Spent four days paddling around Dana Point California. Dana Point is where I first saw the Paddleboards being used. Paddling around the harbor and outside into the Pacific Ocean is a great feeling. The best part about paddleboarding in Dana Point is that there is always someone out paddling and the scenery is spectacular. I paddled out around the red buoy and stayed clear enough of the seals as to not bother their sunbathing. The Pacific is crazy big and deep when comparing to paddling the Florida Atlantic. You can feel it as soon as you leave the Harbor. The boaters respect the paddlers and the paddlers seem to stay clear of the boaters. Being a boater, it becomes pretty evident that heavy pedestrian water traffic adds to the confusion of waterway. Even though the boat under power must yield, the rule of tonnage kicks in and if you have any sense of self preservation, stay away from boat traffic and out of the middle of the channel.

Far From the Ocean, Fitness Craze Appeals to Those Wanting a Total Body Workout on the Water, Minus the Waves

from The Wall Street Journal

By KEVIN HELLIKER

When Chris Krause hops on a board each morning to surf Lake Michigan, the water is usually flat. But who cares? Instead of catching a wave, Mr. Krause is catching a workout, by standing on his board and paddling for 60 minutes.

"For my money it's the best total body workout you can get," says Mr. Krause, a 44-year-old triathlete who runs a match-making service for promising athletes and college coaches.

Stand-up paddle surfing is the fitness rage of the summer. In lakes, rivers and bays where the surf is never up, Americans in skyrocketing numbers are standing on boards and paddling, a balancing act that strengthens the muscles of the legs, buttocks, back, shoulders and arms.

"Stand-up paddle surfing is a valuable new form of cross-training, in part because it's so low impact," says Cindi Bannink, a triathlon coach in Madison, Wis.

For an industry long dependent on California and Hawaii, the trend is rapidly forging new sales territories. "Suddenly, our fastest-growing markets are places like Chicago, Boise and Austin, Texas," says Ty Zulim, sales manager for Surftech International, a surf-board maker and distributor based in Santa Cruz, Calif.

"Stand-up paddling is the fastest-growing segment of the surf industry," says Sean Smith, executive director of the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association, whose most recent study found that the industry had sales in 2008 of $7.2 billion.

Some manufacturers say they can't make them fast enough. "Every one we make is already sold, and that's the case with most manufacturers," says surfing legend Laird Hamilton, who has licensed his name and stand-up board designs—including a model called the Laird—to Surftech and other manufacturers.

After introducing stand-up boards at west coast stores last year, Recreational Equipment Inc. this summer stocked it in a number of land-locked stores—and met its annual sales projections by mid-June, says Nathan Grothe, product manager for REI, based just outside of Seattle.

Even general merchandiser Costco Wholesale Corp. began selling stand-up boards this summer to great success, says Jack Weisbly, the Kirkland, Wash., chain's sporting goods' merchandise manager. "We're selling a lot of them to hotels and resorts that are located near water," he says.

Known as SUP (pronounced as in "Wassup?"), the stand-up paddling trend comes on the heels of the kayak craze, but offers potentially greater health benefits, especially given recent research showing the hazards of prolonged sitting. Like yoga, standing on a board requires basic balancing abilities, which in turn strengthen and tone any and all muscles used to stay in position. (A new trend in some still-water locales involves staging yoga classes on stand-up boards.)

People of any age can get started, proponents say, recommending that newcomers should use the widest—and therefore sturdiest—boards. While conventional surf boards are about 20 inches in width, stand-up boards can be 32 inches wide. Children older than toddlers can use them alongside their grandparents, although life preservers are recommended and in some locations required.

Newcomers should kneel on the board and paddle that way before trying to rise to their feet. In still water, standing up is hardly more difficult on a stand-up board than on solid ground. Once afoot, staying that way is relatively easy. This reporter—who during yoga class takes frequent tumbles—stayed dry during an hour of debut paddle surfing last week on the choppy waters of Lake Michigan.

Like cycling, paddle surfing can be done at a recreational pace or, for an aerobic workout, at heart-thumping speed. And like yoga, stand-up paddle surfing is proving particularly popular with women.

"Nearly 50% of the buyers of our stand-up boards are women, which is a much much higher percentage than" conventional surf boards, says Mr. Hamilton.

At worst, a tumble means getting wet. But many veterans say they never do. "If falling off was a real danger, my wife and I wouldn't be out on Lake Michigan doing it in March," when chunks of ice are floating in the lake, says Mr. Krause, who says only his feet ever get wet.

High-end models of stand-up boards sold in sporting-goods stores range from about $900 to $1,500, with the paddle costing an additional $150 to $300. Costco, however, offers a board-and-paddle set for as little as $429.

