Messages

23941

SUP General / Re: Stand Up for Bleeding Disorders

« on: July 14, 2009, 12:35:01 PM »

Where will this be, and when. Give me a little write up and I'll stick it on Ke Nalu

23942

Fish Tales, Stand Up style / Re: flyfishing off of a paddleboard San Diego style.....

« on: July 14, 2009, 12:31:36 PM »

Tie a loop of rope to your leash--makes a fine drag. I made a sea anchor but it turned out to be too much hassle--rope works pretty well, or you can bring a little anchor like I use on my fishing Kayak.

23943

Fish Tales, Stand Up style / Re: flyfishing off of a paddleboard San Diego style.....

« on: July 14, 2009, 08:46:31 AM »

Yeah, I can't do that move. Well, I can, but I'd have to go straight to the ER afterward.

23944

SUP General / Re: PFD in Mission Bay

« on: July 14, 2009, 08:40:57 AM »

I've swum in from several miles out on the Oregon Coast and from Upper Kanaha several times. I can tell you firsthand that it isn't a pleasant experience, especially in Oregon. Leashes break, windsurfers blow away from you. The thing about the ocean is that if you're competent, everything goes well--until it doesn't.

Every time I've had to swim in I've wished I had something to float with. I can swim indefinitely long, but when the swells are hitting you in the face, and the chop keeps slopping into your nose, you get so tired of fighting to breathe. Last year I decided to swim out at Tavares Bay just to get in the water. Big, confused waves. I dove out over the reef right in front of the parking lot. Swam out a few hundred yards, turned around and swam back, and when I got close to the reef I couldn't find a way past the rips. I went back and forth for probably fifteen minutes and finally swam to the west end and crawled over the rocks and coral. Not fun. A big surprise to me, and a life-threatening situation for a lot of people, even an experienced guy. I've surfed in that place at least fifty times, it never occurred to me that it would be tough to get out of the water there without a board.

There's an article about PFD's and camelbacks in Ke Nalu that people may find useful. http://www.kenalu.com/2009/04/25/saving-your-life-with-a-camelback/. I experimented with doing a pretty long swim using a camelback as a PFD. It was remarkably good. I can't help but think that the guy that drowned at Hood River might have been saved if he was wearing a PFD. I don't think he was even wearing a leash.

I support the idea of getting the coast guard to send a new recommendation letter, and taking the legs out from under the local bureaucrats that would like to kick us off their beaches, but personally, if I'm outside the surf zone I'll have some form of PFD along.

23945

Technique / Re: Noob Help: Paddling Out

« on: July 13, 2009, 11:27:11 PM »

Lots of people struggle in whitewater until they understand that it's generally easier to get through it standing than any other way. I guess it's kind of counter-intuitive, but with your whole body on the board there's lots for the whitewater to push against, when you're standing it's just your feet and lower legs. And you can execute the pre-loading and weight shifting techniques that Sam shows off.

23946

Downwind and Racing / Re: Fins etc.

« on: July 13, 2009, 07:51:31 PM »

I've found that big fins work pretty well for sprinting speed, because they help you put power into forward motion instead of letting the tail skid. I've been tending more towards wide bases and low profiles, but maybe it's time to try a higher aspect ratio.

23947

Downwind and Racing / Re: Paddle for racing

« on: July 13, 2009, 07:48:05 PM »

I keep seeing that in theory a person should have a better cadence. So that is what is drawing me to the paddle. i already have the spanker and at about 4.5 miles I am just getting wore down my whole upper body is just gone. I have only been going at it for about 2 1/2 months, but my first race is this weekend and i have thought about going out and getting that paddle to I can possibly finish even stronger and less fatigued.

Won't happen, at least not in my experience. Everyone seems to adjust their effort to the race. When you cross the line you'll be past your limit.

23948

Events / Re: Cape Cod Bay Challenge 2009 Training Diary's

« on: July 13, 2009, 04:59:03 PM »

Got the go ahead to get back on the water today....yeehaa!

Good thing, since you already did it.

23949

Downwind and Racing / Re: Naish Maliko 2009

« on: July 13, 2009, 04:49:18 PM »

Hey, cool, they had a 60-99 grou7p. I have a goal!. I intend to be the worlds fastest geezer next year. I know Harold Iggy but who's this Dudley Smith?

23950

Fish Tales, Stand Up style / Re: flyfishing off of a paddleboard San Diego style.....

« on: July 13, 2009, 04:30:55 PM »

Looks like she's a pretty accomplished fisherwoman. Nice to see she doesn't use a stripping basket either--I just let the line pile on my feet too.

I flyfish from mine frequently, and drag a smelt in the Willamette when I'm paddling aiming to score a salmon (hasn't happened yet). My wife was talking to a friend from Manzanita who says her husband is using his SUP to carry a crab pot out. they got nine big males last weekend. Yum.

23951

Downwind and Racing / Re: new Bark...

« on: July 13, 2009, 07:00:38 AM »

I'm very familiar with the "invisible outrigger" feel, the penetrator does that too. The width increases as it tips so it gains stability.

23952

Downwind and Racing / Re: fourth Hood River Race

« on: July 13, 2009, 06:53:33 AM »

Bob--Small house and a pole barn, or I might just rent a shop. My travels in Nero (the Airstream) made it obvious that we don't need all this space for two people.

GD -- Yes, I was racing at Pacific Raceway, and Portland this weekend. My car overheated on Saturday, so I got a DNF and had to start last (39th) on Sunday. Great fun, passed my way up to 2nd and had first in sight when the car started overheating again. Nursed it to a second place finish.

Hood River is such a cool place, you should make it for more than just the race. I plan to do some long downwinders on the river.

23953

Downwind and Racing / Re: Naish Maliko 2009

« on: July 13, 2009, 06:44:55 AM »

198 finishers!! Holy smokes. Congratulations everyone. Seeing those names made me homesick for Maui. Or maybe peoplesick. Miss you folks.

23954

Gear Talk / Re: Garmin 305 software?

« on: July 13, 2009, 06:39:14 AM »

lots of free options. www.anytrail.com is probably the best. I've shelved my SUP GPS software project until after the racing season, but it will fundamentally copy the anytrail approach and add a few SUP-related bells.

23955

Gear Talk / Re: First try wooden paddles

« on: July 13, 2009, 06:35:47 AM »

Honoli,
Beautiful paddles, congratulations. Your jig looks amazing.

You might want to consider some carbon fiber alongside the lamination to add strength. You wouldn't see it once the glue-up and shaping is done. I know Malama ran into problems with a few of his paddles cracking in the shaft with just one layer of 4 oz cloth. I think he extended it and added more in the stress areas. I don't know if anyone had tried laminiating in Carbon Fibre, but it seems like it would add longitudinal strength and prevent over-bending.