Standup Zone Forum
Stand Up Paddle => Downwind and Racing => Topic started by: headmount on March 21, 2011, 07:33:46 PM
-
Just thought I'd get this started. Spring is off to a smokin start and this is when many paddlers start focusing on a Maliko run. If you're visiting Maui and want to coordinate for rides.. check in here. I often work at Kanaha beach until 12 noon and then I'm bolting home in Paia to get my board for the afternoon launch. Kanaha is a great 3/4 run destination to work your way up to going all the way to the harbor and if you let me know ahead of time and I don't have boards on my truck, I'll give you a lift. Kelly's shuttle has been filling up with OC1s so unless you book a day ahead or so the harbor run is up to your own shuttle plans with at least two trucks with racks needed in the process. Watch out for rocks just under the surface when you launch at Maliko at low tide, share your cell numbers with your partners, pack water, ask questions and look out for each other while you have fun.
Aloha Bill
-
Good plan, and happy Vernal Equinox. I was going to go today, but somehow didn't. Diane offered to shuttle, but after a nice lunch at Haile Maile I didn't feel much like making that effort. Had to go up and see my board, even if Mark won't let me set hands on it until Friday. He doesn't trust me to let it cure.
It's glorious.
I'm going to sell my F18 and the Penetrator. Cheap. Both beat to shit and heavy, but still fine boards. The Penetrator is wicked fast in flatwater and crazy fun in small swells--longest swellrides I've ever had. Sometimes you have to jump off to stop it. Got bent at Spartans but was repaired at SIC. Carbon rails and a glass deck and bottom. If you've got the beans to paddle it you can make it fly. Modified SIC rudder.
My F18 is a planing hull version, rock solid in the big stuff. Many, many Maliko runs. Been repaired a few times. Semi-hollow (hollow carbon fiber core wrapped with foam to make a custom width and glassed. Rode hard and put away wet.
Details in Classified, sooner or later, or just PM me if you're interested.
-
HM had an important piece of advice in a previous thread that I'd like to second here. If you are a first timer, please take a guide. There are many places to land on a maliko run. The two most common are upper Kanaha and the harbor. Upper kanaha is about 7 miles and crosses the reef. I've put small red lines that are a rough estimate (It's been over a year for me) and it can be dangerous. The white dot on my red line was pitching today. Please be careful crossing this reef, particularly at low tide.
The box marked 'Big Trees' is the defining landmark you will see far down the coast from maliko.
If you are headed to the harbor, a big crane is your landmark. Again, go with someone. Fighting an offshore wind to get in or bouncing along the wall is not fun. A good line will surf you right into the entrance.
Todays run was a blast. Direction was ENE, steady 20 gusting to 30. Good bumps until Spreks, then it was very good bumps. They seemed very groomed today.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko3-21.jpg)
-
As summer closes in and paddlers are feeling their oats you will hear them mention their times to where ever they're going. Times go like this. If you catch 100 glides and I catch 75 you probably come in ahead of me by 750 yds. because from what I've seen a small glide shoots you ahead about 15 yds from someone who hasn't bagged that same glide when you were right next to them. That's a first down and a great start. I figure roughly that glides average about 30 yds, the number I times by the 25 glide difference to arrive at 750. Now of course some paddlers can stay on glide for over a minute by connecting glides so that they become one huge one. On these glides they can be going over 10 mph in spots but the average speed (with glides and a few non gliding gaps between glides) is probably closer to 8.5 to 9.5mph as evidenced by the fastest SUP times to the harbor. OC1s are faster still averaging over 10mph. At 10mph a paddler travels a mile in 6min. That's real fast. My average is around 7.5 mph sometimes taste higher and many top tier paddlers blow by me. But that's OK. I know they're fighting tooth and nail not to miss any glides. I know I have moments of fatigue where I miss three or four good ones before connecting. So that's the difference. Conditioning, time on the water, and most importantly keeping the board pointed correctly to catch the glide. Remember one glide is worth a 100 strokes. (who knows? I just made that up like a little haiku to inspire me) When the good guys blow by, take advantage to check their line and maybe their stroke. They usually know where they're going.
-
Great advice both of you. I've never been here over the summer, but there's a world of difference between winter Maliko and Spring Maliko. I stay way the heck outside all winter and generally come in through the harbor. I never come up short reaching the breakwall for the simple reason that I did it once and REALLY didn't like the result. outside is your friend.
In the spring it's a lot more user friendly. Right now I'm looking at monster whitecaps and there no way I'm missing out today (I did yesterday). But there's no groundswell to speak of, which means if you get a little too close to the reefs you won't suddenly find yourself looking at a 30' plus breaking wave barreling down on you from the side. "Oh Shit" doesn't really cover that experience.
A guide is a near must-have for the first time. Obviously people have done it without, but it isn't wise. Unless your guide is really kind and attentive (perhaps being hired for the occasion) they are unlikely to stay close, but at least they can show you the ropes. The difference between someone that has done the gulch ten times and a newby is pretty extreme--they'll have to wait a lot.
There are more places to come in than the three red lines. I've come in at Sugar Cove. Not too bad a landing spot though it runs you kind of close to the infamous Spartan Reef. There are several paths that bring you behind upper Kanaha. You can see them on the map. They look a lot sketchier in real life than on the photo because it looks like you are headed into a box of reefs and waves. You are, but it's not bad.
Larry's white dot is the infamous unnamed upper, upper, upper kanaha wave. I got to enjoy that underwater for quite a long time once. You do dump out into a channel, but it can take a lot longer to get there than you'd like and your board might be a two piece.
-
Hey Headmount:
Just want to let you know that your advice and offer did not fall on deaf ears among the uninitiated like me. I don't know when I'll be there next but I know I'll be back to Maui and wanting to have a go at a Maliko run. I would really appreciate the help when I do make the effort.
Best,
PaddleDaddy
-
you won't suddenly find yourself looking at a 30' plus breaking wave barreling down on you from the side. "Oh Shit" doesn't really cover that experience.
That's classic ;D
-
Made my weekend runs. Saturday to kanaha and sunday to the harbor. The wind that made the run to the harbor so fast and fun was killing me once inside. Nearly blew me off the board as I was headed for shore, but I refused to knee it in. Built me some character ;)
-
Good on ya 808. A stong east inside the harbor entrance is a battle. Just pretend it's dark, you have 15 hours on the clock - 5 to go - and Laird is in sight. :)
Big fun today. Wind was east and very strong at the beginning of the run. I did my usual upwind warmup/race avoidance route. Heading upwind was slow going. Rollers were the biggest, steepest I've seen yet. Turned around and enjoyed minimal paddling to get on superior glides. Almost paddling optional conditions. Relaxed and took big lefts to stay inside, hoping for another ripper across Kanaha.
As I approached camp one (just before kanaha) the wind let up. It got glassy as I gazed longingly at my route straight ahead. Big east swells were still rolling. Unfortunately, without the wind I could not chance yesterday's route. The peaks were pitching from right to left. With a strong tailwind you can go straight across and zig zag across the swell. 20-30 mph wind sets up great chop that oc-1's easily negotiate. Without the wind I find it too risky. Foam on a peak is ok if your speed is up. Without hull speed, an oc-1 can spin and take serious gas.
Crestfallen, I took a right and paddled out to be safe. The wind picked up and allowed me to surf left again. Smooth very fast sailing into the harbor. Super, super fun.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko3-22.jpg)
-
Fun run today, not the nukefest I expected from looking at the whitecaps from Ponohouse, but good. The first third I thought I was loosing it. I couldn't gain speed, couldn't stay in swells when I got them, and couldn't turn. A couple of times my board just kept rounding up like a displacement hull in the big waves, and turned completely out of one. I finally noticed that my leash was coming from the side of the board, not the rear. Jumped off and found my coil leash jammed under the edge of the rudder. Curses.
Pulled it loose and suddenly I was on Pegasus. My big goofy F18 is so great in these confused days with lots of wind and big, medium and small swells all going in different directions. First it's stable, so you can hang out and figure out WTF is happening, then you can catch the little guys, transfer nicely to a middle guy, ride that into a big guy and then run back on the tail and just hang on.
Got some big rides today, including one that looked like two stories with a break in the middle. The top swell dropped about fifteen feet, then there was a big flat spot, and then another swell that dropped another ten feet. I went all the way to the bottom on the first drop, then drifted up while I was going right, then turned more or less straight on with a little left and went back to the bottom again. While I was down in the bottom the upper and lower sections aligned and the whole wave fell into the trough. I pulled out just in time.
I felt like Neptune, GOD of wind and wave. I really shouldn't have wine with lunch before a downwinder.
considered an inside line, but the wind looked better outside
(http://www.xgeez.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/maliko.jpg)
-
"So far as drinking is concerned, you have my hearty approval; for wine does of a truth moisten the soul and lull our griefs to sleep....[and with small cups] we shall ...be brought by its gentle persuasion to a more sportive mood."
Xenophon, quoting Socrates
-
And as you can see when you combine these open ocean experiences with well read paddlers like the men above, some wine, and my god you've got poetry.
Very seldom is a run smokin from A to Z. You grab moments... of acceleration and groove wherever you can on stretches that pump. When I'm not racing I let up when it lulls so I have power to utilize the bursts when they return and I always save a little in reserve for the unknown like what 808 described inside the harbor. Two days ago with the cruise ship docked it was a nightmare for me after an epic run. I missed today and thought it looked like funk and squalls from shore but you guys had good runs. Just goes to show how you don't know until you're out there.
-
I am feeling like an old technophobe here but can someone tell me how a adjust the screen such that the words don't run off to the left. There is no horizontal scroll bar?!?! I note that this does not seem to happen with the other Forum Topics - just the Gulch Report. I am coming over in July ;D so am keen to see what it is all about. Cheers Dave
-
Hey PB did your GPS work today?
-
I am feeling like an old technophobe here but can someone tell me how a adjust the screen such that the words don't run off to the left. There is no horizontal scroll bar?!?! I note that this does not seem to happen with the other Forum Topics - just the Gulch Report. I am coming over in July ;D so am keen to see what it is all about. Cheers Dave
there should be a scroll bar at the bottom of your browser screen. It's my fault for posting such a big picture. I'd fix it if I could, but the time for modifying a post has passed.
Bill--yeah, the GPS worked but I'd need to edit it a lot to post it. It's kind of screwed up. I did hit 15.8 MPH today, so there's that. Sure was howling today, and it was cookin' in the bay behind my house at 5:30.
We wuz flying.
-
Going to be doing the Maliko race this Saturday, fortunately got a hold of a 15' downwind board for race day 8)
-
Had a wonderful look at 3 whales basking just outside maliko. They held their ground as we passed around them. Looked like 2 big adults and a young one. It was sorta windy - the only pic is of the baby.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko3-24.jpg)
Last year was an all time whale-o-rama. This year has been slim pickings so far.
Today's conditions were excellent. Fetch was very long, perfect east rollers. It's been a great week.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko3-24-1.jpg)
Wind may drop a bit for Saturday's maliko race. The turnout may be big. Slater and Dave are out of town (I think) so it's probably Livio vs. Connor and Jeremy. Scott Trudon has been around, hope he races. Andrea and Devon have been practicing too. I'm hoping some of the elite oc-1's do maliko. They do amazing runs when the wind is up.
-
Great pics of the whale Larry. Seems to me like there has been quite a few this year. Another smoker today, a few crossed up sections but only a mile at most. The end section was hall of fame and I caught a wave inside the harbor with Biggie on his OC1 and it took us all the way to the beach. I got pulled the whole way by some heavy hitters and had one of my fastest runs. PB, got to work all day tomorrow so I'm out of the mix. A day like today where I put the hammer down the whole way ... I need a rest anyway even if I didn't have to work. Want to rest up to see if my day opens for the race on saturday. You racing?
-
That "baby" almost got me. Did a breach with a twist onto it's back coming straight at me, missed me by a few feet. scared the crap out of me. He came so close I could smell him when he hit. Not a good scent (no, it wasn't me). Then Momma rolled right next to me and gave me an eye. Sort of seemed like she was apologizing "sorry about junior, he's a little exuberant".
the outer outer upper Kanaha wave DID get me. I thought I was well past it but I heard a rumble behind me, looked over my shoulder and there was a wall of whitewater. Spun my board 180 and tossed me in the air. When I landed my leash pulled hard once and then went slack. Thought I was in for a swim, but I was still hooked up.
THEN a lady in an OC-1 almost got me 100 yards from the harbor. I looked down at my knee and saw "Scorpius". Startling. Seems to be a thing. First Suzie Cooney nearly runs me down a couple of days ago, now this. Obviously target fixation. In racing they say if you fix on the biggest, scariest thing you'll hit it. I guess my ass works for big and scary.
Good day though, pretty fast. I didn't have any superfast sections like yesterday (15.8 mph max) but I did get one 13.4 peak. 1:31 to the beach. Not so bad for a geezer. Of course that showoff Boyum did a 1:07 or something. He was showered, in dry clothes and had his board loaded by the time I hit the parking lot. Sheesh.
And yes, I plan to race Saturday. Picking up my Bullet tomorrow. We'll see if I can learn to handle it well enough in one run to race a day later. I might be on ol' reliable. It may be heavy, but it's stable. And yes, Slater, Dave and Conner are in Indo on a surf trip.
(http://www.kenalu.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/mal1.jpg)
(http://www.kenalu.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/mal2.jpg)
-
Well today Friday was supposed to be a break for me. Work, tired... all the excuses. Work disappeared for the afternoon, the wind cranked and I caved in to my unsatisfiable addiction to high wind downwind paddleboarding. Called PB no answer but when I dropped my truck off at the harbor, his was already there. Got a 1:15 launch and the top end was all glides. A little mixed up at the usual spot at the peak of uppers but then it suddenly got good again to harbor. Thought I was getting tired and losing focus for a stretch but then a second wind kicked in for a great finish. So jacked that by the time I got back up the coast, I convinced my pal Robert to drop me for a second run with a 4PM launch ... only to Kanaha. Wind was a notch stronger the second run (the highest reading was at 5PM!)... just blistering out there. It seemed like steering strokes was all that was needed with the blade often in the water like an ama. Had one moment the board was all the way over on the edge dropping in and managed to stay on it. So whipped at the end. 17 miles of high velocity smoke. Just couldn't let a day like this go by. Went to Mana Foods and broke down. Bought a loaf of sour dough and had three thick slices and it was good. Might be crippled tomorrow. Race tomorrow? I don't know about an 11 am start.
-
Alright PB! You got the Bullet it's initiation today? Or rather you were initiated? Musta been a thrill.
-
Sounds like a great day HM, good on ya for grabbing it.
Race tomorrow? I don't know about an 11 am start.
From the MCKC website:
Meeting Time: 9:30 - 9:40 AM: Long course
11:15 - 11:30 AM: Short course
Race Start Time: 10:00 AM: Long course
12:00 PM (or once long course guys start coming through)
-
I fell a lot. Probably ten times or more. the board is light and fast though it's hard to be really fast when you're underwater. Went with Justin Gordon. Nice guy. Didn't call you because you said you were NOT going. Junkie. Me too.
Great conditions. I realize how much I've been relying on the extreme stability of my F18. I sold it to BeagleBuddy on Kuai, which is a good thing, otherwise I'd never stop using it on rough days. Time to take off the training wheels and get used to a trickier ride. The bullet sure is nice and light.
-
Ouch, ouch, ow. Crazy conditions today. Would have been great fun on ol' reliable, but I beat the crap out of myself on the Bullet. I need a normal day or two to learn the board before I step into the Maelstrom. I suspect the wind was hitting 45 and the swells around camp one were huge and confused. I can live with huge, I can live with confused. But huge AND confused was a bit much. At one point I was flying down a monster face and saw swells going in three directions across it. I deliberately left the F18 home so I wouldn't chicken out.
About 30 minutes in I stepped back awkwardly to list the nose over a blocking swell and twisted my knee. My left knee has been giving me fits to begin with, so this didn't help. Then I started falling more because I was favoring my left leg. I came in bloody from board scrapes and limping.
A well, bugger sure is fast. I just need to learn to hang on.
-
Pics of your new board please Bill.
DJ
-
Sorry to hear your run was less than ideal PB, hope your knee mends quickly. Good on ya for going out today.
The wind was truly exceptional for today's race. ENE with a fetch of 2000 miles. Probably the strongest, steadiest wind we've had in weeks.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/nsc3-26-1.jpg)
This was my first run on the long course. My plan was to go easy the first hour, stay out, and be safe. We started at 10:30. I did my best to run the ridge of the big ones coming from the right. The foam got me a few times and blasted me right out of my seat. Nothing spectacular - just a quick out and in. After an hour or so it was time to eye the big point, swing left and start the run to Kahului.
With another 18 miles to go, I decided to go easy until maliko. It was thrilling to be in unknown water, catching big glides. It seemed bigger than anything I've yet experienced. Some of them seemed dangerous - probably because I was unfamiliar with them. So I played it safe, ate, drank a lot.
My confidence was up as I hit familiar water. The wind was going ape. At ENE it's important to stay on course - hit the big lefts -or get blown out to sea. I began to overtake the slower SUP's at about the airport. The safety guy (on a ski) was doing a great job zipping around and eyeing us as we dealt with very large swells. As my line shows, I was way out there.
At the white dot I heard screaming off to my right. It was an SUP'er that had lost his board. He was at least a hundred yards out from me, it's a miracle I heard him. Thank God the safety guy was within sight of me. It took a few minutes of paddle waving - and yelling - but he saw me and dashed over. When I mentioned it to Jeremy after the race he told me he saw a 15 footer about 3 miles out...
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/nsc3-26.jpg)
-
Great event put on today by the Maui Canoe Kayak Club - it was my first Maliko Run and I had an absolute blast...and a few wipeouts ;D I imagined the run having big windswell, but it was HUGE out there. Got the glides of a lifetime and finished in 1-hour 32
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b366/Rastaman3030/DSC02383.jpg)
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b366/Rastaman3030/DSC02375.jpg)
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b366/Rastaman3030/DSC02408.jpg)
Thanks to MCKC, the event was first class all the way!
-
You crazy buggah Rastaman, you're supposed to have experience in Maliko before MCKC lets you run! They must have forgotten to ask, or just figured you'd be crazy to go out in those conditions without experience.
Good meeting you, glad you had fun. You might want to go again today, looks like it will be good. See you back in the NW
I stopped on course to capture a runaway boat. When I paddled over to grab it I didn't know whether it might have a body under it--it was barely moving. I waved my paddle to get the attention of the ski guy--he already had the lady on his sled.
Here's an article about my new Bullet: http://www.kenalu.com/2011/03/new-kevlar-bullet/ (http://www.kenalu.com/2011/03/new-kevlar-bullet/?t=New+Kevlar+Bullet)
-
Here is a shot up the coast from the Keanae boat ramp.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/keanai3-26.jpg)
My little waterproof camera is barely up to the task of capturing such beauty and it was a little overcast. Here's a better pic of the hana coast on another day.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/hanaroad.jpg)
What an amazing experience that was. We all registered at Honomanu, then some of us went to Keanae to launch. The ramp is busted and has a sheer dropoff near the waters edge. Two of us teamed up and carefully carried each boat out and tossed it in the water as the paddler jumped in and swam to the boat. I had my felt reef shoes on, so I went last. In she went and it was off to the start line. It's probably best I didn't get there in time. This course is twice as long as any I've raced yet, so chasing stonger paddlers was not a good idea. I settled in for the scenic route and marveled at the coastline. Absolutely surreal out there by yourself. Massive waves. Great experience.
-
Yeah, the only bad part is NO PLACE TO COME IN! Yeah, I know, safe places to exit a regular Maliko are pretty thin when there's a north swell, but there's a lot of sheer cliffs. My neighbors kid lost his board on a Honomanu run and had to swim in, then crawl up the base rubble, then climb a cliff, then bushwack a mile or so to get to a road. It's a lonesome place. Good to go with support boats.
-
Talked to some of the OC1 paddlers who reported massive triple staircase drops outside Pauwela light. One said he was ejected after dropping into the biggest he's ever experienced and this guy is a top tier paddler. Sounded intense. He described the conditions up to Maliko from Keanae similar to icy windblown crust for skiing and then turning to perfect groom from Maliko to the harbor. But some of the stand up paddlers described the Maliko to the harbor run as confused. Sounds like the OC1 was the craft to have yesterday. Great pics Larry. What's the mileage from Keanae to the harbor?
-
The run is 25 miles. I heard second-hand that Kai won yesterday - over Jimmy Austin - with a time of 2:20. That's an average speed of 10.7 mph. I was about an hour behind them at 7.9 mph. I had 6 miles to go when they finished.
Holy crap, for an elite paddler to say he got ejected on the biggest drop he's done is a big deal. Those guys get into some heavy waves.
IMO, the stories the elite oc paddlers have are the best part of Kelly's shuttle. The story Dave K. has about chasing (and catching) Laird is a mind bender for sure. But it's the tip of the iceberg when guys like Kai start talking.
Sol was telling us on yesterday's shuttle that he chatted with Kai and some teamates at Makena landing last week They had just done a run from Kaupo. Sol said some of them had 'big eyes' and said it was big out on the alenuihaha channel.
Truly an awe inspiring sport.
-
Triple staircase!! perfect. that's the term I've been looking for to describe those swells. I wonder what makes them look like that. Is it swells stacking on swells? A drop of about ten feet, then a flat, then another drop, and sometimes a third. Looks like a cut in the ocean, not a swell. I love those things. Those and the long textured slopes that go down and down. I don't have words for most of this stuff.
-
If you want to see some epic Hawaiian OC footage check this out.
It is footage of the Pa'a Eono Hoe Open 6 man iron race. HUGE Molokai channel and bump riding. It also has a great story on the Napoleans, OC1 Maliko Race, SUP surfing.
This is a great show, those of you in Hawaii do you get to watch this show on TV?
http://www.oc16.tv/shows/31 (http://www.oc16.tv/shows/31) Click on episode 32 to watch the episode.
-
I picked up the staircase term when I was up in BC snowboarding with maniacs.
Well today I did a run with PB on his new Bullet for his third run on the board. It was much more organized than the last several daz. P Bill left the ramp just ahead of me on my 16. We get out and turn downwind and Bill just starts connecting like nobody's business. I can't seem to buy a glide in that initial stretch outside of the gulch and every time I glance at Bill, he's in his crouch, not paddling and going fast. I start hammering and I get close but can't really pass him. Now, I knew he was on a heavy board before and that was slowing him down, but I could never imagine what a difference this new board would make for him. It was really astounding. Although the conditions were perfect for the Bullet, I saw the carnage of leg cuts and swollen knee from his first two runs and had my fingers crossed for him but today's third time was a charm. He was pretty damn happy and I'm pretty excited to get my hands on mine in a few weeks.
-
Yesterday was another smokin day. This has been quite a roll of epic conditions. Usually these very strong wind events last only a few days but this has been two weeks solid since the tsunami. I went with PBill and we switched boards about mid-way so I could take a spin on his Bullet. I had used it before but in much lighter winds and was wondering how it would behave in the strong stuff. PBill's ability on it was improving remarkably day by day so I was keen to give it another go. It's slated as a lighter wind board so it was nice to compare it with my Chinese 16 I got last July. When I first got on the Bullet after my 16, I immediately noticed the difference in stability. In light water, no problem but in heavy seas I got up tentatively like the geezer I am. Knew my salvation would be getting the blade in the water and when I did the board took off immediately. Scary immediately. Hold on to your hat kind. All the smaller glides that I catch with the 16 were just as easy but I was also able to run down the big east rolls straight on without having to catch smaller ones to get up to speed to bag them. My 16 catches the big rolls only after a series of sideways connections then kick the rudder off straight downwind to take the big drop... like testing the middle with a bunch of short passes before the QB goes long. With the Bullet you can go long like Mike Vick on the first play. However the rudder is more sensitive than my 16 and quick footwork is necessary on the steep drops. Wide sloppy troughs were heaven but short steep ones were where I missed the 16. On strong wind days like yesterday you get both. The Bullet railroaded a few bumps for me and seemed like it had a higher top end or maybe it seemed that way because of the length. The board was certainly going way faster than when I took video of it riding small waves in the harbor last Feb. I was pleased overall with its high wind capabilities. Couldn't look around and sightsee like I can on the 16 but as a Mister Toad's wild ride it was fast and fun. Unfortunately I think this high wind event is nearing the end. A late season very large groundswell is starting to pound on the outside reef and the focus will shift back to wave riding until the next high moves into place.
-
That was one fine run. I sure love this Bullet, though it's a handful, as my beat up shins attest. When it shakes me off it does it with a little quick side to side movement that leaves me standing in midair about five inches to the side of the board. instead of falling flat I go straight down and a few times have managed to whack my shins on the rails on the way down. But I'm getting the beast tamed, and it's SUCH a great ride. As long as I don't get MRSA in the harbor I'm fine with the price for all that fun.
I had fun when I switched to your F16 too, but it was a lot of work to try to catch up. After we switched again at Kanaha I started picking daisies and thinking about my hacked websites and you got a bit away from me. I bore down and seemed to be catching you, when you hit the big waves leading into the harbor and disappeared like the roadrunner--you just got small suddenly.
On a positive note i figured out how to kill the hack. At least temporarily while I clean the whole site up. Again.
-
Rastaman3030, is that your Starboard? How do you like it? Does it glide good and catch the bumps easy?
-
Bill and Bill,
I picked up a carbon Bullet a few weeks ago and my experiences are just as you both described them. In comparison to the V2, the Bullet is stable in flat water, but take it out in 7-10 ft swells or bigger and you quickly feel the stability difference. With the increase in tippiness however, you now have a board that glides on swells that may not be totally to your back, in fact on small swell days, do it right and you can keep the speed up. It catches the little stuff that the V2 may not.
The rails of the Bullet can be sharp where the two pieces come together. I've seen a few scraped and bloodied shins. Getting pitched off the Bullet is not as graceful but I'm assuming once you tame the beast, she'll be one hell of a ride!
-
It was hardly smokin today, however I really had fun. The wind was around 15 or so and steady. Lots of runners....Didn't have to grind inside the harbor like last week. I suspect it would have been a perfect day if you were on one of those bullets.
-
Yeah, I made the mistake of telling Diane I'd do a beach day because the wind looked light at the house. got to Maliko and it looked pretty good, so I pulled over and called Bill Boyum who was sounding equally antsy about some commitments he had. Went to the southside to combine a little downwind with some beach bobbing with the wife. The wind sucked. The angle sucked. Grumpy guy, though I paddled the Bullet from the boardwalk to Sorrentos. Great board, good training. Wind from the side, swells from every angle except the right one.
Hope we have a good Maliko day tomorrow. I'm getting withdrawal symptoms.
-
I'll go with you tomorrow if it's OK. Looked a tad light but even grained like 808 said. I saw a group of OC1s gliding pretty good when I checked it out on my way to do some work. Got a new phone with a great speakerphone so I don't get busted talking and driving.
-
PBill and I went today with light winds, just barely whitecapping but perfect grain. Everything was going in the same direction. I used a smaller 8.7 blade. Really liked the speed of the stroke better than my 9" blade.
-
What is the forecast for thursday and Friday, Bill? I hope we can make a run!
-
Made another run sunday. Wind was lighter than Saturday but not by much. Was a little tough getting any long glides from Kanaha to the harbor. All in all a great workout and a fun weekend!
-
Wind was a steady 20 gusting to ~25 on today's run. Very good conditions to sneak inside and zip through the windsurfers. Experimented a bit between hookipa and kanaha, but it didn't work. My cohort took the usual rights outside and left me for dead. He was still in sight above kanaha, so I tempted fate and ran well inside of him. I was making great time on the bigger swells inside - steadily gaining ground.
Then a big foam ball reared up behind me and started running me down. I had good speed, but didn't try to stay on my line to outrun it. Too many stories of ama down pile ups still fresh from the Keanae race. So, without even turning back to have a look I hooked a left and rode in, and in, and in. Emmer effin foam ball just wouldn't quit. Headed back out as soon as possible, but the good stuff was out a bit.
Oh well, I'm glad I tried. Saw Jeremy after the run, he said not looking back is usually best. Sometimes it leads to 'deer in the headlights', hesitation and... you know the rest. I know this is where the fast guys make time. I'll go in more eventually. I was worried about losing a rudder in a few spots.
Sneaking across the reef to the entrance was interesting. More foamy soft toppers rolling through. Got lucky and zigged through them. Fun day.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko4-4.jpg)
-
I'm on the bench for a couple of days, trying to get my banged up shin to heal. The doc gave me some antibiotics, but it increases sun sensitivity. Still, if we get a good day I'll just armor up--waterproof bandage, tights, long sleeve rashy and my ultra-gay super-duper sun hat. If nothing else it well be a rare sight for everyone in the harbor.
-
The wind returned today so it was a go for a maliko. Had the wife drop me off at about 1:30 at the gulch. Recognized pono bills' funmobile parked and thought I would finally meet him. However he was gone already. The wind was blowing pretty good as I exited the gulch. Paddled out quite a ways as usual and made my turn and bam, I was gone. Most runs I've had are a mixture of good glides, small runners, and areas where you can't buy a ride. Today was exceptional for me as I was gliding for what seemed the whole way. Big rollers at kanaha which I stayed clear of. What a blast! Maybe I'm just getting better or maybe I just got lucky. Being fairly new to downwind sup I can't say. Either way, I was moving. Managed to cut 10mins. off my previous time of 1hr 40mins. from boat ramp to beach. Probably not fast by most guys standards, but I was happy with it. Had to really push hard to get to the beach once inside the harbor. What a grind that was! Until next weekend...
-
Yeah, we did an early run, in the water about 10:30 with a set of newbies. Fun run but a lot of waiting around. Came in at Kanaha. then Bill Boyum, Robert and I did a second run to the harbor--about 1:30 to the sand. As 808 said, the paddle across the harbor was tough. Sure do like that Bullet. First third was rocket fast, second third was big and challenging, two miles out it all went confused and hard, then cleaned up for the last mile. Caught some huge long runners just before the breakwall. Good day. pooped.
-
808... 1:40 was a good time today with the nightmare inside the harbor. We launched for a second at 2:30. When I was inside the harbor, I saw a smooth stretch of water behind the ship and figured I'd go for the straight line to the end and avoid the pilau diesel smell from the ship. Got right in the middle and just got smoked by a blast right in my face. Stopped me dead and I went into the execution mode... on my knees. Hate to admit it but I caved in. It was my second run and I was a tad tapped but PBill came in behind me and never went to his knees so I got no excuses. Still I posted a 1:33 according to my wife... who knows how she decided. PBill was fast too and not too far behind me. I thought there were some crossed up sections and the current was sticky in parts but there were also some great sections from Kuau to Uppers where I started to run into some tricky water. Lots of people on Sundays so it was cool to be out with everyone feeling the force. PBill gave me a new leash which I put on right away and you know what Bill, I had one fall at the bottom of a double decker and the cord stretched full out. If that old cord had snapped and I had your new one in my truck, I would've never forgiven myself. Thanks so much.
-
It was just self preservation--your old leash made me so nervous I couldn't stop thinking about it. I wouldn't have used that thing on a boogie board.
The Bullet works really well in the fast stuff. I'm still getting my sea legs on it, so the crossed up stuff is hard to navigate. I fell a lot on that second run. But man you were flying in that big stuff off Camp One. I was going as hard as I could and catching long rides, one after the other, and you still pulled away.
Sure was nutty in spots, waves banging into each other like seawall backwash--but in the middle of the ocean. And spindrift everywhere. Not to mention that whale that kept doing wild double jumps off my port bow. I was pleading with him to keep his distance. That could have been a really fast run if I wasn't falling so much. I bet I went in ten times.
-
Blistering east today. Morning run was a black squall and very crossed up. Afternoon was blue skies and more organized. Raced in the afternoon with someone slightly better than me and really learned alot. Kept close with a back and forth for the first 4 miles until I fell and couldn't make up the 50 yds difference which stayed the same until the end. That's what a fall equaled today... 50 yds. Huge glides. The run was a short course to Kanaha and had to come over Camp One reef with almost no water.
I freaked thinking.. well here goes my rudder. Caught a wave and tried something pretty slick, which worked. Right when I saw the super shallow I dropped down on my stomach up towards the nose real quick. These Chinese 16s have a huge nose kick and doing what I did lifted the rudder clean out of the water, which was cool but now I had no rudder so I dropped my foot over the side to act as a rudder which also worked except I took a gouge out of the top of my foot on the reef. But not only would I have gouged the rudder, I would've bent the post pretty bad so taking a wound seemed to make me feel like I came out good. Buzz gouged his rudder terrible.
-
I have one word: Harbor Well, okay, five: You guys is nutz.
-
PBill's last Maliko paddle until he returns from America and it was a beaut. 30-40 and HUGE rolls outside, simply amazing stuff. Plus we pioneered a new finish point that is so much more civilized and we won't get gunned down by homeland security at the docks. A great note for him to end this year's adventure. It's been fun PB and maybe next year you'll remember to bring dry clothes to change into when we do the truck drop! Shirley says bye and wished she had known it was adios for a few months. Thanks for all the enthusiasm and great vibes.
-
Don't worry about the homeland security guys, they're like Barney Fife--one bullet and they carry it in a shirt pocket. Great fun this year buddy, all the best to you and Shirley. see you next year for more whacky adventures.
-
I met headmount (Bill) for a guided run down the Maliko on Tuesday the 11th. It was my first real downwind and the winds were whipping, crashing, and blowing like we were on a moon off of Jupiter. ( thats what it felt like to me but Bill I think was pretty bored). I got my ass handed to me most of the trip but I did manage to get a few lengthy runs in where I felt like I was starting to 'get it' . I have done most of my paddling here in Washington state on flat water and wind chopped stuff but that did not prepare me for the Maliko run. It was a hoot though and I am glad I did it. Thanks Bill!!You are the man. That place is the real deal. I was spat from my board every which way but loose and I must admit that I feel like I was taken out behind the shed and beaten with a stick :P. We had a time on my GPS of 1:45 from dock to beach 7.68 miles. I have my work cut out for me but certainly inspiring. ;D
-
Here is a board choice question for you Maliko regulars. I am coming over in July when, hopefully, the wind will be consitently insane ;D. Should I get an F16 or a Bullet17? I have tried both here in Australia and my preference would be for an F16 in big windy conditions - it just feels more stable and comfortable but would be interested in your opinions - Thanks Dave
-
Kissa.. I think you pretty much have it figured out. When it's windy (over 25) go 16. I've only been on a Bullet a few times in strong conditions and it's something to get used to. The 16 you can look around and count turtles or flying fish, no matter what the conditions are.
Micro... a pleasure to meet you and like you said... "I was spat from my board every which way but loose and I must admit that I feel like I was taken out behind the shed and beaten with a stick." That's the truth but I'll tell you what.... You're a tough guy. I've never seen a guy go down so many times and get back up on his feet. I'm worn out if I fall a few times. Getting back up on your feet with a roll like that is no easy deal and I try to avoid it at all costs. And also know this... almost everyone who has done that run the first time has had a rough time of it unless they have time in the saddle from somewhere else with somewhat comparable conditions. I was 54 when I first did it, decades of surfing behind me, and it wasn't pretty. Plus the day you went was class 1 conditions, 30-40 with solid 8-12 foot crest to troughs, not some billiard table of little grooves to pleasantly push you along. There are many conditions you can encounter on that run and you were in the ring with Apollo Creed on that day. Keep practicing and maybe try one of those balance boards some of the guys talk about in this forum. I'm scared of hurting myself on them and just stand on one leg for a few minutes when I do yoga... which seems safer for a geezer like me. Core workouts too. You're plenty strong enough upstairs but paddling's all in the gut. Enjoy that clinic and think about your run and how you can apply the power. Going fast is easier than going slow in big seas but you gotta learn how to drop that back foot into the surf stance ... quick. Dropping in is a heavy deal and you got to aggressively want it. Watch Million Dollar Baby and see how the gal learns to move her feet. Have a friend push you hard in the chest and learn how to step back ...softly. Mark the floor so you can see where your feet land and what your tendencies are so you can make the adjustments. Then return here and knock Apollo Creed to the canvas. Oh yeah... 6 years into this and I'm never bored out there. Every time I'm out, I'm picking up info ... even when I've got my blade in the water, trying to stop. I don't have enough years left to digest everything I want to pick up from the ocean.
-
Headmount: That new finish point? I sometimes choose to avoid the nasty side or even head winds in the harbor by paddling straight in to the boat ramp. It's so easy a caveman can do it!However, lately I have been forcing myself to the canoe hale as that's where races typically end. Pono: Enjoy your time away from maui. Maliko will be here when you return. Aloha
-
I second Bill's comments 'brewer. It's not easy no matter who you are. I've done a few runs with newbies when they had groomed ripples and no drama all the way. They fell like they've been sold a bill of goods about how demanding it can be. Then they come back the next day and get their asses handed to them. Lately it's been mostly that. I did my first run probably 70 percent on my knees, which was a good place since I was also praying.
Never boring.
-
808... amen to the boat ramp. That's where we went. Caught two waves in about four strokes all the way from the entrance. Heaven.
-
Well it hasn't smoked since tax day but yesterday Larry and I went with Jonathan visiting from Melbourne. Jon looked great on the few glides to be found out there and even found one really long one. I rode my new Bullet and experimented with a new camera set up on the tail of my board. I can hear the tailmount remarks now. Anyway nothing new there as the Go Pro guys have been deck mounting for a long time. But I like the footage from my TS2 without the super wide angle. Didn't worry about drops and amazingly the lens stayed pretty clear. Going to make some adjustments as to where I aim but am excited about the next run.
-
The smokin maliko HAS taken a break.....However, I have today off and the wind is supposed to return so I am going to give it a go.
-
How's it looking for the Maui to Molokai crossing race on Saturday?
DJ
-
DJ- It's looking fantastic for the Pailolo. It cranked back up today and my new Bullet really flew. Your mate Jon looks solid. He'll be good tomorrow. Here's my vid from yesterday when it was very light. Going to turn the camera aim angle towards shore and lower it so all you see is knees to feet and see the whole length of the deck... and switch the focus to the paddlers next to me. Next time. But this was enlightening and fun paddling with Jon. He's real good.
experiment mount (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JuOfHYKhzE#ws)
-
Wow, that footage looks so much better than a go pro wide angle.
The low mount looks great. A windy day should be amazing.
Nice tunes too.
-
Bill,
Epic Riders on the Storm in strings...
Very, very interesting... I hope that you do this on one of those crazy days...
By the way, thanks for skipping the Speedo on this run!
Thanks for letting us see what a mellow run is like... you can really see (just like surfing) how the strokes are all over the map to get on, and try to stay on, the runners.
Tim
-
Well the jetski is the tried and true best but a ski is also a hassle and costly. I need someone to drive while I keep my head real still and shoot. This way is spontaneous and now that I have this Bullet with the freaking length, well it makes it a quick and dirty way to take a vid. The board starts to roll sometimes if you notice and of course the camera rolls too. I almost threw up watching it.
Paddling and holding up just right for guys to blow by for the shot and then suddenly pour on the steam and catch up with their momentum is a trick. It'll all get better in the future... and yes Tim I can't wait to take the camera out on a big wind day. Today was one of those days but I had appointments later and had to do a fast-no-stop run to make it all happen. Doing a vid shoot is not a normal run. Mind is constantly on the vid. It's wild. Turn the camera off and the mind is free and the wheels start turning.
Speedoes??? THAT would be rude. Funny.
-
Thanks Bill.. Great vid and also great to see Jonathan in it.. Shame Pono's still not there.
I've been offered to try the new GoBandit cameras.. http://www.gobandit.com/ (http://www.gobandit.com/) .. and its view is less wide angled like the GoPro.. It will be interesting to see how it goes.
Tell Jonathan to stop having so much fun.. It's cold, wet and windy back home.. ;D .. and wish him luck in the race tomorrow.
DJ
-
Nice video Bill.
How high off the board was the camera lens and how far behind your typical paddling position was the camera? What mount did you use?
Maybe you could take a photo of the camera mounted on your board.
Thanks.
-
Great vid Bill, I took one with my GoPro the following day - just sorting it out now. PT Woody has taken some with two cameras, the Panasonic on the nose pointing out to the side and a GoPro on the back of the board. Great for getting shots of your buddies along side then splicing the film from both cameras to change the view. I've booked Kelly for a 1pm run today....
-
Headmount/Tailmount--nice video--looking forward to your further experimentations with the camera orientation.
-
Ok, here is my video from the day before the race, took it pretty easy to save myself a little for the next day. Had a fun paddle with T, although she said she was out of shape she always pushes, and of course I couldn't let her get too far ahead :D
Sorry for the length, always think 3 or 4 minutes is best but it just stretched out a little....
Gentle Maliko Run (http://vimeo.com/22831783)
-
Nice, looked like a very peaceful run, a far cry from this winter and early spring. I like those runs where you can just hop in the little swells and go forever. Looks like you did what I do--start picking daisies when it's easy. I laughed when you fell in on that little backside punch--been there, done that. Survive a big rocket ride, bouncing over Volkswagens hiding in the bottom of creases in the ocean, and then when everything calms down, fall on the least little wiggle.
I think next year I'm going to have to concentrate on channel crossings. Especially Maui-Molokai. I need to figure out a way to do a lot of them. I guess if we get a few under our belt we won't feel the need for escort boats anymore.
-
Great vid Jonathan.. Your best one yet.. That board looks awesome with those little yellow kangaroos that look like yellow stars.. Good to see you stop paddling and just enjoying the glide.. For me that's the best part.. What was that that popped up out of the water at the end?
DJ
-
Turtle.
-
Great video Jonathan. Gave me the feel of riding those runners myself. I wish I could stay on a runner as long as you were. Sure looks like fun.
-
Argosi Here's the pic of the camera mount. It's from Pana Vise. Works great. Never came off the 2 times I used it and yesterday was fairly strong. Great versatility with angling.
-
Oh yeah Argosi. Forgot to tell you what happened to me with this set up. So I have the camera set up with a slight tilt in the back . Jonathan thought it had a left pull on thursday when I had the camera on with that light wind vid I already posted. I didn't notice it very much that day and then I went out the next day friday without the camera and the board felt all time, no pull at all. Then yesterday, Sunday the wind was fairly strong and my board keeps pulling left, big time. I'm hoping it's the freaking camera acting like a sail and pushing my ass end around. My rudder looks fine and I didn't bang it on anything. I'll find out if it's the camera on the next windy day because I'm going out with the camera on my pal's board taking vid of me dropping in. Then I'll splice that in and post. Looks pretty cool so far, plus I had a blond gal to paddle out with.
I dig the deck POV. Moved the board all the way to the right side of the frame and pointed it down on the deck more so you can see my lead feet move. My body is cut off at the knees. I figure no one needs to see my sorry ass anyway.
-
Here's a pic of the two Bills loading up at HCC after a Maliko run. PBill is growing vegies and being a grease monkey in Portland... blows my mind what a contrast that is. But I'm sure that once the icebergs clear the Columbia River he'll be out there on his new Bullet.
-
Bill, thanks for the pics of the mount. Looks solid. Was it this model?:
http://www.panavise.com/index.html?pageID=1&page=full&--eqskudatarq=74 (http://www.panavise.com/index.html?pageID=1&page=full&--eqskudatarq=74)
The optional extender may make for even better videos but a more fragile mount.
Looking forward to seeing more of your work with the deck mount camera. I may get one myself if I can figure out a way to stick it on to my Starboard with EVA deck.
-
Cut a circle out of the EVA and make a smooth suction spot. I don't know what model it is but it's the only one that looks like that. Yeah Higher would be better but I think it would have a tendency to bounce around. Some guy on You Tube commented that I should have used a fish eye. Totally missed the point of no distortion.
-
Did a run yesterday with Jeremy Riggs, Livio and Thomas. It was almost OK to start off then got super light towards the harbour.
This mount is a stick on right where the rudder passes through the deck - fine for light wind but in bigger waves I would have been stepping on the camera. The GoPro isn't great down low IMO, not a patch on the Panasonic because of the wide angle lens distortion.
Took out a Vimeo account so you can watch this one in HD if the fancy takes you!
Maliko run with Jeremy, Livio and Thomas M (http://www.vimeo.com/22908224)
-
Another great vid Jonathan.. Keep them coming.. Pleeeese.. :)
DJ
-
I use the same mount.
-
Got to do a run today without all the camera hassles and concerns. My Bullet needed some rudder tuning so I took the 16 out and was glad I did. Took some big drops outside Uppers I don't think I woulda pulled off on the Bullet. Trying to warp my head around racing in the next few months. Such a different deal than just going out and dropping the clean set ups... when you're on your own. Racing makes me think about stroking too much when waiting is what I like to do.
-
^We missed you today HM, wish you had been along for the adventure. Jonothan paddled my oc-1 today. We did the shuttle with 7 standups and two canoes. He did exceptionally well for his first time in an oc-1. Wind was good - glides all around. He tipped a few times in the bay and twice more out to sea. Not bad at all considering he was catching some fine glides.
Here he is very early in the run.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/z0.jpg)
Off to the races right off the bat. I predict he will have an oc-1 within the year. He just doesn’t know it yet…
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/z1.jpg)
Not many pictures of him in the boat because I had to rush to keep pace. He waited and checked in a few times to see if I was ready to switch. After about 3 miles he was ready for the standup. We jumped in the water, tried to cross over when the F-16 went airborne. It flew over our heads (and the oc-1) coming to rest about 30 feet downwind. So I gave JC his paddle, hopped in the canoe and told him to swim. :)
30 feet was 100 in a heartbeat. I caught the f-16 and began waiting. Unfortunately, the wind was pushing me faster than he could swim (with the paddle). Towing the board like a dingy crossed my mind, but I didn’t think I could lash it up without smashing something. So I jumped in, right arm around the tail of the canoe, left around the tail of the F-16 and started kicking back to him. We finally met up about 10 minutes later. No real danger or panic, we knew we would sort it out, it just took longer than anticipated.
Then it was back to riding. Tasty bumps today.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/z2.jpg)
I like this pic because it shows a swell coming from the left and a bigger one from the right. The convergence is where I like to steer. Oc’s are very forgiving when sprinting into those zones. 10 months in a canoe has spoiled me. When on standup, I need to remember to choose slower lines. It’s all coming together nicely.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/z3.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/z4.jpg)
-
I like that last pic of Jon on your board Larry. What an adventure you had. I had to work later so I had a 1:15 launch. Went to the oil tanks.
-
Hey Jonathan I know how you must have felt.. ;D .. Did you get a pic of it flying through the air? .. Great pics.
I can also see Jonathan and I in OC1's down the track.. I'm super keen.
DJ
-
DJ ... no one will ever duplicate that shot you posted about your ordeal. That was one of a kind. Whatever we do here is paddy cakes compared to that. Well, I take that back. A guy could have a pretty bad ordeal out in one of these inter island channels. I had one once along time ago wndsrfng. But Larry and Jon... they're solid.
-
I was curious about the actual time we were separated, so I had a look at the gps.
We parted at about 18:30. My speed goes up - to retrieve the board - then settles down for about 5 minutes, then slows for another 10 before we met.
Watching Jonothan drift away as I held the board was unsettling. Jumping in the water only slowed me about 1mph. Thankfully, that was enough to allow us to regain contact.
If I'm ever in this situation again I'll probably try to stay together and get the board. My guess is that someone could hang on to an iako and hitch a ride. If that didn't work then move to plan B.
At the very least, I should have taken his paddle. He also could have left his paddle behind for easier swimming. An oc-1 can go back for a drifting paddle.
Anyhow, all's well that ends well.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/z5.jpg)
-
Yes taking the paddle would have been best... or if you're the one with the paddle, ditch it. Paddles float. I've been tagged by breaking waves and had to swim over a half mile for my board. Immediately left my blade and swam hard. Then it's easy to paddle upwind with the board. Try to visualize the path you took and you should see it quickly. And I can't really stress this enough... Swim when you're not paddling as cross training and to save your ass when these situations come up. I do 4-5 miles a week just to know that I can still cut it if the board is gone... plus I enjoy swimming. As I age I imagine swimming will be my final activity.
-
Whatever we do here is paddy cakes compared to that. Well, I take that back. A guy could have a pretty bad ordeal out in one of these inter island channels. I had one once along time ago wndsrfng. But Larry and Jon... they're solid.
I don't think you need to be inter-island to have a bad day, in fact I know you don't. Swimming in from Upper Kanaha is more than just swimming. Big waves and contrary currents to deal with. Took me twice as long as I expected.
I need to pick up my swimming more. The little bit of work I did with you this year Bill helped a lot, but I need time and practice. I think if you don't swim well and you do big downwinders that swimming may well be your final activity.
-
Looks like a great Maliko weekend in store for us weekend warriors. Winds expected to be 25+.
-
Have been the last three days in a row but the last two had a bit of cross chop from a small N swell. Today no swell to speak of. Best day since early June of last year. wndspd 30-40. Launch @1pm
Yesterday no falls but today I aired my board off a cross chop at infamous uppers, right as I was dropping a rather fair size swell. Sent me flying and hit the water at high speed. Went from feeling like the golden child to feeling really old in one second. Hero to zero. Felt glad I had PBills thick leash on my board. Got back up on my hands and knees and tried to rally. Finally stood, a glide grabbed me, crouched in the backseat like I was in deep powder, blade in the water like a plow and the child returned. Tonight I'm toast
-
Heading for a 4:30 maliko run tomorrow after work. Anyone interested? I will be going to the harbor.
-
Today was really good on the standup, 28 gusting to 38 at the airport. Wonderful glides on an inside line across the reefs. Great fun.
Resting Friday, but hope to be on the shuttle Saturday at one. Should be a ripper.
-
Got down there at 3:30 and had a very nice run. Slipped inside the harbor as the tugboat was just starting to work its way to the entrance with the barge. 5mins later and I would have been paddling back out to avoid it. I might see you on the shuttle La Perouse.
-
South shore was excellent today. Walking distance to the cove is so perfect for late afternoon runs. Drive to the boardwalk - do a downwinder - walk home and bike back to the truck. This run is very popular when the wind makes the turn, many canoe trucks in the parking lot. Some oc-1 and 2 friends zoomed by and hooted about a mile into the run. They finished at Sorento's. It was over far too quickly.
Sol and Colleen were motoring. Shoulda taken some more pics but it was so very hard to stop gliding.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore2009-06-08001800x358.jpg)
I had to pull out of the strongest wind line early to get home. Waves smoothed out to waist high groomed perfection. F-16 was loving it. Nice change from the chaos of a windy maliko. South shore is a good option for first time downwinders.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore2009-06-08007800x381.jpg)
-
wow Larry, that last pic of the empty roll was the perfect one for paddlers to see so they can visualize when to stroke. I'm still out for a few more days so this surgery site can heal. It's healing fast so far. See you soon
-
40+ today. My first run since my surgery over a week ago. Apparently the rest did me good. An absolutely perfect run and totally laid to rest the notion that the Bullet is just a light wind board. You have to ride it (move your feet) but man this is the board. Didn't pay any attention to my heading and got pulled out a bit since the wind didn't seem to turn onshore at the end today. By the time I checked, I had to do a serious 45 on the wind but found the grain and kept on glide the whole way in. Incredible.
-
We missed you out there Bill, glad to hear the bullet is going well for you. I was chasing Jack and Devin. Like you, I went out a bit futher than usual. At the airport tower I looked around for the crane and almost had a heart attack. The wind had been steadily blowing me far, far out. Angled in for a while, then back on line for some fun glides into the harbor. I don't like to be too far out late in a run with offshore winds. Maybe the ugliest line I've ever paddled, but it was still big fun.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko6-2.png)
Devin and Jack getting ready to go.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/6-2-11800x375.jpg)
As usual, they became small on the horizon after a few miles.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/6-2-11-1800x411.jpg)
Here's a typical bomber flying through - well overhead in size. Very fun day.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/6-2-11-2800x401.jpg)
-
Left maliko at about 4:30. That was as early as I could do. Found myself out side of my normal line as well. Wind was not 40 or anywhere near for my run, but did have a fast one.
I couldn't help but think how well a bullet would do.
-
HM showed me a great alternative finish. The wind in the harbor can be a lot of work some days, this spot is really nice. The sand and water are very clean, nobody around, great feel to this little beach.
The wind was light today, so I stayed inside and tried to hit all the reef I could find. The light F-16 is fun even in small bumps. Love that board.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko6-3-1-1.png)
Here's a closeup of the finish area. The road leading to the beach is very light traffic. Probably a good idea to park at the windsurf shop and drive back to the gate to get your boards. It's a seldom used hidden away area - nice change from the intensity of the harbor.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko6-3-1.png)
Paddling through kite beach is fun.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2011-06-03001800x450.jpg)
This guy was at least 6-6 250, and really flying.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2011-06-03002800x450.jpg)
Here are some pics for DJ. I know he loves this stuff. :)
17-4 x 26.75 for the bullet, 16 x 27.5 for the custom F-16.
Mark's comments on the design are here: http://www.sicmaui.com/bullet17_4.htm (http://www.sicmaui.com/bullet17_4.htm)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2011-06-03003800x450.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2011-06-03004800x449.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2011-06-03006800x449.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2011-06-03005800x451.jpg)
-
When I called to rally La Perouse it was sorta sunny and about 20-30... a significant drop from the 40+ the day before. But on our drive up to the launch the skies darkened and the wind really dropped.. into low teens. It looked pretty grim and I usually don't go when it looks like that but I instigated the run so i stuck with it. When we got out into the open ocean it still had some residual bump from earlier so there were small glides to be had although you really had to work hard to catch them. The day before had spoiled me with a run that only required a few strokes and long glides. My 10 day lay-off from the surgery really told on me when I had to work hard. Like La Perouse wrote, his super light board was a great tool for the day. I also found the many non gliding moments to be challenging on my Bullet as far as keeping it pointed correctly in a timely manner in order to be ready to catch a glide when they came my way. Steering it in moderate to high winds seems easy for me. So I'm sure it's just adjusting to something I'm not that familiar with...light winds. I really enjoy the sun as well and when it gets dark, as PBill says, I start picking daisies. La Per was also smart to take an inner line where any glides that were there would stand up taller. I convinced myself that there was stronger wind outside and the wind was going to clock onshore at the end but I struck out. Got home and the sky erupted in rain. The sound and cool air was a knock out and I slept till this morning with no dinner. Woke up starving. Man those boards do look great next to each other.
-
Oc-6's had a regatta in the harbor, so Jeremy introduced me to the boat ramp finish. It's a great place to stop - avoids the harbor traffic and wind.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko6-4800x428.jpg)
I took the oc-1 today, hoping to relax and take some pics. The wind was about 20 when we drove up. An intermediate oc-1'er like myself can keep up with an elite Sup'er if the wind stays around 20. If it goes over 30 - 35, elite Sup's drop me like a bad habit.
As we launched I was still convinced I had this one in the bag.
You ready? Sure, go ahead kid, I'll stay back and shoot some pics, then run you down later...
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2009-06-13001800x448.jpg)
There he goes... and up comes the wind, gusting over 30 now...
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2009-06-13003800x450.jpg)
WTF? how did he get so far ahead? (big zoom here) I'd better get going.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2009-06-13004800x450.jpg)
I had to bust my ass to keep up. No time for pics. :) Got lucky on the inside line and snuck away, just beating him to the entrance. Young whippersnapper pushed me to my fastest run of the year.
Another cool thing about finishing at the boat ramp are the catchable waves.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2009-06-13006800x450.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2009-06-13007800x450.jpg)
-
We started doing the boat ramp finish at the end of the winter. Way better than the Hale.
-
Wow, very impressive PB. How did you manage to stay in the same zip code as Jeremy? The only memories I have of winter and elite sup's are watching them fly past me in my oc-1. :)
Kelly's shuttle saves about an hour and a half of driving time. She's a single mom and working hard to keep this business afloat. Give her a ring or text and get on her email list for updates to the schedule. I learn a lot on the shuttles. It's a great opportunity to rub elbows with the true experts. They are very helpful if you have questions. Sometimes they tell stories that are mind boggling.
http://moorewatertimemaui.com/ (http://moorewatertimemaui.com/)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/shuttle.png)
-
What would make you think I stayed in the same zip as Jeremy. Actually, now that I think if it, I did once--he was doing testing and swapping boards around and guiding someone. I actually finished ahead of him.
Perhaps you're confused by the reference to finishing at the boat ramp. that was Herr Headmount and I, and we planned to do it regularly, but I jammed up my knee and then left for Hood River. It's been so long since I've had a paddle in the water I'm not sure which end goes in.
-
I am not a downwinder as of yet and thus have never used the shuttle. Not sure if its true, but I heard today that business for Kelly has been slow and will be a challenge to continue much longer of something doesn't change. I think the shuttle service is a very valuable resource for the downwinder not to mention the convienence. I certainly hope the Maui DW folks can help provide some support to help keep her in business. I just may consider getting into the DW thing and use the shuttle whenever I go as my part to help. Maybe someone can start a Maui DW touring business which utilizes the shuttle for all its clients. Any takers out there? Sorry don't mean to hi-jack this thread.
-
You will be amazed at how much fun downwinders are MWW. Give it serious consideration.
And thanks for the support for the shuttle, she needs it.
Perhaps you're confused by the reference/ blah blah blah..
That's it?
I fire a five inch shell across your bow, hoping to stir up some controversy in this thread (with the aim of promoting Kelly's shuttle) and you reply with logic?
Are you drunk? You should be mean and aggressive when off the water! Get off the meds!
The zone is long overdue for a good dust up. See if you can get your fat brother involved too, fatso. :)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/zoners.jpg)
Good news on the shuttle today, Danny moved out. Mark R. and Kelly expressed interest in something paddle related happening on the property. I quickly volunteered my willingness to pay rent for storage. I don't know if it's at all possible - but sure hope so.
C'mon all you paddlers with influence on Maui, make it happen!
-
I'm a little slow on the uptake, it's the cold weather, makes me torpid. That plus I didn't fathom that some traitor who spends his winters sitting down to paddle (and probably to pee) would be giving me grief.
I certainly hope Kelly continues her great service. One of those things that people won't miss until it's gone. I've heard folks say it costs them less to do the shuttle with a friend. Yeah, probably about one beer less. But if you don't support Kelly, she won't be there when you need her. I know that's a common argument for everything, from lifeguards to farmers, but this is an easy one that appeals to my selfish nature. Burn a bunch of gas and time shuttling yourself to Maliko, or do something much more fuel-efficient, easy, fun (great conversations in the shuttle, always) and convenient.
So take that Larry, you pencil necked canoe flogger.
-
PBill... He's in the picture, right behind Jack Nickleson, a tad to the right... the tall starry eyed- pencil neck Benedictoid.
Now that I've entered the fray I can picture what's coming next. Hey Bill, you gonna put a Ubangi nose ring in that hole? Already heard that one.
THings are slow all around right now and should pick up soon for Kelly and all of us. 5 or so races coming up. She'll be full soon. Man a storage locker at the gulch would be the bomb... if it were bomb proof. Getting paddlers to close and lock the door after themselves might be a trick tho.
-
Slightly off topic, but I work with a guy who was learning to surf at Tourmaline Canyon in the 60s or 70s and almost mowed down Skip Frye, who told him, "if you ever do that again I'll wring your neck you pencil necked geek".
-
Pencil necks are a good thing in a canoe. With my butt planted in the seat, the only way to shift weight forward is to lean. I can whip my melon forward like a yo-yo for that little extra push. The primo guys wish they were built like me.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/primo800x450.jpg)
-
Cute, after you master that you should take on Ornstein, he's pretty rad in a canoe too.
-
Today was a grey overcast day but superb conditions-25-40, no contrary ground swell, just a very orderly wind roll with smooth faces, everything running in the exact same direction. At the end of today's run I made a statement to myself that I usually hate to say... that was the best ever. But the reasons were more than just conditions. Most of my runs end up in a very solitary world. Very seldom do I paddle anywhere near someone else for any period of time and even if we're equally down the coast, most of the time over there is a 100 yard difference laterally. I've heard of some teams staying close and that has always seemed a great way to energize a run to the max. But I'm either too slow or too fast. However today I met up with Talia Gangini at the boat ramp, my good friend John's 18 yr. daughter. I know she has a track record as one of the top female paddlers on the scene and suffered no illusions about being able to keep up with her. However the conditions were off the charts and that becomes an equalizer of sorts. Amazingly we were less than 20 yds apart for the first several miles. Many times on the same glide within hooting distance. It was intense out there and we were going pretty damn fast. My legs finally gave out on a drop and I went down hard. It takes awhile for me to get back up and she had slipped away. But riding close for so long really did energize my run. Amazingly when Robert and I went back up to the gulch to retrieve his truck and it had glassed off. We were so lucky.
-
The run-in to the harbor was epic. Head high groomed swells were too easy to catch. Wind would blast then relax for a few minutes. I'd pause and wait for the wind to launch into the big ones. 3 over the front superman wipeouts today. Too fun.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2009-06-17006800x450.jpg)
/ trying to keep up with La Perouse, who in two runs in different conditions has slipped away, close but just ahead. I wanted to report back to you that I put the pencil neck in his place/
meh, get in line.
You did look good for only 2 runs in 2 weeks. It's highly unlikely that you will ever beat me straight up though. If you pull ahead, I'll just sit down and make a phone call...
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2009-06-14001800x453.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2009-06-15005800x448.jpg)
-
Great conditions today. Wind picked up as the run progressed.
Chivalry is dead. Devin with her F-16 v3, Sandy with a C4 stocker. Pencil necks need not apply.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2011-06-09002800x450.jpg)
Martin Lenny starts 'em young at maliko.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2011-06-09004800x448.jpg)
I love it when the oc's drop in to say hello.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2011-06-09006800x449.jpg)
-
Just try to carry Devin's board for her. You'd be likely to get a paddle upside yer melon. For that matter, don't drop in on her going left at Kanaha. Boyum calls her "The Boss" and seems a little scared of her, which is odd considering that she weighs about 14 pounds.
-
Ha! I can't wait to ask HM about that. He probably cut her off and got an earful. :) Too funny. She was going easy yesterday, so I pulled out all the stops and stayed with her for the whole second half. When the canoes came by she did some big efforts which were pretty impressive.
Today was gusting over 40. I took some great pics of Suzie Cooney on her 14 glide. That girl is fearless. She always goes to Kanaha. Last winter HM and I were out on a very windy, big NW swell day. HM got the longest ride of his life across the lower reef, finishing at the oil tanks. I finished at the harbor in my oc-1 and kissed the sand. Suzie went across the Kanaha reef that day, got munched and had a big adventure. As I recall, her partner got mowed - lost their board - and she was afraid they had drowned. It's on her site. Scary story. The waves were really, really big that day.
I looked at my chart and noticed what may be my longest glide yet. It happened at Upper Kanaha, ~ 10mph average for almost 2 minutes. That's over 500 yards. I'm still wondering how the fast guys do 10 mph for 9 miles...
Sadly, the pics of Suzie will have to wait for another day. My camera is in the rice baggie. Somehow the files got corrupted. Everything seems dry, but I'll give it some time to dry out before shooting again. Very fun day.
-
Camera came back to life, pics intact.
The sailing canoes were in town, rigging up for Friday's race from the harbor to Lahaina. They did Lahaina to Molokai Sunday. These boats really motor when the wind is up. And the wind was very, very good both days.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/CIMG0461800x449.jpg)
From the water.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/CIMG0463800x4482.jpg)
This is from the web, on another day.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/Oceancanoe.jpg)
Here's the beautiful and talented Suzie.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/CIMG0465800x451.jpg)
And a client, Bill the retired airline pilot. Super nice guy. His leash got severed going across the reef on 12-2-10. His board washed up on the beach and Suzie got pretty worried. I asked Bill about it yesterday. He said the current made it difficult to get to the beach. He swam for an hour and a half.
I remember that day vividly. I've never seen the water moving around so much. My mantra was 'don't break the boat.'
http://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=9680.0 (http://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=9680.0)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/CIMG0468800x450.jpg)
-
My oc-1 blade snapped off about a mile from home on a south shore run this afternoon. (How's that for a segue?) Thankfully, the wind was straight behind me. I used my slippers and Jamie Mitchelled it in - even caught a few glides. It was kind of fun.
Very lucky it happened so close to shore - and home. Paddled oc-1 on a maliko Saturday. Losing the blade out there could have been ugly. Paddling by hand may not have been an option.
I'll be carrying a spare from now on.
-
My oc-1 blade snapped off about a mile from home on a south shore run this afternoon. (How's that for a segue?) Thankfully, the wind was straight behind me. I used my slippers and Jamie Mitchelled it in - even caught a few glides. It was kind of fun.
Very lucky it happened so close to shore - and home. Paddled oc-1 on a maliko Saturday. Losing the blade out there could have been ugly. Paddling by hand may not have been an option.
I'll be carrying a spare from now on.
That's one area where SUP is safer than OC-1 and even moreso surfski - that of equipment failure.
You break a paddle or rudder on the SUP, you lay down and paddle in. When the rudder broke on my ski (fortunately at the very end of the run) paddling it at all was extremely difficult. I tried laying on it and paddling by hand, it was a no go. So I paddled it with my legs in the water but it was absolutely uncontrollable. Luckily for me I was only about 1/4 mile from the finish, but that 1/4 mile took me over 20 minutes. Had it happened out in the rough water it would have been a true nightmare.
-
Indeed, boats can be so much worse than standups when things go wrong.
Most of the oc-1's I see have rubber wrapped around an iako. I hope I never have to use it. They say it's handy to stabilize a broken rudder cable.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2011-06-14001640x360.jpg)
A few people have asked about the snapped paddle. It was a frankenstein made up of various parts - not a retail model. My first oc paddle had a carbon blade with a wood shaft. The wood cracked about 8 months ago. I removed the wood and glued in a carbon shaft. The wood was easy to get out with sharp tools, but I compromised the carbon fibers deep in the hole - down where the shaft bottoms out. Eventually the damage worked it's way to the surface. The break was clean and quick. The blade sank before I could get a hand on it.
-
Another emergency broken cable fix I read about on surfski.info was to carry a small piece of foam which could be used to jam the rudder in the straight ahead position. In fact I carry a piece with me in case I break a cable, and when my rudder broke I thought no big deal, I will wedge the foam in to keep the rudder straight and paddle in.
But when I flipped my boat over to my surprise the rudder was simply gone - the shaft had broken and the rudder sank, so my piece of foam didn't help me.
-
The south shore has great downwinders. If the trades have enough NE, they usually make the turn down the coast about 1 -2 pm, and hold until just before dark.
This site is useful for watching the wind direction at the airport. 40 degrees NE is ideal. 50 and 60 also work, but the wind is more likely to shut down or switch direction. Coincidentally, 40 degrees (and lower) is when maliko is less user friendly.
http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/current/PHOG.html (http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/current/PHOG.html)
This site is useful as well. It's a nice illustration of how the wind wraps around Haleakala in the afternoon. Daytime heating of the hillside draws the wind down the coast. It's accurate for maliko runs too.
http://weather.mhpcc.edu/wrf/maui2/ (http://weather.mhpcc.edu/wrf/maui2/)
This is how the wind can go up or down the south shore, with E trades. The time of day, cloud cover and wind direction all play a part.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/wind1.png)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/wind.png)
This webcam is at the north end, overlooking maalaea bay.
http://www.mauisunseeker.com/webcam (http://www.mauisunseeker.com/webcam)
This one is at the Mana Kai, a popular finish spot. A good run will have solid rollers here. It's popular finish spot.
http://www.islandsir.com/webcam/ (http://www.islandsir.com/webcam/)
-
These wind maps always remind me that potentially one of the HEAVIEST downwind experiences in the world also resides in Maui County and I'm not talking about Maliko. By the way yesterday from Maliko was off the charts. Launched right as Kelly's van was rolling in. Got a double decker that turned into a full on wave. Just went ahead and rode it all the way across uppers. Funny... I hadn't seen any waves before or after that one. Those double deckers give the best possible top speed and the Bullet was fine... with my back foot over the rudder. There's a little vee back behind the rudder and that's all I had touching the water. No GPS so don't know what that speed was. Maliko is still throwing me conditions that are a constant challenge, thinking about that other spot just scares me.
-
The other spot get some big uns
-
Another emergency broken cable fix I read about on surfski.info was to carry a small piece of foam which could be used to jam the rudder in the straight ahead position.
This would have helped one of the girls on our run today. Her rudder had some problems. She made it to the finish ok, but the rudder was moving around. I'll be carrying a rudder jammer from now on. She looked great early on, I could barely keep up with her. The rudder went haywire in the bigger stuff.
South shore was really blasting today. Minimum of three people to get each board off the trucks. Sorry for the lack of pics, I was preoccupied with racing one of the other paddlers. We have an unspoken yet intense rivalry. I've only beaten him twice in many years. Got him today. Yes.
This was about 20 feet from shore, zero fetch. Within 10 minutes it was shoulder high groomed perfection.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2011-06-20001800x448.jpg)
Yesterday was also very, very good. One of my neighbors has paddled six man for many decades but is without an oc-1. So we took my f-16 and boat out. As we were chatting after the run I noticed something in the nose of the boat.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2011-06-19003800x449.jpg)
Hmm, seems to have gone right through, what is that?
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2011-06-19001800x448.jpg)
Let's have a closer look. Are those teeth?
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2011-06-20012800x447.jpg)
Indeed they are.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2011-06-20018800x448.jpg)
Probably one of these - crocodile needle fish (or stick fish). Bill was surprised it poked the boat. He thought it had flown right over.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/corcodile-needle-fish-kona.jpg)
Bill felt bad about the damage. I told him don't be, this is rather cool. Then he told me about the time a whale lifted an oc-6 he was in completely out of the water and set it back down. He and his mates were speechless.
It's a jungle out there.
-
Wow! Lucky it wasn't through your leg or arm.. :o
DJ
-
That is awesome Larry!
-
Now you know why I was so spooked about that Ono just missing my leg. I think that's WAY scarier than sharks. Very random, but WOW, what an impact. I may get some shin guards.
***image redacted due to a drunken poster leaving the dims at 400 x 1 zillion***
The only proper thing to do is to eat as many of the buggers as possible. Ono--yum.
-
Crikey! That is wild larry. Glad no one got hit. Most of us don't have skin that is any stronger than carbon fiber, so we would be hurting.
-
I knew a french wndsrfr who had one of those stick fish go through his leg... was infected for almost a year, almost lost his leg. Great pics Larry.
-
I am coming over the Maui next week ;D and just have a few questions for the locals. What are the perfect conditions for a Maliko run? Looking at Windguru it is cranking East everyday. Should it be more North East? And what about race 2 (to Honolua Bay) of the Triple Crown. Is that a good run with a hard grind at the end of the race? Cheers from OZ. :)
-
I don't live on the north shore, so I have to check online before driving over.
These lines should be long and from the east. That's your fetch. The closer together, the higher the wind speed.
http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/graphics/npac.gif (http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/graphics/npac.gif)
Wind speed and direction at the airport. 70-80 is probably best.
http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/current/PHOG.html (http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/current/PHOG.html)
Windguru at hookipa.
http://www.windguru.cz/int/index.php?sc=53 (http://www.windguru.cz/int/index.php?sc=53)
Radar of rain showers that can block winds. also shows wind direction.
http://radar.weather.gov/Conus/hawaii_loop.php (http://radar.weather.gov/Conus/hawaii_loop.php)
More cloud stuff that can help with potential rain.
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/west/cpac/flash-ir4.html (http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/west/cpac/flash-ir4.html)
Cam at top of run.
http://www.mamasbeachcam.com/ (http://www.mamasbeachcam.com/)
Cam at bottom of run. has graph of windspeed and gusts too.
http://www.mauiwindcam.com/streaming/kanaha/ (http://www.mauiwindcam.com/streaming/kanaha/)
You will get lots of info in person when you are here.
Oh, your question. :)
NE is not best for maliko or the race to honolua. You will want E for maliko and ESE for honolua. The hard part of that race will be paddling north west up to Kahakuloa.
-
Hey La Perouse, don't forget to throw your chart up for sunday's run. Shirley says I'm getting a GPS for my 61 b-day
-
I enjoy the gps data. Here is today's line.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko6-26700x373.jpg)
Here is part of the chart. I can't include the overall time because it's too slow. If the admin were to see it, the zone would go down due to coffee spewage. I'll post a full chart when I go under 1:05 to the harbor. :)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko6-261700x203.jpg)
Garmin lets you zoom in on a section to measure a glide. My personal record for one of these bumps over 8mph is 500 yards. The best I had today was this one, about 260.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko6-262700x327.jpg)
-
From the chart it looks like you fell three times... one of them after the big one you told me about. The graph jibes with my memory of the run, especially the big ones off Uppers. Looks like we had a steady range of 7 to 11, but my biggest thrill was not falling for the second time on my Bullet.
-
From the chart it looks like you fell three times... one of them after the big one you told me about.
Yes, 3 falls. The first one was almost a good link. The f-16 comes alive in that area. It's not ideal for average speeds but great fun for late drops, surfing and quick turns (for a 16). Super, super fun across that reef.
/ Looks like we had a steady range of 7 to 11 /
The gps average speeds can be very enlightening. Lots of data in training center to help understand the graph.
The numbers on the south shore are faster than I thought they would be. Top speeds and averages can be quite similar. Wind may be NE early this week. I'm hoping for good south shore conditions late in the day.
-
The south shore was good today. Here is a graph for comparison to Sunday's maliko.
These (2) glides are a bit longer than Sunday, about 280 yards (above 8 mph).
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/polo6-27700x339.jpg)
The software also switches easily to time. The bumps appear to be about a minute at +8 mph.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/polo6-271700x284.jpg)
8 mph is an arbitrary figure I use because it fits my graph well. It's less than an exact science, but good enough for me to compare my runs. The bump on the graph looks like a good connection to me.
I mentioned this system to a pro, one of the best at maliko. He's had similar speed 'glides' for a kilometer. That's about 1100 yards.
So if anyone asks how long the glides at maliko can be, tell them - on an average day - a middle aged pencil neck from Indiana can do a minute or two and a couple hundred yards.
On a big wind event the fast paddlers are gliding for a very, very long time.
-
And when you compare these downwind graphs to time and distance at a surfing break, a surfing break compares like this. A short wave at an average break lasts about 5 secs, a long wave 10. I used to surf Honolua Bay every season and it seemed like every year I'd hook up an extra long one from outside coconuts through the keiki bowl which was about 30 secs and maybe the same length as the open ocean glides the pencil necked geek from Indiana is getting. A connection of the various sections at G-land would be about the same distance and time, for sure no longer than 40 secs. Robby's ride at Pavones was in the one of the longest surfing waves category. (also outside of Galveston) Now you might say that a breaking wave speed is faster than a open ocean glide... and I'd say sometimes a little more but sometimes less.... maybe more consistent speed on a breaking wave. I'd like to see Robby's speed on his GPS on that Pavones wave. I'm guessing 8-9. Open ocean swells are traveling faster than breaking waves, that's why we need these long darts to catch them, and even then it ain't easy.
-
Robbie Naish's average speed on that wave at Pavones illustrates how valuable it is to bring as much data as possible to each discussion. His ride was 1.09 k at 2'15" for an average speed of 18+ mph. Do what you will with those numbers.
I'm not a whiz at math, far from it. And all of my statistics is long since forgotten. But I do remember how easily statistics can be manipulated to support an argument. Common sense tells me to be very skeptical of anything to do with stats., particularly graphs. With that in mind, I say again that all my graphs are very inexact.
Great variations may exist in my gps data that I'm not aware of. Particularly the sample rate. Garmin 305's will allow you to set the sample rate to 'smart recording' (the default) which "picks up key points where you change direction, speed or heart rate." The manual continues: "You can also record data every second, doing so creates the most accurate record possible of your activity". However, with this setting, battery life is only 3.5 hours.
I use the default option because it gives a more legible graph. I tried the one second sample rate a few years ago. The curves on my graph were very spikey, nearly illegible. Maybe the updated software has better smoothing, I'll give it a whirl on my next paddle.
IMO, gps graphs are fun to play with, but that's about it. A mathmatician could probably make a case that my graphs are quite innacurate. IMO the 305 is accurate for elapsed time, overall average speed and mapping courses. I'm skeptical of their accuracy as the time interval shrinks.
-
Here is some data from my oc-1, chasing Jeremy on his 14. I'm still undecided as to what glides look like on a graph. This much I'm sure of; oc-1's are fun and Jeremy is fast. :)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko6-41700x402.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko6-42652x474.jpg)
And the section of the run from 0:14 to 0:21 minutes.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko6-43700x323.jpg)
-
Hey LaPerouseBay,
I'm that pencil neck, only from North Carolina versus Indiana. We arrive Maui next Tuesday night for a week of surf SUP on the west side. I appreciate all of the great info on the ten or so pages on this topic. I am also so hyped about renting an F16 for a Miliko run and hope to get up with some of you guys so maybe you all can help point this 56 year old NC pencil neck from point A to point B!
-
Ocean swells are quite a bit faster than breaking waves, the reason the wave breaks is that friction slows the front of the wave and make it stack, then the back of the wave catches the front and the whole thing topples over (simplified, but more or less true).
Open ocean wave speed is proportional to the wave period--roughly three times the period in knots per second so a 15 second wave travels at 45 kts/hr. As the reach shallow water the drop dramatically in speed to roughly half that.
The reason Robby went so much faster surfing a breaking wave is that he wasn't traveling in the same direction as the wave, he was vectoring across the face.
-
Open ocean wave speed is proportional to the wave period--roughly three times the period in knots per second so a 15 second wave travels at 45 kts/hr. As the reach shallow water the drop dramatically in speed to roughly half that.
Your ablility to rattle that off the top of your head is impressive. The spelling errors are a dead giveaway.
I like this link about ocean waves.
http://www.surfline.com/surf-science/how-do-we-get-surf---forecaster-blog_56731/ (http://www.surfline.com/surf-science/how-do-we-get-surf---forecaster-blog_56731/)
Here's a clip: "The individual waves actually move twice as fast as the wave train or the swell, and a single wave's speed can be calculated by multiplying the swell period times three."
Reading the link's description of open ocean wave speed, I'd probably change your sentence to "Open ocean wave speed is proportional to the swell period..."
Granted, swell and wave are often interchangeable, I'm splitting hairs, etc.
But the author does have interesting points about how waves behave on wave trains (swells) in the open ocean. It seems fitting to make the distinction in the downwind section. And it helps explain why Robbie goes so fast on the wave. He's got the energy of the entire swell in his wave. Downwinders are usually milking the waves on the swell, and those little bastards are always reforming...
Quiz on Friday. :)
I've always liked this picture. It helps explain the spooky feeling in the pit of my stomach when I see a long period groundswell. I tell myself hmm, why should I be afraid of that 15 footer? it's never going to break. Oh yeah, it's a thousand feet deep That explains it.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/swell-period700x368.jpg)
-
Great info. In the world of adventures in low speed or "downwinding" the waves we catch here on Maui are most likely in the 6-8 sec period, especially in these summer months. It seems to me that in the same depth of water, the smaller slower moving waves tend towards a steeper, easier to catch slope. The faster waves tend towards increasingly flatter slopes, which are more difficult to catch. The ticket seems to be getting a boost from a small steep one that can launch you into those faster moving flatter ones. Since the fast moving swells cease to exist in shallower water, for a Maliko run, it asks you a question, is the deeper outside route a better choice? If you are able to connect into those fast moving longer period swells then the answer may be yes. But if you don't connect consistently into those fast moving flatties then the steeper slower moving inside may be your ticket because of the steadier average speed. I've seen the difference on many days between one and the other. Each day has so many variables to try to add up and roll the dice as to which choice is best. Most times I gamble for the outside. Even if my overall speed isn't as good as the inside on that specific day, learning the challenge of connecting into the fastest moving wind swells is what really turns me on. But if you're racing the inside line can be better for overall time.
-
You guys impress me with all your scientific calculations ;) I just look at the water and decide if it's going to be sleigh rides all the way or if I will be grinding. Which brings me to a question. Since light winds are expected at sundays' race, will your line be closer to shore or outside???
-
Call me spoiled but light winds will find me on the coach, watching Meet the Press. No interest in hot muggy slogs. I've done it and 10 miles turns into a long haul. One hydration pack isn't enough.
If I want to paddle in flat water, I'd like to be in Lake Tahoe where a cool-off is right below your feet.
But if there is a little wind (there might be enough for a glide or two) I would think the inside line to be the best, right on top of the reef, although today there was a little N swell but it should be gone by sunday.
-
Since light winds are expected at sundays' race, will your line be closer to shore or outside???
I think your wind will be good. It won't be 'paddling optional' conditions, but still strong enough for good glides and big fun.
If I were racing, I'd follow the early leaders. They pull away pretty fast, but a sharp eye can spot them a mile or so ahead. They have great knowledge of the tide. It may be worth asking around before the race. The paddleboard and oc veterans are wizards. As this chart shows, the tide will be rising during your race.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/tide700x345.jpg)
The big dogs may head outside or zoom around on the inside. It all depends on the day. They also take different lines into the harbor based on the tide. If the tide is draining the harbor, a current flows against some lines. You may want to ask them about their line at the entrance.
Personally, in medium wind and a rising tide I seek the shallowest water I can find. It's not the fastest line. But I like it.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko6-5700x325.jpg)
-
Inside or outside line; I think it will be a day best suited for a bullet. Too bad for me :(
-
First you should understand that all lines of a Maliki run are "shallow" as far as waves are concerned, and the water depth is highly variable. Camp one and kanaha are reef fingers that extend ten miles to the north. We are really dealing with waves that are stacking up in both directions--from the north and from the east. The wave is not the water, it's the energy pulse, and as Larry said, it can extend down a thousand feet, though most of the waves we're dealing with are more like 3-400.
Long period swells are absolutely flatter than short period for the same height-a natural result of the profile. It's why our super short period Columbia river waves make my f18 into a lawn dart and turn the over- rockered Naish glide into the weapon of choice.
Yeah, I like this stuff and it's the kind of thing that sticks in my geeky head. Like this morning when I was cutting a avocado and said 6.0221415 times 10 to the 23rd to Diane. Girls love that geeky humor, though she diid a good job of disguising how much it turned her on.
-
Hey, that's Avocado's Number!
My girlfriend would be a lot more excited if she heard me with a knife in the kitchen, and I was saying 3.14159265 instead.
-
6.0221415 times 10 to the 23rd is funny the first time, but most people use it constantly.
-
Here is a link to a noa chart. Numbers x 6 gives depth in feet. Click the arrows at the bottom to navigate the reef.
http://www.nauticalchartsonline.com/n.c/Charts/chartViewer.html?viewChart=19342 (http://www.nauticalchartsonline.com/n.c/Charts/chartViewer.html?viewChart=19342)
I would find it interesting to overlay some winter and summer gps lines on this chart. Google earth kinda shows the reef, but I'd prefer to see the actual numbers with the red line. The blue shading seems to follow about 30 feet in depth. It's cool to see the numbers drop at Pauwela point. It helps me understand the monsters during the Keanae race.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/soundings700x373.jpg)
South shore is looking good. NE winds have been steady and fun.
-
We're in the mist of a great roll of great conditions... as evidenced by the great race over the weekend. This shot was taken by Jeremy yesterday, I'm in the white shirt and the head you can just barely see behind the same wind swell where it's capping is my friend Jimmy Lewis. We were both on 14's and doing fine... two old geezers out for a stroll. Also cool taking a break from the radical edge of the Bullet and just cruise on my Cadillac. Jeremy's new 14' board looked fast and he's offered to let me take her for a spin.
-
All the new arrivals and on-island contestants are enjoying epic downwind conditions this whole week for their warm-ups for the Naish race on sunday. The wind is forecast to lighten starting tomorrow but we'll keep our fingers crossed....
-
Call me spoiled but light winds will find me on the couch/
Congrats to all that raced the Naish maliko today, sounds like it was a great time. Cool to see that Dave K. won again.
I was leery of less than ideal winds at maliko, so I stayed home on the south shore and sat on my couch (oc-1). Mother nature switched the fan on high for a smoking run to the ManaKai. Recorded a personal best for this run. Average speed of 9 mph matched all but a handful of maliko runs. 8+ mph is what I look for on my graphs. This one has some good runs for an intermediate paddler like myself. Great fun. NE winds have been favorable for the south shore recently.
Today was not what I'd call a 'true' NE wind - where the pressure gradients on the map are truly pointing NE. The wind is less likely to switch on 'true' NE days. Lately the pressure gradient lines have been E but weird thermals wrap a NE down the south shore. The drawback is that they can switch direction.
A few days ago it switched direction mid-run. It was so bad we headed back to the start. Then it switched again so we paddled toward the finish. Then it switched again, but we pressed on. Took 1:25 at max effort to finish that one. Today was 0:45, paddling optional.
A word to the wise on south shore runs - if you are on a standup, be careful. Oc-1's are more forgiving. Standups can be a handful in contrary winds.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/manakai7-24800x230.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/manakai17-24800x311.jpg)
-
Please be careful on the south shore if the wind may switch. Here's what I meant by pressure gradient lines not pointing NE. In the map below, the line is SE. Local conditions may blow NE and the map can say SE. Safest bet is when the map lines are NE. That's what I call a 'true' NE wind.
