Is Barry’s stroke too strong for his own rudder lines? Word on the water is that Barry’s stroke is so powerful it blows through Dyneema rudder lines. Others say he’s tapping the pedals on every stroke, which wears the line and may even cost him speed. And then there’s the sunglasses, which some claim more…
Ever lie awake the night before a big race and assume your performance is ruined? The good news is that research suggests a single poor night of sleep immediately before an endurance event is unlikely to significantly impact your race performance. In fact, studies show that many athletes sleep poorly before competition due to excitement,…
If you’ve been eyeing the Think Ace and wondering how it holds up in real-life paddling—not just spec sheets—this review might help clear things up. After putting the S-113 Elite through its paces on flatwater, light chop, and a few downwind sessions, I found it to be a genuinely easygoing ski. It’s stable without feeling…
The East Coast Championship 2025 delivered exactly what paddlers came for—and then some. On Saturday, October 4th, the Wrightsville Beach Outrigger Canoe Club hosted OC6 crews on the legendary Graveyard course, and conditions were nothing short of epic. Big surf crashed through the lineup. Northeast winds whipped across the 14-mile course. And as crews navigated…
We’re thrilled to share some exciting news with The Paddle Channel community! After years of development and real-world testing, we’re making our comprehensive online training platform available to surfski, OC1, and SUP athletes everywhere. Proven Results from Real Athletes This isn’t just another training program—it’s a system that’s been battle-tested over more than 17,000 miles…
After snapping a paddle shaft during a recent downwind run, Barry has ordered a Braca-Sport XI Van Dusen. It’s a pretty different experience from the Epic wing paddle he has been paddling. Join us as we unbox the new paddle, discuss first impressions, and ask the age-old question: Should we feather the wing paddle? Join…
Enjoy this short review of the carbon fiber V1 Fai Va’a 4SI by Ozone.
It’s pretty well accepted that an advanced level surfski will be faster than an intermediate level surfski. Adding to our series of Totally Unscientific Tests, we put that theory to the test with the Kai Wa’a Vega and the Kai Wa’a Vega Flex. The two craft are strikingly similar, and yet quite different. Same weight…
If you’re thinking of doing the Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis or any other long-distance paddle crossing, race, or event on any type of paddle craft, this is one episode you don’t want to miss! Join us for a conversation with Robert Martini, who completed the 80-mile Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis this year in a spec…
If you spend a few minutes with surfski world champion Hayley Nixon, you will probably decide pretty quickly she’s one of the nicest paddlers you’ll meet. Hayley sat down with Rod a few months ago to talk surfski paddling — join in as they discuss Hayley’s background (or maybe we should title that segment, “How…
By far, our most popular videos are those that discuss transitioning from flat water to ocean paddling, so we asked a panel of experts to share their top tips for paddlers who are developing their surfski skills. This may be the most power-packed episode we have released, with advice from world champion Haley Nixon, coach…
Congratulations to all the paddlers who participated in the 2023 Graveyard race! It takes courage to sign up, and perseverance to finish — we tip our salt-stained, sun-bleached paddling caps to you! Feel free to download any images you want here. All we ask is that you credit @thepaddlechannel if you post the pix, and…
Rod recently had the opportunity to sit with Alessia Faverio and Bruce Poacher from Epic Kayaks to discuss the new V10 Gen 4 Surfski. The V10 is a legendary surfski, and it’s exciting to hear all about the changes and features of the latest iteration! If you’ve seen our videos, you know that Barry learned…
Rod deliberately waited until he had paddled over 1000 miles in the Flex before putting together this review. He wanted to give you an honest, informed opinion of his experience with this surfski. In this review, Rod talks the good (there’s a lot), the bad (there’s not a lot), and the ugly (that’s not true,…
Rod and Barry are slowly but surely making progress towards becoming downwind surfski paddlers. We have been paddling ski almost 4 years now and it has become a true passion for us. We have learned so much from Dawid Mocke and Oscar Chalupsky’s videos, and we hope our humble videos (watch the video — we…
Barry made this video about a year into his surfski paddling journey, and characterized himself as a beginner / intermediate surfski paddler at that time. Though he had been paddling the surfski for only about a year, much of that time had been spent on the ocean (and much time in the ocean, too!). Barry…
We can go ahead and get these things out of the way. Yes, Rod has a giant cartoon thumb (more on that later), and yes, the audio is up and down a bit (the GoPro audio lost its mind). But now that you have those distractions out of the way…a couple of years ago, when…
The Vega Surfski by Kai Bartlett is at home in the ocean but is fast in the flat water too. Barry’s favorite ocean activity is down winding and my Ares OC1 and Vega Surfski are excellent for chasing and riding open ocean swells. In this video, Barry shares one of our favorite down wind runs…
