Messages

976

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

« on: February 25, 2016, 12:43:03 PM »

Hi,

After several builds and testing I have decided a quick release is undesirable for me right now.  I have instead gone the other way and added more robust attachment points and reinforced the pole and hopefully it will stay attached and in piece in a wipeout or when hit with the lip.  I tested it yesterday morning and had a fantastic session, surfing with it felt great, and I'm really stoked on the footage and looking forward to giving it another test in some hollow beach break. 

977

Travel, Trips, Destinations / Re: Looking for recommendation where to SUP near Watsonville, CA

« on: February 22, 2016, 09:00:11 PM »

I second Covewater, I believe they have a trailer that rents boards at New Brighton now.  Low tide is usually best for surfing in town.

978

Random / Re: Taking up meditation

« on: February 21, 2016, 07:51:10 AM »

That's F*#@ing rad!  Not sure I could meditate to this as I would be laughing a lot, it definitely made me feel better. 

I hear your pain, I had a few years of being injured and not surfing much if at all, it sucked and at the same time it led me to a deeper spiritual connected life.  I hope you heal soon.

One of my spiritual teachers drops a lot of f-bombs, he's big on keeping it real and authentic and not hiding any truth.  So if I'm feeling angry or frustrated and want to cuss up a storm I let er rip and get all that stuff out, spoken or usually written (preferably in a safe place where I'm not dumping it on anyone). 

979

SUP General / Re: Practice Using Paddle as Pivot, Switching Hands, etc. Fun Waves in Baja.

« on: February 20, 2016, 10:13:48 AM »

It's what its all about. You're progressing quickly....I see guys that have been supping for years that don't use their paddle.
In my next life I hope to be able switch hands and use my paddle like Adriano Lima.......artist at work.

Hey sweet video thanks for reposting.
it's been asked before and I haven't found an answer  (or I need to learn Portuguese to hear it)

Anyone know Adriano Lima's height and weight?
Volume and size of his board in this video?

980

Share the Stoke / Re: Sunset standup pros drone

« on: February 19, 2016, 11:03:39 AM »

Wow that's really beautiful, so amazing to see sunset that lined up and peeling, and being sup surfed so well!

981

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

« on: February 19, 2016, 07:55:23 AM »

Really fun and challenging session with the howling offshore wind. Super stoked on the waves, board, and day with friends.

Trying a more robust fixed pole cam. Pole broke after my second wave, at the point where I had repaired it. Either it was the heaviness of getting hit with the lip or I forgot to drill holes so the epoxy has more to grab on to 



This is probably the best session i have had yet on a SUP, after the pole broke I had some amazing rides.  I felt really comfortable riding these hollow waves on SUP, it didn't feel like the large board was holding me back and I was making sections that might have been impossible on prone board, and maybe most importantly I was able to make it back outside without getting drilled like my prone friend was every time he caught a wave.   Stoked!

982

Technique / Re: Surf feet placement on fast waves and wide boards?

« on: February 16, 2016, 06:08:24 PM »

For me it's more a function of weighting the inside rail and standing on the accelerator on a steeper wave...a couple pics below I have my toes well off of the pad and starting to wrap the rail...

I grew up surfing in the single fin days and that is how you learned how to tube ride...forward and on the rail dropping in and setting it up...wide points were well forward and that is where you drove those boards from...

Some waves dictate a more centered approach along the stringer line so the you can quickly go rail to rail...pumping and climbing and dropping...regardless, I think that you need to resist getting "stuck foot" and move around on the board as the wave necessitates to optimize speed, maneuverability, and control...

I hear what you are saying, and agree that moving around on the board is good to get in sync with the wave and have more control.

983

Technique / Re: Surf feet placement on fast waves and wide boards?

« on: February 16, 2016, 07:14:33 AM »

Stills from the above videos:

984

Technique / Re: Surf feet placement on fast waves and wide boards?

« on: February 16, 2016, 07:12:55 AM »

Very cool and helpful to see the photos, thanks for posting.  I wonder if people that are learning to surf today have an easy time with all this slow motion gopro footage to review?

Here is a video that hopefully illustrates the type of stance I am talking about, quite a bit forward on the board with both feet closer to the rail than the center of the board and a more relaxed narrow stance.  At 1:05 he does what looks to my eyes to be a very stylish pump, on most wide SUPs this cannot be done from the stringer and that's why he is more on the rail:



I grabbed the above clip from this highlight video of the Back Door shootout:



My boards are 32 wide and I have noticed I need to get my toes even closer to the rail.

