SRFNFF

Boozers & Thermalution Surf Shirt Review

Posted 4 years ago

After yesterday's failure to surf primarily because it was too cold (39° wind chill factored air temp and 54°water temp) I decided to face down my inner wimp and commit to a morning surf…..no matter what. For me, the only way this was going to happen was for me to leave the house and arrive at the beach in my wetsuit.

Fortunately air temp was a few degrees warmer this morning and there were no high clouds obscuring what was going to be maximum solar gain. Regardless I looked at it as a chance to go with my full winter warmth wardrobe.
Photos may not be the exact rendering of the location surfed
Boozer's was the spot call. This place is a kind of beach break/sand point that sits on a long arc of coastline that runs for a couple miles in either direction. It's unusual in that the waves break in a fairly consistent place on the point although you'll get waves bouncing around from here to there as beach break waves do. The water was full of wildlife. At least a dozen seals were leaping and diving, revealing their long, sharp canines as they barked at each other. Great whites inhabit these environs too, but…what else is new, besides the surf shirt that is.

Surf this morning was smaller and less consistent than yesterday, with steady offshore wind. Waits were fairly long which was a good test for the heated shirt. It's easy to get cold when you're not generating body heat paddling or surfing. I managed to grab seven waves in a little over an hour, three of which were very good. My third to last was the biggest wave of the morning and it was just what I like…a late drop with a very steep takeoff into a long fast wall all the way to the beach. Stoke! I thought I was in the perfect takeoff spot, a bit inside cuz the waves were pushing water and rolling some, but as I turned and stepped on the gas I saw the top two feet start to feather. I started my drop down the face and quickly accelerated, digging the feeling of free falling with speed and hanging by a fin in the steep face. I had a solid connection. A millisecond later that pitching wave top slapped me hard in the side of the face and threw me off my board for a tumbling beat down spin cycle in the froth. Arghhhh! Bitch slapped! But while I was bummed, I was stoked. It could have been an epic ride. You don't know until you go and it was a great opportunity to test the wetsuit ensemble and surf shirt. Also, every once in awhile we need to remember that OMO is in charge.

My Winter ensemble from head to toe: 2mil Excel Quick Dry Cap (not an integrated hood, they make my neck feel stiff and sore); 4/3 O’Neill’s Mutant wetsuit; 0.5mil O’Neill Hyperfreak (that's me alright) neoprene/skins long sleeve top; Thermalution heated surf shirt; merino wool boxer style undergarment (surprisingly warm); O’Neill Heat 3mil split toe booties.

If you haven't noticed yet, up there under the blog title is a word that you, dear Reader, should note. Septuagenarian. Definition: A person who is from 70 to 79 years old. At 72 (73 in 11 days) I fit nicely into that category. And I might as well admit that I take great pride in that I'm still surfing fairly well into my seventh decade. In order to do that I really need to be warm. Thus the full winter regalia especially when the temps are in the 30's.

I've owned everything on that list for at least two or more years except for the Thermalution surf shirt which I added this season and it has made the difference between me surfing in the winter and having to give it up during the cold season. It's what keeps me in shape so when I return to Maui I can surf every day. But…it comes at a cost. They're retailing right now for $429 on the Thermalution website. Yeah, it's a hefty price to pay, but if it keeps me warm and surfing, it's worth it.

The Thermalution shirt (linked here is a lot more information which I've found to be accurate, no hype) is essentially a short sleeve rash guard with built in heating elements that rundown your back from your neck to your lumbar spine. This full coverage allows the suit to heat your entire spinal column and the major muscles of your back needed for paddling and surfing. This alone can keep your back more relaxed and limber as well as keeping you warm and in the water longer. The heat source is two slim lithium batteries that fit snugly in two side shirt pockets. When pulled over your head (like pulling on a regular rash guard) the batteries are situated far enough under your armpits and above your hips and are practically unnoticeable. The shirt is very comfortable to wear and has been well designed and engineered.

The surf shirt has a pigtail cord that attaches at the back of the shirt, with a switch which supplies heat to the heating elements. The switch has three toggle positions starting with the coolest setting, the green indicator light; then orange; and finally red, the warmest setting. Heating is very efficient and I haven't yet had to move from the green setting to anything higher. But it's comforting to know that I've got a lot of heating to pour on if and when I need it. When buttoning up my wetsuit in preparation for a surf I pull the cord out over my shoulder so that it hangs in front of my chest. I tuck a section of the cord into the front of the wetsuit, leaving about 6" to a foot hanging out. I then pull the neck flap over my head (the Mutant is a front zip suit). Before zipping up, I place the cord and the switch between the body of the wetsuit and the flap so that when I zip up, the switch is sandwiched in between the neck flap and the body of the suit. It is then easily accessible and out of the way. I usually turn on the shirt when I'm ready to leave the car. The shirt heats up very quickly and I'm nice and warm when I hit the water.

Apres surf, I leave the batteries on to exhaust the charge. The shirt keeps you warm as long as you have your wetsuit on, or some other insulating clothing, like a jacket. You won't stay warm in just the shirt alone, you need that neoprene or outer garment. I peel off the shirt and drape it over the rails of my boards, stored on edge in my van. When I get home I place the shirt over the edge of a padded chair, unplug the battery connectors from the shirt's heating elements and plug them into the charger. Charging takes a couple hours. Then I put the whole thing back together and hang the shirt on a hanger, ready for use.

Caveats: The heating elements are quite noticeable and are subject to damage if treated roughly. You can't wad up this shirt and throw it in a bag, the back of your pickup or your trunk. If you break any of the connectors the shirt won't heat anymore so you have to be careful. Also, while I rinse all my equipment after every use, I only rinse out the shirt every three or four surfs. When you do wash it, be careful and gentle. The second caveat is the connectors on the battery, surf shirt and charger. They are surprisingly small and fragile. Always use caution when connecting and disconnecting the wires. Damage to the connectors will render the shirt unuseable for heat. The connectors come with caps so the moral of the story is to never leave the connectors uncapped. They should always be plugged in to the shirt wires or capped. If you take care of your equipment, it will take care of you. And WTF? You just paid over 400 bills for this thing!

Overall I give the Thermalution surf shirt a five star (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) rating. On a couple occasions the shirt has been so effective that I've actually had to turn it off. But when it's cold out, don't leave home without it.

