Event: Gorge Games Stand Up Paddle Race, July 18-20

New this year, the Gorge Games is including Standup Paddling. SUP racers will be grouped with the outrigger canoe paddlers. Though the focus is on outrigger, anyone that pays the entry fees can tag along and take advantage of the safety boats and other race infrastructure. Because this is the first year for this event, information isn't complete and things aren't planned to the inth degree. You can read more about the games on the Official Gorge Games website. And also on the Bend Outrigger site. Thanks to the Bend Outrigger site for the photo of the canoes. The Gorge is about 2 1/2 to 3 hour drive from Bend, Oregon.

When: July 18th, 19th and 20th
Where: Stevenson Fairgrounds on the waterfront in Stevenson, WA in The Gorge
Cost: $40 includes entry fee, paddle shirt, insurance and camping
Required: Life jackets and board leash

Standup Events at Stevenson Fairgrounds:

• Friday, July 18th, 1:00 p.m.: un-official downwind event. From Stevenson. . . . (we don't have more info, yet). Aprox 10 miles. Note: You MUST team with a partner for safety AND have a life jacket. There are No chase boats and the water is knarly.
  
• Saturday, July 19th (after completion of the team outrigger event is over. It begins at 11:00 a.m.): Standup paddle head-to-head, one-design race. Sponsors provide Laird boards and adjustable paddles so that all of the racers are on the same equipment. This is the first time for this race, so that's all we know.
• Sunday, July 20th, 9:00 a.m.: Up and downwind course race, 2.75 miles total.
  

We think this is going to be a super-fun thing to do this summer and urge everyone to come to the Gorge and join in this event. There were about 300 competitors last year. Let's get the standup group numbers up in this outstanding traditional outrigger event.

Note: photo of the Gorge at twilight is from the 3 Gorge net blog.

Stand up Journal - The Fire Inside Gerry Lopez

Standup Surf & Sail Journal is a must to add to your coffee table quiver of magazines. Each issue is a Photo journal rich with images and articles that are sure to add to the buzz that's building SUP into the next big worldwide sport.

Published by Clay Feeter, Standup Surf & Sail Journal features our local surf icon, Gerry Lopez. Gerry wrote the article, The Fire Within, on page 94. It's beautifully illustrated with photos including a portrait of Gerry with Kialoa paddle maker, Dave Chun (also from Bend, Oregon). Some of the local Paddlesurf Bend crew have their picture in a group shot with Gerry taken by Meg Chun on the shore of the Deschutes River near the Healy Bridge.

Gerry's article will whet your appetite for his new book, Surf is Where You Find It. We highly recommend this book.

SUP Bend Group (photo Meg Chun): L to R - Gerry Lopez, Isabella Barna, Mike McComb, Randall Barna, Dave Chun (red shirt), Dennis Oliphant, Jeremy McKelvey (farthest back), Peter Miller, Susie Miller

Surfing the High Desert - The Source Weekly

All of you ripped hard core surf guys on the Deschutes River are real press magnets. Kevin Grove, a writer for the Source Weekly, the best freebie paper in Bend, Oregon, wrote a piece about our local group of Stand up Paddlers. He interviewed Randall Barna and Peter Miller along with Ron Thompson and Al Paterson. These guys always have something interesting (or funny) to say, and they didn't disappoint.

Our local group is a loose organization of about 45-50 paddlers. We are usually seen in gaggles numbering from around 6 to 15 folks. The variety of local paddle conditions along with the support of SUP industry leaders in the area stokes the passion for SUP on the High Desert.

Dave and Meg Chun (owners of Kialoa Paddles) and Gerry Lopez (our local surf celebrity), built businesses that are key players in the Standup Paddle world. Randall Barna started www.StandupPaddleBend.com last year to stoke the sport both in the Northwest and online. Peter Miller has stepped in to rep gear. Randall is convinced that anybody who has ever surfed or had the dream of standing on a surf board can share in the surf passion as Standup Paddlers on the nearest flat water.

Here is one of my favorite quotes in the article:
"Ron Thompson paddles with his dog Lucie on his board. Living on the river, he saw the group out several times last year, decided it looked like a fun activity and signed on. "It's a really good full-body workout," said Thompson. "That is why we're all incredibly ripped," joked fellow paddler Al Peterson."
READ MORE on the Source Weekly site. The article is titled, Surfing the High Desert, Stand-up paddle surfing. . . page 34. OUTSIDE section.

www.StandupPaddleFlatwater.com

Pono Bill at Pacific City

Oregon original, Pono Bill aka Bill Babcock publisher of the online zine and blog Ke Nalu, devoted to Stand Up Paddling, is back home in Oregon. A snowbird, Pono Bill escapes the doom and gloom of the rainy side of the state of Oregon and lives on Maui every winter.

Randall recognized Bill in the surf, as he's obviously an experienced paddler. Randall and Bill paddle surfed with Paul Montgomery, another long-time Oregon surfer.

I took this photo of Bill after the winds had kicked up and he was ready for a brewski at the Pelican Brew Pub, where he had conveniently parked about 10 feet from the door. Great to finally meet you Bill -- Aloha!

www.StandupPaddleBend.com

Race: Odell Lake, Oregon Pioneer Cup, July 2008

Hey everybody, it's time to plan for the annual Odell Lake Pioneer Cup race. Join this race whatever your preferred mode of paddling is: Canoes, kayaks, surf skis, Standup Paddle surfing, etc. It's all good! (And you get an official Odell Lake Lodge hat!)

