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Stand Up Paddle Magazine Issue 4
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S t a n d u p p a d d l e S u r f M a g a z i n e
+
AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2010 #04
Dave ParmenterWhy is he so obsessed With surfing in england?
The Shaping Bay 27 of the hottest boards detailed inside
Ride Guide fenland flatWater + decks in the city
RV TouRing The Pacific noRTh WesT | Manna fRoM a coRnish heaVen
Techn i quegetting under the curl
Coming Ou t : a toW-surfer confesses
his deviant Ways
Kubus Sports [email protected]
Please use respect and common sense when surfing an SUP. Just because you could catch every wave doesn’t mean you should. No one likes a wave hog. Have respect, and don’t be a kook!
AdjustAbleAlloy
CArBonGlASS
7” 8” 9.5”CArBon
8” 9.5”CArBonKeVlAr
9.5”CArBon
wood
8” 11’6”GuN
8’10” 8’0”9’6” 9’3”10’5” 10’0” 10’0”Ast
10’0”soft top
9’5” 7’9”11’6”wiNdow
11’6”Ast
11’6” 11’4” 11’4”Ast
10’6” 10’6” 9’6” 9’0”
InSTAnT FUn reAl SUP ShorTBoArdSFUn And PerForMAnCe
17’0”12’0”14’0”Ast
12’0”Ast
14’0”jAveliN
14’0”
FlATwATer CrUISInG And rACInGGlIdeseries MAnAseries hoKUAseriesnAlUseries
Phot
os: B
obBa
nger
ter,
Tom
Ser
vais
don‘T SeTTle For leSS.
BeGInner or AdVAnCed,FlATwATer or wAVe,
Kubus Sports [email protected]
Please use respect and common sense when surfing an SUP. Just because you could catch every wave doesn’t mean you should. No one likes a wave hog. Have respect, and don’t be a kook!
AdjustAbleAlloy
CArBonGlASS
7” 8” 9.5”CArBon
8” 9.5”CArBonKeVlAr
9.5”CArBon
wood
8” 11’6”GuN
8’10” 8’0”9’6” 9’3”10’5” 10’0” 10’0”Ast
10’0”soft top
9’5” 7’9”11’6”wiNdow
11’6”Ast
11’6” 11’4” 11’4”Ast
10’6” 10’6” 9’6” 9’0”
InSTAnT FUn reAl SUP ShorTBoArdSFUn And PerForMAnCe
17’0”12’0”14’0”Ast
12’0”Ast
14’0”jAveliN
14’0”
FlATwATer CrUISInG And rACInGGlIdeseries MAnAseries hoKUAseriesnAlUseries
Phot
os: B
obBa
nger
ter,
Tom
Ser
vais
don‘T SeTTle For leSS.
BeGInner or AdVAnCed,FlATwATer or wAVe,
R e g u l a r s06 | :Editorial: The waterman cometh...
08 | Lines: Event reports from The Crossing, The World’s in Anglet, The Venice Paddle, choosing a smaller SUP, new products and random plugs.
32 | Interview: We caught up with a curiously spry Robby Naish to unravel his rejuvenation techniques
40 | Shaping Bay: After a new board? Check this first! Monster 27 board round-up of the hottest ’2010 shapes.
F e a t u r e s12 | Wherever I lay my phone: From the green, rushing waters of Hood River, to the remote wilds of the Washington Coast and then north to paddle past bears in Canada, Dave Kalama links the adventures with golden slumbers in the Naish RV.
S t a n d u p p a d d l e S u r f M a g a z i n e
+
AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2010 #04
Dave ParmenterWhy is he so obsessed With surfing in england?
The Shaping Bay27 of the hottest boards detailed inside
Ride Guidefenland flatWater + decks in the city
RV TouRing The Pacific noRTh WesT | Manna fRoM a coRnish heaVen
Techn i quegetting under the curl
Coming Ou t : a toW-surfer confesses
his deviant Ways
Cover: Marcillio Browne scores an early morning session at Lanes, Maui, HawaiiPhoto: JC / Fanatic
#04AUGUST
SEPTEMBER 2010
18 | Autumn Gold: Dave Parmenter, the Hawaiian based master shaper and founder of C4 founder, tells us why he chose England for a surf trip.
24 | Crossing over and coming out: Rob Small explains away his deviant tendencies to flirt with just about any watercraft going.
28 | Belly’‘’s Gonna Getcha: Down in Plymuff they’ve uncovered an ingeniously simple and obvious way to extend their season by, oh 3 months? Read it, you’ll face-palm as to why you don’t already know. Guidance
30 | Wave Technique: Adam Zervas demonstrates how to get under the curl. Follow the leader!
50 | Paddle Guide: A two hour stroke round Paradise, Cambridge. Seriously.
50 | Paddle Guide: Glide along the oldest, and most haunted preserved wilderness in Britain, Wicken Fen
04 | AUG SEPT 2010
Unknown paddler strokes into a pure morning, Aragam Bay, Sri Lanka | Photo: Tony Plant
W E L C O M E
06 | AUG SEPT 2010
SUP Listings
EditOr Dom Moore Tel: 44 (0) 7540 155 [email protected]
tEChniquEEditOr: Adam Zervas
FEnLandpaddLEguidEshaMan: Roly Gurner
ChiEFCOntributingphOtOgraphEr: Geoff Tydeman
rapiErWittEdEvEntCOrrEspOndEnt: Rob Smalls
advErtisingManagEr:Dan Beechener [email protected]
artdirECtiOn: Harry [email protected]
dEsign: Paul Higgins
advErtisingsaLEs: Keelin Bracken [email protected]
hEadOFFiCEpubLishEr:Mark Kasprowicz [email protected]
COntributOrs:Dave Kalama, Erik Aeder, Stephen Whitesell, Julia@Naish, Robby Naish, Rob Small, Julie Small, John Hibbard, Matt Barker-Smith, Dave@Reactive Watersports, Roly Gurner, Adam Zervas, Geoff Tydeman, Tim Mellors, Ovidio Ferrari, Simon Basset, Elliot Dudley, Dan Beechener (!), Phil Bridges, John Popkiss & Tara@The Surf Commission.
printEdbyStephens George Print Group, Goat Mill Road, Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 3TD Tel: 01685 388888
distributiOn: Advantage; Associated NewspapersNorthcliffe House 2, Derry Street, London W8 5TT - Tel: 020 7938 6000
arCWindLtd The Blue Barns, Woodstock, Wootton, Oxon, OX20 1HA, United Kingdom
No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. SUP magazine accepts unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, photographs and transparencies on the understanding that Arcwind Limited and its employees accept no liability for their safe custody or return. Although SUP magazine endeavours to ensure the accuracy of information within SUP, no responsibility can be accepted for the consequences or actions based on advice portrayed herein. The views and content of the magazine are not necessarily those held by Arcwind Ltd, its Directors or its employees.
2008 © SUP Magazine. Arcwind Ltd 2010
T h e W a t e r m a n C o m e t h . . . The mist has lifted and perceptions have shifted. No more is standup regarded as ‘the fitness craze that’s literally sweeping the ocean!’
Standup has had time to bed in now, the novelty has faded and we can see that it genuinely changes people’s lives for the better. Going for a paddle isn’t something you do when the wind’s light, or the surf ’s too weak for the shortboard, it’s more than that. Dangerously more. You find you’re checking the forecast and maps to see if that downwind route will open up at the weekend, or if that remote sandbar will stir
into action. The prospect of a full, rich and healthy life on the ocean for people that don’t live in Australia or Polynesia has become a very attainable reality. Heck, they’re even paddling at night down in South Devon. You learn quicker when you multi-discipline, and that vertical manoeuvre you’re working on is now just months away instead of years. Most of you reading this have been spreading the message loud and clear, but if you’re one of the curious few putting up a last few strands of resistance, please believe that there’s just nothing out there that rivals standup for freedom and independence in the ocean. But hey, least we get too vain, at the end of the day we’re just strokers, spankers, and paddlers. Dom Moore | Editor
Now you can keep right out of their way | Photo: JC / Fanatic
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www.robertoriccidesigns.com · [email protected] Skye riding Elands Bay - South Africa.
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Conceived in Italy, developed Worldwide.
Sweeping the Streets of VeniceOn 27th of June 2010 t’was written a wonderful page of SUP history.
Over one hundred paddlers from all around the world did gather in Venice to attend and event organized by RRD and Nissan for an exhibition of surf culture in the Venetian
lagoon. The parade, which took the riders on their SUP escorted by the historical “sandals” of the Rowing Settemari along more than 6km from the Tronchetto through the Grand Canal till the Arsenale (histori-cal Venice shipyard), has created a new link between surfing and the city of Venice. During the parade hundreds, nay thousands of people realized that there
is another way to cut the water surface, using a paddle and a board as a vehicle of propulsion. Whilst tourists snapped photos from the banks and bridges of Venice, the Venetians looked out of their windows, curious to witness the spectacle of those surfers who paddled along the Grand Canal. “We are witnessing a historical moment,” Roberto Ricci said from the stage in Campo San Biagio after the long parade. “Today the Surf Culture and the Venetian Marine Tradition officially came into contact.” After a well deserved lunch-buffet for all participants of this beautiful event, in the after-noon they held a race among 20 pre-selected athletes, which saw the powerful English rider Neal Gent cut to the finish line first in front of the young Italian talent Giuseppe Giusti and Eduardo Diaz, another strong
athlete from Gran Canaria. During a joyful prize giv-ing ceremony, Roberto Ricci expressed his will to meet again next year for a second and even bigger edition of Surfin’ Venice. We thank all the riders who took part in the event, the City of Venice for the sponsorship, the cultural association InVenice and the historic Rowing Settemari for the precious help and support, before, during and after the event. A special thanks goes to Eliana Argine and her perseverance, without which Surfin’ Venice would have been a mission impossible. A big thanks also goes to the main sponsor of the event NISSAN with its project NSA (Nissan Sports Adventure) and RRD, the Italian leader in water board sports.
L I N E S
08 | AUG SEPT 2010
RepoRt: OvidiO Ferrari photos: AndreA de MAriA
Fen Paddle CompanyThe Fen Paddle Company is proud to announce new premises in Cathedral Marina, Ely, Cambs. Opened just in time for the summer, we have the UK’s largest demo fleet of Starboard, Red Paddle and Surf Series Standup Paddleboards. Land Paddles and land paddling suitable long boards from from Kahuna Creations, Comet and Carver plus the full range of Indo Boards. Come and visit for very best sales, tuition and hire this summer - serving the whole of East Anglia. Fen Paddle Company, Cathedral Marina, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB7 4AU www.fenpaddle.co.uk
KIALOA Shaka PuuMel Pu’u embodies the spirit of the waterman. A longtime life-guard at Makaha, Mel is a force to be reckoned with, whether he’s tandem surfing, outrigger surfing, or getting tubed with a stand-up surf paddle in hand. He’s also been known to give away surf boards and other contest prizes to competitors he felt were more deserving – it’s all about having fun on the water for Mel. We’re proud to name our new state-of-the-craft stand up surf paddle after him. A portion of Shaka Puu sales are donated to the cause of choice for Mel and his wife Momi, the Makaha Junior Lifeguard Scholarship Program. The versatile Shaka Pu’u excels in all SUP disciplines; surfing, distance racing, and fitness paddling. Used by Chuck Patterson, to win the 10,000 dollar first prize at the 2008 Battle of the Paddle distance race, the Shaka Pu’u is a “must have” in any stand up paddle quiver. Contact Seasprite Sports on 01903 503664
| 09
Coming down in size
B o a r d t h o u g h t S
‘ You’ll need a big board to start with!’ has been the motto of paddle boarding during the past two or three years. But these days things are definitely changing in the world of SUP; what was once a fun way to get into 2-3ft onshore junk now no longer cuts it for the majority of SUP brethren in wave rich environments. ‘Try a smaller board, it’s got plenty of float!’ is the new cry ringing out in line-ups across Europe and the UK.
In truth, people are loving the stand up from all different perspectives, as I’m sure you’ll know since you’re reading this mag. Coming from a shortboard surfing background myself, I love the feel of an off the top or roundhouse cutback into the foam ball, but on longer SUP boards, say 11ft plus, such moves never quite made it into my repertoire. I had to learn the drop knee turn and to shift my feet from the fixed posi-tion usually used with a shortboard.
What happens when it shrinks? Surfing on a shorter stand up paddleboard definitely has its benefits if you are keen to throw the board around and get radical, but how small do you go? Shortboard SUPs can benefit from in the pocket manoeuvres and spin on penny turns. But the compromise comes when you don’t have the glide to get into that wave, or the speed to scratch back out as the next set feathers in front of you. The ‘row effect’, or how the board steers itself in comparison to your paddle strokes is heavily affected on a shorter board as there is less board in contact with the water. A smaller board may feel funny at first, and you may have a shocking session but give it a chance; next time out muscle memory and some autonomy may reward you with awesome results. My personal journey into stand up started on a 12ft beast which gave way to a 11’6, to a 10’11, then a 10’2, a 9’11, and a 9’3, an 8’11 and 8’10 where I’m happy for the time being. However there’s talk of a 7’11 on its way and a proto 6’3 and even a 5’0! Silly business or evolu-tion? I’ll leave that to you or your wallet to decide.
