Standup Zone Forum
Stand Up Paddle => SUP General => Topic started by: blueplanetsurf on May 31, 2020, 01:23:14 PM
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I realize Hawaii is not always representative of the international market but it seems that trends in the Hawaii SUP market are leading indicators for the rest of the world and I have some good news.
After several years of slowing down and many SUP shops on Oahu shutting down we have recently seen big surge in interest from beginner Stand Up Paddlers.
As a safe and fun way to get exercise outdoors, SUP is an ideal way to get outside and here on Oahu we are seeing record numbers of new paddlers hitting the water. May was a record retail month for our shop despite being closed for part of the month and operating out of a smaller location with less staff. This may be a short term effect of the crisis and social distancing measures but I'm sure at least some of these new paddlers will keep doing it and will want to upgrade their gear later on so I'm optimisitic and think we will see a long term increase in interest in Stand Up Paddling.
Views of beginner SUP videos on our YouTube channel are also off the charts, see statistics of our "Top 10 beginner mistakes video" and views of all our videos.
I'm wondering if you have seen the same thing happen in your local area.
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This is the video that has seen a huge increase in views recently:
https://youtu.be/yD5AUo7S7Cg
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Well there was one other paddle boarded out where I surf Yesterday which was definitely an improvement. Haha. I hope it comes back as I missed the first rush and feel a little lonely here in Rockaway Beach Queens, NY. But I have a feeling that having a small apartment and taking public transport has kept a lot of people from getting into the sport here.
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I realize Hawaii is not always representative of the international market but it seems that trends in the Hawaii SUP market are leading indicators for the rest of the world and I have some good news.
After several years of slowing down and many SUP shops on Oahu shutting down we have recently seen big surge in interest from beginner Stand Up Paddlers.
As a safe and fun way to get exercise outdoors, SUP is an ideal way to get outside and here on Oahu we are seeing record numbers of new paddlers hitting the water. May was a record retail month for our shop despite being closed for part of the month and operating out of a smaller location with less staff. This may be a short term effect of the crisis and social distancing measures but I'm sure at least some of these new paddlers will keep doing it and will want to upgrade their gear later on so I'm optimisitic and think we will see a long term increase in interest in Stand Up Paddling.
Views of beginner SUP videos on our YouTube channel are also off the charts, see statistics of our "Top 10 beginner mistakes video" and views of all our videos.
I'm wondering if you have seen the same thing happen in your local area.
So you’re telling me these out of control crowds at every single water access point in Florida (on the weekends) is a trend......SHIT...I HATE YOU RIGHT NOW ;D ;D
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Great news Robert! I'm stoked for you, your staff, and your shop. I am seeing new faces in the SUP surfing lineup. I'm seeing a few I haven't seen in years getting back into it. One gal got married and had a baby. Now that her kid is 6, she's finding time on the water again. She surfed the outer reef at Doheny with me this morning. She was stoked, and charging the big stuff.
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Right now in NJ you cant even find a used board- especially an allrounder. This time 4 months ago there were 20-30 on the local craigslist or Letgo and none were selling.
I had a Jimmy Lewis Carbon Supertech i thought wasnt worth selling but i wasnt really riding- I decided to list because i was amazed how few boards were around.......it just sold it for hundreds more than i ever thought I would get to someone just looking for a flatwater Sup- despite me telling them its not for flatwater.
They told me they couldnt even find a new board at the shops (that were open)
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Bicycle shops are reporting that they are almost out of inventory. How awesome is that? It would be great if we could come out of this tragic experience healthier, happier, and with a greater appreciation for our environment.
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Amen Chan. What if we slowed down a bit? Amazing.
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Bicycle shops are reporting that they are almost out of inventory. How awesome is that? It would be great if we could come out of this tragic experience healthier, happier, and with a greater appreciation for our environment.
Yes, it seems to have had that effect on people and let's hope it stays that way.
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I've seen your video posted on the front page of the website www.paddling.com. It's mostly for kayakers but it has a lot of content for SUP and a subsection of the bulletin board for SUP ( doesn't get many posts though.)
The flip side of the bike boost is now garage thieves are roaming neighborhoods near me, looking for an open door, or unlocked side door. A few bikes have been stolen while their owners were just a few feet away.
I have not seen a lot of SUP surfers out on the water. I only get out about once a week now, because the local government in San Diego county has kept all parking lots at beaches closed. There are a few spots where if you know the area you can park early in the morning and paddle/surf. I'm actually seeing a lot less people out on SUPs. Getting out once or twice a week gives me something to look forward to, and clears the mind, I feel a lot healthier since the lock down relaxed a bit.
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I wonder if some of the lack of inventory is due to delays in the supply chain. I’m waiting a two new boards that are in transit on a cargo ship. 6-8 weeks time frame on shipping. Cargo ships are much slower than airplanes. Maybe some of the board reps/dealers could shed some light on this if they are having any issues.
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I wonder if some of the lack of inventory is due to delays in the supply chain. I’m waiting a two new boards that are in transit on a cargo ship. 6-8 weeks time frame on shipping. Cargo ships are much slower than airplanes. Maybe some of the board reps/dealers could shed some light on this if they are having any issues.
