Messages

2671

Gear Talk / Re: SUP Sports "Hammer": 8'11"x31" or 9'5"x31"

« on: June 09, 2016, 04:44:03 AM »

@WarDog

Thanks for posting the two pictures of my blank. I really appreciate you took the time to post those two pictures. It ramps up the anticipation for me. 

2672

SUP Gear Reviews / Newly Acquired / On Order / Re: Pop Paddleboards Americana

« on: June 08, 2016, 02:50:18 PM »

It looks like a real nice paddleboard. I know you want to get out and paddle it as soon as you can. Congrats on your new addition. BTW, what length is the fin?

2673

Gear Talk / Re: SUP Sports "Hammer": 8'11"x31" or 9'5"x31"

« on: June 08, 2016, 11:21:38 AM »

Well, my blank should have been cut and delivered to WarDog's shop in Santa Barbara today, June 8th (this Wednesday). Now comes the long, but worth it wait.

I've been "surfing" the internet looking for some places on the upper Texas coast to catch some waves. It looks like Surfside, Tx is going to my best bet when my Hammer arrives and I'm ready to try some waves.

2674

SUP Gear Reviews / Newly Acquired / On Order / Re: Pop Paddleboards Americana

« on: June 08, 2016, 06:23:51 AM »

Nice looking paddleboard. I'll be looking forward to viewing your unboxing video and a look at your pictures of it.

I know that you're excited about getting it. Since I've ordered another paddleboard, I'll be looking forward when I get the call from my freight company in July or August.

2675

Gulf States / Re: Houston/Galveston and Surrounding area

« on: June 06, 2016, 11:26:27 AM »

Not too far from Lake Conroe in Montgomery County is Lake Raven at Huntsville State Park in Walker County. Lake Raven is a 203 surface acre lake and there is hardly any boat traffic at all during the work week. On weekends, there are a few boats, but Lake Raven has a "no wake" rule for this lake so one doesn't have to worry about being run over by weekend warriors. There is small fee to enter the park, but if one wants to see beautiful scenery and wildlife, Lake Raven is a nice quiet lake to for that. I've paddled Lake Raven many times when I owned my SPTW kayak. Lake Raven is mostly for kayakers, canoers, and small 2 person paddle boats. Huntsville State Park is managed by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department of Texas. A link to it is below.

http://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/raven/access.phtml

2676

Gulf States / Re: Houston/Galveston and Surrounding area

« on: June 06, 2016, 04:52:45 AM »

About 30 miles north of downtown Houston is Lake Conroe in Montgomery County. Finding a free launch site on Lake Conroe is difficult, but not impossible. Just off of Hwy 105, is a place called 3rd Coast Paddle Boards. This business rents paddle boards. I went up there one Sunday afternoon and talked to the owner. Since I own my own paddle board, I asked him how much would it cost me to launch my paddle board at the dock he uses. He told me there was no charge.

Lake Conroe has lots of boat traffic on the weekends, but hardly any boat traffic during the work week (Monday-Friday). The owner told me instead of paddling on Lake Conroe, to launch my paddle board at his dock and then paddle to the small bridge which goes under Hwy 105. Once on the other side, one can paddle on Rush Creek.

The link to the location, with a map, of 3rd Coast Paddle Boards is below. Just zoom in on the map. BTW, 3rd Coast is located right next to Starbucks Coffee.

http://lakeconroepaddleboards.com/find-us-hours/

2677

Gulf States / Re: Houston/Galveston and Surrounding area

« on: June 05, 2016, 04:45:28 PM »

Lake Woodlands, just north of Houston (Tx), is another nice paddling venue for both kayakers and SUPers. The launch site is at Lake Woodlands Park where there is a boat ramp and three floating docks. I've paddled this lake many times when I had my SPTW kayak. I know there is at least one person who has a sup because I've seen that person, from a distance, paddling on the lake. The link to Lake Woodlands is below and there is at least three pages of photos on the site. Once on the site, scroll on down and click on each thumbnail photo to enlarge the photo.

http://www.thewoodlandstx.com/photos/tags.php?tag=lake+woodlands

2678

Gear Talk / Re: SUP Sports "Hammer": 8'11"x31" or 9'5"x31"

« on: June 03, 2016, 07:00:40 AM »

@WarDog

Thanks for taking my custom order and the full payment for it over the phone. I'm glad to see the blank will be delivered to your shop next Wednesday (June 8th).

When you get ready to ship the Hammer to me, before it gets all boxed up for it's trip to Texas, maybe you could take a few pictures of it at your shop beforehand so I can see it and let others on this site see it as well.

BTW, I'm more stoked than you are. 

2679

Gear Talk / Re: SUP Sports "Hammer": 8'11"x31" or 9'5"x31"

« on: June 01, 2016, 06:57:01 AM »

I had a most enjoyable chit-chat phone call with WarDog yesterday. I ordered a custom all carbon, 2 vent hole, quad + 1, Hammer 8'11"x31"x4" @ 140 liters volume. I'm hoping when it arrives, it arrives early in the day so I can take the Hammer out for a little "test paddle" on my subdivision lake where I live. Then on a different day, I'll take her out to a 20,000 surface acre lake which is 25 miles from my home. The acid test will come when I take her out to the salt marshes and surf of the Galveston Bay complex which is 90 miles from my home.

My Hammer will look exactly like the one in the photo laying on the brown beach sand with the ocean and surf behind it. I hope this thread has helped any unregistered lurkers on this site since there is just oodles of info in this topic.

Oh, almost forgot. Thanks to WarDog for letting me pick his brain info wise.

2680

Gear Talk / Re: Adjustable Quickblade paddle tears up my hands.

