Flip/Flop: I'm conflicted...

I've got to come clean- I've flip flopped on a few paddle surfing related items over the last year. Here's the first in my series of personal flip/flops:

Top Photo: Kiwi out this morning- I call this photo, "Noise" seems like there's a lot going on birds, bottom turns, barneys... it's noisy.

1. Electrician's mastic on the edge of the paddle: I used to come out with these really strong opinions about how you can't feel the difference between taped and non-taped paddles. I think I may have been seriously wrong on that one. A few days ago I picked up a new Quick Blade paddle and, because the surf was firing, I got right out into the water before I had a chance to tape it up.

Bottom Photo: Now is the season to learn to stand up paddle surf! Sign up for a stand up paddle surf lesson and be happy! Or, if you've got the skills- rent paddle surf equipment right here in San Diego- I'll deliver it to you!

Guess what? You can feel the difference! Not so much in the release but in the catch. The blade just feels like it's got more bite to it- catch is the wrong word for it- it's more like a grab. I don't know, it could just be the paddle, but it just feels fast. I don't think I'm going to wrap this one- I really like how clean it feels.

But... I think the electrician's mastic wrap definitely does have its place. First of all, if you're a beginner you'll save your rails, prevent dings, and if your board is a molded product, you'll reduce the notorious paint chipping disease that comes from paddle knocks. Once you've got some paddle handling experience, you won't hit the rails of your board as often- and you won't need to wrap your blade. Unless you're Mondfrans, but that's a different story.

And... I think the electrician's wrap may just be a smart idea from a safety point of view. Last week, as I was pulling into the tube, the whole wave shut down on me and basically blew me off my board. Stuff went everywhere. The blade ended up wacking me across my shins- edge first. The hit was hard enough to make me really nervous about feeling around down there. Fortunately, the paddle I was using had a wrapped blade and I got away with a nasty bruise.

I can't say that the mastic was the factor that saved me from being filleted but I don't doubt that it helped in some way. I've seen some nasty fin cuts in my years in the water. Some of them happen for obvious reasons, one surfer running over another, for example. Others, though, occur under weird circumstances. I've seen surfers come out with bloody gashes under their wetsuits- without even cutting the wetsuit.

Weird things also happen when you're swinging around a six foot, carbon fiber blade, in firing, overhead barrels (or, actually, two foot mushball waves, which are where most injuries occur believe it or not). You may think the paddle just nicked you but on closer examination you might find something that turns your stomach. Fins may be slightly sharper than paddle edges, but not by a huge margin. And if a fin can gut you so can the edge of your blade.

The moral of the story may be this: If I'm at home I'll used a mastic-less blade. I'm at the point where I'm not banging my rails and I like how clean the bare blade feels. But if I travel to a third world wave, or an out in the boondocks bombora, I'm going to use a wrapped paddle. I don't savor the idea of having to drive hours for emergency care or biting down on a wood stick while my friend sews me up with dental floss (I guess that's why I pack gel-Krazy Glue in my First Aid kit- but still).

I want to be on Maui Bob's team...

Maui Bob is always up to something cool. Tomorrow, July 13th is the 9.75 mile, 3rd Annual Naish International Paddleboard Championship and I guess the whole prone and standing community is all in- there may be as many as 200 paddlers involved.

Bob's promising more photos so we're going to hold him to it. No Spam Fried Rice until you send more photos.

Top Photo: This is what Maui Bob's going to paddle- it's a two man craft...

Second Photo: This is Qball- paddling with Maui Bob from Maliko Gulch to Town.

Third Photo: Why is it that everything is just cooler in Hawaii?

Last Photo: Like I said, I want to be on Maui Bob's team. Got room for one pudgy, kinda slow guy?

Click Here for the latest.... SCHWAACK off the top with chimpanzees watching!

New Stuff From Stu Kenson

Stu's got other things going on besides the Zapper. Here's a couple of shots from a trip I just made up to the shop. Check 'em out:

Top Photo: Here are a couple in the 10' range. I've paddled and surfed one of Stu's new 10'2"s- the thing went insane! I managed to luck into one of the best lefts of the morning, drove the thing straight down and square off the bottom- not a warble. The diamond tail held and juiced me down the line- his new shapes have speed to burn and yet retain an enormous amount of stability. Check 'em out if you get a chance.

Bottom Photo: Just look at the 10'er next to Stu- don't even start to ask me about what that six channel Byrne is doing there... naked for all to see. Don't even ask me why Allan Byrne stopped by while I was there and chatted with Stu about things I'm not supposed to talk about... don't even ask.

