review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle

[Strand Leper]

Two more days with the Molokai... my upper abs are super sore... in a really good way.  I think that this is from the hip shift as I am pulling my body to the paddle.  I have never had soreness in this area before... Not much arm soreness... more chest, lats and upper ab's... and an interesting soreness in my upper quads... If you remember your paddle poem, you will be rewarded... (triangle, reach, plant, lean, twist, flip, repeat...)... if you don't you will be punished.

Again, my time was so limited and the waves were so fun that I did not switch paddles.  Okay, my time wasn't limited, but I am a selfish surfer... and I was having a blast... so real time comparison to my old surf paddle soon... I will have a few extra days off next week and will give it a go then...

I can say this, though... without hesitation.  Check the "Classified" section in the coming weeks for a good deal on some (former) top of the line, carbon fiber paddles.

Tim

[headmount]

Well this is my second vid of the south side... with Pono Bill's KeNalu blade.  I love it.

[Strand Leper]

Nice video HM.  Thanks for posting... you seriously need to send out demo tapes.  The dry ironic voice is in serious demand these days.  Great narration.

Tim

[pdxmike]

I agree--the narration is great.  I love being briefed on what's going on.

[juandoe]

That looks like too much fun.  I need to plan a trip to Maui.

[PonoBill]

Fun video, I like the southside runs, especially when Maliko is handing out serious beatings. Glad you finally got into them Bill, I couldn't drag you there last year.

Gonna have to teach you a stroke, you're shoveling water on the exit. That blade doesn't let you get away with that. You can see how much water you're lifting. You have to pull it out of the water vertically (Tahitian) or drop your upper hand and wing it out (Hawaiian stroke). And it likes to be feathered. On the catch though, you were right on, putting just the right amount of pull effort into that Molokai. The folks that pull hard on that big blade tire out fast. All you need is a little tug to maintain speed. I have some video of a downwinder here in the Columbia with a Molokai that I need to edit. I haven't done anything with it because it looks so silly, like I'm just patting the water, but I was in every swell I went after.

It's really surprising how different these three blades are. The 8" is so totally different from the 8.5"  and the 9" is nothing like the Wiki or Maliko. It will be VERY interesting to see your reaction, especially to the 8".

[LaPerouseBay]

Another cool video HM.  Excellent narration.  That was a fun day.

Wind was really cranking early in the run.  We were very lucky to have wind at the end.  An hour after we finished the entire run was flat as a lake.

Your camera angle to the left is the ticket.  It's all about going left on the south (and north) shore.  It's good to see further down the line as your camera did.     

[DavidJohn]

Finally got my hands on Bill's new paddle because they have made it down under.. and they look pretty good.. PT is the proud new owner.

DJ

[PonoBill]

Nice to see it getting into the right hands.  I especially like the background "art". He's not going to use that paddle for something kinky is he?

[headmount]

Vertically challenged?

[DavidJohn]

Nice to see it getting into the right hands.  I especially like the background "art". He's not going to use that paddle for something kinky is he?

Don't you guys have paddle stands like this in the US?.. 

And yeah.. That paddle is going to be a little short for PT.. 

DJ

 

[PonoBill]

Thaaats what we needed, a closeup.

[stoneaxe]

Some shops in New England coming soon.

[SUP Sports ®]

We got'em...come and get'em...

[pdxmike]

I just saw them today at Gorge Performance in Portland.  Great to see in person, and to be able to try the handles, feel the texture and how light they are, etc.