Wind goes clockwise around high pressure, counter clockwise around lows. The lines are pressure gradients and indicate general wind direction. As you can see below, the line pointing at Hawaii is SE. Little blue arrows are also wind direction.
http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/graphics/npac.gif (http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/graphics/npac.gif)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/weather800x457.jpg)
-
Fun maliko today, came within a whisker of breaking the hour. Wind was nice and steady, perfect for running down SUP's in my boat. :)
Travis paddled Jeremy's 24" Foote maliko 14 today, no trouble at all. They will use the skinny board in the channel this weekend.
Maui teens are shredding maliko. The next few years should be interesting. Here are a few pics Jeremy took of Riggs Napoleon in/on oc-1.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/riggs.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/riggs0.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/riggs1.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/riggs2.jpg)
-
Hot damn... that was cool.
-
Riggs is pretty amazing. Top 20 in the Naish race at age 12.
I got smacked in the shoulder by one of these goofballs today. It was so quick I had to sniff my shoulder to make sure it happened. Sniff sniff, yep, that was a fish.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/malolo.jpg)
One of the guys in our group was paddling 6 man when 4 mullets bounced off their boat. A big one landed in Dave K's lap. He was startled and tossed it back in the ocean. Hawaii is so amazing.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/mullets.jpg)
-
Hit in the shoulder- lucky it wasn't your head. People have gone blind from flying fish injuries. One of the hazards of paddling in paradise.
-
La Per... did you take that pic of the malolo? I'd kill to get a pic like that but usually you have to be moving to flush them and if you're moving you usually don't have the camera in hand.
-
Pic is from google images. Want time for pics on a glide? Get an oc-1. It's just not fair I tell ya. :) Wind was blasting thru makena yesterday. Woo Hoo!
Hit in the shoulder- lucky it wasn't your head. People have gone blind from flying fish injuries. One of the hazards of paddling in paradise.
It happened so fast I didn't have time to flinch. Sunglasses - don't leave shore without them.
-
race season is over but Maliko continues to blaze. Today was off the charts... again
-
They're forecasting 21 MPH in the gorge today, but my damp rashguard just blew off my board and up onto the garage roof. Bump and Glide race tonight, should be a good'un. Knee is doing well, grandsons gone back to Michigan. Let the training begin.
-
Yeah I think you need more than 21 mph to lift a damp rashguard up into the air. Sounds like what we had today... 25 to 40, absolutely incredible. Italy defaults, US stock market is hammered and I'm riding wind swells down the coast.... strangely... no guilt
-
Smoking maliko today, 28-38 at the airport. Perfect wind direction was shoving us in the back. No sprinting, correction strokes were enough. Fun day. F-16 eats crazy steep drops for breakfast. Thanks MR.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko8-5700x283.jpg)
Nice tight lines on the map. Should be blasting again tomorrow. Looks like it may have enough NE for the south shore to go ballistic.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko8-52700x483.jpg)
State regatta is on Maui tomorrow, in Lahaina. LPB's south shore shuttle may be on the road with standups. Woo Hoo! These guys have taught me a lot.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/004700x457.jpg)
-
Took my friend's everytrail yesterday and registered a 17mph glide. Don't know how accurate those things are but it wasn't a spike but a rounded hump that sustained 9 for quite awhile off same glide. Outside Sprecks. Going into the harbor entrance it registered a 12 and then to the boat ramp I had a steady 8, which is a great way to finish.
-
Another magnificent maliko today. A fellow zoner and I (forgot his forum name) were close from upper kanaha to the finish. I was hoping to go easy, but the competitor in me is difficult to restrain. Wind was ok, fun glides.
The best part of the run was loaning my oc-1 to Mike Owens, of Aircore Maui. He's very experienced in ski's and oc-1's. He's even got a mold for an oc-1, but no boat. He was ecstatic to get out and paddle. He posted a very good elapsed time. Not bad for his first oc-1 paddle in at least 6 months.
My endless summer of downwinding is winding down. I got called back to work starting Teusday. Today was 47 downwinders in a row. Whew. I'm glad I used my time off wisely. :)
-
A small crew of us are doing some finish carpentry in a gated community. We don't make much noise, but today was a state holiday - statehood day. The snooty neighbors threw us out of their hood, because they could. I was ok with it, but some of the guys could have used the day's pay. Rich people can be so odd. You would think they might have a shred of compassion in this tough economy. Oh well, that's life.
The shuttle was almost full. Strong steady ENE wind at 20-30 mph set up some beautiful conditions. I've been on the south shore for two weeks, it's been very good late afternoons. Had a few 9 mph average speed runs, but it ain't no maliko. Today was 9.1 and it felt a lot faster. A few of the standups had personal record runs.
I've been focusing on not struggling to get into glides. The moment I suspect I may not get in, I back off and wait for the next one. "Don't struggle, keep the boat going downhill" It's been working like a charm. Minimal effort with killer glides. I had a few hard digs to get into pier one swells, but that's it. Spartan's, camp one and all through kanaha was smooth and easy. Big thanks to my south shore bro's for the great advice. And to mother nature for the relatively groomed swells.
I like how the speed chart looks like the steady heartbeat of the ocean pushing me along. No radical spikes, just mellow cruising without stalls. Super fun.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko8-19800x284.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko8-191800x350.jpg)
-
I went to the oil tanks with a 2 pm launch and ditto what LaPer wrote. An absolutely prefect day. I tried to think about the other thread (about best tide for a Hawaii Kai run) when I was out there and attempt to add up all the factors that were making today's run so good. But my train of thought just disappeared. All I can say is that it was Bullet territory. Got to get my camera back from Jeremy.
-
Garmin training center will smooth the data on the graph. I usually look at it smoothed because it is easier to see the big bumps.
I took a look at the glide at 49 min. unsmoothed to better understand the data. It looks to me as though there were 5 smaller waves on the face of the larger, faster moving swell. If the 5 waves were between 48 and 49 min., each 'mini' glide was about 12 seconds. This jibes well with my memory of a maliko run. It's a series of small and medium waves, hopefully on the face of a big groundswell.
Oc-1's are great for this type of action. Very little effort is needed to maintain hull speed for loooong glides. In a boat it's mainly just steering. Get the hull speed up, catch a ride on a big one, hold back, stay high and fly. Great fun.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko8-192618x537.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko8-193624x563.jpg)
-
South shore downwinders have been excellent late afternoons. Most of my pals in Kihei are on oc-1 and time is short, so I usually do the canoe with them. Canoes are faster if the wind dies. Hasn't lately, but nice not to have to worry about it.
Had a day off work so headed straight for maliko. Shuttle was almost full. Dave K. was coaching a few guys, Kai Bartlett was testing a new prototype xm. Conditions were excellent. Broke the hour by a whisker, with minimal effort. Holding back rather than chasing each and every little bump is really working. Nice to be going faster with less effort.
Got a new wood paddle from Mike at Aircore. Super comfortable paddle. I really like the S bend on the blade face. Some prefer a flatter blade, I like this one a lot. Pictures don't do it justice, it's really a work of art.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/018600x800.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/016800x420.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/027401x800.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/021800x338.jpg)
-
what's the theory for putting the carbon on that side of the blade? I woulda figured the other side for strength or why put it on at all, except that the blade is whittled down to very thin. Looks damn nice.
Old surfboards are becoming art objects for the wall but a finely made wood paddle is so much more universal and also subtler than a surfboard.
-
what's the theory for putting the carbon on that side of the blade? I woulda figured the other side for strength or why put it on at all,/
Carbon is to help lateral stiffness.
My guess is that carbon is more effective on the back face because - in this application - it will be stronger in tension (rather than compression) over its area.
The handle is very comfortable. This is the palm side. It looks like a hybrid of a T and a palm grip.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/DSCF0107700x540.jpg)
Very tight annular rings in the dark side pieces. The shaft has 11 laminations at the handle.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/DSCF0110700x365.jpg)
9 laminations at the transition. Very comfy here too. Very high quality epoxy for the layup. Catalyzed urethane top coat.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/DSCF0111700x351.jpg)
-
I was admiring the top pic of the handle and then it turned into ET
-
Fabulous looking blade. It's a wood version of the new blade we're building. I don't think this guy had all our geek trickery to design that, wonder how he came up with it. The only difference visually is no dihedral and therefore no concave along the dihedral. Other than that it's remarkably similar. I'd love to instrument that and see what it does. I bet it has no flutter and catches like crazy.
-
I was admiring the top pic of the handle and then it turned into ET
That's so funny, I saw the same thing then read your comment.
ET lives!
-
Fabulous looking blade. It's a wood version of the new blade we're building. I don't think this guy had all our geek trickery to design that, wonder how he came up with it.
Mike Owens builds them. He was Owens Ocean Sports in NC, now he and Jeremy do Aircore Maui. The name Schmidt is inked in the handle of the paddle. Holm Schmidt is a renowned K-1, surfski and canoe coach back east. He was in the 88 games. He received his training (kayak and coaches) at the former East German system of Olympic sports colleges. He's been coaching U.S. olympians for a couple of decades. Holm helped design the paddle.
The only difference visually is no dihedral and therefore no concave along the dihedral. Other than that it's remarkably similar. I'd love to instrument that and see what it does. I bet it has no flutter and catches like crazy.
Yes, it works really well, no flutter, nice flex. It's a grappling hook upwind. The spoon back is extremely quiet when trimming the ama.
-
Headmount:
You are a very lucky guy to have one of Mike Owen's paddles. They are freaking amazing, and I swear Mike embues them with a soul of their own. I've paddled his SUP paddle, and it was incredibly smooth, (wasted on me). They are art; functional paddle art.
Mike's OC-1s are special. He has the mould on Maui, he should build some OC-1s. There are ba few in Charleston, but no one will sell.
Of course from reading your posts aboiut Maliko, we already know you are a lucky guy.
-
OPPS, sorry, LaPerouse Bay is the lucky one....
-
Fabulous looking blade. It's a wood version of the new blade we're building. I don't think this guy had all our geek trickery to design that, wonder how he came up with it.
Mike Owens builds them. He was Owens Ocean Sports in NC, now he and Jeremy do Aircore Maui. The name Schmidt is inked in the handle of the paddle. Holm Schmidt is a renowned K-1, surfski and canoe coach back east. He was in the 88 games. He received his training (kayak and coaches) at the former East German system of Olympic sports colleges. He's been coaching U.S. olympians for a couple of decades. Holm helped design the paddle.
The only difference visually is no dihedral and therefore no concave along the dihedral. Other than that it's remarkably similar. I'd love to instrument that and see what it does. I bet it has no flutter and catches like crazy.
Yes, it works really well, no flutter, nice flex. It's a grappling hook upwind. The spoon back is extremely quiet when trimming the ama.
Spoon backs actually create lift. Probably adds 3 to 5 percent to the catch.
-
OPPS, sorry, LaPerouse Bay is the lucky one....
I agree, Mike is quite a talent. I'll try to get a picture of one of his seamless all carbon paddles.
-
I'd love to see that new paddle. He was building the plug for the SUP paddle mould last time I was in his shop.
-
Well we finally had a good wind event for today ... maybe tomorrow for this north side and then it lightens up again until the end of summer on the 21st. Mostly 030 to 050 this late summer and the southside has been the call... until today. Today really cranked, no swell, perfect. Took a guy from Santa Barbara and he was jazzed... didn't know he had lucked out big time.
-
Saturday was really good too HM. I bought a used surfski in the morning and did an oc-1 run at 2.
Glad you had time to get out today. Paddled about 30 minutes in my new toy.
It was my first time in a racing kayak. I was very fortunate to have Mike to talk me through it. He took some pics for me to help save the memory.
As I walk in I think to myself, 'this won't be too bad - I was flying the hell out of the ama yesterday at maliko.'
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/005700x394.jpg)
What the, this little bastard is TIPPY.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/006700x392.jpg)
Where the hell is my ama? :)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/007700x393.jpg)
Mike suggested paddling with my legs in the water. Sage advice.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/008700x394.jpg)
Still not that easy, but getting better.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/009700x394.jpg)
Repeat this about 10 times.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/012700x393.jpg)
Remounting is not easy, fell back in about half the time.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/013700x394.jpg)
Finally got the feet in. Full concentration to keep from swimming. Much faster than an oc-1 in flat water. Super fun. Mike says it gets easier very quickly. Jeremy says he wants to try it. I hope my skills get better fast. I want to watch Jeremy and heckle him as he falls in. IF he falls in. :)
The ski was much more difficult to balance than my first time in oc-1. Reminded me of early days of standup. It's going to take a lot of practice on flat water before downwinding. Everyone says ski's fly in the swells. Very interesting boats. Much faster than I thought it would be. Hard to balance, but the potential for speed is obvious. The wing blade is scary powerful.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/041700x393.jpg)
-
Cool for you that you are getting on the ski. They are a blast. And I hear you regarding the wing paddle. I paddled a 25 miler on Saturday and while I was out in the middle of nowhere with no one in sight I began focusing on the wing while it was in the water. Started thinking about Pono Bill's recent video posts showing the turbulence off the face of the SUP paddle and realizing that the water off the face of the wing was smooth and clear. Imagine having a wing SUP paddle. Have a ball on the ski. To me there is no finer way to work on that upper body rotation that is a real asset on the SUP.
-
I wouldn't be placing any bets on Jeremy falling. Remember the first time he got on the Penetrator? He looked like he was standing on a Starboard Whopper instead of a board with a 22" waterline. I thought I was going to drown myself before I got used to balancing that board.
You're always a step ahead of me Larry. I've been eying surfskis. It's my masochistic reflex kicking in.
Eric--wing paddles are an inspiration. Hard to do exactly what they do with the substantially different stroke angle of a SUP or Canoe paddle, but we're headed in that direction. When a blade has good lift the water behind the paddle becomes an even more important element of the catch. We might even be able to make a somewhat improved OC paddle.
-
LaPerouse:
Enjoy that V10Sport. I've been paddling that ski for 4 years, and I doubt I'll ever buy another ski. I love that thing. I have the Value layup, and I might upgrade to the performance layup, like yours, but I doubt I'll change skis.
The V10S is supposed to be a beginner ski. There's group of us that have decided that, being mere mortals, we like a little extra stability when the ocean gets rough, as it allows us to continue to lay down power, rather than brace every other stroke.
-
Yes, the ski's are amazing. I've barely been able to put together two good strokes so far, but when I do, the boat launches like a rocket. Much faster than an oc-1.
Did another short session after work yesterday. I anticipated my canoe paddling would be a great prepration for the ski, but they are very different. Some instinctive moves in a canoe don't translate well on the ski. Leaning back is first on my list of things to adjust.
I'm anxious to learn everything about the ski as quickly as possible. My body is already telling me to be cautious.
To me there is no finer way to work on that upper body rotation that is a real asset on the SUP.
I agree. A canoe stroke is more similar to SUP, but the rotation and balance required trump that - by a long way. My core is feeling it after just a few short sessions.
/ I might upgrade to the performance layup, like yours,/
The V10S is supposed to be a beginner ski./
Mine is actually the ultra layup, honeycomb nomex and kevlar. Feels solid. The pedal system is brilliant.
Beginner ski? Guess that makes me a beginner. The guy I bought it from felt it was too tippy, so he's getting a V-8.
Here are the traditional pics at Makena landing.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/006700x308.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/015700x392.jpg)
-
.
Beginner ski? Guess that makes me a beginner. The guy I bought it from felt it was too tippy, so he's getting a V-8.
The Epic V8 is what I paddle as well. I initially planned to buy a V10S like yours but found the right opportunity on the new V8. You must be a notch or two above my experience though considering your OC experience. I am certainly more comfortable in the ski now than I was in the beginning.
I started thinking about an OC last fall and while posting about it here a fellow Zoner encouraged me to look at the ski instead. His experience was the same as your comment about the OC stroke and the SUP stroke being very similar. He said that in his coaching experience the ski stroke was more beneficial and helpful on the SUP. I cannot speak to the OC stroke but I know that the more I paddle my ski the more comfortable I am on my board.
-
I remember that thread last fall, that coach had some great advice.
As for similarities in the stroke, all I know at this point is that canoes and SUP's like the blade to run parallel to the vessel. A ski's wing blade angles out at 45 degrees. That's the goal anyway.
As an intermediate oc-1 paddler, my goal is to be more graceful and efficient. The fast guys appear to be gliding without effort. Their stroke drives the boat forward. My stroke wastes a lot of energy correcting direction and keeping my ama light. My guess is that my body is overdeveloped on one side. As a result, I cheat on the ama too much.
It takes a lot of discipline to let efficient paddlers pull away. I usually muscle it and cheat on the ama to keep up. Very similar to a fast swimmer gliding away from a strong guy thrashing behind.
It's all about reducing drag in the water. The fast guys and girls can fly the ama on flat water for great distances, while paddling on either side. That's really difficult, their boats are only 15 inches wide.
I'm too lazy to train oc-1 on flat water. The ski should help. I can feel it already, with only an hour on the water.
-
I found that to really get the ski (if, like me, you don't have prior experience), you have to sell your OC-1 or put in in storage for a season. The balancing thing can be very humiliating. But once I got it the balance of the ski, I don't think I will ever go back to OC-1. The ski is so much more efficient and faster that it is hard to imagine ever wanting to go back. The skis are like the top fuels of the paddling world.
I'd love to do a Maliko run on a V10.
-
LaPerouse:You are right about that layup, I often confuse the two layups.
I want to try the V-8 on a big day. I think that ski would make big conditions a lot of fun.
-
The ski is so much more efficient and faster that it is hard to imagine ever wanting to go back.
I'd love to do a Maliko run on a V10.
My first day on ski was Sunday, Mike was on oc-1. I was stunned at how fast the ski's are compared to oc-1.
My scorpius is not the fastest flat water boat, but it's 21-6 x 16. The v-10 S is 20 x 19. Based on the numbers - I assumed the ski would be about the same as the canoe. I was really amazed at how much faster it is, and I can't even paddle it yet. When I switched back into the canoe after 20 minutes in the ski, it felt like the canoe was dragging a bucket.
Drop a line if you are on Maui and the wind is up, you can use the ski. Kai and Lauren Bartlett kill maliko on v-10's. Philly Gomes too. We also have a few experienced ski paddlers that do the MCKC series. They really motor.
I've got 3 months to figure out this boat. My goal is to paddle the ski on some of the flat water races in January through March.
Wind was up on the south shore yesterday after work. The only water I could find was bumpy. It was very, very difficult. Small steps.
-
LaPerouse:
Very cool that you enjoyed your first time out on your ski. Mike will have you flying on that thing. And if you think the SUP stroke takes a lot of refining, you'll have the wing paddle stroke to work on for years. (In a good way.)
Some of our local Charleston ski paddlers aspire to race in the Molokai in May. (They haven't said which year.)
I love the SUP stoke, and I love the ski stoke.
-
I know this is a Maliko thread but I'm loving the ski chat. I visit a couple of surfski forums but the vibe just isnt as cool as it is here IMO. Sometimes I get so focused on my SUP until I get back on the ski. I just love the speed and how easy it is to upwind. On the windy days here on the west coast of FL the water gets really choppy. We rarely see swell and true downwinding opportunities don't happen with any regularity. Seems like the weather gods just cannot get together on the wind direction and the wave direction. They always seem to be working in opppoosite directions. But the chop together with the ski makes me such a much better paddler and I can paddle it in ALL of these conditions. Hope to get back to Hawaii one day soon and get a chance to paddle a ski in your conditions.
-
Yes, a full ski highjack. But didn't Randy(?) create the thread and THEN post pics of himself on the ski? I think ski talk is fair game now.
I began my ski journey when a buddy I had paddled 6 man with told me "you gotta do this." So I sold my one man, acquired a Fenn Mako XT (same dimensions as the V10 Sport) and spent a season tackling the learning curve. My experience was first time on the ski, dunk every few minutes (maybe 15 times before I gave up). The second session I fell half as many times, the 3rd session half as many times as the previous session, etc. By my fifth time out I was pretty stable in flat water. By my 10th session I was ready to tackle the Hawaii Kai run. I probably dunked at least five times my first HK run, but the same learning curve applied there and within 5 to 10 runs I was either staying upright the whole time or maybe dunking once or twice during a run.
Once I was able to do the whole run a majority of the time, I noticed that I was gaining on the guys I paddled with who were still on OC-1; within a few times after that I was beating most of them. I did the Oahu Kanaka Ikaika short course race season and was steadily improving versus the crowd.
After 8 months on the XT I was doing Makapu runs and I knew I was ready to go to a faster boat, so I got the V10 (regular). Now THAT boat is a blast once you get the balance for it. Just keep that big snout pointed downhill and all it wants to do is glide.
Drop a line if you are on Maui and the wind is up, you can use the ski.
We will be in Maui from 12/26 to 12/30. Would love to get out there!
-
The ski is tough now, but it's helping my oc-1 already. The wind came up again today on the south shore. I had my ski on the truck, hoping to practice again after work. An oc-1 freind called, so I took it home an got the canoe. It was a very fast run, good wind. A few of the sections had me teetering on the edge of balance, ama up going flat out and about to lose control. The ski practice gave me new confidence in that tight spot. I stayed relaxed and it worked out fine. Turned into a great connection. It's all instinctive in those moments. Felt great to zip through a tight spot realizing it was the ski's extra-difficult training that did it.
No worries hijacking this thread. Summer is officially over anyhow.
1paddle, bring your wing blade. The wind can be very good in December. If you have yet to do maliko, you are in for a treat.
-
The ski doesn't let you cheat on the ama, so it really requires you to improve the balance. But what is amazing is that the ski is actually easier to handle in the rough conditions (once you get the balance) because it is easier to brace - no "panic" bracing like on the OC-1 when you are paddling on the left but then have to bring the paddle back to the right side to brace to prevent going over.
Will bring the wing, thanks!
-
But what is amazing is that the ski is actually easier to handle in the rough conditions/
I'm so glad to hear that. I was afraid my first days at maliko would resemble the relentless beatings I took on standup.
Today was a fun session with Mike. He and Tara came over to enjoy the beach and to give me another lesson. Lucky me.
Jonesey's surf shorts may be around his ankles now, but in ten years he will be punching my ticket with a wing blade.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/001700x393.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/005700x393.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/009700x3922.jpg)
Back in the water for me. It's getting easier, but still very, very difficult.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/011700x393.jpg)
I may know it's wrong to lean back and brace next to the boat, but still do it. It feels instinctive to me, but I'll break this habit. Or swim a lot.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/014700x392.jpg)
Leaning back again, with too much elbow bend and the pussy limp wrist. These pics should be funny for the ski guys, hopefully for me too someday. Rotation is not to bad though. It's tough to think of so many things to do. I've a good memory though, so it's all going to happen.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/015700x392-1.jpg)
I was exhausted after nearly an hour of paddling. Started to fall over a lot. Mike encouraged me to take the ski all the way back, but it was too rough for me. Wind was picking up and bouncing me into the water as soon as I put the feet in.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/021700x393.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/022700x392.jpg)
I got back in the oc-1. It felt like sitting on dry land. Mike makes it look so easy.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/025700x393.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/024700x392.jpg)
MIke and I are paddling early tomorrow. Should be glassy and much easier.
-
Great pics. With parents like Mike and Tara, Jonesy is going to be one awesome athelete. He';s liable to have gills.
We had a mixed race here in Charleston yesterday, including SUPs, surfskis, and an OC-1. Amazing how the skis can catch even small bumps to an advantage.
I'm thinking of buying an OC-1 just to try it for a while, but this thread is making me re think the idea, and just stay with what I've got, surfski and Sup. When the conditions line up paddling a ski is almost a religious experience. Just ask Father Mike, and the Church of the Blessed Forward Stroke.
-
I found that in the beginning always try to keep the blade moving - like a bicycle - even if not really pulling any water. And not trying to pull too much water with each stroke - just like SUP that has a tendency to pull you off balance.
The balance thing is frustrating (and fatiguing) for a spell, but once you get it it is like a bicycle and you will always have that muscle memory.
Question - is the bucket of the V10 Sport pretty big/wide? The Mako XT's bucket was and it really helped me to add padding to the sides of the seat so that my hips were in contact with the side of the boat. Having the additional contact really helped me feel more in control.
The regular V10's bucket is slimmer and I have never need to add side pads to it.
-
Yes, the seat is wide in the v10-S. I may add some foam to the sides. I added some leftover 1/8" s.i.c. deck foam to the bottom of my seat to add some grip. It helps a lot.
Today's session with Mike was good. Just as everyone said, each day gets easier. I'm gradually getting better at integrating all the advice Mike gives. It's such a blast when things start to work.
Mike is an amazing coach. It sounds like he did a lot of coaching back in NC.
Still a few of these, but learned to brace out wide today. Big help.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/016700x392.jpg)
Ski's are weird at first, but I'm beginning to see the light.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/021700x392.jpg)
Almost caught my first wave today. Woo Hoo!
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/018700x391.jpg)
-
Question - is the bucket of the V10 Sport pretty big/wide? The Mako XT's bucket was and it really helped me to add padding to the sides of the seat so that my hips were in contact with the side of the boat. Having the additional contact really helped me feel more in control.
I added about an inch to each side and it works like magic. I've been practicing after work at makena landing - out and back about 200 yards into some wind and swells. I took a lot of gas the first few days. I never truly caught a wave, but started to feel good yesterday.
So I rolled the dice today and did my first downwinder. It was on the south shore, relatively light wind. Decent whitecaps in the middle of the run. About a dozen windsurfers and kiters out having fun too.
My heartrate was probably at 200 early in the run. I was terrified of capsizing, not really sure of how I could handle remouting in bigger bumps. I had a leash on, but was worried about losing a paddle. As the miles went by without a fall I began to relax. Mike's coaching all fell into place. 'Sit tall, plant the bade and rotate'. When the boat began to run, his advice was like magic. The ski was very manageable, and VERY fast.
This run is my backyard and I do it almost everyday. I took it easy, didn't chase anything. It was tough to hold back. As you guys know, skis will fall into just about anything and glide like crazy. It was very, very pleasing. I only capsized once. The fall happened in shallow water, about waist deep. I was able to rest a bit and have a drink. Only one 'spin out' - to the right. The ski didn't lose much speed, just sort of motored off in another direction. My oc-1 usually stalls if I go that far off course. These ski's are just unreal. The nose went in only once, stayed under for a long time with no drama.
Unbelievable how fun and fast ski's are. This is going to be a great winter.
Here's the chart, It's going to be interesting to see how the speed increases as I gain confidence. The average speed was 6.7 mph. I'll stay on the south shore until my average goes way up - no falls in the toughest conditions. Then I will head over to the north shore, and start all over again. Guaranteed beat downs over there.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/ski9-30-111700x226.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/ski9-30-11700x363.jpg)
-
Hey LPB really enjoying hearing about your ski adventures, my 17yo son and I are loving our Epic V10 Sport as well. It's much more stable than the boat I borrowed at first, that baby was super tippy! I did pad out the sides of the seat of the first boat and it made a huge difference so I'll do it to the V10 as well.
I'm finding paddling the ski much more tiring than SUP at this stage, seem to notice that I'm holding up my arms, need to get some coaching before the bad habits get locked in.
I've caught a few little runners and it's so much fun on the ski, great cross training for SUP and a really good option for windy crappy days. Looking forward to getting good enough to paddle upwind and get into the self powered downwinders.
-
Hi JC, glad to hear you have a ski. IMO they are better than canoes for SUP cross training.
If I recall correctly, Mike got his first ski on Oahu and paddled without coaching for over a year. His technique was less than ideal and his shoulders took a beating. He was off the water for almost a year because of the pain. He got some coaching in North Carolina and his performance went through the roof. The exact dates are a bit fuzzy, but the bottom line is that he really knows his stuff now. His advice to me has been invaluable.
As you know, ski's are challenging to balance. I'm still very tentative and wobbly - doing my best to stay upright. Coaches will let you know where your hands should be. We may not be able to do it, but the knowledge of what to work toward is very comforting.
Mike wants me to sit tall, blade fully planted, think about my top hand following the horizon at eye level and ROTATE. With so much going on, I can barely do it. But when the stars align and I get it right, the boat rockets forward. The mechanical link through the core and that crazy wing paddle combine in a profound way. The best part is that it's almost effortless. That's why the fast guys look so relaxed.
I'm amazed at how differently I feel about the ski after my first run. A few days ago I looked at the boat and thought, 'I hate that boat, it sucks'. Lucky for me I had coaching early. I knew it would all click someday. Now I'm dying to get out there again.
-
I remember that thread last fall, that coach had some great advice.
And here it is.
The surfski is exponentially harder to learn than an OC-1 which is why so many people opt for the outrigger (of course an elite OC-1 paddler flies the ama continuously which is even harder than a ski). That said anybody that can balance well on a SUP in waves/rough water should be able to paddle at least a novice ski pretty quickly.
I believe (and my personal experience has shown) that surfski as a cross training tool is BETTER than OC-1 at least for those who compete at a high level in OC-6. The biggest reason is that the ski teaches one how to get a big shoulder turn (twist) while staying balanced... that is not true in an OC-1... and it translates to a super well balanced OC-6. If you think flying the ama on an OC-1 is hard, try it in an OC-6 with 5 other guys all of whom are moving. The OC-1 allows one to cheat on the ama which allows a lunging style stroke that will never be good.
Getting that well balanced shoulder turn and conjunction w/ the great tempo that comes from a two sided paddle is a great asset to SUP paddlers who do not have a background in other (unstable) paddlecraft.
Lastly, if you learn to paddle a ski well you will not believe how many open water swells you can catch. In a recent Molokai crossing the King of Surfski (Oscar Chulupsky) AVERAGED 13mph for over 30 miles!!! Nobody will ever come close to that on an OC-1 or SUP.
...Roger
As I was returning to get my truck at the boardwalk yesterday, I met two long time ski racers, also finishing a run in their v-10's. You can bet I'll be asking them for info at every opportunity. Richard is the epic ski rep here on Maui, he helped me locate my used v-10 S. My first downwinder gave me a good buzz. It was great to be able to thank him for the advice so soon after the run.
-
Thanks L, sitting here at the breakfast table going through the paddling action, lucky no on else is up! Top hand following the horizon, that is such a simple, easy to remember great tip - suddenly the 45 degree stroke makes sense.
Mahalo
-
Cool. I was hoping someone would refresh this post soon. JC, thanks for dredging up Roger's old post. His posts are totally responsible for my ski purchase over the OC. As I was paddling mine today in a light upwind condition today I was marveling at how smooth it is. Especially compared to the heavy upwind strokes on the board yesterday using the 9 1/4" Spanker. Very interested in the conversation regarding correct form and what can happen to the shoulders if using incorrect form. I am beginning to get a little _tweaky_ in my shoulders after long ski paddles and I know it must be from poor form. Gotta find someone local to give me some pointers. The thought of having to take a year off would really blow.
When I was out yesterday on the board the weather conditions setup such that a strong NW wind was in concert with the wave action. That coupled with a super low tide created a swell that we don't see often here on the west coast of FL. Caught a few on the board but got nervous as I didn't take my leash. As it got rougher I could just see the possibility of my board taking off and me left to swim in. But in my mind I wished I had been on the ski as I was watching a group of sea kayakers have their way with the swell.
Really got to work on hooking up with a coach. LPB, I am so glad this is coming together for you. I guess the bracing comes pretty normal for you with your OC experience, huh?
We may have to talk Randy into letting us start a surfski section on the boards to share all the chat this winter. Love reading these posts.
-
Had a great ski session yesterday on a large flat water inlet and was lucky enough to see another ski out there, paddled over and said hi. We paddled together and I let my new friend go ahead as he was far more experienced. Well I watched his stroke and tried to incorporate what I was seeing and L's top hand across the horizon tip....had a little epiphany and it all started to feel much smoother and more efficient.
After a few k we met up again and I had a little stroke coaching, Geoff said my plant and stroke weren't too bad but my blade release was a bit clunky. He suggested I keep my elbow a little higher, tried that but couldn't quite get it right. But what a breakthrough day, wind was about 15 knots and there was certainly some chop, didn't fall in once even managed a run across the chop for about a kilometer, turned and certainly got some little pushes.
Interesting today I can feel some lower back stiffness, the top of my deltoids and the inside of my thighs and last night I was completely stuffed - must have been some pretty intense concentration going on! Was only paddling for about an hour and a half but that was my longest ski paddle by far. Loving the challenge.
-
Thanks L, sitting here at the breakfast table going through the paddling action, lucky no on else is up! Top hand following the horizon, that is such a simple, easy to remember great tip - suddenly the 45 degree stroke makes sense.
Mahalo
You ought to see me when I'm practicing cross-stepping. I do it everywhere. Makes Diane nutty.
-
Bill just had a nutty image of you late one evening being asked to walk a straight line by the Highway Patrol, you get into the cross stepping crouch and let rip.....straight to jail do not collect $200
-
I've never been asked to walk a line, but was asked to say the alphabet backwards, which I've been able to do since I was a kid. Blasted it out, cop was stunned, let me go. They expect you to say "I can't do that when I'm sober" which is an admission of guilt.
-
I've never been asked to walk a line, but was asked to say the alphabet backwards, which I've been able to do since I was a kid. Blasted it out, cop was stunned, let me go. They expect you to say "I can't do that when I'm sober" which is an admission of guilt.
After you blast out the alphabet backwards and they let you go, that's about the time you hope your wise-ass friends in the car don't say, "That was nothing. You should see how fast he can do it when he's sober".
-
I am beginning to get a little _tweaky_ in my shoulders after long ski paddles/
Really got to work on hooking up with a coach. / I guess the bracing comes pretty normal for you with your OC experience, huh?
Mike told me early on that an improper stroke will 'destroy' shoulders. He's not prone to exageration.
Oc-1 experience is a big help when downwinding in a ski. I didn't have to brace much on my first run because I always had a safe line planned out. It's critical in canoes.
We may have to talk Randy into letting us start a surfski section on the boards to share/
The admins see all and know all. No need for another sub-forum, imo.
-
I'm enjoying the ski posts too. I dropped my ski for about a year, and only paddled SUP, because we had a local SUP race series. A ski buddy of mine kept pulling me back into paddling my ski. Now we have a small group of ski paddlers that are really into racing. I just got skis, OC-1s and prones added to the SUP races. we had the first combined race, last week. The Surfski paddlers were grateful to be included, and the SUP racers were happy to have something out front to chase, that they didn't have to worry about beating.
Making the races multi sport races really added a dimension of fun. Now I paddle both about the same amount. Wind?...take the ski. Glassy?...take the board. Paddling with the fastest board paddlers? ...take the ski, and pace them, and make 'em work, ( while I chat away).
-
One of the reasons I went to ski was the representation by my buddy that ski paddling was kinder on the shoulders than OC-1. Not that he's a doctor or anything. But what I noticed was that my wrists would ache (undoubtedly due to technique - pulling with the arms rather than the body, etc.). So I got some of those wrist straps and that helped because having the extra material covering my wrists reminded me not to let my wrists break during the stroke.
This thread got me stoked on the ski again. I took my ski out yesterday and paddled out around Portlock and a short distance up the wall. Typical viciously confused seas. Since I'm out of ski practice it was quite challenging, but good practice. Then I turned around and caught some bumps and remembered "this is why I enjoy this..." My left wrist is a little sore but no biggie, gotta put the straps back on I guess.
-
Dam it you guys now you have me itching for a Ski again. ;D I have a few things I am trying to accomplish with Body composition. When that goal is successfully met I will tackle this next journey. Paddleon brothers.
-
I'm in the honeymoon stage of ski right now. Each day is easier, more fun. Amazing to think that one day I'll have it going in big swells. Caught a few tiny swells in the harbor this morning and I was so stoked. Hugely rewarding.
The key for me now is to never break form. Balance first, then power, then speed.
Mike was too busy to coach me this weekend, but I'm hoping we can get together next weekend.
-
Speaking of coaching, Zsolt Szadovszki is giving a clinic on Maui Nov 12th. I just signed up. 12 people in the class, $50. Technique in part one, including video, then open ocean coaching in part 2. He won the Maui Molokai this year in 2:46.
He has a coaching business on Oahu. He's from Hungary, with a background in K1. He switched to ski when he moved to the U.S.
Check out this video.
Paddling With Zsolt (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esrN9TGBhQY&NR=1#ws)
-
Love that video. Bet I have watched it 10 times in the last few days. Seems like it was linked on surfski.info or somewhere the other day. Wish I could learn to employ that leg pump in my stroke. He is smoooooth. Next to paddling ski/SUP I love to watch videos of others doing it with grace like this guy. Enjoy your class with him. I cannot even imagine how cool that would be.
-
L--I was already getting intrigued with surfskis, then you had to post that "Paddling with Zsolt" video.
I know I sound like a broken record, but that stroke is exactly like swimming. Watch how his front hand stays completely still way out in front while his stroking arm pulls through. It's "front quadrant" swimming--the idea being that a good stroke is not like a windmill, it's keeping your forward arm outstretched, and pausing your hand, while your other arm moves through the stroke. You don't move your forward hand much until your other arm has completed its stroke and is already well into its forward recovery.
There are drills to help with this--"catch-up stroke", where you don't pull your hand back to start your stroke until the other arm has moved all the way through the stroke and has come back to touch the forward hand. Some people do it with a tennis ball, so the front hand holds the ball until the other hand has come forward to take the ball.
One coach of mine had us swimming with broom handles. You hold it with your hands at either end, and swim. It forces you to hold the front hand forward and still until the other arm has recovered forward. It looks almost exactly like Zsolt's stroke. Just never try it doing fly--you'll break your knees.
All of this gets back to what PB has been talking about in regard to the importance of the catch, and getting a smooth deep catch before applying power.
-
Amazing video of Zolt... it looked effortless... it was mesmerizing.
Thanks for posting it.
Tim
-
I'm working on the leg pump too. Definitely don't have it, but occasionanaly getting in a few pumps just right.
We have a race Saturday morning. I get too choose SUP or ski. 9 miles and crossing a harbor at mid tide; I think I'll take the ski. I'm liable to get stuck paddling in one place if I take the SUP.
The amazing thing about that Zolt video: It was taken in 2007, and he's been working on that stroke ever since.
-
My new wing blade, a Kajner 4, arrived last Friday. I'll post pics of it one of these days.
Ski is huge in Hungary. The website for Kajner describes the Kajner 4 blade as suitable for a woman. That's about right. :)
Did a ton of paddling this weekend. Overtraining is easy to do at my age. I feel fine, but need to curb my enthusiasm in the water or pay the price. So I went shorter than usual Monday. 4.5 mile downwinder in light conditions was perfect to get me in the water.
The ski was behaving very odd in the light downwind waves. I couldn't get it to turn very well. About half way into the run I finally told myself, 'well, some days you got it and some days you don't'. The ski was running pretty fast as the boat angled across the waves. I'd have to smash the pedal to the floor to get it to straighten the boat. After the run, I noticed a piece of foam jammed in my rudder. The boat goes tail first on the truck. I jam foam in to keep the rudder straight. Forgot to take it out before the run.
I was damn glad to see it in there. It explained the erratic steering. It was just tight enough to prevent the rudder from holding straight, but would slip left and right if you mashed the pedal full left or right. Good training to relax and go with the flow. The angles across the shoulder high waves were very interesting. It's good to know how the ski's behave if you really need to go side on to the waves in a hurry. May come in handy with the whales.
Check out the odd path.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/south10-17700x295.jpg)
-
LPB, how do you discipline yourself to not _overtrain_? I wish I had that kind of restraint. My old road cycling brain always tells me that if I am not going to exhaustion I am wasting my time. Guess that's why I am battlling a sore shoulder right now. I get all excited about being able to _upwind_ in the ski and let the distance get the best of me most times.
Never have seen one of the Kajner paddles in person but I hear they are pretty similar to the Epic paddles but less expensive. Are you aware of Patrick Onno? He makes some beautiful paddles and I have been wanting to contact him about making me a small or small-mid wing for the long distance days. I currently paddle an Epic mid wing and toward the end of a 20 mile paddle I can really feel it. Too bad I'm not 30 years old anymore....
-
Hey LaPer, that is a funny story. Many surfskiers keep a piece of foam with them on runs in case the rudder cable breaks so you can wedge the foam in to keep the rudder straight. With a free swinging rudder the ski is nearly uncontrollable. Of course you have to remember to remove the foam before your run.
Riding bumps on the ski is of course a bit different than on SUP. Because of the minimal amount of rocker and nearly full displacement hull, it is nearly essential to angle the bumps rather than go straight down - going straight down almost guarantees burying the nose in the bump in front of you. Also, with the faster speeds of the ski you can railroad bumps much easier so you need to focus on a larger area in front of you - maybe two to three bumps ahead to choose the line which gives the best push through the series.
On the Mako XT I had this issue where when I would be riding down the face of a swell which was coming from my left (bending in from Portlock, a regular occurrence on the HK run), if the top of the wave crumbled it could fill my cockpit with almost a small bathtub amount of water, immediately killing my glide and taking me a little while to get the water out of the boat. So what I learned to do is to lean the boat to the right away from the wave to prevent the wave from depositing a massive amount of water in the cockpit. Counter intuitive since I was leaning towards the downhill side of the wave but the technique worked. For whatever reason the "bathtub o water" situation never seemed to happen on the V10 so I do not need that trick anymore.
I'd be interested to see that Kajner blade. I never upgraded from my Fenn mid-wing. A very mild wing blade. Since I almost never do flat water on the ski I kind of like that the blade does not grab as much water; it allows me to achieve a higher cadence and not try to pull as much water each stroke.
-
The Kajner is high quality at a good price. The size I have is just a tad smaller than an epic mid, with a similar shape. The epics are about 3 oz. lighter (advertised weight), Some refer to the epics as a Ferrari, the Kajner a Toyota. The paddle is a lot better than I am and should last for many years. It has a very nice lever lock. Good traction on the textured shaft.
An elite paddle like an Onno sounds great. I'll bet they are light as a feather.
As for overtraining, I watch my weight. If it goes down too far and won't come up within a day or two, I rest.
All systems go with the free swinging rudder. Very light wind tonight. It was flat early, but the light wind created some small bumps about half way across. Ski's are a blast in small conditions.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/south10-18700x321.jpg)
-
LaPer, the difference between the two pictures tells the most complete story of the rudder's function. Skis are helpless without the rudder.
I tried an Epic blade once - they seem to lock into the water when planted. If I had good stroke technique I'm sure the Epic blade would give me all the bite I would ever need.
Skis probably have their biggest advantage in flatter conditions. When its all surfing the really good OC-1 paddlers are right there with the fastest ski paddlers. What I love about my ski is the ability to brain damage OC-1 paddlers once past Black Point - the waves space out and speed up, and the V10 can drop into waves most OC-1s could only dream of catching.
-
I have a small-mid Onno and a mid Epic. The Onno wings are very nice. Pat makes them functional pieces of art. The shaft is a little narrower. They have the lever lock for adjustments. The Epic blades do have a very solid catch. I have an older version Epic with the "legth lock" ferrule. If I brace too hard the feather angle changes, and then on the next stroke I go right over and into the water. I use an odd feather of 35°.
Based on Mike's input I may try a Turbo wing next, if I don't get a Ke'Nalu SUP paddle instead. (Choices, choices...)
-
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/south10-18700x321.jpg)
Looks like they just installed lane lines at Maliko.
-
Not maliko.
-
South shore PDX. 'Maliko' may be in the title of the thread, but it's been completely hijacked by the ski's. I'll put a big stamp "not maliko" in future runs. :)
Your comments about front quadrant swimming are a useful reminder to keep the top hand out front. That sets up the ability to rotate.
It's not easy to remember all the cardinal rules of form on a ski when downwinding. It's getting better fast though. As a beginner, I should be on flat water - with a coach yelling at me. But downwind is all I have in the afternoons. Hundreds of oc-1 runs on the course is a big help.
When the line on a wave is correct it allows the paddler to relax. Power needs to be on call for acceleration into the next glide. When the paddler can relax, sit up and rotate, wonderful things happen. The wing blade catches the water and the core delivers effortless power. That power opens the door to faster links. And round and round she goes.
Late evening tide is draining the south shore. This makes it very tough to get glides.
Unless you have a ski. :)
What I love about my ski is the ability to brain damage OC-1 paddlers once past Black Point - the waves space out and speed up, and the V10 can drop into waves most OC-1s could only dream of catching.
Brain damaging oc's is my life's goal. Nothing gives me more pleasure. Some 6 man crews were training last night. I heard them behind me for awhile. Not sure who it was, but I'll find out. They were back there for about 10 minutes and I'm not sure what their workout was. But the draining tide may have had me out front for a while. I can't wait to find out. Those guys all want to kill me already for my oc-1 shenanigans. :)
Epic is developing a v-14 for flat water. Almost zero rocker. Our district rep may have one for the MCKC series. We have an old salt in a big Fenn that wins all the ski races. Richard may get him in the 14.
-
Good form on the ski is definitely a balancing act when surfing bumps, as your hips have to boogie with the ocean while continuing to paddle. Lots of body English which makes that rigid upright posture difficult to maintan. Also, the upright posture actually makes the paddler more top heavy and more likely to flip. Like you said, I try to emphasize that upright posture in flatwater, but it usually goes to hell once I get in the bumps.
This video is a good example of how skis can scamper about catching and railroading bumps:
Amazing Surfski DownWindDash (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5sVMpIaifE&feature=related#)
Because burying the nose in the swell in front really slows it down, on the biggest bumps I try to keep the ski on the top of the bump, delaying the "dropping in" part as long as possible as this seems to give the highest overall speed, compared to dropping in and then quickly slowing down.
I think the V10 Sport is competitive with good OC-1 paddlers, but the with the regular V10 (or other racing ski) its game over. Its really not fair, which makes it all the more enjoyable.
-
Hey LPB,
What a long way you have come in a month. Read back to a post in late September where you were just starting and now you are brain damaging OC's ....or at least working on it!
Good on you for putting in the hard work to get to that point, looking forward to hearing that you have done your first Maliko run :)
-
/ looking forward to hearing that you have done your first Maliko run :)
The wind was cranking today. It was so strong I had my doubts about launching, but threw caution to the wind.
Very fun run. It's good to know the bigger swells won't kill me.
Average speed needs to increase another 1.5 mph to equal my best oc-1 times. That's a good benchmark before heading over to the north shore.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/south10-20700x348.jpg)
-
I should be on flat water - with a coach yelling at me. But downwind is all I have in the afternoons.
LaPer, I feel so bad for you.... No flat water, so you have to settle for downwinds..really just breaks my heart, as I sit here on the Atlantic Coast hoping for anything that even tastes like a downwinder.
-
Agreed. The wind is my friend and I'm very fortunate to have it.
Time to order a camera. Some video of myself will help. Zsolt's clinic is in 3 weeks.
My goal is to be ready for maliko when the Z-man is here. Daily runs are the ticket. If I'm ready, fine - if not - it won't be for lack of effort.
-
Once you are able to brace on both sides effectively, it will be easier than you think.
-
That's good to hear.
Sunday morning a group of ski's practiced in the Kahului harbor. The wind was light yet the swells were beginning to build outside the entrance. The plan was to go upwind for a few miles then turn and downwind the last section of a maliko run. I stuck with them for a few hundred yards, then turned back. It's a whole 'nother ball game out on the north shore. It was within my ability, but I didn't want to push too fast too soon. It was fun to feel the bigger swells.
I'm sticking to my plan of setting a good foundation on the south shore. The leg drive is beginning to feel natural. It's amazing how much stability the leg drive adds.
Average speed on light bumps and flat water has surpassed oc-1 times. Now I need some stronger winds to knock me around a bit.
As for brain damaging oc's, I've decided to resist the urge. It's just not fair. :)
-
As for brain damaging oc's, I've decided to resist the urge. It's just not fair. :)
There was this one time a number of very good female OC-1 paddlers got in the water to start a run just before I did. One of them had a sticker on her boat that said "You Paddle Like A Boi."
I of course needed to set the record straight in the ocean without saying a word. Surfed right by her like she was standing still. My justification was that she was asking for it with a message like that. OK maybe I deserved a 15 yard penalty for taunting but it was worth it...
-
The best part of the ski for me is the way you can drive your cardio without tearing up a shoulder, or an elbow, or a lumbar. The trick of course is to try and use good form. As a beginner - mine stinks - but it still doesn't tear me up.
It reminds me of swimming. No other sport drives my lactate levels so high yet does so little damage to my connective tissue.
The past week has been very intense one and two a day sessions, yet I'm not sore anywhere. That was not the case with oc-1. A max effort canoe paddle invariably left a tight spot somewhere. At 50 years old, I've had enough of pain.
Tonights run was spectacularly fun. Good solid connections in 5 of 10 south shore conditions. Average speed is coming up quickly.
The NE wind should hold through the weekend. That spells south shore. I'm ready to rock with my oc-1 pals. Very pleased that it's all coming along so smoothly.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/south10-27700x317.jpg)
-
Mercifully easier on the shoulders, but gave me a bit of wrist pain (especially left wrist) in the beginning. I think for the same reasons canoe paddling hurts - gripping the blade too tightly and trying to "pull" water with lower hand rather than twisting and pushing forward with the upper hand.
I had the ski out on a windless yet painful Hanauma Bay run last weekend. It was bumpy as heck with no push at all. My balance was sorely tested. I've put the side pads in the V10 to see if that helps with getting the balance back.
-
Since we have turned this into a ski thread I was curious if any of you guys are paddling a Stellar ski? Was in a race with some guys last weekend paddling Stellars and they looked....well....Stellar. Of course it didn't hurt that Olympic paddler Reid Hyle was paddling one of them.
-
Darn, LaPer, only downwinders, and you have enough time to get in two sessions a day? You're going to make me hate you. I'm lucky to get in two sessions a a week.
I've had wrist issues and issues with my upper back. The wrist problems stemmed from a grip that was too wide, and put my wrists at an odd angle. The upper back problem is from being an old, fat weakling.
-
Never seen a Stellar ski in person but Oahu is not a ski mecca by any means. They look like pretty nice boats.
Is it just me, or does it seem that ski evolution has almost bottlenecked? It appears to me that the basic shapes and outlines of most racing skis look very similar.
Tec, I share your pain.
-
Darn, LaPer, only downwinders, and you have enough time to get in two sessions a day?
Early paddles are flat. Missing a day equals stiff and cranky the next. It's a millstone around my neck. :)
Check out the padding I use in my bucket. The sides are an inch and a half. Just enough to barely compress when I slide in.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/012523x700.jpg)
The sides will be new and improved tomorrow. This is the prototype and it's getting weak. Today's run was the first with a seat pad. 3/8" adds comfort without losing much stability.
Set a new personal record today, boardwalk to the cove. Pushing new angles across bigger and bigger wave faces is intense. Had my first truly effective brace across a fast wave today. Super fun. The speed potential on skis is outrageous.
-
Thanks for the padding photos LPB, looking forward to more showing the new upgraded version.
Wondering how the seat pad affects the hip rotation, I wear neoprene shorts and thought they might grab on the seat padding when you get some hip rotation going. Of course all this is theoretical from my perspective, my heel pushing and knee bending is pretty tentative at the moment...
-
The forum over at surfskinfo.com has a thread about shorts. Someone makes shorts with two layers of fabric that slip. Neoprene seems too sticky to me, so I tried two pairs of old cycling bibs (without padding). Slides great, and they are more discreet. Soaking wet neoprene leaves little to the imagination, if you know what I mean.
Surf shorts probably work ok in a ski, but parachute if they catch water. Much harder to swim in too. I tried them once in my oc-1, never again. Twisted knickers are very distracting.
Here are some pics sent to me by the epic rep here on Maui. His brother in Australia pads his v-12 like this. That black part looks like neoprene with lycra bonded to it. Probably very slippery. I'll ask Richard about it Sunday.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/seat2566x645.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/seat1700x447.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/seat700x449.jpg)
-
Impressive work LPB. I take it you are not a very chunky guy to use that much side padding, or the bucket of the V10S is bigger than I remembered.
I would wear the neoprene shorts under a pair of looser surf shorts (with no butt pad in the boat) to give a touch of padding to the rear and some dignity at kaimana beach at the end of the run. Ski paddling never rubbed me as raw on the backside as OC-1 or six man.
Sent from my BlackBerry 9670 using Tapatalk
-
Here is a pic of the new and improved side pads. 3 1/2 inch foam noodle cut in half, fitted then contact adhesive.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2011-10-30004700x544.jpg)
I take it you are not a very chunky guy to use that much side padding, or the bucket of the V10S is bigger than I remembered.
The old v-10S bucket is an inch and a half wider than a v10's.
Paddled the ski - boardwalk to Sorento's yesterday. Wind was funky so Jeremy tried my oc-1. Wind died on us so we were glad to be in boats. He's pretty good in an oc-1 considering it's been 5 years since he's paddled one. He asked to jump in my ski, I said 'it's too bumpy, trust me'. So we finished the run, He asked again, I said 'ok, good luck, don't say I didn't warn you'. He paddled off without falling. It took me 5 days to get that good. We paddled around for another 10 or 15 minutes. He commented on the ski's ability to accelerate into glides. Imagine that. :)
Did a morning session today in the harbor with the ski gang. I'm so lucky to have coaches to help out with all the questions. My hip rotation is really starting to groove. Awesome power in the leg drive.
This afternoon the south shore went ape. Did a run to Sorento's with some oc-1's. 8 of 10 wind conditions, excellent swells. Biggest waves I've been on yet, the boat was killing it. Unreal acceleration into stuff I'd never catch in the oc-1. Missed a lot of links, but it's going to be fine. No falls. Average speed came up to 8.2. 9 is my best on the south shore in oc-1. (10 of 10 conditions). Maliko is getting closer.
-
Loving the progression of your posts regarding the ski and wishing I had 25% of the downwind opportunities you share. I am curious about the material you are using for the seat pad. And are you using it to fill space or for sit bone comfort?
-
Foam pad in the seat is comfy. It also gives a better angle for the core to deliver power. The thicker the pad, the more tippy the ski. Some use an inch and a half, but remove it for rough water.
The materiel is leftover from an old dakine bag. It's slippery and stiff. Very similar to foam noodle foam.
A few strips under the rear bungee grip the paddle for walking.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2011-10-30008700x393.jpg)
-
LPB, the half-noodle thing looks trick. Does a thicker pad really make the boat more tippy? I know with the wider bucket seat of the Mako XT some paddling was necessary to prevent me from sliding and sloshing around in the bucket when the conditions got rough, but I never experimented to the extent you have in putting that much padding. I just used a couple pieces of 5/8" (I think) foam paddling which did not hold me in tight, but gave me enough of a contact with my boat and improved my stability significantly.
With the V10 I never put any paddling in before, but after my last paddle I did and I hope to test it this week.
-
Yes, the coaches tell me that sitting on a pad makes the ski more tippy. I can feel the difference with the 3/8 under me. When I emailed the photo of my 3/8 pad to our island rep. (Richard) he said to take it out when the water gets rough. Mine is glued in for now. I'm still experimenting.
Mike uses 1 1/2" in a V-10 and has suggested I try it. He can be more hard - nosed than Richard about coaching though. I've been doing ok, so he may want to knock me down a peg. His coach back east was downright mean. He would literally make people weep. I've worked for people like that. The rough edges are easy to overlook when you realize they just want you to STFU and listen. They always have the most to teach.
Mike isn't mean at all, quite the contrary. But, imo, the suggestion to try an inch and a half pad is pretty crazy. I'll just ask him what's up with that. I'm an old man, I don't want to slip a disk. :)
Zsolt will be here in a few weeks. He's based on Oahu. If I were you, I'd look him up. My advice to anyone on ski is to only listen to the real experts. The equipment and technique is so complex...
http://www.zsoltski.com/ (http://www.zsoltski.com/)
-
I misunderstood - I can see why sitting on a pad would make the ski more tippy - I prefer sitting on the boat with no butt pad other than my neoprene paddling shorts. I was referring only to the pads on the sides of the bucket, I found those made the XT much more stable.
Maybe five years ago Zsolt helped me with some issue with my boat - if I remember correctly he had just become the Epic rep on Oahu at the time.
-
laPer: Ypu're making incredible progress. You have the benefit of good coaches, great conditions, and time. It's a pleasure to see you taking advantage of them all.
I'm not surprised Jeremy didn't fall out of the ski, I'm just surprised he didn't stand and paddle it like a gondola.
Mike suggested the thick seat pad to me, too, and also to go out in challenging conditions, to improve my balance. I have gone out in the (relatively) big conditions, but I haven't padded out my seat.
LaPer / 1paddle: So the side pads really helped your balance? I really like the loose bucket in my old school V10S. I tried a Fenn Swordfish recently, and although I liked the ski, I found the bucket was tight, and the feeling put me off. I'll have to try padding the sides, and throw 3/8 in the seat.
If only I could paddle my board 5 days a week, and my ski 6 I'd get better....
-
I'm not surprised Jeremy didn't fall out of the ski, I'm just surprised he didn't stand and paddle it like a gondola.
A few sessions with a coach to set up his equipment would have him moving right along. The conditions we paddled in were perfect for brain damaging oc-1's. Had we switched earlier, he probably would have dropped me. The elite paddlers here in Hawaii are on a whole different level. I had forgotten about this pic in the kaiwi channel when I told him it was too bumpy for him.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/jeremy.jpg)
LaPer / 1paddle: So the side pads really helped your balance?
The instant feedback of where the boat is helps me a lot. Also, the side pads have probably prevented some falls in bigger stuff. It's like a seat belt if you go way over. I've overheard Mike and Richard tell others that it's a very good idea.
-
Tec, in my XT (with its wider bucket) I just put in enough padding on the sides (maybe a 4" x 10" piece 5/8" thick each side) so that if the boat started to roll I could push my leg against the pad and not be sliding around inside the bucket. I never put as much padding as LPB has done so if the boat did huli I was always thrown clear and never ended up stuck upside down.
I think a bit of paddling it did help with my balance and preventing flips in the XT because for me it gave a much more responsive feel to the boat as compared to sliding/slipping around - remember I never used a butt pad so it was possible to slide around in the XT's large bucket. The regular V10 bucket is much narrower, so I never even used the side pads because my butt wasn't sliding around in the boat. But after last weekend's miserable Hanauma Bay run I threw the side pads in to see if it improves things for me.
-
I'll pad out the sides of my V10S and give it a try. Thanks for the input!
-
Here is a look at the pads on video. The bucket is really big. My butt is about average for someone 190, the pads just barely touch. The seat pad is coming out. Balance is everything at this point.
It's my first look at myself on video, other than the vids HM posted.
Great tool for self improvement.
Hoping to get some footage of downwinders. The mount works on the tail or in front of pedals on ski and oc-1 and tail of F-16.
ski test (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54rX63Iux8c#)
-
Keep up the good work LPB. I will try to put on the helmet cam and get some decent downwind footage as well.
-
Here is another camera angle. This camera only records 29 minutes at a time, regardless of memory. I could not reach the camera, so let it run. Boardwalk to the Cove is 40 minutes. This vid shows how the swells build with time. The edit is 0 to 1, 5 to 6, 10 to 11 etc., for a total of 6 minutes. Next time I'll try mounting it in front of my pedals. A helmet cam sounds interesting. I'll mount it to my bike helmet.
ski 11-3-11 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLrgoZaOOnM#ws)
Here is the line, boardwalk to cove ~ 5.5 miles. 8 mph average. Very good wind, 8 of 10 conditions.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/south11-3-11700x261.jpg)
-
Very nice.. But just my luck.. Someone in a green shirt and white hat came along and sat down right in front of me making it hard for me to see.. ;D
DJ
-
LOL DJ. LPB - nice video. Also, when going sideways to the bumps, have you had a wave break over the seat for the instant "bathtub" of water effect?
But I had a thought watching the video - wouldn't it be nice to be able to see the GPS calculated speed in the lower right (or left) hand corner of the video? Maybe we could try to mount a GPS in an area where it would be visible in the picture? I think it would be interesting to see how fast we are going when we catch and ride bumps.
-
Great videos LPB, seeing those waves up close, makes me want to get back over to Maui!!
Went for a flat water ski paddle today with the seat padded out, realized on the beach that I wasn't quite 'that' skinny so ended up ripping it all off. Then had a brainwave and just shoved a couple of pieces of 5/8 closed cell foam down inside of my neoprene short, not exactly a fashion statement but actually worked pretty well. Think Ill try 1" next time for that extra chunky thighs look!
You are really coming on, the video thing is a great self paddle stroke assessment tool, you look really stable now. I can see some difference side to side, I do that too, only reason I know that is because I always get more splash when I lift the paddle out on the right than the left.
-
Yes JC, the camera is a great tool for self improvement. It's easy to see how breaking the elbows early will wear out my arms. As you may know, the bucket on the '11 V10-S is 3/4" narrower than the older models.
1P2P, the bucket on my ski was full of water many, many times today.
Conditions were 10 of 10 today on the south shore. The angles across the waves were very challenging and often resulted in stalls. At least 10 broaches and 3 falls. It was great fun to be in such big water. My average speed was only 8.2. it would have been 9 in an oc-1. Flying across waves and linking bumps at high speed is unique in a ski. I was in survival mode, seldom attacking. It was as challenging as any big maliko run I've ever done. I learned a lot today.
Here is a small clip with the camera mounted in front of my pedals. It's nice to be able to operate the camera. My friends Sol and Lauren are in the oc-2, Donny in the oc-1. They ran away easily in these conditions.
ski 11-4-11 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyOK-qmKLDA#ws)
Here is the line. Boardwalk to Makena landing ~ 10.5 miles. Wind was as good as it gets. Solid glides beach to beach.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/south11-4-11700x276.jpg)
-
Here is another video with Sol. We often paddle together when it's just barely whitecapping on the south shore. He's a believer in easy workouts - focusing on reading the water. He's been in canoes for 40 years, good friends with all the elite paddlers. He's a walking encylopedia and loves to talk story.
Yesterday we strove to catch bumps without effort. Very same idea when it's big. Most people hammer to catch waves, burn out and fall off. It's fun, but not fast. The best downwind paddlers let the ocean do the work. The trick of course is knowing when to accelerate into glides.
Here's a great pic of Sol in seat 2. They were worried about busting the koa canoe this day. It was bending under the stress.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/oc6.jpg)
south shore 11-6-11 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6MxL_X9F3A#ws)
-
LaPer:
You've made more progress on your stroke in a month, than I made on mine in 3 years. Of course you probably paddled as much in that month as I did over three years....2 sessions a day and only dewwnwinds to paddle in. Really it's a shame....
-
Tech, Mike says if I'm going to use a camera to mimic another paddler, choose one. Large variations exist between elite paddlers. When I got the camera I hoped to mimic Zsolt. Gave myself ten years to get like that. Then I watched myself on film and wondered if 10 was enough. Reincarnation is probably more practical. :)
My goal with the camera is to improve rotation. It all starts with the feet. One foot pulls on the strap, the other drives the heel. Knees up and down. Hips rotate. Sit bones slide for and aft in the bucket. Twist the spine. That's the engine room.
Shoulders and particularly the elbows should only be along for the ride. Just like Danny Ching says, break those joints and they get tired, or injured. They don't add any real power anyhow, they only keep me upright.
Balance is my weak point. Once in a blue moon the rotation clicks and it all works. Those moments are rare, but worth waiting for. Speed will increase in the future - IF I can avoid collapsing my shoulders and elbows. But as we all know, speed is last in line when it comes to paddling. Balance, Power, Speed.
It's tough to keep my elbows and shoulders from collapsing when the wind is light - as the 11-6-11 video clearly shows. As the wind increases, my form goes steadily downhill. No pun intended. :)
-
LPB, good take on the mechanics of the stroke. I found that keeping the paddle moving, even if not grabbing much water, helps with balance. Almost like a bicycle, as long as I'm moving forward and keeping the paddle rotating its much easier to balance.
Then its just time in the saddle...
-
Zsolt's clinic was Saturday morning. He's a great teacher. Individual coaching is very valuable from a real pro. He paddled with us for about 2 hours and talked for over an hour. Great personality. His shoulders look like a couple of bowling balls. His stories are fascinating.
South shore was excellent in the afternoon. Perfect direction, 8 of 10 wind speed. Super fun. Z recommended side padding in the bucket of my V-10S - where my calves hit the boat. Enough to keep the gap between my knees about 2 inches apart. I put in 3/8 so far but will build it up more. It helps a lot.
south 11-12-11 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBStsqu5Ek8#ws)
-
LPB, it appears your work with Zsolt has really gotten you a nice vertical entry on the stroke (of course when the ski becomes unstable its really hard to maintain that and I have the same issue of putting the blade in at a flatter angle when I'm struggling with maintaining balance). Your video also shows that issue of how the ski can become extremely unstable as the following bump comes up from behind and you are perched at the very top of the wave. This is when a loss of balance can kill you as it can prevent paddling that couple of extra power strokes to drop into the wave.
All in all your progress has been quite impressive. You should be able to handle the 17" skis in short order.
-
LPB, another great video and I would agree that your form looks great. Did Zsolt discuss straight arm paddling? What are your thoughts about that? I have been putting effort into the straight arm stroke and I can literally feel and hear the boat speed increase as I do so. Staying with the stroke is the issue. Next thing I know I'm breaking my elbows again. BTW, are you wearing cycling bibs. Noticed the outlines under your shirt.
-
Thanks for the kind words guys.
Ericspin, Zsolt didn't mention straight arm and those are 2 pair of old bibs without the pads. Super comfy and slide good in the bucket. I'm a mile offshore for most of the run. The tight clothes will be safer if I lose the ski and need to swim in.
When it's windy, about 20 minutes into the run the swells start to get fast. I have to sprint like crazy to keep up or get mown down from behind. I'm 1 mph (avg.) slower than my oc-1 times - arm paddling too much. It's not efficient - no real power. My oc-1 pals don't believe me about the efforts required on ski for a beginner. Glides are longer and easier in a canoe. I can see the fast links but don't yet have the balance or power to accelerate across them. Proper rotation will add a lot of speed. But I need more balance first. Zsolt's shoulders turn almost parallel with the boat. It's amazing.
south shore 11-13-11 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGGViGIFwi4#ws)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/south11-13-11700x242.jpg)
Oc-2's glide like freight trains when they get up to speed. That ama is about 12 feet long.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/DSCN0035700x455.jpg)
-
Here is a video with big conditions. The paddler writes in his comments that his form is crap - recovering from a shoulder dislocation. IMO, his swell reading is excellent.
He turns into some bombs toward the end of the vid. It looks like he does a few hard pulls to keep from getting mowed from behind.
Think Uno Max DownWind.divx (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o53SUQRn3iw#)
-
Fun late evening paddle on the south shore Wednesday. Wind was good at the beginning, lighter at the end. Sol practices flying his ama, I try to get my elbows up. Fun glides.
south shore 11-23-11 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgfQGyv2sGo#ws)
-
I really like the afternoon light on the mountain. Nice to watch.
-
Looks like a milk run LPB - a lot of work on SUP, just fine for the ski.
-
Friday had medium wind to Sorento's. My body was feeling stiff, so not much rotation, still arm paddling to keep upright. I blame the winter chill in the air. :)
south shore 11-25-11 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt4Mdc1tREU#ws)
-
Did a ski run this morning - no camera. Winds were more northerly (NNE trades) which for HK run means even less fetch and smaller bumps, and even less push once you pass Black Point. Fortunately the ski excels in the flatwater - its still work, but less work than most other alternatives.
Sent from my BlackBerry 9670 using Tapatalk
-
Wow this afternoon was a whole different ball of wax from this morning. About as big as the HK run ever gets. Some incredible rides. Unfortunately no footage...
Only drawback was that northerly wind made the section after Black Point not much fun as the wind wanted to push us away from the island and we had to claw along Diamond Head until we could come in at Kaimana.
-
It was howling here too. The south shore is usually very good in NE conditions, but it was a touch too N. If it goes 20 or 30 degrees at the airport, the wind direction gets shifty. It was offshore and scary on my oc-1. I hugged the coast and played it safe.
It was great early on, but started to get ugly later in the afternoon. Ugly as in 50 mph gusts blowing off shore. I felt bad for anyone on standup. Very windy, very dangerous.
-
DANGEROUS indeed! The view from the Pali looking towards N.Kihei was enough for me to think.....How far is Tahiti from here? :o btw it is neither spring nor summer anymore. However it is still smokin!
-
808, this thread was previously hijacked into a surfski or "what was the run like today thread..."
Yesterday afternoon started out as one of the best 20 minutes of downwinding I've ever had on HK run, then after it quickly deteriorated into a confused, light wind mess. Another reason I hate that run...all the conditions can seem to be ideal and it can still be more work than fun. It probably didn't help I was tired from 2 runs on Saturday.
-
Easy south shore run in light wind conditions. Very fun on a ski, nice workout. Gradually trying to work on my form. A forward stroke is tricky to figure out when downwinding. Reading the waves and balancing takes a lot of my attention. Relaxing my shoulders helps. Also focusing on getting the blade out of the water as early as possible. Any pull past the hip is a big no-no. Keeping my chin up and chest forward is important, no slouching. Also trying to get the top hand forward to set up the stroke. Good fun. Camera is a huge help. I'm hoping to get some side shots soon. Still a long way to go before tackling the north shore on a windy day. When I can initiate the pull with my legs and hips comfortably, I'll be ready. Still a long, long way to go.
South Shore 11-29-11 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK6w_NS14nM#ws)
-
Keeping my chin up and chest forward is important, no slouching.
Amen brother
-
Really cool. I can't wait to see you on a ripping Maliko with that thing. I think you'll need a drag chute to slow down enough.
-
Trust me, at the rate I'm going it may not be for another year. My view on downwinding in a ski may appear overly cautious to some, so be it. It's a wonder I'm out there at all.
It's hard to describe how difficult ski's are (for me) in windy conditions. When a foamy crest zooms up behind, it can fill the bucket with about 30 pounds of water. This must be avoided by anticipating the swells. If I can't keep the hull speed up and/or steer across the waves properly, the ocean starts to eat me.
When hull speed goes down on standup or oc-1, it's not as unforgiving. I can float along and rest a bit. Easy correction strokes will keep a safe heading.
IMO, on a ski, when I fall behind - and get a full bucket - the best option is to sprint into something before getting twisted, mown, rolled and spat out of the boat.
Another option is to stick my legs out of the boat and rest. Trouble is, ski's are designed to move. The big ass on the ski wants to spin with the waves. Sitting with legs out, correcting direction in the wind and waves isn't easy - but it's an option.
Once spat, remounting is a can of worms. The leash, the paddle and the angle of the boat to the waves need to be dealt with. Again, I'm dealing with zero hull speed and following seas (and wind) that want to twist and roll me as I try to get in. It's tough even in medium wind.
Ski people are very concerned with safety gear. Do the remount a few times and you get tired. Get tired and the balance suffers.
Then it can get ugly.
My goal is to bite off what I can chew. That video of me from the front clearly shows me at my aerobic limit, punctuated with anerobic sprints. Barely making the glides, using my arms - poor rotation - not good. No real reserve if I fall behind. It's a windy south shore run which can be challenging to keep up with, but no where near the mayhem of the north shore.
A windy maliko would devour me - early on. Probably before Baldwin.
I'll wait until my core initiates the power. At this point it's all a bunch of pieces, not yet glued together. Good fun, but not ready for the big show. I'm gonna need a hemi to survive the north shore. Or an epic V-8.
Maybe I'll include some swampings, falls and remounts to help illustrate the rough patches.
-
Friday afternoon's run had light to medium wind, good direction. The camera mount is moved back three feet, but too low.
The spin outs show how easy it is to lose control even in light conditions.
The segment at the end - heading left - is relatively smooth. In light winds, I steer left at the steepest angle I can manage. It's good practice for offshore conditions. Spin out's and stalls are tough to avoid in higher winds.
south shore 12-2-11 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtA4cThprJY#ws)
-
Fun times in the harbor this morning. Sundays are a social-demo day for epic skis. Wind was very light so I paddled out a few hundred yards past the entrance. The north shore always has some swells if the wind is east. The rides in are thrilling in a ski.
harbor 12-4-11 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQiQAFmEa38#ws)
-
Hey LPB, I noted on your 12/2 video both of your spin outs were to the right. I was thinking about it and realized that many of my spin outs are also to the right. I'm wondering if that is some kind of holdover from coming from OC-1 paddling where you can only lean right; the 'ama does not allow you to lean over to the left.
The Fenn XT was much more prone to being spun than the V10, similar to what happened to you in the video. IMO this was because the lack of tail rudder made it more likely that the following wave would grab and bury the tail, preventing me from using the rudder to release the tail and turn back into the wave. Even though I put a mondo 11" rudder on the boat, once the wave grabbed the tail and started to rotate me out of the wave, I could not turn the boat back to the wave with the rudder.
On the XT, if I faced the situation of being spun out to the right like in the video, I would lean the boat hard over LEFT which had the effect of giving more effective rocker (the extra width of the boat then acting as rocker), and then the rudder (which was being engaged hard left) would help to lift the tail out of the water, releasing it from the wave. It seems counter intuitive to lean towards the downside of the wave, but it usually would help me avoid a spin and I was more likely to be able to bring the boat back into the wave.
Sometimes it felt like crash test paddling, bouncing around in the bumps, but it worked.
-
Thanks for the tip, I'll give it a try. So many tricks to learn in a ski. It's getting better for me, time on the water is helping.
Tonight's run was quite windy. I was too lazy to risk fast angles across the waves - so I was mainly using the paddle as an ama - often dragging the boat to a safe heading. Undoubtedly slowed me down, but it's almost foolproof to prevent a broach. Some days I just want to stay in the boat. Fun run.
It's interesting that the v-10S and your xt are more prone to spin out than the v-10. It should be fun moving up once I get this one figured out.
-
I drag the paddle like an 'ama a lot too when its rough. Plus, although dragging/bracing slows you down a bit, it doesn't slow you down as much as going in the drink.
I don't have enough time on the V10S to know why it does what it does. I've tried it on a couple of downwind runs and found it was a bit of improvement over the Fenn XT with a touch more tail rocker and improved rudder position (the XT's rudder was too far back I thought), but that the boats were quite similar in terms of stability. The regular V10 has a bit of tail rocker right behind the rudder, I assume that this has been sufficient for the most part to prevent the tail from getting hung up in the following wave and me getting spun out. But I roll the V10 onto its sides a lot too - I think this is where skis really have an advantage over the OC-1 - the ability to roll the boat to help control it in addition to using the rudder and paddle bracing.
I just noticed my typo in earlier post - the lack of tail ROCKER, not rudder
-
Now that you mention it, the rolling is a lot more common for me as I gain experience. As I gain confidence in my ability to right the boat, I don't panic anymore if it goes over, just kick it up with a heel drive or whack it up with the paddle.
The comments about rocker are interesting. I'd never looked at the differences between my boat and others, but certainly will next Sunday at the weekly get together. Rolling the boat to get the tail out of a spin is definitely on my practice list.
Tonight's run was less windy, but a low tide over a reef had me zooming right to stay in safe water. It was a blast. Only one spin out to the right. Super happy with the ski. Perfect weapon to get killer glides on the south shore in light wind.
-
The extra paddling you installed in the bucket (thus keeping you somewhat snug) is key for being able to roll the boat onto its sides.
-
"Sundays are a social-demo day for epic skis."
You guys on Maui are so lucky, you have a local surf ski manufacturer that does socials and demos....I wish we had a manufacturer based here in Charleston, SC that would do that..maybe even show up at local races, demo boats, build the sport...oh, never mind.
-
Yes, it's great here. It's ironic that Epic has a manufacturing facility in South Carolina. Oahu has more ski's than Maui. Richard may scale back on our demo days so he can get more miles in. Racing season starts next month.
Late evening runs are good all year on the south shore. The wind was good at the beginning of this one, launched from Kehei CC. Skirted the reef at low tide and finished at the cove. Super fun in a ski.
south shore 12-7-11 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaEPa_c3g1A#ws)
-
Great video L, you are definitely improving. I did a downwind run last Friday and caught a heap of little glides, then paddled back up wind for about 5 miles into 20 knots. Funny, hadn't fallen in once until about 1/2 a mile from the end then fell out about 4 times in a row, tiredness caught up I guess. I'm still doing this awkward nipple drag then leg straddle thing to get back in the boat, really need to practice the flip around drop the bum into the boat thing I've seen on videos. You made a comment about taking your time before trying a Maliko, sounds very wise to me, I can imagine really having trouble getting back into the boat on a big day and getting more and more tired with every tumble.
Really looking forward to a south shore run in a ski next year, love the water colour in your vids. You are looking strong out there.
How is the padding system working out, I have this 'system' I've been using where I shove a strip of foam down each side of my neoprene shorts...not very flattering on the beach! But I just realised that the higher padding you have would probably work much better in terms of the boat reacting to your hip movement.
-
Thanks JC, the ski is great fun for me.
The side saddle entry seems easier to me. I prefer entering from the right. If I fall on the left, I duck under and roll the boat to get the leash on my side.
I'm very happy with the padding up high in the bucket. Zsolt recommended the calf padding. It keeps my knees close, which is good for leg drive. It's good to have immediate feedback.
Sunday's run was very windy, and offshore. Very challenging to work in to Sorento's from the boardwalk. I'm gradually pushing my limits on the south shore. Still a long, long way to go before a maliko.
south shore 12-11-11 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEKwqVpKegQ#ws)
-
Had a nice solo run yesterday. We went over to Wailea to have lunch with some friends, and I took along my old Starboard 12'6" in case there was a opportunity to get in the water. Sure enough, around 3:00 when we were leaving I could see palm trees bending. So Diane dropped me off at the Canoe Hale where the wind was pretty much straight offshore, but I could see some angle further east in the way the palms were blowing. She planned to meet me at the Cove.
Turned out to be a very fun run, pretty much in a swell all the time. Easy to turn at the bottom of the swells with a big ol' surfboard. Made it to the Cove pretty quick--shoulda done Sorrentos. Went to Mala at the Marriot with Diane and had light pupus for dinner, wtched the sun go down. Pretty nice day.
-
/ Funny, hadn't fallen in once until about 1/2 a mile from the end then fell out about 4 times in a row, tiredness caught up I guess. / You made a comment about taking your time before trying a Maliko, sounds very wise to me, I can imagine really having trouble getting back into the boat on a big day and getting more and more tired with every tumble. /
One of the best things about the ski is extra safety awareness. I too got tired, fell and struggled remounting Sunday. It's a good lesson for me. Paddling hard enough to make the glides yet easy enough to have a reserve is a fine line. I crossed over it and took some gas. Fell over after remounting, lost grip of the paddle twice. Had to rest up to get back in. The north shore isn't the place to learn these lessons. Ski's are bad news when things go wrong. IMO, that's why outriggers outnumber ski's 100 to 1 in Hawaii.
-
Fun times in the harbor this morning. Sundays are a social-demo day for epic skis. Wind was very light so I paddled out a few hundred yards past the entrance. The north shore always has some swells if the wind is east. The rides in are thrilling in a ski.
harbor 12-4-11 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQiQAFmEa38#ws)
Ill say it again-i lurk a lot on your guys wave ski thread and am so freakin jealous-great vid LaP!
years ago i bought an Macski Animal-didnt know at the time it was a high performance trick ski-not a cruiser ski (duh!) my lumbars didnt like it and man was it tough to keep upright-i saw some guys supping and have never looked back-there are some really good guys down here at Dpatch who come out and cruise the high tide rollers-looks so fun-maybe someday i will pick one up.
im a bit of a sup surf addict but would like to just paddle out sometimes and cruise.
Only real thing stopping me is my back.
Paddle on you lucky SOB's! ;)
-
One of the best things about the ski is extra safety awareness. I too got tired, fell and struggled remounting Sunday. It's a good lesson for me. Paddling hard enough to make the glides yet easy enough to have a reserve is a fine line. I crossed over it and took some gas. Fell over after remounting, lost grip of the paddle twice. Had to rest up to get back in. The north shore isn't the place to learn these lessons. Ski's are bad news when things go wrong. IMO, that's why outriggers outnumber ski's 100 to 1 in Hawaii.
Hey L, what do you do regarding leashes in the ski, recently I have been using a leash to connect the paddle to the boat, relying on the fact that I will be able to keep a grip on the paddle. Don't know if I'd feel comfortable doing that in big seas though.
-
One of the best things about the ski is extra safety awareness. I too got tired, fell and struggled remounting Sunday. It's a good lesson for me. Paddling hard enough to make the glides yet easy enough to have a reserve is a fine line. I crossed over it and took some gas. Fell over after remounting, lost grip of the paddle twice. Had to rest up to get back in. The north shore isn't the place to learn these lessons. Ski's are bad news when things go wrong. IMO, that's why outriggers outnumber ski's 100 to 1 in Hawaii.
Hey L, what do you do regarding leashes in the ski, recently I have been using a leash to connect the paddle to the boat, relying on the fact that I will be able to keep a grip on the paddle. Don't know if I'd feel comfortable doing that in big seas though.
I thought the OC-1s outnumbered the skis in Hawaii because of the cultural familiarity with paddling outrigger canoes, coupled with the fact that skis have a much more difficult learning curve than OC-1. But what the heck to do I know?
I leash my boat to my leg. When I go over in bigger conditions often the boat rolls over the leash and I have to roll the boat back in order to get the leash free. And yes I have remounted and then noticed the leash going under the boat and back up the other side, requiring me to undo the leash, pull it around and put it back on my ankle. I would be quite leery of leashing the boat to the paddle, and not a body part, in bigger seas.
-
I too use a leg leash. It's an epic, very stout and short. It's attached to the frame of the pedals, up over the front bungee. The front bungee keeps it high, over the pedals. It has a caribiner at the calf strap. I don't think it's long enough to wrap around the bottom of the boat.
-
More fun stuff on the south shore Sunday evening. Wind was medium speed, good direction. Tebow is looking better, but not ready for my Patriots yet. :)
south shore 12-18-11 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD_-8IRt4hI#ws)
-
Wind was very good Friday evening on the south shore. Great fun after work. No spin outs today, really enjoying the ski. The oc-1 and standup still get out once a week, but the ski gets the most use recently. MCKC races are right around the corner.
years ago i bought an Macski Animal-didnt know at the time it was a high performance trick ski/
/ maybe someday i will pick one up.
im a bit of a sup surf addict but would like to just paddle out sometimes and cruise.
Only real thing stopping me is my back.
/
Get a ski. Trust me, you won't regret it. They are tremendous exercise for the back. Oc-1's are good too, but ski's are truly in a league of their own. My back has never felt better. If you can do standup, you can do ski. You just have to build up slowly. Everyone feels it initially in a ski. It's the same feeling we all had when starting standup - new muscles.
south shore 12-23-11 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ3zleOi78M#ws)
-
Hi LPB love that crazy left right left paddle brace sequence right near the end, can really relate to that! Put a bit of padding under my bum yesterday because I've been getting a little nerve twitch on one side, but at the same time left out my hip padding, couldn't believe how much less stable it felt! Comfy though...
Found a group of local guys to paddle the ski with, mix of newbies and some very experienced...this is going to be fun!
-
Fun run this afternoon. Wind was medium, then light towards the end. Direction was very good. Ski is getting more fun as my ability to anticipate and deal with spin outs improves. Nothing beats time on the water.
south shore 12-28-11 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vEGazOBTyo#ws)
-
Wind is light in this video. It may not look like fun, but I enjoy runs like this almost as much as the windy ones. GPS numbers are surprisingly high. The ski was flying along over 8mph for several miles. Light conditions are great for experimenting with new angles and links.
south shore 1-1-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbL1-Hxi-wA#ws)
-
Medium wind at the beginning, then light. NE and NW windswell began to cross things up in this section. It was very lumpy and strange having conflicting swells running. Somehow the ski's are able to knife through and get on the following bumps. Very satisfying run, good speed. Video is bouncy due the conflicting swells.
south shore 1-4-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9ErZzx0dR4#ws)
-
Thanks for continuing to post the videos L, the ability of the ski to ride swells through other messy layers of cross swell is amazing. I'm finding that if I put a big effort in to catch a wave it seems to unsettle me and make the boat rock, notice a couple of times in this vid that you seem to be getting much better at putting the power in and not becoming unsettled. Just got a new Bracsa IV paddle and its made a huge difference, much lighter and cleaner entry.
-
Good luck with the new paddle JC. I've read nothing but great things about the braca 4.
As for stability when the waves bash you around, do the padding in the bucket and on the calves. It feels weird for a while but then dissapears. You will be amazed at how much skis will roll without spilling you. Each ride seems to get easier and faster these days.
There is a very interesting thread about a dislocated shoulder over on the ski forum. Every beginner needs to be aware of this danger. I did it last Saturday, and was sore for a few days. Lucky I didn't tear something. Spent a few days in the oc-1 and all was good to go. Today's run was relatively mild. It looks like my bracing may be too far back. I'll try to ask an expert about it.
http://www.surfski.info/forum/1-general/9476-shoulder-dislocation-while-training.html (http://www.surfski.info/forum/1-general/9476-shoulder-dislocation-while-training.html)
Here's a video of today's run. It's a reverse downwinder on the south shore. Makena landing to the cove. I wish we would have done a full run to the Kehei canoe club, it was very, very fun. The wind was light, but the fetch was excellent. Good power in kona swells.
makena - cove (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcuC3NRt2IU#ws)
-
Well I finally bit the bullet and did a maliko. It was quite exhilarating. As usual, it was bigger and faster than I expected.
The ski was faster than I expected too. I held back from all the big waves. A few early spills had me wondering if I had the skill to do the entire run. After about a half hour things began to seem familiar. I gradually settled in, relaxed and started to have fun. Crazy fast machines on the open water.