Here's something else I'm not technically supposed to talk about. It's called KookBox. I can tell you this- it's a Joel Tudor/Stu K. collaboration. You're going to see Joel on them soon- boards with designs that are all over the map. And I may just have a couple of semi-authorized photos. Check Back!

New BeachSurf photos click it, kook.

Paddle Surfing Baja: Scorpion Bay Report

Check out these photos of Scorpion Bay- are you kidding me??? The place was made for stand up boards. Many thanks to Tom English of www.alohawealth.com for the pictures.

Tom and his friends just returned from a trip down to San Juanico- from the looks of it they pretty much scored. I think this is another validation of my belief that a stand up board can save any surf trip.

The stand up board takes the wave anxiety away- even if it's flat, you know you've got something fun to do. And if there's even a ripple in the water- you're on it!

I contacted Tom to ask him about airline travel with stand up boards. I've been a fan of his homegrown travel and SUP videos- the guy's been all over the place and he's always got a big old SUB with him. I figured if anybody knew the true scoop on flying with big boards it'd be him.

I needed to know if I could fly Alaska airlines with a 10' board. The airline's guidelines state that boards are restricted to lengths no longer than 9'6". In August, I'm heading to a spot in mainland Mexico that looks perfect for a stand up board- it's a left point that runs for a few hundred yards- the kind of spot that's just begging to be stand up paddled. It's an absolute necessity that my stand up board gets loaded onto that flight.

I was stoked to hear that Tom flew Alaska airlines with two stand up boards and that both violated the length restriction. That's the kind of real information I can use- believe me, I'm sleeping better at night knowing my board's coming along.

Top Three Photos: Scorpion Bay and riders with the English party doing their respective things down in Baja.

Photo Four: A couple of my buddies were down there at the same time as Tom English- here's Stukey cruising a six-incher on a twelve footer. The stand up board can save any surf trip.

Photo Five: Just how long do you think this waves is. Right. Now double that and you're just about there.

More Zapper Data: I've received some inquiries regarding the Zapper's dimensions. I'll give you the numbers that I know: 10' x 29.5" x 4.25" sorry but I don't know the tail and nose numbers. What I do know is that it looks SICK!!

The latest BeachSurf photos right here!

A Few Pics from the Dog Patch- and a little video clip.

Got an itch to hit the DogPatch. It wasn't to difficult to convince some of the usual suspects to tag along.

The surf was pretty weak and the water a bit cooler than we're used to down south but we still ended up having a lot of fun.

I was pretty impressed with what the locals were making out of the waist high mushballs that were coming through- definitely some talented stand up paddlers up there.

Top Photo: Leo Nordine- posting up with five over on the small C4.

2nd Photo: Denis (the guy who passed me at mile 20 on the Colorado River) tossing his new stick up into the foam ball.

3rd Photo: Chris K. and Denis checking out the new kid on the block. Drop me an email about that stick we'd love to know all about it.

Last Photo: L.N. cranking it around.

Camera Grom also came along to shoot a little video- lots of DogPatch regulars in the clip- check 'em out.


Find more videos like this on Stand Up Paddle Surfing

Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle Event coming to San-O?

Rumor has it that there'll be a major SUP event happening this summer (or fall) here in Southern California. I'm still putting it all together but here's what I got:

1. I've been told that in October there will be a SUP race featuring a $10,000 dollar purse- from what I can tell, Honolua will be a major sponsor of the event.

2. Sources tell me that a "Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle" is coming soon to the waters around Dana Point.

Here's my call: The Battle of the Paddle and the Honolua Race are part of the same event. I've hear that Rainbow Sandals will also be involved. My feeling is that with the size of the purse drawing major paddlers from all over the world, you'll soon be hearing about other sponsors signing up for a piece of the action.

I'm predicting that the contest will include the big money paddle race and the SUP surf competition which will be held at Old Man's. But... how sweet would it be if they could book Lowers! I'd love to get a shot at polluting that right hander with a bunch of other stand up surfers. Undoubtedly the entry fee will be steep but if a 6' south swell is rifling through Trestles, wouldn't it be worth it? I'm going to start looking for a sponsor now!

If you've got some solid info. on these events and don't mind sharing, drop me line at paddlesurfbaja@gmail.com

Help me get to the bottom of this!

Photos: Top and Bottom: The surf is STILL firing here in San Diego! Check out the little chest to head-high left hander I surfed with two friends for a couple of hours yesterday- and again today. Hope you're getting some!

