Apologies in advance - long comment… …So, I love this sport… I normally don’t share my thoughts on social media. I prefer to keep things mellow and private. But after reading the threads on board designs, I thought it might be helpful to share some of my experiences with the community regarding this topic, especially as they relate to the new designs coming out of HYPR Nalu’s shop. Some background: I’ve been prone paddle boarding for over 25 years and have many people to thank for getting me into this sport, and for motivating me to continue over the years (huge mahalos to Cline Mann, Dale Hope, Mike Takahashi, Dennis Pang, Jimmy Austin, Guy Pere, Dolan Eversole, Karel Tresnak, Evan Rhodes, Kilipaki Vaughn, Todd Bradley, Henry Ayau, Ian Foo, and many many others). I’ve done the Molokai 2 Oahu race with my brother, tons of races on Oahu, and recently a race here on the Big Island to celebrate my 60th. I prone paddle to keep a connection to the ocean, to cross-train for swimming/surfing, and most recently to maintain some sanity in this crazy world of ours. I’ve owned, raced, and trained on Bark stock/open class boards, old-school Dennis Pang stock boards, the original stock/open class boards from Karel and Todd (which later became Outrigger Connection - now discontinued). I’ve paddled cool “12' hybrids” from talented surfboard shaper Todd Pinder (mahalo to Dale to letting us copy Joe Quigg’s templates). I loved every one of these boards, but for different reasons. Each board was a great design study of its time. For the past 8 months, Ian and his ‘ohana at HYPR have been gracious enough to let me use one of his new stock boards (version 1) as a daily trainer (videos below). I’ve used the HYPR board in all conditions here on the Big Island (downwind, upwind, crazy side chop, rising tide/falling tide, in a race, and in a pretty heavy west swell we had this past winter). In all conditions, the board was stable, quick, responsive, and just plain FUN to paddle…which I think is the high order bit here - we all want to have fun in the ocean. We want to get from Point A to Point B with a toy/tool that is easy, fast (and fun) to use. So are HYPR boards faster? Better? Easier to paddle? For you, in your unique ocean environment, I don’t know…For me, given my experience, my personal goals, and my training/paddling environment - 100% these boards are game-changers. The version 1 HYPR stock board is the easiest, most forgiving board I’ve ever used. You could say the HYPR boards are the design studies of today; a world where CAD-CAM, LIDAR scans, modern carbon layups, just-in-time international manufacturing, and an interconnected world are the new normal. Overlay that with Ian and HYPR’s crazy attention to every design detail, openness to take a risk(s) and try something new, and you have the makings of something controversial. The bottom line is I get all that (…the pioneers get all the arrows, etc). I’m just stoked to be able to try something new, in the ocean, in Hawaii, doing a sport I love, with a friend. I highly recommend getting in touch with Ian and his crew at HYPR wherever you are in the world to arrange a test paddle if you can.
Apologies in advance - long comment…
…So, I love this sport…
I normally don’t share my thoughts on social media. I prefer to keep things mellow and private. But after reading the threads on board designs, I thought it might be helpful to share some of my experiences with the community regarding this topic, especially as they relate to the new designs coming out of HYPR Nalu’s shop.
Some background: I’ve been prone paddle boarding for over 25 years and have many people to thank for getting me into this sport, and for motivating me to continue over the years (huge mahalos to Cline Mann, Dale Hope, Mike Takahashi, Dennis Pang, Jimmy Austin, Guy Pere, Dolan Eversole, Karel Tresnak, Evan Rhodes, Kilipaki Vaughn, Todd Bradley, Henry Ayau, Ian Foo, and many many others). I’ve done the Molokai 2 Oahu race with my brother, tons of races on Oahu, and recently a race here on the Big Island to celebrate my 60th. I prone paddle to keep a connection to the ocean, to cross-train for swimming/surfing, and most recently to maintain some sanity in this crazy world of ours.
I’ve owned, raced, and trained on Bark stock/open class boards, old-school Dennis Pang stock boards, the original stock/open class boards from Karel and Todd (which later became Outrigger Connection - now discontinued). I’ve paddled cool “12' hybrids” from talented surfboard shaper Todd Pinder (mahalo to Dale to letting us copy Joe Quigg’s templates). I loved every one of these boards, but for different reasons. Each board was a great design study of its time.
For the past 8 months, Ian and his ‘ohana at HYPR have been gracious enough to let me use one of his new stock boards (version 1) as a daily trainer (videos below). I’ve used the HYPR board in all conditions here on the Big Island (downwind, upwind, crazy side chop, rising tide/falling tide, in a race, and in a pretty heavy west swell we had this past winter). In all conditions, the board was stable, quick, responsive, and just plain FUN to paddle…which I think is the high order bit here - we all want to have fun in the ocean. We want to get from Point A to Point B with a toy/tool that is easy, fast (and fun) to use.
So are HYPR boards faster? Better? Easier to paddle? For you, in your unique ocean environment, I don’t know…For me, given my experience, my personal goals, and my training/paddling environment - 100% these boards are game-changers. The version 1 HYPR stock board is the easiest, most forgiving board I’ve ever used.
You could say the HYPR boards are the design studies of today; a world where CAD-CAM, LIDAR scans, modern carbon layups, just-in-time international manufacturing, and an interconnected world are the new normal. Overlay that with Ian and HYPR’s crazy attention to every design detail, openness to take a risk(s) and try something new, and you have the makings of something controversial.
The bottom line is I get all that (…the pioneers get all the arrows, etc). I’m just stoked to be able to try something new, in the ocean, in Hawaii, doing a sport I love, with a friend.
I highly recommend getting in touch with Ian and his crew at HYPR wherever you are in the world to arrange a test paddle if you can.
Would love to see some knee paddling as well in future footage. Looks great!
Yeah, I can't do knee, it KILLS my NECK !! - and most guys our age 57 plus... Stenosis is a real "pain in the neck" !
ua-cam.com/video/EH27peLA9kQ/v-deo.html - 14ft knee paddling and 12ft - Knee paddling - ua-cam.com/video/ONCzGCNIUj8/v-deo.html
weight?
22 lbs - it's made with S-glass (military grade fibreglass ) and Carbon - BOMBPROOF -