2007 was the first year that Standup paddlers entered as a class. In order of finishing, the paddlers were: Randall Barna, Isabella Barna, Cristina Acosta and Kerry Raymond. We were slower than all other forms of paddling, so we were at the end of the race. Kerry Raymond won The Sightseers' Award -- a golden trophy we all thought was pretty cool.

The race is alot of fun. The course is 5 miles downwind and if we're lucky and the wind is up, we'll have some nice waves to ride. At the end is a BBQ on the deck at the historic Odell Lake Lodge. If you're traveling, there are clean Forest Service Campgrounds both on the lake or nearby, or stay at the Odell Lake Lodge. Remember that you can get your gear (maybe even FASTER gear) at www.StandupPaddleBend.com

Here's the Pioneer Cup Race info:
Date: July 26, 2008
Time: Registration at Shelter Cove 8 to 10 a.m. Race Starts at 11 a.m.
Cost: $15.00 per person which includes a official Odell Lake Lodge race cap.
For More Info: John Milandin 541-782-2815

Places to Paddle: Pacific City, Cape Kiwanda, Oregon

Summer is sort of finally here in the Northwest. Celebrating the end of school (for the kids) some of the Bend Standup Paddle crew went to Pacific City, Oregon, by Cape Kiwanda for the weekend. The weather was warm and the sun was out, you'd hardly even know you were at the Oregon Coast except that everybody in the water was sheathed in black neoprene and only the toughest weren't wearing gloves and hoods.

Pacific City has something for anyone that likes a scene. You won't find pristine wilderness beaches on the South side of the Cape (but you can look over the cape from the top of the dune at some beaches on the North side). Surfing south of Cape Kiwanda is a vibrant beach scene, except that all of the bikinis and board shorts are under wetsuits. You can watch the fishing dories skid onto the beach as they return with the morning's catch. Climb the Cape Kiwanda sand dune to the north, walk around the tidepools at the base of the dune or just sit on the patio of the Pelican Brew Pub and enjoy a handcrafted ale or stout. Some of us stayed at the Cape Kiwanda RV Resort, and others at the hotel next door, the Inn at Cape Kiwanda.

Pacific City is about a 4 hour drive from Bend, Oregon.

It's a great trip. Check out the waves on the Pelican Brew Pub Surf Cam

Here's what's going on in the photos:

• Peter Miller is showing off The Big Board Schlepper. Not only does The Big Board Schlepper make getting to the beach easier, when the wind gusted, the Schlepper helped keep everything together and under control. Peter's paddle is a artisan made Kialoa.
  
• RV Camping at Cape Kiwanda RV Resort.
• Cape Kiwanda in the early morning. Note the trucks on the beach that trailer the fishing dories.
• Get Your Stand up Paddle gear for Surf SUP or Flatwater at StandupPaddleBend.com
  

Group Event: Deschutes River, Oregon - Harper Bridge, Sunriver, OR to Benham Falls

Last weekend's paddle was a great time! The sun came out a few times and the company was stellar. Thanks Kay for shuttling us back to our cars. Here's the note Randall sent out that explained the trip. If you have a fun trip in mind, leave comments about what you'd like to try as a group and we can get the event set up. Let's do this again!

This is an easy and beautiful Deschutes downriver ten mile paddle through the Sunriver Resort area. The Harper Bridge launch does not require a U.S. Forest Service permit as it's Highway property. The Benham Falls launch area requires a parking pass. You can get a NW Forest pass for $25.00 at most any sporting goods store or National Forest office. Sometimes the parking area has a paid parking box where you can buy a $5.00 per day parking pass.

Photo credits for the slide show: Kay Jaskolski, Peter & Susie Miller, Pam Stevenson
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Hi Everyone,
Here's the news on the Deschutes downriver paddle. The stretch we'll do is from the bridge just south of Sunriver to the Benham Falls takeout near Lava Lands Visitor center. The stretch is about ten miles and takes around two-three hours on water. We'll stop at the Sunriver Marina lagoon for a break. They have food and nice restrooms and are anxious for us to see their standup paddle operation with rentals, shuttles, lessons etc. The forecast is temps in the mid sixties and partial clouds. We meet at 1:30 at Lava Lands Visitors center just south of the High Desert Museum on Hwy 97. When you pull in you'll see a sign to Benham Falls to the left and immediately a parking lot. We'll meet there to consolidate into fewer cars and leave some cars at the takeout. Leave food and liquid refreshments at the takeout too. Bring your extra rack straps. It's OK to stack boards on top of each other if they're padded. Kay has volunteered to shuttle from the finish, so that will get 4 or 5 of us back to our cars right away. There's no whitewater, the river is similar to our Old Mill stretch but much wilder. Last Sunday we had a deer swim downriver with us right in Sunriver!

Mahalo,
Randall Barna
standuppaddlebend.com

Places to Paddle: Lake McDonald, Glacier National Park, Montana

Our nation's tenth National Park, Glacier in the state of Montana, includes more than a million acres of land. The Salish and Kootenai reservation is southwest of Glacier. The Blackfeet Reservation is on the east side of the park. This entire area holds great spiritual importance to the Blackfeet, Salish, and Kootenai people.

