A SUP can give enjoyment on pretty much any wave, anywhere (Photo credit: P. Morgan)
In my time as a paddler I’ve watched with interest the rise in popularity of Stand Up Paddleboarding, a paddling pastime that generally involves a long wide surfboard and a single bladed paddle as tall as it’s paddler. It looks a lot like surfing, except that if there’s no surf, your SUP rider can simply paddle themselves around on flat water for exercise.
I first noticed them at Sydney’s Balmoral Beach, where I’d notice women, some pregnant, taking off in groups early in the morning for a leisurely paddle across the bay. Paddling SUP is a great way to develop core strength without being too energetic, making it accessible to people of all sizes and levels of fitness.
SUP now has race categories in most paddling races and events (Photo credit: P. Morgan)
Not that SUP paddling can’t be competitive. In most paddling events now you’ll find a range of SUP categories according to boat length, with the race boards themselves developing into racing shapes and away from the big Mal-like boards used in the surf. There are now so many SUP racers that in the past few races I’ve attended, it has seemed there are more SUP racers than any other category!
When I was younger I used to surf and although my injuries have stopped that, I’ve always missed the surf culture that went it. Loud boardies, fun banter on the water with your mates, and that salty tousled look you have after an early morning surf. Well, the SUP crew have taken on the same culture and seem to be having a ridiculous amount of fun on the water.
SUPs are a great platform for most types of water, both dynamic or calm (Photo credit: P. Morgan)
Not that everyone is enamoured with the SUP revolution. There are still a lot of surfers who hate the concept of the SUP paddle and will show their dislike verbally, or sometimes even physically. You know the types, the local surfers who scream “locals only” at any visiting crew hoping to enjoy their break, the ones that ride over bodyboarders dishing out fin-chops and then laughing about it afterwards. People like the surfer in this clip below with a clear hatred of SUPs.
Despite the aggressive actions of a few, the SUP phenomenon is growing at an incredible rate, with new clubs and stores popping up all over the world to service the growing global body of SUP paddlers. Major surf brands are throwing their weight (and substantial marketing dollars) behind the sport, as can be seen in this promo video below (hell, it made ME want to buy a SUP!!).
So what to do next if you’re interested? I’ve put together a list of a few places to start that either rent SUPs, or sell them, or are just plain passionate about them. Hopefully you’ll find something to suit. Cheers, FP
Coreban SUP – One of the early manufacturers to get onboard the SUP revolution, Coreban are dedicated to SUP boards and anything else to do with the sport.
Oz Stand Up Paddle Centres – SUP lessons for new or old SUP riders, with locations in Rose Bay (Sydney) and Brunswick Heads (northern NSW).
SUP Love – The SUP Love crew from Sydney’s northern beaches make SUP boards as well as providing training, gear and events.
Wind Surf n Snow – Another store on Sydney’s northern beaches specialising in SUP, Wind Surfing and Kite Surfing
Pittwater Paddle Tours – SUP lessons and fitness on Sydney’s beautiful Pittwater.
High Country SUP – A group of SUP paddlers out of Canberra and Sydney. Many of the High Country paddlers are serving or ex-army and regularly compete in SUP events in the ACT and NSW.
Tags: Stand Up Paddle, Stand Up Paddleboards, SUP
FP hanging out with the Stellar and Slipstream Surf crew at the Summer Series
The start of 2012 has been surreal. I’ve gone from tentatively sitting on a surf ski for the first time, barely able to stay on in completely glassy waters, to rolling up to a surf ski race on Botany Bay four weeks later with a secret hope that I stay on at least long enough to limp over the finish line. During that time I’ve trained zealously in the gym, everyday, in the hope that diminishing weight and a stronger core accelerate my ability to paddle the long white rocket currently sitting in my garage.
Nat finishes up strongly on his Think Evo. One day I'll beat him, just you watch.
To be honest though, the Stellar SR surf ski I’ve been using (thanks Slipstream Surf) is pretty stable in the surf ski scheme of things. It’s design is great for entry to intermediate level paddlers as it has great secondary stability (for a ski). But there’s still a certain amount of paddler stability that needs to be finessed before taking it out in anything lumpy (unless you like swimming) so the onus has been on me to get myself more “ski ready”.
Eleven kms on Botany Bay and it looks like FP might make it high and dry
So I’ve been training. A lot. Daily routines of cardio and core strength exercises, backed up with a nutritional plan put together by Benefit Active. Since I started training 6 weeks ago (ie two weeks before I got on the ski) I’ve lost 14 kgs / 30 lbs. This is a substantial amount of weight to lose in such a short period of time, but I’m doing it healthily. Great food, lots of exercise, carefully planned by fitness professionals.
Mogo looking great on the Stellar SR surf ski. Also looking very WET!
Of course, all that is irrelevant when it comes to racing. Botany Bay is protected from the ocean but it does get wind-blown lumps and swell squeezing in from outside. The water was certainly dynamic enough to have me worried, but I didn’t want to let on to my fellow Team Fat Paddler members so I forced a smile and off I went. Fortunately fellow TFPer Mogo had borrowed a Stellar SR ski from Slipstream Surf that morning as well so I wasn’t alone in my stability nerves.
