NC Paddle Surfer

Saturday Morning Surf Session

2012-02-11T13:13:00.001-05:00

Surf Machine

Jacky

Surf Machine

Jacky

Steve's First Session on his Dumpster Diver UK Edition

2012-02-10T18:02:00.002-05:00

http://www.csx355.blogspot.com/2012/02/hot-january-cold-february-dws-710.html

Steve has fun sense of humor. Especially with his imaginary conversation with me!

Hunter's at the Sunset Pro Right Now

2012-02-10T16:48:00.000-05:00

Sent from his phone

Fun Surf Today

2012-02-05T19:12:00.000-05:00

Brad

Jacky

Jacky falling off a cliff

Boom!

Jacky Surfing Oak Island Today

2012-01-28T13:56:00.000-05:00

Bonus Vacation Photos

2012-01-22T17:11:00.000-05:00

Jacky at Ponce

Daytona (Ponce Inlet)

Wave Jet

Jacky at New Smyrna

Daytona Beach Today

2012-01-21T16:43:00.001-05:00

Side off winds in Daytona made it the place today

Jacky Charging New Smyrna Inlet

2012-01-20T19:27:00.002-05:00

Jacky

Capt Ron

Jacky

Awesome Day!

Jacky Surfing Ponce Inlet

2012-01-17T15:35:00.003-05:00

Ponce Inlet is Daytona Beach Florida for those non east coaster's.

Jacky

Wave Jet people were doing demos and photo shoot.

Beautiful Day of Kitesurfing

2012-01-16T16:53:00.001-05:00

We kitesurfed Cherrie Downs Park today. Sorry about the lack of photos. By the time I grabbed the camera, everyone was done kiting.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Tiny Surf in Florida

2012-01-15T17:13:00.001-05:00

Surfed New Smyrna today after the surf contest ended. Bummer they had to compete in knee high surf.

Then headed over to Steve's shop/warehouse to pick up 3 board bags for 7'8 supSURFmachines. We are in the ideal size range for windsurf bags at 7'8. These have the right space for padding up for our fly away surf trip in March.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Z's board ready to go!

2012-01-07T11:01:00.001-05:00

There is a fire sale of boards made obsolete by these customs. If you know someone looking for deal, here is the list of boards. Contact me and I'll put you in contact with the owners.

1) 9'2 PSH WR
2) 8'6 PSH WR (several)
3) 8'0 PSH R
4) 9'2 C4 custom sub vector
5) 7'8 Naish Hokua (like new)

7'8 x 29.5 x 4.5

Surf Update

2012-01-05T13:51:00.001-05:00

I just received a text from Surf Machine. The new board surfs exactly like the original. Kudos to the Greenroom for nailing it!

We Padded Surf Machine's Board Tonight

2012-01-04T21:14:00.001-05:00

It looks awesome

The Greenroom Reproductions are Here

2012-01-03T17:25:00.000-05:00

If you want one too, it's as simple as calling David at the Greenroom and ordering the Dwight size or Jacky size. The price is $885 plus the shipping cost on the blank. The Greenroom number is 910-799-2772.

Z's board

Surf Machine's Board (H. Bones is his daughters name)

Slide Show of Surf Machine

2012-01-02T11:26:00.000-05:00

No surf this weekend, so I threw together this slide show from some shots about a month ago of Brian surfing my 7'8 x 29.5 board

Steve's UK made Dumpster Diver

2011-12-30T19:43:00.000-05:00

Head over to Steve's blog to see more of his UK made Dumpster Diver http://www.csx355.blogspot.com/2011/12/custom-nc-dumpster-almost.html

Jacky rips the pier for Christmas

2011-12-25T18:25:00.000-05:00

3 shot sequence

She likes it

Santa brought Jacky a KeNalu paddle with flex 60 shaft

The following all from the same wave

The next wave sequence

It's not over yet

My big boy 7'10 completed in the UK

2011-12-24T17:27:00.001-05:00

Head over to Steve's blog in the UK to read all about it HERE

Greenroom Progress Day 2

2011-12-15T17:33:00.002-05:00

Surf Machine's board 95% shaped

The Greenroom Copies of my Shape in Production

2011-12-14T20:16:00.001-05:00

Rough blank and Jacky's board side by side

Rough cut blank

Jacky's board at the factory to help with duplication

Surf Machine and Hendrick (the shaper)