I'm glad the initial run is over. It was spooky at the start.
first maliko on a ski, 1-22-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bCqgaNZ_pM#ws)
-
Today's MCKC race was rugged. 1 mile of good tailwind, 2 on the side and 7 of headwind left me a bit disgruntled. A very odd combo of chop and bumps dumped me about 5 times. It's not fun falling out in a ski. It's torture when boats pass as you struggle to remount. No clean re entries. Up and over at least once each time. Oh well, some days you got it and some days you don't.
The wind was good on the south shore. I did a late run to to remind me how fun the sport usually is. No falls here on my home course, so some days you don't got it and some days you do...
South shore 1-28-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv_v9iCNEUQ#ws)
-
Jan 29 and think many people got a run in today. The surface was crossed up by a sizable NW swell the last two days but the wind was blowing and there were some great glides. Went short to Kanaha today and it was wild coming in over the reef. Downwind city in Jan!
-
Man, that run about did me in. Next time I say "I'm not feeling that good but I'll go anyway" just shoot me.
-
Today was an excellent run for me. Unfortuanately, I only got the first 30 minutes on video. European tarriff laws prevent consumer grade video cameras from shooting over 30 minutes. All the best action is across kanaha, which of course happens about 30 minutes into the run. I was so focused on not spilling, I couldn't even risk grabbing my water. Stopping to reset the camera was out of the question. I climbed in the boat too many times yesterday.
The boat was behaving magnificently. I rigged up a self centering rudder, it really helps. The experienced guys don't mind a free swinging rudder, but I need all the help I can get. Now it's nice to be able to paddle into shorebreak with my legs out and have the boat steer straight rather than all over the map. Seems to help on downwinders too. No need to constantly worry about the pedal position.
Here's a link with a few different methods. I used the foam gizmo under the steering cover. http://www.surfski.info/forum/20-epic/6072-self-centering-rudder-for-epic-boats.html (http://www.surfski.info/forum/20-epic/6072-self-centering-rudder-for-epic-boats.html)
Only one fall today, about 9 miles in. I think the new rudder helped. Super fun run. I'll probably mount the camera within reach next maliko. It was really good today.
maliko 1-29-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33bFwo48qUI#ws)
-
LPB, did you just eyeball the foam piece that you put in for the steering? Do you find that it limits the range of steering you have with the boat?
Something is dodgy with the Surfski.info forum. I always have problem logging in to that.
-
1P2P, I made a template out of thin cardboard. Then traced that onto the foam. I just happened to have the proper density foam.
As for limiting the travel of the rudder, it may not be a bad thing. As I'm sure you are aware, over steering a rudder will cause it to stall, (cavitate) and become useless. I'm terrible about over steering on my ski. Sometimes I mash so hard on the pedals I twist the rudder in the steering bar. It's probably a typical beginner mistake.
Tonight's run was a perfect example of how the foam keeps me from oversteering. Wind and waves were coming from the right - meaning I had to constantly veer right to stay off the reef. Lot's of heavy steering to surf well. Anyhow, I occasionally panic and mash the pedals like crazy, sometimes twisting the rudder crooked on this type of run. No problem at all tonight. Rudder behaved just fine - actually felt better than usual on the waves. I like a self centering rudder with a touch less travel. The epic rudders have a lot of swing, probably to get around race bouys or something. I never need that much rudder. Hence the foam.
I'm going to fabricate the emergency bungee too. The foam will help if a cable goes, but an emergency bungee will let you steer both directions.
I don't have trouble with that website. I'm a PC, internet exploder.
-
I broke my rudder on the V10, and I was probably oversteering. I was coming around Diamond Head and you get these waves bending/swinging in from the left - kind of doing that horseshoe thing. On the V10 you can go fast enough to sometimes get a ride down the back (or perhaps spine) of those waves. So I caught one and was getting a great push, but the wind was trying to push me off the back of the wave. I was ruddering hard right to counteract that when the rudder snapped.
I'd like to borrow your template - I should make one of those things for my boat.
-
The template is really easy to make. I used scissors and a thin piece of cardboard. The foam was packing around a printer. Jam it in there and center the rudder to the foam. It works like a charm for me. You can adjust the stiffness of the spring by ovesizing the foam.
The black thing is a vent. I like to vent all my hollow boats and boards on two ends. When on the racks, I pump fresh air through them with an aquarium pump.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/006.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/005512x515.jpg)
-
Looks great, thanks. And cool idea for drying out the boat.
When the winds are southwesterly do you guys ever do a reverse Maliko?
-
I'm sitting here in the house watching coconuts blow off the trees thinking the same thing. It's pretty offshore (blowing Kona), but it's tempting.
-
The reverse Hawaii Kai can actually be much better than a regular one - you can have open ocean swells unblocked by land. And the wind seems to blow straight to the blinker buoy (with the safety net of the huge catcher's mitt created by Portlock).
But for Maliko the wind might be blowing you out to sea with no chance of being saved by a landmass.
-
Kona winds don't work well on the north shore of Maui (maliko). But they are tremendous fun on the south shore. Just like your reverse Hawaii Kai, the south shore gets the big fetch.
Reverse downwinders on the south shore are amazing. We only get a handful of runs a year, so it seems like visiting another island. It's a very, very good run.
The wind has been too west lately for reverse runs (on the south shore). West winds set up direct onshore winds. I had a blast last night paddling straight out, then downwinding back to shore. Ski's are amazing boats.
The paddlers on the west side of Maui (Lahaina- Napili) have some really good downwind runs in both directions.
-
I tried a reverse downwind southside run last year when we had big Konas for a few days straight. It was a lot of work on a SUP. I think it would be fun in a ski or Canoe.
-
Wind was medium this evening, good direction. The ski was a blast, as usual.
south shore 2-9-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ7vrf-eT0w#ws)
-
Yup, I did a bike downwinder about 3:30 Hale to Sorrentos and bike back. Nice run, nice workout, and no tourists ran me over.
-
Maliko #3 and 4. Great fun in the ski. I'm way, way outside for all my early runs. The deep water is much safer. I like to approach the reefs at kanaha from the outer edge, rather than run up the coast and head out as they approach. It's a slower line, but much easier on my nerves.
The first video is all early stuff in deep water. No chance to reset the camera after 30 minutes as it was during a race.
Camera was started as the reef approached in the second vid. My line will move in as my confidence grows, just as it did in the oc-1.
3rd ski maliko, MCKC race (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK6Zi_omIiU#ws)
maliko 2-17-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA9zvvuX98I#ws)
-
Thanks L, love watching your ski vids :)
-
still trolling this thread...have no idea what you guys are talking about wind wise.
can you give me a quick wind education-does a Kona wind smell like coffee?, etc....
-
The word Kona means western side and Kona winds are westerly, which is a reverse direction for normal trades. On the North shore a Kona wind is generally offshore in the middle of the island and sideshore blowing west to east around Maliko. Kona also refers to storms that come from the west, usually from an extreme, rotating low pressure area.
-
You know I liked the glare in the 2/27 vid. It gave me that Victory at Sea feel... a TV show from scary long ago.... B&W. Thanks again LaPer.
Kona means west but the actual wind from low pressures usually comes from the S or SW. West is extremely rare and usually happens during the shift from SW to NW (or Molokai wind). Kona winds are usually wild in nature, capable of tremendous variation from suddenly stopping to hurricane force. Boats have disappeared in these winds or get washed up on the reef. People go a little crazy. And we, on the north shore, get to breath the dump vapors while Kona winds persist. The rest of the year everything from the dump blows towards Kihei.
So Cal... The great thing about our usual set up from trades is that we get strong winds from high pressure. On the mainland strong winds usually occur when a low pressure system rolls through. Low pressure can mean stormy and erratic. High; clear and generally consistent. When you go as off shore as some people go around here, consistency counts.
-
I've been trained by surfing to like the dump smell, a light offshore kona sets the waves on the north shore up really nicely. I call it l'eau de Omapio.
-
still trolling this thread...have no idea what you guys are talking about wind wise.
Yellow x is kanaha, red is landfill, blue is north Kihei. Arrows are NE trades on the north shore, Kona winds on the south.
Just to clarify, the landfill is surrounded by miles of canefields. The odor never reaches Kihei. If the breeze is near calm, the odor may drift to the north shore. My guess is that if it's 'blowing konas' the landfill odor is so dilute as to be unnoticeable. When the trades are blowing, the odor is gone long before it reaches the south shore.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maui700x546.jpg)
-
That's about right, a little 4-5 mph breeze in the Kona direction sets waves up beautifully and scrubs their lovely faces all nice and shiny. over ten they get lumpy and you have to jump on the nose to get down the face. The smell is gone by then.
-
5th ski run at maliko today. My adrenaline was up from the moment I glanced at the weather map. The shuttle was packed. Great conditions. Some of my South shore pals were there, we really enjoy maliko when it's good. A group of canoes finished a Kaenae run just before us. That run is 25 miles. They said the rain squalls really cranked the wind up to 11. Must have been great. Maliko was a 9 of 10.
I'm still relaxing for the first half and ramping up the effort towards the end. Outran some oc-2 friends in a last-mile race to the finish, that was quite rewarding. Skis are such a blast.
maliko 2-18-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJdoKCwenX8#ws)
-
You are looking so much more relaxed now L. Are you falling in at all on the Maliko runs?
I've been paddling into some really gnarly head winds and rough seas lately then turning and doing little down-winders on the ski. Still fall in sometimes but the waves are really close and very confused water state so its pretty full on.
I used to do this really weird straddle remount thing but now have the hip swing into the sear down pat, you-tube is a wonderful resource for learning just about anything!
Starting a paddle with a 25 knot headwind in the shore break certainly hones the skills :o
Just wanting to make sure that I can cope with falling in on bigger down wind conditions and comfortably getting back into the boat. Loving the whole experience of learning new skills.
-
still trolling this thread...have no idea what you guys are talking about wind wise.
Yellow x is kanaha, red is landfill, blue is north Kihei. Arrows are NE trades on the north shore, Kona winds on the south.
Just to clarify, the landfill is surrounded by miles of canefields. The odor never reaches Kihei. If the breeze is near calm, the odor may drift to the north shore. My guess is that if it's 'blowing konas' the landfill odor is so dilute as to be unnoticeable. When the trades are blowing, the odor is gone long before it reaches the south shore.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maui700x546.jpg)
thanks LaP and PB-good explanation!
-
Hi JC, glad to hear you are enjoying the v10S.
I'm feeling more relaxed on the ski, it's probably from time on the water. Still in the ski exclusively, I'm really hooked.
Not falling on the maliko runs. A few close calls, but emergency bracing gets instinctive. I'm a bit concerned about dislocating a shoulder in an emergency brace. It was pretty crazy out there. Early on, my focus was wandering a bit. I was having trouble maintaining hull speed. The seas were knocking my tail around, requiring some hard digs to brace. That would only stop me, and make things worse. The bucket swamped up to my armpits a few times. I didn't go over, but on hindsight it may have been the better move. The instinct to brace no matter what is strong. But in strong seas, you get bashed around in crazy ways. If a the hands are too far behind the shoulders, a dislocation or tear is a real concern. It's all part of experience and important to recognise that hull speed is paramount when downwinding. The rough patches can be debilitating for us old guys.
It was a bit frustrating for a minute. I was contemplating escape alternatives if the seas got any worse. Swimming in was on my mind. Thankfully, the seas relaxed a bit and I was able to get going. The reefs came up later, the camera went on and it was good fun.
As for remounting, it too gets easier and easier. I'm comfortable unhooking, jumping out and resetting the camera. Obviously, it's important to settle a bit and see what's around, but the side entry is easy now. Try to time it so the swell helps unweight you as you go up, (I'm sure you already do).
Paddling into shorebreak with 25 knot winds is made infinitely easier with a self centering rudder. You can leave your legs out, (but up and out of the water). This makes the boat extremely stable. A few strokes will shoot you straight through, with no worries of going off course.
I recently added a snap shackle to my leg leash. Unhooking under load is easy. Have yet to need it, but my day will come. This one is really nice. It's forged, with a welded ring. $50 is a lot for a tiny part, but it's a leash.
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=17733&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=50045&subdeptNum=50046&classNum=50047 (http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=17733&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=50045&subdeptNum=50046&classNum=50047)
-
I was having trouble maintaining hull speed. The seas were knocking my tail around, requiring some hard digs to brace. That would only stop me, and make things worse. The bucket swamped up to my armpits a few times.
Man reading this is bringing back my learning experience on the Mako XT. Reminding me of the challenges I faced. I found that as I got more comfortable in the bumps that I could start to anticipate issues and take steps to avoid them. One of which (as I previously mentioned) was leaning the boat hard over to prevent a tail spin. Another trick was to roll the boat away from a large wave coming at me from the rear quarter, which would often fill the bucket with 8 gallons (or whatever it was) and kill all momentum. I found that I could roll the boat AWAY from the wave coming from 8 o'clock briefly and prevent the instant bathtub in my boat scenario.
As my body got more comfortable with the rolling around it didn't feel as much like punishment, less panic braces, etc., and just part of the experience. I wonder if the higher speed of the V10 eliminates some of the issues - it seemed to rarely ever do the tail spin thing, and much less of the bathtub thing as well. It also has the ability to go get a bump one bump ahead of you - almost impossible on SUP.
-
1P2P, the tail spin is becoming rare for me too. My guess is that it's not the v-10, it's just that you never let the boat get so out of position anymore. It's one of the many things we forget about as we move on. That's why coaches are so valuable IMO, they see enough of it to quickly spot what is happening. The rolling is another trick I'm gradually learning.
Sunday's run was a real eye-opener for me. Never before have I been so comfortable in bigger waves. Ski's know more about waves than I do. I just have to relax and let them go.
Conditions were excellent Sunday. Macking east wind, no NW swell. On a maliko run, if the wind is east like today, it's important to stay 'inside' for the last section of the run. It's tempting to go 'outside' to avoid any potential breaking waves, but the wind is gradually moving you away from the entrance to the harbor. It's tough sledding if you miss the entrance. It was so east today inside the entrance was rugged, particularly with the cruise ship in dock. That floating hotel creates it's own weather system.
I usually run outside, but not today. Great rides from start to finish. Only one fall, which was a minor inconvenience. Somehow the paddle slipped from my left hand and I fell to the right. It was at good speed, but my left foot stayed in the strap long enough to brake the boat - leash didn't stretch. No spin outs, minimal swamping. Super fun.
maliko 2-19-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPhZ-GavDqM#ws)
-
Very windy again Monday. 30 gusting to 40, nice big swells. I was chasing Devin, Ralf and Lee. It was quite challenging for me to keep them in the frame. Conditions were similar to yesterday, if a bit wilder. Steering and trying to keep them in the frame wore me out. Once tired, I fell a few times. Great training and practice remounting. Very fun day.
maliko 2-20-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOF5sZgVA3k#ws)
-
I really love watching your ski video LPB. I have shared before that I am currently paddling a V8. Have been paddling it for two seasons now and am ready to move up. Thinking about the V10S or maybe a Stellar SR. I have also shared that I am a FL guy and I think we have great conditions for the ski. Nothing like what you guys have in HI but an unending supply of cool places to paddle around the peninsula. Unfortunately I recently accepted a job that has taken me to TN and will probably last a year and half or longer. Great opportunity but (not to be dramatic) I feel as though my soul is shrinking being away from the saltwater so much. I had no idea how strong my bond is to my home waters. The terrain in TN and the prospects of paddling rivers all year does not excite me. Was home over the weekend and got to paddle yesterday and my heart soared. Those of use that do this because we love it are very fortunate. I wonder if I will last through the life of the assignment in TN? I really miss home and the saltwater. So keep the vids coming. Maybe I should shoot some footage of my paddles so that I could watch them while I am landlocked. Thanks.....
-
Best one yet and really loved the upside down underwater shot. Very cool
-
You are getting better every video L. Great to see the progress, you looked so calm and relaxed in the one the day before.
Paddle on ;D
-
Glad you lilke the videos guys. Yes JC, I was more relaxed when I could choose my own line. Turning and bracing was scrubbing a lot of speed when I tried to keep others in the frame.
I rigged up a simple head mount today. The angle was too low on tonight's run, I'll try again tomorrow.
This next video was prompted by HM's comment about the underwater shot. I re edited Monday's run to include remount ideas.
remounting maliko 2-20-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm-xzpGk9e4.#ws)
-
Fantastic LPB. Going over in the ski seems way more fatiguing that falling off the SUP. Maybe because its so much trickier getting back onto it?
I remember times where my brain would recognize that I was going over, but due to fatigue somehow my arms didn't get the message to 'BRACE IMMEDIATELY' and I would go over, seemingly in slow motion, with no apparent ability to prevent it. That was brain damaging.
-
IMO, the primary reason re entering is tough is the fatigue that causes the fall. As the vid shows, with a little practice, getting in is not difficult. Maybe it seems tougher than sup remounting because of the brain damage. So close and yet so far...
For me, ski is the perfect tool to teach me to downwind better. Only in ski is the penalty for sprinting when one should wait so severe. The ability to accelerate is at your fingertips like none other, but if you miss the glide - it's over.
The new headmount adds the soundtrack of my breathing. (I won't be including it in future vids). Yesterday's run had me following some oc-1's. When I relaxed and found long glides, I ran up on them. If I sprinted to keep them near, I fatigued and struggled.
Video is an amazing tool to reinforce proper strategy on the water.
Good for whale action too.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/002600x497.jpg)
-
Was your last post to have included a video, or the picture of the hat + camera set up?
I think you have a good point about it being the fatigue being the culprit - it causes the dunk in the first place, then you have to get back on (with the legs out as you showed), then get the boat going in the right direction, then pull the legs in, etc. With the SUP if you are really tired you can lay down on the thing and take a rest if so desired.
-
No video, just the picture.
+1 on the resting. No rest for the wicked on ski. Hanging on to the side is tough on the ego.
-
Yes, its a real problem sitting and not paddling on the ski in rough water. Waiting for your buds to catch up is not fun and requires energy to keep upright.
Hanging onto the side in the water isn't a whole lot of fun and neither is laying across the sides of the bucket getting buffeted around. The sides of the bucket are kind of pointy and it is not relaxing.
-
The guys in cold water get a ton of respect in my book. They certainly have their act together. Imagine the rolling eyes if they read our posts about hanging on to the side!
I've seen some of their vids on the big lakes and in the roaring 40's. That's some intense massive wave action. Mad skills on the boys in Lake Superior, Down under and South Africa.
Paddling with great whites and orcas will never happen in my lifetime. Far too chicken for that action. Yikes.
-
Absolutely. What about the story of Oscar swimming in after losing his boat - apparently didn't end up on land until after nightfall. Pretty scary stuff.
-
Hey L, did a 15 mile solo ski the other day, had a friend drop me off for a downwinder. Really gave me a chance to take my time and start to get my head around steering the boat by leaning rather than trying to stop it broaching on the wave using the rudder and bracing. Suddenly all became so much smoother, faster and way less effort, started so get some insight into just how fast these things really are.
This is going to become very addictive!!
That's a great threshold on the ski. It happened for me on 2-19.
I'm just scratching the surface too. It keeps getting better...
Nice E swell today. Should be ripping wind for a few more days. Delays at work came at the perfect time.
Downwinding addictive? Not me, I can quit anytime... :)
maliko 2-27-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3I-s1OmAjs#ws)
-
LPB, just wait until you get on the regular V10; you will look like Smiling Bob on the Enzyte commercials...
-
I'll track down a coach one of these days. I'm sure they will tell me the V10 is too much boat for me. My rotation still needs to improve (obviously an understatement). An elite ski paddler told me yesterday that he watched one of my vids. he said the quality of the picture was great, but that I stink. :)
He said to try shortening the paddle and adding more feather. That should force me to rotate more. I tried it today in the harbor after the run. It felt ok, but I'm worried about tweaking something. So I'll be cautious about changing the paddle on a windy maliko. A real coaching session is obviously the ticket.
My butt still gets sore occasionally. I'd like to do longer paddles, (over 1.5 hours) so I need padding or, more likely, better rotation. Didn't fall today, but missed a lot of glides.
Still need vast improvement on swell choice. Elite canoes drop me quickly.
Having a great time - a dozen windy malikos in the past fortnight. And the wind keeps cranking...
maliko 2-29-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGYHAuYVsS8#ws)
-
LPB, I think you should be commended in taking a ski out in heavy conditions. IMO if you can handle a Maliko on the V10S you could handle a south shore run right now on the V10. Another 25 Maliko runs on the V10S I think you probably have sufficient balance to go to the V10 for all purposes.
Technique is another matter, I'm no master there.
-
Downwinding addictive? Not me, I can quit anytime...
Too funny. Classic... took the words right out of my mouth.
-
As I posted elsewhere, makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty.
-
maliko 3-1-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rymJmyz3mFE#ws)
-
First day of march and it was finally sunny. Man what a difference with 1080p. Crystal. You notice that high frequency shudder sometimes? I get that on my board sometimes when it begins to take off and it really distorts the video. I have this stuff called vibrothane as a bushing between the mount and camera and it's great stuff but not enough for that. I think that as you get out towards the ends of the board (or canoe) that vibration can be accentuated. It doesn't happen enough to really go after the problem for our purposes but I'm always obsessed. In the middle of the board would be in the way so no answer there.
-
1Paddle... don't let LaPer entice you over to the dark side with all the speed that a ski has. Come back, come back... LaPer actually has switched in the past but he's getting so good with that thing, we'll probably lose him... at least he's got that orange hat
-
I'm not quitting standup, or oc-1. It's just a great excuse to be weak in all 3 sports. :)
1P2P has been on ski for years. He started on an intermediate ski like mine, then moved to an elite ski - a V10. His ski is much faster - tippier than mine. Mine is a V10 sport, huge difference.
1P2P thinks I may be ready for a V10 soon, but he's just being polite. I want to stay on the V10-S for a long time - trying to get a better stroke. Slower, wider, more stable boats like mine are best for learning. Balance isn't the first thing on ski, it's the only thing. Rotation is king on a ski, but it takes balance.
I'm to lazy to do flat water, too cheap to pay a coach, so my rotation is lame. The elite paddlers on Maui tell me I stink, which is true. If they get polite and tell me I'm doing great, I'll be embarrassed. I've done the research, I know the score. (No offence 1P2P, forum compliments are welcome, face time is different).
A few months ago I made the mistake of telling someone I'd like to move up to a V10. 2 coaches happened to overhear it. They were pushing each other aside to try and punch me. 'you punk, you stink' etc. This is a good thing. Kayak racing has a huge tradition and history. Like fast cyclists, the fast kayakers have done a lot of homework.
On to shaky cameras:
Yes, the vibration is very noticeable. The pixelation in my point/shoot is probably due to the small shutter, with a little help from the shake. It seems more common as I drop into stuff.
The sun was good on the first half of the run, then went behind the clouds. This vid is on the same day, second half. It's easy to see how my camera suffers in lower light.
Philly and Big were on the shuttle. Those guys are masters at reading maliko. Chris Dunn and Frank Zajac are also very experienced on outriggers. I launched and turned downwind before they did. They came by about 30 minutes later - just after I reset the camera - perfect timing. Philly and Big were regrouping and talking, so I got a few shots of them. Fun run.
maliko 3-1-12 second half (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aKsiu1lvmo#ws)
-
LaPerouseBay--out of curiosity, don't the conditions make a huge difference with different surfski models? If you were on flatwater, would you be fine in a V10?
-
leperousebay
Your sitting upright that's the hardest part,looks like your having fun and the rest will follow, But yea the stroke needs work.
Haven't paddled skis in a while but have a bunch of friends that still do. Seems like you are just using your arms when paddling. Need to lock out your arms a little and get you body to rotate.
Just looked up K1 paddling lots of paddling video
Learn the right paddle stroke. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrXrIrwvD48&feature=related#)
-
LaPerouseBay--out of curiosity, don't the conditions make a huge difference with different surfski models?
I'm not quite sure what you are asking.
If you were on flatwater, would you be fine in a V10?
The experts say I'd be smart to train flat water on a V-8.
Also, that I'd be faster in a V-8 than my V-10S - flatwater or downwind.
I believe them. They've been through the mill.
-
It's amazing how fast those K1's are on flat water. The world record for the kilometer is 3.22. That's a little over 11mph.
WR in K4 at 500 meters is over 14mph.
How fun would it be to have one of these gals for a wife. I'll bet they could throw a toaster a hundred yards. :)
Canoe Sprint World Ch 2011: Women's K-4 500 m, Final (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-jGLMe05SM#ws)
Zsolt came over from Oahu to give us a clinic. He was on the Hungarian national sprint team for 13 years. He missed the olympics in 2000 by a whisker. His team (K2 500m) took second at nationals. The winners qualified for the Sydney games, eventually winning gold. He's on ski now.
Paddling With Zsolt (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esrN9TGBhQY#ws)
-
Bill, no worries, I primarily paddle SUP. Truthfully, my posting on this "downwind" forum has me feeling like an impostor - most of my paddling lately has been flatwater practice in the marina on the ACE. No time for downwind runs and the wind here has not been great lately. But with spring coming I'm hoping for more wind and longer daylight hours to get me back in the game!
Until then I will be doing downwind runs vicariously through you guys and the Australia crew. Keep the vids coming.
LPB, one thing I noticed from your videos was that sometimes the nose of the boat seems to submerge. Is that actually happening or the is the camera angle making it look worse than it is?
Those K-4s are amazing, but I rather enjoy the C boats - looks so crazy.
-
One thing I forgot - the beauty of the regular V10 is that even though it qualifies as an "elite" ski, it is extremely stable for how fast it is. When Epic came out with the V10, its main competition was the Fenn Millennium, as very fast ski, but super tippy. I got on one briefly and said no thanks. Soon after the V10 came out, Fenn introduced its Mako 6. An interesting boat, fairly stable, and it had a ton of rocker (in ski terms). It was a fantastic boat in light downwind conditions, but in bigger bumps it could be a handful. The V10 is incredibly stable, even in pretty heavy seas.
Also, I will never have a great stroke. Ski experts would call me a hack, and they would be correct. It didn't matter, I still had a blast on it (and still do when I pull it out for paddle).
-
The submerging nose is no illusion. It goes down all too often on a windy day. Sometimes the boat is really moving. The spray over my feet is so strong i can taste the sunscreen as it gets blasted off my face. :)
Glad to hear the V10 is stable for a 17 incher. That's going to be my next boat.
My paddle went down in 1cm increments from 213 to 209 today. I also added 5 degrees to the feather, to 60. I like how it feels. It seems much easier to make quick stabs and to accelerate. Definitely a big help when downwinding. I think it will help me control the boat better. Seems to be easier to rotate too.
maliko 3-3-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9J33R2Dx3A#ws)
-
Fitted the foam inside the rudder housing today, what a huge difference! Found myself hardly touching the steering and trying to steer by rolling the boat. Also the first few strokes out through the shore break with the feet out are so much easier. Great tip - thank you LPB.
Had a funny experience today, headed up into the wind for a 4 miles before turning for the downwind run home. Wind was 10 to 15 knots and I swear I was actually accelerating down the back of the incoming waves on the way out. Coming from SUP paddling that doesn't make any sense at all, but I like it!
Bought one of the new Garmin 910XT watches and I've been fixing it onto the foot strap, easy to see and great to allow me to track to a destination or follow a course. It has a neat compass face image with a very clear pointer to show heading to the next marked point.
Hmmm faster on a V8, pretty darn sure that would apply to me too, is it ego or ignorance that makes me keep on looking at faster boats about two years before I'm ready??
-
I didn't paddle the V10S enough to remember that. The XT had a design which shed most of the water which came over the bow, and it did not end up in the cockpit. I've paddled other boats where the water coming over the top would flood the cockpit.
The V10 has that huge snout, its nearly impossible to sink the nose. Only once or twice did I ever even have a situation where the nose was being pushed down, on a huge steep bump off of Portlock. But trying to shove that massive volume under water was not an easy thing to do.
I'd recommend paddling the new Fenn ski(s) when the time to move to the next boat comes around. I understand that their new boat is very nice as well.
-
I'm anxious to try a V10 one day. But for now I'd better stick to the 10S. This past week has been all south shore. Smaller conditions are great for rotation drills. With the camera up front facing back - it's obvious that I need the help. I'll get there, it just takes time and patience. Well worth it according to the experts.
Of course when maliko starts cranking it's all about survival. Form was the last thing on my mind today. Effective bracing was the name of the game.
Huge swells and wind from the east today. Biggest conditions of the year by far.
I'll try to get some clips of the second half of the run tomorrow. But the camera will have to be on my head. No way I'm unclipping the leash to reset a cam if the wind is this big. Fell once during this run - at the end. It was not easy getting back in. Wind took my paddle and I had to swim about 10 feet for it. I tried to swim to it holding the boat, which didn't work. So I let go of the boat and prayed my leash would hold. Man, that was scary. Fun day. Very, very big out there.
maliko 3-10-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7ZwfZRxZ_c#ws)
-
Here is some of the 'second half' of today's run. E swell is still big.
My camera angle is low because the hat slides down. I'll wedge the camera up in the future.
Very happy with the ski. I chatted with the epic rep from the big island today. He's been on ski's and outrigger for 33 years. He only does ski now. He prefers the fluid motion. He's also a personal trainer and says the shoulders get a more even workout than outrigger paddling. I certainly agree. I think it's great for us older guys.
maliko 3-11-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA50gbVkh_k#ws)
-
Tropical Cyclone 'IRINA' - 68.8km/h on a Double Surfski - The Mound - Durban (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-B6R-EYU9M#ws)
-
The guys are definitely flying on that surfski! Love the way the spray is torpedoed up past the camera.
Does anyone have other gps data to compare speed coming down a wave - I've heard of speeds of 36km/h riding open ocean swells - do you accelerate that much more when coming down the face of a wave? Phenomenal stuff!
-
Clearly those guys are going super fast, but I have to wonder if 70 kph (around 40 mph) might be a bit of GPS over-exaggeration. From the video itself, I could easily buy them traveling at 30 mph, but 40 seems a bit over the top.
-
Here's the thread. The experts will eventually chime in and give their opinion.
http://www.surfski.info/forum/1-general/10565-688kmh-on-a-double-ski.html (http://www.surfski.info/forum/1-general/10565-688kmh-on-a-double-ski.html)
Personally, I'm not a big fan of garmin connect or motionX on the iphone. The graphs are difficult to zoom in on.
If I see spikes on my gps chart, I like to unsmooth the data, zoom in on a particular glide and see what's really up. Garmin training center on a pc makes it easy for a computer novice like me.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #175 on: August 20, 2011, 09:36:37 AM »
Garmin training center will smooth the data on the graph. I usually look at it smoothed because it is easier to see the big bumps.
I took a look at the glide at 49 min. unsmoothed to better understand the data. It looks to me as though there were 5 smaller waves on the face of the larger, faster moving swell. If the 5 waves were between 48 and 49 min., each 'mini' glide was about 12 seconds. This jibes well with my memory of a maliko run. It's a series of small and medium waves, hopefully on the face of a big groundswell.
Oc-1's are great for this type of action. Very little effort is needed to maintain hull speed for loooong glides. In a boat it's mainly just steering. Get the hull speed up, catch a ride on a big one, hold back, stay high and fly. Great fun.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko8-19800x284.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko8-192618x537.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko8-193624x563.jpg)
training center on google earth using a pc makes it easy to locate the point in question. The white dot indicates the time of the big spike.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko8-191800x350.jpg)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
My nikon coolpix rear display is busted, so a gopro2 is probably next. It has the ability to link garmin gps through dashware. That may be a great combo. I'm not a fan of the fisheye lens and the barrel effect - but don't have the cash for a real waterproof cam.
-
Yeah, I certainly do not qualify as an expert. I had originally posted some stuff supporting my assertion in the prior post that it couldn't be 40 mph, then realized it was all just conjecture and left only my assertion.
My family had a Ski Nautique competition style water ski boat for a while when I was in my teen years. At full throttle that boat made a little better than 40 mph. Knowing how fast that felt, and seeing the video of those guys on the double, my gut reaction was "no way" was that anywhere near 40.
Could I be entirely wrong? Absolutely. But my guesstimate is that the balance of that wave those guys caught had them traveling far closer to 30 mph than 40.
-
When I take my Garmin on snowboard trips, it sometime clocks me at 80 mph. My balls ain't that big.
-
It's certainly possible in a wave that size. Open ocean long period waves in deep water do 30-40 MPH depending on wavelength. If that water was less than 500 feet deep then the speed is more like 20-30mph, but still, they are moving at an angle to the wave--say 20 degrees, so that would be 22-34MPH
-
1P2P, the experts chimed in on surfski.info. The 68km/hr does not match the location in the video - so the paddlers were just kidding. Still a freaking fast ride, all in agreement there...
They were suggesting a speed test at Jaws or Shipstern's. I'd pay money to see that. :)
Big fun on the south shore this afternoon. The wind was exceptional.
south shore 3-12-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyQlirRG2qQ#ws)
-
Wow fantastic south shore conditions L, never seen it as wild as that.
Have you had a paddle of a V10, be very curious to know how tippy it feels compared to the V10 Sport.
Had some advice on the Surf Ski forum regarding changing the fin on the V10S to the surf eliptical fin (http://www.epickayaks.net.au/images/shop/v10-surf-rudder.jpg) apparently it makes a huge difference when down-winding, helps eliminate a lot of the broaching.
-
I see you have joined the surfski.info forum. Wow, nice job on the rack thread JC, you've started quite a battle. If I didn't know you better I'd think you were a troll. I'm tempted to join and tell everyone they're all asshats and post a picture of some v-10's on a rack sideways. :) Our epic rep does it like that. RAB is a piece of work. He knows a bit and loves to bait people. Every forum seems to have one. Rope Tom foolery indeed, I wouldn't let him get away with that one. :)
JC, the elliptical fin in your picture is standard equipment in HI. If you don't have one of those, you should get one. I have a carbon shaft one and the new stainless shaft version. The stainless is more user friendly IMO. The metal is quite malleable. I bend mine straight with my bare hands. Don't fit it too tight. The slightest bump will bend it a little - causing it to catch on the hull.
No, I've not tried a V-10. I'm gradually working to improve my form before moving to a tippier boat. The 10S is a very fast boat. Much faster than me.
Paddling hard while going left on a steep wave is still tricky for me. It may be a deeply ingrained fear of flipping on an outrigger. I'm glad to have the stability of the 10S. It's a nice feeling to know you won't go over even if you make a big mistake. And I've made some good ones lately.
I don't fall anymore, but scrub a lot of speed with poor turns. Leaning back is a natural instinct for me. It works great in outriggers. But it severely compromises your ability to use the paddle stroke for stability. Sitting tall and driving hard to get out of a tight spot is great fun when it works.
-
Jonathan, for a 17" ski the V10 is very stable. How does it compare to the V10S? It is a noticeable difference, but hard to say exactly what the differences are. Best thing to do is demo one.
Anyway, I paddled a 19" wide ski (Fenn XT) for one full season before moving to the V10. When I made the jump I knew I was ready, because the XT felt like a bathtub it was so stable.
If you almost never fall in your V10S, you are ready for the V10.
-
NW wind was not as pleasant as the recent E winds. Water was kinda choppy. The outriggers were bummed. The ski's didn't mind, we just went a little slower.
Brain damage. :)
maliko 3-13-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR9PTSdJ1Tg#ws)
-
LPB your improvement is clearly noticeable. The bracing, rolling the boat, etc. Experts would still bitch about the mechanics of your stroke but the comfort in the water comes through the video.
Question - did you think 3 months ago that you would be at the level you are now? Was it easier or more difficult than you expected?
-
Good questions, thanks for the compliments.
I took a look at video from a few months ago and don't have good answers. It might help to say I'm obsessive about details and have a tough time looking past my weaknesses and errors.
One thing I'm sure of, for ME anyhow, is that proper technique is worth emulating to the best of MY ability. It takes balance to generate power on a ski. I don't have it yet, but it's getting better.
I switched to ski from oc-1 because I didn't have the patience or discipline to develop proper balance - too much cheating on the ama. It's hard to resist here on Maui because the downwind scene is so huge. It's always a friggin' race.
I was hanging ok with mid-packers, but getting severely thrashed by guys in their 60's and skinny girls. They do it with balance. That's my goal. As you know, the ski encourages it. And the rewards are huge.
-
I changed the universal fin to the elipical fin on my V10S, thanks to my friend Mark. It's a better fin, even if you don't do downwinders on Maui.
-
LPB, I remember having those same thoughts when I was contemplating switching over to ski, and asking the guy who convinced me. He told me "its no big deal..." I guess he was right.
JC, the elliptical fin in your picture is standard equipment in HI. If you don't have one of those, you should get one. I have a carbon shaft one and the new stainless shaft version. The stainless is more user friendly IMO. The metal is quite malleable. I bend mine straight with my bare hands. Don't fit it too tight. The slightest bump will bend it a little - causing it to catch on the hull.
Agree, I have never seen an Epic boat here with anything other than that elliptical fin. (My XT came with a tiny swept back fin that was close to useless in downwinders - if you have something like that it is only good for flat water.) The original rudder which came in the V10 was the carbon shaft variety, which as I posted about a while ago snapped earlier this year near the end of a run and dropped the remaining portion (actually most of) the rudder into the ocean. Trying to go anywhere in the ski without a rudder is very difficult.
So I bought a replacement for about a hundred bucks and the stainless shaft version showed up. I think that is probably a more appropriate material for the rudder shaft, even if it weighs a touch more. The only problem is the shaft is too long for me to put that cap back on the boat, so the cap is permanently removed.
Other than that, I absolutely love the V10. Even when I hadn't paddled it for 6 months, I could not bring myself to sell it. I took it out last night for a windy marina paddle and cranked around for an hour. What a blast.
-
LPB, I remember having those same thoughts when I was contemplating switching over to ski, and asking the guy who convinced me. He told me "its no big deal..." I guess he was right.
That's not really what I was thinking, but now that you mention it, moving into ski really is no big deal. I'm living proof. If I can do it, anyone can.
Slater Trout was in the MCKC 3 sisters race last Saturday - in ski. Rumor has it that Slater may be learning ski to compete in some lifeguard type races. He really gets around, maybe it's for a competition downunder or S. Africa.
-
maliko 3-16-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HYpwxpe0Fs#ws)
-
Da fish were rad... very rad.. thanks again LPB
-
I hate to admit it, but after doing a "race" today (typical Hawaii Kai run course) and it was a typical lame wind-but-no-bumps grind, I got a bit resentful at how fortunate the guys in Maui are for downwind.
I'm thinking I should start taking the V10 around Makapu, that is the only run that rivals Maliko on Oahu, but unfortunately it has a mile long prelude to paddle out and around Makapu, then a mean backwash-cross chop for a large portion of the run across the mouth of Hanauma. Great practice, but not as many unfettered open ocean glides as Maliko.
Makapu would provide great footage, I should try to get my camera set up going.
-
A ski guy in his 70's had a rough day today. Rumor has it he had to swim in to kanaha. Apparently the paramedics took him in for observation. More info if I get any.
An oc-1 busted a cable and may have lost his boat. Nobody hurt seriously. It always causes a lot of concern when paddlers have trouble. I guess everything is ok until it isn't.
After all that a friend calls later in the day and wonders If I heard anything, and by the way he's watching a smashed boat wash up on the rocks. :(
maliko 3-17-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGIaS-2UdzE#ws)
-
LPB... makes me appreciate all the things you do and have as equipment for back up. I was stoked to hear they found Doug, another Hang gliding pal, before I launched for my run with Keith. Put me in a much better state of mind.
-
Just watched the vid in 1080p... WOW. Of course that early start made for excellent light and the second to the last clip was unreal... breaking waves and big drops. Loved it. Pretty cool to see your timing and little paddle adjustments.
-
Glad you like the videos HM.
The camera allows me to examine the run and notice mistakes. The view from behind is very helpful after the run.
maliko 3-18-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctBCg0AU5lo#ws)
-
Beautiful weather and conditions. I also like the aspect that camera location gives; the only issue is that the see-sawing horizon is a bit unsettling.
A necessary evil of surf ski maybe.
-
Youtube has a free image stabilizer. It has a scale of 1 to 10 to choose from, this version is on 2. If you look closely, the sky bends around like a funhouse mirror. The 10 version is smoother, but the distortion is more severe. The picture is smaller too.
If the original scrolling text is any indication, this version is a lot smoother than the original. I chose 2 because I wanted to see the white boat moving around. The boat is almost gone at 3 and the picture continues to shrink as the number goes up.
maliko 3-18-12, stabilized @ 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNTT3aYpGbU#ws)
-
Very trippy man...
I think its asking a lot for any image stabilizer program to try to normalize a video where the horizon is swaying back and forth like that.
This is one area where the headcam excels in comparison to the camera mounted on the boat.
-
Yes, I agree, the warping images are odd. You should see them on level 10.
The swaying horizon didn't distract me until you mentioned it. My focus is on form and the behavior of the swells. I'm grateful for your input, it led me to the youtube editor. The editor allows a side by side preview witht the original. Imo, it's a huge improvement.
This south shore run was much calmer than a typical maliko run. I ran it through the youtube editor on +1 for stabilizing. It was an overcast day. Brightness and contrast are also set at +1.
I'm glad to see the rolling of the boat.
It helps me understand how important anticipating the swell can be. Relaxed and easy is the key to going fast, but you gotta be going the right direction!
south shore 3-12-12 stabilized +1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=norl7RkK-Rs#ws)
-
Holy crap, what a day you had. Possibly the best conditions I've seen. Envious I missed that one. Loved the storm cloud over Kahoolawe and cloud street to Wailea. Awesome day for you LPB. Reminds me that the south shore on the right day is a real treat. What do you mean by exceptional wind? 30-40? Video always takes a little steam out of the surface (wind) appearance but it was easy to see the grooves in the swell. IMO I'd leave out the image stabilization. Maybe I'm used to a rolling horizon but warp is worse to watch. This one is perfectly set.
-
/What do you mean by exceptional wind? 30-40?/
Yes, that sounds about right. Maliko vids get their windspeed from the airport tower. South shore is a guess. That was a 9 of 10 day.
IMO I'd leave out the image stabilization.
Ok. The originals will go here, both versions will be on youtube.
-
Hey L, thanks for putting all the time into the videos and experimenting. Must admit, I'm with Headmount on this one and prefer the unadulterated original. You get such excellent clarity with your camera it seems a shame to lose that, funny I hadn't noticed the horizon moving until it was pointed out! Guess I was focussed on the water state and your paddling too, vicarious Maliko down winding with LPB :)
-
I agree that the quality of the video is better without the stabilization. So long as I focus on the boat and not concentrate on the horizon the videos are fine. For whatever reason the other day the see-sawing horizon caught my attention.
Sent from my BlackBerry 9670 using Tapatalk
-
I really appreciate the ski banter in this thread. I frequent the surfskiinfo forum as well but the vibe in this thread is more....approachable. The guys over there have been real helpful and have always welcomed me into a thread but they are waaaay more knowledgable about the craft than I am. LPB, I am sure you have been following the threads by Rob and the others regarding their recent experiences with the V10S and Fenn Swordfish as compared to the elite skis. They seem to be pretty sold on the advantage of the intermediate skis vs. the elite skis in anything other than flat conditions. My personal plan is to move to a lightweight version of an intermediate ski in the next year. My road bike experience tells me that the weight does make a big difference. Not sure how the lighter layups will translate on the ski but I plan to find out.
I have posted here before that I am a FL boy stuck in TN right now. My work has brought me here and while it is a beautiful place the fact is that I miss the saltwater so much. Part of the allure for me is the unpredictability and changing conditions you encounter in saltwater. The rivers and lakes around TN are pretty but not much challenge. I hope to use my time here to work on stroke,form and endurance. In fact I plan to enter an 80 mile race on the river being organized in the Knoxville area. LPB, I paddle a V8 and cannot say enough good things about it. And at home in FL I really appreciate the stability especially on those days with a lot of side chop. Anyway, I just really appreciate you guys sustaining this thread and cannot tell you how often I watch your videos to remind me of paddling in saltwater conditions. Although my FL home waters are not as interesting as your Maui waters.
-
I frequent the surfskiinfo forum/ /The guys over there have been real helpful /
Agree, particularly with safety ideas. Ski's are bad news when things go wrong.
LPB, I am sure you have been following the threads by Rob and the others regarding their recent experiences with the V10S and Fenn Swordfish as compared to the elite skis. They seem to be pretty sold on the advantage of the intermediate skis vs. the elite skis in anything other than flat conditions.
Yes, it's great to hear them reinforce the idea that technique is so important.
The more I practice, the more I realize that rotation is everything. My gps numbers are proving it. I can't do it on downwinders yet, unless everything is lined up perfect. Still very hard to get that high horizontal recovery and pause, which is, of course a balance issue. V10S is almost too much for me at this point. Still great fun to hack around though.
My personal plan is to move to a lightweight version of an intermediate ski in the next year.// Not sure how the lighter layups will translate on the ski but I plan to find out.
Light is the way to go. Resale is better too.
I wish the think boats were available here. Those guys are trying harder than epic, IMO.
-
So it's spring now, but still seemed like deep winter today. Big roll out there and a significant groundswell which crossed up the surface quite a bit. I went with Pono and RainWaves, visiting from Alaska. RainWaves did increasingly better as the run went on and finished like a champ. He picked quite a day for his first Maliko run and was able to snag some great glides. I was stoked not to get my ass kicked like I did last week. No broken cords today and it was within the range of possibilities if you made a mistake. We had one feather right under us. RainWaves remarked that it seemed large and I told him to keep paddling, we can discuss that stuff when we're on the beach. I'm sure he's enjoying a beer right about now.
-
So it's spring now, but still seemed like deep winter today. Big roll out there and a significant groundswell/
/We had one feather right under us. RainWaves remarked that it seemed large and I told him to keep paddling, we can discuss that stuff when we're on the beach.
Sage advice. Those were some big swells today.
Some fast ski guys told me to stay outside. As predicted, pier one was stacking up real high. I was glad to be on the outside line coming in. It was fast, fun and safe.
They passed me about 4 miles into the run. They were inside of me at that point and later said I was smart to be way out. They had a few feather under them.
Today was the first time I gps'ed maliko on a ski. The temptation to start pushing the conditions is growing. Gps will only make it worse. Ski's can motor on those big swells. Super fun, but too far in is hazardous.
The yellow line is a potential swim, 2.25 miles.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko3-22-12600x258.jpg)
-
Funny angle to the waves today, made them especially tricky, but good for glides. I thought we were out plenty far at Camp One and Kanaha but I had one nearly get me at the east end of Kanaha reef and one even closer when I thought we were out of the danger zone and starting to turn in (we came in at the oil tanks). Then I decided I wanted to surf through lower Kanaha so I angled while Bill and Pete went for the Triangle Channel. Didn't work very well, my board was rounding up with a sticky rudder. Got punted, but not a big deal.
-
That's pretty far out, literally and figuratively and you know there were moments where I wished I was that far out today. And folks, LPB's yellow line is probably pretty accurate for a potential swim. I was just mentioning to LPB the other day that swim googles and at least one swim fin is a good idea. I've got to get that together. Know I could do the distance but it'd be a whole lot easier with goggles and a fin. Not that much weight penalty for a ton of security. Plus you'd have to have your eyes not cooked from salt water to look up once in awhile to make sure a wndsrfr or ktbrdr isn't about to run you over.
Fun huh?
-
I had been waiting for almost a year now to come here and make this run, and what a day it was! Beautiful Maui weather: Sunny skies, strong winds and a big Ocean lump. Vey humbling to say the least :o
Many thanks to Bill (Headmount) for taking me along, and very cool to have Pono Bill come with us, (finally got to try a Ke Nalu paddle, athough struggling to stay upright may not have been the best conditions to "feel the magic". But, they sure are light!). I can't count how many times I went for a swim (50-60+), and at times it felt like I was seeing more of the bottom of my board than the top ;D
I have never padlled on my knees once since I started doing this great activity (a year plus), but I spent probably 1/3 to 1/2 of my time yesterday that way: getting out of the mouth of the bay (resembled the inside of a washing maching), spitting back out the ocean after a fall, re-grouping and resting. I did start to get my Sea-legs after a while, and got in a few nice glides from time to time. Wicked fun for sure! Lots of cool sights out there, plus a zillion windsurfers and Kite boarders thrown in, but no time to play tourist, as I was busy tyring to stay on my feet.
I did take my GoPro along, and have lots of editing to do before I come up with a "highlights" video. As others here on the forum have pointed out, video really does flatten out the size of ocean swells and conditions. The only time you can get a sense for how big it was is when Bill is ahead of me, and dissapears from view over the horizon as the swells roll under us.
And yes, that cold Beer when I got back to the condo sure was refreshing! (along with some asprin for by banged up knees). Good times for sure, and much respect for those who make it look so easy in all these videos!
-
Can't wait to see the vid.. :)
What board were you on?
DJ
-
He was on my 14'6" made by Richard Greene, famous for designing the windsurf line for JP. It's six years old and still hasn't gained any weight (but it was born at 35 lbs). Carbon on both sides, doomed deck. I used it until two years ago when I switched to a rudder board but it's a great downwinder. Almost flat tail rocker, and the nose rocker is off the template MR used for SIC 16's. Only drawback is the 35 lb weight which is heavy for a board that length. But when it blows hard out here, it's a Cadillac at 28 in wide. Perfect board for someone doing their first downwinder. Richard makes his living off of making helicopter parts these days so it's a one of a kind. RainWaves caught some big glides yesterday. Tall guy, around 6'3" so he had a high CG and had to get his sea legs at first but he did.
Today was 26-38mph with the swell still giving us some fast heart beats and big drops. Pono and I went and getting out of the gulch was a a real washing machine today. We were going to go to the oil tanks but we called my wife, while we were still out in the ocean off Kanaha and told her we were changing plans and going into the harbor. Cracked me up making a call out in the wild blue. How decadent is that? Anyway we were glad we did because that two miles before the harbor mouth was as good as it gets. But inside the harbor there was a tug by the Matson barge spewing a ton of fumes... so we paid.
-
Pete did great. I've taken people out on Maliko runs that did the whole run on their knees. He got some great glides and was stoked the whole way, though I did note that he wasn't ready for lap 2. And it might take a few days for his eyes to get normal size. Watching a 25 foot swell come rolling at you with the top feathering has a certain excitement about it,
Glad we didn't have anyone else along today. I don't know about Mr. HM, but I was paddling for my life at camp one. The swells were breaking hard and even pitching out a bit way out on my chicken line. No such thing as a safe line today. The swells were really steep. Tons of fun, and lots of long, deep drops with plenty of time to read the water and look for the best place to run to. Not the fastest run ever, but way fun. My GPS says 1:36 from outside Maliko to the jetty, including a few minutes spent deciding whether to go in at the tanks, and then calling Shirley.
Fun, fun run. And of course the first thing we did when we got back to Bill's house was talk about tomorrow's run. This is one heavy duty addiction.
Oh, one other thing. I stuck an Elite Molokai blade on a Ke Nalu xTuf shaft. Oh my God, I love this paddle. Absolutely launches you into the swells, and it's super easy on the body. My crap shoulders feel warm and good. I let Bill try it but I snatched it back before he could get too fond of it. We're going to have to offer this thing, I just need to figure out what to call the recipe. Maybe a Molokai Downwinder.
-
New personal record on the south shore, 39:03 to the beach. Beat old oc-1 mark by 40 seconds. This segment was 9.6 mph. If I could hold this pace for the 9 miles of maliko it would be a 56:15.
south shore 3-23-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uObaxSx5TGM#ws)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore3-24-12700x272.jpg)
-
Looked like the last part of our run yesterday, towards the harbor entrance... without scary pier one.
-
Fun maliko today. Strong E wind and a swell from somewhere up north. I chose to play it safe outside. Clips begin at sprecks - the white dot on the red line. They finish soon after, across upper kanaha. As the vid shows, the swells are super fun even way out to sea.
Ski's are great for coming in from an outstde line. Oc-1's can be challenging with the ama on the left. White water blasted me on the side a few times but no falls. Great fun.
maliko 3-24-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGlmqNUG-Ng#ws)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko3-24-12700x279.jpg)
-
The beginning looked like the crazy pitching swells from yesterday. Wonder what's doing that? The water is over 30-50 feet deep in most of that area. I don't understand how the swells can be pitching out and breaking in the open ocean.
-
My line is very close to the 20 fathom line on this chart.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/fathoms700x637.jpg)
Here's the link to the depth chart.
http://www.nauticalchartsonline.com/n.c/Charts/chartViewer.html?viewChart=19342 (http://www.nauticalchartsonline.com/n.c/Charts/chartViewer.html?viewChart=19342)
I like this link for windswell behavior.
http://www.surfline.com/surf-science/how-do-we-get-surf---forecaster-blog_56731/ (http://www.surfline.com/surf-science/how-do-we-get-surf---forecaster-blog_56731/)
-
Nice footage LPB. I find myself leaning with you sometimes while I watch. I had a nice little run (FL style) yesterday when, for maybe the first time, I found myself in a pretty strong downwind condition and never once felt like I was going to be swimming. I thought about your earlier statement regarding the difficulty maintaining proper rotation in your stroke while _working_ the conditions. I was trying to keep my rotation but found myself doing a fair amount of arm paddling. Always fun when you get such a push that when you reach out for a catch it feels like the wing fell off the end of the shaft because there is no resistance on the paddle. Damn that's fun. Oh well, back to TN and flatwater paddling tomorrow. Will be in the endurance mode the next month or so while I prepare for this 80 mile race. It's a bummer too as these are some of the best weeks in FL for windy conditions. Don't get many downwind opportunities during the summer in FL.
-
After a stretch of very strong winds, today was mellow in comparison... 20-30 but very clean and easy to manage. Went with a group of 7 SUPs and we all stayed fairly close. Pretty fun. Saw LPB's orange cap way off on the outside of us when he would top a crest and then he'd disappear again. Groundswell lowered but still present but surface wasn't very crossed up. Cruise ship was in so it was an oil tanks day for us.
MCKC race this weekend from Keanae (long course) and Maliko (short course). You got to hand it to the guys that go long course. Aside from the extra miles, the water surface can be pretty lumpy- backwashy.
-
The Kaenae race is about a month away, HM. They had 22 boats do it yesterday for fun. They've done it a few times this year.
I saw you launch ahead of me, and was hoping to zip over and say hi, but the glides distracted me.
Glad you like the videos Eric. keep working on that rotation as much as possible. It will pay off big when you start downwinding again.
Conditions were lighter today. Clips are from early in the run. Glare was strong today, so I didn't shoot the second half of the run. It was a smoker. Record time in a ski. Closing in on my oc-1 times, hope to beat them this summer. Great fun.
maliko3-25-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-ClnXbOCYw#ws)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko3-25-12700x294.jpg)
-
LPB... Do you think there is any way to overlay our google map routes with this depth chart?
Sorry about the race info. Someone told me that I thought was reliable. Perhaps they meant the fun race.
-
If there is an easy way to overlay our garmin path with the depth chart I'd love to hear it. The depth numbers in my previous posts were scaled by hand.
The chart is interesting at pier one. That bump has mowed a few canoes over the years.
Google earth recently updated the picture on the south shore. The previous version was on a calm day and gave a good view of the reef. The new picture is on a windy day - no more reef.
-
The chart is also interesting for showing the outer Kanaha wave that pops up now and then in a big swell. It must be that big shelf. It's further west than I thought it would be.
I did a south side run yesterday from the boardwalk to Makena Landing with Gary who runs a surf school on Nantucket. Took along my old 12'6" starboard for him, which works really well in that super-short period swell. I didn't want to take him on a Maliko without seeing how he did, but he'd be fine, we should have done it. Especially since the north shore looks like a lake this morning.
-
The first 5 minutes of this clip is an average speed of 9.9 mph. I wish I could hold that speed longer. Great fun. South shore was good today.
south shore 3-26-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKysXMGGNJU#ws)
1.8 miles out, 3 mile swim.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore3-26-12700x338.jpg)
-
Wind speed guess? Victor checked in afternoon at Sudas and thought it was a tad offshore around the launch.
-
My Son and I hiked up the Lahina Pali trail this morning, then cut uphill on one of the "logging roads" in search of a better view down towards Ma'alaea bay. Goregeous up there, and the variety of vegetation was something else. The road we were on went up into the clouds (almost even with the highest Windmills, damn, those things are huge :o!), then looped back down under the power lines to where we started from.
Here is a different perspective from the "birdseye view", for those who aren't familiar with the area:
-
Wind speed guess? Victor checked in afternoon at Sudas and thought it was a tad offshore around the launch.
Probably 20-30mph.
Today was another fun one.
south shore 3-27-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv4Q5DC_FBw#ws)
-
Did a southside with Rod Parmenter, it was pretty good.
-
Rain Waves... that was a great pic, thanks. Those old roads up there used to be the old way to Lahaina before 1951. In the late 1800s there used to be the Hawaiian equivalent of highwaymen that would ambush sole travelers on that road. Makes you appreciate police. We take for granted being able to travel roads safely these days. However cell coverage is sketchy along that Pali.
-
LPB, a couple of questions. First, in your most recent vid from the 27 th you mentioned that your calf leash was toast and you were using the coiled leash behind. What is it anchored to? I'm always screwing with this in my mind as I really dislike the footwell being so full of cable. Second, what GPS are you using? Do you have it secured to the bungees in the fore of the cockpit? Or does the V10S have the bungee setup? A shot of your cockpit would be cool with your setup as it is when you are paddling. Thanks.
Really enjoyed the vid from the 27th and it seemed a little calmer than some of the recent Maliko's. Looks like you had some nice pushes. Is your lay back a holdover from the OC. Or am I just using bad form by not doing that? Then again, I certainly do not get that kind of following sea when I am home in FL. Our stuff is more often pretty choppy.
-
Here's a fun Maliko run Jeremy Riggs and I did 3/24/2012. Small craft advisory 10 - 12 foot sea's.
Paddled outside a bit. Go Pro mounted on the rear of my F16 and using 4 different angles on our way down. I'm liking the rear and side facing angles the best so far, still experimenting. Jeremy is piloting the SIC Bullet and demonstrating why he is one of the fast guy's... skill and grace on display. Fun to watch him whip a 17'4" board around effortlessly, and always in total control. I always enjoy watching Jeremy practice his art. Hope you enjoy!
Select 720p or better then watch full screen for optimal enjoyment.
A Maliko Downwinder Featuring SIC Maui - The Bullet & the F16 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW6dB2Hg9xg&context=C4c17445ADvjVQa1PpcFP6LE5hO1-dVxEjPvj-OrQpxivYeYqDHi0=#ws)
-
Sure has been good lately. 24th was amazing though 23rd was crazier. I was talking to Kathy yesterday at the end of a run from Boardwalk to Sorrentos and she said it was right at the outer edge of what she feels comfortable with. That's really saying something, she's really good.
I looked at her new Foote Maliko 14. It can't weigh more than ten pounds.
That camera angle works really well. Funny how you don't really get an idea of the wave sizes until you pause the video to a still picture. Then it looks nuts.
Jeremy just flat out pisses me off. He makes it look so easy and smooth.
The video reminds me that there's a good reason the first thing Bill tells newbies is "don't look back".
-
Perfect combo with you two. The faster guy should follow so that the action comes at you and gets bigger. That was great. I'm going to use that angle. Liked the music also. On a sunny day that's going to look fantastic.
-
Nice video Randy. That gopro2 looks good.
First, in your most recent vid from the 27 th you mentioned that your calf leash was toast and you were using the coiled leash behind. What is it anchored to?
A leash string through one of the star thingies that holds down the cargo bungees.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2012-03-28001669x700-1.jpg)
Second, what GPS are you using? Do you have it secured to the bungees in the fore of the cockpit?
The strap is built up with some foam to hold the 305 watchband.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2012-03-28002700x651-1.jpg)
Looks like you had some nice pushes. Is your lay back a holdover from the OC. Or am I just using bad form by not doing that?
Leaning way back isn't good form. It decreases your ability to balance the ski with the paddle stroke.
-
Perfect combo with you two. The faster guy should follow so that the action comes at you and gets bigger. That was great. I'm going to use that angle. Liked the music also. On a sunny day that's going to look fantastic.
Thanks Bill, yeah that angle helps to show the face of the bumps better I think. Also using multiple angles makes it bit more interesting especially with the longer clips eh? I'm pretty stoked with the new GoPro, it can do 3 fields of view (wide, medium and narrow). I used the med, It's seems to be more like a regular camera FOV.
Oh yeah, and having Jeremy in the frame almost guarantees good things will happen, you can see how he slows down to stay in view of the camera. It was fun for me because I just paddled like hell and I didn't have to worry if about running away from him...Ha!
Thanks for the thumbs up brah!! I love your vids!!
Randy
-
The strap is built up with some foam to hold the 305 watchband.
Hey, no fair! Every video you post makes we want a surfski. With that photo of the Garmin 305 (which I do have) you might as well have captioned it, "Hey, PDX, here's what your 305 would look like in your new surfski".
There's one sitting in a kayak shop a couple hundred yards from my house. Now I'm going to start thinking, "Well, I already have the gps, and the leash, and the carabiner and the string....".
-
LPB, thanks for the response. Amazing how much deeper the bucket is on your boat than in my V8. I am going to have a little stash of money to play with soon and the plan was to buy a new 14' board but I wonder if I can resist a faster ski? I like the idea on the leash, I may try that myself. Do you use any type of paddle leash. I know some guys I paddle with in FL use ONLY a paddle cord and swear they never let go of their paddle. Having watched my boat sizzle across the top of the water away from me, I would never trust that. Thankfully it was blowing into a sandbar. Thanks for the photos.
Eric
-
PDX, go buy the ski. You will love it. Mine has really become my _go to_choice on the water. With all these new intermediate skis there really is no reason not to do it. What kind have you looked at?
-
Here's a fun Maliko run Jeremy Riggs and I did 3/24/2012. Small craft advisory 10 - 12 foot sea's.
Paddled outside a bit. Go Pro mounted on the rear of my F16 and using 4 different angles on our way down. I'm liking the rear and side facing angles the best so far, still experimenting. Jeremy is piloting the SIC Bullet and demonstrating why he is one of the fast guy's... skill and grace on display. Fun to watch him whip a 17'4" board around effortlessly, and always in total control. I always enjoy watching Jeremy practice his art. Hope you enjoy!
Select 720p or better then watch full screen for optimal enjoyment.
A Maliko Downwinder Featuring SIC Maui - The Bullet & the F16 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW6dB2Hg9xg&context=C4c17445ADvjVQa1PpcFP6LE5hO1-dVxEjPvj-OrQpxivYeYqDHi0=#ws)
Great video. That freeze frame of Jeremy on top of that monster wave was really something. Good ideas on the different video cam angles.
-
In 720p and full screen I really get the feeling of a real Maliko instead of the usual flatter look most angles and cameras create. This shot from right around 6:15 in nearly dizzying in full screen. Very cool video. Do you mind if I share this on Ke Nalu?
(http://www.kenalu.com/wp-content/uploads/kenalupics/malpic.jpg)
-
ericspin--The one at the shop is an Epic--V8, I think, or possibly V10 Sport. I purposely stay away, since a surfski would wipe out my $$$ I need for more important things like a new fin, Ke Nalu paddle and taxes. I see several skis on the river here--almost all Epics--V8, V10, V10 Sport.
In the meantime, I have a relatively narrow kayak, so I paddle that occasionally, and pretend it's a surfski. It's also white, which helps with the illusion. And since I have the kayak already, I'd want a surfski that was signficantly more challenging--since I haven't ever paddled one, I don't know if that means any surfski, or maybe I'd pass over something like the V8 and go to something the next level up. It's all flatwater (unless I go up to the Gorge). Whatever the one in the shop was (most likely a V8) the owner said I'd have no trouble going from my kayak to that.
In the meantime, I'm loving this thread.
-
In 720p and full screen I really get the feeling of a real Maliko instead of the usual flatter look most angles and cameras create. This shot from right around 6:15 in nearly dizzying in full screen. Very cool video. Do you mind if I share this on Ke Nalu?
(http://www.kenalu.com/wp-content/uploads/kenalupics/malpic.jpg)
Aloha Bill, of course you can post it.... I'd love it to get out there! It might be cool to let people know that Jeremy is available for guides and coaching, did you see Jeremy's version of the same run? You can find it at thejeremyriggs you tube page. It's a lot shorter at around 3 min. I like showing some paddling and I'm trying to give the viewer a sense of the size out there, maybe post both... the extended version and the shorter version?
You might ask Jeremy if he wants his name and contact info out there as far as the coaching and guiding goes, I would think he would.
Anyway Mahalo for the positive review!!
PS... I'm using the Blur Fix Lens from Snake River Prototyping. It's a standard size flat lens so you can use different lens filters, thinking about trying a polarized lens for those sunny days shooting into the sun. Also it has a slot built in so you can put in anti fogging beads inside the lens housing. So far I've had no fogging issues using this. Now looking for something to keep the water from clinging to the lens. If you have any suggestion other than RainX please let me know. On this run I used the lick it and dip it method. It seemed to work well until I pointed the camera forward, it did OK but I wish it wouldn't be an issue at all. I've been hearing about super hydrophobic coatings that repel water. Not sure if someone is offering this in a bottle that you could apply yourself? Sure would be nice to get that issue resolved.
Mahalo!!
-
I keep getting Shanghaied by work but yesterday on the way to Kihei, I took some pics of Maalaea Bay. From top to bottom is from left to right side as you would look out to sea from above Maalaea. Trying to show the gap between the tip of Maui and Molokini crater and then the gap between Molokini and Kahoolawe. THese two gaps are what you want to avoid... the goal being to skirt the left shoreline of Maui. The last pic is a close up of the run area.
-
And for the overall POV, I'll reinsert RainWaves pic he took from up high. This is the south side run on Maui.
-
Here's another shot from farther down the ridge that catches everything above. Also, a question: is Kahoolawe still "off limits"? I saw what looked to be a very big sandy beach out on the Western end from up there.
-
Yes it is off limits. There are still safety issues with unexploded ordinance from when they used to use the island for bomb practice. They won't even let you anchor close to shore. But if you ever have the option of going ashore on Kahoolawe vs continuing on out that gap, then go ashore. You might be in trouble but you'd get to live.
-
Do you use any type of paddle leash. I know some guys I paddle with in FL use ONLY a paddle cord and swear they never let go of their paddle.
From what I've read, a paddle leash will act like a brake if the boat gets away. Some also say that a leg leash - paddle leash combo can be dangerous if they tangle. Personally, I prefer to be connected to the boat. I've dropped the paddle in big conditions and had to release my grasp on the boat and swim to it. It was not fun. You should spend time over on surfski.info for safety advice. I'm new to this sport. The cold water guys have the best ideas.
The veterans over on surfski.info are adamant about a leash. A recent thread had RAB complaining about the hassle of a leg leash. 'Too short, prevents me from bla bla bla...' He's been around and should be more sensitive to the fact that new paddlers search the forums for advice and may take his words out of context. He stepped on a landmine with that post (probably intentionally) and the vets called him out.
My guess is that many of the top paddlers avoid forums because they don't want to entice a novice out in hazardous conditions. 'Wow, that guy did a channel solo with no support, I think I'll try that too"...
Here's a classic example from the wayback machine. Wind was scheduled to be epic for about 10 days when our grand poohbah posted this. The MCKC Kaenae race was soon. I was in oc-1 and planned on attempting it. I was a first timer, terrified and rightfully so.
I want to do a run from Kaenae on a SUP sooner or later, maybe sooner is sooner.
In my opinion, that's an extremely difficult task on an SUP. Paddlers with ten times my ability have told me they will never do it again. Apparently, 10 miles of side on trades and disorganised open ocean swell is very tough to navigate on a standup.
My fears were justified. I did the race, but it was no race for me - mere survival. The white water pushed me off my seat several times. Oc-1's are much safer than standups in those conditions. It's a 25 mile run with rock cliffs the first half. PB wouldn't have made 5 miles.
-
Agree with LPB as to using the leg leash. In heavy conditions, I would only accept my body (via my ankle) being tethered to the boat. A heavy enough wipeout could separate me from my boat and rip the paddle out of my hands, and if that happened I could be SOL - without a paddle or a boat.
Yeah its a bitch when you flop out and the leash gets wrapped around the bottom on the ski, but it sure is reassuring that (without failure of the leash) the boat can go no further than the end of the leash.
In the marina I will take the leash off. Even if I fell (not likely) the boat will not get away from me.
-
Sweet video Randy. That was fun to watch. I'm dying to get out ther someday and that gave me the best sense yet of what I could be in for...wahhooo!
-
Thanks for the leash talk. Please don't misunderstand me though....I NEVER go out without my calf leash....NEVER. As a very new ski paddler I ventured out one day without the leash and it turned into a very nasty day. I had several getoffs I really sketch conditions and vowed that would never happen again. I now wrap my leash around my paddle so I will not forget it. Just curious about others preferences and why. LPB, I frequent the surfski.info forum several times a day and participate often. I witnessed the RAB thread. But he's always stepping off in it.
-
I assumed you wore your leash all the time eric.
I was prompted to switch from a calf leash to the rear mount for a few reasons. Primarily because I was unclipping to reset the camera. Now I can swim back without unclipping. Also, If I ever get nailed in shorebreak, (unlikely) the leash will stretch far enough to keep the ski from killing me, yet let me have some control over it. With the coiled leash, I enter and exit the water clipped in.
Some of my landings are in populated surf zones. It's mild, and safe, but I try to assume the worst. Clipping out, losing a grip on the ski and watching it mow some kids over is a fate worse than death.
For any oc-1 fans, the storm is here. Unidirectional carbon, seamless construction.
Light, strong and polished in every detail. Finest boat I've ever seen.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2012-03-29001700x193.jpg)
-
Pono came by late this morning. Looked grim out front of my place on the north shore. We chatted for a bit and then decided to check the web cam on south side. Took forever for the cam to load but it did and conditions looked surprisingly good in the face of a poor forecast. A confirmation call to LPB and we loaded up fast. The run was great.
I love this modern age. I've spent many years and hours driving around this island fruitlessly searching for waves and to be able to access info and rally quickly is pretty damn cool. Also appreciate PBill who is always ready to roll and LPB who is a great south shore spotter. Talked to LPB later and he did twice our distance. Everything was clicking today, firing on all cylinders. Great day.
-
Sweet video Randy. That was fun to watch. I'm dying to get out ther someday and that gave me the best sense yet of what I could be in for...wahhooo!
Super glad you enjoyed it Stoneaxe!! For sure a classic run. I'm jonesing for another smoker.
-
Here is a google earth picture of today's run, boardwalk to makena landing. The red x is up high where RainWaves was hiking. The yellow x is molokini. The island upper right is Kahoolawe.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore3-29-12700x343.jpg)
-
how was the wind on that run,did it turn against you past Sarento's?
-
about leashes,on a downwinder,don't fxxk around,wear one,and calf leashes are only safe with surfboards and small sups,more volume than that,as a wave crashes on you and pulls on the leash,your calf muscle compresses,the leash slips right off,now your board or oc-1 is gone with the wind,wear it around the ankle.you can tie the leash to the cuff by removing the screw with a FCS wrench and passing the string through the hole,that way it doesn't interfere if you are on a oc-1.
Speaking about oc-1,how is that Storm on a downwinder.My concern is that as light as it is supposed to be(15lbs?),there is not enough momentum to catch the bumps.yeah,it will fly when paddling on a flat day,but how well does it do on a downwinder,connecting the bumps? any feedback appreciated.
-
Wind was very good through makena.
Excellent advice on the calf leash slipping. It's happened to me a few times. Just like you say, it went right over my foot in a flash.
The storm belongs to Jono. It was his first time on it. I didn't ask him how it goes.
Not sure what they weigh, but it's light.
-
mahalo La Perouse
-
Well this video doesn't really have any right being in a post that has 'smokin' and 'Maliko' in the title but here goes anyway. It was fun and gentle and a great way to start the day out on the water with a buddy...
Dawn downwinder with Mike (http://vimeo.com/39549121)
-
Good one JC. Looks like you are enjoying the ski. I was chuckling to myself as the video progressed and your speed kept going up. 'He's hooked, no going back now.' Ha Ha.
No worries about posting here, this is now the unofficial ski thread. :)
Keep the videos coming. Great for training aren't they?
Speaking of smokin' maliko, today was 10 of 10. Unfortunately, my camera was tough to reset. My rear display is toasted, so I rely on the beeps to let me know if it's filming. It was so windy I couldn't hear clearly - missed the entire run. Tomorrow should be a bit lighter, I'll try again.
-
Couple years ago it smoked like today on the last day of March... out like a lion and it roared today. Was stoked I rested yesterday. Wind blew in my window, hard, all night long. Woke up to it fully blasting by 8 am, with ocean surface in front of my place at least 50% white caps which always looks like solid white. Realized this might be a day to do two runs. There is always talk of channel crossings and I knew if I were doing anything other than whistling dixie, then I better find out if I can still do two runs, which at roughly 20 miles, still isn't the mileage of any of the channel crossings. I've done two before but not in a few years and at a much slower pace than I go at now. You know you get older and you never know when you might start sliding backwards.
Pono is older than me and was up for it and along with two other pals we were launched by 10:30Am with two trucks waiting at the finish. Earliest start I've ever had. We saw the 8-10' swell along with the white sea and knew we were in for a ride and it was in one word.... intense. Constant focus right out of the gate, navigating between the wash cycle at the mouth of the gulch and a nearby wave. But we did and we were off and gliding. I caught the longest wave I've ever had across the reef at kite beach, skimming over inches deep reef, praying I didn't screw up. A huge fire off Stable Road laid a smoke screen over us for the last few miles. Water turned a weird orange and breathing smoke, after a clean air injection for the previous miles, was a harsh finish to one of the most fun runs ever. Wind was still hard east down towards the finish and getting in wasn't as easy as usual.
The scene at the harbor at the end of round one was that time just before the shuttle pick up. HCC was full of frenzied paddlers, SUPs and OCs. Drank a few coconuts and drove back up for round two.
Got clipped by a capping swell just out of the gulch on round two but it backed off before making its big break on the inside, thus saving me from absolute devastation. Got back on, committed not to screw up. Felt too tired to have to swim.
Pono had a friend of his, Rod, I just met, along for round two. PBill told me Rod hadn't done Maliko yet but was good to go. Stared at PBill wondering why his sentence didn't make sense to me on a day like today. This seemed to be confirmed by Rod falling at the start a few times. I waited up thinking I may as well take this one easy anyway. But soon Rod was right with me, ripping and catching huge glides and really laying the hammer down when it was needed to catch one. Inspirational stroke to watch and an incredibly powerful dude. Back and forth for awhile but then he slipped away. Sometimes waiting for me. I felt like I'd been set up. The guy was really good, even kept up with Devin when she slipped by us.
Afterwards I find out from Scott he's this famous Hood River guy, great mountain guy, a real athlete, in his 40s, the works. Typical Bill giving me understated info. Anyway it's always great not to have to worry about people and when they're ahead it's never an issue. So another great run. Legs felt slightly weak at the end of round two and shoulders were screaming a tad inside the harbor but I think I still had a few miles in me if those miles were DW or light. But if I had to do more than a mile into a headwind at the end of round two, I would've been tapped. Still have questions in my mind about endurance for 28 miles... straight... or crooked..
-
You must have though I was nuts, that's was pretty radical today, no place to bring someone that couldn't handle it. Rod is Rod Parmenter, we've done probably a hundred downwind runs in the Gorge together. The Gorge isn't Maliko, but I knew he could hold his end up. And he's done kiteboard downwinders from Hookipa so I knew he knows the coast.
He did a lot better than I did. I was playing tail end Charlie, falling a lot. Probably fell ten times on that second run. Sure was whacky stuff though. Camp One was pretty big.
Sure was fun today, sure does hurt tonight. I'd say from how calm it is tonight that we chose wisely.
-
JC, beautiful dawn sky in your vid. Curious, are you paddling a V10S?
-
Wind was lighter today, but the E swell was still strong. Skis and outriggers don't need a lot of wind to get great glides. Yesterday felt like 30-45 mph wind, today was 15-20. Today's time was only 3 minutes slower.
Here's a short clip from upper kanaha.
maliko 4-1-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kheAKQShEOA#ws)
-
Hey, for all you Epic guys. Have you seen the V8 vs V10S comparison on Epics FB page. I couldn't wait to see who got to the _rock_ first.
-
Hey, for all you Epic guys. Have you seen the V8 vs V10S comparison on Epics FB page. I couldn't wait to see who got to the _rock_ first.
Looked on the FB page but couldn't find the video, could you please post the link to it ericspin.
-
Starting to sneak in across the reefs. Lighter wind, no NW swells and no breaking waves. Great fun. Ran the ridge through upper kanaha for the first time since oc-1 days. Wow, they don't call them surf skis for nothing. Great fun.
Chris and I were always neck and neck in oc-1's. Looks like I can get him now in light-medium conditions. But last Saturday when it was big, he put at least 5 minutes into me. Big conditions are still too spooky to charge in ski. But the lumpy big stuff just before the entrance is super fun in ski. They really shine over outriggers in the slop. Crazy fast bouncy speed that last quarter mile, regardless of wind or swell.
maliko 4-2-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQVU72WV9qg#ws)
-
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DCAjiJIugejs&v=CAjiJIugejs&gl=US (http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DCAjiJIugejs&v=CAjiJIugejs&gl=US)
Try this link for the V8 V10S video.
-
This is what it looked like when I woke up the morning of our pre-April Fool Run
(http://www.kenalu.com/wp-content/uploads/ebooks/malikowind.jpg)
(http://www.kenalu.com/wp-content/uploads/ebooks/malikowind2.jpg)
Sometimes it's just kind of obvious it's going to be a good day. Those swells are about 3/4 of a mile from my house. They're good sized.
Today was a pretty good surf day at Kanaha. I hit it for dawn patrol. Left a board and paddle on my jeep for Rod. Ho'okipa was pretty big, lumpy and crowded. I would have had to surf the far end of Lanes, which I'm not fond of. Kanaha had nice size, was flat calm erly but the wind came up just as I hit the lineup. There was a squall going by and I was banking on the wind being from that. I was right. It died again. We had a lot of nice overhead sets and a few real pounders that cleaned the lineup. I caught some nice waves, Rod got to try the Kalama board and got some impressive rides. Wind came up, and I left. went to Costco to score a new HD GoPro for 199.
-
We shoulda launched at the bay in front of your house. That's quite a pic.
Hope you told Rod how much of a fool I felt.
Rock star park job in front of Flat Breads tonight?
-
Fun run today. Boy, the north shore is so exciting after a few days on the south shore. Hope the wind holds for the weekend.
maliko 4-6-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHQBqbyGwig#ws)
-
1:44 and 3:38-3:40 have some great stills you could cull out of that video, especially the 1:44. They would be low res but fine for internet. Notice how on a grey day like today that the bright colors (boat and cap) are crisp and the dark colors like your shirt and arms have a muddy texture to them. But these low light days also have a certain magical look to them when you overlook the mud. Yes I did enjoy that brief underwater shot and you getting back in your boat. That's interesting for me.
-
1:44 is frozen.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/1441.jpg)
-
Does maui have wind on the north and south shores all year round?
-
Tradewinds blow on maui about 61 percent of the time. January is usually the lightest at 42 percent and june, july, and august are all above 90 percent.
It's been a weird winter. All these rockin' runs we've been having are in the typical lightest wind time. When I used to come here for windsurfing we wouldn't think of getting here before the end of April, and even then there would be days when we'd surf all day. It's 7:20 AM and there's whitecaps in front of my house.
-
Great LPB. Do you like that pic? Thought the little wave pyaramid over the back was cool. Also looks like a drop into a good size trough.
JF808... yes there can be DW caliber wind on both sides of the island ... any month of the year. Feb is usually the calmest month, but not this year, in fact it was just about the best month for DW I've seen in awhile. May through August would be the main trade wind months but we get tropical depressions that roll through and even during these months the wind can back off for a week. What I've also seen is that the month of March has some of the strongest days. If you have kids with you, chain them to a car or they'll blow away.
Last year's winter was pretty calm Nov-early March which is kind of norm. But if you're willing to drive, you can usually find something worthy. And if you're planning a trip, check in with the guys here to let you know what the trend is.
-
It's been a weird winter.
La Nina (NEEN ya)
Last year's winter was pretty calm
El Nino (NEEN yo)
Great LPB. Do you like that pic? Thought the little wave pyaramid over the back was cool. Also looks like a drop into a good size trough.
Yes, the pic is fun to look at. It reminds me of ice. As for a drop in, yes it was a good size swell.
I'd encourage anyone to shoot video. Not to post them, but to see just how different the footage is from your memory of the run. You can pop the memory chip into most computers and the vid starts instantly, in HD. I'm a pc, so I open the file and run it on windows media player.
Editing is another can of worms. It gets much easier with practice. Lot's of tricks to streamline the process.
The vids do not come close to representing how big those swells are. I know HM sees it because he's edited some footage. DJ's footage is even more deceptive because of the high mount. We all use a wider angle than the human eye, which flattens the waves. Trust me, those swells may not be pitching across kanana, but they are tall, and very fast.
-
That's the most irritating and deceptive thing about these videos. Everyone that has seen the videos on the zone and shows up on Maui to do a Maliko gets a serious case of the wide eyes when we paddle out of the gulch. Doesn't matter how many times we say that in words, when you see a swell as tall as a three story house rolling towards you, it all gets VERY different.
-
Whoops, I certainly wasn't trying to deceive anyone.
When I said the swells were 'tall' I should have said less than 10 feet.
As for three story house sized swells, those are the exception rather than the rule at maliko. The only 30 footers I've seen this year were on 3-10. 4-1 was great, but 20 footers max, if that.
Kai Lenny's recent Jaws video is 20 and 30+ feet. I'll try to keep the numbers real to add authenticity to the thread. We don't want the real experts to roll their eyes at our tales of derring do.
-
Huge pack that launched with shuttle crew today. I paddled out with Dave, Scott, and Livio, three powerhouses and let myself fall off the wind a little earlier than them so I could be just a tad ahead when they turned off the wind. Then I just stuck my blade in the water and watched as DK let loose with guys he races with. It was a sight to see. Wish I had my camera but I think the best moments are always when there is no camera. Anyway it was a grey day for video. But I felt lucky to see that level of finesse and power. And that's the thing about these Maliko runs, you see some stuff from the best.
The clinic continued and I caught a great glide just as an OC-1 caught me. We rode together for that glide and then he connected and I didn't... sayonara.
Conditions were much better than I anticipated. Not great but if you worked hard, glides were there.
-
Not too many takers today. Probably due to the modest NE winds. Or maybe it was due to the latest swell to hit our N facing shores. Whatever the case I went for it. Started off out of maliko into fairly light conditions and stayed that way to Kanaha. No reason to paddle out away from shore to get into the wind line because there wasn't one to speak of. You just needed to stay out far enough to not get creamed by the surf. The outer reefs were working and from Kanaha through Pier1. My line was inside more than usual so I had to keep one eye on the Himalayas breaking on the outside and the ones on the inside. In the middle of the maelstrom I caught a glimpse of a prone paddler who I had seen earlier at maliko. My neck started to hurt just looking at him.I couldn't help but wonder what he must have thought about the surf. Laydown guys can't see as far ahead as we can. The paddle in the harbor was a breeze due to the light NE wind. A pleasure for sure! Could have used some company but fun anyway. 808 out...
-
Okay, two story house, that's MUCH better. Though from trough to peak a 10 foot ocean swell is 18 feet tall. Open ocean swells are measured from base to peak. In the open ocean the swells don't build a deep trough because they are not being slowed by drag against the bottom. In places like Camp One where the water is relatively shallow the wave speed decreases rapidly and the swell stacks, producing BOTH a peak and a depression (trough). What you experience as a visual height being in the trough is the full size of the wave face. Call it what you will, it's intimidating.
When people say a wave at Peahi is 25 feet they mean from base to peak, base being mean ocean level. In fact a 25 foot Peahi wave is typically 45 feet from peak to trough. Take a look at the standing size of a surfer in jaws, assume that's five feet, and see if you think he's in a 25 foot face. Apples and oranges.
(http://www.kenalu.com/wp-content/uploads/ebooks/25ft.jpg)
This is a 25 foot wave at Peahi. The bottom of the trough isn't even really visible. I count eight Garrett McNamaras between the top and bottom.
Actually the takers today were pretty dang numerous. Shuttle was full plus, one guy sitting on the floor and two rack spots stacked two deep. Plus a bunch of people in the bay when we showed up. Dave Kalama and Bill Boyum shuttled themselves. as did several other SUPs and another rack trailer full of OC-1. I guess it depended on when you went.
I came in with Sharon and a raft of OC-1, probably six of them. Boyum and Rod were already on the beach, Kalama. Livio, and Scott Trudon were packed up and gone. I was spending so much time looking down at the nose of my board working on what Jeremey taught me the other day that I didn't watch where I was going and wandered into upper Kahana. Nothing serious, got knocked off the board by whitewater and had to paddle out like a lunatic to avoid a big set, but I made it without incident.
Light wind, moderate winf swell. pretty good ground swell. Interesting and fun. More fun tomorrow.
