Longboard Skateboard WIndsurfing

Too lazy to repost....

Plus La said it better ;)

The Re-Annointment of the Hooked SUP

BEHOLD!!! From the clutches of under-utilization due to family separation, then compounded by house hold goods shipping halfway across the Pacific Ocean, unpacking and organizing a new home, and finally (last excuse) having to re-glue down the deck pad-so-why-don't-I-just-go-ahead-and-install-the-masttrack-box-while-I'm-at-it - emerges the new and improved Hooked SUP!!! Marlon and I paddled SUPs out around Flat Island around lunchtime, and I brought along the whipping setup and a kayak spinning rig. I did manage to get a visual on two follows (papio), but unfortunately I didn't get to set the hook. I'm going to have to find the sea anchor I have so I can slow down my drift and spend more time casting. I'm looking forward to exploring the near shore zones with this board - especially under sail!!!

I Gave In

Despite coming home later (west bound Oahu traffic) and my previous thoughts on a second layer of fiberglass capping the mast track box, I went ahead and placed it. Primarily I did this to prevent any second guessing over the life of this board. Cheap piece of mind and more reason to go hard on the board!!!

Committing to the Cut

I still had some sunlight when I got home from work on Friday. I figured I could get the hole for the mast track block cut out of the board, and maybe even work the first epoxy and fiberglass layers. I was able to get the hole cut out - it took longer than I thought because when I made the deep passes with the router, the waste material ended up flying everywhere - looked like a snow flurry hit. It has been awhile since I used the router - I forgot about the vacuum hose attachment. Here is the finished hole. On Saturday I'll fine tune it with a file/microplane and get the epoxy work done. In all honesty, there was still a small part of me that didn't want to make this cut. Knowing my OCD will kick in, perfection will be the goal and that means a lot of time - and less fishing and paddling. But it isn't everyday (actually every year) that you rip the deck pads off your board. And the rubber cement I'm using the put the pad back down works better than the 3M adhesive sheets - a least it becomes extremely difficult to get the pad up without ripping it. So here I am - drilling, cutting and routing my way to a commitment to enhance the versatility of the Hooked SUP (and the opportunity to drag trolling lures under sail). It'll all be worth it....

Hooked SUP Arrived, Part 3

This board doesn't seem to have a mast track - I've probed deck with thin needles to see if the track is just covered by the deck pad, but to my dismay, I do not get any indications that there is a covered up track (no voids). I sold the Big Tuna kayak and paid $1650 for this board (and an additional $99 for shipping) because it was supposed to have a mast track. This board was to replace both the Naish Glide and the Starboard Blend in my quiver (both of which had windsurfing mast inserts - not a track). I emailed the shop I ordered this board from to see if they have any insight as to what could be the issue - no track, track covered up, track located somewhere where I am not looking, etc. I don't want you to think that is an irrecoverable issue - I just did not want to have to do surgery on a new board (and having paid $1650 for a board without a mast track - I could have gotten a Jackson Kayak SUPerFishal for half the cost). Worst case scenario, I'll install a mast track myself. Strapless SUP Windsurfing is not supposed to place the same loads on the board that a high wind, wave windsurfing board would have to endure. And a deck pad overlay will hide all the fiberglass, reinforcements and sanding that will have to go into adding a mast track. Despite all that potential work, I still think this is an evolutionary stop (really advanced) board. This board came out in the 2009 - 2010 timeframe if I'm not mistaken and just now has the "simmons" ratio been finding it's way into the mainstream - Alex Aguera implemented a great template in my opinion. The rails are super boxy - I've done similar with the boards I've shaped for flatwater paddling so I can tell this board will be super stable. I am looking forward to paddling the board around to get "my feet" wet!!!

"Jack of All Trades" Board

Light winds today -

Instead of fighting it, I brought the 11'2" out.

So versatile - La paddled it and I was getting upwind with less than 5mph wind. I nailed a bunch of jibes too - bonus points!

It's good to have a board that can do a bunch of different things well.