Messages

1

Travel, Trips, Destinations / Re: Questions about paddling around North Island (San Diego)

« on: November 04, 2023, 05:37:43 PM »

Thanks sflinus - I do use a leash and a PFD. I like the idea of taking it in steps - I'll propose that to my paddle partner!

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Travel, Trips, Destinations / Re: Questions about paddling around North Island (San Diego)

« on: November 04, 2023, 04:03:00 PM »

Thanks Badger - I haven't used Google Distance, I'll have to give that a try. We planned on trying to hit the tide coming in but who knows what the wind will be doing!

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Travel, Trips, Destinations / Questions about paddling around North Island (San Diego)

« on: November 04, 2023, 09:19:31 AM »

A friend I paddle with has asked me to go with him on a paddle around North Island with him. We would launch into the ocean from Stan's Beach - beside the condo towers in Coronado. From there we'd go North around the North end of the Naval base and then along the West side of San Diego bay, under the Coronado bridge and finally pull out at park on Glorietta Bay.

So here's my questions\concerns - first, I have only done an ocean paddle once - usually we paddle in San Diego or Mission Bay. Ocean paddling - for me at least - is a bit more physically challenging. Also, it looks like we'd have to paddle a good ways West to get past the end of the Zuniga jetty. From past experience in a boat, the water can be pretty crazy around that jetty - I don't want to do any rock climbing! Last but not least, although I've been paddling for 8+ years, my normal trips are 4 to 6 miles and on relatively flat water. How far would this loop be and has anyone on this forum made this loop?

I don't want to disappoint my friend but I also don't want to have to call for a tow!
Thanks

4

SUP General / Re: Don't want to create a flying car

« on: May 24, 2018, 09:47:34 AM »

Well, that's excellent news and thanks to all for the suggestions! I hadn't thought about having a strap from the front bumper up to the rear of the board - that wold eliminate the "fold it back" case that I was worried about. I assume that the front strap is just barely snugged and not bending the board - correct?

Now all I need to do is fabricate a set of adapters for my Yakima rack and I'm good to go!

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SUP General / Don't want to create a flying car

« on: May 24, 2018, 07:24:47 AM »

I have recently retired and one of my goals is to get more time on the water. Since my pickup is a gas hog, I am thinking of getting a rack for my wife's 2011 CRV but I'm concerned about a large board on a small car. I'm not really worried about the car flying but I do worry that with only 48" between the front & rear crossbar and an 11' board that the board may get damaged when traveling on the freeway.

Just wondering if anyone has a similar setup and can make some recommendations. Saving a few bucks on gas would be great but not at the expense of screwing up my board.

Thanks!

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Flatwater and Touring / Re: Black Canyon: Hoover Dam to El Dorado on the Colorado River

« on: June 01, 2017, 05:34:42 PM »

Hey Tall Guy - thanks for reviving the thread! I've been looking for a winter trip I can do where I can take our trailer and let the wife kick back with the dogs all day while I go paddling. This looks like a great option. I read the entire thread and did some searches for the campground levity mentioned but came up dry - maybe it's not under the same name anymore? Anyway, if anyone knows a good campground on the river that would give access for this trip, I'm interested!

7

SUP General / Re: another "which board" question

« on: May 15, 2017, 03:54:13 PM »

Thanks all for the encouraging words and Spoonbill for the suggestion on the side bites - that was something I thought about and then just didn't get to it in my haste to go out & paddle!

Supthecreek - if this gives a little back to the site, then that makes me feel even better. I have learned a lot from reading posts on this forum and getting a lot of questions answered. As a rookie at SUPin' I don't have as much to contribute as the seasoned vets but if some if the things I post help somebody avoid a mistake or get more enjoyment out of the sport, then that's just icing on the cake.

Nalu-SUP I do plan on giving the board plenty of water time and now that I feel a little more secure on a blustery day, that just gives me more opportunity. Regarding where the board is made, I mentioned that for a couple reasons. First, I do understand that a lot of boards are actually manufactured in Asia (some say 90% or more) so I did my homework to find one that I thought was well built. I have worked most of my life in aerospace and for the last 5 years I have had the unfortunate job of helping send much of the work we did here in San Diego south & west. That hurts me  on a personal level but it is the way the world of manufacturing works  right now and since like most people, I need a paycheck, I do the best I can at my job - even though it means sending work overseas. For most of the board companies, to make a board that is at a price point they can sell to the average person, getting it manufactured overseas is is almost a requirement. Unfortunate, but true...

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SUP General / Re: another "which board" question

« on: May 14, 2017, 04:43:33 PM »

Guess I could have added a picture of the board as well...

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SUP General / Re: another "which board" question

« on: May 14, 2017, 04:21:46 PM »

Well, last Saturday I pulled the trigger on the Vesl board - and of course it rained and hailed on Sunday. That made yesterday my first outing on the new board and I'm very happy. I bought the Vesl Bamboo 11' 0" board from Affordable SUP's in Dana Point (they treated me well so I thought they deserved a mention).

