Stand Up Paddling

cory

Tree House enthusiast
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Well alrighty, seems like there is a tad bit of interest in da House re stand up paddling, maybe this thread will create more. I'm sorta writing just as an outlet ,and like any old thread on a forum, seeing if there are kindred souls. I get out there only about once a week which is kind of a sad, paltry amount, but it's one of those things that if I'm not doing it, I'm thinking about it.

SUP has been on my radar for a few years, seemed interesting to me, finally got around to trying it late last summer on a lake in Maine. The very first few tries it was kinda, meh, but after awhile something clicked. The first amazing experience was when I took my dog on the board with me and we went around the perimeter of the lake for an hour or so. He freakin loved it and reflecting back, it was the first time I got the hang of burying the paddle deep and using your whole core to pull on it and get good propulsion. It is the perfect blend of nature and exercise, imo. Anytime you are out on the water in most any watercraft, I think we can all agree it's a good time spent. And with a paddle board, you are practically in the water rather than apart from it. When you fall in thats half the fun! And with your stand up position, you can see into the water better than from lower down in a kayak for example, and it lets you see fish etc better. And if you get tired of standing up you can paddle from the knees or sitting, or lie on the deck and go flying along just by hand paddling. The workout you get really creeps up on you, which is cool, you don't really know you are getting hella exercise till its over.

Idk, I could go on and on, but that is a scratch-the-surface start. Another cool thing is they draw very little water so you can explore virtually anywhere there is 6" of H20. Also, they are very lightweight. I've sailed and wind surfed and those are definitely fun, but the fact that this mode has relatively very little gear or set up time or logistics to deal with makes it that much more doable- take board, paddle, lifejacket and leash to water, go for it. At the end of a day of tree work, the less hassle and weight you gotta lift to go do something, the more likely you will actually go do it. I have a real funky knee which causes issues with a lot of sports etc, but SUP more or less agrees with it so far, so thats another huge plus. Another thing is that it seems equally fun to go solo as well as with someone else. It just seems like a very simple yet very versatile sport. Hop on board, THers :drink:
 
Sounds like a great fit for you. I have only done seen it done once...some folks were in Gig Harbor (near Olympia, WA, I think) and they were super mobile...could go almost anywhere...very relaxed they were, just cruising through the berthed boats as we watched from our dockside breakfast.

Since I like kayaking, I can see where SUP would be a very enjoyable thing. Didn't know you could take a dog on one...that IS cool.
 
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Yes, Gary, give it a try! Kayaking rocks but to me it is too much exclusively upper body workout. Of course if you are trying to fish etc, kayaking would be more practical. Ha unless you really want to mix it up and go hand to hand with the fish!

MB, granted I don't live in LA heat but imo, extreme heat is some of the best times to go out in cuz you will be kept nicely cool by the water. I wear a hat and a synthetic tee shirt and board shorts for the sun and it's been great so far. When the doom saying weather men are crying about an oppressively hot forecast, I get psyched cuz I know I will be chillin on the water.
 
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Gary, re the folks you watched, cruising in calm water amongst moored boats is fun and very easy to do given the flat water. But when the chop and waves kick up, once you get a little practice, that's a blast too. Around here, we have little to no surfable waves which is fine with me cuz my knee couldnt handle it. But to surf a wave on one? That would be radical.
 
I've got good friends that are crazy about it Cory but I haven't tried it yet. You're right about the kayaks, it's all upper body, mostly back actually, but combine them with kicking around snorkeling and it's pretty good all around. How do the paddle boards compare with a 'yak as far as speed?
 
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Try it, Ray, I think a water man like yourself will love it. I bet it would be a sweet means to get to your snorkeling ground since I presume you don't take a lot of gear with you to do that.

Re the speed question, Ive wondered plenty about that myself, not sure yet of the answer, like with any cool activity, there is still a lot to learn for me. The long, single bladed SUP paddle I questioned for awhile, I thought a long 2 bladed kayak-style paddle would be best but now after a lot of hours I'm onboard lol with the standard SUP paddle. But for sitting and paddling the board kayak style, I still believe, or want to try, a good cupped blade kayak paddle. When I find the right one to try it could easily ride on board ready for use when sit paddling. And in that set up, I gotta believe the sup would be faster than the average kayak cuz it is more streamlined and lighter. Ftr though, my kayak experience is in the basic 8' or 10' rotomolded ones, maybe the longer skinnier ocean type kayaks are faster.
 
You're right Cory, mask, snorkel, flippers and a bag. Hopefully on the return trip the bag is full. I imagine it would probably be immensely easier to climb back aboard the PB in comparison to the kayak. Is there an attachment point for a line to anchor a paddle board while you're in the water?
 
