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About C4 Waterman
SUP Read Me
The Top 5 Myths, Mistakes, and Misconceptions
by Dave Parmenter
It seems the new hybrid sport of stand-up paddling and surfing is getting more popular everyday. That’s great, but things are moving so fast that it is getting hard to keep up with all the advances. It seems like each day another SUP-oriented business sprouts up, and each seems to have its own ideas about equipment and techniques. Frankly, this infant sport is in an awkward phase-----------its explosive growth has outpaced the formation of a core elite. Simply put, at present there are very few seasoned authorities on SUP surfing out there, yet an increasing number of insta-experts are inflicting all sorts of baloney on the gullible SUP newcomer.
With that in mind, we thought we ought to tackle a handful of the most common SUP errors we encounter in our travels….
#1. Stand-up surfboards are just oversized long boards.
Nope. Don’t listen when you hear a little voice telling you this--------that’s just all the misfit SUBs in the used board rack whispering in your ear.
Given ample flotation and girth, just about any sort of watercraft will let you get out there and start stand-up padding. But for the discriminating surfer and paddler, there’s a lot more to progressive SUB design than merely widening a tanker.
When blown up to jumbo proportions, the drawbacks inherent in typical longboard designs-------rolled bottoms, soft & round rails, old-fashioned rockers---------become magnified. Drag is increased, response grows more sluggish, and once the board gets on a sizzling wave face the surfer finds he must wrestle an unwieldy sloth that has all the handling characteristics of a Greyhound bus with the power steering out.
Properly designed SUBs are not oversize long boards, nor are they blown-up short boards. They are stand-up surfboards-------a wholly new, rapidly-evolving class of surf craft, one that borrows design components from all the existing types of surfriding craft and combines them in a finely-tuned matrix that allows the progressive SUP surfer to lean on the paddle and push the board into places and angles no big board has ever been.
#2. A Stand-up Paddle Surfboard Must Be Wide To Be Stable.
This is one of stand-up paddle surfing’s biggest and most widespread misconceptions. Simply put, excessive width is the poor man’s solution to stability.
There are other ways to grant considerable stability to an SUB. When the outline, rail volume, bottom contour, rocker, and rail shape are put together in the proper configuration, an SUB can be amazingly stable even at 27” or 28” wide. And get this: All those boards you see in the racks with overly soft, round rails? Well, they can subtract 1 or 2 inches from a board’s stability quotient------one more reason why SUB widths are relative.
A narrower plan shape with a perfectly balanced set of design components will paddle straighter and easier and, of course, perform much more like a conventional high-performance surfboard.
Much like an airplane in flight, a stand-up surfboard is stable (or unstable) on three axes: Pitch, Yaw, and Roll. Roll instability (side-to-side) is usually the first thing the novice notices, but as SUBs become shorter or curvier you must also contend with pitch instability (the angle the nose dips up or down) and yaw (the tendency of the nose to swing side-to-side with each stroke).
Additionally, when a stand-up board is over-wide the paddler is forced to extend his paddle slant-wise off the rail, thus losing the optimum mechanical angle of the paddle stroke. The more vertical the paddle shaft as it is pulled along the rail, the more power you get with each stroke. It’s also a matter of ergonomics: The slant-wise stroke forced upon you by a too-wide board can create needless torque on your arms and shoulders, and saps your paddle power like a engine sputtering on three cylinders.
Furthermore, the wider the board, the more likely the nose and tail will be drawn in sharply to conform to aesthetic and control elements. Excessive outline curve, especially from the center-point to the nose, brings a considerable problem with yaw. It’s no fun to struggle with a nose that whips from side to side as you are perched on the ledge cranking to make a late drop…
#3. The Best SUB On Which To Learn Is A Long Single-fin.
….Or a wide quad-fin or a short tri-fin, etc…
No, the best board on which to learn is a borrowed board. By all means, learn on the biggest board you can find, but before committing to a purchase go out and demo everything you can get your hands on.