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Winter Waves and Remembering 2012

Posted 4 years ago

Thought I'd start posting again, a least for a while…

But before today's report here's a flashback from 2012 and a link to my blog post from the day in question…January 9, 2012, which was the best day I've ever surfed this place…ever. It wasn't until a few years later that I learned my friend, Jared Chandler, a photographer par excellence had documented the day, and the exact time I surfed. Here's his pic of that epic day.

Moving on to 2020 here's today's report. I haven't surfed the beaches for a long while. Last year there were no consistent sand bars that I ever saw, and the year before that I took a flyer headfirst into a little hidden part of the sand bar I was riding and gave myself whiplash. Winter surfing was over until I made my annual trek to the Islands in May.

Truth is that it's been too big and too good in town to venture to the beaches so, until today, I didn't really know what was going on. Here's the story…

Arrived in the Harbor lot about 0930, bundled up and stepped out of the car into a brisk offshore wind. It was fucking COLD and I found some shelter behind an RV to scope the situation. Much bigger than I had anticipated (head to one foot over or so) but it looked surfable, or rather, the peak with a firing left looked good. And it was…two shortboarders killing it on really fun looking zippy lefts into a sorta channel. Overall not bad and had it been anywhere but here I would have ventured out. But, I could not overcome 44° with a brisk 7 mph east wind right out of the valley. In case you're wondering that's a wind chill corrected 39° outside temp. I could not get past it. All I wanted to do was get back in the car, heater on. Then a young third guy ran down the sandy beach, no hood, no gloves, no booties. WTF? I am SO OLD!
On to Boozers where it was smaller and a little less windy and again was surfable. Two guys out. A shortboarder on the left getting good lefts (today was all about lefts) and a guy on a surfing kayak working the rights opposite the long peak with the left. The left would have been the call because there was something just not quite right about the right but it was well worth a go. It turned out to be the best bet of the morning, but still, I hate to admit it, I couldn't work myself up to get out in the cold. Next stop HP's.
Heinlein's Point was practically deserted with very few cars. Down to the end of the road which had more cars than HP's. I was expecting a big crowd and really good waves but while there were about eight or nine out, they were all spread out surfing different not that great peaks. I was surprised to see a couple of SUPs out. All the peaks were shifty and fast and very consistent. It looked very pretty but it wasn't all that good. I didn't really see any good rides. Again, Boozers was better. So did I go back? No, on to Badges.
Badges had the most people and it was very small and really inconsistent. The best wave had about ten guys on it and I only saw one two-wave set that was rideable. Everything was small and there were guys up and down the coast. Nothing looked good.
Last stop Tables where it was nearly flat all the way to the lot. Two longboarders riding a fun looking miniature (knee/calf) left almost to the lot. No waves seen from the lot looked even remotely good or fun so, I headed home.
If it stays small, I'll try again tomorrow…now that I know what to expect.
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Big Fall Sale at Covewater. Don't be late!

Posted 6 years ago

COVEWATER.COM
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Designing A Board With Kirk McGinty on Paddlewoo

Posted 8 years ago


Eric at Paddlewoo.com is currently running a series with Kirk which will end with Kirk designing a new board for Eric. This is a really interesting and informative podcast/web post, and if you're interested in L41 Surfboards, The Original SIMSUP and it's successors as well as the creative genius of Kirk McGinty, or just the modern cutting edge evolution of the surfing SUP, this series is for you. [Link]

Review: Quickblade V-Drive Paddle vs. Quickblade Trifecta Paddle

Posted 9 years ago

I did as much online research as I could about the Quickblade V-Drive and Trifecta paddles. Here are the two best videos I found that gave useful info about the paddles. They both feature Quickblade's Jim Terrell and are 99% free of hype and marketing. Video links: V-Drive and Trifecta. I think you'll get more out of this review is you watch the videos first.

These paddles are expensive and they are top of the line equipment therefore I couldn't afford to make an uninformed choice. In addition to the online research I hounded Keith, the shop manager of Covewater Paddle Surf Santa Cruz with a thousand questions which he was only too eager to answer. Finally, I was able to "try before you buy" because the shop has two adjustable shaft paddles in each model to demo. Personally, I would never buy a paddle this expensive, with as many variables, without taking each for an intensive test paddle.

Why did I need to buy a new paddle? I left my other two paddles on Maui where I SUP surf and open ocean paddle. I wanted my new mainland paddle to be a two-fer, that is, to paddle well when surfing my shorter SUP surfboards or flatwater paddling, downwinding or just touring around on my longer SUPs, a 12' Bark Competitor and a 14' Angulo Shaka.

A little about me. I am a smaller (145-150 lbs.), older (68) guy in excellent condition. I've been SUP surfing in Santa Cruz since 2007. I stay in good shape but I'm not a big guy, and I don't like big paddles. I was looking for efficiency in a smaller blade and I think both sizes that are available in the V-Drive (81 and 91 sq. in.) and Trifecta (86 and 96 sq. in.) can provide that. It's a matter of finding the right size for the paddler.

Covewater provided the V-Drive 91 and the Trifecta 96 for my use. I took out the Trifecta 96 first, mainly because I really like the shape of the blade and because the Trifecta was reputed to have a soft, smooth catch and efficient but forgiving pull with power that wasn't hard on the shoulders. I wasn't expecting much in the way of swell but a little south ramped up while I was out and I surfed for almost three hours in consistent, fast and reeling point surf.

Part of my agenda included distance paddling. Even though I wasn't on one of my bigger boards, I knew I could get the feel of the paddle from paddling the smaller, slower surfing SUPs. I deliberately launched a mile from where I wanted to surf, and paddled to the break. Little did I know I would be waylayed but multiple reefs that were going off. This was an excellent opportunity to put the paddle to work.

The Trifecta. The 96 should have been harder to pull through. But it wasn't. It was in fact forgiving while being extremely efficient. It felt like a much smaller blade. It was also buttery smooth and quiet at the catch. Keeping the blade underwater while pulling through to the release yielded a whisper quiet stroke where the only sound was the water slapping the nose of the board. It made a mediocre paddler like me, better. Equipment that makes you better? I'll drink to that.

That session lasted almost three hours and I surfed a ton of waves. I covered a lot of ocean paddling from the shore to the line-up and when I was done I paddled a mile back to where I launched. I was tired and sore, but I didn't hurt anywhere. I was anxious to try the V-Drive next and make a comparison.