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Yes there is a tie in point. Climbing onto them is fun and easy cuz they are so low and so buoyant. They will carry a 50 lb bag of fresh caught seafood no problem
 
Stand up is fun, in a goofy way. I was a sponsored/competitive outrigger canoe paddler/oc-1/kayaker for many years, so I always have the most love for those sports. However, in a river or lake, an SUP is a great way to explore with minimal gear and get some exercise. Definitely don't want to be sitting/kneeling on one of those with a kayak paddle, very inefficient... The new Tiger design V1 canoes are very low displacement boats with a lot of freedom in various waterways, but also a large price tag. The cool thing about SUP or any watersport really, is that you can go all the way from costco brand cheap-o to top of the line race boards. I'd look into finding a local or semi-local shaper to make you a board that will suit your normal conditions and help support your local board maker. Remember, core is poor, but those guys can make you a super fun board to get psyched on. I'm a big fan of boards with shorter length, but a high volume of foam. They don't track as well, but if you can learn a proper 'j' stroke, you don't have to switch sides every 3 strokes like you see most people doing... More maneuverability with a shorter board and the high volume will keep the balance aspect there. Just some random thoughts, but hope that helps!
 
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No shapers around here, afaik.

I haven't heard of a J stroke for a paddle board, thought that was for canoes only.

Btw, outrigger canoes, can you explain the big picture. Is the outrigger for speed or just stability or tracking or what?? Thx.
 
Check around, pretty core surf scene in the NE, you could probably connect with someone in the region... Yep, the J stroke is used mainly for steering an outrigger canoe or certain canoe surfing intricacies, but works great on a stand up. Essentially, you do your stroke as normal, but before you let off the power and release near your feet, you pivot your lower wrist inward and 'flick the paddle sideways and out of the water. Takes some practice to perfect, but alleviates the constant changing of sides while paddling. When I raced SUP, it conserved a lot of energy wildly switching back and forth.
The outrigger provides both tracking and stability. Without an outrigger, there is no possible way an oc6/oc4/oc3/oc1 would be able to stay upright. It definitely helps track the boat and its nuances can be used when canoe surfing/racing in big water.
 
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Good info, and I'll have to try the J stroke.
 
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Btw Ian, do you have any perspective on why an sup paddle is a single blade instead of having a double blade kayak style paddle? Would it be so long it would be cumbersome and awkward?
 
I think in order to reach the water and have the correct stroke angle, a kayak paddle would have to be super long and leverage would be weak at best. SUP was probably started by some crazy hawaiian with a big old longboard and an outrigger paddle.
 
Ha Cory. You've been bit! Fantastic feeling to be stoked about something. We put off getting a paddleboard until springtime but I'm loving the kayaking still. I really want to get a paddleboard too now though to mix it up. I find kayak paddling to be more than just a shoulder/back workout. I've been really getting a crazy core workout out of it. I cruise on a sit on top so getting on and off in the water is much easier than a sit in kayak. Also the SOT allows more options, like bringing a small dog.

Ian some great info there!
 
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SOTs look like a lot of fun being close to the water, plus I love that indestructible plastic material.

Yeah I have been bit, its crazy.
 
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I found one, I think.

This looks cool a hell, actually. I look like that when I shovel grain, I might be good at it! I would need a couple boards duct taped together though!
 
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Of course. Though the stuff I do would be very boring to watch. But it is fun to do, paddle out into what feels like the middle of nowhere, riding the chop, seeing the schools of bluefish and baitfish, chatting some with the birds, wondering how far you can go with the fitness you have knowing tree work Monday at 7am awaits, implacably.

If you want to see what the pros do with it, youtube laird hamilton sup.
 
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Haha, you beat me to it. But yeah, I was thinking the same thing, I use a rake and pitchfork a lot, this sport is right up my alley!
 
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All this time, I don't think we know how much Big Jim weighs?!? Up to 300lbs you'd be fine, and if you are over 300 I'm sure you could still find a good board. Course, you go paddling much and soon you'd be down to your fighting weight:drink:
 
Cory when I was shopping around for a SUP I found it slightly overwhelming all the different styles and construction methods of boards out there. I wanted to get something good for my wife but that I could still use a bit too and would be a good all round board that could handle some moving water too. By the time I'd finished googling my head was swimming and I felt like I might possibly know less about them than I originally did. Also they seem damn pricy for what they are, I mean comparatively to a kayak say. They're so light, how could they possibly be worth so much? Lol.
 
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