Mikey's Board Room: The Stand Up Experience

Back in 2006 I was living on the Big Island of Hawaii, Kona to be exact, and there wasn’t much surf while I was there. I was cruising around checking the surf at Banyans and that is where I saw stand up paddling for the first time. I introduced myself to the paddler after watching him on a the board for almost an hour and found out that he owned an SUP board company, Hypr Nalu. They were some of the first production boards back then, complete with flashy graphics, shiny paint and what I thought to be some pretty aggressive designs.

Hoping on for the first time was a challenge, it wasn't very wide, under 29” for sure, but I was determined to get the hang of it. I didn’t do much surfing while I was there but I did a ton of distance paddling. If you haven’t been to the islands, the underwater sights are amazing, I was paddling with everything from little brightly colored fish to sea turtles. I fell in love with Stand Up.

When I got back to San Diego 6 months after my first SUP experience, I did my research and found THE SUP guy at the time, Steve Boehne of Infinity Surfboards. Steve had experience building big boards from his days building tandem surf boards and had a great transition into Stand Up in the early years becuase of it. A deal was struck and I came home with a 10’6 Infinity Ku Ku Hoe Nose rider and an Infinity Ottertail paddle. I wish I had pictures of the thing, it was heavy for today’s standards, no handle, constructed bomb proof, and was a tank on the waves, but it was a blast!!! It still lives on at a local lifeguard station as physical training equipment.

Fast forward to 2012, I’ve been on more boards than I can count, seen a ton of different constructions, built boards, been to overseas factories, paddled in amazing places and worked with some great people in the industry. The experiences I’ve had and the contacts I’ve made over the years has turned me on to builders doing great things for the sport of SUP. So I asked John if I could do write ups on all the different boards, designs, and creations I’ve run across over the years, SUP or not, and with his blessing Mikey’s Board Room has been created!

Stay tuned for the next installment of Mikey’s Board Room!

Baja Paddle Surf Equipment, Part I: Wet Okole Seat Covers

I'm only three weeks out from my annual, warm water pilgrimage to the tip of Baja California. When a trip like that starts to get close, it's time to begin your prep work. The last thing you want to do is be up until 2 am the morning before you pull out for Cabo San Lucas. Get smart, start prepping early.

I checked one item off my list today, seat covers. I went with Wet Okole covers- I've used them before, so I know they are the best out there. Wet Okole (Okole means "butt", so wet butt for us haoles) covers are waterproof, made to order seat covers. These things fit so perfectly that you'll think they installed new seats in your rig. Best of all, they're made of wetsuit material so not only are they water tight (in my old truck I'd jump right into the front seat in full soaking wetsuit for the short drive home) but they insulate your butt, I mean okole, making them nice and toasty on cold mornings. They're also comfy enough to sit in 'em with your shirt off (or in your bikini) which is nice when you're just jamming down to the beach for a surf check in the summer.

The covers are fairly expensive ($250 for my front two seats) but I think it's worth it- the fit is so perfect and the workmanship so solid. I jammed up to Costa Mesa today to have them installed (installation is free), check 'em out:

The Wet Okole mobile right out in front of the factory/showroom/installation facility. Nice people there too.

I was able to snag the first appointment of the morning. All I had to do was pull the Ramble Machine into the bay and let the boys go to work. Now, I know what you're thinking, "How hard could it be to install some seat covers?" Well, you've got to see these things- they fit like a glove. These guys install seat covers all day and it still took them a half an hour to do the two seats.

I went with black on black. There are all kinds of floral, hibiscus, camo and colored panels that you can select for your seat covers. I've seen a bunch of different ones and they look great, I just wanted something understated, something that would hide a lot of dirt, dust and spilled orange juice. There's two parts for each seat and a cover the center console.

I also opted for zippered, mesh pockets on the seatbacks... pretty cool looking, actually.

One of the owners of Wet Okole saw that I was snapping pictures of the guys installing my covers, he asked me if I wanted to walk around the factory and take some pictures of the fabrication of the covers. Cool! I was able to go behind the neoprene curtain and see how it was done. Check out all of these cardboard templates- each is the pattern for a particular make, model and year of automobile. This was only half of the template library- it was pretty cool and reminded me of the outline templates that shapers have hanging in their shape rooms.

