Messages

616

Events / midwest coast... luau

« on: August 08, 2007, 11:15:24 AM »

the 4th annual great lakes surf luau
to be held in new buffalo, michigan  ~  august 17th – 19th,  2007



will have competitions for both prone paddleboards and surfboards as well as stand up paddleboards!!! be there and be square!

617

Gear Talk / Re: Product reviews - Zone style

« on: August 08, 2007, 10:15:49 AM »

hi chan,

i really appreciate your comments on the post... i've been getting an hour or two on the sunrise sessions almost every day since i received my board last saturday. think i may have been about a mile out last saturday 8/4/07 (ooops... just now realized that was my b-day) when i took that picture. at that point i'm pretty sure that i'm in the shipping lanes. the winds picked up an hour after that shot and built up during the course of the day so there was some wave action to be had. had my short board out until the lifeguards asked me to bring back the stand-up so they could give it a go. i brought it back out and at least 10 of them had a ball with it for a few hours. we ended the day with a cookout at the beach with prone surfers, skimboarders, and the paddleboard trading rides and banging on a makeshift drum. sunday brought more of the same, had so much fun that i took monday off as well!

we've had a couple days of small board surf during the month of july but we'll usually do the dawn patrol paddle sesh to stay in shape for when it gets big in the fall and winter (drysuit weather). right now i must be quite a novelty because from time to time you'll find groups of people gawking or coming down from their highrise perch to converse about this new activity. comments range from "...you got that whole native thing going on." to "...that's so neat to see you riding up the sun beam!" and "...are you really jousting with the bouys out there?"  then there are those who don't really get it, but it's just a matter of time...

sometimes a bunch of us would scour the beach to gather trash. quite a few people chose to swim on those early morning hours when the beaches are empty though the lifeguards aren't on duty yet. i let them know that i'm watching out and they seem more relaxed about letting their children stray a bit. one of the kids took a ride on the nose of my board as i did my paddle workout. most of the time ten-year-old thomas was sitting cross legged paddling with his arms, a couple times he stood up and we both struggled to coordinate our movements. it threw me for a loop how much momentum his little hands developed when he paddled, it made me realize just how easily my board moved through the water.

the trim material is similar to what you can get at auto accessory retailers and comes stock with infinity's ottertail paddles, though they also offer it for application on other production paddles. mcmaster carr has a similar type of black rubber trim but i really like the clear stuff that came with my ottertail.

all the best,
alan

618

Gear Talk / Re: Product reviews - Zone style

« on: August 07, 2007, 02:56:58 PM »

these are just a few of my personal observations of infinity's ottertail paddle design.



the ottertail paddle is different from other paddles in that its blade is nothing more than a flat, two dimensional piece of carbon fibre shaped almost like an oval attached to a tube that is cut at an angle. the blade's face is almost like an elongated egg which comes to a blunt point with the broadest width about three quarters up from the tip, toward the shaft. the circumference of the blade is surrounded by a more resilient clear edging strip to prevent damage for those occasional times it makes contact with the board. this strip also gives the paddle a little bit of a concave but this is only very slight. so slight in fact the blade's outward flex while under tension negates this as the upper (wider) part of the blade bends back into a slight dihedral.

from what i've come to understand, a dihedral is the convex shape of the paddle's blade face (more pronounced at the neck) which would seem counterintuitive to how a blade should be. one would expect that a concave blade would offer a better surface to "grab" the water but apparently this concept is in error. a slight convex in the paddle's blade surface would instead release the water in a controlled manner allowing the paddle to travel through the water on a linear pat with more control, otherwise it would have a tendency try to stray or turn sideways (flutter) along the way as it tries to find the path of least resistance. likewise with the back of the paddle where the parted water would form a vortex crashing back on itself creating ventilation as evidence by bubbles which may appear. in the infinity ottertail's case, the tapered beam where the shaft blends into the blade redirects this water back outward (though not as seamlessly as i would prefer).

