Standup Zone Forum
Stand Up Paddle => SUP General => Topic started by: OUTSIDEWAVE on September 14, 2014, 07:39:28 PM
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mine was hilarious I rented a 11 laird that was 28 wide wen tot he lagoon near me and tried to stand up Jetskis buzzing around in cirlcles. washing machine waves ..... I must have fallen a 100 times next day I was sore all over I maybe paddled a 100 feet all told.
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My first time was at a demo day, once I stood up it was all I could do to turn around and get back to shore. That took several minutes and my legs were toast. Bought a board right away because I was hooked from the challenge.
Then, not my first time, but my first time on a Javelin, I fell about a dozen times within a few minutes. So the next day I bought one for the same reason.
Conversely, I've taken friends out who immediately looked like they'd been doing it their whole lives.
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My first attempt at SUP was in perfect flat water conditions in a harbor. I was hooked and paddled almost everyday that week. Oblivious to my surroundings, about a week into it, CapoBeachBoy who introduced me to it, said he'll prone paddle with me while I stand-up. That morning the weather had changed drastically. It was raining, with strong headwinds. It was capping in the outer harbor channel. We headed out, the caps and rain from the south just pelting me. I couldn't see, and was really getting tossed around. Just getting hammered with each on coming capped bump. I thought to myself, just try to turn around and bail. I think I told Chris I was done, but he encouraged me to keep going. Then I realized, So that's why he decided to prone paddle.... He knew the weather was going to be like that. I was the happy dumb dog running out into the surf. It was a miserably great experience that prepared me to deal with all the miserably great paddles in my future.
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When I was first practicing in the harbor with my inflatable. I was in the shallows at the rock edge dipping my head under the walkways to the piers as I passed.
I hit one with my head because I didn't crouch enough, fell backwards, trampolined off the inflatable backwards heels over head again into the water, and the inflatable turned over on my head.
I came up to a girl bending over and holding her mouth on the sidewalk laughing uproariously, and her boyfriend and another couple laughing. I said something like, "that was a good one!" It happened so fast and unexpected.
I heard them laughing all the way down the Marina. I have had many kook kapers, but that one is still about the maximum so far.
When I was a couple of days on the ocean, I was kneesing on my inflatable to no particular end, getting washed and churned by whitewater, getting slidden, falling off, sliding off my feet in the low tide,generally kooking out. A skinny longboarder with long blond hair yelled at me that I was an idiot and ordered me to get out of the water. I couldn't disagree, but being an idiot for a while is definitely part of the early process if you have no ocean experience. I got out of the water.
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My first paddle was at Kaisers in Waikiki on a rented 11’ NSP. Bad choice for a regular footer plus it was pretty crowded. I kept falling off the tail but when I finally caught one, I couldn’t turn the damned thing. So, another vacationing surfer, who had not been catching any waves said, get that thing out of the f***en lineup before you kill someone. It was at that moment that I knew I had found my calling…
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My first time - 2010 - my wife and I on our 2 month honeymoon USA roadtrip. We stopped in Monterrey for a few days. Rented all around boards and paddled in the Bay behind the aquarium.
I told the rental guys I was all set with a lesson and that I had already seen people doing this in Hawaii. After "teaching" my wife some of my pro technique tips we headed out. Me standing perfectly sideways in a surf stance shoulders parallel with the board and my paddle ass backwards. Her standing/facing forwards like you should and paddle correctly being used.
The scene is beautiful. Sea lions and sea otters all around. It was a bit cool and overcast however. Two newlyweds exercising together on the water near dusk. Of course, even though she is balancing perfectly and I'm swaying and flirting with getting tossed I say " hon, you gotta turn your body and put your front foot forward like a surfer ". And "turn your paddle around too. Like this!"
Within moments of her switching her stance she falls in the dark kelpy waters right near an expired sea otter!! Lots of swearing and splashing to get back on board. Me laughing so hard that I too fall in. My board scoots away from me as of course I did not "need" a leash. All kinds of ridiculousness.
Our fun excursion is cut short thanks to my SUP clinic. We are soaked and head back to shore and walk back to the rental shop. Where of course they proceed to go over what "we" had done wrong. They show us how to stand on the board properly and how to hold the paddle.
