Messages

1

Downwind and Racing / Hi all, - could you help me fill in a quick survey about your SUP race board ?

« on: February 20, 2020, 05:50:21 AM »

Hi all,

I'm currently doing a huge research project into how athletes and sportspeople engage with their equipment. I've been doing this across a range of sports and the outcomes will hopefully allow us to develop more engaging and successful products in the future. I'm looking at SUP racing now. If you have the time, could you complete the survey here ? - it only takes around 5 minutes:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdlVi6QQ936rQEnA3Tk8QTb5Ws2IXJM_SvvAgfBef8__MULKw/viewform

I'm hoping to get the biggest sample I can at all levels of the sport so if you race (or have raced in the past), please fill in the quick survey - I'd love to get your input.

Thanks all.

2

Foil SUP / Re: Anyone play with 3d printing rear wings?

« on: October 30, 2019, 09:57:16 AM »

We could probably make them out of titanium using our new printer at work.  Ti endo-skeleton with carbon wrap. Tasty.

3

Random / Re: Road bike racing looks to be losing mass interest in the US.

« on: October 30, 2019, 01:54:04 AM »

Three key changes in the market here:

1) The end (and implosion) of the 'Lance effect'.

2) The rise and shift to participation events (i.e. gravel and gran fondo's).

3) The rise and interest in online platforms such as Zwift.

I still compete in time trial's, road and track and the exact same thing is happening in the UK.

4

Gear Talk / Re: ONE SUP Edge Pro 2.0

« on: September 17, 2019, 04:11:06 AM »

That board looked awesome in the photo's. If I were still racing SUP's I'd buy one. I'd love to produce test data for that thing.

5

Gear Talk / Re: starboard 2020

« on: July 24, 2019, 03:11:39 AM »

I feel somewhat underwhelmed. I was hoping for innovation rather than the usual incremental tinkering.



(That being said, it looks like the Sprint has been improved. The 2019 model wasn't popular compared to the 2018 model from guys I spoke to. I love the volumes but the 20.75 width though - it makes you feel like a dinosaur).

6

Gear Talk / Re: ONE SUP Edge Pro 2.0

« on: July 07, 2019, 05:54:43 AM »

A couple of anecdotal truths I've learnt over the years:

1) Design is 99% plagiarism and 1% true innovation. There is no shame or harm in being influenced by others, from any field and any form of watersports.

2) What a brand says publicly does influence peoples buying habits - irrespective of how good or bad the product is.

7

Gear Talk / Re: ONE SUP Edge Pro 2.0

« on: July 04, 2019, 11:19:55 PM »

I'll say this - it's the first board I've seen for a long time that I know would make people scratch their heads and would stand out in the park drawing glances before the start gun goes. That's the kind of equipment I like to use to be honest. At that width it's probably a bit much to handle but it's the only new board I've seen this year that makes me want to be a sponsored racer again. It would be interesting to get some test numbers on that.

8

Gear Talk / Re: ONE SUP Edge Pro 2.0

« on: July 04, 2019, 08:50:03 AM »

I'm curious to know how that tail design works. I've seen it over the last couple of years on the Liquid Board Company's boards in the states so it's not completely novel. I don't like the excessive scuppers on the rail - when that's been tested on surfski's, that ate speed. Love the hollow construction and sharp lines. How light is this ?

I do like the look of more companies coming onto the market that are pushing conventions and constructions. This is certainly that. A shame we'll probably never see one in the UK to try.

9

Training, Diet, and Fitness / Re: Max Heart Rate

« on: June 23, 2019, 11:37:42 PM »

Finding the formula for max heart rate is easy.
I don't see how that can so easily be applied across the board.
Because I have high blood pressure, I take my reading daily at various times of the day.  My average resting heart rate is 56.
Using 200-70, my max rate should be 150.
This doesn't seem possible.
Is there any other more personalized method of figuring max heart rate?

As everyone else says, 220-age is generalized (and has an intended intention to underestimate the max). The only really way to find out your max is lab tests doing things like a ramp test.

