Tumpline NEWS AND OPINION FROM TRIPPERS «»
WWW.CANOEROOTSMAG.COM [ TUMBLEHOME ] Walking the Plank CANOEIST’S GREY BEARD TURNS BLUE ABOARD FASTEST GROWING SPORT
A couple hours at the International Boat Show affirmed that ev- erything old is new again. The indoor, arena-sized pond hosted everything from paddlesports
instruction to motorboat trials to crazy wakeboarding and water stunts throughout the weeklong show. I took the organizers up on a chance to try standup paddleboarding for the first time. I admit it, from one canoeist to another, I was skeptical of the
sport. SUPs have been the wunderkind of the paddlesports world and a much-needed financial boom for manufacturers over the past five years. According to the Outdoor Industry Association, it was also the fastest growing sport in the United States last year. At first, I thought SUP was a gimmick. “This will blow over,” we con-
ventional canoeists told ourselves. The truth is far from it. “They’re out-selling canoes two-to-one,” a cheerful whippersnapper in a wet- suit told me, handing over a paddle. Fad or not, I was ready to dump my canoe—temporarily, of course—to have a go and see what the hubbub was about. Waiver signed, PFD secured, watch and wallet tucked into my shoes
on the makeshift dock, I should have accepted the counsel of the young man who suggested I begin on my knees and work up from there. (“A lot of the ladies are doing yoga on standup paddleboards these days,” he said brightly, “but it takes a minute to get your balance.”)
Not Captain Canoe, of course—being a gunwale-bobber from way
back, I stepped right on and very nearly swam. I began by J-stroking but changed to rhythmically switching the
extra-long paddle from side to side to keep straight. Looking down at my bare feet, images from early days growing up with my faith- ful retriever, Princess, on the banks of the mighty Speed River came flooding back. Déjà vu. In look, the SUP was more like a Carl-Wilson-autographed surf-
board but in feel, it was a raft—childhood’s first vehicle of explora- tion, made of logs, bailer twine and old fencing wire—with improved hull shape and hydrodynamics. Here we go again, Huck Finn! Lost in my raft revelry, I paddled easily, building up speed with
every pull and push. Hoisting an imaginary Jolly Roger, I was again Bluebeard on the bounding main or Captain Hattaras on my way to the North Pole. The 21st-century design didn’t fool me—this was my paddlecraft of yore. Of course, with little storage, no secondary stability and the re-
quirement of standing all the time, the SUP remains an inferior craft to the canoe—but the child in me won’t hear of it. Don’t worry, James Raffan hasn’t given up his canoe, but he is con-
sidering an Arctic SUP trip with raft support. He asks you not to be too disappointed.
www.canoerootsmag.com | 19
STANDUP PADDLEBOARDING,
CIRCA 1970. PHOTO: ISTOCK
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64