Topics

196

SUP General / Anniversary

« on: November 13, 2013, 02:26:57 PM »

It has been exactly 4 years since I brought home and immediately went out to surf my first 10’ Jeff Clark Stand Up Surfboard complete with built in mast track.

Since that first day in 2009 I spent 10 days struggling to catch waves.  Then I thought I had it.  It was winter in Northern California so I had no choice but to brave the winter swell and figure it out.  I stuck with it, was warned to buy a flotation vest, and within 3 months had caught my first wave at Mavericks.  This was easy and life was good.

I then proceeded to break my board, break my ribs (twice), catch the biggest waves in the my life (25+ feet), catch the smallest waves in my life in Ct., SUP surf with my daughters, SUP fish with my kids and my dog, night SUP, travel SUP,  nearly drown a few times, break my paddle, buckle my board again, and again, break all my leashes, bounce off the bottom a few times, get scared, SUP with whales, buy a surf bicycle, buy several more SUP’s, sell a few SUP’s, sell all my prone boards, SUP a tsunami, get brave again, burn 524,300 calories, lose 149.8 lbs, regain 149.8 lbs  and spend 699.1 hours over 588 sessions catching 9,312 waves for a total vertical drop of 60,595 feet.

Now I am left to wonder what I should do when I grow up?  Any advice from old-timers    I mean how long can this relationship go on?

197

Random / Handicap Hero: Viewer Discretion Advised

« on: October 24, 2013, 12:02:37 PM »

If you were feeling tentative about hitting the lip, riding bigger waves or throwing that new move on the trampoline (to impress your kids) then maybe this guy can inspire you to get over the hump.  

But do consider wearing a mouth piece.

198

SUP General / Stand Up Guy #1: Kai Lenny & a few others

« on: October 08, 2013, 03:32:30 AM »

Kai Lenny, all dressed up, winner 2013.  It's good to have young mentors:

199

SUP General / Surf Report: What would you do?

« on: September 19, 2013, 06:56:03 AM »

This was a text from one of my Surfing buddies yesterday at our local spot.

-----------------------------------------------

Surfed goons with Jacob.  Super high tide, but some killer set waves.  On way out I saw more seals than ever and commented to Jacob that it felt sharky, I tried to stay deep on rocks but wind and current pushed to deep channel, 4-5 super fun over head waves in challenging conditions.  On my last wave I could see a new guy on a 18' kayak on the edge of channel on same wave dropping in, behind him in the trough was a GW (Great White) at least as long as his boat.  I could see whole thing and kept watching till next surge pushed over it, I rode as far as I could tried to stay on reef as I watched kayak I decided to just go in.

Was that wrong?  I feel that it did not eat him so why worry the stoked yaker with a shark story and risk my life on my 8' (board) in 50 of water so I could chase guy down.  I sort of feel bad but figure f~ck it there are sharks (out there) ...everyone knows that right?

200

The Shape Shack / Epoxy in Microwave Trick

« on: September 05, 2013, 01:28:05 PM »

Had a repair to do and found my Resin a nearly solid paste in the bottle.  It was ~ 2 years old, but I still had nearly a quart left.

I did a trick that I learned years ago when I was a kid and had some solidified Epoxy but didn't have the time to drive 1 hour to the hobby shop, or money to buy any more, I put the Resin bottle in the Microwave.

Took 1 minute but the stuff was flowing like new again. 

The hardener seems to stay liquid, just the Resin needed the hit this time. 

Might help you get a few more years out of your Epoxy resin or help in a pinch.

201

SUP General / Pilot's Names

« on: July 15, 2013, 03:55:18 PM »

Delivered with more aplomb than the venerated Ron Burgandy.  Stay classy San Francisco.

202

Gear Talk / Short Paddle is like Short Board for Surf

« on: May 04, 2013, 07:35:55 AM »

I learned to SUP with a Kialoa Methane 6" overhead.  Then I was intrigued by longer paddles and bought a Kenalu and went 11" overhead.  It all seemed to work, but cruising was nicer with the 11"

Once I learned the Connor Baxter choke down maneuver I started to drop my hand down to catch waves.  Then I was using this to catch 100% of my waves.

