a little school and a board review... then some fun in the sun

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm in the process of testing a fleet of 6 SUP surfboards of different sizes and shapes to shed some light on what makes a great Great Lakes surf SUP.  In order to understand what makes these boards different, let's go over some basic board design elements that we'll also use as test criteria.  Here are the basic design characteristics we'll be looking at:

1. Size - By size we mean the board's dimensions (that's length, width, thickness and volume).  As a rule, bigger people and less experienced surfers should be on bigger boards.

2. Outline - This is the board's basic shape when you look at it deck side up, straight on.  Notice how the rails curve, where the widest area of the board is and how narrow it gets (or doesn't get) toward the tail.

3. Rocker - Rocker is the curve the board has when you look at it from the side.  More rocker makes a board look something like a banana, and less rocker makes it look flat.    

4. Bottom Shape - Many people don't even look at bottom shape when choosing a board, which is a big mistake.  A lot of a board's performance comes from subtle, precise shaping that the board's designer carves into the blank.  Bottom shapes can be simple or complex, but the theme here is flow.  Bottom shape is all about how the water flows under the board.  

5. Fin Setup - Boards come with different fin setups - single-fins, thrusters (three fins) and quads (four fins) are the most common.  

As I test these boards I'll go over the design characteristics and talk about how they affect the ride.  I'll also offer recommendations on what type of surfer and conditions the board would work well for.  The first board I'll be reviewing is the Starboard Wide Point 9'5", which I'm riding in the photo above.  I've had this board since last August and I've surfed it a lot, both on the Great Lakes and in ocean waves in New York and New Jersey.  So here you go:

Board Review - Starboard Wide Point 9'5"

1. Size - The Wide Point line from Starboard comes in five lengths from 10'5" down to an astoundingly short 7'8".  Every board in the line is 32" wide at its wide point, thus the name.  Here's a breakdown on the dimensions of the 9'5" WP:

• Length - At 9'5" long, this board leans more toward surf than flat water.  If you want to do anything other than the most casual flat water paddling, this board is really too short.  That said, I've enjoyed taking the 9'5" WP out on flat days to practice agility, explore or put my daughter on the front and just goof around.  It's still fun, but without the glide of a longer waterline.  The board was really designed to surf, and it does this really well.  If you're used to surfing a bigger all around SUP board, the shorter length is AMAZING!  The reduced swing weight makes the board way easier to turn and maneuver.  My surfing has improved 10-fold since I got on this board... so much so that now I'm looking to drop down to an even shorter board.  
• Width - 32" wide is a real sweet spot for SUP boards, and the designers at Starboard have obviously keyed in on this fact.  This board is incredibly stable, as are it's shorter cousins in the Wide Point line.
• The 9'5" is 4.3" thick and comes in at 155 liters of volume, enough to comfortably float a person up to 200 pounds (or a bit more if they're a fairly experienced paddler).    

2. Outline - The WP boards all have a consistent contour that is pleasing to the eye.  The widest part of the board is under and in front of the standing area.  This gives the rider great stability when paddling and also helps the board get on a plane early when you drop into a wave.  The rails are nicely drawn in toward the tail for fantastic turning ability.

3. Rocker - The 9'5" WP has a relatively flat rocker in the middle with a generous nose rocker and a moderate tail rocker.  The nose rocker keeps the board from pearling, or nose-diving into the water during take off.  The tail rocker makes the board lively in the turns.  

4. Bottom Shape - All the boards in the WP line feature a mono concave bottom.  This has been my first experience with the mono concave and at first I wasn't sure what to think about it.  As time went on and I was able to ride the WP next to many other boards, I started to understand (everywhere I go people want to try my WP, so I swap boards a lot).  The mono concave bottom helps keep the board stable and greatly increases control on the wave.  Compared to other boards I've been on with a more traditional V shape, the WP feels like it's on rails.  

5. Fin Setup - the WP comes with a thruster fin set - that's three fins, a larger center fin the back and two smaller fins on either side and in front of the center fin.  It can also be set up as a quad with four smaller fins.  I've surfed it both ways and they both work well.  The thruster set allows you to do a nice drawn out, classic bottom turn.  The quad makes the board turn quicker and slash-ier.  

Here's an outline shot of the 9'5" WP along with specs from the Starboard website

Overall, I've found this board surfs well in everything from mushy Great Lakes ankle slappers to head-high point break in Montauk, NY.  I don't think they're overselling it on the Starboard website when they call the 9'5" WP "The right choice for most people getting into wave riding."  For it's versatility, I would recommend this board for anyone who wants a one-board Great Lakes surf quiver.  For it's stability, I would recommend it for novice surfers under 180 pounds or intermediate to advanced surfers of any size.  For it's fun factor, I'd recommend that any paddler who's out there surfing a big all around shape try the 9'5" Wide Point and see what you're missing.  

