BOARDWORKS DESCRIPTION:

Rusty SUP’s are designed to surf. All feature similar bottom contours: Slight release in nose, Flat entry, Light concave in center, A slight double barrel vee coming into the fins, Flat off the back. All boards feature a tight bottom radius on the rails. This contributes to stability and helps to get the board up and planning more efficiently. This is a proven, go-to, bottom design for surfboards that has stood the test of time for decades. It generates a lot of speed yet enables the rider to make smooth, controlled, rail-to-rail transitions with minimal effort.

Dimensions:

Height: 10’10”
Nose: 20 3/16″
Width: 30 15/16″
Tail: 19 1/16″
Thickness: 4 1/2″
Fins Included: 2+1
Volume: 213 L

THE LOW DOWN:
I had been admiring these Rusty SUP’s for quite some time and I finally got a chance to pick one up to test out. Rusty Preisensdorfer is a shaping legend and has 40 years of surfboard building and design experience. He has brought that lifetime work to his paddle surf boards. The result are some very user friendly and performance-oriented shapes. One of our team riders, Michael Tavares, loves his 9’4″ Rusty and I have always admired the paddle surfing of Andre Neimeyer who absolutely loves his Rusty’s and rips all shapes and sizes. He recommended trying one out. The board I decided to try was the 10’10.” For straight surfing these days I am enjoying my 9’6″ Mini Mod designed and tested by Phillip Rainey and I have just ordered the 9’4″ Infinity Carver, but I wanted to get a more stable board that I could do everything on and use for my paddle surf courses, something user friendly and versatile. One of the things I love about the Boardworks line of SUP’s and specifically the Rusty’s is that they have proven surf design built into the boards. Aside from Rusty, Boardworks partners with outstanding shapers like Steve Boehne of Infinity and Blane Chambers of Paddle Surf Hawaii. Phil Rainey’s Mini Mod design is incredible and you know when you purchase any one of these boards they will not only perform on the flatwater but they will offer an incredible surfing experience. These guys are out testing their designs every day then tinkering with shape and design until they have almost the perfect board.

The Importance of Design: People ask my opinion a lot when it comes to purchasing a SUP board and I caution them because there is a lot of garbage on the market. Lots of these paddleboards being pumped out look pretty and if all you need is something to stand on then I guess they serve their purpose. Most people have no idea between a good board and a bad one or a well built board from a cheap one. Put some bright paint on a sup and you can fool a lot of people. I have always tried to push people into buying boards that have thoughtful, proven design with good construction. Maybe that comes from my surf, ski, biking, and sports background where quality gear not only performs better but will also keep you safer in the outdoors. I believe that you get what you pay for. So many people want a cheap SUP and then expect it to perform well in various conditions but with a lack of design and purpose, these board fail in those environments. Living on the west coast of Canada on any given day I can be touring my SUP, taking it down a river, downwinding it or surfing it and a good SUP should be able to perform well in all of these areas, a “jack of all trades” type of board. I want boards that not only paddle well on the flatwater but kill it in the surf if I decide to take them there. I want that potential in a board. Most of us are not lucky enough to have a quiver of boards that you can use in different environments so I tell clients to purchase that one good, well constructed and well designed surf board. The 10’10” Rusty is that type of board. The Rusty stands out as a throw back, a classic that you may have to invest a bit more money in but in the long run will be a board that you will be happy with. Well designed boards stand the test of time.

Tofino Testing: The first place I took the Rusty was to Tofino where I could test the board out in a number of places. My first love is surfing so I headed for the surf. I loved the stability of the board and managed to get through the whitewash and out to the break fairly easily. The 10’10” though is not as easy to move through the break as the smaller lighter boards with less volume like my Mini Mod and I had to get used to the added length and volume. I set the board up with Gerry Lopez Future fins and was happy with the performance, hold and control on the wave. My best session with the board was a day at Cox Bay where the waves held up a bit with a softer shoulder. The waves did not have enough punch for the Carver but were absolutely perfect for the Rusty. I had an incredible “longboard” type session and it brought me back a few years when all we had to paddle surf were the big sup’s. These long boards really put a smile on your face in the right conditions and usually your rides are so much longer. Once comfortable with the added size the board got into waves really easy and like i expected it surfed well and was super solid underfoot. This is a really well constructed board and I was impressed with how solid it felt. The 10’10” is a little heavy and I noticed the extra weight accelerating into waves and maneuvering in the surf. The added weight is a small price to pay for a board that will last me for years and will hold up to the rigors of the coast. I love the stability of the board in between waves and I will be using this board for my upcoming paddle surf course in Tofino. The beginner and intermediate paddle surfer will love this board, a nice blend of stability with performance. From the surf Catherine Bruhwiler and photographer/videographer Adam Dewolfe and I went to explore a nearby river to do some shooting. It wasn’t a big section of river but the rusty was pretty stable on the moving water and pivot turns were pretty easy. I usually don’t like taking hard boards onto the river but the Rusty held up really well and we managed to get some great shots. My last test of was the following day when catherine and i took our boards on a little tour of Clayoquot Sound. I just used a single fin to help the efficiency of the board and for a 10’10” the board toured really well. I was impressed with the flatwater ability and it was very comfortable. Those interested in touring could easily set this board up with a couple of EZ Plugs or SUP Things suction deck rigging.

Bottom Line: The Rusty 10’10” is well built coastal classic that can do everything yet with 40 years of surf design experience built into every board this sup is at home in the surf and will make paddle surfers very happy.