-
South shore was going good, nice whale jumps in Makena. A malolo bashed into my armpit, a few near misses over my head. None of the wildlife is on the video. Had a fast minute averaging 11 mph. Great fun.
south shore 4-7-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fIDban5hw0#ws)
-
LPB... you chose wisely. Maliko was fun because there was such a big pack of people but the conditions in your video were off the charts. The light was also enough to make a crisp highlight of your arms which in the grey day vid from before were muddy. The marbling on some of the troughs made incredible shots to be able sot see the full extent of crest to crest. For stills I thought .48-.49, 2:18-2:21, and 2:45-2:246. If you still have the chip with that footage on it, you could bring it over and I can cull out the best from those sections. 7 secs of vid times 30 is 210 pics. I put them in a folder and pick and choose. You could have a nice action sequence.
Anyway great day for you over there. Epic vid. Cool lean and angle.
-
The chip was erased yesterday. These images were snagged from youtube.
0:49
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/49.jpg)
This sequence is 2:18 - 2:21. This bracing is perilously close to dislocating my right shoulder. Hands must always be in front of shoulder plane.
An unexpected upward bump from behind can push the arm bone up and out.
1.25 miles offshore. Good incentive to keep the rotators strong.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/218.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/219.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/220.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/221.jpg)
-
South shore was good again, here's a short clip from early in the run.
south shore 4-8-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umQi9mf0AVs#ws)
-
Back to weekend warrior status at maliko for awhile. The first clip is the fastest two minute clip of the run. I like to save those sections as a helpful reminder.
maliko 4-14-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E4t0GgcjJQ#ws)
0.6 mile offshore at upper kanaha, nice inside line. It felt like a current was in my favor. Finally broke the hour in the ski. The fastest average speed was at the white dot - at spreck's.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko4-14-12700x280.jpg)
-
2 minutes at 10.5 mph! Smoking!
-
Yeah and to think he was just contemplating a Maliko run a few months ago. Inspiring to see such progress in something I think is extremely difficult. Holding that speed is incredible for that time.
-
Thanks guys.
1P2P, the 3.5 minute clip in this video is 10.2 mph and covers almost a kilometer. Oscar's fastest kilometer is 1:59, which is almost 18.8 mph. Holy smokes, that's fast.
HM, ski's are not as difficult as many believe. In my opnion, they are more stable than oc-1's. It's just a matter of time in the saddle, same as anything else.
South shore was blasting early in the run today, then backed off. The second half of the run was still a hoot.
south shore 4-15-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lQtAwoBo78#ws)
1 mile offshore.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore4-15-12700x274.jpg)
-
HM, ski's are not as difficult as many believe. In my opinion, they are more stable than oc-1's. It's just a matter of time in the saddle, same as anything else.
I believe this too, but OC-1 guys usually stare blankly at me when I say that.
Oscar is amazing (friggin' 19 mph over a kilometer??), but apparently there are plenty of guys in SA who paddle as fast or faster than him in flat water. What Oscar possessed was an amazing ability to surf on the ski.
-
In addition to the stability, I believe ski's are also easier to remount than oc-1's.
Without an ama to worry about, skis are easy to roll. Then just slide in. Oc-1 seats are higher, so it's tricky to pull oneself up on the foam seat without flipping the canoe.
-
I think the 18.8mph ave over one kilometer by Oscar should have been 18.8km/h - otherwise he was averaging 30km/h - not sure if that's possible even in a ski....skis will hit 20mph+ top speeds but to average that for one kilometer would have taken exceptional conditions.... mind you, if anyone has been around to find those exceptional conditions it would have been Oscar...
Please correct me if I'm wrong as I'm really not sure.....if it's true, then he has gone more than twice as fast as I ever had on a SUP - my best is 14km/h (8.7mph) average over 1 km and I thought I was flying!
-
I was amazed too. Oscar is a monster in big surf.
All the elite paddlers here on Maui do amazing speeds when it gets gnarly.
Oscar's personal record speeds are at the end of this article.
http://www.epickayaks.com/news/news/heading-downwind (http://www.epickayaks.com/news/news/heading-downwind)
Here is a good link for the math.
http://www.machinehead-software.co.uk/bike/speed_distance_time_calc.html (http://www.machinehead-software.co.uk/bike/speed_distance_time_calc.html)
-
Smoking Maliko run yesterday, the ground swell was dinky but the refracted wind swell across the reef was good sized. A pleasant run all the way to the tanks, and a good day to practice what Jeremy taught me, there were micro and mini swells going everywhere.
I'm McLovin' that xTuf shaft and Elite Molokai blade. Power steering and turbo boost for swells without any shoulder badness.
-
And here's PBill putting some steam into that tuft shaft.
-
That pic was actually today which was even windier than yesterday. Liked this pic because the Haleakala is stunning behind him. PBill caught that wave looming behind him in this shot and after that all I could see was a head.
-
Nothing but diamonds out there today and steering was the theme of the run. We were going to go golfing but decided on these links instead.
-
Nothing but diamonds out there today and steering was the theme of the run. We were going to go golfing but decided on these links instead.
Excellent choice I'd say!
-
Golf!! I'm saving that for when I get old.
Damn that was fun today, the perfect way to stamp "DONE" on a fine winter, cut a little short. Ah well, back to Hood River tomorrow--time to start NOT falling in that cold river. You'd be amazed, Bill, how much better my balance in when the water temp is 50.
Thanks for the pics. It was a nice run. Coming over the reef was a hoot, and Camp one was about as big as I've seen it. What were we doing so far in??? No wonder we got tagged.
I don't think I can really call that tagged. More like bulldozed.
-
Golf!! I'm saving that for when I get old.
I'm getting visions of reading this thread 20 years from now--page 21,473. Headmount posting videos along the 14th fairway--not sure if they'll focus on the actual golf, or how fast PonoBill is driving his cart with 8 sets of clubs on the roof rack, driving into ditches. Still hasn't settled on a camera mount, or what the best focal length is for capturing the action. PonoBill testing out his clubs he made in his garage, after two years of posts showing the 5-pound, duct-taped, epoxied repaired clubs he keeps breaking. Periodic reports of problems getting back to clubhouse due to weather shifts or starting out too late in the day.
Every few days a new video from LaPerouseBay--GoPro mounted on back of cart, driving the course, doing much better than he'll give himself credit for, occasionally getting passed by golf cart drivers with Eastern European names and narrower carts. Is debating about getting a narrower one himself someday.
Occasional gps screen shots showing paths of golf balls--low trajectories with predictable flights, but high possibility of hitting hazards, or high trajectories going much further due to picking up wind, but possibilities of getting blown into the ocean....
Occasional balls hit through windows, with irate homeowners captured on video. Video of PB entering house through shattered window to apologize to owner, only to find owner is Strand Leper, sitting on sofa dressed in genie outfit due to idea he got from bad golf joke PM'd to him from me 21 years before.
-
Heckle and Jeckle on the green of the 18th hole. A good drive from here gets you into the ocean.
So PDX how about you? Will you be in one of those Portlandia restaurants asking the chicken's name and if he had a good life? Primal but not Paleo.
-
I've already gone full Primal. My daughter likes baking sugar cookies, so I just got her a new cookie cutter. So now all the sugar cookies are shaped like squirrels. Tell me that's not Primal.
-
40+ mph today. Epic to the oil tanks. Three days straight in this wind range has me pretty tapped out.
-
Heckle and Jeckle on the green of the 18th hole. A good drive from here gets you into the ocean.
So PDX how about you? Will you be in one of those Portlandia restaurants asking the chicken's name and if he had a good life? Primal but not Paleo.
PonoBill, where did you get that shirt?!! my favorite "beverage" for sure!
-
My daughter likes baking sugar cookies, so I just got her a new cookie cutter. So now all the sugar cookies are shaped like squirrels. Tell me that's not Primal.
That cracks me up.
South shore was windy this evening. Almost had a minute over 11 mph. The ski just keeps getting better and better.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore4-19-12700x500.jpg)
-
PonoBill, where did you get that shirt?!! my favorite "beverage" for sure!
Like 90 percent of my clothing it's a freebie event shirt. From one of last year's Maui Canoe and Kayak Club events. On the back it says "Catch me if you can". One of my favorite shirts.
-
Excellent wind on the south shore today. The second clip is primarily to show the wind speed. It was really going for a few minutes.
south shore, 4-22-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_geY8LRY2zk#ws)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore4-22-12700x315.jpg)
-
LPB, that was great footage. I like the way you have to weave between the straight downwind bumps and the ones swinging in from the right. And that now on the ski you often can connect them.
The HK run was probably a 7.5 or 8 out of 10 yesterday afternoon, took out the F-16 for a solo run. Overall was a good solid run. But what is incredibly annoying about the Hawaii Kai run is that at about 4 miles from the blinker buoy, outside of Kahala, there is very often a wind shadow or wind interference where the wind can absolutely die, even after its been pushing pretty good up to that point. Then what you have is chop with no push from behind. This situation gives way as you approach Black Point and the wind picks up again, but then you contend with rebounding waves coming right at you as you are trying to get around Black Point for the stretch outside Diamond Head.
-
I felt bad missing it yesterday and now I feel horrible. That was off the charts epic.
-
For the last time PDX, I DO NOT have designs on Dianne!
Besides, she let me know that my ADD is still way too under control for her.
She said something about maybe giving her a call when I welded an SUP/ Outrigger/ Hobie trimaran rack onto my Spec Boxster track car... or when I retired, then started two e-magazines, and fundamentally revolutionized the human gait...
I figure that I am likely not going to achieve either... so the Genie costume will be reserved for someone else...
Tim
-
I don't know...from where I'm sitting it looks like the ADD is hitting on all eight cylinders.
-
LPB, if the grunting and groaning and heard breathing are any indication this must've been an awesome run. I can relate to the noises. Cannot even imagine what a vid of me would sound like. I _talk_ my way through tough conditions a lot. Just wonder how my V8 would do in this conditions? Bet it would be a blast. Thanks again for more great footage.
-
I don't know...from where I'm sitting it looks like the ADD is hitting on all eight cylinders.
You may be onto something there Bill (as I am reading the new issue of Excellence, trolling the Zone, playing with Maximus, talking through a data integration issue with the wife, watching The Pacific on DVD and working on an employee evaluation) :)
-
I have ADD too, but it's under control exce
-
For the last time PDX, I DO NOT have designs on Dianne!
Besides, she let me know that my ADD is still way too under control for her.
She said something about maybe giving her a call when I welded an SUP/ Outrigger/ Hobie trimaran rack onto my Spec Boxster track car... or when I retired, then started two e-magazines, and fundamentally revolutionized the human gait...
I figure that I am likely not going to achieve either... so the Genie costume will be reserved for someone else...
Tim
Every so often there's a post that makes me think that maybe there should be a thread where people can go to ask what someone meant on another thread.
Where people could ask about genies, big waves off Kanagawa, ineffable, how to translate Australian...
-
Wind was excellent all day on the south shore. My typical after work run is to cove park, about 5.5 miles. The swells are rather tight for a 20 foot boat, but still great fun.
Just wonder how my V8 would do in this conditions? Bet it would be a blast.
Yes, I think the V-8 would do very well on the south shore. It's a 'technical' run, with steep, short period swells. The shorter length of the V-8 should let it turn more quickly.
In the V-10S it's always a battle to keep from pearling the nose. The guys on surfski.info say the V-10S pearls too easily. I'm looking for a V-10 now. I'm anticipating ramming right over those little bastards. It's fun to railroad bumps in the V-10S, but will pearl up to my feet when I miss time it.
south shore 4-23-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLr3Q4BxwPQ#ws)
-
LPB, you mentioned your _after work run_. I didn't think you guys had to work over there. Figured it was all play all the time. Ha!
Interesting to hear you are thinking of making the move to the V10. I imagined you would evolve to that as quickly as you have mastered the V10S. You mentioned the length sometimes feeling a little longer than you would might like. I was reading somewhere on the inter webs the other day about the fact that surf skis of old were shorter and fatter. I also wonder a lot about rocker. In the article I was reading they were sharing that the original ChalupSKI by Chalupsky had a fair amount of rocker. I have been thinking pretty seriously about stepping up to a Stellar SR and it has definite rocker in the bow. I don't necessarily like the look as much as the plumb bow but as I learned from my cycling days I can't see any of that stuff when I'm on the machine. It simply becomes a performance thing. At home in FL it's pretty much short chop so it seems the shorter boat would do better. Who knows? Another great run in that last video. Must be a blast to maintain that speed for that long, huh?
-
I guess this has become the smoking Maui report these days as it's probably too much to resurrect the Smoking south side report.
Yesterday smoked on the south side. It was grey, not sunny like when LPB took that cool vid the day before yet it was still off the charts good. I went with Jeremy, RR, and Steve. Jeremy was still under the weather but like MJordan playing in the playoffs with the flu, he still can surge whenever he wishes... for instance... he was paddling backwards shooting vid of the three of us. Cracked me up. There was lots to see like a vision of RR dropping in with just the back eighth of his 16' board connected with the water or Jeremy paddling right by a turtle as big as an island. He was shooting vid so maybe we'll see. We went medium long and the wind backed off a taste towards the very end but still gliding. 3 Bullets and a F-16. Pretty buzzed at the end of the run.
Maliko can be great but also can be frustrating. When the south side is like it has been, it's all gratification. And the really cool thing is a group can stay together fairly easy.
We had a lifeguard come out and ask us if we'd seen a gal named Linda. Hopefully she was found.
-
In the V-10S it's always a battle to keep from pearling the nose. The guys on surfski.info say the V-10S pearls too easily. I'm looking for a V-10 now. I'm anticipating ramming right over those little bastards. It's fun to railroad bumps in the V-10S, but will pearl up to my feet when I miss time it.
I told...you...don't say it!
The huge snout of the V-10 really makes it difficult to shove that much volume underwater. Ericspin was talking about the older boats having more rocker, and he is right - they had more rocker and were a bit wider for more stability. The older boats were pretty similar in dimension (at least length and width) to the present V-10S and Mako XT. Its a proven design, and the numbers work. But they are not as fast as the newer designs.
The V-10 and all of the shapes it inspired have what I see as a "virtual" rocker, especially on the front half. If you put the boat on the ground, the front part of the bottom of the boat is nearly in contact with the ground for the entire length of the boat. But the nose is knifelike and vertical, so that when it first hits the water, the boat is not trying to lift over anything, it is slicing through it. The lift starts something like 1-2' back from the front of the boat.
All this seems to result in that instead of having to run over bumps, the V-10 actually cuts through the top of the wave, rather than lifting over it, so that you do not have to lift the entire mass over the swell; you only have to lift the mass about 4" below the top of the wave you are trying to get over.
I wondered why they didn't make the V-10S with more nose volume. The XT had they same pearling issue as LPB describes. I think Fenn saw this "missing link" when they created the Swordfish. I bet that would be a fantastic big water ski - a bit more stability than the V-10 or the Elite but with almost as much speed. Probably a good ski to do Molokai on.
-
LPB... Guess it's easier to operate the camera with it in front and that's why you switched to front mount but I preferred the back one like you had before where we could see you paddle. Conditions were great in your last vid but just the nose of your ski is all we can see, which would be cool if there was another paddler in the frame. Prospective and contrast. If you're screaming down the hwy in a BMW with the windows rolled up, it's hard to get the feel of how fast you're going.
-
1P2P, I am surprised that the Swordfish hasn't come more often. Seems like Rob and the guys over at surfski.info are pretty high on it. I would really love to paddle one of these. I have created a fund for a new SUP race board but am always negotiating with myself to instead buy a faster ski. Decisions, decisions.
-
Ericspin, if the Swordfish is as good as they say I bet it would be a great choice for really rough water, and probably a very good all around boat. Fast enough in the flats and stable enough for the bumps.
We have a Fenn distributor who lives near me. Even though I have no interest in purchasing a surfski I think I will ask him if he has one I can try.
The cost of a carbon vacuum surski is bracing ($3900!!), a huge differential from a regular glass ski ($2500). I paid $3400 and change for my carbon vacuum V-10 five and a half years ago, I guess that is inflation.
-
We had a lifeguard come out and ask us if we'd seen a gal named Linda. Hopefully she was found.
Yes, she's fine. As I was unloading my boat she walked up to say hello. She has a V-10S and a V-10L back home in Vancouver.
I think Jack gave her a ride back to her car. He mentioned she had broken her iakos or something. I had to paddle quickly to get home before sundown - so didn't chat much.
/ you have mastered the V10S.
Far from it. The videos are only the best parts. I know you are speaking rhetorically, but this is a forum.
I told...you...don't say it!
I remember.
Our local epic rep can get me a deal on an almost new boat. Although the other manufacturers may have better stuff, I'm going with the V-10. Any of the elite boats will be a lot better than I am.
Nice explaination on the plumb bow.
I'm not thrilled about the extra windage of a V-10, but it's worth the tradeoff, without a doubt. A big water boat can be exercised here on Maui.
LPB... Guess it's easier to operate the camera with it in front and that's why you switched to front mount but I preferred the back one like you had before where we could see you paddle.
I prefer the view from behind also. I'll repair the mount one of these days. And get a gopro2 with dashware...
-
Jeremy was still under the weather but like MJordan playing in the playoffs with the flu, he still can surge whenever he wishes... for instance... he was paddling backwards shooting vid of the three of us. Cracked me up.
That's the kind of thing that confirms his alien status. On a board shaped like a telephone pole he can ride backwards and even paddle into swells. That's sick. I DID see him fall once this winter, but he got back up onto his board and his feet in one smooth move that made me gag.
Not human.
-
I'm not thrilled about the extra windage of a V-10, but it's worth the tradeoff, without a doubt. A big water boat can be exercised here on Maui.
You won't even notice the windage on the nose of the ski. Compared to how significant wind is to SUP, the wind force on the V-10's nose is basically irrelevant. Skis laugh at sidewinds.
-
Yesterday I did a run on my old 14' since my Bullet was getting repaired. Strange getting back on a no-rudder board... my left foot kept searching for the peddle. But it was fun.
The 14 feels surfy after being on the 17 for so long ... was able to do some great backside cutbacks and @ 28" wide, stable, no falls. Those steep critical moments where the 17 might poke, I could attack with abandon. The doomed deck was also nice to return to, as it allows your feet to move much more freely than the slightly recessed deck on the Bullet.
But the break away speed that carries you over a flatter sloped step and into the big glide wasn't there like it is for the Bullet.
Conditions were great and Buzzy Kerbox took this pic right before the point where there is no more posing. Couple yds further and on a no-rudder board you have your foot wrapped over your right rail paddling hard so as not to get pushed onto the left side of the gulch.
-
Nice pic HM... You are living the life... 8)
May I ask what make your 14 is? Looks like a SIC, or maybe a Foote..??
Thanks for the ongoing Maui reports (all of you in this thread..)
David S.
-
Racing season is starting and more and more people are going. Please be careful getting into the water at Maliko Gulch boat ramp. There's slippery limu (seaweed) on the ramp and the cat walk that goes out a way alone the side can be hazardous. Some guy tried to launch off the catwalk the other day and stepped into a hole where there's no support... and broke five ribs. Just get in the most conservative way possible, no tricks. Save your board and body.
-
Hey Bill
No video of Down Wind on the south side with Da boys ?? would love to see something !!
-
Scratch that just saw JR post :))
-
Sea... what did you think of that vid Jeremy made? When the fastest guy has the camera, the rest of us can just go because we know Jeremy can catch us in a blink. Buzzy and I tried yesterday with the same set JR had but we didn't get anything worthy. JR knows how to aim the camera very well.
-
Agree with you Biill
JR makes it look effortless. He is able to look around and capture others riding the bumps as he is riding the bumps !!! That takes some serious balance and years of experience out there. I loved that video it was a pleasure to watch and enjoyed watching you guys just buckle loose. Brother Bill you were catching some awesome glides. It looks SO FUN. I wish and hope one day I can get over there and do some runs with you guys.
Aloha
Scotty
-
Today smoked just like yesterday. Have gone with Buzzy Kerbox the last three days as he irons out the kinks using his wtrprf Nikon P/S. Today he got this pic. One of those moments with the Bullet where I was screaming in 5th gear and then ran into a bump angling in from the outside. Most times, hitting these bumps stops me and kills the glide but today the board would just deflect and drop in a new direction. Pretty damn fun. Colors Were good anyway. My pal Victor is on the inside with the yellow shirt keeping a tight group of 5 guys all the way down.
-
Nice shot Headmount and to have it taken by Buzzy Kerbox makes it all the better ;D
I've surfed a lot of Big Sunset Beach on the North Shore.... but I gotta say... being that far offshore in less than predictable conditions would creep me out more than a little. Did you start right off going so far offshore or did you work your way out as you became more experienced? What is the solution if something goes wrong... injury or equipment failure? It seems like there's no easy way in without out side help. For instance... I was SUP surfing today and the board came down like an axe and cleaved my paddle in two.... no big deal in the break area... but 3 mile out would be more problematic.
-
Nice to see--a rare photo of the cameraman.
-
Great shot Bill.
DJ
-
supthecreek... You paddle out of a bay that sets you on a line with the wind, which by the time you've gone even a half mile, has you a few hundred yds offshore. The farthest offshore you are on the run is between .5 and a mile and remember it might look farther because the camera he used was 28mm focal length which while not distorting, is the start of what is considered wide angle, which increases the feel of those distances.
As far as comfort goes, I know I still have at least two miles of swim in me because I do it once in awhile. I started doing prone paddle boarding in 1989 from Maliko so the run is not strange to me. But I know it is for some people. I took a pal of mine from B.C for a run. Solid guy, great skier, and fearless. He'd been buried once in a avy. So he's paddling great with his eyes on his nose. We get out to what I call, 'the line' and tell him to look up and forward. He does and sees a freighter coming out of Kahului harbor, looks over towards me and informs me he doesn't know how to swim. Well I shit but calmly said, "don't fall" and he just nodded and didn't... and he did more runs after that.
Point is you get used to it fast. Go with someone who will stay close and it's all good. Amazing how the fear factor disappears with company. Our main preoccupation is keeping up with each other. Your pal may be 30-40 yds ahead but you know with one good glide you'll be right back in the mix. It gets very exciting and consuming. Buzzy of course smokes us. he can get ahead, take a picture and catch up quick. But sometimes he goes with guys who smoke him. Doesn't matter, we're all pretty jazzed at the end.
-
HeadMount
Thanks for the info... I am sure it must be a lot of fun. The balance factor must be considerable, to handle a narrow, long board in choppy swells.
Ever since seeing Laird on his Hydrofoil Board I have wondered about the potential for surfing really big ocean swells (that never break... just big rollers) for miles out in mid ocean... I don't know if there's a chase boat that could keep up with you in those waves.... but it would be another way to enjoy offshore swells.... and mitigate the chop factor.
-
HeadMount
I don't know if there's a chase boat that could keep up with you in those waves....
Plenty of boats, it's called Horsepower! Although the Jetski's and Waverunners seem to be most common for tow-ins, rescue, etc, etc. Small, plenty of HP, nimbleness, you get the idea ;).
-
Fun weekend at maliko. Summer is starting off great with lots of east wind. The fetches have been excellent. Great swell action across the reefs.
maliko 5-6-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGExMvtt4xI#ws)
-
LPB---when I see the horizon flopping so much, it makes me think that if we were seeing your rides with a camera that wasn't mounted to your vessel, so that the horizon stayed level and your surfski was what was angling back and forth, your rides would look a lot wilder than they appear in the videos. And they're impressive enough as it is.
-
Going for a downwinder on my ski in the morning, always great to get a new LPB video to jazz me up a little for the run, just wish it was like Maliko ;D
-
Mike, LPB did some videos with weird morphing when I made a similar comment a while back. Just keep your focus on the boat and forget the horizon and it will all be ok...
-
LPB, thanks for posting this. I was going through withdrawals as it's been a few days. Something about this format that you used really gave me the sensation of climbing the back side of the swell and then I could almost feel the ass end rising as you screamed down the face. Cool!
-
LPB---when I see the horizon flopping so much, it makes me think that if we were seeing your rides with a camera that wasn't mounted to your vessel, so that the horizon stayed level and your surfski was what was angling back and forth, your rides would look a lot wilder than they appear in the videos.
A steady cam would certainly help capture the ride in a realistic fashion. It's difficult to describe how runs really look compared to the video. Some parts seem more tame, others wilder.
IMO, the biggest negative about video is the lack of peripheral vision. An imax would add a lot to downwinding video. From the boat we see (feel might be a better word) so much more. That's all lost in video.
The hips move around under the ribcage to absorb lateral motion. That's most of the really wild horizon swings.
This video has a lot of braking in it. I'm not bracing, but slowing the boat down to keep it from zooming down the face. The waves on the south shore are often too short to fit my 20 foot boat into. The best line is to go across the face, but when they are so short and steep, that's very tricky. So sometimes I brake to stay back on the top of the wave, then accelerate if I see a path.
I ordered a new V-10. It will be here in a few weeks. It has more volume in the nose. It may be able to shoot right through some of those steep, short swells.
south shore 5-9-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDf8HTEI_-0#ws)
-
Well I was going to bug you about how it was today but you just answered my question with that video. OMG.... thanks LPB
One question what time did you launch? Victor and I have Dale coming over from Oahu tomorrow and want to go. Went today over here and top half was great but turned straight onshore at the end.
-
Solo launch about 3. It's been very good over here all week.
-
Wow, great conditions LPB.
Looking forward to seeing the videos with the V10, which construction are you getting?
The close wave thing is tricky isn't it, I find its a very fine line between going across the face of the wave and broaching. I'm looking at the Carbonology Vault, shorter than the V10S and finer nose.
Makes me wonder if in the close waves that we get in Melbourne whether something like the shorter V8 or the Think Eze might work really well. Seems like a backward step but may actually be more fun.
-
Construction is going to be a red one, same as my sport. The durability, stiffness and strength of the kevlar honeycomb is incredible. The sport has been bashed around a few times, nary a dent or chip in the gelcoat.
As for using a shorter boat, I say if you can try them, do it. I'll bet those EZ's and V-8's are a blast. If the smaller boats fit the wave and allow you to turn and surf, go for it. If we only had flat water we'd all be in atoms.
Personally, I'm on a mission to brain damage as many outriggers as possible.
-
Personally, I'm on a mission to brain damage as many outriggers as possible.
He he. Just keep the nose pointed downhill, and its see you later...
LPB, are you going to do the race on the ski this weekend?
-
^ If only they had a category for skis. Oh well, more money available for Kelly's shuttle. Not paddling the standup or oc-1 at the Olukai either. I should have tried to keep up on both, but didn't.
Wind is going to be light Sunday for the oc-1 race. I'll bet someone from Oahu wins this year. I think Dave K. will win the standup race Saturday.
-
I'm on Maui!! met the gang at Kanaha, and seen Danny Ching coming in from a early downwinder riding a 17' V1 Bullet covered in 404 stickers. pretty cool to see.
Got my first tast of Maliko today.... all I have to say, wow!!!!!!!!!!!!! you maui boys got some epic conditions, so fun. But.... whats up with all the monster turtles!!!! and they dont move for nobody, I didn't hit any turtles which is lucky I guess I lost count of how many I seen. Getting in to the beach is a little tricky for sure
-
808, good luck and have fun!
LPB, do they have Maliko races that include skis, or are there not enough skis to justify a separate category?
-
Hey, not to parrot what 1p2p said, but hope you had a good time! Getting to do the Maliko with everyone must be a real cool experience.
Who knows, maybe I'll try to make it over next year for the race, after all, someone has to come in last place :D.
-
I'm on Maui!! met the gang at Kanaha, and seen Danny Ching coming in from a early downwinder riding a 17' V1 Bullet covered in 404 stickers. pretty cool to see.
Got my first tast of Maliko today.... all I have to say, wow!!!!!!!!!!!!! you maui boys got some epic conditions, so fun. But.... whats up with all the monster turtles!!!! and they dont move for nobody, I didn't hit any turtles which is lucky I guess I lost count of how many I seen. Getting in to the beach is a little tricky for sure
Speedbumps. They're so used to us they just don't care.
-
Yes, watch out for those turtles, the big ones will mess with you. I had one look at me as I slammed on the brakes. Then he dove - so I continued without steering away and the bastard resurfaced. WHAM, I thought the nose of my ski was crushed. Lucky for me the boat was ok. The turtle probably didn't feel a thing. He was a monster.
LPB, do they have Maliko races that include skis, or are there not enough skis to justify a separate category?
Yes, there are several maliko races that include skis.
The MCKC series runs from January thru April with a race every 2 or three weeks. One is a maliko to the harbor, the other is also maliko to the harbor (short course) and a long course Kaenae to the harbor.
There are usually about 10 skis in the MCKC races.
We did a maliko to the harbor a few weeks ago which was the Imua. 85 sup's, about 30 oc's and only 2 skis. Everyone was out of town for that one. There are also fund raisers for some of the 6 man clubs, they let skis race with 'em.
MCKC just ran the Maui Molokai. Zsolt beat all the big names in oc-1. I don't think Karel was there, But Kai, Jimmy, Danny etc...
Maui has some fast paddlers on ski. They are right up there with the elite oc-1's and often beat them. I'm not sure why the Olukai doesn't include ski's. Money maybe. They would have to split the purse to include prizes for the skis.
The Molokai Oahu for skis is the 20th. Zsolt and Greg Barton may do it in a V-10 double. If conditions are good, they should kill it.
I heard Connor won the Olukai, then Travis, Danny, Dave K, Jamie, Livio, Kai Lenny, Kaeo Abbey then Jeremy.
-
This is the smoking thread and since the first week in Feb, it has smoked pretty consistently. But today it totally glassed off. Kinda of wild and incredibly silent in comparison to the usual roar. Tonight's sunset.
-
And from the same spot this morning... my porch. Like last night's sunset you can see Molokai behind the tip of West Maui
-
Wind was back yesterday. Classic summer type conditions with almost zero swell and perfect grain. Launched at 2:30 to oil tanks (9m). Was stoked with time (1:06) Almost two miles more than Kanaha run where I only did 1:02 last sat at race. Had a feeling I wasn't going to fall yesterday and didn't but many wild balancing moments where I almost fell. Practiced my JM imaging (see JM stroke in technique) and praise Oden, it worked, worked well. I had been averted to bending at the waist but it really wasn't bad and my back feels fine this morning.
At home, before my run, I had a flash to take my blade to the top of our stairs.. bent my knees, hips out a little to opposite side of stroke, top arm roughly in line with my back and placed the blade tip about half way down second run of the stairs which had the neck of the blade even with the floor my feet stood on. Then I pulled for 10 secs in an isometric combo stretch I could really feel especially in my shoulder joint. Felt good. Then switched to other side. That felt great and imprinted the body feel of what I saw in JMs stroke pic.
I drove to Kahului to renew my drivers license (now very complicated with three forms of ID needed) and had given up on the idea of going for a run. A pal calls me inside the DMV, I look outside and see the palm trees bending and say 'hell yes'. He drives into town, we drop a truck, stop at my house to pick up my gear and before I know it, I'm putting the JM image practice to real time use out in the wild blue. Perfect day and now I have this comical looking new pic for my Maui driver's license I've had since 1967.. wish I had all those pics to see how I've aged.
-
NIce to be back at maliko after 2 weeks on the south shore.
maliko 5-19-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x96j3EzkLYg#ws)
-
Unreal that Oscar won...again! At 49 years old. Not even three minutes behind Greg/Zvolt. Wow.
-
Yes indeed the big O. is amazing. I followed the race on facebook, couldn't believe he did it again. Oscar was with the double for a long time. Then he fell off, lost a few places then busted a big move to crush everyone at the end. What a beast.
What an amazing talent in the waves. I think I read he was at 275 less than a year ago. Then he started training in earnest with this race in mind. Amazing.
A friend of mine did it and said the conditions were brutal.
-
Went today and it was as east as I've seen it for quite some time. Everything including the current was pulling me offshore and I had my 14 not my Bullet with what would have been my very helpful...rudder. Escorted a father and son from the SF area. Solid paddlers but it was a wrestling match to keep inside to make our finish point.
Strong winds forecast as far out as they make predictions. Today had everything from light post squall to frothing 40+. If the moisture upwind of the state dries out, we'll be in for some great runs as each successive day gains a bit of easterly roll. But with moisture the offshore component is strong. Real strong. Check your leashes.
-
Someone here said Oscar was 120kg's then he decided to give the Molokai another go - after having won 11 times, the last in 2007. He went down to 105kg - and won - at 49yo.........Apparently he also excelled in pretty much any other sport and got national colours in 3 or 4 of them - probably the greatest athlete ever to come out of SA!
-
Incredible feat of athleticism. We know Oscar can talk the talk...now he proved he can walk the walk.
-
Thanks to Headmount for a great couple of Mailko runs. Had a great time and Bill is a great guy. Nice to finally meet. We ended up meeting several zoners over here the past two weeks. For those who haven't done any downwind runs, this was my first and now I am hooked. We flatwater at home in the Delta, and SUP surf in Santa Cruz. It will be tough to find something in Nor-Cal to compare with Maliko. My 19 yr old son didn't really want to go, but after the first one he was hooked too! He is a strong prone surfer, going to school in Irvine. Monday was a nice 20-25 day and a good first Maliko. Bill described the Wednesday run well. Bullitts are the norm out here. It seems like thats all we saw, and we could have used a rudder on the 5/24 run. If you get over to Maui, get in touch with Bill and enjoy. Thanks again Bill !!!!!
-
Maui is Da Kine for downwind, but Hood River is pretty tasty too. You won't fall in as much. The stuff I do to stay on the board must be pretty funny, I had TJ laughing like a loon when he and I made the mistake of trying the line over by the railroad tracks yesterday--it was like paddling in a log flume. Steve And Doug were over close to Wells Island and it looked almost like a cartoon they were disappearing so fast.
Hood River is a lot closer than Maui.
-
Forgot to install the memory chip yesterday. Today's run was much windier.
Got nailed at Spreck's and the camera mount got loose. All the good footage went missing. Oh well, summer is just beginning.
This clip is the best section of the first half. Very exciting run. East swells over the reef are the bomb.
1:01:22 with 3 falls and minimal effort. Man, when the wind blows 40 all you have to do is steer.
No news on the V-10. I'm cool with it, the sport is still rocking.
maliko 5-27-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0uzqM56kmk#ws)
-
Thanks for the call LPB. Did two today. Video first, then run and gun the 2nd. From the road above Hookipa, it appeared grey and rainy and smooth. We were anticipating a trudge paddle but as soon as we got out of the gulch, we were blown away. It was rainy and smooth but the wind was screaming. The net effect was smooth faces and huge troughs. Felt like powder skiing. You could point er anywhere you wanted with absolute control. Best condition I've ever had. Wasn't like that the whole run but to Paia it was incredible.
First run was good but in comparison to last several days it was unremarkable. I know I'm getting jaded when 30mph is unremarkable. That was an 11:30 launch. 2nd was about 2pm with the heavy black squall. 2nd double in 3 days. It's just fantastic.
-
Bill , You are a truly blessed man !!! Keep it up !!
-
40 is the new 30....mph that is.
-
40 is the new 30....mph that is.
;D
-
When the wind clocks in like this for this many hours of the day, several days in a row and blows pretty decent all night long... well it gets special out there, really special. We launched at 2 and it was screaming. But a pretty good size east swell starts stacking up on the reefs. You had to look ahead.
-
Took Shirley up to Iao for a hike but it was Memorial day and the place was packed. So I drove down thru Wailuku and we saw this. She says, "You should go for a run" I love her.
For you guys coming over for the Naish race the harbor mouth and the crane that is good for lining it up from far away. This harbor opening is quite a ways offshore.
-
/ a pretty good size east swell starts stacking up on the reefs. You had to look ahead.
Sometimes looking ahead isn't enough. My dumb luck finally gave out today and I got plastered at camp one. It was the first time in a boat. Held on to the ski and paddle but the hat and glassed were blasted to oblivion. Didn't stick around to look for them.
The camera mount looked ok, so I high tailed it out of there and settled into a great run. I was stoked that the footage of the second half would make it. Unfortunately, the mount had tipped back about 10 degrees. All the footage after the beating was of the sky. Oh well, summers just starting...
I'm too fried to edit all the footage so I grabbed 3 minutes from early in the run. I think I'll grab some more stuff from this run later.
I'm staying off the water for a few days. The boat bonked me on the eyebrow, 3 stitches. It was a wild ride. Super fun day. Killer big swells and wind.
maliko 5-28-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHSx1lLeFdk#ws)
-
Nice LPB. Very nice. 3 stitches? It was that kind of day. See the speed limit sign in the pic above?
-
Today was amazing! The east swell has been building and the wind has been blowing 40mph for over a week! I looked back a few times and I couldn't believe how big the swells were.
I got tossed in the harbor and my board was flipping in the wind. Glad I had my leash!
Take care of that brow. Nice video LPB.
-
Ouch, quite a bonk. That's the thing about super windy conditions, bad things can happen and happen really quickly.
-
Not itching yet, but the minor swelling is done. A few more days and it will be right as rain.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/005639x435.jpg)
-
Is that betadine yellow? Mighty close to the eye there pal. You musta had quite a flow of blood in your face. Who said this wasn't a contact sport?
-
Just curious, is the Maliko shuttle still in business?
-
Is that betadine yellow? Mighty close to the eye there pal. You musta had quite a flow of blood in your face. Who said this wasn't a contact sport?
Ha! The yellow tint is camera error. No bandages either, just a dab of neosporin.
No blood during the run, it was just a blob of clotted blood hanging on. Very minor bruise and swelling. I posted the pic just to show how minor the cut is.
Clinic was empty. In and out in less than an hour. I was hoping Jill Riggs was in, but she moved to the Wailuku clinic. The staff at Maui Lani misses her. She's a peach.
-
Just curious, is the Maliko shuttle still in business?
Indeed. Kelly is running 3 a day this week.
She prefers texts, but calling is fine.
250-1984
Get on her email list. Her schedule can vary. She has punch cards and other discount specials this time of year.
kellyonmaui@gmail.com
-
Here's another chunk from Monday's run.
maliko 5-28-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lei7m6oZiB0#ws)
-
Did a mellow south shore downwinder Thursday evening. It felt great to be back on the water.
Here's another chunk from Monday's run. I was very satisfied at this point. My average speed was better than usual, holding at 9.1.
I usually hold back and play it safe when it gets a little crazy out there. As you can see, I don't have the power or ability to charge these swells. But it will come with time.
The final video of this run shows what happens when I lose hull speed at just the wrong time. I'll try to post it tonight.
maliko 5-28-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKOvPSIvPMI#ws)
-
LPB, do you ever paddle the OC anymore? I had my first experience in OC-6 last night and was blown away how awesome it was. So different from my surfski and while the stroke is similar to my SUP, of course as you guys know, it's as different as it can be at the same time. Thought about you Maui guys as I was finishing up sprints at the end of a pretty killer open water paddle in a nice swell. I couldn't help but compare it to the ski in my mind. Anyway, wondered if you did the OC thing at all now that you've become so smitten with the ski?
-
OC-1 is my favorite,because of cultural roots.Not a true traditional design,what with the closed top that won't swamp the canoe( thank you very much) and the rudder,but close enough.Flying the ama(outrigger) is da bomb.The first report ever by a westerner of surfing was by Captain Cook,in Tahiti,and it was canoe surfing,Pakaka nalu in Hawaiian.Downwinders in a 6 on a good sized swell is a rush also.Ka'apahu on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/31529538) Ka'apahu canoe
-
Thanks for that vid. It was freaking awesome, especially at the end in the big roll out in the open water. Fo me there's nothing more thrilling.
-
Lanai in the background... off Molokai?
-
LPB, do you ever paddle the OC anymore? I had my first experience in OC-6 last night and was blown away how awesome it was.
Glad you like the six man, I've heard they are fun.
I'm all ski these days.
Here's the final video of last Monday's run. Too bad I got mowed, conditions were super good.
maliko 5-28-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AptvGJElLU#ws)
-
Paid, that's an awesome short video. HM is right about the rollout with everyone's _paddles up_. Very cool. We got a small taste of something like that the other night, however, on the west coast of FL our seas are more chop than swell and they are much closer together. So you get little short rides. Love the ohana in the 6. There are those times when you would like to take a stroke or two off but you know the other men are counting on you. Told my friends afterward that I was experiencing alternating feelings of elation and nausea. Love the full out effort.
LP, looking forward to seeing video of you in the new V10 when she comes around. Meanwhile, I always look forward to all your video as it helps me keep the stoke during those landlocked days when I am working in TN (another year of this commitment). There is just no comparison to paddling in open water. And it doesn't really matter WHAT you're paddling, right?
-
Fun run Sunday. Wind felt lighter than the airport reported, but the swells were big and fast. I was spooked for the entire second half of the run. Last Monday's beating really freaked me out.
maliko 6-3-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG1NZnP_pLE#ws)
This screen shot looks interesting. A moment sooner may have resulted in a soaking but probably not a spill. I didn't see anything, but I felt it back there. My hull speed was pretty good - that lip could have stalled me - but it wasn't pitching violently.
I forgot to edit out the 'screenshots' before publishing.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko6-3-12800x450.jpg)
-
LPG... Finally got to watch last vid which was fun. Love those wipeouts. In reference to your head wound....here's a post from you from last March... a thought is a powerful thing.
Re: First significant paddle boarding injury
« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2012, 11:13:53 PM »
It was in my first summer of maliko runs. Small whitewater at pier one knocked me off my old red F-16. Came to the surface without covering up and the board bashed me in the cheek. Not enough to bleed, but enough for a small welt. I was lucky.
Barely qualifies as a 'significant' injury, but get this, nothing has happened since. Knock wood. Go ahead, call me a coward. Sticks and stones....
-
LPB, nice video. You can hear the scuppers sucking feverishly with the high speeds generated.
I was over on Maui this weekend for a funeral service and Headmount was gracious enough to take me out on a Maliko Sunday, lend me a board, paddle and hydration equipment, and his wife picked us up at the end and drove us back. Unfortunately it seems that all of my trips to Maui have been tied up with non-paddling issues, it was great to get in the water yesterday.
The wind was a bit light for Maui standards but I still had a great time. Kudos to Headmount, I really appreciated it. One of these days my family will get to Maui for a true "vacation" and focus on some nice downwind runs.
-
Love those wipeouts.
Me too. I find it extremely useful to review the lead in to the spill. My memory (and that of others) is often very different than reality.
The water color change, the swell shape changes and the missed glide are all very useful to me.
I don't like crashing in a 20 foot boat. Some are minor 'step offs' like a sup, but that crash was ugly. The string is a sliding leash setup. I wan't to get away from the ski if necessary.
LPB, nice video. You can hear the scuppers sucking feverishly with the high speeds generated.
That sound is actually the wind on the camera. The front cover got ripped off and the microphone is more exposed. The rear display is dead. If the camera ever dies I'll get a gopro2, remote and dashware.
-
The V-10 arrived today. It's light, skinny and looks great.
First time in the water and I almost rolled right out of the boat - just like day one in the V-10 sport.
This boat is tippier.
Paddled a bit with my legs out, then settled in and continued on without falling. Fiddled a bit with the foot strap and pedals.
Paddling behind the waist is forgivable in the sport, but this boat won't allow it. Pull too far and it's hello fish. Mike said my stroke would improve...
Seat is extremely comfy. Snug fit. I like the slightly higher hump too.
Paddling with Mike Owens tomorrow. I'll try and stick the camera on the back. Underwater shots are likely.
Sport is sold. I'll shine it up and move it tomorrow. Time to figure out the new boat and get ready for downwinding. I hope it doesn't take too long.
Extremely stoked. This boat feels very, very fast.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2012-06-08001700x224.jpg)
-
The V10 looks hot, hot, hot. I see ( from the red tips ) that you ordered the Ultra layup. Must be super light. Looking forward to the first paddle report.
-
Yes, the kevlar is light, only 26.5 pounds. It's amazing how light and strong these boats are. The steering feels like it's got ball bearings in it. Super smooth.
The paddle today was good. We did an hour in light rolling chop. The V-10 is feeling much better. The pedals went back another notch. I'm really pleased with the snug bucket. It's a full two inches narrower than the old version of the V-10 sport. The biggest adjustment so far has been the extra length. It feels about 30 feet long. The tippyness is beginning to fade, but still lots of bracing if I step on the gas. And I get tired quicker with all the extra balancing. Everything old is new again...
Super happy with the boat. I'm hoping to be ready for light downwinding soon.
-
Hmm that new boat looks really nice L, I rented a Carbonology Vault for a week a couple of weeks ago. It coincided with a week of strong wind so it was straight into downwinding with the tipper boat.
First run I didn't even have time to pad it out so the combo of smaller narrower boat, and floating around in the seat meant lots of swims. Pretty quickly got used to it but found it hard work in bigger conditions, our water is getting pretty cold now as well so that doesn't help.
Keen to try a Fenn Swordfish next.
Be really interested to hear how you go with the V10, I'm starting to think that narrower boats may not be the way to go for downwind with my skill level, also going to demo a Stellar SR, seems like a backward step from the V10S but I think I need stability to learn technique and improve (actually start!) leg drive. Stellars are supposed to be really good for leg drive.
Just got my new carbon Ace 14 x 25 so I'm back in love with SUP at the moment, did a 35 knot, 3m swell downwinder in freezing conditions and pouring rain last week with the new Ace, now that was a wild ride, first time in the drink I knew fleecy pants and top and goretex shell was the wrong attire....
We are so lucky to have all the options and choosing the right board or ski as a 'problem'......
-
Today Mike and I got a sample of some serious water. We were looking for a safe place in south Makena to launch, but a south swell forced us to the lagoon at LaPerouse Bay. We launched at 7 am, which is about 90 minutes too late for calm water. The trades were filling in quickly from the Alenuihaha as we made our way south. We planned on 60 minutes, to get some base miles in.
So we set out and the wind started. It's all cliffs and rocks, so the rebound makes it lumpy and unpredictable. We motored around the lighthouse and got a taste of some big swells. Great fun. Mike really enjoyed it out there. He's strong in a ski. He uses a seat pad to improve his leverage, which makes a boat far tippier. He tells me he does it to empathise with my struggle in an elite boat. :)
It was tough to catch anything in the longer, narrow boat, but it's getting better. I fell about 5 times, Mike doesn't fall in ski. It was a blast. Far bigger than either of us expected.
I think you are wise to stay in a stable ski JC. The veterans are not kidding when they say stability is #1. I'm much slower in this V-10 than the V-10 sport.
The V-10 is like starting over again. I would have stayed in the V-10 sport if I was a 3 day a week paddler. But I only miss a few days a month, so I've got time on the water going for me. And that's the key.
The V-10 ultra is a slick boat. I got a 10% discount on mine because it was used (once). Epic rents new ones for the Molokai - Oahu then sells them. $3400 (delivered) is a great price. I hear Aussies pay over 6k. I wish we had all those other great boats to try.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/LPB6-10-12700x394.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/LPB6-10-121700x394.jpg)
-
Went out this afternoon, first time in the V10S for over a week but it feels so stable now after the Vault, certainly something exciting about getting into a finer tippier boat. While I had the Vault I did a river run with a buddy and strangely the Vault actually felt much tippier on dead flat river water than it did in choppy ocean swell, the initial stability doesn't give any sense of confidence but the secondary is very strong.
If you are paddling most days Im sure you will be fine in the V10 in no time, it will be really interesting to see how long it takes to improve on the V10S times for downwind runs, I know i was slower on the Vault downwind than the V10S but every so often I would get an insight into just how fast it could be, that superfine nose just pierced and the thing rocketed on.
Not sure why we get hit with such high prices for the Chinese skis, the containers come straight from China to Australia, bit like cars here, we pay more for the GM cars we manufacture here than you guys do after we export them from Australia to the US ???
Looking forward to some V10 videos!
-
I'm much slower in this V-10 than the V-10 sport.
The V-10 is like starting over again. I would have stayed in the V-10 sport if I was a 3 day a week paddler. But I only miss a few days a month, so I've got time on the water going for me. And that's the key.
I think that will be a short temporary situation, in all but the most challenging of conditions.
I never was able to paddle everyday; I was that 3 day a week paddler and after one season in the XT the V10 was faster (well faster) in 95% of the conditions I faced
I finally took mine out yesterday after two months of collecting dust. Do I start out easy? Hell no, I take it up the wall around Portlock and up to Hanauma Bay, some of the most challenging water on Oahu. What a paddle, increasingly disorganized water culminating in a crescendo of insanity as you approach (and then enter) Hanauma Bay from the West. And then there is no place to rest while sitting in the middle of the Hanauma Bay - brutal conditions to be not moving in the V10, even with legs over the side it is not in the slightest bit "relaxing."
My shoulder was a little achy yesterday, feeling OK today though. Time for some video of that water.
-
Well, as usual, 1p2p, you are right about the V-10. I did my first downwinder tonight and the boat is just amazing. It steers better, accelerates better and pretty much does everything better than the V-10 sport.
Conditions were light, barely whitecapping. But the reefs do lift the water up a bit. I know the run well and have done similar conditions many, many times. This boat is just unbelievably fun to paddle. I'm a VERY happy camper.
I was contemplating paddling flat water early in the mornings to help my form, but man, that is tough sledding. I did some yesterday and it almost killed me. One hour of that feels like two long downwinders. Maybe I'll try it a few times a week. Evening downwinders after work are going to be so fun.
The first clip in this video shows how nice the sliding leash is. It's back out of the way and will slide back if needed.
The second clip is the fastest minute of the run. 9.7/min is almost as fast as anything I've ever done in the V-10 sport. And I wasn't even trying. Woo Hoo!
south shore 6-12-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCmT5Y9I49M#ws)
-
My biceps feel a bit tight this morning, which tells me I was 'arm paddling' more than usual on that downwinder. That makes sense to me, because I'm still not capable of using my legs to drive the V-10. Each time I experiment with kicking the footplate and driving with my hips, the boat rolls too much. Hopefully, that will gradually improve, because thats what really makes a ski go, IMO.
And to clarify my comment about flatwater almost killing me, it's so hard because it allows real focus on form. We have enough time to think about doing things correctly. I find it extremely difficult to sit tall, get that top hand up where it should be and drive with the core. Spearing the water is tough too. Experts make that look so easy. My balance goes all over the place on flat water, the core works overtime to stay upright and I'm fried. Tough sport.
After a session of that, my biceps don't feel a thing. Fatigue is down between the belly button and upper thighs. That's where the real power is. K1 sprinters that can draw on those muscles are quite talented.
The only time I've ever felt as locked in and tippy on a machine was on a velodrome. Track bikes require good form and go fast, especially in the TT position. Get sloppy in a ski and it's hello fish. On a track it's hello boards.
-
Well, as usual, 1p2p, you are right about the V-10. I did my first downwinder tonight and the boat is just amazing. It steers better, accelerates better and pretty much does everything better than the V-10 sport.
It is not that I am smarter than the average bear, it is just that the boat is so MUCH faster than the V10S (or similar) that as long as you can stay upright in the V10, it will be faster.
No question a 17" boat will test a paddler's balance. But what is amazing is how stable the V10 is for being that narrow. Compared to the latest Fenn ski available at the time of my purchase (the Millennium or the Mako 6), the V10 was much more stable. The Millennium gave me the shakes on flat water. The Mako 6 was more forgiving, but still could not match the V10's stability.
Where did you get that sliding leash? My coil leash was really being a pain on Monday, when trying to get my feet into the footstrap in the chop.
-
Was hoping you wouldn't be able to resist the downwinders for long in the new boat!
It certainly looks fast but I can empathize with the more tentative paddling and can see the relative lack of stability in your body compared to where you were in the Sport - sure it won't be long though.
How does the sliding leash arrangement work L?
Never ceases to amaze me how complex the paddling stroke is in the ski, looks so simple when you see the pro's doing it but trying to think about leg drive, core stability, etc etc is really full on and very tiring as you say.
Oh and just so you know, I always find your videos fantastic image quality but very very slow to load. I'm not familiar with using YouTube but maybe there is a way to save them as slightly smaller files without degrading the quality. Please keep em coming 8)
-
Damn... that really looks great
-
JC, you can choose a lower resolution. When you click the start arrow a little gear will appear on the lower right. Click that and choose.
The leash is my epic. I attach it to my pfd with the string and the carabiner goes on the slider. The slider is an idea I got from the sea kayak guys. I put the bungee on there to keep it taut. The rear mount is some clear tube through the cover, with some epoxy to reinforce it.
The hat and glasses are also leashed to the pfd with some leftover camera leashes.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2012-06-13001700x393.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2012-06-13007700x393.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2012-06-13003700x393.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2012-06-13006700x393.jpg)
-
The leash looks nifty, but do you think it will withstand a really hard pull (say if you got rolled by a breaking wave)?
-
^ It's strong enough for the conditions I'll encounter in the near future. And probably strong enough for a serious yank. I've heard ski's don't pull hard when they are in line with a wave.
My plan is to keep searching for a stainless tee nut in 1/4 x 20. I mounted a tee nut in the v-10 sport, but it was electro plated and corroded quickly. They are super strong if mounted correctly and serve as a camera / leash mount.
-
^ It's strong enough for the conditions I'll encounter in the near future. And probably strong enough for a serious yank. I've heard ski's don't pull hard when they are in line with a wave.
My plan is to keep searching for a stainless tee nut in 1/4 x 20. I mounted a tee nut in the v-10 sport, but it was electro plated and corroded quickly. They are super strong if mounted correctly and serve as a camera / leash mount.
How do you get inside with the T nut L? T nuts I'm familiar with need to have access to both sides of the panel. Maybe a rivnut would work but I'd be worried about the amount of crush it would put on the panel with the self crushing/locking motion.
Seems strange to me that the ski manufacturers don't come up with better integrated leash systems, would be easy to sort it all out during the manufacturing process.
The EZ Stick on leash plugs work really well if you prep the surface properly, you could even put two at the back to make extra sure.
When I was attaching the leash to the footstrap I experienced quite a bit of "pull" on a big day but I'm sure that the sliding leash line will let the boat align with the swell and help reduce the pull.
-
I imagine if the boat it attached to the leash somewhere near the tail, then it would be more likely to be in line with the waves then if the boat is attached via the foot pedal (where I have mine); makes sense that if the boat is attached via the footpedal then there is a greater chance of the boat ending up perpendicular to the waves. I've been rolled a couple of times by breaking waves between Light House and Kaimana on the skis, and it was difficult to remount when I was getting worked by wave after wave.
Jonathan makes a good point about manufacturers including a dedicated leash attachment point. Seems simple enough. I imagine because skis started out in those competitions where the riders are standing on the shore holding their boats, leashes are not typically used and so manufacturers never thought it was an important thing to consider.
-
How do you get inside with the T nut L?
I surface mount the nut, with the flange on the outside. Threads in the t nut are long enough to use half for an anchor bolt and half for the camera mount post. The anchor 'bolt' is a segment of threaded rod. I bent it 90 degrees and had it stick out the rear of the boat, (with another nut on it). The t nut is on top. It was all expoxied inside the boat. Very, very strong.
It worked great, except for the corrosion. I'm not sure about drilling holes in the new boat at this time. Maybe when it gets beat up a little. :)
Did my first maliko in the V-10 today. Holy crap that boat loves big swells. It was dropping into glides with barely any effort. The V-10 sport required big efforts to get into similar glides.
My balance needs practice. Only one fall. It took several attempts to get back in. We finished at Kanaha due to a regatta in the harbor.
Super fun boat. Scary fast. Lot's of adrenaline.
-
Fun times on the south shore today.
Very happy with the new boat.
south shore 6-23-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMLGVuNmXHY#ws)
-
Wow, that looked fantastic L!
A couple of times I could see you really paddle to catch a swell in front and that thing accelerated so fast. :o
-
^ JC, acceleration of the v-10 is a notch faster than my old sport. The new boat is a few pounds lighter, that helps. The narrow width and smooth hull probably help the most. The sport's previous owner carried the boat hull down a lot, so it was kinda lumpy. I will never, ever, carry any of my stuff hull down.
The v-10 really shines when it gets moving. At a certain hull speed the stability clicks like a light switch and it wants to run. The trick is to get it up there. My leg drive (stability) is holding me back, just like early days in the sport.
Maliko wore me out yesterday. Arm paddling into big swells works for about 15 minutes. 3 falls due to exhaustion. Arms were so tired I couldn't pull myself into the bucket. New boat is great. Leg drive, balance and shoulder turn are improving.
I'm anxious to adust to the V-10 and hop in a V-10S.
-
LPB that looked like a lot of fun.
Do you find that the boat spins out less than the Sport?
-
^ Yes, very much so. I hope JC gets to experience that difference. It's been a few years for you so you may not remember it as well. It's only been a few weeks for me and it was quite dramatic.
When we angle across and the rear gets close to pushing, alarms start ringing. My first time downwinding in the 10 was a revelation. The alarms were ringing, yet the boat locked in and kept flying. The sport would have surely spun out and stopped, but the 10 motored.
I'm also very pleased with how well the 10 'recovers' from a spin out. The sport would go sideways in a hurry and slow to a near stop. The 10 seems to give more warning. Although the best line is missed, the boat still lets you add some power, keep some hull speed and huck it into the next swell - or maybe the second. Such great fun, I'm really spoiled on the south shore.
Tonight the wind switched to mild headwind conditions. I like mild headwinds because they create steady hull speed and add stability. Great for practicing leg drive. Some swellage was still following - it was fun to catch glides in a headwind.
-
I just viewed the video of 6-23-12, it has perfect examples of the V-10 on the edge of my ability to go left. I had launched with an outrigger that was finishing further down the coast. We stayed together for a while, then I looked over and realized I had to get in quickly. The wind and swells were slightly offshore so I had to get speed then angle left on the waves. At 1:30 you can see how I'm fighting to go left. The sport could not hold those angles. The 10 is spinning out too. The recovery kinda shows how the 10 can maintain a bit of hull speed after broaching. Sitting tall and driving hard after a mistake is precarious.
My vids usually only have the best glides, so the set ups (building speed by going right) seldom make the cut.
The experts on outrigger really fly on the south shore. They go WAY outside in harrowing conditions. They lift the ama and zoom left on huge swells for very, very long distances. Unreal talent on this island. The zigs and zags they carve are amazing.
-
Ha! I actually remember the spins very well. As I was progressing with the XT, I was doing runs with some guys who were quite talented on OC-1. I remember being able to keep up with them pretty good as long as I stayed upright, but if I spun (or flipped), then I got left behind.
-
More fun on the south shore. Wind direction was good.
south shore 6-27-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raVIGH6ici0#ws)
-
Good wind to the Mana Kai Friday evening.
south shore 6-29-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpzWPNGRxAg#ws)
-
That's nuts. This new boat is sooo much faster
-
^ Yes, the boat certainly feels faster. At the end of the run the waves were standing up really well. I went for broke and cut loose for a final sprint, jumping across a few peaks. I held on for a few hundred yards but faded and eventually fell out of the boat. The V-10 was accelerating across gaps and asking for more. It was surreal how fast the boat can go. GPS didn't say anything special, but it felt great.
Here's a virtual view of the south shore from the windmills. Friday's run is on the left, Jamie Mitchell's Nuu run is on the right. That's the Alenuihaha channel and the big island behind their red line.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore6-30-12700x277.jpg)
-
The big island deserves a virtual view. Note the compass in the upper right is swung about 180 degrees. Jamie's 25 mile Nuu run is there, our Friday 8 miler a blip.
It's tough to get a the entire island of Hawaii in the view. It's landmass is greater than all the other Hawaiian islands - combined.
From the sea floor to the top of Mauna Kea is a greater elevation change than Everest's 29,000 feet from sea level.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/bigisland700x293.jpg)
-
Wow! PonoBill only got his up to his rooftop level.
Seriously, the earth views showing the routes are great.
-
We usually view gps lines from directly overhead.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko5-27-12700x298.jpg)
Here's another angle of the same run.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko5-27-121700x590.jpg)
-
Those views are great - its like flying over in a plane.
-
Fun times at maliko. I'm trying to slow down and pick better lines. It's working great on the south shore. Effort levels are dropping dramatically. Maliko is much more challenging. As balance improves the power should increase. One step at a time.
maliko 7-4-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1041AQhkgik#ws)
-
Fun maliko today. Gopro2 with the wifi remote is nice. It has a lot of features. This was 1080 medium view. It's a bit heavier than my old Nikon and the picture isn't as good, but the wifi remote rocks. Anti-fog strips worked.
maliko 7-8-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfeleO-GSNw#ws)
-
It has been cool to see your progression, Larry. You are killing on that thing now!
-
new cam is solid
-
Thanks for the kind words guys.
The ski is a blast Admin, much more exciting than oc-1 in my opinion.
Fun times on the south shore today. The wind was excellent.
south shore 7-14-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45LwxS9_T2U#ws)
-
Wind has been great on the south shore recently. It's been a bit shifty, but was solid after work tonight.
south shore 7-17-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUDSvq1G9tU#ws)
-
Wind was light this afternoon, but the fetch was very good.
Stability is gradually improving. Leg drive is starting to get comfy on the south shore, but not yet at maliko.
Kept it smooth and easy as possible, except for the last two minutes. The harbor entrance is always a slug fest. The rest of the footage is boring with the gray overcast skies. I was very pleased with the elapsed time - my best yet in the V-10. Fast boat. Great fun.
maliko 7-29-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq1YkmoOuIU#ws)
-
Good conditions on the south shore recently. Ski keeps getting faster as effort levels seem to drop. Balance is gradually improving, allowing me to hang back on the waves and work more angles.
Today's run was easy and fast, with unusually groomed conditions - even by south shore standards.
The gopro fisheye lens is just not doing it for me. Even on 1080 medium FOV, the waves look too flat. I'm searching for a narrow FOV replacement lens to add some realism and bring back some excitement to the videos.
The waves in this video were really good. Shame it's so distorted. Loving the remote though.
I may shoot with the nikon tomorrow to compare. Mike Owens made me a cool camera mount out of carbon fiber. A small tripod about a foot high. Light as a feather.
south shore 8-11-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfQ5TS_B_Mo#ws)
-
LPB: If you find a replacement lens that improves the go pro, please post details. I share the frustration with my Hero 2. Absolutely epic days are turned into stuff that just looks completely tame. Love the vids anyway though.
-
I thought yesterday looked almost cloud free on SS from over her on NS but your vid appears dark... unlike 7/14 (sparkling blue) at the top of this page. Was it dark or was it the cam?
-
HM, it was bright and sunny at the beginning of the run.
The clip above is from later in the run when the sun dipped behind a cloud. I almost included some of the early footage with the good light, but clipped it and went with the fast glides later on. Good light makes a huge difference with color saturation in the gopros.
cove, I've been watching this thread and a few others over on the remote helicopter forums.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1579275&page=5 (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1579275&page=5)
Sunnex is probably the way to go, the ragecams have some naysayers. But it's hard to form a good opinion with so little discussion. Ragecams guy has been booted from most forums for endless shilling. True experts chime in occasionally and say replacing a lens on a gopro is like putting lipstick on a pig. Then there's a rumor that gopro may have a replacement lens in the works that has no fisheye. No news on that, but I wish they would hurry up and do it. Probably not enough demand yet and tearing into a camera is probably not a good idea for the average consumer.
I'll probably spend $50 and try a sunnex with ~ 90 degree FOV. The gopro wide angle is just horrible in the swells. I tried it on 1080 wide on a killer day and was really upset with how weak the video was. Just terrible. The 1080 medium FOV I'm using is not representative of the swells. It's not what I see out there. The 1080 narrow is useless too. It's just the same video with the sides clipped off electronically. Tall narrow picture. Just plain wrong. Love the remote though.
-
I agree with what has been said about the go pro. The videos I have taken in what I thought to be great conditions play back as tame :-( So much so that I haven't posted any as of yet. I would welcome a lens change if it wouldn't cost an arm and a leg. BTW, my hero was a gift otherwise I may have purchased something better suited for video rec.
-
Super fun maliko today. My plan was to stop at 20 minutes to start the nikon, but the wind was up. It's been a while since I've seen maliko up and running, so I was too spooked to jump out.
Big fat Oscar's advice to hang back, relax and angle across the big swells is working great in the ski. The past 3 days have seen a personal record on my after work run, brain damaged a strong friend on outrigger yesterday and broke the hour at maliko today - all without big efforts. Great fun.
Be lazy, let the ocean do the work, that's my motto. If it works for a fat slob like Oscar, I'm all over it. :)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko8-12-12700x575.jpg)
-
On the local news last night they reported that two stand up paddlers had to be rescued when they blew out to sea in Maalaea Bay (our south side), plus the two good samaritans that initially attempted to save them.
The cams looked great on wind direction... even slightly onshore. Wish I'd been able to go. Also the wind report for the day also showed this. How could they get blown offshore? Anyone know?
-
Me, me!! Well, okay, I don't really know the specifics all the way from Hood river, but when you start from Maalaea Bay you get the funny wind angle right at the start that requires you to angle pretty hard toward Sorrentos. If you don't, you get out to an area where the mountain doesn't influence the wind direction. Instead of wrapping it just blows straight out. If you don't have a rudder and/or don't know how to catch a swell and ride towards shore then it's Tahiti for you.
-
Well yesterday was so onshore that even in the bay center, one would have been swept into north Kihei. When the report used the preposition "out' it really meant "away" from where they started. I, like PBill, assume 'out' to be towards Tahiti. That's the problem with the news.
My problem was I made the assumption that since they were even out in any kind of wind they were paddlers of basic ability. That was wrong. Finally got the skinny. Turned out to be just regular tourists trying SUP in one of the strongest wind funnels in the world. Kinda like thinking one wants to try surfing for the first time and paddles out at the Pipe.
What's that expression? "God protects the dumb and the drunk"
-
Here is a picture to help illustrate what HM is describing. It's the line I paddled that evening. Like HM said, the wind was 'onshore' meaning pushing me to my left. Wind in my right ear. So I was paddling to 'stay out' most of the time (surfing right).
Yesterday evening the wind was 'offshore' so we got pushed 'out' and had to paddle to get in (surf left). Wind in my left ear. This is when it's exceptionally dangerous for novices. The wind can push you far out to sea when that happens. Miles and miles.
I think what HM said about the tourists is that they tried to get back to where they started.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore8-13-12700x353.jpg)
-
Good conditions on the south shore today. Fun run to Makena landing. First time in the new shuttle on the south shore. JC paddled his bullet.
south shore, 8-18-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Znn7vq-GHk#ws)
-
Here's a picture of Saturday's south shore run. Wind was right down the line. It's a bit stronger further out. That red line out from the cove is 2 miles. That's a very long swim if my ski or paddle fails. I carry a VHF radio in my pfd, always.
West Marine has a new model, it's small and inexpensive at $99. They work better than phones if you are in real trouble. All boats in the area are on line.
Too many SUP rental rescue stories lately. Beware the wind on the south shore.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore8-18-121700x421.jpg)
-
Where was JC in the video?
-
JC was on a SUP Bullet. LPB would have to drag a brick to stay with a SUP. Added to that they go out farther.... much farther.
-
People think South Shore = tame and safe, Maliko = danger when really it's South Shore = no beating but potentially dangerous, Maliko = safe but maybe some beatings.
-
was @ Ukumehame last week with Randy,wind got 2 strong 4 me,then nuclear,so i came in,and watched Randy rescue 2 women on rented sups getting blown out to Lana'i,they were pretty far out already.Hubbies had already called 911,by the time the boys got there,Randy had brought them safely in.15 minutes later,not a puff of wind,all glassy for about 30 minutes,that's Maui
-
Where was JC in the video?
I was searching as I angled in. Unfortunately, I can only glance to the side for a moment. A dedicated scan requires a stop and legs out of the boat. Bright clothing helps. Friends have hulied in outriggers nearby and I've missed it. Directly in front is much easier for me.
LPB would have to drag a brick to stay with a SUP.
That reminds me of a Dave K. story.
It was a south shore downwinder, good conditions. I started just before him in my old V-10 sport. I had my camera going and hoped he would go by. After about 10 minutes he came gliding by. The interesting thing is, he wasn't paddling. He glided by and stayed out front for about 5 minutes, gradually pulling away.
Not one stroke. Zero. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't filmed it.
When he started paddling he vanished quickly. WAY out front in a bright red shirt.
-
South shore has been good lately. Here's a short clip from tonight's run.
south shore 8-21-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrR33-BPPCY#ws)
-
Amazing water color today. The wind was light and the total lack of north swell meant crystal clear water. These clips are from the best bits of light color. Very beautiful on the north shore today. FUn run too, very steady and predictable glides.
maliko 8-25-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kCMR4lg6Jc#ws)
-
Maliko was good today. High tide and a good fetch from the east made for good conditions across the reef.
Summer conditions are the best. South shore always has something for me after work, malikos are great fun on the weekends.
I've been on a roll lately with 64 of 65 days paddled in the v-10. Great fun. Easy on the shoulders, great for the back.
Mike only has a few maliko's in ski under his belt and he's already zooming across the reef. It took me years before I'd venture in there. If you look closely he takes a sharp right to get further out. Wise move. It got a bit sketchy after this clip. Not much to see so I cut it, but I was lucky not to have been mowed. In winter this area can get very big and very dangerous. Some call it camp one, it's just before upper kanaha.
maliko 9-3-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtOyn9f5fLU#ws)
-
That was great, especially when Mike got close. The addition of even one other paddler makes a huge difference. Leave tomorrow ... see you in Oct.
-
Wow, that wave at 3:23 had your number.
-
^Umm, ok. 911 maybe. It was shallow and I wanted to work my way out. Those are powerful, unforgiving swells in there PB. Like I said, I was lucky not to have been mowed on that reef. At my skill level, I was too far inside for those conditions.
Good fun on the south shore Wednesday evening. GPS and video are great for showing me how keep the average speed up. The sudden lean backs and nosedives at the end of these clips are to be avoided. Looks like fun and a good drop, but it almost always kills hull speed. Smooth transitions and relaxed easy paddling are the key in big boats.
south shore 9-5-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWaUoX5TVSE#ws)
-
South shore was excellent this evening. I may bump my paddle out 1 cm (to 210) on days like this.
south shore 9-10-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbeiT3ne054#ws)
-
I was watching the Kama'ole webcam monday afternoon, and wondered if any was making a run, it was cranking! Glad you got out, looks like it was fun.
-
The opening pic is great, right as you drop into a bomb.
-
My wife and I made last minute plans to get to Maui late next week. We have only been in the winter and are familiar with typical conditions around Kihei during that season. Since our last visit we have advanced in huge bounds regarding our SUP abilities, but are still "beginners.". We are comfortable in 15mph winds and 3.5' disorganized Great Lake chop. This thread is of interest to me because of the cited incidents on the South side.
Our plan is to rent a few boards for the week, get some small wave time in at the beginner spots in Kihei - but we also wanted some open water time. My assumption has been that we would be "safer" on the south side, and have a greater chance for mild conditions- so we should stay in that area. We've always wanted to rent a place on the north shore, but I discounted that idea as I thought we would have to drive 45 minutes to get in the water every day
We certainly planned to seek out a guide for any distance paddling, but the question is - are we any more likely to find safe conditions in either locale this time of year? Or is the south still a better bet, check in with a guide and pick a day for a shorter Maliko run?
-
Really nice run. What PFD do you use? It looks like it doesn't get in the way at all.
-
My wife and I made last minute plans to get to Maui late next week. We have only been in the winter and are familiar with typical conditions around Kihei during that season. Since our last visit we have advanced in huge bounds regarding our SUP abilities, but are still "beginners.". We are comfortable in 15mph winds and 3.5' disorganized Great Lake chop. This thread is of interest to me because of the cited incidents on the South side.
Our plan is to rent a few boards for the week, get some small wave time in at the beginner spots in Kihei - but we also wanted some open water time. My assumption has been that we would be "safer" on the south side, and have a greater chance for mild conditions- so we should stay in that area. We've always wanted to rent a place on the north shore, but I discounted that idea as I thought we would have to drive 45 minutes to get in the water every day
We certainly planned to seek out a guide for any distance paddling, but the question is - are we any more likely to find safe conditions in either locale this time of year? Or is the south still a better bet, check in with a guide and pick a day for a shorter Maliko run?
Contact either Jeremy Riggs (JRiggs) or Bill Boyum (headmount) for a guided Maliko run. It's absurdly fun, and either of them will make sure you don't get into trouble. Jeremy's trips are a bit more expensive and concentrate on technique. It's been nine months since I did one with him and I'm STILL working on the stuff he taught me. Bill's trips are more about the experience and minimizing the fear factor. No one knows the place better than Boyum, and he is one of the few people that can get you into the beach for shorter runs without undue drama. You'll see the value of that once you're out there.
-
Really nice run. What PFD do you use? It looks like it doesn't get in the way at all.
I can't feel it. Looks goofy as my bike helmet, but they can save your ass if things go wrong.
http://www.astralbuoyancy.com/products/men/V8/index.html (http://www.astralbuoyancy.com/products/men/V8/index.html)
-
Super fun maliko today. Wind was strong and steady from the east, tide was high. Conditions were excellent. The ski is usually relatively easy in those conditions, but filming standups zipping around is tiring. I was falling out due to exhaustion by the end of the run. Devin was turning more, which was really tough to film. Jeremy's lines were smoother and more gradual like a boat. He was running away on the bigger swells.
maliko 9-14-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sX5XFTYxB-g#ws)
-
That was fun! Good to paddle with you again. Cool video!
Here's some pics.
-
New personal record on my weekday evening run. 8.8 mph average.
They say the key to a fast run is to limit the lower dips of the gps graph. Today's run has a long section where the graph stays above 9 mph. That's fast for me, unusual for such a long period. Those lower dips are tough for me to avoid. The south shore is much easier than maliko in that respect.
Today marks one year in the ski. Super fun boats. Really good in all conditions, but I'm obviously spoiled here on Maui.
This clip is the section between 19:30 and 24:00.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore9-17-12700x513.jpg)
south shore 9-17-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIoFzz58DTM#ws)
-
This clip is the section between 19:30 and 24:00.
Photobucket is red x'ing, so here it is again.
-
I remember just living on the back of bumps on the ski. Just enough paddle to stay there, let the ocean do all the work.
-
^That's my goal.
It's fun to gradually learn what the boats can or cannot do. The 'spin out' at 0:50 is my favorite part of the video. It looks like an error to me, but the v-10 just motors on to the next glide. An intermediate boat is much less forgiving. I remember the v-10 sport stopping dead in the water, almost doing a 180.
The gps and video are a big help because I'm usually alone. When the 6 man distance season finishes the boys will be back in the one man. Then I'll be able to see some smart lines. They make it look so easy. As do Devin and Jeremy at maliko. They don't paddle very much but zoom right along. Fun to watch.
Speaking of which, Jeremy just did this on vimeo. I'll post up a picture of the tail of his bullet sometime next to the tail of my ski. His is flat underneath and mine is round, but I think his is narrower.
https://vimeo.com/49651165
-
He makes it look easy, but few people could handle a board that narrow.
Plus, I was usually working with bumps less than waist high. It would be more tricky on a Maliko.
-
Another really nice run. Thanks for the tip on the PFD. I'm looking forward to seeing the comparison photo of Jeremy's Bullet and your V10.
So the V10 makes the runs significantly easier? The V10S would stall out on a spin? I'm comfortable on my V10S, but I may have to take Mike Owens' advice and start padding up the seat to push my balance so I can handle a skinnier ski.
-
^Yes, IMO, the v-10 makes downwinding much easier. One of the main reasons is its ability to track across a swell better than a shorter, wider boat. I couldn't tell you why the boat behaves this way, but the result is a more relaxed ride. We all know the key to downwinding is to sit up high on the swell and angle across. Somehow the 10 just hangs in there, feels more stable and offers more chances to steer without losing the glide. When I blow it and the tail starts to spin, there is a bigger window of opportunity to save momentum.
And this isn't due to experience on the water. It's most apparent when you first switch to the 10. It's tippier, yes. But it's more at home doing what skis and outriggers are supposed to do. You just have to get it on the glide, let it run and feel the difference. The hull is actually 12% narrower and 7% longer. Those sound like big numbers when it comes to moving anything through water.
Someone started a thread over on sufski info asking for input on shaping a downwind specific ski. He wanted to think outside the box with a big planing tail, extra fins etc. The experts let him know that it's all about the glide. A planing hull has too much drag on something like a ski.
http://www.surfski.info/forum/35-surfski-innovations/13204-design-challenge-ultimate-downwind-destroyer.html (http://www.surfski.info/forum/35-surfski-innovations/13204-design-challenge-ultimate-downwind-destroyer.html)
To a much lesser degree, intermediate boats can't link glides like elite boats because of that transition zone. The dips in a speed chart kill average speed.
If you are comfy on a sport, try the V-10. Stability will come. Don't get me wrong, the sport is a very fast boat. It took me weeks if not months to get faster on my 10. The beauty of the 10 is more speed, less effort.
As for Jeremy and our skis, I'm sure he he could roll one upside down, stand on it and paddle around. The tail is rather flat on the top. :)
-
A "downwind specific ski" - pretty funny. The V10 is like the Porsche 911. Once you get it right, no point in changing it until you can come up with something better.
-
Just out of curiosity:
1 paddle 2 paddle / LaPerousebay:
Have you guys tried a V12? How does it compare tp the V10 for downwinding? The nice thng about the V10 is that the price is coming down hard. They're coming up for sale at below 1000 on the East Coast.
I was surfing my V10S and V8 a last weekend, and really had fun. The V8 was solid as a rock even in the rough. A V-8 placed 6th (3rd except for a time penalty due to paddling the wrong side of an island), in a race up in Massachusettes. There is definitey something to be said for stability, so you can lay down power.
But it's interesting to learn your perspective on the V10 ski.
-
We have a few v-12's here. I've not tried one. The v-12 guys like them. But they are expert paddlers, so their opinions don't relate much to me.
They say the 12 turns better and the secondary stability works good at maliko. But those guys have been in elite boats for many, many years.
I considered a 12, but a veteran said 'don't do it, the 10 is more stable'. My guess is that only an experienced paddler can justify a 12.
Wow, a V-10 for less than a grand? That would sell fast here.
-
I've never paddled a V-12. What I understand is that the V-12 is a notch faster in flatter conditions but once conditions get rougher the V-10 is just as fast, while being more stable.
I've said it before - the magic of the V-10 is how stable and comfortable it is, for being as fast as it is.
Sent from my BlackBerry 9670 using Tapatalk
-
just for you,this was posted on ocean paddler,and i see my niece dancing on that too
https://vimeo.com/50212766
-
Tahiti has its water sports dialed in. Heck, the production value on that video is amazing.
I guess it is not a big mystery why they are so good at paddling, they put so much into it.
-
Breathtaking scenery. The barrier reef is amazing. I cannot imagine how beautiful that must be in person. Wow.
Nice shots of the swells. Those were some great conditions.
How great would it be to finish with the drums and the girls dancing. Very nice.
Thanks for that.
-
Fun maliko today. Really enjoying the the V-10. Today was 113 days paddled in the last 118. I'm not bored yet. :) Maui is so perfect for wind. Over a hundred of those days are downwinders.
Excellent conditions today. Solid east swell with no NW. I'm always very cautious in the ski, today was no exception. The east wind and swells drove me way out. South shore is my primary run, today was crazy big by comparison. Very, very exciting.
maliko 10-21-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlBeVAp5pHk#ws)
-
That was great. I've noticed it before and it was very apparent in this vid, that a sun spot glare actually helps delineate the depth of the troughs. I dug it. Looked like mostly braking and steering for you.
-
Yes, the bracing seems to be very helpful. The curved surface of a wing blade is well suited to drag across the water. It may slow the boat a bit, but the ability to relax and lean on the blade for a moment is a welcome relief from constant balancing. People often ask 'but you don't have an outrigger?' When I explain that a kayak blade is actually like two amas, of course they look at me like I'm demented. Oh well...
South shore was super fun this weekend. Solid conditions to polo beach both days. Today Mike paddled with us. He's a much better paddler than I am. Better technique, balance, much faster on flat water. But I have an edge in downwinding experience. We took it easy alongside each other today.
south shore 10-28-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV57x7JRA2s#ws)
-
More fun on the south shore.
south shore 10-30-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i6f6F-9uUc#ws)
-
These conditions weren't just ski and OC-1 good, the were stand-up good. Really good. It seems like that time of year...
-
More fun on the south shore.
south shore 10-31-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OXLCOU2Ax0#ws)
-
Thank you Headmount and Pono Bill for taking me along on a sweet Maliko run today! You guys are awesome. Here's the garmin track link:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/243445837 (http://connect.garmin.com/activity/243445837)
Lucky to have nothing but a nice wind swell and no groundswell for my virgin run. The colors of the water are spectacular. Turquoise, deep blues, blue greens with amazing visibility, indescribably beautiful. A day I will never forget. Thanks again you guys!
-
You did well. More on the way. Ready for tomorrow?
-
Absolutely.
-
Howling offshore conditions on the south shore today. About halfway down the run I gave up trying to make speed and focused on getting to shore. With about 3 miles left - safely near to the shore - I turned downwind and had some fun. The middle section was brutal. The road to tahiti was open for business.
We had some very experienced paddlers get swept way out. They usually finish first, but had to double back to make it to the finish. It usually wraps in toward the end, but even the Hawaiians got fooled today.
south shore 11-26-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxJ4Pgf5kEA#ws)
-
Was on the north shore today mid day - hardly blowing but a bumpy ocean with what looked like a short period swell. Got back over to the south side about 2 or so and it was howling but looked to be moving in and out from near the shore line. Cool that you got a nice run - looked like some good long surfs! Sounds like a spooky day to be out there though.
-
Yes. LPB confirmed what I saw on the cams and I didn't even load up the truck. Days are even worse for us on SUBs than LPBs' ski. Today might be different tho. Call me Greg.
-
Why would we call you Greg???
-
You'd call me because it would make you feel like a pro to see me struggling through my fear. ;D
-
Why would we call you Greg???
God I'm slow. If pdx Mike had written that, I would have gotten it the first time. Gotta get some better coffee.
-
Don't call me Shirley (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A5t5_O8hdA#)
-
No, Shirley's with me.
-
/ Sounds like a spooky day to be out there though.
Yes, it was. I wasn't having much fun until I got close to the beach. Relaxed, patient, but zero glides on the big swells.
(offshore) / Days are even worse for us on SUBs than LPBs' ski. /
Very true. Ski's are the most forgiving paddle craft in those conditions. Oc-1's walk a razors edge to maintain hull speed. They do their best to zoom left, but if the wind gets that ama, over they go. The elite standups can do magic. Average standups are in deep trouble. Best to lay down and prone it in. The wind will push out, relentlessly.
Here's a pic of yesterday's line and more video. The previous vid is footage on the left in the picture, 'close' to shore. This video starts on the white dot, over a mile offshore.
The wind is drilling me in the left ear. I've given up hope of running the ridge of anything fast, just working my way in. As you can see by the line, I don't make much headway. Gopros ruin everything more than 20 feet from the boat. But if you look carefully, I'm searching for threads heading on shore - between the big swells running off shore. Tough sledding.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore11-27-12700x316.jpg)
south shore 11-26-12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSXfUEsyk-I#ws)
-
Just finished an awesome S Sider with nice wind direction. Started at the Canoe Hale in N Kihei and went to Wailea Beach. Good wind most of the way, got a little lighter somewhere off the Cove but then it filled back in near the boat ramp. I was on a borrowed fixed fin 14 and the wind and swell were very friendly. It was no problem angling left (or right). Great bumps right into the beach at the end. Glad it wasn't like yesterday - real glad to miss that. Thanks to Bill and Bill for getting me out there - you guys rock!
-
You're welcome. We were lucky and our timing was spot on. Better that you went on my 14' 6" than that 12'6". First time that the bottom was better than the top for me.
-
The 14 6 was really a nice ride and was a surprise in pretty much every way. Very fast on the glides, much more stable than I expected and very steerable. Really a pleasure to ride. Thanks again! The downwinders I've done with you guys are just outstanding and are the highlight of my trip. I could do those every day forever and never stop grinning or being awed by the incredible ocean here.
-
That was a good one, and I needed it. Sure cure for the blahs. Looks like no wind for a while, and good surf, so that works too.
-
Fun day on the south shore. Sol and Lauren bought my old V-10 sport a few weeks ago. I was the 3rd owner, they are the 5th. They are loving it. Excellent cross training for their primary sport of paddling outrigger.
I lost my gopro2 a few weeks ago, surfing the ski. No leash on the camera or mount. :(
This vid is with a gopro3 white edition. The mount is lower and closer to me, but it still looks ok. Nice camera - much smaller.
http://youtu.be/gB0V9P9zaL8 (http://youtu.be/gB0V9P9zaL8)
-
That was fun, especially with the others. New cam works good but seemed a bit darker than old one. Did you think so?
-
^Yes, the blues should have been brighter that time of day. Maybe it's the winter sun angle. And, the sun was going in and out of the clouds.
An early maliko run is usually good for color. Especially in summer. Sun from behind is always good with action cams.
I am happy with the crisp focus at the edges.
-
I feel your pain LPB, I've lost 2 go pro 2's. I'm down to a relatively cheap hero 1, which I'm not that crazy about. Which is why I will probably never lose it.
The sharpness and clarity is really good I think. Really like having the other boat in the field of view too! I need to put something on my lens, maybe rain x, to keep it clear and free of water droplets.
-
I bought my Quadcopter an early birthday present--a GoPro Black. Yes, I know, I said they'd never get my money again, but the little bastard wanted one, and he promised not to use it to spy on me ("just the neighbors, I swear" says he). I don't completely trust him, but I have to say the pictures are damned good. The stability control eliminates most of the "jello" I've been getting. If I wasn't so lazy I'd do a better job of balancing the props and motors to eliminate the problem at it's source. But when you're breaking props by the gross, it feels like a wasted exercise.
