Rick has to be the nicest guy I’ve never met.  One of these days we’ll share a wave. Back when I 1st was thinking about SUP he offered to do some artwork on a paddle I had built and was auctioning for charity. It never happened because of the logistics of shipping and such but the heart was there. We’ve corresponded ever since and I think of him as the friend I’ve never met.

Great artist, surfer and lover of the ocean…his artwork captures the essence of the fun of surfing. Now I can follow along with his stories and see what his latest creations are.

http://artbyrickromano.blogspot.com/

A long week of no water time. Lots of shoveling this weekend, 18-20″ of snow, but I was shoveled out in time to see Avatar on Sunday. Private showing almost. 

Getting ready for my 1st granddaughter tomorrow and my daughter is moving back home so the honey do list is long.

I was so tempted to say to heck with all the stuff I’m supposed to do and just go for a paddle…I think that would have been tempting castration though.

       Vec 14 Nose Icicle         My 9-8’s under there somewhere.

Merry Christmas all.

Coastal Urge is planning their 2nd annual Cold Stroke Classic for Saturday, January 9th, 2010 in Wilmington, NC

This sounds like a great time with a prerace dinner the night before at the Dockside restaurant, live music and a presentation by Chuck Patterson.

$2,500 cash purse for the elite race, $5,000 in prizes for the 3 mile recreational class race, an oyster roast (I love oysters), live bands, manufacturers expo with demos, and kids events.
Proceeds of the event to benefit The Surfrider Foundation

I wish I could get down there for it but my daughter is expecting with my 1st grandchild around then…I think my wife would shoot me….or worse.

For more info visit:
www.coldstrokeclassic.com

If you are getting interested in standup then you have to check out the standupzone forum. It’s the single best place on the web to get questions you might have answered. Lots of great folks willing to share their experience. A place to talk story with friends, get tips on technique, view vids and pictures.
There are lots of good sites out there where you can get info but no place else quite like the zone. With more than 1500 members, over 5000 topics in 16 categories, and almost 47,000 posts you’re sure to find the answer to almost anything there…and if you don’t…just ask.

I hope the new cam setup at the Red Parrot for Nantasket is something we’ll see more of. Streaming live video feed, pan, tilt, zoom…even audio. Happened to see a buddy catch a wave the other day and watched him ride into the beach…very cool.
http://www.theredparrot.com/webcam.htm

Click the webcam link…login username: parrot, password: parrot

I’m going to make sure I let the folks at the Parrot now how much I appreciate it by eating there more post session…how can you beat having a cold beer and some good food after a long surf session. Especially when it’s their cam that let you know it was firing.

Some days you just get lucky. Well 1/2 lucky anyway.

I went down to Plymouth beach on Wednesday expecting to get a workout in some 2′ chop. I brought the Vec 14 with me. Figured I’d paddle out a couple of miles into the wind and then get a mini-downwinder back in.

I was very surprised when I came over the hill to see some good sized waves breaking. When I got to the beach it looked pretty good…a bit messy but the winds were lighter than expected and coming out of the NW instead of the NE as forecast. I was thinking I should have brought a different board…like my 10-6 or 11-2…later I was wishing for the 9-8.

I jump in the water and start paddling out and I see this hump coming into the bay. WTF! where did this come from? The first one hit and glassed off the break. Head high and smooth and I’m not in position…@#$%. Road up and over the whitewater of the 1st few and then sailed over the last ones…almost felt airborn with 8′+ of board sticking out the backside.

I was hoping there would be more to come. I had just looked at the cams at Nantasket and checked the buoys and saw nothing of this. Most of the waves were waist to chest and choppy..offering some fun but nothing to get excited about. every 5 minutes or so though another head high set would come through and I would let the 1st couple clean things up and then choose the juiciest of the rest for a long ride. Dead low tide and they were breaking on the outer shoal. Pretty rare anyday never mind when you aren’t expecting it.

I only had a couple of hours available or I might have run home and grabbed another board. I still had a lot of fun on the 14 and was happy to have the chance to try her in some bigger waves but as the wind died down and the waves got even smoother I was really wishing I had my 9-8 with me. Very frustrated that I had taken the 11-2 off my truck when I put on the 14.

The faces were steep and I kept catching a rail on the 14 until I started stepping way back. Loooonnnnggg smooth turns and 300 yard rides to the beach…turn and paddle out and get there just in time for the next set.