OK... school's out for the day.  That was fun to write and I hope you learned a little something about board design.  Now here comes your treat... a three-part video series shot by Oxbow in French Polynesia featuring a band of intrepid watermen and women exploring the atolls on a 50-foot sailboat.  I ran into this the other day and it made me feel all nostalgic for my own past adventures living on sailboats and exploring unknown waters.  If only we'd had SUP's back then...   These videos are each about 10 minutes long, so grab a refreshing beverage, put your feet up, and enjoy a little fun in the sun.  See you on the water!

 

if you're a great lakes surfer, or aspire to be one...

     If you haven't noticed from recent posts, I am pretty much all about surfing right now.  I had an incredibly fun session today in waist- to chest-high, clean little peelers in Evanston.  It was snowing, lightly at times and at others enough to create full white-out conditions.  The water was thick with icy slush.  I was out by myself, and the solitude combined with the magical conditions to create an experience I won't soon forget.

 

     A brief note on the conditions and my gear... As I mentioned, it was snowing on and off during the entirety my 3-hour session.  The air temp was 31 degrees, the water was 36.  I was wearing my 6/5/4 Hyperflex Amp, which I've been testing this fall and early winter.  Today marked the coldest temps I've been out in so far, and I was shocked and pleased with how comfortable I was.  Even my hands and feet were fine in 5mm gloves and 7mm booties, also from Hyperflex.  I can't tell you how impressed I am with the wetsuit technology available to us right now.  With the incredible warmth, flexibility and comfort of contemporary wetsuits, there is truly no reason to get off the water until it freezes.        

The Blend 11'2" X 30, the Whopper 10' X 34", and the Wide Point 9'5" X 32

     And now, on to the boards.  The first thing I want to say (and I'm not typically one to make broad sweeping declarations) is that if you are a Great Lakes surfer, or aspire to be one, you MUST learn to SUP surf.  Now I'm not saying you shouldn't surf your prone board when the conditions warrant it - too much wind or shore break too gnarly to standup paddle into.  What I am saying is that adding a SUP surf board to your quiver will increase your water time more than you can imagine.  Think of all those days when it was too small to go out on your 5'10" fish or even your 9' or 10' long board.  You could have caught every one of those waves on a SUP.  I must have caught 50 waves today... maybe more... and there wasn't a prone surfer in the water.  Plus, SUP surfboards are no longer big tanks that can't carve a turn.  Modern, high performance SUP surfboards can carve a deep bottom turn, throw spray off the lip, and even boost massive airs.  The question is simply, which SUP board is right for your ability, style and the conditions you surf in.

The Converse 9' X 30", the Pocket Rocket 8'5" X 30, and the Wide Point 8'2" X 32

     So, my next project will be to answer that question.  Thus far, I've been exclusively surfing the Starboard 9'5" X 32" Wide Point.  Well, this past week I made the trek to Kansas City to the Starboard warehouse and picked up an entire quiver of SUP surfboards for a thorough Great Lakes shakedown.  I, along with a few trusted colleagues, am going to put these six boards through their paces in a variety of Great Lakes conditions to find the ultimate Great Lakes SUP surfboard.  Now this is the kind of project I can sink my teeth into... it's going to be tough work, but I think I'm up for the challenge.  So keep an eye on the weather for the next swell and if you're up for it, grab your wetsuit and come join us!  See you on the water!

surf season and a race announcement

     Well it's full-on surf season here on Lake Michigan, and so far it's been a blast.  I made it out yesterday for a fun little session at Greenwood Avenue Beach.  It was a small day but we had a great time and got a solid workout.  With air temp around 40 and water at 45, I was cooking in my 6/5/4 Hyperflex Amp wetsuit.  This year will be my first go at staying on the water all winter, so I'm kind of getting my bearings as far as how cold I can go out and still be comfortable.  I'm glad to see that I haven't even gotten close to finding the limits of my wetsuits.  If you're interested in surfing, go out and get yourself some quality rubber and come join us!  It's not as crazy as it seems...

     In other SUP news, The Standup World Tour is wrapping up with a final event scheduled for sometime in the next two weeks at an as-yet undisclosed location in the Caribbean.  As you recall, we hosted a Standup World Series race event here in Chicago this year as part of the World Tour, and I'm happy to announce that the race organizers have committed to coming back to Chicago in 2013.  Mark your calendars for August 24-25th 2013 and plan to be in Chicago to get on the water with the world's top SUP racers.