7'10 big boy Surf Machine FOR SALE

2011-12-10T16:47:00.002-05:00

The original board is for sale. This one is too big for me. It needs someone in the 200-220 lb range.
Giving it away for $400. Available for demo. 14 lbs,
SOLD

CAD drawings for the Jacky and Dwight model 7'8s

2011-12-06T17:26:00.003-05:00

The Dwight size is good for up to 200 lbs. The Jacky size is good up to 175 lbs.
Posted here in case any back yard builders want to try one, or anyone wants to take one to their local shaper to start a dialog. There are already 2 readers of this blog, in other parts of the world, getting them made. You can read about Steve's adventure in getting one made in the UK here.

I have no finanical interest in this. I only make them for the wife and I. The Greenroom has offered to duplicate them for the local guys.

Surf Machine Surfs Jacky's Board for the First Time

2011-12-04T17:16:00.002-05:00

Brian (177 lbs) loves it. No changes. The Greenroom will be making a copy of the "Jacky" model for him. Z is getting a copy of the "Dwight" model done by the Greenroom.

7'8 x 28.5 x 4

Jacky the Surf Machine at Ponce Inlet

2011-11-27T18:00:00.000-05:00

The following shots are all the same wave

Multiple turns down the line for Jacky

Looking the other way. Wall to wall prone guys

Rocket to Mars

2011-11-26T18:44:00.001-05:00

A big crowd watches the launch

Jacky today

Update from Florida

2011-11-25T17:59:00.000-05:00

Longboard House adds Paddleboard House next door

How they teach windsurfing now

Jacky

The gangs all here

Inside the Paddleboard House

Jacky at Satellite Beach Florida

2011-11-23T17:07:00.001-05:00

She loves the speed

"that is the most fun SUP I have ever surfed" - Brad Jones

2011-11-20T16:32:00.003-05:00

My opinions so far, a short board bottom (no V) requires more toe pressure to lean into a turn, but the reward is crazy amounts of explosive power and speed. With a V bottom you can roll into a turn without much effort, but then the speed is gone on exit, with pumping your ass off to recover the lost speed. We just don't have many days with power in our wind driven waves. This short board bottom changes everything. Not only do you explode off the bottom, but you rip the inside wave remnants most boards just coast and cruise on.

Brad said the board rewards those who know how to surf. Translation "surf the tail" and you shall terrorize the waves.

Jacky did surf her board today! I just didn't get any great photos.

Brad on the wider, thicker one (mine)

Brad on the thinner narrower one (Jacky's)

7'8 x 28.5 x 4

Jacky's Lean Mean Surfing Machine

2011-11-19T13:48:00.000-05:00

This baby has thin rails

First Look, Jacky's Board (7'8 x 28.5)

2011-11-17T08:30:00.002-05:00

My 100 degree post cure room. Sanding it Saturday morning,

Hot Coat Done. Post Curing Tonight

2011-11-16T08:08:00.000-05:00

Jacky picks blue for her board

2011-11-14T22:05:00.000-05:00

The 7'3 Hokua's new owners Jace and Amy

2011-11-13T21:03:00.000-05:00

Click here to see the new owners of Jacky's 7'3

Jacky's Board is Shaped

2011-11-13T15:56:00.002-05:00

7'3 Naish Hokua FOR SALE $599 firm

2011-11-12T16:27:00.002-05:00

SOLD

Priced dirt cheap because of limited customer pool of light people. under (150 lbs)

Surf Machine demos my 7'8 shape

2011-11-11T09:18:00.000-05:00

He lands it

He wants one!

