I've been stoked about writting this all winter (I'll probably do a real hatchet job on it but I'm giving it a go!) I've been in the icewater of NJ this winter testing drysuits, wetsuits (yes even an amazing 3/2 that worked in super cold water) Paddles, fins. Probably to much testing of the leashes and some limited board testing.Thirty some degree (faraenheit) isn't a place to cut loose when you gotta the serious threat of a hypothermic death. I tell my wife all the time if I had to choose of a way to go Hypothermia would be a good choice. My wife retorts "Don't worry I (meaning my wife) can collect on your life insurance if you die from Hypothemia...I checked"
So with the lure of cheap (read free) accomidations and almost cheaper airlines I went on a 2.5 week Surf Safari. Not exactly Bruce Brown style (Endless Summer) but it got me out of bobbing around with the rest of the ice cubes in NJ.
First I went to sunny San Diego to see the new C4 warehouse & a lot of their new boards & paddles. It didn't cross my mind (yeah...RIGHT!) that they are in the same town as one of my favorite California waves, Cardiff Reef and up to Swami's. A nice reef and a Point break all within paddling (That is SUP paddling) distance of one another with a smattering of beach breaks to stop at in between. I drove by the C4 warehouse (looks big) so it counts as a "business" trip. After my time here I felt I was getting warmed up.
So with another invite from some friends in Hawaii and no reason to go home (cold/wet EC winter) I was off to the North Shore. It was (for me) Big & Hairy got out on the North shore a couple of times, but in reality I had to drive round to find more reasonable surf. I had to be careful as I was not looking for an introduction to the BoyZ in the Black Trunks (Da Hui, not guys you wanna meet alone) and I found my way around to Makaha which is usually a no go spot for lone haole's looking for an easy surf. The BoyZ under the tree at the picnic table are, well let's just say they are more local than the Hui. However, I gotta admit at Makaha everyone was cool. As I took an overly mellow approach to the line up. Well, I guess not exactly everyone. After taking a rather good beat down in the inside soup. I pulled myself out of the water and was trying to catch my breath and muster up enough nerve to go out again. A Hawiian couple came
up to me and said "I've heard of people looking like their dog...but not their surfboard". I was ridding a Starboard WHOPPER 10' X 34" wide. That kinda motivated me to get back out there and also later that evening to go easy on my "Blue plate" dinner.
So what have I learned about Stand Up Paddleboarding
Boards
I gotta give credit where credit is due My "Old Buddy" (that is a joke I don't even know him) Warren (WARDOG) from Surfing Sports in SB, CA said something like this " We know what is to narrow width wise, but we need to experiment to find out what is to wide." I gotta say I totally agree. I find boards under 29" widths more work than fun and I've been ridding a Whopper 34" and I don't think that is to wide but then I think we know I'm TO WIDE! But for the average guy (size & ability wise) 30" wide seems to work the best for everyone. There are some Wahines (girls) out here ridding 24" and surfing/paddling around me, but they are less than 120#. Then there are "big time"team riders out here trying (and doing OK but working REAL hard) Sub 27" wide board. The guys that were real impressive were ridding sub 8' boards @ 31 or 32"
wide. But They were inside the lineup (scrapping for waves) with the regular surfers..not what I'm looking to do on an SUP.
Length seems pretty simple for great glide board lengths from 10Ft to 12FT seem to work best for a around use. Although I had a GREAT paddle one evening with a 12'6" Starboard in Kialua waiting to get a ride on a Naish Glide. Which has a lot of advantages in flat and rougher water. I spent most of my time in some kind of surf. I got to admit the Starboard 11'2 "BLEND and the 10'5 DRIVE just rock in most size waves. Both get down the line with speed the 11'2 might be better in smaller surf & nose rides AMAZING (even with me on the nose) The DRIVE just turns on a dime (give you 9 cents change ) very reactive particularly with paddle turn (Paddle assisted turns) Personally I'd put the WHOPPER in that same group, but I have to admit it doesn't have a sleek/sexy surfboard look, but very much the Ugly Duckling (you know the book Ugly Duckling Grew up to be the swan) I rode smaller boards but I gotta admit I had to
cheat (Knee paddle out, Jump up catch/ride a wave) The C4 9'3 & 9'8 Sub vector & the Naish 9'3" were great. The stand out performance wise was the C4 9'3" Sub vector in a quad fin configuration it was fast down the line & rail to rail rode like a shortboard REALLY! I don't think I rode the shorter SUP's with enough agression to REALLY put them through their paces. One thing I found interesting was the use of QUAD fins. I have a real soft spot in my heart for Quads I was one of the first ASP surfers to ride a quad in competition (June 1985) They are FAST LOOSE and have great projections down the line So the C4 Subvectors (9'3 & 9'8") were my favorite (in a quad configuration) The Naish 9'3 & 9'8 were great too but I think they took more getting use to.Shorter SUP's. I must say I had to lay off the paddle and just surf the board, as the quad was as loose as could handle surf wise.
One thing I gotta say that is being almost abused is the Rail configuration & rail volume. Some mfg are going with BEEFY (thick) rails. Although this improves narrower boards balance it makes wave ridding (any size) a "mushy experience" The Thinness of the Starboards really stands out as sharper more precise board control on the face of the wave.