Eddy Miller, a member of our Bend Standup Paddle community sent us these photos of his time spent paddling on Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park. The lake is 10 miles long and 472 feet deep. There is a speed limit, so you won't see any wake-board boating or jet skis. The morning Eddy went out the water was cold and the day was beautiful. He said that the best time to paddle is in the early morning or late evening. Lake McDonald is a high mountain lake and wind and storms can come on quickly, so take precautions and plan for safety. Thanks Eddy for the photos.

The National Parks service has a Webcam so you can see this lake and others in Glacier Park.

Information to help you plan your visit to Glacier National Park is on the official National Parks Service website. There are 13 campgrounds within Glacier Park and several historic lodges, so there are plenty of options for travelers.

Here's how the National Parks website describes Glacier:

Glacier National Park preserves more than a million acres of forests, alpine meadows, lakes, rugged peaks and glacial-carved valleys in the Northern Rocky Mountains. Its diverse habitats are home to over 70 species of mammals including the grizzly bear, wolverine, gray wolf and lynx. Over 260 species of birds visit or reside in the park, including such varied species as harlequin ducks, dippers and golden eagles. The landscape is a hiker's paradise that is traversed by more than 750 miles of maintained trails. Glacier Park's varied climate influences and its location at the headwaters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Hudson Bay drainages have given rise to an incredible variety of plants and animals.

Read about more Places to Paddle on our website.

Whitewater & Surf Safety - Wear a Helmet!

Rocks in the river and on the Oregon coast amp up the danger of an ordinary SUP wipeout. For safety in surf or whitewater wear a helmet. This is especially important if you're trying out your Stand up Paddle skills on the Deschutes River. The changing water levels (due to irrigation) can make yesterday's riffle today's mid-river boulder.

We have these surf helmets in stock at StandupPaddleFlatwater.com Buy the Predator Lee 8 Helmet in one of 2 colors, red or black. The Lee 8 has a sun visor that shades the sun but is not so big that wipeout hydraulics jerk your head around. It also has stronger plastic than their other helmets. And, at only $99.00 it's cheaper than brain surgery.

Buy the Predator Lee 8 Helmut and other Standup Paddle accessories on our website. We also sell leashes, locks, board bags and more.

River, Lake & Ocean Flatwater Circa the Willamette Valley

Michael Carpenter, is a very stoked Standup Paddler. He recently bought a 12' Ron House SUP board and Kialoa Nalu Stand up paddle from us at StandupPaddleFlatwater.com and is exploring the flat water options in the Willamette Valley, Oregon area and the nearby coastal waters of Florence, Oregon. Thanks Michael for your stories and great local knowledge about this part of Oregon. Florence, Oregon is about a 4 hour drive from Bend, Oregon.

__________________________________________________________________
Hi Randall,
Looks like a lot is happening in the SUP world on your side of the Cascades! Despite the wet weather here in the Willamette Valley, Oregon, recently I have been getting out several days a week to the local reservoirs. Last weekend I paddled on both Dexter and Fall Creek Reservoirs in complete glass with absolutely no wind. Talk about glide! I have been scoping the Willamette, but with the high water and strong flows, it feels rather intimidating. I have yet to find a smooth safe section of the river and source a good PFD or wake vest for standup paddling.

Two weeks ago I was on the Oregon coast for three days getting a good feel for my equipment and trying it out in different conditions. Friday morning in Florence, Oregon, the air temp was a clear and very sunny ninety degrees with howling offshore winds! I spent the first half of the day surfing and paddling the mouth of the Siuslaw River between the jetty's. There is a good put in site with a sandy beach in a rocky cove near the crabbing pier on the inside bend of the south jetty. From there it was a short paddle to a mushy but fun left/right peak that was breaking knee to waist high on a shallow sand bar in the middle of the river. I paddled over to the popular left the breaks along inside of the south jetty but as I got closer, it seemed a little bigger than I was ready for. With a lot of water moving around, swells rolling in at all kinds of angles, a offshore wind blowing me toward the ocean and the slack tide beginning to change, all I could manage to do was stay on my board and paddle back to calmer water.

The following day I returned to the Siuslaw to do a little more surfing and cruising around among the many curious harbor seals. The swell and wind had dropped significantly, so it made things a bit more relaxed. Later that day I went back to the my campsite along the Siltcoos River between Siltcoos Lake and the ocean. This is a great stretch of flatwater river paddling, where you can paddle a good distance in the estuary on out to the ocean. There are lots of shore birds and wildlife, the water is calm, somewhat shallow and comfortably warm. The campground is peaceful and there is great hiking and secluded beaches as well.

Hope to see you soon for a paddle,
Michael

"I would love to live like a river flows, carried by the surprise of its own unfolding." John O'Donohue

New Lopez Stand up Paddle Board

Gerry Lopez surfboards are pure art. The shapes are no-nonsense function and derived from an heritage of experience thats unprecedented. It's rare that an athlete, performing at the pinnacle of their sport, also has the mastery to design and hand shape the equipment.

Gerry has stacks of surfboard orders from around the world and it takes months of planning to get one. I've teased about him ever getting around to make us some standup paddle boards. I think we're very fortunate to have Gerry share with us what he rides, that's aloha!