I recently cut my paddle down to 2" overhead (Kenalu).  The height was designed to match where I would normally drop my top hand to catch waves.  I have had 20 sessions and caught ~ 275 waves and its a game changer.  I don't think I am alone.

The advantages are:
  Power Stroke on all the time - no need to drop your hand)
  Lighter, more maneuverable paddle - easier for transitions and doesn't get in the way
  Knees do have to be bent but this can add to balance (and workout)
  . . . . .

My conclusion is that a long paddle is to a long board what a short paddle is to a short board.  We all learn on bigger equipment but as you get better, and if you want to push the envelope, cut it short.

203

Technique / What is this Move Called?

« on: April 03, 2013, 05:50:56 PM »

Inspired by the “Whipping it back around” thread, specifically the Adriano Lima footage I noticed that while that Adriano is good, he pulls his paddle UP just before the critical plant and hold technique that is employed by Kai Lenny and Jamie Mitchell in the following sequences.

I just started to try this move and could only describe it as a “Front Side Plant Cutback.” ??  Since I am primarily goofy foot I was doing this in reverse to what Kia and Jamie are showing here.   The set up requires a ‘front side paddle, backside turn.’  It appears to involve slower speed because you truly pivot around the blade head which is planted, or stalled in the water.
  
When going left, then cutting back and hitting the white water the result is surprising and has the effect of tripling the kick that you get from hitting the face  e.g. board might go from a mere 45 degree rotation to 135 degree rotation.  Awesome!

PS: I have never seen anyone do this in person.  Like the olden days I am trying to learn this move by 'reading the magazine' or in this century watching it on-line.

Kai Lenny Video sequence, he does several of these starting @ 0:55:

204

SUP General / Do You Choke?

« on: March 12, 2013, 11:39:34 AM »

Years ago I read the a passage (below) in The Perfect Storm and realized that I had the benefit of acute laryngospasm.  The realization was reinforced when speaking with a friend who had been sent through the wash cycle and came up coughing so badly he partially threw up.  It dawned on me that in all my years of surfing I had never choked. Not even once.

I have fallen on wave face taking in a huge breath and been caught mid breath only to swallow a fist full of water.  I remembered being tumbled in darkness and consciously calculating that I had taken a 70% breath, which was likely enough, and could taste the nasty salt water I had swallowed.  When I surfaced I burped.

I have been in large surf 4 feet from rocks trying desperately to release my leash, gasping for breath in the foam and was actually swallowing water at the same time I was inhaling (weird).  I thought I was 60% to drowning that time but still never choked.

A decade after reading this, and dozens of more opportunities I still have yet to inhale water and cough after attempting to take a breath in a face plant style wipeout.
   
I used to get the willies at double overhead.  On a SUP I have pushed that to triple overhead before the fear meter gets my full attention.  I have to believe that this genetic pre-disposition helps when trying to relax after taking a big tumble because coughing is NOT one of the things I have to worry about.
 
I have asked around a few friends have claimed to have this.  If you have it, and have read this, you will know.  Now get your float on and go for it!

205

SUP General / Stoke Report: Big Wave SUP Northern California

« on: March 08, 2013, 03:49:57 PM »

An insight into big wave SUP'ing.  Old news for some, informative for others.  Ocean Beach San Francisco and more . . . .

The first lecture is with Obi-Wan, then they enter Qui-Gon Jinn's schoolhouse.  Of course Jeff is Yoda.  The last interview is with Luke.

They all revere the force, but at the end do warn of the dark side.  

PS: Remember to check your smoke detector batteries and wear float if you are going to try this at home.




Original link here:

http://stokereport.com/rant/local-stand-guys?feature=main_river

206

SUP General / Are Big Waves Really Deadly? A Case Study

« on: February 06, 2013, 06:23:23 PM »

This post is as much about fear as wonder:  Whether big, deep water waves are as deadly as we might guess?  I don’t mean to be callus, rather to reassure that with the right preparation, and awareness big waves are very survivable.
 
