Topics

1

Travel, Trips, Destinations / Punta de Mita Delightful

« on: May 19, 2021, 02:07:23 PM »

Just returned from a 12 day Punta de Mita surf trip.  Cant rave enough about this place for paddle surfing.  Several breaks within a couple miles.  Easy boat hire to access.  Generally not too crowded and friendly vibe at all times.  Cheap beer and delicious food.  Alaska flies the board as a normal bag!  Got lucky with a medium filling in swell from the south that lit up La Lancha and the Cove at times.  Little wind produced shoulder to head glassy conditions.  Right in front of my hotel (Meson de Mita) - drop the board in and paddle over to Anclote for awesome evening rides and easy on the eyes scenery floating around.  Everything was outdoors - including all restaurants and felt safe with low covid rates and a nice little clinic to take the test for return to the States.  Fully vaxed anyway but easy to mask up at times to fit in with the polite local folks.  Felt soooo good to get out of town for a bit and surf-eat-drink-sleep-repeat.....

2

Travel, Trips, Destinations / Surfing the Fun Side of the Wall - Punta de Mita

« on: February 26, 2019, 10:19:27 AM »

Just back from a month long excursion down south of the border - north of Puerto Vallarta - bopped around Punta de Mita - Sayulita - San Pancho and had some great sessions.  Highly recommend Punta de Mita - several easily accessible surf breaks - cheap panga boat hire for drop off and pick up and crowds are not bad and very friendly.

Also stayed up in Sayulita which has some nice waves but very crowded with all kinds of folks....actually got pretty comical at times - a nice set would come through and thirty folks would paddle for the wave - about ten would make the first drop - five would manage to stay up to the bottom and two would manage to make it on down the line...WildMex runs a shuttle from Sayulita back down to Punta and the La Lancha break and that worked quite well to get out of town.  La Lancha is incredibly consistent and fun - can get crowded but the vibe is good and everyone gets some.

San Pancho is a cool town with great vibe - lots of music - and crappy SUP surfing....river break is steep and fast and never looked very good.

Overall a really fun place to surf with many consistent options and cheap food and beer.  Best part was we completely missed the famed Seattle "Snowmageddon" event that paralyzed the city for a week....Ha!

One quick pic - this is up at The Cove - a short boat ride from town....lost two friggen hats that day...dang!

PS - shout out to Alaska Airlines for only charging the 25$ extra bag fee for a paddleboard - makes it a no brainer to take your board with

3

SUP General / Electric Skateboard as SUP Surf Training Device

« on: January 16, 2019, 09:59:32 AM »

Interested to hear about other SUPSurfer experiences.  I recently found a used longboard skateboard at the local Goodwill - thinking I might play around with it a bit.  Long story short - I found extensive online help converting it to electric using inexpensive Chinese motorized wheels and electronics combined with RC Lipo batteries.  This thing has been a total gas to drive around my neighborhood and out on the local bike trails.  Getting 12 to 14 miles to a charge and have probably put a hundred miles on it so far.

I find the balance and turning to be very compatible with surfing - it is going to help my backside balance definitely.  The only drawback seems to be ignoring my wife and neighbors stink eye as this 60 plus year old zooms around the neighborhood in helmet and body armor being chased by random dogs and kids.  I was never a skateboarder as a kid and I'm a skier not a snowboarder - but man, this thing is a ton o fun and I really think it may be a way to keep current and possibly improve during my dry time on land.  I'm starting to think an E-Foil project may be in the works although that one looks expensive.....   

4

Gear Talk / Another Creek Appreciation Thread

« on: July 10, 2018, 07:53:28 PM »

Throwing out another Sunova Creek Review..representing the PacNW coast...have had my new 9.4 creek now for a few sessions and overall impression for me - wow - just wow!

