Topics

31

Downwind and Racing / Custom Unlimited Board

« on: September 13, 2011, 10:53:13 AM »

About 3 months ago, I approached my friend & neighbor Tom Swetish about building me an unlimited board specifically for the 13.5 mile Round the Rock race.  Tom works for a big kayak/canoe company and he has been building fast 14 foot custom SUPs since 2007.  He said sure and got to work on the CAD designs.  Less than 2 months ago, the CNC machine started cutting, and I raced her this last Sunday.  "Project 343" is 19 feet by 25.5" wide.  It ended up about 34 pounds. My feet are 1/8" above water line and she is crazy-stable for that width... I think we could have gone 24".  It has a forward fin box and Larry Allison made me a keel/fin to help the board stay on track in side winds.  It is a mix of one pound foam, glass and carbon fiber.

I have only paddled a few unlimiteds: Barks, SIC's and Ohanas and it's the fastest board I've ever been on.  I averaged almost 6.2 mph for the 13.5 mile race.  I covered the course in 2:11. Of course Thomas Maximus still crushed me on his 24 pound 19'7" Riviera!

Here are some photos of the project... if you want to check out Tom's other work click here: http://www.bellingham-boardworks.com/

I can't thank Tom enough for building this board and letting me do lot's of the sanding and finish work... I learned a lot.

32

Events / Kalamalka Race Report

« on: June 20, 2011, 12:04:06 PM »

Great race this weekend in eastern B.C.  A 3.5 mile short course, that included 4 laps and 7 turns per lap.  Then four man elimination sprints that left those of us in the final doing 6 heats, ugh...  Then Sunday a 10 miler with a nice little breeze at our backs the whole way.

Got to spend some time with Warren from Easy Rider... what a great guy, thanks for the chocolate milk Warren! Send pictures!

I ended up 2nd overall in the weekend points series with Norm Hann of Squamish winning the King of the Beach and Lina Augaitis winning Queen of the Beach. 

33

Downwind and Racing / Fin Porn

« on: April 25, 2011, 02:13:28 PM »

Got you to look (-:

Made by Larry Allison for Casey at SUP Gladiator.  If looks could kill...

34

Events / Seattle Kalama Klinic- Save the Date

« on: March 21, 2011, 01:37:20 PM »

April 28th (Thursday morning), Lake Union.  2 hour class. Contact Urban Surf for details or to sign up.

35

Events / Seattle Kalama Klinic- Save the Date

« on: March 21, 2011, 12:57:53 PM »

Thursday morning, April 28th.  2 hour class.  Lake Union, near Urban Surf.  Contact Urban Surf for details or to sign up.

(sorry it's on a Thursday, it was Dave's only day he could do it unless we waited until September)

36

Technique / Stroke technique video critique

« on: March 10, 2011, 02:19:19 PM »

2 months ago I sent a simple video of myself paddling to some of the best paddlers in the world... in hopes they would watch and critique.  And some of them did... what great advice I got, and I thought I'd share some of it with the Zoners... feel free to add your 2 cents, so that we all can learn.

http://www.paddlesurfnorthwest.com/2011/03/stroke-critique-video.html

When I watch it, and I'm my worst critic, I see that I need to rotate my shoulders more and achieve more reach.  The funny thing is, that when I'm paddling, I really feel like I'm doing this already... but pictures don't lie I guess.  Maybe more stretching and yoga will allow my shoulders to loosen up a bit more.

37

SUP General / New Racer In Town

« on: February 27, 2011, 01:21:14 PM »

He's a little overweight now, but will probably slim down come spring...

38

Events / Tacoma, WA SUP Race March 20th

« on: February 24, 2011, 09:57:08 AM »

This is the South Sound Chapter's largest annual "Fun"draiser. The event is in its second year and boasts a new location and longer course. This year the long course will be approximately 6.9 miles from the start point of Owen Beach paddling towards the Narrows Bridge. We will still have a shorter sprint race and the youth course. SUP, Kayak and prone paddlers are all welcome!

Registration is open at http://www.surfrider.org/southsound/gppr_registration.htm

Sponsorship & Vendor Questions please email sserrano@surfrider.org.
Registration Questions please email gppr2010@gmail.com

The chapter will also be launching their first campaign at the event, Tacoma's PSSED (Puget Sound Stormwater Education and Defense) Campaign. Stop by and Get PSSED!

Beach clean, demos, vendors and more....