Hobie/Hennessey's Dana Point Race Photos and Results

Andie Johnson sent me some great photos from the Hobie Hennessey's Race in Dana Point. I've been told the conditions were pretty brutal. In addition to the mixed seas rebounding off the jetty there was a nasty south wind blowing straight into the faces of the racers for about four miles of the course.

On the bright side this was a race with cash prizes for the top three finishers in each category. For a full breakdown of all of the finishers checkout the Hobie race results page.

Tim Stamps' race boards did well placing in three SUP divisions. Ernest Johnson (EJ) paddled one of the new Stamps Arrow designs and finished 3rd Overall in Stock SUP; EJ took home a few bucks for his efforts. Farmer Dave, riding the Arrow 1, finished in 1st place in the 30 - 39 year old Division of the Stock SUP category with Tim Stamps finishing 3rd in the 40 - 49 age group of the Stock SUP class.

Farmer Dave's New Board: Stamps 9'0 - Are you kidding me?

Stamps is killing me with this board. Farmer Dave, you're a lucky man. Better keep that under wraps or I'll HAVE it!

Look at this thing. This one comes in at 9'0 x 29" x 4.25". You've paddle surfed for awhile now, can't you look at this board and mindsurf it? Check the clean outline- see how the hips pull so sweetly down into the round tail. If you want to flow, link turns and carry speed, in my opinion, the round tail is it. It's such a neutral design, you can fit it into almost any part of the wave. It'll drive through steep sections or turn out of flat spots.

The tail is pulled but not to a ridiculous extent. It's designed for what we're surfing here in Southern California. There's planing area to produce drive but enough taper to hold when you come hard off the bottom.

This really is a thoughtful design. Consider the width, even though the board is only 9'0 the gut is right at 29". Those are cool numbers, they get away from the sub 28" wide mindset that most of smaller molded boards are carrying. The result is a much more stable, short stand up board- not a wobble stick that you'll soon send down the road.

If you can, buy local and insist on custom made- same price, made to fit.

Go check 'em all at www.surfboardsbystamps.com

Our SUP Community: EJ - let this man make your next paddle.

This is EJ. EJ paddles fast; check him out in the River Run video- he's the guy in the yellow C4 jersey going by me as if I was long lining carp. EJ races in the ridiculous Unlimited Class in all of the local stand up paddle races- head to your local beach on race day and chances are you'll run into him.

EJ also makes paddles. Custom wooden paddles, a few at a time. They're beautiful. His paddles are functional, hand-made, wooden works of art. I've seen them, if your a SUP geek (like me) they make you nervous. You realize that you need one. Your debit card gets all hot and bothered. They're that good.

EJ knows paddles. The guy logs more weekly SUP miles than your Prius can suck from a gallon of premium. EJ lives on the water- literally. Remember Kevin Costner in water world? With the gills and jacked up toes and everything? Next to EJ... child's play.

EJ's a good guy. He lives clean, makes friends easy, is quick to smile and seems to always be on hand with an extra cold one when you need it. And isn't it always true that good people own good dogs? Just wait 'til you meet Taco- you'll dig him. EJ's an ambassador for our sport. Can't figure out why you're stroke is all jacked up? Ask EJ. Got a question about paddles? Chat him up- he loves this stuff. And, if you get a chance, check out his handy work- just be ready to get nervous...

EJ's label is JohnsonBigStick- click on over.



What are you waiting for? Get your bumper candy NOW!


Also: Go check out my nifty San Diego Paddle Surf lessons brochure I just uploaded onto the Lessons page!

Yard Sale: Hoe he'e nalu bumper sticker and a Big Red

Get 'em while they're hot: Hoe he'e nalu bumper sticker in the official paddlesurf.net green and gold. These are only available online- check 'em out here.

Here's a hot deal on a great board: It's no secret- I started on a Sean Ordonez Big Red. I still have it as a matter of fact. The board does all kinds of things really well- big and wide enough to learn on yet racy enough to surf waves big and small. And it's not a bad cruising board either- I just paddled mine twenty eight miles down the Colorado River.

A friend has got one for sale in the LA area- if you're looking for a solid deal on a great board shoot him an email: tbsurf@ca.rr.com The price is $950 for the board and a $250 DaKine board bag that fits it. Not a bad deal.

Olympus 1030sw: Early Thoughts

Here at www.paddlesurf.net we're not quite big time enough to get expensive digital cameras sent to us for review. So I'm going to have to be a little restrained in my testing of this camera because, after all, I shelled out my own bucks for it. Which kind of sucks because I would've liked to film myself dropping the Oly a couple of times onto a concrete floor- it'd be fun if it wasn't my camera. Here are some first thoughts:

The Olympus 1030sw just feels good. First of all, the thing is pretty darn heavy. It kind of feels like a little metal brick. That's not a bad thing- it feels solid. Strong. Supposedly I could sit on the thing and not smash it- that's good because I could see myself doing that sometime.

