Topics

976

Gear Talk / Scored Mark's F18

« on: October 06, 2009, 09:15:54 PM »

Mark Raaphorst sent me an email asking if I knew anyone that might want to buy the F18 he was bringing to the BOP at a substantial discount since he didn't want to ship it back to maui. I immediately replied that I thought I might indeed be able to locate someone.

You may all notice that I didn't contact you. You might also have seen me sneaking out of the parking lot of the BOP with a lot of long pointy boards on my truck.

Cool ride. I'm gunna enjoy this one. Especially since Pi, my tiger stripe F18 is going back to Maui to scare the crap out of me in Maliko.

I'm taking this one out tomorrow morning for a long Columbia River paddle. something tells me I'm going to like it.

977

Random / totally, totally random.

« on: September 29, 2009, 05:40:34 PM »

Have any of you seen the TV show Glee? Amazing. I know it sounds nuts, but I think it's one of the very best things I've seen on TV since Boston Legal.

978

Downwind and Racing / Crazier yet

« on: September 26, 2009, 03:54:42 PM »

Thursday was nutz, Friday was fun, today was--hmmm. Words escape me. I could barely get my board into the water. the windsurfers at Viento said I was insane to get in the river.  this was definitely the fastest I've ever gone on a SUP. No fancy-shmancy turning around the moguls--straight through, railroading dozens at a shot. the board hardly slowed when it pearled. I got used to going fast with the nose underwater.



the scale on the right tops out at 17 miles per hour. Most of my long rides look like they were at 13 to 15 MPH.

I fell three times. It looks like more--no idea why. I need to go sit down and have a beer. this one was crazy. Ke Nalu article later when I calm down. You guys have to try this place. I've been talking like it would be good training for Maliko. today Maliko was good training for this. Remember these speeds are all AGAINST a 3 to 5 MPH current.

Just a little wind:

979

Downwind and Racing / Holy Buckets--big columbia downwinder

« on: September 24, 2009, 09:25:53 PM »

You folks have to try this. I think the columbia can toss out some downwinders that rival Maliko. Crazy one today: http://www.kenalu.com/2009/09/24/runaway-train/

980

Events / Battle of the Paddle

« on: September 17, 2009, 12:20:57 PM »

So who is going? I've signed up for both the age group race and the distance paddle. Looks like the distance run is about 9.5 miles--from Dana point to the san clemente pier and back. A nice cruise if there isn't any wind--a grim upwinder on the return leg if there is.

Should be a great event in this second year. I hope to see many of you zoners there.

http://www.rainbowsandals.com/battleofthepaddle/

981

Downwind and Racing / Kunalu for sale after BOP

« on: September 16, 2009, 09:13:48 PM »

Got an email from Mark Raaphorst. He's bringing two boards to the BOP and doesn't want to ship them home afterwards. I already snagged the F18 (sorry) but he's also bringing a KuNalu that he's willing to sell at Dana Point for $1050. That's a pretty smoking deal for such a versatile board.

This probably belongs in the classified section, but anyone going to the BOP might be interested and might miss it there.

The KuNalu is the hollow molded version of my favorite board. I currently have a Starboard 12'2" which is the same shape. Not only are they wicked fast for racing and excellent for downwinders, but they also surf wonderfully. I don't know whether or not this board has a mast track, if not that's too bad. I consider these boards to be about the best sailing SUP board I've found.

The board will be available after the BOP at Dana Point. You should contact Mark directly if you're interested. I suspect Mark will NOT be paddling in the age group race, so you might be able to work out a deal to use the board in the race. Please contact Mark directly at: s.i.c@mac.com

982

Downwind and Racing / Battle of the Paddle Registration site problems?

« on: September 16, 2009, 08:40:47 PM »

Has anyone managed to get the registration website to work? It doesn't seem to do anything when I click "Pay with credit card" I think they need a new web designer.  The site loads like something built in the 90's.

983

Downwind and Racing / Awesome Hood River Downwinder

« on: September 15, 2009, 09:07:33 AM »

Had fine downwinders Saturday and Sunday from Viento to Hood River. I need to try some other places, but this ten mile run is so good it's hard to experiment.  Knee to waist high rollers on Saturday, smaller on Sunday but high wind both days. Some of the gusts on Saturday had to be over 40, maybe over 50.  For pure goofy fun this run is darn close to Maliko, though it doesn't have the massive swells. My F18 is a little long for the short period waves, but I'm learning to squeeze it into the troughs. Once I get going I'm railroading over four or five swells easily.

I'm certain that there are some twenty or thirty mile downwinders in the offing. Average speed is down some because it's against the current, but I did the ten miles in 1:38 Saturday--felt like I was planing in swells at least 80 percent of the time (though I'm sure that's not true). Got to bring the GPS next time.

