Pono House
Comment on Oregon Scientific ATC-2k Camera: Bah! by Tafantic
The EXACT same thing happened to me! [Link]
Comment on Standup Paddle Surfing 101 by Ryan
A few months late to the discussion I guess but noticed a Jamaican looking for a SUP. I’m also looking for a board in Jamaica and it would be great to speak with some others in the surf community. There are a few people who use them in Jamaica, but it is very expensive to ship a board there on your own. I’ve been using old windsurf boards that I fixed up! Nathalie i’d be interested to hear if you found any boards? Ryan [Link]
Comment on About by Sam Handelman
Great stand up site. Can we get a link to http://www.kialoa.com? Thanks.
Sam [Link]
Comment on PaddleBoy Goes Big by pagasty
hello dear am pagasty,am from ghana but i live in accra is my dream to become an pono actist,but i dont no eny way to become a member of that please i need your help i wont u to help me i wont to become a member of porno man u can send me email at jpagasty@yahoo.com i well be very happy to here from u thank u very much pagasty [Link]
Comment on Saving Your Life With A Camelback by Jim M
Bill, sorry to hear someone knicked you at Elkhart Lake. I noticed you may be a gearhead as well. If you ever find yourself back in this neck of the woods and would like to get a paddle in w/someone, look me up! Jim
(also a bit of a car guy) [Link]
Comment on Why Windsurfing On Longboards Will Be the Next Big Thing by Trevor
Just purchased a Aitken 911 at salvation army board and mast need sail is it possibl or out dated any info would be helpful long boards rule regard Trevor [Link]
Comment on Standup Longboard Sailing and Surfing 101 by Al Karel
MORE! MORE! I’ve been coming back to read and read this for months. It has all kinds of good stuff…but ends abruptly with the promise of more good stuff to come. PLEASE…let’s have it !! My request for info on sailing upwind without a centerboard in Stand Up Zone has gotten a lot of good posts including yours (very happy to see you check into that discussion). But they all assume quite a bit of knowledge to SUPers who have no previous knowledge. For example, you mention the seemingly inscrutable: adjust the sail to sail, not to steer! But I’ve read two pretty thorough beginner instruction books and adjusting the sail is the only way mentioned for steering. How else? I think you may have hinted at the answer, but I didn’t understand it. So please supplement this fine entry. We would love to join you in the company of SUP sailors!! Al
Santa Monica [Link]
Comment on Surfing Chicago by Chris Aguilar
Hi there
looking for SUP’ers in the Chicago area, please contact me at chris@soulsurfmedia.com. We are considering coming out and doing a story on the SUP scene over there. But I need some info on best times to SUP/SUP Surf the lakes, and local shops supporting the SUP movement there. thanks
Chris [Link]
Comment on Longboard Sailing 101 by Al Karel
Bill- PLEASE do more on longboard sailing. I am in the dark and need to know more. For example, my Starboard Mr. Easy, 12 ft, 34 inches wide,
has no centerboard…even tho it does have two mast mount fittings. I can sort of sail it….but it does a LOT of sideslipping. Is your experience with no centerboard? Does sinking the windward rail, etc actually work, or should I be
getting the Starboard 12 6 with operational centerboard? Having fun tho just learning….knowing how to sail and knowing how to surf doeth not equal knowing how to windsurf. But after 3 days, I can get there and back just
so there’s no real tacking involved! THANKS for your great publications, especially the e-mail versions so we don’t miss a post! Al Karel
Santa Monica [Link]
Comment on About by Guy
Aloha,
Interesting story. I was looking online for a different Bill Babcock and stumbled across your LinkedIn profile. After reading, I was compelled to say thank you. Just that little bit of history was inspiring to me and a pleasure to read. You may be “nearly completely incompetent at managing people” but your wit and style more than compensate. With my ultimate goal of being a beach bum I think I can learn a lot from you so my subscription is in. Be well and enjoy! Guy [Link]
Dolphin Rings
One of the best things about being on a Stand Up Paddle board is the marine life you can see. It’s always a privilege, even just looking at a little school of fish, or a nice reef. But when you get sot see something big in the water–a shark, a whale, a turtle–it seems really [...] [Link]
Hydration = Balance
When you perform any exercise it makes sense to have your body operating at optimal levels, and hydration is clearly necessary to achieve optimal performance. But proper hydration is even more critical for Stand Up Paddle Surfing, because hydration has a profound effect on balance. Try this simple test. Next time you are thirsty, before [...] [Link]
iPhone for SUP