This guy is cutting out the panels for a seat cover. I told him I was a stand up paddler- check out his face, I don't think he was too impressed. I later found out he was a Newps local- a shortboarder, go figure.

It was a giant place with tons of sewing machines whirring, people snipping and big pallets of neoprene everywhere. Check out the camo and black and white hibiscus patterns.

Here's just a few options- there were tons more.

This one was a little too wild for me- but I could sense it was probably pretty cool. I could just sense it.

Here's one called Real Woods or True Woods camo or something. My favorite part of the set up? There's a little handgun pocket hanging down right between the legs of the driver. It's kind of hard to see here but, believe me it's there. Better have that safety on, one unfortunate bump and you're going to be leading an interesting life.

Back at the Ramble Machine the guys were just finishing up installing the seat covers. They came out really nice- I'm stoked on them. They're perfect for Baja too- spill some salsa, smear some guacamole, break a beer bottle, or ride home soaking wet- it's no problem for me, I've got your okole covered!

ToolBox: Part II

What else is in there? Funny you should ask...

D. Folding chair: Good for many purposes, useful for hanging out, napping, waiting- shooting photos and drinking coffee. Everyone will act like they don't want to use it- but they do, trust me.

E. 9'1 Stand Up board- my bread and butter, go-to, multipurpose board. The 9'1 x 30" set up is versatile- enough foam to get you out and about but not so much that you can't throw it around. This is a full time tool box dweller- it just fits in there.

F. Boogey board fins: go body surfing, go boogey boarding- rescue a tourist, flip a pancake. Good for many purposes and fun to have around.

G. 2mm O'neil Guru long sleeve spring suit. The perfect stando wetty- easy to get into (short legs), warm (long arms) and super gooey flexible. Toolbox status? Perm.

H. Mix it up, get back to your roots- turn it like you mean it for God's sake: 6'4 Stamps Fish in a quad set up... pump for the light, fly through sections, changing it up now and then is fun.

I. My new favorite stick: Mike Stewart body board... it's six foot, offshore, closing out and breaking in two feet of water. You want to pull in but the idea of impaling yourself on your paddle isn't too appealing, is it? This thing makes it easy- now you can just break your neck impacting the sand bar. Ain't too proud to get barreled.

The ToolBox

If you're going to do the job correctly, you need the right tool. Here's what I carry in the back of my truck- it's my surf tool box. Check it out:

 

A. Big ol' sombrero, a.k.a Lifeguard Hat. I've always got this with me- this one has a neoprene headband so it sucks down against your head and won't blow off (there is a chinstrap but that's like wearing a belt with suspenders). Nothing keeps you cooler than shading your peanut- keep it covered! 

B. Paddle Quiver: 75" Kialoa Methane, this is my go-to surfing paddle. Anything longer than 75 - 76" (I'm 5'10) feels way too long and cumbersome. I like the small blade it feels fast and clean. My back up surf paddle is a 76" Quickblade Kanaha with a 9" blade. The Quickblade is feather light and very strong. I carry two racing paddles: a 81" Kialoa Shaka Pu'u and a 83" Quickblade Elite racer with the 8.75" blade. The Shaka Pu'u has a much more comfortable shaft while the Quickblade seems to pull a little nicer- I haven't raced with the Quickblade yet but I've got a four miler coming up and I'll keep you posted.

C. Goody box: Basically this thing carries all the extras that I might need. I've got my fin bag in there (stocked full of fins from Future fins... thanks guys!), an extra longsleeved wetsuit jacket, a bunch of bungies, a gross towel and a couple of extra leashes.

Check back - we're gonna dig deeper into the ToolBox!

Covewater Paddle Surf Santa Cruz: Thanks for QuickBlade Elite Racer!

Covewater Paddle Surf up in Santa Cruz is the hub for stand up paddling in Northern California. My brother lives in the area, has checked out the shop and gives it two thumbs up. The place is legit. According to him, the shop is fully stocked with all the latest and greatest paddle surf gear and the employees are both knowledgeable (the guys paddle surf almost daily) and friendly.

They are also heavily involved in the race scene.  Fortunately for me, they've been reading my racing posts this summer.  Even better, they thought I should demo their favorite race paddle, the Quick Blade Elite Racer - so they sent me one!  Thanks guys! I'm stoked on the new paddle!