We’ve been asked a number of times which craft we prefer, the outrigger canoe or the surfski? Join Barry and Rod for a chat over a Flaming Amy’s burrito as they discuss which is “better”. Disclaimer: This video was originally published December 28, 2020. If you ask us this question today, the answer might be…
Greg shares his top 3 tips for paddlers who are developing their downwind skills. Greg has paddled all over the world (the Gorge, South Africa, Tarifa and Hawaii, to name a few) and he offered these three tips: To listen to the Peak Performance Paddle podcast mentioned here, go to https://tcsurfski.com/2019/10/31/ppp-episode-33-starting-a-surfski-journey-in-middle-age-with-greg-greene/. It’s a worthwhile listen…
In 2017, Hurricane Maria pushed winds and swell onto the North Carolina coastline, and it was the perfect opportunity to get the Puakea Designs Ehukai and Kehe Kai outrigger canoes on some bumps! It turned out to be one of those magical days when ocean just gave us gift after gift. If you’ve been downwinding,…
If you paddle your OC1 or surfski in surf and waves (or if you carry your boat on land), you’ll eventually end up with hairline cracks. We heard from a local repair guru that you can actually use super glue for effective repair of hairline cracks. For really effective repairs, you can combine super glue…
When we paddle our OC1s, it’s not uncommon for people to ask why these outrigger canoes have “holes” built into them. Join us as we talk about bullet bailers, drains holes and Venturi scuppers (they’re all the same thing) and how they magically make you faster.
In the summer, the Cape Fear region of North Carolina gets prevailing south southwest winds that make these waters the perfect downwind playground! Check out this summertime run in the Puakea Designs Ehukai OC1 (one man — or lady, of course — outrigger canoe). The Ehukai is a boat that was made to downwind, and…
If you downwind in your OC1, you know one of your most important pieces of gear is your leash. Unleashed canoes in windy conditions are some of the fastest creatures on earth (at least, if sure does seem like it if you’re trying to swim and catch up with it), so it is ESSENTIAL you…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaholBUyEu0&t=24s It seems like sooner or later everybody who paddles an outrigger canoe runs into the problem of finding the best way to carry hydration on those long, hot paddle sessions.Barry rigged up this hydration setup after seeing a number of Tahitian outrigger canoe paddlers using a similar setup.
We recently had a chance to tour (and paddle!) the Puakea Designs Unlimited outrigger canoe. Take a walk-through of the canoe’s features and see why some people are describing this OC6 with words like “ballistic missile” and “rocket cow” (goes like a rocket, kinda looks like a super fast carbon fiber cow?). This canoe is…
A series of tips and hacks to help you go 10% faster in your next race.
This post is part of a series of tips and hacks to help you go 10% faster in your next race. For some athletes, implementing just one of these tips will net you a 10% gain. For others, combining the tips in these articles will produce that 10% improvement at your next paddle race. Many…
Know the Rules, Know the Course This is the third article in a series of tips and hacks to help you go 10% faster in your next race. For some athletes, implementing just one of these tips will net you a 10% gain. For others, combining the tips in these articles will produce that 10%…
This is the second article in a series of of tips and hacks to help you go 10% faster in your next race. Obviously, since you’re here, you realize the most important thing you can do is get on a systematic training plan, but these tips can help you eke even more speed out of…
This is the first in a series of articles of tips and hacks to help you go 10% faster in your next race. Obviously, since you’re here, you realize the most important thing you can do is get on a systematic training plan, but these tips can help you eke even more speed out of…
You’ve trained hard and peaked for your top priority race — so what do you do now? This is an important question, because what you do with your training after your peak race can have a significant effect on any futures races (even if that next race is next season). The Transition Phase We call…
How to get back on track when you miss workouts due to injury, illness, or other disruptions Frequency and consistency are vital components of a successful paddleboard or outrigger canoe training plan. Well-designed training plans are carefully thought out and intentional, with every workout having a place and purpose. So you’ll definitely get the best…
An effective stand up paddle or outrigger canoe training plan generally starts with you, the paddle athlete, prioritizing your races throughout your race season. Then your training plan works to have you peak for your most important races. We’ve put together some quick guidelines to help you prioritize your races and integrate them into your…
Breakthrough workouts are an essential factor in your paddling training plan. To get the most benefit from these important workouts, you need to understand to how to use them to perform your best on race day. What is a breakthrough workout? Breakthrough workouts are typically hard workouts that help you break through to a new…
For the past six months, exercise physiologist and OC1 paddler Barry Blackburn has been using and testing our Online Training Platform. Barry shared with us five things he has learned using the training system. Welcome, fellow paddler! Here are five key lessons I have learned using The Paddle Channel’s highly individualized training program. 1. Take…
