Stand Up Paddle Board

[tinymoose]

So I just had day 2 on my new SUP and yup I'm hooked !!
Due to the wind I ended up at the same lake as day one and it was stunning today, heaps of birdlife incl the now infamous Puteketeke (our "Bird of the Century" as made famous by John Oliver).

I spent my time just cruising around and playing around with my balance and also practised falling in and trying to get back on it which I think some onlookers were bemused by

It ended being a bit of a multisport day as I went for a lovely swim after paddling and then did a quick 3.5km walk around Kura Tawhiti (Castle Hill Rocks) on my way home.

Here's my questions for @WaterGirl and any other SUPers .... I struggled big time trying inflate it to the correct level, try as I might I could only get it just past 10 and not up the required 15. It seemed stable enough but should I be trying harder (although I dont think I could try harder !!) to get it up to 15 or is 10 ok ??
The other question I have is regarding the leash .... do I need it when I'm just on the lake and paddling close to shore ??

Here's a pic John Oliver dressed up as a Puteketeke for your viewing pleasure x

View attachment 22335

I cheat and use an electric pump that I hook up to my car battery

 

[AJM]

Due to rotator cuff issues on my Right shoulder, I can only paddle one side. So leash is on the left ankle. Do you have a coil or straight type leash?. Mine is a coil.

Mine's a coil as well, I was playing around today to see which ankle it feels best on, the left one I'm thinking at the moment.

 

[Jilly]

I also have a coil in my OC-1 too. But lucky (now I've done it) me I haven't huli yet in the deep. Only beside the dock. That sucker is tippy compared to a SUP!

 

[AJM]

Ok gals so while you're all enjoying Winter I'm still in Summer mode down here and making friends with my SUP. Trouble is its been windy so I've had some challenging moments and it got me thinking that Autumn/Early Winter (before the ski season starts) is often a bit calmer on our local lakes so my question is "what do you wear?" esp on your feet ?

 

[Pequenita]

Hey, just saw the post about inflation. I would try to get it to the recommended PSI. What feels firm to the touch is still often not firm enough for the board's best performance, and it will really help with the stability. I also have an electric pump - it goes up to whatever PSI it's set at.

re: feet, it was recommended to me to try waterproof socks (sealskinz). I think wetsuit booties have more mixed results because there needs to be a layer of water between your skin and the neoprene for it to work and actually be insulating.

I haven't paddled past very warm late fall days. What else to wear depends on how cold the air and water is, and whether what you wear is going to make you sink. I think if I were to do winter paddling, I'd probably get a dry suit and wear a standard pfd rather than an inflatable one.

 

[AJM]

Hey, just saw the post about inflation. I would try to get it to the recommended PSI. What feels firm to the touch is still often not firm enough for the board's best performance, and it will really help with the stability. I also have an electric pump - it goes up to whatever PSI it's set at.

re: feet, it was recommended to me to try waterproof socks (sealskinz). I think wetsuit booties have more mixed results because there needs to be a layer of water between your skin and the neoprene for it to work and actually be insulating.

I haven't paddled past very warm late fall days. What else to wear depends on how cold the air and water is, and whether what you wear is going to make you sink. I think if I were to do winter paddling, I'd probably get a dry suit and wear a standard pfd rather than an inflatable one.

I've managed to get it to 12 not the 15 recommended but I'm getting there, its a bit hard getting the electric pumps over here at the moment due to them being so popular but I'll be jumping on them when they reappear ! It dosent take me long at all to inflate to 12 with a hand pump I just dont have the body mass to get it further on my own

I was wondering about wetsuit booties but I'll definitely check out the waterproof socks and I've got a standard PFD so all good on that front and I'm pretty sure we have some drysuits in the depths of the garage from when DH had a commercial kayaking/canyoning gig going on .... I'll have to dig them out.
I'm not planning on going out in super cold weather just that late Autumn early Winter period ie the interminable period before I start skiing !!

 

[scandium]

I've managed to get it to 12 not the 15 recommended but I'm getting there, its a bit hard getting the electric pumps over here at the moment due to them being so popular but I'll be jumping on them when they reappear ! It dosent take me long at all to inflate to 12 with a hand pump I just dont have the body mass to get it further on my own

I was wondering about wetsuit booties but I'll definitely check out the waterproof socks and I've got a standard PFD so all good on that front and I'm pretty sure we have some drysuits in the depths of the garage from when DH had a commercial kayaking/canyoning gig going on .... I'll have to dig them out.
I'm not planning on going out in super cold weather just that late Autumn early Winter period ie the interminable period before I start skiing !!

