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The sport of SUPing is dying

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Created by GreenTea > 9 months ago, 26 Oct 2021
GreenTea
69 posts
28 Oct 2021 5:17PM
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SurfershaneA I hear you. I'm sure it is good to back in the water.

LazyPete
8 posts
29 Oct 2021 2:50AM
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Three days ago I drove to a small creek 2 minutes from my house. I launched my 10,8 Evoke & paddled down the crystal clear creek with the assistance of a light offshore breeze, across the bar & into some small, clean right handers. Surfed by myself for an hour or so then paddled back up the creek aided by the incoming tide.
I'm 56 & plan to be doing this for a long time.

surfmore
70 posts
29 Oct 2021 3:54AM
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SUP surfing is growing in NJ. A lot of guys that were good shortboarders are now suping and ripping on them.
For me a shortboarder for 30 years where my biggest board was a 5'10. Now I'm supping all the time b/c the fun factor is off the chart. More waves, longer waves, when its big I can take off on bombs way outside. I can ride 1' waves and do turns little floaters and have fun. My water time has increased.
I hope it doesn't grow.

I love it. I will never stop.

surfershaneA
863 posts
29 Oct 2021 6:04AM
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GreenTea said..
SurfershaneA I hear you. I'm sure it is good to back in the water.







Thanks. Sure is good to be paddling again.

What I am also getting at is another question for your list,

Was SUP surfing just a fad?

In part I think so. A lot of the ego has moved onto conquering the next hype foiling above the waves. At the extreme hanging onto a space age sail.

While it looks like fun, this involves ever more expensive and fandangled contraptions. If you ain't hot enough to be sponsored your going to need even deeper pockets or a spotless credit rating. Nonetheless, the bling factor is absolutely peacock.

Great thing about this is there is no one in the surf on a SUP thinking they are going to show up the prone riders whilst attempting to ride things so small no one over 65 kg has ever a chance of standing up and paddling them. Things are getting a lot more sensible and it isn't causing anywhere near as much conflict. These day's chances are your not going to cop threats of violence the second you even paddle out on a SUP.

Jeroensurf
866 posts
29 Oct 2021 4:39PM
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Surgolrun wrote:
Surf and Waves
- modern prone thruster, no compromise cutting edge and will always be the pinnacle of wave riding and design.

I do,t feel that way. Yes it is non compromise on a proper wave, but where I live (Netherlands) we have crappy chaotic short period windwaves. There are people sitting in the water for 1h+ with a shortboard to catch 2 waves that they can barely surf because those boards are simply 99 out of 100 days not suitable for the conditions while with an Longboard or Sup you can catch lots of waves. Design wise the shortboards are hardly innovative anymore. Nothing really happened since the Tomo design.......I dare to say Sup is the last decade way more innovative.

Here in the Netherlands the numbers on the lakes and canals are still increasing. Mostly inflatables due a couple of reasons: we are very high populated making ground for houses etc very expensive. so most of us don,t have a huge house with mega garage to store stuff and short spaced an Inflatable comes in very handy. Same with cars: they are in general relative small to mid size so a sup won,t fit in. Now is small a relative term, but an Ford F150 or Toyota Pick up is an huge stand out car here..
In the waves the numbers are more or less the same. mainly hard-boards over there.
3weeks ago we enjoyed Holiday in Bretagne-France, a place we have been lots of times and I see each year more Sups.
Funny: the bigger the waves the more Sups you see, even on pure glass 3-4m days

Personal I used to love racing and long tours but due physical problems that is just not possible but still love to sup in the waves.Right now waiting for 2 new Smik boards that can arrive any day from now..
what did change in my personal number of Sup wave sessions is wing-foiling.
Till last year I was SUPing in the waves with till 18knots and from 20+ switched to wave-sailing. often blown out crap, but I was on the water.
Oct 2020 I started with wingfoiling and since then it has to be really goog or with 10knots and above I,m playing with the wing-foil.Those long running bumps that take ages to form proper waves for Sup or wavesailing are actually pretty awesome to wingfoil. Since I started to wing foil I can go out 3-5 times a week and have 1minute rides where I used to travel half the world for. :)
Wingfoiling doesnt take the flight ;) it has in Australia but I see each month more people on the water, mainly because it suits so well our conditions: crap waves, too much wind for sup, not enough for exciting wavesailing, but in that gap between Wing foil suits perfectly.