Biggest problem with the black so far is that the batteries are usually drained when I want to use it. I haven't figured out how to turn everything really OFF I guess. Leaving it connected to charge makes the bugger warm to the touch, which isn't great for electronics. LiPo batteries shouldn't get hot when they charge anyway. Only during discharge.
-
And the waterproof housing I presume. Let's use it on a run and see how it works. Wow the black. Cool.
-
The sharpness and clarity is really good I think./
I agree. Gopro made a good compromise with this lens regarding wide angle and fisheye distortion.
It's a shame the file that comes out of the memory chip looks better before I run it through youtube. My guess is that they need to compress the big files - which degrades the image. Oh well, its free and good enough for me.
I need to put something on my lens, maybe rain x, to keep it clear and free of water droplets.
Gopro recommends rainX and it works for me. The original version in the yellow bottle.
New cam works good but seemed a bit darker than old one. Did you think so?
Gopro has a free video editor called cineform. I tried it today for the first time. It has a few adjustments, simple to apply. I was concerned about time needed to process the changes, but it was very fast. I'm suspicious that they compress the file too.
It looks brighter. Maybe a tad too bright with the glowing hat, but I didn't spend much time on it.
http://youtu.be/9BBXnamkzzs (http://youtu.be/9BBXnamkzzs)
-
Very windy south shore run from KCC to the cove.
http://youtu.be/dD6XhWIxoXg (http://youtu.be/dD6XhWIxoXg)
-
Great info on this thread for a novice, thank you!!!... anyone thinking of doing a Kihei run today?
-
Wow conditions were epic for you guys.
My only input on the vid is to angle the cam off to one side or another so that you're on the side of the frame rather than center. That way when someone like Mike comes into the frame, we can see more of him. You have a dedicated side to keep other people on and it works well.
Huge troughs for you guys. We chose wrong by going on north side. Full-on grind by comparison.
-
Yep, that looked pretty darn sweet. Looked like some amazing glides and some nice waves as you started to head in. Love watching these vid's and reading the stories.
It's either nuking and so freezing a downwinder is foolish or awesome glass race practice paddling here in Hood River lately. Hope we can come over to Maui soon!
-
My only input on the vid is to angle the cam off to one side or another so that you're on the side of the frame rather than center. /
I like the side angle too. The mount is a work in progress. It is currently set up with only the gopro plate - which allows only pitch adjustment. I'll add a ram ball to it for a swivel mount.
More fun on the south shore Saturday. It's been very good late afternoons this week. But the timing window is short. It's usually offshore but this day was very onshore. I had a tough time linkng glides to stay out. Tricky to fit a big boat across the tight swells. Super fun.
http://youtu.be/O3vUZuUg5EU (http://youtu.be/O3vUZuUg5EU)
-
LPB, so damn glad you replaced your GoPro. If you lose this one give me a shout and ill send you another. Love the ski vids and your conditions. I like to watch your vids and often think that on the west coast of FL we see what I would call _conditions_ only a few times a year. And then read in your posts how you just head out for a casual afternoon downwinder. Keep 'em coming.
-
Thanks Eric, glad you like the videos.
Here's a good one from my heroes down south. The water is cold, the put ins and take outs are rugged and the wildlife is terrifying. These guys have the safety gear dialed.
Summertime Surfski on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/23034771)
-
Relaxed south shore run, medium winds. Vince's new oc-1 is super light. The hull only weighs 15 pounds. The entire boat is under 19.
http://youtu.be/LY9FC-gGeqc (http://youtu.be/LY9FC-gGeqc)
-
Another great vid. There you are paddling your V10 which is a boat I really want to add to my quiver. Waiting for the new hull design to surface. And your friend Vince is paddling the same OC1 that I have, the Storm. Don't know if its just the camera angle but looks like he's cheating the ama pretty heavily. I think you must have to be a very experienced and confident outrigger paddler to handle the Storm as the ama weighs NOTHING. Seriously, by the time I feel the ama getting light it's gone. As we've discussed on PM's the V10 is so much more balanced. So much easier when you brace not to have the momentum of the ama potentially overpowering the hull. Anyway, after a gray and snowy day in the east TN mtns watching your video in the warm water and the sound of the water in the background is pretty healing for me. Counting the days until I get my ass back home to FL. Maybe no downwind opportunities like yours but at least it's warm.....er.
-
Congrats on owning a storm. Incredibly light. It looked very responsive.
He's only had the boat a few months and this was his first downwinder. He's a very experienced paddler. Vince is good friends with Mike Giblin, so he's getting the best advice on the subtle tricks of the boat. He was leaning on the ama, but he's been working crazy long hours. His balance will come around when he gets some time on the water. I'll try to get some video of him later in the summer. He was really glad to get that run in.
I don't miss the outrigger. I broke 2 paddles bracing on the right. Never did an ama down pile in, but I remember coming close. It was a miracle the ama didn't tear off. Oc-1's take some serious gas when an idiot like me is at the controls.
18 months in ski and I've only fallen to the right maybe 3 times. Less than one percent. I always fall on the left. That's from cheating on the ama.
I'm anxious to see a new V-10. I'd like to have one of those new bailers every time I make a big mistake!
3 of my outrigger friends have owned my old V-10 sport. One of them has moved into an elite ski and is really flying. They are all primarily outrigger paddlers. They do ski just for cross training. They all rave about it. Great way to have fun on "flat" water.
-
Vince was curious about the speed in that last video.
So I sent him this pic. It's a screen shot grabbed from Garmin's Training Center. I like the ability to zoom. It also has a nice smoothing feature to make the graph more legible.
The video had two clips in it, which are marked on the graph. The 'high tempo' is a section where I zoomed ahead for a few minutes. The efforts were just a bit higher. Also, I charted my own course, rather than shadowing Vince.
Shooting video of another paddler often has me missing glides (to keep someone in frame). It was ok to fall off glides on this day (those are the big dips in the speed chart). Vince was going easy, finding the balance point of his new boat. So, it was relatively easy to build some speed and catch up. Shadowing someone like Jeremy is crazy hard. One missed glide and he's gone - no chance of catching up. He does a lot of waiting with us average paddlers.
Speed graphs and video are invaluable to me. The south shore is very consistent in sections. Very helpful for experimenting. I like to see the numbers, because seat of the pants can be deceiving.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore3-5-13800x400_zps2de5eb7a.jpg)
-
Here are some google earth pictures of the 3-5-13 run. Garmin training center overlays in google earth. The yellow lines are locations in the video.
Boardwalk to Sarento's
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore3-5-13-clips800x430_zps9f4c6509.jpg)
Zoomed in - same yellow line (clip 1).
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore3-5-13-zoom800x473_zps81f51bec.jpg)
I started the camera and the gps at the same time, 5pm. Now we have 2 files, video and gps. I match them up the old fashioned way, with a few notes. That's how I edit most of my videos - scan the graph, note the fast sections and skip right to them in the video.
Locating a section on the red line is done with the "time slider." The "time slider dot" moves on the red line as you slide the pointer (in the box). The pointer has the time of day on it.
On the time slider the pointer starts at 5:00:00 pm.
On the garmin graph: clip 1 begins at 00:37:30 and ends at 00:39:00.
Next, move the time slider pointer to: 5:37:30 and 5:39:00.
Now, the dot shows where clip 1 begins - or in this case, ends.
The yellow line is created with the "add path" feature. Start and stop the yellow line - near the positions of the "time slider dot". The pointer is shown at 5:39:00 - the dot and yellow line mark the end of clip 1.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore3-5-13-zoom1800x473_zpsc556b8fc.jpg)
-
Dashware is a neat program that overlays garmin's data on the video.
It would be nice to have a decimal in the mph. I may switch to kph for a bit more detail in the speed.
Cool program. It should be useful for flat water days. I'm anxious to try it on a big wind event or surfing waves.
It's much easier to set up than I anticipated. You can watch the video on your own sytem very quickly. Rendering is similar to the extra time required by Wndows live movie maker.
http://youtu.be/hhOuhALYo68 (http://youtu.be/hhOuhALYo68)
-
Fun waves at the cove. More experiments with dashware. $50 seems inexpensive for something this powerful. Editing is a breeze. The little map on the boat is a 15 minute segment. Next time, I'll join the 15 minute MP4 files into one big one so the map is start to finish. That should look good for downwinding.
http://youtu.be/1WsWQT_WVP0 (http://youtu.be/1WsWQT_WVP0)
-
Amazing how simple it is to overlay data. Just a few clicks in 3 simple programs - two of which are free.
Here's a pic of the google earth path. Red line is drawn by garmin training center.
Dashware draws a white line and adds a position marker. That will give me a rough idea where I'm at on a run.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/3-14-13kalamabowls800x422_zps606d226b.jpg)
3-14-13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05ahYeRj2dw&feature=share&list=UUsEHopzsYr4Yc3c-FyD_DAg#ws)
-
Wow, that's really cool. I keep fighting the Suunto Movescount. Betting I purchase a Garmin product soon. Every Garmin I've used on the bike is just so easy.
-
Very cool. Going to have to check out Dashware, although I have to say, my video skill level is low enough that I'm probably not ready to take on any additional complexity. Seeing Bowls makes me wish I was there.....
-
Fun run on the south shore today.
south shore 3-28-13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpExTaK7pB8&feature=share&list=UUsEHopzsYr4Yc3c-FyD_DAg#ws)
-
Looks nice LPB! Only problem is that the videos make me wish I was there!
It's slowly warming up here and has been glassy or relatively light wind. When it really blows, which will likely happen soon, there's a bunch of us just Jonesing to go, even with our cold water temps. Until then, it's flatwater distance paddles, which actually can get kind of addictive.
-
Southside really lit up yesterday. Bill and I had a fine run to Makena Landing from the pons. I was going to test my RC rudder, but two critical wires broke off while I was fiddling with the thing, so I locked the rudder and went rudder rudderless on my F16, which was fun. Smoking run. My F16 took on some water, which is very uncool since it's a EPS board. I guess my servo well leaked. That sucks.
-
Bummer on your leak. I always thought locking the rudder on that board would actually be pretty fun, run back to the tail and foot steer that bad boy with no unexpected 'input'! Hope you can get it dried out.
-
Turned out it was two of the screwholes that hold the servo down that leaked. Surprising that it took on so much through such small holes. But I've got the aquarium pump running on it, and it's back to normal weight.
-
Did you run all the way to Wailea?
-
Makena Landing--it's past Wailea. About 10.4 miles from Kealia Ponds.
-
Sweet! You must of had wind all the way down. The furthest we went when I went with you and Mr. HM was Wailea. I'm looking forward to the full distance next time if the wind cooperates!
-
In all the times I've gone that far, yesterday was the first time the wind held to the finish. PBill and Larry say it happens a fair amount but when it doesn't you have to pay dearly... hot sun on the side of your face and counter currents. You'll slaughter me on these parts Greg. (BTW your boards have scorpions crawling all over them so I'm pretty sure they're safe)
I figured the bungee wrap job PBill did around his rudder to secure it to center, would make his board a brick but he was ripping into glides as good as I've ever seen him. Also had a concern that his rudder wrap might not hold and we'd have it stuck going right, with him going to Kahoolawe.. but it held and worked great. Didn't know till the end that his foam core board was leaking.
At first I struggled with the low nose rocker on his V2 which was a handful in the short period wave length. By about mid-way I began to figure it out or at least my feet were moving quicker but I think the V2 is better on the north side.
The run went by relatively fast and we're hoping for a repeat tomorrow's race to the same finish, although the forecast isn't promising much. Right now a monsoon rain is settling in.
-
Very fun south shore today with Uncle Biggie. He was out for almost 2 months with a weird blood infection of some kind. 2 weeks in the hospital on antibiotics. He's better now - still gaining strength. Big is 62, and is a master in the outrigger. He's taught me all I know about downwinding. He's almost as competitive as I am, so it's always a race. I'm 10 years younger, so the south shore is usually mine. Ski's roll pretty good in those swells.
But maliko - he crushes me. He charges stuff that I will never go near. Come to think of it, I've never beaten him at maliko. Well, I beat him once, but the wind was very light. I'll be shouting from the rooftops when I beat him on a windy maliko. He's very fast when it gets heavy.
south shore 3-29-13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aHfF15GWGc&feature=share&list=UUsEHopzsYr4Yc3c-FyD_DAg#ws)
-
HM, thanks for keeping your guard scorpions fed and happy. I'm glad they are on duty. When I come back over, maybe I can hire some guys to get my boards out of that shed for me... ;D
Sounds like you guys had a nice, long run, good thing PB's rudder held and that his board didn't get any more water in it. Hope it's salvageable. If anyone can get it back to normal weight and dry it out, PB can.
it's been nothing but glass and light winds here for the past week. Lots of people ready for some downwind when it finally kicks - it's gonna be a downwind navy when the wind comes back.
-
Hi LPB, the new videos with the Dash software are great. Interesting, these videos load super smooth and fast for me compared to the earlier ones. Not sure what has changed but the difference is marked. I went back to the earlier videos to make sure it wasn't just a random high speed internet evening, still had the same slow loading and jerkiness with the old ones.
Back to Maui in September for a few weeks, can't wait! Looking forward to doing some runs with you and the gang. Don't think I've ever been in late September early October, hope the wind is still blowing then...
-
Glad the videos are working better JC. I'm hoping to get some good stuff this summer.
The V-10 keeps getting better all the time. More comfy.
The wind should be fine for you. Late summer has very good wind.
-
Fun maliko today. Andy is visiting from Denver, he rented a V-10 from Richard, our Epic kayaks rep. Andy is South African, so he was raised in ski's and K-1's. Amazing technique. We had another visitor, Dean from Bellngham WA. Conditions were light, but the fetch was good so the swells were excellent. 1st maliko for them.
http://youtu.be/k5yAXm-ACQU (http://youtu.be/k5yAXm-ACQU)
-
Fun maliko today. Andy is visiting from Denver, he rented a V-10 from Richard, our Epic kayaks rep. Andy is South African, so he was raised in ski's and K-1's. Amazing technique. We had another visitor, Dean from Bellngham WA. Conditions were light, but the fetch was good so the swells were excellent. 1st maliko for them.
http://youtu.be/k5yAXm-ACQU (http://youtu.be/k5yAXm-ACQU)
Wow, smooth technique, both the guys made it look effortless. Think I'd better bring my paddle with me, love to do a run or two on a ski when I'm there. Wonder if Richard has a V10S I could rent for a few days - or a V8 if its big!
-
Yes, Richard has the V10S and V-8's. A tandem, V-14 and new version V-10 are on the way from Oahu. He runs a business and has kids so he's always busy, but makes time to promote ski here on Maui.
Skis are amazing fun in lighter conditions. Maliko was barely whitecapping yesterday yet we had glides the entire run. Some of them were outstanding. Richard would link a few and jump ahead a half mile.
-
LPB, I loved the speedometer on the video. It really shows how catching bumps is what gets you to the finish line quicker.
A ski is about the only thing that can make light wind conditions enjoyable.
-
Nice E wind today. Excellent glides with the E swell.
http://youtu.be/q2JCyFB6_bs (http://youtu.be/q2JCyFB6_bs)
-
It is officially spring and team Bill did a M run today as well. The top was pretty damn great but a tad sticky at the bottom. Tide started flushing out and we felt like we were standing still. First M run in quite some time and it felt fantastic.
Sounds like the canoe guys did epic runs the last two days... starting from Keanae and going to west Maui.
-
Yeah, it felt pretty good. My bicep that got whacked a few days ago was fine, but I must have taken a whack to the ribs too. they started yelling at me pretty quickly. Just before Kanaha I told the other Bill to go ahead without me, I'd just stay out here and die. Well actually I'd just take it a bit easier, but once he hauled away I picked it up and was probably only five or ten minutes behind at the end. The first thrid was great, second third was sticky, last third was great again.
thanks to Scott Trudon and Ashely for the shuttle. Very civilized. Scott's truck is spotless inside. I felt like I was being chauffeured. Especially compared to my jeep, which looks like a homeless person might be living under all the crap.
-
Well he's in sales and has normal type people ride in his truck.
-
HM, 25 boats did Keanae to the harbor yesterday (not west maui). They had great conditions, very east winds are best on that run. It's a 26 mile run.
The same gang (the Lae Ula club) did Maliko this morning. I hitched a ride with them. They had 2 trailers again, about 25 boats. Super fun group.
Fun day, less wind than yesterday, but very nice E swell glides.
http://youtu.be/Hji9T5sf0Cs (http://youtu.be/Hji9T5sf0Cs)
-
Great run today, started kind of slow but picked up quick. I was using my radio rudder, and it worked great. I had some issues with my bush league mounting--the duct tape came loose and I had to tie the receiver onto the board while bouncing around off Ho'okipa, but it worked great. It takes a different technique, and I wasn't really getting full use of the greater control until about Camp One, but then it clicked and I was having a blast.
I swapped boards will Headmount at Kanaha. He got the hang of it really quickly, though his shorter fingers made it impossible for him to control the rudder while he was paddling. But since he's so good at reading water and catching bumps that didn't really slow him down and pretty soon he looked like a waterbug, staying in the power section of the swells and getting bodacious long rides.
When you give it full rudder the board actually banks into the turns. You can also use the rudder to regain your balance, turning the board under you to recover. Now I just need to refine this thing and get the attachment and waterproofing to the next level.
Looking forward to testing the autopilot. I rewrote the software tonight and it looks amazing. It adjusts the center trim over a ten degree (five degrees each way) span, slowly correcting the path back to whatever course you lock. I also added reverse expo to both the autopilot and the steering. I think it will be good. It speeds up the rudder response for the first few degrees but then slows it substantially as the rudder turns further. Nice to be able to do this kind of stuff in software.
-
Early 11:30 shuttle had a fun pack of SUP paddlers and only one ski (LPB who used to do SUP) PBill and I were planning to ramp up and do two but one tapped us out today. Good conditions, not great, a little jumbled in sections but beginning four miles was awesome. Did a GPS run from ramp to beach, trying to get my line straightened out for the summer race season when you don't have concerns about surf.
But sometimes waves pop up way out at sea, Sarah Palin calls them rogue. Today one clipped me real good. Kinda spaced out, running along a trough, in that state of mind where you're not in your head anymore. Usually that's a good place to be where your body has instant reactions. But I saw the crest, of the swell I was riding, loom up pretty tall. They get tall like that sometimes but usually never break. Anyway my zen state didn't compute that it would break way off shore. But it did. All the sudden I was off my board in a very wide swath of whitewater, like a real breaking shore wave. My leash was stretched to the limit and I was kinda blown away. How?
Definitely Sarah Palin. She could be Gidget, don't you think?
Glad I had a solid leash.
-
That was an excellent line you and PB were on. It was great fun on the ski, gradually tracking you guys down.
Jeremy and Livio straggled behind a bit in the gulch. Jeremy was on his custom 22" bullet. Livio tried it for a few minutes, balancing on one foot. Those guys are aliens. When they started, I had to tear my arms off to keep them in view. Jeremy accelerated very quickly and zoomed left to join his group. Livio headed outside.
PB was up in Paia, HM a few k's ahead at Sprecks. I was close behind HM when he got clipped by the white water. (I have it on video if you want to see what happened, HM). Very fun across Kanaha. HM always picks fun lines across the reef.
http://youtu.be/UbiAU-d80g0 (http://youtu.be/UbiAU-d80g0)
-
That ocean wasn't all that open. The line we took was over the upper edge of second reef, less than ten feet of water in places. I just missed getting tagged myself, good thing the ground swell was dinky. I managed to turn in and ride the breaking swell that almost got me, and then turned back out and got the heck outta there.
When Livio passed me I decided to try to stick with him as long as I could, which wasn't long, but that's where my extra energy went. When I was eating lunch later I raised my hand towards my mouth and my whole arm curled automatically, nearly shoving the food in my face. Very weird feeling. These damned 150 pound aliens who never fall, have bigger shoulders than I do, and great paddling technique are going to kill me.
-
LPB... cool vid with JR and Livio cruising in front. And then with all the windows giving data info, it was like some kind CNN broadcast. So much more when others are in the frame. You're a perfect match with those guys.
-
Thanks HM, but those guys are much faster than me. It's interesting to watch them (for the short times I can see them). They turn very quickly on those big boards to maximize every ounce of hull speed, then wham, they are off on the ridge of a big swell - very different than my long, drawn out lines. It's very tough to keep them in frame. Livio was going easy at the start, that's why I ran up to him. Jeremy literally vanished up ahead and to the left.
I think PB's remote steering can make everyone a lot faster on those big boards. I've also noticed that the elite oc-1's do some very quick direction changes.
PB, HM was right about being in deep water when he got clipped. The beauty of dashware is it's ability to pinpoint time. I was right behind HM when he fell, so it was easy to mark the location on the google map. He's the dot, in about 96 feet of water. The next clip (of me, solo) is the little red line further up on the reef. I'm taking some steep drops in about 18 feet of water.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko4-10-131800x357_zps5056b796.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko4-10-131800x357_zps5056b796.jpg.html)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko4-10-13800x373_zpsc9b88c80.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko4-10-13800x373_zpsc9b88c80.jpg.html)
-
That was sooo fun through Kanaha! 25kph on the ski! Wow! Nice job Larry.
-
Thanks Jeremy, it was great seeing you out there.
Another big group of standups on the 1pm shuttle Thursday. Team Bill, 6 ski's and an oc-1 all arrived at maliko at the same time. Slow day in the summer! Jeremy took this pic. Team Bill and Ralph Sifford launched just a bit earlier.
Amazing E swell and wind. No NW swell, high tide. Wind eased up for the last mile or so. Big, big swells. These girls were charging.
http://youtu.be/GEuLCQB8Kpo (http://youtu.be/GEuLCQB8Kpo)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko4-10-132800x540_zps74826ca5.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko4-10-132800x540_zps74826ca5.jpg.html)
-
We had a few good DW days last week, then the wind died again when a low caused light south winds that brought only VOG from the BI and very little surf on saturday.
These south winds (Called Kona winds around here) are really a KO. JUst hanging around the house I felt like crap... no energy, congested, and a achy. Visibility, which is usually to the horizon, was limited to a mile or two. Landmarks like Haleakala and West Maui disappeared.
With these conditions there was a Maui to Molokai race put on by the MCKC this last saturday. From what I heard there were two participants from the SUP category. Young Travis and not so young Ron. (50+) Head winds and side chop conditions were described as brutal and their efforts were awesome in my book.
Ron is already a hero. He teaches speech at MCC for the last 20 yrs and deserves some kind of medal. "Was one complete sentence. Put da big letter at the beginning and da kine period at da end. Subject, verb. Wassthat?"
Anyway Ron finished in over 6 hrs. which is remarkable given the conditions. He had tried to draft PBill and me into doing it when we saw him last week when the conditions were great. But we knew the forecast and just shook our heads.
Today the breeze is already beginning to blow in my window and I'm hopeful for a DW run. At the very least my headache has gone away.
-
Amazing how a few days without wind and waves turns me into a grumpy shit. Worse than a junkie. I drove to Hana and around the backside of the island with Diane and Sam yesterday, always a great ride. What started as a way to eat up a surfless day turned into a very pleasant trip and reminded me that I actually used to do other thing besides surf and downwind here.
All the same it's nice to see the wind coming up. And we'll have a little swell in a couple of days. So I might actually not be so grumpy soon.
-
I had some pent up energy from the last four days of VOG and the events from Boston. Conditions were full on summer style and cranking. PBill, a Boston raised guy, was telling me on our shuttle up the coast, that he'd been a little grumpy. We didn't talk much about what happened in Boston but I could tell he was as keen as I was to get in the water and put the hammer down.
PBill had seen some barges out off the coast and we figured we'd avoid the harbor and do our speed course which is downwind all the way to the last little beach before the harbor... 8.5 miles on my GPS. Turned my GPS right as we hit the wind line and we were off. In close between Maliko and Hookipa, where I usually can't put much together, today everything was working. Low tide and zero surf so we planned to stay on the inside line. Worked well for me. Two high speed falls yet my fastest time to this finish recorded on my GPS. 1:10 to oil tanks.
-
Thank god the wind blew today. One more day of this grumpiness and Diane would be kicking me out to the Ohana. I was also catching every bump and hooking everything together but that bugger Headmount just steadily pulled away. I really don't get it, I was in every wave, and almost every big drop was hooked into another. How is he going so much faster? I was at least ten minutes behind at the tanks. oh well, it was a fine run.
-
Fun run with Jeremy as he coached Hillary and Peggy today. I tagged along and watched as he gave them advice on the bumps. Conditions were excellent. We were inside of your line HM.
Jeremy has some good tricks for steering. That's the key to downwinding quickly on a standup, IMO. I see all the fast guys using them.
http://youtu.be/7Mq6tv_m95Y (http://youtu.be/7Mq6tv_m95Y)
-
I really don't get it, / How is he going so much faster? /
Get those shoulders back. Tough to do with a stiff knee - so get your remote steering dialed. It's going to revolutionize downwinding on big boards.
I feel your pain. My shoulders need to move forward.
HM, balanced and relaxed. Big power with the weight over the feet. Essential if you want to change direction quickly. And that's what maliko is all about.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/008700x393.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/008700x393.jpg.html)
-
Kicked HM's ass today. Oh, I know, he'll say he was escorting a guy on his first run. We all have out little excuses.
Really fun run, it started out looking like a 101 at the gulch and ran up to grad school about the time I rolled over the reef way, way on the inside (for me, mr. Chicken) at Spreks. I was in deep doo-doo for a while, but rode it out without drama and then angled out a little. Good thing. When you're already in the water and a wave tumbles you and your board like the spin cycle, it's time to get the heck outta there. My tail handle was very reassuring. I don't think a leash would have held. I popped up and caught the next express train.
Coming into the harbor was CRAZY. I caught a nondescript little wave and rode it so long I had time to check my email. 1.25 to the harbor mouth, 1.36 to the sand. Not great, not bad.
(http://www.ponostyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/maliko.jpg)
Yeah, You're right Larry, I need another session with Jeremy before I cut out for Hood River
-
Excellent conditions today. Nice glides start to finish.
http://youtu.be/LFHiYhHj3kM (http://youtu.be/LFHiYhHj3kM)
-
LPB.. great vid and follow of RS. Did you notice a slight lag in the speed read out? In any case it's kinda cool seeing the bursts you're getting at the top of the crests. I dig the patience you have these days.
I'm beginning to notice those times when there isn't a huge apparent sensation of speed but gaging the paddle pressure during strokes, I can tell that I'm indeed on a pulse that's usually feeding me into something even bigger.
-
I agree, GPS is great, but has some issues with instant speed readout on the bumps. I should mount the antenna on my head!
Patience is important for me. Better to let a few bumps go than struggle and let them ALL go.
Yes, those pulses feel great. It's a shame that video doesn't relate the power of those fast links. They look relatively boring - the water is almost flat. Small bumps on a big swell are the holy grail at maliko.
The dashware and garmin graph show it though. The lumps on my graph usually run about a minute or so. If I can keep the lower end of that bump at 15kph, good things are happening.
Some peaks are cool to see, but I'd much rather hover in the high teens than zoom between the 20s and single digits. Steep drops look exiting on video, but average speed also plummets.
The peak speeds you refer to (on the crests) are the bomb. That's good fun up there.
-
I think that's one of my challenges in getting a higher average speed (besides my fat butt)--I love the big drops. I know that when you fall out of one you pretty much stop unless you manage to find something new just as you are slowing. I'll chase a big drop and let three easy glides go. A little discipline might be in order. I'm into the smaller bumps but only as a way to increase speed to get the big ones. Jeremy says "chase the little bumps and the big ones take care of themselves."
-
Good one today. Unexpected. As we pulled out of Maliko in light wind Boyum said "damn, I should have taken that guy today instead of yesterday." Microseconds later King Neptune took offense and stuck his trident into the water. I went across camp one without really paddling. Just dragging a paddle, hanging on and steering. Pretty sure that any newby would have been pooping their pants (you have to read that with an Arnold Schwarzenegger accent). I had a good run going with only one fall right up to Kanaha, and then I fell five hundred times.
-
Grey day so it fooled us before the launch. Big water once we all got out there. Very technical. Amazing for me, almost fell many times but didn't fall once.
Gung ho group. LPB snuck up behind me like one of those new electric cars and spooked me.
-
Whoops, it wasn't intentional. Fun run for sure. Nice glides all the way.
http://youtu.be/1WDwJHpoe7U (http://youtu.be/1WDwJHpoe7U)
-
We had a few good DW days last week, then the wind died again when a low caused light south winds that brought only VOG from the BI and very little surf on saturday.
These south winds (Called Kona winds around here) are really a KO. JUst hanging around the house I felt like crap... no energy, congested, and a achy. Visibility, which is usually to the horizon, was limited to a mile or two. Landmarks like Haleakala and West Maui disappeared.
With these conditions there was a Maui to Molokai race put on by the MCKC this last saturday. From what I heard there were two participants from the SUP category. Young Travis and not so young Ron. (50+) Head winds and side chop conditions were described as brutal and their efforts were awesome in my book.
Ron is already a hero. He teaches speech at MCC for the last 20 yrs and deserves some kind of medal. "Was one complete sentence. Put da big letter at the beginning and da kine period at da end. Subject, verb. Wassthat?"
Anyway Ron finished in over 6 hrs. which is remarkable given the conditions. He had tried to draft PBill and me into doing it when we saw him last week when the conditions were great. But we knew the forecast and just shook our heads.
Today the breeze is already beginning to blow in my window and I'm hopeful for a DW run. At the very least my headache has gone away.
I was enjoying following Ron's paddle that day. He comes to the Midwest and takes us to school each summer, paddling with the BlkBox race team. We call him Coach Ron. His sister Mary has won the women's division of the Midwest WPA series two years in a row with two perfect seasons (6 wins, 6000 pts)
Our friend Dave from Detroit Surf kept us in the loop on Ron's progress, though he said it was very difficult to keep track of the paddlers from land. It did not sound like the type of downwind run I am hoping for when I might finally get to visit at the end of this year.
We were stoked and feeling much respect for Ron for his paddling accomplishment that day.
-
I respect Ron for what he did but a run that long, in those conditions is like marching into Russia in the winter. Aside from the danger of bonking from any number of reasons, it's very possible to kill the most important thing you have.... your stoke.
-
Looking at your video, Larry, brings home how different the experience is from what it looks like through a camera lens. It appears like a nice, easy, safe, low effort run. I think that's the reason relatively inexperienced folks get to Maui and want to do a Maliko run. The video makes it look easy. Then you paddle out of the gulch and it's a whole different thing. Yesterday was pretty insane, and in the video it looks like a walk in the park.
Its a good thing most get someone like Bill Boyum to guide them and keep them from smashing up a board or getting swept onto a reef. We might have lost a few folks by now if they didn't.
-
Today another low has settled in and we're back in the doldrums. VOG is slowly moving in and the ocean looks like a mill pond.
Startling contrast to yesterday.
-
Actually, I'm seeing whitecaps and swell moving from my house, but that might die off. I'm going to load up the Hobie tandem and take Diane for a beach day. We'll see how that works out. In other news, the autopilot version of the radio rudder is ready to be installed, and I built a chamber inside my F16 to hold everything. The servo wire now travels inside the board and everything is well sealed. I'll probably have most of the bugs out juest in time to head for Hood River and start over.
-
I've been following this thread for a while now, we will be moving to Kihei in early July and I get so pumped up about it when I watch the videos posted here. (It's 34 degrees outside at my house today) Anyway, just wanted to drop in and say I look forward to potentially meeting, and learning from some of the folks that contribute and read this regularly.
-
Its a good thing most get someone like Bill Boyum to guide them and keep them from smashing up a board or getting swept onto a reef. We might have lost a few folks by now if they didn't.
Yes, It's about time for the safety lecture. First time maliko paddlers beware (south shore too).
It's not like the video.
First timers need some tips, I don't care how strong you are.
I escorted Anabelle Anderson on her first maliko run, years ago. For those of you that don't recognize the name - she's a seasoned pro. She won the BOP last year. Anyhow, she jumped the shuttle at the last minute - just arrived for the big races. It was her first time on a 17-4 bullet -steering was on the wrong side.
The wind was cranking.
When we heard it was her first maliko, the experienced paddlers glanced around to see who could tag along with her. I had the time (and she's beautiful), so off we went. Long story short, she did fine, only fell a few times. She never got the feel of the board, it was too windy. The entrance to the harbor was tough to see. The worst part of the story was how she launched.
It's important to stay right as you go out, the wind pushes hard to the left and it's shallow over there - often breaking on some nasty rocks. Well, she got on her board and immediately dashed straight to the left. I yelled to her as early as I could, she almost got worked on the rocks. Then we had a nice chat about what to avoid, should we get separated. Fun day. She's a pistol. I remember her yelling at me in the harbor as I was paddling on my knees (the side wind was brutal) "Get up on your feet! Stand up like a man!" Very bright young lady, excellent ambassador for the sport.
A few weeks ago our group included a very talented ski paddler (a tourist). Super strong paddler - like Anabelle - far better than me. We did a maliko in light wind, everything was fine, no falls. Then another in higher wind. The wind got him the second day. He couldn't get back in the boat without assistance. Lucky he only fell 5 times. The other paddler in our group was strong enough to help him. If it had been up to me, we may have lost the boat. Big NW swell that day.
-
Perhaps I'm the cautious exception, but it looks far from easy to me on the video's. Experts frequently have the ability to make something extraordinary look somewhat effortless - but I'm pretty sure my video would look disastrous if I were to show up and paddle into that.
My plan is to get plenty of mentorship and instruction in safer waters and humbly work my way...as long as it may take... into a Maliko DW.
-
Fitz, you really won't recognize the place from the videos. It's really quite safe with a guide, and any strong paddler that can handle big chop and can deal with fear without panicking can do it--with a guide.
Of course when most of us started there were no guides, and we paid a price in busted boards, afternoon-long swims, and moments that we really can't remember because terror pushes the reset button.
What you're never seeing in the videos because of wide angle foreshortening is that a lot of the wind swells are steady ramps, perhaps 20 feet or more from trough to peak, and the groundswells in the winter can be more than that. They really aren't any big deal, but when people see them they freeze up and can't do anything.
My first time was on Gumby, a 12 foot downwind board Bill Foote made, and I was pretty certain my "friends" had decided to kill me. I did half the run or more on my knees, and I really thought there was a good chance I was going to die. Now I would consider the conditions we were in to be a pretty good run, but 6that time it seemed simply impossible to stand on a board or even to kneel on it sometimes. It's 99 percent mental. Once you loosen up it's doable. and it's so much easier to stay on the board when it's hauling ass than when it's a cork in a very big, very angry ocean.
You're gonna love it. It's worse than crack.
-
From the wayback machine, page 1 of my posts. I'd been on standup for a year, but only flat water. Maliko #1 was my first day on the north shore. I almost drowned, but was hooked.
chan and randy were kind enough to let me tag along on a maliko run today.
/ it was a real blast, and i can't wait to do it again.
lots to learn in that downwind stuff. fell off at least 30 times.
Tide was low and we finished at kanaha. Randy and Bill Foote were chatting just before the reef, probably switching boards. (Undoubtedly waiting for the new guy). I eventually caught up and they made sure I got through ok.
Jeremy was there on his 12-6 x 24 Footie. When I got to the finish he was changed, calm, relaxed. I felt, and looked, as though I'd just been over Niagara Falls. I asked Randy "who is that guy? and how did he get cleaned up so fast? And how does he stand on that tiny board?" "Oh, that's Jeremy, he's good." Fun day. Great memories.
-
Great stories! Love reading about your early runs and your memories of those experiences. This past Fall/Winter were my first experiences with downwinding on Maui. I look forward to getting more experience and competence but also recognize how special those early experiences are, especially when you go from absolutely stoked to pretty much terrified and back over and over again. It is truly addictive.
-
Great stories! Love reading about your early runs and your memories of those experiences. This past Fall/Winter were my first experiences with downwinding on Maui. I look forward to getting more experience and competence but also recognize how special those early experiences are, especially when you go from absolutely stoked to pretty much terrified and back over and over again. It is truly addictive.
Cove... since you've done both and most recently that great stretch out in the desert east of HR, how would you compare the two aside from water temp?
-
HM, so different in terms of environments - the runs in Maui and that desert run were all stellar experiences in life, in my opinion. I feel I'm a very lucky man to get to have experiences like these.
That desert run was done under really favorable conditions. I'm anxious to go again to find out if it can be even better. There is also another stretch that ends up at a place called Three Mile Canyon, that has incredible potential. I've windsurfed at Three Mile a bunch of times in swells that are overhead and clean. It's an amazing stretch of the Gorge. Got to put together another expedition.
For pure quality of glides, I have to say the desert run was pretty hard to beat. There was so little cross chop or surface chop and the swells were not only relatively big vertically but also long in the horizontal direction - just big long smooth rollers. Beautiful. The wind lined up perfectly with the swell and it was blowing just hard enough, around 35 to 40, that it was absurdly easy to catch some of the really good glides.
I'm also really comfortable in the Gorge and that influences how well I respond on the board. I started windsurfing here in the mid-80's so the river, even when conditions are big, feels familiar.
In Maui, it was not like that. I had a mixture of fear and pure excitement every time we went, especially on the north side. The stoke overpowered the fear but there were moments, on that last run I did with you guys, where the fear and stoke were fighting for the upper hand. My skill level felt adequate but the lack of local knowledge kept me from feeling very confident. That makes it hard to really evaluate the conditions fairly. I think with more experience, my appreciation of Maui conditions and my ability to enjoy those conditions will grow.
-
Well I might do a mainland trip this August and was thinking about popping up there to see if I could do that run. Even with your wide angle lens it looked great.
-
If you make it up here, hopefully the wind will cooperate. Spring seems to be a bit more reliable for wind in the east end of the Gorge. That said, good days out east are not exactly rare even in Summer so there is a chance you'll hit it.
-
August is the highest velocity consistent wind month in the gorge. Make the trip--we have a spare room, or if you stay longer there's always the warehouse.
-
I did my first Maliko run this past Thursday April 18th. I want to reiterate what others were saying a few pages back. You must go with someone who will watch out for you until you get some experience out there. Luckily, I had the excellent Bill Boyum on my shoulder the whole the time. He was never out of sight and always within yelling distance. He kept an eye on me the whole time, from start to finish. I can't thank him enough. Local knowledge and experience out there is priceless. If you are from the mainland, it ain't nothin' like you've seen before.
As soon as I hit the wind line, I fell. I kept trying to stand but just kept falling over and over and ended up knee paddling the whole way. Bill was right there though and guided me in over the reef for a safe finish at Kanaha. I was pretty happy to get my feet on that sand and sit down.
It's pretty scary out there. Everything is new, the water, the wind, your paddle, your board, the rocks, the surf, the sheer size of the swells (and this was considered moderate from what I understand).
Trust me, it's nothing like the videos! I felt really, really small and exposed out there. Get someone (like Bill Boyum) to guide you. I will try it again though no doubt about it!
-
Actually that run was anything but moderate. It started off light, but went straight to ten on the wack-o-meter. It would have been challenging for anyone.
When you first come out of the gulch the swell just simply scares the crap out of you. If conditions stay rational you learn that the really big ones just roll right under you, and they are just there to turn your knees to water--unless you freak out and try to cross the wrong reef, in which case they will turn your board into splinters and perhaps do the same thing to you.
You didn't get a chance to calm down and find your feet, just about the time you might have calmed down it all went crazy.
Don't feel lonely--there's a lot of people that have made their first run on their knees--me included. I could hardly stay on my knees.
The easiest way to get hurt is to panic and try to come in across a reef. For most of the run that just doesn't work out very well. You have your first one out of the way. It gets easier after that, sometimes.
-
Thanks PonoBill, I saw you out there waiting for us in the beginning. I was not prepared for the size of the swell that is for sure. To feel that wind hit your body while trying to angle the board out and downwind is very tricky.
I was nervous to start with and then when I kept falling, what confidence I had quickly eroded. I lost count of the number of times I fell. The more I knee paddled, the harder it was to stand up. I never wanted to get too winded and lose my ability to quickly get back up on the board. About halfway down, I was content to knee paddle and make the most of it and even caught a glide or two. I even fell from my knees once.
I was not panicky, but I was plenty scared. Even though Bill was right there I knew I had to stay on that board and paddle it to a beach by myself.
-
Thanks for contributing to the thread paddlestandup. Less than ideal runs are common. Sadly, they are not well represented on the forum.
The wind was gusting to 40 that day (airport). The fetch was good so you saw big E swells.
It was a 'moderate' day in the sense that we didn't have a NW swell. E winds can get stronger also. I would call your run a 'big' day, not 'moderate'. But it does get bigger.
Winter NW swells can add size and confusion. Those days are less fun for me. Adrenaline overload, slower times due to extra caution. The fast guys charge and post incredible times.
They also smash outriggers - every season. We lost a ski last winter (or winter before?). I heard he had a very rough go out there.
Here's the vid from your day. Those swells are big. I was out in deep water. It's good you had a guide across the reef into kanaha. It has some shallow sections that should be avoided.
maliko 4-18-13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFHiYhHj3kM&feature=youtu.be#ws)
I love this garmin player!
http://connect.garmin.com/player/302366574 (http://connect.garmin.com/player/302366574)
-
Hey thanks for posting that video! I thought I was a pretty good paddler until I got out into that. Very humbling. After falling the second or third time I knew it was going to be a long day, there's no turning back once you get out there. It's a one-way trip.
-
Yeah it was one of those days that didn't look like much driving up but it sure did go once we we were out there. Anyway You got the feel of the energy and know what to expect next time.
Some of the guys on this forum that run rivers on the mainland are making vids that show very challenging water. Plus there's the Columbia River in Oregon. Lots of great practice areas.
-
Today was like one of those runs in backcountry champagne powder where everyone is babbling trying to express how freakin great it was. High tide added a favorable current and last few miles were as good as it gets, with long smooth faced troughs.
Even though the surf came up overnight, downwind conditions didn't get too crossed up as they often do with a swell. 23-35mph.
PBill is heading back to HR soon and I'm sure he'll have this as a good stash in his memory bank. He had some unbelievably long rides today... best I've seen him do. Always good to go away with a good feeling.
-
I also had some unbelievable face plants, hard to keep the nose of the V2 from plunging when you're just holding on. I hit so hard on one steep drop that I did a somersault and landed on my back. Knocked the wind right out of me. Good thing there weren't any newbies out today.
Let me put it this way. Jeremy fell three times.
We kind of screwed up and stayed inside too long. Camp one was Indian country. I've never seen the waves be so peaked and mean looking. We angled out pretty hard, but we definitely passed through the valley of the shadow of something--broken boards maybe.
I was talking to La Perouse Larry in the parking lot and he said he was scared all the way. I assumed he was exaggerating, Larry has a zillion runs under his belt, so I said "All the way" and he said "Oh, I wasn't scared when we came out of the gulch, but after that I was terrified."
-
@ LaPerouseBay,
how do you control your boat from pearling too much? I also do downwinders on my OC1, I dont find it nearly as exciting as on a SUP. On the SUP I have control when it comes to steep faces, I get as far back on that tail as I need to keep that nose up, steep drops dont worry me on SUP. When I get on my canoe, there is no such thing as "trim" your as the mercy of the boat really. trimming down the face of a wave as if your making a bottom turn like on a SUP is not as doable on a canoe, it's just not nearly as agile as a SUP.
Do you ever find yourself not taking a bump because it's too steep? knowing that your going tyo burry the nose up to your feet? What do you do when your in that situation? Just curiouis as to how you handle it on your SS
-
Today was amazing! I look over at watched PonoBill drop into a massive swell at Pier 1 that just kept going and going at top speed.
Larry looks like he's having so much fun on that ski. I would love to try it one day but definitely not on a day like today. I'm pretty sure he buried the nose a few times but it doesn't seem to slow him down.
-
JF808, that's a really big question. Here is a link to an article on swell riding. It's all the same for canoes and standup. Feel free to ask if any of it is confusing. It took me a long time to figure out what they are describing. Time on the water helps.
http://www.surfski.info/getting-started/tips-training/story/1030/downwind-technique-in-depth.html (http://www.surfski.info/getting-started/tips-training/story/1030/downwind-technique-in-depth.html)
The guy that taught me the most about downwinding gave me two phrases I constantly tell myself. "keep the boat going downhill" and "relax."
Yes, I pearl my ski occasionally. V-10's have huge noses for the dreaded nosedive. I had one today.
Great run today. Beat my old outrigger record by 0:36, and my ski record by 1:21. I'm stoked.
Got some video of Jeremy at the start of the run, he dropped me and dove inside. I was outside as usual. Super fun run.
Yes, I was spooked all day. I hate falling when it's big. I always post my best times when I dodge the big bombs and go like hell when they catch me.
http://connect.garmin.com/player/303360923 (http://connect.garmin.com/player/303360923)
Jeremy at maliko 4-25-13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtFlFkGUwRc&feature=youtube_gdata#ws)
-
Im no stranger to downwind, although like most other places in the world. We dont have conditions like Maliko, harldy anyone does. I just don't find being on the canoe as fun as my Bullet. It's faster, but going diagonal on an outrigger is easier said then done, probably much easier to do on longer period stuff that you guys have. As for our short period bumps here on the big island (more similar to maui south shore) most of the time your rudder is out of the water untill your deep in the trough, so no steering untill you regain water line. Thanks for that link, I'll read into that too.
-
Great Video of your conditions today! Can't wait to see you guys @ Olukai. Meeting up with Headmount and maybe Pono on Friday the 12th for training runs down Maliko!
-
Nice video! Thanks Larry. The conditions just kept getting better all the way down. How's the footage of the end of the run compare?
-
The footage at the end has some good connections. I think there's a good one at pier one. I'll try to edit on Saturday.
I agree JF808, short period swells can be tough in a big boat. If I can't hold an angle to go across the face, the v-10 nose is very forgiving. It will float over most small stuff. It's also good at charging right over bumps.
In big crossed up maliko swells, a severe pearl is sometimes unavoidable. A fast steep wave can grab my tail and steer me into a deep hole. The nose may go straight down, all the way to my feet. I'm amazed at how ski's can handle it. They slow down, spin around a bit but pop back up, seemingly backwards.
-
JF808, i personally love the drop on the oc-1 when it buries the canoe all the way to the 'iako.pretty amazing how it comes back up really.the standup definitely is more agile and maneuverable,but sitting down on the canoe makes the waves look way bigger and the drops steeper,don't you think?
-
Man, we burned it up today. I can't feel my arms, where are my arms.
Sure was fun. I fell coming out of the gulch when I looked the wrong way, once when I was looking back to check on Bill (he went down hard), once more when I got tagged (mugged actually) and then my cable came off the drum and turned hard left. That's it. Other wise a clean run. I'm taking that as technically a one fall run.
I didn't see the train that hit me at the end of Kanaha. I was just thinking we were in the clear when something hit me in the shoulders and tossed me flat onto my board. WTF??? It almost got Bill too, but it reformed just before it got to him.
-
Wow, I really overdid it. I have cramps in my ankles. Seriously. I didn't even know you could get cramps in your ankles. Biceps and Triceps are numb on both sides. My legs ache way down inside and are trying to cramp up. I'm tiptoeing around trying not to trigger a leg cramp because I think if one goes, they're all gonna go. Going to be a long night.
-
Thanks for that link, I'll read into that too.
Here is another one.
http://www.kamanucomposites.com/2012/the-de-mystification-of-surfing-an-oc-1 (http://www.kamanucomposites.com/2012/the-de-mystification-of-surfing-an-oc-1)
-
Hmmm, it wasn't supposed to blow today, but it is. Not crazy like yesterday, but do-able. I had a good nights sleep--I think. I was unconscious so I'm not sure. So I'm probably going to have to go.
Junkie.
-
Enjoy. It's Marcia's birthday so we hiked Beacon Rock this morning.
Meanwhile, it's completely filled in, great swell, in the 70's, looks like the best day for Viento yet this year, and I can't find anybody that wants to do a run.
Hurry up and get back here. Junkies should support each other.
-
will do, see you soon. Buy a big fricken bottle of Advil. I'm getting them at Costco these days--they look like cookie jars.
-
Here's my version of getting 'pitted' - as in swamped up to my armpits. The ski was zooming along, so it was just a nudge on the side. Minor loss of speed and a hat adjustment. Note the garmin on my head - better radio signal and it's drier up there. :)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/pitted800x453_zps0f4750b5.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/pitted800x453_zps0f4750b5.jpg.html)
Here's some video of last Thursday. What a fun day that was.
maliko 4-25-13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKdCqyCMgMA&feature=youtube_gdata#ws)
-
Here's my version of getting 'pitted' - as in swamped up to my armpits. The ski was zooming along, so it was just a nudge on the side. Minor loss of speed and a hat adjustment. Note the garmin on my head - better radio signal and it's drier up there. :)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/pitted800x453_zps0f4750b5.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/pitted800x453_zps0f4750b5.jpg.html)
Here's some video of last Thursday. What a fun day that was.
maliko 4-25-13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKdCqyCMgMA&feature=youtube_gdata#ws)
LPB...Great vid and stunning still pic. That's the huge value in these vids... to be able to extract a still. Of course they aren't high res but for online use, they're great.
Paddled DW on friday with PBill and we did some geezer sprinting inside the harbor in the flatwater in the lee of the docks. It was really fun and I got to try drafting for the first time. Pretty fun keeping the nose rocker right over the tail of his board. But we overdid it and were pooped when we finished. Flatwater is for young, tough guys. I had to stretch it out with a swim today but got to see 300 women go by me on SUBs... so I had that going for me.
-
@ LaPerouseBay,
how do you control your boat from pearling too much? I also do downwinders on my OC1, I dont find it nearly as exciting as on a SUP. On the SUP I have control when it comes to steep faces, I get as far back on that tail as I need to keep that nose up, steep drops dont worry me on SUP. When I get on my canoe, there is no such thing as "trim" your as the mercy of the boat really. trimming down the face of a wave as if your making a bottom turn like on a SUP is not as doable on a canoe, it's just not nearly as agile as a SUP.
Do you ever find yourself not taking a bump because it's too steep? knowing that your going tyo burry the nose up to your feet? What do you do when your in that situation? Just curiouis as to how you handle it on your SS
JF, the V10 has a monstrous amount of volume in the nose. It is nearly impossible to pearl. They designed the nose to have enough volume to prevent it from getting pushed under water in almost any situation you will face. It truly is an amazing boat.
But if you do face such a situation, you probably want to lean as far back as possible, keep the paddle out to brace on the appropriate side, and hope things turn out for you.
-
@ Paid, yea it does, haha.
I dont worry about it too much on my OC, and I've come to realize that in that situation, nothing you can do really, use to lean back, but now that I realize it's more of a natural reaction rather then provide any sort of function, leaning back don't do jack, your weight it still in the same spot haha.
I've read that Kamanu Article, Luke's blog's are very interesting to read, and I encourage all to read it SUP or OC1. It's always great reading someones insight on downwind.
I really think that it's the swell period that dictates everything. love watching these videos, it's kinda my weather forecast as far as Olukai Race goes!!! so stoked, cant stop mentioning it!
-
Our sup trailer, Maliko bound!!!! We also have a trailer full of OC1's and OC2's coming over. 24 racers total from Big Island. Plan on Hooking up with maui zoners on Friday!!
-
That's an impressive load.
The BI is the spiritual center of the islands so please consult with the wind gods. We're having issues over here with these lows that keep rolling through. Yesterday was doable, actually pretty good but then the forecast through next wed looks grim... so hopefully there's a turn around by the 11th
-
we are praying for wind!!!!! it seems over the past few weeks Maliko had wind here and there, while everywhere else was nothing!!! So the odds are probably best there... Last year was good up untill that weekend, and the wind backed off.
Last year our run on friday before race day was epic!!! Glad we were able to experience Maliko doing what she does best. Come race day.... sad story. So we are hoping for the best
-
Excellent reverse (kona) south shore conditions this weekend. I chose this inside line Sunday to avoid the usual slug fest among the hyper competitive paddlers in our group.
Rather than start outside with them at Makena, I floated away early - inside. Lucky for me, the tide was weak (about 30 min. after the peak high), so I had a great run. Tide can have a big effect on the south shore. Some spots will see standing waves or endless rides - depending on the tide. As it turned out, the wind and reefs were surfy and fun. Low effort and finished with the group.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore5-5-13800x426_zpscbe1c1d8.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/southshore5-5-13800x426_zpscbe1c1d8.jpg.html)
-
JF808,who's team da Big Island OC-1 and canoe guys paddling for now,not called Livestrong anymore,jimmy something?
they doing real good.saw the results on OCPaddler for yesterday's PAA relay.
-
Good article that LBP,from Luke@Kamanu.The way I see those "low points" is the flat looking spot in front of the bumps,that's how it was pointed out to me,you see those,and paddle for them and stay on them and then they turn into a drop.while surfing that,look for another.
-
Thanks Paid, I'll try that. It's exactly the type of info I'm looking for. It's easy to remember and fits perfectly with what I've been focusing on lately - "relax" and "keep the boat going downhill."
From web reports: the Big Island team that was Livestrong is now Mellow Johnny's. It's a bike shop in Ausitn TX, owned by Lance Armstrong. How about Daniel Chun taking second place in his FIRST solo attempt? Second to Danny by 2 seconds? Yikes, those Big Island boys are awesome this year! 3 of the top 7 in yesterday's relay.
-
ok,so still livestrong.Daniel Chun second to Danny Ching by a couple seconds,awesome,but I think that was the race the other day,yesterday,first was Pat Dolan?Kai Bartlett.Big Island guys coming on strong.How about Danny Ching,stand up or Oc-1,phenomenal athlete.
-
Yes, Danny Ching is amazing. He will probably do the Olukai this weekend. It will be interesting to see how he does against our local Maui guys in the standup race. I hope Connor and Kai Lenny are around, those guys can motor. Dave K. is doing a clinic this week on Maui, I'll bet he does the Olukai. Livio is also super fast. Kai Bartlett has been known to jump on a standup occasionally. Maybe Jeremy can win it on his 22.
The conditions for yesterday's relay were the worst Luke has ever seen. I heard the headwind was creating 3 foot seas. Just saw the winning time - Kai and Pat did 6:25. Last year they won it in 4:21. Only strong paddlers attempt the Kaiwi channel, relay or solo. 19 of the 60 teams DNF'd.
This year's solo (2 weeks ago) was no walk in the park either. Danny won it in 4:58, Last year Jimmy Austin won it in 3:31.
The Maui - Molokai was also rugged this year. Zsolt won it in 3:29, last year he won it in 2:35.
-
South shore had very good wind today. Very nice glides all the way to the Kea Lani.
Hey, Hawaiian, I like rest on your ama? I'm tired. :)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/ama800x454_zps3baea9cb.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/ama800x454_zps3baea9cb.jpg.html)
south shore 5-11-13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tLh2m7XDe8&feature=c4-overview&list=UUsEHopzsYr4Yc3c-FyD_DAg#ws)
-
Nice fly by and neat pic. Looked really good, especially considering how grey it looked in the distance towards the finish.
-
Swells looked nice!
-
More ama shenanigans today.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/ama2800x446_zps74c02134.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/ama2800x446_zps74c02134.jpg.html)
-
Excellent wind today. Super fun run.
south shore 5-12-13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7-zsNIrVJs&feature=youtube_gdata#ws)
-
Today the great Maliko conditions returned. Light load on the shuttle which included Justin from Melbourne. He was amazed at the conditions. Ear to ear grin. After the grim conditions for the race it was great to have a visitor experience the full enchilada. Stick around here long enough and you'll get it.
Today somehow the glue from my graphite slip pad under my rudder peddle, decided the leak out enough to gunk up the slip pad. Result was rudder peddle got stuck in various positions and when I forced it over with my foot, it went to extremes. Challenging to operate like that. My board PBill not yours.
Got home and rubbed it off with alcohol and smooth as silk now. But it's something to check, especially if your board is getting on in age like mine.
-
South shore was excellent too. Wind was about as good as it gets. My plan was to hang back on the glides and angle across the bombs as much as possible. It's the best practice for keeping my hull speed going. The downside is that it seems slower, as if big opportunities for fast glides are passing under. I made a ton of mistakes and worked some big angles out and in from my destination. But, as is always the case, not trying for a fast time resulted in a new personal best.
The wind had a lot to do with it. It was cranking. But it's great to know how much more speed is out there. Relax and keep the boat going downhill is working great. Lots to learn about steering the boat more quickly on the small bumps.
south shore 5-14-13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xvAJkHmcjk&feature=youtube_gdata#ws)
-
This lady can write. A must read for anyone contemplating ski. She has a lot of sand, that's for damn sure.
http://runningwithwaves.com/ (http://runningwithwaves.com/)
-
This lady can write. A must read for anyone contemplating ski. She has a lot of sand, that's for damn sure.
http://runningwithwaves.com/ (http://runningwithwaves.com/)
Brilliant use of a keyboard - couldn't stop reading! Nice find!
-
Yeah, she's amazing. It almost works better for me reading it backwards. But if zoners get turned off by the ski stuff in the last post, start at the beginning. Don't miss it, she's very, very good.
She's a bad motor scooter to be signing up for Mauritius. Wow. Big fan. The trip in WA with the boys is on everyone's dream list. She's SO cool. She learned more about ski's on that trip than I did by reading every word on the interwebs and it shows. Simply masterful how she dances around such controversial subjects.
Green dragons indeed.
-
Smoking E wind today, good E swell. I experimented with an inside line, closest I've ever been. Kinda spooky and technical. Wore out my brain. ET was ok, a bit faster than usual, but the run seemed longer. Too much worry in there. I prefer deeper water.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko5-16-13800x379_zps693f3f89.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko5-16-13800x379_zps693f3f89.jpg.html)
-
This lady can write. A must read for anyone contemplating ski. She has a lot of sand, that's for damn sure.
http://runningwithwaves.com/ (http://runningwithwaves.com/)
Larry, this is good stuff. I can so relate to 100% of this. It is good to know that I'm not the only one that mindfcuks the whole _which is the right boat_ thing. Lots of respect for her commitment to training and to stepping out to paddle in a big event. Speaking of big events you have surfski royalty in your backyard right now. Sounds like they might miss out on the excellent conditions you guys have had the past days. Hopefully they get enough bumps to help it rockin'. I love that we have this thread here.
-
Thanks Eric, glad you enjoy the ski thread. We have some royalty of our own right here on the zone. Kissa beat Oscar back in '94. Here's a clip from the history of the race, from this site: http://www.molokaiworldchampionships.com/about/ (http://www.molokaiworldchampionships.com/about/)
2004 ~ Herman Chalupsky crushed the field with a time of 3:48:40; Aussie Dave Kissane came in second with a 3:55:16 and Oscar Chalupsky third with a 3:58:10. OC-1 Karel Tresnak Jr. was back in play with a first place time of 4:11:15 with Mike Judd taking second with a 4:13:32 and Danny Ching with a third place finish of 4:22:23.
It's mind bending how fast skis go across the 32.3 nautical miles of that channel (59.8km, 37.2 miles). Kissa's average speed on that day was 9.48mph, or 15.25kph.
Deano has the record at 3.21.26, set in '97. That's an average speed of 11.07mph, or 17.81 kph.
-
Today it was smokin hot.. as in temperture. Worst VOG I think I've seen. Burning eyes. No wind.
Paddled this morning until I drained my camelback. Sweated gallons. Caught little perfect glass 3' at lowers on my Bullet to practice wave riding skills on extra long board. Having to cross the reef with breaking waves during the Olukai race made me realize this is a skill I want to keep sharp. Lots of blade work to accentuate any rudder control, which by itself isn't enough.
Checked my steering and made sure everything's set for this weekend when the wind is forecast to return in a vengeance.
Covesurfer just arrived from HR so we're keyed up for the weekend.
-
Keep that kind out of trouble and don't let him get killed. We can't afford to loose such a reliable shuttle driver.
-
Nice to have the wind back, south shore has been fun. The south swell is a welcome addition. It drives the currents, and snags them too. Patience is a virtue when downwinding. If glides are not working due to a swell - go easy. It's just a matter of time until things swing around and glides rip better than usual. Sandy beach landings are a blessing, but you need to be quick on your feet.
south shore 5-23-13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oCiBvMpH7U&feature=youtube_gdata#ws)
-
Should have listened to LaPerouse Bay today. South side was the call but I joined a gang for a Maliko. Great crew in the 1pm shuttle, full of Bullets, good paddlers and two great paddlers, JR and Scott. Greg from HR did fantastic on PBill's V2 and the board floated his light frame high out of the water. Probably the best Bullet for the day. Conditions were light and suppressed by a few low clouds. Still, it was better than it looked on the drive up. Guess it's good practice to have to hunt hard for glides but hopefully tomorrow will bring an uptick in wind speeds.
Body felt good after so many days of rest and hopefully I don't seize up tomorrow. No falls today felt like an accomplishment.
-
Lighter conditions downwinder for sure but being here and getting to paddle is amazing! For my first Maliko in 5 months and being on the V2 for the first time, I was pretty happy with what we got.
At my weight, the V2 is pretty stable and it steers well if you sashay back to the tail. Because you have to do that dance all the time in the short period swell in the Gorge, the V2 didn't feel terribly weird, it was actually pretty confidence inspiring. I was amazed that I only had one fall near Lowers. Got a few really nice glides and some good surfs going into the harbor. The cross wind was mercifully light paddling across the harbor, a far cry from my last run. ;D I know it's going to be more challenge on a bigger day.
HM claims he's slow but I don't think so. Chased him the entire run. Nice way to spend an afternoon. Big thanks to HM and PB!
-
South shore was blasting today, fun run.
south shore 5-24-13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n67uRdDgWVo&feature=youtube_gdata#ws)
-
The story line made me laugh. Thanks.
-
Early June has historically been great and this year is no exception. Yesterday Cove and I did a packed 1pm shuttle and today it was packed for the 11:30am shuttle.
Even with the early launch today (sunday) conditions were off the charts good. Good tide and wind strength was 30-40mph. Legs were tired on this fifth Maliko run in a row (50 miles in five days) and I had at least six falls but the successive rides on the super troughs from Kanaha to the harbor entrance were phenomenal.
Might take a break tomorrow but I only say this now, immediately after the run.
-
Man, that was a good day. So glad summer is here. Like HM said, the runners from the airport to the finish were epic. Very groomed, with the wind shoving you onto the bombs. So fun. Probably the easiest big bombs I've ever caught. Very low effort, just flying.
I had my camera mounted facing the rear today. Jeremy and I lagged behind the group at the launch. Chatted with Raaphorst a bit. He did an earlier run on his standamaran. I hadn't seen Mark in about a year. He looks great. Very fit and young for his age.
Jeremy and I worked together for about 3 miles. It would have been great footage if the battery had been properly charged. Dang camera turned off just as we started to zoom. Doh! We caught his wife Jill at Paia. He stayed with her and I zoomed ahead to pick off the other standups. :)
-
I said the same thing right after today's run, how I should pace myself. But now, it's evening and all I can think of was what a great run it was today. My run started with me sighting the biggest shark I hope I ever see, cruising fast along the bottom right outside of the gulch. HM had just had a quick dip too. I didn't mention it until we were back to the canoe Hale. Fantastic conditions out there today!
-
Wild day. 28-35mph with small but noticeable north swell to accentuate the drops. In the course of this ten mile run, three of us experienced great conditions out of the gate, a glue like counter current half way thru, huge putting green drops off uppers and extraordinary wide wavelengths from lower Kanaha to the harbor entrance. Right psoas was tweaking with back leg getting a deep powder work out.
Saw a thread about a lack of trade winds. Could have fooled me.
-
It's after 530 pm and it still looks big out there. The last mile outside of the harbor was so good. Wind and waves lined up, three paddle strokes and you were surfing.
-
Have you bought a telescope yet Cove? I'm guessing you can see that whole run from your place.
-
No, Wassup. Was hoping that might be a housewarming present when you come visit. ;D
-
The wind has been excellent on the south shore lately as well.
south shore 6-4-13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTcn-imiE3w&feature=youtube_gdata#ws)
-
What is it about the color in this video that seems different, more crisp than your others?
Also did anything come out from the fly-bys you did the other day on Maliko?
-
The gopro 3 white is the least expensive version. They say the performance is weak in low light. So my guess is that the color looks a bit better in this one because of the higher summer sun angle. Cloudy days with a low, winter sun angle look dark. My cam needs good light.
The picture is sharper than the gopro 2 it replaced. 3's have a flat, glass water housing lens. They say the cam lens itself is also a big improvement. The fisheye barrel effect is reduced from the older version. I used to shoot at the 'medium' setting. Gopro called that 120 degrees. This white version only has one option at 1080 and they say it's 120 also. That's why I bought this cheap version. 1080/30 is all I ever use. I noticed the sharper picture immediately. Not bad for $200,. IMO.
I'm sure the black version will give a brighter picture at 1080/30, but they cost $400. That version has about 20 shooting options, I have 4.
I'm really bummed about no good video from Sunday. The battery died just as Jeremy and I began zooming along. First time I've ever forgotten to charge the battery. No video of any fly byes. That was a smoking day too. Oh well, summer is here. Maybe some weekend I'll get the alien on video. He looks good on those rear facing camera shots. That 22 inch bullet really motors.
-
I like "the Alien" as a nickname for JR. Fits perfectly.
I have a GoPro Black, and it's a bit disappointing. Keeping it and the remote charged is a constant challenge for ADD-boy. When either component sits around they discharge rapidly, especially if I forget to turn off the remote radios (which is ALWAYS). Whenever I go to use it, it's certain to be dead. I've managed to train myself to charge my iPhone frequently, maybe I can extend that to the GoPro. Great camera other than that, the last software update fixed a lot of issues.
-
PB, thanks again for letting me use the Bullet! I am now on HM's old F16, which I bought. Perfect dw board for me. Wish you were here, it's been howling. I missed today and yesterday, although I got some surfing in on the s swell (which is already dying) both days. See you in a week or so.
-
The wind has been excellent on the south shore lately as well.
Oh yeah, I want some of that ;D
Seem to have turned the corner lately on my V10S Surfski, able to put down full power to catch waves and still feel stable. Haven't fallen in for the last three downwinders. Even kidding myself that the seeing my knees going up and down equates to leg drive when really I know I'm just going through the motion.... but boy oh boy am I having fun! Bringing my paddle to Maui in September LPB and renting a ski for sure. Perversely love the steep learning curve, what a fantastic complimentary sport to go with SUP, similar water skills but different muscle groups.
-
Glad to hear it JC. Give Richard plenty of lead time, he travels a lot. I'll help out with the rental if he's not around.
You may think you are just 'going through the motions' with regard to leg drive because it doesn't feel like much. But that's how it's supposed to feel. The legs are so much stronger than your arms that it feels effortless. It should feel graceful and flowing, like dancing. Fred Astaire was the best dancer because he led with his hips. The best kayak sprinters are very, very smooth. It's the nature of the double blade and rotation. Be sure to feel each stroke through the heels. That's the key to stability.
Yes, it's deceptive. Seems like no effort, but graceful balance is what makes a ski work. Then power, then speed.
-
Nice video. From someone that's never tried a surfski, the speeds are amazing. You make it look so easy as well.
How did you get the speed, time, and distance to show up on your video? I keep my Garmin speed display when paddling but your setup adds another dimension to the video.
-
You need these two programs. Extremely simple to use once you do it a few times.
I can help out with more tips if you need them.
http://www.dashware.net/ (http://www.dashware.net/)
http://download.cnet.com/Avidemux/3000-13631_4-10829933.html (http://download.cnet.com/Avidemux/3000-13631_4-10829933.html)
And it looks easy on the videos, because it is easy. It's all about harnessing the power of the ocean - using the angle across the swells. Once you get the balance and figure out the angles, it's smooth sailing.
-
I couldn't resist. Fred and Cyd gettin it on.
FRED ASTAIRE and CYD CHARISSE - Dancing in the dark, at the Central Park (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDHwJrbrp0Y#)
-
You need these two programs. Extremely simple to use once you do it a few times.
I can help out with more tips if you need them.
http://www.dashware.net/ (http://www.dashware.net/)
http://download.cnet.com/Avidemux/3000-13631_4-10829933.html (http://download.cnet.com/Avidemux/3000-13631_4-10829933.html)
And it looks easy on the videos, because it is easy. It's all about harnessing the power of the ocean - using the angle across the swells. Once you get the balance and figure out the angles, it's smooth sailing.
Thanks. I'll check those programs out. I'm using a Garmin 310XT and a Panasonic waterproof digital camera to take video - hope the files will work with the software.
-
I use a garmin 305, the file works. Just "export" it. I send all my video stuff to an external hard drive. Dashware will ask for the file.
My gopro creates MP4 files. Dashware will accept just about anything.
I use avidemux to join my 17:35 clips into one file. It's just a copy. Save the file, dashware will ask for it.
If you use avidemux, the only thing you will need to choose is the "output format." Make it the same as your panasonic file type. I use "MP4 muxer."
If you use avidemux, drag your files into the work area. You will see the timer add up the files. Then "file," "save." Voila, one file.
To simplify the synchronization of the gps with video, I start them both at the same time. I start them before launching and end after the entire run.
Be sure to set your garmin to the most accurate sample rate. It's probably once each second.
When you run dashware, use the wizard. Go to the help tab and choose "show me how to" "create a video and data project." It will walk you through the steps.
Load your entire file and use dashware to edit out clips. Use the time slider arrows to choose a section, then hit "create video" Dashware will render it for you. I think you will like it. It's a great editor. I always use it to look at my runs.
-
Nice video. From someone that's never tried a surfski, the speeds are amazing. You make it look so easy as well.
Think L is being a little self effacing there, easy once you have put in the hard yards! Seems absurdly difficult at first but like everything your body adapts if you stick at it.
Argosi, you would love it !!
-
Thanks LPB! Those extra tips will help.
Although I may need a new camera since my Panasonic can only take clips of limited length.
-
Nice video. From someone that's never tried a surfski, the speeds are amazing. You make it look so easy as well.
Think L is being a little self effacing there, easy once you have put in the hard yards! Seems absurdly difficult at first but like everything your body adapts if you stick at it.
Argosi, you would love it !!
I bet I would love it. Storage of the surfski isn't possible for me unfortunately.
-
Argosi, my first cam would record for 30 minutes, then shut off.
Dashware will synch the timing of various video clips with your garmin data. No need for a new camera IMO.
I'd leave the gps running with the elapsed time on the display. If you restart the camera, aim it at the garmin screen and video the elapsed time. That will make it easy to synch the data in dashware. It's a very polished program.
JC, yes it was tough for me in the early days. But only because the outrigger had twisted me into a pretzel. Too much cheating on the ama.
I'm coaching some girls in ski. They have no trouble balancing. They are advancing 10 times faster than I did. It's so fun coaxing them into tougher conditions. One minute it's "we can't do that." The next minute they are charging. So funny.
I'll have them downwinding in a few weeks. Their minds will be completely blown. One of the girls had better form than I do ON HER FIRST DAY. Leg drive, nice top hands... I remember watching her and thinking to myself, "that's just not fair at all." :)
-
Nice video. From someone that's never tried a surfski, the speeds are amazing. You make it look so easy as well.
Think L is being a little self effacing there, easy once you have put in the hard yards! Seems absurdly difficult at first but like everything your body adapts if you stick at it.
Argosi, you would love it !!
I bet I would love it. Storage of the surfski isn't possible for me unfortunately.
I store mine on racks coming out from the side of the house. Its always in shade and has some minimal protection from the eaves of the house. Always wash it with fresh water and honestly its good as new.
Guess if you have an apartment it might be tricky! A lot of people in Melbourne who paddle skis or OC1's belong to clubs and store them there. Guess we don't get the cold cold weather you guys get though. Be warned....it's addictive ;D
-
Larry, I know I've said this before but I am so glad that you keep the surfski stoke going in this thread. We have talked many times about this in the past year or so but I think I'm about ready to sell my OC-1 and use the money to advance beyond my V8. I think I'll always keep the V8 for big conditions days. But it's time to move up. Pretty loyal to Epic but the new Stellar SEI that is hitting the market is pretty intriguing. Anyway, hope to be in a more aggressive ski within the next month. Thanks for keeping this going. Always look forward to your videos. JonathanC, was the Sport your first ski? You've been paddling it a little over year, right?
-
Hi Ericspin,
Yes exactly right, had the V10S for a over a year now, probably almost two. Must admit I've gone through phases of not paddling it much, bought a fixed paddle initially and that was a mistake, it was set at 60 degrees and that just didn't seem to agree with my propensity for tennis elbow. The two piece small Epic fixed that though and its really nice to be able to muck around with the length.
At the point now of wanting a little more speed and something lighter, I have the basic heaviest model, and to its credit is still in perfect condition. Planning on trying the new V10 which is apparently almost as stable as the current V10S and a Fenn Swordfish and the new Stellar SEI when it comes out. Have to make sure I don't get too ambitious and muck up all the down-winding fun I'm having! A lot of new, more stable but still fast, boats out in the last year and more coming.
-
I store mine on racks /
...in my living room.
Guess if you have an apartment it might be tricky!
So I cut a hole in the wall. My priorities are in line. :)
Eric, have a spin in the new V-10. It's wider than the old V-10. It's probably just as stable as the sport. I had no trouble going from a sport to a 10. If you can paddle 2-3 times a week, you will sell that V-8. Guaranteed.
The girls I coach can both paddle V-10's. One of them has only been in a ski maybe 10 times. She owns a sport, but she can do flat water in a 10. Skinny boats are WAY more fun. They surf MUCH better. Short boats spin too easy IMO.
Glad you sorted your paddle out JC. I went through growing pains too. I was all the way up to 75 degrees for awhile. I'm down at 30 now. Kayakchampeen over on surfski info uses zero feather. 2 control hands.
My blade is short at 205. I'll go up to 207 on flat water, but that's about it. Good reason to be slow. "my blade is really short". Easy on the joints and very quick for downwinding.
-
State holiday today, what better way to spend a day off than a nice maliko.
maliko 6-11-13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0-RKsZO7Rc#ws)
-
^
LPB, I always enjoy your videos. That looks very difficult to keep upright, but you make it seem easy! Curious, do you do SUP downwinders as well?
-
He used to go with me on SUP but once he tried this rocket ship I knew he was gone.... and it could be appealing to me for the speed and for having fun on lighter days when catching glides with a SUB is more difficult. But standing up and basically surfing out in the open ocean has a huge appeal to me. Just like using a jet ski to ride a wave, it can go faster and catch every wave but you're still sitting on your ass. So if you're into ultimate speed for paddling toy, the ski would be for you. But if you like moving your feet for trim and standing up, then your choice is obvious.
Some people don't do well with their backs, sitting down (like me) and others get their back out of wack on a SUB.
CS, I'd think you'd dig the stand up more. You did it once over here. Com'on back and we'll order up some stronger wind for you.
-
HM, perhaps we will paddle today (based on rumors from a credible source).
That would be cool. Hope to see you in a couple hours.
-
Today's run started out sort of light but still held promise. Unfortunately, by the time I got to Upper Kanaha, a rain squall had moved over and the wind backed down to near nothing. Plenty of sloppy chop was left over. It was still possible to get some glides but it was not easy, at least for me. Turned into a real workout and by the time I got to the harbor entrance, I felt pretty cooked. A few random gusts started to kick up the last mile or so, but they weren't consistent. Still, it was enough to get a couple of fun surfs going towards the entrance.
Once in the harbor, there was a pretty stiff cross wind, more than what should have been blowing considering the conditions outside. I was pretty relieved to finish but it was probably really good training. I felt like I'd never paddled so much on my right side, which is my weak one.
I've gotten 11 runs in over the past several weeks and met some awesome and generous paddlers who shared their knowledge and stoke. HM has been a great paddling partner and although I missed him today, recovery was a good choice considering the conditions.
It kind of feels like I'm learning how to downwind all over again. Paddling here is challenging and also really incredible. The ocean is just amazingly beautiful and the time I've logged out there ranks as some of the best I've spent doing anything ever. Looking forward to more adventures to come.
-
I almost went but chose to run up the sand dune and swim today (in shallows) to see if I was going to fall apart. I worked out for over 2 hrs and was fine so I might go tomorrow. Unfortunately, Cove, you're leaving back to HR tonight. Well we'll see you soon. It was great paddling with you and you really hit some great days. Try to get back for the race and bring the big guy with you.
-
I'll start working on him when I get back there. Glad you're feeling better - be careful about overdoing it too soon. Looking forward to being back here soon.
-
^
LPB, I always enjoy your videos. That looks very difficult to keep upright, but you make it seem easy! Curious, do you do SUP downwinders as well?
Skis have a bad reputation for being difficult. Like standup, it just takes time.
I quit the standup and only do ski. I had lumbar pain for decades. The ski fixed it. That's a BIG plus for me. It's like having a new body. The higher top hand of single blades used to aggravate my shoulder, not so with the ski. We only go about eye level. Very fun boats.
-
LaPerouseBay - yup, I can vouch that you are a ski guy!! (my Surfski.info handle = Cyberski)
I have left kayak/ski paddling now and will be going strictly SUP...know anyone looking for a brand new Huki S1-XL????? ;)
-
Cyberski, I'll ask around. Those hukis are great boats.
Some people don't do well with their backs, sitting down (like me) /
I forgot that about you. But, for anyone that tried outrigger and it hurt their back - skis are different. Our buckets are designed to allow more freedom of movement. Our knees bend more. Our feet do a lot to stabilize the boat. Like outrigger and standup, the kayak stroke is all about rotation. But our blades are wings. So we don't pull next to the boat. We pull away from it - almost 45 degrees. The wing creates lift in the forward direction. They are about 10% more efficient than a flat blade. It engages the twisting muscles in a nice, fluid manner.
It completely rebuilt my core muscles below the belly button. All those complex hip muscles (out back and in front) are engaged and strengthened. That was my weakness that led to back pain.
I thought I was in ok shape from outrigger and sup when I first started in a ski. The seating position was comfy if I sat straight up 90 degrees. But skis need a slight forward lean, about 10 degrees. This affects trim, provides leverage and engages all the big muscles better. The first day I tried to sit forward correctly my diaphragm locked up completely. I could barely breathe. That's how jammed up I was. Now that whole system is rebuilt and better than ever.
Here's a vid of a true expert showing very good form. Note the leg drive, rotation and fluid motion.
Paddling With Zsolt (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esrN9TGBhQY#ws)
-
Fun maliko today with Mike and Richard. Wind was excellent.
maliko 6-15-13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHIAgWF2kWI&feature=youtube_gdata#ws)
-
Nice LPB! When you turn left, the swell size becomes more apparent. There is a spot around there somewhere (upper Kanaha) where it feels like you are sliding down a ski slope. The ocean just seems to go down down down. I don't think it was my imagination, I noticed it nearly every run and if you caught it, you'd get an ultra fast, super long glide.
-
Father's day and well it was grandfather's day for Victor and me. His son Shaun joined us along with Bill Hofman. Bill, Victor and I are all over 60 and it felt cool to be enjoying Maliko as good as it gets. Long rolling smooth faced troughs without an ounce of crossing. Seemed like putting greens. So much fun blazing along with three others in my peripheral vision. Summer conditions are here.
Peter from South Africa wrote me that he and some mates are coming over in July. Pretty cool for these guys to go to the effort to come to the opposite side of the planet to paddle with us. Young Dylan Flick did very well last year.
Been using PBill's smaller Maliko blade for the last few weeks but today I returned to the Molokai. Think I'll go back to the Maliko size. Like the higher cadence.
-
Just happened on a bike article that described how bigger bikers were grinders at higher gears and lighter weight bikers were high cadence low gear guys... spinners.
I've always figured that I was on the heavy side when I started SUP but as I slip down farther towards 180, I feel like redefining myself as a spinner...
Smaller blade for sure.
-
/ There is a spot around there somewhere (upper Kanaha) where it feels like you are sliding down a ski slope. The ocean just seems to go down down down. I don't think it was my imagination, I noticed it nearly every run and if you caught it, you'd get an ultra fast, super long glide.
Thanks for the comment. I'll elaborate a bit on how that reef works. I don't think you mean to say that upper kanaha has a 'special spot' that gives better runs. But the nature of internet posts are easily misunderstood. I like to keep this thread going to help novices and visitors better understand the ins and outs of maliko.
You have a good start with a few big wind runs under your belt. But Raaphorst told me it takes about 50 runs to start to understand maliko. That held true for me. Oh, and light wind runs are just as valuable. Watching how the swells bend on the reef (even if they are small) is important. As is understanding just where the shallow spots are at low tide.
Ok, back to your comment. It's not your imagination. And it's not one spot at upper kanaha. In that video, the swells I 'let go' (in the first minute) are just as capable of providing that long, long ride. Some swells may hold more power than others, but as a general rule summer conditions are groomed. The east swell is consistent.
Here's the chart of that day's run. The video took place on the dot. As you can see, the depth didn't change much (on my line across the reef). The runs you describe were happening all over the blue section.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko6-15-131800x340_zps34046593.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko6-15-131800x340_zps34046593.jpg.html)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko6-15-132800x431_zps4f608a9e.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko6-15-132800x431_zps4f608a9e.jpg.html)
-
LPB, thanks for posting that! Understanding the bottom topography (bathymetry) and how it affects the surface characteristics is a fascinating subject to me.
I have about 20 Malikos in now. My first description would be that I am feeling more and more humbled each time I paddle it. Maybe after 50 or so runs that will change, but it is an amazingly challenging run to me on so many levels.
Since I got back to the Gorge last week, I've had the chance to do downwinders almost every day, yesterday I even got a double in. But the Viento run in the Gorge is a walk in the park in comparison to Maliko under any conditions, lighter or windier.
As you said, it's more than just one spot out there with the super long glide potential. I just noticed over and over that in the vicinity of where your chart is showing, I would get glides that weren't just long but felt like sliding down a hill and it seemed as if the ocean was just dropping away and down. Very strange and very cool when you're riding it.
I'm really looking forward to continuing to get experience, improve my skills and learn more. As I said, when someone mentions Maliko, the first thing that comes up for me is how humbling the run is for me. Thanks for sharing your knowledge! Learning from you guys that have so much experience on the open ocean is very cool.
-
Yeah, what constantly astounds me is how different each day is and even when you do a double, how different those two runs can be. Rarely is it great from start to finish like it was yesterday. Usually there's at least some part that feels sticky or chopped up. But all those challenging days really set you up for the great days like yesterday.
Knowing that, just like in life, when things are challenging or fantastic, it's going to change is a great way to approach the different pitches thrown at you.
Yesterday was a fast ball, right over the plate. Hmmm looks like today is shaping up as well.
-
Glad you like the charts cove. IMO, anyone that isn't humbled by maliko... will be. That's why I'm always rambling on about safety. I've been a weekend warrior at maliko for 5 years. If I get some time off work I'll go more often.
Here's a picture of the end of the run. I heard some roaring white water behind and just to my left. My line was probably safe, but who knows. I always save energy for that section.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko6-15-133800x432_zpse21ec049.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko6-15-133800x432_zpse21ec049.jpg.html)
-
I too have heard some pretty good hissing on my left shoulder running into the harbor on several occasions, then I'd see a pretty fair sized set rolling past just to my left and leaving a trail.
Saving energy for the end is a good strategy. I look forward to the day when I can finish that run and feel like I have more than fumes in the tank.
-
Here's a Maliko launch at 6:30 AM. Who would do such a thing? Someone training for the early start of the M2O
-
JR posted on facebook that it was an awesome early day today. Nice photo!
-
That board sure is recognizable.
-
Yeah JR said it was unreal the last 3/4 of his crack of dawn run. So cool. Can just imagine the great lighting at that time. Lighting is huge for allowing you to spot the grain in the water.
Today was filled with off and on rain squalls. My partner and I launched at 12 which was rather psychedelic. As soon as we were in the water, a rain squall dumped heavy on us all the way out the gulch. A thick mist was on the surface with the rain giving the appearance that it was windless. But it wasn't and the smooth runways really made gliding easy.
That changed in around three minutes and in a blink it was sunny and raging wind. Another fall-less day for me and was stoked to get into the action with small rights and finally gaining the co-ordination to crank the rudder with the appropriate paddle shift, to catch the big left rollers. The direction shift to the backside left has been a huge challenge for me but learned a better stance for doing so today. Of course it was made easier by a little more NE component in the WD.
The last two days have been real confidence builders for my balance issues. One month until the big Maliko race.
-
I paid my entrance for the Maliko race today. Can't wait! Btw, what wind sites do you guys use, and what's the best direction?
Southbay
-
^
http://weather.mhpcc.edu/wrf/maui2/ (http://weather.mhpcc.edu/wrf/maui2/)
http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/graphics/npac.gif (http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/graphics/npac.gif)
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/west/hi/flash-ir4.html (http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/west/hi/flash-ir4.html)
Click the W-low box on this one. By the way, it's showing what I call a 'true' NE wind right now. So the south shore will be ballistic today. Heads up to you north shore sleepyheads too lazy to drive over. Yesterday was smoking.
http://radar.weather.gov/Conus/hawaii_loop.php (http://radar.weather.gov/Conus/hawaii_loop.php)
Southbay, the best direction for maliko is about 60-70 degrees. Straight down the coast of maliko is actually 40 degrees, but the trades work better if they slam into Haleakala and compress down the line. 40 degrees is good for the south shore because it squeezes into the valley and turns left down the south shore. That's what will happen today. North shore light, south shore blasting. Probably.
