Saving Your Life With A Camelback

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/urtbN)
A bit of business--Camelback(tm) is a trade name of the leader in hydration packs. We're using the name genertically because most people refer to hydration packs as Camelbaks.

We'll get to the Camelback part in a little bit, but first a little recap of current PFD requirements for SUP. If the U.S. Coast Guard has things their way, most SUP paddlers in the United States who paddle outside of the surf zone will be wearing a PFD and toting a whistle soon. I can't say that's a completely bad idea, though the current regulation is nonsensical. You can comply fully with the regulations by tying an inflatable PFD with a whistle attached to your board. No requirement for a leash. Then if you fall in and there is any wind at all, your board will quickly depart, leaving you without a floatation device of any kind. If the regulation were to be written in a sensible way it would require that you WEAR a PFD with a whistle attached unless you had a leash. If you had a leash, only a whistle would be required.

The problem with regulations written by people with limited understanding of a sport is that they rarely make good sense, and so people tend to ignore them even if they partly rational. The regulations have to be enforced, rather than just being made clear. And the officers enforcing the regulation know that it's poorly considered, so they enforce it sporadically if at all. I have been stopped by harbor patrol, coast guard and sheriffs numerous times, and except for one goofy occasion in Elkheart Lake, Wisconsin, I have never been cited, or even made to comply in any way. Just warned that the regulation exists--generally with a lot of sympathy from the officer regarding the silly regulation.

It doesn't have to be that way. If you're in the open ocean, or even a big lake or a wide river, and your board gets away from you, the situation can go bad fast. Even if you're a fine swimmer the combination of cold water, exhaustion, swells or surf, and panic can turn a minor incident into a tragedy. Carrying a PFD is a good idea, especially if you don't want to deal with a leash. We'll be working on this regulation in two ways. First, trying to get the Commandant of the Coast Guard to reword the regulation to allow the SUP board to substitute as the PFD if the paddler wears and appropriate leash, with the option available to carry or wear a PFD on your person if you choose to paddle without a leash. We're also working on a design for an integrated life vest/hydration pack that would make it easier to comply.

In working on this design we came across something that seems pretty important. A standard hydration pack makes a fine PFD just as it is. No, it's not a LEGAL PFD, but it can save your life. Even very small fanny pack Camelbacks provide a remarkable amount of flotation. You can probably guess how you use the pack, but here's the details.

So, you're in the water with a busted leash and your board is a rapidly diminishing dot on the horizon. You're two miles out on the north shore. You're going to be swimming at least four hours before your feet touch sand. You tread water and take off your camelback. Snap the chest strap together and loosen it a little so you can wiggle into the shoulder straps with the bag is on your chest. If there is a waist belt you can pass the belt around your waist and clip it in the back. You'll notice that the pack doesn't interfere with swimming. Now open the valve, drink as much water as you can (don't just dump it, you'll need hydration), and then blow into the hose until the bladder is full and tight. Close the valve. You'll be surprised at how high this relatively small amount of air will hold your head out of the water. You can swim easily, and even just cross your arms across your chest and flutter kick.

A one quart bag full of air is only displacing two pounds of water, but your body is near neutral buoyancy in the water. You don't need a tremendous amount of lifting capacity to aid flotation. A swim board only displaces about a quart of water too, and yet it's enough to enable non-swimmers to putt around in a pool with confidence.

With the smaller fanny packs the key to good flotation is getting it high on your chest. In that position it will keep your face out of the water and enable unencumbered swimming. It's most effective to take the time to adjust the hydration pack for best flotation and unencumbered swimming before you start slogging towards shore. Stopping numerous times to adjust the pack as you go is tiring.

As you go you can continue to drink water as you need it. The pack doesn't need to be empty to be effective.

Remember that this is not currently a substitute for a real PFD, it's an emergency procedure that you may find very helpful. I carry a real inflatable PFD in my hydration pack when I do downwinders. I use a compact vest I found on sale at West Marine for 40 bucks. There are also Swim Belts that are USCGS approved that are even more compact and can be worn comfortably.

