PaddleXaminer is a veteran owned publication based in Los Angeles, California. We provide stories, gear reviews, and news for adventurers on and off the water.
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When: Saturday, June 27, 2020 Where: Mother’s Beach – Marina del Rey, California
8:15am Launch from Mother’s Beach
8:30am
Start in Main Channel (at end of D-basin, near B buoy)
Immediately Following Paddle
Patio at Tony P’s Dockside Grill w/ Sierra Nevada
Fun Paddle Overview
On Saturday (June 27th), Marina del Rey Outrigger Canoe Club (MDROCC) is partnering with Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. to get a bunch of OC-1, OC-2, V1 and surfskis on the water in Marina Del Rey.
For those paddlers who have been training, this will be a chance to test your ability against some of the top paddlers in SoCal. For those who are just getting on the water, doing the short course is a great way to kick start your training and get a baseline for our time trial course.
This is not a race. There are no entry fees and no awards. It’s intended to encourage paddlers to get on the water while maintaining appropriate social distance and get a baseline for our time trial course.
Afterward, Sierra Nevada has arranged for us to enjoy the patio at Tony P’s Dockside Grill in Marina Del Rey. Even if you are not paddling, come by and order some food; sample a Sierra Nevada Hazy IPA, Pale Ale or Crazy Little Thing Sour, and show some kokua to a business that has supported MDROCC over the years.
#California #GroupTraining #MarinadelRey #MarinadelReyOutriggerCanoeClub
The V3 is the current version of Vaikobi’s long running and immensely successful Ocean Racing PFD. Built on the tried and tested design of its predecessors, the V3 Ocean Racing PFD contains subtle refinements to enhance comfort and functionality. The V3’s unique features include:
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A new soft wicking liner for improved moisture management
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Slightly larger front pockets to fit larger devices
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Larger hose guide tabs
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Light gray side panels and mesh pockets
Pro Tip: The wicking liner is a great spot to write your name, phone number, and paddling club affiliation.
I’ve used all three versions of the Vaikobi Ocean Racing PFD and the enhancements made to the V3 contribute to making this my go-to PFD for outrigger, surfski, and SUP. Vaikobi’s V3 Ocean Racing PFD is highly likely the most comfortable, performance oriented PFD on the market. The Ocean Racer contains six adjustment points, four on the sides and one on each shoulder, so you can easily configure the straps to your desired comfort level. The larger hose guide tabs on the V3 are a much needed upgrade and the new wicking liner helps the PFD breath and is soft on bare skin. The later a definite bonus when paddling on hot days and for female paddlers wearing a performance bikini top.
Additional product features include:
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Built to ISO 12402-5 standards
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Soft, form fitting foam construction
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Two fully closable mesh pockets with a lanyard
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Lightweight and breathable
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HiVis colors for maximum visibility
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Hydration compartment with routing loops for the drink tube
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No side panels
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Padded shoulders
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Front zipper
Like its predecessors, the V3 contains a hydration sleeve on the back panel. Having your hydration pack integrated into your PFD is a fantastic benefit and gives the model an edge over many of its competitors. The PFD is highly visible (four color options), contains two well positioned zipper pockets, and the full front zip makes the PFD easy to take on and off.
I was paddling off Redondo Beach this past fall in one of my outrigger club’s OC-1’s when the rear iako had a catastrophic failure and snapped on my return back to the harbor. I’m a capable swimmer, but there is no doubt that the fact I was wearing my Vaikobi PFD made the entire experience of swimming a quarter mile back to the harbor mouth with a busted canoe a bit more manageable.
When it comes to overall performance, the Vaikobi V3 Ocean Racing PFD’s lightweight and sleek, streamlined profile is the perfect complement for performance paddlers. I can’t imagine paddling without wearing mine. It’s so comfortable I sometimes forget to take it off!
The 2023 International Canoe Federation Stand Up Paddling World Championships will be held in Pattaya, Thailand, from November 15-19.
