Review: Starboard Drive SUP 10’5 x 30 (Classic AST) thank you to SD for this review

Being a traditional surfer for over 16 years and having already dabbled with windsurfing and kiteboarding in the past, I’d found that I enjoyed the speed and movement of other water/wave riding craft but disliked all the technical equipment involved, sails, lines, rigs, harnesses, levers and such forth, as opposed to the purity of a surfer who just grabs his board and paddles out.

So when Amara Watersports invited me to try SUP for the first time I have to admit to being slightly skeptical. After my first go however, all doubts went out the window and I found myself immediately justifying buying one. A couple of weeks later I became the proud owner of a bright yellow Starboard Drive 10’5 in Classic AST construction, the big banana.

First impressions were that the board was solidly made and the Startouch wax-less finish offered good grip. The Drive 10’5 SUP was chosen as I wanted a single board I could use for flat water paddling as well as surfing. Without doubt the Drive is a great all-rounder, not only a stable platform allowing any first timer to get to their feet within minutes, it also performs well in the surf.

Cruising across the lagoon or out to sea on a calm day the Starboard Drive at 153 liters has sufficient length and volume to carry momentum between paddle strokes and its 30’ width offers plenty of stability even in choppy conditions.

On this note, taking the SUP out for a paddle is fast becoming a daily ritual, the benefits of which I can feel and see. A couple of fairly recent motorbike accidents left me with a shattered left clavicle and a rib cage resembling a box of broken biscuits, making paddling a surfboard in the prone position particularly painful. The SUP has been my one and only savior during this period and an awesome rehabilitation tool.

In surf the Drive SUP paddles into waves easily and early allowing the rider time to position themselves to turn onto the face. Once moving along the face of the wave, the board continually gathers speed, and by riding high on the wave can make sections that a traditional surfboard would find more difficult. In small waves the board turns a bit sluggishly (to be expected of a board over teen feet in length), however in bigger waves the board feels more alive, becomes more responsive and can be surfed much like a longboard.   

One thing to note is, a Paddleboard is much heavier and more cumbersome than a traditional surfboard and when managing the board, leash and paddle in white water and shore break one must take more care regarding safety. I’ve found in the impact zone you want to be either standing on the board ready to absorb the force of the wave, or as far away from the board as possible. More than once the board has been caught by a wall of white water and almost ripped my leg off with it, a long strong leash with good padding is a must. Even more care has to be taken with regards fellow wave riders as a 10ft board flopping around on a 12ft leash equates to a 22ft radius of potential harm to others.

The only little complaint I have so far is the two outside fins seem to be made of a soft plastic and the lack of resistance makes it difficult to gauge how tight the FSC screws need to go. I have already threaded through both fins with the screws and will replace them with a glassed type fin.       

To be honest I’m still playing around with the Drive and SUP in general, and have yet to realize its full potential. The Drive will remain as my flat water and surfing board however for a different wave riding option I would now like to add a shorter, thinner and lighter model to my quiver, purely for the improved surfing performance it allows.

-SD