Topics

16

SUP General / SUP Gathering in NorthEast FLORIDA

« on: April 20, 2014, 09:24:21 PM »

Just wanted to let all you Zoners know about the Annual SUP Gathering we will be having beginning at 7:00 PM this Thursday night (4-24-14). This will be the 3rd Annual Gathering and is being held at Pusser's Carribean Bar and Grille located in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

This is an open invitation event we hold to celebrate our SUP Community! Our local Shops and Distributors participate displaying (for our pleasure) the newest and hottest Stand Up Paddleboards and Gear!  This years assortment of boards includes Starboard, Exocet, Hobie, Cannibal, F-One, Kings, Skip Smith Customs, JP Australia, Bic, Bote and more (WOW!)...ITS OUR OWN MINI SURF EXPO!!

In addition there will be SUP Videos, Great Food and Libation (at happy hour prices) and a large contingency of SUP BRETHREN!  Now that spring is here this a a great event to see old friends, meet new ones, see some AWESOME GEAR ...and GET STOKED FOR SUMMER!!

If any of you ZONERs are in the area stop on by and see us....

Tim

17

Sessions / North Fla GoPro Session

« on: April 16, 2014, 08:36:10 PM »

Fun session at the North Jetty a few weeks ago! It warmed up and first time in a spring suit this year  ...and first time using a GoPro with a deck mount (the ultimate vanity !)... Boy, the GoPro sure makes the waves look bigger and better than they really were!! Still, a fun little session!   Tim

18

SUP General / IT JUST DOESN'T GET MUCH BETTER!!

« on: April 01, 2014, 11:09:45 AM »

Here's a pic from my last GoPro session....I think the picture conveys perfectly my sentiments about SUPing......"IT JUST DOESN'T GET MUCH BETTER"...Tim

19

Gear Talk / AHHHH...WARMTH!!!!

« on: January 27, 2014, 07:26:51 AM »

It's been a really COLD WINTER here in Northeast FLA...multiple freezes (down into the low 20's)..water temps hovering in the low 50's...TOO  COLD for my 3/2 Matuse fullsuit! ...But there have been some pretty good waves so I decided I needed to find a way to WARMLY get out in the surf ....

I was STOKED that I successfully achieved my goal when I got my new "drysuit" this past week. Its a PROLIMIT Hydrogen LT 2014 that was shipped to me FROM ENGLAND!! (the suit is not available for sale in the US???) It has a dry top...neoprene bottom. It looks great...super well constructed...great flexibility...feather light across the shoulders and should be the perfect SUP surf gear....AND BEST OF ALL.. a very reasonable price for a drysuit...LESS THAN A TOTAL COST OF $500 (including shipping, taxes and duties).... and shipped directly to my home! 

Got to try it out on Saturday...air temp 41 degrees...water in the low 50's....fun surf and great session...and best of all...TOTALLY DRY, WARM AND TOASTY.... Now I can honestly say I will no longer have the excuse...ITS TOO COLD TO GO SUPing!!

Looking forward to the rest of the winter ....Tim

20

Gear Talk / Jobe Hybrid Drysuit

« on: January 01, 2014, 03:33:44 PM »

Considering getting a Drysuit for surf SUPing and ran across the JOBE Hybrid suit while surfing the net..priced very reasonably and It looks like it would work fairly well. Does anyone know anything about them??

21

Travel, Trips, Destinations / MAGDELENA BAY....BAJA

« on: December 19, 2013, 12:24:05 PM »

Has anyone been there??....Putting together a trip with my brother in July to celebrate our 50th year of surfing together....looking for a unique and special surf/sup/fishing trip....Have been to a lot of other places in Mex, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Fiji, and Hawaii.  Looking for an uncrowded good time!!  MAGBAY looks pretty cool....If anyone has been there appreciate thoughts or comments.....or suggestions on other venues we might consider...  Tim

22

Travel, Trips, Destinations / Advice re. good flatwater paddles in SoCal...

« on: September 03, 2013, 04:37:49 PM »

Heading to Encinitus with the wife to spend a week visiting my Daughter. My wife loves scenic, not too strenuous flatwater paddles. We always take in La Jolla cove...any other suggestions?? Tim

23

Gear Talk / 9'2 JP SURF PRO....TEST DRIVE...

« on: August 26, 2013, 12:15:48 PM »

I picked up a 9'2 JP Surf Pro early this summer but have been cursed here in FLA with small waves since it arrived.    So I never really had the chance to see what it could do in decent surf. That problem was cured this past week during a trip to Nicaragua where we got GOOD, FUN WAVES (although not big) for 6 staright days!!  FINALLY!!!!!...With offshore winds blowing 24/7 there were multiple sessions each day...and opportunities to ride both point breaks and punchy beach breaks.... AWESOME!!!!!!
My impressions of the JP PRO...GREAT PERFORMANCE TRAVEL BOARD!....It's STRONG (no dings or dents from travel or surf)..It's LIGHT and travels like a surfboard...It had PLENTY OF VOLUME for my 215+lbs..(I knew I should have cut back on that good Nicaraguan Beer!)....and it SURFED GREAT!! ....Turns on a dime and plenty of speed....!!!

I've attached a few pictures of the board in action...and hope to post more about how great Nicaragua is as a SUP VENUE on the "travel" forum.....Nicaragua was a GREAT PLACE to finally break in the new board and I am stoked that I had my JP with me to enjoy it.......TDE

24

SUP General / SUP Smorgasbord!!!

