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.
© PaddleXaminer 2023 – All Rights Reserved
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.
© PaddleXaminer 2023 – All Rights Reserved
PaddleXaminer was introduced to a new eyewear company at the winter OR in Denver called Blenders Eyewear. They are based in sunny San Diego California where you need a pair of shades almost everyday! What started out as a side hustle by the founder, selling shades out of his backpack while working as a surf coach, turned into a full-fledged company offering stylish and adventurous shades!
Paddlexaminer tested three pairs of sunglasses from Blenders:
Photo: Blenders Red Strike sunglasses.
The Spider Jet sunglasses are Blenders take on the classic aviator style, think Top Gun. Bold and black with stainless steel frame, polarized lenses, and a microfiber pouch. The Spider Jet is part of the A-series, nine in total, from Blenders which sport the aviator frames. I like this pair for running around town or on the water cruising around on a lake.
The Red Strike sunglasses are part of Blenders Canyon Collection. The black frames are contrasted by the fire-red mirror, polarized lenses. I love wearing these shades on the water while paddling at Chatfield Reservoir south of Denver. They are extremely durable sunglasses as I’ve dropped them a few times and they barely have a scratch on them!
Lastly, Black Tundra. These are exactly what you would expect. Black lenses, black frames, you can’t get more black on these sunglasses! When I first saw these shades my mind immediately went to images of The Terminator with Arnold Schwarzenegger, yes another 80’s movie! The Black Tundra comes with the popular smoke lenses. These shades are great for just about anything: paddling, backpacking, or driving around town!
None of these shades are recommended for whitewater paddling unless you are using a sunglasses strap and don’t mind losing them. Make sure the sunglasses are compatible with your helmet. The first priority when paddling whitewater is having a secure helmet. In my case my helmet fits nice and snug, unfortunately there’s no room to fit shades with my helmet. I’ve talked a number of whitewater paddlers about wearing shades or not; it comes down to personal preference. Some people like them to protect against sun glare while others find they get in the way.
I love the three pairs of Blenders eyewear I’ve been using over the last few months. I’ve had numerous people ask me where I got them and I tell them, Blenders!
“The wind is going to be nuking this Saturday! Can you make it out?”, read the mid-morning text from Braly. It was still early in the week and I didn’t have anything else planned so I ran the idea of me driving out to Vegas for a downwinder on Lake Mohave past my wife. Rarely one to stand in the way of one of my ideas for an adventure into the great outdoors, she smiled and asked how long I’d be gone. “Just three days, out Friday and back on Sunday. Everyone will be paddling SIC Bullet V2s, no riff-raff,” I told her as I started getting pumped up for the trip. Designed by Mark Raaphorst, the SIC Bullet V2 is hands down the best downwind SUP to ever glide across 75% of the Earth’s surface. The Bullet is also, in my opinion, the most versatile all-around fitness and excursion paddleboard on the market – an attribute often overshadowed by the shape’s much talked about successes in Hawaii’s open ocean races such as this weekend’s Molokai to Oahu. So popular in fact that when I drove out to the desert last Friday morning I carried a second Bullet V2 strapped to the roof of my Jeep Liberty – still wrapped in plastic and slipped into a new board bag for a customer, Mike, a member of the 9th Island crew who would be joining us on Saturday. Additional paddlers from the budding SUP community in the desert planning to come along on the trip included Braly’s brother in law, Kirk, who was in town on vacation and Adam, a Las Vegas area commercial real estate developer.
The drive from LA to Las Vegas along I-15 was relatively uneventful, save for a fleeting encounter with a high desert thunderstorm during which I watched the outside temperature gauge on my Jeep’s dashboard display plummet from 106 F to 71 F in a matter of minutes. Little did I know at the time the thunderstorm along the highway was a mere prelude to what was yet to come the next day on Lake Mohave.
One of the great aspects of paddling in Southern Nevada is the proximity to a variety of bodies of water on which to paddle. And then there is the glitz and glamour of Vegas itself. Together, the pairing creates a unique environment where you can experience both world-class paddling along with the opulent atmosphere of Las Vegas – all in the same day. Can you say premier location for a SUP industry off-site?
