Sideways vs Waterman

Hi All,

First of all, I do understand you get what you pay for, and these boards aren't on par with the big name brand boards.

So, the missus and I just got back from a trip to Hawaii. We rented SUPs and had a ball, and want one (actually more than one).

There's myself and the missus, a 20yo son and a 10yo daughter.

We're looking for a board to start with. One board. As time and finances progress (recover!), we'll likely add more to the stable.
I'm about 6'1" and bouncing around 100kg. My missus is, I dunno, smaller?
(my guess is about 5' and 55kg... but don't tell her I said that!)

This first 'family' board will be for flat water only. Not surfing.

On the new side of things, Sideways have their SUP on sale for $650 (I'd likely go with the 11' x 31" x 4.5").
It appears that one can currently get their hands on an Australian Waterman SUP (10'8" x 32.5" x 4.75") for $750 with cheap paddle.

Again, I acknowledge that there will likely be a collection of paddles in the house at some point, so a cheapie isn't too much of a concern at the moment.

The only thing that seems to come close in size and price (used) on this forum is a BIC ACS 11'4" x 32". No depth given, but 205L.
The BIC is $650 (if it's still available).

So, which would be the best choice for a budget all-round family board?

You're going to say the BiC, aren't you?

Cheers!

I'd get the BIC.. even at that weight..

Welcome to the breeze..

I understand that the BIC is likely the best of the lot, but at 17kg, it'll be dragged and thrown by the little lady, and she'll hate to use it without my carrying it around for her.

That Waterborn Evoke looks good too, and I work on the Gold Coast, so no need for shipping :)

It all comes down to when my tax return comes in, and seeing what's available then (which should be any day now).

I guess there's always the 10'6" Wavestorm softtop at $400, which may not be the worst option for an entry level family board.

Been looking in the same price range and area, give the guys at alley designs at currumbin a look , good variety of boards in this price range and great service.

Im not involved with them, just appreciate good customer service. Found in most sup shops i have visited.

On a side note where did you go in Hawaii, the missus is eyeing off some cheap flights and thinking we should go.

Also be very careful relying on quoted weights, some manufacturers tend to be conservative with quoted weights while others can often be wildly optimistic. The only real way of telling is to lift them up or weight them yourself.

Select to expand quote

tuscan said..

On a side note where did you go in Hawaii, the missus is eyeing off some cheap flights and thinking we should go.

Hey Tuscan,
We spent 4 nights in Waikiki on Oahu. We never got out of Waikiki for those 4 nights, but loved it. Our hotel was at the very end of the strip, right next to the Zoo and Diamond Head. We then spent 4 nights on the 'Big Island'. We landed, hired a car, and drove around it. You could circumnavigate the island in about 5 hours, so 4 days to travel the island is great. We spent 2 of the 4 nights in Kona and a night in Volcano National Park. We also spent a night in Hilo, and would be happy to avoid that again. Hilo wasn't for our taste.

The missus and I absolutely loved the trip, and look forward to dragging the family over there.
Hell, if I wasn't in the process of finally buying an engagement ring, I'd likely be booking flights right back there again while they're still cheap.

Thanks Dammned67,

Just the sort of trip we were thinking about. Always great to get the opinion of someone whose been. Thanks for spending the time to reply.
Let us know what you end up buying.
See you on the water.

Tuscan,
After losing out on the agreed purchase of the Fanatic Fly, I feel I need to keep tight-lipped for the moment. That said, I went to check out a board yesterday, and plan on picking up BOTH boards on Saturday (or tomorrow, if I can swing it). I was offered a deal that was far too good to refuse!

Re: Hawaii - Was a great trip, can't wait to do it again! If you end up going, I'd be more than happy to detail more of our experiences, and what we wish we did (i.e. hire a car and drive around Oahu).

Cheers!

So the boards are home.
Wednesday I planned on a long lunch break to check out a few shops. The first one I walked into was the Australian Waterman shop. Had a bit of a look around and started chatting to one of the staff. Turns out that it was the only shop I ended up in.
I came home today with a new 10' for my Lady, a used 10'8" for me and two of their 'switch blade' paddles (with the rubber edged blades, which I think are a great idea for beginners and all the kids that'll be on these boards) for a total price of $1009. Yep, $1009.
They may not be big name boards, and they may be Chinese 'pop-outs', but two boards and two paddles for a touch over $1000!
They were selling the board and paddle for $700 (online). They retail the paddles for $150 (and I got an extra paddle), so in my mind the used board coast me $159!

One of the things that sold me on them was the used board. It was returned under warranty... The guy that served me today said the board was a bit over 12 months old, ie actually out of warranty. It's a bamboo topped board, white rails and white bottom. The white has 'yellowed' slightly, that's it. That's all that's 'wrong' with it.
The fact that they replaced someones board, out of warranty, for slightly discoloured white, says a lot to me about their customer service.
Yes, it shouldn't have yellowed already, but it's not too bad, it's just not 'bright' white anymore.

Re: customer service - my Lady was concerned that I didn't buy a board bag for her new board, so last night she hit 'Sideways Surf' or whatever they're called and picked up a board bag (not a bad bag for $100, seems to have a good amount of padding in it, zipper may be questionable over time though). The guy that served me today had no drama's helping me put the new board in someone else's bag and showing me how best to put them on the roof racks of the truck (which was pretty obvious, but he still spent the time to make sure I did it properly). He went inside before I got the second strap on. Second strap was about an inch short. I went back inside to buy some new straps. He offered to come back out and help position the boards to see if we could get my strap to fit. I didn't want to screw around with that, so he sold me a $25 set of straps for $15. I know it doesn't seem like much, but for me it was further evidence of their customer service.

Anyway, thus far it's been a great experience dealing with them.

I'm still disappointed that I missed out on the Fanatic Fly the other day... but now we have two boards instead of one.
I do expect to upgrade these two boards and paddles over the coming years, but at the price I paid, they'll likely remain in the family for the skids to use. I dont have to panic about family and friends (or even us) beating them around.

First paddle of the boards will be later this morning :)

Two boards, two paddles, and great customer service for a touch over $1000. I'm a happy camper.

So thanks to everyone for opinions and advice, and for showing me that Seabreeze is more than just a wind forecast for my fishing!

Cheers!