Topics

751

Fish Tales, Stand Up style / Fishing Cruiser - flash gordon meets old lake speedboat

« on: January 17, 2008, 08:28:02 PM »

I don't know...maybe this summer I might try this. Just concept...14'6" x 30" x 4". A stable downwind cruiser with detachable outriggers for fishing.

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Gear Talk / Anyone break any wooden paddles?

« on: January 15, 2008, 10:04:34 AM »

I've heard of a lot of broken carbon paddles but only one wooden paddle. Anyone break one or know of some breaking? I've seen a number of different construction methods for wood paddles. I've been building most of mine similar to the whiskeyjacks with 5 or 6 laminations that are continuous throughout shaft and blade. It's more time consuming but I think it adds the necessary strength in the critical area from hand to blade. Who's wooden paddles are breaking, where, and what methods of construction are they using?

I'm primarily interested in figuring out how far I can go in weight reduction before I see failure. I'd like to test one to destruction but they take awhile to make and I just can't bring myself to do it. Especially since I have a number to make as gifts and not enough time as it is. I love the one I'm using now for its strength and don't mind the weight but it obvious that weight is a concern for a lot of people.

Another issue is the question of the need for a dihedral. I went the opposite way with my paddle. It has a slightly concave face that really grabs the water and I can't make it flutter no matter how hard I paddle. And I really have to paddle hard to get this beef moving....

Anyway...any info would be helpful. Thanks.

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Sessions / Somedays it's not about the surf.

« on: January 13, 2008, 07:38:18 PM »

The chop and the remnants of a head cold combined to make my day a frustrating one on the water...still fun, but frustrating.

What made today epic was finally delivering the Save the Children paddle to Mike..a.k.a. ECSUP, and discussing the summer paddle across Cape Cod bay.  After watching Mike catch wave after wave and managing to avoid drowning myself, (just!) we went back to his house for pizza and playoffs....(congrats Charger fans BTW. Of course, I feel sorry for you next week.....GO PATS!!)

You can tell a lot about a man by his dogs. I wanted to take Mike's home with me.

Thanks again Mike for your generosity and hospitality. Looking forward to our next time on the water....and sorry again for almost running you over.... . I gotta remember to stay completely outside.

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SUP General / Interesting function in Google earth/maps

« on: January 09, 2008, 08:49:21 PM »

I just posted the P-town to Plymouth Paddle Pilgrimage to Prevent Plastic Pollution (PPPPPP) on the Google earth community. Great way to share geographic info with others. You can view the route in either application.

http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1090887/an/0/page/0#1090887

Hehe...for those of you that read of my chasing the kite you can see why I was concerned...the point I mentioned is just below the path. The place I started was at the end of the path...just over two miles chasing an empty kite and the next stop in those winds would have been P-town on Christmas eve.... 

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SUP General / I have a lot of catching up to do...

« on: January 09, 2008, 08:17:43 PM »

I think what I like about SUP the most is it's versatility. I love the surf aspect of course but I also love downwind, fishing, cruising, etc.. With that in mind I started to look at the statistics of what just the small state of Massachusetts offers to SUP

192 miles of coastline, 1,519 miles of shoreline, 2,717 sq. mi of water, 4,000 miles of rivers, 1,000 lakes and ponds .... I better get busy.....and that's just Massachusetts!

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Random / Handle inspiration - absolutely nothing to do with SUP

« on: January 03, 2008, 07:50:52 PM »

How long would it take to shape a paddle with this? This is my oldest woodworking tool.



I found this stone axe while mowing between the trees on my treefarm. You can see the mark where I hit it with the lawnmower. I actually threw it in the woods but noticed it felt and looked unusual just as I tossed it.

An archeological dig was done years later about 1/4 mile behind my house along the path of a new road being constructed. They found a major settlement right behind my house. I spoke with the women in charge of the dig and she said the axe is between 5,000 and 8,000 years old.

She showed me a number of blades and axes that had been ceremonially buried with a body that were amazing. Finely polished and still very sharp edged. I was surprised by the quality. It looked like it had been machined. In the hands of the person capable of shaping that axe I imagine almost anything could be built. Makes my struggles to build a nice paddle with all the modern tools almost seem silly.

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SUP General / Headed to Maui

« on: December 30, 2007, 10:13:58 PM »

Brother Bill has invited me and the boss out to help out with the big board test....so stoked I can't stand it. Looking forward to meeting those of you that will be there. Gonna be a good time.....good people, lot's of boards to test and I'm particularly interested in trying out some of the paddles.

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Sessions / Be careful out there

« on: December 24, 2007, 08:02:40 PM »

I went to help out a kite boarder in trouble today and was reminded about the potential for tragedy.

We were the only ones on the water and I noticed that he seemed to be having some trouble. He had been ripping it up but was now 1/4 mile out, kite on the water, and not having any luck getting it going. The beach and nearshore were shielded from the 20 mph offshore winds we were having but he was out in it and getting pulled farther out as I watched.

