Sunday Session at CB Inlet

This video was shot using Autry's method. So most of the video I'm not in the cameras view. After editing there is not much to show you. The wool lined Patagonia made it possible to surf today (temps in the 30s) and have fun. If you are a cold weather wimp, spoil yourself with wool.

The Friday Downwind Run

Someone asked what's up with the baggy wetsuit. It's a windsurf specific wetsuit designed with baggy arms to prevent fatigue. Perfect for downwinding and windsurfing.

NEW Sub Vector $500 BELOW Retail

My new 9'2 custom EPS Epoxy Sub Vector is now sitting on the rack at Surf House in Carolina Beach priced at $500 below retail.

Hurry if you want to take advantage of my momentary bout of insanity.

You can also pick your deck pad color

BTW, the wait for these is 4 months

This is Z mans custom Sub Vector (identical to mine) with his personalized tail slogan.

Why the Yellow Boards Rip

I measured the 9'5 Mana rocker today.
4" tail rocker
6" nose scoop
These are numbers you would normally associate with boards designed to rip. They are more than most boards I have measured recently for a board that size, and a lot more than some boards put in production just 2 years ago. That's why this longboard style SUP turns like a ripper model.

The 8'10 also has big rocker numbers

Igor sent me a text today. He picked up his 9'5 Mana during lunch and headed straight to the water. He caught a fun little session that confirmed his findings during the demo. He loved it.

Tonight I rushed home to get some of that strong summer wind to test my down wind board. The wind died on me.

YELLOW, our new favorite color

Our new Naish boards arrived today.

We took advantage of the manufacturer demos offered during the Cold Stroke by Coastal Urge. That turned out to be an expensive decision, because I fell in love with 2 boards. The 8'10 and 9'5 Naish.

The 8'10 is the real deal. A SUP that looks like a real shortboard, and comes pretty darn close to the feel of one. Jacky on the 8'10

Then came the 9'5, a longboard that actually rips. Not just a lazy log on the water. To cap it off, it's the most stable board I've ever SUPed on. Igor also had a blast on it. If ever there was a board you could pass around to your buddies and say try it, this is the one. You're an instant SUP surfer with this board. No balance required.

In one day I went from a guy who thought one all around board (the Sub Vector) was all I needed, to a guy who had to have the most radical shortboard SUP, and easiest longboard SUP, I've ever had under my feet.

The value of the Naish package helped with the painful decision to sell off our Sub Vectors and make the switch. Each Naish comes with a FREE "padded" board bag and sweet wood core fins.

Go Yellow, I'm converted!

The Most Advanced Race SUPs now Built in SC ??

Anyone remember Berky Composites from Islamorada Florida? The most advanced slalom boards built in the US during the 90s. Jacky and I owned 2 of them. All carbon fiber and built using higher pressure forming than the industry norm.


http://www.lmshape.com/page05.html


Well the guy behind that brand has resurfaced in South Carolina. He built a 38' trimaran. Now he's doing race SUPs. This is someone to watch out for. He designed for the top world touring pros of windsurfing. If you're looking for an edge, this is a guy worth checking out.

Interesting News this Week

This week I met with some old friends from Pakistan. I worked on a job there with them in 2006. I learned my friends were hit by a bomb in their offices and survived, but were thrown across the room. This happened just a few months ago. Everyday life is tough for them. They protected us like secret agents. Now I understand their protective measures were no joke. These photos show my daily routine and the measures they took to protect us.

Every morning they picked us up at the hotel in 3 identical white cars. We drove across town to a location where we hid behind a concrete wall. Behind the wall 3 identical buses arrived and we switched from the cars to a bus. The other buses were loaded with local Pakistani workers. We mixed in with locals. These buses had the windows covered with curtains to hide us. The buses took us to the work site. Coming home in the evening we did the reverse. Musical buses to cars! By the way, I enjoyed working there. Nice warm people.

Hiding on the bus behind curtains

Checking our bus for bombs

Barbershop

Checking for bombs

Chuck Patterson's Race Report

http://chuckpattersonsports.wordpress.com/2010/01/19/2nd-annual-cold-strokes-classic/

Naish Demo Day

The van loaded with Naish boards. All for me and Igor. Nobody else braved the temps in the 30s.

Matt from Naish getting the 8'10 ready

The 9'5

Notice the lonely mast foot. The 10'6 we had was missing the foot insert

8'10 fins

8'10

9'3 bottom showing the V. This is likely why the 9'3 is only a little more stable than the much smaller 8'10. The 8'10 is single concave.

Custom Sub Vectors Arriving Next Week

A batch of sweet looking custom Sub Vectors arrive next week at the Surf House. There is an extra un-claimed one in the batch. Stop by and check it out. I love the color of this copper one.

Jacky's Prize

Jacky on the Race Course

Chuck Patterson chatting with the racers on the course

Cold Stroke Race Report

Costal Urge Rocks!
Everyone who raced took home a prize. All 83 racers. About 100 entered, but some didn't show. Temp was in the 20s today.

Chuck Patterson joined the recreational racers for fun. He was cruising around the fleet chatting with everyone. Taking photos and having a blast. We enjoyed it too. He chatted with me and Jacky on the course.  He'd drift back in the pack to chat with people, then zoom ahead and chat with others, almost effortlessly.

Womens Elite 12'6 Class

Mens Elite 12'6 Class

Unlimited Recreation Class Mens and Womens Winners
That is Jacky on the top step holding her prize. A Naish carbon shaft/wood blade paddle. It is gorgeous and light!

12'6 Recreational Men's and Women's Podium
First place mens won a JL Mano
First place womens won a Surftech Laird
Paddle for other places

Kialoa booth. Check out the new paddle blade graphics.

The Starboard Teams race board. Dead flat for most of it's length. Interesting for sure.

The new JL race board, production model

Come to the Cold Stroke Saturday (94 racers as of tonight)

I was at Dockside this afternoon and the parking lot looked like a trade show. It seemed like all the brands had tents setup. New boards were being taken from the wrappers everywhere I looked. All in preparation for heading to the trade show in Florida after the race.

All area SUPers should come check out the manufacturer displays tomorrow. It should be fun. I spent 4 hours surfing a lot of Naish board todays. Super fun day. The 8'10 is sick!

PSH Boards Coming to Town?

(Jan 7, Encinitas Ca) Boardworks announced that Blane Chambers of Paddle Surf Hawaii has signed on to be the latest addition to the newly formed SUP division.

The puzzling part of this new development is what will happen to the price of PSH boards? They can’t continue to sell at bargain basement prices. They’ll have to fall more in-line with others. It’s hard on the consumer when they retail for $1250 one season, then $1550 the next, then down to $950. Now what will the price be? This should be better in the long run. Stability of pricing equals better resale value. Wider brand accessibility for all.

The Basin is CLOSED

The remodeling project has begun. When it's finished, we won't have to worry about people running over kite lines, because vehicles won't have beach access anymore. Those lazy people who couldn't walk 100 feet to the water will be pissed. haha on them.

New Sub Vector Color

I like it.
By the way, C4 went back to painted rails. Fine by me, much prettier.