I just bought a $400.00 rack to put mine on. And a four-wheel drive to put under the rack!! The SUP thing is fun...took it to St. Augustine last weekend and paddled in some 4' waves...very challenging...takes you all the way to shore if you just hang on. I probably had 15-20 second rides!

johnnylaing

I've been trying to learn SUP as well, though with a regular longboard - first the Ultra Cat and lately the Superlight II. It is not difficult at all on the Chattahoochee (very flat water). The Cat though was a little small for Lanier with motor boat chop. The last two weeks I went to Lanier on Sunday. The first time I did SUP and then later sailed a 7.4. The second time very little wind so I did SUP only.

Since I live very near the river I can go there after work. Its a good workout, and fun. My idea is to just learn the basics at home, then make it to the coast some time, rent a more proper board and see what I can do. The nice thing is it does give me a reason to go out wind or not. The added bonus is my wife and daughter has now gone kayaking a few times with me when I do SUP. Last weekend we all did a 6 mile run down the river in kayaks.

... Sundown is nigh upon us.

Yea verily, the end may be more nearer than we thinketh.

So– I thinketh I'll go windsurfing!

I am planning on going to LLSC on Wednesday afternoon w/ a longboard and a big old sail. There's a boat race starting at 7 p.m. so there will at least be something to look at... and there's a grill to burn some meat... and a cooler... and a view of the sunset (or T-storms) Glad for the company if anybody wants to go. It looks now like a fair chance of rain, so if it is unsailable, I'll bag it.

I'm also pumped on the idea of SUP, and am looking forward to trying it in the surf first chance I get. I've taken an approach similar to Randy's, albeit with my trusty original Superlight. By the way, Randy, where do you put in on the Chattahoochee? I've been thinking of going to the section just down from Roswell road to either paddle or just maybe try to sail on a W-SW day. Thoughts?

I wish a cold front would be nigh upon us...soonly

:idea: Try the upper section of the hooch between the hwy 115 bridge and hwy 384 (Duncan Bridge Road) south of Helen, it's lots a fun with lots a standing waves!

So Johnny, is your SUP a Pacifico or Superlight? How would you describe the differences?

I have both...I've always kept a Superlight for light air, and have been using it to catch waves for years. Chris P. and I used to catch houseboat wakes at sunset and get amazing rides for the lake when I lived there. Then, on trips to the coast, I was skunkproofed! I got the Pacifico after a Hatteras trip educamated me to the surfing side in bigger stuff...4-6 ft it was. I now can sail in most light conditions with the Pacifico (no daggerboard) almost as easily as the Superlight with regards to staying upwind.

The Pacifico gets its increased stability from a flatter bottom and more width. (don't we all...)Living here in St. Simons, I keep both in the boatyard, but travelling I only take the Pacifico cause it does it all. I've had it on Pamlico sound with a 9.0 in 17 where it planned out like a johnboat on steriods on flat water, in a blackwater river, in St. Augustine, OBX, and Cocoa surfing, and light air wavesailing in all of the above beaches. I taught 5 girls how to catch their very first wave a couple of weeks ago, and they just stand right up! The Superlight is much more tippy, and I don't think I could have given them that experience. Also had two moms sit on it with their 2-4 year olds in front and pushed them into some gentle waves. Brilliant! The Pacifico isn't quite a sidewalk, but close.

I have also taken it into the marsh where all the kayakers go...really cool!! Standing, you can see so much more than the kayaks!! I've done 2-3 hour cruises with no problem. When new, if I got tired, I would sit and paddle kayak style for a bit.

I have tried SUP with my superlight 2 at allatoona and maybe its just me but the contours of the deck on the super 2 are not really comfortable for standing that way, hurts my feet actually and makes for a very short session.

Chris,

There are several spots you could put on on the river. Right off Roswell on Azelia road, there is a park that I use most of the time. Under the 400 bridge is another spot you could put in. I've paddled from the park up to the 400 bridge a few times. If you go downstream a bit, off Wileo Road there is another spot I've put in at, which leads to the Bull Sluice lake, which ends up at the Morgan falls dam. (There is a small parking lot there, but you can't use this spot if the river is low. Otherwise, its fine.) I keep thinking I'll try to sail this small lake someday, but its really small and probably too much wind shadow. Still I'll probably try it sometime.

Beneath the Morgan falls dam, there is another spot to put in at, which you could take down to Johnson Ferry road. Last weekend we took kayaks down from Morgan Falls road to Powers Ferry Island (6 miles), which is right before 285. I could have paddled almost all the way on my board, except maybe the last bit where the rocks pop up and the flow gets more rapid. At that point, I'd be more worried about damaging my board than anything else.

Beneath Morgan Falls the water seems to flow quicker, but I still think you could make it back upsteam. Above the dam, its not hard to go either direction most of the time, though slower against the current.

I use the Superlight II, but I think for paddling the orignal SL would probably be better since its was wider, and had a rounded bottom, if I recall it right. For me the S II works fine.

Finally, as for sailing, I think the river is too narrow to make it worthwhile. You'd basically be tack every few minutes. Plus, there never seems to be much wind here. The Bull Sluice lake seems more plausible, but still a longshot. (I think you might have to paddle in with a rig stowed, then rig and start sailing.) Also, there are a fair number of long rowing shells running around which might get in the way of sailing.