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Topics - TallDude

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271
Downwind and Racing / Unlimited Prejudice! Again!
« on: May 24, 2012, 07:38:13 PM »
After just about four years of SUP racing on unlimited's, am I seeing the end of a class. I've noticed a number of races popping up, which don't include an unlimited class. From the beginnings of paddleboard racing, the unlimited class was the elite distance racers. I think the newest to SUP are the 5Kr's. Maybe it's just the manufactures who want to sell shorter, easier to handle boards? I'm a distance paddler. Five miles is a warm-up. 10 miles is a good morning. I just see sprinters now. Doing time intervals in the harbor, practing buoy turns. Sprints on the beach. Well my old knees can't take that anymore, THAT IS WHY I PADDLE! This is what it is coming to. People say " I saw pass the Ritz yesterday, you were cruising along, By Yourself..." Am I a dying bread of SUP racers?

272
SUP General / SUP's make the cover of LA Times..
« on: April 02, 2012, 10:40:24 AM »
It's confirmed, the sport is getting big.....

273
Share the Stoke / Sticking it out with the short board.
« on: March 30, 2012, 11:42:57 PM »
About two months ago I took my new 9'4" out during a swell. The board felt unusually small, and I was struggling. I'm 6'7 and 230#. The first head high wave I caught, I was all over the place. Then I got caught inside, cold water, blaw blaw. Then I discovered my center fin was just hanging with no screw. My confidence on the sinker was down for sure. Today was the first time I've had it out since. I was glassy, and 3' to 5'. I was struggling again just to stand in the line up. I was thinking maybe this board is just to small for me. I'm not having fun struggling out here. I should grab my long board. Then an outside set popped. I caught the first wave and 'Man' what a fast, responsive board it is. I made it to the second section, and was really feeling it. I charged back out, and caught another bigger wave and really started carving it harder. I was just stoked! I said to my friend, "I no longer care if I struggle a little, because the payoff is sooo worth it!!!" It's a keeper...

274
The new SUP ATX just opened it's doors right down the street from Hobie's headquarters in San Juan Capistrano, Ca. I wandered in there yesterday and "Man they got a lot of big ass cruiser boards"! There must be 60 boards in a row, that are 11' to 12' x 32"+ x 5" all arounders' even have a few wider than 36". A whole line of fishing SUP's, and Lahui Kai race boards. Maybe 30 to 40 Lahui Kai's in stock. There was one SUP surfing 10' x 29" x 4" fish in stock. All the boards have crazy volume and width. I think my 72 year old mother-in-law could paddle one while using her walker. I guess we'll be seeing a lot of SUP ATX boards in the harbor soon.

275
Random / Favorite SanO shower back in action..
« on: March 22, 2012, 08:37:35 PM »
I know this must seem pretty minor to most, but I just fixed the shower valve at Dog Patch. That thing has been broken for at least a month now. I guess low state park funds or something? It's back in action now. It's my favorite shower...... ;D

276
SUP General / Hawaii currently allows paddling on highways...
« on: March 08, 2012, 11:05:36 AM »
I hate it when the direction of the wind is perpendicular to the street your paddling down?

277
The Shape Shack / Haven't seen this shape before.
« on: February 22, 2012, 08:01:14 PM »
Anyone know who shaped this, and the concept behind it?

278
The Shape Shack / My take on how a board works on a wave.
« on: February 14, 2012, 10:56:42 PM »
Ever since I started wanting to shape SUP surfboards, I've been trying understand the basic relationship between a board and a wave. After studying various board designs, listening to the guys who really know how to ride them, guys who shape them, riding them myself, and applying some hydo-dynamic basics, this is how I see it. Of course, there are a number things all working together. I'm just trying to brake it down into components. All input welcome....

279
SUP General / High Surf Advisory! Oh Ya.....
« on: February 07, 2012, 10:23:19 PM »
I love getting these emails from the County. It's like Surfline with whip cream and chocolate syrup all over it........

