Pacific Paddler April 2015 - (Page 38)

small boats getting Winter in Canada hardly seems like the time for racing OC1 or OC2, much less surf ski and SUP, but in fact the CORA/ PNWORA racing series runs from January to April. Then the summer series take over: Big Chop, Comox by the Sea and Deep Cove Tuesday night races, and Sunday CORA races. There is definitely more interest in what we call "small boats" in Canada these days. According to Don Irvine of Hana Hou, a paddlesports business selling Outrigger Zone canoes and offering coaching services, the popularity of OC1s and OC2s has been steadily growing since PhoTo bY roger PiMenTa a handful of Canadians started getting serious about World Sprints in 1990 and bought a fleet of V1s. Irvine and his wife, Annie Boulding, went to the Sacremento event in 1992 and won the big draw prize, an OC1! Heather Taylor, another long-time V1 sprinter, remembers that after the 1994 World Sprints she and some other paddlers purchased four Naia OC1s for training purposes. Besides the sprint/ V1 connection, there are other reasons for the growth in the sport. The level of competition in OC6 and dragonboat racing in Canada has reached a critical point: paddlers must often do time controls in OC1s in order to make crews. If you don't have access to an OC1 to train outside of "big boat" practices, you are likely to miss out on making that boat's crew. Irvine notes that getting on an OC1 is an opportunity to paddle a performance-designed craft without a lot of initial skill required. It's to the big boat. Paddling such a lightweight, got "training wheels" - the ama- and feedback responsive solo craft is exhilarating, according to on what works and what doesn't is much more Lauren Douglas, a new outrigger paddler in our immediate than in a larger craft paddled by club. Being a dragonboater, to suddenly experimultiple people. It's just you on the canoe and ence being the steerer, stroker and the engine what you discover is completely transferable back room all at one time was incredibly instructive. PhoToS bY bob anDerSon Most people I interviewed said they bought an OC1 to get faster. Improving technique, learning to connect with and read the water, and being able to train more were cited as important benefits. Michele Genge, of Comox, bought an OC1 for her 40th birthday to challenge herself PhoTo bY anDrea Keenan 38 Pacific Paddler aPril 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pacific Paddler April 2015

Kanaka ikaika maui Jim waterman's series
Waikiki Surf Club juniors
Sean Monahan on technique
fishing from an oC1
Koa Nui
Manny Kulukulualani talks story
HSCA 2015 schedule
Outrigger canoe making waves in the desert
Small boats getting big
Stretches for paddling
Hawaii Island
Composite paddle blades
Mahalo Kai Opua

Pacific Paddler April 2015