The ICF confirmed the Thai beach destination will host the season-ending event over five days of festivities both on and off the water. The ICF will soon announce details of a series of events especially designed for recreational and amateur paddlers, which will run alongside the elite competitions for the world’s best athletes.
The ICF is set to confirm an exciting year of SUP events, with up to six events leading into the world championships and a world cup in Sarasota, Florida, the venue for the 2024 and 2026 ICF world titles.
Several of the events will offer qualification pathways for the ICF World Championships, although competitors will also be able to qualify in Pattaya. The ICF will also once again team up with the popular North American Carolina Cup event.
“We are thrilled this year to provide even more opportunities for the planet’s best stand up paddleboarders to compete in world-class events,” ICF SUP committee chair, Noemi Horvath, said.
“We are taking the sport to exciting venues on three continents, which will provide great opportunities for paddlers from all corners of the globe. And our world championships this year will be a real festival of SUP, providing events for paddlers of all levels, and a feist of activities both on and off the water.
“As always our focus will be on growing the sport. Our development programs have been very successful and will once again be an important part of this year’s calendar. And we will continue to look at ways to make SUP more accessible for athletes around the world.”
The full ICF SUP calendar is set to be released later this month, and will include nomination details and any assistance the ICF will be able to offer participants.
Surfing is a great full body exercise. You work your legs and back as in a traditional paddling session. You also benefit from some cardio during the intense bursts of speed when you paddle to catch a wave. Let’s not forget there is typically a bit of effort exerted paddling back out, popping up and over oncoming waves and whitewash. All in all, it is a good way to loosen up the body and get your muscles energized. Could surfing be a good pre-race warmup prior to an outrigger race?
Two weeks ago my outrigger canoe club had a 9-man race in Dana Point, California. It was our first 9-man race of the season and I was excited. For the uninitiated, a 9-man outrigger canoe race involves paddling a 6-man outrigger canoe along with an escort boat carrying three additional paddlers. The paddlers on the escort boat periodically swap out with paddlers in the canoe. The fun, or tricky part depending on your perspective, is this process is done without stopping the canoe.
A designated change coach on the escort boat will shout out the change. The escort boat then surges ahead and crosses in front of the canoe and drops off 1-3 paddlers in the water. The canoe continues forward and the incoming paddlers climbers climb in on the left as the outgoing paddlers exit the canoe on the right, leaving their paddle in the canoe for the incoming teammate. When I first got involved with paddling outrigger canoes a few years ago I thought 9-man racing was what outrigger canoeing was all about after watching a video produced by Quickblade Paddles during the annual US Championship Race across the Catalina Channel.
Photo: Brandon Sauls
The official event site was set up in the grassy area at the north end of Doheny State Beach, while the canoes would be loaded and unloaded in the nearby harbor. As many readers know, Doheny State Beach is practically hallowed ground for standup paddling. SUP racing’s first major international competition, The Battle of the Paddle, took place at Doheny State Beach. Numerous local and regional paddling events are held there throughout the year, The Paddle Academy regularly trains there, and it is a popular SUP surfing locale. Consistent waves, ample parking and good amenities make the park a popular destination for locals and visitors.
What better place to test the Hala Playa in the surf, I thought.
My friend Brandon, a fellow Lanakila paddler, and I made plans to ride down together for the race. The men’s race was not scheduled to begin until 12:30. This would provide ample time to surf in the morning and Brandon offered to bring his camera along and we could trade-off surfing and shooting photos of one another for an hour or so in the morning.
Brandon brought a long board, while I rolled in (literally) with my Hala Playa. I’ve previously written about the virtues of Hala Gear’s board bags. The compact rectangle design is super easy to transport in your vehicle. And when visiting a developed park such as Doheny, you can quickly roll it along the paved path to the beach without even breaking out the comfortable, padded backpack straps.
Inflating the board always draws attention as people tend to assume it is more difficult than it actually is. Around five minutes is all it takes. Even less if you’re using the electric pump (included) to push in an initial 2-3 PSI.