It’s followed us all the way out here!In the European leg of the world stand up tour in Anglet in May, most competitor riders were on smaller boards below 9ft. Aggressive SUP surf style seems to be the direction the sport is heading in which is a shame. Talking to Chris ‘Guts’ Griffiths a few weeks after the comp he said that he felt disap-pointed with the judging criteria - a cross step to the nose not being scored as highly as high octane vigour on the lip. It now seems we have a split in stand up longboard vs shortboard style, so here we go again!
Personally I now really appreciate both the longboard and the shortboard sides of SUP. Having two boards in your quiver means greater flexibility. Depending on the conditions you can choose to throw some style out on the nose by cross step-ping your way backwards and forwards on a larger board or crank some spray off the top on your SUB whippet.
Shall we? The smaller boards are definitely more manoeuvrable in all surf conditions and allow you to progress your surfing in an aggressive direction, whilst the longer SUBs are great for all weather conditions: flat, small, big or windy and they are still the best boards to learn on. The deciding factor is volume in comparison to your weight. A 100kg guy in glassy conditions can ride a 125litre board if he wishes to samba, and in the same conditions he’ll waltz his way to the nose on a board with 180 litres.
So it looks like the stand up paddle-boarding has inherited prone surfing’s characteristic traits of long vs short...but the real question is can you do the Watusi? For more musings and gear, check out www.supgower.com for all your SUP needs.
WoRds & photos: MAtt BArker-SMith
Bouncing off the foam on a warm day in The Gower.
Right: The author contemplates a brace of sub 9ft boards. X-PAddLe
Kai Sports Ltd are now stocking the comprehensive range of X-Paddle paddles and products. X-Paddles deliver some of the best perform-ing shapes in both hi tech and traditional materials to give you a high quality paddle to be proud of. The range has been expanded to include the All Glassfibre models in 1,2, and 3 piece as well as adjust-able. The New Wood Blades, mated to the High Return carbon shaft ensure every possible bit of your energy is converted to driving your board with minimum effort. For more info, contact Kai Sports Ltd on 02380 894333, [email protected]
ATANATAN boots, for that ‘barefoot’ feeling ! Many of you will know that ATAN have for many years made the most flexible and warmest boot available in the market, particularly distinguished from the competition by their incredible “Barefoot feeling” sole. This “Barefoot feeling” is achieved by using a natural latex dip process which is unique to ATAN. These boots are light, flexible, comfortable, warm, durable, very supple and competitively priced. SUNFAST - Summer boots in neoprene 3mm, blind stitched, with small draw-string and very supple natural latex sole. Also available as split toe. Contact Seasprite Sports on 01903 503664
SuPPINg TeAMay we introduce Carl Coombes, Arch Chancellor at the Watergate Bay Extreme Academy. If ever there was an advertisement for streamlining your life and throwing off the shackles of the work-a-day world, Coombes would be it. Living three miles from the beach, Coombes makes the com-mute either on his road bike, motor scooter or fancy sports car. At work, you’ll find him either surfing, kitesurf-ing, waveskiing, and most recently but perhaps most often, larking around with a brew. For SUP lessons and guidance at Watergate Bay, give Carl a holler on 01637 860840 or visit www.watergatebay.co.uk
L I N E S
On the 25th June, four uk riders set out to create a new standup record for paddling from dover to Calais. elliot dudley went totally hardcore for the solo record, whilst Simon Basset of 2XS, Jock Patterson (2009 uk standup champion) and Matt Argyle of BSuPA formed a three man relay team.
the crossing was in aid of Surfers Against Sewage, and to celebrate their 20 years of cam-paigning for cleaner water and
beaches around the UK. Crossing the channel under your own steam and on such a small craft is hazardous enough being that it’s the busiest shipping lane in the world, but the team encountered additional challenges in the way of huge fog banks, overfalls, strong currents and head winds. Elliot scored the solo record and the relay team scored that record with a time of 5hrs 38minutes.
Simon Basset explains: “We split the relay into third’s roughly 7 miles. What I didn’t realise was that we only had one support boat, so we would have to keep up with Elliot Dudley one of the fastest distance paddle surfers in the UK. So the only way I could do this was to match him stroke for stroke and really concen-trate on that rhythm; I kept 4 to 5 board lengths behind and paddled as hard as I could. Jock and Matt were continually hollering at me from the boat to keep cracking on; it was good motivation”
Sketchy Riding for Animal and powering a 14ft Surftech Joe Bark down-wind race board with a Werner Spanker paddle, Elliot Dudley had his sights
set on the outright record, 5hrs and 9 minutes set by prone paddler Michael O’Shaughnessy in 2006. Elliot wouldn’t go on to claim this, but he did set a new SUP record. “We left just after half nine in the morning, it was really sunny, and super calm with very little wind. But after 90 minutes we had two hours of mist, visibility was really poor and there was a lot of current. For a good two hours it was really difficult just balancing and as we went over a couple of sandbars it got really choppy. Then we could hear the foghorns of the huge ships and feel the wake as they passed, but you had no idea how close you were”.
No rest “Definitely in the middle you don’t know if you’re gonna make the time you want to achieve. The first hour and a half the adrenaline’s going, and after the halfway point you see the end in sight it carries you through. I was counting hundred strokes each side; I can’t tell you how many times I counted to one hundred that day!” The guys arrived just after 3pm, 5hrs and 38mins later. It was an ambitious attempt, and with only Paddle Round The Pier to judge how tough it would be, Elliot said in hindsight and with all the variables, they couldn’t have knocked much more off the time. “It was a humbling experi-ence really, and by far the hardest thing I have ever done.” Elliot didn’t have much time to rest though, as afterwards he was straight down to Watergate Bay, Corn-wall, for the BLU Midsummer Classic in heavy overhead surf. “I got 3rd” he said. “I was still pretty tired and struggled to find waves in the final.”
Refuelling Preferring a slightly different method of recovery, Basset
explained that he ‘had a curry and beer’ since ‘I’m not sure all that salad is good for you’. Coming from a wave orientated background, Basset said his shoulders felt like they had a coat hanger inside them the next day. “Personally I like the solitude of being out on the ocean and I found the distance paddling I’ve been doing very ad-dictive, not only for the physical burn you get, but also the relaxing effect of being out in the ocean”.
Not eco warriors Reflecting on the experience, Simon Basset said “It was an amazing challenge, totally different from what I’ve done in the past. I really enjoyed the whole project, by focus-ing on my weakest SUP side -distance paddle surfing – I have improved my fitness big time. The bigger part of this challenge me was the SAS fundraising, I’ve raised over £3K, and I’m hoping to get to £4K and the team so far have made 8K for Surfers Against Sewage. I think what Hugo, Dom and the SAS team do is great, they are very professional not a bunch of eco warriors”.
RepoRt: SuP MAgAzinephotos: SurFerS AgAinSt SewAge
10 | AUG SEPT 2010
“We could hear the foghorns of the huge ships and feel the wake as they passed, but you had no idea how close you were”
LANzAROTe beSPOKe SuRF ACCOmmOdATIONCasa Penelope, nestling in tranquil Tinajo is the ideal base to launch your Canaries surf and SUP adventures this autumn. Just 4km from the famed point at La Santa, and with stacks of downwind, flat water, wave riding and exploration potential, owner / opera-tors Rob and Julie Small have extensive knowledge of Lanza to maximise your experience on the island. Transfers are an easy half hour from the airport. www.guesthouselanzarote.co.uk
ChrIS‘gutS’grIffIthSjoINSSurftECh Chris Griffith signed up with Surftech SUP boards earlier this year. After 12 hours on his 10’0” Infinity Kuku Hoe, Chris said it was one of the most versatile SUP’s he’d ridden. “It went really well, was easy to turn plus it’s a fantastic nose rider”. Guts said he was also stoked with how well the board went in a bit more juice, citing it as a pleasure to ride at challenging double overhead Sand Reef. “All in all I would have to say the kuku Hoe is a fabulous all round performer!” chortled Guts. www.surftech.com
BSuPa2010EvENtSWith four events behind us and four more ahead of us, the 2010 BSUPA calendar looks like this: 17th & 18th July: Gwithian Beach, Cornwall, SUP Stock. The free, fun event, hopefully with pumping waves!4th & 5th September: Gower, Wales, Stand Up Paddle Surf Contest and Race (Series event)11th & 12th September: Windfest, Poole, Stand Up Paddle Race (Series event)16th & 17th October: Watergate Bay, Stand Up Paddle Surf Contest and Race (Series event). The end of series event, not to be missed!Check BSUPA.org for more info on events and race standings.
World Class products designed, tested, and distributed in the UK by TIKI International
www.tikisurf.co.uk
Dar
rell
Won
g
ROADTRIP
12 | AUG SEPT 2010
Thwacking it, Dave Kalama, somewhere in the Pacific North West.
Remember your first ever road trip, in a mate’s newly acquired beat up old Vauxhall Viva where you weren’t allowed to rest your feet on the dash? The game doesn’t change, the toys just get bigger, as Dave Kalama realizes on a motor home tour up the North West Pacific seaboard…
We’re off and running…sort of. After ar-riving in Portland at about 11:15 pm, getting the rental car, collecting boards, loading up (SUP’s aren’t the most conducive to travel), stopping at Jack in the Box, then driving the hour and a half to Hood River, we finally got to the “Naish Motor Home” parked out-side the Naish office in White Salmon, Washington. This model of luxury travel accommodations is Naish’s new pride and joy for Naish North Ameri-ca. You have all the comforts of home, even four TV’s scattered throughout the 40-foot island of luxury. There’s only one problem, we’re not allowed to touch anything! It’s been made very clear that the bathroom isn’t actually a bathroom, but rather a place to merely moisten your toothbrush. Anyone caught using it as a “bathroom” will be running alongside the motor home to the next destination. Anyway, we finally made it to the Gorge, our first
stop on the modern version of the Stand Up Magical Mystery Tour.
Day 2I think I’m awake… I can feel the pain in my toe from stubbing it in the doorway, but my eyelids won’t open to confirm my consciousness. After stumbling through the weeds outside the motor home to find the “real bath-room,” I started to feel the reason we’re here... the wind. My goal is to do a downwind run and try to ride some of the famous swells that I last rode 20 years ago on my windsurfer. But first, breakfast down at the local diner. I felt like we had time traveled right to downtown Mayberry when we walked inside. It was a classic old-fashioned breakfast with a scoop of butter large enough to be mistaken for vanilla ice cream. Robby even took it to the next level by ordering a plate of biscuits and gravy. The only thing missing was Sheriff Andy Taylor and Barney Fiffe.
After breakfast we unpacked the boards and headed for the river.
We arrived at the “hatchery” to see the kite and windsurfers jumping around like a plate of Mexican jumping beans. The wind was good but it wasn’t the “nuclear” condition the locals like to call it when it is at its best. I saw swells that were toppling over at about four-feet. Good enough to get me pumped up! So I grabbed the 12-foot glide and headed for the river.
The largest swells occur where the river is running the strongest against the wind. The wind helps the swell stand taller and makes for better riding if you have the opportunity to catch one. That “if ” turned out to be a bigger “if ” than I had anticipated. I had to work twice as hard as I would on Maui to catch a swell because the current works against you. But WOW, when I did get a ride it was amazing. After a few attempts, I finally started to figure out the technique to catch them. A couple of my rides must have been a hundred yards.
Words: Dave Kalama | Photos: Stephen WhiteSell
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ROADTRIP
It’s funny, once that board is planing and the spray is coming off the rails, it doesn’t matter where you are. You get so entranced in the moment that nothing else matters; it’s the greatest feeling in the world. It was well worth the 20-year wait to get back to this location. Robby and Michi soon jumped in behind me and we were off and running down (or should I say up) the river with the wind at our backs.
Day 3Unfortunately, we spent the better part of the day chasing the elusive golden goose (a hot tip sent our way about a “secret” dam) that for some reason we never could find. Not because we didn’t try. We spent at least three hours driving around looking for the “secret” spot. I’m not talking about some little beaver dam in a forest, this was supposed to be a full on dam with a road across the top and a major highway next to it.
After giving up on the dam (figuring it was a cruel joke that the locals play on tourists) we found a cool little river that dumps into Hood River with a couple of really old bridges over it so we unstrapped the boards and jumped in. The first thing we discovered was that the swells traveling on Hood River created the turn into this smaller river and we were able to ride for about 50 yards without paddling. It was cool to be able to go under both bridges without paddling while still moving along at about four miles per hour. There were steep rock faces on each side of the river that created a feeling of remoteness, but really, we were only five minutes from where we entered the water.
Paddling in this kind of environment provides the opportunity to witness things that you otherwise would not. Basically, you exit the main hiking trails and blaze your own aqua trails. This is just one more reason that this sport is so cool. These little adventures must be softening Robby’s constitution, because I just saw him put a slightly wet board into the sacred motor home’s giant rear garage. I’ll take that as a good sign. We end another day on the road as we head towards Canada...eh.
CanaDaI didn’t realize that Walmart parking lots were such exciting places to spend the night. They provide an excellent op-portunity to get up early and go shopping for useful items, such as a head torch for writing into the wee hours. You can also grab a quality breakfast from Maccy D’s right inside the front door. Plus, you’re more accessible to the Jehovah’s Witnesses that stop by to drop off valuable read-ing material. I’ve never seen such a short conversation with a Jehovah’s Witness as the one I saw when Robby turned the discussion into a political one. Maybe he didn’t believe in politics.