Jacky's board got hot wired tonight

2011-11-08T18:17:00.000-05:00

1/2" thinner and 1" narrower than my 7'8. Same length

Jacky Surfs the New 7'8 at Oak Island

2011-11-06T14:25:00.002-05:00

Wind Junkies Swarm the North End

2011-11-05T13:43:00.002-04:00

4m sails and 7, 8, 9m kites

Windy walk of shame

Large crew turned out today

7'8 Naish Hokua FOR SALE $799 Firm

2011-11-04T12:44:00.004-04:00

SOLD

Flawless, with improved deck pad and McKee quads

Future and Present Design Details

2011-10-31T17:54:00.001-04:00

The new Sharp Eye in the planning stages (dimension visibility off)

The Sharp Eye with dimensions

The Sharp Eye traced. This design is for my buddy, not me!

My current 7'8 Dumpster Diver thickness and rocker

The 7'8 Dumpster Diver

7'8 Dumpster Diver dimensions

The Channel Islands Dumpster Diver traced

My rail shape and deck flat zone at the mid point

The new board gets WET

2011-10-30T15:52:00.001-04:00

We went down to Oak Island to escape the wind and test the new board's float, stability and paddling. So far, it's awesome!
Options forming.....
1) When a board is 6 lbs lighter, it accelerates so fast with each stroke, it takes half the effort to catch a wave. The old Naish feels like I'm pulling a tanker with my paddle blade.
2) Lighter boards float better. The new board is 3 liters less, but still floats me better.
3) The balanced template (wide point in the middle) paddles straighter.
4) The new board is so easy and stable (30% more stable than the Naish) that it just made the old 7'10 Dumpster Diver obsolete.
5) SUP may never be the same again! Woohoo.

Floats just right........

Only with a 14.5 lb board can you get excited over 6" surf

Comparing the Naish stability. It feels like the bottom is round.

The NEW 7'8 Dumpster Diver is Done!

2011-10-29T15:02:00.008-04:00

2 layers 4oz S bottom, 3 full layers 4oz S deck, plus 6oz E under deck pad. Finished weight with deck pad 14.5 lbs. Designed 3 liters less than my 7'8 Naish. 11 liters less than my 7'10 Dumpster Diver.

Photo by Jacky with her new iPhone 4S

Post Curing the New Board

2011-10-27T20:02:00.000-04:00

Baking in the laundry room at 100 degrees

Shaped my 7'8 x 29.5 Dumpster Diver today

2011-10-23T15:46:00.000-04:00

Capt Ron's new paddles

2011-10-22T12:29:00.001-04:00

Ron's web site

fresh from his new mold

How I designed my 7'10

2011-10-18T17:35:00.002-04:00

There are 2 basic rocker types used in surfboards. The red markings show accelerating curve type rocker. I know Angulo uses this type

This shows the constant curve type rocker. This is the fastest type. The 7'8 Hokua rocker is shown here.

The 7'8 Hokua template (image hidden)

An image of the Hokua is inserted into my CAD file to confirm the measurements taken in my garage. Perfect match.

The 7'10 template I built

The 7'10 template traced from a Dumpster Diver image.

Another Blank in the House

2011-10-17T17:31:00.002-04:00

Can't wait to shape more!

7'10 Surfing Tonight at the House

2011-10-13T18:27:00.001-04:00

The surf is crap, but I'm putting my time in learning the new board. Jacky thinks I look better surfing it. To me, I just feel weird. Such a different feel after being on a fish template the last 11 months.

Volume Check Photo

Floatation Look

Fin out

That was easier!

The 7'10 finished photos - Updated

2011-10-11T19:36:00.001-04:00

Finally a photo that isn't washed out by all the white

Build Update

2011-10-08T14:07:00.003-04:00

1) hot coat sanded
2) pin holes filled
3) handle installed
4) finished weight 13 lbs without pad and fins

7'8 Hokua weighs 20.5 lbs

Yikes 7.5 lbs lighter than the Naish!

7'10 Sneak Peak

2011-10-07T10:24:00.001-04:00

Check back this weekend for the finished board

Glassing my 7'10 now

2011-10-05T11:53:00.003-04:00

1st layer of 4oz S glass is down

Andy's new 2012 7'8 Hokua

2011-10-04T17:58:00.001-04:00

Andy got one without shipping damage!