Paddling out
Due to its popularity, the surf zone at Doheny is divided into two sections. The sections are demarcated by a crumbling breakwall known as the “Hammer”. Paddle surfers must remain south of the Hammer. Prone surfers largely stay north, but are allowed to surf the entire beach.
The waves were predominantly in the 3-4 ft range that morning, but as most visitors to Doheny know, this can be punctuated by an occasional larger set rolling through. When the larger sets materialize it invariably sends everyone scrambling to either catch “the wave of the day” or avoid being caught inside.
The Hala Playa is quite simply a lot of fun to surf on small to medium days. The 10’11” x 30” dimensions offer excellent stability and enhanced wave catching ability over shorter boards. The Playa’s rails are 4.75” thick and sufficient to carve a bottom turn. This is especially true when stepping back on the kickpad to engage the fins in the thruster set up on the board’s tail.
The nose of the Playa features a generous amount of rocker, but don’t be lured into a false sense of security by thinking the nose will not pearl. I took a late drop when paddling for one wave that morning and was quickly ejected as the 4.75 inch thick nose of my inflatable SUP went under and I was flung over.
The defining trait which distinguishes the Hala Playa as a true surfer is its ability to carve turns on the wave. The board is not professing to be one thing when it is actually another. The Hala Playa is a true inflatable SUP which can be surfed and not just ridden straight to shore. And it is a lot of fun!
Surfing proved to be a great warm up prior to my outrigger race and the schedule allowed for plenty of time to relax after our session. I think I may have found a new element to incorporate into my pre-race routine!
#HalaGear #PumpedUpPaddler #Surfing #HalaPlaya #OutriggerCanoeing #DohenyStateBeach #LanakilaOutriggerCanoeClub #Inflatable
Not all water bottles are created equal. For years we have relied on plastic water bottles, but now there is a better option.
CrazyCap uses ultraviolet light to purify water. In 60 seconds the ultraviolet LED light built into the cap will clean and purify the water inside the bottle. Simply double tap the cap to activate the purification sequence. For dirtier water, top the cap five times to activate crazy mode! Crazy mode is best for water from rivers, lakes, or ponds. The light on the top of the cap will pulse blue, when the cleaning process is completed it will flash green; your water is now safe to drink. My favorite feature is the CrazyCap LED light can be charged via USB port.
Not only does the CrazyCap LED ultraviolet light clean water but it can also sterilize surfaces such as silverware, laptop keyboards, or airplane food trays. CrazyCap has plenty of science to back-up the effectiveness of their products, so if you want to nerd out, here is a link!
I used CrazyCap on a paddle on Chatfield Reservoir in Denver. The water there is particularly murky so I thought it would be a great opportunity to test CrazyCap. I paddled out for 10 minutes to build up a thirst before laying my paddle down and sitting on my board. I pulled the CrazyCap bottle out of my drybag and dipped it in the water to fill it. I screwed on the cap and double tapped the top. At first I could not tell if it was working because of the sun so I shaded the cap with my hands and could see the blue pulsing light. After I saw the all clear green light I took a sip of water; it tasted great!
CrazyCap comes in an assortment of different colors. They even have a few quick How-to videos which are helpful.
As a kid growing up in Nebraska, my family made annual summer trips to Estes Park, Colorado for vacation. We did the usual activities: hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park, horseback riding, playing miniature golf, and walking up and down the main street checking out all the shops. Those activities were fun, but Estes Park as more to offer Lake Estes! Lake Estes is located on the east end of town, you’ll pass the lake as you enter the town on highways 34 & 36.
Lake Estes is formed by a dam which feeds the Big Thompson River which runs through Big Thompson Canyon. Surrounded by numerous peaks, including one of the most famous peaks in Colorado, Longs Peak, it’s an ideal setting for a lake adventure! The Lake Estes Marina offers all sorts of water activities:
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Standup Paddle Boarding
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Kayaking
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Boat rentals
PaddleXaminer was in Estes Park on a Friday afternoon to check out Lake Estes. The sky was spotted with clouds, allowing the sun to warm you up throughout the day. The wind was blowing steadily from the west. I spent a few minutes chatting with the Marina Manager Annie Hanson. She explained the layout of the lake, pointed out the different areas and things to watch out for such as the buoys along the beach and near the dam. There is a five dollar watercraft fee and vehicle fee which funds the marina operations. She also walked me through the requirements for a SUP:
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All water craft are required to launch from the marina.
