Over the past couple of months,all the talk is how short do I go?
Well thats up to you and your skill level.Having said that I note that
a lot of the chat is now about surf related SUP'ing and not much chat
about flat water paddling.This raises the question,how many of you
have changed your way's of enjoying standuping?


mac

I did my first wild downwinder in 40k gusts on Tuesday despite several failed attempts - what a blast that was. On Sunday probably had my best ever still water paddle in the ocean. I try to surf when the conditions are suitable but for me it's just good to clear my head and get out in the water to forget.

40% Surf
40% Glassy Flat Water paddling
20% Other conditions

oliver said...

I did my first wild downwinder in 40k gusts on Tuesday despite several failed attempts - what a blast that was. On Sunday probably had my best ever still water paddle in the ocean. I try to surf when the conditions are suitable but for me it's just good to clear my head and get out in the water to forget.

40% Surf
40% Glassy Flat Water paddling
20% Other conditions

Hey Oliver, I read your posts and was blown away after watching the news that night (crazy vic's) without p-ssing in ones pants,I note you and DJ having a go in the surf of late.I remember you guy's were focused on flatwater for some time.I have enjoyed the photos of you guy's surfing up and down the coast and ad OG's pic's vic looks ok mac

Hey DJ to right,I often sit at work and read your posts and pic's of your day's event and think dam that DJ is having too much fun you lucky bugger,keep it going

mac

Interesting Mac, I remember about 6 months ago (could be longer, my memory is shot) so much of the talk on the forum was about flat water and down winders, I would guess at about 75%. Now it seems to have gone the other way with surf talk. Swings and roundabouts I guess...

For me, at the moment I am most interested in the surf, lets face it, I'm not about to try pushing the 9'6" too far on flat water. But in saying that I have lately been considering selling off one of my lesser used lighter wind windsurfers to get some sort of distance SUP along the lines of a DC 12'6, so who knows.

Surf is the ultimate form of play and if it came down to a choice it would always be surf.

The truth of the matter is we don't always have access to surf and the promise of SUP is something that is fun that doesn't need surf.

The other thing is that all the development seems to be happening in surf boards. Everybody that can claim some surf cred is bringing out surf designs.

I'm thinking that flat water SUP design will run into a brick wall. To go fast in flat water you have to have length and a displacement hull. Long boards are either heavy or expensive or both. Not many people are going to want to pay $3000+ for a board or have a board you need a trolley and helpers to manage.

If it's stable enough then you can potter along in flat water on a surf shaped board. You don't need to go far or fast for fitness and leisure paddling. Adding length improves stability but the extra speed is marginal. Why go super long if a moderate surf length board will do what you want?

Downwinders sound like epic fun but also epic organisation efforts. I can't see it becoming more than a fringe activity.

Very simple. From March to September the wind blows and we have conditions for surf and downwinding.

From November to February its flat. No wind and all paddles are on flatwater.

I enjoy both. But probably enjoy flatwater more as I can be on the water 5 mins after leaving work whereas the surf beach is a good 30 min drive.

Well heck surely lots of flatwater paddling is the foundation that your later surfing skills rest upon

Gorgo said...

Downwinders sound like epic fun but also epic organisation efforts. I can't see it becoming more than a fringe activity.

Yep, you are right, but it's something you will have to try when the planets align next time. I was skeptical, I gave it a go and now I'm a convert.

oliver said...

Gorgo said...

Downwinders sound like epic fun but also epic organisation efforts. I can't see it becoming more than a fringe activity.

Yep, you are right, but it's something you will have to try when the planets align next time. I was skeptical, I gave it a go and now I'm a convert.

Hey Oliver.. Next Saturday is looking like another beauty..

DJ

Forecast for Saturday 11/7/09
Cloudy. Patchy rain. Winds northerly averaging 20 to 30 km/h tending north to northwesterly 30 to 45 km/h during the morning.

i was thinking about this today. i was a shortboarder full stop. if it wasn't any good for surfing them that was it for the day. since i have been suping its opened my eyes to different craft and water activities. now i look back and think of all that wasted time when i could have been doing something else water wise.now i run into guys looking at cr@p surf and you can see that their pi##ed because they have no other options and i just laugh at them to myself
ps i really struggled to cope when goaties would say hello when i first started suping. hard to get rid of anti goatie feelings after so many years- they used to be the outcasts,worse the esky lidders ha ha
pps sorry goatman

OG SUP said...

Hmmmmmmm,

My major focus will always be surf because thats where my real passion lies and I live on the coast!

Next I want to explore the offshore bombies because the crowds of 2 to 4 are more managable than 100 of my closest friends NOT.

I am setting up a crew to explore the offshore islands around the prom as I have locations there that will blow peoples minds, hence my interest in the 12ft gun.

I have not experienced down winders at this point, but wont rule anything out until I have tried it.

I do think on down winders and offshore explorations via sup that legropes and PFDs as well as detailing proposed routes and return deadlines etc to a responsible party is a an absolute minimum and for longer journies or in marginal or extreme conditions VHF hand helds and GPS should be maditory as it is all to easy for something to go badly wrong especially outside the bay.

Life is an adventure not a rehersal push the envelope, live on the edge.

You only live once.

Phill

i'm not one for regs, but what you said makes good sense.maybe more than a k off shore that stuff applies!

OG SUP said...

Hey Lacey,

I have been a qualified commercial charter skipper for 8 years.

The authorities in Melbourne are very much aware of SUP operating in channels and commercial waterways like the Yarra and the Port of Melbourne and are watching with an extreme amount of interest.

It will only take one wrong step or incident involving SUP especially in the Port and life for all of us will be very different.

I hope it never gets to that point!

Phill

interesting, what do you make of the after work supers in waterways when they are probably paddling back in darkness? i know some are wearing head lamps

GizzieNZ said...

Well heck surely lots of flatwater paddling is the foundation that your later surfing skills rest upon

flatwater/dw will strengthen your stroke and balance but surfing is surfing,you need wave knowledge and years of doing it to get good at it.go somewhere quiet and learn,watch the waves look at people surfing,but hey,you gotta learn sometime and sup surfing is so much fun

I'm 100% surf-only ever paddle in the ocean. Having said that I would REALLY like a big down winder board to do some open ocean paddling-particularly in a big open ocean swell to ride some of them monsters-just $ that are holding me back from going there.

Th0m0 said...

100% surf for me, but I'd like to have a go at ocean paddling and downwinders.

yep same, whats the chances someone has a spare dw board in need of a friend on the Goldie!!!