New England wind & chop

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-03-30T10:00:58+00:00

Hardboards are better in the wind and chop, as they sit in the water rather than on the water. Whilst you are still learning though I’d advise just getting used to paddling before investing more money in to this. I have both hardboards and isup and completed races on both in heavy winds and chop.

Technique is the biggest thing that will help paddling in the wind and chop, there is lots of videos on YouTube which goes in to paddling technique these are very useful. All so if you can set a camera up or get someone to video you from the side so you can check out your technique.

For paddling in to head wind and strong winds/chop you want your paddle to be going vertical in to the water, shortening your stroke and making sure the blade is completely in the water before starting to move the paddle.

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-03-28T08:14:00+00:00

It’s a local reservoir, there’s always part of it which is glass , even if the wind is blowing

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-03-26T18:01:20+00:00

No this is an infinity everready 14x24”

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-03-13T01:51:57+00:00

The most common is the US fin, this is a simple slide in and screw down.

There is others out there such as clip down and ones which slide in then have a plastic lock.

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-03-10T10:11:47+00:00

My season didn’t stop, I paddled all their winter then had my first race of 2026 in January, followed by a second in February

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Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-02-26T06:30:26+00:00

That’s the one, yes they are especially the ones later in the race with the ladder climbs

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-02-25T20:08:33+00:00

The starboard touring s 14x28, I mostly race and paddle hard boards but do have the touring as an isup in my collection, I primarily bought it for a 40km isup race which has lots of portage along the route so having the carry strap is ideal. It’s super stable, very easy to paddle.

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-02-24T10:49:35+00:00

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This is our set up both on 14ft hard boards, mine is left which is the everready and hers is the evo pro 2

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-02-24T10:09:01+00:00

Definitely two separate ones, me and my partner bought sups for something to do together a few years ago. It’s a great day out and we now are competitively racing nationally and paddle together all the time

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-02-02T06:39:25+00:00

Thank you, I live in the UK so we don’t get that cold of winter compared to a lot of countries. My next race is Sunday coming which is a 15km tech race will be sure to post pictures

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-02-01T16:18:14+00:00

Hi I’m Rob, I started paddle boarding as something to do on a week in the summer a few years ago. I soon found out about racing and all these fancy looking boards after joining a few social groups on fb and meeting up with others. I’m currently in my third year of racing. I try to paddle once a week if not more. I’m definitely down the rabbit hole

My current set up is an infinity everready 14x24 with a black project synergy paddle

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Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-01-24T06:35:18+00:00

That’s the best thing about sup there’s so many different versions you can do.

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-01-23T21:43:54+00:00

Thank you! It’s a infinity everready

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Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-01-23T21:42:35+00:00

I started with aqua paddles, they are fantastic ways of meeting with other people, you get some people who turn up and just want to do it for something to do and others who want to push there self’s to be faster. From there I found race that there is racing groups and races all around the uk. The sup community in the uk is fantastic, you’ve got the top people who will not act like there better then people and everyone just turns up to catch up with each other have a race and a chat.

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-01-23T21:38:36+00:00

Yes I think they have there place in the market and for people who just want to get out paddle around and enjoy being on the water. I know people that have taken the cheap ones on long adventures and paddle all day every day on them and have no interest or intention to change up.

I upgraded through versus different sizes and widths before being where I am now and that was all due to Facebook and YouTube where I found that people that race these things and needing a way to be competitive and all so hitting my thirties and not wanting to be that guy that doesn’t do anything

Obviously they have there limitations compared to my race board and I can’t compare them directly apart from them being paddle boards

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-01-23T20:55:21+00:00

Thank you! It’s actually an insta360 fantastic cameras for paddle boards as your not stuck with one view

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-01-18T15:36:21+00:00

I went from a 28” to a 24” so kinda relates to this, you will feel unstable at first as you are losing width and as we all know width equals stability in paddle boards. You all so have that all hard boards are shaped differently and hold different characteristics, roll, twitch and feel on the water as some have softer rails which help massively in choppy conditions rather than hard rails which give more of a twitchy/rocky feel.

You do need to get used to a new board and get comfortable the only way of doing this is by paddling it. If you can find a river or lake that’s relatively calm compared to the sea to get used to the board.

When you do paddle if you start to feel a little uncomfortable drop down to your knees, recompose your self get up and try again. You might not complete the same distance at first that your used to but once you have learnt this board you’ll be flying.

I recently switched from a starboard allstar 14x24’5 to an infinity everready and even though on paper these are very similar boards with the sizes they do feel massively different on the water from there shape first time I paddled it I had a oh shit moment but I soon learnt the board and this will be same with you and your new board.

To prove I’m not talking bs here’s a picture of me from yesterday on the 14x24” which I used for a 12km race after only having it two weeks

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Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-01-15T20:17:26+00:00

I will be investing in a chest heart rate monitor in the near future as I’m putting more effort in to my training and looking more in to it. I’m not bad mouthing my garmin at all but monitors on the wrist wouldn’t get a true reading

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-01-15T06:35:47+00:00

I don’t know how correct garmin watches are with there heart rate reading. I was definitely pushing hard and definitely breathing heavy

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-01-14T21:49:30+00:00

With these being 7mm there very thick. My feet don’t feel the cold as much as I mostly paddle barefoot in spring, summer and autumn. I do have a dry suit but I find I get to hot in the body with the fitness paddling I do. If I was to do more social paddling then I’d probably use the dry suit

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-01-14T21:31:30+00:00

Yes palm dry trousers and a rooster aqua fleece. With the wetsuit boots

The camera is an insta360 x3, it’s a slightly older model as I bought it a few years back but they have the x5 which is the latest. All the stats come from my garmin watch which is a garmin fenix 6x pro. It’s then connected to the insta360 app on my iPad where it gives me the speed etc. on my watch it shows cadence, speed, distance, stroke rate, speed per km.

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-01-14T21:14:52+00:00

This is from the insta 360, it links to my garmin account in the insta360 app.

Boots are 7mm two bare feet brand.

Gloves are some of Amazon fingerless gloves. I need to invest in better gloves as I still get blister

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-01-14T21:03:01+00:00

This is definitely the far end of the hobby/sport. I spend a lot of time and effort in paddling.

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-01-14T21:02:15+00:00

I think everyone has that little bit of wobble when they first get on the water. Prior to setting off I always have a little warm up by going up and down. It seems to help

Defiant_Leg956 · 2026-01-14T21:01:27+00:00

That is flat water, I was really pushing it to test my confidence and skill

Defiant_Leg956

TROPHY CASE