I’m very curious about this swell. I’ve asked around a bit and so far nobody else seems to have seen it. I’m assuming some folks on the south shore must have seen it but I haven’t heard anything about it yet. Best explanation I’ve heard is swell from a storm off Newfoundland….still weird that Plymouth had such nice waves though. Conditions seem to be setting up for a similar day early next week….fingers crossed….when Plymouth beach is working (very rare) its as good or better than anywhere else in New England. The multiple shoals make for some great breaks and very long rides.

Headed back out tomorrow morning for a victory at sea workout paddle….bringing a couple of boards though just in case…:)

Convinced my wife to join me on a trip to Newport today. A few hours of fun surfing and them a drive and walk around Newport.

The waves weren’t big…thigh to waist…a rare set chest high, but they were glassy. This is the 1st clean session I’ve had since I’ve been back on the water so it felt pretty nice. Early October low 70’s with the water in the low 60’s and I’m trunkin it. Everyone else in wetsuits. And I was warm from the workout. You have to love that standup allows a much longer season in trunks.

Somewhat mushy but still fun.

Sue can’t help herself taking pictures of seagulss. I think it’s because she hates them so much.

There were some nice breaks working further out. Maybe next time its a little bigger.

After 3 hours of surfing we took a ride along Ocean Drive…..what a gorgeous spot….

and into Newport proper.

Fun day…good time on the water, nice time with Sue…..then came home to watch the Pats beat the Ravens on my DVR while eating a tasty supper in my favorite chair. Now off to the hot tub and then bed. Going to sleep well tonight…:)

OK…this is still a secret until Friday…nobody blow it for me. This is a gift for my bud Mike…one of the best friends a guy could ask for. I wanted to have this done for the CCBC but best laid plans and all….didn’t happen…primarily because I had a major screw up that required a restart. But all is good now if I do say so myself.

This is the 1st I’ve built, poplar and pine, 7′-6″, 17″ tapering to 16″, 3/4″ thick. The pieces are doweled together with dowels spaced at 4″ on center…overkill I think….but the boards will break before the joints do.

A little pyrography on the deck, both as artwork and to provide grip. Most of it with a Hawaiian tattoo influence.

Compass rose

Manta

Shark

Turtle

The graphic on either side of the shark is a breaking wave.

Initialed and dated

Hope it surfs well…:)

This is with just two coats of oil on her. 4 more to go and a buffing. I had fun building this and am going to start another shortly.

Much thanks to Tom Wegener for sharing his stoke and wisdom.

I’ve never been much of one for writing thank you notes. I know its what you’re supposed to do but I rarely (actually never) get them done. It’s been particularly tough with the thanks for my new board. I’m not sure I’m worthy of it. 

How to say thank you for the thoughts and generosity of those responsible…..words don’t really cover it. Every time I try to think of the right thing to express how I feel I come up blank.

The best way to say thank you is to pay it forward when the opportunity arises. Thanks for the smiles…I’ll be sure to pass on as many as I can.

I finally got to take out the Vec today in a little wind and swell. So much fun. Wind was about 10 kts onshore, I paddled out 2 miles, very pleased with how easy she made it seem. Then turned and went with the flow. There wasn’t much to the wind swell so it was hard to get many glides at 1st but every shoal I passed over caused some face to appear and she would just pick up and go.

At dead low tide the wind swell starts developing peaks about 100-200 yards from shore. I figured that would be a fun place to play and start getting a feel for the board. It’s ridiculously easy to get on even the tiniest peak. It was great as the tide came in and the swell picked up a bit. The board surfs like a dream…very easy to turn and cut across the swells. I can’t wait for a real downwinder. What a great addition to the quiver. It opens up a whole new way to enjoy the water.

I put on a new Maxfield Provisions pad on her just yesterday. Very comfortable, great grip, and a great feel for the board. It’s going to make those long runs much easier on the feet too. I was paddling for almost 5 hours straight today and was very comfortable.

She looks fast just sitting on the beach.

I can’t believe the good fortune I’ve had lately, from winning the sweet Kalaoa paddle, the amazing generosity of friends getting me the Vec as a get well gift, and getting an email from Shawn Maxfield that he wanted to send me a pad for her. Has to be a serious karmic imbalance going on. I better play the lottery quick.

Zoom Zoom.

Gotta love the red, white, and blue. Perfect with the Vec star.

Perfect rocker for our conditions.

I’ll post a better review once I get her into a good downwinder…I know she’s going to fly! Going to be fun taking her across in CCBC 2010.

downwind, standup paddlesurfing, Vec, standup, SUP