If you can master the basics before you buy your own board, you will be more likely to end up with an SUB size and shape that won‘t hold you back when you begin to progress.
Purchase an SUB with an eye on where your skill level will be two or three months from now--------not for the first few days when you are wobbling over the waters of your local inlet or lake.
After all, there’s nothing worse than finally learning to crank a snapback while leaning on your blade, only to realize to do so on your 12’-plus leviathan will require a truss and two tugboats.
#4. The Towering Infernal: The Too-Tall Paddle
Wherever we go in the world, the most common sight we see is people using paddles that are way too tall for them. From San-O to Sydney, all too many SUB paddlers are reaching over their heads like children straining to reach the cookie jar atop the ‘fridge.
Aside from squandering the mechanical advantage of the proper and efficient paddle stroke, using too tall a paddle sets you up for some sort of repetitive stress harm to your shoulders.
While a general guideline states that the paddle should extend 5 or 6 inches over your head, some variability exists due to the thickness of your board, slight differences in paddling styles, and even the shape and angle of the paddle blade.
Try standing on a bench with your paddle and take a few pantomime strokes; this way you can simulate the blade depth of your stroke and lets you see how high the top of the paddle goes overhead. Your top hand should be at the height of your forehead and nose when you push into your stroke. Any higher or lower and you will be suffering a power loss.
Additionally, adjustable paddles, on which you can readily change the length of the paddle shaft, are great tools you can employ to zero in on the optimum paddle size for your board and style.
#5. Light Out For the Territories
It’s no secret that planet’s surf breaks are over-crowded and teeming with short boarders, long boarders, body boarders, tow-surfers, kayakers, and bodysurfing marine mammals. Why add an enormous surfboard and a six-foot paddle to the biomass?
Unless your name is Laird or Keaulana, there is no good reason why you should paddle out on your stand-up surfboard at a crowded name break------or any spot, for that matter, which is an established conventional surfing break.
Along every coastline in the world, no matter how jam-packed, there are countless overlooked breaks where there is little or no history of use as a traditional surf break.
The whole point of SUP surfing is to get away from overcrowded breaks and head off into fresh pastures. The fattest offshore reef, the tiniest beach break, the mushiest point------each becomes a J-Bay or Sunset or Superbank on a properly designed SUB.
So find a wave that no one else wants and paddle out with a few friends, and not only will you rediscover the original stoke of surfing, but you’ll be doing your part to ensure that stand-up paddle surfers and conventional board surfers enjoy a peaceful coexistence.
Through their own highly respected pursuits, Hawaii's Brian Keaulana, Todd Bradley, and Mike Fox have brought together more than 100 years of ocean experience to create the C4 Waterman brand of wave-riding toolsand equipment. Sharing a passion for ocean sports, the drive to excel, and a desire to share the waterman's spirit, their state-of-the-artpaddles, stand-up boards and accessories are the modern evolution of the ocean-based lifestyle that Hawaii is famous for. These decorated innovators have opened a portal to the rest of the world.
C4 Waterman offers a diverse range of high-performance stand-up boards, ranging in length and design from 10'0", to 10'6", 11'6", and even a new high-performance racing board-- the Vortice XP. These boards are the product of technology and techniques that can be applied to every size and type of wave - or even to flat-water. C4's innovative inflatable stand-up board, the "Uli" , is made for travel and ideal for lakes andrivers, opening up the lifestyle and cross-training benefits to those who live inland.
Keaulana, a mentor to surfers worldwide, has teamed up with former prosurfer and respected shaper Dave Parmenter to create a progressive blend of rocker and curves for boards that maintain speed while staying 'loose'. The Beachboy style of surfing, which originated during the early days of riding the waves at Waikiki, has never had so many options or as much room to move as it does today, thanks to C4 Waterman.
When it comes to paddles, C4 Waterman's quiver of "Pohaku Paddles" includes wood, carbon, and hybrid wood/carbon models that cover the gamut from stand-up surfing, to canoe-paddling, to steering and big-wave models that allow you to "hook in" and manage the speed andmaneuverability on large days. There's also a travel-friendly 2-piece paddle that doesn't compromise function for form.