Look what was waiting for me when I got home from work today... Lilly was stoked on it too. Thanks Covewater!

 If you live in the Santa Cruz area or are just passing through, check out the free Paddle Surf Hawaii demos and Used SUP Board Sale and Swap Meet they've got going on. The Paddle Surf Hawaii board demo is this weekend and the Used SUP Board Sale and Swap Meet will be going on October 30th.

I went with the 8.75" wide blade.

I did get a chance to get in a couple of flatwater miles using the new paddle. I have to say I'm really excited about this blade. In the past, I've used the big 9" wide blades on my QB paddles. Those big spades felt like I was digging into wet cement- you'd plant them and they'd hold like a big old anchor. Some guys have got the horsepower to turn those things over mile after mile. Not me. After a half hour I could feel myself running out of gas and getting slower by the minute. This newer, smaller paddle was perfect for me- I never got that "blown out" feeling.

 The blade, coupled to a featherlight prepreg shaft is the perfect size for me. It's 8.75" wide and has a 100 square inch footprint. I cranked out four miles and felt like the blade was super positive in the water, tracked nicely down the rail and slipped into the water so cleanly on the catch it felt like I was using a scalpel. I've got a race coming up in mid-November, I'm excited to give this paddle a shot at it.

 Thanks to Covewater Stand Up Paddle Santa Cruz for the paddle and I hope to get some waves with you up in Santa Cruz soon!

Emerald City Surf Shop: Stand Up Supplies in a new store

I like surf shops with employees that actually surf- even better when they are stand up paddlers- and much, much better if they surf stand up boards really well. The guys and gals at Emerald City Surf Shop in Coronado are the real deal and if you're looking for stand up gear and advice, you're definitely going to want to stop by and chat them up. Check out the remodeled shop:

Photo: Kelly Kraus, Emerald City's owner, told me a cool story about the new storefront. It turns out that the front of the old shop was built up over these cool 1920's era arches. Demolition uncovered them and everyone liked them so much they changed the whole design plan. I think it was a good call- I'm a big fan of a nice curve.

Photo: Of course, there's a dedicated stand up paddle section. After all, Shop Manager Javi is an I.B. local rides both shortboards and stand up boards. Got a question about what's hot? Ask for Javi.

Photo: Kelly's got a nice selection of stand up boards in stock. Want something a little more exotic? Kelly's got a direct line to the Rusty Factory (I think he's on custom Rusty stando number 3 with number 4 brewing in his brain even as we speak) and can get your custom board order drawn up and on the way in under an hour.

Photo: Here's what I was drooling over- Kialoa's new printed blades looked really cool. I'm sure if there's a particular print you'd like- the crew over at E.C. can order it for you. They also stock excellent paddles by QuickBlade and C4.

Photo: The place is super cool inside. It's got that cool, industrial thing going on. I really like the big, roomy, wide open space. Looking for a particular surf product... this place has got it! 

Check out Emerald City Surf Shop in Coronado at 1118 Orange Avenue, Coronado Ca 92118 619.435.6677

When you've just got to have it ALL: Future Fins colored fin boxes!

So, let's just say that you're trying to match the color of your leash string with the laces of your trunks, you've just about got it when you realize something... Oh my total God, your white fin boxes totally make you look fat! Well fear no more because those mad scientists at Future Fins are about to release the coolest thing since emo kids stopped hugging themselves and crying... the colored fin box. Check mine out:

Photo: Yellow, pink and blue... let's bring the 80's back!

Oakley Paddling Gear: Water Jacket Sunglasses and Control Board Shorts

Here's two new pieces of stand up paddling equipment that I'm totally endorsing: Oakley's Water Jacket Sunglasses and their unnaturally comfortable, four way stretch, Control boardshorts. 

Oakley Sales Rep. Andrew Pate spent a good deal of time listening to me describe the needs of stand up paddlers- especially paddlers who are surfing and traveling in the tropics. I like talking to Andrew, he's been on the road chasing surf all over the world so he understands what it's like to spend four to six hours in the water every day. We talked for awhile and he came up with a couple of suggestions and then put me into some gear. I've been abusing this stuff for the past two months and I'm stoked to put my stamp of approval on them.