I watched for few minutes and decided he wasn't going to get back up so I started out after him. Once I was out of the lee of the beach I started moving fast downwind and was closing on him. He was headed out past the point when he started to pull away from me. The winds compress against the cliff and the speed jumps. After chasing him for a mile I realized that I wasn't going to catch him. The kite was flopping in the wind...one side completely slack but still moving too fast.

I couldn't  see him at all in all the chop but feared he was getting dragged. I made the agonizing decision as I was passing the point to head to shore and call for help. I knew if I kept going there would be two of us in trouble. The wind was easily gusting to 30 mph. It took me what seemed like forever to fight the 200 yds to the base of the cliff. I climbed to one of the homes and found some folks to call 911.

Now for the irony. I was chasing an empty kite..... It seems the reason that the kite started to pull away from me is because the guy cut himself loose.

Some other folks called me in to shore as I had started to make my way back to my truck (I was hugging the shoreline making very slow progress) They had seen the whole thing from the beach. They saw me take off after the guy and were surprised to see him come swimming in with his kite-board. They told him his friend was still out there chasing his kite and he said "what friend". He told them he had a line break and the kite was pulling him under so he had to cut loose.

As it turned out they happened to own one of the homes on the cliff and saw that I had landed nearby. They drove home and called me in to offer me a ride....which I gladly took. I'll be sharing some rides on my board next summer with some very kind folks. That would have been two hours of hard paddling easy and I was already beat.

Anyway...I realized how close I had come to having a very long Christmas Eve. If I had stuck with chasing the kite I'd probably still be out there. And to top it all off the kite guy didn't even stick around to say thank you. I have my shoulders packed in ice now because of the bugger.

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Events / Provincetown to Plymouth Paddle Pilgrimage to Prevent Plastic Pollution

« on: December 23, 2007, 09:39:51 PM »

I know, I know...stupid name. Got your attention though...



Whadya think? About a 22 mile paddle from point to point. Wind dependant it might need to be Plymouth to Provincetown. I'm thinking late next summer. How many out there might be interested?

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SUP General / Think these are the guys making all the nasty SUP comments?

« on: December 22, 2007, 10:59:03 PM »

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Sessions / I had no idea....awesome day!

« on: December 22, 2007, 07:01:37 PM »

I went out to the local beach today and was totally blown away. It started off in typical fashion. It's usually a close shore break if there is any break at all (Plymouth beach, deep in Cape Cod Bay). I had planned to go for a two hour workout. It was mushy with a lot of chop when I got there...mostly knee highs coming in...occasionally thigh. I paddled out for an hour getting a great workout into a 10 mph breeze. On the downwinder back to shore I noticed that some bigger swells seemed to be passing under me.

When I got close enough to shore I was shocked to see set after set of waist high clean surf 100-200 yds offshore. The tide was out as far as I've seen it. I knew there were shoals off shore but have never seen it break. I was beat from fighting the chop for two hours but had to stay.

I caught the 1st wave and rode it all the way to the beach. Easily a 150 yd ride. There are two sandbars. It breaks goes to whitewater and then reforms again. I surfed until I couldn't move any more. Condition's look similar for tomorrow.....

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SUP General / SUP or Ski?

« on: December 14, 2007, 05:54:24 AM »

Used to be I'd be headed for the mountains. Now I want to see the beach in the snow. I bet I'll get a few odd looks today.

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SUP General / Save the Children Paddle Auction ends in 30 mins...

« on: December 05, 2007, 06:55:10 PM »

Going cheap.... Right now the bid's at $202.50

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESSOX:IT&item=300176228381&_trksid=p3984.cTODAY.m239.lVI

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SUP General / Save the Children SUP paddle auction goes live

« on: November 25, 2007, 08:02:42 PM »

What better time to consider those less fortunate, especially children in dire need, than now while we give thanks for all we have? All proceeds from the sale of this paddle will go to "Save the Children" as part of a charity fundraiser on Lumberjocks.com, http://lumberjocks.com/stc .

The auction is live on eBay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Save-the-Children-Standup-Paddleboard-Paddle_W0QQitemZ300176228381QQihZ020QQcategoryZ553QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Help support it. Bid early and often....

The finished paddle


The blade with ptrographic artwork of humpback whale and calf


The handle with the mahogany mako inlay


Back of the blade


Shaft detail


Blade detail

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SUP General / Scoping out the rocks for the future.

« on: November 25, 2007, 05:41:24 PM »

Very flat today but I used it to check out a spot for the future. I haven't been to Brant Rock for many years. I went spearfishing for the 1st time when I was about 9 with PonoBill, and my other brother Dave off these jetties. I continued to spearfish there for many years. The whole area is glacial boulders left from the last ice age (VW bug to house size). They are scattered around like the marbles of giant children.

I didn't want the 1st time I found one to be with the front of my board.....or my face. This is high tide. Lots of them just below the surface near the point.


The reason I wanted to check it out. Check out the Google maps link. Looks like a fun place to play.