I have been watching a lot of shortboarding lately with the events and a couple of new release movies.

It occurred to me what I personally think is lacking from many surf SUP. It's called a bottom turn. A lot of people for one reason or another turn mid face or wiggle.

I am no pro whatsoever but the thing I really like in between my shortboards and SUP is that on a SUP you can drive to the bottom further out onto the flats of the wave and really lean the board over onto its rail. I even set my boards up so that they do this without having to nurse the turn at all. For me this is the best bit about riding SUP.

Then I seen this pic today. It pretty much sums up what I like about surf SUP.

I am with you CMC, nothing like a big bottom turn. Power surfing has taken a bit of a back seat to tricks etc these days. Obviously you need the right waves but definitely the better in my opinion to watch.

Casso .....nice BT mate

Nice one Casso.. I'm no expert at surfing SUP's like that but there was nothing better than cranking a big fast drawn out bottom turn on a asym tailed board back in my windsurfing days with the back foot 18" from the tail of the board to carry speed through the turn.

DJ

goatman said...

CMC said...

I have been watching a lot of shortboarding lately with the events and a couple of new release movies.

It occurred to me what I personally think is lacking from many surf SUP. It's called a bottom turn. A lot of people for one reason or another turn mid face or wiggle.

Then I seen this pic today. It pretty much sums up what I like about surf SUP.

Just wondering, but what's this based on? Watching guys on vids, in the surf, pics?

In small weak surf it sometimes doesn't make sense to always generate all your speed off a bottom turn - same on a shortboard. Half decent waves, different story as displayed by Casso in the shot above from the State Titles in June.

Just an observation based upon a lot of what I see in all places including vids etc. I see a lot of great surfing, dogman and sparx newest vid is unreal, watching you at the Alley was educational.

All I am saying is that in comparison to the way shortboarders in decent waves approach each top turn or air or power carve etc etc from the bottom a lot of guys on SUP seem to avoid turning from the bottom of the wave instead cutting it off and turning mid face.

It could be subjective also, I have been riding my shortboards a lot lately and find it impossible to seperate the comparison of how each board feels. Personally the thing I like the most about SUP is that I like the way you can draw the bottom turn out further from the flats in comparison. I like this feeling whether I achieve it a lot or not via being a kook is another question.

No offense intended, I just like watching surfing on rails and that pretty much most turns or tricks look better if they come from the bottom IMHO.

CMC said...


No offense intended, I just like watching surfing on rails and that pretty much most turns or tricks look better if they come from the bottom IMHO.

No offence at all, just curious about your observations. I def agree about how the setting up of a wave using a solid bottom turn looks great. A really powerful one requires a half decent wave, which the Pros always get in their WCT comps.

I reckon the biggest problem with SUP is that at present, it is hard to come square off the bottom, particularly on backhand - and this is a design limitation ATM I reckon.

Full rail carve or what?
Wardog's pic of Colin McPhilips winning the Ventura contest.

goatman said...

CMC said...


No offense intended, I just like watching surfing on rails and that pretty much most turns or tricks look better if they come from the bottom IMHO.

I reckon the biggest problem with SUP is that at present, it is hard to come square off the bottom, particularly on backhand - and this is a design limitation ATM I reckon.

I know what the problem is

Chrispy's comments apply to all surfcraft, not just SUPs. Disagree with the tiny wave comment.

CMC said...

doggie said...

goatman said...

CMC said...


No offense intended, I just like watching surfing on rails and that pretty much most turns or tricks look better if they come from the bottom IMHO.

I reckon the biggest problem with SUP is that at present, it is hard to come square off the bottom, particularly on backhand - and this is a design limitation ATM I reckon.

I know what the problem is

What is that Troll Cat? Hahah. There's ya bite ya stirrer.

It's all very easy you see.Bruce Raymond pattented the bottom turn in the mid 70's and now we're all scared of breaching copywrite laws and getting sent to prison or sued for using his intelectual knowledge illeagaly.Same goes for Jeff Hackman's hands in the air whilst droping down the face,no one does it because of pattent,but SUP riders can because they are carrying a paddle which is not quite the same in my opinion.So,now we have that all cleared up,what is the diffrence between a bottom turn and a bottom hand turn.???........EASY,a bottom hand turn is when the surfers finger tips or his hand touches the water through the turn.So SUP's actually do (bottom paddle turns)and to my knowledge these have not yet been pattented so go for your lives my friends BPT's on every wave with no fear of retrabution or breach of copywrite in any way or form.P.S.(Dave Muir may have pattent pending).

Psh hull ripper. There are no comparisons