Mentawis SUP Video

[Sparx]

Mate
You guys really should just take a deep breath, stand back, put your brains into gear and think before you open your mouth or in this case apply finger to keyboard.
Have you ever paddle surfed overhead reef waves where you have live coral less than an arms length below the bottom of your board?
Have you ever been in a situation where you need to put maximum distance between yourself and the shoulder, if not for your sake then for everyone elses?
Have you ever been the only stand up paddler in the midst of a crew of short boarders and felt the need to conduct yourself in exemplary fashion, not just to cast yourself in a favourable light, but for the good of all stand up paddlers?
FFS, this bloke's sprint paddling to get out of the way. What would you have said if he had've gumbied up in the foetal positon, copped the rest of the set on the head and screwed up waves for the three short boarders following. What you think is aestheticaly pleasing might not necessarily be practical.
As for the board length issue, it is what it is, he's ripping! Have a close look at some of those cutbacks with the paddle on the inside rail. If you still disagree, post up some footage or photos of yourself doing better and I will eat a truck load of humble pie and STFU!
Cheers
Sparx

[crtraveler]

Cameraguy - it seems like you're more concerned with what people think of you in the lineup, than keeping those same people safe.  I understand that you don't like the way knee paddling looks to other surfers etc....I would rather not do it myself as well, but there are times when it is needed to get out of somewhere quickly that could become dangerous for yourself or others if you waste time trying to standup just cause it looks better.

[cameraguy]

Yo sparx

yeah super fun to bash the messenger .. poof

i knew most would miss the point ..

sure knee paddle, flap your wings, belly paddle- whatever it takes not to get pounded.

but i see so many knee paddling as a first defense or worse. just thought it should be mentioned.


for me it is not about looking cool-
one of the attractions to this sport  is the absolute feeling of accomplishment( and workout) I get when getting back out on nasty days high and dry.

if you dont get it then sorry i could careless

[pdxmike]

Camerguy--I don't think anyone's missing your point--they're just disagreeing with it. 

[SUPJorge]

I'm very respectful of others in the water (and out) but I'll knee paddle whenever I feel like it, for my safety, for other's, or just to give the legs a few moment's break.
Oh, and I really enjoyed the video.

[808sup]

to clarify

sure ok video thanks for posting however

my comment on knee paddling was intended wake people up a bit.

no its not ok to knee paddle when surfing a stand up rig and here is why:

IMO I truly feel it is bad form, makes us all look like we should be canoeing on lake instead being the line up standing up , means you dont have enough balance/skill to be in any line up since your either too tried or too lame, you are a danger.


getting out is the half the fun/challenge  of SUS, if you need to knee paddle to get out then go buy a jet ski...

sure if you need to belly paddle to miss a pounding but knee paddling in my book hurts  the fragile image we have as pioneers of a new form of surfing.

kinda holds true to knee paddling a longboard too ... in surfing culture or anywhere for matter a man just should not be on his knees ...ever

think about it

get good at your sport instead of pussing out



peace ?
The surfing icons in the sixties weren't too concerned what people thought of them knee paddling.
They just surfed because it was/ is a way of life. A point that many today are missing. Share the ocean -Share the stoke! Enjoyed the vid. post more if you can.

[Reid SUP'd]

I'm not anti knee paddling, there is no reason to be against it,  it all depends on what your doing on a board.  For me if i'm surfing a bigger board i don't feel the need to knee paddle as much bc its more stable, if i'm surfing a shorter board than there are times when i have to bc the board takes more effort to pop up and stay up.

One of the things I love about surfing an SUP is paddling out over smooth swells or trying to break through the white wash! I still don't have the balls to try that Kai Lenny duck dive but I gotta try it on something non threatening one day.