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Colorado SUP regulations require a leash or PFD for each passenger on board.
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Non-motorized craft are required to carry a whistle or other auditory device.
I thanked Annie for her time and went back to pump up my Hala Nass.
After getting all my gear in order, I walked to the marina to get on the water. The wind had picked up a bit and was still blowing from the west. This worked out quite well because I could get a downwind run in, but first I needed to get to the far west end of the lake.
Not a bad spot to spend an afternoon.
The paddling was tough, at first. But once I got into a good paddle cadence it was quite fun! I pointed the nose of the board into the wind and powered forward. In about twenty minutes I went the length of the lake, or roughly one mile. The views were spectacular from the lake. I always tell people, you get a different point of view from the water! After I made it to the west end of the lake, I explored the shore. There were sandy and muddy areas which looked like potential good fishing spots near Fisherman’s Nook. Plenty of water birds on the water too!
When I headed back toward the marina for my downwind run, I barely had to paddle. My body acted as a sail as the wind pushed me eastward toward the marina. It was a cool feeling to be pushed down the lake without having to paddle. Pro tip: Come to Lake Estes in the morning or evening when there’s a higher chance the winds will be calm.
As I was leaving the marina with my paddleboard, a family was approaching on the sidewalk. The young boy stared at my board and shouted “Mommy, I want to ride one of those! I smiled and kept moving, memories filling my head of those annual vacations as a kid to Estes Park.
#inflatablesup #LakeEstes #StandupPaddling #HalaGear #Lake #Colorado
Talking to a friend last winter, she mentioned she mentioned she had recently returned from a trip to Panama. She and some friends stayed on a sailboat for a few days in the San Blas islands. They had fresh lobster, layed around in the sun, and relaxed. I was intrigued. I got the contact information for the tour operator and starting researching.
The San Blas Islands are on the Caribbean side of Panama, North of the Isthmus of Panama and east of the Panama Canal. The islands are owned by the Guna tribe, the local indigenous people. The San Blas Islands are an archipelago of approximately 365 islands, some of which are uninhabited. The islands are protected by a massive coral reef, as such, the ocean swell does not affect them as much. There is a somewhat rainy season from June-November and sunny season from December-May. I looked into how “rainy” the rainy season actually is and turns out, it’s not too bad so I decided to go at the end of October. The advantage being it would be less crowded and slightly cheaper. I checked out a few tour operators but decided to go with the one my friend used because they were the most responsive and seemed the best organized.
Olde Town Panama City
I booked my trip flying direct from Denver to Panama City in late October. The day I left Denver it was a cool 30 degrees and I landed in 80 degree weather! What a change!
The first day I toured Panama City and on the top of my list was a visit to the Panama Canal. I love history, so being able to see the canal in operation was a real treat. I walked around the city, popping into small restaurants to eat during the day. My favorite part of Panama City was the Olde Town with the cobblestone streets and narrow walkways. My ride to islands was picking me up at 5am the next morning so I called it a night early.
The first sign of trouble
I was down in the lobby at 4:50 am waiting for my taxi. When thirty minutes came and went I started to get nervous and called the tour operator. Luckily they answered right away. I explained the situation and was told they would make some calls and find out what was going on.
A long thirty minutes later, the tour operator called back saying the taxi driver was having car trouble. The tour operator was trying to arrange another transport but it was said it might be difficult. At this point, I wasn’t sure I could rely on the tour operator to get me a taxi.
It was just past 7 am and I noticed someone was putting up a sign in the hotel lobby advertising day trips to San Blas Islands. I walked over to talk to them and explained my situation.