Bombs Away!

2011-10-02T11:48:00.001-04:00

Bombs Away pretty much describes the surf this morning

All photos are Brad on one wave. That's all I took. Too cold to sit and take photos. Burrr!

Shaped and ready for spackle tomorrow

2011-10-01T14:32:00.001-04:00

So much easier than shaping a 14 footer!

Shaping my 7'10 has started

2011-09-30T17:13:00.002-04:00

It feels very odd shaping something so tiny compared to all my 14 footers. The foam is tough as nails compared to the cheap-o light foam used in race boards.

Rocker and template hot wired today

Shaping a New Board

2011-09-28T17:14:00.001-04:00

7'10x 30 C.I. Dumpster Diver shaped by DW coming soon

My first real SUP blank. High quality foam. 1.5-lb stringerless. This will be my 10th board built.

Enjoy!

2011-09-25T21:07:00.000-04:00

Notice the clown at 2:07 with a leash. I'm shocked. For those that don't kite, leashes kill kite surfers. We never ever wear leashes.

A look at Kelly Slater's quad placement guy, Bruce McKee

2011-09-25T07:07:00.002-04:00

MCKEE’s look in detail at the NITTY GRITTY of quad fin technicalities.

How quads work & How quads differ from thrusters

Quads give more drive, speed, security, climb the foam better, let you drop in and drive without nursing the bottom turn. They can drive everywhere with a greater boost than a thruster so sometimes you must adjust your technique to cater for this new boost of energy. By knowing how to fine tune them they can be adjusted to perform in practically any way you desire.
Quads are faster due to having all fins driving through turns, or even just running across a wave face. All fins are propelling the board forward much like sails or propeller blades. This is because a board in these situations, is in a constant lateral drift and the water passing under the board, divides between the fins to pass out both sides of the tail while redirecting off the fins, rearward, to form thrust.
The back fin of a thruster generally sits in the dividing line of this displaced water so provides no added speed but gives direction and control with a dragging effect.
Depending on your fin positioning or ‘cluster’, your quad can be as pivotal as you want. The goal is, though, to select a fin positioning formula that provides a balance of looseness, drive and security, a happy medium you might say. Like cars, you can have a long wheel-base or a short wheel-base, or something in the middle. It’s the same with fin positioning on surfboards. The McKee Multisystem formula is a good choice for that ‘happy medium’.
Comparing quad fins to car wheels is a simplified way of imagining the corresponding affects of changing fins. Big stiff fins= Big grippy tyres. Flexy fins= Soft low air tyres. Thus big stiff wheels on the front plus Soft or small low air tyres on the back gives a car with a lot of oversteer. Bigger rear tyres than front = like a formula one race car.
Pivot can also be adjusted depending on your fin selection. Rear double-foiled fins, compared to flat-faced fins of the same size, will pivot more. Larger proportioned front fins than rear fins will also pivot more. Fins that have less rake are more pivotal.
The fins should be balanced around what is called the ‘sweet spot’. The sweet spot is generally the position of the back foot when performing a cutback or top turn. Boards will ‘over-steer’,’ under-steer’, or feel neutral depending on all these factors of rake, size and foil and how they relate to the location of the ‘sweet spot’.
The sweet spot is determined by the tail area, plan-shape and length of the board.
If one side of the board has different fins to the other side, it will be like two different boards when turning right or left. Asymmetric mixes are another way to ultra fine tuning a board for point break conditions.
Control
Control comes from the correct choice of fins for the surf conditions.
Depending on the type of board and size of the wave, a different turning arc and amount of hold are needed.
Quads with the correct fin choice have much more hold than ‘Thrusters’. The worry of the Thruster’s central tail fin leaving the water is eliminated with a quad. No more ’nursing’ the turn.
Drag
Too much toe-in of the fins can create a quick accelerating, loose but ultimately draggy board as the fins start to wedge-up at high speeds. Increased Vee will reduce the effect as it ‘feeds’ the fins.
Low speeds
More ‘toe in’ as with three-fins and twin -fins loosens up boards for small waves and low speeds. This is generally determined as the shaper’s choice.