Yesterday was a bit breezier than normal and on my old board I'd have probably just paddled around to the cays where the pretty people live and taken advantage of the wind break. Instead I took off and headed south - into the wind - and did about a 4 mile paddle. The board seems really stable, the only time I got a little rocked was when I had the wind directly to my port side and I switched the paddle to my left side ( a bit of pucker factor but I figured it out). All things considered, I had a great outing - just under 2 hours and so far I think I got the right board for me. I know they are actually manufactured in Asia but the design is from here and the folks in Newport and Affordable were very helpful with my decision.

Here's a few pics from Saturday - south end of San Diego bay looking east at San Miguel Mt (not far from where I live) and the track from my new on the cheap GPS tracker

10

SUP General / putting an old phone to good use

« on: April 24, 2017, 05:17:40 PM »

I get a lot of good info off this site and I always look for ways to give back (as a rookie paddler, I can't offer a lot of paddling advice  ). However, I do like my gadgets and a few months ago I bought the Gaia gps app for my Android phone. The reason I bought it was so when I was out 4 wheelin' in the dessert with no cell phone access, I could still use may GPS on the trail. Well today it dawned on me that I had an old Galaxy S2 phone sitting around in the drawer and that it might let me have a way to have a GPS when I'm paddling without worrying about losing/wrecking my regular phone.

I charged up the old S2, hooked it up to the WiFi in the house (this phone was from an old provider so no current SIM card) and downloaded the Gaia app. Once I downloaded it, I fired up the GPS, logged into the Gaia site to download my maps and VIOLA! I have a GPS that I can track my paddle trips with and it didn't cost me anything (well, if you don't count buying the app previously...)

Anyway, I've seen some posts from people asking about what tracking apps they use so I figured I'd share. If you've go an old phone laying around, you're half way there - and I believe there are some free GPS apps out there if you don't need a lot of features.

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SUP General / Re: another "which board" question

« on: April 24, 2017, 03:15:15 PM »

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all the feedback. SUP the creek, you hit it right on the nose - at least for me. I really enjoy paddling for my mental health - I find it very relaxing (unless I'm fighting to stay up!). I also do it for the fitness aspect but that is secondary and I figure if I get a more stable board, I'll go out on days I might have skipped so I'll get more exercise and more mental health to boot.

Regarding keeping my old board, that's the plan for now. If the new board turns out to do everything perfectly, well then I may look to trade the Glider on something else but for now, it's going to stay.

Thanks again

12

SUP General / Re: another "which board" question

« on: April 23, 2017, 07:07:24 PM »

No worries - I didn't know there were two versions of this board when I bought it and I went against my son's recommendation ( a surfer) and got the board thinking it was the one I'd read the reviews on. Later I found the "FW designation on the bottom and did more research. Live & learn... I do like th board and it is great on a smooth day - I just want something I will feel comfortable on out in the ocean (not necessarily surfing but just paddling beyond the surf line).

Here's a shot of my board's nose - not a great angle but you get the idea.

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SUP General / Re: another "which board" question

« on: April 23, 2017, 06:05:58 PM »

So North Jerz - was your Glider an All Water or a Flat Water? I do like my board (Flat Water) and I go out on it frequently but once the water gets choppy, it's a struggle for me. Maybe it's just me but it seems like with the displacement hull & no rocker, the chop and boat wakes kick my butt

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SUP General / another "which board" question

« on: April 23, 2017, 03:01:46 PM »

I have been looking for a new board to give me something that will be more stable on choppy water. My current board is an  Isle Glider - Flat Water which has an almost boat like nose to it. The boards I have a line on now are both from Vesl and are all around boards. They are identical except one is 10' 6" and one is 11' 0"  - the 11' board is 1" wider (32" and 1/4" thicker. I'm an intermediate paddler and I'm 5' 10" & weigh 200# (which is coming down thanks to paddling).

The purpose of getting a new board is to have a more stable board so I can get out more - including moving from the bay to the ocean beyond the surf line. So the question is, which board would seem to be the better choice - longer & wider or shorter and narrower? I'm leaning towards the longer board thinking the extra width - more stability and the length should/could make it a bit faster though I'm not trying to win any races. Both boards weigh roughly the same thing - within a pound.

What are the learned paddlers opinions on this?

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SUP General / Re: looking at a new board and wants some feedback

« on: April 07, 2017, 12:05:11 PM »

Thanks for the feedback guys. So here's the follow story & questions - my Isle Glide is 11' X 31" X 4 3/4" and I know the displacement hull contributes to it be a bit tippy in the chop. The Naish board is 11' 4" but only 30" wide and 4 1/2" thick. Even though it is narrower  will it be more stable because of the flatter bottom and general board shape?