Some things have been slow out of China. In the USA, parts of the country have been in lock down meaning fewer staff attending to shipments, if the warehouses are open at all. With drastically reduced passenger flights, airfreight is about triple what it normally is and while ships are slow, they are affordable. We are generally ok for inventory, but we are slowed down by the stateside warehousing and freight due to lockdowns and now protests. I did have to airfreight some items, those items won't ever go on sale!
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Weird and unpredictable. It's very odd how many moving parts go into making up "normal".
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YES - Here in the "years behind" midwest they are finally catching on. The lake we visit has gone from mine and a couple of other boarders 3 years ago to regular paddle boards going by the dock now.
In one of the more telling details, Costco was sold out of their spring allotment of Body Glove boards a couple of weeks after they arrived in our town. They have since restocked.
Also seeing a lot more small kayaks.
There's been a lot of info in the last year attesting to the benefits of paddle boarding for folks and I think that is starting to get attention as well.
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This upbeat news story originally ran on KHON news, this is a longer edit of the story about the Blue Planet Surf Shop that was featured on Sports People Hawaii, a TV show on Oceanic Channel 16. The Stand Up Paddleboard business has been thriving during the pandemic. While there were less exercise options available, with gyms and team sports locked down, the ocean was wide open. More people than ever before took to the water in 2020 to have fun, get exercise and have a bit of adventure while being safe and socially distanced. Thank you for choosing Blue Planet and for supporting our business during these challenging times.
https://youtu.be/GRZrdB-fvGc
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Yes indeed. Case in point...me! I was looking for something to do while nursing a hamstring injury. The local reservoir opened in May 2020 after being closed for years. The pandemic allowed me to practice every day. So since early June, I've paddled every day with only a few exceptions. I'm hooked!
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Here in Santa Cruz there are definitely more surfers in the water,
and, maybe, a few more SUP surfers. I would say, yeah a few more SUP surfers -
just an increase of a couple is a 100% increase!
8)
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Good for you, Robert. ...if anybody deserves a break. I have seen more inflatos 'bayside'. 'Paddling the wrong side of the paddle' has been replaced with paddlers who do not tend to lean into the paddle. They and the rotomolded kayakers almost always head downwind on a breezy day rather than go around a point to paddle in a wind shadow. Losta overweight geezers on e-bikes seen at the federal/state park.
There is a cluster of local kids about 11-13 that can take a day 'when nobody is out' and slaughter the shorepound. Last time over, 3 boys/2 girls just did about every trick in the book ~50' from shore. Fins first - headstands - spinners - noserides ...all just having more fun than any human could expect. One little girl would give a 1sec 'Shriek!' at a peak forming. They're likely too young to know how fortunate they are.
Jim
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Great coverage Robert! You earn your luck, and it's nice to see this story expanding your exposure!
I just did a half hour interview with a German SUP Shop that is going full tilt since CoVid opened the door of opportunity for socially distanced activity like SUP.
The owner and I share the same ideas on how to help this resurgence head in a user friendly direction.
IMO, a "do over" is here for SUP... hopefully we don't let it pass unnoticed :)
Robert, I was very stoked to see the style of boards that were landing on the customers racks.... perfect! :)
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This upbeat news story originally ran on KHON news, this is a longer edit of the story about the Blue Planet Surf Shop that was featured on Sports People Hawaii, a TV show on Oceanic Channel 16. The Stand Up Paddleboard business has been thriving during the pandemic. . . . . .
https://youtu.be/GRZrdB-fvGc
Great story Robert and couldn't happen to a better guy. Glad you are prospering and helping others to get their heads on straight as well.
PS: I might have seen a quick clip of my/your 6'6" Blue Planet (Red) foil board at the end.
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I’m new to SUP (my interest wasn’t sparked by COVID) but that definitely happened up here in the PNW this summer! The lakes were packed with new inflatables, inventory was out at the local shop as well as Costco, and there was nothing on Craigslist or OfferUp. Every used board I sold was gone in a week! Someone drove 4.5 hours to buy my used 12’6” x 30 touring board and I barely lost any money.
(On a side note - the private party value of my truck increased by thousands and I was able to sell that and get out of a big loan - crazy!).
Anyhow, I hope more folks get into it! Such a cool sport.
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Definitely the harbor (where everyone learns to SUP) is packed with newbies on inflatable SUPs. I started about 14 years ago on a loaned ULI inflatable as well. I paddled it for months before I started eyeing an epoxy hard board. That started a whole progression of new boards as my skills increased and I got more in shape. This year the surf lineup has become very busy too. Even all the single-track and trails in the hills behind our house are busier with hiker's and mountain biker's. The surf shops are selling out, as well as the bike shops. The eBikes (as in, don't have to pedal) are in a crazy boom too. It's getting people out in the fresh air, experiencing life without much effort. Better than the watching TV on the couch or gaming:)
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In Europe the lockdowns and subsequent releases are causing a spike in outdoor activity.
While I am sure the flat water sup is growing, not so much the sup surf.
But the number of surfers has exploded.
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I agree. Big increase in the number of surfers in the water but SUP surfers here in Tofino not so much. The demographics are shifted towards university students who are “studying remotely” but surfing more than studying.
Cheers
Bob