Paddleboarder breaks man's skull in water (San Diego)

[surf4food]

I hope they catch the a****.  Not good for our sport.

[red_tx]

Surely someone else was in the line that knows who did what. This is just pure line rage that boiled up. I have seen some pretty tense altercations in the water that were headed towards violence. To me this is not a Stand up Paddle Surfer versus a Prone server, its just atoms colliding in the lineup. This could have been a longboarder versus shortboarder. **Only there is a broom tool involved.

I guess I am bummed to see this because no matter what, some traditional prone surfers will use this to further codify their existing anger towards Standies.

I think its weak that dude used his paddle to throttle other dude, If in fact this is what happened. I am also impressed that a carbon fiber paddle could crush a skull, if in fact this is what happens.

Makes me a wee bit more confident about my Shark vs Paddle event that hasn't happened yet. If, in fact its true. 
-Red

[OUTSIDEWAVE]

I have to agree.  I am goingto go out ona limb and say the paddleboarder wasn't a true standup surfer becuase that is not what we do. I also wonder if the swim coach was acting the role of enforcer. Or perhaps ist is something else altogether

[Billekrub]

Mostly hear about surfers who think they own the ocean and are quite obnoxious.  When you see hundreds of surfers in the water, in the videos, it is a miracle more of them do not get konked by other surfers, never mind suppers.

He was most likely a victim, indirectly, of many obnoxious surfers who preceded him.

[SUPcheat]

The story is more than a little thin on context.  Accident, or intentional etc.  If he was close enough to get a paddle whack, was he attacking?

[capobeachboy]

Well the victim was surfing at the time but he's a real paddleboarder (arms only) and an awesome guy at that. I remember one year for the Swamis to Windansea race he paddled 14 miles before daylight from Windansea to the start and turned around to paddle back. A couple years later he paddled 70 mile from San Clemente island.

http://www.subculturalicons.com/KevinEslinger.html

Sucks that this happened and hope he is back in the water soon. There are a lot more kook SUPers in the lineup than experienced ones who come from a surfing background and from my observations on SM I see a lot of praise for bad habits. I saw a vid last week of a lady taking off going straight and cutting off a longboarder and the comments were all praise about how great she did - even from experienced SUPers. I called her out in a nice way and nobody had anything to say.

[Dusk Patrol]

The news angle stressed a little too much the fact it was a paddleboarder. Almost as if they were exploiting the rift.
True the fact that he was whacked with a paddle is relevant. But still.

[Tom]

I did not know that the story was on TV, Kevin is a close friend of mine and I have surfed with him for 30 years. He is the consumate sole surfer who is kind to everyone. He was formerly a competitive swimmer who now teachs at a comunity pool. He also coaches distant swimmers and has coached several ladies who have swam the Englis chanel. He was an excellent laydown paddleboarded but rather than compete he would do things like enter races in a replica he built on Tom Blakes original plywood paddleboard. He once paddled 100 nautical miles from Santa Barbra Island to the Ocean Beach pier in San Diego. At the time the longest constant paddle.

He was surfing with his wife Jenae and Lena, a boady boarder, when Paul came out on his SUP and hogged all the waves. I was surfing there the day before and after I got out, I saw Paul take every wave he could and drop i9n on anyone in his way. The story I heard from Lena is that after Pauyl almost ran over Jenae, Kevin paddled over to talk to him. Lena paddled back and didn't see what actually happened but Paul hit him with his paddle and fractured his skull. Paul then paddled away and got in his van and left. Kevin didn't losse concousnes but went pacially blind, he could only see black and whit for a day and lost his ability to speak for a few days.

Lena filed a police report and Paul's description, his licence plate number, and van description was distributed to the OB surfing community. Two days later, surfers Joe and Debbie saw his van, called the police, and followed him giving them his locations. The cops stopped him and Paul said he "feared for his life and was protecting himself", so the police did not arrest him. I assume Kevin will press charges, but haven't heard. He was in ICU for 3 days and released on the 4th or 5th day. He did not need and reconstruction of his skull and they think he will have a full recovery over time. His speak is back but he slurs his words pretty bad.



Kevin is the one with hair

[Tom]

Picture didn't post.

Paul surfers all types of boards and I've only seen him on a SUP on smallish days

[Tom]

Here's the San Diego paper's report on his 120 mile (100 nautical miles) paddle.

http://legacy.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/fitness/20050916-9999-lz1s16fitnes.html

[maxsonic]

Picture didn't post.

Paul surfers all types of boards and I've only seen him on a SUP on smallish days

I doubt "Paul" is a Zoner ... if he is, ADMIN should banish him from the Zone.

MAX

[surfercook]

The story is more than a little thin on context.  Accident, or intentional etc.  If he was close enough to get a paddle whack, was he attacking?

I was also wanting more info. Was it self defense? What provoked the paddleboarder to do something like that? Seems like it was an unnecessary act of violence. I always say never use the paddle as a weapon. If indeed he was only speaking to the assailant regarding wave etiquette then he is at no fault for sure.

[Tom]

It was not self defense,  Kevin would never threaten anyone. I have never heard him raise his voice, ever. Saying you fear for you life is not a get out of jail free card.

[SUPcheat]

I am surprised that the paddle was that potent a weapon.  I guess I will just take my ass whuppings rather than think of wielding it, if it ever comes to that.  I hear SUPers saying they will retaliate with the paddle, but this is the first time I have heard of it actually happening. It is a dangerous weapon potentially, and I am really sorry for Kevin, he did not deserve that.

I think everybody knows or has encountered "Paul".  The SUP who is hyper-competitive, thinks all waves are his, and practices no courtesy.

At least my failures of courtesy are generally un-intentional or circumstantial.

[seadart]

I'd like to hear "Paul's" side of the story before making judgement calls.  Having been threatened with physical violence by self appointed enforcers when I started paddle surfing in San Diego many years ago. I'm sure if Paul's attorney wants to find paddle surfers who have been threatened at Sunset Cliffs, he won't have much problem.