Topics

16

Gear Talk / Board dimensions...volume vs. width, board length...etc. What are your thoughts?

« on: November 08, 2012, 07:04:25 PM »

I've only been riding an SUP in the surf for three years, but in that time have seen a radical transformation of the shape, size and design of surf SUP's. The progressive, cutting edge shapers seem to be getting it dialed in, and as a result it seems like they are allowing us to ride boards smaller than we have ever ridden before. I was at a few shops and shapers today and have seen all kinds of boards. One theme that seemed to be recurring everywhere I went were 8'0"-8'6" boards for guys that weighed over 200 lbs. Obviously the key to getting these boards to work is getting the right amount of volume in a shorter board, but also being smart about how this needed volume is distributed. What I still can't wrap my head around is how thick the tail sections of these shorter boards are for these larger riders. TO me, it seems like it would defeat the purpose of going shorter if you have to put so much volume in the tail, because all of that added volume would inhibit the performance of a board, and if you are going shorter, aren't you shooting for a more performance oriented board, and if that's the case, wouldn't a thinner-folied rear section/tail equal a quicker, more responsive board? I'm 6'2 185, and settled on a 121 liter board that was 8'10 x 29 x 4.25, keeping the tail as thin as possible. We tried going shorter, but that meant either making the board wider (something I did not want to do) and/or putting more volume in the tail (again, something I didn't want to do) so I instead opted for a few inches in length to get to the volume we were shooting for, with the goal of keeping the tail section as high performance as possible.

Or am I just wrong about this, and with the bigger guys (220-235lbs) the thicker tail isn't an issue for them because they are able to dig in these thicker rails and foils because of their weight? I'm just having trouble wrapping my head around this, and seeing it as counter-productive to go shorter if it means flooding the tail section with foam to get the right volume for the paddler.

17

Gear Talk / Just ordered a custom King's 8'10 x 29 x 4.25...stoked!

« on: November 08, 2012, 05:06:38 PM »

So I drove around today and checked out a couple different shapers and one shop that had boards from a shaper I was considering. First stop was Infinity up in Dana Point. I had them shape me a race board earlier in the year and can't say anything bad about these guys. Everyone I have ever dealt with at their shop has always been nice, helpful and very knowledgable. I checked out some of their shapes, and just wasn't digging the bottom contours (or lack thereof actually). Not saying that what they are doing is a bad thing, just not what I am into, and they obviously have guys that rip on their boards WAY harder than I ever will! Next I checked out a shop that was a Nectar dealer. Gary's boards are absolutely GORGEOUS! Fit and finish on these things is second to none, and they are just meticulous! To be honest they were pretty much exactly what I was looking for with thinly foiled tails, double concave, thinner rails, etc, but wasn't up for spending the extra $$$ for the carbon fiber reinforced rails as I think it's an unnecessary option that just ads cost, and too rich for my budget, but again, his boards look sick!!!

Last stop was King's Paddle Sports in San Marcos. My very first SUP was a 10'0 King's Knight model, which I would describe as more of a performance longboard style SUP. Great board when I was getting into SUP for stability, but over the last three years I have gravitated to somewhat shorter, more performance/progressive style riding. Well let me say that a lot of things have changed with King's over the years, and for the better! My first board I bought out of Dave Daum's shed in the back of his house three years ago, and since then they have expanded to a really nice space in San Marcos, where everything is done in-house. They have a gigantic CNC machine where they get the rough outline of the board done (I personally have no issues with CNC machines for shaping boards and think it's a smarter, more efficient way to get a board 90% of the way done, and the rest of the board is then shaped by hand.) They glass their boards in-house as well, and the glassing that they are turning out appears to be top-quality, and a HUGE improvement over the way their boards were glassed several years ago when they sent out their boards to be glassed. Dave gave me a full tour of the facility, and have to say it was pretty awesome. I spent about an hour and a half to two hours there total checking out the shop and then spec'ing out my board.