Vegas to Lake Mohave
As the dawn broke on Saturday morning we shook off the cobwebs from a night on the town and loaded the Bullets onto the racks of Adam’s extended cab four-wheel drive pickup, met James, our easy to please shuttle driver for the day, and rolled out of town. About 45 minutes later we reached the rural enclave of Searchlight on the outskirts of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area at the entrance to Lake Mohave.
Shortly after the National Park Ranger waved us through the gate we turned off the main road onto the Mead Davis Powerline Road, a gravel track generally heading in a southerly direction above the lake’s western shore. While parts of the road have almost certainly been navigated by car, we were heading off the grid into an area where four-wheel drive was no longer a trendy accessory never to be used, but rather a necessity. Let the adventure begin!
Anyone see a lake around here?
We slowly made our way along the “road” navigating around washed out sections and climbing through countless ravines formed over the years by successive flash floods as storm water channeled its way down the rugged terrain to the lake. After cresting a jagged ridge line the dirt track began to wind its way to the water’s edge. “That would definitely scratch the roof,” declared one of the crew looking out the side window as the ground quickly dropped away on either side of the road.
Not long thereafter the terrain leveled out and we could see a cluster of green foliage ahead – a sure sign the lake was not far beyond. The track literally came to an end at a reed covered section of the lake. Although we felt like intrepid explorers after the extended four-wheel drive journey to the launch point for our 10 mile run, judging from the tire ruts, we were not the first to visit the spot. There was little doubt, however, we were likely the first to make the trek with a quartet of SIC Bullet V2 stand up paddleboards strapped to the roof.
The launch spot appeared to be tailor-made for SUPs and as we off loaded the gear Kirk began to pump up a new addition to SIC’s 2016 lineup: a racey, red 14’ Air Glide inflatable Bullet which proved to be a nimble sibling to the original Single Carbon Composite construction shape from which it was designed.
Our crew assembled our sleds for a photo-op at the launch point before gliding out beneath the overcast sky. Unfortunately, the cloud cover that afternoon restricted the wind velocity and instead of the off-the-hook 25-30 mph fiesta predicted earlier in the week, we were greeted with a tame 15 mph breeze. The clouds were not threatening when we set out and small white caps formed a speckled pattern across the lake as the wind was blowing steadily from the south.
Riders in the Storm
That all changed about 30 minutes later when we looked back and saw an ominous dark patch of sky crisscrossed by white lightning a few miles beyond the lake’s southern bank. Before long, the wind had completely changed direction from the south to the west and was pushing us towards the Arizona shore. While the majority of the 67 mile long reservoir formed by the Davis Dam is narrow, we were now in the middle of the widest section where the water stretched approximately 3.5 miles between Nevada and Arizona.
Lake Mohave
As wind swell began to form on the lake, it became readily apparent we were not going to make it back to the Nevada shore where James was positioned with the truck before the storm overtook us. It was time to go with the flow and ride it out. Shouting out the call to “break right”, the five of us quickly splintered along different lines as we rode the storm swell towards the Arizona side of Lake Mohave. It looked like we were going to finally get our downwinder in after all I thought with a grim smile as we paddled with increasing intensity to stay ahead of the fast approaching thunderstorm.
Mike, Kirk, Adam and I more or less followed the same path and found ourselves together along the turbulent, tree lined bank. Braly was nowhere to be found. There is always one, right? A melange of submerged and partially exposed trees and brush littered the Arizona shore making landfall in this section impossible. At the last sighting before entering the aquatic minefield of crashing logs and detritus Braly had been about 50 meters further north.
Unable to make it to shore at our current spot, we slowly made our way north towards Braly’s last known location. An experienced endurance athlete and no stranger to the harsh conditions Mother Nature is capable of stirring up, we quickly linked up when we found him paddling in our direction. “I found a spot where we can get off the water,” Braly called out before turning around to point out the small section of exposed mud and grit between the undergrowth.