Apple’s iPhone is a great tool for anyone, but it has some features and available applications that make it particularly great for Stand Up Paddle Surfing. The phone I’m going to cover is the 3G version, which is handiest since it has built-in GPS capabilities. In fact the iPhone GPS is especially useful since it [...] [Link]
New Design, New sites
As many regular readers know I’ve been working on GPS features for Ke Nalu. In my typical poster-boy-for-attention-deficit manner I have fertilized this already challenging project with a thick layer of new ideas and redesigns, Ke Nalu into a publishing empire (sort of). First and foremost is an efficiency redesign. I spent some time analyzing what [...] [Link]
Saving Your Life With A Camelback
A bit of business–Camelback(tm) is a trade name of the leader in hydration packs. We’re using the name genertically because most people refer to hydration packs as Camelbaks. We’ll get to the Camelback part in a little bit, but first a little recap of current PFD requirements for SUP. If the U.S. Coast Guard has things [...] [Link]
Stand Up Paddle Racing, Downwinders and Distance Chapter 11
Rudder or no Rudder It’s immediately obvious when paddling behind a long board like the Penetrator that rudders are a necessary evil. Tap the rudder and the board slews a little sideways. That can’t be good. So the plan generally is to minimize use, at least in flatwater. In swells, the rudder is necessary on a [...] [Link]
Comment on Standup Paddle Surfing 101 by PonoBill
Probably the best place to start is on the companion (and newer) site ke nalu. Ke Nalu has a board comparison feature that starts here: http://www.kenalu.com/forums/showcase-index/ It’s gotten a bit out of date because there are SO many SUP board now. You are blessed with small size, that’s a huge help in SUP, it gives you a far greater range of choices. The Surf/Cruise issue is a little problematic. A board that would be great for you to surf on would be slow in a cruise. I’m surprised to hear there aren’t any sUP surfers in Jamaica, I would think it would be huge there by now. I would check with any local shop that handles longboards and see what they have for SUP. You might find it’s alive and well there. if that’s not so, then any windsurfing dealer that handles Starboard can order any of the Starboard line for you, which is extensive. Here’s a link to their catalog download page (via Ke Nalu). You want the 2009 catalog. http://www.kenalu.com/index.php?s=starboard+catalog&x=0&y=0 The Starboard super fish is a fine surfing board, okay for cruising, and it sails great. the Element or Gun would cruise better but wouldn’t surf as easily with your size. You don’t need a big board. Probably something in the 9′6″ range. It will be a little challenging at first, but you’ll master it quickly and it will remain a good board for you for a long time. If you got something bigger–say 11″–you would be able to stand up on it the first day and three months later you’d want a new board. you will anyway, but that’s typical. Hope this helps, if you have other questions please feel free to drop me a line. You’ll love SUP. [Link]
Comment on Standup Paddle Surfing 101 by Nathalie
Hey Bill, this is a really useful website, thank you! I was wondering if you could help me with some advice – I’m a surfer in Jamaica and have been intrigued by SUP for a while – it looks like a wonderful way to be on the water even when there are no waves to surf and a very good way to stay healthy, mentally and physically and have a blast. I’d very much like to buy a board but don’t know where to begin – there are no SUpaddlers here. I’m pretty small – under 5′3 and 115lbs. Would like tp get something to cruis on but also to begin learning to catch small waves with too. Mahalo nui loa,
Nathalie [Link]
Comment on New Toy: Hobie Adventure Island by Guy MacLachlan
Good stuff, thanks! I was at Valley Island Marine yesterday and that damn A.I. demo they had set up there has been on my mind ever since… Guy / Ulupalakua Ranch, Maui [Link]
Comment on Maui Alarm Clock by Bill Rozier
Wonderful post…I forgot how good of a story teller you are…. [Link]
Comment on Amazing Dedication by Bill Rozier
B: Wow….I have never seen anything like it….VERY cool…. Hope all is well my friend….. B. [Link]
Comment on Standup Paddle Surfing 101 by Jim Miller
Hey Bill,
We want to make sure that folks can get started in the sport correctly also. I look forward to more from you in the 101 section. We posted some info about getting started in SUP on our site under Stand Up Paddling Basics… http://www.wernerpaddles.com/go_paddling/tips/
More in video format at Werner TV…
http://www.wernerpaddles.com/wernertv/ We will be producing even more to make sure SUP’rs are enjoying their time on the water as mush as possible. [Link]
Living Well Is The Best Revenge
George Herbert said that sometime in the 1600’s, still true today. Stand Up Paddle Surfing has plenty of detractors, none of whom have the slightest idea of what SUP really is. For example, yesterday started off inauspiciously. The North Shore of Maui was due for a decent swell, so I rousted myself early. Ho’okipa was closed [...] [Link]