280
Sessions / Trolling for waves...
« on: February 07, 2012, 01:22:19 AM »
Last Saturday morning I was at SanO. Surfline said 2'-3' and sunny. I guess everyone read it, but the 2' to 3' never showed. There must have been 30 or more people out in "fullsuits"! It was sunny 75 ish, and they are all just standing there with no waves. I decided to trunk it, and do a little 'Trolling" down the coast. I paddled about 1.5 miles and found this perfect little shoulder, solid 3'+, with a steep, fast wave. Only one other SUP'r and one prone guy a little up the beach. I must have caught 25 total speeders, at least. The break was fairly long too. As I paddled back towards SanO I passed another SUP'r trolling, and told him about the spot. When I got back to SanO, there was an even bigger crowd of 'fullsuits' standing there sweating with no waves. I told a few people in the line up that there were waves you just have to paddle about a mile and a half to get to the break. Most of them said they had never paddled that far! One guy said he was going to check it out. He was the only other guy trunk'in it too. Turned out to be a great day, super fun session. Anyone else troll for waves?

281
I just started training a few weeks ago for the season opening race (Hano Hano) in Mission Bay, San Diego  which is this coming weekend. I just feel like I'm towing another 30 pounds. I'm still recovering from a minor bronchial virus that the whole family had, that may be part of it. The funny thing is everyone I been talking to feels the same drag. I'm drivng the pace as mutch as I can to see if I can break out it. I haven't put on any weight and my board weighs the same. I don't feel out of shape, but must be. Maybe the cold air has something to do with it? :-\

282
Sessions / First proud dad and the kids official paddle session.
« on: January 08, 2012, 06:15:58 PM »
Today I loaded up the car with a board for me and one for each of my two kids. We when down to the harbor and paddled in some strong wind. My kids 9 & 12 didn't complain about the wind, and they both had a great time. They know how to paddle, and are fearless. They both are on a swim team, so I think that gives the confidence on the water.  They did great downwinding and even paddling the windy chop. There were a lot of people paddling on their knees because of the strong winds. My kids paddled right past them. I was very proud. I'm looking forward to getting them out into the open ocean next time. Maybe they'll be surfing at SanO by summer?

283
So my buddy was selling a handfull of these 12'x32"x 5" 2# EPS blanks w / wood stringers about a year ago. I bought one for $40 thinking I would make a big fishing/ family board. It sat up on the racks in my garage for the past nine months or so collecting dust. I finally started designing a board for it last month. I ended up being my new 9'-4" x 31" carver. I printed (plotted) out a full size shape to cut my templates and rocker with.

284
Travel, Trips, Destinations / SUP weekend get-a-way to Big Bear Lake, Ca.
« on: October 12, 2011, 05:01:09 PM »
This past weekend I was working on our cabin in Big Bear. I keep wanting to get my board out on the lake, but it requires a permit and an inspection of your board. The inspection is to make sure you are not bringing a tiny invasive muscle into the lake from another body of water that has been infected by the little creatures. A one day permit is $15. and a seasonal permit is $45. If you just rent a board at 'Captain John's Fawn Harbor' on the north shore, it's $25. for an hour or $40. for two hours. You don't have to even load your board on your car, just bring your waist pfd and some booties.
Early Sunday morning I headed down to 'Captain John's' and rented a 12' Naish Glide, and chose a Quick Blade paddle.  The water is getting cooler, but I was fine without booties. I wore a life jacket (It's required that you wear them on the lake.) that was included. The life jacket actually made for a nice wind break. I've never paddled with one on, but it was fine. The wind was all ready blowing at about 15 mph from the SE. So I paddled about 2.5 miles into the wind till I reached the observatory on the lake. Then downwinded it back towards Fawn Harbor. This was my first time actually downwinding on a Naish Glide. It rode the close period wind swell very nicely. In fact, I think it was the perfect board for those conditions. I pretty much didn't have to paddle, the whole way back. BTW, had the lake to myself. Everyone is pulling their boats out of the water for winter. Here are some pic's. The Traditional French Toast breakfast at North Shore Cafe, in Fawnskin, was the best post paddle grind I've had in a long time.. 8)

285
Environment / San-O sewage spill.....SUCKS!
« on: September 23, 2011, 09:57:36 AM »
Got turned around this morning at the gate. They said I could hang around and see if the health officials give it the OK. NO THANKS.... Good thing it wasn't at DoHo. The Elite race would be like something out of a 'Jackass' episode. Just another added element of risk.

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