Hi All
Wanting to get into SUP but cash is tight and want to get it right with a board and paddle that will do me for a while.
Am 6' but tip the scales at 120kg. Can surf OK, have been doing that forever. Want a SUP that I can paddle around a bit for exercise but catch waves too.
Tried one of those Guy Leech 10'6" from Anaconda (don't know how wide). Very difficult but managed to stay up and paddle around a bit (spent a bit of time in the water too). Even when upright on it the feet were getting a bit wet. I must be too heavy for it.
Tried a Starboard something or other which my mate said was 10' x 34" wide. Way easier to paddle, even caught a wave first go. Something like that must be the go but as I look at the buy&sell pages, there are very few that are wider than 29-30". Is it width that I need (no jokes about pleasuring my Mrs)? Also, how much do I need to spend on a decent paddle and where do I look for all of the above?
Thanks in advance.
Best thing to do is go to your local shop and they should be able to give you a lot of good advice on what is right for you!! paddle and board.
I hear u man !!
From one newbie to another and using the advise the guys here have said over and over again:
Demo as much gear as possible.
I'm just over 6' and 102kg on a good day. Lots of different boards have different personalities. The smaller guys could probably ride a toothpick 
It seems like ur getting an idea as to what is good and bad for you so take ur time a little bit b4 biting the bullet and paying hard cash.
I went to a hire spot and tried everything they had b4 I made my mind up.
Yes demo demo demo is good but what if your new to the sport? how would you know your on a good product? Obviously one board will feel better than another and only you can work that out. And when you do take notice of the board specs of the board that you like. If that board is a little exy try to find a board of similar specs that is at a price that suits. And at a beginner level you don't need to pay top dollar for a board that in 6 months you are going to destroy during the learning process. Go Long, go flat, learn fast then trade in for a smaller board or premium label if you have more coin. 
Reputable sup dealers sell quality boards and if you troll through a bit of history on this website you will quickly be able to make a list of reputable and popular brands so when you hit the shops you will quickly recognise those brands and know you you are trying the right boards. At the end of the day YOU are the person who will be paddling/surfing the board and YOU are the person paying for it so realistically what other people on forums suggest means squat at the end of the day because it's only their opinion based on their personal likes and dislikes and what suits their situation and budget. As you try a few boards you will very quickly know what feels good for you - you know - what paddles nice - what is stable - what is easy to carry and load and store - and what you can afford. As you are looking at demos to try you have to be honest with the retailer and tell them where you will be paddling/surfing and what your level of experience is and if they know what they are talking about and are honest with you they will give you some choices of boards to try that may be more suitable for you needs but ultimately the final decision is up to you. Trust me - you will jump on a board that will just make you feel immediately comfortable and it'll put a big smile on your face straight away - THAT'S THE ONE !
Thanks guys. Went to a shop today and got some good advice (I think). Sounds like the thing to do is go down and hire and try a few out to be sure. I'm so keen I am gonna have to be careful not to just blaze off and buy the first thing I lay eyes on. Thanks again.
This would have to be the best post I have ever read, good work billboard.
hi ericson, you sound pretty similar to me, 115 kegs, 6'1" and have surfed for a long time. i went with the big naish nalu 11'6" and have found the big girl awesome fun on the flat water but haven't surfed it yet. like has been said earlier, wade your way through the reviews on here for beginers and big guy boards, there's a fair bit of info
Roger that pad and billboard. I am going down to hire a few on Saturday and see how I go. Mate I'm so keen to get started, can't wait for Saturday. The more I look into it the keener I get. The only downer is, has anyone else noticed s^&*loads of stingers in the water (even open ocean) in Perth lately? I'm a pretty itchy guy so it's doing my head in for surfing, swimming, diving and no doubt now SUPing.
I've been at it 6 months I bourght a nsp 11'6 as a allrounder (flat water/surf)had to ride it as single fin in the surf so I can turn it said to myself I'll only use it on small days but have found I take it anyway good learner heaps of volume cheers
Check out the hire boards that standup paddle sports bring to pelican point on the weekends. They had a pretty big range of starboards there including a fair few of the larger models that would suit you well.
standuppaddlesports.com.au/product-category/boards/