-
JR posted pic's of yesterdays southside run and it looked really good. Screaming good.
Man, you all are lucky. We are in the doldrums here in the Gorge with a big windsurfing/kiting/SUP downwinder race scheduled for 'Windfest' weekend coming up. My last downwinder was four days ago. Forecast calls for a little wind Saturday so there's maybe some hope. Otherwise, we've got temps around 100 degrees forecast for the next week - that usually means not much wind. At least you guys over on Maui are getting the goods! Enjoy!
-
Thanks for the info LaPerouse. Wow, the Kihei run does look good today! Am I blind, where is the wind direction on here? My return to the island is Monday. Looking forward to seeing my new board and meeting you all.
Southbay
-
JR posted pic's of yesterdays southside run and it looked really good. Screaming good.
Man, you all are lucky. We are in the doldrums here in the Gorge with a big windsurfing/kiting/SUP downwinder race scheduled for 'Windfest' weekend coming up. My last downwinder was four days ago. Forecast calls for a little wind Saturday so there's maybe some hope. Otherwise, we've got temps around 100 degrees forecast for the next week - that usually means not much wind. At least you guys over on Maui are getting the goods! Enjoy!
flatwater fun.
-
All those little arrows, about 800 of them, are the wind direction.
-
Yeah the wind bends sometimes 90 degrees as it's funneled through the valley. We all have stopped trying to figure it out and just go when the cams are good and LPB says it's a go. But it's good ... right now. It wasn't a half hour ago.
-
Here's some video from today. The wind was excellent. In my experience, the Maui 2K wind forcast is more accurate on the north shore. The south shore has a mind of it's own.
south shore 6-27-13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vjJEyth6Go&feature=youtube_gdata#ws)
-
Here is a screen shot of this morning's channel 4. The wind direction at Kauai is what I call 'true' NE. The prevailing winds are about 40 degrees.
On Maui, it's closer to true E, probably closer to 60 or 70.
Maliko will be good today. Note how far out the fetch is. That will produce longer period groundswells on the reef. Local wind strength may vary, but there will be bombs. Classic summer conditions.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/channel4698x491_zpsdc8f5e55.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/channel4698x491_zpsdc8f5e55.jpg.html)
As you can see by this screen shot, the south shore can get very windy. Paddlers beware. Conditions often switch from side shore to harrowing offshore. Very dangerous.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maui2k726x487_zps228dbf6e.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maui2k726x487_zps228dbf6e.jpg.html)
-
True dat,and the other day it completely did a 180 on us and we were paddling upwind for a while.Better that than when it wants to blow you over towards Kaho'olawe!LBP,where do you come in?We start at Kihei canoe club,don't feel safe leaving our vehicles at Ma'alaea,some friends' cars got broken into.But coming in at the beach in front of Sarento's is too short of a run if you're driving over from North side.How is coming in at Polo beach and walking up the walkway with all the tourists there?Too many times it's not downwind to Makena Landing.Mahalo
-
^ Aloha paid, sorry to hear your friend's vehicle got robbed. I almost always start at the boardwalk. I park in the lot rather than next to the bushes. It's been safe for me so far. If the wind is offshore I'll start at KCC.
Polo beach (Fairmont Kea Lani) is an excellent beach to land on. The tourists on the staircase are cool. I like landing there. We finish there when the wind may not hold to Makena Bay.
I'm not a big fan of Sarento's either. But it's usually a safe bet for the wind.
Weekdays I often finish at the Cove. I live walking distance, so I drive straight to the boardwalk after work. I launch, then walk the ski home and shower. Then jump on the MTB for the ride back to my truck. It saves a lot of time not shuttling. If someone calls, I'll do a longer run.
That new hotel, the Andaz may have a good beach to finish a run. I think it's Elua beach, between Sarento's. and Polo. I've heard the facilities are good.
-
Paid...a better line on good days, is had by starting at Kealia boardwalk. I don't know of any people who've had car theft there, knock on wood. PBill leaves his grungy over sized slippers in the back with a few used shotgun shells. His jeep is always wide open. Heard about the problems at Haycraft Park. That would be a cool launch if you had a driver to take the vehicle away. I like the line from there and the milage becomes great.
For those looking in on this thread, Paidmydues is one of the sentinels for Hawaiian language on the island. He knows every word for wind and even what the word is for paddling downwind. His pronunciation is perfect and his voice is strong.
Paid.... If you ever see PBill try to pronounce Kealia, plug your ears quick, as he butchers the Hawaiian language beyond belief despite my attempts to tutor him. I think he does it to bug me.
And for those of you out there that wish to make a better stab at Hawaiian words, here's a start. The letter I is pronounced E and E is pronounced A and A is pronounced AH. There are also some double vowel words and even a few triple vowel words. (There is a town on Oahu, Kaaawa where each vowel is a syllable) But I think just these tips will get you much closer. Correct me and add if you wish Paid.
The organizer of a recent SUP race butchered a Hawaiian word so badly at the skippers meeting, that it took on a totally different meaning that made all that knew ( and there were many) cringe. Made worse that he kept repeating his mistake over and over again.
-
There are also some double vowel words and even a few triple vowel words.
If I'm not mistaken, Kauai is a 4. I visited years ago and heard a local radio DJ pronounce it as such. His voice was mellifluous. I still hear it each time I spell the word.
I didn't know that about paidmydues. Very cool. Such a beautiful language.
-
Peter... After I spoke to you I went to Kihei and launched with my pal at about 3:40. Direction was great tho velocity was weak at first but by half way glides began to be good enough and towards the end were pretty good. Who knows what tomorrow will bring but give me a ring around 12-1 and I'll let you know what I see. We only did a 7 miler today but you could have gone longer. We launched late, in my book and I didn't want to chance getting calmed. My pal was on a no-rudder 14 and he had no issues today but it all depends on the direction. Your Naish boards should be good.
Wow, you're here.
-
Hope you guys get some good conditions. It was smokin' in the Gorge today. I did two runs. Looking forward to paddling with you again HM.
-
I bashed a tourist with my board at Polo once--he was sitting on the the outside of the corner and wasn't inclined to move. It wasn't intentional, but I felt pretty good about it.
I think the reason no one steals stuff from my jeep is they think they might get some kind of fungus from it. They aren't wrong.
I'm learning Hawaiian pronunciation at my own speed. I have "chree to fi" down pretty pat and when I say Ho'okipa people know where I'm talking about. there was a time I just got blank looks.
-
I bashed a tourist with my board at Polo once--he was sitting on the the outside of the corner and wasn't inclined to move. It wasn't intentional, but I felt pretty good about it.
I think the reason no one steals stuff from my jeep is they think they might get some kind of fungus from it. They aren't wrong.
I'm learning Hawaiian pronunciation at my own speed. I have "chree to fi" down pretty pat and when I say Ho'okipa people know where I'm talking about. there was a time I just got blank looks.
We need you back here to bash a few more. You can team up with Victor. He said to say howzit.
-
Did our maiden Maliko to harbour run yesterday in 8-12knots NE. Phil from Australia kindly chaperoned Pietro and myself the entire way - well, he had to sit and wait for us on a good couple of occasions....
It took us 2 hours from put in to take out with a few breaks and medium effort....cannot believe how much you sweat out there!
We rode the 14' Glide while Phil was on his 17' Bullet, I'd have to work overtime to try and stay with him.
Runs are quite different to back home in Cape Town, even though it was probably as soft as it gets, you get lumps lifting you and I can see why a 17' works here - you just have that little more momentum where you'd have to scramble hard on the 14' to get in. Phil also stayed on for longer, beginning to wonder if attempting the M2O solo on the Glide is a good call...
Pearling was never an issue, I almost had to step off the pad to get into some of them, where at home they are much shorter and steeper.
Phil rated it 1 out of 10 for Maliko - amping for Mon-Wed!
-
I was over for almost a month late May to mid June. Used a 17' Bullet and an F16. On a bigger day, I am really wondering how a 14 would be for Maliko. Seems like it would be a blast.
I'll be interested to read your reports from next week when the wind comes back. I paddled one light day all the way to the harbor and it was a grind. Lumpy and really tough to catch any glides except here and there. It's a different world when its blowing. You will like. ;D
-
Bill,mahalo for the Hawaiian lesson to help others on the Zone.yes,I have heard Ponobill destroy some place names,LOL,anytime you want to make pono,ask me.Let's start with your usual winter spot,Kanaha.The last vowel,a,is stressed,not the middle one as everyone says it.It means The Crack,the Fissure,and was the name of one of two fishponds in the area(The other being Mauoni).I was told it was named By Kamehameha to honor either the son or the daughter(Mauoni being the other one)of the Chief Ka Pi'ioho O Ka Lani who was responsible for the construction of the fishponds... What I can recall(chemobrain excuse),a Pueo(Hawaiian owl) laid an egg that cracked,in the area,and one of the royal children were named after that.Okay,that your lesson for today.Ka NahA.
I surfed everyday of late,just loving my 6.0 minisimmons,haven't tried a standup one yet,but if they are anything like the shortboard,they are sooo fun,you gotta try it to believe it.Paddled my new OC-1 Maliko to Kahului with NO wind,really teaches you to concentrate on technique to get on the small bumps.Aloha
-
Peter, You're in good hands with Phil. This is like his second home. I think I saw you this morning off Sugar Cove. I did a run from Maliko to Kanaha with my 10 yr old grandson. The jet lag was getting him a little but he pushed thru it. Water clarity was epic and he rode a wave across the Camp One reef on a 17 footer and got the hang of the rudder pretty well. No falls.
Paid... Finally someone has told me the correct pronunciation of Kanaha. I think I've been butchering it for many years.
-
I was on the south shore today but yesterday I did a glass run to Kanaha with my ten yr old g-son. He had seven hrs of jet lag but did the seven miles with no complaints. July on Maui with no wind is hot beyond measure but although I was sweating he didn't want to get in the water to cool off. My son told him there were sharks. If he was here, I'd whack him on the side of his head.
Anyway wind is supposed to return tues. Tons of paddlers in town. M2M next weekend.
-
Did an early run and reverse shuttle. Great to have the Aussies in town for the races. Chatted with Iron Phil and met Dave Kissane.
It was light wind for us, picked up nicely for them. Very fun run.
maliko 7 7 13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrcZ6eQ7wcY&feature=em-upload_owner#ws)
-
Picked up my SIC bullet 17 last Tuesday, and did a run Wednesday with Jeremy. Good fun, but the wind was too North. Hoping to get a run in tomorrow. Are one going on the 11am shuttle? I have a truck with racks if anyone is headed to Maliko tomorrow, let me know.
Southbay
-
PM me
-
Today was feast - 25knots+ and runs everywhere from start to finish. Aussie invasion, Saffa invasion, Japan, Germany, Brazil - guys and gals from everywhere.
It was epic! So stoked to be here, the 14' was heaps of fun, surfing off the tail and linking left and right - much better with wind on it - but I guess that's the same as at home......STOKED!!!!
I think Dave said Livio nearly beat his own course record....and tomorrow is supposed to get even better....yeah baby!
-
Peterp, that sounds awesome! I knew you'd be stoked when the wind came back!
I rode a 17 and a 16 for Maliko and love the glide of the longer boards but a 14 frankly feels like a big surf board to me and I kind of like that. I don't think I'd mind paddling just about anything on a windy Maliko run though. ;D
Sounds like a really cool day with paddlers from everywhere! Hope to read your windy paddle reports in the upcoming days!
-
Here is vid of GPS data from my Mobii Motion - looks like I could straighten out line a bit. Red snake is run on the 7th and Blue snake is yesterdays run. Yesterdays run took 1hr24min from start to finish points in vid.
Frothing for today....
Mobii Malikoruns (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLBn_RMDfXc&feature=youtu.be#)
-
It's a lake here today. Have fun.
-
House rattled all last night (it's a termite palace not a bunker) and at 6:30 am it was full white caps out there. Southbay, I'm just waiting till 8 to call you (to be polite) but lets's go early. Lighting is off the charts when it's this early. Maliko is full-on today... like right now
-
peterp, that's a good time - you were 1:17 and change to the harbor entrance. It must have been a great run! The slow run is just about the exact time I had on the day that the wind quit off Baldwin Beach and the conditions turned to sloppy lumps that were difficult to catch with any consistency. Have fun out there today, I looked at the forecasts and it's gonna be smokin'!
-
So it blew hard all night and this morning was whitecapping at sunrise. I was pumped. Dave Kissane came by around 9 and we could see the ocean at the end of my street was already full blown. Dave looked like he'd been training hard and was leaner than he was last year. He went with Livio yesterday and that's a statement in itself.
Chatting with Dave got me really excited and set my head into doing two runs. Connected up with Southbay, a Zoner I'd never met. Turned out to be a local boy, that had just moved back here after being on the mainland since after high school. Tom Wolf said you can't go home again but he has moved back and today he got to reap the rewards of being in top paddling shape from his time in California. Plus he has a M2M under his belt from last year.
We launched our Bullets at just after 11am. Wind had been gusting over 40 since 10am and continued to do so all afternoon. First run with Southbay was incredible. Hoped I was going to be able to keep up with a very fit thirty-three old. Right out of the gate he went out much farther than me and was gliding great. Amazingly, in the time it took us to get to Hookipa, we had switched places and I was outside riding my comfort zone with rights on a east wind. Glides were spectacular until Upper Kanaha which was a tad crossed up for about a mile, then lined up very well for the last few miles. Felt better than I have in a long time, since before PBill left town. Two high speed falls, one with a board grab and rapid redeployment, almost seemed like I knew what I was doing for a moment. Been doing burpees on the beach and they paid off in that moment. Southbay seemed stoked to be back home.
Second run was with my pal who used to be Southbay's baseball coach in high school. He's a grandpa as well and it was good to know he has all the pains I have. Tide was higher and less crossed up at Uppers. Section to harbor entrance was as good as it gets. The 4pm readout when we finished run number two was 45mph gust. Stunning day and I'm not that wasted after two.
Tons of trucks loaded with SUBs traveling up and down Hana Hwy... as many as cars as with wndsrfrs. It's kinda cool to see since there's absolutely no worry about the ocean getting crowded. Great that so many have come from so far to do this. M2M this weekend has a huge turn-out. Wind is supposed to back off from current nuke levels but still be blowing plenty good enough.
-
Great report. Lots of energy happening over there. You can feel it through the story in the post.
-
Less words and more vid... Please.. ;D
DJ
-
That was the best run I have ever done! Thanks HM for waiting for me. We have to do that again soon! The wind was so insane today...dropped into one and had a full on surfing bottom turn going left. I could have probably dragged my hand on the face it was so big. Also, I did a couple full speed pearl dives that sent me over the handle bars big time! Every time I thought I may be able to be able to catch HM, I fell, and he just sailed on. He ended up smoking me....well done! Can't wait to get a few more under my belt before the race this weekend.
Near the end of the run, maybe after that big bottom turn, I felt like I was always turning left, and had to hold the rudder to the right. Finished the run, and briefly looked at it, but didn't notice much. When I got home I noticed that the right cable on the A.S.S. system was completely detached! I am lucky that I made it back before it completely stopped working. Looks like a pretty minor fix (on land). Hoping I can get to SIC in the morning.
All in all, Awesome, and thanks again to Headmount for showing me the line!
Southbay
-
Was good to catch up Bill and glad you got out there.
I did a couple of runs today. The first was a certainly my best maliko ever.
Everyone was absolutely smoking. There were SUPs everywhere. Must of been 20 paddlers representing about 10 different nations - v cool.
I mainly paddled the course with Kelly Margetts and Marcus Tardrew (sp?) from oz. Was so much fun mucking around on the runs together. It was kinda like skiing a times - just big slopes that you could do anything on. Lots of stalling on the back of the boards...just waiting for that little opening that would allow you to accelerate through to the next trough. We just don't this sort of stuff in oz so it was very cool to share it with a couple of mates.
Ran into Livio in Paia after. He did a mid-arvo run. Livio times all his runs and lets just say it was very fast - in excess if averaging 10mph. It is a shame we will not have smoking conditions for M2M. He is just so awesome when it is nuking.
As for photos / video DJ - good ole Iron Phil had the headcam out again today so you never know. :)
-
Southbay, see if Mark has any of the plastic nuts instead of metal. I like them a lot better, they stay put and don't get corroded into place.
Good to hear you guys are having fun. Hot and still in the gorge today, I did a little flatwater stuff, but we're waiting for wind now.
-
Here is video of GPS track from yesterdays run compared to day before that - much tighter line, so much so, that I had to pinch a little to get back out. You can see me changing course in line with airport runway.
We went straight through Kanaha and all the Poleboarders and if there had been any kind of swell it would have been trouble as the tiny windswells were breaking meters to the left of us.
Not sure if this is too tight? I felt the pinching bit did slow us down a bit.
You can also see wind was stronger in harbor as I was seeking any refuge I could find - having no steering sucks in there.....
No-one overtook us yesterday - helps when you take a 20minute head start.... ;D
TighterLine Maliko 9 July 2013 - 30knots East (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZv9Fl7BK3s&feature=youtu.be#)
-
Not sure if this is too tight? I felt the pinching bit did slow us down a bit.
Less than 1k offshore at the airport is close by my standards. It's all a matter of how you feel in there - whether or not you can make use of the bombs before they push you in to the breakers.
The tide is high, so you should have plenty of water. Be careful if the tide is low, it can dredge in there. Some days shooting the reef has a slow section for me. Next day, same time, same wind - zip right through. It's a mystery to me. I just relax and go with the flow. I can feel if the tide is working on the south shore, but not maliko. The experienced north shore guys can feel it. They know when they are supposed to get glides. If they don't get 'em, it's the ocean.
The tide will be about the same on the 20th. I hope it blasts again for you all.
No-one overtook us yesterday - helps when you take a 20minute head start.... ;D
You did about 1:11 to the entrance. Very impressive on a 14. You guys must have had some great runs. If you had time to stick around and learn the run, maybe a bullet and some lessons from Jeremy, you guys would kill maliko. That millers run video was incredible. On 14's! Amazing.
-
Here is my line from last Sunday. It was lighter conditions, maybe 15 knots. This is an inside line for me. 750 meters offshore at the airport. I'm usually further out, about 1200m to 2km, depending on conditions.
Soft topper white foamies were breaking just like it says on the map. Note how I zigged out to play it safe, even in small wind. I've only been truly mowed once in ski. Knock wood.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko7-7-13800x345_zpsc06188f1.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko7-7-13800x345_zpsc06188f1.jpg.html)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko7-7-131800x431_zps84b81b7d.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko7-7-131800x431_zps84b81b7d.jpg.html)
-
I don't think I'd like to get mowed on a ski, it's bad enough on a SUP. Which reminds me, first thing next winter I need a new leash.
-
I want to see HM's grandson on the V-2 on a windy day. If that board gets some air under it it will lift him out of the water by his ankle.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/bald-eagle-attack-o_zps82da04bc.gif) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/bald-eagle-attack-o_zps82da04bc.gif.html)
Brave kid at 10 years old to be launching at maliko in this big wind event. He only weighs about 70 pounds. Standing on the tail of a 17-4 in big swells must be a thrill.
-
Yesterday I did a Maliko on oc-1 with a friend that I'm breaking in on oc-1.It was his 4 th maliko,and only his 5 th time paddling an outrigger.I started him in 20-25 mph,and yesterday was to be a little notch up.Outside of the lifeguard tower @Kanaha, about a mile out,just as he was righting up his oc-1 after a huli(flip),and while I was keeping an eye on him,a pretty mean squall caught us by surprise.I did not see it coming,it was the most intense gusts I have experienced .I have been out in 40+knots,but this felt way stronger,I felt that I was in a blender!.And with a straight east blowing on the ama,it would have been very easy to blow the harbor entrance.Luckily,I had chosen a tight line for this run because of the east direction of the wind,if we would have taken a further out line(which often I do for catching the glides all the way to the mouth of the harbor),we would have been shitting bricks.The airport shows 45mph for that time frame,11 am,but I'm sure it was more than that out there.
-
Video from the last couple of days - cameo by Jeremy Riggs - he cross-stepped his way past me, pulled out a camera, took a pic and disappeared as quickly as he came...incredible on that 22" Bullet!
Hawaii - Maliko Take One (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpXNZJYQ8rE&feature=youtu.be#ws)
-
Wow! Great video perterp! Very, very pro. How did you get the camera shots from above? That is a great perspective. Thanks for posting that! Conditions look screaming, near continuous surfs/glides.
-
Outside of the lifeguard tower @Kanaha, about a mile out,just as he was righting up his oc-1 after a huli(flip),and while I was keeping an eye on him,a pretty mean squall caught us by surprise.I did not see it coming,it was the most intense gusts I have experienced .I have been out in 40+knots,but this felt way stronger,I felt that I was in a blender! /
Wow! 5th time on an oc-1 and the wind tears it up like that! Now that's what I call an adventure.
So stoked the wind went ape this week for all the visitors. Thanks for the video PeterP
The wind was exceptional last night over here on the south shore. Nothing like maliko, but great fun for 5.5 miles. Turned off like a light switch soon after I finished. Perfect timing for my bike ride back to the truck. I was dreading that headwind.
Best of luck to all the racers this weekend.
south shore 7 11 13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_zV8Ss9CTM&feature=youtu.be#ws)
-
Here is an excellent article about steering in swells. I'll post it here in the unofficial ski thread. It also applies to standup.
I'm eagerly anticipating the next article, explaining the advantages of positioning on the crest of the wave.
It's a complex topic. Telling someone with an F-16 to NEVER jam the nose is bad advice. It depends on the situation. (Sometimes it pays off). Having a coach (on the water) explain the trade-offs is invaluable. It's very dependent on the individual - virtually impossible to put in writing, IMHO.
Good advice about how rudders can work efficiently.
http://surfskicenter.com/2013/06/30/broaching-your-surfski-and-how-you-can-prevent-it/ (http://surfskicenter.com/2013/06/30/broaching-your-surfski-and-how-you-can-prevent-it/)
-
As I learned in yoga class.....practice, practice, all is coming. I have read this article several time since it was first published and while I _ get it_ I don't get to practice enough. But when it hooks up it is awesome, right? Envious of your situation where you have downwind opportunities regularly. My biggest mistake is what they talk about here.....I typically go to early when my bow is fully engaged in the water instead of letting the crest get up under my butt. Practice, practice.
-
Wind was excellent Sunday afternoon.
A small south swell adds another element to the wind swells. It seems to give an extra boost on select glides. What goes up must come down, so some are slower.
I kept my heart rate under 120 all week in an effort to rest, gain efficiency, etc. Today was almost an all out effort.
These are select glides on the faces of big swells. Hard to see in video, but the speedo shows it. Each clip usually begins as I start to run on the crest of a big swell. Then it's just steering around - hoping I can get another ride as it re forms. Holding back and eyeing the direction of the big underlying swell is quite the trick. I may have had on or two today, but they are very elusive. Very fun day. Too much effort though. Holding back is the key - then zooming at the correct moment.
south shore 7 21 13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z885-6mIpY8&feature=youtu.be#ws)
-
Excellent conditions on the south shore today.
south shore 7 28 13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNAz_9l4JME&feature=youtu.be#ws)
-
Demoed a new Epic V10 today and really enjoyed it, hadn't really set it up too well, not enough padding and my legs too stretched out but still had a blast. What a forgiving boat, and certainly faster than my V10S. Winter down-winder in Melbourne, the Stand Up gang were all there as well, it was a great run.
V10 Demo on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/71569980)
-
Nice one JC, glad to see you on the ski. South shore has been very steady lately. Great conditions this weekend.
south shore 8 4 13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aumiPUKUpJc&feature=youtu.be#ws)
-
Last vid of fun in Maui.....
Hawaii Take 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubd64o41cn0&feature=youtu.be#ws)
-
Great edit Peter...
Looks like you had a super time in Maui. Thanks for including some non water time.
BTW, what's with Mr Muuustang???
(Maliko runs AND Mustangs, doesn't get any better than that ;D )
DS
-
Great edit Peter...
Looks like you had a super time in Maui. Thanks for including some non water time.
BTW, what's with Mr Muuustang???
(Maliko runs AND Mustangs, doesn't get any better than that ;D )
DS
Pietro couldn't get over how many Ford Muuustangs are driving around in Maui (we don't see them over here) so he started counting them during the shuttling to the Gulch - he was averaging 6 or 7 per trip - it became a daily routine (and laugh)
Overall the trip was fantastic, we had wind virtually every day and everyone we met were so friendly and the events were amazing. The level of paddling is way above what we're used to so we also learnt alot as well - really hope to come back some time soon!
-
Great video Peter! I just watched it on FB, like the edits and mixing up activities. Great to have your group so close together when you're shooting too. Looks like lots of fun!
-
Excellent video Peter, nice editing. Great to see the off water shots and maliko fun.
We had good conditions Saturday.
maliko 8 10 13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AkHYyk3ZwY&feature=c4-overview&list=UUsEHopzsYr4Yc3c-FyD_DAg#ws)
-
Great conditions on the south shore.
south shore 8 16 13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0epcF14qRHE&feature=youtu.be#)
-
And great conditions in Melbourne, man it's been windy lately ;D
Wow LPB, those conditions in your video above make the Bay look pretty tame...awesome South Shore!
Good Times Roll on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/72546329)
-
Hey Jonathan.. You'll have to borrow my heigh camera mount one day and put it on the nose of your ski.
DJ
-
Cold and wintery...but nice and windy!
Sunday windy Sunday on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/72646117)
-
Nice.. That was your best Jonathan.. It was pretty wild out there wasn't it.
DJ
-
Nice one JC, those are some long rides. I love the remount video. You cold water guys don't waste any time getting back in the boat!
-
Aloha everyone on this thread, I am looking to do my very first Maliko run on Sep 4th , Can anyone recommend who I should contact to help me out on my virgin run please? :o
Does JRiggs help out newbies?, I have an old 12'2" Laird ( some have told me this would work). I SUS, prone surf and ride whatever I can , I just have never done a Maliko DW'r and would like to give it a try especially before the winter swells start rolling in. Would appreciate any help in who to go with , I don't really want to solo my first run. Patrick you like take me? , only problem it's on a Wed. Thanks so much
Aloha !!
-
Jeremy does take newbs, and he has boards you can use. You could use the laird, but you'll get more glides and have more fun with a 14 Bullet (Jeremy has one you can use I believe). Jeremy is a great guy, obviously super knowlageable, and you don't want to mess around with Maliko! Have fun!
Southbay
-
Great Thanks so much SB , I'll get in touch with JR, I agree I don't want to mees with Maliko solo.
Mahalo nui loa !!
-
You might try Headmount as well, I think he's still doing guided runs. PM him here. Jeremy is very good for teaching, and he's patient. Bill is more oriented to making sure you have a fun run and don't get into trouble.
-
Thanks PB, I think HM might be too intense for me , I was thinking of asking him , but after seeing those pics of his early days , I think he might be more of a drill sargent on me,( boy, I said boy ,what's taking you so long? lol) just kidding HM, I would be honored to hang out with you. I'm not as young as I once was and don't know if I can keep up. I sent JR a message on his blog, I'll see if he's available . Thanks for the replies and advice.
Aloha and A Hui Ho!!
-
Agreed Pono. Headmount is the man out there! Looking forward to meeting you when you get back on this side.
Southbay
-
Chefboy,I did my first Downwinder at Maliko in July and employed the Services of HeadMount.From the moment i met him at Kahalui Harbour right through the 10 miles of Maliko ,He was very thorough and very competent ,covering all my questions and everything else he thought i should know.I would say he is a great Teacher!!
StillStanding
-
Fun weekend. New personal record at maliko on Saturday, excellent wind south shore on Sunday. Video from both days is relatively boring. No big changes in speed or big drops, just steady rolling along. Balance is gradually improving. Still only scratching the surface of ski's potential. Timing the leg drive is very tricky. Paddle is still very short. Power and speed will improve when the shaft gets longer.
Lots of flying fish on the south shore . Another shark sighting south of us. Dolphins Sunday in Kahului harbor. They were hanging in the same spot for an hour as we did loops in the chute.
south shore 8 25 13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S85orUguHXE&feature=youtu.be#)
-
Thanks PB, I think HM might be too intense for me , I was thinking of asking him , but after seeing those pics of his early days , I think he might be more of a drill sargent on me,( boy, I said boy ,what's taking you so long? lol) just kidding HM, I would be honored to hang out with you. I'm not as young as I once was and don't know if I can keep up. I sent JR a message on his blog, I'll see if he's available . Thanks for the replies and advice.
Aloha and A Hui Ho!!
Nah, he's seriously mellow. Old surf hippie. He just LOOKS mean. He's absurdly patient too. He taught windsurfing for years in allan Cadiz's outfit. When I tag along on one of his guiding deals I almost always ditch him because he's carefully guiding people along who won't listen. My patience lasts about as long as fruit-fly adolescence.
-
Sorry Ricky,just saw your post.I agree Jeremy would be your best bet,especially if he has a board for you to use.Bill also,HM,he's cool.They both are.Jeremy has a nice bright orange cap,you can see him from far,I see him passing when I'm surfing at Hookipa ;D Since I only do Maliko on a oc-1,they would be better for you .Having the right board is very important for the fun factor,you want to catch bumps,and glide,and glide some more,not just paddle the whole way.That ain't fun.Let me know how it goes.Maliko good these days.
-
Amazing conditions today at maliko. A small north swell was just perfect across kanaha. Knocked another 30 seconds off my best time. It was like Christmas out there.
maliko 8 31 13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FPLNcNSDGM#)
-
My legs were feeling shot today but couldn't resist my fourth day in a row of spectacular conditions on the north shore. Been many people going recently, including a six man canoe yesterday. That was something, seeing that thing plowing downwind. The stroker in front was underwater half the time.
Every labor day I cringe remembering my atrial fibrillation on this date in '07. But fortunately today, I had Covesurfer with me. It's thrilling to enjoy days with someone paddling just off your periphery, pushing each other to the max but more than that it removed any historical weird feelings I had about today. I was thankful for his company today. His board is noisy and even when I can't see him, I can hear him.
Also great to see Jimmy Lewis out cooking along on his new lower rockered 14'. Picked the thing up and it was light light. Known Jimmy for a long time and it's great to see him going often.
Cove and Art from Seattle have adapted quickly to conditions over here after their experiences on the Columbia. If you're keen to do Maliko and you live on the mainland, the Gorge seems like the ideal warm up.
-
HM, I didn't know about the a-fib anniversary! Glad you are feeling good, you looked awesome out there today, surfing big glides and smokin' along! That is really cool when I know you're over there, surging up ahead and then I'll catch a drop and surge too!
I saw RR at the end of the run and his new custom 14'. Really sweet looking board!
Mercifully, the harbor was pretty light when I came in - the wind was more out of the northeast than east and it wasn't a bad paddle in, even with the cruise ship sitting there.
I took a pretty inside line and had to dig hard to stay high enough to make the entrance. Kept thinking about PB's warning not to come up short.
Learning to read the water and learning the run is about the most fun thing I've ever done. There are places where I catch glides that leave a silly grin on my face and a feeling that there was no way in hell I should have gone that fast on a giant board and no way I should have stayed up to ride yet another one.
-
You guys are killin' me. I shouldn't bitch, there was enough wind for a good downwinder today but I didn't even try. Too much other stuff going on. I raced Peyote last weekend at Portland International Reaceway--had a good time and broke my personal lap record. Next weekend is a big race at Road America in Wisconsin. I belong to a group of lunatics that race Triumph or Triumph-powered cars and we're having the annual meet up at Road America this year. Peyote has a Triumph frame and running gear. Should be great fun, I love that track and Elkheart Lake is a true racer town.
But it still kills me to be missing out on doing Maliko runs with you guys.
-
that 6 man was Hawaiian Canoe Club,Keanae to Kahului,24 miles flying downwind.
-
That really was a great weekend of Downwinding! Around Uppers it was truly amazing. I was walking all the way back to the tail of my Bullet 17 and putting the board on rail, going left and right. I was just laughing out loud at what a great time I was having.
I cruised along side the 6 man for probably about 3-4 miles (they were switching positions in the canoe and stopping a lot, otherwise they would have smoked me). Watching them surf along side me was really amazing to watch. The stoker could have used a snorkel.
Then on Sunday HM, Covesurfer (I think?!?) and I stayed together for a good 20 minutes all surfing the same bumps within earshot. What a great weekend! Maui No Ka Oi.
Who is down for a Kihei run this week?
Southbay
-
Southbay, somehow I missed your post! Yeah man, that was some good stuff when the three of us were all catching bumps out there last weekend!
I still haven't gotten a southside run in but HM and I went yesterday and today to the oil tanks. Victor went with us yesterday and was just paddling out of the gulch today when we retrieved my car after our run. I'll bet he had a good run as it looked really good driving back down toward Kahului.
Today was a little better than yesterday, it was a pretty solid 25 knots and filled in nearly all the way to the oil tanks. The glides were non-stop and HM and I were pushing each other, paddling about 20 yards apart, catching tons.
I'll try and go tomorrow and Wed. but I'm going to be tied up for a couple days after that. I'll PM you my #, text or call.
-
Going with paddlers that are close to your speed really does push your level. Cove has been dialing his board and pushing me to do my best. Fell twice today and Cove once but our time improved from yesterday.
These are probably some of the last days of open navigating with no concerns about surf. We had our first small (thus super crowded) swell of the season a few days ago and the onslaught of north swells will begin soon. It's flat again now so we're getting these days in before we have to act like cats in a room full of rocking chairs, looking out for outer reef breaks on windy winter days.
-
Last night the civil defense siren went off at 3 am, right next door at the Paia Firestation, by accident... twice. So we got up and checked the TV and computer to see if death was coming our way... nothing.
Would have chilled all day, feeling kinda groggy from little sleep but my pal came by and made me go. Suddenly it seemed like winter downwinding, with isolated outer reef breaks and small NW swell crossing up surface conditions. Grabbed some incredible glides but many of them were off angles with shifting direction, like a trials bike. Wallowed often with no consistent rhythm, struggling with the uneven undulating surface. The short sleep really knocked me off balance as well and was stoked just to make it. Not a good 17' Bullet day. Woulda been much better on a 14. Winter seems to on its way with our first NW swells. Already one SUS session. Going to sleep now... so tired. If I get woken up tonight, I'll be homicidal.
-
Lots of fun this week on the maliko run. It's been a mixed bag of days that are epic or darn close to it followed by ones that look like they are going to be windy but turn out to be less. Today was kind of like that, windy at my house all morning but when we were driving up, it was looking on the weak side.
Still, a day on the big blue can't really be beat. Today's paddle was a work out. RR and Todd were flying, both riding 14's too. Left me almost in another zip code. I trailed HM for nearly the whole run. You really had to work to get glides, follow the waves, concentrate and not waste energy. Because you had to put out a lot of energy just to paddle the run, as light as the wind turned out to be. The last 15 or 20 minutes into the harbor was actually really good. I was getting tons of glides to the right and quite a few linked ones. The wind actually increased to provide a decent push. Big fun. It made me forget about the previous hour of hard work.
When we got into the harbor, the wind direction was really favorable so it was a cruise in to the canoe hale. That was a nice way to finish, cruised in chatting with HM. Today was seven solid days of runs for me - six malikos and one south side. I'm almost hoping we have a dead day as it seems I just can't stop myself from going. Trying to get lots of sleep so I can keep this streak going, at least for another run or two. Or three. ;D
-
One more tomorrow Cove! I have to return your rack pads!
-
Sounds good SB! Let's get Mr. HM out there too.
-
Today Cove and I drove up with Southbay and did a collective exhale as we turned the corner by Mamas where you get your first glimpse of the ocean. Hardly even any texture and large glassy patches in the ocean upwind. Cove and I had just done a slog yesterday which resulted in my near faceplant into my food at dinner last night. Doing a repeat sounded grim. I advised a stop check above Hookipa for a reconsideration. A squall went by and a little more texture appeared but still, it certainly didn't look good. Southbay had worked all week and was young, fresh and gung ho. Even though Cove and I were old and worn out from a solid week of downwinders, I looked at Southbay and said let's go.
Felt tired as soon as we started paddling out, facing the grim task of yet another flat to sloppy water grind. But the wind was a great direction, east, and the little that there was created some little bumps. Wrapped my head around trying to fit into little grooves and enjoy the work out. Southbay ventured far outside looking for wind while Cove and I were farther in. By the second mile, oddly we all merged up from our variant paths and things really started to pick up. Suddenly by the third mile it was spectacular. The three of us kept trading places all the way to the end. Care had to be taken as the east wind direction held up all the way to the finish. As soon as we dropped in we tore the best angle we could towards shore... definitely a rudder board day. Beach at finish was so windy we decided to double up on the board carry up the beach. No sense in losing your board after such a great paddle.
Incredibly as we drove back up to retrieve Southbay's truck, conditions had glassed off again. Felt like winter conditions today, small wind window and east winds. We got lucky. Surf is on the rise and wind is declining.
-
Nice report HM. We also had excellent wind on the 1:00 shuttle. A bit light at the start but it soon cranked. I too was exhausted from overtraining, so I skirted the reef.
Ski was in it's element in the deep water swells (on the black dot). Spooky big after a week on the south shore. It was really moving "outside." Magnificent glides and huge fun.
2 years in ski now. The boat is far more capable than I am. It really strains at the harness at times. The devil on one shoulder saying "charge!", the angel on the other saying, 'stay in the boat'... But a few of today's glides felt like all time zoomers. Great fun.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko9-21-13800x341_zps91d3dc08.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko9-21-13800x341_zps91d3dc08.jpg.html)
-
Our line today...
-
It sure was glassy at first! If I haven't been jonesing so bad, I doubt we would have gone....I can't believe what luck we had with the wind. The end was some of the windiest conditions I have felt this summer. Check out this picture of Ho'okipa (3 min from Maliko) before we started.
-
NICE PIC OF HOOKIPA,WHAT TIME WAS THAT?We left the Maliko dock at 11,on our OC-1's,when we passed in front of KAULAHAO( the beach next to the blue tile roof house in Ku'au) I saw that the waves were breaking in front of the beach,which means a north swell,which means waves in Kahului harbor.After our Maliko run(felt like winter with some big drops and north swell running),we spent another fun session catching waves in the harbor,what a nice way to end it.Lucky we live Maui!!!
-
That was probably taken just before 1pm. We were on the water about 20 minutes later. We came in at the oil tanks, east side of Pier 1 so we missed the waves in the harbor. Off Kanaha, we had some big drops. Spectacular run on a day when it looked like it was going to be a slog.
-
Today's featured light winds but were accentuated by a cloud street that extended out from Pukalani. This cloud street is there fairly often but usually the tops are around 8Gs. Today the tops were easily 10 and probably 15 Gs. That created a ton of cloud suck and for all of us who launched at 1:30, benefited from it. Without much residual background swell, the surface conditions were extremely well organized on a billiard table surface and gliding was excellent. Very enjoyable.
September is usually hot and not fantastic for downwinders and this month has been hot but the runs have been pretty decent.
-
Today was nice but overcast, with high cirrus clouds filtering the sunlight. The wind was blowing though and the ocean looked solid with whitecaps looking east, into the wind. Speaking of east, there was plenty of that in the wind direction today too.
Discussed the possibility of a maliko with HM and he thought it might be pretty good. Yesterday was really outstanding, not off the charts windy but steady, good direction and fun, lined up swells. I was operating on full stoke from that run, as it was my fastest so far and I'm really starting to figure out how to use my rudder to stay gliding.
Anyway, we decided on a run to the oil tanks and rallied around 1230. On the way up, it really looked sort of weak but HM observed that he'd seen similar days with the high overcast that appeared to be on the light side but turned out to be really good. Well, as soon as we got outside the gulch, it was very apparent that HM had made the call correctly. It was solid wind with really good direction. The glides were fantastic and there were many opportunities for linking multiple waves. HM and I diced it up for just about the whole run, paddling close to each other and alternatively pulling away on glides.
My only fall resulted from oversteering right and I crashed almost directly in front of HM. He had a flawless run with good speed and no falls at all. It was good wind and waves all the way in to the beach. When we went back up to retrieve cars, it was still blowing and well after 3 pm. What an awesome couple of days!
-
What a difference a day makes!
A building NW swell changed the run quite a bit. We went to the oil tanks. I fell four times and the run took total concentration, especially from upper Kanaha on. Still, it was a lot of fun, the wind was good, the direction was good, and there were some nice big drops.
Near the end of the run, right around the water treatment plant, but still out too far to expect breakers given the general sea conditions, a large set rolled in. I totally didn't expect it. Somehow, I lucked out, even though the set waves jacked up and began breaking, I was in a spot where they rolled under me. Scared me pretty good though.
The four set waves were beautiful but they were BIG, at least compared to what we've been seeing out there. I typically don't look up the faces on a downwinder but these bombs rolled in right from the north and to my direct right hand side. In the interest of survival, I watched all of them. After the big set rolled through, it was back to the usual windswell chop and you'd have never thought that those bad boys would have shown up. I think it entertained HM, who saw the whole encounter although he probably didn't see how big my eyes must have got.
Finished the run today with a decent time but definitely humbled. I better get my excuses ready for why I'm too busy to paddle on the north side this winter. ;D
-
JC from Melbourne joined Cove, Victor and myself for a great run. Victor loaned JC his other Brian board which he adapted to immediately. East winds and increasing swell. Spaced out and forgot that there was a swell and led Cove right into a rogue peak outside uppers. Heard it first and glanced over my shoulder to see a full on breaking wave. Fortunately we were just clear downwind. Legs began to wobble
-
Great run today, lots of steep drops and beautiful glides. Solid wind. HM and I paddled pretty close together for the run. That was cool. I was also very stoked to have made my first north shore run with no falls. That felt pretty good!
The days of skirting the reefs with impunity are likely behind us. As HM said a while back, its like being a cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
-
Be careful out there you goofballs.
I'm surfing my way back from the BOP. In Santa Cruz today. Windy and the water is cold. Oh, well. Good run so far. November 5 is coming fast.
-
Incredible conditions across Kanaha. This video was straight offshore from the airport, at 1.4 miles offshore. About the same line as the one above.
I like to play it safe in the winter. 20+ fathoms may be a bit slower - but more relaxing than the potential mayhem across the reef. East and Northwest swells were getting along very nicely. Super fun.
A nice feature of boats is the ability to mount the garmin at your feet. It's easy to see and keep track of info. I watch my heart rate carefully. Up in the 160's is a clear warning that I'd better be careful. I'm not in great cardio shape these days. The risk of falling increases greatly as the heart goes up. And, in these conditions, it may take 3 minutes of rest before I can remount. Hanging on to the boat, kicking hard to keep it from broaching is barely resting...
It's nice having the heart rate on the vids to remind me of just how hard I was actually pushing. Several glides missed, but hey, that's all I got. Not breathing hard, just trying to pull hard at the right times.
maliko 12 11 13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXjc0d-2CDo&feature=c4-overview&list=UUsEHopzsYr4Yc3c-FyD_DAg#)
-
Yeah, it was pretty challenging conditions for my first Maliko of the year. My timing was off, or the Wiki I was using wasn't cutting it--I had a hell of a time hooking up glides. Back to a Molokai for north shore downwind I guess. Wiki orks fine on the southside.
I was suppose to come in at the oil tanks with HM and Cove, but I was so far outside and the wind had so much east, that I didn't think I could make the turn. I didn't want to get caught up against the jetty if Pier One was going off, so I went in the Harbor. I should have just gone for it, Pier One wasn't all that big, and the angle probably would have worked. But I figured a half mile of walking is better than a half mile of swimming with a busted board. As it turned out Cove came and got me, so that was coo,
-
HM suggested a different camera angle for shooting other paddlers. The cam is mounted on the bow of my ski.
This is a side view of Kathy in light wind. She's new to ski, 4th downwinder. She has a strong background in surfing, standup surfing and downwinding. She's progressing very quickly in ski.
Skis motor in light wind swells. Fun day.
south shore 12 28 13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsaV98M0jM8&feature=youtu.be#)
-
See the diff? That was unreal. Huge improvement. Good work.
-
Thanks HM. I"m hoping to get some good stuff in downwind conditions. The girls and I have been using that angle for flat water. It was tricky at times to keep the bow of my boat alongside, but the results are great.
She didn't know I was shooting. Just a typical workout for her. That girl has some great focus. No surprise that she is advancing so quickly and carries so much fitness from her other sports. She's ticking off a lot of small details very diligently.
Devin and Lee were with us, on standup. Devin is another inspiration. Always fit as a fiddle. Charges huge scary maliko all year. Truly a pleasure to see fit people at home on the water. Devin has an awesome forward stroke. I think she and Kathy get that from standup surfing. She and Lee were close behind. Kathy was motoring. She will get faster as her steering improves.
Anyone on the fence about ski should go. I know both the reps here - Epic and Fenn. The first time is important. They have a range of boats with various levels of stability. Very rewarding sport. Marginal to dreadful conditions on standup are big fun in a ski. Big wind will scare the bejeesus out of you - if you are into that.
-
Great video LPB, wow, how relaxed does Kathy look, not that I'm surprised of course...
Interesting to see the rudder come right out of the water at one point.
Such a good angle to see the way the boat reacts to the swell.
And couldn't agree more about ski's allowing marginal SUP conditions to be really enjoyed. I'll never forget that Kihei run we did in September where the wind changed 180 to become a head wind but the waves were still running. Strangest feeling catching wind waves going into the wind, but even stranger was the guy doing the downwind run on the OC1 coming towards me!
-
Funny you should mention Devin's stroke Larry, I've been watching her surf recently, and it's interesting to see how much she keeps her paddle vertical and how much reach she gets--even surfing. It looks like the stroke of someone that's been doing a lot of outrigger paddling, but I'm not sure that's the case. I wonder where it comes from. I'll have to ask her next time.
-
Hi JC, yes, she is smooth and graceful.
Today was her 5th downwinder. Nice wind, whitecaps all over, slightly offshore. Fun day. She had to turn in to Sarento's fairly aggressively. With a standup background she was concerned with the angle. She steered the ski across without slowing. She's learning very fast. I'm not surprised. It's fun to watch.
south shore 12 29 13 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmxI5v_S5b8&feature=youtu.be#)
-
You put two subjects in the frame and it becomes pretty exciting. That was great.
-
Hey LPBay--what's the learning curve like on a ski? I've been seeing them around here in SoCal, and kinda have an inkling to try one out. Heard they're tippy and hard to balance, tho'. Would one expect to get dunked repeated for many sessions, even on a 'stable' ski?
There are roughly 3 types of skis. Beginner, intermediate and elite. Beginner skis are about 17 to 18 feet long and about 21 inches wide. That's your V-8's and Bluefins.
Then come the 20 foot by 19 inch V-10 sports and Swordfishes.
Then the 21 foot 17 inch V10's, 12's 14's and Elite Glides.
Anyone that can do standup will not fall out of a beginner boat. It's virtually impossible. You can sit comfortably with both hands in the water on one side of the boat and it won't go over. They are a HELL of a lot faster than people think. A strong paddler will smoke me in my 'elite' boat, easily. Technique is huge in skis. Very difficult to master.
Most, if not all paddlers start in a boat that is too tippy. I did. Men are especially bad that way. It's an ego thing. I started in a V-10 sport and it was murder. But I didn't quit and kept going. If I had it all to do over I would start in a V-8. It's very hard to paddle correctly when you can barely balance the boat. Men are idiots.
Kathy started in a V-10, but she's quite talented. But even she should be in a more stable boat. She got that one to save money. She hopes to develop her balance as she learns, with the understanding that it will just take longer. She's progressing quickly and will eventually be faster than me. That's just Kathy. She's got more talent in her little finger than I have in my whole body. And ski's reward talent. It's all about graceful, fluid motion.
So, get in a ski. They are a blast. They get a bad rap because the first experience can be tough. It's often the case that some dickhead with an elite ski wants to have a laugh so he invites his pal to give it a go. Most girls can balance an elite ski, first try. Men usually have tight hip flexors. They get nervous and go over. Elite skis are tippy, but that goes away. I can't remember the last time I fell out.
Like paidmydues said, oc-1's take more skill. They really do. Beginner ski's won't punish you on the first try. Ironically, you can paddle the most advanced oc-1, first time. That's not the case with ski's. Men need to work up to the elite boats.
-
LPB---thanks for that info. Much help!
I have no pride, so will be looking for a beginner ski. (my first SUP was a South County 35" wide!)
What's the avg weight of a beginner ski?
Where I launch, I'll need to carry it by myself across the street to the launch site. Is this do-able?
thanks again
-
I can answer that since I've been browsing (no, Larry, not buying yet). Most skis and OC-1's weigh less than a downwind SUP, certainly less than my 38 pound Bullet 17 V2. My scorpius weighs 21 pounds. The heaviest Epic V8 weighs 39 pounds, the performance version weighs 27.
-
Mike, skis are a bit more difficult than standups to transport and store. Most of the beginner boats have handles. Not hard to carry with a little practice.
Be sure to have a ski paddler with you the first time you try one. The pedal setup and paddle adjustments are important for comfort and safety.
Another ski paddler can walk you through the setup and help with how they behave on the water. Super fun boats. They are designed to surf.
Here's a link to the V-8. That's a very nice boat, recently redesigned. You may find big discounts on older models that are nearly as good. Fenn has a similar boat called the Bluefin. I think they are a bit less expensive. Find someone in your area to steer you in the right direction.
http://www.epickayaks.com/product/product/epic-v8 (http://www.epickayaks.com/product/product/epic-v8)
-
I can answer that since I've been browsing (no, Larry, not buying yet). Most skis and OC-1's weigh less than a downwind SUP, certainly less than my 38 pound Bullet 17 V2. My scorpius weighs 21 pounds. The heaviest Epic V8 weighs 39 pounds, the performance version weighs 27.
Do it do it do it, is my subtle response to even the slightest interest ;D
Did a paddle a couple of days ago in quite large side-on ground swell, maybe 20knots of wind behind us, distance of about 10 miles, choppy, confused conditions. I was on my V10S, old model in the heaviest Club construction, my buddy who is 10 years younger and very fit and strong was on a new Fanatic Falcon 14 x 27 in carbon construction.
Honestly I was idling pretty much the whole way so that we could stay in touch, its a very exposed stretch of open water and no fun to be left behind there. I would wait for him, then with a few strokes pick up one of the big ground swells and take off laughing like a fool, then stop and wait...
He must have fallen off 8 or 10 times, he still had a blast but nothing like the fun I had. A ski turns mediocre SUP conditions into huge fun. Had to come in through 4 foot beach break and even that was a hoot despite my trepidation.
I've had my ski for 2 or 3 years now and the learning curve is certainly pretty steep starting from scratch with something like the V10S, I remember the hours in the marina when the ripples from a passing boat would make me tense up with apprehension of the impending dunking! But now I feel quite relaxed in big ugly open water with waves coming from different directions, amazing how the body learns new motor skills. It's also great cross training for SUP.
I love down-winding in good conditions on a sup, love the ability to get right back and surf, but anything less than optimal a ski leaves it for dead in the fun department imo.
I'm looking at the new V10L which will be in Oz in a few weeks, probably go for the black tip middle weight version, hoping that may be a little tougher for coming in through surf. Keeping my old V10S, the family love it. Totally agree with LPB, V8 would be the perfect entry level boat for most people and probably a great keeper for friends and really rough conditions.
-
Thanks guys. I'm anxious to try a surf ski now.
Will look around SoCal, see what I can find.
-
More than a rumor about a 160 pound 6 man canoe built by the Chinese autoclave factory. My friend has one ordered.
-
^ Wow, 160 is light for a 6 man.
Very fun reverse south shore run today. Wind direction was perfect. Not crazy powerful wind, but the runs were lined up very nice.
We only had to paddle out 10 minutes to start the run. That took us out almost a mile. If the wind is really cranking, 2 miles out is better because reverse runs have big swells bending on shore.
It's a shame we only get a few reverse runs a year. A big kona storm with a proper fetch will have swells as big as any maliko run. This fetch was smaller, but the swells lined up very nice. It's my favorite run on Maui.
reverse south shore 2 1 14 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKQCgx005Uo&feature=youtu.be#)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2-1-14800x430_zps5d435f83.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/2-1-14800x430_zps5d435f83.jpg.html)
-
160 lbs for a 6 man is 240 lbs less than what a standard 6 man outrigger weighs in at. Paddling a boat like that would be unreal!
PB and I formed up a team for the relay race up the west side from Oluwalu to Hanakao'o. We had some great bumps but generally more quartering seas than a true downwind run would have. Still, it was really a blast. When we were signing in at the canoe hale in N Kihei early this morning, I wasn't so sure what I was getting into but PB assured me it would be fun and he was right on.
I wondered if anybody was doing a reverse run from south to north near Kihei today. Glad to hear you had a good run, LPB!
-
Here is a cool video with Oscar. Both paddlers are in V-8's. Very fast boats. Very stable too.
He's the maestro of downwinding. 12 times Molokai to Oahu champion.
He's coming to Maui and spending a week, doing a clinic on May 11th.
The other guy in the video is Boyan, also a great paddler. He runs the Epic surfski center in Tarifa. Oscar is part owner of Epic kayaks. He's building surfski centers all over the globe.
Oscar Chalupsky gives a downwind surfski lesson while paddling at full speed on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/84523848)
-
Smoking south shore today. Sunday should be blasting too. Good footage today, I may post a vid later.
Here is a pic of a close whale encounter. Massive creatures.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/mauitraffic800x388_zpsee75282c.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/mauitraffic800x388_zpsee75282c.jpg.html)
-
We went canoe club to Polo. Great run, wind was very offshore most of the way. No whales today but I almost hit a pair of mating turtles! Headmount also spotted two good sized sharks just off Polo Beach. Looking forward to tomorrow. Left was the word of the day.
-
Here is a pic of a close whale encounter. Massive creatures.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/mauitraffic800x388_zpsee75282c.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/mauitraffic800x388_zpsee75282c.jpg.html)
What a pic! You guys live a gifted life, good for ya :)
-
Thanks surfinJ, we certainly do.
The wind is really strong here tonight at midnight. Sunday should be epic.
Here's some video of Saturday. The ski was flying through this section.
Cove, the wind was offshore for us too. It was tough sledding for me in some sections. We should have started at KCC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7c36yqw52U&list=UUsEHopzsYr4Yc3c-FyD_DAg
-
We should have done a second run. I don't know what I was thinking of. I'll even take the surfboards off my truck today so we can do two easily.
-
As off-shore as it was, I was pretty happy with our single run.
It is rainy and cranking wind up in Wailuku. S side cams already showing wind. Hope direction doesn't get too east. Like you pointed out a while back PB, the S side seems tame but when we get the wind turning out to sea, especially with the strength it's going to have later today, it takes on a whole different character.
LPB, that's an amazing picture! Must have made you jump a little yourself!
-
cove: actually, that whale sighting relaxed me. I remember being uptight about something, then the whale came by. Seeing whales always reminds me of how tiny we are on this planet.
Fun maliko today. My favorite Martian passed by about half way through the run. I went full gas to try and keep up, but didn't last very long.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhSOOeueSMU&list=UUsEHopzsYr4Yc3c-FyD_DAg
-
Nice video LPB. I watched it on FB earlier and kicked myself - gently - for not going. Conditions looked stormy from my house so I opted for a rest day. Signed up for the 1030 tomorrow with dreams of a double run, perhaps. It would be my first time for a double so I want to see how conditions look first. Hope to see you out there.
-
That video looks like something from a CGI bench. Flat light, grey water, strange, unmoving clouds. Then JR comes by and runs all over the place without paddling. Weird.
-
Maliko was definitely smokin' yesterday! Headmount and I met up with Cove, after his first run, for a 1pm run. The wind looked a little north on the way out to Maliko, but once in the water the direction was just about perfect. Plenty of horsepower and some good sized east swell running made for some big drops and lots of surfing. Headmount and I stayed together for the entire 10 miles. It's not often on a Maliko that you can stay near anyone, but when you can, it's so cool. HM was standing on the tail just surfing for the last 4 miles. Once back at the harbor there were smiles all around. Somehow Livio and Jeremy beat us to the harbor without me even seeing them....usually I get to at least watch them pass like I'm standing still! Ninjas for sure!
This was also my first run on my new, to me, Bullet 17. It had become clear to me over the last few months that a hollow board is the way to go for me. My foam board currently weighs 43 lbs! The hollow board is 32lbs, and I could not believe how different it felt. So happy I bit the Bullet, literally, and bought the new board. First thing I did after buying it was replace all the rudder wires. Some of the nuts were really stuck, so I used some wd40.....cut to me jumping I the water at Maliko and realizing that the deck was covered with oil! Probably would have been my fastest run ever if I hadn't fallen at least 15 times! What a bonehead move. Haha!
All said, awesome day had by all! Sorry Pono.....see you all soon.
Southbay
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
-
Baldwin Beach to the harbor mouth, the wind was literally turning the surface water into vapor. The drops were huge, and surfing was about as good as it gets. None of that got my heart racing quite like whatever hit me, hard, at Upper Kanaha.
There was not all that much swell today, but enough that the outer reef at uppers was breaking occasionally. I was a few hundred yards upwind from the reef, when I saw it break. I took a hard right and moved outside a couple hundred yards further. That's when I noticed that the nice guy, and good paddler that I sat next to on the shuttle, was heading right at the break. I was paying attention to him, hoping that I was not going to be faced with a ethical decision, should he be taken out by the wave! It didn't seem to bother him, he just paddled right at it, as very large wave broke right in front of him. He caught a bump at what looked like a few feet from the breaking part of the wave and just skirted past it.
I was focused on what looked like his certain death, when something hit me hard, right under my feet. I cannot think of a time that I focused harder on staying upright on my board and catching bumps fast then at that moment. I told myself that it was a turtle, tried to quiet my brain, and put my head down and pushed all the way to the harbor.
Once in the harbor, the wind was so east, that it was a brutal upwind paddle to the canoe hale. I was so exhausted that I almost forgot about the incident, until I flipped my board over....Looks like I probably did hit a turtle! Strange that the scratches are right to left, but what ever happened, it was most likely not a tiger shark, and that is good news to me!
Maliko.....always an adventure.
Check out the pic:
Best of luck to the Maui to Molokai guys tomorrow! Can't wait to hear all about it.
-
Whoa, I hope those are turtle scratches! Conditions for m2m look epic. Hope I can get some sleep!
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
-
Glad the "turtle" didn't take out your rudder!
I was on the shuttle with SB. It looked mild on the drive up, but we knew it would open up. A rain curtain was uphill a few miles calming things down, but they pass.
Sure enough, just as we hit Baldwin the wind unleashed. Big east swell along with a strong wind was pure magic all across the reef.
Very fast run. Wind, swell and current was in synch. My confidence to zoom along in faster bumps finally returned after a long winter hiatus. Got my mojo back on the north shore!
They are going to score heavily in the channel today. Excellent conditions.
Paddle Imua maliko benifit for the kids is May 10th. Oscar downwind clinic is the 11th. Hoping for good conditions.
Here's a clip from yesterday. Gloomy looking, but super fun on the water. Big bumps.
http://youtu.be/YM4ytItvC4g
-
Whoops, Paddle Imua is May 3rd, not the 10th - next Saturday.
Astonishing volunteer support. All for a great cause. Sign up early!
http://imuafamilyservices.org/paddle-imua/
-
May 10th is Olukai.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
Maliko was off the hook today. I'm guessing the channel was too.
2nd fastest time I've yet recorded. So fun.
Inside line, high tide. The swells were so powerful I was forced to stay inside and run for my life. Big foamy breakers outside to my right on the reef. Super fun.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko4-26-14800x415_zps56fc26e2.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko4-26-14800x415_zps56fc26e2.jpg.html)
http://youtu.be/28saRivxPiQ
-
LaPerouse, I think that may be your best video yet. The lighting really gets the bumps to show up on cam, and it really gives the feeling of what Maliko is like. Nice work Maestro. Wind looks a lot lighter today, but the direction looks good. Hoping I can get a run in....
-
LPB, very impressive, you looked so relaxed and you're hovering at 12 MPH for a really big portion of this video! My fastest glides are seldom any faster than that, and then it's only for a brief moment at the peak of acceleration.
SB, it may look lighter but it's been windy up here in Wailuku. I still have to retrieve my board and other gear from our chase boat so I don't know if I'll be set up to paddle later or not. I'm pretty trashed from the channel, it was all time epic.
-
Sometimes it's best to put in a light workout after...just to work out the kinks! What are junkie friends for! Haha
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
Well, I think as sore as I am, something light would be good. Not sure a maliko qualifies, but if it gets windy enough,maybe.
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
-
Thanks guys, that was an incredible day. It's easy to look relaxed when the wind, swells and tide are all pushing together.
SB - here is a video with some glare. Like yesterday, big east with no NW.
I was extremely cautious in those days - new to the V-10. The chart shows how spooked I was of the reef. 1.6 miles out at the airport. Yesterday's run was 0.6 at the airport.
I hope you guys eventually get boats. They can go way out around the reef on a dangerous NW swell with a driving east wind. SUP's are a handful if you are too far out on an east wind. Boats can sneak in without much drama. Nice safety feature in the winter.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko10-21-12800x445_zpsdbf04442.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko10-21-12800x445_zpsdbf04442.jpg.html)
http://youtu.be/hlBeVAp5pHk
-
When you're a complete novice in a boat, like I am now, they too can be a handful on an east wind. Went for an 'easy' paddle mid morning today, just in the harbor, in PB's OC1. The east wind was gusting up around the low 30's in the harbor. With the ama on the left, it was on the leeward side of the boat going out toward the harbor entrance and I jumped on the canoe and made it to the harbor entrance pretty quick.
But, as I turned around to come back in, I suddenly realized that I had the wind and waves hitting the ama side of the boat. I was actually a bit freaked out, it was difficult for me to get in as both wind and waves wanted to lift the ama and flip me. I ran down parallel to the harbor jetty, trying as hard as I could not to get hulied by the wind and waves. Then I zig zagged all the way across the harbor, into the wind, until I got to the windward side where I ducked into the lee of the breakwall and paddled towards the beach.
I can't imagine how you'd deal with that situation outside the harbor mouth where an actual significant swell was running. I was really glad I hadn't dared to venture outside. I'd guess that there is a proper technique for paddling in those conditions but by the time I got in, my low back was on fire from weighting my left side and trying to still paddle effectively. I didn't flip but coming in from outside is unimaginable to me in those conditions in a boat.
Yesterday, a lot of the canoe people were impressed with us riding standups on the channel crossing. But for most of us on boards, we couldn't imagine how difficult a boat would be to handle in conditions that we considered fantastic for downwind surfing. There's a whole lot about paddling a boat that I have no knowledge of. This morning made me realize that I need to be a lot more aware of the wind and wave conditions in order to stay safe and that I'd better learn more to keep out of trouble.
-
I paddle both SUP and OC. Even here on the big island people are just in Awe that we do downwinders on SUP's it's so shocking to them. I find it funny actually, even more so when some of us are actually faster then the lesser of the OC guys.
They always ask, how do you do it? why dont you try OC1, it's faster and easier, blah, blah, blah
I just smile, I tell them "you know that saying, only a surfer knows the feeling... " I also paddle OC1, but you just dont get the same stoke riding canoe like you do riding a board. Yea it's faster but... it's not the same. I feel sorry for some of these guys who just limit themselves to one paddling discipline. After all you cant surf a wave on an OC like how you can surf a wave on a board, pure and simple.
as for the Novice OC thing... just like anything else you gottah just get use to it. It's a totally differnt technique to be fast on the canoe. Once the balance thing is out of the way. This year Olukai I'm briging my board and OC1 to maui to race both days! super stoked
-
This year Olukai I'm briging my board and OC1 to maui to race both days! super stoked
Thanks Awesome JF808! I have been trying to figure out how I can race OC-1, or OC-2 that Sunday. I have very little experience in Outrigger, but it sure would be great to get to race both days...
See you soon!
Southbay
-
Olukai is just one of those events where the stoke is just being out there with ALL the yellow jerseys! If you can borrow a canoe, or hitch a ride on an OC2, then do it SB!! I'm so ready to go, cant wait
-
Boyum passed some of Jeremy's shots to me yesterdays. This is my favorite.
(http://www.ridingsophia.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Pailolo%202014/backlit%20KS%20and%20R2.jpg)
click it for full size
-
Here's a video of Oscar in South Africa at Cape Town's Miller's run. This run is bigger and wilder than our maliko run - on average.
If Robin is using a gopro3 like mine, (flattens the waves) my guess is that these are very, very big swells.
Downwind clinic is next Sunday. Wind is forecast to be light. The cool thing about downwind instruction is that it's the same in light conditions.
It may even be an advantage. It's easier to talk about lines in lighter wind. If he puts us in the back of a double, I'd be spooked in waves this big.
Speaking of gopros, my gp3 white is sleeping with the fishes. I gently bonked into covesurfer last week. We briefly crossed swords to stay upright and the cam was in the way. No big deal, that one lasted a long time. I'll tether the next one.
GP3+ silver is on order. $100 jump in price over my old one. Better software, lens, battery and a smaller housing.
http://youtu.be/5pL4qew6DLI
-
Wow, that was cool. Maybe there's hope for fat guys like me after all. What does he weigh? His back looks like mine. Well padded.
Today is Paddle Imua--a Maliko run for Imua Family Services. Fine charity. The forecast looked like crap, but I'm seeing whitecaps at my house--albeit out pretty far--and they're headed in the right direction.
-
LPB, that is an awesome video. I saw it over on .info last week as well. I'm attending a clinic here in FL with Oscar next week when he stops on his way to you guys. Had to laugh when I saw his post about the DW clinic in Maui. Our clinic is entitled _Forward Stroke Clinic_. Ha. We do something that we call DW here when conditions setup that you guys wouldn't roll out of bed for. Meanwhile. I'll be happy to hang with him for a couple of days talking stroke theory. God knows, he has plenty to teach me! Btw, loving the V10S.
-
Glad you like that V10S Eric. The more I learn about skis, the more I realize that stability before ability is so important. All those stories of paddlers with better form - not necessarily stronger - outrunning 'elite' boats are true.
I tagged along for a maliko run with Oscar and his students. He had 6 students and 2 reps for his downwind clinic. He put them all in V-8's and a few V-10S's.
Conditions were quite good, with excellent glides all the way down. Not big wind, but great current and nice connections. 2 Epic reps were helping Oscar switch the students in and out of the double. I'd watch and do the segments along with them. He did the heavier, less experience students first. I was able to keep up with the double for the first few legs, but I was at my limit. About half way down Kathy got in with Oscar and they really motored. They quickly dropped me. The reps and I tried to keep up, but no chance. But they paced me in V-8's. When I pulled up to Kathy after she got back in her V-10S demo boat (she has a V10L) to ask her how it was, she looked like she had seen a ghost. "you have to get in the boat with him. His strength was unbelievable." Just like Oscar said in his clinic, If he wants to beat top racers half his age, only technique will work. It's all in his legs...
So back to the V10S scooting along. A rep gets in the double and it vanishes. Poof - one swell - gone. Kathy starts off in pursuit of the double. The rep in the V-8 drops me. Kathy drops me. Not by much, but I chased her for 2 miles as she floated along in milder conditions - never caught her. Granted, she's light as a feather and all muscle, but that boat and the V-8 surf real good. I was a bit fried from a long day, but that's when elite boats make you pay. When you get tired, stable boats are faster. Have fun in that V-10S and don't worry about not having an 'elite' boat. I can't go long in mine without falling apart.
Fun south shore yesterday, big wind was more offshore than I expected. I was WAY outside. No trouble getting in, but I paid a bit in overall speed because it was Left, left left all the way. Big bombs out there. Super fun. The chart shows 2 miles out at Kam 1. That's out there. The Epic rep from Hood river was with me, we had a blast.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore5-13-14800x359_zpse04e345e.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/southshore5-13-14800x359_zpse04e345e.jpg.html)
Gopro3+ silver has great clarity. White balance gets tricked a few times. They will probably remedy that glitch later. I tried the wide angle for this run. I like how it includes 'more' picture on the sides, but it distorts the waves too much. I'm going back to the medium view. They both flatten the waves, but the wide angle is just terrible for downwinders. This was a big swell. The rest of the run had some good stuff, but it all looks flat.
The Gopro Studio editor has improved a lot. I'll be switching to that and dumping the windows live movie maker. I'll try Vimeo too. Gopro studio is set up for it, so the vids should start looking better. Vimeo accepts a lot more data than youtube. The data from the cam to HDTV is astonishing. Getting that quality to the web is not cheap or easy, hope they catch up soon.
http://youtu.be/GT8WbnhVVSg
-
Nice, LPB! You are flying on those glides! Interesting to have the speed readout vs. trying to figure out how fast you're going from the vid itself.
Yesterday was pretty amazing. Your line was bold, I stayed much further in. At one point, I was probably about a mile out and I got sketched with the wind blowing out so much. At that point, I just kept heading left. Today is not looking too good as far as I can tell.
-
I need to talk to that HR Epic rep, I want to try a V8, but I probably have plenty of time.
My surgery is Friday, and the doc says I'll probably be in a sling for six weeks. Yikes. I told him I wanted to be paddling in three months and he said "possible, not likely". My suprapinatus tendon is pretty much toast. It's been mostly detached for too long, all pulled back and atrophied. The Doc says he'll see if there's any possibility for partial reattachment, but not too likely. But I've lived without much there for two years, so I've been recruiting other muscles to do the work. The subscapularis is torn deeply and the tendon is rolled into the joint, which is why I can't touch my stomach. The tendon is in there like a doorstop. the Biceps tendon that runs next to the subscapularis is mostly detached, and they're going to decide where that gets reattached when they get inside. As long as I don't have to pull a string to raise my arm I'll be happy.
I guess it's a bit of a mess. The Doc says he'll be able to fix quite a lot of it, and I should be back to at least where I was before the most recent injury, and maybe a little better. So a Ski might be a good choice for rehab. At least that's my story and I'm sticking with it.
-
You need more gear on your roof rack, hahaha! Good luck with the surgery. Rehab on a ski sounds like something to look forward to. Maybe the different movement with the paddle stroke is therapeutic.
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
-
Hey Bill - you can try my Fenn Bluefin sometime. Definitely worth trying it before committing to a V8. I liked the Bluefin much better, but it is all personal preference. It seems like less of a barge, but just as stable. I am planning to paddle in HR a lot this summer. Cove can give you my number. Aij.
-
Love to try it. It's going to be a little longer than I planned perhaps. I had my surgery yesterday, and it apparently was kind of messy in there. 1.5 hours turned into 4 hours. Hopefully that extra time equates to even better results. Or at least that's what I prefer to think.
-
Best of luck with your recovery. You should be good to go by the time the water in the Columbia warms up :). Make sure to follow your doctor's recommendations on rehabilitation. Worst thing you could do is to overdue it too soon and mess up the repair.
-
Yeah Bill, listen to Aij!
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
-
The wind is back boys. Maliko was insane fun today. Check your tide charts and look at 12-oclock. The tide was DRIVING. Inside was unreal.
Hope your shoulder is healing up ok PB.
-
I am stoked.. Looks like I lucked out, got into Maui Saturday, checked out the north shore spots yesterday - Kanaha was flat.
Headmount will be taking me on my first Maliko run..I hope he's as patient as Pono
Suggested..
I watched a bunch of outriggers do a Southside run today.. Pretty cool looking out from our condo at Kamaole. I can sure see why the South side is pretty good when the wind is right...
-
I am stoked.. Looks like I lucked out, got into Maui Saturday, checked out the north shore spots yesterday - Kanaha was flat.
Headmount will be taking me on my first Maliko run..I hope he's as patient as Pono
Suggested..
I watched a bunch of outriggers do a Southside run today.. Pretty cool looking out from our condo at Kamaole. I can sure see why the South side is pretty good when the wind is right...
He generally is, though he seems to be getting crustier as he gets older. Or maybe that's just from hanging around with me.
-
Actually Bill is extremely patient, and an extremely cool guide. I was in over my head, he politely suggested we bail at Ho'okipa. I did the sitting/kneeling paddle of shame after getting beat and worked about a zillion times on J.C.'s Bullet (used to be Ponos?). Bill went and retrieved his truck at the gulch, then we drove back to the harbour and waited for Steve.
Lesson learned. Don't try to change too many variables at once. As in having no open ocean experience, as well as never having used a ruddered board before.
Humbled, yes. But very thankful for having Headmount looking after my best interests.
-
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. At least I tell myself that,,,, ;)
I tasted the humble pie on the south side with lots of open ocean experience so don't feel too bad. I couldn't handle the bullet either. I managed the rudder OKish (oversteered into a fall more than a few times.) but she was just too tippy for me.
-
Thanks Stoneaxe. I was thinking maybe I'll get back on the horse..on the Southside if conditions warrant it. And on a 14' board.
-
First off, seriously beware of the southside right now. HM called and told me it was looking amazingly good over there on the cameras.
The problem is that a sperm whale is sick and dying off the south coast of Maui and is being systematically taken apart by a group of large tiger sharks. The whale, and sharks, were last reported off Wailea although I haven't seen any updates since early this morning (Tuesday May 27).
Yeah, the sharks are always out there but if there is a big attractant, like a dying whale, I don't want to be anywhere nearby.
I finished up a Maliko around 3 at the harbor with Southbay and Kathy S. It was on the light side but there were plenty of small bumps that were catchable. I fell in three times, all of my falls were pretty smashing. I don't know what is putting me in but I think it may be that I sometimes catch the nose when I'm trying to angle down a steeper face chasing a glide. This happens if I try and stay in the front seat, steering with the rudder but definitely not stepping back very far. The forward position is good on smaller stuff because you can get the nose into the glide and not stall the board by overtrimming on the back. But it requires finesse to not poke if you stay up there. Gotta work on that and moving my feet around more deftly.
This was my first downwinder in almost 2 weeks. There was plenty of paddling today if you wanted to get any glides. Nothing was ridden for free. Seems like the trades may be returning. Can't wait to go again!
-
Good fun today, very inside line. One of the waves (in by the airport) was curving almost at me, so that was the limit for inside. 0.45 miles out at the airport. Summer runs are so much fun. Odds are good I'll get mowed this year. It's irresistable in there. A bit more wind and it would have been breaking all around.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko5-27-14800x343_zps794311c0.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko5-27-14800x343_zps794311c0.jpg.html)
http://youtu.be/T2qT9tbXCww
-
Nice! And what a line! That looks like Victor's winter line, but then he's both fearless and nuts.
-
Nice! And what a line! That looks like Victor's winter line, but then he's both fearless and nuts.
And doesn't have a rudder.
-
Yesterday was pretty fun. You had to work for the glides, but there were plenty of them. The lefts were the call, which lead me to a line that was as far in as I have ever gone. Better line for the tanks, than the harbor. Glad to have a rudder at the end.
I'm off to the NW for a couple weeks, and the wind is back...bummed, but hoping that I can make it up t the gorge on the 9th of June. Bill, I'm sure your still recovering, but I'd love some local knowledge!
Let's all start planning M2M! See you all soon.
Southbay
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
-
Mi Casa, su casa buddy. Give me a call when you get here. If nothing else I'll set you up with gear and guys to go with. Might even shuttle you. The same phone number works--you have my cell.
-
South bay, sounds like he's gonna adopt you. You'll have a blast but don't let him stock you on an old moldy board. There are a few cherries in his fleet but you'll have to look carefully. Haha haha!
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
-
Thanks Pono. I can't wait to check out the gorge! Bummed I forgot my hat you love so much....Talk soon. Advice noted Cove.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
Odds are good I'll get mowed this year. It's irresistible in there.
Well, that didn't take long. Got mowed on the black dot.
Little string that holds my leash untied. 3 minute swim felt like 30.
Nice windsurfer gal held my ski for me. I was hoping for a face picture so I could identify her, but this is all I have. If anyone recognizes this outfit, could you PM me. I'd like to send her some flowers. She really saved my bacon.
Super fun day. Nary a slipper went missing. Nice wake up call.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko5-29-141800x380_zpsaf66f1d3.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko5-29-141800x380_zpsaf66f1d3.jpg.html)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko5-29-14_zps2fe12e21.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko5-29-14_zps2fe12e21.jpg.html)
-
I'd recognize that cheek anywhere....... ;)
-
Wow Larry. Thank god she showed up, and thank god for the people responsible for the miniaturization of the bikini.
Seriously, that is exactly where I would not want to have lost my board. I've seen a decent amount of sea life there.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
-
Wow, LPB, you really were close in. Glad it worked out ok!
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
-
Very fun run. The knock down was pretty mild. I had just missed a glide and lost hull speed. I was a bit arrogant not to turn straight to the beach and prepare for a potential foamy wave. The white water snuck up on me, but I should have anticipated it in that spot. Better to ride a wave in too far than get broadsided.
Pics look exciting, but it was a minor wave. I almost held on but fell to the left and rolled under the boat. Hat and glasses leash worked well. Super fun day.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko5-29-142800x449_zpsdfe8287c.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko5-29-142800x449_zpsdfe8287c.jpg.html)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko5-29-145800x439_zpsd4383f12.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko5-29-145800x439_zpsd4383f12.jpg.html)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko5-29-146800x449_zps3f3f4db2.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko5-29-146800x449_zps3f3f4db2.jpg.html)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko5-29-147800x448_zps1130f679.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko5-29-147800x448_zps1130f679.jpg.html)
More clues on my rescuer. The boat was rolling, so I didn't notice these pics before.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko5-29-144657x537_zpsd1a265a5.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko5-29-144657x537_zpsd1a265a5.jpg.html)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko5-29-143_zps1cc6670e.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko5-29-143_zps1cc6670e.jpg.html)
http://youtu.be/MAjkU05it6U
-
Yes, Maliko runs are finally in full swing! I'm going every day in case anybody wants to join me. I'm game for either a Maliko to Sugar Cove run, or a Maliko-to-harbor run. My contact info is here: railsonmaui.com/about (http://www.railsonmaui.com/about)
-
Another fun run today. Blue skies, blue water, smooth sailing.
http://youtu.be/_hs49tlxgog
-
Surprisingly good conditions today. I wasn't expecting much, but the wind direction and tide were working just right. Very predictable, groomed conditions made for an easy, fast run.
The outrigger paddler is Austin Talley. He's a teenager and very fast. He was taking it easy today, so I tagged along for a few shots. He's on a Storm. That boat weighs less than 19 pounds, total. Note how easy it picks up glides. Super fun across the reef.
http://youtu.be/r_p9eTKrVrk
-
Here were the conditions today! Textbook Maliko!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0brEz22SwY
Sorry for the shakey video. I had to hold the go-pro with a string from my mouth!
-
Big E swell today. Tough for me to make connections but a few worked out for speedy glides. The 14's and 16's had great fun surfing the steep drops.
http://youtu.be/Ohweou-yiZ8
-
Finally the kind of day we dream about. Two women stepped up the game off North Shore Maui and went around 20 miles. They were smilin' at the finish. And though they aren't old, these gals aren't young either... just hardcore and tuned in.
The bar level of DW paddling just keeps getting higher.
Sorry to tell you this Cove.
-
Here's a great pic from Jimmie Hepp showing what DW conditions were like today. I didn't go short but some of my pals did and blundered right through the race course. Lots of swearing but my pals are as old as me and can't hear.
-
Finally the kind of day we dream about. Two women stepped up the game off North Shore Maui and went around 20 miles. They were smilin' at the finish. And though they aren't old, these gals aren't young either... just hardcore and tuned in.
The bar level of DW paddling just keeps getting higher.
Sorry to tell you this Cove.
Devin and Andrea are awesome to do Keanae on standup. Very big deal in my book. (And it's 25 miles). Cove would be wise to be cautious when contemplating this run, on outrigger or heaven forbid, standup. The first 10 miles are not fun at all. I remember the side-on conditions sweeping me out of my seat twice. Just brutal.
Maliko was really cranking on Saturday. I was very cautious, nice wide line around the reef. About 1.5 miles out at the airport. It takes me about 4 minutes longer than a medium day straight across the reef, but I'm just not feeling the big ones these days. I can't seem to stitch together the big ones with any confidence. And without that, shooting the reef on a big day is a risky proposition on a ski. Not worth the risk of a spin out and tumble.
I had a good zoomer at Hookipa but it was just one. Big links are fun if it works, but the commitment has to be there. That connection was half luck, half skill.
These clips are on the reef at Kanaha, way outside, skirting the reef. Big drops can be mighty scary in a ski. I fell in the gulch and it took me 4 tries to remount. Not the best way to start a big, windy run. In ski, if you don't feel on top of the conditions, it's better just to hang back and be safe. Only when I'm really loose and fluid with good leg drive will I attack the big lefts with abandon. Oh well, maybe next time. Fun day. Big bombs out there.
http://youtu.be/dLmtdPxqv2g
-
Wow, knowing how GoPro squash down those bombers, that looks like a big day. Glad to see you guys are getting some good stuff. It's been blowing like stink here in Hood River, making me even more nutty standing on the sidelines.
I've always wanted to do a Kaenae run. My neighbor, Will Mahin used to do them all the time on his F16. He considered Malikos to be too short. Kids and work have taken up a lot of his time, but he's one hell of a waterman. I'll probably do one with him next year, if only to check it off the bucket list.
-
Finally the kind of day we dream about. Two women stepped up the game off North Shore Maui and went around 20 miles. They were smilin' at the finish. And though they aren't old, these gals aren't young either... just hardcore and tuned in.
The bar level of DW paddling just keeps getting higher.
Sorry to tell you this Cove.
I was sorry to miss it yesterday but fatigue has made itself obvious on the last few runs. I'm hoping that not going yesterday will diminish my lack of balance issues that I've been struggling with the last couple of runs.
Conditions look promising for later on today and actually, all week. Like we talked about, the steady trades and long fetch are setting up some primo swell conditions. I'm very excited to go today. Wish there was a way I could get some decent pictures but I have never liked the way the gopro comes out. I may take it anyway though.
Pretty cool to have those gals out there stepping up the game. They're pretty inspiring, even if they do kick most of our asses on a regular basis.
-
Wind backed off a bit Sunday, which was good for me. I find it easier to see the path. The big boat was really rolling along fine today, super fun surf on the swells.
No fear of crashing like yesterday, so I was able to step on the gas all day. Chopped 3 minutes off yesterday's time. Strange how my perception of maliko can change. Yesterday I was ready to quit the ski because it was so damn hard. Today I want to get a V-14. What a difference a day makes...
Super blue water and skies. Truly magnificent out there.
Cove got a nice outrigger. If he backs off a bit (I warned him not to try and keep up with Kathy) and learns to rest, he should break the hour this year. He's going good on the standup. When I switched to outrigger I had the hour in less than 10 runs. And he's better than I was. Ha ha, another one over to the dark side! You're next up Southbay! You guys are gonna suffer some serious brain damage on your first maliko. I hope I'm around.
http://youtu.be/8cwZ7ZpknnM
-
Today's goal for me was not to fall. I agree with you LPB, when it gets full rock n roll, I have to back it off too. Today was near perfection for a nice smooth run. It wasn't my fastest run but I was pretty happy with how I paddled it. I did fall when RR caught me, on the last section before the harbor entrance. I got distracted and boofed but I gave myself a pass for making it nearly the entire way with full concentration. The water and sky were incredible out there today, the ocean was the most beautiful deep, dark blue. It is truly a blessing to be able to paddle here.
As much as I wanted to paddle the outrigger this morning and then do a Maliko on the standup in the afternoon, I took the morning off and reaped a much better Maliko run as a result. I can't wait until conditions are favorable for trying my first downwind run in the canoe. I'm hoping Southbay gets a boat soon, that is going to be great!
I know I'm pushing myself right up to my limits and it isn't because I'm trying to get faster or train hard. It is just so fun to paddle here, I really cannot get enough. But I'm hearing a voice in my head lately urging 'balance grasshoppah, balance.'
-
Adding outrigger to your standup is going to help in many ways. Since we are both up in our 50's, I'm very sensitive to overtraining. That's why I keep harping on you to slow down and take it easy. You know your limits better than I do, so the advice is as much for me as to keep you on the water.
The great thing about boats is they reward patience. "relax and keep the nose going downhill' is going to take on a whole new meaning when you start downwinding in a boat. Big fun, easy on the body.
When you sit low on the water and look for runs, your visual sense of the ocean will adjust in ways that cannot be taught. That knowledge will transfer in a very positive way when you get back on standup. You will see new paths - act on them - and they will work. The new lines will be faster and easier.
The short paddle is easier to keep vertical. When you start to feel how effective a tiny pull at the proper moment is, your standup stroke will change. It will be more efficient. You will start to look more like Jeremy and Kathy on the water. Paddle less, surf more. Boats are really good at rewarding timing. Your footwork will change to support the proper stroke. I'm always telling standups to cross step more. Some do, some don't. You will. Your footwork will change when you learn to fly the ama.
As time passes and you start to get comfy in the swells, you will see a huge variation of paddlers. Faster standups, all sorts of outriggers. Some young guys will pass you hammering downwind. They can push right up to lactate threshold for the entire run, just ramming into everything. You will also see old ladies and old guys dropping those meatheads - floating along, picking smarter lines. Then you will see the best floating by effortlessly and wonder how they can do sub 50 malikos. They will tell you the same thing. 'Relax and keep the nose going downhill.'
