Dry Pak Waterproof Phone/iPod Bag

I have a lot of waterproof cases–I love having music along when I do a distance paddle. So I have a H2O Audio case for my Video iPod. Then I wanted something smaller, so I got the H2O Audio iPod Nano integrated headphone/case designed for swimmers. Works great.

But then I decided I wanted to take my iPhone along on long paddles so I could check in with Diane, or coordinate a ride back to the Jeep, or call the Coast guard if I found myself headed for Japan. At first I just stuck it in a waterproof gear bag and carried it in my Camelback. But I decided I wanted something I could stick in boardshort pockets. All the waterproof cases I looked at were bulky and expensive, and most limited access to iPhone features (iPhones have a touch screen). Then I found the Dry Pak.

These are simple, cheap, and work amazingly well. the one I bought was $15 (instead of $80+) and I’ve been using it for months with no problems. The closure clip is a little bulky, so I have to fold it carefully to fit it in my boardshort pocket. But it works. I use a rubber armor case around my iPhone that I slip my license, ATM and credit card into, and I’ve got everything I need in one waterproof packet. I could go around the world with just what’s in that one pocket.

With my phone, credit cards and license I’m good to go anywhere

Simple, cheap and effective, the Dry Pak gives full access to all the iPhone features

You can do all the phone functions right through the soft clear plastic front. And you can talk and listen right through it. Works just fine. I took an important business call a few days ago while sitting on my board half a mile from the shore. Sitting there in the sun, bobbing gently on my board while I talked about stressful business issues made the call a lot less onerous than it would normally have been. When I was done, I stuffed the phone back in my pocket, hopped to my feet and resumed my paddle.

The only thing you can’t do is plug headphones into the iPhone to use it as an iPod. That’s fine for me, I have other ways to listen to music.

Highly recommended

The Most Versatile Sport

So we’re in a recession. I might seem like a bad time to be spending $1500 on a SUP board and paddle. But unless you plan to huddle in your apartment, slowly turning to suet, you’re going to do some kind of sport or workout. Even running takes good shoes, and it’s just not that much fun. For less than the price of a yearly gym membership you can have a SUP board, and it’s simply amazing how versatile your new board can be.

For example, over the last two weeks I used my Bill Foote 10’11″ to:

1. Surf anytime there was surf, and sometimes when there really wasn’t. We had some very small days, when there were only a few people out, but I still paddled out to the reef and had a nice time.

2. Do downwinders, and upwind/downwind runs. On Christmas eve I did a 20 mile paddle with my friend Johnny. He’s the 25 year old son of one of my oldest friends. He’s a surfer, and he’s been paddling in the rivers in Portland. Big. strong kid–I stuck him on my Starboard 12’6″ which is an excellent cruiser and I expected him to zoom away from me, but I actually lead most of the time, the little (for me) 10’11″ worked just fine for distance.

3. Sail and have a blast. I have three windsurfers in Maui, a couple more in Portland, but I rarely use them anymore. I prefer to sail my SUP board. It’s fun because once you get into the waves you’re on a board that surfs well. and the sailing is relaxed and old school. After we did the 20 mile paddle I took Johnny over to Kanaha and started teaching him how to windsurf. In a relatively short time he was successfully uphauling and sailing. Today I’ll teach him how to waterstart, and he’ll be off.

4. Fish–both with a rod and reel, and with a spear. SUP boards are so portable and safe in the water. I’d much rather fish from one than from a kayak. You can get a great workout while you’re trolling, of just paddle out to the reefs and cast or jig. You can see far more than you can from any other craft since the standing angle is so good. With a pair of polarized glasses I can see clearly into reefs that are 20 feet down or more.

5. Dive–what a platform for freediving. I could certainly carry my SCUBA gear on my 12’6″ with the PVC cage i made for it. Haven’t done that yet, but I’ve taken along my freediving fins and mask/snorkel and used my SUP board for transportation to outer refs and as a diving platform.

6. Play with kids–you plunk them down on the nose with a lifejacket and take them for a ride. Kids love being on a SUP board, it’s like their own little boat. They can see everything and it’s exciting.

This is simply the most versatile, easy to use, economical and fun watercraft I’ve ever owned, and I’ve had just about every kind you can think of. I really can’t see owning a boat here in Maui now that I have a SUP. So in that sense my $1500 SUP has saved me $50,000, plus fuel, plus a bigger truck to haul the boat, plus maintenance. Maintenance on a SUP board is washing it off and fixing the rare ding.

It’s a far better workout than hanging out in a gym, and a lot more fun than any other activity I’ve tried. I think it’s the perfect recession/green era sport. Minimal fuel, great for your health, great for your attitude, and you can even catch some nice fish for the table.

Paia Inn: Remarkable and Perfect

We’ve just found the best place to stay on Maui (other than Ponohouse). It’s perfect for any active person or couple that plans to spend their time on the North shore–surfing, windsurfing, SUP Surfing, whatever. It’s perfect partly because of location, but it also balances luxury, tasteful accommodation, and amenities (like private beach access directly to the surf break in Paia Bay!!) in a quiet way that blends elegantly with funky Paia. It’s also reasonably priced.

I suspect that when people understand what a gem this is, it will be very hard to get one of these five rooms. If you’re planning a trip to Maui this year (it’s a great year to do so–more about that later), you should check this out and make your reservations early.

Before we bought Ponohouse Diane and I used to come each April and stay for three weeks–usually at the Four Seasons or some other Wailea hotel. It was expensive and inconvenient to the North Shore, where I spent most of my time. While the Paia Inn existed then (it was started in 1962) it pretty grubby. If it had been as it is now I would have nailed down one of these rooms perpetually.

It’s a vast understatement to say that we were surprised–we expected something ordinary. Let’s start with the location and the outside. Except for the sign you’d never know Paia Inn exists. The rooms are above a storefront–currently a gallery–and you enter the Inn from the back, pulling in beside a gas station.


As you step through the gate you find the first surprise–a shady, cool, comfortable courtyard. Very inviting, very comfortable. My immediate thought was “what a nice place this would be to kick back with a beer”. Paia has wonderful restaurants, but nothing this peaceful and inviting.

Walking through the heavy door we come another surprise–a spacious, and very tastefully appointed lobby with interesting and colorful art on every wall.

In a big hotel the lobby is just for show. But in a small inn like this, it’s part of your living space. And this is a very comfortable place to hang out. The Inn provides complimentary coffee and pastry in the mornings, from my favorite coffee joint in the entire world–Anthony’s–which is right across the street. The lobby would be a fine place to enjoy that, though the courtyard would probably always be my first choice.

Up a short flight of stairs is another nicely decorated and comfortable common area with a computer and printer/fax. The Inn has free wireless high speed internet access and flat screen TV in each room.

The rooms are small and simple, but pretty and comfortable. They are exactly what I like in a hotel–roomy enough to move around in, comfortable beds, nice shower/bath and nothing more.

The location is at the heart of Paia, backed up to Paia Bay. In my heart Paia is right up there with Paris and Portland–beyond just a special place. Across the parking lot is Lightning Bolt Surf shop. It’s Maui’s original surf shop, originally owned by Gerry Lopez, started back in 1972. Across the street is Anthony’s. Besides having the best coffee on the planet, Anthony’s clientele includes every great surfer and windsurfer you’ve ever heard of. You’re as likely to run into Dave Kalama or Laird Hamilton and his family as you are to run into me. A little further up is the Fish Market restaurant–best fish plates in the world–at least I’ve never had better, and then there’s Jacques, Milagro, Moana Cafe and all the other great Paia restaurants. Great clothing and beachwear shops, the remarkable Ship Gallery, venerable Chuck’s restaurant and bar. In short, it’s a great little town, and Paia Inn is right in the middle of it.

On Friday nights you can walk over to the Wine Corner and pick up a nice bottle or a six pack of Microbrews, perhaps grab a Pizza from Flatbread, and then walk into Lightning bolt where Frank shows free surf movies at 8:00 PM. Hit Milagros or Jaques for a nightcap and stroll back to your room. You won’t have walked a half of a mile.

We’ve saved the best for last.

Walk out of the courtyard and there’s a small area with a solar-heated shower to rinse off in, and a private path to the beach. You walk down a narrow lane decorated with carved masks. A couple of quick turns and there you are–at the far end of Paia beach, right in front of consistent reef break. The waves were puny when I visisted, but this is a nice spot to surf and good place to put in or take out your SUP board. I could easily see a short downwinder from Maliko Gultch to Paia Bay, taking out right at your hotel. Handy.

Rates currently range from about $150 to $250 per night. See their website at http://www.paiainn.com/ for more up-to-date information.

Bill Foote Used Boards

Bill is cleaning house on some of his personal boards. Any Maui surfer knows about the high quality and excellent design of Bill’s boards. He’s a very active and exceptional SUP surfer and Longboarder, though I don’t recall seeing him on a longboard in the last two years. Like many of us he’s switched over pretty completely.

All of these are bargain priced to clear them out. If you’re considering a trip to Maui and you plan to rent a board, this might be a better alternative. For two weeks of rental you’d pretty much have one of these free and clear. Then either take it home or arrange for a place to keep it here for your next adventure.

Here’s Bill’s used board inventory:
Custom 10’6” x 29” x 4.5” clear swallow tail with pad and sidebites. $800

Production 11′ x 28” x 4” whit e, single fin (included), no pad. $600

2 custom EPS epoxy longboards . Both10’6” x 24.5” $600 each

Foote 11X29 Production Board

My Gecko board is a custom Bill Foote. Of course I had to wait a while to get it, and it was a lot more expensive than these. Bill’s 11′ x 28″ production board is very popular as a beginner/intermediate crossover board for people under 200#–good performance and excellent stability. You can read the review in our board showcase here: http://www.kenalu.com/forums/showcase-index/bill-foote-11-28/

I bet that 10’6″ really rips.

You can contact Bill at:
Phone/Fax: 808.575.5426
Cell: 808.298.5423
Email:footemaui@aol.com
or visit his website at: http://footemaui.com

SUP Motorcycle Trailer

Some time ago I decided I wanted to tow my board behind my motorcycle. Lots of reasons–my motorcycle gets 65 mpg, my jeep gets 20. the motorcycle is fun to ride, and I have the notion that I can take it to some interesting places that I wouldn’t go with a jeep. we’ll see how that last reason works out, I think the trailer might be pretty limiting.

I tried the Mule, and it worked very well. But I was concerned that higher motorcycle speeds might wear the thing out catastrophically. I don’t want to trash a board if a wheel fails or the axle breaks. Bottom line, the Mule would be fine for occasional use, but I want to do this all the time.

