Topics

1

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / "Wingsurfer" for Foil/SUP

« on: April 12, 2019, 08:49:46 AM »

You guys see this?  Interesting.......maybe old news(?)

https://www.surfertoday.com/windsurfing/naish-launches-the-wing-surfer-for-foil-boards?fbclid=IwAR1BeHVFLb_rUCnfMCVyzoiGDzKSNDLuextqmsJrGQPguvPpam5VPMMEltA

2

Sessions / Snuck another one in...

« on: March 30, 2019, 05:45:56 AM »

Session #7 for the month last evening from 5pm-til sunset.  Decided to give the Creek some love and take her out - I don't think I've been on it since last fall as I've been on the B&B exclusively all winter. Glad I had it last night given conditions......so fun to surf the Creek!  Love it!!!!!!

Was joined once again with Mr. Big.  Condition were semi-bumpy and slight/dying cross shore breeze....didn't glass off but was still quite nice.

Mr. Big always makes me chuckle.......



Couple of backside...

3

Random / RIP King of the Surf Guitar: Dick Dale

« on: March 19, 2019, 09:23:55 AM »

Sadly, I heard that Dick Dale has passed.....I had the opportunity to meet him a couple of times over the years and always enjoyed jabbering and talking guitars and music.  I had him sign my Fender Strat back in the late 90's and I'll always treasure it....one of the first things I always play when I pick it up and start noodling is the intro to Miserlou.   



Will definitely be playing some of his tunes tonight....Volume to the sweet spot (~7.5) and Reverb to 10 on the Deluxe Reverb.

RIP Dick.....and Thank You for all the great music: Miserlou, Surf Beat, Nitro, The Wedge, Esperanza, to name just a few.
 

4

Sessions / Mr. B. Speedy Gonzales!

« on: January 02, 2019, 06:54:44 PM »

Had a fun small wave session with Mr. Big today to ring in the new Year AND his Birthday!!!!!!!!  Happy B-Day Biggie!!! 

I only wish I had captured more video of your rides today......you get the arm band next time!!!!

Silly little video....just a fun fun fun day! 

5

Gear Talk / Preventative Maintenance: Over Due!

« on: December 28, 2018, 04:18:44 PM »

Was a bit bored of eating and drinking to excess from the past couple of days and decided to spend some quiet time (ok, cranked the classic rock station) in the garage and went over my "go to" boards and get ready for what looks like a fun week of waves.  I'm always good about rising my equipment off with fresh water after each session - December was a good month with 10 outings.  I found numerous nicks on trailing edges of my boards' fins, as well as leashes that needed some attention....i.e., set screws nearly 1/2 to 3/4's backed out at multiple connection points, leash strings that were at least 1/2 frayed thru....etc.

Anyways, tightened fins, thoroughly cleaned leashes, sanding trailing edges of rough/sharp edges of multiple fins between my Creek and Jl B&B, replaced leash strings, and completed overall inspections of leashes and nose to tail inspections.  No guarantee's from a long swim but risk reduced for sure! ....and I had fun spending time caring for some prized possessions and reading for the coming days/month!!!!

 

6

Technique / Preferred Method to Right Larger SUP in Surf?

« on: December 17, 2018, 07:37:14 AM »

Noticed this weekend I had a bit more of a challenge of righting my 10' 1" B&B in the surf after a wipeout and the board capsized (fin up)....got me thinking about it this morning and thought there might be a trick or two(?)  I typically grab the rather large 10" fin and wait for some chop or a wavelet to help with leveraging the board back over.....in the glassier conditions of this weekend there wasn't any help from the water so the friction interface given the boards length and width resulted in several attempts on most wipeouts to right the board......

Interested in hearing from the bigger board guys as to preferred righting method.....got to be a better way than using the fin which I now can't be good!

 

7

Sessions / Happy Halloween!

« on: October 31, 2018, 07:26:10 AM »

Scraped the ice off the windshield this am and hit my local before the sun came up.  Chilly (30 degrees) air but water still hovering around 60...only one out in pristine knee to occasional waist early.  Stunning morning as the sun came up and the ocean steam slowly rolled out to sea.....my suit was steaming like a linebackers bald head in Green Bay in December! 

   

8

Travel, Trips, Destinations / Ireland.....Wow! Had I known....

« on: October 11, 2018, 08:51:09 AM »

Just spent the last 10 days vacationing in Ireland and had no clue that the country had such surf trip potential!  I had heard prior to going that there where a couple of surf spots on our route (Dublin to Galway on the West Coast then south around the country for the next week back to Dublin).  And I hear up in northern Ireland its downright top notch big wave stuff.