With the number of surfers and paddlers growing exponentially around the earth's coasts and shores, the 'fun'-damentals are being revisited. Advancements in materials and design, and the added benefits of time and experience have opened up a whole new door of possibility. Today, the rest of the world is catching on to an idea Hawaiians have long-understood: that you don't have to limit the way you have fun to one means of taking to the water.
Ironically, stand-up paddling and surfing was founded in laziness. The old Beachboys of Waikiki learned that they could better teach the tourists and take their photos if they could use their surfboards like a platform. By using a paddle they were able to move about more freely and easily, with minimal effort. What started as laziness soon became a tool for training, after they learned it actually improved their core strength and balance while at the same time being a lot of fun. These principles, core to every type of training, and to life, are the basis of C4 Waterman.
"Anybody can do this," says Keaulana. "It's not about being 'somebody', it's about being your best and creating your own best experience in life. Within every person there's a waterman. C4 is a concept based on a waterman's lifestyle and values. It represents the Core 4 disciplines of being a waterman: Balance, Endurance, Strength, Tradition (B.E.S.T.) The same skills we need for life."
While they've individually clocked up a stunning amount of water time, it is by embracing the history and accumulated knowledge of their forefathers that the C4 watermen have shortened the learning curve and lengthened the surfing lifespan for those who share their love of riding the ocean - be it on a stand-up board, or in an outrigger canoe.
"Our philosophy is based upon a respect for the ocean and the Hawaiian roots of these sports, along with the desire to extend the culture and camaraderie of true watermen," said Bradley. "It is our goal to develop a complete line of waterman equipment and accessories, utilizing our own expertise to offer a better product for those who wish to further explore the lifestyle."
click here for a short vid about c4 Waterman
C4 Pohaku 9'3" SUB Vector
Pohaku SUB Vector
Based on Dave Parmenter's proven Stub Vector, the Sub-Vector is the perfect short board for stand-up paddle surfing. If ever you were wondering which short board to add to your SUP quiver, this is it.
The flex characteristics of this 9-3 Subvector gives the board more of a surfboard like ride as compared to the epoxy Boardworks C4 9-3 Subvector. It comes with five boxes so you can run it as a thruster, 2 + 1, or quad fin set up. It is just a hair under 29 inches wide at 28 13/16, 4.25 inches thick and has a hard diamond tail. It's built to float riders up to 250 lbs. DESIGN NOTES: This high-performance short stand-up surfboard offers both radical turning radiuses and "no-fail" stability to bigger surfers of intermediate or higher ability. With progressive rocker, flat bottom, firm edges, angular boxy rails, and double-barrel inverted vee panels, the C4 SUB-Vector delivers sports-car-like speed and snappy handling characteristics.
Height: 9' 3"
Width: 29"
Thickness: 4"
Lightness: ~23.5 lbs
2 Lb Foam
3/16" Wood Stringer
Polyester resin
6 oz Bottom
6 + 4 Deck
4 Future Side Boxes, 1 Bahne Center Box
Thru Box Leash Loop
Available in limited supply after 20 august 2009, reserve yours now as only 3 remaining
Online Price: £750.00
(Including: VAT at 17.5%)
C4 Pohaku 10'0" classic
This is a lower priced version of the magic Parmenter/Keaulana 10-0. The board is made of 2.5 Lb EPS foam with three layers of epoxy saturated 4 oz cloth on the deck with a full wrap and two layers of 4 oz cloth on the bottom with a full wrap as well. This simple construction
Features
EPS Foam
Epoxy Glassing
1-piece Deck Pad
Includes Futures Fins (Sidebites and 7" Center)
In-deck Hand Well for Easy Lifting
Inserts for EZ-Straps
Online Price: £760.00
(Including: VAT at 17.5%)
C4 Pohaku 10'6" wideglide
This is a lower priced version of the magic Parmenter/Keaulana 10-6. The board is made of 2.5 Lb EPS foam with three layers of epoxy 4 oz cloth on the deck with a full wrap and two layers of 4 oz cloth on the bottom with a full wrap as well. This simple construction allows us to price these boards under £800.
