Author Topic: Kayadog rocks  (Read 4273 times)

headmount

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Kayadog rocks
« on: March 25, 2017, 09:01:16 PM »
Kayadog is back visiting Maui and contacted me for a run.  It's been pretty grim DW conditions on the north shore of Maui most of the winter and I figured his chances of getting a good run were slim.  Today looked promising for wind but the forecast had a big NW swell rising sometime today or tonight.  So I hustled to get us launched as early as possible to beat its arrival.  You never know when they're going to hit.  Besides the obvious hazard, swells cross up the local wind sea that we wanted to ride.  My last Maliko run was like that and I wanted to quit SUP after the run.

SIC was closed so Kayadog almost drew a goose egg but my South African pal that lives here had an extra V2.  So while that worked, I assumed he was a regular foot for the rudder since he had used Pono Bill's board for a flat water race here a few years ago.  Wrong.  He's a goofy footer.

But we got up there and launch by 1.  Not a cloud in the sky.  Absolutely spectacular conditions.  The swell hadn't arrived so we avoided any crossed up nightmares. Well groomed surface conditions were the order of the day and despite having the rudder on the wrong side, Kayadog did fantastic.  I'd seen him paddle on that race a few years back and knew he was strong but this was intense Maliko and he was dropping in like he'd been doing it for years... when it was his first.  It was thrilling to watch someone from Rhode Island just do his thing.  He's a SU surfer and his balance is obviously well honed. 

And get this.  He did the whole run with no water and a very small paddle.  Too much fun!

kayadogg

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Re: Kayadog rocks
« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2017, 12:40:20 AM »
Thanks again Bill.

Today was easily the highlight of all my Maui experiences. Pretty incredible to get the chance to do this run with such good conditions. I felt a little unprepared as I haven't been on a race board in months, had no hydration and had a shitty 3-piece travel paddle. Big thanks to Gavin too for being kind enough to lug a second board with him. What I really got a kick out of was seeing you and Gavin make it look so easy and just take off like it was no big deal. I made sure to take some time to just look around and let it all sink in. Really cool experience today, one that I'll never forget.

If any of you ever get the chance, definitely hit up headmount and hire him for a guided run, there's no better way to experience it.

supthecreek

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Re: Kayadog rocks
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2017, 04:27:19 AM »
Great story HM.... kayadogg is a skilled waterman, so I am not at all surprised to hear he rocked his 1st Maliko!
The fact that he got to do it with you, is a marker in his surfing life.

The Zone bringing people together for SUP adventures and friendship.... priceless  :)

surfcowboy

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Re: Kayadog rocks
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2017, 08:28:38 AM »
This is awesome, and reassuring. Those runs are intimidating for mainlanders, glad to hear a story of someone coming prepared and having a ball. Also, as a goofy, hadn't considered the impact of the rudder.

Kayadog, how was it steering or did you mostly just use it like a non rudder board?

headmount

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Re: Kayadog rocks
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2017, 09:54:32 AM »
This is awesome, and reassuring. Those runs are intimidating for mainlanders, glad to hear a story of someone coming prepared and having a ball. Also, as a goofy, hadn't considered the impact of the rudder.

Kayadog, how was it steering or did you mostly just use it like a non rudder board?

Fortunately the V2 has a fair amount of vee in the tail so on a windy day like yesterday he was able to step back and surf it.  Not too many people arrive here and are able to just do that but he did.  But it's important if you're coming to begin communicating with SIC or whoever you're renting from in order to have a board with the rudder plumbed correctly for you, especially if you're a goofy foot which puts you in the lower percentage.  And it's also important to practice on a rudder so that you don't have to think about how to use it.  Your foot should have a 'mind' of its own.

Because aside from steering there is a tremendous amount of elevation changes going on and that's (capitalized) what you'll be concentrating on.

On a side note Jeremy launched with the canoe racers and was ahead for the first three miles... on his standup.  Made it to the harbor entrance in 57 mins.  It was that kind of day.

PonoBill

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Re: Kayadog rocks
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2017, 10:07:27 AM »
Geez that's fast.