Here's a cool video of Jeremy laying down power with one foot in front of the other.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeSxrrIBZgI
-
Adding outrigger to your standup is going to help in many ways. Since we are both up in our 50's, I'm very sensitive to overtraining. That's why I keep harping on you to slow down and take it easy. You know your limits better than I do, so the advice is as much for me as to keep you on the water.
The great thing about boats is they reward patience. "relax and keep the nose going downhill' is going to take on a whole new meaning when you start downwinding in a boat. Big fun, easy on the body.
When you sit low on the water and look for runs, your visual sense of the ocean will adjust in ways that cannot be taught. That knowledge will transfer in a very positive way when you get back on standup. You will see new paths - act on them - and they will work. The new lines will be faster and easier.
The short paddle is easier to keep vertical. When you start to feel how effective a tiny pull at the proper moment is, your standup stroke will change. It will be more efficient. You will start to look more like Jeremy and Kathy on the water. Paddle less, surf more. Boats are really good at rewarding timing. Your footwork will change to support the proper stroke. I'm always telling standups to cross step more. Some do, some don't. You will. Your footwork will change when you learn to fly the ama.
As time passes and you start to get comfy in the swells, you will see a huge variation of paddlers. Faster standups, all sorts of outriggers. Some young guys will pass you hammering downwind. They can push right up to lactate threshold for the entire run, just ramming into everything. You will also see old ladies and old guys dropping those meatheads - floating along, picking smarter lines. Then you will see the best floating by effortlessly and wonder how they can do sub 50 malikos. They will tell you the same thing. 'Relax and keep the nose going downhill.'
Here's a cool video of Jeremy laying down power with one foot in front of the other.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeSxrrIBZgI
Great vid. Don't normally enjoy this POV but with JR in action it was exciting.
-
Wind was light at the start today but filled in about half way down the run. I was inside when the wind started. It was far too strong to allow me to escape to an outside line. It was spooky - about .6 mi out from the airport. Fear of getting tagged is a good motivator. Most exciting run of the summer for me. Super fun. I was ready to run to the beach at the drop of a hat, but got lucky.
http://youtu.be/o_qpTt1isdM
-
That's exactly what I don't like about running the middle slot at Kanaha. When things change--and they often do--you can be in the wrong place with nowhere to go except a spooky bailout over the reef. Made the hair on the back of my neck stand up just thinking about it.
-
Indeed. And it's worse for you because you do it in the winter. NW swells do some odd things in there.
Here's my line from yesterday, the video was between the red lines. The wind picked up just as I hit Spreck's. I tried to get outside, made some progress then got pushed in. Full concentration at the airport, listening for white water running me down. When I saw that light aqua color and looked over at my distance to the sand all I could say was 'Oh hell.' Lucky for me the ski kept moving. Loss of hull speed and a spin is just brutal in there. Far steeper than the video appears.
I worked hard and used every trick to try to work out after that video. It's a very fast line, but still above my pay grade. I'm lucky it wasn't any bigger. Very fast run.
Kathy and Gregg were still jazzed from yesterday's no whitecap run and considered going in boats again. I'm glad they asked my opinion, because I suggested they wait and get more comfy with their steering. They will get tossed around eventually like I did in early days. But it's easier to get going and avoid trouble when the foot steering and bracing is automatic.
I practice diligently on the south shore to get ready for maliko. I perch the boat on the crest of the wave and try to get bashed around. Crazy sharp angles, just daring the ocean to roll me. I would strongly recommend it to anyone new in a boat contemplating even a medium day at maliko. It's the best way I've found to prep for the constant need to motor in oddball situations at maliko. It's easy to remount on the south shore. Gregg did a bike ride and Kathy did standup. I had to dash afterward so didn't get to chat with her but I'm sure she surfed her brains out on the second half. It was really good.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko6-10-14800x384_zps00feb350.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko6-10-14800x384_zps00feb350.jpg.html)
-
Wow, LPB, to me, that is really a spooky line. You were way in.
The reef does all kinds of weird things to the surface, even on days when it's primarily windswell. I've found the section between outer Sprecks down to just past Lower Kanaha to get steep and often sort of random. Waves seem to suddenly jack up from the north, even when the predominant pattern has been an easterly windswell. And I'm noticing this even on days that have little to no groundswell. I am probably overly cautious (chicken) because when I approach Camp 1, I am already scanning for any evidence of breaking waves ahead of me that are jacking up from the north. And, I often see stuff, even though on a day with little or no groundswell, you can likely get through unscathed because there isn't much power in the breaking waves. Still, I'd rather avoid breakers under any circumstances out there. I've found it can be a challenge to stay upright and moving fast over the reef on any given day, so I always treat that area with extra focus.
Going in the boat accentuates all of that even more. It's one thing to deal with some adverse conditions on a standup when you've got a lot of runs under your belt, but in a boat, when you have very shallow experience, I have to believe it's best to only bite off very small bits at a time. The other day, in the outrigger, I appreciated your direction and that we stayed in really deep water. I was actually a tiny bit nervous to be out so far but the approach into the harbor turned out to be fast and easy. That was a completely 'no drama' run and it's no wonder both Kathy and I finished it being so stoked. Given how mild a day it was, it was apparent to me that not only could you turn up the fun factor exponentially when the wind cranks up, you could also potentially get into fairly serious difficulty pretty quickly. I found the conditions pretty exciting and it wasn't even white capping! It is hard for me to imagine what the oc1 will be like when it starts getting bigger.
I'm really looking forward to gaining experience in my oc1 but I'm not in any hurry to push it. When you wipe out on a standup, as long as your leash holds and you don't hit anything on the way down, it's not a big deal to remount and go. That could be a lot different trying to deal with 20+feet of boat and ama catching wind and swell and moving in whatever direction the ocean decides. :o
I am really keen on getting in some south side runs and slowly working up to going in stronger wind conditions in the boat. I have finally gotten some confidence for running Maliko on my SUP. I don't see that happening with the oc1 for a very, very long time to come.
-
Great conditions today, nice outside line just barely on the reef. Big bombs and nice wind the whole way.
Second clip is one mile out at the airport. Shallow enough to twist me around on some steep drops. I prefer the deeper water because it's more predictable. Swells are taller on the reef but I don't go any faster on average when it's windy. It's usually just a fast, barely controlled steep drop. Then a big slowdown and careful recovery until the next big drop. I'll figure out how to steer across them someday.
http://youtu.be/dTtO_DQemCU
-
^ I'll just be over here living vicariously from rainy gloomy Seattle while stuck in my office. Thanks for sharing these, I can use the mental vacation. ;)
-
Glad you like them GR. I make them as I do my yoga after. It's always helped me to rewatch and try to re-live the run, looking for better ideas.
Today was a blast. Excellent current running all down Kanaha. Inside line at .7 miles out at the airport. Pier one snuck up on me. I heard it coming and was glad I looked back. Not a dangerous wave, but enough to knock me over for sure. Barely made it. I won't wear music for that reason. Super fun day.
http://youtu.be/wbMu8O14hxM
-
While LPB reports a good currrent, we launched much earlier when tide was much lower and current was notably against us. Tide is a biggie especially around these full moons and especially June full moons. Had late afternoon launches previous two days and it was absolute heaven. A good run is like a surf session where all the elements add up or don't... Been crankin' recently
-
LPB, you must be hearing the siren song on the inside these days! We have had some very east wind days lately and the northerly cant of the wind yesterday was a bit of a surprise for me. I was surfing right nearly the entire run just to stay on my line. Pretty fair sized windswell on the reef made for some exciting glides.
Looking at your video, you were further left at Pier 1 than I have ever been, that close in. Funny how steep and sometimes big it can get in there, sort of without much warning. Looks like you got yourself a nice exciting ride! I found a lot of rideable bumps out there yesterday but current seemed sticky to me from Kahaha on down. Probably just me getting worn down from too many days in a row. As a matter of fact, it's time to pack up for today's run! The wind is cranking again.
-
Yes, Saturday was a fun one for me on the far inside. I was ok all the way down the line, having a blast. Only at the very end was I a bit too far inside. The Sirens had me under their spell and almost got me. Ha.
Today certainly was a different day. I made for the outside right away and stayed way out. The extra wind made everything much bigger. The last half was really cranking. I could barely keep up with anything. The swells had me on defense. Every time I heard white water chasing me I pushed hard and went left. It was always the right call.
The second clip is a bit longer than usual. It shows how hard I worked to keep hull speed - between the bombs. They were big today. The spooky thing about skis on a big day is that every big glide that can possibly be caught, needs to be charged. It's the safest way to keep hull speed up. The v-10 snacks on those drops and wants more. I just didn't have the beans to go extra hard today. Fell once, about middle kanaha. Lucky for me I wasn't exhausted, so the remount was easy.
http://youtu.be/NTs04nn2g6w
-
Yes indeed, the last half of the run today was smokin'. The outer reef was allowing the big windswell to really jack and the glides were fast and somewhat hairy for me. There was a definite northerly aspect to the east windswell that was pushing me inside for the entire run. I kept surfing right, which was no biggie until I got by outer Sprecks. From there on, I found myself trying to go right on monster bombs that were bumpy, big and fast. Even though the waves were hitting at a pretty good angle from the right, they continued to open up as you'd surf them with troughs that allowed good progress straight down the line, even though the ocean really was trying to move you inside and left. But, as PB would say, it kind of looked like death and destruction when you'd take off on a big one. And there were mostly big ones.
I actually didn't fall on the entire second, bigger half of the run but I had already made up for that by taking 3 or 4 or maybe it was 5 ridiculous wipeouts on the top section that sapped my confidence and rhythm. I was frustrated with getting bucked off again and again. Then, somehow, I guess I found my happy place.
I was late getting out of the gulch, stopped to chat with Kelly for a couple of minutes and by the time I got launched, everybody was already outside! I have made the joke before but these downwinders are a lot like skiing on a powder day. Everybody is STOKED and they get on their boards and they're gone! No friends when it's windy I guess. Oh, and the other thing, nobody's racing. Right? Yeah, right.
I could see a lot of the guys up ahead and figured out who was who. I think I was so focused on trying to catch up at the top that it contributed to all my falls. By the last one, I decided that chasing was futile and I'd be a lot better off if I just concentrated on my run instead of everybody else. Maybe that's why I stopped falling... ::)
About a mile and a half from the harbor, I could see Headmount and Southbay up ahead of me, a bit to the inside. Then I lost Southbay, he was down up ahead, sitting on his board and there was someone else next to him. It looked like he'd collided with a windsurfer because there was a brightly colored sail laying in the water. I caught two huge monster glides and surfed (literally) right up to him. HM was on scene to my left. From far away, I thought either there'd been a near or actual collision or that SB had seen a friend and they were saying hello.
Once I got close though, it was obvious that SB was rescuing a woman windsurfer that had had her rig separate from her board. The board was long gone and the rig was not going to help them in this newly developing situation. It was pretty clear SB was going to paddle her in. We were out at least 3/4 of a mile and it was big wind and big, steep, breaking windswell. It was also clear that she needed to either de-rig her sail and get it tied up securely or jettison it altogether. She seemed too spent to de-rig and she didn't want to let the gear go but there were no options. The conditions were pushing all of us towards a critical point. Tick-tock. SB had to go and right now or it was potentially going to get worse than it already was. I gave my input and she didn't really respond. HM delivered the message with more certainty and she abandoned the rig, which promptly sank according to what SB told me later on.
He also told me that getting her in was extremely challenging but they made it, thanks to SB's patience, experience, strength and good ocean skills. Nice job SB, that gal was sure lucky you came along. Pretty nice to know you're paddling with someone that would put his own safety and gear at risk to help out somebody that is in trouble.
HM and I had made for the harbor and it was a wild trip in. Huge, steep waves all the way until the last few hundred yards when the ocean became a turbulent minefield of bouncy swells going about 5 or 8 different directions. The wind had really clocked around to the north and it was a fast paddle across the harbor. HM hit the road and found SB and the unfortunate, no make that the FORTUNATE boardsailor. HM got her back to her car and SB back to his, and everybody lived to go again another day. Overall, a good finish to what became kind of a dramatic afternoon.
-
Yikes, that was a big day to be rescuing people. She's lucky the three of you are so experienced in big conditions. As HM said in the other thread, she wasn't thinking clearly because she was scared or whatever. No substitute for experience in those cases. Glad it worked out ok. Best to let that equipment go and get to dry land, that's for sure. Now that she's been through it, next time she will think more clearly.
Here's my line from Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was fun, perfect line for a relaxed and surfy run. Sunday was all about survival. The harbor mouth was psychotic. Big rollers that had to be respected, with crazy random lefts and rights all over them. Ski's are actually good in those conditions if you can get them moving. But if you stop, it's over.
That's why I keep harping on cove to learn to steer his outrigger before doing even a medium maliko. You gotta paddle with authority and throw caution to the wind sometimes. It's the safest way. Kathy shrugs her shoulders when I tell her cove is in for a beating if he goes too early. "It's a guy thing" she says, smiling. I remember telling that story to Bill Foote, "Bill, how do I convince beginner standups to beware maliko?" His response was much more direct. He'd cut me off mid sentence with "FUCK THEM, KIDS WITH A STOVE. YOU TELL THEM NOT TO AND THEY GET BURNED. FUCK 'EM." Bill is so cool. I almost tore my ama off in early days, so I'm guilty as the next guy for not listening. It's a guy thing.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/6-15-14800x421_zps50bed225.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/6-15-14800x421_zps50bed225.jpg.html)
-
Yes, Mr. Bill is wise when it comes to that kind of stuff. You can't tell people much of anything. For the most part Maliko doesn't kill the people who aren't really ready for it, but they sure can have a lousy time. Doing ten miles on your knees thinking you're gonna die is not the world's best experience.
Your inside line makes my ears tingle. You and Victor can have that shit. That outer line makes me homesick for Maui. Of course I'd be sitting on the beach there too, so that doesn't make much sense.
-
Both Friday and Sunday were truly Smokin'! Yesterday's run was a blast. Loaded up in the 1pm shuttle with Cove and LPB, Ralf, Bill and Livio. R2 and HM were meeting us up at the top. Like cove said, the van stopped and everyone darted for the water. HM was out in the water already, and I was scrambling to see how long I could keep Livio in my sights. Answer: maybe 10 minutes, and I am not sure if he was even trying. Ralf was not far behind him, followed by R2 and Bill H. Cove was chatting it up, and we bailed on him...it is an addiction after all.
HM was on fire. He was really connecting the bumps and looked cool and collected. I was working hard to stay up with him and to the right. Cove mentioned the day had a winter NW feel to it, and I could not agree more. The regular footers seemed to be having no issues, but I wasn't really feeling it for the first half. Just after Baldwin I caught a nice bump that rolled me right into a big east swell wave, and the adrenaline from that helped me catch the next several. I really need to work on my paddling, because unless there are waves to be caught I am fighting to keep up. Once the wind waves are up, the surfing takes over, and I am a happy camper.
It was really cooking, way overhead. I could hear white water breaking behind me, and I just kept thinking about LPB talking about keeping hull speed up across the reef. I was really feeling it all the way across the reef. Big smiles. Then I helped that lady out, and the run was over. I hear I missed some serious Kapakahi kine water at the harbor mouth, so I didn't miss much! Hope we keep getting these big wind days!
-
Maui to Molokai, Summer Version, is just a little over a week away. A great excuse to 'train' more. In other words, do more downwinders. Kathy and I have been egging each other on a bit, and Southbay has been leading the charge to do the race. Anyway, the three of us went yesterday and had a smokin' good run in the morning. Kathy and I were in for a double and although I had one of my best runs ever in the morning, the second run I was cooked. I added about 6 minutes to the time I turned on the first run but who's counting?
Today, the conditions really cranked up. The first run we did was solid mid-twenties to low 30's I'd guess. The windswell was super fun and you could get many nice, surf-style drops and linked up glides. Again today, my morning run smoked. I had one of my best times ever and only one stupid fall.
The afternoon run was insane. The wind had cranked up into the high twenties with long periods of mid to upper 30's. The windswell was big and the relatively small groundswell out of the north had filled in to make for a very spirited run. My afternoon run was a little slower than the morning but it was because it was all about catching the big swell. So fun! The water was very confused in the classic technical Maliko sense, where you had solid following windswell, runners from the side that whispered 'surf left so that I can crash you into the reef' and lots of little bumps going right too. I stayed way outside for a summer run, probably a mile and a half out off Sprecks all the way to just past Lower Kanaha when I started angling left towards the harbor. There were big steep rollers the entire way and sometimes you could find yourself dropping in without even taking a paddle stroke! It was wild. The afternoon run today was all about concentration on reading the water, surfing waves and staying upright.
There are lots of good paddlers, not only from Maui but from all over the world, that are here for July's races so the stoke level on the shuttle is pretty high. Lots of fun and great energy! Think I'm done with doubles for a while, never have done two in a row, two days back to back. Think I'll sleep well tonight. More big wind on the way tomorrow.
-
Gregg, you're the Man!
-
Miss paddling with you, Laszlo!
-
Maui to Molokai, Summer Version, is just a little over a week away. A great excuse to 'train' more. In other words, do more downwinders. Kathy and I have been egging each other on a bit, and Southbay has been leading the charge to do the race. Anyway, the three of us went yesterday and had a smokin' good run in the morning. Kathy and I were in for a double and although I had one of my best runs ever in the morning, the second run I was cooked. I added about 6 minutes to the time I turned on the first run but who's counting?
Today, the conditions really cranked up. The first run we did was solid mid-twenties to low 30's I'd guess. The windswell was super fun and you could get many nice, surf-style drops and linked up glides. Again today, my morning run smoked. I had one of my best times ever and only one stupid fall.
The afternoon run was insane. The wind had cranked up into the high twenties with long periods of mid to upper 30's. The windswell was big and the relatively small groundswell out of the north had filled in to make for a very spirited run. My afternoon run was a little slower than the morning but it was because it was all about catching the big swell. So fun! The water was very confused in the classic technical Maliko sense, where you had solid following windswell, runners from the side that whispered 'surf left so that I can crash you into the reef' and lots of little bumps going right too. I stayed way outside for a summer run, probably a mile and a half out off Sprecks all the way to just past Lower Kanaha when I started angling left towards the harbor. There were big steep rollers the entire way and sometimes you could find yourself dropping in without even taking a paddle stroke! It was wild. The afternoon run today was all about concentration on reading the water, surfing waves and staying upright.
There are lots of good paddlers, not only from Maui but from all over the world, that are here for July's races so the stoke level on the shuttle is pretty high. Lots of fun and great energy! Think I'm done with doubles for a while, never have done two in a row, two days back to back. Think I'll sleep well tonight. More big wind on the way tomorrow.
This is torture......mid-winter and no dwd in past 7 weeks...but they predict storm of all storms hitting us today so maybe we get a reverse Millers in here in Cape Town!
-
Sorry Peter! That run you mentioned, is that the one that finishes in gnarly shore break? I think you posted a vid last year, it was incredible.
-
Sorry Peter! That run you mentioned, is that the one that finishes in gnarly shore break? I think you posted a vid last year, it was incredible.
Yes, thats the one, but in winter we have predominantly low-pressure northwesters - so we do the same run in reverse and then there are typically no waves. Today it was a little northerly so not 100% ideal but pretty fun - wind hit 35knots+ in places......beggars can't be choosers.
-
Great pic.. :)
-
Apologies for posting it here, it's neither spring nor summer or even Maliko...but it's our local "Maliko" aka the "Millers" run - this time in reverse, in what was supposedly the biggest storm of the year with snow in the mountains and lots of flooding....temps are about 15deg Celsius (60deg Fahrenheit water and air) and winds hit 35knots+ in places.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiYeS_mCRNo&feature=youtu.be
-
Nice, looks like it worked today! That Jav looks nice and fast. Couldn't tell if the other (white) board was a Glide or a Javelin. Thanks for posting, glad you got some!
-
Those were great conditions, and so close to shore. Was there a slight crossing swell moving towards shore? Thought I noticed that a little bucking bronco condition we have between Maliko and Hookipa where the back wash reverbs off the cliffs. great glides... Thanks
-
Those were great conditions, and so close to shore. Was there a slight crossing swell moving towards shore? Thought I noticed that a little bucking bronco condition we have between Maliko and Hookipa where the back wash reverbs off the cliffs. great glides... Thanks
The windswell was pushing towards shore as the wind was pure north - normally we do this run in nortwest in which case everything runs true and it really clean with no bounce back off the cliffs....my mate was on the original Glide 14'. The reverse Millers doesn't happen that often but if we get it right with a big front it's probably the best run we've got - it's super fast, like surfing standing waves and super clean...but it s tad chilly....and just doesn't happen often enough to be counted as a classic.
-
^^^ Nice run. Er du dansk?
-
I finally understand what Maliko is all about. ;D ;D
Been here 3 days and done 4 runs. Not much by comparison to some but enough for me. Soooooooooooo much fun!!!! Legs are sore after a double today.
Today's 2:15 shuttle run was the best yet!! Steep drops and fast runs!! Woooooooooo hoooooooo!!!
Everybody had huge smiles on their faces at the finish. Loving this place so far!!!!!
-
I finally understand what Maliko is all about. ;D ;D
Been here 3 days and done 4 runs. Not much by comparison to some but enough for me. Soooooooooooo much fun!!!! Legs are sore after a double today.
Today's 2:15 shuttle run was the best yet!! Steep drops and fast runs!! Woooooooooo hoooooooo!!!
Everybody had huge smiles on their faces at the finish. Loving this place so far!!!!!
Swimmers who have the best kick go the fastest and sore legs is the remark I hear most often about DWding. Seems like powder snowboarding to me. After a certain point of paddle conditioning, I think getting legs (especially the back leg) trained for DW is the biggest help. When I fall apart it's from legs failing.
The great thing about the technique JR and Livio use is minimal leg spread which results in less extreme leg squats which conserves energy and increases endurance. However to do this you must learn to walk like a cat on your board.
-
@headmount, yup. I'm still a bit sore in my legs after M2M and M4M.
I'm starting to get how less is more now, if that makes sense. At first I was trying to sprint and muscle into bumps all the time like I was on a fixed fin 14. The more I relax the faster and more flowing it all becomes.
On today's run I snapped my paddle completely with 6km to go to the harbour.
About 20 mins into the run I heard a crack as I gave a big pull to get a bump, had a quick look and saw a small crack on the shaft about 6" up from the backside of the blade.
For the next 15 - 20 mins I had to really concentrate on technique, footwork, trim and steering into bumps as I couldn't load up the paddle. I felt so much faster while using hardly any energy!! It felt awesome!!!
I eventually did load it too much and snap she went!!!
That was an interesting 6km prone paddle to the end!!!
-
Sounds like another junkie.
-
yes, you got that right PB.
Kieranrsup paddled Maui to Molokai on Saturday and then raced the M4M down the Kamalo yesterday! I didn't go today but I drove by the canoe club around 12:45, junkie meeting time. Saw Kieranrsup and Iron Phil, looking fresh and ready to charge another day! In their defense, it was cranking, at least it looked that way from up the hill. Still, these guys seem to have a bit of a paddling addiction. I'll bet they're out there again tomorrow! Just to be sure, I'll sign up for the shuttle and check. ;) I can quit anytime I want.
-
Yeah......booked in on the 11:30 shuttle. Contemplating the 3:30...........
;D
-
any results/reports from M4M?
-
Still waiting for results from the M4Molokai.
Sunday started off as a perfect near windless tropical island morning. A gentle breeze from the SW was just rustling the palm fronds. The race organizers picked up all of us paddlers that wanted to go into Kaunakakai Town for breakfast around 8:30.
By the time we returned to the hotel a few hours later, the wind had clocked around to blow out of the east and there were already lots of whitecaps in the channel. By the time we got shuttled up for the 1:25pm start, the wind had filled in completely and it looked to be a perfect Kamalo run for the race with wind at least in the high 20's to perhaps even lower-mid 30's.
Not sure how many paddlers stuck around for M4M, maybe 30 or 35 of us? It was a decent sized field. They started us in the lee of an old pier jetty in thigh-waist deep water. Because of the Super Moon, we had perfect high, high tide conditions for the race, which allowed for a choice of taking a line more inside in shallow water over the reef, or going outside where the wind and bumps were looking absolutely epic. Very cool that less experienced paddlers could race on the inside in less intimidating conditions.
The start was intense, the group was together and you had to find clear water and try and get on your line to the outside and just go like hell. There was weird, random current on the way to the outside. You would feel your board accel like crazy and two seconds later, it felt like paddling through corn syrup.
The wind was just honking and I was keen to get outside as fast as possible, not only to try and go as fast as I could but also because I'm a downwind junkie and the conditions just looked all time.
On the outside, it was even better than I thought it would be. I'd only paddled the Kamalo two other times, both at the end of the Pailolo crossing with 20 miles into me. This was outstanding, to get to paddle the best part of the run and not be absolutely gassed! And feeling like that, even though it was a race! The conditions were so good, it wasn't just the competition driving you, it was the conditions themselves! I found myself just flying, getting into and linking bumps together nearly the entire run. The bumps seemed like big, fat rollers to me, and the water was consistently readable. The run is so user-friendly for experienced downwind paddlers, you end up thinking you're better than you actually are, because it makes you a hero. Even if you misread, the water is so consistent, chances are you'll catch stuff you really should have missed! The bumps just keep on coming, with perfect shape and if you angle and use a rudder, you just have the time of your life!
Clare gave a good, solid pre-race briefing so we had a good idea of where to start making our way in towards the finish. The longer you could stay outside in the big wind and bumps, the better, but if you waited too long to come inside, you were going to pay the price and have to paddle at an angle too sideways to the wind and predominant wave train direction.
As we crossed the reef, the south swell that was hitting the islands became apparent and I found myself lifted up a couple of times and thrown off balance. I fell two times in the vicinity of the reef which didn't help my race exactly. So, at that point, you had waves coming from your left as relatively small but noticeable ground swell and the wind waves, which became small wavelets in the water on the inside. There was no worrying about depth because you just had to trust that you'd be ok with the high tide; outside was beautiful, deep blue. Inside the reef, it was muddy brown. No more falls after the couple I took coming over the reef! I didn't want to find out what was in that brown soup!
The last few hundred yards, there was no more real push available and you had to crank out your strongest, fastest, flatwater race paddling. The cheering crowd, hanging at the hotel - which was a fantastic venue for the afterparty and spectators wanting to watch the finish - made it easier to give it your all as you headed towards the line.
I think my official time was 1:09 plus change for the 8.76 mile run. Here's my Garmin data, I started my watch before they actually began the race. I had several miles that were probably some of the fastest I've ever strung together, back to back. The downward spikes show my four or five falls, I think I need to stop falling!
This is quite probably one of the best downwind runs in the entire world. The venue was great, the race very well done and overall, it capped off a weekend most of us will never forget!
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/541193546
-
M4M sounds awesome - last year the wind was probably 15-20 at best and most stayed on the inside line as there wasn't much gained by the longer outside line - I think they started us at 10am last year, glad they waited till the wind filled in this year for you guys - last year we sat at the hotel in the afternoon and the wind just got stronger and stronger!
It has to rate as one of the best runs in the world - it's pure downwind with big bumps outside and super safe beginner friendly on the inside!
-
They held off our start based on tide more than wind. They were waiting for the highest water but, as you said, afternoon is also when the wind cranks!
-
Very fun south shore yesterday. Low effort, nice relaxing run with some speedy glides.
Oscar had an idea for downwinding that I've been experimenting with on the south shore. Very basic idea - He said that surfers generally start a takeoff on the peak and surf down the line towards a shoulder. But skis start at the shoulder and aim toward the steeper section of the swell.
It's fun to aim the boat into steep sections as they keep building. If the boat feels as though it may broach, I steer it down the face.
But the real payoff is shooting across the face of the wave. It's fast and fun. And if the wave is too quick for me, the ridge passes harmlessly below, leaving me with good speed on the back of the wave. That speed makes it effortless to steer the boat on that next face, right down the line. Fast swells, zero effort to get on them.
So the bottom line for me is, get the boat going somehow and look for some waves forming. It's very basic stuff, nothing revolutionary and it's been said a million times before. But it clicked a bit differently for me recently and I've been having a blast. Skis will go across some crazy angles if you trust them.
I need one of those drones to show what I'm steering toward on the videos. The gopro doesn't have the field of view. Without the speedo on my vids they wouldn't make much sense to me. But the numbers tell the tale.
http://youtu.be/l88qewAN2Eg
-
Cannot wait until I have enough _ease in the seat_ to move around in the chop seeking my own line. Thanks again for,a,fun video.
-
Check the wind for tomorrow at noon! Maliko should be smokin' ;D
-
Check the wind for tomorrow at noon! Maliko should be smokin' ;D
Yeah, I'm in!! Keep in touch, probably can't make today work but that's probably ok looking at tomorrow's forecast!
-
Done. Me too!
-
Fun run today. Swells were lined up and had good size.
http://youtu.be/HAedx-5QKIM
-
Yeah, it was pretty amazing out there, cool vid! Today looks even better.
-
Yesterday was the best Maliko run I have done this summer. So many big glides.
It must be the wide angle of the Go Pro that makes it look like I'm standing still! Haha! LP was flying out there. Really great day. Hoping we get HM out there today! See you guys soon.
-
^I worked hard to get up to your group. When it's good like that, standups are at much less of a disadvantage (to skis) than usual. You guys were flying.
I was hoping to get behind each of you for a near pass, but you were all too fast. I tried first with Cove, he was right behind you. I zigged and zagged but kept missing his swell and swinging too far left or right. So I bagged that idea and set my own course.
You may look slow in the vid, but that's only because I had a head of steam up and you didn't. Video is terrible that way, not representative at all to what's really happening with the swells. I had some smoking fast drops and Cove was keeping pace right along just out of the frame. I came across Devin up the road and she was motoring, barely paddling. I passed her once, then looked over minutes later and she was ahead of me. She usually beats me by a mile in the winter when it's scary big. The wind dropped a bit at the end so I had the big advantage in the ski and gained a few minutes on the standups. Fun day.
Maybe I'll get some close passes today. Don't be concerned If I sneak up close! Don't change course on my account or I'll feel terrible! I can drag a leg or jump out if a collision is likely. Close is best on video. Inches apart is fine! Hold my beer and watch this!
-
LPB, when you went by me, we were both just flying! And, being a rank novice boater, it is definitely easier for me to have a smokin' good time on my standup vs a boat on days like yesterday.
Today, it's been windy up at our place since I woke up, early this morning. Southbay and I are both on at 1pm and I'm going to try and rig up my gopro on the tail of the board, a bit of a risky proposition since the leash could dislodge it in a bad get-off, and I had a few of those yesterday. Going to concentrate extra hard on staying upright the whole run today!
-
More excellent conditions today. I didn't have the snap necessary to get close to anyone for video. So I set my own lines, tried to relax and stay smooth.
Moving where the big swells prefer is a good idea for me when it gets bigger. If I try to tell the ocean where I'm going things usually fall apart.
http://youtu.be/e22RL7sn2RM
-
Went today with three kids in their early 20s. Pretty good paddlers so I was able to open it up, not full bore but no paddle dragging. I let one of them try my 17 and I was back on an old 14 rudderless of mine. That heavy 28" wide board felt great in the strong conditions. Caught glides just holding blade against the wind and once I was rolling, it kept rolling so easy. Hero conditions, the kind we all dream about.
We got a storm entering Hawaiian waters tomorrow and could impact our area thurs night into friday. Costco was mayhem today.
But no hurricane has ever hit BI or Maui. Too much cold air trapped on high altitude mountains. If it's deflected south then it could have a possibility of hooking into Oahu and or Kauai. Also with recent high wind event, upwelling cools the water surface, which sucks the juice out of a tropical storm. But we have our batteries, lanterns and spare water. Doesn't take much storm for MECO to shut off the electricity.
But i'm wondering about how open ocean conditions will develop starting wednesday with massive east swell.
-
Saw you at maliko, pulling out in your truck, just as we got there in the shuttle. One more great day in store tomorrow before the east swell kicks into the BIG setting. I had an epic fast run, all the way to kanaha, then I fell four times before I got to the harbor. Still, it was one of the fastest runs I've had, 1:08 and change from left turn to entrance.
-
1:08?? Sheesh. I did a 1:35 Viento run yesterday and was pretty tickled about it. That's silly fast for Maliko. You're getting down close to Kalama and Riggs territory.
Be safe with this big storm guys.
-
1:08? / / That's silly fast for Maliko. You're getting down close to Kalama and Riggs territory.
What? That's no where near the elite guys. If they turn up the effort in those conditions they are sub 55.
That's about 2 MILES ahead of covesurfer's excellent run.
Nice run cove, that's fast on an F-16.
I remember back in the day when there were only F-16's, Kai Bartlett did his first standup maliko and broke the hour.
-
Yeah. As fast as that run was. Ralf was still changed and had his board on the car by the time we got to the showers...the day before Ralf and Jeremy left Maliko at the same time. When we got to the harbor we asked Ralf how he finished in comparison to Jeremy and he said Jeremy was gone by the time he landed at the harbor! Always a next level.
-
Boy, you guys are harsh. I was trying to give Gregg a little props for the effort. Thirteen minutes behind, he'd still be able to see them if they had brightly colored shirts.
I'm going to do today's Viento on my 12'2". I'd better take the Big Winds shuttle or I'm going to piss off everyone who needs to wait for me. Anything under two hours is a good run with that.
-
Haha. Well Cove has more toys than me, so I gotta get the punches in where I can!
-
That's what I get for bragging.
-
Oh, and SB is getting his new, light bullet17 this week so balance of toys will tilt in Shep's favor!
-
Ultra-light...
-
never got under 1.17 last year...must have been the conditions..... :P
-
1:34 on the 12'2" today. If I'd done that at last year's Gorge Paddle Challenge I would have won the surfboard div overall instead of being third overall and first geezer (1:41). If course if we'd had today's conditions everyone would have been 4-5 minutes faster, and I wouldn't have spent a few minutes on the sandbar at Wells retrieving my wayward slippers--lot of swimming.
-
never got under 1.17 last year...must have been the conditions..... :P
Ha, indeed. With your ability to do the Miller's run when it's blasting, you would fly at maliko when it's good. Conditions are everything here.
Kai Bartlett is our fastest maliko paddler, he's in outrigger. He and the other top pros from Oahu and Cali can go under 50 minutes when it's ideal. If the top pros from your neck of the woods (South Africa) came here they would take minutes off of those times (because they are in skis). Truly amazing how fast the top paddlers are, in any craft. Connor and Kai Lenny blaze on 12-6 standups.
As this next storm approaches, the wind may swing north. Don't forget about the south shore. It's been good here after work. Not so bad trapped over here on the bunny hill when you guys are having fun at maliko.
Great practice steering a boat in tighter swells. Perfect for what to do if pinned on the reef at Kanaha with no hull speed. Cove is going to need that skill when he gets in his outrigger. That's why I keep telling him to stop paddling so much and practice steering. Don't go down the wave face, slam on the brakes if necessary. Let the wave go, the next one is right behind.
http://youtu.be/TetplfadPUM
Ah, maui 2k just updated. Here's a screen shot from tomorrow at 1. It may be a go before the rains. Today may blast too.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore800x643_zpse39d063e.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/southshore800x643_zpse39d063e.jpg.html)
-
Very fun run yesterday. Exhausted from too many runs in a row, so I tried an old trick to keep me from chasing bumps too hard. I breathed only through my nose. It forces me to think ahead and extend the glides as far as possible. I made it 40 minutes, then the swells started running me over.
So I picked it up enough to make the glides, but just enough. It's a great tool to teach reading the water. Fun day. Cove and southbay were happy at Makena.
http://youtu.be/CFBaNf_fvyA
-
The Southside was about as good as I have ever seen it yesterday. Sweet vid, as always, Larry.
Cove, and I surfed literally right next to each other for at least 8 miles. Wish we could have had a camera on each board (I think I remember a video that HM and LP did like that a long while back) but when it really cranking, its hard to think of anything besides getting in the water. I have been working on footwork, and Kihei is perfect for that sorta thing. The swells are so lined up, that you can work on cross stepping the exact same section over and over again. Made me take a couple silly falls, but it was a great day to work on using the whole board.
Kamolo had nothing on Kihei yesterday.
But being the southside, there was some weirdness. About 6 miles in Cove and I separated by a couple hundred yards, and for about 2 minutes the wind totally stopped, everything got completely silent and fish started jumping everywhere. Mololo, Papio, even a stick fish! Spider-sense was telling me to get paddling hard. Thank god the wind picked back up, and that was it, but it was sorta disconcerting to say the least.
Anyway, insanely awesome run, and makes me so happy to be back on Maui.
Maliko looks pretty good tonight at about 9pm....maybe I'll take my 10'0'' and a flashlight. I'll call Cove, he's a serious juinkie.
-
Maliko looks pretty good tonight at about 9pm....maybe I'll take my 10'0'' and a flashlight. I'll call Cove, he's a serious juinkie.
Hahaha! SB, it takes one to know one.
LPB got in touch this morning and I think he and Ralf went at 12:15 to Polo. I got his text around 11:35 and I didn't have time to go retrieve my board in town and make it over there. So, I missed it.
But, that's a great ^^^^^^^report! Yes indeed, there was a lot of sea life out there yesterday! So fun, can't wait to get back out there!
I'm already jonesing to get back in the water though and we've got days of messed up conditions ahead. And that's hoping we all get through the upcoming weather ok.
-
While you guys were doing DW runs, I was digging drainage canals to keep garage from flooding and also putting all my boards inside the sail loft. All my relatives got on the last plane out and after putting all the loose stuff away, I'm finally ready to kick back tonight. Off and on showers so far and just the usual 30+ mph winds we're already used to. 40-50 is where it gets 'festive' as PBill likes to say. Shit supposed to hit the fan in the next few hrs. and I'm sure Jeff is already feeling it on the Big Island. He's got his boards inside too.
DWding seems like a dream right now... can't wait.
-
Good luck buddy, keep your head down. And stay away from Ponohouse with all those sliding glass doors and photovoltaic arrays. Likely to be some really expensive frisbees. Tracy Dudley needs to get down in the caretaker's cottage and stay there until all the stuff stops flying.
Be safe all you Hawaii folks, I'll be thinking of you. We can replace the crap we collect, we can't replace you.
-
While you guys were doing DW runs, I was digging drainage canals to keep garage from flooding and also putting all my boards inside the sail loft. All my relatives got on the last plane out and after putting all the loose stuff away, I'm finally ready to kick back tonight. Off and on showers so far and just the usual 30+ mph winds we're already used to. 40-50 is where it gets 'festive' as PBill likes to say. Shit supposed to hit the fan in the next few hrs. and I'm sure Jeff is already feeling it on the Big Island. He's got his boards inside too.
DWding seems like a dream right now... can't wait.
JF posted a picture on facebook of his canoe and boards inside the house. Good to be able to get them inside where they won't become projectiles. Still not festive up here in Wailuku, just some rain and trade wind strength breezes. Be fine with me if it stayed that way. Some people up in Kula are getting high gusts ripping down the mountain.
With brown water and house confinement, I will be so grumpy in a couple of days that no one will want to be anywhere near me. Good thing my wife is in the PNW.
-
No damage overnight. Some falling cocos made a racket. No power lost and all my drainage channels worked great. Getting some powerful gusts right now at sunrise, maybe the strongest yet but there are patches of blue in the sky. Water looks very windy out front but weird surface. Low pressure isn't a user friendly thing.
My pal on Piiholo lost power. Euchs down on both Olinda and Piiholo. In Paia, sporadic wind gusts all night with significant rain but no wind that has made the house shake. Maybe 30-40 max so far.
First storm got caught in the Puna hook and stalled there overnight. They got creamed, over 20K homes without power on BI. Guess it's just moving offshore now but has been gutted.
Second storm should slide north.
-
Kula was almost completely untouched the entire time. We got more rain last week! About 15 min of gusts at 4am and besides that completely still. Haleakala completely shielded us. Hope JF808 and everyone else FBI is ok!
-
On the BI, Waikaloa was totally shielded while in Puna on the other side of Mauna Loa, they got 12 inches of rain.
-
Upper side Wailuku was pretty quiet all night. A few times the wind gusted up and we got some showers but nothing too intense. Above us, on Pu'u Kukui, the highest ridge in the W Maui's, it rained almost 6", according to the news.
This morning, there are some small blue patches but lots of dark out over the ocean, which is looking pretty festive by the way. Wind this morning has been pretty gusty, stronger than what we'd get from normal trades, I'm guessing up into the high 30's. The big gusts are brief.
Keeping fingers crossed that we won't get too much worse than what we've seen already. Seems like the big mountains on the BI did their job and took a lot out of the storm. But, they also stalled it and that sounds like it intensified the effects where the storm got backed up.
Glad HM and SB are doing ok - wondered about both you guys since HM is pretty close to the water and SB is in the path of any downslope winds racing down the mountain.
-
Light rain here now in south Kihei. Precip is rounding south of Haleakala's shadow. Nary a sprinkle last night.
14 inches and counting down south on the Big Island, hope everyone is doing ok. TV said 3 inches an hour was falling at times.
Yesterday's downwind conditions on the south shore:
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/11_zps3b3ea319.gif) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/11_zps3b3ea319.gif.html)
Excellent conditions all day. An odd window of kona backed things off when we met at polo, so we did a shorter run. As we launched it filled in and started blasting. Loading up was brutal. It was nuking to Makena. No worries mother nature, we were grateful for what we got.
-
LPB... I like the other looping vid you posted of Scarlet chomping on popcorn ... she's an 11
-
Here you go HM. I'm a Scarlett fan too.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/Popcorn-03-Scarlett-Johanssen-1.gif) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/Popcorn-03-Scarlett-Johanssen-1.gif.html)
Fun run today, conditions were really good. All the usual suspects were on the shuttle and had big smiles afterwards. Some very fast times.
I've been practicing with 'stability' pads in my 10. All this week over on the south shore, first maliko today. It went better than I expected, only one fall. I was on pins and needles the whole run. "Just stay in the boat." Just like starting over, very exciting. Leverage on the paddle is much improved with the raised seat. I can feel it in my core tonight.
Malikos are going to be scary for a while, but south shore is a riot. I'm having a solid insert built, very anxious to get it. Smooth and hard feels better than foam. I prefer sliding around in the bucket.
http://youtu.be/BcADjDzFCuM
-
^^^^Thanks for that LPB.^^^^
Today was one of the windier days I can recall on Maliko. I had a personal best time as well. Some of my swiftness today may have resulted from spotting a tiger (maybe 8 or 9 feet) outside of Upper Kanaha. The water was exceptionally clear and I got a long look. Shiver me timbers. This gal (or guy) was maybe 6 - 10 feet off to my left and about four feet down. I came up on it fast and just kept right on going!
I had a strong motivation to stay on top of my board for the remainder of the run and had no more falls. Caught almost everything I went for, especially after the first third of the run, which initially felt slow and sticky to me but gradually got better and better. After a short while it was Stellar. Everybody was smiling and stoked at the finish. Sure feel fortunate to get days like today!
-
Seeing Tigers is good for your soul. The bad part about seeing them is it's like spotting deer. Once you know what to look for you'll be seeing a lot more. The good news is that whether you see them or not, they aren't actively hunting us. If that were the case I'd move to Cleveland.
LPB--that's such a fine clip. No one eats popcorn better.
-
Seeing Tigers is good for your soul. The bad part about seeing them is it's like spotting deer. Once you know what to look for you'll be seeing a lot more. The good news is that whether you see them or not, they aren't actively hunting us. If that were the case I'd move to Cleveland.
LPB--that's such a fine clip. No one eats popcorn better.
Cleveland? Where they actually do hunt us.
I agree about seeing Tigers. Saw the shadow of something close to the length of my board just outside the gulch a few weeks back. If it was whale season, I would have said that. The size kinda rattled me but that 'what-can-you--do-about-it' mentality took over. This is like the Serengeti here in Hawaiian waters. Many places in the world--they're gone.
Yesterday smoked on the south side as well.
-
South shore has been fun this week.
http://youtu.be/l9rMJFQ6FJs
-
Damn that does look good. Checked the cams earlier and saw nothing even tho I figured it would be smokin over there with the WD we had over on N shore. So went for a so so run from Maliko.... What time did you launch?
-
^Just a little after 3.
It's been excellent on the south shore if you are willing to wait for the wind to turn. It's probably going to be good again today.
Kathy had a stellar run late Wednesday, launch was probably 4:30, due to my usual work schedule. We launched from the boardwalk with good wind direction and speed. Her inside line was ideal for the Halama street express. Perfect rollers one after another. Most fun she's ever had in a ski.
I got off early Friday. Southbay joined in for a 2:45 launch. It was offshore, we struggled in the skis. I stayed behind to keep an eye out for Kathy, she had decided to follow SB's line and he was way out. I was concerned for SB too, it can get knarly out there. So when we finished I expected to hear SB say 'man, what a struggle' but he said 'that was the most surfy downwinder I've ever done. Super fun'. That new ultra light bullet must be fun under a good surfer.
-
It is and he is.
-
As is she.
And y'all.
But not I.
-
Thanks for the kind words guys...now if I could only beat Cove! grrr.... ;) Kihei was so much fun on Friday. I was literally laughing out loud to myself and how much fun I was having. I was able to make a hard left and drag my paddle along the wave face, and then tun right and drop in again, hard left again and surf....over and over again. This new Ultra Light SIC Bullet 17 is really really surfy. The super light swing weight really allows you to be able to turn the board from the tail.
Maliko yesterday looked like a tough day. The wind was pretty North and a couple ski guys had just done a run and said the current was running really hard in the wrong direction. I had not gone the day before, and Kathy and Ralf were game, so I was in despite the conditions being not quite ideal. Turned out to be alot of fun! It was a little convoluted till sprecks, but then in lined up really well all the way through lowers. There were a couple east swell bombs that were stacking and make for some really good drops, and runs, but because of the speed they carried, you really had to work hard for each one. Things got interesting at Pier 1. The swell was nice sized and there was plenty of bumps, but the current was really running hard in the opposite direction. There were parts that felt like the Gorge to me (note: I've only been there once) it had the sensation of catching bumps, but not really moving all that fast. At pier 1 looked down at my watch and thought I may have a really good time. I was at 55 minutes, and figured I could get there in 10 minutes, putting me at a 1:05 and my best time ever......well, it took me 17 minutes, so I posted a 1:12. Not bad, especially considering the wind was not all that strong, but pretty amazing what that current can do!
Resting today and hoping for a Southside tomorrow!
Southbay
-
Nice SB! I'm back tomorrow but don't get in until almost 3. Back on it Wednesday, you're gonna put it to me with that new bullet! Woot!
-
That's what you always say!
-
LPB, I'm in need of a good surf ski report and one of your great vids. Can't remember a time in recent history that this thread was off of Page 1. But today I find it at the bottom of a Page 2. Yikes?
-
Perhaps LPB will accommodate you but we have been in a period of greatly diminished trades for a couple of weeks now. Consistent fun sized swells have fortunately been rolling in so all is not lost. But, Maliko has been very north northeast when there has been wind and generally, the winds on the north shore have been under 20 knots most days for at least the last 10 days or so. I know LBP has gotten some good late afternoon south side runs lately so perhaps he'll come up with something.
The NNE wind direction has been kind of persistent and the man-of-wars have been blowing into the north shore of Maui.
Southbay and I did a light-wind Maliko a couple of days ago and frankly, even though it was pretty weak - maybe 15 knots with small but fun bumps - we were happy to get anything. But, when SB sat down on his board outside of Maliko, maybe out 1/2 a mile, he was immediately hit by a man o war on his leg. SB being Southbay, it just fired his adrenaline and he proceeded to hammer out the top 3/4 of the run, finally slowing down just a little near the end, enough to at least let me catch up to him.
The man o war over here are fairly small, only a few inches in circumference. That makes them hard to see as they look like a little bubble on the water. But their stings are just like the big blue fatties that they have off of Florida. Somehow, I got lucky and managed to avoid getting stung.
It's been fun with all the surf that's been rolling in and there haven't been any jellies over on the south and west sides, where we've been getting nice swell. But I'm really ready for some nice, brisk trades to take away the humidity (so I can sleep instead of lurking on the zone at 1130 at night) and bring back our downwinding!
-
Thanks for the status update. Kind olf crazy that the jellyfish have been pretty thick around here as of late also. You have to wonder if the warmer ocean temps have anything to do with that. Here's hoping that you guys get your trades back soon.
-
Kihei looks pretty good right now, although not real strong. I'm betting LP is out right now....I need to get a boat.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
Yeah, when my daughter leaves for school on Wednesday, I'm going to start taking the canoe out again. Unless it cranks and we can do standup downwind again!
-
I'm jonesing for my Scorpius right now. It's pretty flat in the Gorge--though we might have something today. So flat that Rod called me yesterday about going out and chasing the sternwheeler on surfboards. I've done it, it's fun, but when it gets away, there you are, however far from the car you happened to end up, on a surfboard. 40 minutes behind the sternwheeler = ten or so miles. Worth it while you're doing it.
-
Pono, we will all have to go out in the boats when you get back. Greg has a boat, I just bought one today, I hear Jeremy has a ski, Kathy has a ski, Larry of course. Should be a fun alternative.
-
You'll notice my name wasn't mentioned. The last holdout.
-
I didn't want to freak you out, but you're gonna have to get one now! (http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/09/16/65d4d59a90bded1a4b19651b69d5cd4c.jpg)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
Headmount has room! SB, that thing looks fast!
-
Very cool SB. I'm so glad that boat fit you. Joel takes very good care of his stuff. That's a score. At under 19 pounds, that boat will respond to your inputs very quickly. And it's super strong due to the seamless construction. Very, very nice boat.
Bill Foote tried a ski and loved it. He may get one. PB belongs in a V-8 too. Then HM can inherit his outrigger!
SB, you are going to have so much fun at maliko on light days. Your mind will be completely blown. A few downwinders then back on the standup is also very interesting. Your vision on the standup will be different. It's a cool sensation. Hard to explain, but you will see it right away. Nothing to think about to make it happen, it just does. You will be more efficient at choosing smart lines on the standup.
-
^^^^Agree with LPB, OC1 makes you read the water. My stand-up downwind has improved dramatically. Less effort, more glides, faster average speeds.
-
Smokin' today? No, but definitely smokin' hot. In fact, Kahului set yet another high temperature record today. It has just been brutally hot now for days and days and days. Almost no trade wind. Well, today, we got a little - maybe 12 to 16 knots for a couple of hours in the mid afternoon. It blew out on the ocean anyway; I doubt there was much in town.
A handful of us rallied for a Maliko run about 12:30. I would say the general attitude was something like, ok already, it's sweltering hot and no water time for days, I'm going no matter what! What little wind there was came up after a glassy morning so the bumps were going to be on the smaller side. There is a tiny groundswell from the N/NW but it just adds a little interest to the surface. Not anything to get excited over.
Since it was so light, the four of us that were desperate enough to go took boats: LPB, Kathy and Richard were on their skis, I was on my OC1. I have only paddled the canoe once, a couple of evenings ago, since mid July, so I'm a little rusty. I mounted my canoe at Maliko and promptly hulied, right in the brown water of the gulch. Lovely. Remounted, paddled to the clean ocean water at the mouth and jumped in to cool down again and at least rinse off.
Even though it wasn't very windy, it was a nice run. Lots of fun waves to catch, pretty much the entire way, and a fair amount of wind push for a good portion of the run. The skis were gone as soon as we turned downwind. Within 10 minutes, I couldn't even see them any more and I really needed to concentrate on my own run anyway.
It's interesting how much crossover there is between stand up and OC1. In the boat, I found myself paddling less intensely and trying to use the rudder to extend my glide times. I'm happy to say, it worked! I got more connections today than I've gotten in my canoe before and my speeds, while likely not impressive to an experienced oc-1 paddler, were respectable and certainly a good deal more steady than I'd have managed on my standup. But I've been doing a lot better using the rudder and connecting glides on the standup and that skill translated directly. So that was cool. And, I didn't huli again for the whole run. But, while I was steering and reading the water better, my ama flying was weak so I just concentrated on trying to be smooth, especially when setting, not smacking, the ama back down. I worked on paddle technique and balance too, but in the end, I felt a bit spastic. Definitely rusty and out of practice.
By the finish, I was sweating like you can only sweat on a really humid, hot day when you're actually exercising with some effort. It almost felt good but not really. Even the water feels almost too warm. When I got to the beach and got out of my boat, it wasn't really even that refreshing. The nice outdoor shower felt pretty good though.
Well, that's it for today's report. Felt like it needed to be done! Tomorrow, I'm hoping for another OC1 run. Trades are supposed to finally return Tuesday. Keeping my fingers crossed.
-
Wind finally returned yesterday but still hot as, out there. Water felt sticky and figured a three week lay off was the culprit but younger stronger guys than me echoed the same thing. Certainly felt out of shape but good conditions can make you feel like a champ. Looks better today. Two in a row? Yippy kay yeah
-
So jealous. The report this week looks awesome. Best we have had in quite a while. I'm off to Tahoe where the whole place has been on fire for weeks. That should be fun! Hope you guys get it really good this week. Post some photos! Pretend you're JR for a day, maybe it will make you faster!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
Today looks better than yesterday. I had what felt like a terrible run, although my time wasn't awful. Still, it was so sticky, it felt like I fought the whole way. I fell five(!!!!!) times. Hope I can do better today.
-
It was a tough day. Kathy "almost fell".... Haha!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
I know! Hahaha!
-
Don't know how many days we'll get but today was back on. I'm still out of shape but conditions stoked me so much that things went pretty well. No falls anyway.
-
Had a stellar run. Four stupid falls but other than that, one of the most fun runs I can think of. Kanaha on was all surfing. Lots and lots of bumps.
-
South shore has been excellent late afternoons. Here's a video for you Ericspin.
I've been very busy at work, very little spare time for videos, still paddling each day.
Mike's insert has transformed the 10 in a very positive way. It steers much better and allows total freedom of the hips to slide in the bucket. My arms feel fine even after a session of full gas intervals. The load is on my legs now, boat really zooms. All the construction details are in the surfski.info forum. I may start experimenting with lifting it higher yet in preparation for a 14. That seating position and bucket was the inspiration for the insert. I'll need two boats though, the stability of the 10 is a must for very big north shore days.
http://youtu.be/TMXSZhHu8xU
-
Mike's insert has transformed the 10 in a very positive way.
Hi LPB,
whats the new seat height difference with the insert,
between footwell and lowest point of the bucket?
-
^ I've never measured that difference. I did take very accurate measurements of the insert before and after. The insert raises me 13/16" and moves me forward 5/8". The boat has more roll to it, but the old 10 hull is predictable. It feels more stable because it steers better. I'm going to try and scoot it forward, hoping the fore and aft balance improves again.
Here's a clip of a good save yesterday. Skis don't need no stinking amas. That's what legs are for! :)
http://youtu.be/-MQH0rmiPG8
-
That is awesome LP! Cat like reflexes for sure! I had to rewind it to catch it the first time.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
LPB: Nice technique, I never saw that move before. "Surfski Right foot brace"?
SB: Nice OC, and beautiful dog!
I've been trying the Epic seat pads to improve my balance, so after 5 years I can move from my V10S to a narrower ski. It's a set of 4 seat pads stacked with velcro. You start with one pad, and then add a second, then a third, then the 4th. I'm up to 1 pad on the ocean, and 3-4 pads on flat water.
I'll be interested in researching Mike's seat insert.
-
^Jonothan C's scanner method has many advantages. Here's the thread.
http://www.surfski.info/forum/1-general/18156-composite-seat-pad.html
-
That was a cool moment LPB and the neat thing about video.
-
http://mauinow.com/2014/09/26/swell-winds-prompt-high-surf-advisory-for-east-shores/
^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ Seriously?? Now they tell me???
Interesting Maliko today. I could see what looked like a fairly good sized, long period swell out there but it was coming more from the NE than the more usual N or NW winter direction. Checked surfline, omaui, NOAA, and a couple other sites and nobody was talking about any significant swell for today. I don't mind paddling with some swell on Maliko if I know what to expect and if I'm fairly certain I can handle the conditions. But one thing I DON'T like is doing a Maliko when there is a decent sized swell and little wind. That's pretty much what it shaped up to be too.
Although HM was out for today, Ron and Kathy were going and I jumped in with them. Driving down to the harbor I was shocked to see rather large breaking sets coming all the way in and rolling down the jetty on the west side. Wow, that's interesting I thought. Still, I really wanted to get out there, I needed a workout, it was sticky hot and what little wind we have is not supposed to last very long past the weekend.
So, up to the top we went. Kathy was going on Chan's old Foote 14 today, which I thought was pretty cool. Because of the swell direction being more easterly, it looked pretty predictable out there. The sometimes terrifying upper outer outer upper Kanaha monster didn't look to be breaking today and although staying outside looked prudent, it looked very do-able. And, it was.
But, it wasn't a particularly great run. In typical winter-time fashion, we exited the gulch to paddle across large, long-period rollers coming in from the ENE. I've seen it much bigger and have gone out a number of times where I was pretty scared. Today, I was only in the 'concerned' range. Kathy and I went pretty far outside, I'd guess about 3/4 mile out of the gulch and then turned west.
Because of the large swell, we wanted to be far outside today so we kept working to our right as the wave train wanted to push us in towards the reefs and coast. That was fine but the really big drop ins were better if you went left. I only went for a few, but they were really fun.
The wind was on the light side and the current felt like it was pushing hard against us. I missed many potential glides. It was a day where the mantra was go right and try to get the little bumps and work up your speed so that you'd have a shot at the big ones.
Getting past Sprecks and the potential 'valley of the shadow of death' as I think of it, was pretty much a non event, even with the light wind. The easterly swell was impressive looking and Kathy would regularly disappear into the troughs but because of the direction, it wasn't breaking on the outer reefs. Still, watching those massive rollers move on through was pretty amazing. The backs looked huge and it was so cool to watch all that energy moving through the water.
Getting into the harbor, I got a few rides but for the most part, I felt like I was fighting to get in. So many great waves went right under me and paddling as hard as I could, I just couldn't get most of them. And, there were the occasional rogue sets moving into Pier 1. If you had taken the wrong line, too far to the inside, you could have had kind of a bad day.
Once in the harbor, there was no relief. The wind was only blowing about 15 or so, but straight out of the east, making the paddle in a real effort. I was talking to myself the whole way, 'you wanted a workout, you got one! man, I feel weak. Why do I suck so much? do I even know how to paddle?? Keep paddling, there's the beach...' shit like that.
After the run, talking to a few of the other nutjobs crazy enough to go today, I found out that at least I wasn't the only one that felt like the water was going backwards nearly the entire run. Still, I'm glad I went and seeing the ocean when it starts to get it's winter roll on is a reminder of how fun the Summer days are and how impressive the coming Winter ones can be.
-
Great write up Cove. When HM decides not to go, for no reason, there is usually a reason. Sometimes those big east swell days line up and are awesome, but other times the swell is moving so fast it actually prevents you from catching much. Could you have caught them on your OC-1?
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
-
Honestly, I wouldn't have wanted to try....too big for me in a boat at my level of experience.
-
Saturday we had a fun run to Makena. It was an average wind situation when we planned it - met at Sarento's. By then the wind had filled in. So we asked Kathy how far to go. Makena, of course.
Sadly, the tide was not ideal.
The first 8 miles were excellent, last two were blah. I could feel the tidal forces pushing me extra fast or slow.
This video shows a faster segment. The tide was zooming me, but I had a tough time keeping up. It's hard to get just the right speed to maintain a good pace without extra effort. I have good speed here, but am struggling too much to zoom up to the good path. By the end, it's total failure - a leg out of the boat to prevent a fall. I rarely hit 13 on the south shore. That's the tide zooming me along - not my skill. A skilled paddler would have been a half boat length ahead and smoothly kept going.
Kai Bartlett passed me on the outside, toward the end of the run. That's always a treat. It's amazing how fast those elites are. Very smooth and blazing fast.
http://youtu.be/ie2sJStRjOM
-
Interesting run yesterday for sure. LPB, video just doesn't do the conditions that we had justice. Fun to watch but the camera makes it look like little lake waves with 7 knots of wind. In reality, it was more like 4' to 6' drops with wind in the 30's.
If I had known how windy it was going to be, I would have chosen to ride my F16 instead of my OC. I still had a blast, but it was especially challenging for me, being pretty much a novice in the boat. The swell period was relatively short and the waves were pretty steep. I found myself fighting to stay upright, which at times cost me plenty of speed. It is tough to fit a 20+ foot canoe into steep, short period swell. Angling presents additional challenges as you really do much better if the ama is clear and free of the water. The boat goes much faster and steers better. Sometimes I got it, sometimes I didn't.
Near the end, maybe 1/2 mile from the finish, the swell was really confused as there is a lot of reverb off the rocky shorelines. I finally got caught and hulied. My boat immediately went sideways in the wind, current and swell. I barely got it righted, the wind and waves were hitting the ama side as I got it rightside up and I had to fight it into position. In the process, I managed to sprain my middle finger on my left hand. I can't flip anybody off but I can still give a shaka so I guess that's ok, yeah? I was able to do a sloppy but effective remount and make it in but it was really challenging. You have to go in to your left and that's ama side. The steep waves really wanted to flip me over again but I managed to get in with little drama.
As good as the wind was, my Garmin tells the story. My speeds are pretty much what they would have been on a fast standup downwinder. Fastest mile was near the top where the waves hadn't fully developed. Kind of humbling. I too saw Kai Bartlett out in front of me. It looked like he was not too far in from me passing Sorrentos as I think he must've launched there. But he quickly disappeared. I noticed that he was really angling through the swells, left, right, repeat. Maybe when my ama and boat control are better, I can start angling more in those shortie swells too. Lots of stuff going on in the oc1 in those challenging conditions and lots to learn!
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/600349975
-
Talk to LPB about that. It the main reason I'm thinking about a ski, though they seem even harder to get back into. The ama is always where you don't want it to be, including zipping over your head.
-
Cove, I may not be reading your post correctly, but it sounds like you may have re entered the boat with the ama up wind from the hull.
I think I remember leaving the boat upside down after a flip and moving it around so that the ama was upwind. Then, when I flipped it right side up, the ama was downwind.
PB, V-8's are virtually impossible to flip and far easier to remount than oc-1's.
-
I tried one in hood river. I'm more talented at flipping than you, I rolled it a half dozen times. Didn't know how to get back in so I finally had to swim it in and get a lesson. Progressed better after that.
-
LPB, this is what happened in more detail: The boat hulied and quickly got sideways to the wind and waves with the ama on the downwind side, upside down. I was anxious to remount before worse things happened and I just managed to flip the boat right-side up, pushing the ama up into the wind and waves. It almost blew back over. My leash was tangled and somehow I swam the boat so that the stern was into the waves before my sloppy remount. I remounted from the right-hand, non ama side. Once back in the boat, I dangled my left leg to stabilize and straightened out my tangled up leash. I didn't remount while the ama was still sideways to the waves. That would have been pretty trick but I doubt I could pull it off.
As for the ama not being where you want it, that's sort of true. The guys that are good at oc1 seem to have it figured out but I can see why a ski makes sense. Less to screw around with too when you are loading, transporting and getting in and out of the water. But, there is something about the oc's that just pulls me back. It is still like riding in a go-cart on the water.
PB, if you get into a ski after you get back here, when you're all trimmed down, drinking only pure water, avoiding alcohol (one of my favorite beverages) and not eating anything with sugar in it, maybe we can talk HM into trying out your Scorpius.
-
I'm a month from being back and probably a year from being trim--if it works. My body seems to hang on to blubber like it was gold. Plus I didn't exactly stay on the wagon last night. This guy kept pouring me glenfiddich. But now it's two am and I can't sleep. So back on I go.
-
We can hound each other when you get here
-
We've had an extended stretch of sticky, hot weather with only a smattering of days with any wind whatsoever. Even so, the fickle south shore has had a few outstanding afternoons, but you have to be patient enough to wait for it to develop, sometimes late in the day, and then ready and able to put a run together in short order.
The north side has had wind, but it's been on the light side, well under 20 mph for quite a while now and many days, it's just barely gotten into the double digits. Looking at the forecast this morning, prediction was 15 to 20 mph for the afternoon. That was the best forecast I'd seen for the north shore in at least a week. Being desperate, I figured I'd go, but I'd hedge my bet by taking my OC1 rather than a board.
That was probably my best decision of the day. The top 1/2 of Maliko was decent, with the forecasted 15 to 20 mph ENE wind actually materializing. Bumps were nice and catchable. Once I turned left and headed for the harbor, I was cooking along pretty well and noticed a LOT of small fish jumping. That's fairly common, but today I got a little extra.
Maybe a mile or two into the run, up ahead, I saw a green-brownish shape in the water, right on my line. The color was consistent with the many turtles you're likely to encounter out there and I'd already passed one that quickly dove for deep water when it saw me closing in. I caught a bump and worked the boat to the right to avoid a 'turtle bump' and was quickly right next to a 4' to 5' shark, which I'm thinking was a black tip. It was swimming very leisurely along, right below the surface, with it's dorsal fin sticking up a few inches out of the water. It was in no hurry and there were popio jumping all around it. I glided by with the guy maybe 3 to 4 feet away from my ama. I looked back once I passed it to see if it was interested in me enough to change it's course. It wasn't. Those fish were it's Saturday afternoon game. Kind of a cool encounter.
Near Sprecks, the wind began to wither and the last third of the run was a lot of paddling, although in an OC1, you can still get a lot of bumps, but you have to work harder, steer better and be smoother. All the stuff I'm trying to learn out there. Good opportunity for practice. It was a hot slog from the harbor entrance to the beach and I submerged myself at the finish but the water is so warm, it doesn't feel very cooling on a super hot day like today. Still, it was a good way to pass a Saturday afternoon and the sea life display was pretty cool too. I'm really feeling forturnate to have a boat for these kind of days. It gets me on the water and into some waves when that's the only game in town. Doing today's run on a standup would have been pretty miserable.
-
SouthBay said he was dropping at Sugar and that sounded like the good call so I launched with him and his pal, South on a 9' and his pal on something less than 12'. Wanted to get the feel of what 25% less weight meant. It was astonishing how in those weak wind conditions with just the faintest bump, the board released. Definitely had to work to do it but the glides were there. Had planned to stick with SouthBay but was so intrigued with the new ride, I slipped away.
Still on the outer reef at Sprecks when a sizeable face reared up, highlighted in the afternoon sun with a side offshore wind on it. It was a thing of beauty but woke me up to the fact that summer is over and time to stop being myopic.
Anyway the board is no longer new which as Cove theorized was the reason there hasn't been any help from the wind gods.
After his homage to the shark and my breaking in a new board, our account should be paid in full. Time for it to rip but today is not only windless but voggy.
-
The next few days look almost completely windless. Good trades forecast to return Wednesday or Thursday. Thanks HM, your sacrifice will be rewarded before the week is through!
-
HM you look really good on your new board. I was super jealous as you effortless slipped away and became a speck on the horizon. You looked completely comfortable. Can't wait to see it in some wind! I'm out all week....so you guys should get some epic conditions! You're welcome!
Btw, there were a lot of Malolo jumping out there yesterday. That can make your think on a 17' downwind board, but it really makes you feel alive when your a mile out on a 9' longboard that is half sunk already!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
-
Winter is on the way with full on Mr. Toad's wild ride. Love this pic of one of those stormy gnarl days.
-
That's a cool shot. Big swell forecast for the north side late in the week, about the same time the trades are due back.
-
Fun south shore yesterday. HM and I decided in the Sarento's parking lot to do the big run to Makena. Conditions were epic at that time, I assured him it wouldn't switch...
HM and Cove took a standard standup line, which is usually very fun with the on shore 'ish conditions. I went way outside. It's usually windier out there and will often hold bigger conditions on the Makena run. Boats can curve in late in the run without much drama.
I think the tide was contrary. It was stacking up even a mile and a half off shore. Very good wind for about half the run, then it started fading. I was able to keep good speed up until the last mile and a half - at the white dot. The swell was still rolling enough for excellent conditions. Then it was tough sledding. Super fun before that. Big, big swells. Big wind at the beginning.
I drove HM's truck back to Sarento's to get the standups. A hide a key for your pals is a VERY good idea on downwinders. Most of us have one set up for the occasional need. It's a huge time saver.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore10-11-14800x402_zps742fdfbf.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/southshore10-11-14800x402_zps742fdfbf.jpg.html)
-
So many great runs over on the south side over the years but it's always a fickle mistress and it's important to remember that and have what if scenarios set up in advance, like the keys LPB mentioned.
Many of us have our pals cell numbers programed into our cells but don't have have hard wired into our minds where we could use them to call when we finish off goal and borrow a phone.
LPB remembered where I kept my key from shuttling many times years ago. Fortunately I don't change my MO. Good to know where your buddies hide their keys
Yeah that strong lunar cycle is a bitch. Felt like cement out there, new board and all
The plus side of the equation is we didn't try to squeak out of Maliko where things could have been really terrible.
-
That's funny. I remember where your keys are, but you know where mine is too--around my neck! Here in Hood River my F350 truck has a combination lock for entry. I think two thirds of hood river knows the combo. It's usually open by the time I get to the beach.
-
Little vid from last Wednesdays Downwind race in Cape Town filmed by Richard Kohler from his surfski - first race of our 20 week season! Wind was 12-20knots so a bit weak and you'll see him pass a number of SUP's on his way to winning the surfski class.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1iExT7ysHM
-
Looks like Ana may send us some big winds before she hits. Could be wild!
http://iwindsurf.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=29133 (http://iwindsurf.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=29133)
"Looking for big winds? Hurricane Ana currently a modest hurricane SW of Hawaii should have at least 75 knot winds by this weekend. And it's modeled trajectory has it coming right over Maui.
The first video shows Ana's current location while the second video shows Ana's modeled location on Oct, 18.
When hurricanes are near land or currents like the Gulf Stream the models lose accuracy but over the open ocean they are pretty accurate so if you are kiting or windsurfing the North Pacific High's trade winds today get ready for smaller gear by Sunday. Probably GUSTY UP AND DOWN winds....."
Mike Godsey
iwindsurf.com (http://iwindsurf.com)
Plus good old http://www.windguru.cz/int/ (http://www.windguru.cz/int/) looks wild too...could be the biggest southside run of my life on Saturday:
-
Have fun and get it all warmed up for me. 20 days and a wakeup.
-
Looking forward to your return. I have a new gay trucker that is sure to annoy you! Plus I'm getting tired of being the only one to give Cove shit.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
Looking forward to your return. I have a new gay trucker that is sure to annoy you! Plus I'm getting tired of being the only one to give Cove shit.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks SB, like he's going to need any encouragement. I'm just feeling ok that DR DANGER BEAT him at BOP. That's a really good thing to have in your back pocket. ;D
We did the north side today. Conditions were a bit sticky and the wind was light at worst, moderate at best. Surface was a bit choppy. The smaller glides seemed to be a lot more productive than the bigger ones, for the most part anyway.
The conditions and having paddled very little for the past few weeks combined to make it kind of a tough run. Kathy and SB smoked me. I tried to take some comfort from those two being on fast 17+ footers but Bill H was on an F16 and he killed it, so it isn't the board. I'm feeling kind of old and slow right now, totally vulnerable to a good smack talkin'.
See you in 20 days PB! Bring your A game, it's a tough crowd.
-
SB, perhaps you meant to add "hat", or is there something you need to talk to your family about?
Gerry gave me some grief about getting my ass kicked. Kind of a prelim to getting back to Maui.
-
Whoops, talk about a Freudian slip! Yes hat, I do not currently have a gay trucker in my possession. Not that there is anything wrong with that....
Cove is right on, yesterday was hard. I actually got some of the longest glides I have ever got, but it was hard the whole way. I was tired half way through. Messy water, inconsistent wind and reverse tides. I felt majorly out of shape. As always the southside makes you feel like you really know what your doing, and Maliko reminds you that you are but a tick on the dogs ass! I don't think I will ever get over the feeling of relief that I feel when I get to the harbor....phew made it in alive!
-
I'm just feeling ok that DR DANGER BEAT him at BOP. That's a really good thing to have in your back pocket. ;D
First thing I told Diane when I got in was "I am so f*^%$d. You might have to go back to Maui by yourself. I need to lay low for at least a year." After I won the unlimited geezer class in the distance race she said "does this cancel it out" and I said "No, but I only have to hide for six months now."
Glad you cleared that up SB. Not that there's anything wrong with having your own personal gay trucker.
I've gotta say one thing about the Doc. He does the stuff. Most people in their late sixties are on the tour bus watching people do things. Molokai to Oahu solo, without really enough experience? Sheesh. Yeah, it took him eight hours, but he refused to get in the boat. I know those waves at the BOP scared the poop out of him, but he did it anyway. Both days.
He comes on way too strong, and he's as full of shit as a Christmas turkey--and no, I'm not talking about myself--but he's got a lot of guts.
Still, I really, really, REALLY didn't want him to beat me. I was paddling my guts out. He was complaining on the beach that every time he turned around I was right on his tail. Yes. I was. And it about killed me. He's fast on that Standamaran.
-
I'm just feeling ok that DR DANGER BEAT him at BOP. That's a really good thing to have in your back pocket. ;D
First thing I told Diane when I got in was "I am so f*^%$d. You might have to go back to Maui by yourself. I need to lay low for at least a year." After I won the unlimited geezer class in the distance race she said "does this cancel it out" and I said "No, but I only have to hide for six months now."
Glad you cleared that up SB. Not that there's anything wrong with having your own personal gay trucker.
I've gotta say one thing about the Doc. He does the stuff. Most people in their late sixties are on the tour bus watching people do things. Molokai to Oahu solo, without really enough experience? Sheesh. Yeah, it took him eight hours, but he refused to get in the boat. I know those waves at the BOP scared the poop out of him, but he did it anyway. Both days.
He comes on way too strong, and he's as full of shit as a Christmas turkey--and no, I'm not talking about myself--but he's got a lot of guts.
Still, I really, really, REALLY didn't want him to beat me. I was paddling my guts out. He was complaining on the beach that every time he turned around I was right on his tail. Yes. I was. And it about killed me. He's fast on that Standamaran.
^^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^
Good points, Spin Doctor! ;D ;D ;D ;D
-
Yeah, I know, it's hopeless.
I'll bring you a hat.
-
Was Dr. No the only one with a standamaran? Thought I saw another in the vids which also ate shit big time.
What about pleading out as a gimp? It's only been a few months since your surgery. That's legit. We'll tackle Cove and bend his arms back until he taps out.
My boards have gecko shit on them. I'm one of those pathetic guys in front of a computer too long.
-
that was the Doc, for sure. Face plant guy?
I'm playing the gimp card and the age card,
-
You just don't know who your friends are anymore. What HM isn't saying is that the gecko crusted board of his is a brand new light weight Bullet 17. Probably weighs 24 to 26 lbs. And, we know he didn't get that board because it's easier to lift up on the truck.
Between the persistent lack of wind for weeks now and the upcoming storm, paddling has been sporadic and missing from way too many days. On yesterday's light, choppy Maliko run, I could really feel my lack of paddling fitness.
Maybe PB will bring some good conditions along when he comes back.
-
My first full on winter condition DW run of the season. Surf was hefty for the last three days with a direction that has erratic sets popping up anywhere at outer Kanaha. Sun was at that winter like angle in afternoon so that glare was significant and blinding even with MJs. Because of glare I overdid the pathline to the outside to avoid getting surprised. Swell created counter current that was like glue and added to very intense crossed up sea surface. Glides were there but it was rugged, very rugged. One of the most difficult paddles in a long time.
Victor saw a very big tiger that passed him going opposite direction and then turned on him up close but no hit. He was still rattled at the end.
After a strenuous run we were treated to ultra smooth waves crossing the reef at kite bch. all the way to the oil tank bch. so run ended well. I didn't see anything.
-
That sounds exactly like yesterday...except for the tiger stalking. Damn that is scary. As if there is not enough to worry about out there! I swear there were come sets that were 20ft top to bottom. It was neat impossible to stick together, plus my buddy just dusted me and never looked back! I have to drive my "friend" to the airport tomorrow at 1230, so I'm hoping the wind stays and the waves keep dropping.....or the wind goes and the waves stay :) LMK if you'll want to go tomorrow.
-
I went out in my oc1 down at the harbor. There were big, sloppy breaking sets at the slot and fun rolling, but not breaking, swells in front of the canoe hale. Ralf was out paddling his B17 around in the wind.
I surfed the boat for an hour and a half and felt like I got a decent paddling workout. At one point, as I was turning the boat back to the right to head out for more, some kind of fish, maybe 3 feet long, went under me going towards the beach at about 40 mph. I have no idea what it was. I wondered what was chasing it. I didn't see any other sea life, except for the fish in the attached picture I snapped with my MePro.
After our hateful paddle Wednesday, I don't have a whole lot of mojo to get back out there. Still wishing for some good conditions over on the other side.
-
With this direction, I'd be very surprised if we got a southside run tomorrow. I'll go on the boat, or SUP tomorrow with you. It was really fun on the boat the last few days. The sticky water is not as big a deal with the boat..
-
Yeah SB, I think you're right about that, the boat is the way. I was less concerned with getting my clock cleaned by the surf than by the currents from all that water moving around. It should back down by tomorrow paddle time.
-
I surfed the boat for an hour and a half and felt like I got a decent paddling workout. At one point, as I was turning the boat back to the right to head out for more, some kind of fish, maybe 3 feet long, went under me going towards the beach at about 40 mph. I have no idea what it was. I wondered what was chasing it. I didn't see any other sea life, except for the fish in the attached picture I snapped with my MePro.
It was probably the chaser, not the chasee. Likely an Ono. they like deeper water mostly, but they go where they choose. I had a jumper chasing a Malolo nearly spear me in the leg on a Maliko run a few years ago. That wouldn't be good.
-
I'll be in the harbor at 7 with one of my ski ducklings. You guys should join us one of these Sunday mornings. She wants to do maliko in the worst way, but I won't let her yet. She loves to surf in her ski and is fearless out the harbor entrance.
So she goes out the harbor entrance and uphill. It's the best training possible for downwind, and she kills it. She dragged me all the way to Spreck's last week. It's a great workout, nice time of day etc...
Perfect time to work on all your (my) weaknesses, such as sitting up tall and dealing with balance on less than ideal waves. She won't go too far uphill with the wind and swell today, I hope. She still pulls too hard on the downhill section, needs to be patient and let the boat run, but that will come with seat time. I just hang back and wait for the ocean to push me and surf up to her.
Patriots and Manning are on today at 10:30. I got my mojo back yesterday with another early harbor practice. If the game ends early enough I may jump the shuttle. Depends on how much Tara beats me up. Great training to relax and let the ocean do the work. Perfect for drills. You guys are going to benefit from those types of workouts, boats use different muscles... Plant the blade and pull up front...
Whoops, daylight savings ended, game is at 11:30, no maliko for me today.
-
So, this past Wednesday, SB and I jumped on our standups and did the Maliko run together. It was the first time both of us had been on our boards, instead of our boats, in a quite a while. It was horrendous. Almost no wind, plenty of good sized surf on the inside and sticky currents. At the end of that run, I was not excited to get back on my board or even go out and try for a run. Thursday brought big surf and not much more wind and same with Friday. SB went both days in his boat (see posts above) and gets big respect from me for going. It was spooky how big it was and randomly breaking on the outer outer reefs as well.
So, today looked better. The surf was coming down fast even though there were still leftovers early. The wind looked pretty good too. I started the day with an 18 mile bike ride, early, and when I got home and showered my phone was lighting up. A lot of the true junkies wanted to go. I was still luke warm about going. Wednesday's awful paddle kept creeping into my head. But, I really, really wanted to give it a go. Yeah, it might suck but it was worth at least trying.
Jumped on the shuttle at 1 with HM, SB, and some others, it was more standups than boats for a change. On the ride up, it started to look really dismal, the wind seemed to be dying and the ocean had only a few white caps. Windsurfers were shlogging on the inside at Hookipa. Uh-oh. Too late, in for a penny, in for a pound.
We all took off like scalded cats. HM turned downwind first, gradually working his way outside by riding right. SB, Ralf, Devin and I headed outside first, then turned down. Ralf was outta sight before I could say 'Mark Rapphorst'. Never saw him until the harbor. SB and Devin and I started together but those two went straight down while I worked more out to the right and outside. I managed to keep them in sight the entire run but they smoked it! I think that is the best I've seen SB paddle yet and he never let up. He and Devin were racing it!
There were catchable bumps the whole way and inconsistent but good gusty wind. A few times it got really sticky but then the wind would blow and you'd accel away. There was a really nice rolling easterly wind swell but the big, ugly groundswell from the north seems to have evaporated.
I got some great surfs coming into the harbor and one unwanted surprise. Just as I'm about in the entrance, a tug with a barge in tow is coming out. I hugged the left jetty and turned hard along the breakwall as soon as I got in. HM was just behind me and he apparently had to wait it out. Kind of freaky, man, those big boys are impressive up close and you do NOT want to get in their way. That would be a very bad move. Anyway, it was a good run, my first good one on Maliko on a standup in as long as I can remember. Now I'm stoked again!
-
Hauling ass into that last stretch was great until I glanced up to see the cable tighten from the tug to the barge. That got my attention and just sat down and hid in the pilings before the entrance until they passed. Cove went for it like nothing was going on but my position was worse and as PBill posted in some old age thread, "just don't die." Somehow that lightbulb turned on.
Surf had subsided but current was still present in some parts. Cross ups were ten times less than yesterday and end section to the entrance was sensational.
-
Today was awesome. I was really starting to think that the boat was messing with my head on the SUP. Was the SUP really ever fun? Did the glide and speed of the boat warp my idea of what a fun downwind run is? The answer to both is probably yes. The boat has made the idea of slogging it out on a mediocre downwind run sound dismal, but surfing is always going to be more fun standing. Today was a great surf run. It was good right out of the gate and got better and better! I also think the boat is helping me see the glides better. The glide is so much greater on the boat, that you are forced to look further ahead. Today I found myself looking further ahead than normal, and like driving a car on the track you need to look around the corner, not at the corner, or you will end up in the corner. Looking a bump or two ahead gets you into those bumps. I have been so concerned with the bump I am in, that I end up loosing the glide to the left or the right. Does that make sense? Anyway...I have obviously not mastered this, but thinking about it is the first step, and the boat forces you tho think ahead.
Off to the mainland tomorrow, back Friday. Looks like the wind is dying this week, hopefully it picks up for the weekend!
-
Great stuff SB, I'm so glad to hear the boat is fun for you. I was concerned that you might not get the bug. That was my concern with Kathy too, but she's happy in the boat as well.
I'm still boat only, but rebuilding slowly on my 9-6. For you guys - boats are ideal when conditions are not suitable for surfing, Sup surfing or Sup downwinding. You can still get out on the water in teeny waves, or, (like your visit with Kai) very big waves on a downwind run. No fun on a standup - big challenge and super fun in boats. Very good to cross train that core too. Maui has tons of outriggers for a very good reason.
Another great benefit of outrigger is watching how the old timers use the currents. I was surfing the chute early Sunday, and Pedro Gaspero Sr. paddled out. He's super fun to watch. I'd paddle behind him on the uphill section to get back to the lineup, just to watch his form.
It was already windy, so it took some effort to move uphill. But this guy is the grand champion of going slow motion and moving right along. I could barely pace him. Easily two strokes for each one of his. But he was reading the water better. Old paddlers will blow your mind. So smooth - so effortless.
-
Today I found myself looking further ahead than normal, and like driving a car on the track you need to look around the corner, not at the corner, or you will end up in the corner. Looking a bump or two ahead gets you into those bumps. I have been so concerned with the bump I am in, that I end up loosing the glide to the left or the right. Does that make sense? Anyway...I have obviously not mastered this,
I have not mastered this either but it is coming. I remember when I was paddling with JR in Maui and I asked him where he looked on a downwind run and he told me it was 2 or 3 bumps in front and I just could not get my head around that. I was having enough difficulty in keeping the nose of my board "in the trough" let alone look over the bump to see what was happening on the other side. Now what I have found is that the more wind there is the easier and more necessary it is to look further ahead and I am 100% sure that the more I do this the longer glides I get and the better links I make..
-
I stopped into S.I.C. to leave a deposit for a bullet 17. They had one that was refused for a minor blemish in the paint. It's silver on top. It looks fine, just a few black dots here and there...
So, rather than a 2 month wait, it only took a few hours to slap on the stickers and plumb it. 25 pounds 13 ounces before rudder and cables, so it's under 27. Feels super light. I'm stoked to be taking up downwinding again on standup. It's been maybe 3 or 4 years...
It's good to be back on the dark side...
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2014-11-11002800x360_zpsd9f8d029.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/2014-11-11002800x360_zpsd9f8d029.jpg.html)
-
Wow, LPB, she's a beaut!
-
Wow, that's a pretty one. Wicked look, I like the silver. 27 pounds!!! I weighed my V2 a couple of days ago, I overstated the weight, it's 38 pounds. I can't believe someone walked away from that.
-
Very Nice! Now all we need is some wind!
-
It's good to be back on the dark side...
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/2014-11-11002800x360_zpsd9f8d029.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/2014-11-11002800x360_zpsd9f8d029.jpg.html)
Congrats LPB,
we need to see first if you have learned proper reading water on your surfski...
I'll bet, you will miss the Wingpaddle.
-
South shore was really good today, I've only seen it better a few times.