Choosing a quad

Different shapes for different waves:
My shapes for quads are exactly the same as I would shape for three fins, though obviously for those wide tailed fish or with any wide tailed board, if you want them to hang-in in bigger waves, then a quad setup is the best choice.
VEE tails do ‘feed’ a quad’s two back fins by dividing the water between the fins thus reducing the possibility of a wedging effect, though with the correct ‘toe-in’ angle this should not be a problem when a concave tail is required.

Quad fin selection

The mentality that quads are for small waves and three fins are for power waves is still promoted by some die-hards. I would suggest that they actually try a quad in power waves and thus this incorrect fallacy would be instantly extinguished

The addition of an extra fin on the tail will obviously add to the total fin surface area thus providing more hold.

The addition of the fourth fin leads many to reduce the size of the back fins in relation to what would have been used if the board were a thruster. A heavy back-footed surfer will relish in the extra hold of an extra back fin of equal size to that out of their thruster set. This requires a new full-powered approach to surfing and the only limit will be your own leg strength and talent.

‘Front-foot’ surfers or those needing a less demanding effort to turn will benefit from reduced size back fins of double foil and or all fins of reduced size.

Fin placement & rear fin choice?

In the past l have placed fins in hundreds of different positions all over the tail. For the ‘M4Quattro’ purist, the ‘Mckee M5 Multisystem’ is just a security blanket or like training wheels because for them the ‘Thruster’s’ central fin is obsolete. The quad cluster can be moved forward to loosen up a board and for shapers of custom boards, many compensations can be made for weaker riders or for special needs such as looser guns but with the advantage of not losing drive. Although taken off the current formula there is the shapers option to move the cluster at any amount not exceeding the stupidity level. I personally had great results on pintails by moving the positions forward up to 2cm or ¾” forward. The videos of Tom Carroll in Hawaii are examples of the result of these positions --- The variations are limitless!

With the rear fin positions, the closer they get to the rails the more hold, yet the greater the time delay in re-centering the board in preparation for the next turn. You also produce a greater ‘twin-fin’ effect, with the board feeling like it is staying on one tack, needing you to throw it across between turns. Also you increase the risk of ‘rail-grabbing’. There is a correct distance between the back fins correlated to the tail width at 12” up. Fins close to the rail mean that they have to be reduced in size or toed-in more than fins placed closer to the stringer. There is a happy medium that provides a ‘thruster-like’ re-centering with the correct amount of drive. This also allows for the use of larger rear fins, still providing looseness but without having any rail grab to worry about.

Choice of rear fin should be determined by your weight, power, wave size and type of board, say shortboard or gun.
Guns and boards for waves with push, generally need more control than drive and a more forgiving lateral movement when riding forward on the board, so double foiled back fins are my choice here.
Fish and guns over 6’8” generally gave a greater difference in size between the front and rear fins. Shortboards under 6’8” for power waves can have fins of a closer size depending on the looseness required.

The further forward they are on the board

The looser and more pivotal a board will become. Overdoing it, and you enter into a situation of over-steer. You are moving the fin positions forward of the ‘sweet-spot’ so the board can become unbalanced.

On guns and long-boards, this is can be an added benefit. If you forget about the ‘Multisystem’ concept (the option of a central ‘Thruster’ tail fin), the cluster can be moved forward to leave those guns and longboards as loose as you like without the worry, as in three fins, of the tail fins leaving the water. I recommend a maximum of an extra 2cm further forward on the McKee formula so as to not get too crazy. On shortboards big movements forward are not so advisable as there is not as much nose length and weight to counterbalance the oversteer…Though if you like 360s..

If you use the McKee Quattro & Multisystem formula the size ratio between the front and back fins can become a lot closer, even to the point where a strong surfer in power waves may choose to have bigger back fins than front for full directional drive.

Distance from the tail and the location of the cluster in relation to the sweet spot will be a determining factor on choice of front and rear fin size correct for your weight and ability.

Tuning your quad fin setup to work best for you.

Is the tail sliding too easily? Go with a larger rear fin set

Is the tail too tight? Go with a slightly smaller rear fin set

Is the board lacking drive? Go with slightly larger front fins.

