Deck pad surfing set up

Seeing how a lot of guys put their pads on their SUPs brings me to say a few things I have figured out to get maximum leverage on a turn.

Photo: My 9'3" pad layout. A forward smooth paddling section going into a broken up section with front and rear arch bars, and a huge kicker that's right under my rear foot.


Photo: Same turn notice the stress on my foot It is directly on top of the kicker.


Photo: a little further along in the apex of the same turn.



1st: unlike prone surfing the paddle allows us to lean more and when you brace against the paddle we can put and intensely huge amount of pressure on a turn. I guess by the way my legs feel at times maybe 3g's. With this in mind wouldn't you want to have the most traction in the spots you need for maximum pressure without sliding a foot off the board?


Photo; This is a rail turn into a slide Look at the toe hold I have on the arch bar my whole foot is on top of it. Pretty cool shot.

2nd set the pad up for reference points and train your peripheral vision to recognise where you are on the deck at all times. I am more forward on trim then in the apex of a turn. So put a center space or arch bars front and rear and put small gaps in the pad where the rear areas are. Once you feel it out and get some time on the board you will never be able to ride a solid pad again.



3rd arch bars and kickers are incredible if placed in the correct position. A kicker to me on a SUP is not to keep me from sliding off the tail. It's a secure foot hold so I can lay all my weight +++ into a turn. So put them right at the best turning spot where my rear foot will be. On a quad its right over slightly at the front of the rear fins, on a tri its right on top of the center of the rear fin. Yeah that's not right at the leash plug it is in front a ways. You bought the kicker so why not use it all the time. On a wider tailed board it can go right at center or behind the trailer fin. I use the arch bar more as a trim guide when I feel my foot on it I know I am near the right spot just forward of the fins and can drop my foot back to the kicker on a turn. I just started putting a arch bar in the front foot area and it realy helps me pull the board back in with my front foot.



Soon you guys will see what's going on here in my little crack in the eastern coastline and I am striving to take the level of SUP surfing beyond where it is today. Thinking with a prone surfing mind will not do it, opening up to possibilities beyond the prone world will. Have fun with it...

Little Parting sequence for you guys...







Yep I made it....

Peace and good waves to all,
Capt Ron