By now, the rain had been hammering down for several minutes and we tallied our minimal supplies, cell phone status, and assessed the situation. “What do you think?” Kirk, Braly’s Army Ranger brother-in-law asked me. Although the ground was littered with stones, the desert surface was generally a composition of soft, sandy dirt, which was nice since none of us had shoes. “I’d like to get a look at where we are beyond the undergrowth and assess our position,” I said. There were several broken tree branches nearby and I selected one to use as a makeshift machete to hack a tunnel through the dense bushes out to the main section of the desert.
It took a few minutes of aggressive chopping to carve out a path. Looking north and south, the treeline was virtually indistinguishable from one section to the next along the desert, so I gathered several stones to mark the location from which I had just emerged. Mike crawled out not far behind me just as a loud clap of thunder shattered across the sky. “Shit’s gettin’ real,” we heard Braly call out from back inside the undergrowth. Mike and I began to laugh. “If I had to be stranded in the desert, there’s no one I’d rather be with than an Army Ranger, a former government secret agent, an endurance athlete and Adam,” exclaimed Mike.
I was feeling decidedly more confident about our situation now that we were on land. We were still at risk from the lightning, but much less of a sure thing now that we were off the water. Desert thunderstorms can potentially last for hours, but as we surveyed the sky it looked as if the main section of the storm had passed to our South. The wind was dropping off and had shifted back to its previous trajectory from the South.
After an approximately one hour diversion in Arizona we made the decision to head back out on the water. In addition for the need to cross back to the Nevada side, we were still several miles south of the Cottonwood Marina where James was waiting.
The rest of the journey passed without incident as we each caught a few small bumps left by the passing storm. It did not take long for the air temperature to climb back to upper 80s and the uncharacteristically humid desert air quickly warmed our bodies and spirits. James was patiently waiting for us at the finish. He had hiked out to a rocky precipice overlooking the south bank of the marina and called out with his arms in the air as we entered the placid confines of the marina’s cove. “I had a couple of your beers while I was waiting for you,” he said as we carried our Bullets ashore. “What happened to you guys?”
Looking out over the lake from the Mead Davis Powerline Road.
#BulletV2 #LakeMeadNationalRecreationArea #MarkRaaphorst #Dispatch #LakeMohave #SICMaui
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.
© PaddleXaminer 2023 – All Rights Reserved
Photo by Claude Piché on Unsplash
California State Parks and the USDA Forest Service (Forest Service) invite Californians to do their part to ensure safe and healthy outdoor experiences during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend and amidst the ongoing pandemic. Simple actions such as staying local, planning ahead, and following social distancing guidelines, can increase the outdoor experience for everyone. Additionally, recreating responsibly helps ensure that expanded access to recreational facilities, services and opportunities continues — day use areas of national forests and state parks currently open to the public remain open for the health and welfare of Californians.
The Forest Service manages 18 National Forests in the Pacific Southwest Region, which encompasses over 20 million acres across California, and assists state and private forest landowners in California, Hawaii and the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands. With 280 state parks, California State Parks manages the nation’s largest state park system. The Forest Service and State Parks, with the California Department of Transportation, the California Highway Patrol and various community organizations, coordinate and administer 18 SNO-PARKS sites along the Sierra Nevada. Sledding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling are just some healthy ways people can enjoy the SNO-PARKS from November 1 through May 30.
Below are some tips on how to recreate responsibly in the outdoors:
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Stay Local: Stay close to home during this pandemic period. If you or anyone in your household is feeling sick, please remain at home and plan your trip for another time.
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Plan Ahead: The ongoing pandemic response continues to be dynamic and fluid. Prior to leaving home, check the webpage of your outdoor destination you plan to visit to find out if it is open, if parking is available, and what visitor guidelines are in effect.
