Arizona Stand Up Paddling

paddling the AZ and beyond

AZ SUP and Falling In

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Splash on flickr

So, if you SUP on the waters of Hawaii or the Carribean or places like that, you probably couldn’t care less about falling in the water.

If you’re looking to come out to Tempe Town Lake in AZ to try SUP for the first time, then it might be a different story. Now I love Tempe Town Lake and couldn’t be more grateful that we have it here in the city but it isn’t the cleanest body of water. That being said, I have no problem paddling it at all.

Talking to people who are thinking about coming out paddling SUP with us, many are worried about falling into the water there and they shouldn’t be.

The things is, it’s highly, highly unlikely that you’re going to fall into the water your first time. Most of the times that I’ve fallen in the water were after I’d been paddling for a few weeks when I started working on pivot turns & doing other goofy stuff.

If it’s your first time, the odds are that you aren’t going to be trying anything too crazy. The boards that you’ll likely paddle are around 34″ wide. That’s pretty wide. Race boards can be a good deal more tippy but they are a lot narrower – down to around 25″. I’ve been on a 27″ wide board (Surftech Bark Competitor) that was definitely less stable but that’s not likely to be the board you paddle your first time.

The only other people who I’ve seen have some balance challenges were heavier folks – like 250 lbs-ish. We have some pretty big boards and the rentals at Tempe Town Lake are the same. With those, you can definitely paddle safely if you are around that weight. At that point though, a bit of balance does help. As the person to board ratio goes up, you need a bit more balance and skill.

Of course some tips regarding SUP make a world of difference as well. Some of the key ones we always share with people are:

  • Start out with a low center of gravity. We typically have friends & family start on their knees & then stand up as they feel comfortable.
  • Your balance is much better when you have the paddle in the water. It serves as another point of balance/support. So keep paddling.
  • Balancing is also easier when the board is moving. Same concept as riding a bike. As the board gets moving, it gets increasingly stable.
  • It’s also much easier to balance when the lake is still. Wind comes up in the afternoons and then dies down again in the evenings. So paddle early or later if it’s your first time to enhance your chances of flat water. Also check the trees wherever you are when you’re considering heading down to the lake. If you see them blowing up top, there’s likely a bit of chop on the lake.
  • Easiest way to fall in is waiting for someone with your board at a stop and looking back behind you. If you’re a bit uncomfortable with your balance and you’re out there & waiting for someone, drop down to you knees when you’re not paddling.
  • Wait a time or two before you try pivot turns. 😉

So with that quit worring about falling in to Tempe Town Lake and go SUP!

Oil for the Tin Man

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Finally got back on the water today. It was a lovely day, nice and sunny with a high of 67 degrees.

The weather has actually been amazing the last few weeks but we’ve been hammered with the house move, the holidays and bouts with the flu and cold. Well, we finally pushed the excuses aside today and got on the water. Went down with Heather, the kids and a neighbor kid.

We didn’t get any crazy workouts in but at least we started our paddling initiative of 2012.

As I expected, I was creaky and my stroke wasn’t anything fabulous but I know that comes back quickly. One of the things in my head was that I had this nagging pain in my lower back that I haven’t been able to stretch to gone. The cool thing was that on my first run, I felt that exact spot getting cranky and screaming when I was paddling on the right. As I continued to paddle, it felt like it was loosening up.

It’s crazy but it seems that so many of our ails are helped just by getting them moving. And that spot on my right lower back, seems to avoid muscle movement/involvement no matter how I try to stretch and loosen it. Well SUP did the exact trick. While I was creaky and stilting on the board, I can already tell that it’s going to help and a few outings along with my regular stretching routine is going to make it go right away.

Anyway, lovely day, fun trip to the lake with the family. Tough to beat for a Sunday.

Oh, and the water was coollllldddd….

SUP Storage Rack v1

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So we’ve been off the water for a bit with extended family bouts of flu, cold and a house move.With the move to the house, we found ourselves with less storage and really needed some additional floor space so it was time to work out something for a SUP rack.

I’d been looking at a variety of options and found some that I thought about buying.

