Topics

496

SUP General / 12/2 .. memorable day

« on: December 02, 2010, 07:48:03 PM »

La Perouse, how was your  uppers experience? I launched with Buzz, Keith, Conner.  Inside Maliko bay there were three foot breaking waves which Conner promptly shredded while we waited for everyone to launch.  At the mouth of the bay it was sucking out top to bottom 8 footers on both sides... cannons to the left, cannons to the right.   I saw you posting up while you got your OC1 pals together.  Turtle Bay had us humping hard for the outside and we were pretty good after that.  Keith fell back and Conner sat and waited for him.  Not that Buzz and I were keeping up with the kid either.  He was just doing long zigs and zags to stay back with us.... on a 12'6".  When he sat to wait for Keith, Buzz and I carried on and decided to go all the way around upper Kanaha because the surf had stacked up on that reef pretty big.  Just barely made it.  About 50 feet outside real meat grinders at the peak of the point but it was macking wind at that point (at least 40) and we were able to drop in on the swells and convert that speed into outer glides.  Cut back in after the point and caught a wave all the way from outside kitebeach and rode it across the reef just like we knew what we were doing.  Longest wave I've ever ridden.  Came in at the oil tanks.  Nice having Buzz with me after going solo yesterday.  We stuck close which was comforting.  Those sets were freaky.  You can never tell when they'll start to pitch.  We saw a pal on the truck retrieve at Maliko.  He got tagged outside Sugar Cove and did the swim.  The wind had totally clocked offshore and light when we drove back up.  Tomorrow??  Yeah

497

Gear Talk / water in V2 F-16?

« on: November 29, 2010, 08:43:27 PM »

I'm getting about  +or - a cup on each run ( about an hour or so) with no obvious holes anywhere and no bubbles I can see except the vent hose and the steering cable which also drains out a bit of water when I tip it tail down in order to drain it each time.  Is anyone else getting this?  I got mine in the July shipment.

498

SUP General / good timing

« on: November 27, 2010, 07:36:27 PM »

You know there are always so many logistical efforts to drop cars or catch shuttles and get everyone in the water, properly equipped, and briefed on the plan.  Then there is the concern on whether the wind will be cranking once you're out there.  Will you be too early or too late?  In the summer the time frame window is wider on a Maliko run but in the winter the window is much smaller.  The last two days the lift off has been perfect timing.  When that happens... it really puts a smile on my face.... tho I felt bad for the gal that broke her rudder walking into the water.  My wife SHirley gave her a ride back down the coast to her car.  I followed Pono Bill's lead and kept my rudder out of the water till I was waist deep.  Low tide at Maliko is treacherous with rocks...

499

SUP General / leash revisited

« on: November 25, 2010, 07:33:39 AM »

Caught a wave across the camp one reef yesterday in head high size surf on my 16 footer.  Rudder is humming at high speed but board felt locked in.   Then I kooked out and let the blade tip drop in the water.  It ripped me off the board.   I've been using cords since they were invented in the early 70's, when we used really dangerous bungee cords and you really had to be careful when you surfaced or you'd get creamed.  So I have decades of experience with that and surfacing with an arm in front but recently, during these last six years of paddleboarding.... I've lost my share of hats and sunglasses.  SO yesterday I go down and underwater I hang on to my hat and sunglasses and am thinking to myself how together I am.  Then I surface and POW, about an inch below my eye, the pointed tail of my board springs back and hits me right at the top of my cheek bone.  Struggle with conciousness for a few seconds... don't know how long then  pretty heavy pain brought me back.  Thought I had knocked out the roots of my upper molars Laid there for a few more minutes and got up and finished to the canoe hale at Kanaha.  Came home.. iced, arnica, iced again, a glass of wine and I was gone.  Don't feel to bad this morning.... considering.  Didn't lose any teeth but have a dime size hole in my cheek for thanksgiving.  Up to Olinda to throw our bird in an imu...  FYI I had a four foot coil leash on the back of my 16... lays up real nice on the deck but I might adjust in the future to a center connect.

500

Sessions / Pic from video

« on: November 16, 2010, 09:21:05 PM »

I managed to pull some low res stills off the vid I made of Conner.  Here's one.  He went backwards, board backwards, catwalked and generally did things I couldn't imagine before I saw him do it.  If there's interest I'll throw some more on...  Bill

501

Downwind and Racing / Maliko in november

« on: November 16, 2010, 08:26:31 AM »

Went for a run yesterday and was feeling pretty stoked to get one in november.  But it was tough.  Big NW but not huge swell, not as big as two weeks ago but big enough to get picked off it you didn't look ahead a few miles.  Wind was very strong and there were tall stack ups and big drops but it was also crossed up many times and felt like a trials bike course.  Fortunately rode a wave through the reef at kite beach which on a 16 is no easy deal and came in at the oil tanks right before the harbor.  That made three days in a row.. in november.  I feel lucky.  My pal in Tahoe also got a paddle in which is even more remarkable.