As it is, I don't use HR for anything other than occasional 'first thing in the morning' health checks if I feel 'off' (using resting heart rate as a check of fatigue - +5 beats over norm - take it easy, +10 beats over norm - take the day off).

10

SUP General / Re: Interesting perspective; some good points from a vendor with sour grapes (IMO)

« on: June 15, 2019, 06:23:58 AM »

It seems like the writer was asked to do a blog post to explain why Mistral will be the last company to offer a wing. 

The title should be, "Confused? You will be in 10 paragraphs".  This type of every thought is sacred writing is the result of teachers being shamed out of using their red pens.  What circular bunk.

Windsurfing did not fail because of complexity.  That is just repeated nonsense.  It ran its course.  The people who loved it stuck with it, advanced and wanted more advanced gear.  That happens. 

There are critics of everything.  If you listen to them you will stay in bed all day.  Something truly has no merit if it is not being bashed online (typically by a group that is desperately trying to justify their time investment in a waning activity).

There are plenty of women wing foiling already. 

For all the foil danger, where are the injuries? (yes, we have seen the one guy with the gashed head)

There is a correct order for something to be fun?  Who decides that?

I recognise the writing style - that's Steve West writing I'd guess.

11

Sneak Peeks, Rumors, and Wish Lists / Re: New 2020 Naish Javelin

« on: June 14, 2019, 06:46:52 AM »

My first reaction was these looked somewhat ugly in the pictures both shape and looks, but then they seem to grow on you at least the shape :-)  . Maybe they will look smashing in the flesh.
The 24" and 280L Javelin might just make it for you and get you back into the fray one more year.

Nah. Once you're in a well made surfski and you find its so easy to hold 13kph, you really forget why the hell you were trying to drag yourself anywhere at 9kph with a back breaking effort.

12

Sneak Peeks, Rumors, and Wish Lists / New 2020 Naish Javelin

« on: June 14, 2019, 04:39:59 AM »

If you haven't seen it yet, the Naish Javelin has been resurrected (I thought it was dead for good). Images on Seabreeze here:

https://www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Review/Naish-2020-Race-Program?page=1

13

Gear Talk / Re: Hypr Nalu Hawaii 12'6" gun - something a little special

« on: May 24, 2019, 09:41:50 AM »

I love guns. They are so versatile. Here's my latest purchase.

Now that is a fine looking board. Local company to me and they are producing some nice stuff that stands out from the masses.

14

Training, Diet, and Fitness / Re: Two Interesting Weight Control Articles

« on: May 05, 2019, 01:08:08 AM »

Just wanted to dig this up to say thanks. I've been doing intermittent fasting for about two months and I've gone from 241 to 217. Not quite at high school weight, but the lightest I've been in about a decade. No real diet change, just not eating for most of the day. Started with 16 hour fasts and bumped it closer to 20 after a couple of weeks. After the first three days or so the hunger pangs were pretty manageable.

When it gets interesting is when you take a week off and go back to regular meal timing. I did it this week intentionally as a break and felt terrible all week. Two more donuts and I'm back to it tomorrow.........

15

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Re: "Wingsurfer" for Foil/SUP

« on: April 25, 2019, 05:43:32 AM »

Anyone who does wind sports is familiar with the Walk Of Shame. It's inevitable at first. A foil craft should be able to go upwind better than most. Part of the equation is sail design, but the lift/drag ratio of whatever is opposing sideways force is a bigger deal. The rail of a windsurfer is off the charts in the bad direction, a foil is equally in the weeds in the good direction. I think the photo of Robbie wingfoiling with a beach umbrella is a pretty fair illustration.

Admin--no doubt people will built performance versions of a wingfoil, even though the likely market is a tiny handful of nuts like me. I think the Slingshot version that Ken and Rod were testing last summer in the Gorge is a precursor of that. I think the Naish version is in the inflatable SUP realm of performance. My ideal wing would pack down to a convenient backpack smaller than a kite, and have a keel bar that converts to a paddle for those unfortunate moments when everything dies off Wells Island. I don't want to swim this shit to The Hook.

Hell, I've done the walk of shame with every sport I've ever tried ! Normally when I progress from the bascis and then use equipment way beyond my skillset.