The V-Drive. Two days later I paddle out into the line-up on the same board with the V-Drive 91. From the first stroke at launch I immediately felt the difference between the two blades. Even though the 91 V-Drive's blade was smaller than the 96 Trifecta's, it was harder to pull through. The catch was noisy and I felt resistance from the V-Drive immediately upon placing the blade into the water at the catch. I surfed for two hours, again I caught a lot of waves and I did a lot of paddling. At the end of the session I was tired and I knew which paddle I wanted to buy.

Decision. I knew I wanted the Trifecta. The V-Drive 91 was too much paddle and was not suited to my style, body type and condition, and surfing/paddling preferences. At the same time I thought the V-Drive 81 would be too small and it wouldn't have the soft, quiet efficiency of the Trifecta. This doesn't mean the V-Drive isn't a great paddle. My friends John, Kali'a and Keith (the Covewater shop manager) all have the V-Drive. But they are competitive distance paddlers (and surfers) and I am not. So the V-drive was not going to be useful for my preferences and everyday paddling needs. The Trifecta was just a smoother all around paddle, the catch, pull and release was "softer" and overall the paddle felt easier on my body. But there was a caveat.

The caveat. I still wasn't 100% sure that the 96 was the right size blade and this is where some guess work, along with intuition and research knowledge needed to be applied. The 96 Trifecta was easier to pull through than the 91 V-Drive. But I still felt like it put too much resistance and too much load on my muscles and joints. I felt like it would tire me out sooner and possibly lead to stress injuries. I just didn't think I would be getting the best bang for my buck, or the overall efficiency in a paddle that I was looking for. The Trifecta 86 was only 5 sq. in. smaller than the 91 V-Drive but I thought that the easy, soft feel of the Trifecta would translate better in the smaller 86 sq. in. blade than what I experienced with the V-Drive 91.

Leap of Faith. Sometimes you just have to go for it. Everything I had researched, learned and put into practical application was in my head. So, I let all that sit for 24 hours before making a decision. Like the Magic 8-Ball answer that comes floating up from the inky black, my mind provided the right answer. Trifecta 86. I ordered it. I waited. Was my decision the right one?

Shaft. While the Trifecta and V-Drive demo paddles did not have the EVA wrap and tapered oval shafts, there were several in the shop I could play with. The oval shape and tapered shaft, along with the EVA wrap felt really good to hold. The shaft is feather light, so light it makes you laugh. My decision making process on whether to spend the extra $60 was basically…if you're gonna spend five hundred bucks on a paddle why not spend an extra sixty and get exactly what you want? So, I did and I have not regretted one penny of that decision. The oval shaft is easy to grip and is not slippery. The EVA wrap handle fits nicely in my hand and gives me a sure, fast and reliable grip upon contact. Rarely do I lose the handle on side changes or in turbulent conditions.

Regarding stiffness this was a variable that I felt I didn't have a lot of control over. My choice was to select the oval tapered shaft which has it's own stiffness index (see above videos) depending upon length of shaft. I felt confident that the materials used, technology and the integrity of the company would provide a shaft with acceptable stiffness for my needs.

Something new with these two QB paddles is that the blade is glued to the shaft once it's been cut to the desired length. No longer is the handle glued to the shaft after proper sizing as it comes already installed on the shaft. The blade inserts into a diagonal cut on the paddle shaft, and is then glued. I like my paddles a wee bit long and the length I used on the adjustable demo paddles was perfect. So, Keith and I cut it that long and affixed the blade to the shaft. The bond from shaft to blade is so secure and snug that I electrical taped the blade to the shaft just in case I wanted to change it later. No problem and I doubt that I'll glue it at all in future.

I picked up my new QB Trifecta 86 a week after I ordered it at the shop and was stoked. I got the orange logo with white border. Olivier, the new owner of Covewater comped me with a very nice paddle bag and the rest is history.

Postscript: I've used my new Trifecta 86 for a couple months now and love it more each time I use it. It has in fact met all my expectations and I did get what I was looking for, a two-fer. This paddle is two paddles in one and works well in the surf or for distance paddling. The new technology and design of the paddle leaves my old Infinity otter tail and QB Kanaha 90 in the dust. Now my biggest problem will be talking myself out of getting one for Maui.

[Link]

Covewater Christmas Sale 2014

Posted 9 years ago


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COVEWATER – 5th Annual Used SUP Sale TODAY!

Posted 9 years ago

Check it out here!
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Covewater Opens New Locations: New Brighton and Capitola

Posted 10 years ago

Welcome to Stand Up Paddle Capitola! We offer stand up paddleboarding classes and tours from beautiful Capitola beach. Whether you're a first timer wanting to learn to stand up paddle on our gorgeous Monterey Bay, a paddler with some experience wanting a SUP tour with the sea otters and seals of our beautiful coast, or a private party looking for an unforgettable experience, we’re here to take good care of you.

And…..
Welcome to Stand Up Paddle New Brighton! We offer affordable stand up paddleboard and kayak
rentals at Santa Cruz County’s calmest and most spectacular beach — New Brighton State Beach in Capitola! Whether you're a first timer, or an experienced paddler, you will love the fun of paddling on the beautiful Monterey Bay. [Link]

First Maliko to Kanaha Run of 2014

Posted 10 years ago

Saturday June 14 2014 F14 Wide Glide – First Maliko to Kanaha DW of 2014 about 1.5h – I studied Google maps and thought hard about what I learned last year re coming in over the reef at Kanaha in preparation for today's run. I chose a spot Bill Boyum showed me on a no wind, no waves paddle from the canoe hale to the keyhole in the reef. (Channel #1). That was my primary choice as I was able to note the obvious landmarks and the channel itself quite
easily on G-maps. (Seeing it from the water, especially if the swell and wind are up, isn't nearly as cut and dry.) On the day of the Olukai last year, the swell was
up and Bill told me an alternate route through the reef that he thought was safer. (Channel #2). It was good advice. I tried to take that channel during the race but I didn't have the experience to know exactly where it was and though I think I was close, I wasn't on it. I learned where it was from Kim today.

As much planning as one does in the abstract, does not always account for what often happens in reality, both good and bad. The shuttle was packed and instead of just me waiting at Kanaha, there were three others who had booked. While waiting I chatted it up with a woman (Kim) in her 50's who was paddling an SIC Bullet 16 with steering. Over the time it took to pick up the rest of the paddlers at the harbor, and then drive up to the gulch we got acquainted enough to know that we were fairly equal in paddling strength (I'm giving myself the benefit of the doubt here) and paddling/downwinding views. Of course she is a faster paddler than I (who isn't) but she generously offered to show me her favorite channel at Kanaha. (The second one Bill told me about.) We paddled together for the entire run, she waiting for me when I couldn't keep up, and then went in first, showing me the way at the "Camp One Channel". The channel was very wide and very distinct and is located about a half mile north of Channel #1. It was the best choice today and perhaps because it is so easy to find, the best choice overall. Once again, God comes through with a blessing that confirms the 23rd Psalm…"surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…" (It always helps to have a positive attitude, and inspiration, whether it be personal and Providential or blind "luck", comes from wherever it finds you.)

