Back to the sup after a short run with the shortboard

I've posted recently about being back on a shortboard after a long lay off with injuries. Been like a pig in **** with it.


Anyway cut to yesterday, being back on the shortboard a few months I decided that I will try and improve my tube riding skills over the past week cause I never really learned to before. Trying to learn to backhand barrell ride. I had some mild success at greenmount yesterday. Then I get to kirra. I can see the wide set lining up at snapper that you know is coming. Me and one other guy out. I am so frustrated from years of not getting any good ones anymore (cause of injury) I decide I'm going the next set, no matter what. We'll, I go, (it's onshore too, with a double up in it that doesn't look like slabbing) anyway I get caught between no hands bottom turn and grab rail bottom turn, somehow slip on the chop and fall for a while then get an absolute belting on the surface of the water that feels like concrete. I then get sucked over the falls and ragged dolled and by the time I pop up, get my breath my ribs are ****ing killing. Walk back up to my car at greenmount in agony and off to the hospital. Surprisingly no break. First x ray bloke said there was two lines on the two ribs that hurt, and now if I breathe, ****, or cough it's agony. Had a coughing fit today with the wind change and holy **** it was horrible!!! A breath all the way in and my ribs go click click click. So, after all that it's a sign. God wants me back on the paddle board again. Which you think would be back on first after an injury like this.

As disappointing as it's going to be giving up the shorty for what I'm guessing will be half a year, I look forward to those surfs on the paddleboard where I'm not bleeding for speed and always, always come in satisfied. Riding the shorty some days you come in so filthy, be it crowds or waiting for waves. I forgot that riding paddleboard for 6 years straight.

Hope you have a speedy recovery - backhand is where I have done all my damage - it can be pretty heavy on a SUP too, particularly on a beach break!

There may still be hope for you in the land of 'shortboards'. A couple of summers ago I bought a midlength softboard (7'6 Softlite Chopstik) and found it is the best of both worlds - super fun in mush but actually reasonable in clean waves, loves a barrel attempt as well (made a couple of them in Winter. Fun factor went through the roof and I was able to enjoy riding a surfboard again, have had it hit me a few times and no damage done.

I reckon I could go down to a mid 6' softy and get closer to a shortboard feel on them but I just love how versatile the mid-length is. Had a ball on it yesterday as the crowd factor where I was rules out the SUP in a very common sense way. Had a really fun sesh.

My 3 board quiver atm is a 6'6 Mc Coy Nugget, 7'6 Softlite Chopstik and a 9' Mano SUP - has most bases covered for the last little while for local and trips south. I could have a few fill in's in the quiver if budget allowed - a 9' Mal, 10' SUP and maybe a shorter softy but I budget rules that out atm!

Switching between the 3 keeps me in the water and motivated.

Epic Softy Glider, looks like a heap of fun!

I had this one laying around at home already. Seems good.
www.southcoastsurfboards.com/collections/s-c-s-fin-range-1/products/9-5-rake-155-00

If I was buying fins for it i'd probably buy both of these and swap depending on the waves;
Parallax and Involvement.
flyingdiamondsca.com/fin-collections/cj-nelson-fins/