infinity's own reason for the design is to give the paddler a low-end and high-end "gearing" as momentum changes while getting under way. i understand this concept but still have yet to employ this efficiently for myself. where i do find this paddle working for me is throughout the whole stroke cycle itself. first off, there isn't as much resistance at the beginning otherwise known as the catch when mostly pulling. second, the broad face engages during the power phase, when one arm is pulling and the other one pushing. then third, and finally on exit when the paddle reaches just past vertical. it is pulled up out of the water releasing its "grip" as it begins its return to the catch position.

this translates to a different approach to paddling when compared to the standard "squarish" blade shapes which i've had the opportunity to experience. the ottertail provides for a more consistent stroke cycle. i suppose other paddles counteract this with some flex of the shaft or otherwise one could attempt to vary the energy expended for a more consistent amount of resistance from the paddle as it progresses through the water. it seems as if the ottertail blade's shape graduates that initial "slamming effect" through it's shape.

i feel that there are also other advantages by having a long drawn out surface for steering. this type of template can be good for planing in outrigger mode though the slimness of the blade may catch in some situations (ie: improvement possibilities here). carbon fibre paddles can seem a bit too light as i also want to experiment with putting a little counter weight out near the neck so that there would have some heft to these paddles. i really could foresee a paddles lightness as being a drawback on those windier days. i feel that this paddle should be measured longer as the blade shape dictates a different paradigm.

i have an 8" ottertail with the heavy duty (blue) shaft. it is a custom split-apart in carbon... and i love it!

619

Technique / Re: acid wash

« on: August 07, 2007, 06:51:02 AM »

wow! thanks for the tip on the emu oil... i've got a nagging achilles tendon that could use the treatment may help on softening those cracking heels too when they dry out after being in the water. heck... most of those "day-after" a paddle i probably wish i could bath in stuff.

620

Gear Talk / Re: HAndbuilt hollow wooden SUB...

« on: August 07, 2007, 05:27:05 AM »

interestingly sturdy design, it probably wouldn't need any fiberglass. would be very stiff but much lighter than the traditional solid woods yet still a lot heavier than current technology would allow. seems like this is based on tom blake's design who put voids in the cross beams to remove some material. looks like lots of opportunity to whittle it down a bit though there's no layers to gauge the depth of the cuts. quite a bit of crowning to the top which would take it's toll on the arches but well done for a first go at this stuff...

my experience with executing hollow designs stems from work in the high tech world of slalom skateboards. while others used the boat building route as the one in the example. my approach was to take the processed bamboo and put it back in it's natural form though in the flattened shape of a skateboard. to this end i was quite successful. can't express my surprise when i found out that the stand-up board that i ordered was a hollow carbon stealth. talk about synchronicity. some day i would like to experiment with different approaches to surfboard building. for now though... i'm just happy learning.

621

Gear Talk / Re: Product Sources - Manufacturer/Shaper List

« on: August 06, 2007, 04:43:25 AM »

9:fish is entering the fray with the 12' orca.



hmmmmm... and i'm thinking of checking this thing out.

622

SUP General / Re: Stand up vs. lay down

« on: August 04, 2007, 02:16:39 AM »

it's pretty strange how the view can be so different when someone is on their belly as it is from up above. in my eyes the stand up's responses have been quite generous, only offering their peers a sense of humility and sharing as opposed to the defensiveness which this guy perceives. this proves out something i've encountered several times in life (and often notice in myself)... people hate what they see in others because they sense that same behavior in themselves.

my initial response to the original post on this thread was suspicion, it was either too obvious or clumsy so i practiced restraint, prudence allowed me to be willing to give allowances for youth or wait it out for this duplicity to be revealed.

it's all just a matter of perspective i guess?

respects...

623

Gear Talk / Re: 11'6" Joe Blair SUP Carbon Fiber tri-sect has arrived!