The run on the inside of the reef from the channel to the canoe hale felt like a ride on a conveyor belt. From what LPB wrote below on the Zone re today's run, there was a strong east to west current flowing, which augmented the wind and the small bumps that were omnipresent. I was having so much fun running those small bumps that
I ran all the way to the lifeguard station instead of watching where Kim took out. It was a treacherous, board tossingly windy, but short walk from the water to the tree lined, wind sheltered path to the hale. Since I overshot the landing, it was a fairly long walk to where our cars were parked in the lot. Kim of course had it dialed and she landed right in front of the showers and her parking spot. We met up at the cars and made some plans to paddle and shuttle together using our own cars in the future.

Prior to this first run I was concerned about finding people of equal skills, ability and paddling speed to make the runs with. Although I don't mind paddling solo, it's always best, safest and most prudent to be at least within a couple hundred yards of someone else and for them to know you're around and vice versa. I didn't stop to think that Kelly’s shuttle service might be a great place to meet fellow paddlers. And today was a full van which provided the opportunity to meet folks.

Re the run itself I was surprised at how quiet it was paddling out from the mouth of the gulch. While there was the usual bump and chop, the sea surface was almost glassy and there were practically no whitecaps. This was in vivid contrast to what I had seen at Baby Beach and on the shuttle ride up to Maliko as we drove along the stretch of north coast we would be paddling, . But as we paddled west, the wind slowly began to pick up, the gusts got stronger and somewhere just past Ho'okipa it got good. I hadn't done a downwinder since May in Santa Cruz. There has been some small but fun south swell here and I've been surfing the SNAz every morning that there's been waves. So it felt good to get out on my first DW run. It was perfect really because the wind was decent, blowing good but not nuking. There were plenty of bumps which gave me a chance to work on, and really think about what I was doing out there to get better at catching and riding bumps. It's amazing how much more relaxed one is in 78 degree water vs. 53 degree water. Falling is almost desirable.

The F14 is a very forgiving and stable board, and no slug when it comes to getting glides or surfing waves. I surfed in through the channel on a small wave which just kept going. I didn't want to go into the beach so walked back to the tail and just tried to weight the nose up enough to ease out of the whitewater, which it (finally) did. Then I knee paddled parallel to the beach and surfline to get clear of any incoming whitewater before jumping back up to my feet and making the super fun and fast mile run back to the lifeguard station.

The run today was really exactly what I was hoping for. Nothing too radical, but definitely not just a hot, windless, dirge of a paddle to Kanaha. Wind should be good again Sunday and I'm booked on the shuttle out of Kanaha. I'm a little tired, but not too sore. I think I've got another run in me for today but Monday may be a rest day. We'll see. I'd like to go every day but that may only be something I could have done 20+ years ago. But one never knows the day or the hour when this earthly ride will be over. So I say, go for it!

(From La Perouse Bay on the Zone re today's run: "Today was a blast. Excellent current running all down Kanaha. Inside line at .7 miles out at the airport. Pier one snuck up on me. I heard it coming and was glad I looked back. Not a dangerous wave, but enough to knock me over for sure. Barely made it. I won't wear music for that reason. Super fun day.")

Postscript – A couple well deserved shoutouts to Scott Ruble at Covewater for hooking me up with Kevin at Second Wind in Kahului. Without Elua Makani, no SIC F14. And thanks to Kevin for stocking SIC downwind boards. (Scott has 'em too in Santa Cruz for rent and to buy.) Thanks to Kelly for providing the shuttle service that gets so many people on their way to so many good downwind runs. Thanks to Bill Boyum for all the good advice I got from him last year re the Maliko. And finally thanks to Kim for adopting this mainlander and getting him oriented in 2014. Mahalo to all! [Link]

Four Mile to Mitchells Downwind Run – April 17 2014

Posted 10 years ago

Thursday April 17 2014 – DW 4 Mile – Mitchells – Shaka (Just over an hour). A weird wind day as the NWS missed a cutoff low coming up from the SW that pushed southerly wind into the Bay, Santa Cruz and almost the North Coast. It was overcast and cloudy well into the afternoon and I feared that the Salinas Valley low pressure would be too slow in forming to create the necessary pressure gradient to crank up the 4 Mile run. But the NWS was insisting on small craft advisories for nearshore and outer waters so in spite of no wind showing on the Lane cam I loaded up and headed to Mitchells.

I arrived early and parked at the Lane so I could watch for the wind to come and have a device connection. In the slowly clearing cloud cover there was almost no wind and it was nearly glassy. I drove over to Natural Bridges to check it and same thing, almost no white caps showing north of NB's and Longs. I was pretty sure it was over for today. So I headed back to Mitchells to wait for the other paddlers.

Jens, Mike and Jeff showed up on time and they still wanted to go. I was thinking no go. Mark called and said he was going to be late so I said we'd wait. This turned out to be a good thing as the wind was steadily showing some improvement with weak whitecapping now showing on the outside. Mark arrived and by then I figured that there would be decent enough wind around the corner and WTH, I'm here, lets go. That turned out to be a good decision as the wind was in the 20's at launch and stayed steady for almost the entire run. I put the wind at just a little bit less than on Tuesday's run, but still plenty to have fun on. (Lesson learned, trust the NWS forecast and know that it's going to be windier up north.) I felt more comfortable than ever on the Shaka, did a lot of walking around on the board, and caught a bunch of bumps and glides.

Downloaded and subscribed to a new weather, wind, swell app called Predict Wind. http://forecast.predictwind.com/ It uses two models to make forecasts and appears to be comprehensive and accurate. Time will tell. At $19 it's expensive and designed for rich sailboat people, or middle class weather geeks like me. [Link]

First Downwinder of the Season & The SIC F-14 Wide Glide vs. Angulo Shaka

Posted 10 years ago

It's been a weird Spring. The wind usually picks up in April and the water temps are usually cold. Low 50's. It's not uncommon to get the windiest runs of the year in April. But not this April. That's the bad news.