After a day of fun races with the local Surfrider chapter, I assumed my vice-assist-ant navigator position on the couch and it wasn’t long before I was rudely awakened to be told we had already arrived at our new destination. I’d give you the names of these spots but I’m usually asleep when we pull up. Robby opted for his 9’3” and Michi took the 9’6” this time, which left me with the 11’4”. Robby must have been really excited to be out from behind the
14 | AUG SEPT 2010
Robby Naish finds his way under a fluffy lip
Robby Naish finds his way under a fluffy lip
Somewhere up a Hood River tributary, Dave.
driver’s seat because he was killing it. It was great to see that stoke in both Michi and Robby since that was the whole point of this trip. I was being a little picky since I had the 11’4”. Because of the extra stability, I spent much less time in the water. I did get a couple fun ones that lined up nicely.
Although the waves were fun, it was the sur-rounding scenery that really captured my attention. Little islands sticking out of the water like giant scoops of Rocky Road ice cream in a root-beer float sprinkled the coastline. Driftwood up to 40 feet in length covered the beaches almost as if they were a protective barrier from the ocean. I even had a seal come up and surprise me, almost giving me a heart
attack before I realized what it was. And to put the proverbial “cherry” on top of the entire after-noon, there were hot showers in the campground where we were staying.
Day 5Being the photo whore that I am, I couldn’t resist taking advantage of the morning light and snapping a picture with the little island in the background. With our motivation being to simply to get one photo, it didn’t take long before the 50 degree water pulled the plug on this shoot. We would have plenty of time to warm up in the mo-tor home on our next leg. Once again, with Robby dutifully taking the wheel, I assumed my position of vice assistant of navigation on the couch and instructed the chief navigator to wake me upon arrival. I can’t help but wonder if my technique for making the trip go by faster is helping everyone. Wow, that was quick! We’re here already? Good job team. Next we drove onto a ferry that seemed impossibly small to fit our behemoth land yacht, but it did. After a short but stressful drive through Victoria, we were on our way again headed for the Waikiki of Vancouver Island: Tofino. When we got there, Robby’s Quiksilver brothers saved us a place to park in the driveway located on the beach.
Day 6We jumped in the water and paddled across Cox Bay to a little left that provided hours of good clean fun. Robby was once again doing his impression of the 40-something grom who rides every wave like it might be his last. Lucky for me, he didn’t pick up this sport sooner or he’d probably be just as dominant at this as he was in windsurfing and kiteboarding. Michi is great to surf with because he always has this smile on his face that looks like he just stole a cookie from the cookie jar and got away with it.
After surfing, we headed into town for lunch at one of the local eateries. While there, we had the chance to meet one of the local heroes named Ralph Bruhwiler. His humble demeanor hid the fact that he is probably one of the most talented hell-men I have ever met. He started showing us pictures of the Canadian Surf Magazine. The pictures inside showed massive snowy barrels, big tow-ins and sick airs. This guy has got to be one of the most famous surf-ers I’ve never heard of. What makes him so hard-core is that his water warms up to the mid-50’s in the summer. That means most of his real surfing is done in water that is in the 40’s! I think I would have ended up a wanna-be white guy basketball player riding the bench if I had to deal with water that cold. After venturing around town some more and seeing how many surf shops and surfers were here, I realized that the average Canadian surfer is way more gnarly than I am. Tofino has a huge system of inter-coastal waterways with hundreds of little islands; some so small there wouldn’t be enough room to lay my stand up board across them and others big enough to be called Lanai. On extreme low tides, black bears come out of the wood work to for-age for sea life under the rocks normally covered by water.
It’s been made very clear that the bathroom isn’t actually a bathroom, but rather a place to merely mois-ten your tooth-brush. anyone caught using it as a “bathroom” will be running alongside the motor home to the next destination.
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Somewhere up a Hood River tributary, Dave.
ROADTRIP
Ralph and Steve from Quiksilver both have boats and thought it would be good for us to meet some of the “real” locals of Tofino. So we pulled Steve’s normally floating boat back down to the water (because of the extreme low tide) and were soon under way. Not more than five minutes into the ven-ture at the water’s edge, we came across two bald eagles standing at attention, looking as if they were descendants of royalty. It was as if they were the gatekeepers controlling the flow of traf-fic into the backcountry. It was hard to tell if they gave us the nod of approval, but we continued anyway.
After about 20 minutes of search-ing and hearing “normally they are everywhere,” we began to wonder if this bear story was more of a bull story. Just then we saw a boat in the distance headed up to the shore as if he were looking at something. We motored over and sure enough the elusive bear finally decided to show himself. We had our stand up boards with us so we plopped them in the water and went in for a closer look. As we did, we passed the other boat driver with his guests and he made some snide remark that only a hater could make. I just said to myself what I always say in these situa-tions, “He’s doing the best he can with what he’s got.” The situation was far too cool to let that be a blip on the ra-dar. As Robby and I paddled closer, we
began to wonder how close we should get. At 30 feet we might as well have been invisible, at 20 feet he looked up for about one second then went back to trying to get some morsel out from under the rock. Then, at about 10 feet from the bear, he finally looked at us to see if we were a threat. We must have been doing a good job at looking feeble because he went back to the food. We could actually hear him snorting and breathing as he was working to get at something. Finally his head lifted with a big glob hanging from his mouth, so we backed up a little. We didn’t want him to think we were hungry for that gem. The first phase of our re-entry into reality was quite pleasant. The walk across the old rickety dock was our first signal that civilization was near. Even the drive out of Tofino proved to be an excellent transition back. However, phase two began with driving our under-sized hotel onto a large metal ship with several other people that looked like they were closer to the end than the beginning. The final re-entry came when driving off of the boat into border patrol in Vancouver. Seeing the armed guards in uniform glaring at us was a stern re-minder that we were no longer running free in Omaha’s wild kingdom.
Don’t get me wrong, the North-west is a beautiful spot, especially on a sunny day, but there is something very
rejuvenating about seeing more bears and eagles than people.
Last DayTime to start packing up. The North-west and Vancouver Island have been very good to us. She’s shared some of her better people with us and showed us her wild side, literally. She’s given us political discussion with the Jehovah’s Witnesses in a Walmart parking lot and a sojourn I took one morning along the Vancouver coastline that felt like a scene from “Into the Wild.” I am sure there are some really good restaurants in Washington, but unfortunately I did not go to any of them. We were too busy eating at Denny’s and Taco Bell. In fact, there’s a good chance I’ll never eat at either one of those places again. Robby’s eating habits remind me of a kid who recently moved out of the house and his parents never let him eat fast food. With Robby’s appear-ance and fitness level you would never know it.
One of the great things about stand up is that you don’t need to end up somewhere like the Mentawai Islands or Tahiti in order to have fun. Some-thing about stand up seems to provide more enjoyment from the fact that you are doing it rather than the quality in which you do it. I think that is one of the best things about it. Stand up gives you the ability to transfer a flat piece of water or a mediocre wave into the perfect playground where your imagi-nation can run wild with possibilities. This sport can be so many things to so many people and I think that’s why it is so appealing to so many. In this case, it was a meant to be a great adventure.
He started show----ing us pictures of the Canadian surf Magazine. the pictures inside showed massive snowy barrels, big tow-ins and sick airs in 40 degree water. …I realized that the average Canadian surfer is way more gnarly than I am.
16 | AUG SEPT 2010
Surf photo, top left - ‘Michi Schweiger driving off the bottom’
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A u t u m n G o l d
18 | AUG SEPT 2010
Dave tucks into a rare treat on the central south coast of Cornwall.
It ’s early autumn, the light is clear, low and golden. I’m sitting in a cafe in newquay with C4 Waterman shaper and co-founder Dave Parmenter and his wife Claudia. They’ve recently relocated to Kaui, after many years on Oahu, and now they’re on holiday in Cornwall. yep, holiday. I have to wonder what the uK has that could attract this master shaper and former top 16 pro surf world tour competitor away from the balmy Pacific to our windswept shores...
For the next two hours, we sit huddled around a voice recorder, drinking strong coffee and talking about a backyard shaper uprising, the importance of traditional surf values, the founding of modern standup thanks to Brian Keaulana, but first, how’s the Cornish surf been treating Dave and Claudia? “On the South Coast of Cornwall we had our first surf here. It was beautiful, it was perfect down there, especially after a spell of bad weather, to wake up and have it offshore. I’ve been here during summer in August on the ASP tour in Newquay (Foster’s Boardmasters in the ‘80’s) and it was almost more or less overcast, but warmer, onshore, small surf at Fistral, but it was one of my favourite stops on the tour. So we wanted to come here in the off season. We took a sight-seeing tour, and went down to a spot near Land’s End. There was a lot of swell pushing through, and in a far corner of this beach it was just pumping up from the bluff, there were all sorts of weird sand bars, it was like
Johanna (infamous heavy/big wave spot in Victoria, Australia) Outside it was break-ing and coming in, then it would reform and turn the corner, and it would just be this huge bowl and it was bending round, and there were two guys and they were just sitting in the wrong place and getting clubbed. There was another bank, and a far offshore bank and it was just amazing. It was like sheet glass between sets, nobody around, all that countryside in the back-ground. It looked just like Johana.
I always wanted to come into Eng-land; I grew up in America but I was totally immersed in English literature; all my favourite writers were English and not American. I grew up infatuated with Eng-lish history and the empire and the whole thing. I just love it. There’s just something about it. It’s really laid back; it’s beautiful, we love it. Surfers are hardy here, they’re really hard core but they don’t know their hardcore. It’s really friendly, it seems like there’s plenty of room.
IntervIew: Dom moore Photos: Geoff TyDeman
| 19
A u t u m n G o l d
They were a round bottom, you could surf them on outside reefs on big slopey waves, sometimes up to 10ft Hawaiian. That was a way to get the same glide and fun factor that standup gives and I was already doing it. I was working on the high end of mass in boards. About fifteen years ago I figured out that the future of surfing to me was waves that no one else wants. So once you decide on that as a shaper or a designer, and you make boards for those waves, to get the most fun out of it. I was already heading in that direction trying to make boards and design surf craft that let me ride waves that no one else wanted.
to Honolulu and not hear the most unlikely people telling everybody at the top of their lungs about their surfing.
Everybody has the right to go out and learn but there are rules. It’s like that line down the middle of the road that says ‘you stay on that side and I’ll stay on this side or there’s gonna be trouble’. And that’s what I’m saying, if everybody came into surfing it would be great, but they have to understand that we have a culture and it goes back a long way, to Polynesian times, and there’s been a lot of very unique people and circumstances that have created that, and you have to be indoctrinated into it. You can’t just come into it and say ‘well it’s all about me now’. You can’t paddle out through the break, beginners shouldn’t be out at expert spots...not that it should be constrained by rules, but there is a living breathing culture. How were you feeling about surfing before you got into standup? “The previous seven or eight years be-fore we started stand up, I was already on my way out of it. I was you know, surfing around the edges; I was making these 12.5ft really narrow prone paddle boards that you could surf.
I wonder aloud if people were recep-tive to new stand-ups in the water. As soon as I mention it, I realise I’ve missed the obvious...“We don’t surf around people; the whole point of it to me is to get away from the surf scene. It’s like getting out into the wilderness away from anybody and leaving it all behind. Even in Oahu there’re waves that nobody wants. They’re away from parking lots; people are scared of the sharks...They’re good waves, and in the West of (Oahu) we get really good conditions. You don’t get all the wind and bump that you get on the North Shore.
We grew up and were indoctrinated in the 70’s and it was a really unique thing, with a set code and everybody knew their place, it was like being on a tightly run naval ship, exactly like that. You know, punishment was meted out, nothing went on between decks, you had your lower decks, all the way up to a bridge, and everybody had their rank and you had to earn it and everyone behaved themselves. Now it’s become unglued with surfing becoming the new yoga or the new mountain climbing. In America, in California especially, or Hawaii everybody’s a surfer now; you can’t ride on a plane from Los Angeles
The basic me-chanics that you see everybody do today, Brian Keaulana did completely on his own on that first 10ft board. Lean-ing on the paddle, bottom turning, blade cantilevered down, the layback thing... He’d fig-ured it all out on his own in a month.
Why not the tow in? “Well that whole thing was born in Makaha too; Brian (Keaulana, Dave’s partner at C4 Waterman) created that different water safety thing with the rescue sled, so we were around skis all the time, during contests, being towed out there. It was fun to do it, and there were good areas for it, I only did it because it was fun to do an outing and hang around with those guys. So what was the involvement between you and Brian that kicked off those early standup boards? “Brian was my neighbour in Makaha (Oahu, Westside) and when he was on Tahiti and he was given one of those longer board paddles for his birthday. Laird had been doing it for a long time on big boards, not high performance, but he turned Brian onto it as a fitness thing, ‘hey Brian you’ve got to do this, it keeps me in shape for big waves and it’s fun and you can do it anywhere’ so
20 | AUG SEPT 2010
Guarding the keep, L-R: Ted Rutherford, Adam Zervas, Claudia and Dave, Tim Mellors
Brian came back totally enamoured of it. Brian’s the Johnny Appleseed of the whole thing and one of the key things was being in Makaha: it’s the big board capital of the world. We started making our own paddles and Brian would take his trailer full of every big board he could and go to the beach. Brian’s thing was about spreading the faith, ‘you’ve gotta try this, you’ve gotta try this’. And just like Tom Sawyer painting the white picket fence he made it look fun, and so everybody he knew got into it. Pretty soon, people started riding waves, and instead of just going out in longboard waves, Brian started thinking that he could do more. He’d say ‘let’s go and see if we can ride out the back at the point’ and it’d be ten feet, and we had these oversize tankers. When you have guys like that that are always push-ing it, you watch him and if he does something you get it immediately, and then you push it, and this whole sort of
tit for tat (learning) thing started. The penny dropped about seven
years ago, I was in California shaping for a couple of months, I didn’t see the potential that Brian did and he phoned me up and said ‘I wanna make a short one’ and he said ‘ten feet’ and I went ‘woah...’. Back then we were riding super tankers, SurfTech hadn’t even dreamed of putting a model out. So when he said ten feet, it would be like someone saying sub 7ft today. I was kinda humouring him but I shaped it. I put it in a box, shipped it to Makaha, it was glassed, and by the time I got back to Makaha he was already raving about the board. The first time I say him surf it, he’d already developed the whole style. The paddle, leaning on the pad-dle, bottom turning, blade down, can-tilevered down, the layback thing, all of that on his own. He did it all on his own in a month. The basic mechanics that you see everybody do today Brian
did completely on his own on that first 10ft board and when I got back to Makaha for the season and I watched him ride it, the penny dropped. I just went ‘Holy shit, there’s more to this’.