One of the stops was in Dingle at Inch Beach where the pic was taken, but as we drove south I saw more and more beach and point breaks.....clean, glassy, chest high breaks...most with nobody out....

Next time the suit goes with me!!!!  and maybe a two-piece Creek!!!! 

 

9

Technique / Cross-Stepping/Noseriding: My Personal Quest

« on: September 25, 2018, 02:20:08 PM »

Two of what I expect will be a total of 4 videos:

Video "PART I:  First Steps……."

The first 4 clips reveal some my earliest attempts at cross-stepping forward…..the last 2 clips show a couple of the first attempts at backing up.  SUP skill level at the beginning of this year was probably about Novice (ability to paddle and catch waves & initiate turns left or right and ride down the line….nothing fancy.

I made numerous observations from these as well as other clips not displayed during this timeframe.  Most notably, a delay or hesitation in starting forward, and straying too far from the centerline.



Video PART II: Up and Back……

In this video, I start to combine cross-stepping forward with attempts to walk back and try to recover.  Still having a fair number of waves pass underneath during this timeframe.  And although still a full cross-step and a half from the tip of the board I am starting to become a bit more proficient at moving up and back.



Looking Ahead:

I’ve already started to collect footage that I would consider consistent with a next level of progression - what will become my “Part III: Putting it Altogether” video which I’ll likely post in the month or so.   I ultimately envision a final Part IV video (timeframe TBD) to capture some true nose-riding - gonna take a bunch more hours and sessions but I can sense that its not terribly far in the future….quite exciting!

Closing Comment:

Its been fun to gather and watch, rewatch, and rewatch again all the video I’ve amassed this year - and I only save a few rides from each session and delete the rest. And yeah, it can be a bit of a time sync, but on rainy and/or surf less day its pretty fun.  One thing for certain, the Soloshot 3 has given me a great tool to carefully analyze rides in super slow motion in order to try and figure things out - not to mention document progress over time. 

Hoping this might inspire others to post technique and other vids!!!!!!!! 

10

Gear Talk / Sum Bitch....Kenalu Paddle F-up

« on: September 19, 2018, 04:13:39 PM »

Noticed after getting home from a dawn patrol session this am that there was a little bit of water in my Wiki paddle so this afternoon I broke out the heat gun and warmed the shaft up....turns out I didn't heat enough of the shaft and ended up frigging twisting the carbon extender handle to the point of cracking/breaking.  F-me!  I forgot how deep the extender handle goes down in the shaft.  Note to self....heat a good 12-18" of the shaft dumbass before trying to pull out the old handle!

So, $70 later I've got another extender handle enroute.

 

My own stupid fault!  Okay, I feel better now! Whew......     

11

SUP General / Happy Birthday Creek!!!!

« on: September 18, 2018, 04:27:33 PM »

Holy-F.....Happy Birthday Creeker!

Can't even begin to extend a huge THANKS for all your board reviews, vid's, tips, tricks, etc!!!!  And how many at your/our age are still pushing and pursuing wave happiness!  And then there's the "Creek"....you own SUP design which has won countless of us SUP-ers over.

To many years ahead!

Stoked to have a Creek of my own and to be able to call you a friend!

Ride on................Happy Birthday Rick!

 

12

Random / Garage Floor Redo

« on: July 24, 2018, 06:01:19 AM »

Picked up a kit from Home Depot to redo my garage floor over the weekend.  The $107.00 kit contains an epoxy paint, etch material for prepping/cleaning and "decorative chips" for sprinkling on the freshly/wet epoxy.  The material is enough to do a "2.5 car garage (approx 500 sq ft).  I actually had enough material to do my 550 sq ft garage.  I also picked up a couple of small "anti-skid material" to add to the epoxy so that was another $10 or so.

Pretty happy with the results for $120.

 

13

SUP General / Your Biggest Kook Move?

« on: July 06, 2018, 07:51:06 AM »

Was surfing the tube looking for a SUP surf video fix and came across one of Robert's (Blue Planet) old vid's where he's addressing common mistakes.  Got me thinking about my own Kook moves...of which there are a few.  For me, its got to be the first summer a few years ago when I held my paddle blade backwards......that went on for a good part of the summer until someone in the water near me very tactfully said "try turning your paddle blade around you may find it'll work better"...  Lo and behold....worked like a charm!  Total Kook move!

Yours?

14

Foil SUP / Behind a Dingy.....

« on: July 05, 2018, 04:56:39 AM »

FWIW.....

15

SUP General / Happy First Day of Spring....

« on: March 20, 2018, 05:32:58 AM »

....Snow forecast tomorrow is 7-10" with localized amounts up to 13" here in Lil' Rhody.

What the hell!

Bring back February.....warmer days and better surf!