I talked with Gerry about the new standup paddle surf boards, here's the interview:
___________________________________________________________

• The two standup paddle boards you shaped are a 9'6" and a 10'2", why the two sizes?

Gerry- The two are exactly the same design, meant to do the same thing. The 10'2" is for bigger surfers. (I usually split light/heavy at 170#, I think this applies here too)

• What type of standup paddle surfing are these boards meant for, they don't look like the noseriders in your longboard shapes?

Gerry- They're not noseriders, these boards are rippers!

The Gerry Lopez standup paddle surfboards are the highest performance SUP boards available.



Lopez's new Standup board is here! standuppaddlebend.com

Travel Story: The Shaseks in Troncones, Mexico

Judy Shasek has some sort of shark karma - luckily, shark karma that doesn't involve getting bitten. She was circled by a shark while swimming in Florida this year and then vacationed in Troncones, Mexico (on the Pacific Ocean in the state of Guerrero, MX) last week during a string of shark sitings. Judy and Ed Shasek sent these 2 emails to our land-locked Stand up Paddle Bend (Oregon) group this past week.
__________________________________________________________
Hi SUP of Bend (first email)

We went to Troncones Beach in Mexico yesterday. It was a 45 minute cab ride from our resort - along the way Santos the cab driver taught us a lot of Spanish, including the word tiburon - which means SHARK!!!!!! We arrived at Troncones and caught up with some hard core surfers (3-4 times out each day) but they were all on the beach. No one was out on the break. Why-we inquired.. look at this link http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/04/29/shark.attack.ap/

Three sightings of sharks had occurred that morning chasing everyone out of the water. They suggested we go to a different beach with better surf, called Salitas Beach. It is one of the best long board breaks in the world. It is a point break with long lefts. Our cab driver had waited for us so we hopped back in and began the 30 minute drive - along the way we traveled mostly on dirt roads learning the words vaca (cow), mango (the fruit) and calla (fighting rooster) - we taught Santos many important English words as well.

The first thing we saw at Salitas beach was Jacquiline's restaurant - 20 plastic tables and chairs on the sand with a tarp over, and cages with huge cock fighting roosters. Our cab driver recognized the bird immediately as a champion. Along the beach we saw no one in the nicely formed surf except for 8 caballos (horses). They waded and swam the whole time we were there.

Walking toward a green sign that said "Zurf Shop" we ran in to a nice young woman from Phoenix. She chatted about her morning surfing - apparently several sharks were lolling around and looking up at the surfers and freaked them all out and no one was in the water. She was still wide eyed hours later as she told us about it. She thought it was only right that she tell us since she wouldn't go back in the water herself and we were heading toward the Zurf Shop.

We met a lot of hard core surfers who have been surfing there and they were using the thatch roof Internet cafe or playing ping pong - many had tattoos and were quite fond of the F word. Luckily only Ed experienced that. Judy stayed on the beach with a nice couple from Marin County, California (Mitch and Erika). The surf dudes told Ed that there had been three shark attacks in 3 days and after seeing the sharks this morning it wasn't worth it.

Ok - now think about it. What would you have done. You are an hour and 20 minutes from the resort after traveling gravel and dirt roads and paying $50 one way. The next thing I knew Ed is walking toward me with a surf board. he said "screw the sharks and paddled out." I simply picked up the video camera and pulled on my surf booties to document whatever was going to happen. The water was crystal clear and warm, with a rocky reef bottom but no urchins. It was knee deep 800 yards out. Ed - to his credit- did not go out to the second break (well just to the edge of it ) where the sharks had been sighted.

He paddled for his first wave, made a left turn and surfed it in to the beach. He paddled out again and now there was a second surfer (quite an expert) with him. The tattooed surfer asked him if he knew about the shark attacks. He told Ed not to paddle to the outside break and to keep his legs on the board (read attached article)

Ed took one more wave but about halfway in to the beach, wiped out and cut his knee on the reef. He was bleeding, so he decided to come in and give me the board for my turn. Inexplicably I happily paddled out and took 3-4 waves. Amazingly I caught the waves and had the best surfing I've had in 40 years (can you believe it is 40 years???) Mitch and Ericka (from Marin County) thought we were quite the rock stars. We learned it was Mitch's 40th birthday so we opened out cooler and shared a few beers before calling it a day.

We hooked back up with Santos who had made friends with the owner of the champion cock fighter and we learned it was going to the US (we were perplexed...is that not illegal in the US??) Santos shrugged and told us about his cows and his soccer team all the way home.

Upon reaching the resort we took a dip in the pool with our maragritas, chatted with various club members about our day them showered and went to the wine tasting. We learned the history and culture and passion of the wine makers in Northern Mexico from Yesenia the hotel's sommolier. She was entertaining (sadly, Judy was still in "la turista" and sipped guava tea)

Looking forward to kayaking today, will update later.

Ed and Judy
___________________________________________________________
Hi SUP of Bend- (Second Email)
Ed and I just got back from Z-town and surfing at Troncones, Mexico (actually the shark attack all but closed down Troncones so we went to La Salidita.)
http://www.courant.com/news/custom/latest/ats-ap_top15may28,0,1059238.story
The surfers there were all out of the water too after spotting three sharks right near them on the outside break. We analyzed the situation and the fact we were only going to be there that one day and had some fun surfing the inside break.