Nerdburger
NSW, 286 posts
30 Oct 2021 3:47PM
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I surf sup, 8 ft performance short board, long board surf sup 10ft, 14 ft race sup for down winders, etc, surf and windsurf (wave and slalom).
My local east coast spots (Coffs Hbr region), probably has 10 dedicated surf sup'rs.
No local surf shops carry proper SUP, everything on the east coast is supplied by several big shops in qld and nsw (surf Fx / SC board sports / wind n snow).
A lot of tourist and older couples enjoy inflatables and cheaper non performance sups on creeks etc, but not on a dedicated fashion.
I see a real growth of prone surfing through all the east coast surf schools, mini mals, twin fins, retro boards etc, mums, kids and middle age men, all having a go.
I think it's tough in crowded line ups for people to progress from 9 to 10 ft tank sups (all rounder sups), to proper wave sups is difficult and intimidating for some without a proper surfing back ground.
I think the cost for new, very expensive in Australia ?, (2nd hand fantastic value), the time and effort it takes to progress through to smaller performance boards so that you can probably surf, is a hurdle too much for many.
As everyone wants instant gratification, or maybe society generally has become too weak to progress, or challenge themselves l.
Its the same for wave sailing?, or even kite surfing locally.
Cost, people to teach others, time poor.
Im happy not to have crowded line ups, but always happy to share the stoke if someone wants learn.
I love sup surfing, all aspects, best for crappy waves, super fun for awesome waves.
With a troopy full of sups, surf boards, wave sailing for me I've got every condition covered.

I think the SUP sport on the performance side is dying, as is wave sailing.
A healthy sport has a strong professional competition like PWA for windsurfing and the equivalent for SUP surfing !
I always try to get people involved if they so interest, but I will always love it while I can do them both !!

MangoDingo
NT, 891 posts
30 Oct 2021 6:45PM
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Jon Frank recently wrote about legendary film and documentary maker Werner Herzog.
In an interview with Jensen magazine, Herzog shared his thoughts on skateboarding. Herzog, who (admittedly) knows nothing about skating, said he has the feeling that skaters were among 'my people' mostly because skaters accept trial and error, and, that the effort to improve requires great commitment and determination - and is most often met with failure.

Werner went on to discuss his film The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner from 1974, and he went on to talk about ski-jumping in Bavaria as a young man. 'Perseverance and risk-taking are two characteristics that cull the herd quickly'.

I agree with Herzog. SUP is not dying, but a great many who try won't persevere for their own reasons, and perhaps even more will squib when faced with risks they are not comfortable with (which is cool) and they'll slowly fade away, and thus the herd will continue to be culled. And others will come along and some will persist and push themselves, and inspire others. This doesn't mean it's dying - it's actually evolving.

goggo
NSW, 355 posts
30 Oct 2021 10:44PM
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Horses for courses. Still love to sup, shortboard, Longboard, ding but only so much time cause I still have a job cuz.

Brenno
QLD, 890 posts
30 Oct 2021 11:52PM
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supthecreek said..
On Cape Cod, we have a very strong and growing SUP surf crew
Many good SUPsters mixing with surfers in the lineup and we all get along just fine

Honestly, I can't imagine life without SUP surfing... I love everything about it and get somewhat offended when it is considered less than surfing. I don't accept 2nd spot to "surfers"... I just go surfing, on my SUPs, and I fit in wherever I surf.

I have always felt that SUP has added a lot of dimension to my lifelong surf experience.

Every day, I talk to people all over the world that are buying Surf SUPs





Wow STC, that's quite a crew!
Reminds me of a discussion that was had a while back, about what a group of SUPs would be called.
My favourite is a "forest" of SUPs

Napnap
88 posts
31 Oct 2021 1:12AM
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NE coast UK. To be dying something has to be alive first, still a minority endeavour here-wouldn't say it's alive,kicking and thriving here yet. However, because, it's tough **it, cold etc those that do, do it because they want to, have to, need to and will continue to do so whatever. Still a healthy surf kayak/ski group here as well. Dying no, evolving yes, improving certainly

Surfnbjj
NSW, 57 posts
31 Oct 2021 3:28PM
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I regularly surf in a group of 5 or 6 SUPers here on the NSW Central Coast, that's my direct mates. Then there is a bunch of other SUPers. Definitely not dying here.

ghost4man
408 posts
31 Oct 2021 4:58PM
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Surfnbjj said..
I regularly surf in a group of 5 or 6 SUPers here on the NSW Central Coast, that's my direct mates. Then there is a bunch of other SUPers. Definitely not dying here.