I was looking for a board that was more performance-oriented, but keeping in mind this would be my only board and would be riding it in all conditions. My previous board was a Tim Stamps, which was my favorite board to date, and was a 9x29x4 Ninja Bump at 116.3 liters. That board ripped, but was made for a guy just slightly smaller than me (I'm 6'2 185lbs) and it excelled in medium to larger surf, but had trouble paddling it into weaker, smaller surf and I sunk it bit. But what was different about the Stamps board compared to all the others I had owned was Tim foiled out the nose and tail and it was really thin, and this just changed my world as far as making it feel like a surfboard, as opposed to an SUP. I told Dave I wanted a performance oriented board with a thinly foiled tail, 5-fin set up for versatility, and some rocker/nose kick in the front for steep beach breaks and later drops, but also a little more volume than my previous board (which was 116.3 liters) so I could get from peak to peak easier when paddling, and have a little bit more paddle power to get into mush on smaller days. We ended up on an 8'10 x 29 x 4.25 at 121 liters with stepped rails and a rounded squash tail with a bump. We originally tried a pin when spec'ing it out on the computer, but were having trouble getting the volume squeezed in there and still keeping the tail thin. We almost went to a 9 x 28.5 x 4, which would have yielded the same volume of 121 liters, but Dave recommended the shorter but slightly wider, and slightly thicker 8'10, because he felt it would be more versatile shape and even perform better in the mushy stuff compared to the slightly longer, slightly narrower board. I could have gone even shorter, but this would have meant a thicker tail section to get enough volume in there, but in my experience I don't like the feel of a thicker tails as I feel less connected with the water and lose some feel and sensitivity and responsiveness. There were plenty of sub 9'0 boards there though for guys who were 200+ lbs., and even some mini-simmons inspired shapes with very thick tails. And for the money, I think the King's boards are a ridiculous value, considering that the price, with fins and two colors is LESS than a production board that's off the rack. Apparently they will be increasing their prices after the 1st of the year. Instead of color, I opted to get a sanded finish on the bottom, and a clear gloss finish on the top with the X-cloth, which is a kevlar mesh that apparently improves the flex pattern of the board. I'm sure at my level the X-cloth really won't make a difference, but I am not really into color, and just thought it looked classy with the X-cloth with a sanded bottom and a gloss top, and looked very clean, and have a picture below of a board that a guy was picking up while I was there that has the same look.

And just as a disclaimer, I have absolutely no affiliation with King's aside from being a customer. I have no endorsements or sponsorships from them. I just thought it would be great to write about my experience with them and how friendly, receptive to my suggestions and ideas they were, and how accommodating they were. In my experience there are a lot of great shapers out there, but a lot of them seem to fall short when it comes to customer service, are bad about returning calls, emails or really listening to a customer who has somewhat of an idea of what they want. Of course the reputation of a shaper's boards is very important, but I value customer service as well, and so far King's has been great. If you are looking for a new board I wouldn't hesitate to stop by and talk to these guys. They were very friendly three years ago when they were a very small operation, and although they are a bit larger now, they are still just as nice and welcoming, and thought they deserved this write up!

I should have taken more pictures, and will try to do so when I go pick up my board in a few weeks.

18

Gear Talk / Who is your favorite Southern California shaper?

« on: November 07, 2012, 09:16:37 PM »

So my #1 choice to shape my new board is not shaping SUP's currently for an indefinite amount of time until he finds a glasser that he trusts with his boards (Tim Stamps, who along with being a killer shaper is seriously a very nice guy to deal with and is very quick to offer advice, and take suggestions and feedback), so I am looking for a new shaper. Prefer someone in the SoCal area.

I'm looking for a shaper who is more of a progressive shaper, who 'get's it' so to speak and understands that it's not just a blown up short board. I think I was spoiled with my Stamps, because the board was thinly foiled in the nose and tail, but still floated me well at 185lbs, 6'2 tall. Dims were 9x29x4.

Looking for a shaper who I can actually speak to, who will return an email or phone call, and is into shaping SUP's for people. A lot of shapers seem to be a bit flakey, don't return calls or emails, don't take the time to listen to what the client wants, or are pretty unreliable.

So far I am leaning toward Gary McNabb/Nectar. Any other suggestions on local shapers are appreciated. I've also owned boards int he past from Infinity, David Craig, Joe Blair, and Dave Daum/Kings, and looking to try someone new.

19

SUP General / Imagine "The Pro" or another Stamps custom?

« on: November 04, 2012, 06:42:29 AM »

About 4 months ago I packed up and left Southern California to move to the Bay Area. Long story short, I sold my board before I left, ended up not liking it up north as much as I thought I would, got my old job back and am back in SoCal and looking for a new board.

My last board was a great board that I really loved. It was a TIm Stamps Ninja Bump model, 9 x 29 x 4. Of all the other boards I have ever owned (David Craig x 2, King's, Blair) this was the highest performance and most responsive board. It was also VERY thinly foiled in the tail and nose, and given the way the tail was foiled, I would contribute this to why the board turned so well and was so responsive. I weight 185-190 and am 6'2" tall, and although it was 4 inches thick in the middle, I still sunk the board a bit with just the deck pad and then a little more above water (obviously thickness is only one factor and I am guessing overall volume needs to be considered as well as far as how the board floats a surfer). This board excelled in medium surf and some larger stuff, but I noticed it REALLY liked the medium stuff with a lot of energy behind it. In bigger stuff with late/steep drops it could get a bit hairy, but for most stuff day to day it was a wonderful board. Because of the decreased volume in the nose and tail it wasn't the best choice for small days, but that's the way it is I guess.