Then I tried the board and the first time in a thick offshore wave and the fluency you could get with a board like that, the controllability to whack off the top before the wave’s even broken and take all that speed...that’s when I knew we were onto something. That started that whole shortboard thing and the higher performance and that led to Brian talking to his dad and having the first event at his father’s (Buffalo Keaulana) contest in March 2003 where forty something people turned up. At that first Buffalo contest, Brian said to the guys ‘here’s the thing, you’ve gotta use the paddle’. No one knew what that meant, so there were guys do-ing air guitar with it, twirling it around, no one really knew what to do.
The thing is in that environment where you have good surf and a bunch of guys who are all round watermen who surf big waves, you have an environ-ment where everybody’s pushing it and you go ‘oh, that works!’ and then you duplicate it, push it forward, and then someone else does it. In a very short time Brian was doing off the tops, heli-copters...he totally led the charge. I’m interested to hear what some-one from such a deep rooted surf background feels about the secondary benefits of standup. Dave explains: “I have a friend once that said after 35 the best you can be is a skinny old man, meaning that unless you worked hard and trained, all you’re gonna achieve is to be skinny. At a certain age you have to start working hard to maintain that muscle mass. If you’re a good short-board surfer and you’re surfing good waves like around here (gestures to the sea outside the window) it’ll keep your fitness level and fast twitch muscles, but you won’t really progress beyond that – you’ll get too good at it. The good thing about stand up and other power sports is that you’re working your whole body every time you go out; it doesn’t matter how good you are, you’re con-stantly paddling. That is the appeal of it, marketing it to the inland waterways and the fitness market. Standup comes with no sports specific injuries. The most common thing we hear from peo-ple is ‘I’ve been doing this for a month; I’ve lost two waist sizes and 15-20lbs. I can see it on my thighs, on my face, I feel better now’. The conversation meanders, we drink more coffee and I realise that if I just sit back and don’t ask questions, I can learn a lot more. Dave begins to discuss some thoughts on the surf industry. “People who are in the surfboard indus-try are getting older.
| 21
Golden Slumbers fill the air. Reclined at a now-you-see-me-now-you-don’t Restormel gem
A u t u m n G o l d
There are younger people coming up, but they want to be rock stars or instant shapers, they want to go out and build a brand and have a shaping machine do it. They don’t want to learn the craft, shape their 5,000 boards, they just wanna learn enough and get a fol-lowing and get a bunch of friends and tell them they’re groovy, and give them something so they tell everyone the shaper’s groovy.
I’ve been worrying for the last 15 years that if certain people control everything it’ll be like the auto industry in Detroit where you can’t compete. You can’t build a car to sell in your back yard. There won’t be any opportuni-ties for young shapers to go and shape boards if it’s all done on machines. Pat Rawson, Rusty...all of those guys were production shapers under someone else’s label for their first 5-6,000 boards where they learnt there trade.
You’ll have people coming in, you have guys making Standup boards right now, that three years ago had no shaping background and are now calling themselves masters shapers. All they’re doing is designing a board on a computer and building on someone else’s design, it’s incestuous. Progres-sion comes out of the back yard, from
accidents and rushing to do a board for tomorrow’s swell. As a custom shaper in the backyard, it’s in our interest to change the design overnight. If I can change a design overnight to make you surf better and enjoy your board bet-ter, no worries, I’ll make more money (laughs). A larger company, it’s not in their interest to do that. To change a design they have to make a new mould, they have to throw away the whole year’s work, all their dollars in market-ing and advertising. They want to control their design changes, it’s like the automobile industry, and they’re not going to change their design overnight.
When it gets monolithic like that there’s a lot of danger that these big companies will control (the progres-sion of design). You see a lot of major surfboard labels overly technological-ising simple things with huge ads...all their fin tech, and parabolic rails, and flex schedules and flex modules...all these things are just fancy words for everyday concepts. It sounds good to the customer and from there they control the ebb and flow of how many designs they put out. But, I think you will see a backlash against this sort of thing. You know a couple of years ago it became very trendy again to grow your
hair out, pick up a guitar, start riding a fish...I think the next thing will be people shaping a board in their back-yard. You’ll see another ‘Morning of the Earth’ redux; as long as people can go and buy a blank without having to be a manufacturer, people will be able to do it. I think it’s coming back, we’re going to see a resurgence of that, and it’ll be like a fundamentalist backlash against the surf world and the major labels. The really hardcore surfers that have been paved over during the boom, maybe they’ll go back to wearing really non-descript clothes like they used to in the fifties, that whole anti-surf of not having labels. Hopefully it’ll be very cool again to go in a garden shed and build you’re own board.
Dave, Claudia and I have sat for two hours, and I can tell the staff in the cafe are wondering what on earth we’re talking about. It left me feeling that what we do is real, you can have a future in it and it’s not a waste to devote your life to it. Surfing is a legitimate way of life and the deeper you go the more there is to it. The thought of being a skinny, brown 75 year old retiree mowing foam in my garden shed is pretty appealing.
22 | AUG SEPT 2010
Golden Brown. The effect is just as calming as the subject of that Stranglers song.
I figured out that the future of surf-ing to me was in waves that no one else wanted. The whole point of it to me is to get away from the surf scene. It’’s like getting out into the wilderness away from every-body and leaving it all behind.
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24 | AUG SEPT 2010
Waiting for a suitable lull before leaping from the wardrobe’
Ah yes those dirty little secrets that are better out in the open so they can be dissected by all. Be it a penchant for French silk under your workwear, an undisclosed passion for Country and Western or any number of guilty pleasures, I suspect that it’s healthier to confess to the world and then, well just carry on with whatever floats your boat.
Words: Rob Small | Photos: Dom mooRe
In my own case floating boats isn’t too far from the truth. As a lifelong ‘hardcore surfer’ I’ve generally chuckled at the ‘alter-
native’ ways of riding waves. Longboards, well I guess there’s some heritage value there; knee-boards, good in the tube I hear. As for retro surfboards... I was there the first time round and they were crap then. As for surf skis and kayaks, let’s just not go there. So coming from, shall we say, a slightly narrow surfing perspective it might seem odd that I’ve been spending a good percentage of my water time standing on large floaty boards with a paddle in my hands and quite frankly having an almost indecent amount of fun whilst doing so. Yes, there it is, on the table, I am a stand up paddle board surfer.
So how did this start? For a few years the ever amicable Tim Mellors suggested we go for a paddle together. Citing increased stoke levels in minimal conditions, great wave rid-ing potential and that old SUP chestnut, ‘core strength’ Tim was sure that it was something that would get me fired up like a grom again. As it turns out he was right but for a good while I found other things to do rather than try stand up paddling with Tim.
Lying on the sofa, cooking on the BBQ whilst drinking rum and coke and going to bed early so I could get up and not go surfing the next morning were favourites. In the end it was an expanding waistline and almost total lack of desire to surf weak slop that pushed me over the edge. I had to get moving again and if there was no surf then I’d try this SUP thing, just for training mind.
Borrowing an enormous thing called a Whopper my wife Julie and I snuck away from Newquay and pitched up at Gwith-ian. In flat seas and brisk offshores we took our first steps, or more correctly, strokes. Of course Julie seemed to jump on the thing and paddle like a natural. I put it down to years of gig rowing rather than superior athletic abil-ity. Strangely enough this often seems to be the case. The ladies pick up a paddle and get into it with seeming ease. Something quite nice about that, but I digress...What struck me was that whilst standing on the thing (I now know that at 34” wide the Whopper is about as stable as the floor!) wasn’t too dif-ficult the whole deal was rather more complex and demanding that I’d suspected. This was definitely not the sport for old farts pissing about with oars that I’d giggled at previously.
| 25
Lying in the tent that evening I felt that good ache you get from a long day in the water, but this time in places I’d never felt it before.
The next day dawned bright and sunny, glassy waters and no surf. Hooking up with then similarly SUP virgins the Lucas Brothers (they now run SUP classes from the Sunset
Cafe in Gwithian) we paddled across the bay to Godrevy Island, something that 24 hours previously I wouldn’t have even conceived of,
checked out the lighthouse and cruised back to a dropping tide and slowly rising swell. Seeing a little bump appear I put the hammer down and was into it with surprising ease. With no knowledge of the paddle, turning the bugger was difficult but I managed to make it to the shore and was stunned at the
speed and glide of the board. Making my way back out to the peak was, quite honestly, one of the most frustrating moments I’ve experi-enced in surfing. And catching waves, well that was a hit and miss affair
at best. However my idea of jumping on a stand up paddle board to train and loose a bit of weight rather than to surf had been turned
“I get asked what I‘m up’, to I’ll confess that I’‘m spending a lot of time on a stand up paddle board. The reactions range from gently raised eyebrows and slight recoils to conspiratorial whispers of, ’me too’’.
on its head straight away. Something SUP paddling seems to do with ease.
Since those early days I’ve had quite an adventure with a paddle in my hand. With the help of guys like John Hibbard, Marcos Perez and the aforementioned Mr. Mellors, I’ve had a chance to learn loads and get into some really different ways of being in the wa-ter. Is this detrimental to my regular surfing ? I don’t see it as so in any way. In fact I believe that paddling has got rid of the gut and raised my overall fitness to a higher level than I ever had - something that hit home hard tow surf-ing big La Santa Point late last year. I went down really hard on the peak of a 20 ft wave and then endured a serious thrashing over 8 or 10 minutes that stretched my endurance to its limits. Who knows what the outcome would have been without feeling so strong from paddling? But it’s not just the classic core fitness that’s got me smiling. It’s the absolute wildness of 20 mile down winders in raging open ocean swells. Firing along on a 15’ long missile with a rudder, riding bumps miles away from the nearest surf break. It’s an ocean experience that rivals big wave surfing for intensity and a chance to realize just how puny a single person is. It’s seeing parts of the coasts where I grew up and live now that I’d never even known were there, and this is usually with my wife. Paddling with the missus is definitely a good couple thing; hell, get a big enough board and it’s a great family thing too. And of course there’s the surfing aspect of it all. What a challenge. As soon as you step in the water you’re on. I mean in regular surfing paddling out is really a chore, a head down and get it done with type of deal whereas with the stand up board it’s an integral part of the activity. Learning to catch and ride waves has (and continues to be) been a real surprise; more demanding than anticipated but way, way more rewarding too. Hey, you don’t even need good waves and just now and again it’s funny to see the longboarders pissed that guys can get waves before them, they had it good for years didn’t they? Discovering new ways to surf just when you thought you knew it all, pretty amazing says me! So when I’m standing in Bilbo or hanging with the boys back in Lanza and I get asked what I’m up to I’ll confess that I’m spending a lot of time on a stand up paddle board the reactions range from gently raised eyebrows and slight recoils to conspiratorial whispers of, ‘me too’. And for me the coolest part of it all is that we’re laughing and having fun all the way to the beach and back just like when we were grommets the first time around all those years ago.Rob Small is aided and abetted by: Rhino wetties and accessories, Balin clothing, Bilbo Surf Shop, and Starboard. Visit www.guesthouselanzarote.co.uk for winter surf escapes at Rob and Julie’s Lanza retreat.
26 | AUG SEPT 2010
C r o s s i n g o v e r & C o m i n g o u tGetting comfortable in a nice feathery number
Giving it the vinegar stroke for one last release’
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Belly’’s gonna get ya!Or is it? The days are long now, but Dave Ewer’s discovered a sim-ple solution to being housebound in the dark months: just hit the water anyway, wait for your eyes to adjust and boom - you’re sUPping!
“ I’ve always associated working in the boardsports industry with getting out on the water as much as possible, otherwise I
may as well work in an office. Getting on the water serves two main purposes. First up, I get a chance to try out the best gear I can get hold of and secondly, I love getting out on the water and I kid myself that it’s work too and it also keeps me sane. To me the Autumn brings two things: wind (good - for windsurfing), and shorter days (bad - less daylight to get wet). Over the years I’ve tried a few things to work around this issue.
Go away all winter (not possible now!), go windsurfing and surfing in the dark but that’s frowned upon by the Police and other rescue services (another story!) or even go to the gym or for a run. So by elimination, after Christmas 2009 it only seemed logical to go for an easy paddle in the dark just to try and get rid of the post Christmas bloat and get ready for summer.
