Here's a great write up on the basics of SUP, (Stand Up Paddling), from the Pono House Blog.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Welcome to the Portland Oregon SUP blog
Well here it is! Finally got my SUP Paddle Boarding Portland blog up and running.
To start I'll list my gear and a few spots I've been to.
I sold both of my surfboards and got an NSP 11" x 31" and a locally made Sawyer SUP paddle. Both were bought at Gorge Performance. (You can get them to hook you up with a Dakine board bag if you ask nice). Here's a review of the NSP 11" by Stand Up Paddle Surfing Magazine.
The NSP is a great starter board that will have a lot of longevity as you increase in skill level and at just under $1000, it won't break your wallet as bad as some other names. I tested numerous boards including Oxbow, C4, Gerry Lopez, and Starboard and I can tell you the NSPs are very durable, stable, and track very well for long flatwater paddling trips. In short- they are a blast. Where you may notice some performance differences is in surfing, (although I have taken my NSP out to Oswald West; also known as Short Sands, and had a great time dropping in on 3-4 foot peaks and found the board is pretty darned maneuverable for it's size.) If you have a lot of money to burn and high performance surfing is a must, you may notice better performance from the C4, Gerry Lopez and Starboard models; just be ready to spend $400-$500 more on them.
Flatwater spots that make great after-work paddles in the Portland Metro area and will also not have you coming out of the water glowing green:
1. West Linn off of exit 6 at HWY 205: The 10th Street boat ramp. One of the relatively clean places to paddle the Willamette and get some great exploring in. It's a very pretty place.
2. George Rogers park in Lake Oswego: Another great spot to put in and explore some of the more scenic parts of the Willamette in the metro area; Also still pretty decent water quality. Very pretty park with a nice long paddle up to Willamette Falls.
That's it for now. More to come!
To start I'll list my gear and a few spots I've been to.
I sold both of my surfboards and got an NSP 11" x 31" and a locally made Sawyer SUP paddle. Both were bought at Gorge Performance. (You can get them to hook you up with a Dakine board bag if you ask nice). Here's a review of the NSP 11" by Stand Up Paddle Surfing Magazine.
The NSP is a great starter board that will have a lot of longevity as you increase in skill level and at just under $1000, it won't break your wallet as bad as some other names. I tested numerous boards including Oxbow, C4, Gerry Lopez, and Starboard and I can tell you the NSPs are very durable, stable, and track very well for long flatwater paddling trips. In short- they are a blast. Where you may notice some performance differences is in surfing, (although I have taken my NSP out to Oswald West; also known as Short Sands, and had a great time dropping in on 3-4 foot peaks and found the board is pretty darned maneuverable for it's size.) If you have a lot of money to burn and high performance surfing is a must, you may notice better performance from the C4, Gerry Lopez and Starboard models; just be ready to spend $400-$500 more on them.
Flatwater spots that make great after-work paddles in the Portland Metro area and will also not have you coming out of the water glowing green:
1. West Linn off of exit 6 at HWY 205: The 10th Street boat ramp. One of the relatively clean places to paddle the Willamette and get some great exploring in. It's a very pretty place.
2. George Rogers park in Lake Oswego: Another great spot to put in and explore some of the more scenic parts of the Willamette in the metro area; Also still pretty decent water quality. Very pretty park with a nice long paddle up to Willamette Falls.
That's it for now. More to come!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)