Author Topic: The fall and winter Maliko report  (Read 58381 times)

LaPerouseBay

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #75 on: February 11, 2012, 11:31:52 PM »
Fun race for me.  My goal was to stay outside, and in the boat.  It's my third maliko in the ski, no falls today.

The video shows the start of the Sup's.  When they were off, the boats began to paddle out to our start.  It's not the best footage, but it's something.  HM and PB are in there.

I reset the camera at our start, but, as usual, the best stuff begins just as the camera shuts off (at 30 min.).  I need to research a way to extend the shooting time.  It was really good across the reefs.  Very, very good day for me.  

3rd ski maliko, MCKC race
« Last Edit: February 11, 2012, 11:34:40 PM by LaPerouseBay »
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headmount

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #76 on: February 11, 2012, 11:51:50 PM »
Nice shot of the start.  Loved the other boats when they were right up next to you close.  That's the key.... close.  Yep you were cooking and Bill and I took knives to a gunfight.  You had that great glow at the finish.  Thanks for the vid.

1paddle2paddle

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #77 on: February 13, 2012, 01:12:54 PM »
LPB, sorry to nitpick, but did you notice how your stroke on the left side is more vertical than on the right?  I think I did (still do?) the same thing, I believe that is common to people who go from OC-1 to ski, an unbalanced stroke.  The goal is to get the paddle entry as vertical as possible.

Of course the bumps are not the easiest place to practice one's stroke.

LaPerouseBay

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #78 on: February 13, 2012, 02:58:24 PM »
Feel free to comment on my technique, I'm always open to suggestion. 

Yes, I'm well aware of the imbalance.  That's what the camera is for, to help me gradually move up the elbows, straighten the wrists, etc.

Paddling oc-1 for about 18 months before switching to ski has it's drawbacks.  As the months go by, I can feel the changes to a smoother stroke.  The muscles are gradually changing to reflect the ski motion.  It just takes time. 

As you accurately predicted months ago, I'm not doing oc-1 at all anymore.  The scorpius is gathering dust.  It's going away as soon as find the time to polish it up.  Really don't want to sell it, so many great memories in that boat...   

The videos I post are actually not an accurate view of my average stroke technique.  As you mentioned, downwinding is not a good time to focus on perfect form.  The needs of balance and steering with the blade far outweigh ideal form, particularly for a novice.  Remember also that I very seldom see big north shore rollers.  I'm basically scared out of my mind when on the north shore...  The horizontal stroke is just a natural reaction.  It will get more vertical with experience.  The clips I post are only the most visually exciting parts of the run.  Lot's of boring footage of me paddling with a 'better' stroke never make the cut.   

The big advantage of oc-1 before ski is the ability to read the ocean.  I can't imagine how hard it must be to learn downwinding and ski at the same time...

Another hurdle to the balanced 'vertical' stroke is my imbalanced body.  My left collarbone is actually in two pieces.  The right shoulder has some decades old rotator cuff scar tissue.  I also have arms that are very long for my height.  Great for basketball, not so good for pushups...  The shoulders work really well - no pain - no complaints at all.  But at 51, it's taking some time to undo the ravages of youth.  Remarkably, it's all going in a positive direction. 

The great thing about the human body is it's ability to regenerate cells.  My connective tissue is gradually re-organising itself in a more balanced fashion.  Thanks in large part to the demands of the ski.   

Resistance stretching, a minimal amount of core work and cycling work great for me.  So very lucky to be able to get in the water every day.  That's why I moved here.   

 
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PonoBill

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #79 on: February 13, 2012, 03:38:36 PM »
Nice not to be the only one that gets the crap scared out of them sometimes. Maliko runs look so benign in the videos. It's not until you look ahead and see 30 foot waves breaking outside your current position that you really get the ol' sphincter slamming shut.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

1paddle2paddle

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #80 on: February 13, 2012, 04:21:54 PM »
LPB, I probably should have started my post with "do you notice how vertical you get the paddle on the left side..." acknowledging the marked improvement you have made over the past several months.  But funny how improving the one side doesn't necessarily mean both sides benefit.  I agree, probably something that has to do with not starting at age 14, where the body simply learns without having to think about such things as a "balanced" stroke.

PB, your point is well taken.  The thought of getting rolled by 20+ feet of charging whitewash while paddling doesn't seem like a whole lot of fun.  The videos never seem to provide the entire experience.

LaPerouseBay

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #81 on: February 13, 2012, 06:34:06 PM »
Ok, hold on now.  This will be my last post over here on the winter maliko thread regarding ski stuff.  I'm moving any further posts over to the ski thread. 

Kind readers, never associate me with any '20 foot this or 30 foot that' on the north shore. I'm far too wise to get anywhere near that stuff. 

This recent race found me WAY outside.  It was dead low tide, with the potential for random sneakers on the outer edges of camp one or kanaha.  I didn't see hide nor hair of ANYTHING up ahead, nor outside.     

My fear is from spilling over, period. Even in the deepest water.  If you are a novice in a ski and you are spilling, you are doing it wrong.  New guys in skis getting worked at maliko are the stuff of legend.  I ain't going there.  Certainly not in a race. 

I find it difficult to explain (to anyone not a beginner on a ski) just how freaky they are.  Nine times out of ten (at my skill level) it's better to hold back, aim the ski correctly and let the ocean push you into a glide.  IF you get that part right, they gain speed quickly.  The hard part isn't catching swells, it's deciding what to do next.

You want to grab a faster link?  Be my guest.  I only go there when it's the lesser of two evils. Sometimes, if the sea really gets going, it's safer to get your speed up to survive. (If you hold back, you may get twisted by a following swell.)  It happened all across kite beach.  Frankly, I was uncomfortable.  I don't like to be so close to wiping out.   