We’d been teaching a bit of paddle boarding in season and the thought of going for a flat water paddle in the dark didn’t really worry me except that I might have to go out by myself!
I put the word out to a few paddlers and after explaining that: we’d go paddling in the dark with head torches, nice and safely up a river, and would start and finish at the pub, we seemed to have a few takers. I even managed to rent a couple of boards out to pay for my lemonade!
Thse first tentative datesThe first paddle night was January ’09. Bored of sitting on the sofa, I knew that ten minutes down the road the tide was in and there was glassy flat water waiting to be glided across. It was too much of a temptation for me and it beat
sitting on the sofa for sure. I talked a few other paddlers into it and I left home sort of expecting to be stood up, standing under the clock outside the pub in January at 7pm in my wetsuit! As I arrived (late as usual) John H was already out with his mate Conners, they we in training for Devises to Westminster race. They were wearing head torches on long race boards and seemed to be flying across the water; all you could see where the beams gliding along, an uninformed observer wouldn’t have known what they were looking at. There were seven; most of us with head torches which we discovered are sort of useless as you can only see a small area ahead of you and your hands. We paddled about on the dark river feeling pretty excited about doing something a bit new and risky; it was a great feeling chatting with your mates paddling in the complete dark, looking up at the stars exploring the surrounding area. The more we went on these paddles, the more people joined in to give it a go. Many of the folk we have introduced to paddle boarding started in the dark in the mid winter, imagine their joy to learn it’s even better in day light! We felt we were creating a real buzz for people who joined us. Just think about it: in the winter if you go out, you get out of your lit house, get in your car (lights inside), drive to your lit location on a lit road, and maybe walk down a lit street and back to your lit house. That leaves no chance to stand in the middle of a river, in the middle of nowhere, with no lights to be seen anywhere! Is this crazy? Well once you’ve switched your head torch off your eyes adjust and all is light’ish again, it’s a great experience feeling your human senses waking up.
Our night paddles became more popular and more adventurous; with more people getting boards we had some real characters each week. Brothers Ben and Sam come along most weeks, always in matching full Psycho 2 wetsuits, and on their 11’2’s over the last year or so they’ve brought along every work colleague and friend they know, whether the friends liked it or not. Since they’re on a strict crisp free diet at home, they use paddle night to bring up their cholesterol intake. Then there’s Jim and Sue, both in their mid sixties, they always keep up
and get some waves too and let us know the best beaches to go to in Cornwall that we haven’t discovered yet. Steve (Wellies) is our leader, moving us along from some pubs for making too much noise. Steve’s way ahead of his time as he wears sailing wellies for paddling, no changes for the pub and you don’t get your wetsuit boots muddy clambering up a river bank (not suitable for swimming!).
Oh s**t we’re about to get goosed!We got used to seeing fish surface in front of us; they even swim into our paddles and boards from time to time. We’d often hear owls and get them to call back to us, we’re lucky to see herons and swans as well as gulls and plenty of other birds. Our first trip up the Avon was fairly memorable for its bird life. We’d left the only light source twenty minutes ago and all twenty of us were stood in the middle of the river, pad-dling upstream one dark misty February night.
On our way to the pub we could hear what sounded like a lot of very large birds flapping towards us. We’d already seen swans take off in front of us on our way up stream, when you’re fully clothed in the middle in the middle of a cold river in winter you feel kind of vulnerable!
We stood like human skittles waiting for this large flock of geese to fly straight into us, could they see us? Can you imagine being hit in the chest by a bird with a five foot wingspan? The geese flew around, circling, and came down to land in the water no more than twenty metres from the nearest paddler. It was worrying at the time to say the least. On our daylight trips we’ve often seen large spider crabs lots of fish large and small and even caught some too (mostly small!) as well seeing the odd seal checking us out.
Better than the LA Fitness?What we’ve found since the early days of our club nights is people don’t know their own backyard till they’ve paddled it. We’ve found countless awesome places which are impossible to find any other way; we’ve seen so much more than we ever imagined. Get on your board and rock-splore your surroundings; it’s better than the gym and there’re no awkward changing room moments.
Reactive Watersports run SUP nights all year round , Wed (mixed) , Thursday (ladies) free on your own board or rent one out for £15 to start your adventure. Reactivewatersports.co.uk 01752 403300.
You switch of the head torch and let your eyes adjust. It’s a mar-vellous thing to feel your natural human senses waking up again
28 | AUG SEPT 2010
TEL: 01202 [email protected]
T e c h n i q u e
Words: AdAm ZervAs Photos: Geoff TydemAn
Tube Time, barrelled and cover –up, are terms that most surfers are all to familiar with. However bringing a Stand up Paddle board in to the equation would definitely raise a few eyebrows and maybe a few doubts as to whether it was even possible in the types of conditions we get in the uK. 1 Reading the wave; when you see what you think is the right section, you go for it.
4 Holding your line, watching the lip , crouching using your back foot to slow down even more.
5 Things don’t always go to plan but there still looks like an opportunity hang on in there.
10 The lip has had the better of me, not be-ing able to see the exit I have decided to break through.
11 Straightening out slightly, keeping paddle locked in, yet still looking to keep control of the situation.
9 You may find it difficult to hold position and you feel the wave is shutting down on you, look at your options.
As with any type of surf craft,
timing and the ability to read a wave
are what separates success from
failure; nevertheless without
experiencing failure we can never
truly appreciate success. The next
sequence of photos describe the
journey for the search of success.
qqqqqqqqqq
30 | AUG SEPT 2010
Remember to have fun! Don’t be scared of failure as it is part of the whole experience of surfing and without it we wouldn’t learn.
Adam Zervas is sponsored by C4 WATERMAN, SNUGG, CORNWALL SPORTS PARTNERSHIP.
2 Judging your speed, do I need to speed up or slow down? Timing is everything! In this case we engage the pad-dle and begin to slow down.
3 The paddle draws back as we start to position ourselves constantly watching the lip of the wave.
6 If you are in and need to adjust, use your paddle to draw you in deeper.
7 Hang on in, don’t panic, watch the lip and keep your eyes on the exit.
12 Looking down the line still seeing that the wave is still open.
13 Deciding to go into a bottom turn to negotiate the section and carry on the journey.
8 Savour the sounds, feelings and perspective you have in this unique moment.
| 31
When you see a guy like Robby Naish, who by his own words is ‘no Spring Chicken’, charg-ing hollow surf one day and paddling joyfully up hidden backwater creeks the next, you can’t help but wonder if he’s found a miraculous tincture or well spring of youth somewhere on Maui. We caught up to lift the lid on this Cocoon like phenomenon...
Hi Robby. The women in the office have remarked that in your recent SUP photos that you’re looking as poised and spry as you did in the 80’s. Is paddling responsible for this chisel-ling or are there other forces at work? Remind me to send chocolates to the wonderful women in your office! I think that SUP has added a very good cross training to my existing exercise that has traditionally come from wind and kite surfing with a limited amount of weight training. For sure I am on the water more, am getting more cardio than I maybe ever have, and am work-ing a balance of muscles with SUP that is without a doubt a compliment to the rest of what I do. For any athlete Standup is great cross training. In terms of diet, you don’t want to go there. I eat whatever I want, and I drink tons of Red Bull. One thing that I feel has boosted my energy and focus, and likely my body as well is that I stopped drink-ing any alcohol about a year and a half ago. At any age, but especially at mine, no alcohol and constantly being on the water is a great combination.
I N T E R V I E W
IntervIew: SUP Magazine Photos: erik aeder
32 | AUG SEPT 2010
In your hierarchy of needs as a water-man, where does Standup sit?It is honestly pretty high up there at this stage. I still love to windsurf and kite surf, but now I have a fantastic and engaging boardsport that I can do when there is no wind as well. What I do on a given day depends very much on what the weather is offering. I have a certain amount of testing etc for each sport that has to be done at certain times of year that requires a pretty good balance of all three sports. I am quite involved with the development process of all of our equipment, so that in itself mandates that I stay pretty on top of things. In terms of fun, I am pretty torn between the three. A good day of sup is right up there with a good day of either wind powered sport.You’ve got some real legends on the Naish SUP team including but not only Dave Kalama and recently Vatea ‘Poto’ David from Tahiti. What do guys like this bring to the table that cannot be found elsewhere?SUP is clearly a pretty new sport that is growing really quickly all over the world and in several directions. We knew early on that the sport had huge potential, not only on a performance level in the surf, but also as a broadly appealing flat water sport. I wanted to get good guys on the program right away that would add to our existing credibility in various markets, and broaden the feedback on design and testing. We are also providing for the team guys a range of production boards that allows them to push their riding and the sport forward in ways that they couldn’t do before, even on custom stuff.From a business perspective, how vital is Standup to Naish?I have been investing in the sport quite heavily (especially in the US) for some time with the knowledge that sup was
going to be very big very soon. That investment is paying off through pretty rapid growth. I am quite confident that with sup’s broad based appeal and accessibility, that it will soon be a substantially bigger business than either the kite or windsurfing businesses. I was right when I threw the dice on kite surfing in the beginning, and that gamble clearly paid off. I do not think that many people will disagree with me on this prediction either, at least not for long. There is simply too much interest coming from too many places for sup not to become a major past time. It is simply too easy, too accessible, and too enjoyable not to.Do you feel there is any discord within Standup, such as people looking in from a surf background not ‘getting’ the flat water stuff, and conversely those getting into it for fitness looking at the waves and thinking ‘that looks too hard for me’?No. I think that the sport offers a lot of possibilities to a lot of people. We are finding that the guys at the upper end of the wave side of sup have a clear grasp of the flat water potential, especially in the waterman / fitness / racing side of the sport. There is no “dissing” the flat water paddling going on. For the flat water paddling there is a kind of romance in it that is connected with surfing. You can surf in the city. You may never catch a wave in your life or may never paddle in the ocean, but there you are now, related in a way to that sport and to that culture and lifestyle that is surfing and board riding. I do not think that you will find the disconnect that you have in sports like kite surfing or windsurfing between the high performance aspects of the sport and the general recreational rider.
| 33
Sure in wave riding not everyone will be dropping into ten foot barrels at Cloudbreak on their sup, but it is a great image to relate to while you ride a knee high swell. At the same time the flat water recreational paddler is really doing the exact same thing on pretty much the exact same board and paddle as the best men and women in the world. It is a very tangible and level playing field. This is super healthy for the growth potential of the sport. Like in Tennis or golf, you have a ball and club or racket like the pros, and do the same thing with it. They are not up on some totally unre-lated form of the sport doing completely unimaginable things. You paddle three knots. Dave Kalama paddles three point seven knots. He is not doing handle pass kite loops over your head.And what about the mainstream me-dia perception of stand up; but what is the selling point, or buzz factor as far as they’re concerned?Sup is a bit like a virus. You have to be exposed to it. You have to catch it. Some people catch it with one exposure and others take a while. But it is spread-ing quickly, which exposes more and more people every day. As a spectator sport, at least on flat water, it is a bit like watching grass grow. It is the en-gaging experience of sup; standing on a surfboard and paddling across the water that entices people. It is a do sport, not a watch sport. It is not radical or fast or extreme. In that sense it is odd that someone like me can get excited about paddling up a river. But the sensation
is fun, the workout is rewarding, and the perspective is totally new. If I find it fun to do, given my background and need for adrenaline and fast paced action, I can only imagine how much fun it is for the average person who has not spent their life on a board chasing wind and waves. The media seems to be picking that up.It seems you’ve been hitting the road hard the last couple of years; Indo, Fiji, Japan, Micronesia...Do you feel your skills improve after long surf trips and if so, in what areas are you still improving?Sup is pretty simple, yet you slowly get more and more in tune with your body, technique, and your equipment both in flat water paddling and especially in waves. I have been travelling a lot for sure. I am having soooo much fun riding better and better surf on the sup that it is stupid. And I am getting better. As with anything in life, practice makes perfect. Although I am no Spring Chicken, and in no way new to riding waves on many different vehicles, I am loving the experience of doing something familiar yet new again. I know that my fitness has improved, and so has my technique, positioning and power in the surf. I am not out to beat anyone, but having something like this to challenge myself in life that is so rewarding is pretty rad, especially at 47.Do you have any specific goals that you’re gunning for in the next ten years, goals that until now haven’t been a consideration?
Not really. I know it is contrary to popular thought, but I have never been goal oriented in life, or in my career. I have always lived life to the fullest, tried to do my best, and worked hard now so that if I am lucky enough to have a future, that it might be a good one. I do not live day to day, but I have never been a goal setter. I am more of a dreamer. I am simply hoping that I can continue to be lucky in life, to stay healthy, and to be able to continue to do what I love to do for as long as possible, which is what I have always done…board ride. And to share the stoke and the lifestyle with as many people as possible in the process.What’s the secret to a long, happy life in the water? What advice can you give regarding making a good balance between life and surfing?Every life is different. Some people have it harder than others. Some people get bored easily and constantly need new forms of stimulation. I think that peo-ple need to work hard, but to remem-ber to play as well. For sure you need to be responsible and take care of your family and so on. Through that though, you have to remember to keep yourself ALIVE, happy and healthy. Adults often grow up and forget how to play. They forget what it is like to fall down, brush yourself off and try again like you used to when you were a kid (some kids these days don’t even seem to know how to do that) My number one piece of advice these days is to remember to unplug, and to unplug your kids.