Malcolm from Carbonology Australia gave us all awesome on-water support and advice. Legend!
To say I was slow is an understatement. For the first 1-2 kms I took it very slowly, keeping my rhythm steady and cadence slow as I concentrated on keeping the boat stable. Mogo started falling out a bit and as other TFP paddlers went to his aid, I found myself alone in growing chop and swell. I had catchable waves hitting me from behind and at a 45 degree angle, so I zig-zagged through it to enable me to gain the benefit of any runners I could catch.
In the TFP kayak (male) division, The Riddler flies into the finish and a podium place
In the TFP kayak (female) division, Series leader Meg wins another race in her division!
The acceleration on waves was intoxicating, the spray kicking up around me as I desperately fought to keep myself in the boat. Sometimes I’d dip a gunwale into a wave and the cockpit would instantly fill with water, reminding me of Nat’s submarine video on Sydney Harbour, but the gurgling venturi quickly emptied out the water and everything was fine. As I wobbled my way through the chop, I noticed a funny thing. I started to smile, a big heartfelt “THIS IS FUN” kinda smile. Much like the rush of surfing through rocks or bouncing around in whitewater.
Footage from the GoPro. Running the lumps, hell yeah!
As the race went on I kept learning about how the ski reacted to different lump shapes and changing wind conditions. I managed to assist another paddler who’d fallen out, turn the buoy and then battle on through the headwind and side chop back to the start. By now my stability had really kicked in, I’d worked out how to build stability via acceleration, and was genuinely loving the bumpy ride on the return leg. When I started I had no idea what I’d think of this surf ski stuff, but suddenly now I could see why it’s growing as a sport so rapidly. The sensation of racing through lumps on a sleek boat is truly awesome.
Winners are grinners... and we're all winners in our own way!
Needless to say I didn’t win. In fact I wasn’t even in the middle pack – I came into the beach at the finish with only two skis behind me. But to me it was a big win, because in just four weeks I’d managed to somehow race the surf ski in a few lumps without falling out AND actually finish. I’d learnt a heap about the boat, and about how to stabilise through keeping my body relaxed and my speed up. Sure, I have a ridiculous amount still to learn and a huge range of skills to pick up, but they’ll be future wins I can work towards. For now, I’ll be happy with the finish and use the success as motivation to keep up the training. Cheers – FP
Team Fat Paddler racers for Summer Series Race 3 - Mogo, Riddler, FP, Meg and Nat
Special thanks: Gavin and Slipstream Surf for the use of his Stellar SR surf skis, Malcolm and Carbonology Australia for the use of the carbon wing paddles and for his care and advice on the water, Dez and the Blast Paddlers crew for putting on the Summer Series, Alex Francois for the use of his photos from the event, and of course to my Team Fat Paddler members who make all my paddling experiences awesome.
Tags: Blast Paddlers, Carbonology Australia, ocean ski, Slipstream Surf, Stellar Kayaks, Stellar SR, Stellar Surf Skis, Summer Series, surf ski, surfski
5.45am training start. Beautiful but ominous sunrise ahead of a storm.
I am currently training harder than I have ever trained before – multiple workouts a day, lots of cardio, full body exercises with kettle bells and as much time on the water as possible. I’ve trained hard before of course – trained hard for rugby, trained hard for competitive Judo, and of course trained hard to overcome significant physical injuries. What makes this training so different, and perhaps more intense, is that it’s driven by fear.
6.20am. Training alone in 15knt winds and chop, watching the storm build.
At the end of June this year I will be flying with a couple of friends to Mauritius, a little tropical island in the Indian Ocean somewhere near Africa. Once a year they hold a paddling race there - a 28km ocean race for surf skis – a race than I am attempting to enter. A race that is included as an official event on the Surfski World Series calendar. A race for professional, if not very serious, ski paddlers.
Of course I’ve taken part in lots of races – the 18km Lifestart Kayak for Kids, the 11km Bridge to Beach, a few 10km Summer Series races, and of course the 111km Haweksbury Canoe Classic. But I’ve never taken on a race that is truly at sea, a race that has had 20 foot surf breaks to get out and back in through, or a race that is entirely professional ski paddlers. In fact, I’ve never really paddled a surf ski – a pencil thin super-tippy boat for fit slim-hipped athletes.
7.30am. The skies open with a deluge, but at least it flattens out the water!
So with less than 6 months to go, and the help of a few people and local businesses, I’ve started to train. The crew at Slipstream Surf and Stellar Kayaks kindly organised the delivery of a loan Stellar SR surf ski to help me kick off my surf ski experience. Nat from SydneySurfski.com and Malcolm from Carbonology Australia lent me a number of wing paddles to experiment with. Ben from Benefit Active built out my training programs and worked with me on nutritional structures to support my goals. All that is left is…. to actually train!
8.30am. Despite the rain, TFP beginners play with different surf skis. And swim a lot!
