rudder
2/ up to 14-0 fixed rudder
3/ Unlimited.

You can race a 14-0 or a 12-6 with an adjustable rudder but it would be classed as unlimited.

Lets keep it simple and give the designers free reing and confidence that all there R&D won't be a waste like the swim suits.

Rob

Sounds perfect to me..

DJ

Piros said...

I agree with Eric it's way too early to put in regulations, we have 3 categories now it's pretty simple and we should keep it simple. We could clear up any confusion by removing the word STOCK.

1/ Up to 12-6 fixed rudder
2/ up to 14-0 fixed rudder
3/ Unlimited.

You can race a 14-0 or a 12-6 with an adjustable rudder but it would be classed as unlimited.

Let’s keep it simple and give the designers free reign and confidence that all there R&D won't be a waste like the swim suits.
Rob

So if you have any type of 12'6 board just race!? Are we missing the point?

Let me paint a picture:
In the near future (sooner than later), I would like to run the Nullabor and attend a SUP national comp - there would be surfing and distance paddling. I take my surf SUP and a 12'6 board (hopefully the new Pin). I would love to race against DJ and Lobes on their naish glides, jono on his Starboard 12'6 and Casso on his Oxbow, LSD on what ever he makes that is 12'6. This race (be 2km, 5 km or 10km) would be about the engine, the paddler - not his design advantage. A real test.

Jono would be free to race his pene 12'6 in an unrestrited 12'6 division, but a restricted 12'6 division for - 12'6 x30" boards (flat tops - no scoop or concave) would be great. Rather than travelling a long way for a race that will be won by the fastest canoe.

Even the recent footage from Germany. I would much prefer to watch Jacko take on Ekolu on a board - paddler vs paddler. Ekolu racing his 'board' product, rather than a hybrid canoe.

I don't have the cash to own 3-4 race specific boards and I enjoy surfing, but I would like the opportunity to race against other paddlers, without having a design disadvantage on the line. This is what Jacko was getting at in the first place. We don't make the entire class restricted - just one... a restricted 12'6 class, every other class can be restricted with no rudders or unrestricted to design (R&D in these areas), lets have one class that is purely Board only, so it is just about the engine and the true nature of the sport.

This would be just one class/division (of many) at any comp, but I reckon it would be the most popular

Cheers

Gooch

Firstly, I am in total agreement with Rob, as IMO that structure will attract a higher level of bodies to have a crack entering an event.
Col and Phil, perhaps if the word event was used instead of race will that make the discussion more palatable?
There are lots of reasons people enter an event, some are there to win some are there to challange themselves to beat a personal time, some are there to just participate. For me it is always the latter and to have fun, and I was smiling big time after finishing the Honolua, but just beacuse I want to be less serious about it I should not be precluded from participating on any board I want too that fits within the rules.
As for the whole discussion on Custom Shapers vs. Corporate Producers for heaven's sake give it a rest. There will always be Custom Shapers and there will always be the larger Corporate Producers. It is the Corporate Producer who in MOST cases opens the door for someone new to enter this sport, these very same people in a short period of time may progress to a level of experience that they seek out the Custom Shaper for something more personally specific for themselves that allows themselves to progress even further. Not everyone started out on a pop out but I am pretty confident in saying the majority of you did so the whole argument is a no brainer. I am guessing also, that any surf / distance / whatever event will be sponsored by the Corporate Producers so be thankful that they are there to shoulder the burden of doing so cause I can assure you, the sponsorhip game does not ensure massive spikes in sales for the individual sponsors.
Chris

I reckon if someone rolls up at the starting line for the 12'6" class race and they're on a fancy 12'6" custom race board I concider that cheating.. .

They should jump in with that 14'ers in the same way that a 12'8" should go against the 14'ers and the way a 16'er would go against the 17'er and 19'ers.

Two 12'6" classes would fix the problem but lets keep it symple (KISS)..

DJ

Piros said...

So if you have any type of 12'6 board just race!?

Yes.....who would want to surf on a 12-6 anyway? so if you have a 11-2 , 11-6 12-0 ect that you surf on and want to enter a race you already have a board.

If you like it and want to get serious buy a race board.

Rob

Totally agree - if you wanna have a crack at racing without the expense of buying a full blown race board then just have a go on whatever you already own thats under 12'6 - sure you aren;t gunna be competitive but hell you can still have a bit of fun and get an idea of if racing is really your thing. If it is then lash out and buy a race board. As for all the sooks bleating on about scooped out decks on penetrators/starboards etc - get over yourselves and get your board shapers/importers to build you a board that is capable of being competitive with these leading race designs. If you aren't fast enough why should these world leaders in racing come back to your level - you need to catch up. IMO.