But the good news is that things are looking better. A pressure gradient formed north of San Francisco and created small craft advisories and blustery conditions in the outer waters. It blew up a decent short interval wind swell and combined with the Salinas Valley thermal low served up 20kt. plus winds for the Four Mile to Mitchell's Cove North Coast downwind run.

We put the word out on the Santa Cruz Paddleboard Association Facebook page, and sent out an email blast the day before the run. Six paddlers showed up the next day at Mitchells for the shuttle up to Four Mile. This was the first of run season for about half of us (including a prone paddler) and everyone was pumped and stoked to be out there again.

Thanks to Scott at Covewater Paddle Surf in Santa Cruz for offering up the 2014 SIC F-14 Wide Glide (without A.S.S. active steering system) for me to demo. Covewater co-worker Keith knew a lot about the board and gave me a few pre-paddling tips that turned out to be right on. He also made a very good case for taking the FCS 10 inch Weed Fin instead of the stock SIC fin, so I did. I was skeptical at first because even though the fin is billed as a "kelp" fin, it's 10 inch depth had me concerned. But the fin has substantial rake and is very narrow with a thin foil, which finally made me more curious than skeptical. The fin is well constructed with carbon fiber and looks like it could take a beating, which at that depth it probably would sooner or later. The final selling point though is the fin shape itself, with that deep 10 inch depth and the narrow base carried throughout for holding the tail in and acting as a pivot point when maneuvering on the bumps, glides and waves of a downwinder. I was intrigued and I took it with me. I'm glad I did. In addition to the excitement of the first downwind run of the season, I was jacked to try the new Wide Glide and to see how it compared to my Angulo Shaka.

By the time we got our shuttle preferences in order and arrived at the highway-side lot at Four Mile the wind was cranking. Two person board offloading is a must unless you want your high value SUP peeling off and cartwheeling into 65 mph traffic on Highway One. We staged up in the field adjacent to the lot and paired up for the buddy board carry down to the beach. When it's windy, solo carrying a downwind board the third of a mile trail walk to the beach is a challenge few really want to accept.

A quick safety briefing and basic orientation to the paddle out, the reefs (and adjacent surf), and the kelp beds prefaced our launch at 2:32PM. Everyone paddled out in front of me and I was the last to hit the water. When the wind is pumping rarely am I able to hug the channel's north side kelp bed long enough to avoid the massive south side kelp bed. Today was no exception and even though I put in my first 500 strokes on the lee side of the board, I soon found myself losing the battle against the wind and side chop and heading for the kelp beds. No worries I told myself. This is a good test of the weed fin. It was.

The first thing I noticed about the F-14 was stability. This board is rock steady and handled all the side wind and chop the conditions and bumpy seas could throw at us. During this part of the channel, before you turn downwind, the swells are coming at you perpendicular to the board. So in addition to the choppy, wind blown seas, the paddler is negotiating the larger ocean swells. In this the board was perfectly stable. So far so good. This is a very comfortable board.

I was chomping at the bit to turn downwind but not before paddling through the last of the south of channel kelp beds. It's always helpful to have a like product to compare a current product with, and I had both fin and board to compare with the F-14. The Angulo Shaka 14 and the Angulo Sea Shaka fin. So far both board and fin were very similar to each other, and in the same basic camp and category. I didn't notice much real difference between the two fins paddling through the kelp. The Weed Fin (WF) caught a couple times but considering the thickness of the sea vegetation, it wasn't bad at all. Next test, downwind gliding.

Again the boards are very comparable and what I like best about both boards is their stability. Even though the boards are both 14 feet long, the F-14 is "larger" (and a bit heavier) with 298L of volume vs. the Shaka's 250L. But this just ensures the stability that is the primary feature of these two downwind boards.

This was my first run of the season and I should have been a bit rusty but on the F-14 I took off like a shot in the downwind bumps and proceeded to take full advantage of the wind, swells, glides and the F-14's progressive design. SIC has made a board that is both stable, and fast in the bumps. At least part of this can be attributed to the relaxed rocker overall. I didn't fall ever, and only came close once when I back peddled to pull the nose up and wobbled a bit on the narrower tail. To be sure, the Shaka is a bump catcher, but I like the way the F-14 "surfs" better. This is due I think to hard rails on the F-14 that start about a third of the way up from the tail. The Shaka has soft rails all the way around which gives it less bite in the wave face. The hard rail provides two advantages. One, when you have to surf the board on an actual nearshore wave, you've got a good surfing and controllable board under your feet. Two, the hard rail stabilizes the tail in crazy wind chop and keeps it from sliding out. Again, this is another rock steady feature of the F-14, along with it's overall paddling stability.

Another design element both these boards utilize is the pin tail. The pin vs. square tail is no match-up in my book as the pin tail is much less susceptible to multiple waves pushing the tail around at the same time. The square tail is less stable and more liable to slide out, or sideways on the bumps than the pin. The pin definitely enhances the board's stability in the kind of conditions you want to be in for good downwinders.

Getting back to the Weed Fin vs. the Sea Shaka fin the margin of difference wasn't noticeably dramatic. I would use either fin in either board and it would be all good I think. The WF seemed to also add to the ability of the tail to keep from sliding out and perhaps to give the board a pivot point off that long 10 inches of depth. I give both fins a thumbs up for sure. (The fin, like all fins these days, is expensive at nearly $100 (online) and if I get one, I'll throw it in the Shaka for comparison's sake. I'll update if and when that happens.)

I try not to let the hype all board companies claim about their boards influence me too much, but in the case of the SIC F-14 I found this bit of marketing to be pretty much right on.

“Building on a legacy of gliding and derived from the most winning open-ocean race
board, the F-16, this all new F-14 (14’0”) features, speed, glide-ability and stability that is
unmatched. With a focus on the less experienced paddler looking to find the perfect glide,
however, needing a shape that is more forgiving, capable of taking on sloppy seas and
giving the stability that allows one to get on glide and minimize fatigue, the F-14 brings
gliding to the masses and is also an amazing all-round fitness board."


So now we come to the two major points of difference between the Shaka and the F-14 as I see it. Price and availability.

Price. I have always thought that the SIC boards were expensive…really expensive. Some people (especially those into racing) are willing to pay what I call that "premium" price but I tend to be more of a value (aka budget) shopper and I'm not into racing. Fun and fitness on a durable high quality product that matches my skills and needs is what I'm after. At $2400 (online) retail, the F-14 definitely falls into the "pricey" category. When you compare that price against the Angulo Shaka at (online) $1400-$1600 (EST build) and $1600-$1700 (XLT build) you can easily see what I mean by premium price.

