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331
SUP General / Re: please give me your reasons to start SUP.
« on: October 29, 2007, 10:28:33 AM »
surfing is too boring and too complicated for me - its swimming exercise mostly, and I hate swimming.
plus you have to wait. then you have to accelerate, and for me after accelerating, I am done (I mean I am half dead). Huge stamina is required and great swimming skills too. Windsurfing (when it happens!) is the best for my temperament - you do it all the time, non stop. If it is 3 hour session, you rip 3 hours, if it is 5 hours, it is 5 hours. But windsurfing is so... wind dependant :)  :(...

Even downhill skiing has at least 50% downtime, when you sit on the lift (provided there are no lines and you use express chair lift, otherwise its even worse). I went catskiing once. Sure the powder was beautifull, but it was one minute run and then 30 minutes to get up (wait for the cat, slowly ride up, etc.) too slow...

with SUP in the ocean I am busy all the time. Going out, thru white water is the challenge in itself! And fun!
Learning to surf is fun! And challenge! No downtime, non stop. Plus you can do it anytime. you can say: I go on Friday at 4:00 pm. And you go! try to schedule something like this with windsurfing or kiteskiing...

I thought that paddling on the flat water will be kinda boring. And it is a bit boring, I should admit, but way less I was anticipating!! And it sure beats walking, swimming, biking uphill and hiking (IMHO). And at 53 my appolonian body needs exercising... :( Plus when in the flat water I always work on my control skills (no time for this in the surf). And I also discovered this in flat water (it was my first time I crossed the wake, I am way more aggresive now):

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vXRDAv3dvb0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqL5DPk2cos

requires only 12 mph and you start already STANDING UP! :)

And last thing: I take my SUP board and paddle on my windsurfing trips as an anti-skunk insurance :) So far it worked! Formula board for very light air , SUP for no air.

oh, one more. I was on my SUP 50+ times since may (ocean, flat water, behind the power boat). yesterday we had fantastic wind with one meter high (3 feet) chop. My wavesailing skills improved dramatically - i really surfed this wind induced wave like never before...

i better stop now...

332
Gear Talk / Re: cracks in epoxy on a newer sub
« on: October 29, 2007, 08:26:08 AM »
I used couple finger nail polish layers on mine. wasn't leaking... won't hurt.

333
SUP General / Re: How many of us are there?
« on: October 16, 2007, 03:11:30 PM »
princess, yes there are some kayakers... saw one SUP guy once... as I said I had no issues, if anything, just friendly interest. But as I say I avoid crowds.
BTW I was there the whole week before Thanksgiving, had a great time.

334
Gear Talk / Re: One board quiver. What would you choose?
« on: October 14, 2007, 08:18:19 PM »
i totally agree with photosettle. now its not 0.02 but 0.04 cents!

i have 5 windsurfers and 7 sails. thats crazy but thats life. i absolutely can't sacrifice even one item. i can replace for the newer one each board and each sail... but not to get rid off.

i have one and only one single SUB. If I'll have two in the future, this is because I'll have one in Calgary and one on the ocean and I don't have to carry it with me 16 hours on the road, I would be even be able to fly!; the only reason. the beauty of this sport personally for me is that i just go. I always find conditions that right. waves too big? - I'll surf the soup on inside... waves too small? I'll catch shin size anyway. Wind from the North? I'll go in the bay that is protected from the North. Winds from the South? I'll drive to other bay, protected from the South. I am at the lake? I start dancing on my board, paddling, doing turns, hops, jumps, etc., panhandling from every power boat for a ride, and if i lucky to get one, I'll be surfing behind the motor boat at 12 mph. All on one board.

And unlike windsurfing I can SCHEDULE my time! I know the time to drive, the time to untie my board from the roof and put a wetsuite, and I know for a fact that it is no less than 2 hours and no more than 3 (3 hours is my limit!). try to imagine something remotely close with windsurfing.

One board quiver rules! Now what should it be - the board that is less challenging in the most conditions or the most challenging? I.e. how do you rig your sails - for gust or for lull? do you like be overpowered? or you  comfortable shlogging in the lull? personal choice. For me personally, the challenge should be there together with control. That's why I am happy with my first choice 11'*28". Now after I learned somewhat I know better what to expect (I now want to shave a bit of length, but not even a quarter inch in the width!). But it will be a one board quiver. I have one car quiver, and one SUB! may be I have an amateur approach, but I think I am the one, just starting the sport. May be after I became a pro (masters division, 10+ years from now) I'll have two boards :)

335
SUP General / Re: Tons of SUPS at SACRED CRAFT
« on: October 14, 2007, 10:00:36 AM »
hey paddlesurf.net!

your reviews are really interesting. now, I am probably outgrowing my 11 foot Infinity from Steve Boehne from Dana Point, and I am looking for next 10 footer or even sub ten footer. I surf Vancouver Island and I think the conditions are much similar to Southern CA. The only board I surfed though is Infinity. Could you review his boards?