So with the footage of the Island Shamaal fresh in my mind, my training has begun. The goals are simple – lose 20kgs, build up lots of core strength, learn to stay on a surf ski on the ocean and get fit enough to race in Mauritius. And of course don’t die whilst I’m out there, the fear of which is giving me all the motivation I need to train my guts out! Cheers, FP
The journey to Mauritius is being documented on our new site, Mauritius Paddlers. You can also follow us on Twitter (@PaddleOrDrown) and Facebook (Facebook.com/MauritusPaddlers).
Tags: Island Shamaal, Mauritius, Mauritius Ocean Classic, Mauritius Paddlers, Stellar Kayaks, Stellar SR, surf ski
James heading out into the rough stuff - Deer Group, West Coast Canada
Every now and then you come across a paddler that you see enormous potential in. I watch a lot of content streaming through social media and a certain paddler has been catching my eye for a while, a young Greenland paddler from British Columbia, James Manke. What’s even more surprising is how new to paddling James is, having only taken it up 18 months ago despite an overwhelming fear of the ocean.
For this British Columbia based Canadian, the surf is his playground
Like many new kayakers, James quickly became addicted to paddling and in particular, the Greenland styles. Living by a lake on Vancouver Island certainly helps – he spends time on the water every day (and sometimes at night) practicing different Greenland-style rolls, a key reason for his rapid skills development. Living in BC has also brought him into contact with those crazed ocean white water lovers, The Hurricane Riders, with whom he draws inspiration from and has been lucky enough to paddle with.
James surfing the standing wave, Skookumchuck Narrows, British Columbia.
Whilst originally a chef (favourite dish is a bacon cheese burger with poutine, hold the onions!) and more recently a web designer, James is aiming to apply his skills as a professional paddler, instructing Greenland skills such as boat and paddle building as well as Greenland-style rolling. He has just been announced as the Canadian ambassador for Northern Light Paddles which is positioning him well for his career switch from coder to professional paddler later this year.
But enough of the talk, the best way to see James’ skills is to watch some of the video content he is now producing of his paddles. His latest, a Greenland surfing session, is enough to get any surf lover jealous. Hope you enjoy it. Cheers, FP
The F1 Skin on Frame kayak - amazingly nimble and fast for such an ugly boat!
I had the pleasure of catching up with Tom Nicholson of Elver Paddles this past week, who was in town catching up with family for Christmas. Tom recently slaved over my new Aleut paddle and also made the Greenland paddle I used for the 2009 Hawkesbury Canoe Classic – two beautiful and functional traditional paddles that I rate very highly amongst my quiver.
The Elver Aleut Paddle (below) compared next to a Joe O'Blenis GP (above)
Tom had brought with him his F1 Skin On Frame kayak, a seemingly wide, squat ugly beast of a boat that I for some reason felt a certain kinship with. I had brought the Stellar SR and was about to test her amongst the waterski boat wake of upper Middle Harbour, a test that would ensure I’d get wet later in the day.
The Stellar SR on top of the Fat Mobile. So long, so white, so skinny. Unlike me!
We paddled out from the Roseville canoe ramp and head downstream. I was astounded at how fast Tom could get his F1 to move – for an ugly fat bastard the thing could seriously move! Whilst we paddled we discussed our thoughts on the Aleut paddle as well as comparing it to the normal Greenland paddles that Tom makes, which was great because I needed something to take my mind off the fact I was really struggling to stay on the surfski in the confused wake of the mad waterski boats around us!
FP and Tom with their respective boats on a protected Middle Harbour beach. Time to swap!
We pulled into a beach and swapped boats – Tom now on the Stellar with the Aleut paddle, and myself squeezed into his F1 and using a carbon fibre Northern Light Greenland Paddle that Tom is now repping here in Australia. The boat felt incredible, fast and nimble with defined chines that bit into the water and made it a heap of fun to paddle. Likewise the carbon Greenland paddle was a pleasure to use, lightweight and strong and easy to wield.
The view from the cockpit - note the spare paddle and kayak sail ready for use
Tom meanwhile was having a blast in the Stellar SR, flying along with the wind at his back into the now choppy waters of Bantry Bay. I couldn’t hope to keep up with him as he pushed the surfski downwind, but when I did finally catch him the grin across his face said it all – he was having an absolute blast.
Tom looking absolutely chuffed at the speed and fun of the Stellar SR surfski
To add to the excitement of the day, on our return to Roseville back in our respective boats I was finally thrown from the ski by some boat wake and had the joy of trying to remount to the snickering of Tom nearby. I got to put the bullet venturi to the test and watched with a smile as the full cockpit slowly drained of water as I tentatively paddled away. And then at the end of the paddle, Tom and I got to share a laugh about the day before going our separate ways.
To say we were an odd couple on the water would be an understatement. On one hand, we had a boat constructed in an ancient fashion, with a timber frame lashed together and its skin stitched in over the top. On the other hand, a vacuum-bagged composite ski designed for speed. And yet on the water we were just two paddling mates having a bit of fun. I may be paddling a surfski now, but I’ll always paddle for the friendship and good times. Cheers, FP
Tags: Aleut Paddle, F1, greenland paddle, Northern Light Paddles, Skin on frame, SOT, Stellar SR, surfski