SUP Racks for Purchase

I particularly liked the Expandable Ceiling Surfboard & SUP Rack from http://storeyourboard.com but it was quite pricey and at this point I couldn’t have waited anyway.

I will say that I am a bit bummed that you cannot get the base rack with a SUP attachment on the base rack instead of a surfboard one. I’m storing our SUPs in our garage so maximum clearance is what I’m looking for. With this rack, the base rack only comes with a surfboard mount (26″ wide instead of 33″). They say lots of people use that to store paddles which would be cool but I’d rather have the additional 8″ or so in clearance. So if you’re like me, you’d still need the 2 SUP upgrade and be looking at $250 or so.

We also thought about the SUP Wall Rack as it’d be cool to have the boards on display but we don’t have the wall space. It’s also quite a bit cheaper.

Building a SUP Rack

So with those 2 options not being perfect, I figured I’d replicate something I found on Stand Up Zone. I used DavidJohn‘s roller SUP racks as a model. With those in mind, my buddy, Nathan, and I hit Home Depot and freestyled a bit.

I’ll put together a more detailed post on the components and the actual building of the racks but here they are.

Roller SUP Racks

If you are thinking about figuring out your own custom solution, there are also a bunch more posts on the How Do You Store Your SUPs thread on Stand Up Zone.

SUP Rack v2

So I’m pretty happy with the rack at this point but I still need to get it closer to the ceiling to provide more clearance. I actually used the hooks that were already in the garage ceiling (made for bikes) so switching those out or smaller eye bolts would help. What I’m going to do though is split up the ceiling connections into 4 (1 at each corner of each rack) rather than have just the 2 connection points. Pushing the SUPs on to the rack caused them to move a bit back and forth as well as sway and twist horizontally. I’m fine with the back and forth movement but don’t think I want to deal with the horizontal twisting ongoing.

I’m also going to attach 4 pulleys at those connection points and then route the rope back to a common point where I’ll put additional pulleys and then bring them down the wall to 1 of 2 attachment points. I want to be able to bring the boards up and down easily so it makes for easy loading and then also stores at maximum height for the greatest amount of clearance.

The poles and rollers should serve fine though and will function the same in v2.

I will definitely post more (and final build) details as we get this completed!

AZ SUP Meetup Friday 9:30 at TTL

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It looks like we are going to have a SUP meetup at 9:30 am on Friday, 11/25/11 at Tempe Town Lake.

I was contacted by Garrett of Sawyer Wooden Standup Paddleboards from Lake Tahoe. He’s going to be in town for the Thanksgiving week and is looking to get out at Tempe Town Lake and would love to paddle with some of the locals. He will also have a 12’6 hollow wooden SUP that experienced paddlers can try.

Don’t think it will be a bunch of us but we’ll be heading to Boat Beach to catch up and get some time on the water.

Come join us!

 

 

We Need a Paddle Wheeler

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Sorry I’ve been remiss about posting but after Ignite Phoenix, we had a round of the sick here and then we bought a house. We’re still in the process of moving in so I haven’t had the time I’d like to write but I do have a bunch of posts in the works.

Since I’m feeling guilty, I thought I’d share a killer video I came across. Dan Gavere surfing the wake of a sternwheeler. Great angles & good tunes.

Oh but for a paddle wheeler here in the AZ…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXsMbrR5yic[/youtube]

What SUP at Ignite Phoenix 11

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Just wanted to say a big thanks to the warm, generous crowd at Ignite Phoenix tonight!

I was honored to be able to present and I had a complete blast speaking so many folks about SUP.

I must also say a big thanks to the Ignite Phoenix organizers and all the volunteers. It’s such a great, great event every single time!

Will post video as soon as it’s released. For now, here is a link to the slide deck.

What SUP? Stand Up Paddling in AZ – Ignite Phoenix 11

View more presentations from Chris Lee

 

Basic SUP Technique

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There isn’t a whole lot that you need to get paddling. In fact you can just grab your paddle, push on out into the water and stand up & give it a shot.

