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Topics - NoSaltSuper

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1
SouthEast / Rooooad trip! Jensen Beach FL bound by Tue
« on: March 21, 2014, 05:18:16 PM »
Taking a road trip for spring break with my daughter, SUPSteph. Bringing 4 boards!


Just of Louisville currently. Arriving Tampa by 5 pm tomorrow. 

Hoping to paddle with manatees in Crystal River on Sunday. Anyone here paddled there? Worth the effort?

Then headed to Babson Park Sun-Mon, paddling on Crooked Lake, at my Moms.

Then, we head to Jensen Beach Mon-Fri to paddle till we drop !

Would love to meet up with other locals to surf or paddle the St Lucie River.

If anyone is free, send me a pm please, or post here.

It's already so much warmer than Chicagoland!


2
Midwest / Great fun surfing micro lake waves.
« on: August 05, 2013, 11:29:31 AM »
My Daughter and I spent a solid 4 hours surfing micro waves on Lake Michigan. It was sooooo much fun! We each caught dozens of little waves, longest ride was probably 10 seconds. But my 15 yr old daughter got the SUP and prone surfing bug, big time.

We so both REALLY improved in balance, control and confidence. Time On The Water, it's so true. I was on my 7'6" Pickle, she on my 9' Mana. In choppy Lane Michigan conditions, it was a challenge at first to stay dry.

But by the 3rd hour, we weren't falling at all, I was pivot turning after the "wave" in one foot if water, through the shore break, no problem. No longer had to look for the handle on board for position, could simply feel where the balance point was. Even did a few jump on the board from the water without falling!

It was great to see my daughters progression, confidence and constant smile! Amazing how much fun you can have even in micro waves.






3
Midwest / Daughter needs a ride to Chicago race this weekend.
« on: July 17, 2013, 02:58:27 PM »
Anyone from WI or Northern IL going to Chicago to race this weekend, with space for another board?

I'm traveling to the Dry Tortugas to fish (yay) but my daughter REALLY wants to race, on her board, this Sunday.

So if anyone is going and can pickup another passenger and an 11'6" Surf SUP, that would be awesome!

PM me here by tomorrow or email fluffywonder@yahoo.com (daughter).

Thanks for any assistance.

4
Midwest / SUP N Surf in Sheboygan
« on: June 18, 2013, 10:51:22 AM »
So who is going this Saturday?

I learned from my Benton Harbor mistake and will be going up the night before. My daughter and I will also be doing the Westy Clinic. Plus, the race starts at 8am and it's about a 2 hour drive.

Hmmm, maybe I'll accidentally clip his knee with my paddle so he's out for the race the next day!
 8)

Naaah, I'll just do the 6 mile Rec. race and let the big guns like Westy go after the money in the 6 mile Elite race.
EDIT: crap, confused races, this one only has the 6 mile elite. The Lake Geneva race has a 6 mile rec in addition to 6 mile elite.

See you there!

5
Random / Article in Tribune: Stand Up Paddleboarders clash with....
« on: May 24, 2013, 10:01:46 AM »
Sailors!  ???
Now we have a new enemy, apparently.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-03-12/news/ct-tl-ns-0314-wilmette-paddleboard-20130313_1_stand-up-paddle-paddle-boarders-wilmette-parks

Geez, are we the pariah of the water or what?!  ::)

6
Midwest / Midwest SUP CUP, more midwest racing!
« on: May 21, 2013, 10:52:39 AM »
Thanks to Kooksrule for pinging me about this.

Bic is running a One design race series, looks like a blast.
There's an event this Sunday.
http://midwestsupcup.com/ai1ec_event/lake-koshkonong-sup-race/?instance_id=50

Bic provides boards so that you compete against others on the same board/length, cool idea, great marketing.

They have 5 different races at each event:
1. Elite SUP, 12'6"+ boards, 6 miles
2. Open, 12'6 and 14', 2 miles
3. One design youth race, 1 mile on the Bic Wing
4. One design amateur for adults, 1 mile on the Bic Wing
5. Coed tandem SUP, that should be fun!


7
Flatwater and Touring / My first 6+ mile paddle!
« on: May 08, 2013, 07:55:12 AM »
As I'm planning to race in elite this year, I figured I better get used to paddling that distance.
I'm riding my 12'6 LPC Stealth.

Lucky for me, the recent floods have shut down boat traffic to "no wake" on the Chain Of Lakes, an area notorious for fast, drunk boaters, lots of them.

But not last night, it was just me! What a thrill and a great workout.

I headed out NE into the E/NE breeze, then just kept going east, hoping to get into the wind shadow on the far, tiny shoreline in the distance. The open water was quite fun going straight into the waves, not so much fun if they hit me from the side.

Still not sure what the right balance of nose down/submarining into waves is, vs. just piercing them. Being the water is quite cold, I wasn't doing a lot of adjustments.

Someone mentioned something about Zen when going upwind and I did get into the groove for quite awhile. At times, I felt like I was pumping up, then down the back of the swells, with each stroke. It was a pretty cool, and new to me experience.