Could stop there but here's a bit more detail.  Bought the 9.4 on the advice of Mr Creek himself and it seems about right for my 95kg naked self - yikes!  Dropping down in volume from my previous corky Allwave and this thing seems more stable for me in the chop and during messy paddle outs...and the Allwave was friggen stable.  I think having thinner rails buried in the water helps a great deal and probably other factors.  Now to the good part;

This thing rocks on a wave - I find myself making shoulders that never happened before - lots of new speed here.  It seems to have better glide and easily picks waves off with little effort.  Much looser with energy under foot - this from the middle of the board.  Still working to get to the back but the few times I've made it reveal another beast altogether.  The best part for me as an intermediate SUPsurfer is the feeling that this board has a lot of unlocked potential to grow into....so fun!

Its sooo pretty - I need to drag it behind my car and properly mark it up or something - kidding - I need to find a good travel bag as this baby will be hard to leave behind for crappy rentals....paddle on gentlemen...and Creek and Jim K - thanks for the design and deal! - couldn't be happier with this new addition to the quiver.

5

Travel, Trips, Destinations / Punta Mita was On last week

« on: January 28, 2018, 02:25:56 PM »

Had a great time on the other side of the wall down in Punta Mita previous two weeks.  Got very lucky with a swell coming through that sent the waves head high and glassy smooth for a few days.  Rented a sweet Starboard from Surf Mexico out of Bucieras - recommended.  Also had a car rental as wife wanted to live in Sayulita North Side - so I drove back to Punta on the good days.  La Launcha was my favorite -see pic - park at Surf Mexico shop on the highway directly across from the trail to the beach - folks are very friendly and will watch your stuff for you.  Also had a nice session at Anclote with very long waves and no crowds early in the morning....at one point was all alone picking off waves and wore myself out with little rest in between.  Even managed a few good sessions in Sayulita which was a convenient walk down the the beach...crowded, but manageable and a fun wave out front with beer close at hand.

Not sure how lucky I got with the swell - but will definitely return.  Having a car helps and next time will explore more of the area.  In my opinion, this is my "new" Costa Rica - easier to gert to, cheap and very freindly.

6

Foil SUP / Mast length?!

« on: June 12, 2017, 02:30:36 PM »

Fellow foilers....interested to hear a discussion about optimum mast length for stand up surfing with a foil.  Understand that a shorter mast makes it easier to learn and balance and probably easier when falling.  How limiting is a shorter mast overall....definitely limits the ability to pump and possibly catch another swell etc.  If just planning to surf and Not get too energetic can one  get away with a shorter mast height?  Mine is currently cut to 24in which seems to match some of the commercial foils out there....thoughts?

7

Foil SUP / Another DIY Foil Project

« on: June 09, 2017, 05:33:32 PM »

Couldn't help it..the ex-Aero Engineer in me had to give this a try....gonna start with a Clearwater Kit - SUP specific and go from there.  Decided my L41 was a good candidate....generally I have as much fun building these projects as I do using them, but hoping the "using" works out more fun this time!  I think the wood core with glass makes an easy and sturdy construction and keep the cost down while I give this a try.  Planning to mount to parallel fin boxes with extra strengthening during installation into the board.  This will also give the ability to adjust the foil fore and aft a bit.  Still struggling with Mast Height cut - thinking to keep it shorter as I'm probably not going to be pumping around like the young kids.   I may be dreaming but who cares...mile long Puget Sound freighter waves and crap mushy days out at the beach....worth a go!

8

Travel, Trips, Destinations / Costa Rica Camp Recomendations

« on: January 01, 2016, 09:32:56 PM »

Hi Zoners - I realize this subject has been worked over a bit, but I'm trying to narrow down the recommended supsurf camps for a week or more in Costa Rica.  Hoping to go this Winter.  There seem to be several out there;  Nosara, BlueZone, Pura Vida, Supsurfadventures, other??  Really interested in a surf-eat-sleep-repeat type of experience to maximize my water time and up my game.

Maybe most or all of these are good, but would be interested to hear from folks who have been there - I figure its better to gather some local knowledge before laying out the cash..

Appreciate the help!

-Paul

9

SUP Gear Reviews / Newly Acquired / On Order / AllWave - Size advice

« on: June 18, 2014, 09:58:15 AM »

Sorry if this has been beat to death, but I'm in a quandary about sizing for a new Allwave.  200# naked and 5"10in.  SUS here in the PacNW in cold waters in everything from crap mush to glassy OH.

