I've 2 SUP boards at the moment. A 10'2" Wedge and an 8' Hypernut.
I've had consistent swell for the last 3 weeks and been loving the Hypernut, but that's for another thread. The swell started to die yesterday and was even smaller today at barely knee high, so I dragged the Wedge out for a go. The initial 5-10 minutes felt wobbly and the first tiny wave was a bit of a disaster and then I got fully comfortable after about 30 minutes.
Is this a "me" problem, or do others have a similar problem, bearing in mind that I am super used to the Wedge and been out on it in very challenging choppy and windy conditions in the past and normally I can be half asleep on it.
The Hypernut feel stable laterally, but the fore-aft stability is the challenge, since I am 1.9m tall and with a winter wetsuit, booties, gloves and paddle at around 1.23 guild factor (133l volume), but it's totally worth it, because the surf performance is just so damn good in my eyes. When I go back to the Wedge it's the lateral stability that is a bit wonky for the first 5 minutes. I would really like to just be able to jump on a board and perform from the get go, but that seems beyond my abilities at the moment.
Once you get used to low volume boards that settle down in the water, a big, high volume board will feel super "Corky".
You are suddenly much higher out of the water and your center of gravity changes... making the bigger board feel unstable.
You can overcome this through repetition.
I surf many SUPs from 8'3 to 14'
Every board I chose simply feels normal to me... because I trained my mind to see each board differently.
That actually started around 1970.... 
After boards went short in the late 60's, that is all I rode.... chasing shorter and shorter
After a few years I missed longboard surfing, so I bought a Greg Noll, Miki Dora black "Cat"
I could surf the longboard without issue... but when I went back to my shortboard, it felt like a potato chip.
Like nothing.... a chippy little board that I couldn't surf anymore.
So.... I started taking BOTH boards to the beach.
I'd surf the Cat for 20 minutes, then swap and surf the Channin for 20 minutes.
I did this until I developed a "chip" in my head that instantly turned a switch which allowed me to surf the shortboard as if I had never been on the longboard.
I saw wave differently, the two experiences became totally different...... but compatible.
My mind simply prepared my body for whatever board I chose, without any adjustment period.
I'm pretty sure that is why, to this day, I can jump back and forth between any size board without issue.
I was going to add a relevant comment - but Creeky, that pic, it's the double of my son in law!!!!
Agree with Creeky.
The other is muscle memory. Even a week later when I use a different board I get the wobbles. Also going from a foilboard to a SUP. The muscles will react the same is it did the week previous.
All I do is relax more & keep the board flat as possible to negate & tippy movements until I get used to the board. Usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes.
Sometimes it will feel a bit exhausting staying balanced after half hour. But then I get that second wind. I usually stay out for 3 to 4 hours.
Select to expand quotesupthecreek said..
Once you get used to low volume boards that settle down in the water, a big, high volume board will feel super "Corky".
You are suddenly much higher out of the water and your center of gravity changes... making the bigger board feel unstable.
Thanks Rick and Seajuice for your thoughts. The bit I quoted especially makes sense to me, based on what I am experiencing, since it feels like when I go back the Hypernut I lose about 5% of my previous stability, whereas when I go back to the Wedge the initial loss is much higher, probably closer to 20-30% for the first 5-10 minutes. Yesterday's session on the Wedge (2nd session after swapping) felt super stable again and today's Wedge session in knee high conditions I came out with dry hair and mostly a dry wetsuit, which was quite enjoyable in 2 C (36 F) air temps. Tomorrow I am going back to the Hypernut and continue practising the swap and get comfortable procedure as much as possible.
I did actually try what you said about the "chip" and recognising in your own mind that you are on a different board when I jumped back onto the Wedge this week. The brain understood, but the legs were slower to catch on.
Select to expand quotesupthecreek said..
Once you get used to low volume boards that settle down in the water, a big, high volume board will feel super "Corky".
You are suddenly much higher out of the water and your center of gravity changes... making the bigger board feel unstable.
You can overcome this through repetition.
I surf many SUPs from 8'3 to 14'
Every board I chose simply feels normal to me... because I trained my mind to see each board differently.
That actually started around 1970....
After boards went short in the late 60's, that is all I rode.... chasing shorter and shorter
After a few years I missed longboard surfing, so I bought a Greg Noll, Miki Dora black "Cat"
I could surf the longboard without issue... but when I went back to my shortboard, it felt like a potato chip.
Like nothing.... a chippy little board that I couldn't surf anymore.
So.... I started taking BOTH boards to the beach.
I'd surf the Cat for 20 minutes, then swap and surf the Channin for 20 minutes.
I did this until I developed a "chip" in my head that instantly turned a switch which allowed me to surf the shortboard as if I had never been on the longboard.
I saw wave differently, the two experiences became totally different...... but compatible.
My mind simply prepared my body for whatever board I chose, without any adjustment period.
I'm pretty sure that is why, to this day, I can jump back and forth between any size board without issue.
I can't post pics as an example and please don't take offense STC but I think this picture must have been the inspiration for the "California Surfer Bear" logos!!
Select to expand quoteSurfKiteSup said..supthecreek said..
Once you get used to low volume boards that settle down in the water, a big, high volume board will feel super "Corky".
You are suddenly much higher out of the water and your center of gravity changes... making the bigger board feel unstable.
You can overcome this through repetition.
I surf many SUPs from 8'3 to 14'
Every board I chose simply feels normal to me... because I trained my mind to see each board differently.
That actually started around 1970....
After boards went short in the late 60's, that is all I rode.... chasing shorter and shorter
After a few years I missed longboard surfing, so I bought a Greg Noll, Miki Dora black "Cat"
I could surf the longboard without issue... but when I went back to my shortboard, it felt like a potato chip.
Like nothing.... a chippy little board that I couldn't surf anymore.
So.... I started taking BOTH boards to the beach.
I'd surf the Cat for 20 minutes, then swap and surf the Channin for 20 minutes.
I did this until I developed a "chip" in my head that instantly turned a switch which allowed me to surf the shortboard as if I had never been on the longboard.
I saw wave differently, the two experiences became totally different...... but compatible.
My mind simply prepared my body for whatever board I chose, without any adjustment period.
I'm pretty sure that is why, to this day, I can jump back and forth between any size board without issue.
I can't post pics as an example and please don't take offense STC but I think this picture must have been the inspiration for the "California Surfer Bear" logos!!
ha ha.... thanks SurfKiteSup, I am kind of a wooly beast in this picture
