Messages

31

Random / Re: Fear: Trump in the White House

« on: September 30, 2018, 10:47:05 AM »

Alightythen, solid evidence isn't needed, decades of records showing how he behaves behind the bench won't be considered, from now on it will only be trial by fire.  Lets se how he handles this!

If that's the direction that we are going to be heading from now on, this country has lost the foundation of decent civil practices.  It's back to the dark days of the inquisition.

Here's an idea, how about nominating someone who has decades of bench qualifications AND lacks a well documented, decades-long reputation as being a total scumbag. How about that?

32

Random / Re: Surfboard Epoxy - Food Safe?

« on: September 10, 2018, 01:03:40 PM »

Just an FYI, most food cans that we've been eating from our whole lives are lined with epoxy.

33

Random / Re: Surfboard Epoxy - Food Safe?

« on: September 09, 2018, 06:18:30 PM »

Plenty of options. Just Google "food safe epoxy"
Here's one... https://www.amazon.com/Countertop-Epoxy-Resistant-Resin-Quarts/dp/B00BJORLEE/ref=sr_1_11_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1536542238&sr=8-11-spons&keywords=food-safe+epoxy&psc=1

34

Gear Talk / Re: SIC boards

« on: September 03, 2018, 05:56:56 AM »

Well it’s certainly true that people don’t want the word BIC on their board because for most of the population this is synonymous with cheap biros not watersports. BIC means “cheap crap”.

So changing to SIC would be a good move for the BIC brand.

But it will destroy the SIC brand in the process. So why not do a Toyota/Lexus type arrangement? Then you’ve got it all covered. You buy a BIC you know what you are getting - cheap, durable, disposable. You buy a SIC you know you are getting top end. But then you don’t want to slap SIC on your cheap plastic models, which is what they seem to be doing?

Unlike in the car world, in the SUP world the “Lexus” brands generally do not make much money- the Toyota Corollas make the money. BIC sells boards. A LOT of boards. SIC is not going to change their high end DW and race boards. The only thing that joining with BIC and expanding what they offer will do is allow them to actually stay in business making those high end boards.

35

Gear Talk / Re: SIC boards

« on: September 02, 2018, 06:03:47 PM »

Wow, taking the SIC name and wrapping it onto crap boards--that has to be the dumbest thing to do with a performance brand ever. I joked that they bought marketing rights because it was inexpensive to change the B to an S. Maybe it's not a joke.

Yep, dumb dumb dumb, and very bad business. There is (or was) value in that brand.

Dumb not dumb. The recreational market is what keeping SUP alive right now. In the grand scheme of things race, DW, and surf are little blips on the spreadsheet. Both companies have done well since the purchase.

36

Gear Talk / Re: SIC boards

« on: August 31, 2018, 10:39:57 PM »

The Agents are nice boards. It comes in something like 6 different sizes but even the smallest will be plenty big enough for your weight (240 is not that big) anything over 150 liters is more than enough volume to float you fine. Stability is a different question and is based more on the board's width, volume distribution, and shape. The Agent series is a designed to be beginner friendly (stable) but still provide some fun. Any sized Agent would work for what you are looking for.

37

Gear Talk / Re: SIC boards

« on: August 30, 2018, 02:54:03 PM »

I was going to settle on a 11'6" BIC performance but when I went to REI the board had dents and the quality did not live up to what I expected.  Thus, I am in the market for an all around board that would do well in Surf but would be mainly used in lakes.   I found SIC boards but could not find much on the technology used.  The GC are what I would normally expect but the ST sounds similar to BIC in that it is wrapped in plastic.  Can someone confirm  and provide their feedback on the board if they have one.   Thanks

Yes the SIC ST is the exact same thing as the BIC Tough Tech. It is a plastic shell around the board. As Ichy said above, BIC owns SIC and they are in the process of morphing together as one. In my opinion the ST/TT construction is really not the way to go for your own personal board. They are heavy, they have a hideous seam all the way around the entire board, they DO (often in my experience) leak, the plastic cover is essentially impossible to repair in any way that looks halfway decent. Water infiltration is almost impossible to get rid of once they leak. Since they are entry level, there is nothing exceptional about the shape- it will not "do well in surf." They are really marketed for entry level and rental programs rather than personal use. I think you're better off looking at a normal board.