Get out and play. Exercise. Get some wind in your face. There are a lot of ways to do that. But especially for people without a lot of time, that don’t happen to live on a ski slope or a surf spot, or a windy coast line on way is to try SUP. There is water close by for sure…and that is all you need to get started. From there you never know where it will take you, but it can only be good.
I N T E R V I E W
You can surf in the city. You may never catch a wave in your life or may never pad-dle in the ocean, but there you are now, related in a way to that sport and to that cul-ture and lifestyle that is surfing and board riding.
34 | AUG SEPT 2010
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Standup World Tour After the explosive start to the inaugural SUP World Tour at Sunset Beach in February the second event at Chambre de Amour had plenty to live up to. Would the surf comply? How would the internationals deal with Europe in the spring, and which of the Euro contingent was going to step up and come to the party?
W ith all this hanging in the air the trials started in small clean conditions, fun on the low
tide but marred by the steep berm that caused things to fatten up tout suite. The Brit contingent consisted of perennial campaigner Chris Griffiths, Starboard Dream Team member John Hibbard and yours truly, embarking on my first quest for SUP glory. Also pitching in and escaping from Guilford (yes Guilford) was Sydney’s Northern Beaches’ Gareth Grant, temporarily representing the UK. As it happened the Brit boys went down to a mixture of inexperience, questionable judging criteria and plain old bad luck. As the trials came to a close it was only ex-windsurf ace and the UK no.1 all round Standup Paddler John Hibbard who had fought his way into the main event.
The Brit BattlerMoving into the main event some of the big guns came into play with good per-formances from local Stars Xabi Lafitte, Peyo Lizarazu and Antoine Delpero. Inspirational international displays were aplenty. Maverick’s champ Chris Bertish snap, crackled and popped his way to
the semis as did teenage Hawaiian prod-igy Kai Lenny. Colin McPhillips, the 3 x World longboard champion, looked destined to place highly with his fluid, lanky style that suited the judges’ criteria of progressive SUP surfing. Surprise exits were handed out to Tahiti’s Arsene Harehoe and downwind maestro Ekolu Kalama, the latter by our own Brit battler John Hibbard in the very testing conditions of the first round proper.
The dredgingQuarters through to finals were held in heavy, short period, semi shorebreak surf. Probably about as testing conditions as possible for a stand up paddle event. Hibbard’s run ended in the quarters as McPhilips and Duane Desoto avoided getting caught inside and picked off some workable waves. Still, a quarter final is top 16 in the world and not many of our surf sports riders can claim that can they?
GruellingIn slightly calmer surf the finalists were an eclectic mix. With the filling tide (another questionable timing decision?) and the surf looking more manageable but less consistent the final showcased the direction that competitive standup is headed. Hard off the bottom to pocket rail turns, full wrap around cutbacks and critical foam bounces. In the end Peyo Lizarazu, one of the Basque Country’s most accomplished watermen matched his epic 4th place in Hawaii. A powerful SUP surfer, Peyo’s turns (except for one exceptional backside blast) weren’t as rounded or as open the other finalists and held him back from a home town
win. Coming in 3rd was Kai Lenny, the 17 year old looking tired after a gruel-ling day and lacking a really open face to go wild on. 1st and 2nd place must have been a close affair (you reporter neglected to look) and on the podium it was local man Antoine Delpero who took the title and kept Californian McPhillips playing the bridesmaid.
Personally I could of called it the other way as Delpero was awarded the highest points of the event for an (admittedly epic) noseride to closeout re-entry; during the week there had been a clear signal that the judges were looking for progressive SUP surfing not longboarding, but hey I’m not a judge am I? Anyhow both of the top two showed class, style and certainly wowed the crowd. Anglet was a raging success despite poor surf and weather and with the tour moving on to Tahiti straight after, big Dave Muir taking the win in testing conditions, the inaugural year looks to be a triumph.
Current Rankings after three events: 1st. Peyo Lizarazu, France - 2nd. Kai Lenny, Hawaii - 3rd. Arsene Harehoe, Tahiti - 3rd. Duane DeSoto, Hawaii3rd. Ekolu Kalama, Hawaii
STaGe 2: anGleT, FRanCe, May 2010RepoRt: Rob Small photos: Julie Small
Surprise exits were handed out to Ta-hiti’s ar-sene Hare-hoe and downwind maestro ekolu Ka-lama, the latter by our own Brit bat-tler John Hibbard in the very testing conditions of the first round.
36 | AUG SEPT 2010
Left: Grafting his way into the quarters, it’s John Hibbard.
Below: Peyo Lizarazu, current tour leader.
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>ISSUE 35 2010
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MR. EGOR HARRIS MEETS THE TRUTH MONKEY
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Billacombe Road, Plymouth, PL9 7HP
www.reactivewatersports.co.ukwww.reactivewatersports.co.ukwww.reactivewatersports.co.ukwww.reactivewatersports.co.ukwww.reactivewatersports.co.ukwww.reactivewatersports.co.uk01752 403300
The best thing you can do before you buy is have a go! Have a few goes - three times a week we run “have a go” sessions on safe fl at water with rescue cover.We also run Learn to SUP courses and take profi cient paddlers on River Runs and Surf Safaris. We’ve got all the best brands, great places to go and tons of enthusiasm for this fun new sport. Come and have a go. Flat water and waves nearby.
FULL STARBOARD RANGE NOW IN STOCK!
FULL STARBOARD RANGE NOW IN STOCK!N0.1 SUP STARBOARD RETAILER!
FULL STARBOARD RANGE NOW IN STOCK!
FULL STARBOARD RANGE NOW IN STOCK!
AND READY TO TRY
One of the best UK demo locations available on site
Great adviceon a wide
selection of kit
SalesDemoHire
Tuition
free race 12’6
2 Shops
new
Truro - (01872) 275342 Mylor - (01326) 376363
SurfAlroundDistanceInflatablePaddlesLeashes
BBags
Paddle Club - Every Thursday evening - Booking Essential
SUP CLUB on thursdays at both Poole
and Weymouth
Tel: 01202 700503
SUP’s in stock from £379SUP TOURS of Poole Harbour
Tel: 01305 787900
South Coast SUP
S H A P I N G B A Y
G l o s s a r y o f s h a p i n G t e r m s : B l a n k : The rough moulded foam thing that sort of looks like a board. Shapers mow the foam down to create your board. C o n c a v e : The concave is the ‘scooped out’ bit under your board. It channels water to the fins for speed, and also eases out nose rocker to stop pushing water. E p o x y : A plastic resin used as a substitute for polyesterresin. Epoxy is known for its durability.S i n g l e f i n : The first fin set up. Makes for a stable in bigger waves or at speed. Tw i n f i n : Super loose, better suited to fat, short fish shapes. T h r u s t e r : Or tri-fin is the de facto setup for perform-ance boards. The thruster has the stability of the trailer fin with the looseness of the twinny. Q u a d : Take a twin fin, add two more stabilising fins, that’s your quad. Loose like a twinny, but better.
R a i l s : The ‘sides’ of your SUP. R o u n d R a i l s : A rail that is almost a complete semi-circle.D o w n R a i l s : (Also known as down-turned rails.) A rail coming to an edge at the bottom of the board.R o l l e d R a i l s : Down rails that are rolled under the board.S h a r p R a i l s : Towards the back of the board, a sharp angle toward the bottom aids ‘release’. Ta i l s : Wider tails are generally responsive and manoeu-vrable in smaller conditions, narrower tails are better for ‘anchoring in’ for control at speed.S w a l l o w Ta i l : Noted by a V cut out of the tail. Combines width with two smaller pint tails for better control. R o u n d e d P i n t a i l : This tail gives a good compromise between holding power and rail to rail turns.
P i n t a i l : A pointy, drawn out tail found on ‘guns’. Better suited to straight line charging in big surf, or downwind racing. R o c k e r : Lay your SUP on the deck, the curve as you look at it side on is the rocker. N o s e R o c k e r : The greater the nose rocker, the less chance of stuffing the nose, but you’ll be ploughing water when you paddle. Ta i l R o c k e r : You need some of this to get your SUP dancing and turning without snagging the rails. V e e : Vee is critical in SUP design. Run your hand forward of the tail underneath your board. The V allows you to get that wide deck over from one rail to the other.
NINE brands and twenty-seven of the hottest rides uncovered for your delectation. If you’re reading this, one of the following statements will be true: a) you’re thinking about getting a SUP, or b) you already own a SUP and are looking to bolster your quiver. We’ve done the donkey work of rounding up the pick of the bunch for 2010 so now you just need to figure out what (you hope) lies in your future at sea. Do you see yourself striking out on a glassy morning, racing between distant headlands before work? Are you the type of rider that wants to take on the Severn Bore and needs to get versed with your new board beforehand? Or have you got 15lb of unwanted lard that you could do with shifting? Take your time over the following nine pages; luxuriate in the information and ruminate over your choices.
F E A T u R I N G : Circle One
Custard PointFanatic Nah -Skwell
Naish RRD Starboard
Surftech Tiki
Photo: RobeRto Ricci, mowing foam at home in gRosseto Image: couRtesy of RRD
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Circle One01363 773005 [email protected]
9’6 Wing round tail with double concave, 2+1 Fin Set Up. A short and wide SUP, the Heritage is the best recipe for fun in a wide range of surf conditions. The added volume through the middle creates a stable and well balanced pad-dling platform to catch waves. When surfing, the board will be quick and snappy to turn while keeping the glide for long effortless rides. The tough hand shaped epoxy construction will really inspire you to surf hard.
40 | AUG SEPT 2010
Heritage SUP 9’6” x 32” x 4”
£ 7 2 0 Heritage SUP
10’2” x 30” x 4” £ 7 3 0
Heritage SUP 11 ’ x 29” x 4”
£ 7 6 0_
10’2 Wing Bat Tail with double concave, 2+1 Fin Set Up. A full volume board designed to paddle effortlessly, with glide to catch waves easily and super responsive in any size surf. A true all rounder that will put a grin on your face every time you set foot on it. The combo of rail and tail shape combined with fins and bottom contour create a set up that gives plenty of drive and flow and an exciting, lively ride. Hand-made high strength to weight epoxy sandwich construction will withstand all you throw at it.
11’ Swallow tail with double concaves and 2 channels, 4+1 fin set up. A super respon-sive board, quick to turn and very stable. Designed to produce plenty of straight line speed when paddling out and catching waves. This is the ideal performance board for a wide range of conditions and for taking your SUP riding to the next level. Will handle all types of wave height and speed with confidence inspiring ease. As with all Circle One SUPs, the hand-made high strength to weight epoxy sandwich construction means the possibilities for fun are limitless.
Circle One was founded by shaper, Jeff Townsley, in Exeter, Devon, and has been at the forefront of board based sports in Britain since 1969; the foundations of this British company are firmly rooted in the world of surfing. Over 40 years on and the Circle One evolution continues with every ounce of passion and focus from those early days on the shores of the South West’s beaches. Today, the brand is synonymous with technological innovation and craftsmanship. Circle One were on the case before the SUP scene really hit the UK radar, and in 2006 Jeff was proud to introduce a range of SUP boards to the UK board rider which complemented the already highly popular range of Circle One epoxy surfboards. Circle One SUP boards have an established reputation in the UK for quality of ride and construction and come in 9’6”, 10’2”, 11’ and 12’ shapes.
Jeff Townsley, shaping through the ages
C i r C L e O N e S H A P I N G B A Y
Custard Point Surfshop01637 [email protected]
Inspired by the need for pushing the limits and going vert! This board is not about paddling into the sunset and pointing at bent over palm trees, it’s about ‘AVIN IT!! Going vert means giving it the Bulldog face...and pulling the move! Short edge length + advanced rocker means in-the-pocket explosive snappy g-force turns. Don’t be fooled as this still packs about 130 litres of foam so this puppy is capable of teaching the heavi-er experienced surfer new tricks. EPS core and Epoxy resin / fibreglass laminate shell. Factory fitted custom deck grip and tail pad, hon-eycomb fibreglass fins. Also available in bamboo deck.
tHe BULLdOg 7’10” x 31” x 4 9/16”
£ 6 9 9
tHe Bat StiNg PrO COmPetitiON
8’6” x 31” x 4 1/2” £ 7 2 9
tHe Bat StiNg dark Side
9’4” x 30” x 4 9/16” £749_
The name says it all really, Tim designed this model on very much a personal outlook for the needs of a competitive SUP surfer and it is sure to be one of his favourite contest boards. A balance of pivot and projection will allow it to race round sections and gouge huge top turns. This C-Point 8’6” Bat Sting Pro Comp model has an EPS core and Epoxy resin / fibreglass laminate shell. It come standard with go pro camera mountings on the deck, factory fitted custom deck grip and tail pad, carry handle, deck mounts for paddle straps. Available in several colour options.
The same as the 8’6” version with a little more flotation. There are no boundaries, no rules, you are a free spirit, re-write your own surf agenda and have a ride on the dark side. The C-Point “Dark side” has an EPS core and Epoxy resin / fibreglass laminate shell. It comes standard with go pro camera mountings on the deck, factory fitted custom deck grip and tail pad, carry handle, deck mounts for paddle straps and the latest C-Point honeycomb fibreglass quad fins. Available in several colour options.