It was a long paddle for me, my longest yet by almost 1.5 miles. I have to figure out a better way to keep sweat from my bald head rolling into my eyes, was torture on the downwinder.

When I went under the bridge at the end of my ride, I realized that's where the water was funneling and flowing south, giving me my fastest clip of the day at 5.6 mph. Then I u-turned and went back under the bridge upstream to call it a day.

Started getting a 2nd wind but wisely decided to end it before really toasting my body.

Here's a few pics.. Sure hope the lakes stay "calm" for another week or two!

http://runkeeper.com/user/eslrichey/activity/177463674

8
Fish Tales, Stand Up style / Troll or casting from SUP?
« on: April 26, 2013, 03:00:54 PM »
If the wind cooperates, I hope to go on my maiden SUP fishing adventure tomorrow.

I purchased this suction rod mount thinking it would be fun and good exercise to troll vs casting.

But today I hit the lake from the shore and landed 3 nice little Bass, 2lb range.

Anyway, just curious if you SUP anglers troll or cast more.

Also, any recommendations for first SUP fish attempt?

I'm thinking ill carry just a few lures in my camelback and go light the first trip.




9
Midwest / First paddle in shorts of the season!
« on: April 25, 2013, 08:57:46 AM »
So, I went out last night around 4 pm. Air was about 50, it was sunny, guessing the water is in the 40's.

Hemmed and hawed about what to wear. As we say in motorcycling, dress for the fall, not the ride? Falling into water that could would be very unpleasant and potentially dangerous.

But, I really don't fall anymore on flat water unless I'm trying silly stuff.

Wearing the drysuit seemed like a bad idea as this was going to be a workout paddle, not just leisurely. I definitely wasn't going to wear the full wetsuit,  I would melt.

So I compromised, wore a farmer John shorty, trunks, 6.5mm boots, a wicking shirt and my O'neill wind stopper "jacket".

Turned out to be a pretty good combo, but everything against my skin was soaked by the time I finished, from sweat.

This is a tough time of year to determine what to wear, the air is warming, the sun is out but the water is frigging cold.

Ideas?

Here's the Runkeeper track, for the truly bored. Also, how does one get an elevation climb of 455', on a lake?
http://runkeeper.com/user/eslrichey/activity/171675096

Here's a couple of pics.

10
I didn't want to hijack the other Orlando/Cocoa beach thread so I started this one.

My wife and I are driving down to Orlando from IL, uggh. Damn spring break have tickets at about $1k currently, each.

So the good news is, I can bring whatever boards I want, however...

I really want to SUP fish and my Amundson 11'6" is the best board I have for that but, it's a big board. If I'm not lucky enough to get a ground floor room, moving the board in/out of the room could pose a huge challenge, if not an impossibility. I would worry about leaving the board on the truck, especially on day trips to Disney.

I also have a 11' Hobie, 9' Mana (thanks Kook), 7'6" Pickle and an 9'6" iSUP.

I'm hoping to hit Cocoa beach 1 day, maybe 2 for SUSing, which I'm not very good at yet. Mana is probably my best bet for that.

Guess I'm trying to decide which boards to lug around or leave home. So, any advice from fellow travelers that have done this before, would be great. I'm staying at the Marriott Grande Vista Resort in Orlando, if that helps.

Guess I'm leaning towards the 9' Mana and the iSUP, haven't decided about also bringing the 7'6".

Ideas, suggestions?

TIA.

11
Gear Talk / DriPro waterproof phone bag, only $37 with Headphones!
« on: March 10, 2013, 02:06:49 PM »
Browsing at my local Navy Exchange, I discovered a product I haven't seen or hear of before, the DriPro waterproof case.

http://www.dripro.com/eng/

What's really nice is for only $37, it comes with waterproof headphones, and arm band and a neck strap. The enclosure is really secure with the ziploc-like seals, all folded and the velcroed at the top.

I haven't used it on the water yet, but I really like this thing so far. It's easy to put the phone in and take out. Also, while in the case, you can still use the touch screen and take photos, pretty slick.

12
SUP General / Costco SUP's ride again.
« on: March 01, 2013, 11:01:18 AM »
Stopping at my local Costco for their awesome raspberries the other day, spotted this Wavestorm SUP.

It's 9'6", no idea on the width or thick. Board, paddle and leash, $399.

Costco is where I bought my first SUP and what got me hooked on the sport, 5 boards later I'm still addicted. My 10'6" Wavestorm was a great board to learn on and awesome for other beginners. You couldn't hurt it and it couldn't hurt you.

Have to say, this looks like it would be a fun board to play with. Has tie downs on the nose and an interesting looking, textured and padded deck.

I know these things tick off some of the boarding purists but I think anything that gets someone standing on water, is a good thing. It doesn't take long to realize you want better equipment, once you get hooked.