Actually, it'd probably get smashed by my big, white, marine-grade (that just means it's white and more expensive), Igloo cooler. Or I'd forget it in the bottom of my daypack and jam a sandy, wet, wetsuit on top of it and then put the cooler on it. I think you get it, I abuse stuff. The camera feels like it could take it.

I'm a fan of the amount of metal used in its construction. How many times have you reached for some gadget and been kind of let down by how "plasticy" it felt? There's a lot of good, old fashioned, metal in this camera. In fact the only parts that were obviously plastic were the waterproof doors covering the battery and cable compartments and the big screen on the back of the camera. Speaking of the screen, it seems to me that if something's going to get messed up in the rough conditions this camera will be subjected to, it's the screen. It'll probably be a good idea to buy some kind of protective cover for the screen.



As far as photos go, I like it better than the X-acti. There's all kinds of controls and options that you can monkey around with. To be honest, I haven't done too much of my homework as far as what I need to do to take really bitchin' pictures (check out this guy's blog- he uses an earlier version of the 1030sw and get's unbelievable images). I've been messing with the "Scenes" settings for taking photos indoors and for sunsets and photos around the fire- it's been fun and for my purposes seems to work well. Favorite photography feature so far? The rapid fire mode- you can set the camera to fire off bursts of photos for as long as you hold the shutter button down- can't wait to use it to capture some lip schwackin' action.

All photos in the last two posts were taken with the Oly- check 'em out and let me know what you think about them. I'm still learning about this camera but so far- I like it. It feels really tough and the pictures have come out fine for me so far.

Secrets for the taking

Pull out a map, find an isolated stretch of coast sandwiched between two access points and go find your own waves. Bingo- your own personal secret spot. I can virtually guarantee that if walking, or in our case, paddling into it is required, you won't see a soul. It's yours, take it. Have fun with it. Name it if you want. What's the big problem?

Photo: Kiwi taking a break- ten minutes from downtown SD- not big, but fun and definitely not crowded. My first photo with the new Oly 1030sw.

I've got mine. I'm going to name it too. It's called the Dinosaur. Kiwi and I just pioneered it (or maybe we didn't but I really don't care). It's a three mile paddle down a part of the coast that is essentially in my back yard. I've never surfed it, or for that matter, seen anybody surf it. Why? Because nobody wants it. It's too much work. Guess what? There are waves there. Really fun waves, better waves than you'd expect.

Am I letting the cat out of the bag? Should I be hit with a bolt of lightning for revealing some "secret" spot? I don't think so- here's why: THERE AREN'T ANY SECRET SPOTS. Especially if you live here in Southern California. It's all been done, logged, photographed, posted, published and downloaded. The great thing is that even with all that publicity- they're still not crowded- even here. People just don't want to do the work- even if they know exactly where the spot is and how to get to it.

So find a spot with some paddling miles between it and the nearest parking lot. There's still a ton out there. Make it your secret spot. Just be sure to give it a good name.

Check it Out: Stamps 9'0 x 28 3/4 x 4 1/4 For Sale

If you're looking to move down in size from your 12' starter SUB check this board out. It's the one I'd buy if I had an extra $1100 bucks on me- this thing is effing hot. Actually, I'm holding at 235 lbs so I might go a little bigger but for someone who's in the 175 - 215 range this board would be perfect.

A couple of things: I like the round tails on these boards- I'm finding that with the increased tail width, the round tail provides the best compromise between stability and bite. With the round tail you can bring the board all the way down into the flats, push it over and it'll hold- or you can pump a quick mid-face turn to clear a section and the board will squirt (you can see me doing both of these turns on the same wave in the last two videos posted- the Mahi 2 has a round tail and I'm stoked on it).

The curves of the tail basically fit anywhere on the wave- you may not get the kick in the ass punch of a square or diamond tail but you make it up in versatility and flow... at least that's how I see it. Secondly, I'm sold on hand-made boards - I'll never go back to a molded board. The handmade boards feel like surfboards- try one you'll instantly notice the difference.

The board is used but in perfect condition- the deck in front of the pad has been sprayed with Hula Deck so you'll never have to wax it. It's got a sanded finish so it's light- I really like this board- snag it or I will and then I'll have some serious explaining to do! Contact Tim Stamps to buy this board.

