Topics

1

Environment / Any news from the areas hit by Ian?

« on: October 05, 2022, 01:03:51 PM »

I've never been to Florida, but my TV is showing me pictures of the mess.  Any news from the zoners in the area?

2

The Shape Shack / Snapped Paddle Blade

« on: June 11, 2018, 10:14:35 AM »

After 8 or so years of faithful service and abuse, I snapped the blade to my sup sports paddle while simply paddling back out after a wave.   It was a clean snap, and I'm sure using it as a cane to walk out of the San Onofre cobble fields among other abuses led to its demise.

I believe the construction is a fiberglass blade shell over a foam core. I've seen a little bit of paddle repair showcased here on the zone.  I'd like to try to fix the break, before I get a new blade or complete paddle.  My simple ding fix skill level is rising with every attempt.  With 25 or so sup and surfboard dings repaired since I started doing things the "correct" way, and not half-assing it, I'm gaining confidence to the point at which I'm happy taking a risk on something I haven't done.

I'll provide pictures of the break when I get home. It's pretty clean, right below where the paddle attaches to the shaft.  I'm thinking of using a couple small toothpick sized dowels, gorilla glue, sand both sides, and putting 2 to three pieces of wetted out S glass over the break area, gaining in surface area on each application.  I'm ok with ugly and gaining a little weight as long as it's strong and water tight.  The dowels might not gain me anything, I don't know at this point.

If anybody feels like posting pics and a brief description of their repair method, I'd be in your debt.

3

Gear Talk / Yakima Bedrock racks

« on: March 06, 2018, 11:41:53 AM »

Anyone have experience with this product (bars that span the bed of a truck on top of the truck bed)?
I'm doing the research for a (distant) future vehicle purchase and this looked like a really user friendly option for a truck without a shell.  Low loading height, all the bed space for storage, paddles, dog crate etc... SUP boards could be stored below cab height, unless I end up schlepping more than 4.  Pictures help if you have any.

4

Gear Talk / FluidStance

« on: January 17, 2018, 10:15:38 AM »

fluidstance.com
anyone seen one in the real world yet?
https://fluidstance.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9s_Jwszf2AIVw8PACh0ZqA7hEAEYASAAEgK9DPD_BwE

5

Random / A loss of an icon

« on: December 12, 2017, 03:41:49 PM »

I did not confirm this yet, but ...
stabmag.com/news/remembering-bruce-brown/
Director of my most watched movie.  A sad loss.

6

SUP General / Ding Repairs

« on: July 05, 2017, 11:35:27 AM »

First of all, I'd like to thank Clinto and The Kernel for their recent threads and pictures describing repair work done by the common man (read: not pros, figuring things out on their own). Those threads provided the courage and momentum to try to up my ding repair game beyond inserting epoxy plugs in holes, and running willy nilly to the local repair shop every time the laws of physics pulled me over to give me a ticket.  Secondly thanks to Pono for helping me not worry about the outcome and enjoy the process; TallDude for consistent great advice; and eDUBz for setting a ridiculously high bar to shoot for.

The backstory: Lent board to family friend for two days of SUP surf learning and fun.  We had a blast, he got the hang of it and probably caught 20 waves, riding faces at the end of the sessions.  My mistake was not explaining the fragility of the boards and some good techniques to exit the water at Dogpatch.  Dings were limited to two penetrations of the glass on the bottom and a snapped screw tab on the center fin.  Fin box wasn't damaged.

Purchased supplies including Entropy resin, 2 yards of S-Glass (might as well make the repair strong), Q-cell filler, and mixing buckets from Foam E-Z.  More than enough to do this job (and the next 10).

7

Travel, Trips, Destinations / Help us pick

« on: February 02, 2017, 09:11:58 AM »

Mrs. Slatch and I are deciding between Kauai, Maui, and Puerto Vallarta for our summer vacation (in June or early July)  Ideally, we want to surf as many days as we can, head high is perfect.  The place will need to have rentals because we're not bringing our boards on this trip.

We need suggestions for each of these locations on where to surf, when the best season is, and other travelers tidbits that make trips worthwhile.  I'm calling on the hive mind of the Zoners to help us out.

8

Random / Cubs

« on: October 26, 2016, 03:41:26 PM »

Cubs are going to lose.  How do I know?  I'm betting on them to win...in 6  with 32 runs total for the series.  Already down 1-0 to, of all god awful franchises...the Indians.  That curse thing, it's real.