The disparity in safety gear I see in the water is amazing. Some highly qualified and experienced SUP distance and downwind racers wear a pair of board shorts and nothing else. Some even don't like to use a leash. Other highly experienced racers wear a larger-sized hydration pack with a PFD, signaling device, food pack and cell phone or marine radio that are either waterproof or are stored in a dry pack. I fall somewhere in between those extremes:

• I wear a sturdy leash. I used to think a wimpy little coiled boogie board leash was adequate--after all, we're not going into breaking waves. But one experience with the kind of pull you can get from a racing board caught in a swell showed me the folly of that notion. And a little underwater tour over the Upper Kanaha reef demonstrated that you can't assume you won't be in serious surf.


• I use either a fanny style hydration pack or a small backpack style.


• I stuff a PFD into my hydration pack


• I carry my iPhone in a compact drybag that lets me use the phone through the bag.


• I have a whistle attached to each of the hydration packs I own

I'm a good swimmer, and I have a lot of endurance. I have swum in from outer reefs when I lost my surfboard or windsurfing equipment. I've swum in from a windurfing incident at least two miles out from the Oregon coast--four hours of swimming in 50 degree water wearing a light windsuit. Despite my confidence, I know that this is the ocean, and things go right until they don't. Then you need every advantage you can have to survive.  Be careful out there.

[Blog] Saving Your Life With A Camelback: A bit of business--Camelback(tm) is a trade name of the leader in hydratio... http://s3nt.com/fvrf

[Blog] Saving Your Life With A Camelback: A bit of business--Camelback(tm) is a trade name of the leader in hydration packs. We're using the name genertically because most peop... http://s3nt.com/fvrf

New Design, New sites

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/9fRqt)
As many regular readers know I've been working on GPS features for Ke Nalu. In my typical poster-boy-for-attention-deficit manner I have fertilized this already challenging project with a thick layer of new ideas and redesigns, Ke Nalu into a publishing empire (sort of).

First and foremost is an efficiency redesign. I spent some time analyzing what people read on Ke Nalu and relating that to what features "cost" in terms of load time. As a result I'm reworking how the front page works and making everything a lot cleaner. the Favorite Videos is moving inside the publication. It simply takes too much load time on the main page, Everything is going to be much cleaner and easier to read. I'm taking the suggestions of numerous people and increasing the font size for articles.

The big news though is that Ke Nalu is going to be joined by several sister publications that will share some content and contribute some content to each other. The first publication to be launched is Ke Nalu Downwind, (http://ping.fm/Bgiwz) a publication focused on downwind, racing, expeditioning and cruising. Ke Nalu Downwind is under development now, and if you want to see what Ke Nalu will eventually look like, that's the place to look. All the GPS technology and Reader publishing tools will show up there first, before they make their way to Ke Nalu.

There's a lot of new technology being shoveled under that hood, and it changes hour to hour, but you might find the process interesting.

[Blog] New Design, New sites: As many regular readers know I've been working on GPS features for Ke Nalu. In my typi... http://s3nt.com/e93n

[Blog] New Design, New sites: As many regular readers know I've been working on GPS features for Ke Nalu. In my typical poster-boy-for-attention-deficit manner I have fertilize... http://s3nt.com/e93n

Stand Up Paddle Racing, Downwinders and Distance Chapter 11

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/S5K0t)
Rudder or no Rudder

It's immediately obvious when paddling behind a long board like the Penetrator that rudders are a necessary evil. Tap the rudder and the board slews a little sideways. That can't be good. So the plan generally is to minimize use, at least in flatwater. In swells, the rudder is necessary on a really big board to keep the board under control. You generally can't gather the board up and change it's direction with the paddle once the board catches a swell--not enough leverage to counter the large forces being applied along the length of the board. The rudder is the key, and it doesn't harm speed in any noticeable way because you're accelerating like a scorched ape anyway. If you don't use it you'll be sideways and then swimming--hard to go fast when you're under the water. The only other control strategy is running to the tail of the board both to increase your leverage and to get as much of the board out of the water as possible. Shorter board, less counter force--unless the wind is blowing from a unhelpful direction in which case the nose is now a sail

The other time you love your rudder is in offshore winds, or equally useful but not as emotionally charged, in onshore. On a downwinder or even just cruising, the wind is your friend except when it wants to send you to Tahiti. Again, you can actually gain speed with the rudder since you can paddle hard instead of trying to steer with your paddle strokes.

