Messages

1

Gear Talk / Re: Rethinking Quad

« on: August 29, 2022, 05:22:41 AM »

Head high, inside out, and pure glass on a reef a mile off shore. That small change in fin size completely changed how the board feels. Still slips if you really put the grunt to it, but it's 90% better. I'm in love with the board all over again. Now I have to decide if I want to try the Futures 4.15 rears, which are a little bigger yet, or...Futures sells the same three rear fin sizes (3.75, 4.0, 4.15), only in an 80/20 and flat. All of the rears I have are symmetrical, and Futures states the 80/20 and flat foils are better for fins on the rail, which this board is... At $70 for two fins, it's a bit ridiculous...


To start, I was using the GL2 quad in this board, and it just made the board too stiff. They're really big fins. Rocket, and would hold a rail, but didn't really want to transition, and just felt...stiff. I think that's what turned me off to the quad. Thruster was OK for turning, but felt slow, and didn't feel connected on a steep wall. There was just no happy medium, and I really cooled off to this board, and have been riding 9x27 and 10x28 long boards for the last year+   

This newest set up feels really good. Holds the wall on the steepest drops, acceleration and speed are there, and feels much better on a hard toe-side turn. I guess I'll burn the money, and go with the same size, only a flat foil first.

2

Gear Talk / Rethinking Quad

« on: August 26, 2022, 10:13:18 PM »

Our surf here in Okinawa Japan is so different day to day, that it's really hard to do a back to back comparison on fins, unless you're willing to drag out and change fins while in the water. Even then, with a 6' tide swing, the wave shape changes drastically within the space of an hour.

What I have settled on with SUP is how much I hate quads compared to thruster...but I have this one board...

Where the forward fins are so wide, that it likes to slide more than rail turn. It's sooooo annoying. Like when jamming a hard backside cut back it seems the board wants to stay flat instead of going way over on the rail, causing the fins to slip.

So I was thinking maybe it just needs more fin on the rail...aaaand back to a quad. For three days in similar conditions, I've surfed it with Futures F6 fronts and QD3.75 rears. While this makes the board a rocket, and goes top to bottom very well, foot steers insanely good, hard on that rail, and it still wants to slip.

Today looks to be more of the same conditions, so I'm swapping for the QD4.0 rear fins, which are still small, but substantially larger.

Pics are the fin comparison, front spread, rear spread.

Just a possible interesting exercise in futility.


Will report back 


 

3

Gear Talk / Re: Future center fin in center fin channel box: any ideas how to do that?

« on: August 26, 2022, 09:58:19 PM »

Old thread, but we made quite a few of these adapters, 3D printing. Different designs, different materials...they all broke.

The Futures fin is simply too wide, so at the forward end of the slot, where the thin side sections meet the bulk that the screw goes through...snap... The alternative was to thin out the futures fin to the width of the FCS1 in order to add material to the adapter.

In the end, I contemplated machining one out of titanium, but then I thought...why? I have a load of small thruster US box center fins, even three Futures F6 honeycombs.

Tilting at windmills 


https://futuresfins.com/products/f6-us-base

4

Gear Talk / Re: Tying down nose/tail -- sup bra?

« on: August 26, 2022, 09:48:29 PM »

This looks like a convenient way to have bow and stern tie downs for a long load.

Probably has to do with longer loads. In the sea kayak community, people think the bow and stern tie downs are to keep the kayak on the car if it somehow comes loose, but the tie downs are actually to stabilize a long load on a narrow fulcrum. If you put a 17' sea kayak on a standard set of car racks, it will want to porpoise and twist, which absolutely WILL loosen the racks from the car. If you have wide-spaced racks, like I have on my van (130cm), no problem. But if the racks are 70cm apart, a 14' board can put a lot of stress on the racks.
 

5

Technique / Re: SUP Barrel technique anyone?

« on: August 25, 2022, 08:20:41 PM »

I've been putting in the work to become better at barrel riding on SUP. A lot of work.

First, it's a lot different, and a lot more difficult than a short board.

Second, if you want tips on what not to do, I have all the answers   

6

Technique / Re: SUP Barrel technique anyone?

« on: August 23, 2022, 04:42:12 AM »

This probably my favorite SUP barrel video, the Kealii Mamala section at 3:35.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo31oPCbgp8&t=381s





 

7

General Discussion / Re: Do helmets lead to neck problems?

« on: March 07, 2022, 04:01:14 AM »

This post is aging, but I'll add my ¥2, as I've worn Gath helmets on and off since they started making them. I've always worn one when the chance of smashing the reef is high, but these days, I wear one most of the time.

I've given myself so many concussions over the years, that it doesn't take much to scramble my eggs, and send me in puking. So many people don't realize how much it rattles your brain just hitting the water hard on a small wave, let alone the reef or your board... You wouldn't think a piece of thin plastic and foam would make a difference, but it's night and day. It'll also keep you from perforating an eardrum when your ear slaps the water just right.

