New Board Alert! - SIC Bullet 17

Picked up a new board in Fairfield on Tuesday. Cleaned it and waxed it. Will get it in the water this weekend! Stay tuned for a full report.  Will also compare it to an older, custom-made SIC F18.  One is 6 pounds heavier than the other.  Can you guess which one?

9/7/2014 UPDATE!  Took the board out on Tomales Bay today.  Did two little upwind/downwind paddles, not super windy, maybe 10-12 max.  This board is fast.  Changing direction with the ASS system is easy to figure out.  Use the feet the steer and use the paddle for power and bracing.  The board is way more stable than I thought it would be.  I love it!  Perfect conditions today to get a feel.  Just windy enough to have some fun!

On the way home.

Took a few of the stickers off and gave it a good wash and inspection.

This is the thickest board I have ever seen.  Looks to be approximately 6.5 inches thick at the logo.

Very impressive finish on this board.  All of the lines are crisp, logos are perfect, deep rich colors and fades.  The blue paint on this thing is beautiful.  I love blue.  This looks like Cerulean Blue.  Very deep and very rich.  The entire board looks and feels very durable.  Downwind boards take a beating so they have to be tough.  This board is no lightweight at 41.8 pounds.  Despite it's narrow width there is a lot of volume in this board.  The edges between the blue areas
 and white are laser sharp, even at the tail.  

Lots of V in the deck to help shed water.  About 1.75 inches from the ridge to the end of the blue area.

The entire deck area is concave, a really nice touch.

Just behind the handle, the standing area is 21" wide.  The board width is 26.5".

Thickness of the board at the tail, over the rudder.

Thickness of the board towards the middle.

Thickness of the board in the middle.  Can barely get my hands to wrap around.

Thickness at the front tip of the deck pad.

Thickness about 2' back from the nose.

Not sure how well it shows up in the picture but there is a distinct line here.  The rails are glossy but the bottom is more of a matte finish.  This is probably to help reduce the appearance of scratches.  Rails are soft at the nose and gradually get sharper closer to the tail.

Quick inspection of the bottom shows a very flat surface going back to the standing area to a single concave and then leading to either double concave or v from the standing area to the tail.  I need to take another look during the day.

NRS Hydroskin for Christmas!

Santa knows me so well.

My Favorite Piece of Gear - NRS Hydroskin Review

This past weekend, I went on a really fun paddle down Walker Creek and Tomales Bay with a friend of mine (Matt P who also has a blog).  We were talking about how we need to be more active with our blogs and started talking about ideas for a blog post.  I immediately thought of a "favorite piece of gear" post.  The moment I thought of that, I knew that I would have write a little about my beloved NRS HydroSkin shirt.  This is my favorite piece of gear.  Why is it my favorite?  Keep reading.

When I first started getting into SUP, I knew I would have to get a wetsuit.  In the bay area, the water rarely gets over 60 degrees.  For most of the year, it's in the low 50s.  This means, you have to have a wetsuit if you are going to spend any time in the water.  My first suit was a farmer john style that I picked from the boys down at  Clavey.  The suit by itself was not quite enough, so I got the HydroSskin shirt to go with it (also from Clavey).  I figured this would give me the most versatility for the least amount of money.  Here's what usually works for me:

• Cold Day/Cold Water = Wetsuit and HydroSkin
• Warm Day/Cold Water = Wetsuit and rash guard
• Warm Day/Warm Water = Hydroskin and board shorts

I have used this shirt while touring, teaching, surfing, downwinding, racing, even snorkeling in Hawaii.  When I'm not wearing it, I usually keep it in my drybag in case I need it.  It is compressable, and doesn't take up much room.  Last Spring, after reaching the end of my run, I gave my wife a call for a pick up and within minutes, the temperature started to drop as the sun went down behind Inverness Ridge.  I was tired, wet, and hungry and started to shiver.  I reached in my bag, ate a Cliff Bar and put on my HydroSkin.  I warmed right up.  I had to wait an hour or so for my wife.  I was happy to have that very dry and very warm shirt!  It's only .5mm but feels a lot warmer than that due to the construction.  Go to the NRS site to learn more about this amazing material.