We recommend that the group reads Gerry Lopez's book, SURF IS WHERE YOU FIND IT- it's one that kept both Ed and me engrossed throughout two long travel days and lots of plane delays. We both started loving waves and salt water at the same beach in Florida as toddlers - and the stories hit the ocean-spirit right on!

See ya Friday!
Ed and Judy

Ask Randall: Are Wetsuits Needed?

Do you wear a wet suit all year long on the Deschutes and on the upper lakes?
Peter

Peter, I wear a wetsuit when its in the 30s or 40s. Otherwise just trunks and a quick-dry paddle shirt. You're working out so you stay pretty warm, like a runner would. The main difference from dressing like a runner is that if you did ever fall in, you want to wear something you can swim in, and not die from hypothermia when wet.
Randall

Party Time on the Beautiful Deschutes River Canyon

Our group loves a party! Thanks to Judy and Ed, we put together a potluck at their home near Bend, Oregon. They made delicious BBQ Pulled Pork and set the table for the crew (including flip-flop floating candles). The Deschutes River flows in a Northernly direction through the hamlet of Tumalo, Oregon in view of the party deck. The weather was warm and gorgeous.

We talked about doing some group paddles this summer on the Deschutes. Maybe we could put together a shuttle trip or try a few small rapids.
Send in your ideas and get out the calendar. It's party time!
www.StandupPaddleBend.com

Mirror Pond Standup Paddling

Weeping willows, Canada Geese and flocks of wild ducks looked on as Judy and Ed Shasek along with Al Paterson enjoyed their evening paddle in Mirror Pond in Bend, Oregon. Putting in at McKay Park they floated downstream and across Mirror Pond to the Newport Avenue Bridge.

Mostly shallow and slow-moving water on this stretch of the Deschutes River is damned at Newport Avenue by a very old and small hydro-electric dam. Drake Park on the East side and Harmon Park on the West side edge the pond along with some lovely vintage Bend, Oregon homes. The Galveston Avenue bridge (on the up-stream side of Mirror Pond) requires a crouch.
This is a lovely short paddle in the middle of the town of Bend, Oregon. During the summer Munch 'n Music concerts on Thursday evenings (July 10th thru Aug 14th, 5-8 p.m) you can listen to musicians and people watch at a safe distance from the crowds of thousands.

Thanks Ed, Judy and Al for the photos.

GLS Soft top - No Worries, it's Kid Proof

Big, plus wide, plus soft adds up to safety for beginners and groups of kids piling on this board. This is the perfect board for a rental line-up or to have as the family board on the beach. It's inexpensive and practically indestructible. No worries when it gets hit, bumped or dropped. The GLS has 4 flexible rear fins so it tracks very well. It's soft and sort of bouncy, built for comfort not speed. Buy an aluminum shaft adjustable paddle to go with this board and you're ready to get most anybody on the water in no time.

The GLS Softtop is 12' long, 30" wide and 37lbs. Buy it from us for only $799.00
Note: The GLS comes in yellow, red and blue. We often don't have a choice about the color. Call us to find out which color is in stock (if that sort of thing interests you).

Ask Randall: Leash Length

Dear Randall,
I paddle a 12' board. Why do you sell 10' or 12' leashes when everybody else is selling 6' or 8' leashes? Doesn't the extra length cause drag in the water?
Tim

Dear Tim,
The only time I've noticed drag is when I get seaweed or lakeweed hung up on my leash. That's a small annoyance considering what can happen if your leash is too short. Besides, a little water weed shakes off easily when you jerk on your leash cord.

The purpose of the leash is to save your life or somebody elses, don't get hung up on drag. The three situation when you need a leash are:

• Surf
• Wind
• Current

Guess what happens when you're ready to nose ride your 12' board and your leash is only 6' long. Even if you're not in the surf, it's fun to try a nose-pivot turn in flatwater. Either way you need the length in your leash.

Even more important is the wipe out factor. How close do you want to be to your 12' board when you're tumbling with it in the surf? I'll take a long leash any day.

For the best stand up paddle leashes on the market, visit Stand Up Paddle Flatwater.

Standup Paddle Edge Guard

Paddle protection is a good idea to prevent damage to your paddle, board and even your body!

• Black tape around the edge keeps from scratching the paddle.

Mastic tape is better and protects the board too. Mastic is rubber and about 1/16" thick.

The best protection I've seen is Paddle Guard (TM) from Surfco Hawaii.

Paddle Guard is specifically designed for paddle edges and is a molded shape for hydrodynamics. It's extremely durable and provides more protection than anything else. It slightly changes the balance of the paddle but barely noticeable in weight. The self installation kit runs $25 at standuppaddlebend.com

We think Paddle Guard is such a good idea that we're having a Paddle Guard party this Friday, May 9th, 2008 at our business location in Bend, Oregon. We're offering a special party price to introduce everyone to this new product. After this event, the price is $25.00 for the kit. Call us and let us know if you want to come so we can have enough Paddle Guards for everyone. 541-389-4547

Breaking Away from the Flatwater: More Gerry Lopez and Oliphant in Baja

Gerry and Dennis had a great spring break in Baja.

We're still waiting for more spring weather here in Bend, so I'm showing a tropical break. Dennis said the surf kept getting bigger, and bigger, and gnarly to the point that the only one out was Lopez. The last photo is a testimony.

