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Charlie Cripwell
SUP surfer
Tell us about your surf riding background and when you discovered riding waves with a paddle . I started longboard surfing in the late ' 90s during a year abroad and then lived in a house full of surfers at Uni , so we were always in the water . I got into SUP while working offshore , as I ' d be away for weeks or months at a time sitting at a bank of screens , and my fitness suffered . SUP was a great way to get straight back in the water and build my fitness level up again while still catching waves . When I couldn ' t get boards to perform as I wanted , I started designing my own and manufacturing under the Freshwater Bay Paddleboard brand .
What ' s your overall opinion of SUP surfing in the UK currently ? Do you see much new blood at your local ? I am on the Isle of Wight , and we have the same faces SUP surfing that have been doing it for years and new people getting in on the action every so often . On bigger days ( head high plus ), it tends to be the experienced few of us , but as the waves get smaller and the weather gets warmer , more SUPers venture into the lineup . Of all the surf riders at any one time , a maximum of 10 % of those will be on a SUP .
Why do you think stand up paddle boarding waves never exploded as some predicted ? SUP surfing was never going to take over from prone surfing , but it ' s undoubtedly encouraged people into waves that wouldn ' t otherwise surf . While it may not have exploded , the number of people doing it has increased . But as SUP itself has exploded , the percentage of SUPers that surf has reduced . I also think the craze of short surf SUPs was a misleading direction for the sport , and one I could never see the point of ; they ' re no use on flat water , and if you want to surf a shortboard , then surf a regular shortboard . The point of SUP , for me at least , is they ' re multifunctional – you can take them out on flat days and ride waves .
As SUP continues to navigate through its new growth spurt , with large volumes of paddlers coming into the fold , do you think we ' ll see an influx of SUP surf riders ? I think the number of SUP surfers will increase , but the percentage of SUPers that surf won ' t . SUP is a massively accessibly watersport transitioned from a side-gig for experienced surfers / windsurfers to mass market participation . Most newcomers won ' t think beyond flatwater paddling , but a few of them will venture into the waves .
Do you still partake in a surf dabble with a paddle ? If so , how does this make up ( to a greater or lesser extent ) your overall paddling ? SUP surfing still makes up the majority of my time on a SUP , especially in winter when the waves are pumping , and there has to be a good reason to put on a wetsuit and venture out in the cold . I ' ll still go for a paddle if it ' s a particularly glassy flat day , but my preference is for waves . In the summer , I ' ll mostly be flatwater paddling and exploring along the cliffs and creeks – trying to escape the crowds .
Final thoughts on SUP surfing ? SUP surfing is a hugely enjoyable side of the sport , but one that hasn ' t kept up with the massive growth of flatwater paddling . Boards will have to be multifunctional , so they can be used on flat water and in waves – although not just bog-standard ' allrounders ' with loads of volume and boxy rails . Boards like our Freshwater Bay 9 ' 11 and 10 ' 6 Classics – great on the flat but come to life in the surf . On the shorter surf SUP side , where riders tend to be at the more ' extreme ' end of the spectrum , they will likely have foil attachments and be multifunctional in that respect .