13
So I really wanted to paddle today, seeing the wind from the west, was hoping the lake ice had blown away. As you can see from the first few photos below, that didn't happen. Saw a pretty cool iceberg though.

On with plan B, paddle up and then down the Des Plaines River. I've never paddled a river, let alone in winter. But it was sunny out and about 40 degrees, perfect.

Had a great time and I'll definitely do this again, hopefully with more time before sunset. Paddling a river is quite different than a lake, especially with a displacement board. Going straight upstream, was fairly easy in the wider parts of the river. When it got narrow and faster, it got downright interesting and challenging.

When that current is pushing against your displaced nose at an angle, wow, it's a struggle. There were some tight turns, with overhanging trees and the current picking up, wasn't sure I'd get the nose around to make the turn.

When it was time to head back, just getting the board turned 180 was interesting. The current is pushing against my fin while I'm trying to bring the nose around. But once around, WOW! Super fast going down river. You really can fly paddling downstream, duh I suppose. What's interesting is, you have to look far ahead and plan for the overhanging trees, quick turns, stumps and floating logs. Cause they come up damn fast.

Anyway, enough chit chat, here's the photos. First few are Lake Michigan where I paddled last weekend, now filled with cool icebergs and such. Oh, there's also a link to my track, not even 2 miles and it was a workout!

http://runkeeper.com/user/eslrichey/activity/151990266


14
Midwest / Canoe Marathon race- SUPing down the Des Plaines river!
« on: February 21, 2013, 06:06:27 PM »
I have done this race many times with my kids in my canoe, or a kid in a kayak. It's the 2nd oldest "canoe"/paddle race in the country.

And NOW, they have a SUP classification! SUP is definitely coming alive in the Midwest, this is so cool.

" CLASS SPECIFICATIONS will now include one Open STAND UP PADDLEBOARD CLASS for men and another for women, enabling SUP participants to compete for awards and recognition as with canoe and kayak classes. SUPs may be of any length, but must be paddled in a standing position with a single blade paddle."

Oh, go here to see the site: www.canoemarathon.com

I did the race last year again and saw about 4 SUPers, out of about 600 or so vessels. We were in our canoe, plodding along.

This year, my 14 and 17 year old daughters will be taking the canoe together and I'm going to SUP the race.

So, part of me wants to keep this quiet and reduce the competition but obviously, I'd rather have a bunch of folks on SUPs out there with me, preferably behind me.

So, come on down Cheeseheads and come on over Michiganders! If I can travel to your races, you can travel here!

I'll even help arrange car/board shuttling. But on that note, there's a free shuttle from the finish to the start, so it's not a problem.

Ok, who is in?!

15
Well, I finally got out during the winter and paddled!

Here's the story. I stopped by Waukegan Harbor on Lake Michigan on Friday to see if it was frozen. Much to my delight, it was wide open, no ice in sight anywhere! Too bad I didn't have my board then. Made decision to come back on Sunday.

Snowboarding all day Saturday, temps in the teens, great day to ride.

Sunday, I finally get my butt in gear and load my gear into the truck, it's about 1:30.

Drive to the harbor and WTF, there's ice covering 50% of it! Where did that come from? Hmm, wind is out of the east, ice must have been pushed in. No worries, it's still 50% open and the channel along the harbor is still open. Channel runs out to the green lighthouse you see in photo.

It's about 25 degrees out, I'm wearing under armour top and bottom, beanie, T shirt and my Ocean Rodeo drysuit. I'm comfy, although a bit apprehensive. Have neoprene-like socks, 6mm booties and brought bigger "wading" boots just in case, good idea.

I was really concerned about getting my feet wet with the booties, because of the cold. So I switched to the boots you see in the photo.

After carefully stepping over the ice on shore and slowly wading to where the fin doesn't hit, I launch. Man I don't want to fall in. Taking out my twitchiest board was probably a mistake, should have taken the Amundsom 11'6" surf SUP, so much more stable. But, I'm on my 12'6" LPC Stealth, displacement board.

Nervously, I paddled out to the lighthouse, the ice is just in front of it. What I didn't realize, the ice is coming in, I would realize that soon though.

Paddled down the channel for a good workout, back into the harbor, back to lighthouse, hmmm, ice is closer now. Well what the heck, one more paddle up the channel, then back into the harbor before the ice closes in.

I was too slow. The ice had come in quickly and my previously free entrance back to the beach, was now ice! Crap. Down to my knees, I hacked through the ice, pulling myself through, whew! Can't get over how fast and thick that ice came in. Lesson learned, there's a reason they call em ice flows and not ice sits.

All in all, it was a good paddled, only got in about 2 miles though. Now I know, wait for a west wind to blow the ice away!

OR Drysuit is simply awesome. So comfortable, I wore it to the beach, paddled, wore it to 7/11, then home. Had the suit on for 2 hours probably, never cold.

Pics and hopefully video below.


Video was after my paddle, showing the harbor now all locked up with ice, bummer.
http://youtu.be/y1bmnYTepmQ

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