Topics

16

Gear Talk / Anyone try this paddle? Best of both worlds?

« on: February 19, 2013, 02:56:07 PM »

I saw this in Standup Journal and checked out their website. Interesting for sure. Obviously not for surfing.  Any thoughts?

17

SUP General / Sup gaining presence on surfline

« on: February 13, 2013, 04:34:30 PM »

Just saw this posted on surfline. We will not be ignored!

http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/press-release/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-2013-isa-world-standup-paddle-and-paddleboard-championship_92558/

18

Share the Stoke / You can get tubed anywhere!

« on: January 14, 2013, 08:49:47 AM »

For all the landlocked suppers, here's how (pic courtesy of ralphspic.com)

19

SUP General / Any of you on the West Coast know 'Bird'?

« on: December 30, 2012, 12:32:27 PM »

Watching American Pickers. They are with a collector named Bird. He has an amazing private collection. Anyone know him and/or seen his collection?

20

SUP General / The Zone Rocks!

« on: December 28, 2012, 11:07:58 AM »

We had a thread in the fall about Zoners rocking. I was inspired today to start this one. I flatwater paddled in the Republic of Georgia this morning, and winter surfed Lake Ontario this afternoon. All thanks to the Zone! (and Zoners) Thanks for letting me live vicariously when I can't do it myself!

21

SUP General / aarp asp tour

« on: December 17, 2012, 06:41:10 AM »

22

Random / Overkill?!

« on: December 10, 2012, 06:41:13 AM »

23

NorthEast / New England Blood vid

« on: December 04, 2012, 04:41:09 AM »

Since we have our own section now. It's NH-centric, but I think us New Englanders can all relate. Enjoy!

http://vimeo.com/51086488#

24

Gear Talk / Lahui Kai Review (so far)

« on: November 26, 2012, 05:12:01 AM »

So just spent my first week with my L.K. Thought I would throw up some thoughts and also see what others have experienced with theirs. Other than a couple of brief paddles on a 14' Glide, my Laird 12 is what I've been using for everything. I knew I wanted to go with a displacement board next, but not really knowing why as far as what the difference would feel like etc. Wow! (btw I'm 6ft 170)

Monday 19th- Expected the board Friday, CRT was able to pick it up a few days early on Sunday at the shipping depot. Met him in the am first thing and did a half hour paddle on our go to lake. Smooth! Knocked 10 min or so off my island route. The tippy aspect went away about 15 min in. It was glassy so not quite showing what she was capable of yet...

Thursday 22- Another glassy day, on a lake that rarely is. CRT brought his for his inaugural paddle. He's 6'5" and a little heavier than me. He did great on it. The best part is now I can finally keep up with him (sort of)  Starting to notice the quickness of the board.

Saturday 24- High wind gusts predicted. Hoping for a downwinder similar to what we had the day after the Nor'Easter 2 weeks before. Not quite as rough, but definitely white caps and chop. Holy Smokes!! Despite the conditions and headwinds, I can feel forward progress with every stroke. Half way across the channel where the winds were the worst, I'm thinking, 'worth the price of admission just for this crossing alone'. The board stays planted and straight. It really came alive. I did have to drop to my knees at one point, but the tippyness was pretty much gone. We continue against the wind to the far side of the lake in order to get a full downwind experience. The wind slowed a little, but by the middle of the lake, we hit the swells and get a couple of little pushes. I'm so stoked at the end. Game changer!!

Sunday 25- I check out a smaller, long, narrow lake, that is usually a wind tunnel even on calm days. No swells, but I do a warm-up paddle. I had a little headwind going back to my truck, but no problem getting back. I check the time, and am again amazed at the short time vs. distance covered compared to what I'm used to. Also, I'm continuing to notice how less tired I am after doing the same paddles. I head back to Mahopac, it's still windy, but not as choppy as Sat. Pretty much a repeat of Saturday, against the wind and chop, turn around, and ride the swells (if I can call them that) back.

This board, as I said is a game changer for me. I was starting to plateau, but this takes it to the next level. My newbie stoke has been renewed. After one week, I'm already pretty dialed in. To be fair, I probably would have felt like this with most displacement boards, but I would have had to wait so much longer to afford one. I feel that it has opened a new world of possibilities to explore. I'm  now also studying local wind reports, looking for downwind possibilities. I have no desire at this time to race, but man is it fast. I can only imagine what some of the new boards feel like. It's like that first glide all over again.

Let's hear from the others who got one. What's it been like for you?

25

Gear Talk / New Gopro mount

« on: November 26, 2012, 04:25:43 AM »

Didn't know if any of you caught this.
 http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/a-day-in-the-life-mark-healey_88675/
I did a double-take on pic 5, pic 7 confirmed. Pic 10 shows the result.

26

Flatwater and Touring / Lahui Kai and Glass 11/22

« on: November 23, 2012, 09:30:48 AM »

In my excitement and after-paddle buzz, I hijacked the Thanksgiving Surf thread with these. Now in their proper place. The first pic is the same lake 2 weeks ago the day after the Nor'Easter for contrast.


Starting poing



Vapor trail sun explosion



Rounding the Point


Heading to the Island


The paddle ended with me heading into a cove where there is a little town park with gazebo. This year they put lights in the trees that look like falling snow.

27

Downwind and Racing / My first "downwinder"

« on: November 10, 2012, 05:17:26 PM »

So this was an attempt at downwinding on our local lake. I apologize for the video quality as well as any picture sizing/errors as I haven't as yet resized and posted this many pictures before. After my wife and I finished shoveling our 6.5 inches Thursday morning, I met CRT down at our local lake. White caps everywhere and that doesn't happen there. I was stoked! That is until we started paddling into the wind and swells. The paddle (shown on the Google Earth image) usually takes us about 45 min or so. Most of it was done on our knees until we turned with the wind. With the downwinding, it took us about 2 hours, but man was it worth it! Definitely learned the importance of shuttling next time. Sorry Rick, no pics during. It was, as you all say, Victory at Sea conditions. The island we went around was kind of splitting the swells so we could have gone either way. As a side point, that island has a house originally designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, but was not actually built until decades later. Google the story. Anyway, I am hooked and can't wait to get a good downwind board and scope out some spots. Thanks for reading this far and enjoy!
<a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=347a347" target="_blank"><img src="http://i45.tinypic.com/347a347.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=s0zxag" target="_blank"><img src="http://i50.tinypic.com/s0zxag.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=16hrt05" target="_blank"><img src="http://i45.tinypic.com/16hrt05.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>Noreaster Downwinder
<a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=33ok45s" target="_blank"><img src="http://i46.tinypic.com/33ok45s.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

28

SUP General / Some NH surf inspiration (CBCC makes a cameo)

« on: October 28, 2012, 07:24:53 PM »

I enjoyed this photo spread from Ralph up in NH. The last pic in the slideshow shows someone with a 5th Anniversary t-shirt from the CBCC. Anyone we know here on the zone?
http://ralphspic.com/END-R-10-21-12/index.html

29

SUP General / Caption Contest

« on: October 13, 2012, 08:45:53 AM »

Let's see what you got! Bonus points for where this is.

30

Random / Looking for some tech help with old photos

« on: September 01, 2012, 07:02:26 AM »

I've read enough posts to know there are some very tech savvy folks on the Zone. I have about six boxes full of old photos that were my father-in-laws'. My wife and I are looking for the best way to transfer them onto discs (or other means) to preserve them. Then we can give the photos out to family without risk of losing them forever. Any ideas? Am I overthinking this? Thanks in advance.