Availability. SIC has built itself into a proven powerhouse in all areas. Mark Raaphorst's
SIC designs are second to none worldwide. The company has chosen to prove itself in the competitive arena and more often than not, SIC comes out on top. They have built their business into a solid, profitable enterprise with a distribution system that ensures you can get a board just about anywhere in the world where SUP is happening. Check SIC's website for retail locations and if you're in NorCal or Santa Cruz, Covewater carries a full line of SIC boards and they have demos so you can try before you buy.

Ed Angulo is a senior shaper and one of the most experienced designers in the world of wind surfing, surfing and SUPs. Way back in the day on Maui, Mark worked for Ed. But today, Angulo Designs is the weaker business compared to SIC. Production and availability seem to be limited for the Shaka which is too bad because it's a great board at a reasonable price. Therefore, depending upon where you live, getting a Shaka could be difficult. Check the Angulo Designs website for contact info and availability.

Summary. Both boards will do what I want them to do. One is more expensive than the other. One may be more readily available than the other. Build quality appears to be very comparable. If you want the most red hot design emanating out what is arguably the most red hot, cutting edge company in the SUP world today and are willing to pay a few more dollars, then SIC may be your call. But if value is your most important criteria then you may want to chose the Shaka. Either way, you won't be disappointed. [Link]

Board Review: Original SIMSUP S3/S5 Hybrid (The SNAzY)

Posted 10 years ago

UPDATE: (please see below).

Dimensions: 7'10" double winger (toeside), 7'8" asymmetrical (heelside) by 29.5" by 4.5" by 122L
From the minds of creative, knowledgeable and imaginative people come innovations that always precede, then exceed expectations. Bob Simmons begot the modern planing hull, while years later, Joe Bauguess & Richard Kenvin begot the mini-Simmons. Staying with the surfboard genre Dan Thomson built upon Simmons original premise and proffered the current era planing hull as found in the Vanguard and Vader. And in the SUP world Kirk McGinty burst forth with the Original SIMSUP series of boards. Starting with the S1 through S3 series, he continued his creative juggernaut with the S4 and S5 editions. These innovations have led to the birthing of an utterly unique amalgam of modern SIMSUP hybrids, blending tradition with modern hydrodynamics and always based upon his core values of maximizing speed and maneuverability without loss of stability. The board you see here which I have dubbed the SNAzY (Shovel Nose Asymmetrical simmY) is the vibrant result of my latest adventure with Kirk and the Original SIMSUP.
I picked the board up Sunday afternoon and had it in the water at my local beach break at dawn Monday morning. My initial impressions of the board are as follows: generally, it paddles like a bigger board, and surfs like a smaller board. It took some getting used to the shovel nose. It just doesn't look "right" and makes the board feel like a much bigger board when in fact it's the shortest SUP I've ever ridden, and at 29.5", narrower than what I usually ride. Not only is it the shortest at 7'10" on the toeside (double winger side) but it's only 7'8" on the asymmetrical (heel side). That should feel short in the water but it doesn't at all. Happily, I did not even notice a difference standing on, or paddling the board between my current 8′ S3 and the SNAzY. Well that's not quite true. The SNAzY is slightly more tippy than my 8' S3 at 30.5" wide, but I didn't really feel any greater effort was needed to paddle, sprint, surf or maneuver the SNAzY. The sea surface was pretty glassy with some offshore wind ruffles, but there were rips moving around as well as some backwash from the beach which was sending some diagonal humps back through the lineup, especially after big sets washed through. Even on the areas of uneven sea surface I never fell off the board standing, paddling or sprinting for waves or rushing to get out the back and over set waves. The board paddles through foamy breaking waves better than any board I've ever ridden. The accelerated rocker in the shovel nose smoothly lifts the board up and over the whitewater and the landings are stable.

The unique plan shape that you see is deliberate and purposeful. The general specifics of the design and dimensions were made in collaboration with Kirk and with the indirect help of Michael Marina who had the first SNAzY I ever saw and graciously allowed me to ride it. It only took one session on the board and I was committed to this unique plan shape and the asymmetrical design.

The toeside wings are more pronounced than on my other Simmys and I was worried that they would somehow make the board slower or stiffer than my other double winger (S3), but no worries. The SNAzY turns and holds off the bottom without hesitation and there is no drag or lagging at all. The SNAzY rides the high line and goes fast, just as fast as my S2 and S3. Turnbacks/cutbacks are sleep walking. The board changes direction on the 7'8" asymmetrical tail like a hot knife cutting through butter, just as we'd planned. The board banks off the top and is steady and stable re-entering from the crest at the steepest part of the wave. Wider and heavier surfboards (think SUPs) have a tendency to catch the outside rail in the trough of the wave before the rider can put the board on rail and accelerate "around the corner" and into the clean wave face. This was an issue we specifically addressed with the SNAzY design by the 29.5" width and the slightly accelerated nose rocker. It works perfectly. While making the transition from the steep drop re-entry into the bottom turn, the nose stays well clear of the acute trough angle. The combination of the the k-rail and the double concave planing hull provides for nearly instantaneous speed with little (if any) noticeable deceleration. When the board has the occasion to ride the foam line it does so with no slowing, catching, jerking or loss of speed. In those situations it was almost too easy to slide the foam and turn up into the clean corner for more up and down action, or to flick out and paddle out the back for more.

Another important design element in considering a short, fast and maneuverable SUP is weight. The SNAzY is protected by a state of the art glassing application emanating from the Stretch factory in Santa Cruz CA. This process utilizes Technora Fiber seen via the unique crosshatch pattern inherent in the material known as Vectornet. It is defined as follows: “Aramid fibers are a class of strong, synthetic fibers. Improves flex memory on the bottom of surfboards, and core-crush and point-load impact resistance on surfboard decks. Also used in aerospace, military applications, body armor and ballistic composites."(1) In truth Vectornet has been around for a while and has been coming into greater use in the surfboard/SUP industry because of it's high strength to low weight ration. (I also dig the way it looks, especially on the SNAzY. Sexy!)

