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.