« on: May 31, 2016, 02:08:59 PM »

When I use to paddle my kayak, I use to use weight lifters gloves with the fingers protected up to the first knuckle. After the first knuckle on each finger, then skin was exposed. This cured me of my case of blisters and abrasions to my palms and fingers.

You might want to get a cheap pair weight lifters gloves and try them out.

2681

Gear Talk / Re: SUP Sports "Hammer": 8'11"x31" or 9'5"x31"

« on: May 29, 2016, 08:24:36 AM »

@WarDog

That good call of mine on my choice of fin quiver, that's because you post a lot of videos and I soak up everyone of them, info wise, like a sponge. I'm always looking for "details" in your videos.

I do like those Seafoam green colored fins. They're the "cat's meow".  I know these Seafoam colored fins would look good on an all carbon Hammer 8'11"x31"x4" @140 liters.....if you get my "drift". 

2682

Gear Talk / Re: SUP Sports "Hammer": 8'11"x31" or 9'5"x31"

« on: May 28, 2016, 01:25:00 PM »

@WarDog

Anyone lurking on this site (who isn't registered as a member) who is as light as I am physical weight wise and looking at a Hammer 8'11"x31" has to be loving this topic thread because of the great info which is being discussed.

On your Central America trip, Deb is paddling that tri-color 8'11" Hammer in that small pond. At the 13 second mark of the video, all 5 fins are shown. They are 2 (5"), 2 (4") and the 1 (2.25" trailer). I'm thinking of using that setup for lake paddling. Then for playing around in the surf, removing just the 2.25" trailer and keeping the 4 fin quad setup.

But, I'm also thinking on purchasing one of your larger weed style fins so I can have a 2 + 1 thruster setup. I hope my logic is sound. If not, feel free to enlighten me.

2683

Gear Talk / Re: SUP Sports "Hammer": 8'11"x31" or 9'5"x31"

« on: May 27, 2016, 09:36:54 PM »

@WarDog

Looks like you and your wife had a nice trip weather wise. Not so nice weather wise where I live for the last 24 hours. We had a heavy rain system sit on us in southeast Texas. It never moved for 24 hours. During this time, the rain total at my home was...........19".  The subdivision lake which was 100 yards from my home, is way out of it's bank and is now 50 yards from my home. I'm lucky I live on a hill in our subdivision.

If you think 140 liters is good for me at my 145 pound physical weight, then I'll go with that. Deb is throwing me some curves though. On her custom Hammer 8'11"x31" in your Central America trip, she is using a 5 fin setup. On this river trip, she is using a 3 fin setup. And the fin lengths in both videos are different.

I'm going to tell my wife I'm going to order a second sup and hope she doesn't throw all the dishes in the kitchen, plus the kitchen sink, at me. I don't have a PayPal account, but I've got credit cards (Visa, Mastercard). With the credit card companies now concerned about credit card fraud, above a certain money limit only they know, they put a hold on them if the amount goes above their fraud limit. I'll have to call ahead and tell them I plan on making a large purchase so it will go through. The one bad habit I have, I'm not a cell phone person so getting in touch with me is a little tough since my old flip (dumb) style cell phone.......sits in a draw in my home when I go out.

Instead of making a $500 deposit, I'd rather just make one payment, paying it off in full. When I get done licking my wounds my wife is going to inflict upon me, I'll give you my home phone number in a private message and you can tell me the exact price just in case I want a 6th fin (since the fin setup for Deb on the two trips I've seen of her in videos, the fins are different sizes).

2684

Gear Talk / Re: SUP Sports "Hammer": 8'11"x31" or 9'5"x31"

« on: May 27, 2016, 06:20:08 AM »

@WarDog

I've now sold my kayak and have room in my garage for the Hammer. I'm now thinking of an "all carbon", instead of the SUPer Lite, Hammer 8'11"x31", Quad + 1 fin setup, Seafoam green color, 2 vent holes and a picture of it is below this message. I want to do 75% flat water (lake) paddling since I have a 25,000 surface acre lake 25 miles from my home and I want to play around in the surf zone since the Gulf of Mexico is 90 miles from my home so that would be 25% of the time.

The 5 fin setup we can bypass for right now but I was thinking about 2 (5"), 2 (4") and 1 (2.25") trailer. What I'm most concerned with is the volume of the board. A production Hammer 8'11"x31" is 148 liters. Since I'm 5'8" tall and only weigh 145 pounds, since this would be a custom board, I need to know if the 148 liters would be too much for my weight. In other words, I don't want to be too high off the water where the board feels "corky" (not stable because of my 145 pounds).

As an example, my Hobe 12'2"x32" is 238.5 liters and it can transport all of my fishing/camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, fishing rods, tackle box, etc) and the board does not feel corky to me. But if I'm taking it for a paddle cruise with no gear strapped on her, she does feel corky to me (like the board is too much volume for my light physical weight). BTW, I've been at my 145 pound weight for the last 25 years so my weight does not fluctuate.

I've seen some custom Hammer boards at this length which range from 120 to 140 liters. This means I need your expertise on the liters of volume for me based on my weight and what I want to use this sup for. Oh, one more thing, how much would a custom board like this cost?

2685

Gear Talk / Re: SUP Sports "Hammer": 8'11"x31" or 9'5"x31"

« on: May 25, 2016, 11:19:47 AM »

Hope the kayak sells quick, Wing.  I've never regretted letting mine go.  Deciding on the paint is an important decision and can make you crazy.  I let my daughter design mine...

A little progress report. I sold my kayak yesterday (Tuesday) and one of my two carbon paddles (second carbon paddle was a "spare"). Now I've got space in my garage for the Hammer.