Messages

841

Sessions / Re: Shake Free Bamboo POV - Video

« on: July 08, 2016, 11:17:25 AM »

Clay:  At the risk of revealing trade secrets, it'd be awesome to see a breakdown on your latest pole/mount configuration.  I've been really thinking about a new generation soloshot but they're friggin expensive.  I guess that's the price for getting beach perspective.  Anyway, my go to spots are shallow beach breaks and I'm wondering how you're unit would fair, or some modified version thereof in 2-5' water depth.

Look forward to more of your work!!!!

Thanks WhatsSUP!  Happy to talk about it, feel free to stop by or give me a call, my number is here:
http://clayisland.com/contact


Also thanks to Paul and jpeter, I appreciate the feedback.

842

SUP General / Re: Would You Have Said Something?

« on: July 06, 2016, 10:43:29 AM »

I think that's what is probably bothering me about this. I think I knew the right thing to do but still didn't do it.

That's a hard situation to be in, I feel for you, I suspect if you were by yourself you probably would have something.  I see this a wonderful learning opportunity for of all us and appreciate you sharing and starting this discussion.

Usually when I'm in a similar situation I feel angry at myself for not following my gut, angry at others for trying to get me to betray myself, and angry at our society for not teaching us how talk to each other.

When I was in my thirties I finally was shown how to communicate in a way that feels good.  The hard part for me is remembering and then having the courage to do it.  It's simply me speaking how I am feeling and saying truths that are indisputable by anyone else.   

So for example I could say,"I am feeling scared seeing you not wearing a leash or PFD, and I'm concerned that something might happen to you."  Only I know how I'm feeling, so there is nothing to dispute.   He might not like how I am feeling, and then that's his stuff and he's welcome to it.  I can wish him bon voyage and feel content that I spoke up, or he might be really grateful for my concern and we become lifelong friends.

843

Gear Talk / Re: Ultralight board mounted camera pole - how to build thread

« on: July 06, 2016, 09:31:55 AM »

I am getting more interested in using video to help improve performance.

For example the shot below it appears as though the paddle is fluttering.  Is this my imagination?  Some of the strokes appear to be waffling left right.

Hey so when I was in Maui I had a rental Kialoa paddle with a larger blade than my Hulu.  After watching the video I noticed almost no flutter or cavitation.  So this morning I called Kialoa to ask why, and the answer I got is that the flutter comes from me overpowering the blade size.  Which makes sense as I'm a big guy using a small blade.  They gave me a longer answer which I probably couldn't rewrite accurately.

844

SUP General / Re: THE SUP MOVIE AVAILABLE FOR FREE

« on: July 02, 2016, 11:29:10 PM »

Right on!  Great find, thanks for sharing!

845

Sessions / SUP Surfing Sessions - YouTube channel videos

« on: July 02, 2016, 11:27:42 PM »

I have been enjoying the videos this channel has been uploading lately.  Looks like it might be Dogman's channel?

First I have heard of Jackson Close, cool to see what looks like him surfing the same wave on the same day on both long and short boards.  Seems like he is a bigger guy and fun to see him on boards that I could probably paddle (might need a few extra liters).





and here's Dogman on the same day (music warning, it's metal and it's loud)


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnlgLtBE9y8fYzbKw6zNo9g

Most recent video upload:

846

Gear Talk / Re: Ultralight board mounted camera pole - how to build thread

« on: July 02, 2016, 11:15:53 PM »

After the success of this latest build of the Bamboo pole I wanted to give it a more rigorous test to see how it holds up.  It's had three session now, taken many wipeouts, and been thrown around a bit, before under this kind of strain something would have cracked or broken off by now.  This bamboo pole has held up wonderfully and shows no signs of damage or wear.  The velcro has come undone 4 times, three of those it was as simple as taking a few minutes to reattach.  The fourth time one of the adhesive mounts was pulled off the board, so I just pulled the velcro tighter and finished the session with a few more waves and all is well.  I have a couple ideas on how to make the pole a few ounces lighter as well as how to beef up the attachment points so the pole stays in place.

I enjoyed both sessions and am grateful for the company of wonderful people, and the positive feedback on the bamboo pole cam.   

Day one:


Day two:

847

SUP Gear Reviews / Newly Acquired / On Order / Re: New summer board from L41 on the way

« on: June 29, 2016, 01:09:51 PM »

Saw Kirk surfing one the other day, I was very impressed with the wave catching ability and he seemed to be having a great time and making the most of the waves.

My friend is getting one so we will probably report back soon...

848

Gear Talk / Re: Xero Shoes

« on: June 29, 2016, 01:07:12 PM »

I made the transitions to barefoot several years back, and love it.  If I remember correctly the Xero shoes peoples were some of the first huarache makers and I greatly appreciate their commitment to minimalist and sticking with as it can be hard to find good barefoot/minimalist shoes.  I tried one of their string kits and found it challenging to get them to stay firmly in place and feel comfortable, the wider straps work much better for me (I had a pair from anther company that is no longer in business). 