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SNO-PARKS:
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A permit is required for each vehicle parked at a SNO-PARK site. Permits are sold as day permits or seasonal permits. Day permits are sold for $5 and are valid for one single day. Season permits are sold for $25.00 and are valid for the entire SNO-PARK season. More information can be found at ohv.parks.ca.gov/SNOPARKS.
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Make sure your vehicle is snow ready.
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Parking is on a first come, first-serve basis at all SNO-PARK sites. The public is advised that parking lots are filling up early in the day.
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Parking: Road safety is paramount. Some roads may be closed due to winter conditions and illegal roadside parking only puts you, your family and other visitors at risk. If the first approved parking area is full, please proceed to the next approved parking area. Please visit us another day if parking lots are full.
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Stay Safer at Six Feet: No matter the recreational activity, maintain a physical distance of six feet or more. Your guests should only include those within your immediate household. This means no guests or friends, and no gatherings or parties. If there are too many people to maintain the required physical distance, please visit us on a different day.
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Keep Clean: Be prepared as not all services may be available. Some restrooms will be temporarily closed to keep up with cleaning schedules. Bring soap/hand sanitizer. Please pack out all trash. Park units are experiencing heavy use and you can help alleviate the impact on park facilities.
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Stay Covered: The state requires you to wear a face covering when you cannot maintain a physical distance of six feet or more. Individuals must have a face covering with them at all times.
Additional resources from the Forest Service and State Parks include:
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California State Parks – Flatten the Curve Website — The department has created this online resource to serve as a one-stop center to find information on park closures and modifications and resources available to partners. Additionally, you will find information on complimentary broadcast-style home learning programs for K-12 student from various park locations across California.
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Forest Service — Recreate Responsibly Winter Toolkit — The toolkit provides resources on planning ahead, weather conditions, avalanche awareness, trash management, and Leave No Trace principles. A Spanish version of the toolkit can be found here.
State Parks and the Forest Reserve thanks visitors for their partnership as we collectively enable responsible recreation that protects the health of visitors and the dedicated parks staff.
“When it comes to sustainability, buck naked is best. Unfortunately, Johnny Law (and Old Man Winter) feel otherwise. Yes we all need to wear clothes. But not all of those clothes are created equal. The issue: the apparel industry is the fourth largest polluter of air and water on Earth. Our solution: wear sustainable.” –Toad & Co.
At Toad & Co., they acknowledge that choosing sustainable options isn’t always the easiest route but they do believe it is the only route. They put the planet above all else and every single one of their products is made using a minimum of 89 percent sustainable fibers and/or fabrics that are third-party certified for responsible manufacturing.
Efforts in Sustainability
All scraps from their organic cotton Primo Tees are upcyled into new fabrics, saving 713 gallons of water per style. 100 percent of their sweaters are OEKO-TEX approved and are free of pesticides, carcinogenic colorants, and heavy metals. Their Eco Indigo Dye is bluesign approved and reduces water use by 90 percent, energy use by 25 percent, and carbon emissions by 305 when compared to conventional dyes. Additionally, their fifteen Re-Form Fabrics are made from 100 percent recycled fibers. In 2018, the company had five Re-Form Fabrics and recycled 12 tons of textile waste. This year, they tripled that number.
Taking their efforts one step further, all garments are mailed in a reusable Limeloop shipper. When you checkout, you simply select the ‘Reusable Limeloop Shipper’ and then return the shipper once you receive your goods. The shipper lasts up to 10 years and will be used again and again to cut down on paper and water waste.
The Fall Line
Like all of their lines, the fall line prioritizes sustainability and the pieces are designed to suit all your needs. Whether you’re spending a day on the water, hitting the trail, dining in town, or stuck in the office, the fall line has you covered. The cozy line features flannels, sweaters, jackets, hoodies, dresses, tees, comfy pants, and so much more. We had the chance to try out the Cruiser Cord Skinny Pants and the Cashmoore Retro Crew for a warm post-paddle outfit and couldn’t have been more pleased by the style, comfort, and quality of the pieces.
