CatSUP

Memorial Day Fun!
I finally got to do something I've been wanting to do since November when we brought our little hurricane rescue kitten SANDY back from Hatteras.

I'm not sure Sandy was amused.

CatSup

WIPE OUT!

I'm pretty sure this is Sandy giving me the finger!

Paddle Like You Stole It!

JIMMY LEWIS CRUISE CONTROL 11'

Review

OK, I didn't exactly steal it, but I did borrow my girlfriend's  Jimmy Lewis Cruise Control for a quick paddle before sunset last night.


The Jimmy Lewis 11' was the very first board that I ever paddled. Like they say, you never forget your first love.This is the board that turned me on to the sport of  stand up.  It was one of the first boards that we stocked at East of Maui, many years ago, when we started selling  stand up paddle boards  Since that very first paddle, I've paddled many different boards,  but hands down, the Cruise Control is still one of the best all around boards on the market.   So.....let's go for a little paddle.

Jimmy Lewis Cruise Control 11' x 30"x 4-1/2"

  

It had been windy all afternoon, and as I left the mouth of Back Creek in Annapolis I found myself paddling out in a pretty serious  chop.  JL specs the board at 170 liters of volume, and at my 195 lbs, I tend to prefer a little more floatation, but the board still had plenty of stability, and I didn't fall in the cool waters of the Chesapeake.

Chop

I immediately  violated one of my 1st safety rules of paddling and took off heading downwind. (I always recommend heading upwind 1st and then downwind toward home 2nd.)  It was  blowing 10-12 knots and I made it to downtown Annapolis in almost no time at all.  I even managed to catch a few waves on the way into town.   I took a few sunset shots photos, said hi to Capt. Jen sailing by on her beautiful schooner Woodwind, and then  turned around to paddle home.  UPWIND!

Capt. Jen & Woodwind

Annapolis Skyline

  The Jimmy Lewis boards are one of the best constructed boards out there.  Light and stiff is better. Paddling upwind and into the waves, the board jumped at each paddle stroke, and either rode over or  punched through every wave with ease. It was super fun to paddle, and for me paddling is all about having  fun. The board has parallel rails and tracks extremely well.  Its' flat bottom gives the board great glide.  At the same time, the rails are nicely rounded and the board still is maneuverable.  The couple times Sarah has let me use her board in the surf, I found it easy to catch waves and loose feeling, especially for a board that tracks so well in flat water.
Why does this board do everything so well? 
  Jimmy Lewis  has been shaping  boards over 40 years.  He knows what he is doing.  There is a difference between shaping and designing.  Jimmy still shapes his boards by feel and by hand.  Computers don't surf! 

Jimmy Lewis Construction (photo Jimmy Lewis)

 We sell a lot of different boards at East of Maui. Every board we sell has earned its place in our shop. We realize that not everyone can afford a $1649 board. We believe that every board we offer is the best in its price range.   However, there is a reason good boards cost more.  They are simply better. Period! Anyone that tells you a cheaper board is just as good as a more expensive board is lying. Better boards perform better and last longer.  Sarah uses her board several days a week in the summer, and her  4 year old board  still looks great.

Looking great under a full moon.

  If you weigh between 125 and 185 lbs and looking for one of the best all around stand up boards you can buy,  you need to look no further than the Jimmy Lewis Cruise Control 11'

Still don't believe me? East of Maui has a JL Cruise Control 11' in our Premium Demo Program.  Rent it and check it out yourself.  Maybe I will steal Sarah's board and join you for a paddle!

Aloha, MB  

Back to the Beach!

Surf, sand, and stoke!

Let's go surfin' now. Everybody's learning how. Come on and safari with me. Early in the morning we'll be startin' out. Some honeys will be coming along.We're loading up our Woody.....

Naish Nalu 11'6"

Knee to waist high!

 
Well, my GMC truck isn't  exactly a  woodie,  I'm not sure driving to Assateague counts as a safari, and my honey couldn't take off work, but on Monday I loaded up the boards and headed to the beach.
 IT WAS GOOD!

 I parked at the North lot of the Assateague National Seashore.  Other than a single fisherman, there was no one else around.  I could see some school kids down at he south end, but I pretty much had the place to myself.  The waves were knee to waist high, with a very strong offshore wind.
 The water temp was around 51 and I opted for my Patagonia R3, 3mm booties, and a little Patagonia beanie. No gloves. 
I grabbed the 11'6" Naish Nalu, double and triple checked my leash and headed out.  I literally had to drag my paddle to slow down on  the way out in order to time my way through the waves because of the strong wind.  I got out past the break and checked my leash again.  There was no way I was going to be able to catch my board and keep it from blowing to England if we got separated. 
I'm not a very good surfer, but I got so many waves and rides I lost count.  Nothing  rad, no cut backs, but just a ton of long, down the line rides almost to the beach. So much fun.  So good to be in the ocean again. I was out for a little over 2 hours.  I was completely toasty in my suit, but the clouds rolled in an my hands got  cool, but not unbearable.  The wind changed direction a little bit, and it started getting choppy, so I paddled in a called it a day.  I climbed out of my wetsuit and climbed in to my beach chair.
 

Surfin' the beach chair

It won't be long before the beach is packed with sunburned tourist, and I will have to take turns and share the waves with other surfers.  I read somewhere, the best surfer is the one having the most fun. Well, I was the only one out there, I was definitely having the most fun, so maybe for just that one day................


 
Aloha-MB

Tuesday Night Stand Up!