Photos courtesy of Dennis Oliphant.

Stand up Paddle Board Size: 3 Things to Know

This photo of Jack Gillen only shows part of his quiver and he rides them all! The luxury of a standup paddle board quiver assures that you always have the perfect board for the site and conditions of the day and for who you are. Men, women, kids and seniors, everyone buying a standup paddle board has different needs. Make sure the first board you get suits your expected needs, here's three things you need to know.

1. Size for your weight.
Study the dimensions of the boards you're considering and make sure you don't go too small. The general rule is that once you're up to paddling speed you don't want the tail to drag. Stepping slightly forward will smooth-out the water release at the tail but if the board is too small your nose will dig in. Watch other paddlers of similar weight, note the tail turbulence and trim of their board when underway. Ask for the dimensions or at least the length of their boards and size yourself accordingly. Board makers generally agree on certain dimensions. For example, 11' boards that are around 29" wide and 4 1/4" thick, or 12' boards that are 30" wide and 4 1/2" thick. The flotation is a combination of the length, width and thickness of the board. If you can't test a board or are inexperienced, listen to the advice and experience of others.

The division between light and heavyweight in windsurfing is 170# and I think it's a good reference weight for standup paddle board flotation. Heavyweights should have the biggest boards around 12'. Paddlers right at 170# do well on 11' boards and very-lightweights can go as short as 10'.

2. Size for your water conditions.

There are three basic water conditions: flatwater, roughwater, and surf. Flatwater is the ideal condition to check for tail turbulence and trim. You can see your wake and actually hear turbulence. You will even be able to trim a board that is too small but don't get cocky and think this will work for you in all conditions. The size and weight recommendations above work well in flatwater.

Roughwater will not be forgiving. The board seems much less stable and the nose will dig into the chop. The board that seemed fine in flatwater will seem too small. Get a bigger board for roughwater, approximately six inches to one foot longer. For all of our paddle adventures around our home in Bend, Oregon we are often on longer boards for stability so that rarely fall in the cold water.

Surfing has contrasting demands. You want speed and stability for paddling-out and catching waves, which favors bigger boards. Once you are riding a wave you want maneuverability and high performance, which favors smaller boards. Beginners in the surf should stick to the same board they use in roughwater. It will catch the waves easier and you won't fall so often. Better surfers will prefer smaller boards. They've learned the nack and timing for paddling out and catching waves so the performance when riding the wave is primary. 11' and 12' boards work fine in the surf for occasional surfers. High performance surfers are using 9'6" to 10'6" standup paddleboards. Stand up paddle boards we love in the surf are all the Paddle Surf Hawaii boards and the Hobie 10'6".

3. Size for your convenience.
There are many other things you do with your board other that riding it. You carry it to the water. You hoist it up on top of your head to load it on your vehicle. You store it someplace.

It's no good to set your heart on a certain 12' beauty if you cannot physically handle it, especially when the wind blows! Try picking it up and carrying it, hoist it over your head. If you have trouble, look for a board with a hand slot or buy our handle kit to attach a carrying handle. Smaller boards like the Amundson 11'3" and Hobie 11'2" are lighter weight with thinner rails and are easier to handle when out of the water, making these boards especially popular with women stand up paddle boarders. It's worth sacrificing some paddle glide by choosing a smaller board if it means that you can carry and load it. Also, check where you have to store it. If it needs to fit into the locking personal storage in your vacation condo, you better test this before you purchase. Having a smaller board in the locker is better than having a big board stolen from the carport rafters!  Easy carrying, loading and storing is part of the love affair with your first board.

Gaggle of Standup Paddle Guys

The Bend, Oregon SUP paddle group meets regularly on Friday evenings for a group paddle. Yesterday was unseasonably cold and windy, only a group of hardy guys showed-up. The girls stayed home except for a mother goose and goslings who paddled along with us for awhile.
SUP on a April day in Bend, Oregon on the Deschutes River can mean temperatures as low as 10 degrees (this morning!) or as high as 70 something. I checked the thermometer when I got home and it was 39 degrees! This gaggle included, Eddy Miller, Mike McCombs, Tom Burke, Al Paterson, Steve Porino, Randall Barna and the geese.

Stance for Standup Paddling

There are two commom stance positions for standup paddling, facing the nose with a foot near each rail and the fore-aft position with one foot toward the nose and one toward the tail. Each stance has a different function.

The front-facing position is most stable to stabilize side-to-side tippiness of the board. Before you get the board moving through the water or when its moving slow it's most tippy and having the feet out on the rails controls this type of instability. This stance is also symmetrical for standup paddling on each side and allows a good reach forward with the paddle. This achieves early powering of the stroke. This stand up paddle stance is very efficient for long distance, stability and straight tracking of the board.

The photo of Jerry Bess in the top photo shows this position.

The fore-aft paddling position is for when the board has gained more speed on the water or if you want to control the stand up board in a nose down or tail down oriention. Once the board is moving faster, side-to-side instability isn't an issue. The rushing water lifts and stabilizes the board. The concern now is either keeping the nose up so it doesn't dig-in, or sinking the tail for a turn. With one foot forward and one foot back you can make major weight shifts to control the level of the board. Stand up paddling isn't as efficient in this position. It's hard to change sides and theres a tendancy to continue the stroke too far toward the tail, thus turning the board. An important tip for the fore-aft stance is: Bend at the knees and ankles not the waist. Keep the weight of your butt over the board. Don't stick your butt out!