Available in four different colors, the Cruiser Cord Skinny Pants are soft, warm, and ultra comfortable. If you’re anything like me, changing out of workout clothes and into street clothes post-paddle is a dreaded activity—but these pants make me excited to do it. Made from 97 percent Organic Cotton and 3 percent Elastane, these pants run a little big, so you may want to order a size down for a better fit.
Also available in four colors, the Cashmoore Retro Crew is an ultra-soft and warm microfleece made from 100 percent polyester. The cut is flattering and the microfleece pairs nicely with the Cruiser Cords for the ultimate comfortable, warm, and trendy post-paddle outfit.
No time to make it to the water? Skateboarding, or in my case landpaddling on a 6’6” longboard, is a great alternative. Anthony Vela first introduced me to the idea a few years back. The benefits and cross-over skills were immediately obvious. I was a bit less enthusiastic about the potential for a broken wrist and wasn’t sure how well a 40 something newbie would fit in at the local skatepark. It didn’t take long, however, for those initial feelings of discomfort to dissipate when I discovered the 6’6” Hamboards Classic.
Improve your balance
From its beginnings, skateboarding has always been a terrestrial form of surfing. Just like their aquatic counterparts in the board business, skateboard manufacturers have been on a quest to enhance the feeling of wave riding on land. The balance required to ride a board on land is the same as it is on the water. Land is a bit less forgiving and you will quickly find all the hills in your neighborhood – especially the slight elevation changes you previously ignored. But there is no mistake, riding a skateboard will go a long way to improving your balance. Practice lowering your center of gravity by squatting. You’ll instantly feel more stable and before long you will be able to transfer you new skills to your standup paddleboard.
Turning
Dipping the rail to carve a turn while skateboarding is the same as when surfing a wave. Like many newcomers to skateboarding, I initially overcompensated in performing a turn by aggressively pressing my toes down on the rail. Just like on your surf SUP, this will cause your board to violently jerk and most likely knock you on your butt. With a little time, patience and practice it won’t be long before you adapt to applying just the right amount of smooth, controlled pressure to steer the board. As with standup paddling and surfing, the phrase “Look down, fall down” applies. Wait until you are proficient before you look down with pride at the logo on the nose of your board!
A post shared by SUP Examiner (@supexaminer) on Jan 2, 2018 at 5:04pm PST
Confidence
Gaining confidence skateboarding will boost your confidence on the water. Instead of simply making a bottom turn and shooting down the line you’ll have a newfound ability to maneuver up and down the face of the wave. Add the landpaddling component and you’ll be able to incorporate paddle handling skill training on land. And if you go large like I did and pick up a Hamboards Classic you can even practice cross-stepping. Just remember that the pavement is a lot less forgiving than water. I often practice cross-stepping while skating up the slight taper on the street in front of my house. By skating up a slight incline you will reduce the likelihood your board will pick up speed and cause you to lose control.
I directly credit my time landpaddling with increasing my wave riding performance. It’s also a heck of a lot of fun. If you are fortunate to live near a bicycle path, try doing a distance skate once you’ve gained confidence performing some basic turns. It’s a great core workout and will help develop your muscles for your next session on the water.
What to wear
Generally speaking, skateboarding attire can be pretty much anything that you can comfortably move in. Based on my experience, I do recommend a pair of shoes with a flat sole. Ideally these would be a skateboarding specific type shoe for maximum grip and no slip on your board. There are a number of skateboard specific shoe brands out there. If you’re like me and don’t exactly fit into the traditional skate shop mold, you’ll be pleased to hear that some outdoor shoe brands also offer designs which work well for skateboarding. I recently picked up a pair of Merrell Freewheel Lace which are a contemporary twist on a classic Oxford style shoe. They have a nice grippy sole that sticks to my Hamboards Classic and embedded air cushion for extra comfort. The shoes are super light, just 1 lb 5 oz, and built with a durable pig suede upper. The Merrell Freewheel Lace are available in three color colors, one of which incorporates some nice orange highlights, which fits my personal style.
Regardless of what you wear, remember to be safe and have fun!
