Re the helmets, I used to wear Gaths for years on the goat boats where you get seriously flogged and stopped because it was putting too much strain on the neck cause mine is rooted from years of shaping - so I know what your saying. But this was with the old heavy and restricted vision models - new ones are a different ball game altogether.

My goatboat mate landed on his head this year in Samoa and split his helmet in two and definately would be dead without it, so I just bought another one. I still can't see the logic in not wearing one on a SUP out Chopes at 6-8 foot but each to their own.