Paddles have given rise to races. Dozens are scheduled this summer, up from none only a few years ago, with the fastest paddlers moving well beyond 10 miles an hour. "This is to surfing what snowboarding first was to skiing," says Mr. Hamilton. "I'm convinced it will be an Olympic sport."

Mr. Hamilton declines to call himself the inventor of the sport because Pacific Islanders—and Italy's Venetians—for centuries have stood in boats using paddles or poles.

Yet there's one place where stand-up paddling isn't popular: the waters where conventional surfers converge. To them, the oversized boards and six-feet long paddles represent a danger, especially in the hands of novices. "Don't Encourage Them," said a recent headline in a blog called Postsurf.com.

Great Lakes Paddleboards' online store will be fully-functional soon.

Right now, you are able to see the catalog, and even add items to your cart - but it won't yet allow you to check out.  This is because we are in the process of installing the SSL certificate which assures your personal information remains encrypted and confidential.  Once we can guarantee that our valued customers can make their purchases securely, we'll be ready to start accepting your online orders!

Until then, you may contact us at buymyboard@glpaddleboards.com to place an order...

We're in the process of redesigning our website, to better serve you.

 In the coming days, you'll see a lot of new features and areas on the Great Lakes Paddleboards website.  We're adding some great new things, such as:

• Online shopping - you'll soon be able to order boards and gear directly from the GLP website!
• Blogs - tips and tricks from the people at Great Lakes Paddleboards.
• Forum - a place to discuss anything and everything with the SUP community.  You can even upload your own photos!
• User accounts - create your own GLP user account to keep track of purchases, post to the forum, and join the fun.

Check back with us often, as we'll be adding new features and content daily...

Stand up paddling on the western shores of Lake Erie can become a little tricky, with boat wakes and wind chop. Good old shallow basin western Lake Erie... The islands make for some beautiful paddling, but before you head out into open water, here are a few good tricks.

A good stance is the foundation of good stand up paddling. Everyone will have their favorite, most preferred stance to match their body requirements, but we generally break it down into two basic stances.

The square stance is when both feet are perpendicular to the nose of the board. Both feet are usually centered, spread wide to the grab slot or the true center of the board.  This is the beginner's stance, or the most stable stance when paddling in areas where you simply do not want to fall - crowded marinas, etc. A wide base is the most forgiving in terms of balance. We encourage all of our students to learn the square stance first before progressing to the stagger stance.

The stagger stance is the more common to the surf stance which allows the paddler to turn into a wave.  The stagger stance allows the back foot to help steer the board along the face of a wave.  On flat water a stagger stance allows for a longer paddle stroke. A goofy foot will have the right foot forward a normal stance will have the left foot forward.  How the term “goofy foot” came into the surf world is not really known by me, but the majority of surfers have their left foot forward. The minority of the right foot forward people became known as goofy foot. (Many might think that they named it after me, because I was - and still consider myself to be - a little goofy. But I digress.) For this writer, it was a no-brainer to face the waves that only broke left as a kid.

When in a stagger stance, both feet are usually in a more parallel position to the sides of board (rails). The stagger stance is more effective in getting the total stretch of the paddle motion. As you become proficient either surfing or paddling, you will be able to change back and forth from both stances.

The stagger stance requires more control of toe and heel in maintaining board balance. From and aesthetic view, the stagger stance is the more demanding to learn. It is also the more productive to use, especially if you get the opportunity to paddle into a wave.

When fighting the effects of choppy water conditions and a churning surface, use a square stance that will provide the opportunity to lower your center of gravity, and crouch to maintain balance. Never forget that dropping to the knees to keep control and momentum is a great alternative to taking that constant pounding. You always need to be prepared for that transition from the calm leeward side to the open effects of the windward. On our western lake Erie wind chop, it reminds me of standing on a balance bosu ball, on one foot. The good part is that your body is always in an exercise mode simply to maintain balance.

Both stances will provide a good Core Body workout, and don't forget the benefits of muscle use in the feet and lower legs. Beginners will feel a burning sensation in both the lower legs and the feet as you train a new group of muscles to help your body balance.

A quick trick for additional balance in switching stance for the novice...

Place the grip knob of the paddle on the deck pad in front of your front foot or simply in front of the grab slot. Use the paddle as an additional stabilizing point. Three points of contact with the board is a quick way to stabilize your footing, and it will aid your switching stance.

And don’t forget, being in the water is as good as being on the board. Don’t be afraid to walk the board trying new things and new stances. My personal favorite is to lie down on the board to rest after a strong paddle. The boards are stable in the water whether standing, kneeling, sitting or lying down.

Finally, and most importantly, always paddle with a friend if possible, and wear a surf leash and or a life jacket. Paddle boards are floatation devices by nature, but we recommend a life jacket and a surf leash for everyday use.

Enjoy the water!