Available in limited supply after 20 august 2009, reserve yours now .
Features
EPS Foam
Epoxy Glassing
1-piece Deck Pad
Includes Futures Fins (Sidebites and 7" Center)
In-deck Hand Well for Easy Lifting
Inserts for EZ-Straps
Length: 10'6"
Width: 29 3/4"
Thickness: 4 1/8"
Weight: 23.4 lbs
Fin array: 2 X 1
Fins: 7" center fin and SB1 Side Bites included
Fins: SB1 Side Bites and 7" center fin included
Online Price: £765.01
(Including: VAT at 17.5%)
C4 9'3" Sub Vector
9'3" C4 'SUB-Vector'
Nose Width: 19.0"
Max Width: 29.0"
Tail Width: 19.375"
Max Thickness: 4.25"
Nose Rocker: 5.8"
Tail Rocker: 3.5"
Tail Shape: Hard Diamond
Fin Array: 5-fin set-up, convertible to quad, tri, 2 X 1, or single fin.
The C4 SUB-Vector is a high-performance short stand-up surfboard designed to offer both radical turning radiuses and 'no-fail' stability to bigger surfers of intermediate or higher ability.
Based on one of C4 shaper/designer Dave Parmenter's most successful surfboard models, the Stubb-Vector, this new model is loaded with lickety-split design features.
With a progressive rocker, flat bottom, firm edges, angular boxy rails, and double-barrel inverted vee panels, the "C4 SUB-Vector" delivers sports-car-like speed and snappy handling characteristics. It's lightly concaved deck carries out to a crisp, soaring deckline, providing the maximum of usable deck width and, thus, providing increased stability; the concaved deck blends at the tail into innovative new foot wells, which lower the center of gravity and grant the rider's back foot more leverage and grip in radical turns.
Chock-full of every speed-gathering ingredient short of jet boosters, the C4 SUB-Vector is without a doubt the most finely-tuned and advanced short SUB on the market.
click here to check out this vid of Dave Parmenter explaining the sub vector
Online Price: £1,020.01
(Including: VAT at 17.5%)
C4 9'6" SUB Vector
Online Price: £1,020.01
(Including: VAT at 17.5%)
C4 10'0" SUP
Dave Parmenter and Brian Keaulana need no introduction: Dave is a former pro surfer and revered innovative custom shaper. Brian is a mentor of surfers worldwide. Together, they have spent years designing boards at the testing grounds of Makaha Beach. When they designed the 1st known 10' SUB (stand up board), they took the sport to a new level. These are high-performance boards, the perfect blend of rocker and curves, allowing them to paddle fast and be loose in the surf; the most progressive boards today. Dave won the 2008 Noosa Surfing Festival for SUP surfing Event on this board, and with stiff competition. Finals had the likes of Bonga Perkins, Josh Constible, Brian Keaulana himself, Dave Kalama and Mick Dibetta.
Features
Shaped by Dave Parmenter TEC (thermal epoxy compression) technology Dual-density core (1lb. eps bonded to a 9 lb. divynicell outer shell) Highly ding resistant fiberglass, and epoxy resins ESS: (Epoxy Stringer System) Boards over 8ft. in length are fitted with 3 Divynicell stringers on the deck (saddled in 4 oz. fiberglass) to insure stability, and quick rebound. Construction: Epoxy lamination with a 1-lb EPS core sheathed with 1/8" Divynicell high-density foam, compression and heat molded to form a monocoque-style fuselage.
