Topics

31

SUP General / Surfing...more sport or religion?

« on: August 19, 2017, 07:52:42 AM »

My surfing "guru" Catherine sent a link to this Atlantic article. Interesting how surfing has captured my imagination and become much more than a physical sport for me.
https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2017/07/is-surfing-more-religion-than-sport/533721/?utm_campaign=7.27+Summer+Clearance+cont%27d+%28PqMXNx%29&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ZR+Official+-+The+Newsletter+%28Canada%29

Bob

32

Technique / How to fall off a board safely?

« on: June 19, 2017, 07:07:24 PM »

I am interested in the collective wisdom about how to minimize risk when falling off a board. Recently resurected post about SUP injuries got me thinking about this and then two days ago came off my board at speed, fell backwards, hit by the peaking wave and hyper flexed my neck. Nasty and a bit dazed and confused when I surfaced. Most injuries occur when falling off your board. Are there strategies to minimize the risk of injury. Gath helmet, impact vest and waist leash are a good start but I suspect that there are ways of falling that are safer others. Suggestions?

Thanks

Bob

33

Flatwater and Touring / Flat water paddle on Surf SUP

« on: June 03, 2017, 09:39:02 AM »

Hi there

I have been surfing and flat water paddling an 8'10" Sunova Speeed for the past couple of months. I just got in from a 90 min. flat water paddle and tracked it with a new Garmin Fenix 5S sports watch. I was surprised at the average speed (4.8 km/hr)  as well as the maximum speed sprinting (14.3km/hr). Could these be accurate?

Thanks

Bob

34

Sunova SUP / Sunova Board Bag review

« on: April 09, 2017, 10:35:55 AM »

Sunova Board Bag
Hi there

I have been able using my Sunova board bag for a couple of months and this is a short review. Great bag overall. Heavy duty construction, good quality zippers, very well padded. The two padded handles  are well placed on nose and mid board. Zippered pocket at the tail end can accommodate fins, gloves, hood (but not lunch).
I really like the "top loading". Makes putting a board in the bag and taking it out a breeze. The according expansion zipper accommodates transport with fins in. The shoulder strap has unique heavy duty attachment buckles.

Pictures are of when I was drying the bag out. I use the bag a lot and trailer my boards to and from the beach behind my bike. The board was designed for my 8'10"
Speeed and my 8'10" Skate fits perfectly also.

Cheeers

Bob

35

SUP General / What is your favourite Surf book?

« on: February 28, 2017, 08:23:32 PM »

I just started reading "Barbarian Days" and wondered if there are other epic surf books out there. "The Wave" was previously at the top of my list.......well really the only one on my list. Is there anything out there with a spiritual or psychological approach to surfing?

Bob

36

SUP General / Sunova service and support....WOW!

« on: January 28, 2017, 10:18:36 AM »

While I have a moment I wanted to thank Jim K from extreme windsurfing and the Sunova team for their professionalism and one of the highest level of service and support that I have encountered. I ordered my second (I have an 8'10" Skate) Sunova board and bag early this year. Unfortunately it arrived at my home badly damaged despite being extremely well packed and protected. Thick shipping box, bubble wrap, board bag and second layer of cardboard with extra wrap on nose and tail. I took pictures and phoned Jim. His immediate response was "Don't worry, the Sunova team doesn't mess around, you ordered a new board and they will take care of it!"  Two days later a new 8'10 Speeed was on the way. This was Martin's (an owner of Sunova) direction to his staff "....here are the pics for the claim. We must ship a new board asap." As I track the "Speeed" on it's way to the west coast of Canada it is with a sense of excitement, relief and anticipation of another year of surfing a great board. I will post some pics of the new board and Sunova bag shortly after the board's arrival. Thanks Jim and thanks to Martin and the Sunova team!

Cheers

Bob

37

Sessions / Winter SUP surf Tofino

« on: December 08, 2016, 02:05:20 PM »

Hi there

Got out a couple of days ago. Small waves, very cool, bright and sunny. Creek said recently, "if there are no pictures then it didn't happen". Well this is a first for me, making and editing and posting a video. Not sure how to attach the Vimeo file? This is the link. Warning.......precious little surfing in this video!



Bob

38

Gear Talk / Sunova Skate 8'10"

« on: April 30, 2016, 08:46:03 PM »

I posted this on seabreze and thought that perhaps I should have posted it here. I would like to start by thanking Jim K from Extreme Windsurfing for arranging the importation of this board to Canada. Jim thinks this is one of the first Sunovas on our west coast and definitely the first that I know of here in Tofino. The board arrived in Vancouver unscratched. The packing of this board for transport was excellent. My thanks go out to the Sunova team in Thailand.   I am a novice SUP surfer with about one year of paddling a SUP, 61 year old male 5'9" and 69 kg (about 73 kg with winter wetsuit, boots, gloves and helmet). Ocean background of sea kayaking, surf kayaking, and wind surfing. Started on a 10' 27" wide Laird and a 9' 29" wide Fanatic fly that I could only flat water paddle. Both were too unstable as a beginner in the surf. Spent 8 months learning basic SUP surfing on a Starboard Whopper and two months ago sold the three boards for a 9'5" starboard widepoint. This winter I took two surf SUP lessons from Catherine Bruhwiler of Tofino Paddle Surf that were transformative. Catherine has been the Canadian women's surf champion (short board and long board) many times and is an ambassador for SUP surfing here in Canada.  The 8'10" 2016 Sunova Skate is 141 litres (written on the board), 9 kg (just under 20 lbs) with my luggage scale and 32" wide. It is a beautiful board and the lift handle makes it easy to pickup and carry compared to conventional handles. The fins supplied fit perfectly. <div>Day one. 15-20 knot side offshore wind. Choppy with 2-4 ft beach break. This board is stable. At least as stable as the 9'5" wide point side to side and a bit more stable front to back. Picked up the small waves easily despite the challenging wind and chop.
<div>Day two. 2-4 ft beach break. Small offshore breeze of less than 5 knots. This board is very stable. Able to paddle it through the beach break. The pointy nose slices through the foam piles. Tracks well with 6-8 strokes per side and pivot turns easily. It picked up the small waves with a couple of strokes, no pearling and I can move around on the board getting my back foot back with little effort. It is fast. Down the line it makes this "sizzling" sound that I have only heard before with my carbon kevlar Murky Water surf kayak. It is easier to turn than the 9'5" wide point. As described on the Sunova website, a lot of fun! For me a great board that I will be able to progress on. I can't wait to get out in the surf tomorrow. <div>Day three. 3-5 ft beach break. 15-20 knot mostly offshore wind. Yikes! Had to be in fairly late to be able to pick up a wave leading to a few spectacular "over the falls" type wipeouts. The skilled prone surfers were doing ok but I struggled with the wind. Not with stability but with paddle power at take off. Carrying the board in the wind was made much easier with the lift handle. It was good to get out in challenging conditions. <div>Those are my first impressions. I will try to write another note after a couple of months on the Sunova Skate. <div>Bob