Is the board too hard to turn? Go with slightly smaller front fins and rear fins.

Does the board feel out of control? Try a rear fin with a symmetrical or 80/20 foil

Wanting drive off the bottom and loose of the top? Place a flatter foil or bigger rear fin for the bottom turn side and a smaller double foiled rear fin on the off the top side.. note that this will also be the cutback side so study your choices.

Well have fun and I look forward to some feedback!

McKee.

All my experience up until just recently had been with edge quads, not McKee. I'm liking McKee better at the moment. A lot more drive and still I can tune it loose.
Dwight

Saturday Morning Zippers

2011-09-24T10:41:00.000-04:00

Brad on his 8'0 PSH Ripper

Brian on his 8'0 PSH WR

Brad

Brian

Jacky on her fresh set of McKee quads

Jacky made the turn and rode it out!

Jacky was fast today

Having Fun with Jacky's 7'3

2011-09-18T15:01:00.001-04:00

This is the 5th board I've quaded. I'm getting efficient. I love doing them. Look close and you can see the divinycell block the stock Naish fins were set in.

Looks asymmetric, but it's not. Factory boxes are off. Typical of many boards.

Lazy man vacuum bagging glass over step

7'3 finished and looking perfect

Jacky Thursday Morning

2011-09-15T09:13:00.000-04:00

A really fun morning. It got better as the tide went up. I had one dream wave almost in the pit. The lip was licking the side of my head. Fast and fun wave!

7am

Sunrise Surf was Good Wednesday

2011-09-14T17:34:00.001-04:00

Jacky shot these. My first wave of the morning.

I love the speed of this thing.

Waves Every Morning

2011-09-11T13:54:00.000-04:00

Brian

Butch

Dwight

Jacky

Hunter

Butch

Brian

The Waves are Still Good!

2011-09-10T11:02:00.000-04:00

Thin crowd this morning

Like a Dream - Hurricane Swell this Morning

2011-09-08T08:41:00.000-04:00

Surf Machine Drooling

A Great Day for Kiting with a Surfboard

2011-09-05T14:12:00.004-04:00

Jacky getting some tips from Z on using the surfboard with a kite

Z on my 5'11 Firewire

Z on my Firewire

Scott

Jacky getting some air time

Scott

Having Fun with Quads Again

2011-09-03T16:15:00.004-04:00

Ready for a long winded tale about quads?

There are 2 quad standards in the surf industry. Edge quad (Stretch) and McKee. Shapers often tweak these standards to suit their own styles, but in general terms, these are about as close to a standard as you're ever going to get in surfing.

Companies doing Edge quads: Stretch, PSH, C4.
Companies doing McKee quads: Channel Islands, Rusty, Naish

My Naish came with the rear fin locations tweaked from the published standard for McKee. The board never quite felt as good quad as it did thruster, so I decided to move the rear fin boxes to match McKee specs exactly. Presto, the board now rocks quad and thruster. I can have fun with both.

The day after I performed the fin box surgery on my 7'8, I get this tweet from FCS telling me Kelly Slater had just won Teahupoo on a McKee quad. Kelly actually gave props to McKee for the fin placement. That made me feel a little better about the surgery I had just performed on my board!

If you're wondering what the difference between the 2 systems is all about, the more you move the fins from the rail and toward the middle, the more you pick up some of the benefits of thruster, while still holding onto some of the advantages of quad.

Slater's quiver with quads located per McKee specs

The red dots indicate the factory fin box location

Freshly re-quaded to McKee specs

On the beach this morning

I like it!

Kitesurfing Hurricane Irene at Bald Head Friday

2011-08-29T13:17:00.001-04:00

Too much fun for photos

2011-08-28T17:09:00.001-04:00

Sorry, only took 6 photos today. This was the only decent shot. Way too good to be wasting time shooting. Last evening and this morning were like a dream. You should have seen Jacky. I've never seen her surf so good. The new tail pad bump is helping a lot.

