Author Topic: You'll love this !  (Read 11200 times)

photofr

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You'll love this !
« on: February 19, 2018, 01:50:33 AM »
When you are just tired of wearing 7mm booties to keep your feet warm - read on...

I have been paddling SUP - for about 4 years now. I can't believe I didn't think of this BEFORE.

SURFSKI
There's no doubt, you are going to get wet while paddling a surfski and it doesn't matter if you are on flat water or rough water.

SUP
Originally, that was the reason for me getting started on a SUP: to stay dry during those cold and brutal months.

PROBLEM
After years of nerve damage due to overly tighten cycling shoes, my feet get cold quite easily, however, I still love being barefoot.

BOARDS
I have had all sorts of boards. My least favorite was the Allstar (2016 model) where water would just be stagnant around my feet. My Sprint UL 17'6 x 23" (a dug out board) was pretty good, but it always allowed a little bit of water near my feet - exposing them to the brutal cold of winter. Fast forward, I now have the ACE, and while I plan on using that board on DW, I am paddling in winter with it on DEAD FLAT WATER.

SOLUTION (possible solution for you)
I am unsure as to why it took me so long to think about this. Two days ago, I came up with an idea of simply putting a manual drain on my boards (call it a scupper, call it what you want).

In the meantime, I just plugged the 4 holes on my Ace. The result? 100% dry deck, 100% dry feet, and under the sun, cosy warm feet.

PLUG
I was thinking of using cork, and all sorts of complicated plug. I ended up using recycled packaging foam (about 1/2" thick). It's the white foam that usually comes with the goods you buy - so I just recycled it - 100% recycled.

The kicker was to simply make the "plug" larger than the opening. I cut it like a small disk, and inserted that into the hole. The snug fit means ZERO water is entering the board. It works like a charm - for flat water.

WATCH OUT
You don't want to plug those holes in Open Water - but if you are like me and your goal is to paddle with dry feet (with our without booties) you'll want to ensure that no water is entering your board deck.

ALTERNATIVE
Tape, however, tape would have removed the paint job on my SB, plus what a pain!

Hope this helps keep your feet dry - as more and more boards are coming up with dug-out standing areas - using drains to evacuate water.



INFO
Wet + cold doesn't mix well.
Water conducts sound about 80x better than in air (who cares)
Water conducts heat away from you about 20x faster in water than in air (I care, and you probably do too)
« Last Edit: February 19, 2018, 01:54:08 AM by photofr »
Nelo SUP - 14' x 23"
Nelo Surfski 560M - 18'4" x 17"

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Re: You'll love this !
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2018, 10:22:46 AM »
The Starboard K15 had simple rubber scupper covers that could be open or closed depending if you were on flat water (needed no drainage) or open water (needed drainage).

Luc Benac

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Re: You'll love this !
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2018, 10:27:27 AM »
The Starboard K15 had simple rubber scupper covers that could be open or closed depending if you were on flat water (needed no drainage) or open water (needed drainage).

I wish that would still be available....
Sunova Allwater 14'x25.5" 303L Viento 520
Sunova Torpedo 14'x27" 286L Salish 500
Naish Nalu 11'4" x 30" 180L Andaman 520
Sunova Steeze 10' x 31" 150L
Blackfish Paddles

PonoBill

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Re: You'll love this !
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2018, 10:33:28 AM »
Conventional OC1 drainers would keep the deck dry and could easily include a flapper valve to keep water from coming in when the board is not moving and generating a drain vacuum. I have no idea why they aren't used in sups. Easy to print them with a 3d printer.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

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Re: You'll love this !
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2018, 10:36:21 AM »
The Starboard K15 had simple rubber scupper covers that could be open or closed depending if you were on flat water (needed no drainage) or open water (needed drainage).

I wish that would still be available....
Yep. All they had to do was improve the construction (it weighted the same as the Statue of Liberty) and slim it down and it now be the fastest flat water board available. It had all kinds of interesting accessories for it too (although some only ever appeared in the catalog), such as rudder mechs, wheels to wheel it along etc. It was hilarious to downwind - and bizarrely fast.

Badger

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Re: You'll love this !
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2018, 01:21:13 PM »
When you are just tired of wearing 7mm booties to keep your feet warm - read on...

I have been paddling SUP - for about 4 years now. I can't believe I didn't think of this BEFORE.

 :o

I only wear 7mm booties when air/water temps get below 40 degrees. Having a dry deck is not going to allow me to wear my 5 mils.

.
Kalama E3 6'1 x 23" 105L
Axis HPS 980 / PNG 1300
Sunova Flow  8'10 X 31"  119L
Me - 6'0" - 165lbs - 66yo

burchas

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Re: You'll love this !
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2018, 02:46:23 PM »
What ever happened to to open ended design?
Water simply flow out the tail, end of story.

No need to reinvent the wheel or complicate things.
This flat water design have been around for years, dry
feet guaranteed.
in progress...

Eagle

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Re: You'll love this !
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2018, 04:05:28 PM »
Both these boards have minimal standing water.  My 2016 AS23 has maybe a few ounces at most.  The 2017 Sprint 21.5 even less.  On flat the only water that comes on board is when you step on from the beach.  Getting on from a dock zero.  Personally our feet never get cold since swapping to knee high taped neoprene boots for water temps 5C and less.  No need for scuppers or anything.  Is not a problem for us.  There is no standing water to ever get your feet cold.