Photo: Oakley surf gear... Water Jacket amphibious sunglasses and Control Board Shorts. Sweet stuff

Water Jacket sunglasses: If you've ever been down in the tropics, you know that the afternoon sun is brutal- especially if you're on a stand up board and particularly if it's glassy. The sun beats down on you from above and it also reflects back up at you from below. It's easy to sunburn your eyes when you're pulling three sessions a day. Additionally, I've begun to worry about the toll that all that sunlight is taking on my eyes- pterygiums are a real threat. So, I've been experimenting with different types of amphibious sunglass options.

I've tried a few different brands- most have fogged up so much that they've become more of a hindrance than anything. I've also blown the lenses right out of the frames and lost the glasses completely. In the end, the best option was to bungee a set of regular glasses to my head, wear them in between waves and then yank them off right before catching one. Functional but not ideal.

Photo: Oakley Water Jackets... the back strap is integrated into the frame. Check out the venting on both the lenses and the frames... fogging is minimal to non-existent.

Ideally, the perfect set of glasses would remain fog free, produce enough contrast so that you could wear them while surfing and hopefully be so comfortable that you'd forget you've got them on. In all these criteria, the Water Jackets have excelled. Oakley provides a hydrophobic coating solution that basically keeps water from filming over the surface of the lens- I've taken a lip in the face and still been able to see enough past the beaded water to keep surfing. A quick shake of the glasses and they're water free. 

The glasses are feather light, super comfortable and they come fitted with ear and nose pieces that seem to suction cup onto your face. In addition, the glasses come with a back strap that can be tightened around your head and a tether to secure them to your wetsuit. Best of all, the glasses come with venting on the lenses and frame that prevent fogging- though fogging can occur if you over-tighten the strap and wear them too close to your face. I wear these glasses for all of my flatwater paddling lessons- they're tough, functional and comfortable. So far, they have surpassed all the other amphibious type glasses I've tried. Pick these up at SurfRide in Solana Beach ($250).

Photo: My new, favorite trunks. These pass the, "I-could-live-in-these" test.

Control Board shorts: I have a problem with trunks, I destroy them. I haven't met a pair that I haven't somehow ripped, popped a seam, unraveled a thread or worn through. I did like the Patagonia Paddler Shorts but after two trips to mainland Mexico three sets of their trunks have fallen apart on me (in a weird move, they decided to replace their zippers with sewn on buttons... bad decision, those things pop off like a seventh grader in Sex Ed.).

Photo: Control board shorts in action... moving with you, not against you. Sweet. Photo credit: Jeff Wallis

Andrew passed along a pair of Oakley's Control board shorts for me to try. Now these are something much different than I've experienced before... they're gooey. The trunks are made to stretch in four directions- so as you go from sitting to standing, the fabric doesn't grab at your thigh, it just stretches with you. It took a little getting used to but now that I've been living in them for a few weeks, I'm sold.  They are ultra-comfortable and you will not find a standing, abrasive seam in sight- the things  just slip over your skin.

Thankfully, there's not a sewn on button is site- in fact, there's really nothing to break on the trunks at all. A cool feature that really suits stand up paddlers is the wax pocket which has been move to the back of the waist band.  It's higher up, out of the way and is a perfect size for stashing a water proof ipod (for the racers and cruisers out there). These are great trunks and again I wholeheartedly recommend them. The trunks ($75) are available at the following San Diego surf shops: Emerald City (Coronado, 619.435.6677), Rail 2 Rail (Mission Beach, 858.717.6077), South Coast (Ocean Beach, 223.7017) and Surf Hut (Imperial Beach, 575.7873).

Conclusion: I hadn't had much experience with Oakley's surf products but am now going to be paying a little closer attention to what they've got going on. Somebody in their surf-research department is pretty clued in. I'd like to thank Andrew Pate for taking time to listen to me and for providing the demo products for this review- let's do it again soon!

Quickblade Paddles: The Sweeper

Quickblade's entry level paddle, The Sweeper. Check it out:



I've been cranking on this paddle for the last couple of months, using it in my lessons and passing it around to anybody interested in trying out a sub-120 dollar paddle. It's the best one I've used at that price- and it has a plastic blade.