Jacky on her 7'3

The Morning after Hurricane Irene

2011-08-27T09:56:00.004-04:00

We lost power at 2:30 am. It came back on at 8:30 this morning. Wave size already down to chest to head high due to off shore winds in the 30-50 range

2 levels of the walkway buried

I think that was the keep off the dune sign

The steep beach is gone. Nice and gradual now.

Beaches Gone, Walkways Next

2011-08-26T18:00:00.000-04:00

Walkway to beach. Beach gone, walkway likely gone by morning

Hurricane Irene at 3pm Today

2011-08-26T16:36:00.002-04:00

Boo

2011-08-25T19:08:00.002-04:00

Depressing from the inside

I haven't done this in years

Hurricane Swell Morning

2011-08-25T07:47:00.000-04:00

Z on his 7'8 Naish

Gotcha!

Surf Machine on his 8'0 PSH

Surf Machine

The inside reform spanks him! It got me today too!

How I Increased my Surfing Performance

2011-08-19T20:01:00.001-04:00

Ever hear about people who can't chew gum and walk at the same time? Well maybe I'm one of those. I've been putting Dakine tail pads on my SUPs in a failed attempt to get better feel for the tail of the board. It just wasn't working for me. I'd surf a wave and still wouldn't know "exactly" where my rear foot had been when it was over. I think the paddle caused enough of a mental distraction, that I was not aware of where my rear foot was. Other that what I'd feel in the way the board performed on the wave. I wanted more.

So I built my own tail pad with a double height arch bump. A bump so high, it feels slightly uncomfortable testing it on the beach.

But on the water, WOW. The pad felt fantastic and I was "fully" aware of my exact foot position on every wave. I felt empowered and my surfing felt better than ever. Maybe SUPs need bigger arch bumps.

Jacky loves it too!

7'3 Hokua

7'3 and 7'8 Hokua's with new deck pads

2011-08-17T15:02:00.000-04:00

Jacky's board weight 7.72 kg

The Deck Pad Work has Begun

2011-08-16T22:07:00.003-04:00

I vacuum bagged my custom tail pad tonight

9'0 Naish Mana FOR SALE

2011-08-14T11:46:00.000-04:00

It still looks like this.......like new $1549 retail asking $999

Caught a couple on Jacky's board this morning

2011-08-14T11:35:00.000-04:00

Autry on Justin's 8'6

Brad on his 8'0 narrow

190 lbs on Jacky's 7'3

Brad

Redecking my Naish 7'8 Hokua

2011-08-13T13:00:00.005-04:00

Knowing that I was going to remove the Naish deck pad, I decided to experiment with color accents by washing away some of the factory silk screen. Then using a magic marker I filled in other areas. This gives a hint about what the new deck pad will look like using white and black/white marble pads to make my own pad design. Stay tuned for part 2 when the new pad is installed in a few days. The old pad was getting slippery. Time to freshen things up with new grip.

Deck pad getting pulled off

Pulls right off. No mess, no fuss. Naish uses some kind of cement to adhere the pad. None of that messy gooey 3M film.

Fresh razor blade with points sanded round to prevent cutting the glass deck.

As stripped

The weight? Converts to 17.5 lbs. Sounds about right.

Cement remnants sanded off.

Paper template made for cutting the new pad. The green tape is 3 layers thick to make tracing the paper template easy.

New Mystery Naish

2011-08-10T21:16:00.001-04:00

This one looks sweet. Swallow winged quad. I wonder what the dimensions are. It wasn't in the leaked Naish specs we've seen so far. UPDATE. It is a kite surfboard.

Marker 9-10 at 11am this Morning

2011-08-06T12:41:00.000-04:00

Jacky on her 7'3

Dwight on the 7'8

What is it?

2011-08-03T21:53:00.002-04:00

Is this a 7'3 or 7'8 Soft Top Naish Hokua? Who is this market to?

Is it marketed toward kids?

Surf Videos are Back

2011-08-02T11:45:00.003-04:00

Video shot this morning at the North End

Cabrinha Demo at WB

2011-07-30T19:24:00.000-04:00

Video by Z. Damien of Cabrinha in the video.