If anyone wants to try these runs give me a shout. I'm racing cars this weekend, but I'll be in Hood River pretty much full time until we head for Maui in late November.

984

Whitewater and River SUP / Animoto of Dan and Nikki

« on: September 01, 2009, 12:37:44 AM »

Dan Gavere and Nikki Gregg on the White Salmon. I'm pretty sure they didn't get any pictures of me--generally all they could see of me was my helmet.

http://www.kenalu.com/2009/08/31/whitewater-sup/

985

Whitewater and River SUP / Rapid swimming made easy

« on: August 31, 2009, 12:15:37 PM »

I went whitewater SUPing with Nikki Gregg and Dan Gavere on the White Salmon Sunday. Wow, was that different. I have next to zero whitewater experience other than fishing, bouncing though a few rapids in a Hobie fishing cat, and a little drift boat rowing. I expected it to be pretty easy though, and so naturally I spent 99% of the day either on my knees or bobbing in the water. Dan and Nikki are, or course, great at it, and they put up graciously with my flailing. I have no idea why I liked it so much, but I'm going to order an ULI so I can beat myself up further.

On the positive side I recall spending my first Maliko run on my knees, scared spitless. At least I wasn't scared doing this though that might just be a further indication of my cluelessness. I'll do an article on it in Kenalu as soon as I can, I got some surprisingly good photos using the crappy camera in my iPhone. First I have to get ready for a big weekend car race--the Columbia River Classic. Off to the shop and a bit of Peyote Polishing.

986

Downwind and Racing / Cape Cod Bay Challenge

« on: August 16, 2009, 04:37:02 AM »

We all made it. With 21 people the elapsed time was slower than last year since we had to stop frequently to pull the group back together (one chase boat) but the moving pace was pretty good (3.8 MPH).

987

Gear Talk / Paddle socks

« on: August 11, 2009, 12:43:41 AM »

What's with all the companies making paddle bags--do they think we're all gnomes? None of my paddles fit any paddle bag I've tried, even my surfing paddles which are almost five inches shorter than my racing paddles. Got a nice DaKine bag as swag at a race. Reaches about half way up the blade. Anyone know these guys to give then a shout that a few more inches in the shaft tube might add a bunch of customers?

988

Downwind and Racing / Rudder repair

« on: August 10, 2009, 01:46:20 PM »

Bent my rudder shaft in the Gorge yesterday. I've seen people straighten rudders on the board--I've done it myself. I think that it's a really bad idea.

I put the rudder in a vise with plywood on both sides clamping pieces of deck pad against the curved rudder sides. Then I slipped a piece of thick wall pipe over the shaft and gently bent it back. Once the shaft was perfectly straight and was turning easily in the post hole without any wobble I chilled the rudder in the refrigerator and immersed it in a old aquarium full of hot water. I figured the cold air would expand from the heat and show any leaks with air bubbles. It bubbled like crazy around the shaft. So I dried it out with vacuum and some heat, gooped it up with epoxy and stuck it back in the vacuum bag and let the air bubble out through the epoxy. As I released the vacuum the epoxy sucked in around the shaft and disappeared. Did it one more time and the epoxy pretty much stayed put. I'll test it later today after its well set, but I bet it's good.

I didn't weigh the rudder before my little process, but it only took up about an ounce of 30 minute epoxy at most.

989

Downwind and Racing / Super Downwinder

« on: August 10, 2009, 10:05:18 AM »

I did an amazing upwind/downwind run at Hood River yesterday. Just magical. I started paddling downriver as the wind rose. It was already pushing whitecaps and big swells as I began, but I tucked into wind shadows along the banks and gutted through the head on sections. I made it about four miles before i came to a section so exposed I just couldn't punch through. What a beautiful paddle though, the inspiration to keep going was the amazing scenery from the river. My plan originally was just to go around Wells Island, but the incredible scenery kept pulling me on.

I finally turned, paddled out to take advantage of some big swells I saw in mid river, and the ride was on. My F18 caught runners almost continuously. Small ones, but very fun, and it was great practice for getting the most out of a swell. The F18 makes it easy, but it's pretty remarkable how quickly you can start learning where to point the board to get the best speed and longest ride.



I got back to the event center all too soon. I considered doing another run, perhaps putting in at Viento park, but instead I stuck the F18 on the truck, put a 5.0 Superfreak onto the Starboard 12'2" and went sailing. Lots of fun.  

990

Downwind and Racing / Hood River Big Winds Windup

« on: August 04, 2009, 10:20:14 AM »

I did an article on the final two races of the hood river big winds series. http://www.kenalu.com/2009/08/04/hood-river-big-winds-windup/

I really enjoyed this series and it convinced me that you can have a successful SUP race anywhere. I'm going to try to get one going in Portland. Nothing big, no fancy sponsorships. Just racing.