I have both an older SB Widepoint - 10.5 as well as a new SimSup 8.5 that is proving to be a fun skatey board but requires much later takeoffs with almost no tracking ability or glide.....once on the wave - woohoo!

I'd like to replace the WP with an AllWave.  I like the stability and tracking and ability to get on the wave sooner with the WP and don't want to lose that.

Thinking about the 9.5 or the 9.1 AW - I want to differentiate as much as possible from my new SimSup.

Can I ask for wisdom from the Zone on this.  Supthecreek?  All advice appreciated!




 

10

Sessions / Hanging a Right at Namotu Left

« on: October 15, 2013, 09:46:03 AM »

Ha - had a "working" trip to Fiji and managed a day out at the world class reef breaks, got lucky on a clear, windless day and .....wow...just wow - water like crystal and smooth waves everywhere.  Took a look at Cloudbreak and watched the slashers cut it up above the razor reef.  Went over to Namotu Lefts and convinced myself that I wouldn't get killed there.  Had an awesome session on some beautiful head-high, glassy waves that seemed to run forever - especially after figuring out my backside left turn and running for my life ahead of the breaking wave - so sweet - longest and best rides of my short lived SUS Life!  FijiSurfCo and Ian Muller do a bang-up job to get you out there and back safely - highly recommended.  I'm still pinching myself - now back in cold Seattle with some very good memories firmly implanted.  The Bucket list has expanded to include a stay on Namotu Is. Surf - eat - drink - sleep - repeat...someday!

11

Gear Talk / My new SImSup is born - Ready to Rip

« on: July 12, 2013, 11:29:38 AM »

Just received my new baby last eve....she's a beauty in my eyes!  S3 version - 8.5 x 32 at 144ltr - dealing with Kirk was a pleasure - highly recommended as he works hard to get you what you want /or what he thinks you need.   First impression after a tour of the lake - where is the front part!  ...so used to seeing more board up there.  At 205lbs it floats me with the rails in the water and feels like a part of me - quite stable - at least in mild lake chop.

Off to Westport this weekend to give it a test drive - balmy conditions with 60deg water and 75deg temps predicted....pretty good for the Pac NW!

Report to follow.....

12

The Shape Shack / Kaholo Finally Launched!

« on: April 17, 2012, 12:11:09 PM »

Been a long dark Northwest Winter with all the usual distractions - work and travel, skiing etc.  Finally put the K to water.  Very satisfied with the build - it was a lot of fun. Tried to get it as light as possible with a few extras like handle, leash plug and fin box and fin.  Came in right around 32# all up.  First paddles confirm it's slippery in the water and I look forward to a few races this Summer.  A few Pics of the final product.  Note the high tech breather plug.....

13

Gear Talk / Kaholo Launched!

« on: April 17, 2012, 12:02:50 PM »

After a long dark Winter in the Northwest, I finally put my new baby in the water - just in time for Spring!  Pretty happy overall with the build - it was a lot of fun.  The wife is happy to get the garage back...  Initial paddling confirms it's way faster than a surf sup and I'm looking forward to trying a few races in the geezer category this Summer.  A couple pics......

14

Gear Talk / Review of Coreban 9.6 Performer

« on: November 02, 2011, 12:40:29 PM »

I am thinking about going for some marginal SUP size reduction to add to my surfing quiver - past reviews seem pretty favorable but my worry is I'm biting off a bit much for my level.  I'm running around 92kg, currently on a 10.6 widepoint and not sure if I'm even an intermediate surfer yet - definitely on the steep part of the curve still.  Is this a board I could grow into?  I like to push it and I am an aggressive learner.  Appreciate your thoughts.....

15

The Shape Shack / Another Kaholo Taking Shape in the Pac NW

« on: October 31, 2011, 09:41:40 PM »

The wife hasn't been able to park in the shop (garage) for a good while now - my Kaholo is busy being born at the moment.....its a really fun build - I'm watching the weight like a supermodel and adding a few extras like a fin box and leash plug etc....so far so good - a long way to go.... here are a few pics;