June 2009 - Pacific Paddler

SUP and have fun
Aloha Paddlers, in this issue of
Pacific Paddler, we will cover some
of the options for entry level people
interested in SUP, and safety that will
help in your progression and development
in the growing sport. In the last
issue of Pacific Paddler, we lightly
talked about equipment. Proper equipment
is essential, no matter what
sport. Having the right equipment and
the knowledge to use that equipment
correctly will ensure personal happiness
and gradual progressive learning.
Everyone is different; some people pick
things up a little faster than others. It is
important that you keep positive and
not get to discouraged when you start
something new, like SUP. Keep in mind
the fact that, although SUP looks easy,
it is a physically demanding sport like
surfing or canoe paddling, and to get
good at it, you have to practice. When
practicing SUP consistently, you will
notice your balance, core strength and
overall surfing ability grows in leaps
and bounds. You will also trim down
and tighten your physique.
If you want to try SUP, you have
four options. You can always ask a
friend who has an SUP if you can
borrow their board. The bad thing is,
the board or paddle may not be the
right size or dimensions for you, and
he/she may not want to loan such a
valuable possession to a beginner—for
sake of damage to their equipment.
The next option would be to go out
and buy your own SUP board and
paddle. If you come to our shop,
Hawaiian Water Sports, located in
Kailua & Kapahulu, our friendly staff
can match you up with the right equipment
for your intentions, whether it’s
just working out or serious SUP surfing.
One of the biggest, most common
mistakes people make when buying
their first SUP board is buying a small
board for the sake of storage or ease
in carrying, without any consideration
if that board will actually float or be
stable enough for them to learn on. The
third option is renting SUP boards. This
will allow you to try different boards
that are right for your size, and at
Hawaiian Water Sports, we will credit
your first rental towards the purchase
of a new SUP board.
Safety should always be a primary
concern in any ocean sport. Whenever
you embark on a session, know the
weather/surf forecasts and tides in
advance. When you get to the desired
location, take time to stretch and
assess the on-site conditions, just as a
surfer would before he or she went out.
Look for any safety concerns: posted
lifeguard signs, or wind and swell
direction. Check the crowd situation:
surfers, swimmers, other SUPers or
watercraft, boats, canoes, etc.
While on your SUP you want to
maintain a safe distance from other
people in the water to avoid collisions.
You are at the helm when you are
paddling, and a SUP provides a better
view or vantage point than surfers or
swimmers, so there is no excuse for
running them over. It is crucial that you
are aware of your surroundings, especially
if there are swimmers, because
90 percent of the time the swimmers
are not looking up while working
out. Avoid crowded areas as much
as possible; one of the most valuable
aspects of SUP is that it allows you to
train on almost any body of water and
paddle to outer reefs and breaks that
aren’t accessible by surfers.
Here are a few simple rules to keep
in mind:
• RESPECT the ocean
• Always be considerate of others
around you in the water.
• Pay ATTENTION to what’s going on
around you.
• Maintain a safe distance from others.
• Use common sense, know your limitations
and don’t put yourself in a
bad situation.
• Do not go out into the surf until
you're ready. If you're trying to catch
waves on you knees or sitting down,
you aren’t ready.
• Don't be a wave hog and drop in on
others. The one who's closest to the
peak has the wave.
• Stay out of the way of surfers that
are up and riding; don’t mess up
their wave.
• Don't paddle through a pack of
surfers in the lineup; its not cool, its
rude, intimidating and will definitely
anger the locals.
• The sport is called Stand Up
Paddling, knee/sit-down paddling is
reserved for emergency use only.
Joshua Dang “JD”
Hawaiian Water Sports
jd@hawaiianwatersports.com
Paddling in the Northwest
You have to really like this sport
to brave the weather we have here in
Oregon and Washington. The first
race of the season for PNW/ORCA
is called the Rusty Iron and is held on
the Willamette River in Portland. This
is a race famous for bad weather.
Held early in the spring, we have seen
sleet, hail, rain, thunder, lightening
and absolutely beautiful sun that is
often the source of my first sunburn of
the season. And that can all be in one
day, folks, no joke.
Despite this, it is also one of the
best attended races of the season.
After a long winter, it is fun and
exciting to get back on the water and
see old friends. Some teams drive for
three hours to attend and have only a
few practices under their belt before
the 10 mile race.
The Rusty Iron Race is a loop on a
river with a pretty mean current in the
spring which can stir up all sorts of
interesting flotsam. We play chicken
Passing under St John's Bridge
The mission of the Coast Guard
Recreational Boating Safety Program
is to minimize the loss of life, personal
injury, property damage and environmental
impact associated with the use
of recreational boats, through preventive
means.
Boat owners who are interested in
finding out how well their boats comply
with Federal and State recreational
boating safety and environmental laws
can take advantage of the United States
Coast Guard Auxiliary Vessel Safety
Trailoring across Mt. Hood
Five ladies and a want-to-be
with fisherman on opening day, dodge
floating logs and lawn chairs, and if
we're lucky, we can surf the rollers
coming off a passing barge.
All in all it makes for a fun, if a bit
chilly, start to the 6-man season. Some
of us may not race again until June,
and getting in that one race early in
the year helps inspire us to attend
practices no matter the weather.
It's probably hard to imagine, for a
Check (VSC) Program to have their
boats inspected by qualified Auxiliary
vessel examiners. This process raises
the boaters’ awareness of safety and
other boating issues, through a oneon-one
discussion with the volunteer
vessel examiners during the Vessel
Safety Check. Not only will a successful
safety check result in greater safety and
awareness, it provides boat owners with
a Vessel Safety Check Decal of passing
that will be placed on the boat to show
current compliance with all safety
Hawaiian or Californian, the appeal
of outrigger paddling without the sun
and the ocean. It's different, there is
no doubt, but the spirit of the sport is
still strong. On a day when the river
is flat and the weather is grey, we still
feel a part of the whole. The long arm
of Aloha reaches beyond the shores of
Hawaii to inspire even the smallest of
paddling communities.
Amy Graves,
Bend Oregon Outrigger
The importance of the Vessel Safety Check Program
requirements and regulations. Boaters
who display the Vessel Safety Check
Decal can also take advantage of safeboater
discounts available from most
marine insurance companies, which can
amount to a 10-15 percent savings on
insurance.
Often, special boating safety vessel
inspection days are scheduled at
specific marinas and boat launch locations
where a number vessel examiners
can complete safety checks on a large
number of boats in a single day.
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