In the second photo notice Jerry has caught a wind swell and switched to the fore-aft stance to keep the nose from digging-in. He also dipped the paddle in the water for stability.

Photos courtesy of Jack Gillen and standuppaddlebend.com

Boards on Board

I just returned from a road trip to gather standup paddle boards and windsurfers for the standuppaddlebend.com stock.

This is what an almost full trailer looks like. The one empty slot was a backorder (darn). It would of been a nice trip except for the blizzard and treacherous driving with the studs off and towing the trailer.

Why do I do this? Other than being crazy, I love boards, the sport and getting people out to enjoy themselves!

Standup Paddle Racing

Standup paddle races are an aspect of the sport with a unique appeal. The same athletes that are running marathons and cross country ski racing are picking-up paddles and hitting the water. The blend of endurance and strength developed in standup paddling is producing very well-rounded athletes. Note the physique on the second-place finisher in the Florida championships!

The boards for racing are a different breed too. In open ocean racing 14' to 18' boards are common. The photo is the lineup from the Florida Championships.

Locally we have two races on the schedule. The Odell Lake 29th Annual Pioneer Cup is July 26th. This is a five mile down-wind race with a bar-b-que at the finish. Last year was the first for the standup class and it was a blast! Times were around one hour and 11'to12' boards worked fine. The other is in The Gorge July 18-20 with the outrigger paddlers. The 18th is an unofficial downwinder. The 19th and 20th involve both up and down wind legs. This is less desireable for standup but definately a workout. The 19th will include a standup class, details on this event to come later. Only experienced paddlers that are comfortable in big wind, waves and chop should consider The Gorge.

Photos provided by Trevor Gregson @ C4

See 11'to12' standup paddle boards suitable for racing at standuppaddleflatwater.com

SUP Paddle Trails in Bend, OR

The Bend Paddle Trails Alliance will soon publish two guides. One for the Deschutes River and one for the Cascade Lakes. We will supply them here at standuppaddlebend.com as soon as they are available.

The scope of the river trail guide was defined to include all of the Deschutes River within Deschutes Country, including stretches of the Little Deschutes River. The Cascade lakes guide includes nine of the high Cascades Lakes including Hosmer Lake, Wickiup Reservoir, Crane Prairie Reservoir, Paulina Lake, East Lake, Cultus Lake, Sparks Lake, Lava Lake, and Elk Lake.

The guide will show suitable water levels for paddling, the put-ins, take-outs, portages, hazards, parking, toilet facilities, points of interest, camping sites and safety and environmental issues. Yahoo!

Photo credit: Thank you Buck Heim for aerial photos of the Deschutes River. See more of his photos at
Buck Heim's River photos:
http://kbuck.smugmug.com/gallery/3249063_WThZh#P-1-12
Buck Heim's Boat photos:
http://kbuck.smugmug.com/gallery/3396707_w7pQe#189929829_4qjmU

Gerry Lopez & Dennis "the Duke" Oliphant in Baja

The last week of March (Oregon Spring Break) has shown no signs of spring in Central Oregon. There's been a skiff of snow every morning and night temperatures in the teens. Just to make us jealous Gerry and Dennis have sent these photos of the fun they're having in Baja on their spring break!

Gerry, whats the story on those rocks?

www.StandUpPaddleFlatwater.com

About Gear - Ron House and Laird SUP Boards

Surftech manufactures the Laird Hamilton SUP boards. These Stand Up Paddle boards are shaped by Ron House with Laird's endorsement and are available in full gloss deck or soft deck. The first size available was the 12'1" x 31" and it was immediately in high demand and hard to get in 2007.

New 2008 additions to the Laird line include an 11'6" x 29", a 11' x 27" and a 10' x 27". I raced the Laird 12'1" SUP board in the 28th annual Odell Lake Pioneer Cup and loved it in the five mile downwinder. I also rode it in The Gathering-Rogue Longboard Classic. The 12' 1" Laird Stand up Paddle board was my choice for confidence and stability, being my first surf contest. The big 12 footer stand up paddle boards are also great in cold water because they are so stable on flat water that an experienced paddler will rarely fall in. I'm on this board every winter when I paddle places around Bend, Oregon (snowy and cold for about 6 months).

The new 11' 6" Laird Stand up board has a narrower tail that's more responsive when you step back. The 11' 6" Laird SUP board is smaller and therefore more popular with women paddlers. This makes flatwater pivot turns faster and makes for better surfing. The 11' and 10' Lairds are high performance surfing boards. Their narrow width requires more skill.

Ron House recently shaped and introduced his own line of production SUP boards built the traditional surfboard way only lighter and stronger with eps core and epoxy fiberglass. Ron House's SUP boards also feature a 1/4" wood stringer and full gloss finish. The two models we'll feature are the 12' x 30" and the 11' x 29".

I talked with Ron about these stand up paddle board models and he's really enthusiastic about these boards because they reach a different customer than the Surftech Laird models. Thin-skinned wood-stringer boards feel different under foot. It's subtle and comparable in other sports. In biking it's the feel of a steel frame vs aluminum, in skiing its a wood core ski vs foam core. It comes down to personal preference and we're excited to offer a great selection from Ron House!

