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While most stand up boards come with an EVA deck pad on them, some do not.
The new “Startouch” deck traction from Starboard offers great grip �- but personally �I like the softer feel of a deck pad, especially when you are going to be on the board for a long time.

Here is a step by step of how to install a deck pad.
1) Figure out where you pad is going to go – in this case an On A Mission SUP pad that comes in 4 main parts.
I determined it only needed 3 parts to cover the main area of the board.

2) Line up – and then trace around the pad with a pencil.

3) I sanded down the Startouch a little bit with 600 grit wet sand paper – just to make sure the pad stayed on.

4) Start from one end or the other and peel and stick. �The center line on the Starboard makes it real easy to line things up.
If your board does not have a line – place some masking tape along the center line of the board beyond where your pad will go.

5) In order to be able to locate the handle (and / or vent plugs) I put some tape on the rails where the handle is more or less located.

6) Use a sharp blade to cut out the handle area. �I like to angle the cut at the edge to make it smooth on my hands.

7) Go Paddle!

Just in case you are wondering what board this is – it is a Starboard Whopper (10’0″ x 34″) in the AST Startouch construction.
This construction will be coming in Blue this year – the Orange was a prototype for a possible color. �Most dealers liked the blue better so that is what went into production. � We at Easy Rider did manage to get 3 of the Orange boards – My Whopper, a Seven Eleven(7’11” x 30″) and a Big Easy (12’0″ x 34″) �They are the only orange ones in the world – so call me quickly if you want one!

(click on the photos to enlarge)

What an awesome way to spend Valentines Day evening!
While it was -12 c plus the wind chill outside – forty six sup loving people made the trek to West Edmonton Mall last night for the first ever Easy Rider SUP demo in the wave pool of the worlds largest shopping mall.

We had an hour and a half of flat water paddling for the newbies and then had waves for the final ninety minutes.
While the flat water was fun for all – the waves proved a bit challenging. �Being man made and coming in very tight sets of four, it took a little bit of time until everyone had them figured out. �By the end of the evening most were getting full rides.
Thanks to all those that came out, and I am already looking forward to the next demo on April 11.

Thanks
Warren

(click on the pictures to view in full size)

Wow – What a trip.
The First annual Easy Rider SUP Safari to Southern California was a great time.
Here are a few highlights and some photos from the trip.
First two days were spent at the Action Sport Retailer trade show in San Diego.
Although I have been to this show many, many times it was great to see the show through the eyes of someone new to that world.

Starboard had a great booth with a whole bunch of the brand new boards for 2010.
Gaute from Starboard hand carried over many of the new boards that are still in the prototype stage.
The new Short board is a surf machine – made of a super secret carbon lay up – it weighed in at just over 10 pounds – insane.
The Surf Race was there in the new Brushed Carbon construction – it is a 12′ board that is well under 20 pounds – equally insane.
Also there was the AST construction of The NEW race board – – it’s design is taking SUP race boards to a whole �new level.

After the Trade show we toured some surf shops, as the weather in “Sunny San Diego” was anything but.
We did manage a good couple of hours out flat water paddling on Mission Bay – where we all switched boards many times.

Then is was up the coast to do some surfing.
We got one good day in at Santa Monica and one awesome day just south of Santa Barbara.

Many great meals, a bunch of drinks and a ton of great conversation made it a fantastic trip.

Thanks to Scott for Trident for setting up the boards, to Gaute from Starboard for a ton of great information, to Wardog from Surfing Sports in Santa Barbara for guiding us, to Delmer for having someone other than my brother to talk to 🙂 and to Declan from Trident for his visa card!

Start planning for next year – I have a ton of great ideas!

Warren

(Click on the photos to see full size)