SurfingSports Standup Paddle Surf & Standup Paddling BLOG

Despite the "STORM ALERT" alarms for rain being sounded by the local media outlets...we were greeted by mostly sunny and calm conditions all day here in Santa Barbara...perfect conditions for the last of our extremely popular free "try before you buy" SUP demos of the year...



BTW, we are getting the much needed rain as I type this into the 'puter this AM...





Our monthly SUP demos and private / small group lessons really help people see and feel the differences between the boards that we sell and represent, against some of the cheaper and inferior discount and "outlet store" offerings that try to seduce value shoppers..."ATTENTION SUP SHOPPERS, THERE'S A BLUE-LIGHT SPECIAL ON ISLE 2"...Boards from $799...FREE Paddles"...

WHATEVERS...;-)

REAL Value means BANG FOR THE BUCK...and, it is also a BIG component in RESALE value of the product when you are ready to move it along...what a BUZZKILL to find out that your board has NO RESALE VALUE...because it, and the company that built it, are not focused on long term customer satisfaction and sustainability...

Our product lines hold their resale value...most of our Starboard SUP's have resale values of $1000, or more, after a season of use...especially, if you store them in a bag, like we do...

We ONLY handle QUALITY products...not distressed merchandise...

Even our least expensive boards and paddles are higher quality than the "best" outdated and overstock SUP's and paddles being discounted by others...

REMEMBER: YOU ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR...

Personal fitness trainer, Jon Ham, from FITNESS ON THE RUN came up to Santa Barbara for this demo and went home with an unexpected new desire...;-)

Check out his blog piece by clicking link above or his web banner below...


Jon with the new 9'7" x 30" Blair...





SUPSports sales/instructional staff member, Rob Graham, float testing (220 lbs) my new 8'10" North Pacific wing swallow...sheesh...I practically had to wrestle my new boards away from the crew at this demo...





Rob on the 9'10" North Pacific wing swallow...





hmmmmm...what color should I order?





Guy on the new 10'1" Blair blowup...Bob ended up buying one...



The new North Pacific 10'6" stinger gun...a first of it's kind, *REAL* SUP gun designed for bigger MAINLAND waves...but, Deb loved paddling it on flat water just because it glides and tracks so well...even with it set up as a quad!

LIGHTWEIGHT...STRONG...BRILLIANT!!!

Labels: Blair standup paddleboards, North Pacific SUP, Santa Barbara SUP Demo

Yesterday's SUP demo went really well...over 110 people participated...
Our "try before you buy" SUP demos have become so popular that we have had to RSVP folks to ensure that people get an opportunity to try the specific boards they are interested in...

We've taught over 600 people how to standup paddle in Santa Barbara this Summer on our fleet of SUP's, for free...other people prefer the more personalized private individual or group lessons that we offer...

Gorgeous sunny weather and light cooling breezes prevailed...







Kids learning to kick turn...they could spin forever on their first day of SUP...











Board cleaning station...we are stoked that people recognize how much effort and labor goes into making the boards and paddles available to try for free...





Demo van organization...



Warren and Koren loading their new SUP's...Starboard 9'8" Fish and 10'6" Imagine ECO SUP into their van...their first standup board they learned on was the Exocet Kona...and they got it from someone that started on it as well...paying it forward...



All loaded up and ready for SUP...



That's what it's all about for us...miles of smiles...STOKED CLIENTS!!!

More pics of the SUP demo in this GALLERY...

Labels: Santa Barbara standup paddle demo, Santa Barbara standup paddle sports, Santa Barbara SUP Demo, Standup Paddle Sports SUP lessons

Race results here

More pics in this GALLERY...please note that there are 5 pages...

Long course skipper's meeting...



11 mile long course starting line...



3.5 mile short course start...



Tom Gallagher 1st place Men's unlimited SUP...



Prone paddle boarder Eric Mehlberg (Honolua) 1st place Men's stock short course...



