The smokin spring and summer Maliko report

[LaPerouseBay]

Great stuff SB, I'm so glad to hear the boat is fun for you.  I was concerned that you might not get the bug.  That was my concern with Kathy too, but she's happy in the boat as well. 

I'm still boat only, but rebuilding slowly on my 9-6.  For you guys - boats are ideal when conditions are not suitable for surfing, Sup surfing or Sup downwinding.  You can still get out on the water in teeny waves, or, (like your visit with Kai) very big waves on a downwind run.  No fun on a standup - big challenge and super fun in boats.  Very good to cross train that core too.  Maui has tons of outriggers for a very good reason.

Another great benefit of outrigger is watching how the old timers use the currents.  I was surfing the chute early Sunday, and Pedro Gaspero Sr. paddled out.  He's super fun to watch.  I'd paddle behind him on the uphill section to get back to the lineup, just to watch his form.

It was already windy, so it took some effort to move uphill.  But this guy is the grand champion of going slow motion and moving right along.  I could barely pace him.   Easily two strokes for each one of his.  But he was reading the water better.  Old paddlers will blow your mind.  So smooth - so effortless.       

[Off-Shore]

Today I found myself looking further ahead than normal, and like driving a car on the track you need to look around the corner, not at the corner, or you will end up in the corner.  Looking a bump or two ahead gets you into those bumps.  I have been so concerned with the bump I am in, that I end up loosing the glide to the left or the right.  Does that make sense?  Anyway...I have obviously not mastered this,

I have not mastered this either but it is coming. I remember when I was paddling with JR in Maui and I asked him where he looked on a downwind run and he told me it was 2 or 3 bumps in front and I just could not get my head around that. I was having enough difficulty in keeping the nose of my board "in the trough" let alone look over the bump to see what was happening on the other side. Now what I have found is that the more wind there is the easier and more necessary it is to look further ahead and I am 100% sure that the more I do this the longer glides I get and the better links I make..

[LaPerouseBay]

I stopped into S.I.C. to leave a deposit for a bullet 17.  They had one that was refused for a minor blemish in the paint.  It's silver on top.  It looks fine, just a few black dots here and there...

So, rather than a 2 month wait, it only took a few hours to slap on the stickers and plumb it.  25 pounds 13 ounces before rudder and cables, so it's under 27.  Feels super light.  I'm stoked to be taking up downwinding again on standup.  It's been maybe 3 or 4 years...

It's good to be back on the dark side...



 

[covesurfer]

Wow, LPB, she's a beaut!

[PonoBill]

Wow, that's a pretty one. Wicked look, I like the silver. 27 pounds!!! I weighed my V2 a couple of days ago, I overstated the weight, it's 38 pounds. I can't believe someone walked away from that.

[Southbay]

Very Nice!  Now all we need is some wind!

[supLaz]

It's good to be back on the dark side...



 

Congrats LPB,
we need to see first if you have learned proper reading water on your surfski...
I'll bet, you will miss the Wingpaddle.

[LaPerouseBay]

South shore was really good today, I've only seen it better a few times. 

Slightly offshore direction - just enough to be a challenge to get in quick to Sarento's from the boardwalk.  It was bending in later, so it would have been ideal for a longer run.  Very steady and strong wind.  I've been practicing sharp angles these past few days and it paid off today. 

I fell 6 times Tuesday running sharp angles in lighter conditions.  When it's lighter, I try to make it as hard as possible to get ready for days like today.  Remounting is the most important skill in ski's.  It's very tricky when the wind is cranking. 

They lost a guy in South Africa during a race last weekend.  Cause of death wasn't known yet, but the ski forum has been talking a lot about safety.     

http://youtu.be/-3YMnMAu9pI

[Off-Shore]

They lost a guy in South Africa during a race last weekend.  Cause of death wasn't known yet, but the ski forum has been talking a lot about safety.   