Rudder control systems
The best rudder control system for a SUP is yet to be made--all the ones we've tried have strengths and weaknesses.

Tillers: Some boards use a tiller--a long, usually flat bar that runs along the deck from the rudder to somewhere on the nose. Tillers are usually centered by a bungee cord or a springy batten. You turn by pushing the tiller sideways with your foot, and you can sometimes set a little rudder offset (to counter prevailing wind) by adjusting the centering device. Since the tiller is generally in the middle of the board you either need sideways extension pieces to control it from a forward position or you need to move your foot inwards, decreasing stability. When you are in a rearward position the center location of the steering arm isn't such a problem since the deck is usually narrower and you are likely to be in somewhat of a surfing stance. Having any steering control at all from the rear of the board is a big plus. The pluses of a tiller are:

Control of the rudder from anywhere on the board

Simplicity--no cables or links precise adjustment of trim

Precise rudder control--no cable slack

The downsides are:

Rudder response decreases as you move forward--you have to move the tiller further to get a corresponding rudder movement

Deck is cluttered with the bar

Rudder movement is limited

A.S.S. Cable System: Mark Raaphorst designed the A.S.S. (Active Steering System) for the breakthrough F16 and has implemented it throughout the F series. The Starboard Point 14' also comes with the A.S.S. system installed. It's a foot-operated lever that you push sideways with your toe which operates through cables to turn the rudder bellcrank. The steering is centered by an adjustable batten. The steering in controllable over a limited range, depending on how long the control arm is made. A new telescoping control arm adds about six inches of adjustment for control further aft. The system can be set up for control from either side.
Pluses:

• lots of rudder control


• precise adjustment of centering/offset and cable tension


• easy to adapt to

minuses

• No control from the aft position


• cable slack makes for imprecise control


• complex

Toe Turn: Stuey Campbell designed the Toe Turn system for his Penetrator series of boards. The toe turn is a pedal that tilts sideways on the board, like a rocker switch. You can place your foot in the valley btween the rocker pedals and pivot your foot to press on the outside rocker to go left, inside to go right. The rocker is centered by battens inside the housing, and pulls on cables to turn the rudder bellcrank.

Pluses:

• Uncluttered deck


• mechanism hidden under covers


• precise control when cables are tight


• adequate rudder movement

Minuses:

• cables get slack easily


• you have to place weight towards the inside of the board to turn right, which upsets balance


• complex system


• can only be operated from one position

The No Rudder Choice
In general it's wise to have a fin box installed along with the rudder. Three reasons. First it gives you flexibility in your choices for a given run. Second, many racing organizations split categories between rudder and no rudder. This is particularly important for 14 foot boards which can often be run in a Stock category if they don't have a rudder. Third, the fin box can protect the board if the rudder post is bent in a rock strike or other accident. Since the rudder is usually pointing straight, a fin box right behind the rudder prevents rudder dig through the thin glass of the bottom deck.

[Blog] Stand Up Paddle Racing, Downwinders and Distance Chapter 11: Rudder or no Rudder

It's immediately obvious ... http://s3nt.com/e068

[Blog] Stand Up Paddle Racing, Downwinders and Distance Chapter 11: Rudder or no Rudder

It's immediately obvious when paddling behind a long board like the Penetrator that r... http://s3nt.com/e068

Living Well Is The Best Revenge

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/FMH8l)
George Herbert said that sometime in the 1600's, still true today. Stand Up Paddle Surfing has plenty of detractors, none of whom have the slightest idea of what SUP really is.

