How to Stand Up Paddle Surf

The Best of the Best How-to-SUP Stuff from Around the Globe — Just Add Water & Go!

Finding the Best Take-Off Spot…

Okay, this post comes from *Byron* (got it right, *Byron*?) via the Zone and concerns how to find the best take-off spot at any given break.  It’s pretty cool, so give it a read!

Here is what I was taught from my father and teach my son. The first thing at any break is to study the break from the beach and watch where it first turns to whitewash and follow the whitewash across the wave. Determine from the beach the takeoff spot where you will get the longest ride. Once you have determined the takeoff spot look behind you for a reference point such as a lone tree, bushes, building, your car, etc. Once you figured out the takeoff spot and have a reference for it from the beach now your ready to paddle out. As you paddle out keep checking your reference point to see if it was correct or not. If it was not correct then you will have to make adjustments from the water such as moving 10 feet from your beach monument, etc. Once you have reached the break watch a couple waves break and see again if the reference point was correct or not. Sometimes adjustments are necessary because of distance of the break, bad eyes like me, shifting peak, etc.
Now that you are lineup and are positioned correctly time to catch your wave. Sit a little further out then normal and when you see your wave time to paddle. On your first wave try going straight a little longer than you normally would then make the bottom turn to head down the line. If you are behind the whitewash go straight and get off the wave. Since you were behind the whitewash on the prior wave try angling the nose a little in the direction you are heading on the next wave and take less of a bottom turn. Still if this does not work keep changing your angle of attack a little more until it gets you to the correct position on the wave. This may take you half a dozen waves or less but if you keep changing the angle of attack and the bottom turn you will eventually get it wired.
Some things to remember is do not get on the tail tooooooo much on takeoff unless it is a steep late take off. Being on the tail too much will slow the board down and thus you may get caught in the whitewash. Move the back foot up a foot or so on the board and see what happens (Adjust the stance forward on the board). The other thing is maybe once you make the takeoff you are coming up the face to high and resulting in a loss of speed. Try staying down or when you are coming up the face cut back down lower than normal.
These are some thoughts on my mind without seeing any vids and pics. Hopefully I did not confuse you. Good luck and thru practice you will ripppppppppppppppp.

Finding that sweet spot?

Dihedral in Your SUP Paddle?

There’s an interesting discussion about dihedral, pro, con and neutral, in your SUP paddle over on the zone.  Interesting reading.  Here’s the question that started the ball rolling:

i have a werner spanker and for something different thought i might try a smaller bladed paddle.  everyone loves the methane, so that’s been my first choice.
but then a former methane owner brought to my attention the fact that, unlike the werners (both spanker and nitro), the methane has no dihedral.
my question is: am i going to miss it?  i’d welcome input, especially from those who have used both styles.
thanks!  and, btw, this paddle will be for surf-use only, if that makes a diff.

dihedral (werner nitro) or no dihedral (kialoa methane)?

How to Prep Your SUP Paddle!

I’m getting ready to buy a new paddle — a Methane — and have been poking around the web, looking at stuff paddle related.  I came across this today, from Ponobill at kenalu.com, and thought I’d share it.  Have a read!

Few things in SUP cause more controversy than paddle prep. Some folks like their shaft bare, some like padded shafts, some like wax, some like mastic tape. I’ve played with about every combination and I’ve hit on the perfect preparation for me. I suspect you’ll like it too, even if you’re a bare shaft fan.

I say that because I’m a bare shaft guy. I don’t mind a little wax, but I don’t like the shaft to be too sticky, and I don’t like it being larger, or having a soft grip. Nothing saps my hand strength faster than a soft grip.

But I also don’t like my hands to slip, and the least bit of sunblock or oil on my hands or the shaft and my paddling is compromised. Yes, I clean my hands with sand and give the shaft a scrub, but you can transfer goop from other places easily. This approach solves the problem, giving positive traction without softening or thickening the grip. Once it’s done it lasts for many months–you never have to rewax.

Here’s the recipe:
The Grip: Locate your grip area and mark the shaft with pencil about ten inches above and below the grip point. If you’re not sure of your grip point, hold your paddle on your head, place on hand on the handle, the other on the shaft and bend your elbows at right angles so your forearms point straight up–the hand on the shaft will be in a nearly perfect grip position.

Start at the upper mark and wrap hockey tape around the shaft, starting with one full wrap and then overlapping the successive wraps for half the width of the tape. End with one full wrap.

Now wax the tape with warm water surf wax lightly over the full length and heavily in the grip area. You’ll be able to both see and feel the proper grip point. The wax embeds into the tape and doesn’t come off, even after months of use. The wax also cushions and strengthens the tape, making it last much longer. and finally the wax prevents the tape from being too sticky, as friction tapes sometimes get when the adhesive bleeds through the cloth.