« on: June 05, 2013, 08:56:57 PM »

We have a great SUP community here in Northeast FLA and tonite we had our annual SUPER SUP NITE....The goal....TO SPREAD THE  SUP Aloha!!... Had a great gathering of SUPers ..great food and drink...saw old friends, made new friends and just had a GREAT TIME!!!
The bar was playing H2ind0 on the big screen....the weather was perfect...and we had an awesome display of the hottest new Surf SUPs on the market!!! Thanks to local shops, dealers, and SUP reps we had a display of Surf/ SUP boards that was a SUP SMORGASBORD including Exocet, Hobie, Starboard, JP Australia, Skip Smith Customs, Simsup, Kings Paddle Sports Mini Simmons, F-ones, Focus, Cannibal, and Tropical Blends.....WHOA!!...IT WAS BETTER THAN A SURF/SUP EXPO!!!!!
Can't say enough about what a great crew we have up here in Northeast FLA!!!!  Let's all KEEP ON SUPin!!!   TIM 

PS..the picture was taken as we were setting up....after that too much beer to snap any more pics.....









sup

25

Gear Talk / Design Differences....

« on: May 15, 2013, 02:07:51 PM »

As SUPing has grown, there has been also been a tremendous growth in SUP design. I remember when boards under 11 feet were considered too small and boards over 28-29 inches in width were considered too wide. Ben Nettles, a friend of mine and I both got new SUPS in the last few days. Today Ben and I went surfing and while at the beach I took a picture of both...side by side....and WOW...you can see how the sport is progressing. Ben and I are both about the same weight (215 lbs) .....both boards are about the same volume (135 liters)...both boards are the same weight (17-18 lbs)...but clearly a difference in design philosophy....BOTH BEN AND I LOVE OUR BOARDS!!!....and its both refreshing and exciting to see there are now so many alternatives available to us "surfing SUPers".....TDE

26

Gear Talk / New Board!!!!

« on: May 14, 2013, 07:22:28 PM »

After riding PSH boards exclusively for the last 5 years I am now making a switch.  The new board arrived today....it's a beauty!!  It's a 9'2 JP Australia Surf Pro (carbon construction)...30 inches wide..just over 17 pounds... Can't wait to get it in the surf tomorrow....reviews will follow.  If anyone is interested in why I ultimately chose this board over others then checkout the JP Australia SUP facebook page....there are some great videos of the Surf Pro in action...I can only dream I'll ride it as well as the guys in the videos....

27

SUP General / Weights impact on volume....

« on: May 10, 2013, 04:28:45 PM »

Need some smart guys here....How does a boards weight effect its volume?? If you have two boards, same model, same length and width...but different construction so one weighs several pounds more than the other (ie, one is light weight carbon fiber construction)...Does this effect the boards volume...or is it the same??? If there is a difference, how much would it be....TDE

28

Gear Talk / SimSups...where are the videos??

« on: April 26, 2013, 04:25:15 PM »

There seems to be so much buzz about the SimSup designs....so...I have looked and looked for videos showing how these boards actually perform.  No offense to anyone in the videos I've found...but so far, what I've seen is relatively "benign". I've not seen any videos of the worlds best riding these boards....no one riding them in really great surf....no one really tearing it up...(check out the recent Keahi Abowitz {sp?}video for example).
I've talked to several other SUPers about this and we all agree.."Where is the BEEF?""  I am not suggesting that these boards aren't all they are hyped up to be...but I would love to actually see these boards really perform to their professed potential!! I would love to see any videos that will answer all the unanswered questions.....Thx...TDE

29

Travel, Trips, Destinations / Cabo ....highlights..

« on: April 23, 2013, 02:02:29 PM »

Got back from Cabo a few days ago and thought I would post a couple of SUP highlights....

Surfing....although this was a trip to "cater to the wife's needs" (scoring points towards my next "guys" surf trip) I did get the opportunity to get out once up in San Jose del Cabo...Great swell, hooked up and surfed with Alfredo of SUP MEXICO, who had equipment ready for me....Clean,4-5 feet+, uncrowded...GREAT PLACE FOR SUP SURFING!!! (SUP MEXICO IS AWESOME)

FLAT WATER PADDLING.... Took the wife and paddled from Medano Beach over to the famous ARCH at the tip of Baja!! Took in Lover's and Divorce Beach....stunning rock formations....and playful sea lions...Rented boards from CABO SUP, who have a stand right on the beach....Great morning...scored lots of points!!!

DAY TRIP TO Inspiritu SANTOS Islands of the coast of La Paz.... Amazing ecological nature adventure...Pristine Islands where we encountered whales, dolphin, flying sting rays, rare birds...snorkeled with a colony of sea lions...and zillions of fish in an aquarium like setting (best snorkeling I've experience!)...Pricey but one of those life experiences that won't be forgotten!...plus scored a BONANZA of more points! (next surf trip here I come!!!)

Had great food...great weather...and an overall fantastic time...Can't say enough good things about Cabo...go if you get the chance....

30

SUP General / New good SUP videos???

« on: March 16, 2013, 01:39:45 PM »

Anyone out there aware of any new...GOOD ...SUP videos???  Haven't come across any since Watermen and The First Glide....There have to be some quality films more recent than that...SUGGESTIONS???  Tde