In our training programs, you will see a number of “repeats” in your workouts. Here’s an example: In this workout, you would warm up first (of course) and then paddle at Zone 4 (your intended race pace) for 5 minutes, immediately followed by paddling 2 minutes at Zone 2 (your easy recovery pace). You will…
Maximum Heart Rate Test Protocols One of the more effective ways to gauge intensity during your training sessions is to utilize a heart rate monitor and work at prescribed intensities during your workout. While using a heart monitor isn’t required, we have found that training by heart rate is more effective and more interesting than…
Understanding Periodization in Training Some time ago I was working with an excellent time-trialing training program for cycling – the cover of the training plan had these words on it: Structured, Systematic, and Progressive That sums up a great training program perfectly. If you’re serious about maximizing performance, these three words need to be the…
One of the most difficult things for paddle athletes to determine is the amount of training that needs to be done to meet their goals. The answer is actually pretty simple, given a few common-sense guidelines. In general, the more time you spend on the water, the better you’ll perform. Time on water improves aerobic…
I was recently watching an episode of Criminal Minds, and this advice from Niccolo Machiavelli was quoted, and of course, it made me think of racing. That’s normal, right? (By the way, binge-watching Criminal Minds on Netflix is a pretty good way to ensure you sleep with the light on every night for the rest…
Our friend Brian Lee shared this video of a run down a windy intracoastal waterway paddle last week. At 6 seconds, Brian takes a dip, and just a few second later a gust of wind picks up the 14-foot race SUP, propels it OVER Brian’s head and down the waterway. In less than a second,…
Speed Testing 3 Top Race Paddleboards: The 2016 14′ x 25″ All Star, the 2017 14′ x 24.5″ All Star, and a custom 2016 14′ x 23″ All Star I was actually giddy on test day — I’ve been wanting to do a comparison between the 2016 All Star and the 2017 All Star since…
I’ll start with the usual disclaimer – these tests are more fun than scientific, and your mileage will vary. This particular test session was cut short because one of our testers unexpectedly landed a date and ditched us halfway through, so the data is incomplete – but we still gathered some interesting information. Meet the…
A few years ago I purchased an excellent time-trialing training program – when I received it, the cover had these words on it: Structured, Systematic, and Progressive That sums up a great training program perfectly. If you’re serious about maximizing performance, these three words need to be the basis of your training plan. Structured It’s…
SUP Technique Tip Keep your eyes on the horizon as you paddle. Many of us tend to focus on the board (or the Speedcoach) as we paddle, but it’s important to get the head up and look ahead while paddling, and especially while racing and training. Here are a few reasons why: Improved Breathing Try…
By Rod Clayton Totally UNscientific Testing is back, this time with some high power race SUP boards that may be at the top of your race board wish list. Read on to see how some of the top race boards compared in head-to-head testing! Disclaimer: In my opinion, there probably is no “fastest” stand up paddleboard.…
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do you learn pivot turns? One bit at a time. The best way to learn complex skills like a good buoy turn is to break the movements down into basic parts and then master each part. We’re loving this Stop and Go drill from flyingfishpaddleclub.com because it…
We believe one of the best things you can do to improve your stand up paddleboard racing stroke technique is to be aware of it. Without fail, the paddlers we see going the fastest are the ones who pay A LOT of attention to their technique. This video from Red Paddle Co is an excellent…
Robert Stehlik of Blue Planet Surf knows a thing or two about stand up paddling. In this video, Robert talks about how to accelerate more quickly on the SUP. Specifically, this video is about accelerating to catch waves and bumps, but we find the same technique to be the key to great race starts and also for coming…
Check out this online video clinic about doing efficient (and dry) pivot turns on your paddleboard. April Zilg is one of our favorite instructors, and here she breaks down the pivot turn, complete with sciencey stuff, video analysis, demonstrations, a chalkboard, and little stick people. Do yourself a favor and watch it. We like to practice…
Every once in a while we find a video that is just too good not to share. This is one of those videos. Learning to move on the board is an important skill, and this drills described and demonstrated by Anthony Vela helps you become more adept at staying on and handling your board. It’s very…
Two of the questions we hear the most from new paddlers: How do I get on this thing? How do I get off this thing? This video from Boardworks Surf is one of the most comprehensive videos we’ve seen showing how to launch and land your stand up paddleboard in various scenarios. Michael Tavares covers…
Let’s face it — SUP racing is a blast, not only because of the great people in the standup paddling community, but also because it’s challenging. Sometimes the smallest details in your training routines can be the difference between edging out your training buddy or watching said buddy kick sand in your face at the…