I looked around for some good wheels, thinking used motorcycle front wheels would be good. But I couldn’t find anything. Heavy duty bicycle wheels proved to be quite expensive. Then when I was shopping at K-Mart for canning jars to make lime marmalade I came across a bicycle trailer intended to carry up to two small children. the price was right–$120–and I figured it would form the basis of my trailer. I bought a few lengths of 1″ square tubing and fired up the welder.

My plan was to build a trailer that could carry a 12′ board, but that also could fold, both for storage and to carry smaller stuff. I built a main frame that doubles back over the bicycle trailer base in the folded position, and a tongue section that also folds.

Once the framework was done, I painted the steel, reworked the fabric body of the bike trailer to provide storage under the board, and sewed some rack pad covers for the crossbars. I cut down a flag that Jeff Henderson gave me long ago when I bought a bunch of Superfreak sails from Maui Hot sails and bolted everything together.

Not an easy project, but it works great. the trailer hitch I fabricated for the motorcycle attaches to the rear wheel axle, so there’s no odd pulling force on the bike frame. I can hardly feel that the trailer is there, even fully loaded with a board and all the sailing gear so I can choose to go wavesailing. It tracks perfectly and I can still turn the bike in as tight a circle with the trailer as without.

Of course Diane thinks the thing is hazardous. We’ll see. I always wear a helmet on any motorcycle, but a little protective gear might be in order. I don’t fancy hitting the pavement in my boardshorts.

So if you see a goofy looking guy on his motorcycle dragging a huge SUP board, wave, but don’t turn left behind me too quickly–it takes a while for all the trailer to go by and that’s precious cargo on board that thing.

Maui Boards for Sale

Time to thin the herd–I have way too many boards in my garage. I really need to get rid of a couple more, but even these two are hard to let go of.

JL 11X30 all arounder. I consider this the very best board to learn on, and a fine board for beginner/intermediate surfers. The soft rails make the tail slide nicely, which helps people that aren’t turning hard on the rails yet. This board is in fine shape, a few paddle dings that I have touched up, includes the new style Jimmy Lewis pad with raised tail and edges for easy control. Two fins–the huge JL fin which give maximum stability and is good for nose riding, and a smaller Island Fin Design flexi that’s about 10.5″. This is still my go-to board on days when my confidence is not high. When I got back to Maui this year my first five surfing days were on my JL 11er. I had to leave it home to not use it and move to a more demanding board. I need to stop relying on this comfortable crutch so off it goes for $900.

I’m going to miss this guy, but it’s time to move on

both fins are included

Ku Nalu Hollow Epoxy 12’2″ X 26″ by Sandwich Island Composites.  One of the original SUP boards, and the first SUP board i bought. This board is in cherry shape, a few minor scratches and a repaired ding (repaired and repainted by S.I.C. aka the Ding King). This board is famously fast and surfs very well. It’s not great for beginners because its pretty tippy, though if you master the Ku Nalu you can balance on anything. When I had this built I had Mark include a mast track which was then routed with fingerholes to act as a carry handle. Works great and you can still attach a sail. That’s a good thing, the Ku Nalu is one of the best wavesailing boards around. S.I.C. is still selling Ku Nalus to people who appreciate it’s excellent speed and fine surfing ability. I’d keep it for downwinders but I have a race board on the way. No room in the garage, so off it goes for $700.

I’m also selling one of my two motorcycles. A 2000 Yamaha XT350 with 1650 miles on it–barely broken in and well maintained (I used to be a motorcycle mechanic). 75 MPG and carries two. Pretty practical transportation in Maui as long as the tourists don’t kill you. I’ve decided keeping an extra bike here for friends is a bad idea. Maui is no place for novice riders. If you are one please don’t buy my bike, I don’t want you on my conscience. $4300.

More EJ Plywood Paddle Pics

EJ is really happy with these new plywood paddles. I haven’t tried one myself yet, though I played around with them at his shop, and checked out the flex and strength. I suspect I’d really like these things, and at the price point ($170) they seem like an easy choice. The blades are relatively small area, which is definitely a trend–lots of people are pumped about the new small blade Kialoa Methane and the Warner Carve.

If you’re hard on your paddles this may be the cure for that sucking sound in your wallet. They seem bulletproof.

New Paddle: Cheap, Good and Fast–take all three

Unlike most sports business categories, the SUP world is flush with people who paid their dues. And paddle makers are no exception. Literally everyone in the business has paddling records, Olympic history, technical qualifications, and years of artistry in their chosen medium. We’re very fortunate to have all this talent to choose from. Ernie Johnson of Johnson Big Stick Paddles is no exception, he’s still winning SUP distance paddling contests, testing and tuning his designs every day. The guy is a paddling machine. But Ernie has taken a very interesting tack with his latest offering. A value priced wood paddle series. Just in time for the Wall Street meltdown.

I’m a big fan of wood paddles. One look at all the surgery scars on my shoulders will tell you why. Wood paddles are easy on your shoulders, even if they’re not so easy on your wallet. If you’re doing a serious sprint race, you probably want carbon fiber to minimize the swing weight. But if you’re going long, or for your everyday stick for those daylong surf sessions, wood is a great answer that leaves you with some shoulders to lift that after-session beer.

Ernie has come out with a new, beautiful wood paddle series designed to be durable, easy on your body, and cheap. How cheap? $175. That’s less than you pay for one of those rough looking things that come out of Afghanistan, or wherever. And of course they look great. Not as much a piece of wall art as the standard Johnson Big Stick, but nice to look at, and you still get Ernie’s years of experience and woodworking skill in every paddle. Tough to beat, especially at this price.

You can contact Ernie at johnsonbigstick@mac.com or call 949-412-6980. Tell him PonoBill sent you.

Vancouver Island SUP Expedition

Dave Collins is an accomplished paddler, in both whitewater and ocean setting.  Here he shares with us a little bit about a Stand Up Paddling expedition he recently undertook….

I recently paddled my stand up board solo around Cape Scott, the northern tip of Vancouver Island.  The 100 km. expedition took me four and a half days.  The few people I met along the way seemed awed and perplexed:  “What is the advantage of that?” asked a backpacker on the North Coast Trail.  The question caused me to pause… “It´s challenging and fun… and the view is unbeatable.”

I have the right of way…theoretically

There are no obvious pragmatic advantages to SUP touring versus sea kayak touring.  I went half the speed as I would have in a fast sea kayak.  But, I had twice as much fun because: I saw more wildlife—whales, bears, otters, dolphins, sea lions—than I would have sitting in a kayak; my back didn´t hurt at the end of the trip; and I got to surf waves that wouldn´t have been surfable in a sea kayak.

Sea Lion Serenade

Ultimately, the challenge of paddling standing up with a loaded board proved the most rewarding aspect of the expedition.  Self-contained, multi-day touring on a stand up board is yet another niche of this burgeoning phenomenon which is sure to take off soon.  Here´s just a few of the most important things I discovered along the way which may be of help to others planning similar expeditions.

The Orca and the Tourists

The SUP Touring Set-Up
This was a highly experimental voyage; I had never tried to pack gear on an SUP before.  I started by gluing six leash plugs (E-Z plugs) with marine epoxy along the top sides (just inside of where the deck starts to slant downward toward the rails) of the front third of my board.  So that´s three plugs on each side of the board, leaving about two feet of free space from the front of the load to the tip of the board.  I had to estimate all of this, and decided correctly that I would be standing one to two feet further back on the board when it was loaded compared to my normal stance on an unloaded board.

Yeah, it’s a load

And the paddling wasn’t always easy

The board I used was a Surftech 12´1” Laird.  I recommend going as big as possible.  I definitely could have used some extra flotation (I weigh 200 pounds and was carrying between 60-70 pounds of gear).  The extra weight causes the board to float lower, making is more unstable and slower.  This takes some getting used to—therein the extra challenge.

Getting the load in the right place is critical

I carried everything I would have carried on a sea kayak expedition minus several superfluous items.  Weight is a much bigger issue, so the lighter the better.  I stuffed three main dry bags into one big dry bag which has backpack straps on it.  This is for two reasons: 1) to extra insure dryness of my gear because the load on the board is constantly exposed to the water; 2) in case I had to walk out, I had a backpack.

Then I lashed the load down with thin nylon cord.  Cam straps or bungee cords would have been better, but the eyelets on the leash plugs are too small to allow for them.  I did use small bungee cords to secure some of the more accessible gear on top of the main load, and these I attached to the nylon cord, and/or to the straps of the main dry bag.  The marine chart and compass go on last, on top of the load, so that you can see them easily and are able to navigate from a prone position.

The Breakdown Paddle
About 200 meters offshore, on a forward stroke, I hear a slight cracking noise, but convince myself that I did not just hear a cracking noise.  About halfway across bumpy Blackfish Sound, dividing Cracroft Point and Hanson Island, I feel exposed as I take another forward stroke… crack followed by snap…  and there I am, bobbing south now, holding two useless pieces of carbon fiber in my two hands.  My initial reaction of, “!?$*, that was a $300 paddle!” rolls off of me like the water off my deck as I realize the blessing of the break: I now get to use my break-down Werner Spanker (the broken paddle was not a Werner!).

This happened to me on the overnight pre-expedition trip I took around the Johnstone Strait area, and it really was a blessing in disguise.  Not only because I got to use my Werner, but also because it left me with only a breakdown sea kayak paddle that I fortunately found in the back of my truck.  Otherwise, I would not have thought to bring a sea kayak paddle along as a breakdown.

Up close and personal with Mr. Whale (or is it ms?)

And why bring an extra sea kayak paddle?  Because trying to paddle standing up in a significant headwind is useless!  You won´t make any progress, so you´ll just have to sit out the headwind.  With a sea kayak paddle, though, you can sit down on the board, paddle it like a kayak, and move forward.  This works especially well with a loaded board because you can place your feet against the load, giving leverage, just as if it were a bulkhead.  As well, I sometimes paddled the board in a kneeling position to give my back a rest.

The added benefit of carrying a sea kayak paddle is that it also allows you to switch positions, use different muscles, and give your legs a rest, as well as your mind—when you´re paddling standing up there is no room for daydreaming.  On future expeditions I will carry two breakdowns—one a SUP paddle, and the other a sea kayak paddle.  That way I´m covering all the bases in case of a broken paddle.

Camping

Navigation, Take Offs and Landings
Navigating on an SUP is really no different than in a sea kayak.  I remained about the same distance from shore as I would have in a sea kayak—relative to the conditions and my comfort zone—and I navigated using a marine chart, compass and GPS.

