SUP! (Stand Up Paddleboarding)

[edg]

I've got several beautiful lakes within minutes of the house. The idea of SUP on whitewater doesn't work for me (too afraid of the run off the nose into bony river) but I kind of like it on the lake. For me:

Cons- It's the roller blade-ing of the ocean

Pros- I like doing distance work outs on it. Much more comfortable on the knees/ankles. Also, the things are so stable I can paddle lefty (which I can't really do on white water) and hopefully avoid looking like a crab.

It's a super easy way to introduce kids to padding or take non-whitewater enthused friends/spouse out on the water.

Hopping back on the tail and doing big pivot turns, either with sweeps or sweep cross-draw is way fun.

Taking it out in lake wind advisory conditions is "sporty".

Local former Olympian flatty and serious outrigger racer says that all of her outrigger crew that cross-train with SUP have gotten noticeably bigger in the chest and shoulders. Most people I've seen sort of put along, but if you use good c-1 technique it does seem to be a pretty solid work out from the toes to the shoulders.

To me, it's just a flat canoe...edg

[woro90]

Well, visually it's not that different from early 80's slalom C1s, except you stand on it My cousin has a board, I'll have to borrow it and get something to extend my two-piece paddle. If you can do pivot turns on it, it can't be that bad, and I have no problem with looking silly.

[TheKrikkitWars]

Theoretically I don't see why you couldn't do on a SUP anything you do in a slalom C-1---if the SUP was designed well.

I could see not being at all connected to the board as a bit of a hinderance to any sort of slalom boat-like performance.

You've seen how much control good board surfers achive using little more than sticky wax right... the only difference between the c1 and the sup is going to be that if you lost power or core body tension during a movement you'd be in the drink immediately

[Alden]

It certainly looks fun. That said, I'm a bit alarmed at the speed with which it has seemed to gain legitimacy. For instance, the ACA (American Canoe Association) sticker that I got this year when I renewed my membership says: "ACA: Canoe, Kayak, SUP, Raft, Rescue." Four of those have been around for a long time. One of those has been around for five years. I went to a large outdoor store in Burlington recently. To my surprise, they actually had a few whitewater items, and even one whitewater kayak (although it was a boat from the 90s). To my even greater surprise, they had an entire wall devoted to stand up paddling -- including boards and paddles.

Pretty blown away by the speed of trends!

Alden

[edg]

On a flat lake, so easy, even a caveman could do it. That's why I called it the roller blade-ing of the ocean. I suspect its also a demographic issue. If whitewater is 4 guys in a 1996 Subaru with 7 boats on top, a loaf of white bread, a jar peanut butter and a case of Pabst Blue Ribbon, SUP seems to be Audi and Lexus coupes, with designer boat/paddle bags and accessories. It strikes me as a much more "yuppie" demographic, and the boards seem insanely expensive for what it is essentially a foam blank wrapped in fiberglass- the race SUP's I've seen are nothing like Vajda/Gala composite technology, but the pricing is higher, even without having to import. It may be as simple as (a) it's perceived as non-threatening and (b) the average 30-50 year old woman can lift it on and off of a roof rack by herself...edg

[solo_konoe]

Looks like it's here for real: Mark L SUPping Dragon's Tooth (Class IV) on Deerfield Dryway
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Saw another SUPper on the Dryway and another on Fifebrook.
It's all about fun (and skill!) on the water, regardless of the craft.

[Longboatin]

Got to agree that SUP seems kind of lame. I mean even for ocean or lake surfin I'd take an outrigger for sure. That said, got to see two guys take SUPs down the UY yesterday, and they did really well. One guy did run a leash which seem only slightly safe, as proved when he fell in at National, his board pinned in the drop and he became a fishin lure stuck right in the large steaming pile of dog doo of the hole. otherwise, those dudes killed it for first time down. I still wouldnt try tho.

[Smurfwarrior]

Park and play SUP surfing is fun, those that are pissy about people having fun on a different craft really need to chill. The same could be said for WW Canoeing dotchaknow.

[Smurfwarrior]

And always use a quick release sup leash on moving water... either the specific waist belt mounted leashes or attach it to a rescue vest. We had a tuber die when the tube he tied to his ankle went the opposite side of the rock as his body... he couldnt bend forward to untie it and drown.

[pmp]

cool thread. ok so i'm kinda addicted to the OC scene... but I am also a total SUP addict for river wave surfing. wait....
#1 i don't see the point of river running on a SUP
#2 i don't see the point of fw on a SUP... except to play with the whole stern squirt thing, which is really fun.
#3 I don't see the point of park and play front surfing a wave in an open canoe... unless you can't access it to park and play on a SUP.

Seriously, if you've got a good river wave, SUP is super cool. In ottawa we have a pretty descent wave here in the spring, we only paddled sUP.
So don't dis something you haven't tried.
oh man, look at the time, gotta meet mark at the summer surf wave in downtown ottawa soon.
paul

[Sir Adam]

I think it looks intriguing, and not too complicated (two blades is too confusing for me...).

For those of you who SUP, what are these composite boards of which you speak? I've seen lots of ads for the inflatables (NRS, etc...), but a composite one sounds interesting. Or it might give me enough ideas to build my own (I may have some foam, glass, gel-coat, a spray gun, and epoxy laying about...)

[Smurfwarrior]

The Badfish MVP is what I use (comes in 7'6" and 9'- I'd recommend the 9' as I have the 7'er and its tough for downriver, but for pure park and play the shorter one is better)

I also built my own SUP for whitewater- http://ogdenoutdooradventure.com/2012/0 ... board-sup/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Big Al]

2guys sup'd the UY yesterday. Sorry....but they were in significant pain by end of run. Full body armor required n they only had on knee pads.
Don't think we'll see them back too soon.


Big Al

[TheKrikkitWars]

I found it all a a bit frustratng, in my experience they really do not respond to "zones of funny water" well at all; Once you got it past the eddylines and started planing though it felt quite fun, not as fun as actually playboating though.

[Larry Horne]

well edg, if anyone can style on one of those goofy things it'd be you.