I will add that big waves will push you beyond your rational capacity.  The first time I ever caught a really big wave and experienced release, acceleration and drop yet at the same time continued ascending in altitude I remembered a mental short circuit, a red alert message in my brain to ‘abort.’  Fortunately I made the drop and escaped unharmed.  

I recently finished reading The Wave by Susan Casey.  I highly recommend this book to any aspiring big wave SUP’er.  Casey is an excellent, sometimes laugh out loud writer and The Wave is a great for anyone interested in waves’ past, present and future.

I was most intrigued by Brett Lickle’s discussion of Panic Cycles on page 235:

“What I still can’t believe,” Casil said, “is that you could hold your breath for that long."

“I can’t.” Lickle shook his head. “That’s the whole point. You can do a lot of things you don’t know you can do. Once you’re in survival mode there’s no skill. It’s instinctual. And we all have that.”

“A lifetime of preparation doesn’t hurt though,” I said. “Yeah, but you know, I smoke pot, and I’m not a breath-holding fanatic or anything,” Lickle said, referring to the training that some big-wave surfers did to increase their lung capacity. (Hard-core practitioners run underwater for minutes at a time carrying twenty-pound rocks.) “But I do know there are breathing thresholds you can go through. You hold your breath and you hold it and then all of a sudden you’ll feel this tensing, this panicking, and then it releases. And then you’ll have a whole other period before the next panic. On the first wave I went through about three or four of them. You can get five if you’re lucky.”

From Don King (p306): “If you get hit by a wave,” he said, “the thing is not to panic. You don’t want to stay completely loose—that’s how things get dislocated—you want to kind of ball up. Remember: you do have the lung capacity to wait it out.”

207

SUP General / Mavericks is On! Sunday 1-20-13

« on: January 17, 2013, 12:09:19 PM »

This guy cost me 3 waves.   Once again, no one out.  I was the Soul'o surfer.  

Too flat, too sunny, too . .too . . . too funny that they had to interview a dreaded Paddle Boarder to talk about Mavericks.  

PS: I thought it looked like perfect Maui.  Soon to be perfect Peahi, or maybe Banda Aceh II?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=srpjZ2j-ZkI&feature=youtu.be

208

Gear Talk / Gloves for SUS

« on: January 13, 2013, 12:25:23 PM »

SUS has changed the way we interact with the ocean.  I used to hate gloves for windsurfing, but I suspect that there are some new technologies out there and I am specifically looking for the analog to the 3/2 wetsuit for SUS gloves.

For example this morning was 36 degrees, clear with no wind (52 degree water).  3/2 wetsuit with no hood and I was sweating at one point.  Bare hands were OK until ~ 5th wave when the wind chill, just from riding the wave, was too much.  Hands dysfunctional.

I put on some older, thicker gloves that solved the problem but I suspect that I could get away with thinner, more tactile glove with good grip and just enough insulation to protect from wind chill. 

e.g. I am not looking for 3mm or 5mm gloves.  These are winter time conditions in Northern California but probably more like an early spring, late fall recommendation for the East or Pacific Northwest. 

209

SUP General / Biggest Teahupoo Ever: Phantom HD

« on: December 21, 2012, 06:12:44 AM »

If you don't believe in god this will make you believe in something.  

Water is not supposed to do this.

I tear up every time I watch it with Awe & Horror to the last grasping hand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=7woVTuN8k3c#t=0s

210

SUP General / Christmas List

« on: December 19, 2012, 10:42:58 AM »

Its that time of year again.  

This post should be for our significant others, or family members, so we can say:

"Look at this list of stuff that someone put together that I might be happy with."

Please include:

1) Item: Preferably with photo
2) Price: Ideally Gift range from $0 - $75
3) Link to item
4) Reason why it's cool & necessary (if it isn't totally clear).