There are some basics though that will help you out. One of my favorite subjects is technique and there are different schools of thought. We’ll definitely dig into those in the future but for now, we’ll talk about some concepts that are common among all.

Now to get on your board…

BOARD TIP: With regard to your board, the first thing to note is that hand well (if your board has one – and most do) is located right at the center of the board’s gravity. So when you get on your board, you want to kneel around it and when you stand up, you are going to want to stand up around it.

Getting On Your SUP

  • When you go to get on your board, make sure you’re far enough into the water that your board and your fin are not going to drag on the ground.
  • Then bend over and hold your board with both your hands just a bit higher than the center hand well. Hold it still and slide your first knee on just outside the hand well. Then holding with both hands, push off and pull your other knee up on the other side of the hand well.

SUP Positions

As you’re heading out, there are 3 main positions you can take.

  • You can kneel on your heels. This is going to keep your center of gravity lowest and keep you most stable. If your ankles aren’t flexible though, it might be the most comfortable position. Some folks also feel some arch pain in this position. I personally (with some stretching of the ankles, knees and quads) find it quite confortable and will often drop down if I’m waiting for someone or if I’m doing a lot of talking.

    If you’re paddling on your knees, don’t try to grasp the handle at the top of your paddle. Keep your top hand also on the shaft and keep both thumbs up.

  • You can then kneel upright. This is a bit more comfortable than kneeling on your heels and it’s a bit less stable. It’s a good interim step before standing up though.
  • And then you can stand. This is by far the most comfortable but it’s also the least stable. Standing with your board still is about the hardest thing you can do on your SUP. Once you start paddling, the paddle acts as another “leg” that you can use to balance yourself.

Standing Up

  • To stand up, get your hands back down on the board so you’re on all fours. Then pull one foot up outside the hand well. Then pull the other foot up. Then push off your hands into a standing position.
  • As far as your foot placement, you stand with your feet side parallel surrounding the hand well. The further out your feet are, the more stable.
  • When you first start paddling, you might find balancing just a bit of effort. It only takes 2 or 3 times out to get really comfortable and turn the standing into more of a “bone movement” but your first couple, you could very well feel like your legs are working hard. Also a good idea to keep just a bit of flex in the knees.
  • Another good tip is that you want to keep your feet and toes loose. Some people experience some arch pain when they get on a board. It typically comes from grabbing the board with your toes. Keep your toes loose and you’ll pretty much avoid this.

And then to paddle…

PADDLE TIP: When paddling, one thing you need to do is find the proper hand position for you on the paddle. A good starting point is to hold the paddle up over your head and make sure you have about a 90 degree angle between your upper arm and forearms. That is a good rule of thumb and then you can experiment with your hands wider and narrower to see what works best for you.

Paddling Basics

  • When you paddle, you want to make sure that the angle in the blade (if there is one in yours) is pointing forward. Additionally, most paddles have a decal on them. That typically should be pointing forward (really just an indicator of how the angle in the blade should go).
  • Another fundamental is that you paddle on both sides. You paddle on one side and then to correct the course of your board or to give that side a breather, you switch to the other.
  • Switching is done by letting go with the top hand and bringing that underneath the bottom hand and then sliding what was the bottom hand up until it grasps the handle and becomes the top hand.

SUP Stroke Technique

  • SUP technique reachingA big, huge key to paddling well is to try to take your arms out of it. You don’t want to be bending your elbows and trying to move the board with your arms. Your biceps and triceps will get fatigued quickly & you’ll be done. The idea is to keep your arms pretty straight with just a bit of bend in the elbows.
  • So what you do use is lats, obliques, abs, lower back to rotate your shoulders around your spine.
  • The shoulder of the bottom hand reaches way forward while the shoulder of the top hand rotates back.
  • You also want to bury the whole blade of your paddle in the water before you start pulling. Ideally the water around your paddle will stay quiet. You won’t see any ripples or waves. Ripples or waves (often called cavitation in this scenario) just takes power away from  your stroke.
  • And during the stroke, you don’t want to pull too far back. When you get past the point where the paddle is perpendicular (this is where the 10 degree angle of the paddle helps), you’re actually pulling the board down into the water and creating drag. Once you hit about your feet, quit pulling and bring the paddle out of the water.
  • For a little more power, you can also bend a bit at the hips on the downstroke and put a little more body weight on the blade.