But if you have a dugout where water cannot flow away quick enough -> then yeah scuppers are needed.  When I tried the 23.5 Ace Mike owns did not notice any water flowing in.  My feet were dry.  But if plugs work for your situation -> there you go.  Seems odd water is flowing in. 
Fast is FUN!   8)
Dominator - Touring Pintail - Bullet V2 - M14 - AS23

photofr

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Re: You'll love this !
« Reply #8 on: February 19, 2018, 10:56:44 PM »
Both these boards have minimal standing water.  My 2016 AS23 has maybe a few ounces at most.  The 2017 Sprint 21.5 even less.  On flat the only water that comes on board is when you step on from the beach.  Getting on from a dock zero.  Personally our feet never get cold since swapping to knee high taped neoprene boots for water temps 5C and less.  No need for scuppers or anything.  Is not a problem for us.  There is no standing water to ever get your feet cold.

But if you have a dugout where water cannot flow away quick enough -> then yeah scuppers are needed.  When I tried the 23.5 Ace Mike owns did not notice any water flowing in.  My feet were dry.  But if plugs work for your situation -> there you go.  Seems odd water is flowing in.

@EAGLE
I beg to differ regarding the AS 14x25 and the AS 14x23.
Entering from a dock, no water enters the standing area indeed, however, as soon as you paddle hard on flat water, there's a little bit of water that makes its way onto the deck area. Once my feet got wet, it was "end of story".

The 2015-2017 Sprints were very dry indeed. The 2018 will have a little bit of water.

There are so many other boards out there (I paddle with about 5 people - all with different boards, all with water on their standing areas.

I thought I would share a very simple way to fix the problem - because keeping your feet dry will be crucial if you want to be barefoot on super cold days.
Nelo SUP - 14' x 23"
Nelo Surfski 560M - 18'4" x 17"

photofr

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Re: You'll love this !
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2018, 10:59:20 PM »
The Starboard K15 had simple rubber scupper covers that could be open or closed depending if you were on flat water (needed no drainage) or open water (needed drainage).

Sounds like a pretty cool board - heck, it sounds a little bit like the 17'6x23 Sprint (which indeed was my favorite board ever).

I wonder why more people aren't building 14' boards that resemble the K15 (K14 - anyone? ANYONE?) :)
Nelo SUP - 14' x 23"
Nelo Surfski 560M - 18'4" x 17"

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Re: You'll love this !
« Reply #10 on: February 20, 2018, 06:10:29 AM »
I thought I would share a very simple way to fix the problem - because keeping your feet dry will be crucial if you want to be barefoot on super cold days.

I'm still not sure what's the fix you're suggesting?

Is it taking a board with recessed deck and drain holes, block the holes and then modify it using your manual drain?
I think you're going to have tough time with that as water flow on the deck was designed around those drain holes, so you'll have to modify your deck as well.
If that is the case, I think most people will stick with booties, just seems less painful.

My board has drain holes, I didn't notice any water coming on the deck through these holes so my experience is different, but when it comes to holes, I've been
plugging them with a good electric tape for years, no issues there.
in progress...

Eagle

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Re: You'll love this !
« Reply #11 on: February 20, 2018, 09:00:23 AM »
My other 4 boards are dry in flat water.  The AS23 only gets a bit because of its very low slung profile and side ridge so close to the waterline.  My experience on the AS25 is a much drier ride because of all the extra height off the water and volume up front.  Are you getting water in because you tip a lot side to side when you paddle?  The AS25 was a very dry ride on flat for me.  Like zero water.
Fast is FUN!   8)
Dominator - Touring Pintail - Bullet V2 - M14 - AS23

photofr

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Re: You'll love this !
« Reply #12 on: February 20, 2018, 09:52:34 AM »
Sorry - I may not have expressed myself clearly. 

Precisely, I am trying to keep my standing area 100% dry - in flat water.
On a sunny day, with 5 degrees Celsius, I can handle being barefoot - JUST AS LONG AS THE PAD IS TOTALLY DRY.

This is not possible with:
The Ace 14x25 (2017 model)
The Allstar 14x25 (2016 model)
The Race 14x25 (2015 model)
The Sprint 17'6x23 (2014 model)
It's also not possible with my friends 3-Bay board, a larger F-One, and another Fanatic where each paddlers standing area is literally socked and wet - in dead flat water.

The solution for the Ace was to plug the holes, but WITHOUT tape, so as not damage the board paint job. To accomplish this, I merely used white stretchy foam.
Nelo SUP - 14' x 23"
Nelo Surfski 560M - 18'4" x 17"

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Re: You'll love this !
« Reply #13 on: February 20, 2018, 10:28:31 AM »
The Starboard K15 had simple rubber scupper covers that could be open or closed depending if you were on flat water (needed no drainage) or open water (needed drainage).

Sounds like a pretty cool board - heck, it sounds a little bit like the 17'6x23 Sprint (which indeed was my favorite board ever).

I wonder why more people aren't building 14' boards that resemble the K15 (K14 - anyone? ANYONE?) :)
Beats me. That’s progress for you!

It is probably partly because those kinds of designs roll a bit, so you can’t go crazy narrow. But this conflicts with the “narrower is faster” marketing mantra. Plus, bouy turns and drafting with a pintail full-displacement bow shape isn’t as easy as on a fat-arsed boof-nose board. So partly it reflects the direction that races went, in terms of format.

photofr

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Re: You'll love this !
« Reply #14 on: February 25, 2018, 08:25:15 AM »
Yes, indeed - I totally didn't think about the pin tail / buoy turns. I once did a 6-hour SUP race (with a total of about 50 laps) around a total of 7 buoys - basically a total drag using my pintail 17'6x23".

So yes, I now understand better as to why we are ending up with somewhat square tails.

I guess we could simply add a simple rudder on our pintails ?!? :)
Nelo SUP - 14' x 23"
Nelo Surfski 560M - 18'4" x 17"

 


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