     In the meantime, I'll leave you with a couple of videos to get you up to speed on the recent World Series action.  The first video features the Starboard riders working out in Brazil and the second is the final day of action at the comp held there, The Ubatuba Pro.  Enjoy and I'll see you on the water!

 

the very important paddle stroke for SUP

     Regardless of whether you're paddling for recreation or fitness, SUP surfing or racing, good form should be an imperative to everyone who steps on a SUP.  Proper paddle form will help prevent injury, make you go faster using less energy, and make standup paddling way more fun.  If you're going to do it, do it right!

     Jimmy Terrell, founder of Quickblade Paddles and former Olympic canoe champion, is one of the world's top authorities on paddle form.  Recently Jimmy shot a sequel to his popular SUP instructional video, The Very Important Paddle Stroke for SUP.  I've posted them both here and I highly recommend reviewing the first and watching the second to get your form in check.  

all star

     Happy Turkey Day everybody... with Thanksgiving now behind us it's time to start thinking about what to ask Santa to bring down the chimney.  The new Starboard All Star might have a place on that list... Check out this video from our friends at Starboard France.  The new line hit the stores in Europe a few weeks ago, but I won't be getting mine until December.  Hopefully it will arrive before the water freezes so we can get it out for a test paddle.  This board will be the ticket for paddling on The Great Lakes - cruising, downwinding, racing - the All Star is the one-board solution.

sheboygan

Earlier this year I made a commitment to hit the road and explore some of the many surf breaks around the Great Lakes.  So far I've done pretty well, hitting 'Hamburger Beach' in Petosky, MI in September and 'Shooters' in Whiting, IN in October.  Last Sunday Matt Sommer and I made the trek... or should I say pilgrimage... up to surf 'The Elbow' in Sheboygan, the surf mecca of the Great Lakes.  The wave wasn't super punchy that day, but the scene was fun and the crowd was as stoked as ever.   It was definitely worth the drive and I'd recommend it for sure.  Here are some photos and a quick video from the day.  

astro inflatable review from 10 Downwinders

     Here's a gear review of the new Astro Touring board from Starboard... It was originally posted on a facebook page called 10 Downwinders, dedicated to searching out the best downwind runs in the world.  I'm going to have to submit a Montrose to Rainbow Beach run to them... Downwinding off the Chicago Skyline has got to be as epic as anything in the world.

     If you're short on storage space or just want an easily transportable board, inflatables are a great option.  The technology has gotten so good that they are barely a performance compromise to rigid boards.  Have a look...

Posted on November 12, 2012by mr 206

When the 10 Downwinders team mentioned to me they were planning on visiting a number of surf/downwind locales around the world, they asked me what board would best fit this tour.  I reviewed my current quiver and discovered there was not an optimum board available that would travel easily and still perform well for downwinding.  The current 2012 batch of inflatables just are not cut out for downwinding until a little research online pointed to three different possibilities. Starboard, Naish and Mistral have jumped in and will be releasing for 2013 inflatable boards that perform well for the advance/expert paddler in either downwinding or surfing.

The Godfather Test Center contacted Starboard and they were willing to have the Test Center test their boards and send them out with the team on their downwind investigation tour.  The downwind inflatable for this test is the 2013 Starboard Astro Touring – 14 feet long and 30 inches wide.

General Description:

The 14’  Astro Touring arrived in a large duffle bag type  backpack.  This special SUP backpack has strong wide straps and extra pockets to carry the hand pump and other accessories. The total weight of the backpack with board and accessories is 34.2 lbs.   The board removes from the bag easily and you notice at once the attention to detail that Starboard has taken to ensure longevity and strength.   When the board is rolled out, it lays flat and ready to fill with air.  It has a removable fin with a unique locking feature that securely prevents the pin from working out.  This same feature also makes it a little difficult to remove leading the Test Center to use a flat-headed screwdriver.  Further test will determine if this locking feature gets easier with time.  Accessories were also found in the bag, which includes the fin, extra two locking pins, and patch kit, and air pump.

Getting started pumping up board:

Starboard provides a large piston hand pump that comes with a pressure gage that reads up to 15 psi.  Instructions are on a label attached to the pump.  We noticed that on the board it recommends 18 psi.  We were surprised with this difference but found the pump and gauge can still be used.  To obtain 18 psi, the user must pump past the 15 psi mark and stop at the 6 o’clock position which is close to 18 psi.

First step for pumping up the board is to make sure the pressure relief valve is turned in the counter-clockwise direction and is sticking up.  Connect the filling hose to the valve by pushing the hose fitting into the proper slot surrounding the valve.  Make sure the hose fitting seats properly (rubber seal on hose fitting is seated tightly.  Once you have done this, start pumping.  The Test Center found operation of this hand pump was easy.  Filling the board up to 18 psi took approximately 5 minutes.  When finished remove the hose and place the cover over the valve.  Starboards attention to detail was noticed with the cover having the small “Teaky” symbol on it.  The board we tested was Red, White and Grey.  Everyone liked the color combinations and graphics.

