At 60 years of age with bulging discs & bad knee I've found it quite difficult to get the strength for kneeling starts. It's mainly the stiffness than pain to get up.
I've found it much easier going from a lying or kneeling position to get up on all fours by just holding the wings front leash or leading handle. My hands & feet in contact with the board before I stand same as getting back on a SUP after I've fallen off.
Understanding that you can get up to some speed & stability on knees holding the wing in position. But for me I don't seem to have a problem from a standing start.
I think the main advantage of knee starts is when wind chop gets severe. I think?

Seajuice said..
At 60 years of age with bulging discs & bad knee I've found it quite difficult to get the strength for kneeling starts. It's mainly the stiffness than pain to get up.
I've found it much easier going from a lying or kneeling position to get up on all fours by just holding the wings front leash or leading handle. My hands & feet in contact with the board before I stand same as getting back on a SUP after I've fallen off.
Understanding that you can get up to some speed & stability on knees holding the wing in position. But for me I don't seem to have a problem from a standing start.
I think the main advantage of knee starts is when wind chop gets severe. I think?

I only knee start on a board that does not float me well enough to just stand up.

Also if the wind drops in messy open ocean conditions (as happened to me on Friday), standing up at all was difficult. After too many falls, slogging back on my creaking old knees seemed the best option.

As a last resort I have found sit sailing to be quite effective and relatively relaxing. For a SUP sit with your legs out in front of you and hold the wing and sail to shore. If the wind lulls off you can let the tip and end of the strut rest on the water.

I tried it yesterday on a 40 litre board and hanging my legs over the side was quite stable and I was able to sail in. That was more successful than my attempts to wing on a 40 litre board.

Seajuice said..80 kgs with a 96 litre board. So yeah, looks like knee starts may be necessary rougher conditions.

I'll have to practise more when I can. Maybe even on a dry floor.

If it is a stable shape you should be able to stand up. I stood on a 5 8 by 28 110l board today at 105kg plus gear. It was easier to knee start but standing was possible. Saved my knees,