The Blade: There are three good reasons for guarding the blade. First, people have been badly cut with unguarded blades. Second, the blade can chip up your board. And third, the blade can be damaged by hitting it’s edge on hard stuff.

Door edging or commercial blade guard works nicely, but it’s a bit thick for my taste. Mastic tape is good, but it’s fragile, especially if you stretch it thin. What I do is put on a layer of mastic, stretched very tight to make it thin, and then cover it with hockey tape. Finally I add a layer of wax to protect the tape and rub it with a cloth to smooth it. You’d be surprised at the difference in abrasion resistance between waxed and unwaxed fabric tape. The end result is a thin protective edging that won’t mark your board, lasts a very long time, and looks great.

How To | Ke Nalu - Stand Up Paddle Surfing eMagazine

Barrel Riding SUP Style Part 2~

And now, from Blane Chambers, how he and his friends do it:

Best technique I have seen and now use is this one that Stewart Ferriman has wired..   One day I saw him in solid waves getting shacked without any problems from the paddle catching.    Right then and there I knew it was the most productive way to ride the barrel without the paddle getting caught…   Later I got these shots of him doing it…   IMO  The best way possible when the barrel isn’t big and I have pulled into many barrels and gotten smashed trying to keep control of the paddle.   This way I can relax and enjoy the view…


You basically ride the barrel just like you do with any other board complete with arm stalls if you like.    I got my best barrels using this way and next winter plan on getting a whole lot more!

I need help with barrel riding techniques for SUP?

Getting Tubed, Sup Style!

We don’t get too many tubes over here on the East Coast, but for those in places that do, here’s some advice on getting shacked from John Ashley aka paddlesurf.net.  BTW, check out his site: i do, once a day, and it’s great!

I love pulling in… usually I get TOOLED. Some observations: 
1. These boards are so fast that lots of times I miss the tube because I’m going too fast. I’ve found that unless I get lucky and backdoor an already pitching little section, I have to take a different line to position myself for the cover up. I’ve had the best luck with dropping straight down, waiting in the flats for it to start to pitch and then pulling up under the hook- you pay big time if your timing is off but it’s the best way for me to get right into the barrel without outrunning it.
2. Helps if the wave is really throating- super hollow- the little almond eye tubes are usually too small to fit all of my junk in… and I’m packing some junk. Downside is when it’s the kind of wave that you need- the dues to be paid are pretty severe.
3. Dragging the paddle helps- usually, for me, it gets yanked back up into the spot where the lip seperates from the face- which is a trip- it just grabs it but it does help slow you down a little.
4. When you pull in- point the nose at the hole and get small- and pull up higher in the wave than you think you need to be… grab your line and just let it happen.
Just some observations for what its worth- tube riding’s tough on these especially down here on the beachy where they pop up really fast and upredictably.
good luck!

I need help with barrel riding techniques for SUP?

Punching thru Whitewater, SUP style!

Just a few tips from Ponobill about punching through whitewater on your SUP.  I’m not good at it.  But that doesn’t keep me from trying!  p.s. photo is a Sam Pa’e, whitewater puncher of the first water!

The key is that your legs don’t present much resistance to the wave, so basically you need to hump the board over. There’s a lot of stuff on this forum about it, I’d try the search function to look for it.
Here’s my technique–some of it came from a casual comment by Randy (admin). As I’m approaching big whitewater I time my paddling so that I can give one last strong stroke just as the board hits the wave, and then reach up onto the wave and plant the paddle  and pull. While that is going on you step back with your rear foot and preload the board, like doing an ollie on a skateboard. Then push the nose up. Be careful not to let the board come too high or it can smack you in the face. Been there, done that, got the lumpy forehead.
It takes practice, but you need to start working at it. You’ll never get better lying on the board.
You can go through MUCH bigger waves standing than you can lying down.

Punching through whitewater - technique tips?

Reasons for Compression Part 3

More how-to from the great compression thread over on the Zone, this time by Weasels wake.  Great stuff.  And important, too.  Read, learn, do!

Compression followed by extension~
Stay compressed down the line or entering you first bottom turn, then extend (straighten out the whole body) as you go thru the apex of the turn (at the bottom of the wave), do it hard and you will squirt out of the bottom turn with increased speed. The harder you extend out of the compression, the harder you are stepping on the gas pedel.
Water doesn’t compress, so you can use it as a spring, as you compress against it.
Compression, extension, compression , extension, not only are you ripping your waves, you are giving you thighs a great workout.
Short board stuff, applied to the sweeping.
Gotta love it.  Wink

Are You Compressing Enough?