« on: August 02, 2007, 11:41:22 AM »

lol! should come in handy for the next asr... (hint, hint, hint)

624

Gear Talk / Re: 11'6" Joe Blair SUP Carbon Fiber tri-sect has arrived!

« on: August 02, 2007, 09:45:26 AM »

heheheh... just realized something.

the bag is a sturdy as they come. padded to the hilt and stitched to last a lifetime.

really like the way it is laid out for packing and unpacking the board. what i do is turn out the corners so the bag stands ridged and the contents are exposed, then spin the mid section on it's end to receive the nose section, insert the tubular "spine" onto which i attach the nose while everything is still in the package. then i lay the bag down with the nose protruding, pull the two sections out leaving the last bulkhead of the mid section partially on the bag to keep out the sand. at this point the tail section is on the upper level of the bag's three partitions. next the tail comes out along with its tubular "spine" and then everything is assembled with the tail sitting on top of the bag now and over to one side so that the accessory compartment is accessible. last thing i do is pull out the latch covers (i only put the bottom ones on for simplicity) and the fin assemblies as well as the allen wrench for the sidebites. once everything is secured the board goes into the water. the tool goes back into it's section of the accessory compartment, then the bag is easily folded up and stays that way using the convenient strap and buckle. then it's off to stash up on the rocks and then it's off to paddle. this all occurs in the time frame of about 7 minutes. the way it all works out kind of makes me feel like felix the cat and his magic bag from those creepy cartoons of my youth.

if i were to design a package i would hope it would be something as convenient as this one. the only additions i have provided are two 28" long polystyrene (i think) pipe insulation to use as padding as the board is laid out onto different surfaces. also keep a 30 gal trash bag to stash the bag in, oh and the skateboard and 6' straps which i use to roll the whole thing on the 5 or so blocks from my house to the beach. yeah... you bet i'm lovin' all this. it's the gadgeteer's dream come true.

so are you gonna let me stay rent free at your condo?

625

Gear Talk / Re: 11'6" Joe Blair SUP Carbon Fiber tri-sect has arrived!

« on: August 01, 2007, 09:42:38 PM »

i've been putting in some time on this board everyday since i've had it and have come up with a few more observations which are particular to the pope trisect and none other that i'm aware of. the one primary difference which makes this board unique is the fact that it is hollow in construction. not only that but unlike any other hollow vessel in existence it is comprised of three sections.

let me back up a bit... after ordering the board i put in a call to joe blair and found him tired from shaping through the previous night. exhausted yet surprisingly open to conversation, he gave me a candid insight into the pros and cons of the shape he had provided. armed with that knowledge i had decided to procure some angled eva appliques to counter what seemed to be the overly crowned deck that was on what would become my sup board. this is evident in the picture of the stack of sections which clearly depicted the cross section of the pope trisect.

once i received the trisect i decided to apply some low profile strips of cork instead of the infinity traction pads i had also purchased as a temporary solution so that i could figure out the exact placement of the angled "deck straighteners". once i had a chance to put the board in the water, i realized that the assumption that this board had too much curvature across the deck, which would eventually be the cause foot fatigue, was in error. because of the board's hollow construction, the trisect's deck adjusts dynamically depending on your stance. this slight surface deflection creates a pediform which gently embraces the foot unless you are standing on or near where two of the sections meet. when standing on one of these joints the effect is a kind of traction ridge. if one stands near but on either side of these joints an angulation of the deck's surface provides for more positive footing. the pediform effect is more pronounce on the higher volume middle section than the rear and even less in the front sections. this is primarily due to the shape of those hollow structures.

i am sensing that the flex through out seems to become more consistent as the board breaks in with use. a lot of this is probably also due to the fact that i am also getting more familiar with just how to adjust the latches. i find it easier to stand side stance (as opposed to parallel) on the trisect than on the inherently more stable mistral pacifico which strikes me as odd. in all reality i really don't think too much about all these things as i ride because i really find so much pleasure in taking it through its paces.