Cabrinha 2012 Gear Demo this Saturday Only

2011-07-25T17:26:00.000-04:00

Nuclear Butter at 10am

2011-07-24T14:37:00.003-04:00

We rolled at 9am, to beat the heat. The Basin was blowing WSW 25-30, super low tide, and the best fun you could possibly have down there. At 11:20 am, the wind started the SSW shift and dropped below 20. The wind was returning at noon, but the sweet WSW was gone.

Z you call that a jibe? haha. Z tried my windsurfer today. He's getting closer to joining the windsurfers.

Twisted to the max and pulled flat, yet insanely balanced. Sick!

Now this is a jibe!

Jacky

Dwight on Zs kite

Honkin Windy

2011-07-23T15:52:00.002-04:00

We hit the south end at noon. Wind was SSW at 20-25. The best side shore wind we've seen in awhile. By 2pm it was 25-30. Butt kicking good wind! Sail flatten to the max

Jacky

Z jumping his new 2012 Switchblade and Jacky on her windsurfer

Hiroshi, Jacky, and Z

Jacky's rig

Dwight trying Zs new kite

Morning Surf was Fun

2011-07-19T18:42:00.002-04:00

It looks like Stan has got some "Brad style" in his bottom turn. We all learn a lot surfing with Brad and Surf Machine. Thanks guys!

Stan looking good on his new 8'6 PSH WR.

Another Beautiful Morning

2011-07-17T12:59:00.002-04:00

This was taken Sunday between 9 and 11am. Saturday was the same, although we windsurfed here Saturday morning.

Acres of butter

So fun.....

Lion on the Beach

2011-07-16T14:33:00.000-04:00

Dog shaved like a lion

South End

More 2012 Naish info

2011-07-16T08:54:00.003-04:00

Most interesting in this video to me, is the black area is not black paint, but unpainted, showing the carbon underneath. So maybe I was correct in my earlier speculation that all the black nose cones seen on Hokua's, is actually carbon to make them ding proof. The new dual density deck pad sounds appealing.

Basin Parking Situation

2011-07-14T17:33:00.000-04:00

Hello Mr. Fisher,

Thank you for your comments and I apologize for any inconvenience you have encountered. The Ft. Fisher boat ramp renovations were performed using Coastal Recreation Fishing License (CRFL)funds, Motorboat Registration funds and Division of Coastal Management funds. Due to the variety of funding sources we included facilities for all types of users.

Included at the site is a temporary offloading parking space for single vehicles near the ramp and beach area for the kayak and canoe user. Also at the site is approximately 15 single vehicle spaces and 26 vehicles with trailer spaces. Single vehicle spaces being almost 40% of the parking, which is substantially more than any of our other 207 free sites. I have also witnessed on several occasions quite a few folks parked at the site with trailers full of canoes and kayaks that can also utilize the trailer spaces. Pic attached. I have also included aerial photography from October of 2010 that shows 22 trailer boats at the site.

Currently, the site is managed by the Wildlife Resources Commission and I'm afraid if you are not parked in an appropriately marked spot for the type vehicle you have you could be subject to ticketing or towing. It is an extremely busy site and unfortunately we didn't have an unlimited amount of property to accommodate all of the users all of the time. I would suggest getting there early in the morning on the busy weekends or holidays to reserve your parking space. I hope you continue to enjoy our access areas provided free of charge and again apologize for any inconvenience.

Sincerely,

Erik D. Christofferson

Division Chief of Engineering Services

NC Wildlife Resources Commission

Division of Engineering Services

http://www.ncwildlife.org

Mailing Address: 1720 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1720

919-707-0153

Basin blowing 20-27 tonight

2011-07-12T18:45:00.000-04:00

New wave sail tested tonight. It passed!

The Waves are Back! Woohoo

2011-07-07T09:01:00.001-04:00

I only had time to snap a few this morning

Justin is today's Surf Machine on his new 8'6 PSH WR

Igor and his daughter Skye, kite the Basin

2011-07-07T06:07:00.001-04:00

Windsurfing a Long Left, so jealous

2011-07-06T17:48:00.000-04:00