Agree.I live and surf on the Central Coast and I can tell you the sport is growing. I know the chap that owns a very popular store here and he has struggled to keep up with the demand.Definitely not dying on the Central Coast.

wazza66
QLD, 607 posts
1 Nov 2021 4:56PM
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I'm not sure if SUP is dying , maybe slowing.

Reasons IMO......

New boards are quite expensive for someone new to the sport so that scares off some people into trying the sport for the first time. 2 - 3 K plus paddle.

Retailers such as the Surfboard Warehouse used to flood the market with cheaper boards across a range of sizes which allowed many people to get into the sport with a paddle for less than the price of a big brand board. Since Tim left SBW the sup range has all but dried up which left a big hole in the market for newcomers.

Guys who know what they want in a board will always go to the bigger brands to achieve the performance style they are chasing.

Local SUP shapers have all but disappeared up here on the Goldy except for DEEP and Phantom. Many of the old crew from this site used to froth over a post from someone who had a locally made shape but they too are rare as these days.

I also think Foiling and Dinging is pulling a few guys towards that genre as many of my SUP mates have jumped ship and don't SUP anymore.

Maybe the travel restrictions from covid aren't allowing as many people to travel to the surf as before.

Finally when summer hits and the xmas holidays come more SUP's will appear on the water I'm sure.

One thing is for sure when I open my shed and decide which one of my 6 SUP's ranging from 7'10, 8'6, 10' to 12ft, I still get pumped and can't wait to hit the surf.



surfershaneA
863 posts
2 Nov 2021 8:35AM
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MangoDingo said..
Jon Frank recently wrote about legendary film and documentary maker Werner Herzog.
In an interview with Jensen magazine, Herzog shared his thoughts on skateboarding. Herzog, who (admittedly) knows nothing about skating, said he has the feeling that skaters were among 'my people' mostly because skaters accept trial and error, and, that the effort to improve requires great commitment and determination - and is most often met with failure.

Werner went on to discuss his film The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner from 1974, and he went on to talk about ski-jumping in Bavaria as a young man. 'Perseverance and risk-taking are two characteristics that cull the herd quickly'.

I agree with Herzog. SUP is not dying, but a great many who try won't persevere for their own reasons, and perhaps even more will squib when faced with risks they are not comfortable with (which is cool) and they'll slowly fade away, and thus the herd will continue to be culled. And others will come along and some will persist and push themselves, and inspire others. This doesn't mean it's dying - it's actually evolving.




Yes, now the "fad" side of SUP is dying things are evolving sensibly for those who see the positives. It's like a rebirth. Hopefully as I would suggest of a healthier child?

In passing, I enjoy the film analogies. I am off later tonight to a private B-grade screening and have tickets for my first flim of this year's Sydney Film Festival tomorrow. So please excuse my own analogies and creative writing style. We aren't all being fed on Hollywood's latest trash blockbusters?

surfershaneA
863 posts
2 Nov 2021 8:48AM
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Jeroensurf said..
Surgolrun wrote:
Surf and Waves
- modern prone thruster, no compromise cutting edge and will always be the pinnacle of wave riding and design.

I do,t feel that way. Yes it is non compromise on a proper wave, but where I live (Netherlands) we have crappy chaotic short period windwaves. There are people sitting in the water for 1h+ with a shortboard to catch 2 waves that they can barely surf because those boards are simply 99 out of 100 days not suitable for the conditions while with an Longboard or Sup you can catch lots of waves. Design wise the shortboards are hardly innovative anymore. Nothing really happened since the Tomo design.......I dare to say Sup is the last decade way more innovative.

Here in the Netherlands the numbers on the lakes and canals are still increasing. Mostly inflatables due a couple of reasons: we are very high populated making ground for houses etc very expensive. so most of us don,t have a huge house with mega garage to store stuff and short spaced an Inflatable comes in very handy. Same with cars: they are in general relative small to mid size so a sup won,t fit in. Now is small a relative term, but an Ford F150 or Toyota Pick up is an huge stand out car here..
In the waves the numbers are more or less the same. mainly hard-boards over there.
3weeks ago we enjoyed Holiday in Bretagne-France, a place we have been lots of times and I see each year more Sups.
Funny: the bigger the waves the more Sups you see, even on pure glass 3-4m days

Personal I used to love racing and long tours but due physical problems that is just not possible but still love to sup in the waves.Right now waiting for 2 new Smik boards that can arrive any day from now..
what did change in my personal number of Sup wave sessions is wing-foiling.
Till last year I was SUPing in the waves with till 18knots and from 20+ switched to wave-sailing. often blown out crap, but I was on the water.
Oct 2020 I started with wingfoiling and since then it has to be really goog or with 10knots and above I,m playing with the wing-foil.Those long running bumps that take ages to form proper waves for Sup or wavesailing are actually pretty awesome to wingfoil. Since I started to wing foil I can go out 3-5 times a week and have 1minute rides where I used to travel half the world for. :)
Wingfoiling doesnt take the flight ;) it has in Australia but I see each month more people on the water, mainly because it suits so well our conditions: crap waves, too much wind for sup, not enough for exciting wavesailing, but in that gap between Wing foil suits perfectly.