1984 saw the birth of Custard Point surfboards, behind the sand dunes of Fistral Beach, Newquay. Over the past 26 years, head shaper Tim Mellors has carved his way through the board sports industry with innovation and inspiration. With two national longboard titles under his belt, shaping contest winning boards for many English, British and European champions, a Guinness World Record plus other claims to fame such as building the U.K’s first mini-malibus, manufacturing the first UK snowboards and owning / operating the first board shaping machine, Tim’s now channelling his creativity into his love of SUP boards. Over the last year, C-POINT have designed a UK inspired SUP collection of 19 different models including 6 high performance wave boards, 3 wave/flat water cross-overs, 3 soft tops, 6 inflatable SUP’s and a race board. They’ll be on the racks from the end of July.
Tim Mellors, sculpting at the graftery in Newquay
S H A P I N G B A Y C U S ta r d P O i N t
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Fanatic01273 [email protected]
Fins: Fly 8”US Box x 2 Fly 4.5” Future box. A board for a lifetime of surfing. Heavier riders or those who want a board for all conditions will fall in love with this timeless thruster shape. Soft rails up front and sharper edges in the tail give the grip and feel of a smaller board with all the grace and glide of the ancient Hawaiians. Thanks to a flatter nose rocker and more pronounced curve in the tail, you gain easy pad-dling and turning ability for effortlessly catching rides. A flat deck and volume out wide mean there’s balance and stability galore.
FLy aLL-rOUNder 10´0´x 30” x 4.3” /
10’6´x31” x 4.3” WE £1239 / HRS £ 8 7 9
FLy Wave 9’6” WE 9’6’’
x 30’’ x 4” £1239_
Fly race Carbon 12’6” x 30.5” x 7.5” (nose) 52 (centre) Carbon Edition
£1,599 Wood Sandwich
£1299Fins: Fly 8’’ (US Box) + 2 × Fly 4,5’’ (Future Box) Shoot down the line for a pure top-to-bottom surfing sensation. The 9’6” drives off the tail and winds up speed with a racy tri-fin set-up. Let speed be your friend with a flat section into pronounced tail V for tight pocket carving or more powerful drawn-out lines. Although designed for more advanced riders, the fishtail shape gives both acceleration and wave-catching lift to intermediates. And thanks to our CAD-engineered volume flow and flat deck, you’ll gain stability and glide where other shorter, high-performance boards demand more skill.
Fin: Fly 26 G10 (US Box) From Marathon to morn-ing glide, this all-round race board covers lakes or open ocean and can even be ridden in surf. The long waterline means less effort and more momentum. Our CAD-analyzed curve flows formed a smooth tail rocker release for paddle motion that also allows gentle surfing as well. A domed nose with water-cutting bow and flat-angled deck shape disperses chop and releases water easily for maximum speed.
Fanatic shaper Seb Wenzel Credit- Klaas Voget
42 | AUG SEPT 2010
F a N at i C S H A P I N G B A Y
Fanatic has a long standing reputation in the board riding business, pioneering the “Boarders Company” 15 years ago with surfboards, wakeboards, snowboards and windsurfing boards. This rich history made the transition into SUP boards an easy step. The vision from the start was to offer a very compact range of high quality CAD shapes, covering everything from great all-rounders to high end wave-riding and flat water race boards. Fanatic´s shaper Sebastian Wenzel used his extensive CAD knowledge and many test sessions at his local beach in Guincho, Portugal, to develop a great range of SUP´s from robust yet light High Resistance Skin (HRS) or a beautiful, light clear Wood Edition (WE). Fanatic´s home base in Munich, Germany, is also a perfect place to monitor and promote standup paddle, with plenty of lakes and rivers for our staff to stay closely in tune with the flat water aspect of the sport.
Kai Sports LtdTel: 02380 894333www.kaisports.co.uk [email protected]
SUP, Surf or Windsurf. The 9’6 is supremely versatile.No need any more to have to lug around big, heavy and voluminous boards, when a 9’6 can be more stable and livelier at the same time. The 9’6”s vol-ume distribution is perfect-ly balanced and guarantees very good stability when standing still. Its bottom shape features a slightly hollowed ‘V’, which is increased at the aft kick, and a concave or ‘spoon’ forward. Rails are quite thick on their full length. This is an easy-to-Paddle board, with remarkably good directional stability. The Nah-Skwell 9’6 gets lively from the first small wave, while remaining an easy board all round.
get UP 9’6’’ x 30.7” x 4.3”
£899
SUrF SerieS 8’8” x 29 ½” x 4 ½”
£969_
raCe 12’6’’ 28 ½” x 6”
£1149
For surfers under 85kg, tri fin setup. These boards are exclusively dedicated to advanced riders wishing to surf medium to large waves. “No compro-mise” boards, these are true surfing machines, designed for those riders who are looking for the latest innovative shapes and that extra perform-ance. Rather short, with a rockered scoop line and very thin rails, they bring a yet unknown, radical aspect into SUP surfing. Their shape has been inspired by to come as close as possible to surfing core moves. Get on a Nah-Skwell ‘Surf Series’ and enter the world of core surfing on a Stand Up Paddle!
Gun type outline, custom seaweed proof fin. Fitness or Long Distance, this is your weapon for winning on any course! Its shape, incorporating a true “bow”, followed by con-caves, makes the Nah-Skwell 12’6’’ a true fighter! Its curved scoop-line enhances the water-flow along the board while offering excel-lent gliding capability. The Race performs upwind, in side winds or down-wind. It can be surfed down the swell, while remaining man-ageable. Inserts at the nose allow you to fix web-handles for more safety, simplify transport or get over the shorebreak. Everything you need is there, as there would be no excuse to jeopardize safety for the sake of pure performance!
The swell rises in the west! Nah-Skwell was born and is now growing-up very nicely at the tip of Brittany, in Finistère, France. Deeply rooted in several years of stand-up, this young brand found its true colours following many hours spent practicing the different SUP disciplines, and even more hours of discussion in the shaping room. Our team explored many design options to offer beginners and top riders alike: truly innovative and refined shapes, proven to really perform after many hours of intensive testing on the water. Thinner, less voluminous and less cumbersome, these shapes are nevertheless more stable and offer beginners true “surfing” sensations from day one, without neglecting accessibility. Nah-Skwell shape and development is run by Pascal Gerber and Bruno André, both with 20+years of experience in the industry. Nah-Skwell shapes are only approved for production after many hours of free-sessions and competition in France’s most stunning waves or in the longest distance races.
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Pascal Gerber, measuring twice at home in Finnisterre.
S H A P I N G B A Y N a H - S k W e L L
Kubus Sports [email protected]
Epoxy wood veneer, single fin setup.With the Glide series, you’ll never look at flat water days the same again, in fact you’ll look at windy days with a lot more stoke since you’ll be taking down winders every chance you can get. The Glide 12’0” utilizes design principles from the Glide 17’0” and 14’0”. The shorter length makes it easy to maneuver, and an amazing cruising board. The flat rocker makes it glide without effort, and its added width provides amazing stability. It’s the perfect choice for flat water adventures, cruis-ing with friends, and recreational racing.
gLide 12”x 29 ¾” x 5 ¼”
AST £ 8 9 9 , Wood Sandwich
£ 1 1 9 9 ( including boardbag)
NaLU 11’ 6” x 29 3/4” x 5 1/2”
AST £899, Wood Sandwich
£1199 (including boardbag)
maNa10” x 32” x 4 3/4”
Soft Top £ 6 9 9 , Wood Sandwich
£ 1 0 9 9 ( including boardbag)
Longboard SUP, single fin setup.The Nalu boards are easy to ride, and offer outstanding performance in a wide range of condi-tions. The ideal choice for first timers, flat water paddlers and small wave cruisers through to high performance surfers. The Nalu 11’6”is the standard by which all other full sized SUPs are judged. This board is thick and stable, and surfs rail-to-rail like a much shorter board. Suitable for riders even above 200 lbs., the Nalu 11’6” features classic lines, unbeatable construction, and awesome all round appeal.
2 + 1 fin setup. Mana series boards are wide, short and stable. These compact shapes offer great “throw around” handling and outstanding stability. The Mana 10’0” is a fun board for small surf and people of all sizes. The Mana’s width and short length make stand up paddling in waves easy to learn. Its single concave bottom shape and rocker profile set the standard in term of stability and turning. These features make surfing simple and a real blast, catching waves has never been easier. The Soft Top is the optimum choice for rentals and schools.
It is our passion for boardriding that drives every aspect of our company, from product development and testing to production and manufacturing, to marketing and distribution. Our commitment, innovation, and quality all stem from this passion for riding. We love what we do and are proud of the products we make. Over the years, the Naish name has become synonymous with quality. Today that quality transcends an entire range of boardriding products; for beginners or professionals, for flat water or monster waves, for strong winds, light winds, or no wind at all. We design, develop, and build every product from beginning to end. When your name is on every product, you take every step possible to make it the best it can be. We’ve come a long way, and it’s been a great ride. We invite you to become a part of it. Grab a board and get on the water. We’ll see you there…as stoked as ever!
Harold Iggy, Naish Master Shaper
N a i S H S H A P I N G B A Y
44 | AUG SEPT 2010
RRD, Roberto Ricci Designs 01903 [email protected]
Double mast foot insert for windsurfing, 2+1 fin setup. A line of SUP boards for real wave riders. A full wide nose with a retro style diamond tail outline with narrow lines towards the tail allow these boards to catch waves easily and maximize the potential of quick bottom turning on the spot once you are riding. A full double rail shape keeps a very flat comfortable deck for foot positioning while enhancing full speed control where the thin-ner rail enters the water. Classic = entry level Epx Tech. Wood = top level tech. Ltd = pure artisan masterpiece.
diamONd 9’6” x 29” x 4” 8.0”
ALSO AVAILABLE; 9’2”, 10’2 & 11’2” From £899
WaSSUP 11’ x 31” x 4 ½”
From £899 Convertible From
£1099
CrUiSer12’ x 30” x 5’ From £1099
WASSUP stands for Windsurf AS SUP: the water bike for future generations. The line is composed of 4 different shapes to cover all possible riders’ uses. The base shape, our well-known SUP Eleven introduced in ‘09 remains a reference board for versatility in flat water and waves All boards are great windsurf boards and are also available in a Convert-ible version, with a remov-able centre fin to be able to sail upwind in light air. The WASSUP line is built in EPX heavy duty, full double stringer epoxy glass technology for sizes 11”, 10” and 8’5” and in PE soft deck and slick bottom for the 8’0” kids.
The board for flat water and long distance paddling sessions. Shaped with a deep V hull in the nose area and a flat bottom on the standing area through the tail, the 12’ CRUISER smoothly penetrates any small chops with the nose and remains stable after each paddle stroke. Consistent average speed is the key for fun with this cruising SUP that will surprise with its performances against much longer boards! The Cruiser 12 is available in 3 different technolo-gies, Classic, Wood and Limited Edition. It is also possible to order the Cruiser in the Convert-ible version in any of the technologies!
RRD was founded over 15 years ago by Roberto Ricci, Italian windsurf board shaper. The passion for making new designs, developing new prototypes and pushing new technological and design limits is just the basic lifestyle for Roberto and it’s how the company lives and breathes; everything in RRD revolves round Roberto and his energy. RRD is based in Grosseto (Italy), Roberto’s hometown, and here is where RRD still designs and develops new windsurf boards, kite boards and SUP boards. The boards are shaped by Aurelio Verdi, an Italian artist who augments his craftsman’s hands with latest hi tech CAD-CAM shaping processes. All the RRD SUP boards can be use not just with a paddle, but with a sail too. RRD developed 3 main SUP lines: Cruiser, for freeride in flat water; Diamond, designed for riders searching for waves; and WASSUP, a brilliant “cross-over” line capable to perform in every kind of situation.
Putting the WASSUP through its paces
S H A P I N G B A Y r r d
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Tushingham Sails Ltd 01803 712140 [email protected]
Stability rating: 9.5, mono concave up front, thruster fin set up. Big and Easy, it’s as sim-ple as that! This board is very stable to paddle thanks to its 32” width and gives great glide with the full 12’0” length. The generous nose width and mono concave up front provides fun nose riding abilities and it’ll also get you stroking this big board into waves with consummate ease. The pinned out aft section with ample tail rocker promotes good wave riding characteristics and manoeuvrability for a board of this size. Like we said, it’s Big and Easy!
Big eaSy 12 x 32” x 4.6” Startouch Blue
£ 8 2 9 , Camo Black
£ 9 2 9
drive 10’5” x 30” x 4” Startouch Blue
£779, Camo Black
£879
SUrF raCe12’6” x 25.5” x 17.75”
Epoxy Glass £1099
Mono concave nose sec-tion to flat middle with tail V. Balancing between stability, manoeuvrability and glide, the smooth pintail and wide nose feels small on the wave and plenty stable while paddling. The deck is flattened out for better foot grip and the thin rails provide a slightly sharper feel. Its rocker line and increased V numbers in the back foot area combine to produce a board with extreme drive and speed, yet is loose and responsive. It’s fun in marginal surf and goes very well in serious waves as well. Great flat water glide and more than anything, it really feels alive on a wave.
The Surf Race is designed for going in and out through the surf, with a flatter deck for easy foot movement and pivot turns. It has an optimum foot spread for stability and comfort and has a rac-ing rocker for speed and glide, working well in a large variety of conditions. The shallow single concave bottom increases speed when surfing bumps and swells. This board was used by Nikki Gregg to win the Women’s Open race at the 09 Battle of the Paddle. For its application, the Surf Race is a versatile and stable shape.