626

Technique / acid wash

« on: August 01, 2007, 03:40:22 AM »

thought i'd share a little known secret which has helped me stay healthier through the years. it comes by way of one of those home remedies that really works wonders for many situations. it has helped me keep insect bites and fungal infections for proliferating when many of the more expensive over the counter solutions failed. pure and simple.... i'm talking about vinegar.

this simple remedy has cleared up an annoying thickening of the nails from months spent in the jungle. i use it to prevent that scourge of the waterman called surfer's ear. and it's helped provide relief from the occasional brush with jellyfish. one little two ounce spray bottle of the stuff is all that is needed to provide a little peace of mind and that healthy glow for about a week. it's an especially elegant solution for those who go to the gym and have to use those public showers or when having stepped into that questionable puddle. also works great for that pile of clothes that stayed wet in a pile and acquired that acrid smell...

here are some links that may provide a little insight into the matter:
http://www.surfline.com/surfaz/surfaz.cfm?id=919
http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/home-remedies.html

i hope this helps someone out there.

always at your service,
alan

627

Gear Talk / Re: The God of Small Things…

« on: July 31, 2007, 06:34:57 PM »

beautiful... nuff said!

628

Gear Talk / Re: Calculating SUB dimensions for paddler's weight

« on: July 31, 2007, 06:48:55 AM »

i applaud the important work you have embarked on betteryeti. have you created the modulus for fresh water conditions yet? could come in handy for those who travel inland or when one hits those occasional under water fresh water springs like they have in around the yucatan peninsula (wouldn't that be weird).

629

Gear Talk / Re: Product reviews - Zone style

« on: July 31, 2007, 03:41:43 AM »

i agree, product reviews no matter how arbitrary they tend to be would definitely offer some advantage to the well versed and most new comers alike.

my sincere apologies mr. admin. i spouted off with a pope trisect preliminary review elsewhere though it was initially meant to posted on this thread.

dumb addendum: i am 5'6", 190 lbs, an avid skateboarder (retired pro), terrible retro 70's surfer, beginner stand-up paddler, and neither sponsored nor employed by the pope bisect company... (yet.)

630

Gear Talk / Re: 11'6" Joe Blair SUP Carbon Fiber tri-sect has arrived!

« on: July 30, 2007, 09:11:49 PM »

okay put me to work, why don't ya...

standup trisect  by pope bisect
a stand-up hollowcarbon stealth

dimensions:
11'6" x 4 7/8" (at 31 lbs)
22 3/4" - 30 1/2" - 17 7/8"

fin configuration:
it comes with a 2 + 1 fin setup. center fin is their 9" hollowfoil carbon fibre fin (yater design), the side bites can be adjusted to approximately 60° of lean.

the shape:
by joe blair, is a study in subtlety, a generously rockered foil provides for chined edges around the nose where a single concave straightens out in the middle then blends to a pronounced "v" at the tail. i had a good conversation with joe about this board and others he's been shaping lately, he left no doubt that his shapes are made to ride waves.

notes:
except for the sidebites this is a tool-less assembly and breakdown. nothing more than an allen wrench is needed.
once one develops their own "system" of assembly and breakdown, they should be able to lock and load in 5 or 10 minutes max.

it's the real deal, a well thought out package. right down to the segmented bag with compartments for everything. even though it isn't exactly small when stored in the bag it sure makes transportation quite a bit more manageable.

the ride:
takes the straight course really well yet manages to turn with finesse. (bare with me here. i really still need more time on the board.)
it's a lively thing. not exactly the kind you just jump on and ride. best i can describe is that the standup trisect shows you another way of handling or yer gonna get bucked (it's still so new though i suppose i'll always learning.)

there is something else but it's tough to put it to words... oh yeah! i think i'm broke again.