The guy I talked to, Juan, said they could definitely get me there but the cost would be much higher than the $30 I was expecting to pay. I thought about it for a few seconds, the islands were THE reason I came to Panama; I looked at him and said “Let’s do it!”
I called the tour operator back and told them I had a ride, I just needed to know which port to go to and for them to arrange the water taxi. The tour operator stated they could make it work, but had to make some calls to confirm. Twenty minutes later I received a WhatsApp message from the tour operator stating: “The water taxi will be there, the driver’s name is Alberto, and here is his number. Please give Alberto’s number to your taxi driver so they can communicate”, which I did.
I had to run to the bank to get more money to pay for the taxi. On my way back I could feel my stomach growling. It was after 8 am and I had been up for over three hours with little food.
I found a little restaurant and popped in to grab a bite. When I walked inside I noticed Pablo my new taxi driver. We had met in the hotel lobby while I was waiting for my tour operator to get back to me. We sat down together and had a quick breakfast. Before we left I grabbed two Cokes, one for each of us.
On the road to the port
The drive to the port took 2.5 hours. The roads are not great in Panama and drivers don’t necessarily follow the rules of the road, assuming there were rules to begin with. The car was comfortable and had air conditioning which was a nice perk. Pablo was a good driver and handled the craziness of driving with ease.
Pablo’s English is limited and my Spanish is terrible so conversation throughout the journey was light. We did use Google Translate a few times which was helpful but Pablo had to focus on driving for most of the trip. Once we arrived at the port, Pablo called Alberto my water taxi driver. He did not answer…for twenty excruciating minutes. Finally he arrived at the dock, I jumped in the boat, waited a few minutes for him to handle some paperwork and off we went!
Out to the catamaran
The water was pretty disgusting in the port area and for a good ten minutes after we passed the port’s entrance. Then, as if a line was drawn in the water, POOF, the water was crystal clear. After about 35 minutes in the water taxi I noticed a catamaran in the distance. The water taxi approached the catamaran from the rear and pulled up next to the ‘Kaya’. The captain, Flo, greeted me, took by bag and gave me hand climbing on board.
Flo was just starting to prepare lunch. Normally he has coffee ready but due to the logistical issues I arrived at 1230pm. Flo showed me to my room and gave me a quick tour of the boat. He asked what would you like to do. Well, I’m kind of hungry and would like to try out one of your paddleboards. “Do you like lobster?” he asked me. Hell yeah I like lobster! Flo made a fantastic lunch with fresh boiled lobster, potatoes, onions, and peppers. After lunch we sailed 30 minutes to a different group of islands where we would stay for the night.
I took the longer of the two paddleboards out for my first paddle. Both boards were Bic Sport hardboards, one being 10’ (blue) and the other 11’ (red). The weather was perfect, slight breeze, 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26.7 Celsius). I used the rope attached to the board to pull it to the end of the boat so I could hop on, adjusted the paddle length, and off I went!
Crystal clear water
The water so so clear I couldn’t help but look down most of the time. I spotted starfish on the seafloor along with some small fish. I got into an easy paddle rhythm as I rounded an island and saw a small island off in the distance and decided to head that direction. The paddling was pretty easy, a slight swell coming at my 2 o’clock was noticeable only because there was hardly any movement before. I thought to myself how lucky I was to make it to where I was then given how the day started. I’m sure I had a big grin on my face!
I got to the small island in about 45 minutes. It had a dozen or so palm trees and a small shack on the far side. I got off the board and pulled it to shore to take a few pictures.
I headed back to where the Kaya was anchored which took around 50 minutes. I found my captain Flo was on an island with some beer and a small sack which held a game he called Mölkky. We played a few rounds while having a couple beers which was a lot of fun. The local shopkeeper even played with us and was quite good at the game. The game is played to 50 so it gave me a chance to practice my numbers in Spanish!
After a while the sun was starting to go down so we paddled back to the Kaya and Flo started preparing dinner…more lobster!
