Stand Up Paddle Surfing uk / Stand Up Paddle Boarding in Swansea & Gower, Wales. UK
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Sup Gower
Fanatic Falcon – race boards
Written by matt on Wednesday 8 May 2013
Just had the 14ft x 27.5 Brushed carbon Fanatic Falcon race SUP into THE SUP HUT !
OMG….If you have ever read about or watched stand up paddle board ‘downwinding’ on youtube , nothing comes close to catching even the smallest of windswells on a longer race board.
This board is amazing , Ive had 12’6 race boards and even a 14ft board before, but Fanatic have worked some magic on this!
The 14ft x 27.5″ Falcon model in my mind is insane , stable and very fast, even up into the wind, can’t wait to get this thing out in some open swell, as I was managing to catch 1 ft windswell glides of 20ft or more !
The theory behind SUP Downwinding is, a route is planned along the coastline where the paddler can drift/ paddle down the coast to a planned exit point with the wind behind him, making the paddle relatively easy.
In theory this sounds great , but carrying a 14ft board just to the start point can be enough to put a lot of people off never mind once your out in the ocean and something bad should happen , like a snapped leash separating you from the board!
There is some great reading here – if you are planning a downwinder and want to know the risks and what you should carry .
SUP DOWNWINDING – THE LOW DOWN
If you are interested in SUP racing boards – get in touch , and we can help steer you in the right direction, Carbon race SUP’s are scary price , but there are many other options which will get you out on the water in style.
Call 0n 01792 446511
BIC SPORT 12’6 WING SUP
Written by matt on Thursday 25 Apr 2013
Just had the 12’6 BIC Wing SUP board into stock , and happy to say it’s a success from all who have tried our demo model.
A stable platform with a cutting style bow nose makes this a great entry level race or Touring board which will happily satisfy those who want to use it for longer coastal cruises.
The new handle makes carrying this large SUP easy and its outer thermoformed plastic shell give it pretty bombproof construction.
The tie down holes on the deck make attaching a bungy cord for carrying a bag easy , Bic even do a specific deck bag for the job!
12’6 BIC WING BOARD SPECS
Length 12’6″ / 381 cm
Width 30″ / 76 cm
Weight 34lbs / 15.5 Kg
Volume 285 L
Here is what Bic have to say:
The new 12’6 WING is a Touring SUP designed for fitness paddling, flatwater cruising, open ocean touring and recreational racing. It’s aimed at medium and larger riders looking for a board with excellent glide that is versatile and easy to ride. With 285 liters volume the 12’6 WING is ideal for beginners up to 260lbs, with plenty of floatation for larger intermediate riders. ACE-TEC construction offers a unique combination of durability AND lightweight performance at a great price. New ERGO-GRIP carry handle = Easier Transport + Less Fatigue!
See more pictures of the BIC 12’6 wing SUP board on our online shop
Barker 8’2
Written by matt on Tuesday 23 Apr 2013
A few Pictures of another Barker Paddlesurf 8’2 Rapture model going out to Nick Wall.
5 fin FCS or Future Boxes.
Here is what Nick sent us today ……!
Just a quick update, the board is awesome. Had an absolutely mega session at Saunton last Sat, clean, not much wind, waist to shoulder-ish. Responsive or what!! Wow! Even got up on the nose. I wasn’t really expecting it to be that good in waves that size, thought it would require waves with a bit more oomph. Went out again this morning to Saunton, no wind, but a bit lumpy, still awesome fun, but found it much more tiring than the 9’1″. Took a fair few falls! Anyway, absolutely love it, and can’t wait to get it out in some clean bigger waves.
Nick chose the 8’2 x 30″ wide model – He weighs 95kg
Barker Paddlesurf boards exclusively available at The SUP HUT in Swansea , call us on 01792 446511 or email us on mail@supgower.com , more details of the boards on BARKER PADDLESURF BOARDS
Fun Race – The Bay 6k
Written by matt on Monday 22 Apr 2013
UPDATE
Due to heavy FOG the SUP gathering Paddle across the bay was postponed and the 12 paddlers who turned up raced a short 2.1 mile course up towards West cross and back .
Thanks to all who came down – we’ll have to wait for better weather before the Bay 6k paddle.