I like Pros and Cons lists, so here goes:

PROS

• Simple - It's just a shirt.  No zipper, no pockets, no weird collar, no buttons, nothing to snagged or caught.
• Versatile - Wear it with farmer john, or by itself.  Wear as an outer layer or as a thermal layer under a rain jacket or paddling jacket.  Great sun protection too.  
• Packable - It's a lot of warmth in small package.  Roll it up and put in a drybag or in your cockpit.
• Warm - It's warmer than you would think.  The neoprene is only .5mm but it's as warm as 2mm in my opinion.
• Flexible - stretchy and fits well.  I am 6'5" 235 and the XXL fits me perfectly. The neck is great, it does a good job of keeping water from flushing but is not too restrictive. See the pictures below.
• Outer Skin Texture - Slick but not grabby like neoprene.  Allows easy entry into my pull-over PFD.  Never had any chafing or blistering. The texture of this material allows my PFD to "float" over it.  It's almost like they were made to work together.  My PFD is an Astral Greenjacket, btw.
• Value - Even at full price ($95), this piece of clothing is a great value.  Often, you can find the long sleeve version on sale for about $60.  

CONS

• Flushing - If you wear it for surfing and you fall often like I do, you will get water up this shirt.  It is a shirt after all.
• Stays Wet - This thing takes forever to dry.  If planning another session for later in the day or first thing the next morning, get two shirts so you always have a dry one.  
• Honestly can't think of anything else to say.

So yes, the NRS HydroSkin shirt is my favorite piece of gear, EVER.  There, I said it!  NRS is having a sale right now so I might buy myself a Christmas present.  Oh, I'm not affiliated with NRS in any way and I get no discounts or special considerations from them.  I pay full price or look for sales like everyone else.  I have the blue and gray already, but I like the red and gray too.  Get one.

BAM! - My favorite piece of the gear, the NRS HydroSkin shirt.

Holds up to abuse.  No torn seams or holes.  The center piece of fabric in the collar is very thin and flexible.

Form fitting but not too tight and offers good sun protection.

As you can see here, extremely flexible, more than any wetsuit.

You can see texture of the inside, comfortable, not itchy.

Here is the main material.  I am using my LED flashlight to try to show the thickness of this material.

Here is the thin material (HydroSilk?) under the arm to add in comfort and flexibility.

All About SUP Fins!

This is the best article/blog that I have seen on the subject of SUP fins.  Picking the right fin for you, your board, and the conditions is a bit of a black art.  A lot of it is based on feel.  Nothing changes the feel of your board like the right fin.  So how do you pick the right fin?  The best thing you can do is find a more experienced person with the same board.  If you are lucky like me to have some good SUP shops nearby that know their stuff, get them to make some recommendations to you.  Don't go by looks or shape.  Read on to learn about picking the right SUP fin for your board.

http://www.supracefins.com/advice/how-to-choose-a-race-fin/

Just for fun, here are the fins I run on my boards:

• Angulo Shaka XLT (14' x 30") downwind board - Allison Ninja works great for me.  A really good downwind fin that also tracks well.  If it's really flat, I will use the Allison Thresher.
• Bark Custom Unlimited (18'6" x 27").  This board is lightning fast but very tippy for me when going slow.  It gets more stable when going fast or with the wind at my back.  Interestingly, it feels very stable when going downwind in light or moderate wind.  I have not had it out in really windy conditions yet.  On this board, I am running a HUGE Jimmy Lewis fin that was modified to fin the small fin box.  This fin helps stability and tracks great.  I also have an Allison Gladiator that I will go back to once I get more water time on this board.  It feels faster and has more rake.  1/7/2014 UPDATE:  I now have an Allison Batwing fin on this board.  This fin is great.  It fits my tiny fin box, has loads of surface area and lots of rake (so it's great for grassy Tomales Bay).  It's not a very "deep" fin though so you can get through some shallow areas without scratching it up.  What I love about fiberglass fins is you can shave off little bits here and there to get a truly custom fit on your board.