We are exploring uncharted territories by introducing the world’s widest, most stable shapes. Our unique wave program introduces the shortest outlines and best turning shapes built in the lightest technologies, whereas the race development team has produced the quickest and most slender hulls our young sport has ever seen. Our pioneering SUP team are beating the elite riders all over the world. Dave Muir from Western Australia and local Tahitian rider Tama Audibert claimed 1st and 2nd place in what is arguably the most prestigious Stand Up Paddle event in the world, the Pro Waterman league in Tahiti. They were both riding stock standard production boards, making a clear statement that Starboard is all about Performance in a wide variety of conditions.Together our riders and Starboard’s founder and passion-ate SUP paddler Svein Rasmussen are pushing the limits of what is possible, setting new trends and leading the cutting edge technology.
S ta r B O a r d S H A P I N G B A Y
46 | AUG SEPT 2010
Brian Szymanski, teasing another race board into life, California.
The Surf Commission 01205 722745www.surfcom.co.uk [email protected]
Massively stable, great for larger paddlers and first timers. Created by master-craftsman Randy French, the 11’6” Softop SUP was designed for stability and glide. The added volume and full rail make this board the most stable stand up paddleboard on the market! Great for larger paddlers or those trying stand up paddling for the first time, the 11’6” Softop SUP is a recipe for success! Also it’s the ideal board for white-water paddling due to the increased stability. Featuring a completely built in soft EVA deck pad for superior traction and grip along with an ergonomic carry handle.
raNdy FreNCH SOFtOP
11 ’6” x 32’ x 1/8” x 5’1/8”
£ 8 9 9
gerry LOPez SUrF mUSiC
9’6” x 28 ½” x 4 1/8” £ 8 9 9
raNdy FreNCH mitCHO
12’6” x 27” x 6” £1195
Single to double concave, gentle rocker line. Single / tri-fin setup.“These shapes were designed to with wave riding in mind; I’ve taken the liberty of assuming the rider has already learned his paddling/balance skills and is looking for surfing performance. The bottom shape utilizes a single-to-double concave to give lift and speed in critical situ-ations. Either size should have plenty of flotation for 200 lb. surfers, depending on their skills. The concave bottom creates stabil-ity and the gentle rocker allows the boards to slip easily through the water whether one is paddling for a wave or just cruising across a lake.” – Gerry Lopez.
Designed for Australian ultra-waterman and 8-time winner of the Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard race, Jamie Mitchel, the 12’6” Mitcho is without a doubt the fastest 12’6” race board in the world! If there were any doubters, they became believers at the 2009 Rainbow Sandals Battle of the Paddle, as Jamie finished first in the Men’s Elite class and fellow Aussie powerhouse, Shakira Westdorp finished first in the Women’s elite class on the same model. A great board for racing as well as cruising on your local waterways, Randy took Mitcho’s immense versatil-ity into consideration when designing this board.
Surftech is home to the highest quality epoxy and sandwich construction boards for your favorite water related sports. We are the world’s largest manufacturer of surfboards including shortboards, longboards, retro designs, fishes, hybrids and guns and stand up paddle boards. But it is not just our construction that makes our boards unique. We work individually with the most recognized shapers and designers in board design. Channel Island, Rusty, Joel Tudor, Takayama, Robert August, Stretch, Patterson, JC, Xanadu, Roxy and Arrow are just some of the many world class brands and individuals who offer boards in our technology. Along with partnering with shapers, Surftech is proud of our relationship and support of professional athletes. Pro surfers and watermen such as Kelly Slater, Timmy Reyes, Laird Hamilton, Jamie Mitchell, Josh Kerr, Joel Tudor, Shane Dorian, and a huge array of world class athletes all put surfboards built by Surftech under their feet.
Gerry Lopez displays a quiver of his Surf Music shapes
S H A P I N G B A Y S U r F t e C H
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Tiki International 01271 [email protected]
Available 9’0, 9’6 and 10’0, quad + centre box fin setup. The 9’0” McTavish SUP is the high-est performer in the SUP range, suited to conditions from 3ft right up to 8-10ft. The template is narrow in the nose like a conventional shortboard, and features a single flyer tail template, which narrows the tail width, as well as providing a pivot point right under your feet. The rails are also just a blown-up version of a performance shortboard rail, giving maximum control and feedback. The Quad + centre box fin set-up allows for a variety of fin configurations to suit the riders preference. This board is for the advanced rider from 60-90KG and light-weight intermediates.
mCtaviSH 9’ X 29” X 4’ ¼”
from £ 1 0 6 9 SOUtHPOiNt BONga 9’0” x 27 7/8” x 4”
from £689
SUrF SerieS 11 ’0 x 31” x 4 ¼”
From £ 3 6 9
Available in 9’0, 9’6, 10’0, 10’6 . The new Southpoint Bonga design is based upon Bonga’s ultra-high-performance, wave riding stand-up. The most notice-able feature of the design is the step-deck and rail. This unique configuration creates a full volume board with disproportionately thin rails. The thinner rails allow the board to bottom turn, carve and fit in the pocket much like a standard longboard. This is an aggressive board for riders wanting to extend the boundaries” - Carl Schaper. Riders looking for a more everyday surf rider can check out the 9’6 and 10’, whilst the 10’6 is excellent for heavier riders in the surf.
Available 10’, 10’6, 11’0, 11’6. The Surf Series are a stripped down, value version of the tried and tested NSP shapes and technology. Using the same super durable epoxy construction, the Surf Series boards will withstand all the wear and tear of daily paddling, surfing and clunking around the house. These have proved very popular with surf schools looking for flat day alternatives – a measure of how much abuse these boards will stand up to.The long, wide and thick shapes are designed for maximum stability for easy flat water paddles, while the surf-board origins ensure they are good in the waves too.
Establishing themselves and still operating from the beaches of Saunton and Croyde, North Devon, Tiki have been making surfboards for over 40 years. We are the UK’s longest running, independently owned surf company. We also have the largest range of SUP’s in the UK from Australia and Hawaii. Our SUPS are designed by master shapers, ridden by world champions and available in the latest epoxy technologies. Our current range contains boards to suit all your SUP applications and financial situations and includes: McTavish, Walden, Southpoint (Schaper/Bonga Perkins), Tiki, Seven, NSP and Surf Series with models for high performance wave riding in all conditions, all terrain paddling or just flat water cruising with family and friends.
Tiki founders Tim Heyland, Dave Smith and a mate, in the days of yore
t i k i S H A P I N G B A Y
48 | AUG SEPT 2010
Ferry RoadShoreham by Sea
West Sussex BN43 5RATEL. 01273 465366 FAX. 01273 462229
OPENING TIMES: Mon-Sat* 9.30am to 5.30pm.Sunday Summer 10am to 4pm Sunday Winter 10am to 1pm
*PLEASE NOTE: We are Closed on Tuesdays
FANATIC FLY SUP
From £849
RED PADDLE CO. INFLATABLE AIR 11’
From £549
STARBOARD DRIVE 10’5From £699
STARBOARD POCKET
ROCKET 8’5From £645
SUPCARRY SLINGFrom £8.99
DAKINESUP PADDLE
BAG£29.99
FCS FINS AVAILABLE
STARBOARD POWER & WAVE
£225
KIALOA SHAKA PU’U &
METHANE£289
£29.99£29.99
FCS FCS FINS AVAILABLEFINS AVAILABLE
A259
A27 (A23/M3)A283 (A24)
To Worthing &Chichester
To Worthing
To Brighton
To Hove
SHOREHAM BEACH
SHOREHAM BY SEA
Waterside Pub
SAILING VENUESURFLADLE
RRDWASSUP EPX 11’
From £999
www.surfladle.co.ukwww.surfladle.co.uk
FREE PADDLE WITH ANY BOARD PURCHASED
X-PADDLESFrom £89.95
WE STOCK STARBOARD & FANATIC
SUP BOARDS & PADDLES
Open 7 days • St. John’s Parade, Alinora Crescent, Goring (Worthing)
01903 247742 [email protected] www.worthingwatersports.com
01903 247742 01903 247742 [email protected] [email protected]
Open7 days
R i d e G u i d e
WelaunchfromScudamore’sMillLanesite,IwouldthinkthatyoucouldlaunchfromtheHiltonDoubleTreecarparkifyouwerequick,orcheckwiththeCambridgeCanoeclubfordetailsoftheirlaunchplaceandcarpark.
Distance:Approx3.5kTime:AgoodonehourpaddleNearest town:Cambridge
We paddle the upper river which requires no license. To paddle the part with the colleges ‘The Backs’ you will need to apply for a license from the Conservators of the River Cam or take your chances on getting caught by the bailiff! The upper river is a stunning paddle where you will encounter canoes, kay-aks, punts, wildlife and swimmers. The bridges get progressively lower as your head out towards Grantchester Meadows and there comes a point where you have to crouch down to get under the final one.After this last bridge you enter an area known locally as ‘Paradise’. It’s easy to see why they call it such as you really could be anywhere in the world. Limbo under the low hanging trees and see if you can find the tree branch where you can run over the top as your board goes underneath.When you leave Paradise behind you enter an area of the river where they regularly swim and more often than not you’ll encounter a naked resident or two from the local ‘outdoor’ centre.After this you arrive upon Grantchester Meadows which is a popular picnic spot.It should take about 40 minutes to reach this point depending on the
strength of the current, we usually turn around here and head back to base, making it a good one hour paddle. If you wish to paddle for longer the river does carry on.For more info on inland paddling in East Anglia, contact Roly at
www.fenpaddle.co.uk
WelaunchattheWickenFenvisitorcentreandpaddleuptheWickenLodetotheTowerhide.Ifwepaddlequicklythenit’spossibletoseeUpwareReachwithintheone-hourguidedtour.Duringtheyearweofferseveralthree-hourpaddleSurfariswhichtakeinUpwareReach,BurwellandWickenLodes.
Distance:Approx2kTime:UnderanhourNearest town:Wicken,9milesfromEly
We only paddle at Wicken Fen outside the nesting season and are the only company permitted by the National Trust to do so.Wicken Fen has the clearest waters in East Anglia, you can see all the way to the bottom from your standing vantage point.There are many points of interest with this paddle with 8020 species of recorded wildlife to choose from.Wicken Fen is one of the UK’s oldest nature reserves, and was the first to be taken on by the National Trust in 1899.
It is one of only four wild fens which still survive in the Great Fen basin in East Anglia. 99.9% of the former fens have been replaced by agriculture.
The Black Shuck, a demonic dog which is feared as a supernatural harbinger of doom is known to dwell around Wicken Fen. Try not to push the dusk sessions too much. Nearest pub = The Cutter Inn at Ely, mention our name to the staff and they will treat you well! (I can also heartily recommend The Cutter from my student days – Ed) For other ride guides and maps of paddle routes around East Anglia, check out
www.fenpaddle.co.uk
50 | AUG SEPT 2010
“100% carbon high quality, oval shaft, low
& high cadence paddles from just £179”
SUP Capital of the UKBlue Chip
“Blue Chip offers a range
of quality built Epoxy SUP
boards for under £400”
“The Blue Chip SUPer Club is
the fi rst to offer its members
a full UK Waterways License
and £10m Public Liability
Insurance.”
Blue Chip Paddle Bar Blue Chip paddle bar has paddles to suit everyone and every pocket; a range of 100% carbon high quality, oval shaft, low and high cadence paddles from just £179, polycarbonate & fibre bladed paddles at just £49.95.
How about brushing up on your paddle technique, you could use 30% less energy after attending one of Blue Chip’s professional paddle clinics, it could be the best £20 you ever spend on SUP.
The Blue Chip SUPer ClubThe Blue Chip SUPer Club adventures are the most visited pages on the top UK SUP site “standuppaddlesurf.co.uk” with over 8000 viewings of our SUPer Club weekly adventures. Blue Chip isn’t jumping on the band wagon of SUP; Blue Chip is the driving force of SUP in the UK. The Blue Chip SUPer Club is the first SUP Club to offer its mem-bers a full UK “Waterways License” and a “£10m Public Liability insurance” for just £30
Blue Chip SUP AccessoriesBlue Chip stocks a complete range of SUP accessories: Full EVA self adhesive decking, “Blade Runner” and “Rail Runner”, the accepted market leaders in Paddle and Board protection. Blue Chip also supplies their unique self adhesive “D” rings for securing dry bags to the deck of your board and these are strong enough to be used as towing eyes. Blue Chip can also apply its unique “Stargrip” to your board and if you are a windsurfer, Blue Chip can also fit a mast rail into your SUP board so you can also sail your board in the lightest of wind. So you can see why Blue Chip really is the UK Capital of SUP
“Blade Runner” and “Rail Runner”, the market leaders in Paddle and Board protection.
Blue Chip is the oldest family run windsurfing store in the UK*, but did you know that Blue Chip is also the leading SUP store in the UK. Blue Chip has built its reputation on supplying quality windsurfing equipment at very competitive prices, brands such as Gun Sails which is the world market leader in
Blue Chip SUP Store - 94 Church Hill Road, Sutton Surrey SM3 8LJ - tel.0208 715 0040
We carry full stocks of the market leader in SUP boards “Starboard” plus the all new RedAir10’6 inflatable boards plus Fanatic, SurfSeires and NSP.
on-line windsurfing equipment. Blue Chip brings that same value for money ethos to the world of SUP. Blue Chip offers a range of quality built Epoxy SUP boards for under £400 plus a store full of SUP accessories and a wealth of SUP experience.
www.BlueChipSUP.co.uk
Dealer info: 01205 722745
www.surfcom.co.uk
