Longboard vs. Standup Paddleboard

I got my wife an Amundsun 11'3 Standup Paddleboard last year. It was a present for delivering twins. (She's not into jewelry.) I wanted to do a nice comparison of the Amundsun with my Kona longboard, which I also use as a paddleboard.

Length and Width: this picture is a little deceiving. The Kona's fin is bigger so it pushes the back of the board up higher. Both boards are within a couple of inches of length. The Amundsun is a little wider. This makes it more stable.

The Kona has a much more cluttered deck with footpads and the daggerboard knob. The mast track n the Kona is about twice the length. The Amundsun has a smooth, padded deck. I just wish the graphics weren't so boring. (I know. I know. Graphics have nothing to do with the board's performance.)

The Kona fin is clearly longer and thinner.

You can see here just how much higher that Kona fin holds the board. That's the difference between a wave fin and a free-ride fin.

Rocker thickness is quite different. The Kona is almost twice as thick as the SUP board. This makes the Kona worse on the waves, I hear. This also makes the Kona is a little tippier to paddle because you're standing a little higher.

The bottoms of the boards are dramatically different. The Kona has that “step tail” which most other SUPs don't have. This is probably a good thing because the step tail, I hear, slows the board down in paddle mode.

Besides the step tail, the Kona also has a pin tail while the SUP board has a much flatter tail.

I really want to try Kirsten's board in the waves. I did a little surfing when I was younger. I'm also a fair bodysurfer and boogieboarder, so I know I can handle at least the small stuff on a SUP board. Can't wait!