Well done Crash. You'll never look back now. Might as well sell the windsurfer!

What type of board did you get? And what type of paddle?

The Bower is a great place to SUP - so long as there isn't too many others out. Might see you out there sometime.

Here's a clip of my session at the Bower a little while ago:

Congrats Crash. As a Sydney windsurfer you'll be blown away by the extra water time you're in for. If you're heading for an early tomorrow morning let me know as I might be able to lend a hand.

Sam.

Hey Crash,

Congrats, I'm with ya mate. Got my first waves just the other week too!! Great fun isnt it!

Also got my first little repair to do... good thing I bought second hand!

Cheers to more to come!

I've just got in to work after a great morning at the Bower - it was very choppy which I found really difficult to deal with and the sets were pretty big - easily head high faces. I managed to get the timing better and caught 5 of the set waves, I'm surprised how well these boards bottom turn. I'm having a bit of trouble with the top turn as the board stays quite flat and I fall in backwards - I'm guessing I need to carve more and time the turn earlier. I also caught a tiny inside wave, about 1 foot - I was amazed how well it powered the board.

It's also proving tricky to stay in the chop whilst waiting for the waves, I'm not sure the best way of dealing with this.

I got nailed a few times on the inside and it wasn't that deep - I was worried about the board!

I'm heading to Green Island this weekend and am hoping for some good conditions!

I'm also finding the full carbon paddle significantly better than the alloy one - looks like I need to start saving!

Crash Landing said...
I'm having a bit of trouble with the top turn as the board stays quite flat and I fall in backwards - I'm guessing I need to carve more and time the turn earlier.

Yeah, move towards the tail a bit more with your back foot over the fin(s), turn off the rail and use your paddle to push you around. If you can spin it around so you are almost facing the beach - you won't be in a position to do a back buster down the face (watch the nose dive though). Push it really hard and you can bring the board all the way around so it's facing the whitewater - that way you won't nose dive either.

Crash Landing said...
It's also proving tricky to stay in the chop whilst waiting for the waves, I'm not sure the best way of dealing with this.

Go with Brooko: keep moving - and keep resistance on your submerged paddle at all times for balance. I generally head into the wind no matter which way it is blowing - that way you can keep paddling enough to stay upright but not move too far.

Crash Landing said...
I got nailed a few times on the inside and it wasn't that deep - I was worried about the board!

I've had that exact problem at the Bower. You've got to watch those shallow boulders. My most major ding came from there - fixed it up like this:
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=43389

Crash Landing said...
I'm heading to Green Island this weekend and am hoping for some good conditions!

That'll be awesome - an ideal SUPing wave.

This SUPing is great! I paddled miles on Lake Conjola and then took the "express train" into the ocean and paddle surfed for about an hour. I probably had some of my best ever waves in the shoulder high range.

I then took the SUP out today at Manly with a wavesail and had an absolute blast! 17 knots, cross on with choppy waves - normally I'd just get a coffee! I can't get over how good the board was - I was walking up and down the board as though I had no sail!

stoneaxe - I was thinking that same thing yesterday! Although the stability of the big board was good whilst I watched a 7 foot shark swim within 10 metres if me at Green Island! I got a cracking wave in after seeing it, it was so good I paddled straight back out!!!