Disclaimer: this is going to read like a sales pitch. It is not. I’m in no way affiliated with Stellar surfskis, not sponsored, no kick-backs, nothing. I love my Epic V10 as much as any man can love a boat. It’s the perfect boat for me. But then, sometimes, when you least expect it, another [...]

When I found out there was a sea kayak division in the surf contest at the Hobuck Hoedown, I knew exactly who to call: Sterling Donalson, the legendary kayak designer and builder who’s helped Heather and I build, fix, modify, tweak, re-design and win races in pretty much every boat we’ve owned since we moved [...]

I had a chance to take the new Starboard K15 out for a test run Friday morning. (Thanks BellinghamSUP!) As I hit Lake Whatcom long before sunrise, my first impressions were that the board tracks incredibly well and glides nicely without losing much momentum when I switch sides with my paddle. The K15, with its [...]

Q: I picked up a Kokatat drysuit… now help with the gaskets before I die! A: Congrats, Graham!!! As for the gaskets, one word: Scissors. Don’t be scared. They’re meant to be cut down to fit, and that latex is stronger than you can imagine. Just take off 1/4″ at at time or whatever you [...]

After rigging my board and hydration system for the Round the Rock SUP race a few weeks ago, I had about an hour to wander around. I took advantage of the time to check out other racers’ boards and paddles, any neat systems they had rigged on their boards, what footwear they chose and how [...]

QUESTION FROM A FIRST TIME ‘QUESTER: Q: I’ve been using a full carbon straight shaft Werner Cyprus paddle and playing with the feathering a bit to find what’s comfortable. One thing I was wondering is if you really can’t get a good leg drive/torso turn is it worth it to go with a wing ? [...]

V10 Super Elite Review, continued… Lighter is faster. The Epic V10 Super Elite (SE) that I’ve been paddling for the past month weighs 19 pounds – a full 20 pounds less than the V10 Standard I’d been racing up ‘til the SE came into our quiver. I do recognize that my “Lighter is faster” comment [...]

V10 Super Elite, Part I All other things being equal, lighter is faster. Since last fall I’ve been training and racing Heather’s old fiberglass Epic V10, a boat we’ve both gained tremendous affection for primarily because it can take a beating and not let out a whimper. We hauled it to Baja with us this [...]

H a y d e n S t o r m ‘ s pool adventures and Mama’s new waterproof camera! With summer finally here, the Sudden Valley pool has become a favorite hang-out for Hayden and I! Hayden is a natural waterbaby, handsurfing with Papa and kicking his legs for Mama. Last week we brought [...]

The Legend By Think Kayaks Last Saturday at Marine Park in Fairhaven, Daryl Remler – the now sole owner of Think Kayaks – traveled down with his company’s newest surfski, the Legend, for a demo session. Heather and I showed up just after nine a.m. and found the rest of the regulars getting ready for [...]

Vector Surfski Design Inquiry Heather and Brandon, Greetings from Georgia! I am a long time lurker on your blogsite and am writing you today to inquire about the Vector Surfski that was just posted. I called Sterling Kayaks this Friday to discuss boat design, and they mentioned that you and Brandon had a helping hand. [...]

After breaking the mixed tandem course record in the 460-mile Yukon River Quest with Brandon in 2005, I set my sights high for 2006. Not only did I want to win the women’s solo category, I wanted to break the course record and come in top 10 overall. After a year of training and preparation, [...]