Landing and taking off, however, can be a bit trickier.  On an SUP you have to jump off the board first when landing and control the board by shortleashing it (grabbing the leash at the very base).  Conversely, when taking off, you have to wade out into the water a bit before mounting the SUP.  Here also it´s best to control the board from the rear, making sure to have a hand on the base of the leash so that it doesn´t get away from you.  Launching in surf, it helps to weight the back of the board before a wave hits it so that the board will ride over the wash.  It´s also especially important to find sandy take offs and landings where you can slide the board because you don´t have the luxury of picking it up and dragging it by a bow or stern grab loop as you do with a sea kayak.

The Surf Zone
Paddling into the surf zone—finally!—and there´s no one in the lineup.  I´m not looking to surf any big waves with a loaded board, though.  I wait for a big set to pass and power in to the beach behind the last set wave.  Unloaded, the board feels like balsa.  I am skipping across the water now and waiting for a set to arrive.  As well, I feel even more stable than usual because I have gotten so used to paddling a more unstable loaded board.

The first roller picks me up as I dig in with some deep forward strokes, and I slice a rudder with my paddle as I head left down the line on an overhead wave.  Getting lower and picking up speed I rocket toward the end of the wall, and toward the beginning of an epiphany—there is no better way to travel than this.

Originally posted to the Werner Blog:

No SUPs at Chun’s

This was originally posted in the Forum section in Tips and Tecniques, but I think it deserves to be on the front page. I pasted in both the poster’s and my responses. He makes some great points that I think are important to consider, albeit in a Dennis Miller persona that may rub you the wrong way. 

Kliner:

 the upcoming winter season fast approaching, the buzz on the north shore is not how this winter will compare with last winter or how big the waves are going to be but if a SUP guy will get killed or worse, kill someone in the line up.  It seems alot of people are getting into SUPs; some with a surf background and many with little or no surf experience.  The water is crowded enough with the surf schools and surf contests hogging the best spots during the best time of year (go somewhere else to sell your t-shirts and sport drinks… sorry different rant for a different day) without some SUP kook paddling out to the lineup.   Too many of your SUP kooks (oops, I mean brethren) think if it looks like a surfboard and I ride it, I must be a surfer.  Wrong.  You’re a dude that is willing to shell out $1500-$2500 for a over-weight, over-priced, oxymoronic (come on, you got to admit “High Preformance SUP” is an oxymoron) symbol of the evil comercial surf industry (It was sad to see super waterman Dave Kalama doing a SUP instruction video aimed at middle America - that’s proof enough that the “MAN” is behind the whole SUP craze when Kalama sells out… expect Naish to sell out but not Kalama).  There was a reason why standup paddling died out in the past – evolution (and the ire of the lineup).

So do us all a favor and SUP responsibly.  Educate non-surfer SUP dudes.  Work on your core muscles like a fat man on an ab lounger.  Create a new economy and business model by making the “surf” culture accessible to every non-surfer and land locked american with a credit card.  Paddle, paddle, paddle… just don’t paddle into the lineup at Chun’s.  

Aloha

ps  if you’re asking yourself “Where’s Chun’s?”, definitely, definitely stay out of the lineup.  Any lineup.

 

PonoBill:

PonoBill said:

I think you’d be surprised how many SUP surfer’s agree with you, even given your ill-mannered approach. I know that I have no business in any serious lineup, or any crowded one. I drive past Ho’okipa every day on my way to surf, give it a longing look, and keep driving.

Part of the draw is that you don’t need to crowd the usual breaks–you can go further and surf places that no one bothers with. I’ve found places on the Oregon coast that are within sight of crowded breaks (or as crowded as that half-frozen water ever gets) that are not only empty, but fit my geezer skills a lot better. I expect this year in Maui that I’m going to find all kinds of new spots, because I now consider a five mile paddle to be a nice warm up.

All the same, don’t expect the good guys to take you seriously if all you do is rant.

---

Kliner:

 

Ill mannered approach?   Rant… yes but ill mannered… come one, dude… a little humor about a topic that I don’t expect the “good guys”  to take serious anyway…

As with other new water activities, self regulation and education will go along way… one just has to review the past history of other emerging water sports (e.g. jet skiis, windsurfing, kite boarding), the subsequent clash with existing, traditional water use activities, and the resulting regulation (depending on your water activity of choice – banning might be a more appropriate word) of water use activities at particular beaches… so if SUP dudes (& wahines) wish to continue to have access to all beaches and live in harmony with others, a good base of what is “pono” and what is not will go a long way for a sport that is experiencing exponential growth…

Aloha

ps  I do SUP myself but only with a bag over my head and in the dark so no one sees me…

PonoBill:

You’re damned good writer. Take that bag off and write some articles for Ke Nalu. Or leave it on and help us spread the word that SUPers need to be pono, or at least strive for it.

New Werner Paddles

I received this news release from Werner Paddles yesterday and asked for pictures. They look pretty interesting, the shapes are unusual, I wish the picture showed the shape from the side and back as well, but here’s what I have:
For Release: Trade: August 25, 2008

Werner Expands Stand Up Paddle Offerings
Werner Paddles has announced the introduction of two new Stand Up Paddles: The Werner Advantage and the Werner Carve. Both paddles will be available to ship beginning September 01, 2008.

As participation explodes in the Stand Up Paddle category, Werner is responding with new paddle designs that focus on the two aspects of the sport, touring and surfing.

The new Werner Advantage
The Advantage is a Premium fiberglass laminate construction blade with a modified tear drop shape designed to optimize straight ahead efficiency for touring.

The new Werner Carve

The Carve consists of the same construction as the Advantage but the shape is smaller, longer and more slender, specifically designed for dynamic surfing and turning.

Both the Advantage and the Carve come with a fiberglass oval indexed shaft and ABS Palm-grip. Werner offers three shaft configurations. The 1-piece is the lightest weight option and is least expensive ($219).

The 2–piece is perfect for paddlers who travel with their paddle ($234). The Adjustable length telescopes with four settings, each 1.5 inches apart; perfect for those individuals who move between touring and surfing ($259).

“Stand Up Paddling is a real growth opportunity for surf and paddle sports dealers. We are excited to expand our Stand Up Paddle offerings to respond to the specific demands of the market,” says Jim Miller, Werner’s Marketing Manger.

Werner Paddles is the leading manufacturer of high quality kayak, canoe, and stand up paddles, operating near the banks of the Skykomish River in Sultan, WA. For more information call 800.275.3311 or visit us at www.wernerpaddles.com

Mule Transport System

I was browsing through my email trying to find the addresses of the people I owe rash guards to (they’re coming, honest, the only bad news is that it turned out we only have XL and XXL left. If that’s way to big maybe you can use it as a board cover) and I came across some pictures submitted long ago by Robert Stehlik from Blue Planet Surf. He was at the board test and took some nice shots. One of them was a picture of registration, and a reminder of another person I owe some recognition to. James from Mule Transport Systems sent us two SUP mules to use in the board test. In the picture below you can see my own S.I.C. Ku Nalu with a mule attached. It was a lifesaver. We used it to carry all those heavy coolers and the tent from the parking lot to our set up area. We just stacked stuff on the board and rolled it on down to the beach.

After the test I started using one to take my SUP board to the beach behind my motorcycle–a Honda XR650. It worked great. I bungeed on a milk crate to carry all my junk, and stuffed the paddle into the nose bag. I’m sure James would cringe to hear this, but I hit 55 on occasion, with some crosswinds, and never had a wobble. A great way to get to the beach and then get your gear all the way to the waters edge without breaking a sweat.

When I first looked at the pictures I thought “I could build that for less than $99 bucks” but now that I’ve seen how well made and well thought out every element is, I’m certain that the Mule is a bargain. It all come apart and goes into an amazingly small bag. It’s easy to put on the the board and attach to your bicycle or motorcycle. The wheels track true and the board is well supported and reasonably well protected. Make sure you specify the SUP version if you’re buying it for a SUP board, the axle needs to be wider than the standard system.

Simply put, highly recommended, especially if you need to walk a ways to the beach and you’d like to carry some other stuff. We piled it on and the mule took it with no strain.

Starboard Dealer Meeting: General

Netarts Oregon, just after dark: I’m stumbling down a steep and slippery trail in pitch blackness, holding a pan of blackberry cobbler in one hand, trying decide what to do with it when I fall…

Netarts is a little town on the Oregon coast that sounds like it’s spelled backwards. Straten–hmmm, that sounds a lot better. Diane picked me up from the airport after a typically screwed return (canceled flights and all that modern air travel irritation) from Boston and the Cape Cod Challenge. We dropped off my bags from that trip, tossed a different set into the truck and headed for the Starboard Dealer convention.

I had traded emails about accommodations with Declan Sacre and his wife Tracy from Trident Sports–Starboard’s North American distributor. I told them I’d arrive a little late. Now I was wandering in the dark, looking for Tracy so she could tell us where we were staying. I finally staggered back to the campfire where Diane had remained while I searched, listening to Ekolu Kalama and several other Starboard guests playing guitars and singing. They sounded fantastic. The cobbler was still intact. My jet lag and recent lack of sleep has me somewhere in a time zone around Greenland. Tracy was there and she steered us to our accommodations. I’m seeing double. Off to bed.

Starboard Conference headquarters

Next morning–a good breakfast refreshed what’s left of my mind. We gathered in the living room of one of the houses Trident rented. While the first day of presentations mostly concerned sailboards (a topic I still have a lot of personal interest in) there was a lot of attention paid to general marketing trends, focused mainly on ways to revive the abysmal windsurfing marketing and the synergy between SUP and windsurfing. Starboard has access to a substantial body of market research both from trade organizations and it’s own surveying efforts.

Svein Rassmussen, Starboard’s CEO, holds forth on the windsurfing market

It’s clear that windsurfing did not follow the typical adoption curve of most active sports. After reaching a very strong peak it declined precipitously leveling off at a much lower participation rate than similar sports. They typical boom/leveling cycle for active sports goes through a very fast growth period when the sport is “cool” and everyone knows about it, then declines to a maintenance level at perhaps 60 percent of the peak. Windsurfing declined to something like 20 percent of the peak participation. Starboard maintains that was because all manufacturers focused solely on the performance end of the market, abandoning longboards and the simple fun of being on a board in light wind in favor of sinker shortboards and high-performance sails that required careful selection and tuning to meet conditions. They are looking to SUP to rectify that problem! More on that later.

The second day was devoted to Stand Up Paddlesurfing and wavesailing using SUP boards. It’s clear that Starboard is investing heavily in SUP and considers it the next major active watersport. Their manufacturing plans bear that out. For 2008 they planned to build 2750 SUP boards and actually will deliver over 3000. That’s more than double their 2007 production. For 2009 they plan to build 6800 boards–again, more than double, and for 2010 they expect to build 14000. That’s three years of 100 percent growth from a single manufacturer. That’s an important trend given that Starboard is perhaps the most sophisticated SUP manufacturer in terms of understanding international distribution and demand.

