Staggered Starts...

[noworrieshawaii]

Just a thought... on these Maliko runs with varying skill sets of riders, maybe staggering the starts might be a good thing. I know that I found a bit of reassurance when a couple of OC-1's went by me on my first Maliko run. I was not sure of my line and had lost everyone within the first couple miles. Actually that day I think I got lapped by a couple guys doing doubles.. Sheesh..  Still, would make sense for the fast guys to start in the back and overtake the slower riders. Since most of us wear GPS's it wouldnt matter as far as timing. 

Also was nice to have Bill finishing up that offshore Kihei run just ahead of me. Again, I wasnt totally sure of where to land and was cool to follow someone without having to have anybody try and wait for me. Thats nearly impossible in stong winds. And not much fun.

Just a thought..

[stoneaxe]

I know its not an easy thing to do but it would seem to make sense to do everything possible to keep an eye out for each other out there. I'm still bummed that I didn't get to do Maliko while I was out there but I can only imagine how freaky it must feel to be out there in rough conditions unsure of the route.

Are people paying too little attention to safety? I've heard of two boards with significant problems in just just a short time and i'm sure there has to have been many others. Lets face it how much does it take to disable a board, or a paddler? I know in some conditions here at home I will take a certain minimum of safety gear.

[PonoBill]

It's really difficult to keep track of someone else at Maliko. One minute you see everyone, the next they're gone. fifteen foot swells do that. You can see people standing in front of you if they are about a hundred or so yards out. after that it gets iffy.

when we're setting up i generally get on my board and go, knowing that everyone else is going to be faster. I'll see them soon enough, and then they're gone. As the relative newbie I tried to keep an eye on our absolute newbie Scott the other day, but you can't look behind you--not much anyway, and as soon as he had trouble he just disappeared. When you have to kneel you are even more invisible.

So what do you do? stop and wait? Probably won't help. first of all they could have gotten past you, or gone further out or in. You just don't know unless you're certain you're the lead dog, and even then it's hard.

A downwind run in challenging conditions is like skydiving. Once you jump it's all up to you. I carry a camelback fanny pack with an inflatable life vest inside and my cell phone in a waterproof bag.

It's actually pretty hard to disable a SUP board. as long as it doesn't get away from you it will help you in, even if it's broken in half. I don't understand people doing this with no leash, and i don't get using wimpy leash. If you fall when you're in a big swell, the tug is at least as strong as falling in an overhead breaking wave. with a big board it's way stronger. I have the wimpy leash that was on the Penetrator when Randy wiped out on it. It was a coiled leash, now it's straight. When he first turned the board back over to me it was as thin as phone cord. Stout leash. PFD, phone.

[noworrieshawaii]

I agree Bill... you really are on your own out there and need to understand that. But.. as you said, you can see someone in front of you for awhile anyway. I was just thinking that an overtaking ie: faster paddler has more of a chance of seeing someone than trying to wait for someone. And then the slower paddler has someone to keep in sight at least for a little while.  Its not really a safety thing, more of a newbie comfort thing. And I know we all try and lookout for each other as much as possible.  Just a thought for when new folks are coming along. Might make the comfort level higher for everyone.

I totally appreciated Chan, Randy and Randy waiting for me at the Harbor mouth my first run.. No need again but that first time was cool.

ps.. I do wear that cool waist preserver thingy that Jack gave me. Very unobtrusive and just a little backup.
http://www.triaids.com/SwimSafe.htm

[PonoBill]

Based on times to the harbor, a typical newbie does a run in about 2:20, even if they are on their knees most of the time (4.2) mph. I know Randy (both) has done 1:20 and he's got a lot of company. i did 1:5something last time.

Here's a possible stagger.

So if a absolute newbie started with one reasonably qualified person to show them where to start from (not an obvious thing--it's a good idea to paddle straight out further than you'd expect) and then headed out. the starting guide might wait ten minutes or so and pass the newbie about at Mama's, then the semi-newbies like me start twenty minutes after the newbie. We'd catch them just before they got to the harbor and guide them in. The fast folks start five minutes later, pass the relative newbies around Spartans, pass the newbies at Kanaha. Nobody has to wait in the water, and only the fast folks have to wait at the end, and then it's only about 30 minutes. Pretty good coverage, always someone behind the newbie and somebody in front of the newbie from Ho'okipa on.

[noworrieshawaii]

Thats what I'm talking about...

Plus the fast guys get to chase and pass us... Thats gotta be fun. I can only imagine.

[stoneaxe]

By disable I mean make it difficult to paddle, a big break, broken rudder, broken paddle, pulled muscle...just something that would make it a dangerous/long ride in.

Shit, I was losing track of people on the south side in small swells. The staggered start makes sense to me especially for big days.

[mauibeachbum]

This is my first post.  I can chat first hand about this since I was the one on the maliko run on Monday when I lost my rudder close to Mamma's fish house.  I must say I was doing my best to keep an eye on anyone including the one man canoes that went by off-shore.  I greatly appreciated all the help and looking out that I did get. 
In some industries they have a experienced person trailing the field.  It's not a bad idea from a newbie's perspective.

[SchUP]

Thats what I'm talking about...

Plus the fast guys get to chase and pass us... Thats gotta be fun. I can only imagine.

Sweet, I would get like an hour headstart and get to say I paddled with the big dogs!  On your left!!!

[Admin]

This is my first post.  I can chat first hand about this since I was the one on the maliko run on Monday when I lost my rudder close to Mamma's fish house.  I must say I was doing my best to keep an eye on anyone including the one man canoes that went by off-shore.  I greatly appreciated all the help and looking out that I did get. 
In some industries they have a experienced person trailing the field.  It's not a bad idea from a newbie's perspective.

That was entirely my fault.  Apologies.     I looked at your fin, and said, no problem, that thing is gunna be fine.  Whoops!

Next time you have to go no fin, no paddle.  After that, if you still want to go, you will be in it forever 

[Chan]

We'll be going at 11:00. You guys can start now.

[diesel]

One of the things we would carry for safety when we did OC1 was an inner tube from a bicycle.  You can use it to around wrap the base of the rudder in case the rudder wires break.  Worse case scenario you can use a slipper.  You can also wrap the inner tube around the board to cover a hole in the bottom of the hull.  It needs to be long enough to go around the hull.  The inner tube sticks to itself when you wrap it.  I have personally been out and used it to save myself and multiple times with others when the rudder cables broke.  Something to think about.