The next three days consisted of more paddling and snorkeling. The weather was good with the exception of one raining morning. One of my favorite things was to jump from the boat into the water, a good 7-10 feet!
On the last day, I was relaxing on the boat out of the sun, Flo came over and said we would head to the island “over there”, as he pointed, to sleep for the night and check on my transportation back to the mainland after lunch. The island didn’t look too far so I asked him if I could paddle there. He thought a moment, “Well it would take you one hour, maybe 45 minutes.” That’s no problem I responded.
After we ate lunch and cleaned up. I hopped on the paddleboard and told Flo I’d see him there. The weather was once again gorgeous; clear blue skies and minimal wind. I put some tunes on and stepped it up a notch. Along the way there was a school of fish that jumped out of the water all at the same time There must have been at least thirty! When they landed it made a nice swishing sound. As I cruised to my destination I glanced back to see where Flo was. The Kaya was just now getting started and I was already ¾’s the way there. I just laughed out loud. An hour? Ha, I did it in just 28 minutes!
Are you an organization freak? If so, you need to check out the OGIO Alpha Convoy 525. Designed by the makers of Callaway golf bags, this rugged backpack has all the pockets you need. Meticulously designed to provide maximum efficiency, Alpha Convoy 525 is your next all-around backpack; because, let’s face it, we adventure types don’t just have one backpack, we have several.
This backpack is designed with for the urban dweller. It has four zipper-up pockets with the rear pocket containing a laptop slot and water resistant zipper. The inside is colored red instead of the normal black which adds a little pop and allows the user to more easily grab their laptop because how hard is it to see the black laptop inside the black backpack, am I right? Unfortunately, my Lenovo T460s does not fit in the laptop sleeve but there is plenty of room in the rest of the rear pocket to fit my laptop.
The backpack features a pocket on the front of the backpack; this is my favorite pocket because it’s spacious. I like to store my pens, eye drops, sticky notes, and sometimes an apple in this pocket because they are easily accessible. The other two pockets run the length of the backpack so they can fit folders, clipboards, and full nalgene water bottles. There are two side pockets, one on each side of the backpack which can hold a small water bottle; personally I use one of these pockets to carry my laptop cord as it fits nicely in the pocket.
PaddleXaminer met Jeff Rang, Design Director at OGIO, at the Winter OR in Denver back in November 2018. In talking with him, I could tell they spend a lot of time designing the new Alpha Convoy. They designed it for maximum efficiency. The backpack is made of Cordura Eco polyester body for extra durability. There are reflective on the trim of the backpack to increase visibility, and extra cushion on the shoulder straps.
Specifications:
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25 liter capacity
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Weight 2.4 lbs (1.1kg)
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Dimensions 9” L x 13” W x 20” H (22.9cm L x 33cm W x 50.8cm H)
Overall, the Alpha Convoy 525 is a well designed backpack which will server the urban dweller just right! The backpack retails for $149.99 and comes with a limited lifetime warranty; it is available in two colors: Black or Olive.
The International Canoe Federation has welcomed the sport schedule for Paris 2024 as an opportunity to showcase the world’s best canoe athletes to growing markets around the globe.
The Paris 2024 schedule will see canoe slalom begin on the opening Saturday afternoon of the Olympics, extreme slalom make its Games debut on the middle weekend, and canoe sprint come to a thrilling conclusion on the final Saturday.
President Thomas Konietzko said the timetable would give great exposure in different markets for all three competitions.
“The late afternoon schedule for canoe slalom will be perfect for our European audience and for our fans watching in the morning in the Americas,” Mr Konietzko said.
“We are thrilled to have extreme slalom join the Olympics for the first time, and especially excited by the opportunity to have the competition on the middle weekend of the Games, and at a time which will suit audiences in Europe and the Americas.
“And our canoe sprint schedule will be perfect for our fans in Asia and Oceania, and of course our very passionate fans in South America who will be able to enjoy sprint finals during their breakfast.”
The full schedule for Paris 2024 can be found here.