Ernie (EJ) Johnson 1st place Men's stock SUP long course...



Adam Kirkcaldie 1st place Men's stock SUP on the short course...



Dave Kalama 1st place Men's 14' SUP cruisin' to victory on the new Naish 14' Glide production model...we have the "DK" signature version...;-)







Kenny Krall first time on his 12' Naish Glide running for the gate...



Tucker Ingalls bringing it home...



Andie Johnson 1st place Women's stock SUP short course...



Short course wahine competitors having fun...



Kathy Hanley taking time off the volleyball court for her first SUP competition...with Rossana Sandoval also doing her first SUP race...15 seconds separated them...they had bred their dogs together and hadn't seen each other in years...



The SUP youth brigade...SAVE NAPLES, yeah buddy!!!



Stoked paddlers, Eric and EJ...



SUPsports team flags...relaxing in the afternoon breeze...

Labels: Santa Barbara SUP Demo, Santa Barbara SUP race

In the spirit of paying it forward, we've taught hundreds and hundreds of people how to standup paddle...and, we know that many have in turn, paid it forward themselves...changing the world one standup paddler at a time, as it were...;-)

We have another of our "try before you buy" demos planned this Sunday (July 5th)...
RSVP for all day demo and BBQ...
Call or email the shop for more info...if you can't make it, ask about our private lesson "money back when you buy" program...

A few shots from last week's demo...this was a semi-private demo for members of Ty Warner's Coral Casino...we've supplied their members with some top quality Starboard SUP's and racks to match the decor of the Coral Casino Beach and Cabana Club...



Jason and daughter Allison...first time standuppers...



Mary Lou and her husband Ed, were gliding along...



SUPsports staffer, Daniel Razo, keeping an eye on Wendy...



Lisa enjoying a sunny day for her first time standup paddle session in Santa Barbara on the Starboard 10'5" Drive...I told her that she wouldn't fall in and she didn't...



A few more June 28 SUP demo shots...

Click on pictures below to view several of our many SUP demos in sunny, beautiful, Santa Barbara...

Labels: Santa Barbara standup paddle, Santa Barbara standup paddle demo, Santa Barbara standup paddle sports, Santa Barbara SUP Demo

Several dozen more standuppers were hatched today at our standup paddleboard demo in Santa Barbara...

We had over 60 people show up to demo boards and get help with their SUP purchasing decisions...heaps of kids also took to it...

We had folks from several counties away attend...as well as from the UK...















A few more snapshots in this GALLERY...

Labels: Santa Barbara standup paddle sports, Santa Barbara standup paddling, Santa Barbara SUP Demo

Big thanks to everyone that helped with the demo yesterday...despite the in and out nature of the fog, we managed to get over 50 people (and a couple of doggies) out and standing up...



Larry enjoying his new Naish Glide...



A woman came over from the diverted cruise ship in town...she couldn't figure out what the heck we were doing...she thought we were clamming...;-)





Kewl piccie...



A few more pics in this GALLERY...

Labels: Santa Barbara standup paddle, Santa Barbara standup paddle demo, Santa Barbara standup paddle sports, Santa Barbara SUP Demo

It's that time of year again...we are hosting a FREE SUP demo tomorrow (Sunday May 3)

It will run from 9 until ~2...we have a RSVP list that is getting very full of people wanting to demo specific boards of interest...but, we will do our best to accommodate all...please call the shop or email for details...

A variety of SUP's and paddles will be available to demo...
From the leaders in the SUP industry, including Starboard...Naish...Hobie...Imagine Eco...Bill Foote...Werner...Powerex...

Safety...etiquette...board handling...paddling technique...and, general/technical questions/issues from fitness paddling to racing to wave riding will be addressed...

Labels: Santa Barbara paddle racing, Santa Barbara paddlesurf, Santa Barbara standup paddle sports, Santa Barbara SUP, Santa Barbara SUP Demo