An old windsurfing mate of mine (Mark Paul) and I were talking at the Mambo about 6yrs ago and he said 'you should see that all the guys are doing in Maui'.

He explained about the SUP thing and we both thought it sounded very dumb. I later thought these guys in Maui are my hero's and there must be something in it and when I went home I got my old wally windsurfer out.. Got a cheap second hand kayak paddle and cut one blade off and put on a T grip.

I soon realized it was way too short and made a longer paddle.. I enjoyed my first paddle around St Kilda marina so much I was hooked.

The next year at the Mambo a guy had a big soft-top tandem mal and a paddle.. I never saw him go out but I heard about it and when I came home started looking for a better board myself.. and the big Laird board had just hit the market over seas.

DJ

DavidJohn said...

An old windsurfing mate of mine (Mark Paul) and I were talking at the Mambo about 6yrs ago and he said 'you should see that all the guys are doing in Maui'.

He explained about the SUP thing and we both thought it sounded very dumb. I later thought these guys in Maui are my hero's and there must be something in it and when I went home I got my old wally windsurfer out.. Got a cheap second hand kayak paddle and cut one blade off and put on a T grip.

I soon realized it was way too short and made a longer paddle.. I enjoyed my first paddle around St Kilda marina so much I was hooked.

The next year at the Mambo a guy had a big soft-top tandem mal and a paddle.. I never saw him go out but I heard about it and when I came home started looking for a better board myself.. and the big Laird board had just hit the market over seas.

DJ

Did you check the Canoe paddle article DJ? I thought you'd probably like that one.

Did you check the Canoe paddle article DJ? I thought you'd probably like that one.

Yeap.. It's a goodie.. I always knew Blane was into the kneel down paddling thing.. There's some great shots of him there.

DJ

cranky said...

DavidJohn said...

An old windsurfing mate of mine (Mark Paul) and I were talking at the Mambo about 6yrs ago and he said 'you should see that all the guys are doing in Maui'.

Is that the Mark Paul from Bombora sailboards?

Yes.. The guys at the Mambo are always having a go at him (in a fun way) for his invention of the rope universal.. and the kanga cock fins.. .. plus those plastic Bombora's were pretty crappy boards..

DJ

Basically had stopped surfing due to stuffed neck from 25yrs of rugby scrums and the hassle in the water. I was not enjoying it at all. Plus kids came along so was spending time at beaches that have pretty soft waves. Bought a mal and paddled out for about 10 minutes and got bored.
Then I saw a mates naish 11 6 which at the time was all you could get over here. It looked dumb and really simple how can I fall of that aircraft carrier?? Had a go and bought one the next day. Just felt right when I got on and caught a couple of midget waves. I realized it was not as simple as it looked. Never thought I would be on a 9 9 that looks and rides like a shortboard in a couple of years.

Best thing I ever did surf wise love it :-)

Greenroom said...

hilly said...

Best thing I ever did surf wise love it :-)

If you had perfect conditions for a SUP surf or perfect conditions for a kite surf... which one would you choose Hilly?

SUP

i had seen it, but was busy with surfing shortboards and was getting some help with some technique as a lot of snow skiing had sort of mucked me up. richo had just got himself a rh 11' and was impressed with the advantages for shortboard riding as well as it being a lot of fun. had two goes on it and had to get one. didn't go that well in the surf first up never having surfed a board bigger than 6'2. used to see guys out at the alley and wonder how they did it. anyway started picking up on it and was able enough to surf the swells we were getting in the new year. this coincided with a big down turn in building work, so i was on the board just about every day, if not two or three times for eight months. probably works out to about two years worth of experience in normal amounts of surfing.most of that time i had "lacey's lane" nearly to myself picking off waves- not anymore though. this might explain a little why i was changing boards often, the process was sped up
cheers

aus301 said...

Funny DJ,

I, among many others that were part of NSW Wavesailing, have given Mark a bit of stick over the years for his early ideas. But I don't think Windsurfing would have taken off the way it did in this country without him.

Lacey, I went to school with Richo, but am still yet to see him out on a SUP.