I got some great glides at speed on the big swells.  Passed a few girls in oc-1's. Wow, I'm such a stud.  ::) 

I was giddy after the race because I didn't fall. Not  because I raced any breaking waves.

Copied, pasted and Boldfaced for emphasis:

Kind readers, never associate me with any '20 foot this or 30 foot that' on the north shore. I'm far too wise to get anywhere near that stuff.

Nice not to be the only one that gets the crap scared out of them sometimes./  It's not until you look ahead and see 30 foot waves breaking outside your current position/

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PonoBill

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #82 on: February 13, 2012, 08:31:57 PM »
Sometimes it seems there's just no such thing as far enough out. I did my usual chicken line, but when I came across upper Kanaha that damned sneaky spot popped up outside me. I was WAY out and it was another 100 yards further. Fortunately it reforms and turns into a swell again when it gets past that tabletop. I've got to find that reef and get some visual coordinates for it.

I also found myself looking at a tunnel of waves and wave backs ahead when I got further along, had to head out again to be certain not to get tagged. And then when I got to Kite Beach I saw that guy get pounded at Pier One. Gulp. 
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

808sup

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #83 on: February 13, 2012, 09:42:33 PM »
I was kiting sat. at pier one. I didn't see any paddlers so figured the race was over. When I returned  to the beach a friend of mine was there. He had two skis on his rig. I asked him about the race and if there was any carnage. He told me about the oc-1. It made me shudder...

1paddle2paddle

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #84 on: February 14, 2012, 10:58:22 AM »
I got some great glides at speed on the big swells.  Passed a few girls in oc-1's. Wow, I'm such a stud.  ::) 
You can take down the elephants later. 

LaPerouseBay

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #85 on: February 18, 2012, 03:57:34 AM »
Good fun at maliko.  NW swell was going down, wind was good.  As usual, I was way outside as I approached the reefs.  I jumped out and started the camera when the swells began to get steeper.  Super fun day. 

maliko 2-17-12
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PonoBill

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #86 on: February 18, 2012, 07:32:30 PM »
Good run today with HM, Victor, Buzzy. Smokin' wind and nice texture. A big squall ran over us and made everything kind of round and smooth without diminishing the wind. I got some really good runners in the squall and actually seemed to be gaining on everyone, then just before turning in for the run over the Camp One reef I had a fairly violent interaction between a little sun-induced vertigo, very poor choice of lunch and a surprise in the form of a big swallow from a camelback that turned out to be full of spoiled Coconut milk (when did I put THAT in there?). That did NOT work out well.

Then I got slammed coming over the outer reef--big ol' wave that I almost made it onto the shoulder of but instead got nailed by a wall o' whitewater. Got pushed too far in to make the inner reef channel so I would up floundering across the inner reef on my belly, holding the board fin-up to preserve my rudder, getting pounded by little waist-high waves.

What an ignominious end for a run that started so well. Ah well, it was still fun. Tomorrow ought to be rockin'
« Last Edit: February 18, 2012, 07:35:21 PM by PonoBill »
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

headmount

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #87 on: February 18, 2012, 08:48:13 PM »
As PBill posted it was smoking and anyone who got out there today (there looked like quite a few) got to experience Maliko at close to its best... in Feb. no less, usually the calmest month of the year.  We usually get conditions like this around late March. But I'm not complaining.  Today was one of those days that all the so so days pay for.  All the practice pays off and you felt like it  was a do no wrong day.  We lucked out and got out of the gulch with a big clearing and the wind smoked right out of the gates.  A squall, like many that had rolled through all day, finally caught up with us and was so heavy, you couldn't see the coastline for a few miles.  Squalls usually cut the wind but today it only smoothed the surface off and made things even better. 

I've done this run a few times and just enjoyed the conditions rather than try to navigate something that I couldn't see.  Knew it would clear and then I'd deal with it.  Well the clearing did break and I waltzed right into an outer reef peak and got knocked off.  Grabbed the board on the fall and the wave just pushed my whole sloppy package sideways.  Managed to pull myself on and stand up again, riding the wave same in across the reef without checking for hat and sunnies.  Looked down after I was across the reef and the adrenaline subsided.  Nothing.  Spent a few minutes trying to locate my Union 76 orange float ball on my sunnies but it must have been on the outside side of the break, about 50 yds and a shitload of white water away.  Still I felt fantastic about the run.

PBill's mistake is well worth listening to.  Eating a (was it pastrami?) sandwich before a run like today is pretty much the same thing as former NY Giants, now NY Jet WR Plexico Buress shooting himself in the leg before a playoff game.  (which I guess is the definition of the word he used... ignominious ) A smoothie a few hours before and then only liquids after that.  Digestion of heavy food isn't going to happen out there.

blueplanetsurf

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Re: Race day
« Reply #88 on: February 18, 2012, 11:24:05 PM »
The turn out for SUP was limited to the few heavy hitters remaining on the island like MR, Livio, and Jeremy (pretty much in their order of finish).  MR finished first on his new invention, the Standamaran, a two- narrow hulled vehicle with a platform in between. 


We had a great conditions here on Oahu today, too.
I'm amazed that Mark beat Livio on the standamaran in a downwind race, must be a new prototype.  Do you guys have pictures  and/ or can you report more about it?
Robert Stehlik
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LaPerouseBay

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #89 on: February 19, 2012, 01:30:37 AM »
No info on the standamaran.  I too was surprised that he's doing maliko's with it.  It certainly wasn't flat that day.   

Wind and swell was excellent today at maliko.  Here are some clips from the run.  It's the outer reefs at kanaha, across to the lead in to the harbor.  Big fun.

maliko 2-18-12 
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