Messages

31

SUP General / Re: Bye-Bye Bark

« on: September 01, 2015, 05:05:56 PM »

It's too bad her bikini bottoms are so big.

32

SUP General / Re: South Florida Paddler Missing on the Hood River

« on: August 29, 2015, 11:03:28 AM »

Oh jeez, I didn't need to see that. Gotta go hug my grandkids.

Right behind you Bill.

33

Gear Talk / Re: SIC FX 14 x 25

« on: August 07, 2015, 06:27:32 PM »

14 x 25 all star volume 269......versus 290......8% more for FX14??  Does that sound right?

14X26.5 Fanatic Flatwater is 305ish, and many of the Infinity Blackfish 14's are 280-300liters.

34

SUP General / Re: Air Mattress Surfing Video

« on: May 28, 2015, 08:24:01 AM »

Good one.  I expected more of a trampoline effect during your foot changes or the camera tilt switching from feet to sky as you trimmed.  iSUP Surf or some hybrid may be the next big deal considering travel limitations with hard boards.  You should have a pump sponsor.

Jim

Jim, I thought the same. The board vibrates so much that I figured the video would be impossible to watch, but its not too bad.  Were you out Sunday morning when there was zero parking from the half-marathon? (-:  I was at canoes around 7:30 after trying Queens, and Two or Threes… not sure which one is which. Got bigger the next day I hear.

35

SUP General / Re: Air Mattress Surfing Video

« on: May 28, 2015, 08:21:10 AM »

 great vid! Dumb question maybe, but how did you attach the go pro to an inflatable?

Not a dumb question. I actually simply used the GoPro board mount. The adhesive white round mount thats about 3" in diameter. I heated the adhesive strip up a bit with a heat gun, and cleaned the board surface with alcohol.  I wasn't sure how well it would stay on during deflation and getting rolled-up, but it appears to still be on as securely as a rigid board.

36

SUP General / Re: Air Mattress Surfing Video

« on: May 27, 2015, 07:48:58 PM »

Also known as the iSUP. I just returned from Oahu where I rode Chuns Reef, Flat Island, and some of the town spots on my 9'3" Uli iSUP.  Also tried out our new Kialoa Insanity 3-piece travel paddle. 

Nice little video.
How do you like the paddle?

The paddle is great, other than a bit heavier than my Hulu's, I would never know its an adjustable 3-piece. Good hold, comfortable grip and very solid and simple clamp mechanisms.  And the thermo plastic blade means I didn't worry about whacking it on the reefs, got a couple of gouges that I can just sand out.

37

SUP General / Re: Air Mattress Surfing Video

« on: May 27, 2015, 04:04:39 PM »

Holy smokes.  I had to look up their website because I was sure that was a jet driven board of some kind. Nope. Just an air mattress. Crazy.

38

SUP General / Air Mattress Surfing Video

« on: May 27, 2015, 12:35:14 PM »

Also known as the iSUP. I just returned from Oahu where I rode Chuns Reef, Flat Island, and some of the town spots on my 9'3" Uli iSUP.  Also tried out our new Kialoa Insanity 3-piece travel paddle.  Not a bad little combo considering it all packs in a duffle bag for the flight.
Short little GoPro vid of my mediocre wave skills around Waikiki in waist to shoulder high, for those that have asked about surfing an iSUP…

39

Gear Talk / Re: 2015 Infinity Blackfish ST

« on: May 07, 2015, 06:53:48 AM »

Good advice KDog, thanks!  I can see how the short depth could lose hold in big chop or the mayhem of race starts.  It will be fun to experiment with different fin combos.

40

Gear Talk / Re: 2015 Infinity Blackfish ST

« on: May 06, 2015, 05:43:20 PM »

23lbs with fin per the old bathroom scale method.

41

Gear Talk / Re: 2015 Infinity Blackfish ST

« on: May 06, 2015, 05:37:53 PM »

Breakbad: this is set up with the Larry Allison 3-fin box and I'm getting the "stealth fins" from Larry for it.  Today I just used the single Allison Chopped Ninja.  Board tracked ridiculously well, so I should be able to get away with a much smaller profile fin most the time. 

XLR8: thanks, I'm sure I've got the "new board blinders" on, but am excited by how it did today.  I think it will fill the "all-around" board niche pretty well, kinda like a Starboard Allstar. Gotta get it out in pure glass as well as some sizable downwind conditions too.  I also should mention that I weigh about 195lbs and Dave built this at 290 liters.  Feels like its in the 23-24lb range, but I'll weigh it shortly.

42

Gear Talk / Re: 2015 Infinity Blackfish ST

« on: May 06, 2015, 02:18:50 PM »

Just got my 14' X 26" Blackfish.  First impressions after one 4 mile paddle in 6-8mph winds, every direction… 26" is crazy stable, in large part due to the massive 16" wide tail. It feels more like a 28-29" wide board.  Kinda wish I'd gone 24.5 or 25", but I'll be able to paddle this in pretty gnarly conditions.  Nose is super splashy and noisy, which makes it seem like its not going fast, but the gps shows differently. The wide tail and volume in the rear makes the tail come up and the nose dive slightly as you sprint or power up. Many boards I have used are the exact opposite, and the tail squats down as you apply power.  Excellent sprints off the start line, hitting 7.5mph upwind in chop.  But of course couldn't maintain that for long.  Cruised very comfortably in the upper 5 mph's and going 90% effort I could keep it above 6 in the protected water.  It will take me a few more miles to dial in where to stand and what stroke rate the board prefers… Stoked so far.

43

Downwind and Racing / Re: New 404 v3 - Tail rocker & finbox question

« on: May 06, 2015, 10:35:35 AM »

"volume does not mean a lot…."

Now thats funny.

44

Gear Talk / Re: We've Seen Catamaran SUPs, How About a Single Outrigger SUP?

« on: May 01, 2015, 11:05:43 AM »

Depends on what you wanted it to do. A rounded bottom presents the least skin friction. If you're going to stay out of the surf then a round bottom is fine, if not, then you need something flatter, or you need a way to counter the tendency of round bottom craft to lose rudder authority and round up in surf.

This is a subject that been talked about and even experimented with several times. Most recently for me was yesterday when I stopped at Gorge Performance to shoot the breeze with Bob Reuter. Like any non-technical concept the way to see what would happen is to build one. If anyone were super-serious they'd model this first, but it's pretty easy to stick an ama on a surfski and stand up in it.

I'd do it with small floats and hydrofoils, but that's me. I think GreatDane did a similar experiment that he was enthusiastic about some time ago, but the enthusiasm apparently waned. Probably needs an RC rudder to turn the thing.

I'm also interested in sailing canoes. I recently read Gary Dierking's interesting book about building them. I may have to torture myself with woodwork in Maui this year, or maybe rivet one up out of aluminum.

Ha, yeah Bill that was about 5 years ago. We used an old surf ski at 21" wide and round bottom. The "amas" had aluminum foils on the bottom that would barely brush the waters surface and pop right up after contact… On dead flat water I could cruise comfortable at 6.8-7.2 mph and sprint over 8.  One day we had it out on the bay and the local surf ski group paddled by, and I jumped in with them. 2 miles later I was still with them which suprised the hell out of them.
However, it was a nightmare in big chop and impossible in waves. At least with me on board.  I've looked everywhere for the videos we did, but can't find yet.

45

Gear Talk / Re: 2015 Infinity Blackfish ST

« on: May 01, 2015, 07:34:39 AM »

Hey K-Dog, whats your weight if you don't mind my asking?  My 14' Blackfish shipped yesterday, so I'll ad pics and review here when I get out on it. Thanks.