Ke Nalu Molokai Paddle Review

A paddle is a peculiar thing.  It's a simple, ancient device yet it works pretty well.  We can move the board with it, we can even use it to keep ourselves from falling off the board.  We always keep both hands on the paddle so it's all about that elusive "feel".  What feels good to you might not feel good to me.  Let's not forget that something that feels good may not be the most efficient for us but then again, does that really matter? In addition, something that doesn't feel good today might feel good in a few weeks.  Is that because it was good all along and it took time to adjust to it?  Perhaps it's still not very good but because it feels more familiar, it's somehow a better paddle.  Again, I will ask the question: does it really matter?  I don't know.  What I DO know is that the first time I paddled with my Ke Nalu Molokai, I absolutely HATED it.  Please keep reading.

I'm picky about a lot of things: movies, sunglasses, shoes, socks, and paddles.  I don't like house brand paddles.  By that, I don't like generic paddles with a board manufacturer's sticker on them.  Everyone has seen or used these paddles.  You see them from Naish, Surftech, Starboard, etc.  All the big brands have them.  They are okay and most of them work pretty well I guess but these guys are not in the paddle business, they are in the board business. Everything else is an accessory.  I like paddles made by a paddle company.  I like Quickblade, Werner, Kialoa, and Ke Nalu.  You thought I hated the Ke Nalu?  I did.  I was very disappointed.  It was splashy and wobbled like crazy during the power phase of the stroke.  It felt really hard to pull out of the water.  I liked the light weight and I liked the looks but that was it.  By the third session with it though, I started to figure it out.

The Ke Nalu will punish a poor stroke.  All of the power comes from the catch and the first part of the power phase.  When your feet reach the paddle, you need to start your exit.  A SUP paddle has an offset to allow you to lift the paddle without scooping water at the end of your stroke.  Lifting water is a lot of hard work and no pay off.  Lifting water takes energy and it slows you down by pushing your board deeper in the water, creating more drag.  The Ke Nalu does not have as much off-set, therefore you need to focus on the catch and release at your feet.  I believe the off-set goes from 9 degrees at the shaft to 3 degrees at the tip.

Hundreds of people have commented on Ke Nalu paddles on the standup zone forum.  There are hundreds of pages.  I would say that 99.5% of the reviews are positive.  Most people rave about them.  Here are some pros and cons based on my own experience with the Molokai:

PROS

• Very lightweight - A light paddle is a wonderful thing!
• Modular - You can pick between different grips, different shafts, and different blades based upon your body size, experience, preferences, etc.
• Innovative design - ferrule system, complex blade shape, hot glue assembly - makes swapping out components a breeze.
• Sharkskin texture on the shaft for grip.  Why doesn't everyone do this?
• Looks - Shiny carbony goodness
• Customer service

CONS

• Expensive - one of the most expensive on the market as far as I know.
• You have to assemble the three pieces together with hot glue.  Your pieces come pre-glued but either mine didn't have enough or I just didn't let it get hot enough so I had to add more glue.  Of course, I over did it and made a mess.  It took me a while, but I finally cleaned it up.
• You have to cut the shaft yourself.  It can be scary if you are not good with hand tools.  The fragments are sharp as glass so be sure to sand your edges.
• Not really a con, but the shaft is a smaller diameter than you might be used to.  I have big hands but I really like it.  I reminds me to loosen my death grip.