A SUP Board with a centerboard! The SUPer is super versatile

I’ll talk about the crossover they expect between SUP and Windsurfing in another article, but this new board, or perhaps more like this modification of their best selling board, is the prime example. I think we all forget sometimes how versatile a SUP board can be. You can surf it, race it, paddle flatwater, sail it, camp with it, fish from it, run whitewater rapids, wake surf it, and take the kids and dog for a ride. There really isn’t anything like it in any sport I know of, and that factor alone should account for a great growth in SUP popularity–if it gets properly communicated. The showcase for the sport is the performance end–people surfing big waves–but the characteristics that can give this sport huge growth and maximize it’s sustained level after that growth is the mundane use: poling around on a river, fishing in a mountain lake, surfing little knee-high shorebreak that no prone surfer cares about. We’re going to make a special effort to continue coverage of those aspects in Ke Nalu.

Svein demonstrates the special no-leak centerboard gasket

A little about this SUPer board. It’s a 12’6 with a very sophisticated full centerboard. The channel under the centerboard has a special L-shaped design so water can’t push up thought it and add drag to the board. The centerboard can be easily removed or it can be left in place with just the control knob removed to ensure it doesn’t get in the way. With the centerboard down the board goes upwind wonderfully under sail. Kick it back a little and you have more stability and drive for reaches, and you can kick it up completely for downwind.

The centerboard is a full foil and is very flexible

The centerboard also adds stability for teaching students to balance a SUP board. With the centerboard down the 12’6″ has much more initial stability. I didn’t like the feel once the board is tipped–the centerboard makes recovery slow, but I’m very used to the way a 12’6″ feels, so it probably bothered me more than it would a newb. Starboard foresees this board being used extensively in training facilities, both to teach windsurfing and SUP–or BOTH!

Complete sail kit–all in one compact carry bag

Starboard also has several complete sail packages for it’s boards from Severne Sails. I assume Severne is a subsidiary of Starboard. These packages are brilliant bits of marketing–a complete kit of everything you need to stick a sail on a board: Mast, booms, sail, extension and base, all in one handy carrying case. They have a line intended for SUP sailing that would stand up to the rigors of wavesailing. They start at about $699 complete. But for most uses I would actually bypass that and get the sail kit they have created for their beginner windsurf boards. It’s also complete, and it’s not designed for serious wave use, but it uses ultralight kite cloth for the sail, a very light boom and mast, and costs $399 to $499. Perfect for playing around on a lake or river, and probably even some lightweight wavesailing. I loved the light weight, easy rigging and fine sailing characteristics. With a few inserts on the nose of a SUPer board you could bungee this to your board and head out, confident that if the wind came up you could go wherever you wanted and continue to play. The price point makes it a casual purchase. Unless you bought well-used equipment you couldn’t duplicate this setup for less than $1200.

We’ll cover the rest of Starboard new lineup, and their plan for continuous refinement in the next article.

Cape Cod Bay Challenge – We Made It!

Months of preparation, planning, and training. Hundreds of miles paddled getting our selves ready for a long day on Cape Cod Bay. Mike has been reminding us all to hydrate well and eat right. The mandatory carb loading pasta feast the night before. We were ready…….then Bill, Mike, and I finished off 5 bottles of wine along with some good cigars…….I don’t think that’s typical marathon preparation wisdom.

OMG!…..it’s time to get up already! Down a bottle of Gatorade and a handful of aspirin. Drive to the hotel to pick up Mike and Bill…Oh well…at least I don’t feel as bad as Mike looks….mint julep comes to mind. Bill makes me angry…he’s actually kind of chipper…I feel like smacking him.

6:00….Hey…we made it to the beach! It’s a start. Shawn and Jody are there already looking fit and very competent. I don’t think they drank any wine last night…..smart guys. Heavy fog….real heavy…where’s David, where’s the boat? Start making phone calls….OK…the boat’s on it’s way. Should be here in 20 minutes or so. I get David’s voicemail….I hope he got another plane last night after the 1st was cancelled. Mike is making funny noises. My head is swimming but I can tell I feel better than he does.

6:20…we wanted to launch at 6:30…..we call the boat again. Capt. Paul says he’s getting close….coming in slow because of the fog. David shows up looking like a Hollywood star…oh wait…that’s right he is! Who’s friggin idea was it to have all these young fit guys around?

6:40…We call again…GPS puts the boat 1000 yards off the beach….we can’t see a thing….Capt. says he can’t tell where the house sized boulders are that are out there just below the surface and doesn’t want to risk coming closer, I can’t blame him, it’s like a mine field out there. I’m beginning to think we should have launched from inside the harbor. It wouldn’t have mattered except that we have Jerry and Paul and a board for Bill on the boat. Looks like you guys will have to ferry that board in….start paddling.

6:50…We call the boat again….they say we should be able to see Jerry by now….nothing…..are you folks SURE you’re off Plymouth beach?

7:00….still nothing….wait!, what’s that coming out of the fog….looks like something from a Stephen King movie walking on water coming to eat the tourists. It’s Jerry, I feel like cheering and we haven’t even left yet. Still no sign of Paul though. We decide to paddle out to meet him halfway.

7:15….we’ve geared up…said good bye to friends and family that showed up to see us off and paddle out in search of Paul. Somehow this isn’t the start I was hoping for but at least we’re on the water……and Mike has stopped chumming.

The water is like glass, the fog pea soup, not a breath of wind, the only sound our paddles and boards on the water. We find Paul still a long way from shore. Finally we’re underway….look…there actually is a boat! We stop to talk for few and give instructions for signals.

Uh Oh!….my head isn’t cooperating at all. The fog is blending the sky into the sea and I have no horizon to help my balance. (If you’re interested you can read some of the background of why I need a horizon for balance here: http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org/Standup/standup.html )I fall for the 1st time…..this is going to be a long day!

I don’t think Bill was really running away from Jerry and his floaties…

On second thought….:)

The fog starts to lift about 4 miles offshore…..don’t look back….the cliffs at Plymouth still look close. Finally some horizon…but I think the damage is done….my head is taking lefts while the board is going straight….I get wet a lot. I don’t think my share of the 5 bottles of wine last night is helping either. I’m feeling bad about slowing us down but the guys are very cool about it. Making it seem like it was their idea to take a break when I was struggling. Thanks guys…:). I’m happy to see Mike looks like he’s feeling better. There’s actually some flesh tones showing through the green.

Hehe…I just noticed that you two look like twins, sorry David…:)

Hhhmmm….I guess Bill and I did too….LOL

The fog is finally behind us

What happened to our forecast? As of Friday night we were supposed to have 10-14 kt tailwinds and calm seas. Instead we have maybe a 2-4 kt WNW and once we got out further into the bay 2 ft side swell from the north and confused chop. At least there isn’t a headwind.

Fast forward…..we take a break at the halfway point. Jody has picked up a mylar ballon that was floating 10 miles out….reminds us why we are doing this. Shawn and Jody are having no problem keeping up on their 10-6 Vec’s. A combination of Shawn’s shaping skills and the fact that they are the most fit amongst us no doubt. The boards look like they have motor’s when they want to make them move.

15 miles in. Everyone is making it look easy. I’m feeling awkward, old, and slow. My head is still swimming occasionally. I pull my hat back….having the brim in my field of vision is bugging me….I don’t usually wear a hat. 5 minutes later my head is clear…or close anyway. Can it be that simple? I know that vision and balance are closely tied together. I can only guess that having an artificial horizon of a hat brim moving around was causing me problems. I don’t think I’ll wear a hat on the water anymore. Maybe a bandana and a cutlass….I’ll be the 1st SUPirate.

20 miles….We’ve had Provincetown in sight for awhile. We also get leeward of Race Point and the water flattens nicely. The hardest part is behind us. Still 8 miles to go but no question of making it now. As we get closer the boat traffic gets heavier….Capt. Paul is like a pit bull mother with her puppy’s….any boat approaching us finds a 50’ sport fisher aimed at it….making it very obvious to stay clear.

We had to be quite a site to the folks on the beach at Race Point. 8 guys coming in from the open ocean walking on water. Just so long as they didn’t want any wine….I’d had my fill of wine for awhile.

I couldn’t believe how excited I was to make the last turn into the harbor. Folks on boats taking pictures. The Capt of one of the big whale watch boats getting ready to go out announced our arrival over the loudspeaker and the passengers lined the rails watching and waving as we went by. Family and friends were on the dock, there were boat horns blaring. It made me want to hold back a bit and savor the moment. WE MADE IT! Let the record show that Jerry Issel was the 1st man to paddle across Cape Cod Bay, Plymouth to Provincetown, shore to shore. The rest of us all landed within the minute.

It felt good to feel solid ground again. We had a great lunch at the Surf Club Restaurant (how appropriate) and then parted ways. It felt strange to break it up, like it should last longer somehow. The best thing about this whole experience is the great friends we’ve made. This is a great crew of guys and I’m proud to have shared this with all of you. I know we’ll all get on the water together again.

L to R: Shawn, Jody, Bob, Bill, David, Jerry, Mike, and Paul

Beyond the sense of accomplishment of making it across we raised money and awareness for a good cause. The final numbers aren’t in yet but I think it’s safe to say that we will have raised somewhere between $11,000 and $12,000 for the Ocean Conservancy and their International Coastal Cleanup. We also raised awareness of the sport itself and on a personal note I hope I’ve inspired some others that are facing health issues to try something different as therapy. Get out there and live…..this isn’t a dress rehearsal.

Start training for next year guys….
Aloha.

Photo Credits: From the water:
Lynn Wilson
From the dock/beach in Provincetown:
Betsy Brown

I’ve included the previous video by Lynn Wilson here as well. Thanks Lynn…awesome job.

Another SUP article–from Virginia Beach, VA

By Laine M. Rutherford

Correspondent

At first glance, the two men seen out past the breakers and the surfers off of 45th Street seemed to be doing the impossible: walking on water.

A longer look during a morning surf session last week showed more. The men were standing on boards, propelling themselves with paddles, practicing a sport that’s creating a wave of interest in Virginia Beach this summer – Stand Up Paddle surfing.

The trend – called SUP, Beach Boy surfing and other names – is already hugely popular in California and Hawaii and began lapping at the Virginia Beach shoreline a few years ago.

This summer, enthusiasm swelled as surfers and other athletes began embracing it with the same excitement they give to reports of double overheads in October.

Translation: they’re getting stoked on SUP.

“I didn’t know there was anything left to do on the water that was this much fun,” said Rick Romano, a local artist and avid SUP surfer. “It’s fresh, it’s new and it’s very addictive.”