?







I have a Dutch Mate who got into kite surfing ages ago. He is genuinely a smart person. While he was in Australia he gave prone short boarding on a tri fin a go. He had fun. We get consistently decent swell around Newcastle Australia.

However, he was realistic that he was going to face a lot of crap blown-out conditions in the Netherlands, so went with a sail assist version of surfing. Likewise, I have had fun riding a longboard style SUP in the wind wells up North Queensland most short boardriders refuse to consider "waves".

Gboots
NSW, 1314 posts
2 Nov 2021 1:39PM
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Short wide SUPS give hacks like me a realistic chance :
Eg
ECS Slab 7'5
Sunova Shroom 7'3

All doable

les71
61 posts
4 Nov 2021 4:28PM
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Surfnbjj said..
I regularly surf in a group of 5 or 6 SUPers here on the NSW Central Coast, that's my direct mates. Then there is a bunch of other SUPers. Definitely not dying here.


Central Coast is like going to indo for paddleboarding. Especially for a goofy footer. Heading down Christmas and can't ****ing wait.

02Nudger
NSW, 12 posts
6 Nov 2021 7:04AM
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GreenTea said..
I feel the sport is dying. I surf SUP. I've noticed the numbers of wave SUPs are decreasing. Why is this?

- Too expensive for a decent board and paddle?

- Too difficult to master so surfers give up?

- SUP riders are sick of the stink eye every time they paddle out?

- The boards and paddles are too cumbersome to lug around?

- The strain on the body is worse than prone surfing?

Do you agree or disagree?


The end of the day if your not catching waves your not having fun out there. Im closer to 60 than 50 and have a shed full of mistakes trying to find a normal surf board that allows me to catch waves and gives me time to get to my feet and still do what I won't to do. yes it sux getting older with injuries and joint replacements etc, mind still knows what to do but the body can't anymore. That's why SUP surfing will never die. Not all, but most surfers will give up as they get old and will have **** load of reason why they can't or don't surf anymore. Get on a SUP and your a grom again just grey.

All my boards are around 8' and 100l. I can now complete for waves in any line up.

Just take your turn and respect the locals at every break.

ARVY
VIC, 38 posts
6 Nov 2021 8:24PM
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As I'm now in my seventh decade, two quotes/moments come to mind that may indicate that SUP surfing is not dying.
The first from Stacey Peralta's Riding Giants movie when an 80+ year old Paskowitz is catching a rolling wave on a 10ft something longboard saying 'get up Paskowitz, get up".
The second is from Dave Prodan's The Lineup podcast interviewing the legendary MR, who by the way has more talent in his left big toe than I have in my entire body, saying something along the line of 'At my age (64) I'm struggling to get me head around the pop up'.
Riding a stand up there ain't no pop up.
Enjoy!!

surfershaneA
863 posts
7 Nov 2021 9:52AM
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ARVY said..

Riding a stand up there ain't no pop up.

Enjoy!!


Exactly why SUP will always be around as a sustainable option to prone surfing. Not a fad thing, but a rational decision to surf on something sensible.

bearbusa
QLD, 295 posts
10 Nov 2021 12:18PM
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Yep ,at 65 now still loving it , actually bought a new 404 to get fitter for the waves as well, few here that have pulled out lately in SUP ,all-though saw a few new younger guys on sups every day at bribie ocean beach , great to see
Was up at Alex last weekend and still lots in the waves

Kisutch
392 posts
11 Nov 2021 2:01AM
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But is SUP dead beyond the over 40 crowd? I can say this without sounding snarky because I am now 40 :)

malas
16 posts
1 Jan 2022 6:36PM
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Just had a couple of weeks break at Ulladulla, plenty of sups in the water. Got my first wave last week and been out 2 or 3 times a day trying to get more. Just another 60year old grom



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"The sport of SUPing is dying" started by GreenTea