Many of Danny Ching’s accomplishments are widely documented. His consecutive wins at the Battle of the Paddle, 2x Molokai 2 Oahu Champion on an OC-1, and more. What few outside his home outrigger club realize are that his skills as a coach are as impressive as his record as a paddler. Earlier this week members of Anthony Vela’s Performance Paddling Training Club were treated by a visit from Danny Ching when he stopped by after a day at the office to serve as their guest instructor for the evening. The trip to Performance Paddling was a first for Danny Ching and in a small way brought a slice of his career as a waterman full circle as Vela was once a substitute instructor years ago when Danny Ching first set out to become a Los Angeles County Lifeguard.
“What a gift! Feeling super lucky to have Danny Ching share great technique, teaching, analysis & drills last night! So much great information. We have paddlers of all levels in our group and there was value for everyone,” said Kristin Thomas, a long time Performance Paddling member, after the session.
An industry insider tipped me off to Danny Ching’s appearance later in the evening and the next day I called him up to talk about his coaching background and discuss what he enjoys about sharing his knowledge with fellow paddlers.
What do you enjoy the most about coaching?
Danny Ching leads paddlers in a drill during the Performance Paddling clinic. Photo: Mike Muir
From a young age I found people were looking to me to see what we were going to do next. But really, I just like solving problems and figuring it out. Every single paddler is a new puzzle and I recognize how difficult it is to get everyone on the same page; to take what is essentially a feeling, and try to teach it; so that whatever it is I’m feeling and thinking, I have to find a way to put that into words. I have to communicate it to someone else and get them to process it and understand exactly what I’m thinking and then get them to try to do something when they get the same feeling that I have.
So it’s just trying to figure out all the different nuances and different ways and just being as creative and flexible as far as communicating that to different people. I really enjoy that, even though it can get frustrating at times. It’s all about finding those cues and those clicks and recognizing that it is ever-changing and never the same.
I benefited from a lot of really good coaches early in my career and have found that coaching actually helps me improve as a paddler, as well. When I communicate it, when I have to process it and break it down, I discover new advantages, new ways to go fast and recognize how things are connected.
Where have you drawn your coaching knowledge base from? Have you had formal training as a coach to develop your methodology or is your approach based on the amalgamation of your experience as a paddler?
For me, it started with Cliff Meidl and the Olympic training program. Meidl and Josh Crayton were heavily involved in the program back then and I was just a young kid following, watching, and occasionally getting dragged along. My first structured training was the Olympic program and that was what we adopted for the outriggers.
I obtained a teaching credential in college, so I was able to learn all the theory and lessons behind that. I then started to apply it and quickly saw how people learned. Also getting involved with training the Junior Guards on the Lifeguard side of things where I learned how to teach a large group of young children.
But before all that, my first “job” as a coach was coaching the 19 and unders at outrigger when I was just 16 years old!
From all those experiences I learned that how you communicate with people opens up how receptive they are – and that is the most difficult part of coaching.
How long have you been involved with training the Junior Guards and what have been some of your memorable experiences working in that program?
I’ve been working there part-time since 2005. After a couple of summers I found it wasn’t a lot of fun being at the beach all day and not being allowed to go into the water unless you’re conducting a rescue. With the Junior Guard program it is super rewarding to build up the young kids. By far the Junior Guard program is the most fun. Several of the kids I trained have gone on to pursue careers as a lifeguard. The only thing more fun than being a Junior Guard is being in charge of the Junior Guards.
What are some of the lessons which have helped you become a better coach?
Going through the teaching credential program definitely taught me to think about some of the things I was already doing. It also highlighted some of the things I wasn’t as far as how to communicate with different types of people. Some people are visual learners, some are audio, and others learn best by getting out there and doing it. So I’ve been able to transfer that knowledge to my approach as a coach by recognizing that some paddlers learn best if we’re all out paddling and others improve with more explanation.
I am able to draw from my experience across multiple disciplines, but also a willingness to try new things. There are 1,000 different ways to say something, so I’ve learned not to feel uncomfortable or weird by proposing a new approach.