Romano first tried the sport three years ago after visiting legendary surfer Laird Hamilton’s home in Hawaii.

“I saw these boards in his garage and heard the great things he had to say about it and I knew I wanted to do it,” Romano remembered. “You couldn’t get boards here then, so I started paddling on an old windsurfer, lopped off the end of an old kayak paddle and went out like that all summer long. I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Romano’s equipment has improved over the years. He now counts four “real” SUP boards in his quiver and has local access to the latest products. He cites Freedom Surf shop on Laskin Road and Surf & Adventure Co. in Sandbridge as the first area shops to carry SUP products and to promote the sport locally.

Gear consists of an epoxy board and a paddle, usually made of carbon. Boards average 11 feet, weigh about 20 pounds and are 30 inches wide with a turned up nose. Traction pads usually cover the surface. The average paddle is 80 inches and has a scooped end.

“It’s definitely an investment,” Freedom Surf owner Dave Shotton said of the $1,500 tag for board and paddle. “But once you’ve made that investment, you’re set. Three generations, from 8 to 80, can ride the same board.”

Shotton took up the sport when he bought Freedom Surf last year.

“We spotted the trend and knew it was coming, but if I was going to talk the talk, I knew I had to walk the walk,” said Shotton, who used to be surfboard sales rep. “I was hooked immediately.”

Shotton, 41, is one of SUP’s chief local proponents and part of a North End contingent that hits the waves nearly every morning and evening. He is also a witness to the popularity of the sport at the Beach. Since the beginning of the year, he has sold about 50 boards.

“There are so many benefits to it,” Shotton explained. “It’s a great core exercise, you can stay in the ocean longer, later in the year and on flat days, I’m still out, getting exercise, and enjoying the water.”

The learning curve is steep, comparable to snowboarding.

“It can take three hours or three days, but once you get it there’s no problem getting up and getting out,” Shotton said. “Right now it’s mainly surfers, but we know it’s going to expand.”

A ripple of SUP opinions

In town to host a surf camp last month, Robert “Wingnut” Weaver borrowed a board for a quick SUP surfing session. Weaver, who is a member of the Surfers’ Hall of Fame, gracefully dipped his paddle in the water, using it to traverse the board and carve turns in the small waves he rode to shore.

“It’s super fun to do and it opens up a whole new realm of wave riding,” the Santa Cruz resident said. “It’s just a great workout that gets people outside and gives them another way to interact with the ocean.”

Not everyone is riding the wave of support for the new sport. D.J. Joyner, 25, an employee of Freedom Surf, counts himself among the “haters,” those who find the big boards offensive. For D.J., and others, SUP boards have replaced longboards in the chain of “haterdom.”

“I consider them canoes; you can’t bring canoes into the lineup,” the Hilltop resident said. “They can catch absolutely everything and they do – they’re people who don’t know how to share. There might be a place for them, but it shouldn’t be near surfers.”

Sandbridge resident Bill Gassett stresses good surf etiquette to those who try out the boards multiplying in his backyard.

“This is such a positive sport that anyone can do – we don’t want bad behavior rippling through to cause negative attitudes,” said Gassett, 48, a retired Navy deep-sea diver. “Because this is not a fad, it’s something that will change a lot of people’s perspective on how they can enjoy the water and more people are doing it every day.”

The sport is evolving as it gains popularity. Boards are becoming more specialized – refined for conditions and uses, such as distance touring or racing. SUP surfing is showing up as a category in surf contests and other water events.

New terms are coined daily, such as “downwinding,” where a vehicle is dropped off miles away from a starting point and surfers make their way down the coast, running with the waves and the current.

“I’ve seen it grow exponentially this year,” Romano stated. “And I think this is just the tip of the iceberg. Whoever embraces this sport now is going to be a frontrunner. It’s going to be fun to look back and say, “I remember the early days.’”

Laine Mednick Rutherford, Laine.R@cox.net

Ernie’s Van For Sale

Ernie Johnson (Johnson Big Stick Paddles) is selling a custom van he has on the big island. Why is this in Ke Nalu? Well, its just about perfect for an extended Hawaiian SUP trip. I sure like the looks of this thing. I’d guess you could go about anywhere with it. I’ve lived in less comfortable quarters (a ’70 econoline with a foam pad during my “totally broke, paying child support and racing motorcycles era”). This thing is infinitely nicer than mine was.
[Read more]

2008 Maui Paddle Showcase

The Paddle Showcase is complete. It took almost as much effort as the board showcase, we hope you find it useful. You can just click on the Paddle showcase tab to get right to the index, or there’s a copy of the index at the end of this article.

The showcase will continue to grow and evolve–we’ll evaluate paddles and add them as they become available for us to test. If there is a paddle you like to see included, please let us know and we’ll get to work on it.

Paddles are Personal and Critical
Paddles are personal, even when you’re done nothing to make them that way. Whether you start with a $18 plastic canoe paddle extended with a broken pool skimmer shaft or a $320 custom Malama they influence every aspect of how you do this sport. The right paddle makes everything easier, more fun, more rewarding. The wrong paddle can leave you with aching arms, back and shoulders, struggling in every wave or slow and wobbly in flatwater.

[Read more]

Paddle Showcase

Boy, did we get a lot of heat on this. I should have made an announcement right away, but we decided to do the Paddle showcase in the next issue. I felt the board showcase would just overshadow the paddles, so I made an executive decision (good) and didn’t tell anyone (bad).

So here’s the plan for issue two–it’s the Paddle issue. We haven’t ditched the original plan, which is to feature distance paddling and downwinders, because a paddle showcase seems to fit nicely into that theme anyway.

One thing is clear from the evaluation–Paddlesurfers love good paddles, and what constitutes “good” is even more personal than boards. Fortunately we have hit on a pretty good way of talking about the characteristics of a paddle that closely translates into suggestions that might narrow the field for you.

The choices are getting broader. There’s some new ideas we need to try. The downside to all this is that my personal paddle collection and the list of paddles I want is growing. The paddle you want in the surf may NOT be the paddle you’ll love for a downwinder or flatwater.

There’s some other challenging choices too. For instance, if you order a Malama or a Gillespie, at some point you’ll have to put it in the water, which simply feels like vandalism. At $330, a Malama is an expensive wood paddle (worth every nickel), but very cheap art. Hang it on your wall and wake up every morning looking at it. A good start to the day.

Mama’s Fish House

Why would you go to a restaurant where Mai Tais are fifteen bucks.

Because it’s worth it.

Mama’s is a gorgeous place. Actually it’s way past gorgeous. There’s an unobstructed view across the empty beach (it’s not private, but you have to come through the Mama’s entrance to get to it) to crashing waves. There’s the glorious entry, the unique architecture–even the valet parking stand is amazing, the wonderful bar. I halfway expect to meet Humphrey Bogart there someday (and by the way, how much of a man do you have to be to make the name Humphrey represent unadulterated toughness).

The food is excellent, the prices are scary. Just realize you’re going to drop a hundred bucks per person and get over it. Their wines are not stratospherically priced, though maybe I just feel that way after experiencing truly absurd wine prices in Aspen ($300 for Newton unfiltered Merlot at the Montagne restaurant in the Little Nell Hotel–a $40 bottle at any wine store). At any rate, wine prices at Mamas are rational if not a bargain.

Their Ahi Poke is excellent, as is the Lobster soup. Salads and soups are fabulous. They always bring you an amuse bouche (yeah, yeah I know, there’s supposed to be some accent marks in there someplace), usually a bisque, and it’s always excellent and not enough (that’s the idea, eh?). The bread plate is irresistable, slightly sweet fresh baked bread loaves. All the fish entree’s are extremely fresh, caught that morning. They always give the name of the local fisherman that caught the fish. Local fishermen tell me that if their name gets on the menu that means they had a very good day, because Mama’s needs a lot of fish.

Here’s some pictures. If you don’t realize that this is a must go place, at least once per trip to Maui, then I just can’t help you.

I have a friend in Portland who’s a fairly wealthy guy (owns a big car dealership) who has eaten in some of the finest restaurants in the world. He’s a hard guy to please and very outspoken when he doesn’t like something. When he’s in Maui he eats at Mama’s almost every day.

Enough talk, here’s some pictures. In looking at these I felt the place came off looking a little Disney. It’s not.

This series is the valet stand. The valet stand!! Where they keep your car keys! Sure, it’s the first thing you see, but how many restaurants figure out that such a prosaic thing can make a big impression. These folks aren’t assuming you’re going to figure out this place is special–they let you know right away. And they don’t insult your intelligence and taste with a grass hut or something hokey. This is one interesting structure.

The walkway has a gecko pattern to the concrete that looks like something from an Escher painting.

Mama’s beach is beautiful, though the close reef makes entry into the water tricky. It’s a famous surf break, though the long paddle means you’re more likely to see windsurfers in the wave.

SUP Surfing 101

If you’re beginning stand up surfing then I suspect you’ll find this very helpful. This is a collaborative document that will reflect the knowledge of anyone that has something to contribute. I’d like to include your perspectives. They don’t have to carefully written, just informative. I’ll edit and polish to make the document readable.

1. Introduction–cautions and precautions
2. Etiquette
3. Gear–Available boards and why you would choose them
4. Board Tests
5. Board Theory
6. Paddle tests
7. Paddle Theory
8. Building a Wood Paddle
9. Adding handles and tie downs
10. Getting up–Standing on your board, paddling, balance, turning techniques
11. Standing
12. Turning
13. Distance Paddling
14. Board Trimming
15. Paddling technique
16. Surfing–How to catch waves and some techniques for riding them

Introduction–Cautions and Precautions

Special thanks to Blane Chambers at Paddle Surf Hawaii for reminding me I needed to add this section. Blane has very useful sections on his website with instruction in both basic and advanced technique.

Before you start paddle surfing you need to assess your swimming skills and your ability to handle yourself and your board in surf. Any watersport is dangerous, and good swimming skills are a necessity, even if you only do standup on flat water and lakes.

Leash: Your choice of leash or no leash is personal, and depends on whether or not you think you’re better off tied to a twelve foot board in the surf. Personally, I wear them. Even on a lake. When you fall you often give the board a kick that sends it zooming away. Then the substantial freeboard gives the wind something to push against and suddenly you’re all alone. In waves it’s even easier to be abandoned by your board. I had to swim in from the outer reef at Kanaha when my leash parted one morning last summer. It was after noon before I hit sand. Long morning.

Lifejacket: It’s not unreasonable to wear kayak-style lifejacket. The inflatable kind that are almost as narrow as a pair of suspenders are really handy. Some of the best big wave surfers in the world wear them today. Yes, you’ll look stupid, but you’ll be alive and stupid, not dead and cool.