Comment on Hobie Trimaran Kayak by PonoBill
Hi Luca,
I have had the Adventure Island in very strong winds and swells to twenty feet. Took it with no problem, though it was a bit scary. They are very tough and can handle a lot more than Hobie would probably recommend them for. I haven’t done any trips longer than 30 miles, but I wouldn’t hesitate to. They can carry a lot of stuff. I’d carry a bilge pump though, they do take on some water, but it’s relatively easy to pump them out from the middle hatch. [Link]
Downwind Video Remix
Bob (Stoneaxe) remixed my SIC Animoto video. I like the results a lot. More active and upbeat. Shows that in Animoto, as in other things, less is more. http://www.kenalu.com [Link]
Comment on Hobie Trimaran Kayak by luca dadamos
hi. it’s luca from Italy, I would be intrested on buying this adventure island for nautical trekking. I just have some question for you: have you ever used this boat for a long trip? Is material strong enough even for strong wind? Have you ever sailed with big waves? (beaufor) sorry for my bad english I hope you understand enough. By Luca [Link]
New Features On The Way
You may wonder why there have been fewer articles in Ke Nalu recently, and why it’s taking so long to get the SUP surfing and SUP distance e-books done. it’s not just that I’ve been spending all my time getting the crap scared out of me in Maliko Gulch. I’ve been working on a set [...] [Link]
Comment on Proof that Santa SUP’s by noxtheking
noxtheking… Have you been blogging long? %TTITLE% is a great blog, you have a great writing style too. Found this post last Friday and i’ve been reading your blog since. I’ve subscribed to your RSS feed and I am excited for more quality posts like this one 
… [Link]
Holy Buckets!…Maliko 6
So maybe you’re getting tire of hearing about Maliko runs, I think this is the last one I’ll write up for awhile. But this one was kind of special, and perhaps a little stupid. I called the usual suspects and no one seemed to want to go. Just about as i was about to give [...] [Link]
Comment on Oregon Scientific ATC-2k Camera: Bah! by mick
I recently purchased OS ATC-2K POS (piece of shit) from Compuvisor (worthless, don’t order from them) & am a Mac user w/ an IQ & have had no response from either OS or Compuvisor re Mac & SD card format instructions. Went to the Mac store & not one of the employee’s there were able to figure this out !! Absolutely disgusted w/ OS, Compuvisor & in general American Capitalism !! Give us your money & we will do as we wish, because we can !! Aren’t there any legal (lawyers) people out there that have been shafted by OS that can get a lawsuit going ?? I’m soooo pissed off because of the principle & not the $115 that I feel I threw away. I’m going to fight this to get a full refund because I CAN !!! WANKERS, the lot of them !! [Link]
Off Topic, But Fun
I hope readers don’t mind these totally off topic videos. I don’t go scouting youtube for this stuff, but I get a lot of email correspondence from fellow nutcases, and it seems lately that whacked videos, especially as related to race cars or doing extreme extreme (uberextreme?) stuff makes up a large portion. So, this [...] [Link]
Comment on Oregon Scientific ATC-2k Camera: Bah! by nathan
hey all
well me and my friend both bought an atc2000 headcam each. we use them for surfing so they get fully immersed and thrown a bought a bit. They worked faultlessly for about 2 years. his though one day just wouldnt recognise the sd card. now today i went to format the card to remove some footage, using disk utility on the mac which i have used before to format the footage, and it seems to have wiped the DCIM file off the camera. this means that it now wont turn on except when plugged into pc via usb, and there is no DCIM file that i normally clicked on to view footage. If anyone knows if its possible to reload the software or recover it from my mac that would be great. email is ngm8x@hotmail.com as for quality of footage it was quite good considering the price. check out my user name on you tube of “ngm8x” for some bore surfng videos, also try bristolsurfer as he is another mate with same camera but his is still working!!! [Link]
OMG
I NEVER say that. Never. But OMG. Watch this video and tremble. wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo. http://www.kenalu.com [Link]
Comment on Surfing Chicago by surfC
the guards are the law at chicago beaches and they are there for your safety. at the popular beaches like north, trose, oak, and foster, the guards are strict cuz it gets so busy. but other beaches are more lax. leone, hartigan, and of course hollywood are low key and a chill place to surf it up. if ur cool with the guards there, you can do pretty much whatever you want, seriously. just be nice. oh and btw, im a chicago lakefront guard 
[Link]
Whot’s it Like?