9

The Shape Shack / Could this work for SUP surfing?

« on: September 22, 2016, 04:52:55 PM »

http://thealleyfishfry.blogspot.com/



Love the innovation, and I think the tail would make for a very stable sup.  I'll let some of you shapers chime in.

10

Classifieds / Surftech Universal 10-6

« on: August 08, 2016, 09:29:37 AM »

Surftech Universal Stand Up Paddle Board. Asking $450 obo on Craigslist, Zoner special at $400
Located in inland so Cal, surfing regularly at Doheny, San O, Santa Barbara area if you need a test ride.
Good for surfing, cruising, taking the dog for a paddle, tandem surfing
Good condition, Designed by Randy French, owner of Surftech and longtime surfboard builder.
I have it set up as a single fin but its set up for side bite fins if you like it that way.
Water tight, no dings ever, just normal wear, full deck pad all the way to the nose, leash loop, carry handle, epoxy construction
Video description from the manufacturer

11

Gear Talk / Fins for Surfing

« on: May 31, 2016, 03:36:27 PM »

Question for all surfing Zoners:

What fin set up are you running?  I'd also like to know what type of board (progressive, all around, fish/simm, longboard) and how big it is.  Throw in the type of surf you normally use that board and fin set up in. 

I've used single and quad mostly, and I'm exploring the value of a thruster or 2+1 set up for a 9-6 rounded pintail at mushy places like Doheny, San-O and Santa Barbara points and reefs (my usual haunts). Going to outfit a new board with a fresh set of fins (maybe). The 5" and 4" set of quads I have now worked fine this weekend but that was my first go.  I may need to get a couple sizes of center and run 2+1 til I get it dialed in to taste.  I like to use a single on my longer 10-6, and same size quads for my wider tailed Simm style.

12

Random / The debate drinking game

« on: December 16, 2015, 12:57:47 PM »

With nothing more entertaining on last night, we watched the Republican debate.  Ideas happen when minds are idle. The Debate Drinking Game is simple, stupid and guaranteed to make the evening slosh on by.

Step one:
Everyone picks a word that, when said, everyone else drinks. Write it down and put it in front of you.

Step two:
You must make all the same arm motions as the debaters and the first one to drop their arms drinks, and they're out. This is relatively easy when Carly Fiorina is talking but when Jon Kasich has the mic, you'll wish for a commercial like nobody's business.   You get back in when someone says your word or you play until only one is waving their arms (the winner). 

Step three.  You need to stand up and move one seat clock wise everytime Trump pats himself on the back.

Step four.  Call Uber.

13

Environment / Refugio Oil Spill

« on: May 20, 2015, 08:46:40 AM »

May be headed up there for the clean up.  *crosses fingers.

14

SoCal / Dogpatch Sunday May 3rd.

« on: April 29, 2015, 01:34:12 PM »

I'll be there sometime mid morning.  Session 4 after the heart attack... operating at about 75% of prior capacity, but with a lot more arterial flow! 
White Mazda 3 with wife nearby.
Riding my old hammer or my old mahalo (while other boards get some serious ding repair attention)
Gonna wait the line until my stamina returns and I can handle the trail hike AND surfing.

Come by and let me thank you in person for all the well wishes...or you can administer last rites... or lefts.

15

Random / Shootin stuff

« on: April 28, 2015, 08:23:31 AM »

My wife and I had the chance last weekend to go with about 6 friends to a local shooting range and test out their arsenals.  We've never shot anything so we were complete noobs (and at our age that seems like a statistical anomaly).  My conception was that most guns of similar caliber were going to feel pretty similar. Boy was I wrong.

We shot everything from AR-15s, 22 assault and long range rifles, Swiss K31 rifle, 30-06, a slew of shotguns, Pistols ranging from German Luger 22 to a desert eagle and a .50 cal ...hand howitzer.  I can only imagine what this access would cost at a pay to shoot range.  For us it was a graduate level course in fire arms, with everyone stressing safety, but all had their own take on weapons and reasons for owning.  I was mostly amazed at the range of different sights on guns and what they did.

We both learned quickly that my wife is a much better shot than I am.  We agreed that shooting is an interesting pastime but not much of a substitute for sup.  However the same "user preference" concept is applicable to shooting as it is to sup.  What works for one person isn't necessarily the right tool for the next.  All in all, a well spent morning.

Although it was pretty damn loud...