A plastic blade is a must-have option in a beginner paddle. If you've ever loaned your paddle out to a friend on the beach, you know that a carbon fiber blade in the wrong hands will DESTROY your rails. That's why it's great to have a plastic blade around- less damage to your board. If you're renting boards or teaching lessons, consider this paddle- it's a nice one.

The Sweeper will be available around June 1st and will retail at $119.

Powered Up: Another Future Fin in the mix

There's going to be plenty of options in stand up equipment this summer, fins, paddles, boards it's coming. Here's yet another foil designed specifically for stand up paddling- again from the folks at Future fins. One thing's for certain, the R&D department at Futures never sleeps and there seems to be a fixation with "getting it right"- cheers to that. I'm stoked to see even more SUP specific equipment come on the market. Check this one out:



This one came in stealth mode- no Futures logo on it, only this written across the bottom.



Side by side, you can see the similarities in template between the first 8.5 inch fin (left) and the 7.5 Thruster (right). The leading edge is just as thick, making the fin relatively stiff.



The fin has a much sleeker template than the others. A minor adjustment was needed after I slipped out coming off the bottom. In this case the fin was too far forward, a quarter inch back in the box and the fin was at its sweet spot.

This is a very nice fin. The thing is beautifully constructed and the it worked well for me the first time out. In the photo above, I'm flying down the line- actually beating that section ahead of me. I'll continue surfing this one for the next few days, more data points are needed to determine its capabilities.

Future Fins: G10 3/2/1 and the new Future Center Fin

I'm a lucky guy. I've got great friends. Tim Stamps heard I was experimenting with different fins and materials and next thing I know there was a "care package" at my door. You should know something about Tim; Stamps is always experimenting with fins, fin placement, cant, angle, foil etc., etc., etc.. I think what happened here is that he saw an opportunity to spread the sickness.



These ones came straight from the Future fin factory - sweet 3/2/1s made out of the buttery G-10 material. I'm sold on this stuff. If you want to go faster and come out of turns with more speed than you went into them- you've got to switch over to serious fins. Futures made of G-10 are just so much more positive feeling- put your board on a rail and all the torque that you apply is directly transferred through the much stiffer G-10 material.

I'm going to report back about the plan shape of these particular fins (3/2/1s) and how I think they uniquely apply to stand up boards- I've got a lot to say about them and I think they deserve their own posting.

Check out the new Future Fin stand up paddle center fin too. Interesting shape- this is Future's dedicated SUP fin. I surfed it in shin-knee high surf and can tell you that it's a great nose riding fin. The long blade produces snappy drive and the narrower base makes it a nice fin for step-pivoting the board when you're turning to catch a wave. We've got some better surf coming this weekend so I'll report back once I've got this thing up and flying.

It's killer that companies, like Future Fins, are stepping up to produce SUP specific products. We need 'em. Fins are such an important part of the stand up paddle equation- get out and try some different bites- you'll be glad you did.

More Johnson Big Stick Info: Read it straight from the Man!

Got to post up a quicky- just got out of the water from my morning, pre-work surf. In a sentence: if you're looking for a cheap ($175) back up paddle that paddles sweetly- look no further. EJ's got 'em. Click here to read more about what EJ's doing up in Dana Point. More paddle details coming!



Some cool stuff from the back of EJ's Paddle Wagon.

Stand up paddle surf lessons in sunny San Diego! Come and get 'em! Give us a call: 619.213.1622 or email john@paddlesurf.net Here's a simple equation: Paddle More + Television Less = Happy Life.

Johnson Big Stick Paddles: EJ talks us through a couple new blades from JBS

Just finished editing up this little interview I grabbed with EJ, owner/operator of Johnson Big Stick Paddles. I'm pretty blown away by the quality of the paddles EJ is building. The craftsmanship is, frankly, mind-blowing; the guy really knows how to work with wood.

I'm even more excited to get out and paddle the new blade that EJ sent home with me. Check back for a full review of the entry level JBS blade. Until then, check out this little clip I threw together and please forgive me for all the cliche, surfer talk- when I'm at the beach I revert back to my feral state of intrinsic stoke!


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Stand up paddle surf lessons in sunny, San Diego. Come paddle with us, we'll get you out and paddling with perfect form, a huge smile and happiness in your paddling heart. Really. Call or email: 619.213.6622 or john@paddlesurf.net Want more info? Click here for lesson details and some testimonials from satisfied paddle surf students.