For me, coming from a windsurfing background, it just seemed a fun thing to do on days with no wind. Given that so many of the companies that were producing gear had their roots in windsurfing giving me a constant exposure to the gear and seeing it at The Alley all the time while I was waiting/hoping for wind I had a try and was hooked straight away.

yeah, he was keen,but i haven't seen much of him little lone on a sup.have the feeling he isnt doing it. i see troutie suping at 13 th a bit

I used to get on this site to check the kite forums and when i was looking through all the forum's i noticed a stand up paddle section in the surfing section and thought ''what the heck????''. This was in August '06' and i didn't buy a board until Jan 07 as there wasn't much around in SA but naish and a Starboard.
I've always had a big interest in surfing even though i live 3 hours from any surf and i was hooked as soon as i saw it. Obviously i flatwater paddle mostly, but to just be able to get on the water is a great feeling
I'm still on my first board (naish 11'6), as having a couple of new additions to the family in the last few years, but 2010 is looking good for a Downwinder board and maybe something in the 10 ft range

Still STOKED

bought 1 for me and 1 for the missus

i was friggin hopeless at it (and still am)and started thinking this is crap

as the first week it was howlin wind and i was keen as to catch waves with absolute no idea on stance or anything

then had a good session in solid 5 to 6ft waves got barrelled (totally sh1ting myself of being smashed by the 11'6 oil tanker)and i was hooked

started to watch youtube clips to get a clue on what to do

no prises on who it was

paddling in st.kilda marina that "taught me how to paddle"............lol..............

was sooo good to finally meet the legend in person

same deal,after 45yrs of surfing, plus a couple of pretty major car crashes, i had heard that sups were good for fitness and core strength, bought a 11' 6"monster great to paddle ,caught a wave straight away then face planted trying to turn it ,yeah very humbling,after finally getting used to the beast i realized that sups were coming down in size, and the rest as they say is history, onto my forth sup, and I could not imagine going to the beach without a sup,surf or flat.

Kauaifiveo said...

My inspiration was motivated by neck/spinal problems caused by years of short boarding. I got into SUP as a way to strengthen the back/core. Next thing I knew I was hooked! Realized that SUP was way more fun than riding a log. My back problems have disappeared and I feel stronger than I have felt in years!

LOL! you will hopefully get a laugh out of this!

My wife and I were on a deserted nude beach up the coast and we watched paddle boarder come into the beach. He dragged the board up the beach, stripped off naked dived back into the water and swam for a short time. He then dressed again and paddle off around the point. My wife enjoyed the show and he was in a great shape so she said why do we get one of those....the board that is LOL!

We had seen other paddle boarders but this guy sealed the deal for her!

We moved to Murwillumbah 5 years ago where i met my neighbour who is a true waterman he was hit by a jetski during the Quiksilver pro last year while out on his sup and suffered some really serious injuries. I hadnt been in the water for a long time and have heard him jump out of bed at dawn fire up his van and head out for the early every chance he gets, he has offered me boards to use ever since we met and one day I borrowed his sup and after a long time out of the water I paddled it out of the mouth of Hastings point feeling invincible paddled it into a 2 footer fell off across the rail and broke 2 ribs but I have been addicted ever since now I am the proud owner of an 11 foot Laird
and love it

ozlongboarder said...

LOL! you will hopefully get a laugh out of this!

My wife and I were on a deserted nude beach up the coast and we watched paddle boarder come into the beach. He dragged the board up the beach, stripped off naked dived back into the water and swam for a short time. He then dressed again and paddle off around the point. My wife enjoyed the show and he was in a great shape so she said why do we get one of those....the board that is LOL!

We had seen other paddle boarders but this guy sealed the deal for her!

Classic story mate!

The first time I saw SUP I thought it was a joke. We used to call it 'bushwalking on water' and 'Stand up Goat boating'!! Seriously - why would you do that - BIG board, BIG paddle....

A few mates wouldn't let up though as they knew I had surfed all my life and had given it away and hit the MTB trails instead. This was mainly due to being over the aggro in the water down our way - Fairy Bower being my favorite haunts. The vibe on the trails and single track left the water for dead!

First session was a joke, but I could feel the potential, so I hopped on the internet that night and came across a story on the ABC 7.30 report that interviewed Tom Carroll, Ritchie Lovett, Shane Steadman and a few N.Beaches locals, absolutely frothing about StandUp.

Check it out. If you have not seen it, it is good value. Remember it was almost 3 years ago!

www.abc.net.au/7.30/aussies-catch-the-stand-up-paddle-board-surfing-bug/2679204

I figured there was more to it, so went out and bought one - an 11'6 Naish! Remember??
Not so long ago this along with Shanes 11'ers was THE GOODS (still is for the bigger guy)!!

Every one was telling me that these were the hottest boards out there there, but I had to find out for myself. So back to Google I went and stumbled across what the Hawaiians were up to. Came across this guy Blane Chambers and started up a conversation which I am still continuing to day.

The one thing that I really enjoyed and still do, is how it takes you back to basics - having fun in the ocean with your mates, in the crappest conditions!
Also the people I have met from Blane and Tom to CASSO, DOGMAN, OG, DJ, Goatman, HILLY and JB Mel (seriously one of the MOST stoked SUP'er I have met).

The list is endless but the stoke goes on forever....