I'm about to fit a handle onto the tail of my board so I can take some load off the leggie.

btw.. I usually have my knee leach attached to my ankle and the other day at Big Left I tried it on my knee for a change.

I didn't like the pressure pulling in that area so I went back to the ankle.

DJ

I snapped 3 bloody legropes on Sunday- Monday
I wear the normal longboard legropes around my ankle and have no dramas apart from the bloody long swim to find my board.
Its spooky swimmin around on the outer reefs on your own lookin for ya SUP
Ah well thats the price for uncrowded waves
W

worrier said...

I snapped 3 bloody legropes on Sunday- Monday
I wear the normal longboard legropes around my ankle and have no dramas apart from the bloody long swim to find my board.
Its spooky swimmin around on the outer reefs on your own lookin for ya SUP
Ah well thats the price for uncrowded waves
W

have u tried the creatures outer reef - (designed for sups - V strong)

I would be getting that legrope off my knee and onto my ankle real quick.

thanks guys. I've been using the knee strap on the sup since Nov '07 without a problem, but i'll give the ankle a go.

Roger I can see your concern about using the handle in big waves and doing a wrist or shoulder injury but I only intend using it in smaller waves were I sometimes try and hold my board with one arm around it and I can see myself doing a rib injury doing that.. and it would also help when you're caught inside and there are other surfers around you and rather than let the board go and risk hitting someone within that 30' dia area hanging onto it should help.

Some of the guys in Hawaii are starting to use handles so I though I'd give it a try.. I can always just take it off if it's no good..

jenkz.. I'm not sure about the ski handle idea but it might work ok.

DJ

guys - thinking about this handle idea...i reckon you might also add to the chances of creasing your sup during a wipeout.

to me it makes sense to let the forces of the wave control the board - let it be pushed around by the whitewash....

if you try to force control on the board, the wave pressure will be transferred moreso onto the board. Given the length of the bigger sups.....i just see this as asking for creased boards?!?

does that make sense to anyone? i might be tripping but think about it - any physics genius's in the room ?

DavidJohn said...

jenkz said...

Hey DJ can you post a picture once you have fitted the handle. Will be fitting one also after dislocating thumb holding onto the leg rope at a beach break.

thanks
Luke

Sure.. ..This is the handle and plugs that I'm using.. I got them from the guys at SHQ.. What a great shop.. .. btw It's off a kiteboard.

DJ

Mate you are heading towards pain and injury with that , especially on your big Naish's.How many clubbie boards do you see with one handle? Your hand will jamb the board will go way and you the other.This could happen even in a 2 foot shore break.

I really don't recommend it.

Rob

if my windsurfing gear is about to get munched by a wave, i go for the back footstrap and put myself between my gear and the wave , then dive down...toes first.....saved myself countless long swims and thrashings.

BUT you've got to know your limits.. some waves , you're never going to hold on.

When I'm holding onto the backstrap or the leash save, I ALWAYS bend my arms, into the 90 degress position, it gives you a bit of shock absorbtion.


nb i'm only going to hold on to a sup if there is people in the zone or the board is heading to rocks.....otherwise let the leggy do its job....never had any probs with the ankle either.

Hi Guys,
Just adding my two bits worth now that this thread has really focussed on handles. I love my old beast of a board mostly because of its handles. I can drag it up and down the beach with ease (a huge bonus when I have to get back in the rivermouth on a roaring outgoing tide as it is heaps easier to walk than paddle) and as someone pointed out earlier it is great to be able to grab & hold the board quickly if you need to prevent it from hitting other people in the water.
Mind you, it is usually only me and the hubby out at our local and he ususally deserves to be hit cause he has dropped in on me!!!!!!
Have a look at the pics.

DJ I would not put that handle on your SUP. I think it will hurt you and possibly damage the board.

I think it will be too stiff and rigid and transfer too much force to the board and to your arm and shoulder.

A better option would be a soft handle attached using reslilient cord (not bungy, just nylon rope) to the two leash plug attachment points. That will give you a shock absorber so you and the board don't get damaged. There was a post on here a while ago of a handle made from rubber insulation tube. That one looked a bit too fat.


Something like this only a bit neater. More like the one on the Mistral above.




Holding the rail saver just hurts my hand as the board gets wrenched away from me.

On bigger wipeouts I like the technique where you go with the flow and use the paddle to steer your self to the surface. It makes wipeouts kind of fun.

There is definitely a need for something to help keep the board with you when pushing through mushburgers.

Certainly let us know how you go. I like the idea of the handle to be able to hang on to the board easily in the mush. I don't know if it would help with big waves.

That would be my quick and nasty handle in the post above. I have modified it a bit since then, mainly because the foam ended up getting ripped. It's still basically the same idea though and I can't recommend handles highly enough. Especially for beginners but I will always put one on my sups from now on. I can see how people think your arm will get ripped of etc but its all about technique. If you try to hold on to the handle with the board floating right way up, the whitewater will get under the tail of the board, lift it skyward and rip your arm of. You have to flip the board upside down so the tail kick is pointing slightly downwards. Then you pull the tail under the water as you duck under the whitewater. The whitewater then actually passes over the board similar to a duck dive. If the whitewater holds you down the boards floatation helps get you to the surface as you hang on to it. It doesn't always work that perfectly and some waves will still be too powerful and rip the board out of your hand. But it's 100% safer than trying to hold on to the rail saver. Also I live on the Goldy so I'm surfing with other people most of the time in average surf. The handle is invaluable in helping to control the board in these situations. The other point to note is, if you have a handle you can choose to use it or not. Sometimes I don't have time to flip the board and so don't grab the handle. If you don't have one you don't have the choice.

Th0m0

One more trick is too make one of those paddle clips that connect to your shorts , it' just a simple piece of PVC with a full slot cut out or a Caribena if your not fussy , this will give you 2 free arms to barrel roll the board , I do this sometimes on my 9-1 with the paddle still in my hand ,I'm going to make a clip.

I can't find a photo of one but it is on the web somewhere I'm sure DJ can find it

Rob

P.S DJ Sam Pa'e uses the Caribena if that helps the search but I can't find it.

I have purchased a c4 waterman 11' leggy from Simon @ Newcastle SUP,longer the leggy,more stretch,less strain on ya old joints!!!!!!! Just need to be mindful of who else is in the white water with you and where they are?
Other Robbo

62mac said...

I have a solution to this topic and also the etiquette topic
Simple,don't wear a legrope,make sure you come unstuck
out the back,your SUP will clean up the pack! shortboarders.
No stress on your joints and no crowd to deal with LG.

Before you start, I am just kidding

mac

I highly disagree Mac. In NO circumstances should you ride without a legrope in the surf when crowded! Kidding!