Messages

91

Gear Talk / Re: Upgrading to inflatable... Help me decide

« on: August 04, 2014, 07:36:53 AM »

I can 2nd the Red Race suggestion. I went on a little tour on Tuesday with a pack strapped to the front and my dog walking all over the board. It was nice and stable.
The Explorer will be a bit more stable and allow you to carry more, but the Race has the battens that add stiffness.
The 2014 Race also has tie downs in the front.

What size dog do you have? I am 6' 155lbs with a dog that weighs about 45lbs. So I am always looking at boards that are a little wider. I have considered the 10'6 Ride and the 12'6 explorer and race. I was just afraid the race wouldn't be stable enough for me. The dog can get pretty active on the board. I also only paddle in lakes and flat water generally.

I got the 12'6" Red Air Explorer, and happily my dog far, far prefers it to hard boards -- it has really made paddling with her way more fun for both of us. I'm 180 lbs and Della is about 65 lbs, and the Red Air lets her walk all around the board and still lets us both avoid falling (most of the time).  Compared to my previous inflatable (a C4) it is way better made and way more stable.  I'm quite happy with it and would make the same purchase again.  I'm sure the Red Race is great as well -- this one is just a bit wider for an active dog.

92

Wind Powered / Re: Fastest sailing WindSUP?

« on: July 23, 2014, 12:04:28 PM »

Thanks for the information, DW - sounds like a really good option for me.  Time to start saving my pennies!

93

Wind Powered / Re: Fastest sailing WindSUP?

« on: July 23, 2014, 07:41:25 AM »

Flat decks, low to the water. So much more at home and comfortable. More like a surfboard under your feet versus a log. When the wind quits, doesn't matter. You still cruise upwind like a hero, just like you do on a windSUP.

Hey DW --

Thanks to you (and everyone) for this thread -- this is highly relevant to me and, I expect, most windsurfers gone to SUP.  Could you expound a little bit more on how well the ~120liter Magic Ride does in low wind?  One of the things I love about my 12' Ron House custom is how easy it is to sail in up-and-down winds (no hula!) and getting back upwind to an offshore launch.  The downside is the limited top end and long turnig radius (although they aren't bad).  Do you find the thin, wide, short boards are good in highly gusty and/or low wind conditions?

Thanks!

Andy

94

Wind Powered / Re: windsurfing an iSUP vs. a regular SUP?

« on: April 05, 2014, 06:51:29 AM »

..if it would not work well planing then it isn't worth the hassle and expense of the custom order...

AGK, there was a recent discussion on this topic on seabreeze, with some good comments:
http://www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Review/The-Best-Inflatable-Windsup/?SearchTerms=iSUP

From reading that thread, and looking at the Red website, it doesn't seem they offer any mast insert.  Have you heard differently?
Not mentioned in the discussion is RRD...seems they have a mast plug on some of their shorter/surfier iSUPs as well, whereas Fanatic only has the plug on their longer iSUPs.
My thought is a sailable iSUP would be best for light wind doodling and for-fun wavesailing.  Even the models with an standard fin box...it's just glued to the bottom of the board. I'd have to wonder if the stress of higher winds and a longer planing-style fin wouldn't up ripping the finbox off or put a LOT of stress on the glued contact patch?  Also, the larger iSUPs (like the Red Explorer) are 6" thick, round, soft rails.  Might not be the best for getting back upwind?

I have the 9'2" Red, I have toyed around w/ the idea of trying to peel up a circle of the deckpad and velcro a mast base onto the rubber deck.  But, the idea of taking a razor knife to the pad scares me...  it's a great iSUP and I'd hate to slice it up .  The RRDs look interesting.  If someone has an extra cash lying around, feel free to buy me one and I'll post a review

Hey Spookini --

Thanks for the ref to the Seabreeze thread.