Email: stampssurf@charter.net

Better Yet: Drive on up to the Stamps Board Works, meet Cowboy, talk stand up boards and order up a new one- go on, you know you deserve it.

My California Day

I don't know how hot it was in El Cajon today but I'll tell you it was just perfect down here at the beach. Some type of high pressure magic slid in and showed us what summer should really be like. I had a great day. It would've been a perfect day if my X-acti (you know Sanyo's five hundred dollar water proof video camera, my second one after the first just decided to die on me) hadn't made a frying noise and emitted a little puff of electric smoke. It was kind of like when the tapes burn up in the old Mission Impossible shows- just a buzz and a poof- toasted.

Including my morning paddle surf, I completed three seperate paddle sessions today. One of them was a lesson on the bay (yep, it's starting early this year- this could be a big summer for stand up paddle surfing) and the other was a three mile back bay cruise with my wife Kathy.

The lesson was great; two friends who'd heard about stand up paddling and wanted to give it a shot- both were naturals at it. We spent a couple of minutes on the beach and then pushed off into the bay and cruised around the yachts and hidden waterways of the San Diego back bay. Lessons are great- it's really rewarding to watch a person realize how fun and accessible this sport really is- and it's just fun helping someone learn something that's undeniably cool.

Kathy's three mile paddle turned into a bit of a workout when the north wind came up and pushed back against us as we paddle back to the beach. The wind also got my old kite surfing hackles up and so I was pushing hard to get us back so I could pump up before the wind died completely. No luck- I flew the big kite and ended up doing a couple of mushy runs as the wind was slowly leaving the beach.

A dying evening wind isn't such a bad thing. Especially when it means that there'd be a chance for a nice little sunset glass off- which did happen, but I was too tired to even think about it. So I did the next best thing, I sat under a palm tree in my back yard and sipped a margarita. Don't need a million dollars to live like a millionaire. And tomorrow's supposed to get even better!

Paddle Surfing Lessons San Diego

For Lessons, Contact us at: paddlesurfbaja@gmail.com or call 619 213-6622

Learn to stand up paddle surf! Stand up paddling is for everyone- it's fun, an excellent workout and a great way to get out on the water. It's become my favorite way to surf and has changed the way I look at bodies of water- I now want to paddle them all!

I've taught students of all ages from gung-ho 13 year olds to fired up 71 year olds. Every student I've instructed has been successful and has left excited for more. If you've seen stand up paddling on television or in the magazines and have dreamed of doing it yourself - here's your chance! Come learn to stand up paddle with me this summer!

Stand Up Paddle Surf Lesson 1 Flat Water Paddling: This is lesson is an introduction to stand up paddling. Our goal is to provide you with the basic techniques needed to safely paddle a stand up board. You will leave the lesson with enough skills to confidently handle a future board of your own or rental equipment.

In this lesson you will learn correct stroke technique, how to turn the board using three different paddle strokes, foot placement and stance, and, importantly, how to self rescue. We will also discuss how to lift and transport the board without destroying your back or expensive paddle equipment. The lesson will culminate with a 2 - 4 mile paddle through the scenic Coronado Cays and San Diego back bay.

The entire lesson is conducted in calm, flat waters. It is important for new paddlers to begin in relatively tranquil conditions. These conditions allow us to focus on the important elements of board, paddle and stroke. As a beginner, you can never get enough flat water paddle time. The more you paddle the better you get!

Cost for Lesson 1 is $100/person, the lesson takes 1.5 hours to complete.

Email: paddlesurfbaja@gmail.com or call (619) 213-6622

Paddle Surf Gear Rentals Available: With Pick Up and Drop Off!!! If you've got basic paddling skills and would like to rent a board and paddle I will deliver the equipment to either Glorietta Bay or Grand Caribe Beach in Coronado (flatwater) or Silver Strand State Beach (surf paddling) and pick it up at the end of the rental period. These boards are big and difficult to handle unless you've got a truck - let me take the hassle out of paddling. Rental with Delivery and Pickup is $60/3 hours, board and paddle. If you'd like for me to deliver the equipment to a different beach in San Diego there will be an additional charge.

NEW OFFERING: Paddle Surf Touring in San Diego. If you've completed Stand Up Paddle Surf Lesson 1 or have basic paddling experience (including surf entry and exit) let me guide you on a scenic tour of San Diego's best paddle spots. Contact me for more information: paddlesurfbaja@gmail.com

Pay with Pay Pal! Let me know if you'd like to pay with a credit card and I'll send you a Pay Pal invoice.






For more information check out our brochure below.

SUP Boch indd - Upload a doc

Read this doc on Scribd: SUP Boch indd