SurfingSports Standup Paddle Surf & Standup Paddling BLOG

We have the Hobie Belt Pak Life Vest in stock...this waist worn USCG Approved Type III PFD is inflatable and satisfies the US Coast Guard requirement while paddling in
harbors...









Product Features
USGS Approved Type III PFD
- Manually activated inflation system
- Lighter and less restrictive
- Convenient exterior zipper pocket for storage of small items.
- Durable ripstop nylon
- 2in / 5cm wide adjustable nylon waist belt.
- Includes (1) CO 2 Cylinder and instructions.
- MSRP $109

The Coast Guard recently classified "paddleboards", meaning Stand-Up Paddleboards (SUPs), as "vessels." The newly classified vessels must comply with federal Navigation Rules and "carriage" requirements when operated beyond the narrow limits of a swimming, surfing or bathing area. Stand-up paddlers need a USCG-approved life jacket for each person, a sound signaling device (whistle), visual distress signals and navigation lights (flashlight).

The same requirements apply to kayaks and other manually propelled vessels of similar size. Stand-up paddleboards are exempt from hull identification number and registration requirements. Enjoy your SUP, but please do so safely and responsibly.

Labels: Hobie PFD, inflatable PFD, standup paddle PFD, SUP PFD

A recent question came up regarding comparison of the Starboard 12'6" x 30" "Cruiser" vs. the Starboard 12' x 32" "Big Easy"...two of the most popular, and versatile, all around SUP's on the planet...flatwater lake cruising to surfing...these two boards are stable with nice glide...

Length equals glide...width equals stability...

The Cruiser is going to glide a bit better with 6" more of waterline...but, the Big Easy is going to be more stable...depending on your weight and paddling/surfing conditions, we may use that as a parameter to recommend one over the other...

Labels: Starboard Big Easy, Starboard Cruiser, Starboard SUP's

Starboard team rider Zane Schweitzer walks you through a fun skate inspired trick on your stand up paddleboard...fins first fakie take off...

Zane has been SUP riding for Starboard for 4 years now, expect a lot more great things to come from this young talent...grandson of one of the inventors of windsurfing...



Here's another from Zane...



Zane Schweitzer visiting our shop in January...



Zane had some killer results at the 2nd Annual Battle of the Paddle...

Age Group Race: 1st overall Junior Division, 5th overall out of over 300 competitors!

Distance Race 1st place in the 14 foot class, 2nd overall Junior division
SUP Relay 5th place TEAM...

Labels: 2009 Starboard SUP, Zane Schweitzer

Just received a new shipment of SUP traction pads...with thermoform microdot embossing...universal template outline utilizing 7 individual, spreadable pieces to fit a large variety of boards...the pieces have a CNC routed bevel around the outer edge to give a finished look and feel...long proven PSA (pressure sensitive adhesive)...ultra-lightweight and they bead H20...will allow you to leap over tall buildings in a single bound...yada...yada...yada...;-)

Seriously though, they really are nice...we use them exclusively on all of our North Pacific customs and offer them to our Starboard "StarTouch" clients...





Some of you guys/gals may remember way back in the day before traction pads became standard issue on most production SUP's...we used surfwax, pieces of sailboard pads, and/or longboard pads...and, "El Gripo"...

El Gripo was developed by Tom Morey and was an evolution of "Slipcheck" which sold over 100000 units in the 60's and 70's to longboard noseriders...fast forward to the late 2000's and we have "Monster Paint"...and, Starboard's new "StarTouch"...

Pre-production Sean Ordonez "Big Red"...longboard pad with clear "El Gripo" sprayed...



standup_gear/slides/standup_gear4.jpg



Since we were the first ones in the world to manufacture epoxy molded SUP's...this was before Jimmy Lewis, Surftech Lairds, Starboard, Naish, PSH and the dozens and dozens that came later...back when Pohaku made only paddles before becoming C4...

We were the first SUP retail entity to develop die-cut pads for our standup paddle boards...before we opened the first fully dedicated SUP store in the Americas...
matter of fact, I remember contacting a windsurfing/kiteboarding pad manufacturer now trying to pose as a premiere SUP accessory manufacturer, about getting some bigger pads die cut for standup paddleboards...and, they asked "what's a standup paddleboard?"...that's not too bad because a lot of people asked the question back in the day...it's when they asked in a snobby wind fiend tone, "why would you want to do THAT?"...that I hung up and found another source for EVA pads...our shop logo pads are still in use...



Other firsts include being the first production epoxy SUP manufacturer with provisions for a handle...go figure...some manufacturers are just getting around to that small detail...;-)

We were the first to manufacture SUP's with mast tracks...and, the first to install double leash plugs...something that I developed on my surfboard guns from surfing in Humboldt back in the big wave pioneering days...



We were also the first to stock SUP bags that fit...and, are reasonably priced...



Stay tuned...we have some kewl new SUP bags on the way...

Not all of our early ideas and efforts were good...we've abandoned the coiled leash...we did them in every iteration...OK for distance paddling...but, they sucked in the surf...think about old telephone cords...;-)



Click link for other kewl SUP accessories...we are a true ONE STOP SUP SHOP...

Labels: standup paddleboard pads, SUP accessories, SUP bags, SUP pads, SUP traction

Gaute Kristiansen, from Starboard's product development team, snapped a couple of shots of the Starboard 2010 SUP epoxy race boards...the 12'6" x 29" "FreeRace"...and the 12'6" x 25" "The New" coming off of the production line for May delivery here in the US...please call or email if you want to get on the waiting list for these new boards...demand is HOT...especially, with the SUP race results that Team Starboard...EJ, Brandi, Zane Schweitzer, John Hibbard, Dan Gavere, Nikki Gregg, & Brian Symanski have been accumulating on them...



Free Race prototype that I shot at the 2nd Battle of the Paddle...






These Starboard SUP race boards will also be available in the lighter and stiffer brushed carbon construction...

We have a demo of The New...here's Carrie Eller giving it a go...







Scott and Margareta hamming it up with the new Starboard brushed carbon Surf race...20 lbs!!!

Labels: 2010 Starboard Race SUP, Starboard 2010 SUP Race Boards