Wednesday 24th April 2013 , The forecast at the moment looks good for the first Gower SUP boarding community fun paddle across Swansea bay on wednesday evening.
Tides
High water is at 6.20pm and is a 12.20M
The meet point will be at The ‘Y’ slip which is located directly in front of the Pilot Pub in Mumbles.
The paddle will then commence across the bay to the Navigation post and then back to the finish at the 360 centre opposite st Helens rugby cricket ground.
There is parking at the knab rock car park and free parking on Mumbles road if you can find a space.
The paddle will start promptly at 6.00pm
The finish is at The 360 Watersports centre , where there will be two flags which you will have to run through with your Paddle on the beach.
The Watersports centre has FREE changing and shower facilities for male and female and a cafe but closes at 7.30pm so a good idea to push yourself and see if you can make it over in an hour !
Race times – The fastest paddlers will complete the full course in around 45 minutes the slowest paddler dipping their paddle in the water occasionally will take 1 hour 30 minutes.
If you are finding it hard you can paddle straight across the bay which will take around 30 minutes less time and around 1 km off the distance making it easier.
The journey back
There will be one van traveling back to Mumbles at the end of the race. or you can paddle back over tide assisted !
Hope to see you there ! CALL me on 07799062447 for more info / details
DISCLAIMER
It is the responsibility of each individual Paddler to assure that his or her fitness level is adequate to paddle the selected distance. It is also the responsibility of the individual to pace themselves according to their fitness level and the conditions on race day such as heat, humidity, rain, wind and cold.
Ladies Stand up Paddling
Written by matt on Friday 12 Apr 2013
These Three ladies from Swansea have started there Stand up paddling training regime ready for the lineup of SUP races and events happening across the U.K this summer.
Abi Barker-Smith , Jay Carnie Doyle and Mi Richardson took to the water last night to train on their longer distance paddle boards which are better suited to speed and longer distances.
Although training can be a hard slog in rough conditions when the wind is up and the seas are rough , finding flat and calm water is relatively easy on and around the Gower and Swansea.
Mumbles at high tide often has flatter seas than the rest of the Gower coastline as its protected by South west winds.
Abi , Jay and Mi say they really enjoy the social aspect of stand up paddling which although easy doesn’t get much training done is a fantastic way to exercise and socialise.
They are in training for Brighton’s Stand up Paddleboard events at “Paddle round the Pier” a free beach festival.
The particular event they are training for is the Slipstrem Triple S’ find more info here
Jay has written a feature for a national online Paddleboard magazine about her training exploits – read it here BREAKING THE COMFORT ZONE | JAY DOYLE
SO Fancy getting into Paddle boarding, a great way to exercise on the water and tone your core muscles – get in touch with us – we can offer Ladies only Introduction to Paddle boarding.
Click here – Stand up Paddling lessons
E MAIL – mail@supgower.com or call 07799062447 / landline 01792 446511
Distance Custom SUP’s
Written by matt on Friday 5 Apr 2013
The Winds are still strong , so I hope you’re all heading to protected waters to get paddling.
Just had a fantastic paddle up Swansea’s river Tawe.
I had been invited by the boys at HAZESUP to test out there 12ft Explorer and 17ft Velocitas stand up paddle boards.
But, a strong north east wind didn’t stop us from gaining some distance into the wind.
The 12ft Explorer at 31″ wide faired well in the chop , its a stable board with a nice bit of tail rocker so supposedly also surfs well,good glide and some great elasticated fastenings make this the Francis Drake of paddle boards !
Next up with the wind gusting down the narrow valley of the Tawe river , was the 17ft Velocitas , a sharp-prowed hull with a big but low sail middle and a jet-like stern.
Very fast with awesome glide , this board was made for flat water and handled the headwind very well, your attention had to be spot on with your paddle strokes, too late on the paddle recovery and exit meant the board seemed to twitch to one side and as the wind caught the nose it could have bucked me off, however I survived the Tawe’s depths and the seal which was trying to keep up with me !
Turning around up by the Copper quarter and The Liberty stadium the wind became a friend and took all 3 of us downwind reaching an estimated 4 knots just standing on our boards and gliding down back to Swansea SA1 waterfront!
Great fun and fantastic to see the sunshine !
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