Cowboy, it's a good thing that Maliko is intimidating. On big days with a big north swell it terrifies almost everyone.
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.

TallDude

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Re: Kayadog rocks
« Reply #6 on: March 26, 2017, 10:14:33 AM »
That box gets a big check mark ;D  Awesome Kayadog
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

covesurfer

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Re: Kayadog rocks
« Reply #7 on: March 26, 2017, 10:41:07 AM »
Great post. It looked absolutely epic out there yesterday. And, the south shore (Kihei) went off as well.

I missed all of it, including the Paddle Imua for the keikis in the morning, the Paddling Hui Race and some of the best downwind conditions we've seen this year so far. The big swell did not start to show until late afternoon, when some fast forerunner waves apparently entered the small swell mix.

Awesome that Kayadog got those conditions and, having ridden the V2 before, it is not nearly as user-friendly as the V1 can be, with it's sharper and more rockered nose. Not to mention having the steering rigged backwards! So, sounds pretty awesome all the way around! Kayadog sounds like he has the skillz to pay da billz!


PonoBill

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Re: Kayadog rocks
« Reply #8 on: March 26, 2017, 10:49:44 AM »
Huh? Wuz you too busy smoking crack?  I ride my V2 when I'm falling off my V1 too much--the V2 is wider and rolls the tail less than the V1 does. Surely you don't think I'm looking for an additional challenge when I switch out to the world's heaviest V2.  I'm pretty sure the nose has a lot LESS rocker, which is why you have to work at keeping it out of the swells in front of you. I agree though that having the steering wrong would make the V2 a much more challenging board than it should be. Steering the nose away from constant pearling is a critical V2 skill.

Are you perhaps thinking V3? Put that pipe down and go paddle.

Oh, wait, I see, you were trying to say that the V1 nose is sharper and has more rocker, but you screwed up reference by punctuating a compound sentence. Paddling won't help, but put down the pipe anyway.
« Last Edit: March 26, 2017, 11:03:19 AM 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.

covesurfer

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Re: Kayadog rocks
« Reply #9 on: March 26, 2017, 11:02:02 AM »
No, I meant that the V1 has more rocker and a sharper entry. I rode your V2 a few times, more buoyancy in the nose and perhaps more stability (it's been a long time) but, yes, the pearling from the flatter rocker makes it challenging in big, steeper drops. I think the V1 is easier from that standpoint.

No crack smoking for me. We went out to the MACC Friday night and I guess that was just too big a deal at my age. I got to bed late and woke up with my stomach doing somersaults. Never got past the end of my driveway yesterday.

PonoBill

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Re: Kayadog rocks
« Reply #10 on: March 26, 2017, 11:04:16 AM »
Did you eat the food at the MACC? I got to spend the night in the bathroom after the Boz Scaggs concert, uncertain as to which direction was going to fire next.
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.

covesurfer

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Re: Kayadog rocks
« Reply #11 on: March 26, 2017, 11:05:23 AM »
Um, yeah. My bad apparently.

PonoBill

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Re: Kayadog rocks
« Reply #12 on: March 26, 2017, 11:06:25 AM »
But we digress.
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.

mrbig

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Re: Kayadog rocks
« Reply #13 on: March 26, 2017, 12:00:03 PM »
k-dog, Way to go buddy. Sounds like you killed it. Mad skills. I thought you were tuning up with booming 375 yard drives..Saved your spot at Hooterville yesterday!
Let it come to you..
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kayadogg

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Re: Kayadog rocks
« Reply #14 on: March 26, 2017, 03:15:05 PM »
Kayadog, how was it steering or did you mostly just use it like a non rudder board?

Steering wasn't that difficult when it wasn't critical but it was tricky to drop my right foot back and then switch to my normal goofy stance when I had to get all the way back on some of the steeper drops. After about 30 min, I stopped using the steering and just stayed in more of a goofy surf stance and steered from the tail. I felt slower this way since I wasn't trimming the board as well but I felt more in control and more comfortable, which is what I needed yesterday.

It was intimidating for sure but after I got settled, I was able to really enjoy it and had an absolute blast. I've never gone that fast or caught such long glides in my life. I understand the addiction now, 100%.

 


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