Topics

1

General Discussion / New Kenalu Outrigger Paddles

« on: August 09, 2020, 09:09:03 AM »

Always loved Kenalu paddles but there is little info about their new OC paddles and there are no demos. I already corresponded with Lane but would like some feedback if anyone has tried them. So much tradition in outrigger paddling makes it a tough market to break into. Thanks!

2

Classifieds / For Sale: Kenalu Konihi 84 Blade

« on: May 08, 2017, 08:09:14 AM »

Kenalu Kohihi 84 (blade only), excellent condition, lightly used because it’s off a backup paddle. Selling because I don’t need two Konihi's. $155 shipped in US. Located in Chattanooga. TN.

3

Classifieds / Fanatic Ripper Race Inflatable for kids 10'x26"

« on: August 21, 2016, 02:15:28 PM »

2015 Fanatic Ripper Race, used once. Best board for kids, no worries about chipping the rails with the paddle and kids can carry and drag the board, has tow hooks too. Inflatable to 22 psi, super stiff. Retail = $1259, selling for $850, includes backpack, pump, and fin. Older/heavier kids need experience on wider boards before progressing to this one, which is why I'm selling it. Volume =180 l; Width 26” ; Length 10'0”; Thickness 4.5”; Weight 16 lbs ; Recommended User Weight < 130 lbs. Can estimate shipping cost, likely $60, will split costs. Located in Chattanooga TN.
http://www.fanatic.com/product/ripper-air-range/

4

Classifieds / 2013 Carbon Starboard Sprint 14'x25"

« on: May 17, 2016, 08:46:12 AM »

2013 Carbon Starboard Sprint 14'x25", 220 liters, great for racing or just going fast, added deck bungies for touring. Board is water tight - recently inspected and all little dents repaired, plus added a layer of epoxy where carbon was wearing thin on the bottom. Board is now like new with years of life left. Includes Starboard and Ninja fin - the Ninja is perfect for this board. Have materials to ship if necessary, located in Chattanooga. $1200

5

Classifieds / Kenalu Paddle

« on: May 08, 2016, 07:02:27 AM »

Kenalu Carbon 90 shaft with extended ergo handle plus either a Hooloa 84 or Konihi 95, excellent shape, only used on flatwater. Shaft has been cut down from 63" to  57" (total length over 80" with blades). The extended handle provides 10 inches of adjustment. Replacing this paddle with a Kenalu Mana soon.
Paddle with Hooloa blade = $230  (Retail $433)
Paddle with Konihi blade = $290 (Retail $533)
ALL for $390
Located in Chattanooga but can easily ship them. Can send additional photos.

6

Downwind and Racing / Chattajack 31 Results!

« on: October 26, 2015, 08:01:18 AM »

Chattajack was last Saturday with cloudy, 70 degree, and muggy conditions with a bit of flow. If you want a dose of humility, look at the average speeds of the contestants. Paddlers are getting better and better. Interesting to compare board sizes, prone, kayaks, and surf ski speeds. I had hoped to volunteer and take / post photographs but was hit by the flu last week.
http://distressedmullet.com/2015/10/25/2015-chattajack31-results-and-photos/

7

SUP Gear Reviews / Newly Acquired / On Order / Element Expeditions Paddle Wax

« on: July 27, 2015, 03:34:55 PM »

I've been having trouble with sunscreen/sweat making the paddle slippery so I tried Element Expeditions SUP anti-sweat wax and am impressed - my paddle actually sticks to my hand without gripping it, as wax is eventually transferred to the T-handle so it sticks to both hands. Switching hands takes a bit more effort/time but overall I think it helps my stroke. I'm more stoked about the cold water wax as it may allow my hands to stay warmer in winter with a looser grip. Only complaint is that it took a month to receive it after ordering. Will update the review once I know how it handles the heat wave this week.


http://www.paddlewax.com/Products.html

8

SUP General / SUP / Drowning on Tennessee River

« on: July 24, 2015, 12:21:29 PM »

Unfortunate accident happened in downtown Chattanooga where most of us locals paddle. Woman was pushed under a work barge and became stuck. Not sure how a pfd or leash could help once that happened. There is a good possibility that the woman rented a board immediately upstream (30 yards) of the barge. Locals know to always check the dam release schedule to determine if the current is low enough to paddle upstream or if a shuttle is required to just paddle downstream. The current can double within an hour. They were releasing 45,0000 cfs this week which requires some effort to paddle upstream but it doesn't become difficult until 60,000+ (average 2-3mph at full effort).  If it was a rental, it makes me wonder if they tell the renters what current to expect and when to not allow beginners. Very sad.

http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/29599163/woman-falls-off-paddleboard-in-tennessee-river

9

SUP Gear Reviews / Newly Acquired / On Order / Fanatic Ripper Race for Kids

« on: July 03, 2015, 03:35:11 PM »

After bouncing back and forth between a composite and an inflatable board for my 7 yo, Jim K. convinced me to go inflatable. I agreed because 1)no worries about whacking the blade on rails and dragging while carrying it 2)very light 3)slips and falls less painful. Also easier to carry on the rack on top of my boards. I've been skeptical of inflatables, but this 10' by 26" ripper race has me wanting one for myself! Inflatable to 22 psi. The quick release Gladiator pro fits perfect for flatwater tracking. If it would only stop raining now to allow us to try it....