Red has a windsurfing version of their "Mega" described here: http://www.redpaddleco.com/boards/ten-eight-mega/#.U0AFsK1dWvE

DJ's video (great video!) is more like the way I use SUPs to windsurf -- enough wind to plane upwind, and then to ride bay swell downwind (photo of current board attached).  For anything remotely like serious waves I use kites -- requires way less talent and equipment breakage than windsurfers.  I love sailing the SUP by my house in the sound (no good kite launch) and also when the weather is stormy or at all unsettled,

The question I still don't have an answer for is whether an inflatable will do what DJ is doing in the video - plane and carve relaxed turns.  I may have to be the guinea pig!

95

Wind Powered / Re: windsurfing an iSUP vs. a regular SUP?

« on: March 30, 2014, 10:24:58 AM »

Hey Spookini -

Naish and Starboard both have inflatable boards that do.  Red now make a shorter board with one, and I'm thinking of getting a Red Explorer and trying trying to convince them to put one of their attachments on that for me - Red and Uli seem to make the stiffest inflatables.

I share your concern about rigidity.  The Red lets you use an actual A-box fin, which would help with windurfing, but if it would not work well planing then it isn't worth the hassle and expense of the custom order.  So any experience would be appreciated.

Andy

96

Wind Powered / windsurfing an iSUP vs. a regular SUP?

« on: March 30, 2014, 06:14:21 AM »

I like sailing my 12' Ron House coastal cruiser in 12-25 mph rolling bay swell, plaining most of the time.  About to get a 12'6" inflatable and wondering if it is worth getting a mast base attachment for it for versatility.  Can anyone who has sailed regular SUPs of about 12' and inflatables (Naish or Starboard)  comment on how the inflatables work in planing conditions (DJ??). 


Many thanks.

Andy

97

Gear Talk / Re: Prescription Sunglasses for SUPing

« on: March 11, 2014, 06:49:27 AM »

Best combination I've fond:Maui Jim gray prescription lenses (polarized), ordinary cotton "Chummie" retainer.  Good on reflected glare and most light conditions.  Great optical quality but not made of glass.

Kaenons are great but mine had the coating go bad in slightly over a year and Kaenon did not stand behind their product.

98

Gear Talk / Re: Board Carrier for Bicycle: To Buy or to Build? Reviews?

« on: December 16, 2013, 01:36:01 PM »

I've had one of these for years and use it with windsurfing stuff as well as SUPs - more than you need for short hauls, but if you are going several miles this is well-engineered:    http://www.equinoxtrailers.com/

99

SUP General / Re: DOGS!

« on: June 21, 2013, 04:40:16 AM »

Here's Della at 8 months -- if she keeps growing, I'm gonna need a bigger board!

100

Gear Talk / Re: New all-around board: review (long) and pix

« on: April 27, 2013, 05:50:29 AM »

AKG--great write up and pics.  I've been thinking of a board that would cover similar conditions (except windsurfing), and the RH Coastal Cruiser is one that I'm looking at.   I like your comparison to the Bark Competitor, as I used to own one.  Couple questions:
1) Is overall stability significantly better than the Bark?  How about just standing in the surf zone, waiting for waves.  I found that's when the Bark was most unstable.  Does this board's planing hull explain it's ease and controllability on DW swells?
2) How's the nose rocker on it?  Would you consider it minimal?  Perhaps more nose rocker would help prevent pearling.
3) What's the weight, and construction?  6.oz glass x 2, etc?

thanks again

Overall stability for me is quite a bit better than the Bark.  I paddled the Bark the other day (I sold it to a friend) in small sloppy sound swell and found it surprisingly less easy to control.  The RH board is really responsive rail to rail, and for me it is really intuitive and easy to correct it with light foot pressure in most conditions.  I never surfed the Bark except coming back in from offshore paddles, but the RH is very easy to wait in the line-up on.  It took me a little time to understand that it spins way faster if you sink the rail on the inside of your turn.  Even in flat water, this board's turning is much more affected by rail pressure than any other board I've paddled.

It has some nose rocker but not a huge amount -- I also wonder if a little more would help on take-off and for downwind. 