Overall, a great paddle.  I love the bigger blade of the Molokai for downwinders.  I also use it for racing.  I like that Ke Nalu is a small player in the market.  They thought about ways to improve the SUP paddle, and did.  I also like that if I happen to break it, I can just replace the broken piece (blade, shaft, or handle) without trashing the whole paddle.  I would not recommend this paddle to a beginner though, or would I?  Maybe some punishment to help you refine your stroke is not a bad thing.  

Angulo Shaka XLT Review

A few weeks ago, I purchased my new Angulo Shaka XLT from Angulo Designs in Santa Cruz.  So far, I am loving this board.  Choosing a 14' is no easy task.  There are so many good boards out on the market, you just have to decide what you want the board to be able to do.  You have to be willing to make some compromises.  I think the Shaka keeps those compromises to a minimum.  It's great for downwind yet is surprisingly fast on flat water.  Although there a bit of nose rocker, it goes up-wind pretty well.  Despite having an "average" amount of volume for it's length, it sits really high in the water and has a ton of secondary stability.  The XLT version weighs in at about 30 pounds which is pretty light for 14', relatively wide board.

If you want a good downwind/rough water board that's not too sluggish in the flats, not too heavy, not fragile, has understated yet beautiful graphics you should check out this board.  Oh yeah, and it retails for about $1800 which makes it an incredible bargain.  It's true that there is no board that excels in every aspect of the sport and all conditions, but this board comes close.  You want to tour on it too?  Put some shock cords on it and go, it can handle the weight.  You are a big guy and want to do a little racing, go for it.  If the wind is at your back or the conditions get rough, you just might have an advantage.  You want to do some downwind runs on it?  Well, this is the board for you.

To make this board perfect, they just need to start using the new undercut finger wells.  This is a big board designed for windy conditions.  Carrying the board to and from the water can be tricky in the wind.  A better grip on the board would be great.

The wind picks up around here in March, I can't wait!  Here's a little video I did after my first outing on the Shaka.  Can you tell I like it? :)

Peet Dryer Review

Like other products I review, I like to try the product over time and provide objective feedback.  I really like the PEET Dryer!  It works great.  So far, I have only used it for drying 3mm booties, 7mm booties, and Adidas water shoes.

It doesn't get super hot and doesn't blow hot hair, so I don't see how it can damage the adhesives and materials in your shoes.  There are no buttons or settings, you just plug it in and let your shoes dry overnight.  I HATE wet, cold feet.  This product is fantastic.  It takes my 7mm booties a LONG time to dry out naturally even if out in the sun.  The problem is they are not breathable so they seem to stay wet forever.  Not so with the PEET Dryer, just pop them on there plug it in and walk away.  The base is a big and helps water drain away, the whole thing is lightweight and made of plastic.  It's made in the USA.

It's so nice to find a simple, well-made, functional product.  It's so simple, you pop your shoes on it plug it in and wait.  The next morning, you unplug it and put your shoes, boots, or booties on.  I hate cold, wet feet.  This thing makes that problem go away.

Adidas Boat ClimaCool Lace Water Shoe Review

Adidas has developed a very good water shoe.  It has some limitations but overall, is a very good shoe for SUP and for other water sports.  I purchased these shoes at an Adidas outlet in Myrtle Beach, SC at the end of the season.  I tried them for a couple of days and liked them so much, I went back and got two more pairs!  Sometimes wearing a size 13 is a good thing.

I wanted to use them a while before writing the review to provide an honest assessment.  I have been wearing them a lot both on and off the water.  I liked them so much I wore them during an entire day of cross-country travel.  I admit, I have hot sweaty feet.  These things are amazing for keeping your feet cool.  A lot of shoes have breathable uppers but these have lots of drainage in the sole.  This allows a lot of air to circulate around your feet as you walk.  Keeping the soles of your feet cool is really, really nice.