If looks could kill!!😄😄
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When I bought my first SUP board the shop guy told me to pop by the following weekend and get some free instruction with Dave Kalama. It was still late winter and I'd seen the weather forecast for a good snowfall. "F#@& that" I said, "I'm going skiing".
Total idiot for passing up quality advice at the start of my new sport. On the other hand Dave might be able to appreciate my priorities.
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It was July 2010, and my friend Tom gets me out one morning on his wife's new board off the Jacksonville Beaches ... We're not in the water four or five minutes, and as I'm flailing away, legs shaking, I see this guy paddling up from the south. Hmm, I thought: He really knows what he's doing.
He's upon us in no time and stops to chat. I've forgotten his name, but he introduced himself and said he was paddling from the Keys to NYC (I checked up on him; he finished the trip).
What are the odds of an encounter within minutes of your SUP session beginning? I took it as a good sign, then went and stumbled into a few waves. Haven't looked back.
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My first downwinder was a maliko run with Admin and Chan on a day with both huge windswell and big north groundswell. They said "Paddle as close to the rock on the right as you can (looked like death and destruction) and then we're going way out before we turn for the harbor." By the time I got out I was certain they were trying to kill me. The waves looked like mountains and the tops were blowing off them. As I cleared the gulch a small whale breached clear of the water and did a forward flip about 50 yards away. I've never seen one do that before or since.
I spent most of the run on my knees, by myself, hoping not to just be killed. When I reached Camp One, Admin was waiting there and said "You have to paddle way out, there's breaking waves everywhere and the swell on the reef is huge!"
With those encouraging words I headed for Oahu and turned about when I could see the hotels on the skyline (not really, but it felt that way) thus creating my signature PonoChicken line.
When I finally got to the harbor my knees were abraded bright red, and the wind was blowing right into my face.
Strangely, I was hooked--completely. The next weekend I did my first Maliko race. When they asked if I had experience (conditions were challenging) I said "Yes, I did three runs last week" Not bothering to tell them that those were my ONLY three downwind runs.
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abmatt- was it either of these dudes? They did Keys to Maine I believe.
http://vimeo.com/m/18734540
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My first SUP experience was too painful to be funny. I bought a Ku Nalu from SIC (12'2" X 26") and fell off it in every possible way. I doubt I lasted more than ten seconds for the first two weeks. then something clicked and I could stand on it and get around.
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7 years ago at Christmas, we took the whole family to Maui, including my new daughter in law. We surfed then, and had only seen SUP a couple times. We rented boards for the two weeks, from SecondWind and they had some SUP boards out front. We surfed Hookipa for a few days and then came back to SecondWind to switch our rental boards for longboards to paddle out to Kanaha, with the girls. They had no desire to paddle out at Hookipa.
SecondWind talked us into taking a couple of SUP's out. They were big. I don't remember sizes, but I would say at least 11'. Still it was difficult to to paddle for me, but our boys took to it quickly, with my middle son doing headstand rides. We traded boards around all day and I ended up catching a few fun waves. But it wasn't the same as being on a surfboard. So I will say I wasn't hooked yet.
The next summer, we bought a 12' and an 11' Doyle SUP. We used them at home in the flatwater in our backyard.
Took a few months before we took them to Santa Cruz and played in the waves, then the bug hit hard, and the boards got shorter. Been hooked for the past 5 years.
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First sup experience in 2008 in Lanai on my honeymoon. Rent and Paddle out on a soft top sup then immediately fall in into a school of small jelly fish. My wife see me running up the beach as fast as I thinking I must really dislike stand up paddling.
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First sup experience in 2008 in Lanai on my honeymoon. Rent and Paddle out on a soft top sup then immediately fall in into a school of small jelly fish. My wife see me running up the beach as fast as I thinking I must really dislike stand up paddling.
That sounds painful. And everyone tells you, "if you fall off the board, you just land in the water. How could that hurt?"
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First sup experience in 2008 in Lanai on my honeymoon. Rent and Paddle out on a soft top sup then immediately fall in into a school of small jelly fish. My wife see me running up the beach as fast as I thinking I must really dislike stand up paddling.
That sounds painful. And everyone tells you, "if you fall off the board, you just land in the water. How could that hurt?"
I surprisingly didn't get stung but I was spooked.
I grew up in Orange County and San Diego and am competent in the ocean but every time i go to Hawaii I somehow get injured/humbled.