Other SUP Stroke Tips

  • Think about is keeping your arms and hands relaxed in the recovery. Keep your hands pretty relaxed throughout the stroke in general. There is no need to have a death grip on the paddle.
  • Keep your paddle as vertical as possible when you are paddling. You don’t want it angled from the water with your top hand way over the middle or alternate edge of the board. Keeping your paddle vertical will help keep the board going straight.
  • And reach. When you are paddling, the bulk of the good you are doing is out front. So reach forward with that bottom hand shoulder. One of the godfathers of SUP, Dave Kalama, has a saying of “reach, damnit, reach” so….reach… 🙂

Much, much more on this to come!!!

Here’s a good video by Jim Terrell of Quickblade Paddles as well:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ANelSnn0y8[/youtube]

AZ SUP Permits and Passes

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So you have your first board and paddle and you’re ready to jump in the water. Did you know that you need a permit in order to paddle in Arizona lakes?

Wondering if you need anything else?

You do NOT need to register your stand up paddleboard. You can see at the Arizona Game and Fish Department website that there is only call for registration when a watercraft is motorized. I verified this with a call to the AZGFD. You can also see this at the Boater’s Guide site by Boat Ed, the official provider of Arizona’s boating safety course (developed in conjunction with Arizona Game and Fish). Non-motorized vessels are specifically excepted.

What you do need though, is a permit.

And depending on where you paddle, you will need different permits.

Tempe Town Lake

If you are going to paddle at Tempe Town Lake, you need a specific permit for that lake. Permits are good for a year and are $50 annually per watercraft. If you are a Tempe resident, the cost is discounted to $25 annually per watercraft. Daily permits are also available for $10 per day (Tempe resident or not).

You can purchase your permit at:

Recreation Administration Office
2nd Floor, Tempe Public Library
3500 S. Rural Rd., Tempe AZ 85282
(480) 350-5200
Monday-Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Pyle Adult Recreation Center
655 E. Southern Ave., Tempe AZ 85282
(480) 350-5211
Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Friday 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

I went to the Tempe Public Library. If you’re going to head there, as soon as you step in the door, head for the elevator on the left and take it to the 2nd floor. Once you get out, head toward your right and you’ll see the office with the glass wall on the lobby.

A tip is that permits are done by month. So if it’s nearing the end of the month and you can wait a few days, try to wait until the 1st of the next month so your permit will be valid for that much longer.

Other Arizona Lakes

If you’re looking to paddle other lakes in Arizona, you’re likely to need a Tonto Pass.

The Tonto Pass is a daily use pass. There are 2 components to a Tonto Pass. There is the pass itself and then there are water craft use stickers. You do NOT need a water craft use sticker to stand up paddle. They are again only needed for motorized watercraft.

Tonto daily passes are $6. You need to scratch off the date and time you are using it for and then they are good for a 24 hour period. A Tonto Pass is needed for each car parking at the lake.

Tonto Passes are required for:

  • Saguaro Lake
  • Canyon Lake
  • Bartlett Lake
  • Apache Lake
  • Roosevelt Lake

Passes are valid at the recreation areas, NOT the marinas. See detailed info on valid Tonto Pass locations.

You can buy Tonto Passes ahead of time at a variety of locations. You can buy them:

Lake Pleasant

If you’re heading to Lake Pleasant, they do things a bit different there. They charge a fee for entry. It is $6 per vehicle or $2 per person in a van or a bus.

Nothing to be done ahead of time here. Just pay as you enter.

Great Saguaro Lake Trip!

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Had a great trip to the lake this past weekend. We got a bunch of family up SUPing for the first time, had a nice picnic and just enjoyed the lake.

My mom, Heather’s mum & stepdad and my 5 year old nephew got out on the stand up paddleboards for their first times and really enjoyed it. That is one of the things I love most about stand up paddling. Anybody can do it from young, young kids to folks even a bit older than me. 🙂

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