Cheers Bill

502

Sessions / Jeremy Riggs wave @ Pier One

« on: November 04, 2010, 06:21:08 PM »

The word from people I know that live in Wailuku was that they could see the trail of the twenty foot wave that Jeremy caught with a SUP on the biggest day (Nov 2nd) out at Pier One.   He's the man in my book.   He balances work, family and then paddles out and rides the biggest wave ever ridden on a SUP.  Unreal.  Everyone else, like me, was inside the harbor getting waist high mush.  Pier one at that size is as heavy a wave as exists on the planet.  Longer and hollower than Jaws.  Yesterday was still good size but much smaller and the last of the good conditions.  Today the monsoon has arrived on Maui.

503

Gear Talk / broken shaft

« on: October 29, 2010, 11:35:08 AM »

I spoke with Scott yesterday.  He's is one of the top paddlers here on Maui and he told me he had broken yet another shaft (roughly in the middle), which at this count is several for him.  No problem for him.  He prone paddleboarded for years.  Scott really can put the hammer down and it's understandable that he might break a carbon shaft with the miles he puts on.  But I'm wondering how prevalent this is.  How many shafts have you broken?  I never have.  I go a fair amount... and have used my current pre-preg carbon blade for over two years. 

504

SUP General / lost sunglasses

« on: October 22, 2010, 09:01:48 PM »

Took off too late at lowers (Kanaha, Maui) today and stuffed it to the hilt.  Had my sunglasses (Maui Jim Volcanoes)  on with an orange Union 76 ball attached to them as a float.  They ripped off.  Always have been able to spot them before when they came off and today there were huge lulls between sets so I shoulda seen them... but I searched a long time and didn't.  If anyone saw them..... please contact me.  thanx  Bill

505

SUP General / Missing paddler

« on: October 21, 2010, 07:43:36 PM »

NPR is reporting a paddler missing off Kaupo.  62 and wearing a black shirt and shorts.  Wind is light today over here on the north shore... who knows back there.  Anybody with any knowledge about this can call the Coast Guard who apparently has a cutter out there searching right now.  Here's a pic of the backside.  Pretty stark back there.  No country for old men back there.  I know cuz I am one.  Hope for the best.

506

Downwind and Racing / Maliko Downwind video with Connor Baxter

« on: September 18, 2010, 09:03:50 AM »

Hi, Well here it is.  Hope you like it.  Remember to set on 720p. For those of you not familiar with Cervantes, Don Quixote is a fictional character, who as a older man, loses his mind and becomes wrapped up in the idea of chivalry and doing good deeds. He and his clever sidekick Pancho  embark on misadventures where even windmills become giants to battle.  Delusional fools wrapped up in the moment. A great read, maybe one of the greatest.  Keith and I are not really so idealistic but are truly mad fools.  Aloha Bill

507

Downwind and Racing / Duke race

« on: August 29, 2010, 10:35:54 PM »

Aloha Everyone!!

What a fun week in Oahu!!


Long Distance Race – finish at Waikiki.

The 2010 Duke’s Ocean Fest was a great event. The purpose of this event is to honor Duke Kahanamoku. This event has swimming, surf polo, surfing, and stand up paddling events throughout the week.

The first event I participated in was the stand up paddle surf race on Thursday the 26th (C4 Waterman SUP Surf Race). It was run quite differently than other SUP events I have participated in - it was run like a surfing contest with heats and the top four would advance. There was one lap that was one mile and then you came into the beach. My first heat I advanced and made it to the semi finals. The next heat there were 12 people and only 6 people advanced. When I rounded the last buoy I was in second place, but racing in the waves anything can happen, which it did to me and I fell on the wave that I caught and four people passed me. This meant only one more person could make it to the finals and I caught the next wave with two other people.

On this wave, out of the three of us – only one of us would make it to the finals. When we got close to the beach I tried to jump early to beat the other two guys to the beach. When I jumped, the other guy jumped too and his board shot out and hit me, which made me crash on to the beach and I sprained my MCL. So the other guys beat me. But the good news was that I made it into the surf part of the contest on Friday the 27th (C4 Waterman SUP Surf-Off). The doctor on the beach said I should not do the surfing part – but I did it anyways and it was a good thing because I made it to the semi finals. I was pleased with my results, because I have not been surfing much this summer.