38

SUP General / Re: Why the zone has gone south

« on: August 21, 2018, 07:13:00 AM »

Last November I was home sick as a dog for a full week with the flu. To entertain myself as best I could I went back to the very first page of the General Discussion Forum, back to 2007. I moved forward in time, page by page, looking at every single thread title and reading many that caught my eye. It was fascinating to see the evolution of the sport, the forum, and the characters who come here. This really is a great site.

39

Gear Talk / Re: Backup Paddle

« on: July 26, 2018, 07:54:12 AM »

A bigger point in all this is that you are more likely to have problems with headwinds that a lost or broken paddle. The solution to headwinds isn't a second paddle strapped to the deck, it's prone paddling. Well that just turns out to solve the "lost/broken" paddle problem too. What are you going to do if you lose or break the spare paddle? Carry a third? See where this goes? Sometimes some solutions are actually better than others.

40

Gear Talk / Re: Backup Paddle

« on: July 26, 2018, 07:36:50 AM »

A spare paddle is not the solution to that problem. I can't imagine going through the BS of carrying a spare paddle on a SUP. Kayakers have to carry and can easily carry extra shit on their boats. This is not kayaking, you do not need an extra paddle to go anywhere nor is it easy to carry one on a SUP. Practice prone paddling. That is an entire sport devoted to paddling, training, and racing very large distances in the open ocean on boards that look suspiciously like a SUP using only your arms. I have gotten F*cked over a mile out in 30+ kt offshore headwinds and associated 1 to 2 foot waves with no way back other than to lay down and prone paddle. It was no problem. Point is you don't need a paddle to go anywhere on a SUP.

41

Gear Talk / Re: Evolve Big Deal vs. Surftec Generator

« on: July 16, 2018, 04:52:55 AM »

I have the 10'6" Generator and I like it a lot. It's about 6 years old, has held up well and is in really good shape. After you consider what Creek said, it does surf pretty good. If I was selling it I don't think I'd ask for or expect to get $800- that seems a bit high to me. I have no experience with the Evolve but looking at its construction, it looks like a good quality board. Either way, the reason I'm posting is neither board is the best choice for paddling with a big dog. Both have a slippery bamboo deck that dogs typically don't do well on. You'll have to add some sort of (usually) ugly traction for the dog. Good luck.

42

SUP General / Re: Is the SUP industry tanking?

« on: July 12, 2018, 06:43:56 PM »

What did you expect?  Outrageous prices, dog accessories, yoga, silly hats/glove/shirt/footwear combos, hyper specific boards, poor conditions, inland sup, over use of the word aloha, overrated self proclaimed experts.  All factors that turned me off to the whole thing.  I still have a board and I still quietly shred waves but I will never buy another board.

This x 10

43

SUP General / Re: cheapo boards flooding the market

« on: July 10, 2018, 04:50:23 AM »

Ahhh bummer!  And thanks for alerting me to this predicament.   I have 3 boards for sale and no bites.   Here in the SF bay area the dominant add is for Mike Doyle $600 sups, no idea who/where/what these boards are.

Solutions:  Maybe put a low price in the title,  and then start the description with a plea to buy a board that works made by a family run waterman shop?   Explain that you had to lead with a low price in response to the cheap flooding of questionable boards?   A PSA to save folks from being swindled?

Thoughts?

Then put the actual higher price in the ad? lol good luck with that.

If folks are buying SUP boards as a financial investment they are very confused about economics.

44

NorthEast / Re: Anybody hit 1st Beach today?

« on: June 30, 2018, 03:20:56 AM »

Someone was paddling along NTB this morning at 6:18 and made Kelly Bates very happy on her Channel 10 weather report.

45

SUP Safety / Re: SUP Paddle Handle in Face

« on: June 28, 2018, 03:56:02 AM »

Bummer, sorry about that. You mentioned you might have "missed the grab" when switching sides. You should not have to "go find" and grab the tee grip during a side switch for exactly this reason- missing the grab. Here is the proper way to switch sides so that you don't miss the grab doing a side change-

1. Let go of the tee grip with the top hand
2. That hand then grabs the shaft BELOW the low hand.
3. The low hand stays wrapped around the shaft and slides up the shaft to the tee grip. You never lose contact with the shaft while the low hand goes directly to the tee grip.

Hope that helps.