OT - 14' downwind SUP "the orca" (pic heavy)

With the explosion of standup divisions in all the races, I could see that “Large marge” wasnt going to be getting it done. Granted, she tracks true as the north star, but she also weighs in around 50 pounds and plows water like its going out of style.

What I wanted was a board to handle the downwind runs along the coast, and be able to cruise a bit better. It would have to be light, go straight, and have a clean entry and exit to plow as little water as possible. The dimensions I came up with where 13’ 11.5" long (the “stock” class stops at 14’), 27.5" wide (for stability reasons) and around 5" thick.

I wanted the thickness throughout the board to be able to haul gear for spearfishing and camping excursions. It has very little rocker compared to it’s hawaiian brudda’s…

I went with a pretty full outline. Overall, I dont know if the template actually matters all that much in relation to the bottom contours.

For a bottom, I know I wanted a light feeling stroke. So I put a paddleboard entry that rolled into a huge single concave. I wanted “lift” throught the lenght of the board to get it up on top of the water and moving. The planing versus displacment hull concept hasnt really been decided in standup.

I dont know if this is the best way, but I do know that it pulls very easy. That being said, with it sitting on top of the water, it wants to wander a bit. I tried to help that out, with 2 inline fins for a truer track. But going upwind, you are still going to wear it. Maybe to much board out of the water, who knows…

It corrected the problem to a degree, but its still pretty easy to pull off course. You steer it by pushing the outside rail into the water, which carves the nose in and pulls it back the other way.

Its got a really clean release, with hard rails starting a little forward of halfway back.

Overall, I pretty happy with this one.

Its stringerless1.5 pound EPS with a 4 oz. plus 6 oz. volan bottom and a 4 oz + 6 oz. + 6 oz. volan top. I shot a ghetto primer coat on it (trying to make a race day) and didnt let it cure at all. So I obviously dented the top all th hell. The primer is suprisingly grippy and instead of the gloss bottomed “wetted” surface, I rough sanded it to 220, creating an airy surface. Theory being, air gets in the scratches, and rides faster than a glossed surface.

Finished weight was 28.5 pounds with a very small pad and no plugs.

It paddles well and can actually catch waves, just make sure you get the front fin out.

On the next one, Im pulling in the tail and the nose. I’ll try a double concave out the back on the bottom, and will do a carbon deck. The front fin will go more forward (in front of my feet) and the back one will sit really close to the tail. But that a board on a differnet color.

Big thanks and mahalo plenty

Ken at Segway Composites/American Blanks. Nicest guy ever. Wealth of knowledge and in severe need of a dinner on me.

Blane at Paddle Surf Hawaii for the good talks and getting me stoked every time I paddle out.

EJ at JBS paddles for showinf me how to make a sick woody. You make the best my man.

And for some more big news… I got a dog. His name is Taj (cuz’ he’s an aussie acrobat) and he loves me. But I feed him, so maybe his views are a bit biased. He like running, the beach, balls, frisbee and humping, but not nesecarrily in that order…

He’s a full blooded australian shepard, but I got him from the pound. I guess some heartless bastards cant handle an energetic dog after its not 3 months old anymore…

See you folks next board…

“mazel tov” to you and jami on the new addition…and the board’s cool, too.