Messages

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SUP Gear Reviews / Newly Acquired / On Order / Re: 2020 NRS neoprene Boundary Boots.

« on: December 02, 2021, 09:42:40 AM »

Still liking the boots and they are the best I have owned for cold weather paddling yet. I do a lot of shoreline walks and scrambles when I paddle, so i’m going to get a pair of boots with a heavier duty sole, with more ankle support. I can use these boots but have to be careful when Im walking among sharp rocks because the neoprene will not hold up. The NRS work boot looks good and I’m looking at some scuba boots as well.

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Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Re: Drysuit anyone?

« on: November 28, 2021, 07:55:45 PM »

It’s good a video on this myth was finally posted. It was dispelled years ago but people keep perpetuating the death trap anchor mantra. Doesn’t work that way and Drysuits aren’t easy to swim in period but for down winding and winter paddling, they are fine.

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Gear Talk / Re: Fin Recommendations for Unlimited Board

« on: October 05, 2021, 09:36:21 AM »

Hey,

I have an unlimited Starboard 17’4” x 27.5 and notice quite a difference in fin size in side chop and quartering. The larger the fin, the harder i have to work to hold a bearing in conditions that are not lined up. Larger fins with more surface area typically have more hold, so it can be more work in challenging conditions. I have tried a bunch of fins and the same result. Larger gives a bit more stability but also more work in side on conditions. My board also dies not have a steering system.

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Random / Re: Electric Surf Vehicles in 2020

« on: September 30, 2021, 10:38:21 AM »

Wow, the Rivian looks like a very impressive start up. I’ve watched a few videos now and it is truly innovative and most importantly, nailed what most truck owners would likely want. Well, seemingly so and production models will tell the real story but this is what I would want out of an electric truck.  Ticks a lot of boxes.  The pass through storage feature and what you can do with it for camping and whatever else is genius. This is common place on travel trailers but the first time i’ve seen it on a domestic vehicle. The off road performance looks great and on road does as well. With big investment from Ford and Amazon, hopefully this vehicle will evolve and continue to get better.

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General Discussion / Re: SIC Okeanos reviews?

« on: June 09, 2021, 03:48:06 PM »

The Okeanos is available in 14 x 26” wide as well as the 28”. I have seen a 26” in a shop here in BC. The Okeanos carries a bit more width through to the tail than the Bic, so it should be a bit more stable.

If you are considering the RS, then you might want to add the Atlantis into the mix for open water paddling in all conditions. Reportedly very stable with the dug out and I dont see why it wouldn't be good for distance touring. Add extra tie downs and you got an expedition board. The DF construction with the Okeanos is a fair bit heavier but will be more durable.

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Gear Talk / Re: Torn between Hala and Red Paddle

« on: May 16, 2021, 11:19:01 AM »

Right on. Yep, the Hoss is a dog on flatwater and the extra foot on the 12’6” will give you better tracking and 34” is just really wide period, and that makes a huge difference for speed and tracking with a board that is well under 12 feet long.

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Gear Talk / Re: Torn between Hala and Red Paddle

« on: May 15, 2021, 10:35:29 AM »

Hi Windwarrior,

From DMs comment, Hala doesn't have a 14 x 30" or a 14 x 32" board in their line up. Hala has the 14' x 28" Carbon Nass T, and the 12'6" x 30" Carbon Hala Nass.

I remember you choosing boards on the forums awhile back. I also have the Carbon Hala Hoss. If you are considering the 13'2" Red, the 12'6" Hala Nass would also be a board to consider and it will track straighter and be significantly quicker than the Hoss that is a foot shorter and 4 inches wider.  The 28" wide Nass T, will give you an uptick in speed over the 12'6" Hoss.

I like the touring range from Red, and have checked out their offerings in the 12'6" and 13 foot range, but if both brands are in stock and available, Hala gets my money. Hala durability is rated as exceptional for inflatables, but they don't have a big market presence because of advertising and availability overall.

For the river market, Hala has shown the most progression out of all brands imo, and both Red and Hala have good options for touring and performance, but I think Starboard has far outpaced the rest of the brands with innovation and practical applications. Dual chamber technology availability increases rigidity and safety, as well as a host of options that other brands don't have.

A hard board was mentioned if you truly want more performance. If you have the space, it's worth getting one. 

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Random / Re: Surfer Magazine furloughs its entire staff

« on: October 05, 2020, 08:41:55 AM »

I still read and buy a number of magazines. My favourite magazine publication is free, released bi-annually and is called Kootenay Mountain Culture. The coastal publication is called Coast Mountain Culture and I get my hands on this one whenever I can as well. Well written articles on a wide array of topics and excellent photography capturing a number of outdoor pursuits in BC. When the release date arrives, locals here pursue the Kootenay Mountain Culture truck in Nelson, trying to get a copy before they are all gone.

I got a subscription to Standup Journal for my birthday. Not much to the mag but I still enjoy reading the articles and checking out the pics.

9

Gear Talk / Re: Is it normal for paddle handles to snap off?

« on: September 05, 2020, 09:46:09 PM »

Sorry if I caused any confusion but I might add to it right now. I have both the Ho'oloa and Mana, and there is nothing wrong with the Ho'oloa at all, and it has a softer catch than the Wiki. The Ho'oloa is cheaper than the Mana as well. The Mana just has a bit stronger catch while still being quite easy to use, so most prefer it over the other Kenalu offerings, but I do like the Ho'oloa overall.

100 bucks is just a really good deal for that paddle imo and you can also sell the Wiki or keep it as a back up if you were going to go the used route. I believe PB is just saying the Wiki would likely be better than what you had. Mana blades do come up used sometimes, and I picked mine up used.