 Tuesday Group Paddle

Join East of Maui every Tuesday night at 6pm (weather permitting)* for a summer of sunset paddling fun. We will meet at Horn Point Park at the end of Chesapeake Ave, in the Eastport section of  Annapolis.  The group paddle is suitable for recreational paddlers, but all participants should have some paddling experience, and should be able to paddle for an hour to an hour and a 1/2. The group paddle is free if you have your own board .   A limited number of boards may be chartered for $20 for the group paddle. The group paddle IS NOT A LESSON.

*Call East of Maui for more information and last minute weather updates.     

410-573-9463

Free Intro to Stand Up Paddling

East of Maui is partnering with Eastport Yacht Club to present sunset paddleboarding mini-lessons at the club on Tuesday evenings, May 14 and 28, June 11 and 25, July 9 and 23, August 6 and 20,  from 5 - 8 p.m. East of Maui will supply  the paddleboards and offer free mini-lessons and basic  instruction.  Lessons are on a first come first served basis. 
Lessons are free, and open to all ages 12 and up. Participants (including EYC members and non-members alike) are welcome to bring their own boards and take advantage of EYC's hospitality at the bar and for our popular Tuesday Burger Night. Bring a bathing suit, water shoes or sandals, and a change of clothes. You might get wet and you will definitely have fun.

Kumu'ohu

This Saturday is the 10th Annual Washington Canoe Club " Kumu'ohu"  Race!

I tried to find what he Hawaiian translation for Kumu'ohu is, but I didn't have any luck.

I'm pretty sure it must mean "What the heck are you thinking, signing up to do a  SUP race when you have barely been on a board since December!".  There is also a possibility that it translates to  "I'm going to die or at least throw up if I try to paddle 6 miles".  Whatever it translates to,  I have commited myself to being there pretty early in the morning.  Well, actually, it will be early, and it will be morning, but very doubtful that I will be pretty.  If anyone else wants to join me for a morning of "fun", check out the info below. See you on the Potomac!

New  Team East of Maui Uniforms. NOT! (photo from WCC web site)

 

10th Annual Kumu'ohu Challenge Saturday April 20, 2013

The members of the Washington Canoe Club are pleased to invite you to the 10th Annual Kumu'ohu Challenge on the Potomac River. This is the season opening race of the East Coast Outrigger Racing Association sanctioned OC1/OC2 Points Series. Additional classes will include Surfski, Sea Kayak, and SUP. Come celebrate the spring thaw with a great day of paddling and camaraderie in the Nation's Capital.
Venue
The race course is on the relatively protected water of the Potomac River, beginning and ending in front of the WCC. The WCC is located at 3700 K Street, NW, Washington, DC just upstream of Key Bridge on the beautiful Georgetown waterfront. The OC1/OC2, surfski and sea kayak course will be 13km, while the SUP course will be 8km.
Race day registration opens at 8:00 AM. The registration fee is $15 per person, which includes food and drink at the post race lunch. To help us plan this event, please let us know if you expect to attend by submitting an entry form in advance (no advance fee required), via our high-tech online system.

Lifejackets and whistles are required. You don't have to wear them, but they must accompany you throughout the race. Please plan accordingly

Start of the 2011 Kumu'ohu

2011

 Aloha, MB

East of Maui Annual Spring Swap Meet*

(this) SUNDAY, April 21^st

 8am ‘til Noon.

Buy* Sell* Trade*

Windsurfing*  Kiteboarding* Stand Up Paddle* Surfboards

 

  STOREWIDE SALE

10%-20%

OFF EVERYTHING IN THE SHOP

Sale ends @ Noon!

The SWAP is FREE to the public.

 No dealers, team riders, retailers, or their agents are permitted to attend.

410-573-9463

2303 Forest Drive, Suite-E

Festival@ Riva Shopping Center

Annapolis, Md. 21401

Like us on Facebook:  Facebook.com/eastofmaui

What'SUP with the weather?

I love Winter and I love snow, but what is SUP with all of the cold  weather this Spring?  Didn't Mother Nature get the message about global warming, or hear the Ground Hog's prediction?  Last year by April I already had more than a dozen days in. This year just a few  SUP sessions. It hasn't just been the cold.  I've got gear to stay warm in pretty chilly conditions, but it has been really windy too.  Wind and Stand Up isn't that much fun.  I proved that to myself back in January at the Orange Bowl Race.   Add wind, cold air and water to the mix, it just becomes downright dangerous. Now I will admit, I probably could have put the board on the car and driven to a more protected area, but I'm lazy and prefer to walk down the street and then paddle out from the public launch behind the Annapolis Maritime Museum.  That is one of the things I love  about Stand Up is the grab and go factor.  It has not been a grab and go Spring.     

Bottom Line, Can't change the weather. Have fun, stay safe, and see you on the water SOON!

Bundled up on Easter, Paddling out into a 12-15 headwind.  What' SUP with that?

RACING

Here is just a partial list of some of the local  upcoming races close to Annapolis

April 20: 10th Annual Kumu'ohu Challenge,Washington D.C

Jun 2: Surf Swap Challenge, Ocean City, MD
Jun 8: SUP Annapolis/Kent Island, Kent Island, MD

Jul 13: East of Maui, Eastport YC/Chesapeake Challenge, Annapolis, MD

Aug 11: Battle on the Bay, Ocean City, MD
Aug 31: Paddle for Humanity, Washington, DC.


East of Maui has a great selection of RACE Boards Available from all the top brands: BARK, Bic, Boga, Coreban, Fanatic, Jimmy Lewis, LPC, Naish, NSP, and Surftech.  In addition to top of the line paddles from Kialoa, Naish, and Quickblade, East of Maui is now an Authorized Hippo Stick dealer!    For the best service and selection stop by East of Maui for all of your Stand Up Paddle Board needs.

Just a few of the new 2013 boards in stock

Hippo's