Riding a shorter or surf style SUP is more technical than a longer paddle board and you’ll obviously need to pick the conditions and go out in little or no wind or flat water to learn the ropes all over again, but it should not take you long.
Follow these points:
1. Firstly you must position your front foot near to the rail , and your back foot as far back as possible on the opposing rail in an offset stance , all your weight should be on your front leg try and imagine that all your weight is centered in your bum , both feet must face forward, especially the back foot.
Points 2 & 3 are the most important
2. Lean your torso forward at 45 degrees, the goal is to play with your balance by raising and lowering your torso without standing up straight. When you stand up straight you put weight on your back leg and will stall and sink the board and this is why you must stay in a forward leaning position at all times. Having a shorter paddle (around your height or shorter) is useful.
3. During the paddle stroke you’ll have to dig the paddle in as far ahead at 45 degrees, pull back gently towards the rail, and progressively increase power as the blade gmoves along the rail (see diagram below)
This technique is essential when using a shorter surf style SUP, vary the power in the paddle stroke in order to avoid going in circles. You can’t put as much power into it as your conventional longer and straighter outline shaped SUP, and therefore you will not move as quickly!
4. Once you are used to using this movement, you will be able to play with the 3D equilibrium that is apparent in a shorter SUP board, changing the angle of the board not only sideways but also forwards/backwards.
5. Find the correct angle of attack into the water according to your chosen board’s rockerline, and you will soon start moving and the row effect will diminish, after this the main challenge is to keep the correct angle of the board in check.
6. When catching waves, you do not switch sides with the paddle as this will hinder your 3D balance on the board. when going for a wave facing straight out to sea, and you take off in 5 paddle strokes: 3 to turn around, 2 to get on the wave. If you have turned too much and you need to compensate by paddling on the other side don’t switch the paddle round, but rather do a small stroke on the opposing side without changing hands.
7. When going for a wave on a short SUP the goal is not to get speed paddling into it, but simply to help pop the board out of the water when the wave lifts you to take off, the nose will sometimes pop or pearl under briefly but stay with it and it will pop out again once you’re shooting down the face.
When first trying a short SUP, the use of big fins will help a lot with stability!!!
The only other words of wisdom would be short SUP’s turn off the rail like a surfboard not off the tail like conventional larger SUP’s.
Try this article I wrote for paddler magazine Progressing in Paddle surfing
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