See our featured boards at: StandUpPaddleFlatwater.com

Buy Boards on our Website

Women Friendly Boards

Women have many stand up paddle board options with the new boards that have built in handles and are in smaller sizes. Concrete and steel can float (in the shape of a ship) because volume displaces water. With that in mind, most any SUP board will work for a woman paddler once it's on flat water. The challenge for most women is getting the paddle board from their vehicle to the water's edge. If you're woman stand up paddling in rough water or surf, you'll need to choose a standup paddle surf board that is easier to handle in those conditions.

Here's what women should look for in a SUP stand up paddle board:

• Thin rails because they are easier to grab.
  
• Handles - the Mistral Pacifico has detachable nose and tail handles. You can also purchase from us a Stand up paddle board handle kit if your SUP doesn't have a handle.
• Hand Slot - the Surftech Infinity and Takayama have one in the center of the board.
• Choose a lightweight board - for example: the Amundson 11' Superlight. These stand up paddle surf boards come with plastic handles in the mast slot area of the SUP board.
  
• Choose a smaller stand up paddle board because less volume is lighter. You'll sacrifice glide-factor when paddling, but maneuverability is better.
  
• Be sure to look at our StandupPaddleFlatwater on line store for board suggestions.

To make it easier to carry your board. We're selling a shoulder-strap carry device called The Big Board Schlepper for $24.50. You're going to love it.

www.StandupPaddleFlatwater.com

Are Women & Families the Future of SUP?

Photos of sleek watermen charging down overhead waves dominate the photo galleries on most stand up paddle sites. Though standup paddling originated with the ancient Hawaiians, stand up paddling (or SUP) was re-invented and popularized during the past decade by Laird Hamilton and his compadres. Riding 50' waves and paddling across the English Channel, Laird got SUP into the minds of other watermen and women. Despite his amazing accomplishments, unless a person follows surfing, most people didn't know stand up paddle boarding was anything other than another form of macho surfing until last August when actress Jennifer Aniston caught the camera lens while stand up paddling in Hawaii.

For standup paddling to really grow, the word needs to get out that Flat water SUP stand up paddle boarding is fun, easy and a great sport for women, kids, and ordinary guys whose first thought when hearing the term "six-pack" is a cold beer. Stand up paddling isn't just a sport for the macho elite athlete. Put the board on flat water and SUP is so easy that most people can learn in less than 20 minutes. And with the move to flat water, anyone near a lake or navigable river can stand up paddle. New paddles and boards out this season that is especially user-friendly for women.

Not only is Stand up paddling gear simple and elegant, the sport is pretty detail-free. Strap the board on top of the car, tuck the paddle between the seats and head to the water's edge.

Most women with families are constantly running a mental multi-tasking list that would stun a NASA project manager. Food, beverages, sunscreen, towels, first-aid supplies, extra clothes and bathroom breaks are just a few things on the mind of any parent trying to get the family out the door and onto the water. With very little extra effort and (after production) no extra fossil fuel, a few SUP paddle boards in the garage give families and friends the opportunity to play together on flat water waterways around the country.

www.StandUpPaddleFlatwater.com

Stand Up Paddles - You Get What You Pay For

Getting what you pay for is easy when you know what you really need. If you've taken a look at SUP paddles and been surprised by the prices, here's what's going on.
Standup paddling is a new sport, so until just recently all of the paddles have been handmade. On the handmade, handcrafted or custom end of the spectrum, the price varies because of time and materials. Carbon fiber blades will cost more than wood, etc.

Custom paddles are beautiful, expensive (approx. $300.00 to $500.00) and if they are made using modern engineering and materials (either natural or not) and purchased to perform in particular conditions, there is nothing better.

That said, a custom paddle may not be right for you. For beginners that can't justify an expensive paddle an aluminum shaft plastic blade paddle will do. If you can only buy only one paddle to share with a family of paddlers or a pack of kids, you will need an aluminum adjustable-shaft paddle. It will hold up to abuse and you can change the shaft length to suit the height of the paddler at hand. It will also be quite a bit cheaper (less than $100.00 for a fixed shaft or no more than $120.00 for an adjustable shaft).

Here's some paddle guidelines:

• Stand up paddle shaft length is determined by your height and your conditions. The rule of thumb is about 8" to 10" more than your height.
  
• Surf conditions - a shorter length can be easier because the water is active and changes height and the surfer is often crouched down.
  
• Flat water conditions - the longer length is easier so you can stand straighter & get more leverage.
  
• The strongest force on the paddle is when you are pulling it through the water. A carbon fiber blade keeps it's shape under the stress and is much lighter. That means you can paddle longer and faster.
• SUP paddle shafts are made out of: carbon fiber (the lightest/strongest), bamboo or aluminum.
  
• Buy a Paddle Bag. Over time it'll save you a lot of wear and tear and uv damage.

Now you have a idea of what you want, so it's time for a link to our SUP website so you can buy some gear! We offer both the handcrafted and the inexpensive models. Kialoa SUP Paddles, our local favorite (Dave & Meg Chun live nearby) run from $269.00 to $329.00 for their made-in-the-USA handcrafted paddle and the Aquaglide Adjustable Length paddle for $109.00 or the fixed-length for $89.00 are our choices for the inexpensive paddles.

www.StandupPaddleFlatwater.com