Slightly offshore direction - just enough to be a challenge to get in quick to Sarento's from the boardwalk. It was bending in later, so it would have been ideal for a longer run. Very steady and strong wind. I've been practicing sharp angles these past few days and it paid off today.
I fell 6 times Tuesday running sharp angles in lighter conditions. When it's lighter, I try to make it as hard as possible to get ready for days like today. Remounting is the most important skill in ski's. It's very tricky when the wind is cranking.
They lost a guy in South Africa during a race last weekend. Cause of death wasn't known yet, but the ski forum has been talking a lot about safety.
http://youtu.be/-3YMnMAu9pI
-
They lost a guy in South Africa during a race last weekend. Cause of death wasn't known yet, but the ski forum has been talking a lot about safety.
Yes, this was very very sad indeed. http://www.dispatchlive.co.za/news/paddler-died-due-to-drowning/
We had our annual Surfski, Outrigger and SUP competition this past weekend, www.thedragonrun.com.hk and for the main Surfski and OC race, downwind conditions were the best they have been in a few years with 160+ competitors from a dozen or so countries. I hope there are lessons that can be learned from this terrible tragedy. By all accounts the race was well organised and the search fast and extensive. For those of us who get involved in organising open ocean races, this is something we will be looking at closely, to learn what can be done to prevent this type of tragedy ever happening again in the future. It seems the tracking devices used in the M2O are the way to go so you can see where everyone is at any time. Does anyone know who provided this system or the technology used?
-
LPB, another great video. Conditions looked as awesome as you reported. I know that you and I have talked ski many times over the years. Mostly me asking your advice regarding boat selection. Have you seen this article? Really good info IMO.
http://northcoastkayaks.com/2014/11/26/epic-surfski-speed-comparison-with-greg-barton/
I may have gone overboard a bit but still have the old V8 and have since added a V10S as well as a V10. Both in the last model but in Pergformance layup. Also, still paddling my OC1. Your Sport was the older hull style. right? Curious if you have had a chance to paddle the new Sport and how you would compare it to the 10 in the conditions that you paddle. Did a pretty good DW here in the west coast of FL last weekend and chose the V8 as it was my first true DW paddle. Had lots of opportunities to grab some bumps during other paddles but this was a legit 30 knot (pretty big for us) DW. I know why you are so addicted. Anxious to now try it in the Sport. I want back thru the archives of the Smokin Summer Malioko thread to reread your posts around the time you were switcjhing over to the 10. Seems like there were/are lots of things you liked better about the 10 over the Sport in DW paddles.
My experience has been pretty spot-on similar to what Barton offers in the article. Seems there is very little difference between the two in a straight out paddle. The 10 feels like it achieved those results more smoothly and with less effort. Although my balancing muscles fatigue quicker which leads to the swimming. But seems that your experience has been that in a DW the 10 outshines the Sport. Is that a fair statement? Of course, that's what Oscar always says as well. So far all of my experiences in the 10 have included some involuntary swimming. Can't even imagine how fast it must slide through a DW.
Hope you guys had a Happy Thanksgiving. I am so anxious to get over a do some ski DW paddling with you guys. Would be awesome. Keeping pumping out the video when you can. Love watching them.
-
Wow, I wish I had a sport or an 8 for Oscar drills. Glad to see you are into the ski's, they are so fun. I'll respond to your post later, I need to scoot off to work.
Does anyone know who provided this system or the technology used?
I have my opinions about the tracking used at M2O and last years lack of tracking and near death of a paddler at M2M. Here are the links to the organizers of both. I'd contact them for the real story. M2M is going to do something different this year after last years debacle.
jkfoti@gmail.com
mph@mauipaddlinghui.org
-
Near death at M2M?
-
Seven o'clock and the wind is howling at my house. Good day for shaking off that turkey coma. I didn't think I ate that much, but my body says differently this morning. Maybe it was the second dessert. Or the third.
SB--yeah, a guy was in the water a long, long time. they didn't miss him until very late.
-
SB, the guy at M2M was on OC1 in the July race. The story was that he was trying to fix his hydration pack, got hulied, boat went to the end of the leash which then snapped, leaving him in the water. I think I heard that this was way out in the Kamalo portion of the race. He was in the water for hours, in gnarly water conditions before miraculously being randomly found by a fisherman returning to Kaunakakai. He ended up fully recovering, but he was in the hospital on Oahu for a couple of days. Someone even found his boat. They announced it during the latter part of the awards ceremony. I think the guy is a trained and very experienced waterman with full survival skills. But that only buys you a bit of extra time before the conditions become overwhelming. Anyway, that is the story that I heard and read. He was in rough shape from ordeal when he was found. Very scary.
The organizer for that m2m race is Rodney Kilborn and Handsome Buggah Productions. MPH organizes the other m2m that is held in April.
-
Wow, not sure how I missed that one. I'm hoping to do that race on my oc1 this year. You too Cove.
-
Ha! Maybe SB. I don't know if I could stand missing out on doing the race on standup. That is the most epic experience I've ever had!
-
I hadn't heard about that either. Sounds terrifying, the snap of the leash, the wait... all of it reminds us that we skate on thin ice. I imagine the pull on the leash of an OC is more than our SUPs.
-
South shore was really good today, I've only seen it better a few times.
Slightly offshore direction - just enough to be a challenge to get in quick to Sarento's from the boardwalk. It was bending in later, so it would have been ideal for a longer run. Very steady and strong wind. I've been practicing sharp angles these past few days and it paid off today.
I fell 6 times Tuesday running sharp angles in lighter conditions. When it's lighter, I try to make it as hard as possible to get ready for days like today. Remounting is the most important skill in ski's. It's very tricky when the wind is cranking.
They lost a guy in South Africa during a race last weekend. Cause of death wasn't known yet, but the ski forum has been talking a lot about safety.
That was an awesome field of whitewater you approached at around .57. Was that the shoals that kick up steep sections on bigger days? That area is the best I've ever experienced... short but sweet.
-
I plan on doing some Maui to Molokai races this year, I'll train up for it. But I'll have an escort boat. It doesn't matter to me who the promoter is, I figure the only person responsible for my life is me.
-
If you can group up for the escort boat, and you have a good captain, it's fine to have several paddlers covered by one boat. I does make you feel better when you're 8 miles off of Maui and you still have 19 miles to go. 8)
-
I hadn't heard about that either. Sounds terrifying, the snap of the leash, the wait... all of it reminds us that we skate on thin ice. I imagine the pull on the leash of an OC is more than our SUPs.
Remember that day I almost lost my wallet after I hulied my oc1 on the south side? I could not believe how hard the boat was pulling against the leash. And that day was relatively light, especially compared to the conditions we had today. It would be very easy to lose a canoe, your board or a ski on a big day.
Out in the channels, you are pretty much facing a death sentence if you lose your gear. The guy that lost his boat in the race was lucky beyond imagination that a boat randomly found him. What are the chances of that? It's totally unreal!
Doing a channel crossing, it's good to know there is an escort boat, even if it isn't always right next to you. Someone is keeping an eye on you out there. It improves the odds if things go wrong. When you look around in the middle of the Pailolo of the Kaiwe, there is nothing but water. You have to have a boat for M2O but you don't for M2M. I wouldn't do a crossing without one.
-
Yeah, you could do a group and stick together, but in my experience once the race starts your "friends" can forget about the whole group thing....
-
So much bitterness.
Like we don't know who is going to leave all their 'friends' behind this year, eh Mr. Southbay?
-
haha! seriously I needed to get my ass kicked on that one!
-
It will be fine to have other people share the escort boat, but I'm paying for it. And I'm giving the captain a big tip--half before and half at the end. It WILL remain close to me.
Signed,
Tail gunner bill
-
But seems that your experience has been that in a DW the 10 outshines the Sport. Is that a fair statement?
Yes, that's how it was for me. The 10 would hold it's line on a glide better than the sport. The sport I had was the old, old version. It had a very wide bucket. My 10 fits much better. The fit may be part of the reason it surfed better.
The sport and the 8 are fast boats too, with their own advantages over the 10. The main one being the ability to paddle it with a better stroke.
I've been dusted by 8's and sports. I won't paddle other boats because I might want to buy one.
Enjoy those boats. You are fortunate to have 4. I wish I had an outrigger and an 8.
-
Does anyone know who provided this system or the technology used?
I have my opinions about the tracking used at M2O and last years lack of tracking and near death of a paddler at M2M. Here are the links to the organizers of both. I'd contact them for the real story. M2M is going to do something different this year after last years debacle.
jkfoti@gmail.com
mph@mauipaddlinghui.org
Thanks LPB. I appreciate this and we'll be in contact. We have a race debriefing meeting next week so this is one of the things on the agenda. In this day and age it should be possible to have good waterproof tracking devices for these type of events in addition to all the normal and usual safety measures taken by competitors and organisers.
-
LPB, I think when it is all said and done I will sell the Sport as I find my center in the 10. I really love the way the 10 fits as well. Love the more snug feel of the bucket. But, for the time being, I need the stability of the Sport. And the 8 has become my wife's boat. She would have no part of me selling it. Using it in the DW last week was very reassuring. I want to DW in the 10 now but need to be patient.
-
That sounds like a great plan Eric, very cool that your wife gets out on the water in a ski. Those 8's are super fun. Keep doing your Oscar drills and your new 10 will be a piece of cake in any conditions. That's a stable boat. It's as stable as the old sport.
The old 10, 12 and 14 are only suitable for people with many years in the bucket that paddle all the time. Probably 90% of all ski paddlers are in a boat that's too advanced for their skills - and I'm one of them.
I'd go faster in your new 10. But l like my old 10 with the raised seat. I don't care about overall speed anymore. My racing days are over. I just like surfing around on the knife edge. It's so thrilling. Those new Epic shorts are great too. I wear a pair under some surf shorts and the bucket is slipperier than oil on ice. I fall all the time in lighter conditions when I push the angles. On big days like today I don't fall, because I know where my limits are. Drill your weaknesses and it pays on big days.
Only 3 things to remember when downwinding. Relax and keep the boat going downhill, and let the boat run. That's what the elites here do and they motor.
Here's the video from today. I took a relatively inside line for today's conditions. I usually go further out, but wanted to start with Kathy. She made a big jump forward in her speed yesterday. She has only been in ski for a year and is getting ready to zoom past me. She can already dust me in lighter conditions and is honking in the big stuff too. She set a good foundation and is starting to cut loose and charge some bigger swells. With her confidence building, the sky's the limit.
Yesterday she almost got me at the end. I was ready for her today and had to show her I was still boss in big wind. But it won't last. My days are numbered. I knew it the first day she paddled a ski. Great balance and posture from day one. She has more talent in her little finger than I have in my whole body. It took me 5 times the seat time to get where she is now.
http://youtu.be/ZFWCoqRTuUY
-
Nice LPB. Did you happen across that shoal line off the cove park area? I hit it dead on and my board went the fastest it has ever gone, fin humming, the works. Easy to traverse on as well since the slope had no moguls on it. Trough had stretched out to an enormous length, I'd guess about 10-15 yds. like a putting green.
Really enjoyed seeing the angle you had on some of those.
-
Thanks HM, glad you enjoyed the video. Here's the line I took on that video day, with marks that show where the clips started. It looks like the first two clips were feeling the reef. I like it in there too. I call it the 'Halama street express'
The second picture is today's line. I had a great time on the 'opihi' run. It was offshore wind until sarento's, then straight down the line. Everyone was far outside my line. Excellent wind. Fun surfy time for me.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore11-29-14800x400_zps860d705b.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/southshore11-29-14800x400_zps860d705b.jpg.html)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/southshore11-30-14800x384_zpscccc8988.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/southshore11-30-14800x384_zpscccc8988.jpg.html)
-
Good thing it was high tide about 1:00 today, that line might be a little thin otherwise. I've hit that point on the reef right outside the big condos/indian restaurant before.
-
Wow, that is so far inside! Well, when you passed me you were really moving, so it obviously worked!
-
That is interesting. I have paddled flat water close to shore from the cove down to Wailea and back but never tried it on a downwind run. You do need to be kind of careful between Halama Street beach and the cove (the Kalama Park section), there are huge rocks that are further out than you'd expect and they are just below the surface. I've paddled over those on my surfboard when there was only about 5" of water covering them. I'm always cautious off Kalama Park. Seems like you'd get great swells on that opihi line with the shallower water.
-
Actually there's a line even closer in that a few folks used to use--a gap in that reef, but if you get it wrong you're in deep doo-doo. I've done it a few times when the water is really clear and you can see well ahead, or if the tide is very high. I followed Slater Trout through it one day many years ago. It's fun--I might give it a go today just for old times sake.
Update: Oh, I just looked at the google map picture and see that's exactly what Larry did. You can see the gap in the picture above it. I guess I'm not the only one that remembers that.
It's like the hole I like to go through coming in to Makena. You can go way around, or you can go decisively inside into a place that looks like death and destruction but is actually fun and easy, but you can't do it halfway--it's one or the other.
-
Larry, had to share that last vid with some FB friends. Great ride. I actually thought you were in the latest model V10. Still intrigued with your custom seat insert. I remember that you documented the details of that. Was that here or on surfski.info? Anyway, yep, my plan is to become comfortable and confident in the 10. It just feels so much better than the Sport. Like I'm wearing it rather than sitting in it. Can't wait until I can hop in it and take off without the nervousness I have now. I'm fortunate to paddle with a couple of really strong paddlers. One in a new V10L and the other in a new V14. They both inspire me to be better with their confidence and stability. Keep those awesome videos coming and maybe one day I can post one of our DW videos. Ours are few and far between but are a lot of fun when they come.
-
\ Still intrigued with your custom seat insert. I remember that you documented the details of that. Was that here or on surfski.info? Anyway, yep, my plan is to become comfortable and confident in the 10. It just feels so much better than the Sport. /
That thread is on the ski forum somewhere. Jonathan C's method is far more practical. Like he said, I was lucky to have Mike to make me one. His method is very difficult to fabricate.
A smooth insert is infinitely better than sitting on foam. Skis need to slide under your butt. Not only for rotation, but for balance on the wave. We stay straight up, the boat rolls under us, like a log. We use our feet and paddle to control that roll, hopefully by adding some forward thrust. It's very subtle and impossible to master.
That is why a good fit on the sides of the bucket is so important. We need to feel where the boat is relative to our butts. Calf pads are good too. Instant feedback of the roll helps.
Do your Oscar drills and the fear of falling will go away sooner. That series is very comprehensive. When you can relax, the fun begins. That's why Epic has gone so far to make skis more stable. Those choices did not exist a few years ago.
-
I want to try one LPB
-
I wonder if the method I use for making race car seats would be useful. I mix two par foam, pour it in a black garbage bag, tape the bag to the seat shell and sit on it. The bag fills up around you and makes a precisely fitted seat. Has to be done carefully or you get sticky two part foam everywhere, including in your hair, but it's quick and effective.
-
That's what Kathy needs, a good fit in her boat. She was asking very serious questions about a custom smooth insert for her boat. Ideally, the sides of the bucket should just barely contact your butt. If the gap is too big, you kinda bounce around from side to side when the wave really starts pushing the boat. It's just like a snow skier leaning on an edge and using their weight to generate acceleration. It takes a while to get that feel, but when you do, skis go ballistic on swells. Kathy made that transition last week and wants more. I wish I had a laser scanner so I could make files for Mark Nelson. He could mill some inserts. Your trash bag idea sounds promising. She needs something smooth and secure. Taping foam on helps, but a smooth, hard side is ideal. Mine has completely transformed the way I paddle. The new 14 has a subtle curve inward at the top of the bucket. It wraps around your hips and hooks them in at the top.
Glad to hear it HM. I'll call the Epic rep and see if a new 8 is available for demo. The harbor is good for a first time. I like to start people very slowly, because the kayak seating position may feel odd. It was for me.
Skis have a bad reputation for being too hard to balance. I was walking my boat down to maliko about a year ago and passed Jeremy and Raaphorst chatting by his truck. Mark said he had tried a ski and couldn't stay in it. I told him he was in the wrong boat, it takes a bit of practice etc... I don't think he was convinced.
Jeremy has one now, and Kathy is flying. I had a feeling you would try a ski when real surfers got in them.
-
The V8 is a blast in a downwind. Can't even imagine the fun of that boat and the conditions you guys have. Will look forward to this paddle report.
-
Thanks to LPB my first time in a ski was yowza great. On the beach he showed me how to get into the boat and then in the water I did it without touching the bottom. Thought I'd be doing that all morning but the ski was super stable and only fell once after an hour when I twisted around while I was talking. LPB took some time in the beginning and tried to introduce some good stroke concepts to me before I hurt myself. When I slowed the pace and kept it clean I went amazingly fast.
Perfect little swells were pouring into Kahului harbor and after a bit I started riding them. Glad I got to do that because it really showed me what was going on with the ski's ability to catch anything that moved. A downwinder would be incredible. The thing slices like a knife along a swell, much more steady than a SUP 17. You can roll it over on its side on a swell and still it's rock steady.
Of course this isn't the sleek model LPB has but a perfect place to start for a geezer. Thanks again LPB. Mind is blown.
-
You looked good and comfortable surfing the boat. You had a big grin every time I'd look over at you.
-
Excellent job today HM. It was fun to watch you improve so quickly. It seemed to take about 10 minutes for you to relax and realize the boat was not going to kill you. In a way it was kinda funny to watch you that first minute or so. You had the focus of a carrier pilot about to land on a pitching deck, at night, in the rain. Or maybe it was the look of someone getting strapped into an electric chair for the big ride.
Watching you take about 15 minutes to figure out the stroke was cool too. Wings are a weird contraption. Super powerful and efficient if you guide them on the correct path. I should have filmed you so you could see what was really happening. That would have blown your mind for sure. It always freaks out any ski paddler to see what we are really doing.
Your stroke really did improve dramatically. No sign of imbalance side to side - nice smooth stroke. The trick is to not pull too hard and keep that top hand about eye level, going across the horizon. You got that pretty quick. The stable boat helps.
Glad you got to catch waves. You are ready for a light to medium day downwinding on the south shore. That's where skis excel compared to standups. That was fun looking over to see all three of us on the same wave.
-
Can't wait for that!
-
They start young in Tahiti.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/TahitiYoungster_zps8dfb56d5.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/TahitiYoungster_zps8dfb56d5.jpg.html)
-
Great Job HM!!!
Didn't think it would take long for you to catch on to something new.
Last week I was amazed at how fast those skiis flew by us. Nothing like having a new toy on the list to buy someday.
-
Tough Maliko today--for me anyway. We had just about every possible condition--oily and not much wind on top, monster swells at Camp one, and crossed-up and howling from Kanaha to the Harbor.
I got off to a bad start by falling early, and thoroughly proved my theory that a lot of this stuff is in your head. I fell a million times. Most of them were those stupid falls where you say "why did I do that" and "cut that out". But I kept doing it. I was being too conservative and not charging the waves, and that just sucks. I was at least 1:50 to the sand, which just sucks out loud. A floating coconut could do it in that time.
-
Really glad I got to go today. Started catching stuff as soon as I faded left at the top, even with the lighter wind. There wasn't much groundswell but that east wind swell was huge. The further I got, the windier it was. Swells were great, especially going right. And going right worked out because there was a bit of north that took you to the inside. It also seemed to smooth out the bumpiness. Getting past camp one was a relief and from lower Kanaha on, it was near continuous surfing, right to the harbor.
It was definitely turbulent and challenging but i only had two falls. That's surprisingly good for me considering the conditions. Finished with one of my better times feeling very stoked to have had a good Maliko. It was tough and technical, a classic Winter run. I sure love the south side downwinders but there is nothing like a good solid Maliko to get your adrenaline running full blast.
-
Took my OC-1 the last couple days. During the winter it tough to get a run that is smokin' all the way through, and the boat gets through the tough sections with much less effort. Plus, I am saying that I am going to do Maui to Molokai on my OC-1, in April, so I better start training on it.
Maliko is so tough. Pono, I feel you. I have had so many times out there when it just doesn't click. It is so technical that any one thing that is not quite right can really throw the run off. Plus, doing a lot of Kihei runs always messes me up for Maliko. The water outside baldwin felt really sticky to me, and then it got really mixed up. Once at Kanaha though it really opened up for me. I just worked on steering and then it was a sleigh ride into the harbor. Some of the drops going into the harbor were huge! The boat really jumps waves at a completely different level. I have a tough time quartering in it, but hopefully with time I'll get there.
Looks like we are gonna get some big surf this weekend, and the wind looks light on Sunday! See you guys out there...
-
SB, when you went by me, I think around Upper Kanaha, that was a tough section. As I told you after the run, watching you move the boat through that kapakahi water was interesting. You looked like you were sliding sideways at times, while the boat was pointed out to the right.
I was on the lookout for swells coming in unexpectedly from the north but we were out plenty far and the groundswell wasn't much. But, man o' man, that big east windswell was incredible. I was thinking of you approaching the harbor and how fast you must have been going. The angle from outside heading in towards the entrance was absolutely perfect for catching big drops. What a blast!
-
Bottom line though is just simply that the southside is not Maliko. All the southside runs in the world won't prep you for a real Maliko run.
-
Felt like my head wasn't screwed on right today. Got tentative and didn't attack enough so was subject to being tossed around. Heavy winter glare going left. Glorious sections but couldn't maintain mojo.
Ears have been ringing louder than normal recently. Even heard them out in the water with the wind howling.
-
we're coming apart like cheap suits.
-
/ All the southside runs in the world won't prep you for a real Maliko run.
Southbay and cove know what to do in their boats on the south shore to prep for maliko. Get in a boat and I'll tell you too. Boats are huge fun when the north shore is marginal on a standup.
-
I'll need to work on my gut first, when I bend like that for more than ten minutes my abs and back scream. Reference to cheap suit comment above.
I'm going again today--even with that bigger north swell. Probably. Got to jump back on that horse.
-
I have to work today, but the wind looks good again. The 51000 buoy is showing 11ft 14 seconds, so make sure to keep one eye on your right! Have fun, wish I could go today. Sunday looks like good surf and no wind!
-
The north side is lit up. The swell is definitely here. If you combine this new groundswell with that easterly windswell from yesterday, well, let's just say I get the heebie jeebies.
Wind has lightened up from earlier. That's consistent with the forecast. Doesn't look to be as good as yesterday. I'm out today and it sounds like HM's board is in at DK for a repair. If anybody else goes, hope you post a report.
-
Yeah, I'm not going. Boyum pretty much told me I was nuts. It's hitting 13 feet, so probably 25-30 foot swells coming across Camp One. I'll pick another day to get my groove back.
Eddie would go. But I'm certainly not Eddie.
-
It's not spring yet but just around the corner. We're chomping at the bit. A pic from the past to get us through until we're back in the saddle again.
Little glides that morph into bigger glides, it's the game of life out there in the wild blue. Alone with your own focus or lack of, you make your way. After a lifetime of prone surfing, I've grown to prefer this serenity of the open water. Every moment is a decision that results in where and when.
Pic from the great Jeremy Riggs who can turn around backwards and shoot a picture.
-
Today was a really really fun run. Glides right out of the gate and all the way to the harbor entrance! Kathy and I stuck together and just surfed the whole way. I brought the new GoPro again, and I tried to keep Kathy in frame when I could. Man, these things sure make everything look tiny. You can see the bumps alright, but I swear some of these were 6-8 feet. Trying to film someone else is tricky too. Kathy was right next to me and in the video...not so much. Regardless it is fun to relive the run after the fact. Tiring...but fun.
Averaged 8.5 today for a 1:04, which is a personal best! I think I can get under an hour (with wind like today) if I push and quit f-ing with the camera.
Hoping to go again tomorrow....can't decide if I am going to be a boat dork again, or man up and take the SUP? M2M in April, and I want to do it on the OC-1, so trying to get all the boat time I can. Hope you enjoy!
http://youtu.be/IBe9p5DBlhc
Southbay
-
Man up you weenie. Kathy too. Ah, well, okay, lady up, dammit.
I went looking for some old winter maliko threads. This one is pretty fun. Looking at the dates we were pretty much going every day, all winter, except when we just had to rest. http://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,18380.0.html
And by the way, it's winter Shep.
-
To be fair, SB offered to let me be in the movies too. All I'd have to do is paddle next to him. And, in spite of the fact that it looks like he is hardly working in the vid, I could not catch up to him and Kathy today. I mean, I started out maybe 10 yards behind these two and they scurried away from me as if I was going backwards! So, no stardom for me today.
I was working my butt off trying to steer into the glides and paddling in bursts at the right times but it didn't do it. At the end of the run when I found out that I was only 5 minutes down, I felt pretty good about that. Of course, at the speed we were going, that's damn near a mile behind. :o
SB and Kathy stayed barely visible in the big windswell. By the end of the run, I lost both of them completely. The harbor entrance was crazy. At one point I got my boat completely sideways to the harbor mouth with waves pounding into my ama trying to flip me. Crazy water. Intense east wind. Wish I could go again tomorrow.
-
It's 6:52 and there's whitecaps. Saddle up, buckaroo.
-
SB, Liked seeing the back end for a bit. It didn't seem to be lifting out of the water as you dropped in so that's pretty cool.
Been thinking about that distance between the ama and boat. Going for the farther distance to get more stability might result in the opposite out in rough water where a bump farther away would lift the ama and tilt you to the right. i used that 'more stable' setting in Bill's boat and could feel it lifting me to the right. Drove me crazy then but now I think I understand it.
-
HM, you are on the right track. Bringing the ama in makes it easier to track with the boat and makes it easier to "fly", which outweighs any additional stability. Yesterday was so fun. I could not stop thinking about the run all night. Unfortunately I just found out I had a meeting change times, and I can't go again today. Hope you guys get it good, and HM feels better.
Pono, if its smoking Maliko I am going to post here! haha
-
It's a bit counter intuitive. Bringing the ama in closer makes balancing easier for me, even though it's supposedly less stable. With the ama rigged stable, my boat always felt like it was on the verge of a huli. I'm out today too so have fun if you go and post a report.
-
Man, was it wicked today. The wind howled all night, and my assumption was that it would groom out the insanity of yesterday. Wrong. Not only was everything crossed up and crazy, but the wind was gusty, and the wind swells were huge. The baseline stuff was probably five feet as compared to yesterday's three feet, but the big mommas weren't ten feet like yesterday, they were twenty. And they were totally inconsistent.
I started off way inside, but the far end was covered in haze so I couldn't pick the usual landmarks, and the big stuff was coming though sounding like a pickup truck with bowling balls in the bed. The backsides of the big guys were covered in skeins of whitewater, which meant they were breaking in various places. I had a few breaking waves whip past my knee, but nothing tagged me. I was doing fine until Camp One, when everything went totally to shit. Big and small swells, all mixed together, going every which way. I saw wave shapes I've never seen before. W's, U shapes with a mound in the middle, big holes with swells falling into them. Seriously screwed.
When I finally could see the landmarks I realized I was further out than I've ever been. I knew I was catching a lot of rights, but that was ridiculous. I angled in and started catching long lefts. Fun but spooky because the big swells were refracting left. I'd catch a small bump and suddenly be looking down a huge, steep wave face. My rudder didn't seem to want to bite, probably because the faces were so bumpy that it wasn't in the water all that often. Most of the big drops ended with the same thought "Wow, okay, didn't die that time."
As I was passing Kanaha I was still angling in, but I was keeping a close eye out for the mysto Upper, outer, upper Kanaha. I know pretty well where it is, and there was nothing breaking on it. I decided I was through the worst of it and clear for a run to the harbor, when a big monster roared through, sounding like a jet taking off, sucked a big hole on top of UOU Pronounced Uh, Oh) and then fell into it with a crash.
Holy shit, thinks I, that was close. And then the board and I got picked up vertically and tossed into the pit. No chance for style. Helpless. Never saw the truck that hit me officer...
I hit the end of my leash going down under the water, which is unusual on a downwinder. Usually you kind of skip on the surface. I told myself to relax, don't waste energy, then I looked up and the surface looked like it was forty feet away. I swam like a madman for air and crawled on my board, gasping.
I sat there catching my breath, and realized how alone I really was. You're always alone on a Maliko, but none of the usual crew was with me except Kathy, and she was on a surfski--probably sitting down to dinner about then. If my board shattered and sunk or my leash broke no one would have any idea I had to swim for it. Even my wife is on a plane to Portland. It would be tomorrow before anyone even thought something might be wrong.
Ah, screw it, I thought, not that much different from any other time. I'm good with it. And I headed for the Harbor. About a hundred yards from the mouth, a pod of whales wandered in front of me. "Out of my way, I'm going in." I yelled. The milled around a bit, but left me a path.
Naturally there was a wicked cross wind in the harbor. Tonight I'm drinking beer and eating pizza. Because I can.
-
^ 8)
-
Because you can. That was a great report. Could relate to that lonely feeling. We've all been within eyesight so much recently, especially on the southside, that getting out of sight on the north shore gets a little freaky. Swell was coming up a tad today as well.
Well good you got a run because it looks grim for awhile.
-
Yep, great report PB. I couldn't help thinking about the message you left me though, rubbing it in that I couldn't go today. 8)
Maliko is the wild lands. Sounds like today it lived up to it's wild heritage.
-
That was a damn fine report Pono. Most Maliko runs end with me thinking "well I'm alive!". It is seriously an adventure every time. Jealous you got to go today.
Checking the report for tomorrow and its calling for 20MPH north winds, then 20MPH south winds?!? Strange....
-
Might be a southside in there if we time it right. 2K shows a real clusterf$#k
-
I don't know what forecast you're looking at but the only water game in town today looks like surf on the west or south side. There is a little swell over there. I went over to Kihei yesterday with my wife and I was shocked that something was rolling in again. Heading over now (8:30 am), will try the peaks first.
-
There's whitecaps in the bay, with the wind from the east, and a pretty big swell. don't know where any of that came from, it's not in the forecast. I think it might be short lived, and the swell is from last night's wind.
-
Check out the angles on this pic on this last weekends OC race. Pretty stunning conditions for them tho it woulda been treach on a SUB with those winds slanting onshore. That's why most of us were on the south side....
https://www.facebook.com/808photo.me/photos/a.615449155255601.1073741916.154574388009749/615449208588929/?type=1&theater
-
Kathy's first Maliko on an OC1, her first week on an OC (she's usually on a SUP or ski) and she actually pulled this off even though her paddle is on the wrong side. Amazing balance. She won the women's waterman series and was third overall in Women's OC1. You might have wondered why we think so highly of her. Now you know.
And yes, that's a Ke Nalu canoe paddle, and no, Ke Nalu doesn't make canoe paddles. Kathy wanted to buy it from me, but I'm going to just make her one for being such a studess.
(http://www.ponostyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Maliko.jpg)
(http://www.ponostyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Maliko2.jpg)
this is a second after she recovered the ama. You can see how scared she was.
(http://www.ponostyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Maliko3.jpg)
Kai calls this "Small kine fun"
(http://www.ponostyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Maliko4.jpg)
For those of you wondering why were always whining about goPros making Maliko look flat, this is NOT a big day. Not by a long shot.
(http://www.ponostyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Maliko5.jpg)
(http://www.ponostyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Maliko6.jpg)
(http://www.ponostyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Maliko7.jpg)
(http://www.ponostyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Maliko8.jpg)
-
I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I may never be ready to do a Maliko. Certainly not in any conditions that you folks describe as "festive".
-
It's really not that bad, you're up for it. You just don't want to look back. Most of that stuff rolls right under you, and if you have a guide they will take you around the spots where they won't. Those spots are actually great fun, but not for the uninitiated.
It's cool to see that a camera with the right lens can capture what it really looks like. That was what I'd call a moderate day. No big swells from a week of tradewind blowing across a thousand miles of fetch, and not much of a groundswell from the north. Just local, bumpy stuff.
-
Given my poor performance last time out and that shit seems headed further south that much bump would make for a long day IN the water. Maybe if I can find a twin of my Vec to rent or something even more stable than headmount's board that I used. Anyone on island have a wider Maliko 14 (or longer) that i could rent?
-
Today was my first Maliko in 5 months. Perfect conditions and felt like I'd been going regular. Still a southside preference but even with a medium swell the conditions weren't crossed up very much. Pretty stoked.
-
Good on ya, HM! Who did you paddle with?
I'm sidelined. Maybe I can get back to it soon, I hope.
-
Jimmy, Gavin, Victor and his son Shaun. Jimmy finally got racks on his new truck so there is a god. I think Gavin put them on but he still carries his board in the bed.
Get well soon
-
The trades were back today in full force on the north shore. I booked the shuttle around 8:30, figuring I'd paddle OC1 if it ended up light and give my healing foot another day of lower stress. By 11am, it was clear that we were going to have an all-time run today. I popped 2 ibuprofen, stretched my feet and lower legs and called it good. I've got enough antibiotics in my system to kill anything and no cuts so I'm good to go.
I'd say the wind angle was a solid E but there was some north swell that caused the large and building easterly windswell to veer towards the inside. Going right was more challenging and slower, but it was necessary if you wanted to maintain your line. Wind must have been gusting to 35 as the tops of waves were getting blown off. It was a little gusty but there was always plenty of horsepower in the wind. It was pretty easy to chase the fast moving windswell, not always as easy to catch as I thought it would be but the wind really helped.
Had 3 falls, all of them kind of dumb but with my foot still on the mend, I was a little more clumsy and not quite as quick as I would have liked. All things considered, three falls wasn't bad at all. It was pretty chopped up at times and you had to really pay attention. When I hit the edge of the outer reef near Sprecks, it really got topsy turvy but after another mile, it was surf city and there were great runners that you could catch and ride right or left. I even managed to do a couple of extended surfs following the wave faces with just the rudder and no paddling at all. That was cool.
This was only my 3rd Maliko run in 2015 so far. To get a day that was so good after such a long time was just really something to be grateful for. I love the south side with it's groomers that make most of us feel like downwind heros but Maliko is the real deal. It doesn't cut you much slack. Today was one of those really good Maliko days that almost made me feel like I'd learned a little this winter paddling Kihei. I'm sure I'll get slapped down shortly.
As always, it felt good to enter the harbor. I kept looking over my right shoulder for approaching ships but saw nothing. It was weird, but I had this feeling another big vessel was coming even though I couldn't see one. The Pasha ship was still unloading so it wouldn't be going anywhere for a while. Still, the harbor was brutal with the easterly wind direction and velocity. Took me a long time to get across and it wasn't a lot of fun. About 30 minutes after we got in, I looked out and saw a huge tug with a barge in tow approaching the mouth. That would have been ugly. So, missing that and having a great run really wiped away the harbor pain. There may be more on tap, forecast looks pretty decent for tradewind coming up.
-
Indian country for sure. That was SO much fun, but there were some pretty spooky drops. the ground swell doesn't seem to do this, but some of the big wind swells seem to be deeper than they are tall, like the water all sucks back up the face. I'm sure it's just the short period. I dropped into one today that went so deep that I could see the color of the reef in the bottom. I thought for a second it might go dry. If it had, I don't know what I would have done--probably would have frozen solid from pure fear. As it was it gave me one of those adrenalin jolts that leave your ears ringing.
Those windswells don't veer because of groundswell--there wan't much and the waves pass right through each other anyway. They refract in when they hit the shallower water. It's a living lesson in wave dynamics. And a crazy classroom. A couple of times the teacher nearly clipped me. I could hear the pickup truck full of coconuts rumbling up behind me.
I had a bunch of falls at the top, my knee was stiff, and I was psyching myself out. I'd think "I'm going to fall" and of course I'd fall. I hate that. I'm also back on my V2 Bullet, which is tough on steep and deep days. My V1 is still in the shop. I finally loosened up and stopped freaking out, and I didn't fall at all from Mamas to Kanaha--which was definitely the craziest section. Then I started falling again from Kanaha to the harbor. Probably just the knee going south, or the rumba I had to do in those backwash waves.
Great run though, and like you said, the groomers on the southside don't really prep you for the backcountry. Usually by this time in the year I would have had 80 plus Malikos. I think this year I've done four. Strange year, but the southside certainly made up for it, and no one can complain about the surf this year--except that it ended too soon.
-
I finally loosened up and stopped freaking out, and I didn't fall at all from Mamas to Kanaha--which was definitely the craziest section.
That was a healthy wind swell. Wait till it blows for 5 days in a row like that. Gonna get huge.
I had to have several talks with myself to stop concentrating on the madness all around and to just relax and go with it. Those little self-talking to's made all the difference. If I stopped charging, I'd get 'out of shape' where the board would be fighting the swells instead of traveling with them. If I looked outside or even ahead of me, I saw huge wind swell rolling through that looked like it would kill me. But, then I'd remind myself that I was already in that and it was just fine. Then I'd relax again.
-
I was doing the same thing: Read the water, don't watch the war. If you look at the maelstrom to the side, or out in front where there's twenty foot breaking waves, or heaven forbid, look behind you, then things are going to go badly.
I know for sure that the thing that makes newbies freak out is the first time they look back and see what's coming at them. That can make you crap your boardies then and there. I fall when I see some whitewater coming from the side, or look out at the stuff in front of me that looks like death and destruction. If I focus on catching the bump in front of me, and keeping the board in the power, then I'm gold. Maliko is all about focus. If I loose it for a second and I'm in trouble. One reason I love it so much--no worrying about anything else when you're doing it.
-
Just to let you guys know I really appreciate you sharing your descriptions with us in such graphic detail together with your feelings. We may never get to experience the conditions you describe but reading what you write puts us right there with you. Keep the reports coming! We love 'em!
-
Nice little Maliko today, pretty mellow. Good up top, light at the bottom. Kind of a Maliko 95--Introduction to Maliko as opposed to yesterday's Maliko 201--Intermediate Maliko, or the Midwinter Maliko 401--Please God Don't Let Me Die Out Here.
I had a clean run until Kanaha, when my knee started locking up and pitching me off. Time to get it juiced again. I have a appointment the day after I get back to the mainland. I'm doing the geeze walk when I go down stairs--half steps, hanging onto the railing. sucks getting old. I only need a railing on the right side of my board. I never fall to the left.
It will be nice to get my V1 back as well, it's less stable, but it doesn't punch as much. I had my GoPro on the nose, and it looked like a cutwater.
-
Maliko has many moods, that's for sure. Today started out promising, solid wind and nice swells. The wind backed down around outer Sprecks but, the swell was still going. I swear it felt like the water was moving the opposite direction that I was paddling in at times. You had to do a lot of fast paddling if you wanted to get into and stay on the swells. Even though I caught bumps almost the entire way, I probably only had four or six linked up glides the whole run, and those were on the top. But, I only fell 2X so I cut my falls by over 30% compared to the day before! ;)
PB, I'm going down the stairs same as you. My healing foot was NOT up for two days on Maliko in a row at this stage. Kind of feels like I dropped a 50 lb. block of concrete on it right now. I'm icing and elevating and feeling like I'm coming apart like a cheap suit!
I couldn't help trying to dig and get the glides all the way to the end. It felt like I went race pace today. Could be that I just paddled hard but I think being on antibiotics has something to do with diminished performance and energy.
I am absolutely thrashed. I'm off tomorrow. Unless it looks really good. Then I might take my one macanu. I can't imagine doing another standup run on this foot until it heals. Oh, and, I'm not addicted to downwind. I can stop anytime I want.
-
Nice little video of Jeremy and Dave on yesterdays' light Maliko. Just as we were getting the boards into Maliko Gulch Milton showed up with his jet ski with a young lady on the back . I think he was fishing. Anyway, Jeremy handed her his camera and she shot this:
https://vimeo.com/124023779
He and Dave disappeared pretty quickly on those splinter boards.
It was kind of a who's who yesterday. Kai Barlett in his OC, Dave K, Jeremy, and the rest of the usual suspect in the shuttle. Connor Baxter and Cody Kerbox shuttled themselves. Lots of people considering how lightweight it was.
-
Paddled OC1 down Maliko today. Almost a mirror copy of yesterday but a little better wind on the second half of the run. But, the current seemed stronger. In the boat, neither of those were factors.
Lots of missing faces today but a few regulars including R-squared, Devin, Sharon, and the guy from Latvia. It was his last day here and he had to leave from the harbor to make his flight. He is the Latvian National Champion standup paddler. He said there's only about 30 people in the whole country that paddle! He got progressively faster each day on his rented 14. He was grinning wall to wall when he finished today.
One of the paddlers on the van, Lawrence, failed to materialize at the finish. Livio, Randy, Sharon and I waited about an hour and a half, then I drove up to Pier 1 and RR went to Kanaha, where he found him. He'd hurt his shoulder and come in there. His wife was on her way to pick him up. Good thing Randy found him there, we were just about to call Ocean Rescue. Alls well that ends well.
-
I should have gone. I was replacing the motors in one of my drones and it glitched, spinning the prop and slicing one of my fingers impressively. Had to go to the doc and get it glued together. Four hundred bucks at the walk in clinic--sheesh.
Dumbass.
-
Sheesh Bill! I bust my ass not to get so much as a crack in my skin and you're taking off whole body parts! But I'm the one with the damn infection!
And here I thought you were serving your time, going to the Maui Fashion Show at the college.
How long out of the water?
-
not sure. You mean I missed the fashion show?
-
Even you would not go to such lengths to avoid going on a nice outing to the fashion show.
Please post some photos of the carnage. Got any go pro of the actual accident? Remember how you've been calling me a sissy for complaining about my inflamed foot....
-
Showed up for the 1pm shuttle - only about 5 of us. LPB and I had boats, the other guys were on standup boards. Todd and RR self-shuttled but we all launched together.
It was a bit overcast and, from land, the surface was hard to read as far as wind strength. Being in the boat, you don't need quite as much to have a blast. Conditions were perfect for the OC today and looked ok for standup. The swell was cranking, apparently there is an easterly groundswell and long-fetch windswell to top it off. There were some ginormous drops today, and in the boat, if you caught the smaller stuff and got moving fast, you could drop into the big stuff. Those were probably the biggest faces I've ridden in the boat. It was a bit insane at times.
Direction was good, solid east. Smoking glides all the way to the harbor. Tomorrow is supposed to crank up even more. Gotta ride the stand up!
-
I"m going to cobble together a way to waterproof my finger and go tomorrow.
-
Wow, what a day. Summer is here. Big east. I was way out today, but hope to be in on the reef later in the season. Wow, I had forgotten how epic maliko can be. It was big today.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko%204-5-15%20800x422_zpssvewkygu.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko%204-5-15%20800x422_zpssvewkygu.jpg.html)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko%204-5-15.1%20800x443_zpsae0jlt2y.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko%204-5-15.1%20800x443_zpsae0jlt2y.jpg.html)
-
Those are cool photos LPB. It was epic out there today. I got some gopro and am downloading. There might be a few good clips. Happy Easter Sunday!
-
Here's a short MePro vid from yesterday's rockin' downwinder on Maliko. Does not capture the size - if you look at LPB's photos above, you can see that faces are big. But the fisheye and the POV mess it up. Oh well, still kinda cool. Best in HD.
https://vimeo.com/124219153
-
Yeah, it was interesting texture--big, crunchy slabs of water. Not so many deep troughs as lately, but lots of big, thick, fifteen foot peaks.
We both share the same open-mouthed slightly freaked stare that Maliko causes. No smiles, no distractions, just close watch for the Cong planning an ambush. And they were definitely out there yesterday. After one fall exiting the the gulch, and one faceplant from spearing in at the bottom of a big trough I was dry-hat to Kanaha. But then Kanaha to the harbor I must have fallen ten times and everyone got away from me.
This video is too long and boring, but after two editing passes to shorten 55 minutes I was just tired of staring at my gut. My paddle technique has eroded with all these downwinders. I need to get back on the ball. I'm doing some kind of weak-suck Hawaiian arm drop thingy with no reach.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0SYSMhE8jA
The video is still processing. If it doesn't roll, check back later if you have nine minutes to waste.
-
It's finally done. Wow, that took awhile. Perhaps it put YouTube's compression algorithms to sleep. I uploaded it at 720, but that doesn't seem to be available. That's OK, I look better in low rez. As usual the waves look half the size they actually were, but you get some feel for the day. It looks like I'm letting all the big guys roll under me, but my V2 is very heavy, and I need to catch a little bump to get a mid size, and a mid size to get the big drop.
I should have my V1 back today. Fingers crossed. The V2 is a great board for a lot of conditions, but steep and deep ain't it.
I didn't get the mix right for wave noise and music--the result is a mess. I recommend avery low volume or mute.
-
I decided to rest today. But, mid-day, I rode my bicycle up the hill about a half a mile where I could see the north coast and it was looking awesome. I started jonesing to go even though I know that a rest day after five solid days of paddling Maliko is necessary. I'd already missed the shuttle and nobody was going. I wasn't gonna get wet unless I created my own plan. It actually turned out to be a productive day, but not a water day.
About sundown, I realized that I still have all my windsurfing gear. It's all really old now, from around 2000, but it still works great. I could have gone down to Kanaha and had an awesome session but it is so off my radar that I completely missed it. It's so strange...boardsailing was a huge focus for me for over 20 years and now, it doesn't even cross my mind. All I can think about on a windy day is downwind paddling.
-
Cove and PB, thanks for taking your GoPros out and taking the time to do all the painful editing and then sharing your vids... Great to be able to compare the conditions and your styles to your words. Also great to see your conditions compared to the downwinders we do here... When I am out, and it gets squirly big, and I start wondering what the hell am I doing out here, I think of you guys and your conditions and think: if I ever want to paddle in Maui, I should just keep paddling...
This was yesterday.. first time out this season without a wetsuit.. and yep, it's way much smaller than Maui..
-
Wish I would have taken the GoP out today but a little of that stuff goes a long way for me. If I could change the POV easily, especially while underway, I'd be more inclined to take the camera with. But shooting tons of stuff, always from the same point of view, I get bored with it (no pun intended) and it ends up all looking the same - only the clothing changes.
Good trades were in the afternoon forecast and A-squared, the Road Warrior, is visiting from the PNW. So I signed on for the 1pm shuttle. Thought about taking my boat as it was cloudy and iffy as late as noon. But, it was raining so hard at our house, I didn't want to hassle with loading it and my board was already on the car in the garage and ready to roll. I wouldn't even have to get wet. As I drove down the hill, the rain let up and it started looking windier and less cloudy upstream. Things might be good afterall.
Shuttle was almost full but I was the only one that was going standup. Everyone else was in an OC1. Except Art and DK, who were going in Dave's 2-man. Wasn't all that excited to know I was going to paddle the run alone but that's how it was going to be. And, I was super stoked to be going on another Maliko run, even if it meant paddling by me own self. Headmount and some of the other guys had headed to the south side but I was up for the wild and wooly again. Maliko is so addicting. Plus, I learned to live by the old 'don't leave wind to find wind' adage a long time ago.
Wind was looking good on the way up. When we got to the gulch, Ralf was hanging out by his truck with his downwind board, waiting for conditions to get good. Which, apparently, they did, just about the time the shuttle arrived. For a brief second, I thought, cool, someone to paddle with! But then, reality hit. Ralf hammers me. Always. On my very best days, meaning rarely, I can sometimes keep Ralf in sight. On those days, he'll only get about a mile out front. So, I was still going to be paddling mostly alone. At least I could start out with Ralf.
I had one of the slowest runs in quite a while but it was mega fun. Huge east windswell was running, wind was really good, 15 to 25 had been forecast and that's what Maliko delivered. There was some nasty surface chop running along too and it was what I'd call a very technical day. There were some epic drops, great linked up glides but I also had four, count em, high speed wipe outs.
These weren't my usual lame get-offs where I fall in feet first, catch the board on my way down and I'm back up and running in no time. Today, I had falls going full tilt down big, steep faces. No chance to grab the board, it was head and shoulders pitched into the ocean followed by my feet. The board went to the end of the leash on all four falls. I literally can't remember the last time I had crashes like today. They were full on surfing wipeouts. It was just bouncy and rough out there. Going in to the harbor was unbelievably jumbled up. Not only were the waves running in two directions at the same time, there was all the bounce back from stuff pounding the jetty and refracting back out. I really don't like falling near the harbor mouth and I concentrated hard to get in upright, which I managed to do after my last fall about a mile from the harbor entrance.
Looking at the Garmin, I had some really fast mile times for most of the run but mixed in with those good times were some very slow times for a couple of the miles. Those ended up slowing my overall time down but I knew that the fast miles were really smoking and the Garmin shows that. Overall, it was a really challenging and fun paddle. There was no cruising today and no relaxing and letting your attention wander. Once you got outside the bay at Maliko, it was ON. That was so fun, I might even do it again tomorrow.
-
Sounds like my kind of day. I love the crazy ones. I'm probably out for two more days waiting for these cuts on my knee to close up. Got the culture news back from the doc--staph of course. The Hawaiian state bacillus. The antibiotics I'm on seem to be working, everything is healing up.
-
South shore has been amazing this weekend. I'd post this on the smokin' south shore thread, but this thread is sort of the unofficial ski thread. Really fun runs. I'm so glad summer is here.
http://youtu.be/-yzpDwo1cII
-
WOW! LP that looks insane. So bummed to have missed it. Great video, thanks for sharing.
-
Texted you SB. Both days were outstanding. Maliko looks really good for tomorrow provided it doesn't veer out of the north again.
Saturday's run to Polo was better for me than today. Wind was good, waves were amazing both days but today it felt a lot stickier today than yesterday and there was some surface chop that I had a real hard time with. I fell 7 times today, between the ponds and Makena. Yesterday was a no fall day. Still had great runs both days. Today was just more challenging and I was a lot slower.
Also, HM, RR, Stephen and Kathy (in their oc2), PB and I all encountered a pretty agitated whale somewhere off Wailea. He came pretty close to HM. I made a hard left when I saw him breaching but he still passed about 25 yards away. He was a lot closer to the other guys.
Looks like today was pretty stellar in the ski!
-
Yeah, I was on major Daddy duty this weekend. Nursery and guest room had to be painted, and I put together more furniture that I care to ever do again, and I am not done.....hoping to get a couple runs in this week for sure. Keep me in the loop! Thanks guys.
-
Forecast looks great for tomorrow and a swell is predicted to hit Wednesday. Molokai is next weekend!
-
Maliko, maliko Maliko! I need a Maliko run.
I passed super close to that skinny guy. Close than I intended to--he moved towards me, but I could see him all the time, he didn't sound deep. That would have been scary. Better to see them than to encounter them. He was coming in a straight line, and I didn't want to veer too far. I figured if I turned out and he turned out he might dive and start breaching again. the water is shallow over the reefs in Whale Alley so I figured he'd stay in line. He did. Hey, buddy, go get some krill.
-
Today looked ugly but doable on the north shore. Storms rolling through and the north swell coming up. But it was the best option, so off we went. Coming out of the gulch it looked like death and destruction. Swells blasting over the rocks, crossed up mess, and the wind gusting in out of the North. WTF.
Still, it looked okay on the outside, so we're hugging the rocks on the right, headed out, and a wanky wave hits the nose of my board and I fall. No big deal EXCEPT the wave pivots the board in front of me, and now I'm not doing a regular fall, I'm doing some kind of crossed up mess. And I feel the kind of nasty little hot pain in my left knee that says "remember that meniscus you used to have..."
So bad news. I do a little inventory, and discover I can stand, but I can't step back. When I do my left knee buckles. Okay, I can live with that, don't step back. It's only Maliko. Still...Boyum comes up and says "are you OK?" Turns out that I think I'm acting normal, but I'm listing about 30 degrees to port. He and Stephen resolve to keep an eye on me despite my protestations. That actually felt pretty good.
It got pretty big and wild at Camp one. Big slabs of water coming under, and occasional sets that looked way bigger than the 5 to 7 feet that surfline was talking about. Not being able to step back turned into a bigger deal than I thought. I dropped into some of those big boys, and when I got to the bottom I just had to grit my teeth. I did three major league face plants of the variety where you fall onto the nose of the board and roll off groaning. The worst part was getting back up in the pilot for victory at sea with only one leg that was working.
Fortunately things started loosening up around Kanaha and I started having fun again. Unfortunately two tugs and a barge decided to come out of the harbor mouth just as I started in. I caught up with Thomas Maximus just as he was coming into the harbor, and the big reflected wave was beating up both of us as we tried to figure out if we could squeeze past the barge. We could. We did.
My knee is feeling OK though it's making clicking noises when I move it, and I have a big fluid pocket behind my knee--what they call a bakers cyst. And kind of a funky swelling under the knee. I have a appointment with my knee doc the day after I get back to Hood River. I'm hoping he says there's a little more tread on the tire and just shoots the thing up again. Lasts about eight months.
In the meantime, there's more good downwinders coming. might as well use this sucker up. No point in saving it--my ballet career is over.
-
This is a shot Jeremy Riggs took of me yesterday on my first Maliko. I have no idea how he can look backwards while holding a camera in one hand and take shots like these, all while gliding.
It was pure bliss out there. Very jealous of you Maui guys. I've been lucky enough to do a Kihei and a Maliko on this trip. Both runs are world class and totally distinct from one another. I've never heli skied, but this seems like a similar class of experience.
-
This is a shot Jeremy Riggs took of me yesterday on my first Maliko. I have no idea how he can look backwards while holding a camera in one hand and take shots like these, all while gliding.
Haha, that's what EVERYBODY says! It's why he's know as 'His Glideness'....
That's a great shot, looks like a good day. Stoked for you Blue! Be careful, you'll be shopping for real estate next....
We did the south side today. It was super windy and then calm but the windswell was good the whole way. Three of us are doing Maui to Molokai on Saturday. Talk about out of bounds, mid channel is about as wild as it gets.
-
Good Maliko yesterday except for torquing my knee. It recovered well, and today was a rocking southside. I went way out, even way out for me, and it was excellent. Lined up, big drops, lots of speed. Only fell twice and I was still the last one in and everyone was loaded up and dry. These guys are just getting way too fast.
-
Thanks Cove, It was great to see you again, albeit briefly. Not sure we'll hook up this time as I am balancing family activities (surfing, snorkeling, luau-ing, etc....) with downwinding. If I do get out again, it will probably be with Jeremy tomorrow or maybe Sunday. Have a great time crossing the channel. Our place in Kaanapali overlooks the run and I am envious to say the least. It is on my bucket list for the next 2 years.
-
Are you going to be here into next week? I'm hoping to make the gorge race in August so hopefully I will see you there.
-
We fly out mid afternoon on Monday. A Monday AM run is theoretically possible but boy would that piss off my family (might still be worth it). Will also be at the gorge race in August for sure.
-
Great pic....
Take care of the knee bro.
-
yeah, that's a great pic. Even more impressive taking backwards while going.
-
That shot really shows off one of the most important aspects of Maliko runs. No, it's not the overhead wind swell, it's the texture on the water. All those little bumps going every direction but up are the way you get into the big bumps. On the southside, and in the gorge, the really big rollers are hard to catch, because the swell is uniform--it all starts at more or less the same place--the beach at Kealia Ponds for the southside, or the last bend in the river in the Gorge. Malikos have a thousand miles of fetch to the east, so the surface is super complex. Add in a 12 foot groundswell from the north that's rolling in from the Bering sea, and you've got one very interesting and useful surface.
-
BlueCrab. I'm jealous man. That pic is AWESOME, and shows what it is all about. When I paddled in Maui two years ago with JR, we had no wind but I still had a lot of fun and he taught me a lot... I just have to get back there soon.
-
Smokin' today, totally insane. Monster drops.
-
Hey Maui crew.....my friend Kim and her husband Bruce are coming out next week. You're going to like her, she's the real deal. I'm sure she's excited to get a Maliko or two or tree under her belt. Very fun folks, show them some aloha.
-
Have her call me. Jeremy had a group out today that looked WAY over their heads. It was Maliko Graduate Level today. I did a faceplant that almost took me out. Missed my board by an inch. Fun though, hardly had to paddle--just stay on the board somehow.
-
Bill will probably make sure and try to scare her with sea life and dredging swell stories.
-
Wow, that was a fun time. HM and I met up as the reef started to jack up the waves, we tried to chat a bit but ended up trading falls. So I looked around and decided to high tail it out of there before the ocean devoured me. I did a nice drop to get some speed. (Also to show uncle Bill my dive bombing skills).
Here's a pic of the speed at the bottom of the drop, I'll post a clip later. I can't remember hitting 16 with a nice runout before. Super fun day. Woo hoo, summer is here!
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko%204-19-15.1%201024x568_zpshy05dtns.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko%204-19-15.1%201024x568_zpshy05dtns.jpg.html)
-
Here's a cool screen shot showing a pyramid out front. The swells of the type on my left ear are smaller and less powerful than the ones on my right ear. But those bumps on the left are what get me enough hull speed to hopefully get a bit of speed from the big ones. I'm not fast enough to surf those big lefts (on my right ear) properly, so I take little pieces and let them go under. Occasionally the stars align and I get lucky and bounce around between the two at speed, but it's rare. I think my second clip in the upcoming vid has one. This shot is from the last clip. As you will see, I'm out of position and cannot make the big face on my right ear. Pier one is fast and big. When you work out to the entrance from inside and get one of those correctly it's a real zoomer.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/maliko%204-19-15%201024x568_zpsznondkjs.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/maliko%204-19-15%201024x568_zpsznondkjs.jpg.html)
http://youtu.be/M-B9mgvihk4
-
Yeah, that was pretty nutso. Some big bombers through camp one, and then the last mile and a half looked like the gates of hell, but it was actually pretty easy. It looked horrible but there was energy everywhere so you could just keep going. Only thing was if you fell you were f**ked, and I fell. Took me three tries to get back up. One try was a sprawling face plant--not pretty.
The wind was so strong and so ENE that I was going right the whole run and still barely made the entrance. I made the mistake of taking a left that was just too pretty to pass up. Got a crazy long run with it, but it took me ten or more rights to claw the distance back. Naturally just as I reached the entrance the fricken barge was coming out. And they looked like they were having some issues--angled funny.
My knee held up pretty good, I figured out that if I moved my right leg back and in that I couldn't lean to the right and favor my left knee. That was pretty good, but now my knee sounds like castanets when I walk. Looks like good wind tomorrow too, so it's just gonna have to suck it up.
-
So much for the knee being OK. I got my ass kicked today. Every time I tried to lean left my knee collapsed inward. That kinda sucked. Fell a lot until I came up with plan B, which is do kind of a fake lean left with lots of rudder, and then flatten the board out with even weight distribution. Kind of cool, but very fast and the outer edge of control.
Coming into the harbor was gates of hell again. I fell a bunch, but then decided "go hard or get on your knees, sissy" so I went hard and charged all the way to the jetty. I was yelling like one of the mongol hordes when I turned the corner, but I didn't fall. I might have chipped a tooth through with all the teeth gnashing. I'm coming apart like a cheap suit.
Wow, I just accidentally went to page two of this thread and found I've been whining about my knee since then--2011!! I've had a surgery and four or five juice injections since them. I might need a more stable board though. This falling crap is getting old.
-
Today was challenging for me. Maybe the cumulative fallout from 4 straight days of very intense runs after the long winter lay off. Cove said yeah it was rough but his bar had been raised by his recent Pailolo adventure and he wasn't overwhelmed like I was. I gave Livio a ride up to the gulch for a late afternoon solo run for him. Wind was still cranking. He calculated his run, 57 min. then home in time for wife and kid. During the ride up he gave a great rendition of his Pailolo race. The mental focus he has is spectacular. He had to dismount once to prevent a collision with a whale... one of two falls in 28 very technical miles. He place 31st overall among all the canoes and of course first in SUP. Just over 3 hrs.
Yeah I guess the south side runs have kept us in the game but these first warm up scrimmages out of Maliko have seemed like we've jumped right to the super bowl.
-
Under normal circumstances, Maliko would have kicked my ass today. But, my ass whoopin' was out in the channel on Saturday. Although my Molokai race turned out well, and I reached my goal of breaking 4 hours to get to the finish line on Molokai, the Pailolo definitely was takin' names. Conditions were so big in the mid-channel, the mental games were just unbelievable. I did not know how I was going to finish or if I would finish. At one point, after probably my 12th or 14th fall, about 14 miles in, I wondered if I was even capable of making the 5 hour time cutoff. It turned out well, but if I'd known what it was going to be like, I'm not sure I would have had the guts to take it on.
Paddling out of the gulch today, I was really surprised that a big side bennie of racing the channel in such intense conditions was a new zen about the maelstrom of waves and wind. It was really good for my paddling. Instead of predicting the next fall, I found myself just going with the flow. I still fell, 3X, but I was more relaxed than I'd ever been on a Maliko run. And today was crazy. Big east wind swell, crossed up and windy as hell. I sure hope this new confidence lasts! Funny, the mental portion of downwind paddling in open ocean is more than 60% of the picture for me. Maybe even 70%.
I managed a 1:09 today, which is one of my fastest times ever, and my best Maliko time this year. One of the guys I was right behind, who is not only faster than me but also 5 years older, said he felt like he had a slow run when we got in. Oh well, I'm still thrilled with my time. The last mile or mile and a half, the threat of an approaching barge and tug, making for the harbor entrance, propelled me far faster than I think I'd ever have gone without the added motivation. There were a half dozen of us all within a minute or two of each other that reached the harbor and then high tailed it for the beach. But, like lots of times in stand up paddling, 'high tailing it' is a relative term. The wind was screaming across the harbor from our left, with gusts that had to have been close to 45 mph. Clouds of water smoke were blowing sideways. HM said he got blown right off his board. I managed to stay upright, but a guy in an OC1 was about 10 yards downwind of me and I figured if I fell, there was a damn good chance my board would blow right into him. So, I managed to stay on. But it was like paddling in slow motion through molasses. I just wanted to be clear of the barge. Once we all got on the beach, we watched as the tugs and ginormous barge maneuvered around in all that wind to get the barge tied up. I was so damn glad we made it in before all the real drama began. But, that was closer than I'd ever like to be again.
Still, today was amazing. First time I've ever felt relaxed in conditions like that. It's a whole new way of looking at the run. Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.
-
Under normal circumstances, Maliko would have kicked my ass today. But, my ass whoopin’ was out in the channel on Saturday. Although my Molokai race turned out well, and I reached my goal of breaking 4 hours to get to the finish line on Molokai, the Pailolo definitely was takin’ names. Conditions were so big in the mid-channel, the mental games were just unbelievable. I did not know how I was going to finish or if I would finish. At one point, after probably my 12th or 14th fall, about 14 miles in, I wondered if I was even capable of making the 5 hour time cutoff. It turned out well, but if I’d known what it was going to be like, I’m not sure I would have had the guts to take it on.
Paddling out of the gulch today, I was really surprised that a big side bennie of racing the channel in such intense conditions was a new zen about the maelstrom of waves and wind. It was really good for my paddling. Instead of predicting the next fall, I found myself just going with the flow. I still fell, 3X, but I was more relaxed than I’d ever been on a Maliko run. And today was crazy. Big east wind swell, crossed up and windy as hell. I sure hope this new confidence lasts! Funny, the mental portion of downwind paddling in open ocean is more than 60% of the picture for me. Maybe even 70%.
…
Exactly! There’s a ski school, the Harri Go Faster ski school, based on exactly that premise. That learning begins once you leave your comfort zone. Push the envelope, freak out, and when you get back the stuff you were doing before it suddenly seems like a walk in the park.
-
Oh yeah, the barge and the heinous harbor crossing. Forgot about that in the general whining. When Randy Royce passed me in the last mile we were both staring at that thing. I fell a bunch of times before I started my mongol charge, but Randy and the barge got to the entrance about the same time. I would not have enjoyed that. I came in while the thing was maneuvering at the dock and the tug was sending turbulent water shooting out into the harbor. those boys have some horsepower.
Those gust across the harbor were 40-50, maybe higher. With the cruise ship in there's a venturi that you can easily see from the water being whipped to continual spindrift.
Looks good again this morning, but the SS looks good too. I don't want to take a break, I'm afraid I'll seize up like concrete. I've only got a couple of weeks left, but I might need to dig out some knee braces.
-
The stretch of runs last week was powerful but with a very gnarly NE swell crossing up from about 45 degrees at our backs. Some were breaking and were like linebackers sweeping in from blind corners. You'd think you had a clear runway for a glide and then you'd get your clock cleaned. So it was rugged. Felt like I had just started doing downwinders rather than having 12 years under my belt. Began getting tentative and not attacking which of course is a recipe for further punishment. All in all I felt old until I got in and everyone else echoed the same sentiment. Some big drops though and that's always a rush on a 17' board. How far back do you need to shuffle? Strange after surfing for so many years to have over 10' of board in front of you on a steep drop.
Made me realize I have so much more to learn.
-
Back from a week in Maui with some time to reflect on Maliko runs with Jeremy. The final run we had was on a 40 mph blistering day. I resolved to concentrate on JR's most central teaching points which were to paddle about 75% less (only paddle when chasing a realistically catchable bump and never uphill) and to keep feet in the mid line when surfing. For the first 5 miles of the run, it worked like a charm. No falls and countless connected glides, along with a few rides on large swells which felt like catapulting into outer space. Then I fell. Then I fell again. And again... I probably had 10 or more ultra lame falls in less than 10 minutes. I got pretty heavy into self diagnosis and tried all sorts of failed techniques to stay on the board. I took a rest on the board and tried to focus on what worked for the initial part of the run: paddle less to go faster. I am hesitant to infer causality for what causes success and failure in athletics. However, when I started falling, I clearly also started over paddling and exhibiting far less patience. After re-focusing on only paddling to get in to a swell, the last portion of the run was bliss. Only 1 fall (and a "good" one with a pearl and very satisfying face plant) and some massive runners. The last glide into the harbor was particularly harrowing and fast but I managed to see it through: felt like hitting a 3 pointer to end the game.
A major concern for me was that after Maui, downwinding at home would lose some of its luster. Thankfully, this is not the case. We had a great southerly last week on the Sound and the F16 was just humming from bump to bump. The advice to paddle less was highly relevant in our local conditions which I found to be pretty cool. Then the wind stopped, and it was like driving a Maserati through the desert. Such is life in the PNW.
-
Glad you caught that run of great downwinders. The North Shore went kind of bad mid week, and was best as a run to Molokai--offshore and fickle. Coming into the harbor was sucko. right now the north shore looks like a lake, and there's no surf. The serious whining is going to start soon. I hope OluKai Ho’olaule’a has some wind. I'm sticking around for that.
I fall a lot, partly knee, but mostly head. Once you get it in your head that you're going to fall, you're going to fall. Looking ahead and reading the water focuses me on the right stuff, which is catching a bump, and translates those ineffective little distracted dabs into serious effort, which means you're moving with the big stuff, which means your board is more stable. For me it's charge or fall, especially when the going gets tough. If I focus on catching every practical bump I can stay on my board no matter what my stupid knee is doing. But if I lose that focus for a second, or let doubt creep in, I'm down.
Best thing about a tough, big Maliko is that it's all in the head.
-
South shore was really good today. Broke the hour to Makena - that's rare for me. Conditions were stellar. Glides were feeding into glides all the way down. Super fun.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/south%20shore%204-27-15%201024x572_zps2favxcv3.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/south%20shore%204-27-15%201024x572_zps2favxcv3.jpg.html)
-
Yeah, that was a fast one. I would have had a good time but I started falling and couldn't quit. I realized that my knee brace transfers weight to my left leg when I bend my knee. I need to figure out how to use or compensate for that. tomorrow should be good too.
-
South shore was really good today. Broke the hour to Makena - that's rare for me. Conditions were stellar. Glides were feeding into glides all the way down. Super fun.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/south%20shore%204-27-15%201024x572_zps2favxcv3.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/south%20shore%204-27-15%201024x572_zps2favxcv3.jpg.html)
Incredible pic Larry. Best one yet. Even with wide angle you can see the set up was all time. Good work.
-
^ Thanks HM, glad you are back on the water. Here's another.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/south%20shore%204-27-15%201024x570_zpsm1jyrbje.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/south%20shore%204-27-15%201024x570_zpsm1jyrbje.jpg.html)
-
Nice. Maliko was technical today.
-
We launched about 11:30. It was decent wind but nothing that great. I'm going to guess 18 to 24. I guess I could check what the airport says....ha! 16 to 24, not a bad estimate I did!
There was a nice sized windswell running from the East with what I think was groundswell/leftovers from Monday's North swell. When we hit the outer reef off Upper, Upper Kanaha, there was plenty of action. Lots of stuff jacking and breaking. Because I went out to the edge of the deep reef, I didn't have to look up any breaking faces but I saw a few break just inside of where I was and they looked like they'd take you down, roll you and do a maximum pull leash test for good measure.
I was heading to the harbor, no need to risk going in on a day like today at Kanaha unless absolutely necessary but I was looking carefully for a way in. When I got to mile 6.5, measured from about where we'll start on Saturday, I was just a tiny bit east of the lifeguard tower and it looked like a nice, clear, low stress run into the beach if you paid attention and put the hammer down. Saturday will likely be less to worry about.
The usual, casual line to the harbor today was risky. I kept pushing west to line up with the entrance more dead on. Good thing, Pier 1 was drawing in some large breakers. I didn't even see anything there until I was in pretty far, then I heard and saw a monster set of 4 or 5 waves roll in about 25 yards off to my left. Glad I was paying attention to my line.
Fun day, great paddle. Fun to have all the visiting people here for the race. The shuttle was like a United Nations conference, lots of world-wide representation, only these were people you'd actually want to talk with. ;D
-
Well... It wasn't all that stress free heading in. I aimed to miss the last breaker but got kind of close to it. the angling groundswell was pretty hefty. I got some long drops but also got the board kicked out from under me a bunch of times. I wound up on my knees for the last hundred yards.
Tomorrow should be fun.
-
Any of you folks meet Kim Reilly? She's been there the last week or so.
-
Nope, never got in touch
-
No, I'm sure I want to reply to this topic even though it's languishing away on freaking PAGE SIX of the downwind thread.....guess that's a reflection on how NOT smokin a summer it's been :-[
Tropical storm Niala is passing just south of the Big Island, accelerating our NE trades and amping up the windswell to levels we haven't seen on Maliko in quite some time. A handful of us were pretty keen to go, although I think most of us could tell that it was going to be kind of a sketchy run. Usual suspects included JR, Kathy, LPB, Southbay, R-squared, and myself. Not a huge crew. Kathy and LPB were running their skis, Randy, Jeremy, SB and I were on our standups.
The ride up the coast was not super encouraging, lots of rain squalls around and a very rugged looking ocean with breakers evident at Pier 1 as well as on all of the reefs, including some of the outer spots. Pono Bill has said before, his least favorite Maliko conditions are lighter winds with macking swell. That was kind of the combo today although, to be fair, it was 'just' windswell and we had decent but not super-strong winds. But it was cloudy and dreary looking and that didn't help the conditions to look more appealing.
When we got to Maliko, the waves were breaking all the way inside the bay and the brown water looked like chocolate milk. As we were unloading our gear, a guy walked up and asked me if I thought it would be ok for a beginner to go today. Seriously? Not really. I said as much but he kept asking questions and suggested that he might just run down to Sugar Cove. OK, I said, that's reasonable but be careful to come in before Spartan's because all the reefs are breaking. 'What's Spartan's?' Uh-oh, maybe you should re-think this dude. I guess I didn't sound that discouraging because he was preparing to launch on his fixed fin, 14' Naish Glide right behind us. I hope he either turned around when he saw how gnarly it was or that he made it ok. Yikes.
I watched SB and Randy head out just as a set of 4 waves was rolling into the boat ramp. They weren't big waves but they were enough to sweep you off your board and roll it around for good measure if you weren't paying attention. I jumped in after the set and had an uneventful paddle through the mouth and out into the open ocean. Conditions looked like a Winter day with 12 to 15 foot steep rolling swell moving down the coast from the east. The huge rollers were moving fast and would wall up and look pretty fearsome but they just kept rolling under us. Only the very tops would break on occasion. Still, it was like paddling out through moving mountains.
RR, SB and I agreed to stay close enough to keep our eyes on one another. We scratched out pretty far before we turned down, I'm thinking around 3/4 of a mile. Once we turned downwind, I kept surfing right. It was one of those 'no country for old men' kind of days. The groundswell was just humongous and if you caught 3 or 4 or 5 small bumps, you could sometimes get a fairly big drop. But for the most part, the mountains were moving through too fast to catch the really big bumps. A few times during the run, I found myself looking ahead at absolutely staggering troughs just ahead of me or perhaps a swell or so up. Everything was moving in many directions.
For a couple of miles, I could see Kathy and JR even further outside than I was but their speeds were a lot higher than ours. As I settled into a paddling groove, I quickly decided that today wasn't about seeing what a smoking time I could turn. It was technical and challenging just to find that rhythm that the ocean was laying down for us. Just being out there in those mondo conditions was pretty amazing.
I worked right until I was probably 2 miles out. Outer Sprecks was breaking once in awhile and there were plenty of breakers far out along the Kanaha section. The outer 'chicken line' proved safe with plenty of great bumps but it was very hard for me to connect anything. I probably only had multiple wave connections 5 or 6 times, over the course of the entire run. Because I ran so far out to avoid breaking waves, it was a long way in towards the harbor mouth. We could see Pier One breaking towards the inside so it was prudent to stay further west and surf more or less straight south towards the mouth. Surprisingly, I only had one fall but the potential for a real humdinger was ever present.
Not a very fast run for me, SB and RR but we all finished with grins. JR, LPB and Kathy all made it in long before the rest of us and seemed happy to have done it as well, although everybody was talking about trying for Kihei tomorrow instead of Maliko. Definitely one of those days to remember.
This is a shot of Kathy in her ski that JR took. It only shows a small portion of the big bump she was on....
-
Sounds like one of those "go out until you see Waikiki and turn left" kind of days. I probably would have gone, but I would have started hating myself about Camp One. The downwind season seems officially over here. I'm concentrating on the upcoming trip to Dana Point for the PPG. Other than OC6 paddling I haven't been in the water for weeks--well, that and a little Hatchery surfing. From your description I'm not that excited about Malikos, so how about getting things cleaned up a bit. The proper recipe is no wind in the morning, chree to fi' at Kanaha, then 30 kts at noon.
I don't think that's to much to ask.
I love the guys that ask you if it's okay to go when it's death and destruction, but when you say "no" they go anyway. On the one hand I understand the desire to get out there, on the other hand, they probably will never do another Maliko--one way or another. Boyum probably remembers the guy sitting on the sand at the Canoe Hale with the thousand yard stare. He'd had a horrible Maliko run on a rented Javelin, and then got caught inside at Pier One. Former maui lifeguard and surfing instructor, though quite a few years ago I gathered. Figured if geezer goofballs like us could do it, that it couldn't be that hard. From his description it was touch and go whether or not he got through Pier one. Spent a lot of time underwater. It's a good thing the backwash keeps a channel next to that breakwater, or that would be a killing machine. People with a little downinding experience and either a guide or really good instructions can handle a pretty tough Maliko run, but when the groundswell is big, it's not a simple deal. If you start falling and can't stop, it's an awful long way to the harbor.
-
Nice report Cove, and tip of the cap to you guys on standup for going.
Cool pic of Kathy. She and I have been doing malikos 6 days a week for about 3 weeks now. It's tough to describe how talented she really is. I'm just a chump with a lot of determination and a lot of lumps on the head. She's a true elite athlete, with a lifetime of ocean experience in Hawaii. We all expected her do do well on ski. It's been fun to watch her latch on to the ski this past month and try to figure out how to bomb the lefts on the reef. It's very tough to get the timing just right because the consequences of missing are far worse than on standup. It's thrilling, because skis fly across a big swell quite rapidly, blasting through anything. The trick is to trust the boat, lift your eyes to the horizon and time your pull out to zoom into something that will keep you safe as the next bomb comes through. If you time it correctly, you will be on the face of the next bomb with speed. Very rewarding. If you miss the timing and lose hull speed... man that white water can be brutal.
She's very aware of it. Experienced in big conditions (on SUP), cautious, patient and super strong. At only 125 lbs. her water line is very narrow. That big 10L is very, very challenging at her weight. My previous boat had that same hull. My stability was aided tremendously with 50 pounds more weight. I really smash the boats into the water. She's on a thin seat pad too, with calf pads... Still working out the bugs. She's so good. Note the upright posture, left leg bent. Man that's hard on a big day. She's a natural. So fun to watch her tick off the details in various conditions. She's let loose on the south shore already, but maliko bombs on the reef are another story. She will get it. All the elite girls are sugar and spice and everything nice on dry land, but man, on the water those girls are stone cold killers.
And if anyone is wondering, yes, she's faster than me in all conditions now. Even yesterday's victory at sea with big bombs. I'm a bit tired, working 40 plus hours a week and paddling a lot, but that's no excuse. She's better than I am. She and Jeremy were doing a lesson up front of me all day, I think they waited for me a few times, but she'd never admit it. Why should she? That girl has a lifetime palmares above all but a few athletes in the state.
-
Thanks cove for resurrecting the thread even though it's no longer summer. Yes it has been a challenging season for paddling here on the valley isle. Thankfully we have had a better than normal summer surf season to keep us amused while we wait for the wind. The kihei runs with their groomed lines have been fun but one can't help but long for maliko to make an appearance. The southside runs are fun but not nearly as challenging as the north shore. That being said, it was on yesterday on the north shore! The conditions kinda reminded me of the race a year or so ago where the carnage occurred. I went early ( about 11 ) with hopes of doing a double. Started in the gulch with the beautiful brown waves trying to sweep me off the ramp. Couldn't help but get excited as I paddled out of the frothing sea ahead. The wind was just blowing the tops off of everything in sight! I thought 100 yard glides would be the norm however that wasn't the case. I did get a few but most of the energy was rolling under me faster than I could paddle into. The tide must have been quite high as well as it was refracting off the coastline and causing VW size chunks of water to rise up all around me. Connecting bumps and staying upright was the order of the day. The wind died a bit around paia but picked up again as I neared kanaha. The outer reefs were all fired up and ready to take out the inattentive paddler. Made it to the oil tanks in a decent time and had lunch and prepared for a second run with some friends. They decided not to go so I headed home. Today is looking like a good one so off I go...
-
Very cool looking Bullet, 808!
-
Cool video of how to go across waves in a ski.
The boat is a V-8. Great conditions.
Nice visual aids to show the crossing runners.
https://video-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t43.1792-2/13141965_1779997518887014_2050175108_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjMyNDAsInJsYSI6NDA5NiwidmVuY29kZV90YWciOiJzdmVfaGQifQ%3D%3D&rl=3240&vabr=2160&oh=629a70296a84e861c4388604567b1e91&oe=574CE485
-
Holy crap that was a long glide.
Excellent video.
-
Here is another link to that video.
I'm not a facebooker, so it may go away too.
https://www.facebook.com/surfskieducation/videos/1305146746181704/
The green line swells are harder to see, especially in gopro vids, but they are the key to linking glides. I wish these guys would do drone footage so the video is more informative.
-
I'll be on Maui for a week in late March. After re-reading a lot of posts, it looks like there's still a perfectly good chance of some good conditions for a Maliko run? I've done a southside run in the past but it was poor conditions and nothing that special. Can any of you regulars give me an idea of my chances of scoring at the end of March? My better half can't make this trip so I'm headed there solo... hmmm, wonder how I'll pass the time... 8)
Thanks!
-
There's definitely a chance to score Maliko in March. Obviously, it's all about conditions as well as what you're willing and able to handle.
I have only a handful of runs since mid to late October, a few on the north side with some great conditions and some fun south siders too. But, I haven't paddled in good downwind conditions regularly for months now.
This past few days, we've been hit with strong, gusty Kona winds (westerlies). LPB and Kathy have made the most of those conditions by going on reverse Kihei runs. We saw them go by on Sunday when we were walking on the beach and it frankly looked fantastic. I thought about trying the same thing yesterday but a look at the cameras put cold water on that idea. What had been lined up Sunday had turned into ugly looking on-shores by yesterday. I'm pretty sure those guys went anyway. They live on that side and can jump on it if it looks good, and, they know the conditions better than anybody and can handle whatever they get into.
In the past few years, I've had some great March runs on both sides. I've also had some Malikos where I wanted to kiss the sand at the end. Bottom line is to be ready to go because you will have a very decent chance at scoring runs, if you're flexible and willing to paddle where the conditions are cooperating. If it's not windy, you can probably find some surf. Win-win.
-
What had been lined up Sunday had turned into ugly looking on-shores by yesterday. I'm pretty sure those guys went anyway.
Yes, we did a run and it was super fun. Best to do that run in boats. It takes about 15-20 minutes to paddle straight out - upwind before starting downwind. From there on it's a magic sleigh ride. It's my all time favorite run.
The fetch was smaller than a true kona storm event, yet the bombs were thicker than anything you will see on a typical south shore run. The strategy is just like the north shore. Avoid the big bombs going to shore and surf down the backs of them to shoot out to sea. Kathy had her big speedometer display and was noting how she was doing 9-10mph, low effort, going out. Boats are deceptive that way, video with a speedo taught me that.
Staying out in relatively deep water works best on that run. The reef sticks way out at the end and those bombs get knarly when they slow down and stack up. Very hard to manage for me, so I stay out. Kathy managed them just fine but got a few scares of hollow wave near misses. Tide was ok, but higher is better. If it's low, and it's a big day and you can't stay out, that reef will end your run a few miles short.
It gets big at the end of that run, and yesterday was a small day. Ha, you shouid see the shore break at KCC when it's big. Timing is everything. Ride that bomb right in, jamb the nose in the sand and run up the beach, or else. Kathy didn't and got rolled and dragged for 3 waves in waist high sandy dredgers. No biggie, she was still in control and laughed about it. Small kine yard sale. On a big kona reverse, the shore pound is overhead. A potential boat smasher. Beware, and lend a hand. The wind is vicious.
I stayed further out, within eyesight of Kathy and angled sharply in at the end. Very similar view and angle to the video I posted above from Tarifa. Wind in my right ear, angling hard right to get in. Steep waves. Very exciting!
I've never seen or heard of anyone doing Sup when its big. I'm sure the pros could handle, but that's about it. Even Kathy said "no way" when I mentioned Sup after that run. It's kinda knarly, but boats excel in that stuff if you can relax and go with the flow.
South shore in March has some excellent kihei runs kayadogg. As good as it gets. Beware the north shore in winter.
http://youtu.be/s7c36yqw52U
-
Maliko can hand out some great runs in March, some of my most memorable runs have been the last few days before I headed home. But memorable doesn't mean easy--in fact, it pretty much means exactly the opposite. You can definitely get your ass handed to you in March. Hook up with Boyum for at least your first run. You don't want to make it your last.
-
Today was maybe the gnarliest Maliko I've ever done. It was the day one for the new shuttle management and around six of us diehards including Iron Phil and Covesurfer decided to give it a go. Driving up the ocean surface appeared pretty rough. The big swell from yesterday had dropped but there was still some today.
Traveling out into the wind line at the transition from the gulch entrance was as rough and choppy as I can ever remember. When I got outside and turned DW, my fears about conditions were realized. There were three different crossing swells of considerable size as well as moving moguls moving from every direction. I needed full focus just to remain standing ...for 10miles. Stress on my ankle into calf transition made my calf seize up into an apple size cramp for the last two miles. Fortunately it was my left, forward foot, tho rudder control was compromised right when the glides had finally become manageable. I thought about stopping and trying to work it out but the finish was in sight and I just felt like getting in. I'm very familiar to how one glitch can cascade into another so sometimes it's better to gut out the pain and finish before anything else fails.
In general I couldn't help but think that we should have all just checked into the Molokini Ward of the Hospital. None of us had done a Maliko in awhile so although they were all excellent paddlers (except me) February off N Maui... is mayhem incarnate.
-
And then there's that.
-
Yikes HM, it's not like you are out of shape or anything either. You have been paddling very steadily this month. Just day before yesterday was your "best south shore run ever." You recently had a no fall run on a borrowed 14 too. That's pretty good in my book.
PB, you are missing out this winter. This weekend was all time on the south shore.
-
I've been out in bigger conditions but not in anything quite as chaotic as yesterday, and the chaos was what made it so challenging. Pretty much ok until outer Sprecks, then the influence of the reef kicked in and stuff stacked and jacked. I kept flashing on something LPB had said once about even being very far out, you ain't ever 'safe'. The ocean does what it does. I was super glad to be on a SUP, I don't know how I would have handled in my OC.
I am pretty careful on big days about staying outside, and, for the past 4 years of Maliko's, that has generally worked for me. But yesterday, I got tagged from behind by a breaking swell that I heard breaking. I looked back as a wall of chest high white water bore down on me, rolling me and the board in mayhem. I felt the dreaded leash tug but everything held. But it was like going for a washing machine ride, two miles out. After that, I felt a bit like a deer in the headlights. I didn't even think about getting tagged that way. From then on, I worked at making every wave I could, speed is your friend out there.
JR took one of my pals from the PNW in the OC2. Only JR could have pulled that off. This guy had never even done a Maliko and is recovering from some serious health issues. He fortunately has extensive paddling and downwind experience. He did exceptionally well and he finished the run super stoked.
It was a rugged day out there. No comparison to the south side on a Maliko day like yesterday. I'll really appreciate my next Kihei run even more. Full shuttle again today but I'm still a bit too rattled and worked to go again.
-
Well, It's been a while, but I think last Friday's conditions were sponge worthy. :)
https://youtu.be/dRruxRkw5Y4
-
Damn LaPerouse, you just made me miss Maliko :-\
-
Zen out with that video... thanks!
-
Damn LaPerouse, you just made me miss Maliko :-\
+1 on that!
-
Kathy is up to her usual shenanigans.
https://youtu.be/P01VU__GMgQ