Just Another Weekend of Loco SUP Surfing in Scotland

Hey Locos!!

Wee Dougie from Scotland has been putting in the miles again. Check out his report from a recent paddle surfing trip up North ‘Just another weekend of Loco SUP Surfing in Scotland’

Having not been on the SUP for a few weeks it was time to hit the road for a spot of surf. A 3-5ft 12sec swell on Sat and Sun was the forecast with easterly offshore wind on Saturday and nothing on Sunday. The swell direction was looking west with a hint of north, which for our chosen west coast spot, works not bad. Too much north and the island of Islay can block it. So with not a chance of wind, we loaded up the SUP and a few surfboards and headed west – approx a 3 hour drive from Glasgow. On arrival, it was dark thanks to the lack of daylight, but I could hear the waves crashing on the beach so after a few beers camped out for the night knowing we should be on for some riding in the morning.

In the morning we woke to nice sets hitting the beach. Pretty regular with an offshore wind making them stand up. The way the sandbar is at the moment, there’s a fairly deep channel straight off the beach with a sandbar about waist deep about 100 yards out. So a short paddle on the flat was required before smashing into some white water on the sandbar. If it had been bigger we were sure to have had a slightly harder time of it on the way out, but I’ve learned to pick my moment before wasting energy paddling into walls of the white stuff…

Once out back we were treated to the odd left hander but mainly some nice waist to shoulder right hander’s. Being a goofy footer I like going left but was getting more and more into the rights as the day went on. Bottom turns becoming a bit tighter with the odd wee top turn assisted by some deep gouges of the paddle. Super fun day but with a slight chill reminding us that the hood and gloves will be coming out soon.

After a couple of sessions, we drove to Machrihanish town. After pissing off the campbeltown constabulary by driving through a wee town too quickly, we arrived at the bar – tail between legs – for some food and a few beers.

The next morning… we woke to the same waves, but no wind. 3-5ft of glass and some peeling rights. Going backside I was able to get a few wiggles down the face with some small bottom turns and hits off the top. The Loco 8’11 board really is the perfect board for my size. I’m an 82kg windsurfer who decided that the SUP was an essential piece of kit for taking on trips. It has enough glide for some flat water stuff but is turny enough to have an incredible time on a wave. Its also got the volume required to put up with east coast chop. In general I feel it’s a perfect board for the progressing UK SUP surfer.

With the tide making the waves a bit fat for a while, only the good surfers and longboarders were taking off regularly. However, the SUP with a few strong paddles was easily getting the longest rides with only a few extra strokes required to clear sections. I took the time wax the front of the board as some of my early ventures to the nose have ended in big bails as I slip and fall off! So for me it was a day of progression. It always amazes me how much your SUP surfing comes on when you get a day of glassy waves and sunshine.

Anyway that trip came to an end and I’m now sat in my flat pouring over all my forecast websites plotting the next day at the beach. The glassy waves and sunshine are rare in the Scottish autumn/winter especially when you are restricted to weekend sessions… To the next time….

If you’re a average weight intermediate or a lady just getting into the sport and are looking for an allround shape with enough surf performance to really test your limits we can whole-heartedly recommend our 8’11”. This shape won the Nationals for us a few years. Rightly so it remains a firm favourite with our growing army of SUP surfing fans.

#GetSectioned2015 #LocoSUPSurfingInScotland #Doug Paton #Loco8’11” #Machrihanish