For me reef walkers are the best option for SUS in warm water.   Although they haven't stopped me from getting urchin spines in my feet.

Body Glove makes/made(?) some 3 toed water shoes that I like, I ran a tuff mudder in them on rocky terrain with no problems, and then a couple weeks later on a short run around home I bruised my heel on a rock.

Currently my favorite ultra minimal sandal is the vivobarefoot Ulysses, I really like the design and simplicity and they seem to be holding up well.

I remember seeing the footage (pun intended) from the Endless Summer 2 of the Fijian kid walking barefoot on the reef while Wingnut and Pat were wearing reef walkers.  So I suspect that if we keep walking barefoot our feet will adapt and we will be able to walk barefoot on just about anything.

Also I was just thinking last night how I don't seem to stub my toe as often as I used to, maybe going barefoot makes us more aware/in tune with where we step?

849

Gear Talk / Re: Ultralight board mounted camera pole - how to build thread

« on: June 29, 2016, 12:36:58 PM »

will you be posting any videos of your maui trip?

Most likely, I'm torn on what kind of edit I will do.  I want to do an edit that will be new for me and a bit of a stretch, so I am feeling out of my comfort zone and procrastinating.

850

Sessions / Re: Jersey Go Pro Session

« on: June 29, 2016, 12:34:49 PM »

Nice shot!  Look forward to more and the video.

+1 on the session, the lighter weight, no case/no fog is a game changer for me.  I look foward to the next release and I think there is a rumor the hero 5 will have a similar form factor.

851

Sessions / Re: Shake Free Bamboo POV - Video

« on: June 29, 2016, 12:19:38 PM »

Thanks cowboy, appreciate the comment!

Night Wing, right on!  Sounds like the videos are helpful, stoked they are of service!

Creek, heck yeah I was so stoked to pull into that nugget    I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

Thanks cook, great feedback!  Yeah Kialoa Hulu, I love the blended shaft, it feels flexy yet bomb proof to me.

852

Sessions / Shake Free Bamboo POV - Video

« on: June 27, 2016, 05:18:05 PM »

After several different builds I feel like I have the bamboo pole cam figured out, this build is really stable and I don't see any shake in the video, so stoked!

Fun session, ran into Kirk in the lineup on his noserider shape, man he was catching waves like it was his job, I guess it kinda is  .  Always fun to watch someone who really knows what they are doing and has a spot wired, stylish to!  A few shots of Kirk surfing in this video (green board).

I had a set wave at the end, felt a mixture of pure stoke adrenaline and mild anxiety that I was going to fast to see all the surfers in my line and through the fog and be able to navigate around them:

853

Sessions / Re: One of my best sessions of all time! - Simsup Shangri-La - video

« on: June 27, 2016, 05:08:17 PM »

Thanks Bill, appreciate the comment, felt good to hear.  I think I understand your board comparison completely, I feel more at home on bigger boards except in waves like these where the downline speed is where it's at.  I demoed both Foote 10x34 and 10x32, enjoyed surfing the 10x32 and felt comfortable on it.

Thanks Cook!  Glad to hear you enjoyed it.

854

Training, Diet, and Fitness / Re: Formula for heatlh: mind-body-spirit-land/water-ancestors-tribe - Video

« on: June 27, 2016, 03:29:23 PM »

Thank Chuck, great post!

I replied to your email.

855

Gear Talk / Re: Ultralight board mounted camera pole - how to build thread

« on: June 27, 2016, 02:50:03 PM »

Aloha!  Fresh back from a week in Maui, always such a beautiful and amazing place.  We lucked into 2 solid south swells bookending our trip, edit forthcoming.  I brought 2 bamboo poles and only used one, after many wipeouts I feel very good about the durability with no signs of cracking or any damage.  Also I have accidentally found a break away attachment system, any time it gets hit hard enough the velcro pops off and takes a minute or so to reattach.  Next I will try something more substantial to see what happens when it's solidly attached, probably should have done this with the rental production board I was riding    I suspect I have slightly overbuilt the bamboo pole and can remove some of the supports and lighten it by several ounces and hopefully get it under a pound.  Maybe I'll do one of those Quickblade tests and try to jack my truck up with it?

So I glassed a new ultra rigid bamboo camera pole just as I left for Maui and when I returned to California the south swell I surfed in Maui was now lighting up California, so after 2 days of rest I had to surf the same swell twice.  I put a couple of finishing touches on the pole and headed out.  To my eyes this pole is as rigid and solid as the 1 inch thick carbon fiber pole I use on DW runs, the video has no noticeable shake,  so smooth that it messes with my head as my brain is trying to reconcile what it's seeing - whereas with vibration my brain says oh hey this camera is on the end of a shaky pole. 

Stoked to remove the vibration and get this shot, I scored a bomb at the end of this video and had an awesome ride: