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SUP Tripping: Realistic or Ridiculous?
- Thread starter Glenn MacGrady
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Realistic. But, how do you portage those things? Not enticing to me in the least.
Can you see someone paddling one of those rigs into a good head wind all day?
Drives me crazy. Taking a yoga platform and calling a tripping vessel. A surfboard catches waves and allow you to experience nirvana. Paddling such a board to catch a wave is a reasonable endeavor. Users go on and on about what a great core workout it is. How could it be anything but a workout - it's such ridiculous position it is to paddle effectively.
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I'm with Rocky here, I think they are ridiculous. I tried them, they are a work out indeed. The guy I teaches for in the summer bought a few of them a few years ago, so I jumped on one and went on a lake, boring, so I took one down a river, not fun. they are slow, so slow. You are standing all day your feet in the water. Add a bit of wind and chops, and you are in survival mode cause if you want a "fast" board they ain't stable, and in choppy water you ain't making progress of any sorts.
But look like a lot of people are raving about them. So I'm sure I'm wrong...
But look like a lot of people are raving about them. So I'm sure I'm wrong...
Saw a bunch of them here locally when they first appeared on the market. Everyone (kids), said they would replace the kayaks on the river and lakes.
Now, just a few years later, I seldom see a one of 'em running around.
Now, just a few years later, I seldom see a one of 'em running around.
SUP tripping - if I were looking for a good publicity stunt that would be the way to go. Or if I was 20 again and needed a crazy challenge. But I'm not 20 and crazy anymore, and I'm looking for peace and quiet - not a good publicity stunt. I too much enjoy the luxury of what can be carried in a canoe. Looking forward to throwing the backpack and blue barrel into the canoe and paddling away from it all.
Our opinion really does not matter.I have seen them used successfully in the lost canoe routes of the Everglades.. in the sawgrass part and also on the lower Colorado.. I just saw a film where a party on SUPs traversed 100 miles of Mexico during the brief period when a dam was opened to allow the lower Colorado to briefly be reborn.
They could not have done it in conventional canoes as the draft is too deep.
People can and do travel with them. Its us that know little about them that should not jeer. but canoe people do form strong opinions just because they do.
They could not have done it in conventional canoes as the draft is too deep.
People can and do travel with them. Its us that know little about them that should not jeer. but canoe people do form strong opinions just because they do.
It was surprising to everyone that two paired SUPs entered and actually finished the Yukon 1000 mile race in 2014. Everyone did think it was ridiculous and thought the race director crazy for allowing it. But they finished in 9 days, 12 hours, which is more than 3 days longer than winning teams in more traditional craft, but still an unbelievable accomplishment. This race allows no external support after the start, all gear and food supplies for the entire trip must be carried from the beginning. The Yukon is a huge river, with 6mph chaotic current in most places, and subject to high winds. That is some tripping, although they were weatherbound in high wind for a couple of days while most canoers limped along.
Another pair of SUPs are already entered for the next Y1K race to be held in 2016. I also expect to return once again for my 5th Yukon ultra long distance race (but not on a SUP).
See: http://yukon1000.com
Another pair of SUPs are already entered for the next Y1K race to be held in 2016. I also expect to return once again for my 5th Yukon ultra long distance race (but not on a SUP).
See: http://yukon1000.com
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Well they're not my idea of a good time but to each their own. Frankly, I'm not sure my balance is good enough to even enjoy it. All I can see is my falling overboard time after time (LOL). I think my falling off would propel the SUP more than my paddling might!
That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.
snapper
That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.
snapper
G
Guest
Guest
I have. I’ve seen SUP trippers on the Green River in Utah, once with a raft support party and once with open canoes along. The boards were carrying minima gear.
While I was impressed with the SUP paddler’s balance and abilities in the wind it seemed to me to be a poor choice of craft, even with accompanying support boats.
Ridiculous is in the eye of the beholder, but this beholder thought it somewhere between a novelty act and a publicity stunt. I imagine those trips were documented on some SUP forum.
Let me Google that for me:
http://bit.ly/1ERD4IL
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My wife has a SUP. It appears to be a fun watercraft to use in nice conditions but not a viable choice as a vessel for travel. Recreational day use allows one to opt out in less than appropriate weather. If used for travel, less than optimal conditions might prove dangerous.
I have never tried one and do not understand the appeal. I remember dining at one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle watching SUP paddlers going out into Puget Sound. A bunch of cute girls were paddling out into open water. They were in bathing suits and sunglasses with PFDs strapped to the deck. They had no clothing and not even a water bottle. The water temperature even in summer is right around 55 degrees F. Foolish. It seems to appeal to the urban and crowd and the clueless.
I saw two SUPersin the Kenduskeag Stream race at Six Mile Falls. Class 3 rapid.
I thought "they are insane". Sure enough they dumped as did about half the canoes. But the board guys just jumped back on. They wear an ankle tether. Meanwhile the canoe guys all swam to shore and bailed
I thought "they are insane". Sure enough they dumped as did about half the canoes. But the board guys just jumped back on. They wear an ankle tether. Meanwhile the canoe guys all swam to shore and bailed
SUP tripping? Not for me, but that's just me. I rented one once, and tried it. I never got past the kneeling stage. I blamed it on the rolling waves of Hatteras, but again, it was just me. There were SUPers paddling out, and surfing in, paddling out, and surfing in... Beautiful to watch. My Fosbury flop wasn't so beautiful, even with all my repetitive repertoire of climb aboard, kneel (cower), gracefully fall (flop). If I ever wanted to trip with an SUP, I'd need good dry bags and PFD. Or maybe a really, really wide board. Say 36"...with 12+" of freeboard and seats. Oh wait. I have one of those.
There's a fellow over on the Song Of The Paddle UK forum who paddles one, and often heads across open calm seas of several miles. These seem to be day trips, for which he carries a day dry bag. He's very competent and carries safety gear I'm sure.
I'm obviously not able to critique their usefulness/uselessness for tripping, not being able to stay on one. I don't understand the atraction for standing, when one could just sit/kneel. But that's just me. I wonder if there's an evolution happening here? Maybe a future hybrid of a SUP-SOT craft coming to a shore near you and me soon?
There's a fellow over on the Song Of The Paddle UK forum who paddles one, and often heads across open calm seas of several miles. These seem to be day trips, for which he carries a day dry bag. He's very competent and carries safety gear I'm sure.
I'm obviously not able to critique their usefulness/uselessness for tripping, not being able to stay on one. I don't understand the atraction for standing, when one could just sit/kneel. But that's just me. I wonder if there's an evolution happening here? Maybe a future hybrid of a SUP-SOT craft coming to a shore near you and me soon?
Sups have a tracking fin that is 8 to 12 inches long so they draw more than a canoe. The whitewater sup fins can be flexible so they bend when whacking a rock. The hard fins are sharp and can easily draw blood.
I'd try one. However, where do you put the beer?
G
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I can see the allure in some circumstances. Tripping ain’t one of them. Cold water neither.
For someone who wants to buy a, um, well, it’s not really a boat but it’s more than a pool noodle, something to day paddle and puzt around on some flatwater, SUPs have undeniable merits. They don'’t take up as much space in storage, transport easily, don’t have a lot of damageable parts and you can fall off, climb back on, etc.
I expect outfitters in areas where rental SUP’s are useful are overjoyed for the same space, transport and recovery reasons. Maybe the fad of it too.
Having seen folks who were competent and confident on SUPs I begrudge them nothing. They were having fun on the water in their own peculiar way, same as fishermen, motor boaters, sailors, racers, rowers, guideboat strokers, ELF’s, kite surfers and etc.
It’s all good if it gets folks out there to appreciate and maybe help preserve.
I am honestly impressed with the balance demonstrated by Generation Whatever, learned via road rash on skateboards or the like and transferred to the water.
It ain’t me babe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d8o8vNTNao
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Is this realistic or ridiculous? Both, really. When we were kids we made rafts and paddled them around, so I know that you can stand up on a raft and paddle it, but when we got older we saved our money from delivering papers and bought a canoe, a real water craft. It was a clunky prospector with a flat bottom, but it was a cadillac compared to the raft.
I got a good laugh out of that picture of the guy standing on a piece of plastic with some gear strapped to it and a long paddle in hand. What he really needs though is a double blade!! You guys all concerned about tweaking canoe designs for maximum performance, what are you thinking? All you need is a flat chunk of plastic and a super long double blade and you are good to go.
Seriously, these things are toys for the cottage, nothing more.
I got a good laugh out of that picture of the guy standing on a piece of plastic with some gear strapped to it and a long paddle in hand. What he really needs though is a double blade!! You guys all concerned about tweaking canoe designs for maximum performance, what are you thinking? All you need is a flat chunk of plastic and a super long double blade and you are good to go.
Seriously, these things are toys for the cottage, nothing more.
They're more ridiculous than me going down the river in my guideboat, facing the wrong direction. I see some out on the lake where I day paddle, even soloing my tandem canoe, I easily double their pace, but they don't seem to mind. If I were to trip on one I'd sit on the cooler and use a double blade, but that's beside the point. Tripping on one seems crazy, piddling around a pond could be nice for those less versed in finer craft.
I had a conversation with a guy at work the other day. He wanted one or a sit on top kayak. I decided it was best to go that way than discuss what canoe would be best suited for his needs. Most people just want something that needs little thought. A board that floats that can sit in the closet until they use it, if they ever do.
I had a conversation with a guy at work the other day. He wanted one or a sit on top kayak. I decided it was best to go that way than discuss what canoe would be best suited for his needs. Most people just want something that needs little thought. A board that floats that can sit in the closet until they use it, if they ever do.
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