I’ve certainly benefited from the opportunity to travel around the world and compete in different countries, as well. By seeing how other cultures focus on different things I’ve found that the experience has really helped me draw out the little things as a paddler and as a coach. For example, if Tahitians always focus on one thing and they go really fast, then that’s probably the thing that makes them so quick. If the Hawaiians always focus on another thing and they surf really well, then that is probably what makes them efficient paddlers in the surf.
When you are coaching, how do you keep the program fresh and engaging?
I have to recognize when people are having difficulty accomplishing the goal and then implement small changes so they benefit. With outrigger, Lanakila’s program has been the same for about the past 10 years. The biggest thing is recognizing what your body will derive the most benefit from at a given moment. The goal is to put your body in a certain comfort zone. When you are going easy you need to focus on technique. If you are going 70 percent there is a different focus. When you’re sprinting there is a completely different focus.
So what I’ve found is that while the standard program may not have changed, as a coach I have to recognize when someone’s body is tired, they mentally are no longer engaged, or kind of bored or just mentally over the situation. That is a signal that it is time for me to switch things up. And fortunately, there are 1,000 ways to get 60 minutes of training in. You can pyramid up and down; Train in a group; Go out with some friends. You can go by yourself and listen to music. It is just recognizing all those little differences and switching it up every so often.
Being able to recognize what paddlers are going to benefit from the most on any given day is very important. Sometimes you have to throw out the plan because you recognize they are going to derive a greater benefit from practicing a different concept than you initially had in mind.
Walk me through your process of teaching a new concept to someone who is struggling.
When people are overwhelmed they begin to struggle. So to counter that as a coach, I start taking things away from them in terms of in-depth explanation and analysis. I’ll often just break things down to the building blocks of conveying that paddling is a feeling.
The most important thing is to just slow things down. Then start moving body parts, knowing how they are most likely to react. Also, getting a paddler to perform a certain action without a detailed explanation of why it will help. Just focus on simple explanations and concepts.
How is your approach to coaching young paddlers different from working with adults?
Danny Ching works with a student at the Performance Paddling clinic. Photo: Mike Muir
It’s totally different! With young paddlers, I can basically just line them up and they will naturally find the way. It’s the same with new paddlers. They don’t know any better, so I’ll just give them some basic things to think about. They’ll usually take a few strokes, perhaps look a bit concerned, and then they will get it.
With adults or people who have been paddling for a while, they tend to do the same thing, only harder. So the concept then is to figure out what type of learner they are. Do they have to do it, do they need to feel it, do they have to hear it. With verbal instruction, getting paddlers on the same page is the primary hurdle. For example, when I say “reach”, every single person has a different idea of what that means. If I say “sit up”, I’ll grab their bodies and I’ll sit them up. I am always focusing on defining the verbiage when I give instructions. It’s something I learned from teaching young kids.
One time I was coaching a nine-year old in outrigger and I told him he needed to get his hands wet. He still needed to make an adjustment, so I said “put your hands under water”. He set his paddle across his lap, shoved both hands in the water and looked at me and smiled! That cued to me that while my instructions made total sense to me, they didn’t make sense to him.
Kid’s and women are the easiest to coach because unlike guys, their solution to everything is not to go harder or bigger or stronger.
What is your take on the different electronic gadgets out there. Is there a particular type of device you recommend?
It’s all personal preference. If it were up to me, there would be no gadgets, no music, no anything. That allows me to focus a bit more on what’s going on. If I’m focused on the ocean, I can feel the rhythm of the boat, I can feel my body, I can feel all these things, so I don’t like to use any gadgets. That said, they are extremely helpful at providing real-time data. So now I do use a GPS as often as I can to get real-time data on my speed.
I found when I was younger and I paddled by myself, if it was flat and I was going to go do an intense workout, I would listen to music to help get into the mindset and I would paddle to the rhythm of the music.