So, why did I go from a 8' X 28.5" X 4.5" X 119L S2 to the SNAzY S3/S5 hybrid? The primary reason is that I'm just not physically strong enough to keep from getting quickly exhausted when out on the board. If it was just surfing there would be no issue. The board surfs better than any SUP I've ever ridden, mainly because of low volume and the narrow width. But those two elements require more strength to balance on at rest and when paddling and catching waves. I like surfing beach breaks which typically have more chop and roll than point breaks protected from the wind or by land. It was just too much work to paddle and balance at rest on the board. Consequently my sessions were always shorter due to fatigue. I just wasn't having enough fun. SUP boards, paddling and surfing are like flying. It's a constant process of adjustment. Looking for that perfect balance between stability and surfability is part of that never ending process. That's (in my opinion) why we call them "custom" boards. They are custom built to the SUP surfers desires, needs and perhaps most importantly, abilities.This is self evident for those who have been SUP surfing for a while. Are you still riding the first board you bought when you started? I'll bet not.

Kirk and I collaborated to build a high performance surfing SUP that would surf as well or nearly as well as the S2, but would be less tippy and more stable in rougher conditions. The SNAzY is the result of that collaboration and although I've ridden it only once, I think we went a long ways towards resolving the issues I felt needed improvement. The shovel nose design allowed for more board width overall without compromising surfability. We kept the wide point at 29.5" (a compromise between 28.5" (S2) and 30.5" (S3) which is still excellent for putting the board on rail and therefore enhancing maneuverability.The asymmetrical tail was designed for ease in cutbacks. Not only did the overall plan shape allow for more maneuverability, it allowed us to go shorter, from 8' to 7'10" toeside/7'8" heelside, and still maintain acceptable volume (122L vs. 119L (S2) and 125L (S3). We were able to do this with minimal loss of stability. This is my fifth SIMSUP and each build has been an adventure as well as fun and exciting. Each new board aims for a new balance with the goal of extracting as much fun and pure joy from the SUP surfing experience as possible.

Over the last four years Kirk has invested significant amounts of time and energy into researching and developing the SIMSUP. (His design knowledge also includes building surfboards through L41 Surfboards, which he has been doing for years.) His high performance S4 and S5 models are built upon the plan shapes of the original S1-S3 series but they are incredibly advanced compared to those early boards. He has incorporated his knowledge and design innovations and continues to make products that the SUP world simply has never seen before. They say the highest form of flattery is imitation and there have been those who have tried to imitate the Original SIMSUP. But Kirk is the original, the creator. He's a genuine son of the Santa Cruz surf culture and the history of surfing and stand up paddling.

Update: My first surf on the SNAzY was March 24th, this year. I've had plenty of surfs on it in multiple locations, multiple situations and conditions from beach breaks to point breaks to reef breaks as well as summer surf on Maui. It is the most exciting and the funnest SUP I've ever owned. In a word, I "love" this board. I continue to be amazed and pleased by how fast and maneuverable the board surfs. It is also stable in almost all conditions including strong wind and bumpy, back washy seas. The SNAzY is 100% my "go to" board in all waves up to head high/one to two feet overhead at all spots where I surf. Even though it's short, even though it's got a funny looking snub nose, it can handle any kind of wave in that size range. Soft, steep, barreling, it takes 'em all.

The primary limitation in this board is me. I am too old to push this board as far as it can go. Under the feet of a younger and more skilled SUP surfer, this board would astound. I am slowly ridding myself of the notion that the SNAz is a small wave only board. I recently rode well overhead, 17 second, high energy south swell waves at high tide with significant backwash from shoreside cliffs and a lot of water moving. Six guys out, two on SUPs (me and a longer 9'-10' standard shape SUP) and the SUPs were the only boards capable of consistently paddling into the fast moving high energy waves. Drops were ledgy as you couldn't get in early…too much water. The loose maneuverability of the SNAz in small waves is almost a liability in large waves of consequence because it doesn't take much to move the board around on the wave. Making this adjustment in the mind of the surfer is important, especially if you don't ride big waves (think double overhead as a start point here) very often. I felt insecure and skitterish on the board for the first couple waves until I got my bearings. After that it was just pure adrenaline fun.

Contrast that day with the next in dropping swell at a different point break in 1-4' waves. Some were lined up with long fast walls and some were just teeny 1-2' barrels too small to tuck into. Those would just break into my legs as the SNAz just blasted down the line and onto the shoulder. Bar of soap, super slippery, kept coming to mind.

I took the board with me to Maui last Summer and surfed it almost every day for six weeks in small warm water waves. I'm going back for the month of November and my dilemma is which board to take. The surf will definitely be bigger and packing a stronger NPAC punch. My SNAzY or my S3? I still haven't decided.

This update is finished, but the story isn't. If I take the SNAz next month, I'll update again. Either way, it's going to be a SIMSUP adventure full of good waves and a ton of fun.
(October 5, 2014)

About me: 67 year old retired firefighter in pretty good shape. Live next to the Monterey Bay. Been surfing on and off since 1963. Paddled my first SUP in Hawaii in August 2007. Started SUP surfing in September that same year. Collaborated with Kirk (he's the one with the know-how) to build the first SIMSUP S1 which launched in June 2010. The SNAzY is my fifth SIMSUP. Hope to be able to SUP hard 'til I can't.
[Link]

Lots Goin' On at Covewater. Check it Out!

Posted 10 years ago


WE’RE PRACTICALLY GIVING EQUIPMENT AWAY!

Our Winter Sale begins Saturday, February 1st. There are some HUGE markdowns on new and used boards, paddles and board bags – some as much as 60%! If you've been waiting to get a new paddle, maybe a second board, or would like to take care of your SUP with a board bag, here’s your best deals of the year. [Link]

Farewell Anchovies (I hope)

Posted 10 years ago

Finally it appears that the anchovies have moved out. The fairly large swell over the Thanksgiving holiday moved a lot of water through the Pleasure Point/Capitola area and seems to have washed the long lived fish away from the previously calm waters of the bight. I say "good riddance". Along with the invasion of fish the birds have thinned considerably. The seagull population floating in the Soquel Creek Lagoon is a fraction of what it has been. The noxious rotting fish stench that has permeated Capitola for weeks has greatly diminished and almost seems back to normal. During our paddle Ron and I spotted only one flock of pelicans and they weren't feeding, just sitting.

The warm daytime weather is over for a while as cold temps settle in from the north. The seas are expected to return to their La Nina-like placid state but hopefully this introduction to Winter will be the trumpeting of the end of the historic anchovy invasion of Fall 2013.