Everything I have read about Imagine/Corbean boards has been nothing but exceptional. It seems like everyone who rides one is very pleased. The Pro looks like a great board, but would like feedback for those who own or have ridden one. I noticed the dims are 9 x 29 x 3 3/4. Very similar dims as the Tim Stamps I owned, but The Pro is thinner in the middle. I am concerned about how this board would float me. 3 3/4 could work if there was more volume dispersed through out the board.

I unfortunately can only have one board, and I would be riding it in al kinds of conditions, from the small, crappy stuff, to the bigger stuff we get here in the winter. I really enjoy surfing Oceanside Harbor on a moderate to bigger day, and when I lived further south would love going to Sunset Cliffs to ride the big, rolling A-frames that roll in there.

I would say I like surfing moderately aggressive. Not into noseriding, love to made turns, fades, cutbacks, and occasionally hit the lip, and like to go fast down the line, which is why I really liked the Stamps board over the other boards I've owned. It was the most aggressive, and the Imagine Pro seems like it's in the same league. Sure I could just get another Stamps (He is a great guy to deal with and would recommend his boards any day of the week) but also like trying new boards from other shapers in the SoCal area.

Any suggestions or feedback would is obviously appreciated.

20

Gear Talk / Storage options of I can't hang my race board on the wall?

« on: January 18, 2012, 05:38:45 PM »

I have a 14ft. race board that I am tired of storing in the house. Have a garage, but unable to hang it on the wall. May use DJ's idea with the rollers, but am also considering just buying a couple saw horses to set it on in the garage. Anyone else use saw horses for their bigger race boards?

21

Downwind and Racing / Any advice for my first race?

« on: January 13, 2012, 11:39:34 AM »

So my buddy has convinced me to do the Hanohano-huki Ocean Channlenge here in San Diego in a couple weeks. was a last minute thing, and I guess I am going to do it! Ive never been in a race before, and recent;y picked up my board from Infinity on new year's eve. If I do it, it will be the distance course, the 9 miler.

Have no expectations at all, just want to have fun and don't want to come in last place! Other than that I am not expecting anything else. I've just been going out and doing 4-6 mile open ocean paddles in all different conditions. Hoping to get one or two long paddles in before the race. I also need to learn how to buoy turn that big 14' board before the race!

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

22

Gear Talk / Bag/cover suggestions for a 14' race board...

« on: January 09, 2012, 02:06:57 PM »

Recently picked up an 'On A Mission' 14' bag for my Infinity race board, but with the canoe style nose and wide tail the board has it won't fit into the bag. My board is carbon on the bottom and rails, and let me tell you, just driving 15 minutes from my house to the beach that thing definitely heats up on the roof of my car, and i strap it on deck side up. the rails get super hot on the drive, and it's only january here in Oceanside!

So what are you guys using for the wider tail boards? Anyone have any success with just a loose sock style cover, just need something to keep the direct sunlight off my board, and will hopefully offer some protection while the board is loved to the roof of my car while I am out surfing my 9'0.

23

Gear Talk / Yet another (racing) paddle length question...

« on: January 08, 2012, 06:58:14 AM »

I have been riding an SUP in the surf for the last 2 years, and have my paddle length for that dialed. I am 6'2, and seemed to have found the sweet spot for my Methane at between 79-80 inches, so this isn't an issue. but...

I am having trouble figuring out where to start with my race paddle. I am new to race/open-ocean paddling, Recently picked up a Ke'Nalu paddle, and luckily I have the adjustable Ergo-T handle, so i have a pretty large window here for adjustability (Great, design, Bill!).

The Problem is, from what I have read most recommend an average length for a racing paddle to be around 12 inches overhead, but then if you read other literature, and watch videos (in particular this one from Dave Kalama) He mentions that the ideal length is 8-12 inches overhead, possibly an added 2 inches for racing due to the thickness of the board...but 12 inches over my head is 86 inches, but if i add an extra 2 inches overhead that's 88 inches, but if i use the 'reach up and rest your hand over the top of the paddle it ends up being 90 inches...to confuse things even more my board has a 2.5 inch sunken deck on it...and routinely get left shoulder pain with longer paddles, but also have back issues (double discectomy and double hemilaminectony 3 years ago and i am only 35 years old).

maybe it's just a process or trial and error and taking the hairdryer with me to the harbor and dialing in the paddle. While I was waiting for the Ke Nalu to arrive I went out on the board once with my surf paddle and it just sucked donkey balls. Obviously it was waaay to short and put strain on my back.

24

Gear Talk / Anyone else have problems with Larry Allison returning emails or calls?