I’ve had a few people ask me what’s so special about a Maliko run. Hard to sum up. When it’s big and nasty it’s like nothing you’ve ever done before. Ten miles of hanging on for dear life. I was playing around with Animoto tonight and put this little slide show together. It gives [...] [Link]
Comment on Surfing Chicago by Sean
There are some surfers around Chicago, one in particulaur is a Dentist friend of mine Dr.Stiffel Always there Dental Care! He is pretty stoked on Lake Surfing until I show him pictures of my latest surf trip.
Unfortunately it is illegal to take a floatation device into the water in the city of Chicago. They will arrest you! People from Chicago Surf N of the city by N.Westren or S. of the city down by Hammond,IN. There is also a big surf scene on the other side of the lake as well.
Try the folks @ Windward SPorts Jackie knows alot of thefolks around, she is super nice & full of info.
Hope this helps! [Link]
Maliko V, and Some Explanations
Wow, I thought conditions were wild yesterday. Today the mouth of the channel that leads out from Maliko Gulch looked like death and destruction. Waves smashing on the rocks on both sides of the channel, spray everywhere, huge chop in the channel and whitecaps with spindrift blowing off them outside. Perfect. There was even a whale on [...] [Link]
Comment on Surfing Chicago by Jeekoos
luckily the life guards stop their harassment on labor day!
now, you can launch anywhere.
and there are about 4 or 5 of us that SUP on Lake Michigan,
there’s at least a dozen folx that surf it otherwise.
[Link]
Maliko Quattro
Maliko run number four is in my official record book. Last guy to the beach again, but I improved my time over the last run (the Maui Canoe and Kayak club race) by 15 minutes. If I keep improving at this rate by the time I have Maliko 10 under my belt I’ll be whipping [...] [Link]
Comment on Surfing Chicago by Nicole
Hi billb, I live in Chicago and I was wondering if you met any other people/know any other people or groups that surf Lake Michigan in Chicago. I’m trying to write a profile story about underground surf in the Midwest. Thank you for your help. [Link]
Go! Gumby Go!
I turned the corner onto South Kihei Rd and saw whitecaps. Big, fluffy spraying-off-the-top whitecaps, and chunky swells even with the short fetch from Maalaea Bay. Perfect for a fast downwinder to the Four Seasons beach. Diane was dubious as usual, she considers anything beyond a gentle zephyr to be life-threatening, but I couldn’t [...] [Link]
Comment on Why Windsurfing On Longboards Will Be the Next Big Thing by Karen
Tom– is it you? Are you still living in Connecticut? I’m still in Ithaca, but I never get to go sailing at all!! Never! It gets me so mad– both my husband and my boy prefer motorboats. Write to me: ksg1@cornell.edu Karen [Link]
2009 Stand Up Paddle Race, Distance, and Downwinder Board Showcase–Part 3
Mark’s Big Idea Kiwi Jackson got sick just prior to the showcase, which upset him as much as it did me. Not only is he a fine SUP racer but he has a couple of very interesting boards and he’s a really nice guy who is always fun to be around. Sick though he was, he [...] [Link]
Comment on Oregon Scientific ATC-2k Camera: Bah! by Chris
I have been having a problem perhaps in its own class. Turned the unit on and captured 10 or so quick videos for testing purposes. Later on i used the unit again and though the unit powers on as soon as you click the record button a “0″ is displayed and slowly fades out. In order to turn the unit back on, the batteries must now be removed? what a bummer. Contacted oregon scientific and hope to hear back. Menu and everything else works fine, just when you click record the 0 is displayed and dissapears and no final products! Not recording internal or external (sd). [Link]
Maui Alarm Clock
The heavy lump resting against my leg leaped from the bed and ran straight into the screen door, barking viciously. “What the hell is that stupid dog barking at” thinks I. I had foolishly trusted Sam to stay in his own bed, but some time in the night he snuck into ours. I looked around [...] [Link]
Comment on PaddleBoy Goes Big by kevin nicolas
hey thanks for sharing your sup pics and blog.
