Surfing Waves

I'm completely new to surfing and this might be a really dumb question but have always wanted to try. I live in a place where we only get waves occasionally but not super often. I was wondering if theres a type of board or just any SUP in general that i can use as a paddle board when theres no real waves and then just use it as a regular surfboard when there are good enough waves to surf.

If you learn to SUP well enough you can learn to ride waves with it as an SUP board. It is possible to paddle a SUP prone and catch waves but it's probably better to stand up and paddle to catch the waves. There are a variety of SUP boards and the ones that are good to prone surf on are likely expert level SUP boards not for beginners. I did know one guy who rode a longboard as an SUP board and he could surf it well without the paddle as well but he is an expert level surfer and SUPer. So possible but perhaps not ideal.

Answer is No. Main reason is you can’t get your arms around the average 29-31 inch width of SUPs to paddle prone. A long board of 24 inches is even hard to paddle.
2nd reason is it’s too hard to engage a 3-4 inch rail
But that’s if you’re “surfing” , if you’re just “riding” and going straight after the white water bounce, then riding a SUP is possible.
( question: how do you plan to sit and spin a SUP around when a set comes ? )

Please get an inflatable SUP and learn to paddle that, there are ones that can be surfed as a Stand up paddle board , catching waves with a paddle. That way you wipeouts won’t put anyone at too much risk.
Try to paddle a SUP like a normal surfboard puts your entire shoulder girdles at risk + your elbow of severe repetitive strain injury due to the extra strain and abnormal positioning.

If there is a few surfers in the rare waves that occur you might as well stamp ‚”absolute kook” on your forehead, attracting unwarranted Aggro!
Paddle and inflatable means you are at least aware of your abilities and your willingness to learn safely!
I am not being disrespectful , just letting you know how things are likely to be!

and if you are learning on the sup, make sure you move up and down the break, if you stay in one area and are grabbing all the waves people will get pissed fast

Yes if you're Andre the giant.

I put the paddle under my chest and prone paddle my SUP when I need to get out through the surf quickly as in taking waves on the head situation. I can paddle it, just not as smoothly as I paddle my other boards. I prone paddle sometimes and knee paddle other times where I am on my knees but use the paddle, then stand up most of the time. I have seen guys catch waves prone paddling SUP boards but they are not ideal as they are big and difficult to turn compared to a regular board.

BaNZ wrote:Yes if you're Andre the giant.

LOL

Weight will come into play when talking SUP. Boards are rated by weight and experience level, the higher the weight, the higher the level of difficulty. I know because I SUP and it was much more difficult when I weighed substantially more. I would recommend to check an article about cheap and best inflatable paddle board under 400 for surfing cause it can be useful for you

That being said, you can always sit on the board and paddle like a kayak, or to ride waves on your tummy. Surfing is not the best idea to use with paddle board.

There are many skilled people surfing on SUPs, they do need to,be well skilled, an unskilled SUPer in any line up is a menace to everyone including themselves

The original question was! Can I paddle a SUP like an ordinary surfboard, the width of the board and thickness can cause repetitive strain injuries to shoulders elbows and torn groins trying to straddle the board.
+ immediate kook label!

Normal is a good idea, abnormal would be weird

Well, it might work because my young brother is a highly skilled surfer and he usually uses his SUP paddle for surfing, i also believe that the SUP paddle board plays a role for stability here because he used to do it with his special board that’s made for kids which gives him more control consistent with his body ) For sure it’s only possible with slightly waves otherwise it’d be dangerous. After all, you should be careful and good luck !!

Do,you surf? Where?

Oh, how I understand you! I also live in an area where waves are very rare. Of course, I don't know how to surf, but the weather allows me to row standing up.I can advise you to buy an inflatable paddle board. It is perfect when there are no real waves. However, I also use it as a regular surfboard when waves appear. I recently bought my son his first rowing board. He is a young stand-up rower, but already knows how to control an inflatable board. So if you are also a beginner like my son, you will definitely get it. Always believe in yourself and stand firmly on the board.

torbo1970 wrote:I'm completely new to surfing and this might be a really dumb question but have always wanted to try. I live in a place where we only get waves occasionally but not super often. I was wondering if theres a type of board or just any SUP in general that i can use as a paddle board when theres no real waves and then just use it as a regular surfboard when there are good enough waves to surf.

A lot of the people commenting don't seem to know anything about SUP and should educate themselves on the subject before commenting. SUP was invented in Hawaii for the purpose of surfing, not for flat water rides. With that said, it depends on what kind of board you have. Generally, the 10'6 and 10'8 boards with rounded nose's are ideal for flat water activities. The smaller ones with more narrow nose's are ideal for surfing/racing etc. Lot's of SUP folks also take to rivers and do white water rafting on their boards. As a female surfer who started late I really hate the unwelcoming attitude a lot of surfers have to beginners. I hope you feel welcomed and invited to begin your surfing journey. It's never too late to learn. It might be helpful to take a few surf classes before you try on your own, that way you'll walk away with all the needed surf etiquette. Ideal places to learn are less populated areas with 1-2 foot waves. Serious surfers will generally go early in the morning and in the late afternoon. If there are 1-2ft waves in your area mid afternoon that's the best time to go because you'll have more space to go for waves and make mistakes. If you go out and it's busy, just make sure you don't get in anyones way. Happy surfing!