Archive for the 'Tips' Category

Stand Up Paddle Swimming

So you’ve heard of stand up paddle surfing, downwinders and racing. Well, I just did stand up paddle swimming, which if I have a choice, I prefer not to do again. On May 5, I was out at Himalayas on the North Shore of Oahu and looked out and only saw 1 guy and decided to paddle out. Laniakea was breaking nice and there was actually only a small number of people. I’m not sure but I think that since the surf was good for a couple weeks, people were taking a rest. Jockos was double overhead and I couldn’t tell from shore how big Himalayas was so I put on my life jacket just in case.
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How to Do a Cutback, Generate Speed, Carve to Snap and Do Floaters

Now that I’ve been spending more time SUP surfing again I’ve really been trying to get better and learn more moves. I couldn’t really do a cutback turn prior to SUP so anything for me is better than before. It’s been a bit frustrating but I found this surfline video of Taylox Knox on youtube that at least helps me know what to focus on.

I thought I’d post it here:


(click thumbnail to launch video)

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Ekolu Kalama Waterview at Sunset Beach

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I took this video last year with Ekolu Kalama in the water at Sunset Beach. When I shot this, we were facing away from the surf breaks and were safe in the channel. I asked Ekolu to give some tips on how to move from bigger waves to smaller waves and how to stay safe in the water. He shared his first experience with big waves at 25’ Hawaiian style, not knowing what to do, still trying to get his act together in the water. Luckily, for him the water was not crowded which gave him the chance to experiment on his moves.
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Connecting the Downwinder Bumps

If you spend time at www.standupzone.com then you’ve probably seen posts by Rambo from http://rambos-locker.blogspot.com. I was watching this video and it gave me a first person view of exactly what the feeling is like to connect open ocean waves (bumps). You’ll see in Rambo’s video how he turns his OC-1 canoe to line up and catch the next bump. This is what people are always talking about and the super fun part of downwinders that I enjoy.

C4 Waterman Handle Grip Install

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Here’s a couple of video clips I took of the C4 Waterman handle grip installation demo. Using some foam grip scrap pieces, see how Joe positions the pad on the top most portion of the handle, starting off at the center towards the sides, following the contour of the handle. Notice how he carefully removes the adhesive backing making sure it overlaps smoothly. He cuts clean the excess pad with a razor, sands it after and it’s done.
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C4 Waterman Paddle Grip Install

This is a short video I took of Joe putting on the C4 Waterman paddle grip on my C4 XPR SUP paddle shaft. It will show you how the grip is installed. You might want to do it on your own shafts but if your hands are shaky, might as well try it on someone else’s. Watch how accurate Joe is with the installation, from the grip set-up, cutting the excess part and finishing it off scratch free.


(click thumbnail to launch video)

What is Pre-Preg in a Carbon SUP Paddle?

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This is the 2nd part of the interview I did with Todd Bradley on the C4 Waterman XPR. I‘ve been hearing about pre-preg lately and wanted to know what it was so I asked Todd what exactly is a pre-preg carbon shaft? Pre-preg, which is short for pre-impregnated, as Todd explains, is a actually a process by which carbon fiber cloth is mixed with the exact ratio of adhesive and other materials needed for the optimum strength and weight proportion of the paddle. So, if you’re still wondering why pre-preg shafts look a lot sturdier? Watch this video and learn more from Todd.
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Joe Blair 9-8 SUP with 6 inch Center Fin – Video

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Here’s a short video I took of Joe Blair’s 9′8″ SUP custom board which he made for my friend Jeff and I ‘borrowed’ for a while. The board has a slightly pulled in nose, round pin tail and originally had three 4.5″ fins on the bottom. I’ve had pet peeve about the Blair boards that I’ve ridden. Although they surf amazing and are super stable, it takes a bit of getting used to due to the way it yaws side to side when paddling. After thinking about this, I decided to replace the middle fin with a 6” cutaway in the center fin and leave the 4.5″ side fins. I tried it at Diamond Head a few weeks ago and at Leftovers on the North Shore the following week and the difference was night and day.
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Dennis Pang Interview: Stand Up Paddleboard Tips and Techniques from the Pros

In my recent interview with Hawaii born international shaper/surfer, Dennis Pang, I got a chance to know the guy who’s more than just your average shaper. Dennis talks about his SUP race creation for Tropical Blends – the 17’6” custom race board that Guy Pere won rode to win the 2009 Duke’s Oceanfest.
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Todd Bradley – SUP Paddles and Downwind Tips Part 2

In this next video, Todd explains the proper design of a stand up paddle in more detail. The bottom line is, a paddle should have the right shape, blade angle and surface design to get maximum efficiency.
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Todd Bradley – SUP Paddles and Downwind Tips Part 1

Todd talks about the importance of paddle design and the differences between SUP and other paddle sports. It’s all about efficiency in the water and doing it with the right paddles as Todd explains. He also shares paddling techniques and tips on choosing the right gear.
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Downwind Stand Up (SUP) Racing Tips with Todd Bradley – Video

I’ve been doing a lot of distance and downwind paddling lately and got a chance to ask Todd Bradley, a champion paddler, for his insights. This is a video that I’ve watched over and over already.
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C4 Waterman Vortice XP Carbon Fiber Racing Board

Here’s a video of Kaipo talking about the 14′ C4 Waterman Vortice XP Carbon Fiber Racing Board. He also gives riding/racing tips in the video. Check it out.


(click thumbnail to launch video)

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Know Your Limits – My First Experience in the Kaiwi Channel

Know Your Limits - My First Experience in the Kaiwi Channel

I got the chance to paddle in the Kaiwi Channel last week.  This is the channel between Molokai and Oahu where the 32 mile race is held.  Let me start out by saying it was way harder than I thought it would be.  I got a call from Kainoa B who I will now refer to as ‘The Hammer’ (inside joke).  He was excited about taking his boat out into the Kaiwi Channel and doing a mini Molokai downwinder.  Tommy from Freedom Surf Company was coming to get some video and photo footage (footage of Tommy surfing) and his other friend Carlos was coming along for the paddle.  Kekoa was in the driver’s seat and we were all set. Continue reading ‘Know Your Limits – My First Experience in the Kaiwi Channel’

Joe Bark Interview – Board Previews and Tips

I did this interview with Joe Bark last month over the phone. I just learned about Joe while getting more and more into the SUP distance paddling arena. Joe is famous for his paddleboards and is now expanding into stand ups. He’s got a new 14′ SUP racer coming out from Surftech in the future and we got the scoops in advance. I haven’t gotten any date for the board release but it hopefully will be by Q1 2009.
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