Why it is important? First of all another great shaper in your portfolio. And for me personaly it is the only reasonable way to compare. When you say xyz board from ABC, 10 foot, blah-blah-blah  is great this is great review, but if I have two reviews side by side, one about xyz and another about say Infinity that I know pretty damn well its way more informative.

Now, for me this Infinity was a marvel - 50 days this summer, 35 on the ocean, 15 on the lake. Never was a surfer (although I windsurf well and generally balance is good - downhill skiing, kiteskiing on snow). I skipped the knee phaze all together, but boy, I was bad on it in the beginning. Suffice to say my wife was making fun of me, ridiculed me "look, who is there in the ocean with wobbling knees... 30 seconds shaking and boom back in the water again...". now she is not making fun anymore - good indication of my progress. and yes, now I rarely fall, can stand forever sideways to the waves and chop (as long this wave is not crashing), dont look at all on the nose, can catch clean waves no problem (timing is my biggest issue), learned how to catch this white water (soup) already in surfer position. I came last week from my last ocean trip and yesterday I was on the lake. the board felt so stable. I stepped two feet back from my regular paddling position (nose high!) and I paddled no problem. Then I panhandled a tow from power boat and I went to the side and I was surfing a wake (i made probably hundreds of short turns, it was easy and I never actually turned yet in the ocean wave before - I guess I felt very stable, and I was able to concentrate on the turns exclusively; just refined environment, ideal for learning...)

Sorry, but back to the subject. Overall I feel now that 11 foot is too long. I don't think though I will go to anything narrower than 28 inches. The best thing is to try different brands of course. But I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada (great mountains, no surf, no shapers). Perhaps I should go to San Diego area for a week and demo all those boards...

paddleability, glide are not important to me at all. I will be using it in the surf only and on Vancouver Island only. There are no special breaks, no channels, just paddle out, make u-turn, enjoy....

Stability is important, how easy to take off is important and durability is a paramount. Surfability (how well it turns) is important too, but I don't expect extreme here.

Now durability is an issue I want to talk about. By reading this forum (other treads) it appears that sandwich boards should be more durable than custom. Yet I hear stories about *board broken in half, chipped C4, chipped JL, etc. This INfinity is not a sandwich, I understand it is just a glassed EPS. Yet there is no single scuff on my board, and although I am super carefull, I certainly can't avoid an occasional bang from the paddle. So, this custom fares really well?

oh I forgot... I am 170 pounds, 5'8", 53 years, not especially fit (but OK)

Thanks!


336
SUP General / Re: How many of us are there?
« on: October 12, 2007, 10:30:53 AM »
princess, and what is your favourite web-site link? could you post it here.

I logged about 35 days this summer there. I saw one guy once. I personally had not a single issue. but i never go into the lineup. I do it alone. I wouldn't enjoy doing it close to others.

337
Gear Talk / Re: Challenge to Paddle Companies to Better Products
« on: October 09, 2007, 01:07:48 PM »
and what exactly do u want to say? preferably in english....

338
SUP General / Re: Gettin' In
« on: October 09, 2007, 12:29:29 PM »
i just came back from my last trip to the ocean (last trip for the season). Made a great progress. After the first storm of the fall the waves were big.

I had to move to more protected beach, and even there I had very hard time to punch through the last crushing wave. I can go thru whitewater no problem, but if the head high wave is crushing on me, there is no chance. So in this conditions I learned on the inside. I.e. in the white water. I just pass the white water, make a U-turn and then I catch the next white water. I do it in the surfer stance, and if the white water is high enough (say one foot high) I really crouch, really sit (all in surfer position). Just in order to whistand this push from incoming white water. I thought it is impossible, but now I have 80% success rate.

If the white water is higher (say I made U-turn just in front of crushing wave), I then fell on my belly, the boards accelerates, I stand up as a regular surfer does.

If I manage to pass through to the outside I of course try to catch the swell before it breakes. I improved my balance quite a bit. I don't look on the board at all, and I am comfortable no matter where my board points to - shore, parralel to shore, etc.

However I still have a problem catching those swells. Some swells look really step, but only from afar. I make u-turn, they approach and there is nothing steep. I then stand facing the shore, looking back for the next wave. I realised that there is no need to paddle very long, its more important to start paddling just in time, to accelerate. However sometimes there still not enough steepness, I can't take off. I then wait for another one... Still I am sorta drifting in, quite often the next wave crushes just behind me. Then again I just fell on my belly, the white water accelerates me, I stand up...

So basically if it is very strong or very light I surf the white water - in the former case there is no way for me to get out, so I can harvest only white water inside. In the latter case the small white water is the only option that is available. So I can get out to clean waves only when it is kind in the middle - strong enough to have sweells outside but light enough so I can punch thru this last crushing wave...