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Gear Talk / Re: Is it normal for paddle handles to snap off?

« on: September 02, 2020, 11:07:04 AM »

This just posted on CL SoCal..  Maybe they'll ship for a little more?  https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/spo/d/aliso-viejo-kenalu-sup-carbon-fiber/7182968195.html

This is a great find.

At this price the OP could order a Mana or Ho’oloa blade,  and the extended ergo handle to experiment with length.  A complete set up and when you include the extras, this would be a fair bit cheaper than buying new.

11

Downwind and Racing / Re: What board do I want?

« on: August 01, 2020, 10:49:34 AM »

Great suggestions here and I think the Maliko would be a good choice with it's slimmer profile for handling steep swell, and messy conditions. The Columbia River where I live is nothing like the Columbia on the Gorge for the wild DW conditions, but I have paddled some days when the wind is howling on the Columbia against the current, the same on the Kootenay River, and it makes for considerably steeper and larger wave swell than normal, and you want a board that is going to deal with it well.

I'm waiting on further reviews for the new Maliko because it sounds like the construction has been downgraded in favour of weight savings, but we'll see. I'll take a 28-29, 30  pound board over a 26 pound board with egg shell construction any day. The slight bump up in volume with the new Maliko may make it work better for a slightly heavier paddler as well. The new Bullet sounds interesting, but given early reviews on durability, it would be dragonfly construction for me.

I took a 2019 Fanatic Blitz 14 x 26" BXF for a short demo yesterday, but it was very calm conditions with a few boat wakes mixed in. Narrow tail equals a bit less stability when stepping back but lots of rocker, so it could be good in the short period stuff. It seemed fine in side on boat chop, but I really can't comment on DW performance or truly messy conditions. Seemed to accelerate well on the flat despite the rocker, and didn't push nearly as much water as I thought it would.

The Blitz I paddled had soft construction on the rails and this was very disappointing for a supposedly PVC wrapped board that has a listed weight of just under 28 pounds. I could push the rails in noticeably with my thumb for a few feet on the both sides on the rail edge just above where the interface of the rail is on the edge. I had a Naish Glide that was this soft, and it was a fucking durability nightmare. I'm hoping this Blitz slipped by QC in the factory because it's just not acceptable. This was a demo model and I would need to check the rail edge on another to draw a conclusion.

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Random / Re: Covid-19 - the Second Wave?

« on: June 24, 2020, 10:30:15 PM »

Wow. The deep state and communism as reasons for mask wearing. God will dole out the punishment. Crazy times.

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Random / Re: Covid-19 - the Second Wave?

« on: June 24, 2020, 07:33:21 PM »

I don’t wear a mask if I’m going outside for a walk or some other outside activity where I’m not around a lot of people. But I do wear one to go grocery shopping, go to massage or basically when I’m doing any kind of indoor experience. But what I find troubling, is that I see less and less people wearing them. In my province (British Columbia) we are generally regarded as having done a pretty good job with this pandemic, so maybe people are getting complacent. Here (https://www.sfgate.com/news/editorspicks/article/What-they-don-t-tell-you-about-surviving-15347792.php) is a good article as to why we should not be complacent.

I live in BC and the vast majority from the Okanagan to the west and east Kootenays have never worn a mask period. It’s not like the majority in Vancouver wear masks either.  It didn’t help when the medical professionals calling the shots on what or what not to do, kept flipping the script on whether it was beneficial to wear a mask or not, 2 bloody months into the pandemic. There was ongoing debate for weeks coming right from the top on what type of mask, or if a mask at all was beneficial.

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SUP General / Re: effects and repairability of beaching a loaded touring hardboard

« on: May 17, 2020, 02:50:56 PM »

Good thread and there are so many different ways to try and mitigate impacts of landing and taking off with a loaded board.

I will sometimes nose up onto protected beaches that I know are sand, and turn the board 180 degrees, lifting from the rear leash attachment to protect the fin/fin box.  If there is shore break, I sometimes time it to quickly lift the board by the carry handle and the bungee up front, by grabbing the bungee at the closest attachment to the board, and you will be grabbing the bungee at two points in one hand to help in lifting the board. I will quickly lift the board and it will typically be loaded heavier at one end so a rail may still be touching the water, but most of your board is up out of the water. You just need to make sure you are grabbing at the attachment point right off the board, with two bungees in your hand. It's not a pretty method, but you just do it and get it done. You can practice with a loaded board in calm water, in your yard etc.

What works the best is NSI loops and straps, and then your gear doesn't slip to one side as easily but you can still carry a board that has bungee attachments described above..  It's also a good suggestion having that extra attachment at the front of the board. Cant say enough good things about NSI loop attachments. I would rather a board just come bare or the standard factory attachments of four points up front, and then outfit the board myself with NSI tie downs.

I will also stand in the water if it's too rocky, and/or a shore break, and just take my dry bags off and toss the bags to the shore, or wear my back pack dry bags and carry the board. It's a bit of a process no matter how you end up doing it, but dragging your board often isn't optimal and it will take damage over time if you do.   I have many scratches on my Sunova Expedition, and I knew going in that I would be launching and landing on many different rocky shorelines, so it's not going to stay in showroom condition for it's intended purposes.

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SUP General / Re: Introduction: BC based looking for advice on next fitness / day touring board

« on: May 15, 2020, 08:22:24 PM »

If it was in Canadian, the Maliko 14x24 they have would be looking me

If it was in Canadian, the Maliko 14x24 they have would be looking me in teh face....

And your Maliko would be on my roof rack.
.