Yes, this was very very sad indeed. http://www.dispatchlive.co.za/news/paddler-died-due-to-drowning/

We had our annual Surfski, Outrigger and SUP competition this past weekend, www.thedragonrun.com.hk and for the main Surfski and OC race, downwind conditions were the best they have been in a few years with 160+ competitors from a dozen or so countries. I hope there are lessons that can be learned from this terrible tragedy. By all accounts the race was well organised and the search fast and extensive. For those of us who get involved in organising open ocean races, this is something we will be looking at closely, to learn what can be done to prevent this type of tragedy ever happening again in the future. It seems the tracking devices used in the M2O are the way to go so you can see where everyone is at any time. Does anyone know who provided this system or the technology used?

[ericspin]

LPB, another great video. Conditions looked as awesome as you reported. I know that you and I have talked ski many times over the years. Mostly me asking your advice regarding boat selection. Have you seen this article? Really good info IMO.

http://northcoastkayaks.com/2014/11/26/epic-surfski-speed-comparison-with-greg-barton/ 

I may have gone overboard a bit but still have the old V8 and have since added a V10S as well as a V10. Both in the last model but in Pergformance layup. Also, still paddling my OC1. Your Sport was the older hull style. right?  Curious if you have had a chance to paddle the new Sport and how you would compare it to the 10 in the conditions that you paddle. Did a pretty good DW here in the west coast of FL last weekend and chose the V8 as it was my first true DW paddle. Had lots of opportunities to grab some bumps during other paddles but this was a legit 30 knot (pretty big for us) DW. I know why you are so addicted. Anxious to now try it in the Sport. I want back thru the archives of the Smokin Summer Malioko thread to reread your posts around the time you were switcjhing over to the 10. Seems like there were/are lots of things you liked better about the 10 over the Sport in DW paddles.

My experience has been pretty spot-on similar to what Barton offers in the article. Seems there is very little difference between the two in a straight out paddle. The 10 feels like it achieved those results more smoothly and with less effort. Although my balancing muscles fatigue quicker which leads to the swimming. But seems that your experience has been that in a DW the 10 outshines the Sport. Is that a fair statement?  Of course, that's what Oscar always says as well. So far all of my experiences in the 10 have included some involuntary swimming. Can't even imagine how fast it must slide through a DW.

Hope you guys had a Happy Thanksgiving. I am so anxious to get over a do some ski DW paddling with you guys. Would be awesome. Keeping pumping out the video when you can. Love watching them.

[LaPerouseBay]

Wow, I wish I had a sport or an 8 for Oscar drills.  Glad to see you are into the ski's, they are so fun.  I'll respond to your post later, I need to scoot off to work. 

Does anyone know who provided this system or the technology used?

I have my opinions about the tracking used at M2O and last years lack of tracking and near death of a paddler at M2M.  Here are the links to the organizers of both.  I'd contact them for the real story.  M2M is going to do something different this year after last years debacle.

jkfoti@gmail.com

mph@mauipaddlinghui.org

[Southbay]

Near death at M2M? 

[PonoBill]

Seven o'clock and the wind is howling at my house. Good day for shaking off that turkey coma. I didn't think I ate that much, but my body says differently this morning. Maybe it was the second dessert. Or the third.

SB--yeah, a guy was in the water a long, long time. they didn't miss him until very late.

[covesurfer]

SB, the guy at M2M was on OC1 in the July race. The story was that he was trying to fix his hydration pack, got hulied, boat went to the end of the leash which then snapped, leaving him in the water. I think I heard that this was way out in the Kamalo portion of the race. He was in the water for hours, in gnarly water conditions before miraculously being randomly found by a fisherman returning to Kaunakakai. He ended up fully recovering, but he was in the hospital on Oahu for a couple of days. Someone even found his boat. They announced it during the latter part of the awards ceremony. I think the guy is a trained and very experienced waterman with full survival skills. But that only buys you a bit of extra time before the conditions become overwhelming. Anyway, that is the story that I heard and read. He was in rough shape from ordeal when he was found. Very scary.

The organizer for that m2m race is Rodney Kilborn and Handsome Buggah Productions. MPH organizes the other m2m that is held in April.

[Southbay]

Wow, not sure how I missed that one. I'm hoping to do that race on my oc1 this year. You too Cove.