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The first time I rented from a place in Sunset Beach CA. We were visiting here from Montana. There I rode a Mtn. Bike. And I grew up sailing and surfing. We were going to Hawaii in a few weeks and I didn't want my first time to be in Hawaii. Whatever they had must have been cheap, all around. In the harbor, I could hardly balance on my knees.
Fortunately, Paddle Power in Newport rented Lairds. I did much better, at least on my knees.
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No, freetobeme, it wasn't those guys. It's really bugging me. He had the same name as an actor, I think, a real familiar name but for the life of me I can't recall it.
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I remembered the marathon paddler was paddling to raise awareness of plastic waste in the water, so with The Google I was able to "remember" his familiar name: Tom Jones. And found this ...
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/article_3e640696-a418-11df-a4cd-001cc4c002e0.html (http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/article_3e640696-a418-11df-a4cd-001cc4c002e0.html)
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I remembered the marathon paddler was paddling to raise awareness of plastic waste in the water, so with The Google I was able to "remember" his familiar name: Tom Jones. And found this ...
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/article_3e640696-a418-11df-a4cd-001cc4c002e0.html (http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/article_3e640696-a418-11df-a4cd-001cc4c002e0.html)
Funny, I've met Tom Jones and that's initially who I thought it was when you posted that. My friend bought his 14' Laird coast runner that he used for that. I went to his house in Huntington Beach to pick up the board. He was one of the early MMA fighters. Really nice guy. I haven't seen him since. A guy I wouldn't mess with in the line-up!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqKp6XH35uY
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My 1st time on a board was just after giving Bill a paddle that I'd spent about a month building...backwards as it turned out. Bill one ups my gift by giving me his board....this gif is of my very 1st time on a small lake/pond....says it all I guess.
(http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa317/stoneaxe/stoneaxes-first-time_zpsfae39ef9.gif)
The second where I am today....in my dreams..... ::)
(http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa317/stoneaxe/stoneaxe-second-time_zpsc0e00349.gif)
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Here's a pic of me about 5 seconds after I got on a board for the first time.
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I jumped in with both feet.
I had NO interest in SUP's. I was surrounded by them every day at my local break. It just didn't look interesting to me.
BUT one day... I figured I could surf the really small days if I had one.
I had NEVER touched a SUP.... but I went out and spent $1,800 on a Starboard Avanti 11'2 x 36 and a carbon paddle.
Paddled in a river for about a mile.... piece of cake... time to hit the surf ;D
Perfectly glassy 2' peelers. I fell 100 times day one, caught one wave on my knees and stood up.
Everyone in the line-up could hear my daughter on the beach, laughing hysterically and peeing her pants ;D
Never been on a surfboard since ;)
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My first time on a board was no problem. A wide Bic barge with lots of volume...paddled for a couple hours and never fell off. I was thinking this was a blast and my son likes it too. You know, it's all those years of skateboarding that was going to make sup'ing a piece of cake. ::)
Then Kayadog offered to let us try some of his boards....I saw the 14' Speedboard and headed straight for it. I pushed off from shore with visions of slicing through the water at top speed...got up, got maybe three strokes in, and on the fourth I stuck the paddle in and proceeded to forward roll and capsize myself and the board. "Okay, maybe not so easy....". Then, I watched my son who never really got into skateboarding much hop right on that Speedboard and took off like a semi-pro. My ego was deflated (for me) and elated (for him) at the same time.
Still with it and we're having fun together. 8)
Will
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First two times with a SUP were fine; paddled the marina in Dana Point on one of the 11'6" NSP rental barges.
First time SURFING a rental SUP battleship, flirting with disaster.
First of all, I couldn't really prone surf yet. Figured that since I couldn't really prone surf, and could barely SUP, I'd put the two of them together and somehow make one plus negative two equal five. At least maybe something miraculous would happen.
Divine intervention eluded me.
Hit the surf zone at Doheny with no leash given to me and took a shot....multiple shots. At least I had the common sense to stay away from anyone else. I flailed into waves and crashed in every conceivable way...clearly remember having to retrieve the board as it washed ashore, just before I washed ashore. Somewhere along the line it occurred to me that I could die or be seriously injured. Just after that realization gelled in my head, I fell on the board and found myself surfing on my back with me feet facing the beach, in a position I learned later is called the "coffin," praying that I would live. That was my most terrifying experience, and yet was my best wave of the day.