Be aware of the wind and currents, you can easily be blown to sea by an offshore wind or find yourself fighting a powerful current. Start your learning experiences where there are lifeguards, and it’s highly recommended to have someone on the shore that’s paying attention to where you are and whether you are screaming or not.

When you are beginning, stay away from other surfers. These are big boards and it’s easy for them to get out of control. You don’t need the best spot in the lineup, all you need is some sloppy waves to practice on.

Etiquette: Once you are good, remember that you have a huge advantage over other surfers–and DON’T take more advantage of it than you should. You can start into a wave long before standard surfers can, you can get back to the lineup much quicker, and you can catch waves even when you’re out of the slot. Don’t be a wave hog.

A little more on hogging waves–there’s a backlash starting of surfers being pissed off about SUP folks coming into their favorite spot and taking too many waves. Of course for some of the territorial knuckleheads that think they own the beach, any wave is too many waves. But there’s two good reasons not to irritate fellow surfers–first of all, you don’t need their waves. A SUP surfer can surf almost anywhere. Waves that are too small for shortboarders are just fine for SUP. Long frequency, no shoulder waves give long and fulfilling rides. Cripes, you can SUP surf in a ski boat wake. You can also travel long distances to get to outside brakes or breaks that aren’t easy to get to from shore. It’s fun and good exercise getting there, and you don’t have to dodge the grems. And second, they were there first. No matter how stupidly they might assert their territory, you’re the new guy, even if you shortboarded the break for the last twenty years. Give them room.

Gear–Available boards and why you would choose them

The first issue is the right board. For a rank beginner there’s almost no such thing as too wide or too long. But once you start catching waves or riding in difficult conditions like chop and wind, you might outgrow your first board.

Here’s what Ron had to say on the subject: So I borrowed a board that is 11′X28″X4.75 thick and I’m thinking: This board is fricken HUGE. Wrong. It actually was quite a bit too small (I’m 6′3 and 225) and it gave me no end of grief. Tippy and really hard to control, and today I am one sore puppy from holding that lateral balance. What a great workout though.

Oh yeah and I love it.

But a suggestion. Make sure the first board you use is, if anything, way big for you. Not too small. First time out you won’t be doing any Laird moves anyway. Gotta figure out how to handle the damn thing first. Even for a long time surfer there is that paddle in there confusing things. Just getting used to that takes some work without having to contend with a hard to balance board. And make sure the paddle is long enough too. A short paddle makes you lean sideways, not good.
Anyway way maybe I’m just a total klutz but that’s my thought. The more you weigh, the bigger the board needs to be. I’m 6′3″ and weigh 240. My favorite board for purely getting up and paddling around is a Jimmy Lewis 11′ 0″ by 30″ wide. It’s thick and floaty, has a huge fin that adds stability, and it’s easy to get it moving. It’s an epoxy sandwich board so it’s very light. That’s good news when you’re moving this thing around.

I also really like the Ding King hollow board I waited about six months for. The Ding King has one mold for making these boards and they take about a week apiece. Last I heard Mark still had a long waiting list. Mark’s boards are 11′6″ and 27″ wide. They have a full length pad and they’re fairly stable considering the relatively narrow width. The two best things about this board are how it tracks and how it sails. It’s relatively easy to paddle this board fast and straight. I had a mast track put onto mine and I sail it more than I paddle it–it’s great fun to chase down a big wave and ride it until it poops out, then sail back to the reef and do it again.

I’ve also looked at the new Lairds, the largest of which makes my Jimmy Lewis boards look small (I think it’s 12′ 2″ by 31). They are hard to get right now, but I’ve got my name in for one. They’re being made in Asia somewhere so they should be widely available soon. I’d love one with a mast track, but I don’t think that will be happening soon. I was talking to a buddy of Laird Hamilton’s at the beach yesterday who quoted Laird as saying something like “I was the first guy (in recent history) to do standup, and the last to offer a board, but I want anything I put my name on to be absolutely right”. Everyone I’ve talked to loves these boards, but I haven’t tried one yet. Stay posted.

Most people I know say that JL board is still too small for me–that I need something around 12′ 6″ and 30 inches wide. Sounds good, but for now I’m happy. I finally figured out to surf this 11′0″, and I’m having a great time with it. this board is by far the easiest board to stand up on that I’ve tried. Even much larger boards are harder to keep your balamnce on–I don’t know what kind of mojo Jimmy added to the shape, but it’s working.

The new Starboard boards due out in april also sound very interesting (Update–I now have one of the Starboard 12′6″ boards on the road racing trip I’m taking around North America (www.allaluminumtour.com ) and it’s great for lake paddling–best cruiser I’ve tried yet. I’ll do a review asap). The Hot Sails Maui forum has some interesting details on this.

I also have a Jimmy Lewis 11′7″ x 26. I use this mostly as a regular surfboard–it’s fabulous in small surf. Now that I’m getting better at standup I can actually paddle this thing, but it’s very tippy, especially in side chop. I think it would make a fabulous SUP board for a small or skinny person, especially once they start catching waves. I’m not a good surfer yet, but I can actually shuffle my way to the nose with this board.

Another good choice is a big softop. The bigger the better. But don’t buy one unless it’s seriously cheap, you’ll outgrow it quickly. These are probably the only stand up boards you can rent.

Here’s what Juanita K says about choosing a board for the kind of paddling you plan to do: My husband and I bought 2 SUP boards late last year (made at Burleigh Heads) and we are just about to buy 2 more. Why? Coz we have learnt over the last 6 months that our boards (coolite…like a true paddleboard, 12ft long, 4-41/2 thick, 28″ wide) are perfect for smooth glide and flat water paddling or riding bumps and doing downwinds (which is fine coz in Hervey Bay where we live there is no surf). But, the problem is that when we take these boards surfing, they are way too corky and the rails are just too thick. So…you need to work out if your board is for paddling and surfing OR for surfing and paddling.

Over last weekend, we have some friends at Noosa who kindly let us try their SUP boards and it is amazing how much better theirs surf…BUT…when I took one on a sightseeing paddle around to National Park, our boards gliiiiiide so much better and you can feel so much less resistance on each stroke, coz it feels like they are slipping over the water, rather than ploughing slightly through it. So we are doing a lot of research and asking heaps of questions of a few very good SUP boarders up on the Sunshine Coast, so that we get the specs right for surfing, not so much paddling.

All the best in your hunt and welcome to the SUP fraternity on the east coast of Oz

Hey, Jaunita, thanks for the comments. I’m working with some friends on Maui to build a board that’s right for both surfing and cruising. I don’t think the two need to be mutually exclusive, in fact I think they both demand the same things of the board. What might be impossible is to combine good surfing and cruising into a BEGINNER board.

For example, the Ku Nalu board is the best cruiser I’ve tried–it seems like a single stroke carries you yards and yards, while the JL 11er feels like you travel the length of the stroke and not an inch further. It’s also not the best surfing board. But it’s amazingly stable, maneuverable and a decent surfer. The Ku Nalu is an excellent surfer, it’s nearly as good as the magical JL 11′7″.

So what we’re trying to do is borrow a little stability from the general outline of the JL 11er (but a bit narrower) with the cruising ability of the Ku Nalu in the bottom and rails. The result should be an intermediate board. If it works out well go into limited production.

If you’re buying a board, see if you can get a mast track put into it. Not only will that open a new set of doors (longboard windsurfing) it also makes the board a lot easier to handle. Get whoever puts the mast track in to route some fingerholes in the track at one end. You can still use it to hold a mast base, but you can also stick your fingers in to carry the board. These boards are too wide to tuck under an arm.

Boards with a rubber deck are great for foot grip, but when you’re first learning you’ll spend a lot of time on your knees. The deck is very grippy and can wear holes in your knees. Wax on an undecked board won’t do that. Take a look at my knees sometime–I’ll have the scars for years. I went to the drugstore and got some neoprene knee braces–solved the problem, though you look like a dork. But you’re going to look like a dork for a while anyway, no harm done. You should still wax the rubber deck–makes it much sticker. Just like the boogie boarders wax their soft boards (I didn’t know that trick until recently, I always wondered how those guys kept the boards under them when they swim).

Waxing a board without a deck pad works just fine–for awhile. The problem is that SUP surfers stand in one place a lot longer than surfers do, and the wax gets squeezed away from exactly the places you need it most. Still, you don’t NEED a deck pad, they’re just handy.

Paddles: Then you need a paddle. Two choices generally available, wood or carbon fibre. I’ve seen a few aluminum shafted paddles, but haven’t found any for sale. Carbon fibre is about half the weight and twice the price–about $300. You need a paddle that’s about one shaka above your head–six inches taller than you. Wood paddles are considered better for learning since you’re supposedly less likely to break them. But I’ve found the carbon fibre to be very forgiving and I like to think they’re less of a deadly weapon when you’re flailing them about. In either case, put a layer of duct tape around the paddle edge to cushion it. When you fall you’ll be whacking the board with your paddle edge. Do it a little hard and you’ll knock a chip out of the board. Don’t ask how I know this. You can take the tape off later when you stop falling every thirty seconds. I have two paddles and I like both of them, one is a Pohaku Beachboy paddle, and I don’t know the source of the second one–I’ll dig into that.

Another gear question: Bootie or no bootie. For the first few weeks I think it’s a really good idea to have booties. You’ll be falling in all kinds of crazy positions. Landing on the coral without booties is not fun. I like the O’Neill Superfreak split toe tropicals . They seem to affect your balance less than solid foot booties. While I’m delivering unsolicited plugs, the O’Neill Superfreak board shorts are the best board shorts I’ve ever had–spendy, but worth it. The O’Neill website is pretty cool, though they desperately need a writer who doesn’t just babble corp-speak. Could use a proofreader too, but so could I.

I don’t know why all the stuff I really like lately is named superfreak. Maui Hot sails Superfreak windsurfing sails, superfreak booties, superfreak board shorts. Someone may be trying to tell me something.

Enough gear chat, let’s get in the water.

Carrying your gear

These boards are huge, so carrying them around and getting them in the water can be a challenge in itself. If you’re in heavy shorebreak doing it wrong can be dangerous.

Thanks to Wardog from SurfingSports.com for this section of tips and modifications to make handling your gear easier.