985

Technique / Re: How to keep feet from going numb and moving around the board

« on: February 15, 2016, 03:41:05 PM »

Also worth mentioning are the
PSYCHOFREAK 3.5MM ST BOOT, they have arch support and really help for the long sessions

Appreciate the post.  I mean no disrespect or criticism by this response.

My understanding and experience with arch "support" is that it is similar to binding the feet or walking with crutches, and very destructive to foot health and proper function.  Many of us have feet that are in such a state of atrophy that it hurts to walk or run without these crutches.  After 30 years of wearing thick soled sneakers and boots with heels and arch "support" I spent several years making the transition to barefoot.  Now that my feet are mostly repaired it hurts to wear shoes with arches or heels and thick rigid soles.

Robert thanks for posting, the video tips are always super helpful.  I don't wear flip flops or slippahs for the same reason, I need to grip the flip flop with my toes to prevent them from falling off and it inhibits or changes my natural gait.  These Vivobarefoot Ulysses are the most foot friendly sandals I have found:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NXRHMQM/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687662

986

Technique / Re: Surf feet placement on fast waves and wide boards?

« on: February 15, 2016, 03:09:13 PM »

I offer this as an answer.

Yes this photo looks exactly like the foot placement I am referring to (front foot closer to the rail), do you know what this photo is from or if there is a video?  I would love to see the full sequence or higher res.


Appreciating this discussion, thanks for the posts.  Seems like for the most part when surfing front side our back foot is on the rail and our front foot is on the "stringer".
This video shows the usual stance when barrel riding a narrow relatively low volume SUP:



I am still looking for a video where the front foot is also on the rail...

987

Technique / Surf feet placement on fast waves and wide boards?

« on: February 12, 2016, 12:15:16 AM »

Hi all,

I had a revelation or maybe confirmation of how I can surf wider boards in walled/hollow faster waves where I either need to take a high line or "pump" my way through the sections.  This is the first winter I made the switch to SUP and so I learn something almost every session, first session I was scared to take a high line and concerned the board would catch a rail and I'd do a nasty over the bars wipeout.  Today on a few walled fast waves I put both feet on the rail completely off/far out from where the stringer would be and doing this help me pump or take a higher line and make the faster waves.  Hopefully this explanation makes sense, if not see the photos.  The prone photo shows where my feet would normally be - stringer is pretty much under the middle of my feet and my feet stay there for the whole ride, and in the SUP photo you can see my heels are outside of the handle when pumping.

Curious if anyone else does this (or something else?), or if it's well known SUP technique, or only big guys with wide boards do or need to do this?

FYI here are the videos that these stills were grabbed from:
Prone -



SUP -

988

Sessions / Re: Very rare unique session - video

« on: February 09, 2016, 08:25:28 AM »

Thanks brothers,

I appreciate the feedback and glad to hear you enjoyed the video.

FYI - the dad confirmed that his son kept asking if he could stand up - as in how deep was the water and could he touch the bottom if he was off the board and standing up.  I wasn't sure why he was asking either and this cleared up my confusion.

And the bump rider was the right board for the conditions, it was really to cool to be able to trade boards and feel the difference immediately and we were catching waves within minutes so it was easy to feel how they surfed differently as well.  Stoked to have the right gear to surf whatever conditions come up. 

989

SUP General / Re: Broken Magic Paddle, Feral is out 4 awhile.

« on: February 09, 2016, 08:12:37 AM »

Hey Feral,

Sorry to hear about your paddle, that's no fun.

I have some carbon pieces and epoxy supplies I can ship to you...

I re-joined this carbon pole the other day, carbon tube inside as a dowel and some carbon "tape" on the outside for good measure, it's probably stronger than it was before I cut it:


Here is a how to video using aluminum as a dowel:

990

Sessions / Very rare unique session - video

« on: February 07, 2016, 05:14:04 PM »

SUPAlon and I had a really fun session at Ocean Beach and then the next day a perfect 15-20 foot swell rolled in.  I was surfed out and content to take the day off, and then Alon called and said a break that hardly ever works is breaking and talked a group of us into paddling out.  It ended being a really fun, special, and maybe magical is the right word for this session.  We all had a great time and reminded me of why I starting surfing in the first place.  I hope you enjoy watching.