Paddles
First of all I've worked on a new stroke (for me) More of a "D" rather than a long outrigger type paddle stroke. I got to paddle (in the surf) one of those (outrigger) for the first time Mahalo Kim, Clyde and the rest of the Boys from Waihanai) But anyway back to paddles
First of all we are talking carbon. Aluminum is cool, durable and cheap they work but once you use a carbon paddle EVERYTHING else just doesn't add up. Although I gotta admire the Kinimaka custom paddles. They are works of (WOOD) art & they work but they are NOT a carbon paddle.
Anyway, I used some C4 products the XPR flatwater paddle is amazing cut 10" taller than you it just flies a BIG difference than a surf paddle. If you are doing a good bit of Flatwater it is worth it. I also tried the C4 Stendy Fiberglass extendable paddle (on the fly) an "interesting" option in small surf (longer paddle when you are paddling out & catching the wave shorter while ridding) But I'm working on getting (using) my paddle as a pivot point on the wave face. Plus it flexed a lot so that is not for me. But if you only have one paddle to share it is a good way to go.With the round grip (as opposed to the palm grip)I found myself looking at the paddle more to see where it was .
The standard. 8.5"blade C4 carbon paddle is still the state of the art paddle.
Although I've been using a POWEREX paddle since last July and LOVING it .I had to find a POWEREX to check out the new SUPER Durable edge. And I gotta say I met a real character, Joel (owner of said POWEREX paddle) he was more that happy to SMASH the edge against the road surface and showed me the paddle, not a nick! I took it and paddled out (not surfed) Wiamea bay. If felt just like mine at home (handled carefully no SMASHING) But just so you know both the paddle and I got back in one piece. Joel was waiting for me to come so he could SMASH this paddle on the parking lot for the next disbeliever. Joel BOUGHT this paddle (no Bro deal, no freebie) although he had boards in his truck, he seemed to be hanging out in the parking lot at Wiamea park beating the POWEREX Paddle for fun ...it takes all kinds. I loved his bumper sticker "Make Rice Not Ice" North Shore '06.
I also tried a QuickBlade with a built in edge protector (Joel wasn't beating this one) real nice paddle but I like the bigger blade of the POWEREX and of course Joel.
So besides my new stroke technique, what I learned about paddles this winter breaks down to 2 things Blade Size and Flex.
Blade size I'm a big guy I like a big blade I can power it through the stroke and it makes "Sculling" paddling in one place i(e waiting for a wave in choppy conditions) much easier. Here the POWEREX shined.
Flex there is a lot of talk about paddle "pop" Flexing and releasing. Again I'm on the bigger side I like the solid feel of a stiff shaft like the C4 & POWEREX. I can see the advantages of a flexier paddles for
1) Lighter paddlers
2) Less powerful strokes
3) Folks with Shoulder & Back issues
The Quick blade and the Aquaglides fit this bill! While still working well for all sizes of paddlers.
Other Things You REALLY Need
Like I said in the beginning I started "testing" (that is meant in the broadest sense of the term NOTHING Scientific) Leashes. I broke them in EVERY conceiveable way/part. I tried straight ones coiled ones even retractable ones. yes, beacuse I broke so many I even went out WITHOUT a leash. Here is what I learned
a) Unless you are brain dead or want to become brian dead or inflict the same on other water users WEAR A LEASH all the time, every time, no matter what...Do us all a favor PLEASE! I'll get off the soap box now.
b) The ONLY leash I did not break (all though I seemed to lose several of them after loaning them out) Dakine Kainui. Beefy 5/16" Urethane cord (I replaced the rope it came with to Spectra rope downhaul rope) and a strong cuff with a key feature a cut loose pin (rip cord) Seems counter to point (a) but I've saved my body & board several times. It did however contribute to several LONG swims after.
Next is FINS I've just "dabbled" in this area and I'll be doing even more this spring and summer but having a flatwater (bigger vertical profile fin) is REAL nice to both Paddle & windsurfing. Beyond that I found switching from a 2 + 1 set up (2 smaller fide fins 1 larger rear fin) to a Thruster (all the same size fins) helps in smaller waves. Quad fins wow bigger in front smaller in the rear or visa versa? size? shape? cord? is going to be even bigger questions as the sport contunues to grow. There are even fins for your paddle???
Other helpful things, I'm never traveling without a Mule (carrying system not the four legged kind. Although I could use a Sherpa that doubles as a board caddy) I carried my Mr. Easy (12' X 32") into Upper Trestles (a mile or 2 felt like 100 miles) one day.
Sufice to say THAT WAS NO FUN! Deck Dots (EVA cutouts) used to cover board decks that don't have EVA. Wax is just a mess. Another thing I saw a lot of in CA & HI was waxing your paddle shaft to prevent your hand from slipping...YUCK! sticky gooey mess on everything your hands or paddle touch. I love the C4 Paddle Grip eliminates the need for wax on your paddle plus if you lose it (like me) in a wipe out the colorful grip makes it easier to find (as long as you don't pick green camo) The Aquaglide carbon paddles come with a built in lower grip...NICE! Lastly, I got to say the loose fit rashguard from C4 is really nice as a sun covering in Hawaii. The Victory Wetsuit rash guard is real nice as it sheds water too.
So that is more than most have cared to know about the state of SUP's from my meger perspective. If you got this far and you are not totally disgusted with my grammer, spelling & sentence structure I hope this rambling was of some use, or at least amusement.
Remember too we are offering FREE SUP Clinic/Demos through the year (check the Calendar for dates). Sign up check all this out for yourself. I'm SURE you going to be as STOKED as the rest of us are on Stand Up Paddleboards. SUP's the most versitile water craft I've ever found.
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