i ride a 9 6 robert august woody but lately am leaning towards riding a sup. your blog planted some seeds *smiling*.
keep surfing brother
sincerly
kevin [Link]
2009 Stand Up Paddle Race, Distance, and Downwinder Board Showcase–Part 2
In the last segment we revealed our high-tech weighing and measuring processes aided by a $39 scale, some home-made calipers, and a tape measure sacrificed to rapid corrosion after being submerged in the saltwater pool at Ponohouse. So now it’s on to the beach. We had a few people who had conflicts arise and had to [...] [Link]
Comment on Funeral For a Friend by joe
Bill, Curious – is there a fund for Barney’s favorite cause? My dad grew up with him in MD (my dad’s wife did too) and I am sure that they’d like to remember him in some way. San Diego has great SUP spots, by the way. Email me at hoenalu@gmail.com if you’re ever in town and we’ll make sure to get you a board and show you a good time. JG [Link]
Amazing Dedication
I know a lot of you aren’t really car folks, but this video isn’t really about cars. It’s about what someone can accomplish by themselves, and the extraordinary focus and determination that some people can muster. I found it uplifting. Incredible Ferrari Project @ Yahoo! Video http://www.kenalu.com [Link]
Comment on Oregon Scientific ATC-2k Camera: Bah! by rob
i bought this not too long ago and i have no problem with it.
i dont know about all you putting the card in the wrong way, it only goes in one way IF YOU DONT FORCE IT. [Link]
Any Penetration, However Slight…
…is sufficient to complete the offense. Any other current or ex-servicemen out there will recognize these words from the Uniform code of Military Justice regarding sexual offenses. Always made me snicker. So it’s just simple karma that now I own a board called the Penetrator. Today I got the Penetrator out in what i suspect [...] [Link]
2009 Stand Up Paddle Race/Distance/Downwinder Showcase Part 1
We chose an odd day for our showcase–a Tuesday–but we were running out of time and Maui Canoe and Kayak Club had a race scheduled for the weekend that included Stand Up Paddle boards. We assumed most paddlers and some of the boards we wanted to test would be committed for the weekend. Alan (shapeshifter) [...] [Link]
Advanced SUP Techniques
Written by Tom English www.AlohaWealth.com When people ask me why I surf with a paddle, my response is usually, “because it’s fun”. But when I think about it, it is really about the speed and power that a high performance board and paddle make possible. The paddle allows you to lean into turns harder and [...] [Link]
Race/Distance/Downwind Board Showcase
The showcase test day is complete, we tested two SIC F16’s (the MkI and Mk II boards), the new SIC molded F14, A Bill Foote 14 Maliko, the Bill Foote 12 Maliko, the Penetrator 572, and Naish Glide 12, with a Starboard 12′6″ tossed in as a baseline standard board. That’s a lot fewer boards [...] [Link]
The Perfect Paddle
So you are ready to buy a high-zoot carbon fiber paddle and tweak it to make it all yours. Please don’t tell me you already bought one and it’s precut. If you did, skip way down to the taping section. This part will just make you uneasy. If you’re considering a wood paddle you’ll have [...] [Link]
Gumby Does Maliko
Maliko Gulch in the early morning is a strange place. Rainwater rushes through the creek from rainstorms up the mountain. The gulch smells of horseshit and squashed green things (there’s a ranch up the gulch). As I parked next to the muddy road in some tall grass I could see a swarm of mosquitoes lifting [...] [Link]