Specifications:  The board was then measured.  The Test Center measures the length to be 14’.  The width was 30.75 inches, which is ¾ inch wider than the manufacturer’s specification of 30 inches.   The thickness is 6 inches with a volume of 351 liters.   The board weighed in at 29 lbs.  Fin length is 6.75 inches.  This length brought some concern to the Godfather and his team for directional stability.

Flat Water Paddling:

One of the first basic characteristics the team wanted know is the stability of the board.  We instantly found the board extremely stable.  In comparison with another downwinding board such as a 2012 Naish Glide, the Starboard is a like a dock.  Walking on the board and doing pivot turns were incredibly easy.   The speed of the board in flat water is acceptable.    There was some bowing of the board but not as pronounced as other inflatables we have paddled.  After a day of paddling, we found the board to be very fun due to its stability and almost in-destructible construction.

Downwinding:

The next day, we took it out with conditions ranging from 1 – 2 feet.   A small day but a good day to see how the board performs with side chop.  The first part of the test was to paddle into side chop/waves.

Into the waves, the board has some flex.  It is interesting to note that a standard carbon fiber or fiberglass board there is typically a slap noise that occurs at the front of the board when hitting the oncoming waves.  In the case of the Astro Touring, the sound is much more muffled and less annoying.  Stability was very good and when turning or doing a pivot turn with on-coming waves, the board was extremely manageable.  Speed was comparable to most downwind type boards and very similar to the 2012 Naish Glide 14.

In  side chop, the board was uncannily stable.  The board rolls/floats over the waves with little or no catch to the wave.  Any flexing of the board was not noticed.

The downwinding portion was an eye opener.  The Godfather was amazed how easily this board catches small waves.  Originally we had concern of the slight flexibility of the board but this may be an advantage since it allows the board to fit into the pocket of the wave better then a standard board, hence catching more of the potential energy of the wave.  Due to the stability of the board, it can be rated as one of the easiest boards for moving to position your weight for optimum glide.   During the glide, it was very easy to continue and catch other waves which is due to the ease of positioning ones self on the board.  Speed was average.  In comparison with a Naish Glide or SIC, it does not have the initial quick acceleration one gets in catching a glide.   But it is very smooth and controllable fitting a larger range of paddlers.

Testing for pearling needed to be self-induced the first test day due to the size of the waves.  The Team found the nose shed water easily and seemed to “Pop” out of the water quickly.  While pearling, it was noticed the drag was higher than expected.

One issue that came to light during the test was linked to the length of the fin.  If catching a wave required a forward position, the paddler felt the tail of the board move to the reaction of the paddle.  This was linked to the length of the fin.  The slight bending of the board also probably exacerbated the problem.  A longer fin would eliminate this issue.

For downwinding boards, the Test Center Team is a fan of boards with deck pads that run to the very back of the board.  For big downwinders, it is necessary at times to be stepping back on the tail.  The deck pad on the Astro Touring stops short of the tail by a couple of feet exposing a fairly slippery surface extending to the tail.  Spraying on some clear traction material will work but a full pad would have been nice.

Summary:

The Test Center concluded from the first test, the fun factor for this board rates a 10 out of 10.  The first paddle in flat water and downwinding, brought smiles to each team member and comments how fun the board is to paddle. Other comments were how durable the board is leaving little or no concern for damaging it if it hits rocks/barnacle or coral.  Also, the unique shapes of the nose had the team wondering at the start, but after hitting it a few times on rocks were impressed by Starboards design of it.  It is made from a high-impact plastic so it eliminates any chance from damage.  Great idea Starboard!   The Test Center also found carrying the board was not difficult or straining and the 29 lb. weight of the board seemed more like 25 or less.  The soft carrying handle was very easy on the hands.

Starting from the ease of carrying the board, the stability , wave catching ability, and portability, the Godfather wants to add this board to his quiver of Naish and SIC downwind boards.  Everyone who paddled the board commented how fun it was to paddle.  The paddling experience is slightly different than your standard board.  The time to blow of the board was not an issue (5 minutes) but an electric pump could be handy.   A longer fin is in order for the advance to elite paddlers but for most folks, it is acceptable.

Overall, the Test Center feels this board is a game changer.  Our 10 Downwinder team will be taking this board off on their adventure to the top downwinding locations in the world and will provide feedback how it performs from the traveling aspects to their paddling experience.  More to come.