« on: January 07, 2012, 11:04:27 AM »

I emailed Larry Allison last weeks asking about what fin he thought would be best for my application (14' race board for open ocean paddling for training and eventually racing) and after not receiving a reply I called and left a viocemail and still did not get a call back or an email reply? I am not going to just drop the coin for one of his fins without his suggestion for which he thought would be the best for me, but apparently he doesnt need my money. Anyone else experience this, or should I give him the benefit of the doublt given the holidays just passed and maybe he's be out on vacation. With that said I guess I will just head down to Fins Unlimited, which is about 15-20 minutes from where I live. Those guys have always been awesome with pairing up my boards with fins and have amazing customer service.

25

Gear Talk / Opinions on this open ocean/race fin?

« on: January 03, 2012, 02:41:36 PM »

I put this Infinity fin on my new board, for no other reason than I was told it is a good all around fin. The board is a 14x28 race board that I am using for open ocean paddling/coastal runs/training.  Just wondering what other fins people are using for these types of paddling/conditions. Hope to enter races eventually once i get conditioned. Haven't really ridden many boards like this, but since the fin box is far back and the fin extends out a little past the back of the board I am guessing that helps the board track straighter, but it does make it a bit tougher to turn around. I am going to use this fin for a while, but like experimenting and trying new fins as well and was wondering what the more experienced open ocean paddlers and racers suggest. thanks!

26

Gear Talk / Has anyone seen this new Laird board?

« on: January 02, 2012, 08:55:58 PM »

Was in REI today in San Diego and saw thing monstrosity hanging from the rafters. One of the workers said Laird dropped it off the other day and they are going to do some sort of giveaway to raise money for charity, and it's a one of at the moment, not in production yet. I apologize for the awful pictures, but they were taken with my camera phone and the board was hanging upside down from the ceiling. The tail on this thing is enormous.

27

Gear Talk / Where do you mount your GPS for you racers/distance paddlers?

« on: January 02, 2012, 08:47:08 PM »

I picked up a used Garmin Forerunner 305 today off Craigslist for a nice price and a Camelback hydration waistpack from REI. Was trying to come up with a way to mount the Garmin in a way that I could still read the display but not have it on my wrist. Wouldn't be able to see then numbers If I mounted it on the board, and did not want that big thing on my wrist and have to stop mid paddle to check it, so what I've come up with is just mounting it around the buckle for the waistpack. The buckle is bulky enough to wrap the watch around and sits in a way where all you need to do is glance down to check out the display.

What other creative ways have you guys come up with to mount your GPS?

28

Gear Talk / Just got back from picking up my new race board...

« on: December 31, 2011, 05:31:16 PM »

...

29

Training, Diet, and Fitness / New to racing. How should I train in the water?

« on: December 27, 2011, 01:41:20 AM »

Would like suggestions on what I nee to do as far as training programs, circuits, workouts for when I am in the water paddling. I do not need suggestions on workouts out of the water/in the gym etc.

For those of you who race, I am sure you just don't go out in the ocean and just paddle. What do your paddling days consist of in the water? Sprints, distance, timed efforts?

30

Gear Talk / Race paddle suggestions...leaning toward the Ke Nalu Mailko

« on: December 13, 2011, 04:04:23 PM »

I have all kinds of questions and would like to say first that i encourage and welcome everyone's ideas and suggestions!

I am having a custom 14' race board made, so I also need a new paddle. I used to own a 12'6 Starboard Pin, which was a touring style/cruiser board. In the surf I have used a Werner Spanker, Surftech Carbon Fiber shaft/fiberglass blade paddle (don't remember the model), Kialoa Shaka-Pu'u and a Kialoa Methane. My favorite by far has been the Methane for the surf. By far my favorite has been the Methane.

I really like the Kialoa paddles because the narrower shaft and the profile Kialoa uses feels better in the hand than the bigger, rounder shaft on the Werner and the Surftech. Also not a fan of the Werner handles as I have cracked/broken several.

When surfing I don't really get any flutter or have any problems with the Methane, but it is but pretty darn short for surfing (I think it's 5 or 6 inches over my head). MIght be useful for a short sprint race when i am hunched over and really cranking, but overall i think it will be too short.

This is where I am thinking about the Ke Nalu. Seems to have all of the things I liked about each of the paddles stated above rolled into one paddle; a dihedral that the Werner has (improved dihedral on the Ke Nalu), and a narrower shaft like the Kialoa, and it's easy to change around the handle/lengths if need be.

So how many of you out there have used the Ke Nalu for racing? which blade size are you using? I am thinking about the 8.5" Maliko. Still not sure on the shaft length though. Need to take into consideration that the board I am having made has a 2.5" sunken deck on it as well.

Have never tried a Quickblade, but to be honest I am leaning more toward the Ke Nalu because I watched Bill's video, was impressed with the construction and engineering behind it, and frankly he just seems like a nice guy and have enjoyed his contributions to this site and wouldn't mind supporting his business.

What do you guys think?