Now that the water is free of fish stench and oil, and great flocks of feeding seabirds I can get back to paddling and surfing (locally) for fun and exercise. Typical to Fall there was a consistent SE wind blowing up wind chop on our paddle from New Brighton to Privates (for Ron) and First Peak (for me). Ron was on his 10' Takayama SUP and stopped at Privates to surf a few small, crumbly and chopped up waves. I wanted a more vigorous workout and paddle so I stroked up to 1st Peak. Also typically the waves got bigger as I paddled up towards the top and it was easily chest/shoulder high at 1P with overhead drops at Sewers. Conditions weren't any better though and with the now "normal" anchovy-like crowds which are ever present, surfing didn't look like much of a fun option. Thank God I've got paddling. We were out for a couple hours and the round trip NB to 1P paddles is about five miles. [Link]

Don't Miss It….either Day

Posted 10 years ago


[Link]

Don't Miss Covewater's HUGE Annual Used SUP Sale

Posted 10 years ago


USED AND NEW SUP SALE STARTS SATURDAY!

It’s here! Covewater's 4th annual USED AND NEW SUP SALE begins this Saturday (10/26) at10:00 AM. This year we have more than FORTY used boards for sale, as well as another 18 new boards discounted for sale. This is the largest used SUP sale in the country, so if you have been waiting for the right time to buy your first SUP (or another SUP), this is it! Inflatables, all-arounders, flatwater boards, race boards, downwind boards — all on sale. See you this weekend, and please tell your friends!

SEE THE FULL LIST OF USED AND NEW SALE BOARDS HERE

YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS TO BELIEVE IT The long awaited "Santa Cruz Issue" of Standup Journal Magazine is here! A must-read for anyone interested in standup paddling, "The Journal" is the largest mag in the sport of SUP, and for the Santa Cruz issue, publisher Clay Feeter spent three years collecting 88 pages of the most beautiful and striking paddling images and stories imaginable. Covewater owner Scott was honored to author the opening article for this epic issue. Drop by the shop and pick up yours today! [Link]

The Covewater Paddle Surf – SIC Interviews

Posted 10 years ago

Covewater Paddle Surf shop owner Scott Ruble and SIC's John Griffith talk about the new line of SIC stand up paddleboards for flat water racing, open ocean paddling and racing, downwinding, fitness and surfing. They dish out a ton of good info in this video and for even more on specs and all the types of boards offered, check out the Covewater and SIC websites. Covewater has all the SICs in their shop and you can demo the boards you're interested in. Call Covewater at 831-600-7230 to set something up.

[Link]

New Original SIMSUP S2 For Gary

Posted 11 years ago


Picked up my new 28.5" wide, 119L, Original SIMSUP S2 this morning and surfed it in tiny 1-2 foot Sharks this afternoon. This board has six liters less volume than my current S3. The "stock" S2 has about 127L of volume so at 119L this is a substantial reduction in volume at 28.5" vs. 30" of width.

Initial impressions are congruent with all other boards where I have reduced volume. Surfs better, tippier and a bit more difficult to paddle. Previously I've gone from 129L (S1) to 127L (S2) to 125L (S3), and it takes a little time to get used to each successive change.
SIMSUP #4 (fourth SIMSUP and second S2) was specifically designed to go on rail more easily than my current S3. The removal of the second set of bumps (wings) was compensation for the narrower width and s-rail (k-rail),making the board less stable but increasing the maneuverability of the board. This is, in fact, the case.

Surf today was 1-2' at best and weak. Therefore it was a good test of the board as an all-arounder in crappy surf. My thought is that if it works in crappy surf, it will work just fine in good surf. Again, this is, in fact, the case. I caught one good lined up and fast wave at Sharks and the board performed flawlessly, buttery smooth on the face of the wave and fast, zipping through several sections with alacrity. I can hardly wait to get it out in the real deal.

The biggest surprise had to do with the reduction of volume which made the board, with the loss of float, a tad slower to paddle. Less volume = a bit more sluggish paddler, but a much better surfing SUP. Standing position when paddling is more critical as standing too far forward will bring the nose too close to the surface and could therefore catch chop (etc.) vs.standing too far back which sinks the tail and puts the brakes on. This issue though is just something that I will get used to and is part of the learning curve of this new and more responsive surfing SUP. This fits the pattern of the other SIMSUPs I've owned, as I have progressed from less to more performance oriented SIMSUPs.

The bottom configuration is classic SIMSUP and there is no loss of speed as the hull design is the same proven standard. The board weighs out at 15.8 pounds naked, and with Future Controllers, 16.8 pounds. The FCS recessed carry handle has been improved for grip and the location on the board is perfectly placed for balanced carry with fins installed. That said the one knock on the carry handle is the sharp edge around the circumference of the handle at the surface. After my surf today the first thing I did when I got home was to take a sharp blade and bevel the entire circumference of the handle at the deck. 60 grit, then 30 grit paper were used to finish the newly rounded edge. This is a MUST if a person wishes to avoid a possible cut from the edges of the handle at some point in the future…if one surfs barefoot of course. If one always wears booties then no biggie.
Overall (and again) I'm completely stoked with my SIMSUP and looking forward to an even higher performance future with the new S2.
For more info on the SIMSUP series of boards which has quite literally taken the SUP surfing world by storm, check out Kirk's newly designed website at http://www.original-simsup.com/ [Link]

Covewater Paddle Surf in Santa Cruz is Hiring!

Posted 11 years ago

Thursday, 18 July 2013 00:00
Covewater Is Hiring! We are looking to expand our dedicated Covewater team of friendly, helpful people that staff our shop and lead our lessons. The requirements are an appreciation of this wonderful sport, a positive attitude, and an unparalleled commitment to our customers. Available positions are part-time, and being part of our family-like team comes with many wonderful SUP benefits and new friends. Opportunities normally include: SUP Lesson Instructor Experience desired, but not necessarily required. We can train. Looking for extra Instructor help primarily on some weekends during the summer, though opportunities to lead classes may be offered throughout the year at various times. Instructors can take on the classes that work for their schedule, and pass on the classes that don't.
Shop Staff
An appreciation of paddling is required. You don't need to be an expert in all things SUP — we'll train you to be one. Looking for help on the occasional Saturday or Sunday primarily. Shop Helper
Help with shipping, loading rentals, shop organization, etc. No experience necessary. Ideal for students. Primarily Saturday and/or Sundays. Pay is dependent upon qualifications. We can train/educate on SUP. If you (or someone you know) may be interested in joining our team, please email the following to

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