Here are some pros and cons of these shoes:

PROS:

• They are very breathable
• Water drains very quickly from the soles
• Very comfortable for casual wear
• Look like regular shoes!
• Loads of grip from the sole while on the board, and good grip on wet docks and ramps
• Soft, thin soles help maintain a good feel of the board
• Not stinky even after wearing all day!
• Insides are impregnated with a "fruity" smell
• Bright, weird colors are a pro for me as I grew up in the 80s.  Others may not like the colors.

CONS:

• Fine sand will enter the bottom of the shoes through the mesh-covered drainage holes
• Sharp rocks may puncture the mesh drainage holes
• Very lightweight, probably not ideal for rough terrain, portaging, etc.

With the popularity of SUP, you will see other shoe companies developing water shoes.  These hit the market pretty quick.  I like the fact that they look like regular shoes and because they are not a split-toe design, your leash will not get hung up.  I like wearing shoes while on my board, it's just more comfortable and provides better grip, more leverage, and protects my tender feet while walking to and from the water.  I think these shoes are best suited to docks and rocky beaches and not sandy beaches as they will pick up a LOT of sand through the soles.  Best part, they keep your feet cool and you can wear them with shorts or jeans without looking like a weirdo.

Monster Paint Traction Review

Chris Brackett from South Tahoe Standup Paddle recommended this product to me so I thought Iwould give it a shot.  I wanted to apply some traction to the front of my board and also to my paddle so that it's not so slippery when I have sunscreen on my hands.

Very impressed with this stuff.  It's barely visible, even up close yet provides really good traction on the board.  It's easy to apply as well and dries really fast.  I think the can says 5 minutes between coats and that was about right.  I put two coats on the front of my board and two coats on part of my paddle shaft and handle.  I paddled all day on Sunday, applied sunscreen 4 times and never had a problem with my hands slipping.  A lighter grip on the paddle is always better.  I even have about 1/4 of the can left so I have enough to do another paddle.

Make sure you clear the valve by inverting the can and spraying until only propellant comes out.  I did this after each coat and did not have a problem.  It's good stuff.

You can order it directly here.

8/20/2013 - I'm still on my original can and I've sprayed 1 board, and 4 paddles and still have enough left for one more coat.  One can goes a long way.

Werner Nitro Carbon 1 Piece SUP Paddle Long Term Review

Werner Nitro Carbon 1 Piece SUP Paddle Long Term Review

Look at this review from CKS, good honest review and not a sales pitch for Werner.  I have a two piece adjustable Nitro.  There are only two things I dislike about this paddle:

1. Like other carbon fiber shafts, this thing is slick as grease.  If you have sunscreen on your hands, forget about getting a good, light grip.  You have to add some wax, tape or something to hold on to.  I'm going to try some Monster Paint Traction that I recently picked up from my new friends at South Tahoe Standup Paddle.
2. One section of the paddle is a bit sharp.  When the adjustment piece is in the lowest position, there's no problem but once it is extended, there is a 90 degree ridge between the top layer and the part that inserts into the receiving end of the paddle.  It's small, just a few millimeters, but you really feel it when sliding your hands quickly up the shaft.  A little bit of that sharp edge should be taken off.

I love my Nitro paddle though, it is a work of art.  Werner knows how to make paddles.  If you want to experience something magical find a shop that carries the new Werner Grand Prix one piece.  It's incredibly, amazingly light.

Edit:  I taped off my paddle and added 2 coats of Monster Paint Traction.  I think it's going to be great.  You can't really see it and it gives you some texture without being too rough.  I also taped up my board and sprayed  coats on the nose.  I have not tried the board or paddle in the water yet but I think it's going to work well!  Be warned, the stuff is expensive.  It retails for $24.99 for one spray paint sized can.  Make sure you read the instructions on the can before using it.

1/7/2014 UPDATE - A little follow-up on this Nitro review.  First thing, I don't know how I missed this initially but my paddle is a two piece and NOT a one piece.  I've bought two paddles since this one: a Ke Nalu Molokai and a Werner Spanker.  Both of these blades are pretty big compared to the Nitro.  The Nitro is my go-to paddle for surfing, it just allows me to take quicker strokes and feels really nice.  I like the Ke Nalu better for downwinders.