There will also be a special membership package to celebrate World Water Day (officially March 22nd). If you have ever thought about joining SF, now is a great time to do so. Celebrate our world's most precious resource with us!

More details to come, be sure to check back often. And help spread the word and share the event on your page.
Happy Paddling!

Event Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=190929367593953

39

Downwind and Racing / Surftech Bark Dominator 14'

« on: February 09, 2011, 07:38:01 PM »

Got the new Surftech Dominator today & took it out for an hour on dead flat water... what a rocket compared to the 12'6" Competitor.  It is Surftech's light weight design and the board weighed in at 24 pounds w/o fin.  That's 6-7 pounds lighter than the 12'6" Competitor from last year.
Still a square tail, but they brought it in a little, not as broad as the Competitor.  They also thinned-out the rear end a little, not as thick in the last couple of feet.  There is a hand hole now for carrying, but still comes with the option for the webbing handle, which I like, because I attach my coil race leash up front where I'm standing, not 7 feet behind me.  It comes with a very nice Fibre Glas Fin Co. race fin designed by Larry Allison.

The board is a bit more flexy than I imagined... I'm guessing the custom Barks with carbon are a lot stiffer... my 18' sure was.  No biggie though. On the flat water it felt so fast compared to the 12'6"  and nice and quiet as it cuts through the water.  Has a bit more tip in initial stability, but rock solid secondary stability.  Can't wait to try it in some bumps with the wind at my back.  I do wish they had changed the paint scheme a bit.  From across the garage, it's hard to tell the 12'6" & the 14' apart.

Sorry for the meager pics... I'll get more someday... outside.

40

Downwind and Racing / Any Aussie Zoners do this race?

« on: February 02, 2011, 02:51:52 PM »

Looks like a good one... a great video, mostly of surf skis.  The 2011 "Doctor" race....

http://rambos-locker.blogspot.com/2011/02/doctor-2011-race-video-ski-sup-oc1.html

41

Training, Diet, and Fitness / Anyone trying to GAIN weight?

« on: January 12, 2011, 03:04:27 PM »

Just me maybe?  Probably in the minority of 40 year olds and you guys will give me shit, but it's worth asking...

When I quite competitive cycling 3 years ago, I weighed 175 pounds.  Yesterday weighed 192.  Trying to hit 200 just for fun, but am trying to maintain less than 10% body fat. So far so good.  Trying to add functional muscle and not just size.  Training with a larger blade, then racing with a smaller blade has been a success too.

I'm sure when the weather warms a bit and I'm on the water more & in the gym less, I'll lose a bit of what ever I gain this winter...

42

Downwind and Racing / Cold, North West Downwind Video

« on: December 13, 2010, 09:00:09 AM »

Well, not that cold, except when compared with Hawaii...

Our 3.5 mile run across Bellingham Bay in 2-3 foot waves.  We started the run with 3 GoPro's and ended with 2.  Oops.  Good thing we get them at cost. Damn.

My buddy Tom (the filmer) is on a board he designed specifically for our smaller downwind conditions, 14 foot to fit in our small troughs, with a pinny tail to really turn the board for fun once on the wave.  I am on the "Swiss Army knife" of boards, the 12'6" Bark Competitor.  Last week I won a flat water race on it, then 5 days later I'm downwinding on it...

43

Downwind and Racing / Deception Pass Dash

« on: December 07, 2010, 01:31:03 PM »

Last Saturday (Dec. 4th) 153 kayaks, OC's, surf skis and SUP's lined up for the 6ish mile race into and back out of Deception Pass Washington.

Weather was beautiful... a little NE wind out around Deception Island.  Air temps were in the high 30's.

This is a picture of us coming back out of the Pass.  What you can't see is the 92 vessels in front of me (-:

44

Training, Diet, and Fitness / Cross-training Videos

« on: December 01, 2010, 10:21:07 AM »

My co-workers are starting a web site for Tac Fit style training... I have been doing these work outs for 3 years & they cross over great to paddling.  There will soon be an entire work-out (Tac Fit India) posted on this site for free use...  great stuff!

http://tacfitfirefighter.com/

45

Downwind and Racing / 2010 Race Year Video

« on: November 28, 2010, 05:09:14 PM »

I made this short 5 minute video/slide show compiled from images of my race year, plus pictures of friends I have made at these great events.... 
Photos by Dave Chun, Brandon Nelson, Dan Eberhardt, Rob Casey, Norm Hann and many more.
Plus a little GoPro footage of downwinding on a 12'6" Bark Competitor...