With regards to other surfers... there is enough room. I always paddle away from others. Don't want to hit anyone, don't want to be hit...


339
Gear Talk / Re: Challenge to Paddle Companies to Better Products
« on: October 06, 2007, 08:29:46 PM »
I started the season with Infinity paddle and then switched to QuickBlade Kanaha. I like QB much more, Infinity is too small of a paddle for me. I dont feel much resistance. As you know Infinity has a plastic moulding and Kanaha has red plastic insert. BTW this insert is really (I mean REALLY) flat with the blade.  One just wonders how they did it... this red insert is fairly stiff though...

In any case no damage, scuffs, scratches on my Infinity board, knock on wood (BTW I love the board! It performs really nice for me.). It is not sandwich construction. Just custom epoxy.  I am generally very carefull with my equipment, but certainly I can hear bangs once in a while.

So I don't know if it is primarily a board, a paddle, me or a combination, but it looks ok. Hearing about all the chips on sandwich construction boards, I am just dopn't know what will be my next board - custom epoxy from reliable vendor or production sandwich board...

But in terms of the paddle - QB rules. I was choosing between QB and C4. The "customer support" from C$ was ridiculuis, it took them 4 days just to answer my request and they were kinda arrogant. But what killed me completely is "3 months warranty". Plus, it is more expensive, two piece, plus SH is more to mainland.


340
SUP General / Re: lets see 'em...
« on: September 24, 2007, 12:42:31 PM »
thanks, DW.
your argument about color actually is very strong.
BTW, how much your new board weight?

341
SUP General / Re: Some shots
« on: September 24, 2007, 09:33:50 AM »
number 4 is impressive!!! I won't dare to drive with this construction on top. I certainly wont follow this truck either  :)

and number 2, what is this? how short? how wide? how does it behaive? Certainly not a cruiser, but how easy it takes off and how easy does it surf? any website for this one?

342
SUP General / Re: lets see 'em...
« on: September 24, 2007, 09:26:16 AM »
DW,

what means: 'if construction allows it?'

I mean modern windsurfing boards, aren't they build using the same sandwich construction? My *board free formula, couple years old, it has a vent, so two my exocet boards, cross 103l and original wave 75 liters, also 2-3 years old (all three are very nice, very light, comparable to my 2000 Bic Saxo and Bic Techno); they have vent; and it says: open for airtravel and when it is hot (40 celcius or 115 Farhrenheit). No airvents on Saxo and Texchno, but those ASA skin.

For me its a bit of an issue. We have some hot days here in the middle of the summer in Southern Alberta and despite all my boards are bagged, I try not to leave them in direct sunlight; I never keep the bag inside the closed car, and so on. Leaving SUP without an airvent on my roof in the bag can get a bit spooky. Also when I travel to Vancouver Island, I have to go through really hot, desert like area. While I am driving the board in the bag is not overheated (when I stop, I open the zipper and check), but if I leave it in the bag while standing in direct sunlight it gets much much more warmer inside the bag. Also this hot area is followed by a mountain ridge. As an example, my wife has a neck pillow, inflatable one. So before this ridge it is usually soft, and on top it can be solid like a stone. The air inside expands! But so is the air inside the board, isn't it?

I understand, that probably Jimmy knows better and probably he tested things, but I just trying to understand why the windsurfing boards require the vent, and his doesn't, especially if both use the same sandwich construction... or it is not the same construction? just curious...

343
SUP General / Re: lets see 'em...
« on: September 23, 2007, 04:37:34 PM »
DW, I am sure you will do downwinders very soon. you just need time to adjust. remember, you said: "I went from catching one wave an hour to catching anything and everything"? btw, it was a lot of encourangment for me. :)

one more question. this board is sandwich construction? does it have airvent? can't see it...

I am thinking myself of going something smaller than my 11'*28", but I don't think I can graduate there yet...

344
SUP General / Re: lets see 'em...
« on: September 23, 2007, 10:29:09 AM »
dw, whats this black part on the very tail, close to the leash plug?

also, what's bottom looks like? under your foot, where you stand, is it flat? vee? rounded?

345
Gear Talk / Re: Board buying advice please.
« on: September 13, 2007, 11:25:52 AM »
I'd like to second DW on the mast track Q. I ordered my board from Infinity last January and I ordered it with masttrack. Windsurfing is my sport #1 and it was inconceivable for me to get a board without one.

What it turned out to be: I never used masttrack and I don't think I ever will. If there is enough wind, I'll use one of my windsurfing boards for real windsurfing. If the wind is light, I dont want even bother to carry sail, boom, mast..... to rig, derig, etc.,

SUP paddling and windsurfing don't overlap, IMHO, and this is a beauty for me. If there is enough reliable wind - windsurfing! Otherwise - SUP with a paddle. My second board will be without a masttrack.


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