10

SouthEast / Ocoee/ Parksville Lake

« on: May 24, 2015, 09:50:59 AM »

I recently used ocoeepaddleboading.com to run shuttle  for my solo run on a beautiful lake. A great paddle I do is from the Ocoee whitewater takeout, thru the gorge and across the lake to Parksville beach. 6 miles straight there, 7.5 if you paddle past to the dam and backtrack. I've seen black bears on this run. No whitewater, but you can paddle upstream to a rock shelf and surf tiny waves. Definitely will sneak away from work to this. Advantage is cold water in mid summer when most lakes are too warm.

11

Gear Talk / KM Hawaii Boards?

« on: January 08, 2015, 05:48:52 AM »

Can't find any feedback on the KM Hawaii Compressor race boards, looks like a good design and their carbon boards are $1k cheaper than the big brands. Great deals on new and used ones are showing up here in Tennessee, even a 14'x24" custom for $1200 I'm thinking about. Bailey from the Florida SunCoast Surf Shop family recently became a team rider for KM. Absolutely no info or feedback on quality or ride on the web. Anyone???
http://kmhawaii.com/index.php/sup-boards/race/compressor-hp-elite

12

SUP General / Bill made SUP mag's hall of shame

« on: December 06, 2014, 08:22:19 AM »

Looking thru the new "SUP the mag" for girls in bikinis but found Babcock's mug instead (page 40). Well deserved Bill, you've done so much to promote SUP and selflessly offer advice to those needing help, including myself. Congratulations!

13

SUP Gear Reviews / Newly Acquired / On Order / Yakima Sup Pup vs Thule Taxi

« on: July 16, 2014, 07:04:15 AM »

The Yakima Sup Pup is just “pads and straps in a box” that you can keep in your car. I bought one for $145 to carry my 25 inch Sprint that is too narrow to sit tightly in my Thule Taxi. First thing you notice is how much lighter the sup pup is than the Taxi. Easy to lift with one arm and mount to cross bars, but have concerns about the mounts being light plastic parts that seem fragile. Because it’s flat, it allows your sup to sit about 1.5 inches lower than the Taxi. The sup pup pad is hollow, flexible, and very grippy, the opposite of the taxi pads that are firm and slippery. Very surprised how thin the straps are, about half the thickness of NRS straps, and they do not have a steel cable like the Thule Taxi. Webbing had a pronounced crimp after one use. I think I could cut these straps with a butter knife. Straps are attached with a sewn loop on a sliding plastic piece, so you can’t change straps without sewing. You slide this piece adjacent to the board so that the straps are vertical at its edge. The cam is enclosed on the outer end.

On the plus side, the racks are lower, lighter, fast and easy to mount and unmount, and have grippy pads that help secure your board, more secure than the Taxi due to grippy pad. There are no locks for the rack or the straps, so the ease of use also makes it easy to steal. Minuses are the straps and mounts are flimsy, you may be reluctant to carry a $3k board on them. Sup pup is advertised to work on aero bars, but in reality, if your aero bars taper front to back like Thules, your mounts will be angled and only the upper one will make good contact with the board. I submitted a question to Yakima on how to accommodate aero bars, they really need shims. So I’m looking for rubber shim. Yakima said they expected them the angle on aero bars and it’s acceptable as long as the board is not touching the metal part.
Sup Pup worked well carrying narrow boards and two surf type boards, there may not be enough webbing for two displacement type boards. Not promoting the dealer, but they have a good video:

14

SUP General / Brian Szymanski joins Sup ATX

« on: July 02, 2014, 11:26:35 AM »

Anyone else who paddles a Starboard suprised by this?
http://distressedmullet.com/brian-szymanski-and-john-becker-join-mick-di-betta-and-sup-atx

15

SUP General / Ben Friberg paddles SUP from Cuba to Florida

« on: August 02, 2013, 04:25:37 PM »

Was anyone elese following this story and his SPOT signal? cool stuff!

Local standup paddleboarder Ben Friberg already has one world record.
       Today, he set another record by traversing the 90 mile stretch between Cuba and Key West.
       The trip took just over 28 hours. In the process, he's helping Chattanooga become a hot bed for the sport.
       It seems simple enough. "I will be paddling on a standup paddle board. It is 14 feet long, I will stand the entire time that I paddle."
       But when you throw 90 miles of ocean into the mix, it becomes a one of a kind feat for Ben Friberg, one that has Chattanooga talking.
       "I think it's so cool going from one country to another, I think that's awesome," said paddleboarder Evan O'Lannerghty.
       "It's also just a real testament to what a pioneer of the sport that he is. He is the one who had the world record for going the longest distance, 238 miles down the Yukon River in a 24 hour period so we are really excited," added L2 Boards manager Bethany Smithers.
       Thanks in large part to Friberg's accomplishments, Chattanooga has become a Stand Up Paddleboarding hot spot.
       "The sport of paddleboarding has taken off by leaps and bounds this year. There are so many more boards on the water, that you can go anywhere; from the state parks that we have locally to downtown right here at our waterfront. You always see paddleboarders on the water," said Smithers.
       "It is growing tremendously, and I think Ben is kind of at least a local icon that kind of stands for that. He's super, super into it. He gets out there and encourages everyone to try it," added O'Lannnerghty
       Not only encouraging Chattanooga to try the sport, but to compete in it, starting the Chattajack 31 as an annual event.
      "What Ben is doing today inspires a whole new group of paddleboarders. You've got a growing number of folks who are doing the Chattajack, that 31 mile race every single year, people who never thought it possible to paddle for 31 miles and so we've got a new and growing genre of people who are really into going longer distances and making it part of their you know their serious sport," said Smithers.
       The ChattaJack 31 race travels from Lookout Mountain through Moccasin Bend and ends at Hale's Bar Marina.
http://www.chattajack.com/
 This year's event happens October 26th.