Would you want the grip of actual booties? I saw some 3mm neoprene ones on the 7th wave page...

 

[AJM]

Would you want the grip of actual booties? I saw some 3mm neoprene ones on the 7th wave page...

I'll check them out. I wore my Tevas yesterday (I'm a lot happier barefoot!) but didnt feel stable when I was standing, it felt like skiing in ski boots that are too big so I quickly took them off and stashed them on the front of my board so I hear you re the grip.

 

[AJM]

The perfect day today! Zero wind and warm temps so couldn't ask for more. Lots of tourists out and about enjoying our Summer, they were a little startled when a Helicopter came in low and deposited a couple of Deer that theyd shot and had dangling below the chopper ... turns out they'd been poaching so it was all go with the local farmer, police and rangers all up in arms while I was having the best paddle to date. Sorry no pics of the Heli just a couple of the lake .

 

[Jenny]

The perfect day today! Zero wind and warm temps so couldn't ask for more. Lots of tourists out and about enjoying our Summer, they were a little startled when a Helicopter came in low and deposited a couple of Deer that theyd shot and had dangling below the chopper ... turns out they'd been poaching so it was all go with the local farmer, police and rangers all up in arms while I was having the best paddle to date. Sorry no pics of the Heli just a couple of the lake .

View attachment 22607View attachment 22608

Gorgeous! Perfectly mirrored.

 

[AJM]

Gorgeous! Perfectly mirrored.

A very rare day indeed. I stayed out waaaay too long and am now officially shattered but the conditions were so spectacular I just couldn't stop paddling. Due to our hot summer the lake levels are pretty low, where my board is sitting would normally be under water.

 

[AJM]

Well gals I have officially found a new obsession
Absolutely lovin my SUPing and getting the hang of it ... thanks You Tube (there's a distinct lack of SUP pro's out my way)
Have to say though my back (displaced vertibrae) isnt so keen, I spent the morning practising Crossbow Turns and also playing around with my stance and due to the angles and rotation I'm paying the price now. So its a good ol neutral stance and basic turns for me from here on in

 

[IceHeeler]

Well gals I have officially found a new obsession
So its a good ol neutral stance and basic turns for me from here on in

I love my SUP. I usually wear little black no show socks. Not for grip, but to keep my feet from burning and so I can splash water on them and keep them cooler. I used the hand pump for most of the inflation and then switch to the electric pump to get to 15.
Once you become proficient, I recommend making other people's days as weird as possible.

 

[AJM]

Eeeking out the last of Summer , ok its Autumn actually but Im not splitting hairs. An evening paddle on Lake Pukaki with our highest peak Aoraki Mt Cook looking on xx

 

[Jenny]

@AJM - are you always the only people there? I don’t think I’ve seen one person in the background of any of your shots!

 

[AJM]

@AJM - are you always the only people there? I don’t think I’ve seen one person in the background of any of your shots!

Well spotted, I guess I paddle in lesser known SUP spots, most people round here go to the bays in Christchurch (our nearest city) but its a bit of a drive for me and I have lakes pretty much right on my doorstep so thats where I go. I dont imagine anyone's ever paddled where this shot was taken as its well off the beaten track.
Remember this is NZ and there's not many of us

 

[tinymoose]

@AJM what inflatable board do you have? I have a Red Paddle and I feel like it's the best compromise of performance and convenience of an inflatable with their batten system, but oh do I wish I had room for a hard board. Even the best inflatable won't perform like a hard board. Anyhow, I'm jealous you're headed into winter, b/c here in PA we had barely 60 days of ski season and now we're headed into spring.

 

[AJM]

@AJM what inflatable board do you have? I have a Red Paddle and I feel like it's the best compromise of performance and convenience of an inflatable with their batten system, but oh do I wish I had room for a hard board. Even the best inflatable won't perform like a hard board. Anyhow, I'm jealous you're headed into winter, b/c here in PA we had barely 60 days of ski season and now we're headed into spring.

I just have a cheap Aqua Marina Magma, hubby bought it for my birthday and as a total beginner its been great. I'd love a hard board but in saying that I have a friend who has a super expensive hardboard and she says its so delicate she's afraid to take it out a whole heap and is thinking of getting an inflatable for her everyday use, she lives in a place where she just sends her son off to school, packs a lunch and heads off down the bottom of the garden to the water.

Hey we probably didnt even get those 60 days last season, it was a pretty short, sharp and not so s@#t hot season ! So sorry that yours ended up being similar (insert very sad face)
I have no idea what we're in for this year, I guess I'll found out in about 90 days time