I think it's about 25-26 lbs. -- Ron gave it a fairly heavy glass job because of the windsurfing, and both finboxes have extra reinforcement (again because of windsurfing). I think I remember he said his boards of this size usually come in about 23 lbs. 

DW WROTE:
I'm shaping Jacky a copy of my newest strapless windsurfer this weekend. Strapless puts the soul back into windsurfing. I love it!

I have to echo DW here -- I windsurfed strapped for 20 years, and I LOVE sailing strapless.  The whole feel is different, and you end up moving all over the board and really feeling how the combination of board and sail responds as you move. Going downwind in swells sailing an SUP is a fabulous combination of windsurfing and paddle downwinding One thing I have found is that is helps to use a bigger fin than you would for paddling -- I am using a 20-year-old True AMes / Hesselgrave fin that works great for me.

101

Gear Talk / Re: New all-around board: review (long) and pix

« on: April 26, 2013, 07:12:56 PM »

Can'r figure out how to delete accidental post here - can only edit.

102

Gear Talk / New all-around board: review (long) and pix

« on: April 26, 2013, 07:07:40 PM »

I wanted one board that I could have fun on in a variety of ocean and sound conditions, including windsurfing.  I was getting tired of deciding what to put on the car heading out to the beach or down to Hatteras between a cruising/downwind board (a Surftech Bark 12’6” Competitor) and a more wave-oriented board (Starboard 10’5” wide point).  I also like to windsurf from my house in big rolling chop in the sound, and wanted something that was a bit faster and looser than my (still-great) first board, a Starboard 12x32 Big Easy.
 
After reading a lot and looking at some boards, it looked like one of the 12’6” all-arounders like the C4Switchblade, PSH hull surfer, or Riviera Coastal Cruiser might work – but getting them retrofitted for windsurfing would take some work and money.  On a flyer I got in touch with Ron House, who shaped the Riviera board, and ended up having him shape a board.  He was great to work with, and got into the spirit of the project (I had not realized he shaped a lot of windsurfing boards back in the day).
 
Big shout out to DW from this forum, who was very generous and helpful with his experience and advice in terms of how to build and spec an SUP that sails.
 
I’ve had the board for a while now, and am quite pleased with how it came out.  For one thing, it’s beautiful and the craftsmanship is outstanding.  I ended up with a board that is 12’  by 30”.  Here’s my take on how it handles different conditions:
 
Flat Water:  not as fast as the Bark, but when you get well forward on it, it’s not that much slower.  It feels slippery in the water and gives gratifying acceleration compared to either of the 2 starboards above that I compared it to.
 
Rough water: an unexpected bonus of this board is how well it handles wind chop and random, sloppy conditions.  It is a significantly better rough water board than the Bark, especially in directions that are neither directly into swells or dead downwind.  I commute to work sometimes on this board, and if I have to get home (only about 9/10 of a mile) in a headwind or crosswind it does great.
 
Downwind: I haven’t done a downwind in the ocean or in winds above about 20 mph, but in 12-20 mph it catches sound runners every bit as well as the Bark, and is much more controllable when it’s surfing a swell.  The rides might possibly not be as long, but they are for sure more fun and more relaxing.  However, as soon as the swell gets any size to it, you have got to do a lot of up and back movement to avoid pearling the nose.  More about this later in overall reflections
 
Waves: I don’t have as much time in waves as I’d like to make a judgment, and I pretty much suck at surfing anyway.  The board handles well going out through NC beachbreak, and catching waves early is easy because of the speed.  To get it to turn on smaller waves you have to get pretty far back on the tail.  In larger surf (stomach to head high – that’s as big as I go out in – I find I have to get way back on the board on takeoff really fast to avoid pearling and spectacular wipeouts.  That is in comparison with the Starboard 10’5” widepoint, which doesn’t require getting as far back as quickly and also (at least for me) turns on small waves without being as far back on the tail.  But when I have gotten way back and stayed in control, I am starting to get decent bottom turns.
 
