Ghetto SUP Gear

[gurutc]

Here in Columbia, SC, we have no SUP community. Wanting to try it with minimal outlay, I ciphered a rig up. First, I made an 84" paddle by joining parts from two broken canoe paddles by splicing them together and whipping the joint with 1/8" climbing tripline. Then I dug my old O'Brien Sensation 11' sailboard out of the leaves and washed it down.

My surf-shop owner friend and his family along with about two dozen aunts, uncles, and cousins were at the in-laws house at Lake Murray on Memorial Day. He's SUP'd before down at Sullivans Island in Charleston, but his shop here in Columbia focuses on the clothing and skate community more than surfboards. I packed up the Dear Wife, the 6 month old tot, and we headed up to the lake party.

The surfing members of the crowd were out wake boarding when I put the board in the water and paddled out. The sailboard seemed mega tippy to me, but I weigh in at 215 which is, I know, a touch heavy. Once the board got up to speed though, it was very stable. When the wakeboard boat pulled in all heck broke loose.

My friend jumped on the board and loved it. He thought it was faster than the purpose-built boards he'd ridden at the coast. Then, one after another, tons of kids and adults took the board out and had no trouble paddling, even in the crazy chop on the water from the go-zillion holiday boaters on the lake.

The high point was when my friend's nine-month pregnant wife jumped on the board and paddled out around the point and back no trouble. It was Sunday, she gave birth to a baby girl that Wednesday.

So, turns out ghetto gear works A#1 to try out Stand Up Paddling. I'm hooked.

- Travis in Columbia, SC

[gurutc]

Update: Last week I took the whole ghetto rig to the canoing and kayaking portion of a local Summer Camp for pediatric cancer patients where I volunteer to provide safety boater support.

The kids went nuts over the rig. Dozens of them had to try it. Next year I'm planning to take at least three boards and paddles to the camp. I've already started to expand the fleet.

I found another sailboard, a Mistral Tarifa Composite board with a complete rig and 2 yr old sail, on craigslist for $50. It's about 10' long versus the 11' of the O'Brien. The biggest difference is the volume: 140 liters for the Mistral versus about a million liters in the O'Brien, and the weight: about 15 pounds for the Mistral versus about 40 pounds for the O'Brien.

One of my buddies who also helps at the camp buddy-ganked the Mistral from me on the grounds that I can't paddle two boards at once. We also both guide river trips for a local outfitter so we scored pro-deals on 84" AquaBound Carbon Fiber SUP Paddles.

Last night my friend and I tried the Mistral out for the first time in the 6 acre pond beside his house. I weigh over 200# and my bud weighs about 150# so I said 'you paddle that little board first, dude.' He jumped on it, fell once or twice, then got it wired and took off with me following on the big board. We tried lowering the centerboard on the Mistral, and boy we were surprised. Even though it makes the board a lot harder to turn, the centerboard really stabilizes the board. It's almost cheating and feels as stable as standing on the sidewalk. We noted how well this 'training wheels' solution would work for newbies, and then we pulled the centerboard back up to keep it pure. Then it was my turn on the Mistral...

With me sitting on the deck, the board sunk into the water about 3/4 of its volume. The Mistral Tarifa is pretty narrow also since it was designed as a light, planing course/slalom racing sailboard. I started out by paddling while sitting which was a good plan. Once the board was moving it jumped up out of the water, not on a plane, but 'planing' as much as working as a displacement hull. I could easily stand up and walk all over the deck if I kept the board moving. I could even move to the fairly narrow pintail that this board has.

The Mistral's shape, weight, and volume would work great on real surfing waves in my opinion. The O'Brien is a pure cruiser with a lot of glide. I'm heading to the Dear Wife's parents' house at Surfside Beach today, and I'm taking the O'Brien. I've got a 9'2" NSP waiting at the beach, and I'm pretty sure the technique I learned on the Mistral will also work for me on the NSP if there's waves. If it's Lake Atlantic then I'll jump on the O'Brien and cruise the Grand Strand.

So the ghetto SUP gear saga continues... yes, I know, prove it with pics. As soon as I get too tired to paddle I will.

- Travis in Columbia, SC

[stoneaxe]

Good post Travis. I'm looking at Craigslist up here to find a rig for my daughter. I did get the starboard 7' kids windsurfer that you see Ivan paddle in the vids but no one here has his skills. It will have to be just for the kids.

I was wondering about the training wheels idea for a centerboard. Good to know it works.

[iopsailor]

gurutc,
            I imagine you're talking about Paul and his shop in Columbia.  Here's a clip of a guy on an old windsurfer he recycled to an SUP.  The minimalist aspects of this really interest me. 
http://www.stableroad.com/videos/moqstandup.htm.   
          Part of the sport is seeing how little you can spend on  it.

          You might want to contact  Chuck Harden in Augusta at  WhitecapWindsurfing.com
          .  He's carrying a line of SUP's and does demo days.

[gjbstandup]

Travis,
 Great job and nice to see you out there giving new life to old equipment. If you ever head south 2 hours to HHI, ook me up and we'll go for a paddle Bring or you dont your ghetto equipment. i have pleanty of SUP gear for a paddle. 
iopsailor...   Great video link. SUP for $5.00  That is priceless.. Thanks Glen