Choosing the right board

Some things are better with experience
We've been involved in water sports since 1965 and opened our board store in 1980. No one knows SUP like the Blue Chip SUP Crew

  

We carry over 80 boards in stock across the main categories from:-   Aqua Marina, STX, Starboard, Naish, Tiki and Red Paddle
and our club has tested them all..!    We can guide you to find the right board that suits you.

The main two points to consider;

1. Water conditions:
   • Flat water (rivers, streams, estuaries & lakes) 
   • Sheltered coastal waters & estuaries
   • Surf
2. Paddler weight:
   • Light           up to about 65 kg
   • Medium      from about 65 kg to 89 kg
   • Heavy         90 kg and over

Let us guide you though the choices..  Here is a summary

Board shapes fall into 6 main categories plus the multi person boards: 

	Category	Main attributes of each category
1	Crossover	The most popular style of board, great for all round use in a variety of conditions
2	Cruising	A popular shape for rivers, streams, lakes and coastal cruising with good glide and straight line performance
3	Touring	A fast board which is great for touring and club racing, often 6" in depth and can take a good pay load
4	Racing	Not the most stable but outstanding glide and uncompromised speed
5	Surfing	The high nose rocker and shorter length make it ideal for catching waves and radical maneuvers in the surf
6	Whitewater	Great for stable platform to paddle over whitewater & rapids with a multi micro fin setup
7	Multi Person	Great for some serious paddle fun for groups from 4 to 8

Board category specifications	Lengths	Widths	Thickness	Glide	Turning	Stability
	9'6 -11'6	30" - 35"	4" - 6"	Good	Good	Good
	11' - 14'	29" - 32"	4.25" - 6"	Very good	OK	Good
	12'6" - 14'	28" - 30"	4.25" - 6"	Excellent	Mediocre	OK
	12'6' - 14'	26"-28"	6"	Outstanding	Poor	Poor
	8'2" - 9'8"	30" - 34"	4.25" - 6"	Poor	Outstanding	Poor
	8'6" - 11'2"	34" - 36"	6"	Mediocre	Excellent	Outstanding
	14' - 22'	34" - 60"	8"	Very Good	OK	Outstanding

   

• Length: A longer board will glide faster and straighter and a shorter board will be slower with better manoeuvrability;

  • Race boards are at least 12'6 with long parallel rails to gain better speed, a shorter board will glide less and will not want to stay in a straight line
  • Surf boards will usually be 9'8" or less and have enhanced manoeuvrability due mainly to their reduced size. Nose and tail rocker line will also have some influence 
  • Crossover boards are predominantly from say 10'2" to about 10'8"  and relatively speaking have good glide and manoeuvrability, some crossover boards can extend down to about 9'6 and up to about 11'6
    
    

• Width: Stability mainly comes from the width of a board, wider the boards are more stable, however wider boards require more effort to push their way through the water due to their wide profile

• Thickness: 4" - 6" is the normal range. Thickness effects performance in three ways;

  • 4” - 4.75” thick board are popular for all-round, crossover and cruising boards and are less effected by side winds. The thinner boards are typically less expensive, give good maneuverability and are generally lighter
    
  • 6” thick boards will support a heavier paddler and make the board stiffer than thinner boards, thicker boards are also excellent in white water conditions due to their extra supportive volume
    
  • Thicker boards are more likely to be adversely effected by cross winds than thinner boards
    
    

• Glide: This is how well the board glides forward in a straight line with each paddle stroke

• Turning: A shorter board will be easier to turn than a longer board

• Stability: Generally speaking, the wider the board the more stable it will be, however, length,  plan shape and rocker lines will also have a secondary influence on stability.

• Rocker: A rocker line is the way the nose of the board lifts up to override waves or chop, a nose rocker can also slow a board down due to a "snow plough" effect. Tail rocker can increase maneuverability but will also be slower than a board with a flatter tail rocker.