For example, yesterday started off inauspiciously. The North Shore of Maui was due for a decent swell, so I rousted myself early. Ho'okipa was closed out and nasty looking when I passed it at about 6:00AM. A handful of hardy shortboarders were trying to punch out through the channel, but they weren't getting very far. I rolled into Kanaha about 6:30, polished off my Everything Bagel and coffee from Paia's wonderful coffee shop--Anthony's--and got into the water. I have to admit I wasn't enthusiastic. The sky was lead gray, the water felt cold and clammy, the waves looked messy. There was only three stand up surfers and one longboarder in the closeout waves. I paddled through the channel and decided to try the lefts into the channel because it looked like the best opportunity for a clean shoulder.

The problem with taking lefts into the channel is that the spot you need to line up on is the most likely place to get caught inside. Sure enough, just as I missed a punky head-high wave I turned back out and saw a double overhead face already starting to crumble. I dove into the face, went for a little leash ride. Paddled back out, caught a decent wave that petered out quickly when it hit the rip in the channel, got pounded again and decided to try the rights at the far west end. As I paddled out around the break a really big wave reared up far outsode. I paddled like mad for the horizon and barely squeaked over the lip. The four other surfers weren't so lucky, and one SUP guy and the longboarder called it a day and headed for the beach.

I caught a few waves, but they closed out almost immediately and turned into foam rides. I finally decided I wanted sun, easy paddling and knee-high surf. Sop I loaded up and went to the west side. I put in at Launiopoko, paddled west and ran into Randy Royse, and Randy and Chan Strome at Woodies, caught a few waves there, paddled on to Puamana, caught few waves there and caught a bunch of stinkeye from a guy I've met a few times who always gives me a cold shoulder. I don't know what his deal is. He's a smooth surfer but I only see him at Puamana. That's not exactly an exclusive venue, it's often crowded with new wannabes on rented soft tops.

Paddled on to Hot Sands, caught a few there, went to Hole In the Reef (my name, I'm sure it's called something else) and caught some mega-nice rides there, paddled into the lagoon behind the Lahina reef, stopped at Pacific O for some lunch, paddled on to the Lahina Breakwall which was going off big in it's usual weird way. There must be a surf amplifier out there somewhere, when everywhere else is knee-high the breakwall is getting overhead sets. Paddled to the Harbor and caught some nice rides there, back east to Hole in the Reef, then hot Sands, then back to Puamana.

Stink Eye dude paddled back out when I was catching waves. He said "why don't you get a real surfboard". So I told him what I had just done while he was sitting around waiting for the crappiest waves and shortest rides I'd encountered that morning. I said "If all you want to do is catch a few crappy waves then I guess you're on the right board". He didn't say anything, so I paddled about fifty feet out, caught a nice wave and rode it to the east end of puamana, and paddled back to Launiopoko by way of Woodies and Guardrails.

In the late afternoon I did a great nine-mile south side downwinder with Scott, Randy, Chan, Mark Raaphorst, Jack Dyson and Randy Royse. Keihi Wharf to Makena Landing. a nine mile run in something like and hour and thirty minutes. What fun.

I know the surfers that hate SUP think we're going to crowd out their breaks with wobbly newbies. Certainly true to a minor extent, but SUP enables people to do so much more on the water than surf in one little measly break. Exploring, fishing, running down a coast taking rides anywhere a wave appears, downwinders, races, lake and river paddling. For those old crusty guys and the sheep that follow them I say "Living well is the best revenge" . We SUPers have more fun on a dinky day than they have all week.

[Blog] Living Well Is The Best Revenge: George Herbert said that sometime in the 1600's, still true today. Stand Up ... http://s3nt.com/e0c9

[Blog] Living Well Is The Best Revenge: George Herbert said that sometime in the 1600's, still true today. Stand Up Paddle Surfing has plenty of detractors, none of whom have t... http://s3nt.com/e0c9