Dave Kalama - Interview, Tips, Gear

[GMONEY]

Thank you, Thank you and Thank you. I just got off the water and I had what is my best paddle session ever. I was crazy off. It will take some time to perfect but man what a great paddle tonight. Sunset was amazing just like icing on a cake.

Thank you
Gmoney

[greatdane]

Awesome video!  Thanks guys!  After watching this I can now actually label my stroke style   On longer paddles I am definitely doing more of a Hawaiian stroke but for these short Naish series races I am definitely doing the higher cadenced Tahiti style; about 60-65 strokes/minute.   What amazes me is that Dave is using a 10" wide blade... damn... that's almost twice as wide as my Nitro, makes my puny shoulders hurt just watching him.

Also, what I see a lot of people still doing is continuing the stroke way past their heels... very little power is generated once the blade passes your feet.  I notice that if I exit the paddle at my foot, it makes for a very quiet paddle stroke... and the OC guys will tell you that a noisy (splashy) stroke equals inefficiency.  Also, I think the higher cadence style lends itself better for the short, surf style SUP's that don't have much glide.  It keeps the speed more constant instead of the speed-up/slow-down you would get with a slower stroke.  But with a board with good glide, you can get away with slower turn-over time, IMO.  Thanks again!!

[wadadli_waterman]

Thanks heeps.....really good info.

Suprisingly enough I have been using the same techniques; its just nice to have a bench mark to legitimize what I though was right.

Ref the gear: 

I thought it was strange that no one was using spectra (kite lines) for steering cables before.  Stainless steel is just not neccesary-too heavy, prone to corrosion.   I am paranoid about the s/s cables on my F16; constantly shooting WD40 down the sleeves.

I like to see his use of a wide paddle blade too.  I have always been happy with my 9.125" Spanker blade.  I tried the norrower paddles but they felt like they slipped too much.  With the correct stroke technique the wider blade is more efficient.

Perfect conditions for our run tomorrow.....stoked!

[PonoBill]

I used Spectra when I restrung the Penetrator. Works much better than stainless. I think it actually has a higher modulus of elasticity than steel cable.

[wadadli_waterman]

Another cool thing about the steering that I just realized.  Its universal.  As the pivot point for the pedal is centrally located on deck you just need to fasten the extension to one side or the other for your preferred stance.   The longer extension will also require less foot pressure as it also has more leverage. 

Very cool.   

[Admin]

The steering is noticably more sensitive than on the F series boards.  A much smaller foot movment gets the same amount of steering.  I am itching to get a demo board this week to check out how it all feels on a run.    I asked about adjustability and there are 5 positions (fore and aft) for the foot control mount.  The spectra line was something that Dave did.  The either / or nature of the foot control is very slick.  Chan's article is back with Dave for a final accuracy check and then it will get posted.  More soon.....

[StandUpPaddleSurf.net]

Rand - Great post and video.  Did Dave give any specifics on catching bumps, connecting them, when to use Hawaiian stroke vs Tahitian, etc?  If that's in your interview post that's coming then disregard.  Thanks. 

It's interesting to see the many facets of SUP and how distance, racing and downwinders are growing in popularity. 

[DavidJohn]

Any idea how many inches overhead his paddle is?

DJ

[Tom]

The eye-bolt here looks kind of jury rigged to me. Anyone know what's going on here?

[Admin]

Any idea how many inches overhead his paddle is?

We had a lot of email about that question.  I asked, and Dave is 71 inches tall, his wave paddle is 84 and his race paddle is 86.  He wanted to point out that this is longer than typical and might not work for others.

The eye-bolt here looks kind of jury rigged to me. Anyone know what's going on here?

He said he was doing a lot of testing with various positions and that setup with the spectra allowed for quick, tool free adjustments.  The stock setup uses standard cables and fits directly into those grooves where the yellow ropes are.  The stock setup is much cleaner.

Did Dave give any specifics on catching bumps, connecting them, when to use Hawaiian stroke vs Tahitian, etc?

Yes to all, and in detail.  I am, of course, biased, but I read Chan's article and there is some very interesting stuff in there.

[Chan]

Dave Kalama was there on day one.  Although standup paddling as a whole has a longer history, racing, touring and going downwind are brand new entities, and Dave was there to take those first strokes.  He holds the standing race record on the coveted Maliko run, and has crossed all of the Hawaiian channels.  So, when Dave offered to give some tips, you can bet we were interested.

Dave does not speak for long about technique without mention of canoe paddling.   He is clear in conveying that many of the fundamentals that he relies on are transferred skills, garnered from years of experience as an OC1 paddler.  The remainder come from surfing.  This experience allows him to make adjustments preemptively and capture the maximum potential provided by the various ocean swells and currents.  

Dave’s trimming techniques rely heavily on this canoe background, where the paddler is in a more fixed position.  He trims almost entirely from the rudder area, moving only his free foot up or back 10-12 inches.  Only on the steepest of swells, will he move further towards the tail to clear the nose, but then he returns quickly to the rudder.  The subtle “free foot” movement is used to make small running adjustments to the trim.  He suggests spending a good deal of time finding the balance point on the board while in flat water.  Find the fine line between plowing water and tail stalling, note the nose position above the waterline and store that for later use in determining a visual reference. Once out in the swell, the balance point, or neutral position, will be further aft and the nose will be slightly raised in comparison to neutral in flat water.  Dave rarely moves his free foot in front of his rudder foot in downwind conditions.  