The monster traction is fantastic.  It's a little hard on my hands at first but after a few sessions, some of it wears off and it feels much better.  After a few months, you have to re-apply it.  I'm still on my original can though.  I've done my board with it and my two Werner paddles twice and STILL have some left.  It's really good stuff.

Petaluma River SUP

I went to see my friends at Clavey and check out the new boards.  I decided to Demo/rent a new one from them.  I was looking at the Boardworks Raven and the new Surftech Bark/Laird.  Both of these boards are 12'6" but I believe the Raven has more volume (it certainly looks thicker).  The Raven looks to have some rocker in the nose and almost has a canoe shape where the Bark has more of a cutting bow.

I really liked the Raven.  After the first few strokes, I could really feel the board accelerate and seemed to have really good glide.  At the same effort, I would say this board is probably twice as fast as my Surftech Bamboozle 11'6".  The rails are really square on the Raven and it felt a little tippy but that pretty much went away after a few minutes.  This board does have a lot of volume and I felt like  really tall on the water.  I think the board is nearly 7 inches thick and is pretty thick throughout.  I really like this deckpad more than the pad on my bamboozle, its not nearly as hard and rough.

It looked like I was creating quite a bow wake on this board and makes a bit of noise with all the water coming off the front.  Even with all the water coming off, my feet stayed very dry.  This board tracked very well and went into the wind quite well.  I would recommend this board to just about anyone interested in  flat water paddling.  I would like to try a little downwind run on this board in Tomales Bay.  I think it's fast enough to catch some bumps and it's got just enough shape up front to keep the nose out of the water.  I think this board would be killer in small surf.  Even a beginner will be happy with this board.  I'm 230 pounds and had no trouble at all.  I would imagine this board could handle a 260 pound rider pretty easily.  Overall, really great board, fast, functional, nice colors and graphics and great price.

Here's a really nice video about the Petaluma River (Petaluma Slough).  Check it out...

Holidays are Over, It's 2012...And Danny Ching's DVD

Well, it's 2012 now and the weather in the North Bay has been fantastic.  Warm during the day and sunny skies which is great for now but I hear this has been one of the driest Decembers on record.  I hope we can make up for it in January and February or we're going to have drought conditions this summer.  The good news is that the weather is perfect for getting out on the water!  Unfortunately for me, I had a little stomach virus during Thanksgiving and then for Christmas I got a nice upper-respiratory infection and cough (I hear it's been going around) so I've been out of commission for a few weeks now.  I feel better today though and I'm finally back at work.

Since I have a little free time now I need to do some product reviews.  I was lucky enough to get a new adjustable Werner Fuse paddle for Christmas.  This thing is very long.  In it's shortest setting it's as long as my Sawyer fully extended!  I can't wait to try out a longer paddle.  Also, the blade shape is quite different from my Sawyer Quickdraw and it is bit lighter.  I will try to do a full comparison later.

Also, I watched Danny Ching's paddling technique video (a few times):  Mastering Standup Paddle Technique with Danny Ching.  You can see a clip of it here on Youtube:

Instead of the DVD, I purchased the streaming video through The Surf Network that I subscribe to on my Roku.  The purchase price was only $14.99 and although the video is very short (only 30 minutes) there's a lot of useful information in there from one of the best stand up paddlers in the game.  Danny spends most of the time talking about developing a strong forward stroke.  He also spends a little time talking about surfing.  I wish the video would have been a little longer and allowed him to show more strokes and talk about racing techniques and strategy but considering the video is so short, there are good tips here.  I really enjoyed the closing credits and footage where Danny is showing off some really nice tricks and just looks like he's having a blast.  This proves how much fun this sport can be.  He's been paddling his whole life and he's still learning and still having fun.