Inserting a picture of a helmet that probably saved my life, and all I ended up with was some reef rash on the back.

8

Gear Talk / Re: Tourniquet

« on: October 10, 2021, 03:21:26 AM »

I've has to stop someone from bleeding while surfing three times in the last few years, while well off shore. Bleeding enough that it had to be addressed before paddling in.

There are a lot of things that you can't really do much about in the water, or can wait until you get to shore, but severe bleeding is the one thing that has to be dealt with immediately, and probably one of the most common injuries to happen in surfing. Get an artery (not just sharks), and you might have five minutes left.

I carry the Swat-T in my trunks pocket or wetsuit chest flap, and never even know it's there. It also works as a very good compression bandage when a tourniquet isn't needed. My kit in the car has two CAT 7's. While a leash will work, it can be cumbersome, it's slippery (especially with a lot of blood on it), and can be hard to get enough pressure without something to twist. Great if that's what ya got, but the Swat-T is cheap, and easy to apply as either a bandage or a tourniquet.

9

Sessions / Re: Local Summer Love- 2021

« on: October 05, 2021, 05:34:53 PM »

Nice! Looks like some fun waves.

10

Sessions / Re: Groundhog Days

« on: September 26, 2021, 05:01:02 AM »

Have a great day on the water
Repeat

What could be better? 

Got four days in a row. Finally a storm in town and tomorrow should be pumping.

Nice video!  Cool watching your foot work.

Thanks LB.

11

Sessions / Re: September Blues

« on: September 26, 2021, 04:59:20 AM »

Woo Hoo! 
As usual, blown away by the water clarity!
In a couple of those shots that looks like pretty skinny water!
Thanks for sharing!

Oh yea. Just fall flat    Thanks.

12

Sessions / Re: Groundhog Days

« on: September 22, 2021, 06:29:42 PM »

Oki

Another fine video. Your small waves are our big waves on the upper Texas coast. Love that you're surfing your 10' board. I have a lot of fun on my 10'5" BP "Duke" model whether I'm sup surfing or flat water paddling. Your water is crystal clear and very blue in color. I love that color. Wish we had that color of water here on the upper coast.

Just curious. What fin configuration on you using on your 10'? When I'm sup surfing, I'm always using a 4 fin quad setup on all of my sups.

As always, thanks for sharing your videos.

Thanks NW. I usually have them set up as thruster with Futures F6 sides, and a F6 or F8 center (4.56" or 4.64'). No difference, just limited number of center fins. If I know it's going to be a fast, hollow wave, I may change to a quad with a QD4 or smaller QD3.75 rear.

13

Sessions / Re: September Blues

« on: September 22, 2021, 04:11:35 AM »

Nice video dude. That water is amazing... I like the switching POVs. It worked out really good. Are you using an arm mount instead of a the chesty? I've been using my Hero5 and Hero8 (sucks the batteries) together but haven't had the time to do any editing.
As far as sun screen goes, I use Lubriderm lotion with the SPF 15 every morning before I go anywhere. Head to toes.  It dries fast and doesn't smell or feel greasy. It's fine for short surf sessions, riding my bike or just walking. Always have it on. Always.
If I'm going to be out in the sun and in the water for more than a few hours, I'll put some SPF 50 on too. I haven't had a sunburn as far back as I can remember.   

Thanks TD. I use the bite mount. The arm thing is a MyGo leash for the camera when it's on the bite mount. I have two 7's, and want to experiment running them at the same time, but what a hassle! Could use the remote control, but I've flooded one of those, too.

14

Sessions / Groundhog Days

« on: September 22, 2021, 12:15:24 AM »

The next day. About the same size, but a little more glass and back to the kook cam :-)

To be honest, I only hate the small days because I think they make for videos people probably won't want to watch. I actually love surfing these small days, catch so many waves it's ridiculous, and have the time of my life. Blessed to live somewhere so beautiful 

Seriously better to watch in 1080 on a screen bigger than the imbedded player.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bIGC1iT_X4

15

Sessions / Re: September Blues

« on: September 21, 2021, 04:45:30 PM »

If you can find that hat again, just send me a private message with your home address and I'll you money for the hat. I like your hat since it has the strap under the chin, covers the ears and most importantly for me, a longish bill to keep the sun off of my nose.

The Texas sun where I live is very hot and high UV light for long periods of time on exposed skin, no matter how much sunblock is applied, just increases the odds of skin cancer. From some of the old surfers I've met at Surfside, Texas; I can tell when I'm talking to them up close, a dermatologist has taken off some skin cancer from the tips of their noses.

For sure!

I'm one of those surfers who's had a chunk cut out of the tip of my nose. Also behind the ear twice, and from between the right pinky and ring finger... That's why you see me covered up. I started using TropicSport SPF50 on my face, hands, and top of feet. It kind of stays white so some people don't like it, but I can be out for four hours now and my face doesn't get nuked.