I'm lucky that neither I nor anyone else ended up in an actual coffin from the whole embarrassing episode. I still cringe when I think about it.... The lifeguards probably use video from that day in their "Don't let this happen on your beach" class to newby lifies.
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My first time was 5 years ago with my wife. I prone surfed but she never got into that, so she decided to try SUP in the bays. She took some lessons and invites me out to try SUP. I have to admit I wasn't very interested in it then. I'm reassured that this will be great and they have a board that will float me no problem.
We go in the morning for a 3 mile or so paddle in the bays. Lo and behold one of the girls bring their very FLUFFY friend with them. Guess who gets the board meant for me? I get a NSP board meant to float a 150lb person in flatwater. I'm 6'2" 207.
I get up on this board and it's wobbling so bad my quads are crying. I have to paddle so fast to keep afloat that no lie, I am canted to the point that the side I am paddling on is ankle deep in water. I fell at least a dozen times. Of course my wife is 5'2" 112lbs and won't give up her 10'6" Surftech Universal which has more volume than the board I was using. My wife is grinning ear to ear because she never fell in once. Needless to say I couldn't walk down steps for three days!!
Fast forward to today and I'm hooked like crazy on SUP/SUS.
Fanatic 9'5" Allwave
KeNalu Ho'oloa paddle
Surftech 11'6" Balboa
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"I'm lucky that neither I nor anyone else ended up in an actual coffin from the whole embarrassing episode. I still cringe when I think about it.... The lifeguards probably use video from that day in their "Don't let this happen on your beach" class to newby lifies. "
Ohhhhh! So you're THAT guy.
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"I'm lucky that neither I nor anyone else ended up in an actual coffin from the whole embarrassing episode. I still cringe when I think about it.... The lifeguards probably use video from that day in their "Don't let this happen on your beach" class to newby lifies. "
Ohhhhh! So you're THAT guy.
Maybe...haven't seen the videos....If I'm in them I'll be waiting for my residual checks...
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I'm a last light surfer. One evening there was a 20-ish couple tandem surfing a SUP as the sun went down. They stayed out maybe an hour past last light. Think it might of been there first time on a SUP.
Never done it with a SUP. Don't swing that way. There was a lot of paddling involved when doing it in my younger days.
OK, how about ... took me two or three sessions to figure out which face of the paddle was which. If a good samaritan had not straightened me out back then I'd probably still be paddling backwards.
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I'm a last light surfer. One evening there was a 20-ish couple tandem surfing a SUP as the sun went down. They stayed out maybe an hour past last light. Think it might of been there first time on a SUP.
Never done it with a SUP. Don't swing that way. There was a lot of paddling involved when doing it in my younger days.
Hey, not a bad idea if they were at Doho....
If the LG told them they can't "SUP" in front of his tower, and that they'd have to move further south....she could holler back, "I'm already below of the hammer!!" :P :-[ :D
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I was doing lots of PT for my back and having lunch on the wharf here in Santa Barbara. Looked out and saw a guy paddling an SUP and realized he was getting most of what I was paying a therapist for to watch me stand on bosu balls. I had been a kayaker and loved being on the water, but the sitting position and getting the boat out and up on the car was not great for the back.
Bought a 12' Isle barge from a guy off CL for $400. Got a used paddle from the rental place in the Harbor for $75 (where the employee immediately pointed out I was holding it backwards). Went home, put it in my pool and stood on it for about 3min and concluded that SUP was easy and I had mastered it.
A few days later, I took it out on Saturday morning. Overcast with moderate chop--stuff that wouldn't even phase me today. I don't think I was able to stand more than 30 seconds at a time. Worst part was there were two women walking around the cove who didn't realize how well their voices traveled over water. Heard them laughing all the way up the beach and back ("Oh! Oh! Oh! Look! There he goes again!!!). Made their day but came home humbled and exhausted after 45 minutes of battling.
Retreated to the harbor for the next 6 weeks. Got the hang of it and then started making my way a bit further out from behind the breakwater each time. Returned to the original put in place and mastered conditions no problem. My other kook experience was that I didn't really realize you could surf these things, I would just paddle around the little cove and watch people go out to the point. I'd see them out there just staying in one place and wondered what they were doing. Probably open ocean paddled for about a year before I tried to catch a wave (the Isle did me no favors here--went and got a WidePoint and then the fun began).