I’ve written about some of these issues on other posts…doesn’t hurt to reiterate here…
Bill, may even want to integrate this into his Standup 101 page…

This first tip is actually for longboard sailing, but since many standup paddlers also get mast track on their boards, it’s a good tip for this section as well. My first recommendation, for difficult launches with shorepound, is to get the Chinook EX pin style base and foot…or similar…single bolt or double…doesn’t matter… (some people call this a European base)

http://surfingsports.com/images/chinook_ex_pin1.jpg

http://surfingsports.com/images/chinook_ex_pin2.jpg

http://surfingsports.com/images/chinook … x_rdm1.jpg
http://surfingsports.com/images/chinook … x_rdm2.jpg

What matters, is having a convenient push button to release your board/rig…
You aren’t gonna be able to release it with the standard 2 button cup…have to get the board on it’s rail and the rig perfectly aligned to get your fingers in there to release…very difficult and takes too much time…

Another helpful item is to make a rope handle utilizing the double leash plugs…

http://www.surfingsports.com/standup_pads/big_blue2.jpg

http://www.surfingsports.com/standup_pa … blue04.jpg
http://www.surfingsports.com/standup_ba … _bags3.jpg

It’s way safer to hold onto your board in the shorepound with the tail handle, than holding onto the fin…
If you hold onto the fin, you will get sliced…these boards are big and the hydraulic forces involved are tremendous…

http://surfingsports.com/cali_longboard … ling71.jpg

Walking the board and rig backwards when getting out works mo bettah…
http://surfingsports.com/cali_longboard … ling67.jpg

don’t want to do this beginner move…way harder, even if you have big arms…

http://www.surfingsports.com/cali_stand … g_last.jpg

Another helpful item are the inserts that we have installed on the rails…
http://www.surfingsports.com/standup_pa … blue01.jpg
http://www.surfingsports.com/standup_pa … blue03.jpg

Fabricate some webbing handles…they are not in the way…and come in handy while transporting the board to and from the beach…my wifey and her friends really like them…makes it easier to carry the handle with other hand…

…and if you run a bungee across the mid-section and nose…you can secure your paddle in front of a big wave and turtle roll using both hands…otherwise, the Golden Rule of standup is NEVER LET GO OF YOUR PADDLE!!!…;-)

Lastly, you could install footstrap inserts on these boards…at one time, someone made very soft, flexible, foam straps…might have been the old NSI…or Padworkx…I even made some myself…
Lightweight race straps might work…
I installed them on a surfboard that I rode with straps…so that I could lay on them…
Even if you go strapless…you could still install webbing straps to help carry the board and lift it over rocks…

Gotta run…it’s blowin’ like stink…6th day in a row…

Mahalos…

Warm winds, good waves, & strong strokes…{:~)

WARDOG

Actually, I occasionally intentionally toss my paddle out past the break to surf a wave or two in the conventional lay down position. That only works well with a transitional board like the Jimmy Lewis 11′7″ or the Ku Nalu because they are narrow enough (26″) to hand paddle. If you do this it’s a good idea to wrap a turn or two of flourescent tape on your paddle handle so you can find it easily. I’ve never had a problem finding mine again–they stay put pretty well as long as they are past the breaking waves. You just stand up outside and look for them.

Adding handles and tie downs

From Jimmy Lewis via Linter: meanwhile, back at the ranch, i emailed jimmy about inserts and within hours he got back to me with advice that makes it clear that it’s a job for the professionals and not me; to wit, for any among us who still might want to give it a go:
(JL) “You CAN put inserts in but make sure you follow these instructions. True, you can melt the foam but ONLY if you put the epoxy in VOLUME. It’s not going to heat up unless you have a big gob of it in the hole. So what you want to do is route the hole that the insert goes in VERY close fitting to the insert. Don’t make a big hole where the insert is rattling around.

Then you epoxy it in. Now, the important thing about doing this is that you need to glass over the top of the inserts. If you don’t, there is a better than GOOD chance that it will leak. After you’ve epoxied the inserts in where you want them, sand the insert down level with the deck and sand the paint off in a radius of about an 1″ outside of the insert. Don’t sand too deep; just enough to take the paint and the primer off so you can see the glass. Then put two circles of 4oz glass over each insert with epoxy. This will seal where you’ve cut into the lamination to put the insert in. Make sure you get ALL of the pin air out of the little circles. Then you just drill
through the “caps” to open the hole and you could countersink it a tiny bit too. Then you’d only have to touch up the paint if you wanted it to look better.”

Pretty nice of JL, as well, to take time out of his day to write that kind of detailed response, and it’s that kind of customer service that makes people say great things about a business. well done, jimmy. keep it up!

Getting Up

Pick a day with minimal wind, little or no chop, and small waves. If you’re doing this on a lake–good for you. That’s perfect.

The easiest way to start is on your knees. Get in about two to three feet of water, push the board forward and slip onto it in a kneeling position right about in the middle. You’ll probably be slouched down almost in a crawling position at first–that’s okay. You’ll also fall off a lot even from this relatively stable position. Don’t sweat it, it doesn’t mean there’s no way you can do this. In a few hours you’ll wonder what the fuss was.

Immediately start paddling out towards the waves. Just choke up on the paddle and stroke on either side as necessary. If you can, try to feel the effect of stroking different ways. Initially you’ll be focusing on not falling off and won’t have any concentration left for learning other stuff. But as your stability increases, start trying things. If you paddle far away from the board it will turn more than if your paddle enters the water vertically and close to the board. If you sweep outwards a little at the end of the stroke it will tend to go straighter rather than turning away from the stroking side. As you pick up speed, kneel up straighter. You’ll find there are basically two kneeling positions–hunched and stable, or tall and not. Tall is better, it gives you more of a chance to gain your sea legs.

Once you’re moving along at some forward speed, lurch to your feet. The best way is any way you can do it, but most people who have surfed will find it easy to do a typical surfing “pop up” except that you’re starting from a kneeling position and their feet will come up in an athletic stance that’s suitable for more advanced paddling. At first you want your feet side-by-side, planted wide on the board–almost to the edges. It’s the most stable position. You want to be far enough forward so the board is flat in the water and nose is an inch or two off the water. If you’re too far back the board will stall and be hard to paddle. It will also be very unstable.

Feet centered–side by side position (photo courtesy Paddle Surf Hawaii)

Perhaps you’d like a more detailed description than “lurch to your feet”. Place your hands on the board a few inches ahead of your knees with the paddle in your dominant hand and the blade resting on the nose of the board. Press down with your arms straight and hop to a standing position with your knees bent deeply and your feet planted wide. Get the paddle in the water as quickly as you can–it will help stability–but stay in an athletic, knees bent stance. Look at the nose of the board and start paddling.

Your paddle is your friend–keep it in the water as much as possible. You can push the blade forward or back to keep from falling, and even lean on it or pull up on it momentarily to keep from falling.

If you’re having trouble keeping your balance, look at the tip of your board. It’s even helpful to have some feature there to look at. If your nose is featureless you might want to make a wax line across the tip so you can look at it. If you look at the water you’ll be right where you’re looking in short order. It’s not just target fixation, your body is moving relative to the board, not the water or the horizon.

If you’re in surf or chop, it’s easiest to go straight into the waves. As a larger wave or whitewater reaches the nose of the board, stick he paddle in just past the crest and pull yourself up into it. Before long you’ll be ploughing over good sized waves with no drama–it’s surprising how easy this part is. It’s much easier to get a standup board through whitewater or shorebreak than a regular surfboard because the wave doesn’t hit your body, just your feet.

Special Balance Problems

I suspect that almost anyone that can stand can do SUP at some level. Here’s a dialog with “Linter” about overcoming fundamental balance problems. Linter overcame his problems and is deeply involved in SUP:

Linter: Is anyone still giving any thought to canoe paddle surfing? On Swaylocks, an early Blane Chambers thread on it was deleted for reasons I don’t know (does anyone here?), and then in early ‘06 came back in a new form, under a thread entitled How to Safely Canoe Paddle w/ Pics, which was very informative. Since around then, however, I’ve rarely seen it mentioned. Has everyone forsworn it for stand-up paddle surfing? Is it considered too much like cheating?

The reason I ask is, I have certain neuro-muscular disorders involving balance that’ll make it well-nigh impossible for me to SUP. And making it even more close-to-impossible is that the board I just got is a 12′ softop, a handful even for good surfers. So, at 190 lbs and with certain physical issues, I think I’m going to be “stuck” doing the canoe paddle thing.
If anyone else is doing CP, maybe it’s evolved a little since Blane’s early posts on the subject, along the evolving lines of SUP. Care to share? Got any tips, especially as it might pertain to a softop? Thanks!

Billb: I assume you’re talking about sitting on the board with a standard canoe paddle or a kayak paddle. I’ve seen a few people doing it, including a friend of mine with artificial knees. There’s also a guy in Maui that had a rowing rack mounted onto a Laird SUP board–this is the kind of rack that reverses the oar pull so you can see where you’re going. I don’t know how that worked out.

There’s certainly plenty of people using surfskis and kayaks to surf.

I guess my first request is that you clarify your question.

My brother is very interested in SUP but he has balance problems resulting from a tumor on his auditory nerve. I don’t know the nature of your neuro-muscular problem, but I think SUP might be helpful to my brother, though it will certainly be challenging. With the right board I suspect he’ll be able to do it. But you’re right–at 190 pounds a 12 foot softop would be very difficult for anyone, and impossible for me (at 250).

I’d encourage you to try a suitable board before you give up on SUP. Balance can be improved, if it couldn’t, there’s no way I could do SUP. It may be that you never be Laird Hamilton, but you could be sucessful at a level that would give you a lot of satisfaction, as I am.

Linter: Thanks for weighing in, bill. actually, i do ride a waveski and it’s great fun; but i’d also like to stand-up surf if at all possible. as per Blane’s Swaylocks thread, the idea with canoe paddle surfing is, you’re *kneeling* on the board and using a paddle that’s maybe 48″ long to propel yourself. once you catch the wave, you pop up to standing from that kneeling position.

Yup, it sounds like your bro and I are in the same, er, boat.

And I know you’re right: with practice, I could improve my balance; but then the issue becomes, how do you test and buy the “right” board if you don’t even really have the regular balance skills to see what feels best? Got any suggestions? I live in new england and think several places around here have SUPs for sale, probably Surftech Lairds, though I know how fond you are of your Jimmy Lewis 11′, and I’d sure like to be able to test ride one of those, though maybe it’d be far too much for me given what’s going on with my balance business.

Billb: I’d go for the Laird. It’s the most stable board around with only the JL 11 as a very close second. I would expect that most shops will have demos eventually, or a board available to rent. The interest in SUP is through the roof. The Surftech Laird can be surfed at a very high level, as Teddy, Laird’s right hand guy, has conclusively demonstrated to me. Even if it turns out that you can’t do standup, it would be a good board for canoe paddling.

I’d be surprised though if you could canoe paddle but not standup. Lurching to your feet from your knees is more difficult than standing to begin with. You don’t have a stable platform to pop from as you do in the laying down position of regular surfing and you have a paddle in the way.