Windsurfing: the board significantly exceeds my expectations relative to the Starboard 12’  (and the 10’5”, which is crappy with a sail).  Unlike the starboard, it actually planes, and top end speed is significantly higher.  There is a sweet spot way back on the tail where you can sink a rail and really carry speed though a jibe and bank it off the swell in front of you – but it is pretty much impossible to actually fall on a jibe given the board’s volume and it’s ability to respond to foot pressure in chop and waves.  Going fast strapless is really fun and you end up moving all over the board with your feet.  I have not windsurfed it in ocean waves – just in big rolling chop in the 15-25 mph wind range (I use it mainly with a Hot Sails Maui 6.5 superfreak, which is a great SUP sail and seems to handle pretty much any wind up into the high 20s as long as you tune the downhaul).  If I did it again, I would have Ron put the mast track (a US finbox) a few inches further back – it is placed so that the back of the box is at the midpoint of the board – but with the universal as far back as it goes, it handles fine.  (Note: I lost my interest in shortboard windsurfing when I started kiting 8 or 9 years ago, and don’t want to simulate that experience – I like to sail by my house, from launches too crappy to kite in, or in cross-off and gusty winds.  This board sails like a really good-windsurfing SUP, not like a shortboard).
 
Overall reflections – it seems to do everything pretty damn well. I suspect that downwind performance and surfing would be better with some more tail rocker, which might make it less imperative to get as far back on the tail to avoid pearling.  I would guess that more tail rocker would have cost some flat-water speed and also windsurfing speed and quickness to plane, and I would be willing to make that tradeoff.  But I’m pretty happy with the way it turned out, and am still kind of amazed that one watercraft can let me have fun in so many different conditions.
 
 

103

SUP General / Re: Advice on convincing a dog to paddleboard?

« on: March 27, 2013, 12:19:32 PM »

Thanks for all the great advice.  It's definitely more individual than breed in this case -- Della is a border collie -based mutt and does not naturally swim; Louie (my dog for 14 years before Della) was a aussie-based mutt who would body surf 3-foot waves and swim class 2 whitewater from the time he first saw water.  What I'm taking away from this is 1. be patient  2. let her get used to the water in nice conditions and decide on her own she wants to swim 3. encourage her to be around the board and near the water with treats and praise, and 4. be patient.  She's a great puppy even if she never does decide to go in the water, but I'm still going to try to maximize the probabilities.

Will report back with pictures later in the summer if successful.  In the meantime, thanks again and keep the advice (and pictures) coming.

Andy

Andy

104

SUP General / Advice on convincing a dog to paddleboard?

« on: March 25, 2013, 03:43:25 PM »

Hey Dog-paddling Zoners --

I have read the threads and admired the pictures of all of you SUPping with dogs, and my puppy is now 6 months old and 42 lbs.  Unlike all my previous dogs, Della is very skittish around water and my first attempt to get her on -- or even near -- the board on a warm sunny day was a failure.  And that was just on land 15 feet from the water.

Any tips or advice on getting her comfortable around water and onto a board (we live right next to a sound, but it has been cold since she joined us in December).  I am prepared to be patient (or at least try really hard to be patient) but I would really, really like Della to flatwater paddle with me.

I've seen good advice here on life jackets, deck pads, and so on, but most of you have said your dogs took right to being on the board.  Anybody had to do any training / persuasion?  The Dog WHisperer SUP segment was pretty worthless.

Thanks!

Andy

105

Gear Talk / Re: What do you wish exists but doesn't?

« on: December 21, 2012, 06:20:10 AM »

I would love to see any system -- windsurf rig or kite-based -- that could be stowed, assembled, and disassembled on the water, and could at least make moderate headway upwind in winds over 15 mph.  That would make an SUP an incredibly versatile touring craft.   

Existing kites are difficult to launch and land from a packed-away state on an SUP.  Windsurfer-inspired rigs that I know of are difficult to assemble on the water and also hard to stow on an SUP.