[SoCalSupper]

do what works for you or your ability-if youre good you will normally not knee paddle-i can see camera guys point-i feel kinda weird knee paddling-but i could care less what people think of me or my surfing-for gods sake im usually wearing retro 80s checkered shorts-a jacket and the goofiest red and yellow vibram clown shoes you have ever seen!-i just dont care what people think, but i do rarely knee paddle as i like the challenge of seeing how big a wave i can punch over.
and am i missing something-why knee paddle when prone is so much faster!?
Plus if you get hit by whitewater on your knees it seems way more unstable then punching through prone?!

[alexf]

great wave.
the idea that the board is too large for the wave is rubbish in my view.
in this video the surfer is constantly right on the tail of the board and doesn't shift his position at all or bend knees much - just an observation not a criticism but this his style and the mean the board shifts a little more erractically - never the less a good show and enjoyable to watch.

[JP]

LOVED THE VID!!
 I don't care to nitpick a guy who is just having a great time. I'm a flatwater paddler, but CANNOT wait for the day I can get out and learn to surf (finally planning a trip in Dec.). I hate the thought that there might be dudes like 'cameraguy' out who are so high and mighty that they feel it's their obligation to dump on a guy who is just having fun. I'm certain I will look terrible, but as long as I stay out of your way, wait my turn and don't endanger anyone else (ya I'm aware that there is a surfing "etiquette") - why do you really care??  I don't imagine we would be enjoying the same waves (I am now aware of your awesome-ness), but my point is still the same. In my humble opinion I think the guy in the vid is holding his own, and it's safe to say he's having fun. Some of us might not yet be the superstar you apparently are and I, for one, will likely never be. If we can't have fun while we learn, please expain what you would like.
 I think we get your point... we just think you're wrong.
 

[LBatBeach]

Great vid!  Hope to go there some day.

Have you ever paddle surfed overhead reef waves where you have live coral less than an arms length below the bottom of your board?

Roger that!  Our paddle out requires crossing some of the nastiest reef you can imagine sometimes inches below the surface.  You bet I go out on my knees!

[endlessfight]

cameragy is probably a shortboarder from the surfermag forum.
'get good at your sport instead of pussing out' lollllllz that killed me. i knee paddle all the time and i would love to see how good you are compared to me. i couldnt give one single fvck even if i had 1 million fvcks to give what anyone else in the lineup thinks of me. i'm already riding a SUP, so that should be apparent 

i find in certain conditions i can paddle a lot faster out through the break if im on my knees (esp in windy choppy conditions which are 80% of the time here). why would i waste more energy, and risk falling off if i have a method that works for me?

a guy that knee paddles out and can destroy waves, or a guy that has mastered standing up the whole way out but has a hard time doing a cutback? yah i'll take option a.

[crtraveler]

Just for reference.......within the first 4 seconds of this video, guess who's knee paddling....

[JC50]

Nice vid, thread starter!

So the other day it was howling 30-35+ kt side/offshore and well overhead. I took out a smaller PSH to try in these conditions well...just to try 'cause I always like trying something different. After a dozen waves I was smoked just keeping upright in the cross-chop and the board flat while paddling (and not catching wind under the rail), so I knee paddled around, stretching quads and ankles...kinda felt good and rested a bit chatting up my pals on surfboards. Had a great time, goofed around and got some nice bombs. Probably would have not been kneeling much had I been on the 12' ripper, but it didn't matter much; I'd just take a couple strokes, get some board speed (for stability), pop up and negotiate the next take off, then back to the knees for a break. This economy of action extended my time out.

But then I read a post here and now I feel bad....I didn't know I wasn't supposed to ever paddle on my knees...so I'm giving up the sport. Gonna start bowling or something.

Cameraguy, your handle is appropriate because it seems what's important to you is image. I'm just goofing around, but you must be young...because someday you'll realize it doesn't matter what the hell you do or how the hell you do it, just as long as you treat others well, enjoy their company, never take yourself seriously, and don't jeopardize their safety, and above all, Fuck Image!
 

[Clarky]

Nice vid, I've always wanted to go to there. As for knee paddling I do it all the time especially out the back when I'm having a chat with shortboarders or when I've just caught a nice wave as I'm letting others know I'm not a threat of catching the next wave hopefully chilling out the lineup