As I’m sure you know, balance can come from a variety of senses. When you’re young and flexible it comes mostly from the inner ear. But geezers like me rely a lot on vision to balance. That’s why older people have a very hard time balancing on one foot with their eyes closed. We also have to learn the weight shifts and movements that keep us on the board. It’s amazing how you can progress from falling off in dead calm water to standing comfortably in heavy chop and waves. It’s more than balance, it’s practiced movements.

Linter: Well er ah um — i’m now the proud owner of a jimmy 11! Wow boy did that happen fast! Anyway, it’s a beaut — red on top, white on the bottom and surprisingly light. I left it at the shop to have some leash plug inserts installed on the sides for carry handles. Believe me, given my balance issues and the rocky hilly terrain around here, i need handles.

Linter: Well, got my jimmy-11 out for the first time today and messed around on it for about 20 minutes, which is when the thunder and lightning started. Knee paddling was no problem but there was a mighty wobbling of the legs when i got to my feet. But at least I was on my feet! And making headway! So what I know now, I think, is that I *can* do this even given my leg and balance issues. It’ll take time before I’m wave ready but that’s okay. I’m stoked! And I s’pose if I want to ride some wave while I’m getting my stand-up sea legs in order, I could always paddle in to some on my knees, canoe style.

Pretty cool. Linter’s success has my brother stoked so much that he’s been losing weight and getting in shape to give SUP a shot. I think he’ll do fine and it will be great excercise for him.

Getting Better: Once you are able to stand and paddle on the board, you need board time to improve. Spending as much time on the board as you can will quickly build the muscles you need to do this sport, and give you the subtle balance training you need to improve. Here’s some things to start paying attention to:

Paddling–reach forward with your paddle and put the blade in almost vertically, close to the board. Stroke back, visualising pulling the board forward in the water. Don’t try to extend the stroke too far past your legs, that angles the blade too much and pulls the board edge downwards. Your blade is angled forwards for two reasons–to make the blade more stable in the water (as you’ll see if you try to stroke with the blade backwards) and to improve the release of the blade as you pull it up. Stroking too far backwards defeats that smooth release.

Foot position–You generally want to retain the centered stance for long distance paddling on flat water because its more stable and gives you easier, even paddle transitions from side to side. But when the surface is choppy or you’re in waves you’ll want to adopt a more fore and aft stance with your dominant foot forward just as in normal surfing. If you’re not a surfer and you don’t know which foot is your dominant one, slide on a slick floor with your socks on, or hop up onto a high step. The foot you put forward is your dominant foot. Left foot forward is “Regular Foot” right is “Goofy Foot”. Attach your leash to the rearward foot. You might prefer a calf leash instead of an ankle leash for a board as large as most SUP boards.

Foot forward position–more power, less side-to-side balance. The stroke bias that would normally push the board to the right of the picture is countered by the weight on the left rail (surfer’s right). (photo courtesy Paddle Surf Hawaii)

Happy feet–You need to learn that your feet are not bolted to the board. As your balance improves you can move around the board more. In flatwater you need to initate this learning by forcing yourself to move your feet around. Shift from centered to fore and aft stance. Move your back foot more towards the tail then back centered again. In chop your learning will be automatic–when you master sideways chop you’re bound to be moving about on the board.

Spinning the board. Step back or lean back on the rear foot, paddle hard (photo courtesy Paddle Surf Hawaii)

Turning and Spinning–Initially you’ll be turning the board slowly by stroking away from the board, but this is the slow way around. Fine for flatwater, but too slow to surf. The faster way is to put weight on the back of the board and stroke with the paddle to pivot the board. Once you are in a fore and aft position you can start practicing this by just putting weight on your back leg.
Works even better if you take a step backwards. You need to lean on the paddle a bit to optimize these moves. Once you can spin the board 360 you’re ready to surf.

Paddle Handling (copied from a separate post)

This is a little reptetitive since I copied it into this document from a separate post, but the information is good and I’ve added to the original post.

I’ve been learning a lot more about standup paddle surfing lately, because I’ve been teaching it to some other people. There’s no faster way to learn than to teach someone else. Most of what I’ve been learning has to do with using your paddle, hence the title.

First of all, resist the urge to choke up on the handle and hold it any way but with one hand on the top T, and the other part way down the shaft. I see people holding the paddle like a broom and taking little ineffective swipes at the water. All this does is upset your balance. You need to be in an athletic stance, knees flexed, back straight and arms extended. You use your legs, back and shoulders to paddle when you’re doing it well.

Put the paddle in the water about as far forward as you can reach it with the handle nearly vertical. You reach out with your lower arm most, the upper arm a little less, and you bend your knees some to push your upper body forward. Place the paddle and pull it back close to the side of the board in a straight line. Think of it as pulling the board forward through the water, NOT flinging water backwards to propel you forwards.

Pull the paddle out just as it reaches your feet, when the blade is still vertical. Even with a forward-raked blade, if you stroke the paddle behind you the blade is at an angle to the surface very much like you are lifting a shovelfull of water. This pulls you down as you lift it out of the water, upsetting your balance. Beginners fall into the water at the end of their paddling stroke. This is why.

Yesterday (April 13) I was teaching my nephew how to do stand up and noticed a guy who was flailing away on a Munoz soft top. When he managed to get into a wave he did elegant bottom turns, top turns and cutbacks and cross-stepped his way to the nose–clearly an accomplished and experienced longboard surfer. But when he was paddling for a wave he’d sweep the paddle far back and he was falling into the face of the wave at the end of the stroke. Bingo. I showed him how to reach out to the nose and stop the stroke at his feet. Instantly he was able to catch any wave without falling. A simple change but very important.

To turn, put the paddle in the water way up near the nose, and sweep outwards. Again, beginners tend to put the paddle out perpendicular to the board and sweep backwards. Not only do they not get good leverage, but they upset their balance. Instead, start at the nose and sweep until the blade is nearly perpendicular to the board, then sweep again from the nose as many times as you need to. By doing this you are getting the greatest amount of leverage against the fin, which is pretty much the pivot point for the turn unless you have a very small fin.

Not only does this improve your balance, but also you can turn faster and you’ll be able to get more knee and hip movement into your turn.

Practice changing paddle sides without interrupting your stroke rythym. Canoe paddlers do it all the time, and they’re sitting, so it’s harder. You need to be able to do it fluidly to catch waves. Sometimes accelerating to catch a wave will turn the board, and you need to correct without losing speed or power.

Reverse sweeping the paddle to regain your balance is a valuable move. Anytime during a paddle stroke that you start losing your balance you can reverse your stroke direction with a quick outward sweep. The reverse bend of the paddle creates a powerful thrust that you can lean against to regain your balance. With practice this move becomes automatic, and it will save you from a dunking. This movement and dragging the paddle blade on the face of a wave or in the whitewater are really the only moves you should make with the paddle behind you. It’s no surprise that both of these moves are balancing moves–you tend to fall backwards on long boards to begin with. Don’t exacerbate the problem by making strokes past your feet.

Another handy move is placing your paddle blade in the center of the board and using it as a third leg. Don’t rely on this too often, the best place for the paddle is in the water, but if you need to reposition your feet, or you need a little rest, it’s a handy tool. If you’re going to rest long it’s a good idea to reverse the paddle and rest the T on the deck–a little more stable and easier on the board and paddle blade.

Getting into the Wave

Generally you’re standing pointed out at the waves, looking for one you like and the location of the peak. Once you find one, paddle towards the peak, and when the wave is still a pretty good distance away (unless you’ve become REALLY good at turning around) start your turn. Don’t panic and rush it, get the blade in up by the nose and push yourself around with steady, powerful sweeps. When you are pointed more or less at the beach, switch sides and start paddling. The reason for the switch is that you will almost always overdo the turn, even when you think you haven’t turned enough. You don’t want to switch just as the wave starts to lift the tail.

As the tail starts to lift, move your normal surfing rear foot a good step back, and give a good paddle thrust. As you start down the wave you’ll probably need to lean back on that back leg, or even hop back more to keep the nose up. You can dig the blade in behind you on the inside of the wave (away from the shoulder) to help keep the nose up and start your turn. Unlike conventional surfing, you want to get your bottom turn done as soon as possble. Unless you are a good surfer you’ll find it hard to swing the nose around quickly.

If you don’t catch the wave immediately, don’t just give up. You can paddle a lot faster with a standup paddle boards, and a few strong strokes can get you into a wave that either hasn’t stood up enough to give you good drive, or that’s a little past the center of gravity of your board. It’s worth a try. I’d say that thirty percent of the waves I catch and ride are ones that I wouldn’t get if I didn’t chase them down with hard paddling.

If the wave crumbles on you and you’re in the whitewater, you can often ride past it by letting the nose of the board slide back more straight in to the beach, and rest the blade on the whitewater to brace yourself. Once you’ve gotten past the crumbled section you can swing back and get up on the wave.

These are big boards, they move deliberately, like a big ship. The guys that are good toss them around pretty neatly, but at first you want to make your movements subtle and smooth.

Surfing Stand Up

When you get into surf the liklihood of scaring the heck out of yourself increases geometrically. The fear has a basis–you can get hurt or killed. You WILL get hurt sooner or later, it’s part of the deal. Here’s some things to consider:

Understand the area you’re surfing. I’ve ridden a board way past where everyone else was bailing out of the wave only to find myself in ten inches of water over coral covered lava. Not fun. You need to watch what other people are doing. Know how and where to get into and out of the water. Spend some time watching what the waves do and where the shallow spots are.

You’re going to fall. when you do, take a deep breath before you hit, try to fall into the wave–with the board between you and the shore. If you’re in shallow water and small waves try to land flat (picture not sinking at all). In bigger waves and deeper water tuck your chin down and curl up, cover your head with your arms. Try to punch into the face of the wave so it doesn’t break on top of you. Relax, don’t struggle, save your energy and your air. Wait for the thrashing to end, then open your eyes, find the top, and swim calmly for the surface. When your head breaks the surface get a good breath and look outside to see where the next wave is. If you have time you can pull your board to you and hug it, but don’t do that if the wave is right on top of you. Paddle out of the impact zone. Thank the gods of the sea that they’ve spared your sorry ass once again.

If you’re not scared when you’re surfing you’re either Laird Hamilton, Dave Kalama, or stupid. And the last time I saw Laird he had fourteen stitches in his face from a little face/board interception incident at Ho’okipa and a cheek that looked like Popeye.

Laird with popeye face modification. He’s as good as they get and he can still get hurt. Of course he got smacked in the face with a 14 foot board and never quit smiling, so there’s that. Photo courtesy Maui Surf/Windsurf Forecast, Giampaolo Cammarota