SurfingSports Standup Paddle Surf & Standup Paddling BLOG

It finally looks like Spring is starting to be sprung over much of the country...
Spring fever is in full bloom...folks pretty much everywhere are over Winter...especially, those folks in areas with frozen water holes where they standup paddle...;-)



Spring Equinox is 10 days away...
Daylight Savings Time starts this Sunday...Spring forward...

We have folks flying in from Indiana, where it was in the 70's yesterday, to take SUP lessons this weekend...Hartford 60*...we have a number of SUP's on the way to Connecticut as we speak...St. Louis was 75*...Pittsburgh 65*...Milwaukee 52*...Baltimore 60*...DC 65*...we even just delivered SUP gear to Anchorage, where it was a toasty 13*F...the WEATHER is improving as the earth is starting to tilt more towards the sun...anyways...you get the picture...

Speaking of pictures...scratch and sniff these...our backyard garden has been going off for a couple of weeks now...close your eyes and try to sharpen up your odor memory...the olfactory nerves...connect the scent of these Spring flowers to a pleasant event...ahhhhhh...love and the love of getting out on the water and paddling is in the air...;-)



Pink Jasmine wafting in the air...





Our orchids are going off...if you're into orchids...the 65th Annual Santa Barbara International Orchid Show is this weekend...

If you want to get an early jump on the coming paddling season...think about a Spring break vacation in Santa Barbara...we can have you out standup paddling with our top of the line boards and paddles and expert instruction on standup paddle fundamentals...then, if you have fallen in love with it, you can purchase your gear to use for the rest of your trip here in the beautiful Santa Barbara area...and, we'll ship it back home for you...many people have done this...it's an excellent way to make a great selection just perfect for you and the family...

No worries if you can't make the trip...our expert paddleboarding specialists are standing by to help you make the right choice the first time...

Labels: Spring, standup paddling

The Punta Sayulita Longboard and SUP Classic, benefiting the Reef Check Foundation,(“the Classic”) is a surf contest for longboard and stand-up paddle surfers that will take place over 2 days, April 17-18, at Sayulita’s central beach break in beautiful Sayulita, Mexico.



The 1st Annual Punta Sayulita Longboard & Stand-Up Paddle Classic (“the Classic”) is set to take place on April 17-18 in beautiful Sayulita, Mexico.

The international field of professional surfers from the United States and Mexico is led by Honorary Ambassadors James Pribram of Laguna Beach, CA, renowned
Mexican big wave surfer, Carlos “Coco” Nogales of Puerto Escondido and Mexico’s current national longboard champion, Patricio Gonzalez of Sayulita. The field will be limited to 30 competitors made up of both professional invitees and amateurs competing in various age group divisions as well as in the “open” contest for the longboard and stand-up paddle surfing categories. Professional short board surfers will also entertain spectators with an “expression session” air show of acrobatic aerial maneuvers.

On Sunday, April 18, a variety of Stand-Up Paddle races will be held including the “Punta to Punta” race, a 5K and 10K open ocean distance races where paddlers will travel between Sayulita and the neighboring village of San Francisco (“San Pancho”).

The SUP distance races will be open to all ages and abilities.

Professional Invitees:
James Pribram
Coco Nogales
Scott Bass
Angel Salinas
Patricio Gonzalez
Ryan Helm
Darren Eudaly
Chuck Patterson
Jose Manuel Cano
Adan Hernandez
Dylan Southworth
Diego Cadena

Should be a great event...we used to go surfing in mainland Mexico 2-4 times a year...there's great surf in mainland Mexico...

Labels: 1st Annual Punta Sayulita Longboard and SUP Surf Classic

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