When Dave explains his process of reading the water and instructs on how to align with the swells and maintain the fastest route, it is clear that this is where his true passion in the sport lies.  Where we might only see textures and patterns in the water, he sees opportunities.  

“Typically three swells will be running concurrently.  You will find ground swells which, on the Maliko run, are usually coming to some degree from the north and will act as lefts.  There will be smaller refractory swells which are caused by the ground swells bouncing back off of the shore; these will act as rights.  Lastly, there is the wind swell which will be pushing up from behind.  Set your course to align with the point where any two swells converge and form a V.  This is the steepest take-off point you will find and it should provide the easiest entry.  Once in, rudder right or left depending on the swell's direction.  Board angle on the swell is crucial to maintaining a glide. Constant rudder tweaks are the norm and will be used to direct the board from a slight angle to as much as 45 degrees as the swell allows and the situation demands. To get the most out of each glide, stay in the steep section for as long as possible, without dropping all the way to the bottom.  It is important not to speed straight down the swell as this will cause the nose to pearl or the board to ram into the swell in front stopping the glide and slowing board speed.  As the board accelerates, look for the third swell type, a smaller bisecting bump similar to a boat wake, use this to launch at an angle into another full sized roller.  If conditions are ideal, and strong winds are generating a nice following swell, it is possible to line up on a single swell train and follow it for a long distance.”      

Brief literary aside: As a writer, I am keenly aware of word choice.  One word can have a significant impact.  In this case the word which set me to thinking was, “launch”.  Dave used it numerous times when describing the act of catching a swell.  I might have chosen grind, claw, struggle, flail, or lumber, but not “launch” into a swell.  Aside End.

"When launching from one large swell to another, take the smaller bisecting swell and look to enter the next larger swell from a diagonal direction.  This is much easier and typically far more successful than attempting to enter directly by forcing over the backside.  Some of these ‘link’ waves are quite small and subtle, so it is important as the main swell energy is fading out to be already paddling for these smaller connective swells, even if they are not entirely apparent yet.  That way as they begin to surge, you are able to use them, whereas if you were not already prepared and moving in their direction, they would be uncatchable.  Ideally, after some practice, a paddler should spend the majority of their time gliding and linking the larger swell using these smaller cross swell."

Rarely does Dave’s left foot leave the rudder.  When gliding, he is constantly using it to adjust to changing water conditions and to direct towards new opportunities.  He is clear in stating that, when mastered, this form of navigation is more efficient than paddle steering and will allow more successful connections.  The rudder is used in varying degrees depending on the situation.  1. On a solid glide, when enjoying the full push of the swell, bold rudder moves can be made.  These can be big redirections used to stay high on the swell, set up for a connection or optimize position so that the board does not bottom out.  As there is typically a lot of board speed to work with, there is less chance that the relatively slight slowing from rudder drag will hurt overall speed.  2. When preparing to launch into a swell rudder to the optimal point of entry, but be conscious not to overdo it and dampen board speed.  This is a time where rudder usage is very important, but it is more subtle then when on a full glide.  3.  Aim to let off the rudder completely for the last two or three strokes before entry, as this is where the most energy output is required.  Only use the rudder during this brief entry phase when it is clear that the swell cannot be made without it. The rudder can work against you for this short time, so stay off it if possible.

OK, Dave, now that we have the basics covered, run us through a scenario.

  “The winds are side-on, so I am consciously trying to work the swells to the right so as to maintain my course and not be pushed too far towards shore.  The side on ground swell is meeting up with the following wind swell in fairly consistent V’s, so I’m watching for those.  I’m looking 45 degrees to my right at the incoming rollers and position to where a V will be forming with the trailing swell.  Laying off my rudder for the final three, faster cadence, Tahitian strokes, I launch myself left into the swell as that is the most forceful direction. Once in, I drop my free foot back 10 inches and redirect to the right.   I know that the next swell will be a right, so I am looking for a smaller right-running ‘boat wake’ that will launch me into that harder to find, outbound opportunity.  I am focused on maximizing on these rights to balance out the prevailing wind and ground swell.  I am using the lefts primarily to get in, and weaving left and right to follow the trailing wind swell.  When there are less clear cut options, I stay focused on catching every bump or contour so as to stay gliding.  I know that as long as I am on something, I can maintain a strong pace.”


These are the broad strokes.  As you may gather, Dave has an extraordinary amount of very situational tips that rely on a fundamental understanding of the basics…and then some.  We thought that it may be valuable to present this as a start, and then do some follow up after we have all been able to digest this info, try it out, and form some more questions.  If you have any particular items that you would like addressed, ask away and we will work on a follow up.

[PonoBill]

Wow, good idea to let this mull, it's going to take me weeks to just absorb that. Thanks so much Chan. Nice writing as always.

[LaPerouseBay]

Big mahalos to Dave and Chan for their generosity. 

To have such solid info in black and white is quite a gift. 

Sage advice Dave, much appreciated.

[Chan]

Thanks guys.  I learned so much in the process.  Dave has so much experience and knowledge to share, far more than I was able to address in one short article.  Hope to add to it in the future, as time allows.

[jb]

Thanks Dave and Chan, this has been so informative. One question I have is, we get a lot of 15 knot days on the east coast with 2 foot chop. I've started seeing more than one direction of chop or wave pattern with our typical wind direction. That's really cool, after surfing and sailing all my life, I never really thought about it.
Any other techniques for when its not quite honking and you are not able to get really long glides? Keep the cadence of you paddle up? Different paddle size? If you have a quiver of SUP's like Dave is there a different board you use for different conditions?  Or does same mind set apply. Thanks again!