Online Price: £1,035.01
(Including: VAT at 17.5%)
C4 10'6" SUP
These are high-performance boards, the perfect blend of rocker and curves, allowing them to paddle fast and be loose in the surf. The most progressive today. DESIGN NOTES: The 10'6" incorporates the same design components as the 10-footer--------progressive rocker, balanced outline, and flat deck and bottom-------to deliver the same friskiness to a longer and wider plan-shape. The extra length and width accommodates cruising and flat-water paddlers, while its hot rod components satisfy even the most advanced SUP surfer. Our most popular SUP board.
Online Price: £1,110.01
(Including: VAT at 17.5%)
C4 10'6" ATB C MAC PRO
Designed by Dave Parmenter in cooperation with Charlie MacArthur (C-Mac), part surfboard, part whitewater kayak, part skateboard, the the C4 Waterman C-Mac ATB is the first stand-up surfboard exclusively designed for Training, Cruising; as well as creative and radical hotdogging in the new but growing sport of stand-up whitewater paddling. New ground is broken every day at C4 Waterman.
DESIGN NOTES: The 10'6" ATB incorporates the proven design components of the 10-6, with extra tail rocker to help manage the downstream flow of a river.
Features
Shaped by Dave Parmenter
TEC (thermal epoxy compression) technology
Dual-density core (1lb. eps bonded to a 9 lb. divynicell outer shell)
Fiberglass, and epoxy resins
Highly ding resistant
ESS: (Epoxy Stringer System) Boards over 8ft. in length are fitted with 3 Divynicell stringers on the deck (saddled in 4 oz. fiberglass) to insure stability, and quick rebound.
Construction: Epoxy lamination with a 1-lb EPS core sheathed with 1/8-inch Divynicell high-density foam, compression and heat molded to form a monocoque-style fuselage.
Online Price: £1,065.01
(Including: VAT at 17.5%)
C4 11'6" Standem SUP
DESIGN NOTES: This model is the culmination of over a decade spent refining Brian Keaulana's tandem surfboards. Brian asks for a lot from his tandem boards-------------he snap-turns his big boards, charges Point surf, and does "helicopters" on them--------he just won"t settle for a chunk of sidewalk that allows him to merely pose straight-off in the whitewater. The 11'6" "Standem" model is the Cadillac of our fleet. Possessing the same design features that propel the 10'0" and the 10'6", this board provides the SUP surfer with stability and glide unmatched by much larger SUP boards on the market. Something of a cross-over design, this board also doubles as a tandem surfboard, rescue board, or even a super light and playful tanker for the Big Bruddah.
Features
Shaped by Dave Parmenter TEC (thermal epoxy compression) technology Dual-density core (1lb. eps bonded to a 9 lb. divynicell outer shell) Fiberglass, and epoxy resins Highly ding resistant ESS: (Epoxy Stringer System) Boards over 8ft. in length are fitted with 3 Divynicell stringers on the deck (saddled in 4 oz. fiberglass) to insure stability, and quick rebound. Construction: Epoxy lamination with a 1-lb EPS core sheathed with 1/8" Divynicell high-density foam, compression and heat molded to form a monocoque-style fuselage.
Online Price: £1,185.01
(Including: VAT at 17.5%)
C4 12'0" Holoholo Tour'surf SUP
In Hawaii, "holoholo" means to head off for a walk, a ride or a sail strictly for pleasure. The C4 Holoholo was intended for just this purpose. This coastal cruiser or flat water Stand-Up paddleboard was designed to enable the paddler to head off and gaze at whatever catches his or her fancy. Pristine kelp beds, warm meandering rivers, tranquil smooth lakes or whatever, just go ahead and effortlessly scoot along and "smell the roses." Although it is intended as a "cruiser," the Holoholo nonetheless is up to a romp in the surf for those intermediate or advanced SUP surfers who crave the ultra-glide thrills of the ancient Hawaiian olo boards. Includes a full-length deck pad, and multiple inserts for attaching cargo.
Features
Can support advanced paddlers up to 250 lbs. Designed to be a cruising SUP paddleboard
Online Price: £1,225.01
(Including: VAT at 17.5%)
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