Most SUP athletes are looking for ways to eke out a little more speed in their next race. First and foremost, a structured and intentional training plan is the best way to do that. But it’s possible to buy speed, too, maybe with a faster board…or a new paddle…or an alpine skiing race suit (hey,…
Do this 31-mile paddle race through the Tennessee River Gorge one time, and you’ll look forward to the recap videos from Coleman Creative almost as much as you look forward to the opening day of race registration. Starting in the uber-cool city of Chattanooga and winding through picturesque bluffs and peaks, this race is one…
One of our favorite things about SUP is the places it takes you. Check out this edit from our scouting trip to Nosara, Costa Rica earlier this year — we’re thinking about getting some SUP surf and training camps together in Nosara, so be sure to check in with us often. This area of the…
By Rod Clayton If you’ve raced paddleboards at all, or if you’ve thought about buying a race SUP, I’ll bet you’ve obsessed over which board is the fastest. Each board has is own unique hull design, characteristics, and flavor — so which one do you buy to dominate your local race scene? Spoiler Alert: I’ll go ahead…
You can (and should) definitely practice buoys in open water, but you also need to practice getting around an actual buoy. It’s difficult to work on position and precision without a buoy in place, and you probably don’t want to see an actual buoy for the first time in a race, right? Our favorite practice…
If you’re paddling a lot, whether you’re touring on your stand up paddleboard or training for a long distance SUP race like Chattajack, there’s a good chance you’ll eventually develop medial epicondylitis. That’s fancy talk for, “My elbow hurts.” You definitely don’t want to ignore the elbow pain — it WILL eventually get in the way…
The Alternative to Towing With Your SUP One of our favorite techniques for recovering runaway boards or fatigued paddlers is the trap and push technique. It only works in calm water, but it’s a great alternative to towing with your paddleboard. To trap an errant board, just paddle up to the rear of the runaway…
I’m a list person. I’ve even been know to finish a task, add it to my list, then cross it out. It makes me feel good. Don’t judge. In addition to satisfying some innate neurotic tendencies, this gear checklist helps me relax mentally the week of the race and prevents me from forgetting important things…
A Stand Up Paddleboard Race Week Checklist The week before your big race is a unique animal. You can’t win a race the week before your event, but you can definitely lose it. Here’s what we mean. If you haven’t put the training time in prior to this week, there’s nothing you can do now…
Unless you just plan on skipping races because it’s raining (noooo!), you should never skip a training session just because it’s raining. We’ve seen athletes use this approach to mentally crush their competitors time and time again — a little rain? A little wind? No problem — you’ve trained in it, and you know how…
Jennifer at Ohana Paddle Sports in Surf City, NC, gives us an overview of the Boardworks B-Ray stand up paddleboard. Check out Ohana Paddle Sports at http://ohanapaddlesports.org!
Jennifer Hill, owner/operator at Ohana Paddle Sports in Surf City, North Carolina, gives us her review of of the Surftech Mickey Muñoz Wateryder stand up paddleboard. If you’re ever on Topsail Island, be sure to give Ohana Paddle Sports a visit! http://ohanapaddlesports.org. The Wateryder is a great all around SUP that can do the job when…
If you want the real skinny on a paddleboard, ask somebody like Jennifer at Ohana Paddle Sports — Jennifer tells us about the Boardworks Joyride stand up paddleboard.
SUP Electromyography with Travis Grant from SUPLOGIX on Vimeo. If you’re really into improving your stand up paddle stroke, and if you’re a bit of a physiogeek, you’ll dig this study from http://suplogix.com. SUPLOGIX glued a few wireless electromyography (EMG) electrodes to elite paddler Travis Grant to learn how Travis uses his muscles during Base, Endurance, and…
When Jimmy Terrell talks about paddling a stand up paddleboard, it’s always a good idea to listen. While there no one “right” way to paddle, Jimmy lays out some technique you’ll see just about every top stand up paddler using. If you apply the principles you see here, you’ll paddle faster and longer, no doubt.…
Jennifer at Ohana Paddle Sports in Surf City, NC took a few minutes to share a details about the Phoenix stand up paddleboard from Infinity. This unique paddleboard is the real deal when it comes to SUP surfing — check it out at http://www.infinitysurf.com/sup/phoenix/. And definitely, if you’re on Topsail Island, you need to go…
Jim Terrell, founder of Quickblade Paddles, breaks down the components of the stand up paddleboard stroke, talks about things you can do to go faster, and shares some pretty nifty video analysis of various paddlers on different boards. It’s kind of a must see… If you enjoy this kind of in-depth analysis of efficient paddling technique,…
Mastering the forward stroke is the first step to really enjoying your stand up paddleboard. Check out this great guide to the basics of proper SUP paddling technique.
We have a saying around our house that started when we first started to take our kids snow skiing: “If you’re not falling down, you’re not skiing hard enough.” The boys were about 14 inches tall, tiny little Michelin Men with tiny T-Rex arms, making their way down the slopes on tiny skis. But early on, we…
