Hey Leeeee. I had the blend it was an awesome board, and event though it is a big board it still was plenty nippy in the surf and I used it for light wind sailboarding to. All around a great piece of kit. I now have the 9.5 wide point and it is just bloody awesome. Also use that as a sailboard from time to time and it rocks along nicely. When you say beginner, are you saying you have never surfed or you are just new to SUP. I am somewhat a more stockily bit lad and have topped out at 110kg (now a sprightly 93kg). I found the blend and the 9-5 both stable and relatively easy to paddle. The blend I would suggest is a better all around board as it is at home on still water and surf and allows you to do a bit of touring as well. These are just my thoughts on the boards and I am not pimping them up as due to a complete lack of talent I am not a sponsored rider :)

Gday Leeeee I have had the 10'5 widepoint for about 18 months and it is a great all round board but i am now riding the 9'5, much better wave board for my weight 110kgs. The 10'5 i have kept for a point type board and for paddling with the kids, an option for want you want may be the 10'5 now and maybe the 8"10 as a wave board down the track.
Good Luck

Greenroom,
I am in Perth.

cheers,

Leeeee said...
I am a 6'2" 93kg beginner and looking for my first board for general flatwater paddling, mucking around with kids and starting in the surf (possibly throwing a sail rig on for general fun too). Ultimately progressing to more surfing use - I can imagine keeping this longer board as an all rounder and getting something shorter when the surf skills improve.

Blend sounds like the better option to me. You can compare the boards also easily in the performance overview at the starboard site and deside what characteristics you find more valuable. Let us know what you've decided.

http://www.star-board-sup.com/2012/product/performance-overview

Hey mate, we have a demo 10'5 widepoint if you get stuck as well as few other great options?

We are based opposite the water at 260 Safety Bay Rd Safety Bay.


Regards,
Jason
West Oz Boardsports
Sales: 0411 510 514 (Jason)
Lessons: 0438 591 755 (Sonya)
www.westozboardsports.com.au

If you have a shop available to demo Starboard boards, give the 11'2" x 36" Avanti a go also. I tried it out for SUP Surfing at Kanaha Beach Park, Maui, and I preferred it over the 11'2" x 30" Blend.

The Silver AST Finish has the sealed mast track insert for wavesailing in small surf conditions.

MAX
San Diego, CA

gregc said...

Max how does it turn at 36 inches wide? Id reckon it would be a bit hard to bury a rail.

Eat more...........its not so hard then

gregc said...

Max how does it turn at 36 inches wide? Id reckon it would be a bit hard to bury a rail.

As my friend "Big Frank" told me about his Jimmy Lewis 11'6" Cruise Control, "when you put 260 on the tail, she turns pretty good!"

Max

Gday, Pete.

Not much time on the drive really but enough to know that i am wobbly in flat water - the 93 kg also mysteriously jumped to 100 over summer.

cheers
Leeee

I was 132 kg when I bought it , I surfed and paddled that board down to 105 kg

Wow nice job Rick great effort mate 27 kegs lighter.

great pics SUPTHECREEK & awesome effort on losing the kegs .. woo too the benefits of an amazing sport ..

I'm baack...

I got a PM that asked about the glide of the Avanti for getting into waves.
I wanted to use picture to answer the query so I will post that part of my reply
here.

The Avanti paddles VERY easily and has great glide for such a wide board... it's width really helps get in early. I have a movie my daughter took where I got 4 turns in before the 2' wave even came close to breaking.... now THAT'S fun... short SUPs are great, but it's hard to beat the cruise factor of a Big Ass SUP.

One thing about getting in early on a board like the Avanti... the width gives the Avanti a curvy outline which adds agility... add good speed and an early takeoff and you have a great "surfability" factor. It makes surfing fun and adds "rippability" to marginal waves

The Avanti is certainly a "tanker" and it's heavy... but once in the water it's lots of fun.
Keep in mind that it is a LOT of board when you are around other people... it sometimes scared me when I was out in double overhead thumping beach break... It banged me up plenty of times... but I never got even close to hitting any one else while I had it... it's one of the responsibility's of surfing a board that big.

The pictures show a HUGE me at 133 kg, getting into small waves very early, a testament to the Avanti's glide. They also show that it provides enough speed early on to allow setting up a good turn.... even before the wave breaks

Plus a picture showing paddle stability as I go over the top of a breaking wave.... that picture is so disturbing to me I'll throw in a picture of me on my 9'6 Allwave, paddling flatwater at 105 Kg on 174 Liters (9'6 x 32") very good glide for a super loose Surf SUP.

gotta put those last two on the fridge.... lest I forget