The next day – Saturday the 28th – was the long distance event from Hawaii Kai to Waikiki – a little over 10 miles (Hawaii Paddleboard Championships – Duke’s Race). The race was suppose to start at 11:00 am. But – there were so many beach entries that we started about 20 minutes late. It was a great turn out – 168 entries (stand up and prone paddlers).

We started in the bay at Hawaii Kai – and headed out and had to go around the outside channel marker. When I rounded the outside buoy I was in 6th place, behind Ekolu Kalama, Aaron Napolean, Sepa Napolean, Livio Menelau. But once we got in the swell, I started to catch up and pass everyone in front of me. During the next several miles I paddled hard and stayed focused to keep in front of everyone. I also knew I had to put a good distance between me and second place, before we got to the flatter section of the race. At about the Outrigger Canoe Club, about 2 miles from Waikiki, the course heads into flatter water – which is not my strongest area – yet. Still working on my muscles!!

When I got to the last mile and I was still in front – I knew I had first place. I rounded the outside buoy off of Waikiki and caught a wave into the finish line.

I did it – I won the prestigious Duke’s Hawaii Paddleboard Championships.

I want to thank my sponsors for all their help and support – Starboard, Nike 6.0, SIC, Dakine, Sunrite Maui, Waterman’s Sunscreen, Ion Wetsuits. Also, my newest sponsors Kaenon Sunglasses, EFX Performance USA and On It Pro!!

And, I want to thank my friends Mark Raaphorst, Livio Menelau, Bart de Zwart, Scott Trudon for all the time and support they have devoted to training with me!!!  Also, Scott Sanchez (MPG) for his wisdom on fitness and training!! And, of course my mom and dad.

Also a big Mahalo to all the event organizers and volunteers. Great Event!

Aloha -
    Connor Baxter

My time was 1 hour 26 minutes and 5 seconds.  For complete results: http://pseresults.com/events/45/results


http://www.dukefoundation.org/


Here are a few photos my mom took of the Start & Finish.

Waiting for the Start of the Race:

Start at Hawaii Kai:




Finish at Waikiki:






Interview:




Awards:



***  The End ***

508

Downwind and Racing / Andrea vid

« on: August 11, 2010, 12:04:01 AM »

Here's another vid I shot of Andrea and friends...  her stroke is mighty fine.
Hazy day, low light.  

509

Downwind and Racing / Gunfight in the Pailolo

« on: July 29, 2010, 10:24:31 AM »

I shot 720p HD video of the Pailolo race start from above the surf spot at Honolua that I posted awhile back.  From my POV, the channel across to Molokai appeared like a billiard table.  However on the water it was a different story.   Keith Baxter shot Conner from their chase boat and had me edit his 540p res footage.  The beginning was deep cobalt blue water with massive rise and falls from cross swells.  Although there were occasional short pushes in that zone, the paddling was unremarkable during this area and when I saw what happened at the end I decided not to use it.  In order to keep the time frame of the footage within the 10 min. criteria for You Tube, I stuck to the more exciting part which began with Conner finally seeing Dave Kalama ahead of him off of Molokai.  Until this point Dave had led the whole pack and Conner, who began about 6 back in the beginning, had slowly worked his way to behind Dave.   This is his race with Dave.  The lead changes back and forth and the race is on as the conditions rapidly improve.  This race has incredible potential.  Enjoy.  See Gunfight in the Pailolo in You Tube.

510

Downwind and Racing / video

« on: July 27, 2010, 10:51:25 PM »

I went out with Keith Baxter last week before the Oahu race and shot this vid.  Keith is very good and puts up with my jostling him with instructions to speed up, slow down or whatever (known him for 35 years).  It wasn't great conditions and the sky was hazy but we had fun and this is what we got.  In my mind I envision music that will fit the scene but since that music was copyrighted they pulled the audio.  I'm not familiar with non copy stuff and really don't want to bother trying to find something that fits.  I'm not making anything on these videos.  If anyone wants to fit something appropriate to the footage then let me know and I'll put it in.  My choice was Reggae Got Soul by Toots as they're paddling along and then the Clash, Should I stay or Should I Go, when they start to go for the wave and finally Black Queen by Steve Stills after the wipeout.  Four boards were damaged during this shoot... right before a important race.  So here it is.