Photo Gallery of Danny Ching’s Visit to the Performance Paddling Clinic
Danny Ching is the owner of 404 SUP and Hippostick Paddles. He serves as the men’s coach at the Lanakila Outrigger Canoe Club in Redondo Beach, California.
#Training #performancepaddling #SUPClinic #Coaching #DannyChing #PaddleClinic #AnthonyVela #DanaPoint #KristinThomas
Newcomers to the sport of stand up paddling are faced with an important question, regardless of whether they are renting or purchasing equipment; how to choose their SUP paddle. At first glance, the long shafts and angled blades may all look pretty similar. Sure, it makes sense for a taller person to use a longer shaft. But how long should it really be? Similarly, the size of your blade can have a profound impact on your experience.
Paddle Length
There is not one concrete formula to calculating how long a paddle should be. Factors to consider in addition to your height are the type of paddling you will be doing: surfing, touring or racing. As a general guideline, paddles are between 7-9 inches (17-23 cm) taller than your height.
If your primary use of the paddle will be surfing, then you may opt for a length on the shorter end of the scale to provide more torque which will enable you to quickly power up to catch waves. Additionally, SUP surfers are routinely bending their knees and waist to balance which lowers their position on the board relative to the water, thereby necessitating a shorter paddle.
SUP racers tend to prefer a slightly longer paddle than a surfer, although the current trend is for shorter lengths than were common in the early days of SUP. Although the lengths have trended towards shorter paddles, paddles primarily used for racing are generally still longer than a dedicated surfing paddle.
If your primary use of the paddle will be recreational touring, then you will be best served with a paddle at the longer end of the scale. The reason for this is the longer paddle will allow your body to remain in a comfortable upright position while paddling and taking in the sights.
Too short of a paddle can cause a strain on your back over time. Similarly, using too long of a paddle will cause your top arm to remain in an awkward elevated position which can put a strain on your shoulders. Lastly, paddle length is always a matter of personal preference. If you are comfortable using it, then that is the “correct” length for you.
Paddle Blade Size
Now for the blade. SUP paddle blades range from 60 sq/in (152 sq/cm) all the way up to 120 sq/in (305 cm/sq). As your height is to a paddles length, your weight is the measurement used when fitting the most appropriate blade size. A child or lighter paddler will use a significantly smaller blade than a 225 lb (120 kg) paddler.
Quickblade paddles each have a sticker denoting their blade size, which makes for a handy reference.
Like the paddle’s length, there is not one formula for calculating blade size and not all paddle manufacturers make their blades in the same size specifications. With that in mind, we have found that blade sizes in the 80 sq/in (203 sq/cm) to 86 sq/in (218 sq/cm) range are best suited for paddlers 150 lbs (68 kg) and less.
Blades from 87 sq/in (221 sq/cm) to 97 sq/in (246 sq/cm) are best suited for paddlers between 150 lbs (68 kg) – 180 (82 kg). Moving up, for every additional 30-40 lbs (14-18 kg), you may want to consider a blade that is approximately 10 sq/in (25 sq/cm) larger.
As with a paddle’s length, the size of the blade is ultimately a matter of personal preference. Blades with a smaller surface area will enable paddlers to maintain a higher stroke cadence – an important factor for SUP racers. Some paddlers may prefer a larger surface area if they primarily use their paddle while surfing for increased torque and thrust while maneuvering in and out of the surf.
Quickblade Blade Size Selection Chart.
Paddle Guides
Many dedicated paddle manufacturers such as Quickblade Paddles and Kialoa provide customers with a chart to assist in determining a recommended paddle length, other manufactures may provide similar fitting tools. Quickblade Paddles has gone the extra step of providing a chart that matches a paddler’s weight with a recommended blade size accompanied by a list of products meeting the recommended specification.
As with choosing a board, SUP Examiner recommends you try as many different types of paddles as possible, making note of the blade size and overall length, before making your purchase. Visit SUP Examiner’s Reviews section for our take on some of the popular products in the industry. If you don’t find what you are looking for, let us know, and we’ll do our best to obtain a sample for evaluation.
