Rambos Locker Ocean Sports Video Blog

I know quite a few people have shown interest in Va'a Racing, like Greg Long, Kevy Long, Mark Kennedy, Rowdy etc.

A Va'a plug is actually already in Australia awaiting molding, so things are farther down the track than what one might realize. The NZ surfrigger has been around for a while, we have a few up here at Mooloolaba, but they are some what different to the Tahitian Va'a and lot's of Kiwis love the Tahitian designs.

Another informative video this time of the making of a Va'a

Labels: molding canoe, repair canoe, V1, va'a, video

This is the best rudderless surfing video i have ever seen, check out the skills of these guys. The video is actually footage from this years Super Aito

There is so much more to learn than just thrashing away with a paddle and pressing on foot peddles to steer as we currently do on ruddered canoes. The way they use their body, their paddle and the ocean is to me like "Equestrian" on the Ocean.

I'd like to propose we start a movement towards manufacturing and racing Va'a here in Australia, not just sprints but ocean racing as seen in the video. The skills learnt would be incredibly valuable for steerers in OC6 and create a whole new interest for OC1 paddlers looking for a challenge.

I want one.

Labels: racing, rudderless, V1, va'a, video

All the prizes are drawn after the race, so every one who participates can win.

The sponsorships are: 3 nights for 4 people at Burleigh Beach Tower; Maui Jim sunglasses; Kialoa paddle - standup or outrigger paddle; clothing from Hinano Tahiti; meal at Montezumas Mexican, Burleigh; Honolua donating about $500 worth of product, Cruiser skateboard plus a few hats from Globe. Possibly more to come.

Start organizing your partner and support boat now.

Labels: Gold Coast Cup, oc1, OC2, outrigger, racing

Rambo pumps the adrenaline on a Mission for warp speed and the Ocean provides the ride.

Probably my best video to date, hope you enjoy.
Apart from the excellent downwind run, this video highlights what is possible with the Go Pro Hero3 Camera and a little (2 days) editing. If you want a 150mg HQ mp4 copy download here http://blip.tv/file/get/Rambooc1-MissionAdrenal383.mp4

Leave a comment if you like, helps make the insanity of making video's a little more enjoyable.
Cheers Rambo

Labels: GoPro, oc1, outrigger, Pegasus

Hey guys, bailing is a skill and another reason why we should be proud our sport is so different from others. The Top Crews will make a move when they see another crew bail, it can make or break a race and it’s all part of racing smart.

I remember in 1995 National Titles @ Rockhampton, Mooloolaba Masters started the race with no covers (as did lot’s of crews but not all) and just after the start the weather changed and i had to bail continuously from seat 5 for the entire 16k race. I could never get all the water out, but managed to keep the canoe high enough to maintain our lead in the race, dispite constant swamping. That was until 200 metres from the finish line when we took a huge swamping and sunk the canoe up to the gunnel’s. At that point every everyone had stopped paddling and had given up and i was so pissed at having bailed all that way i screamed at the crew to just paddle submarine style to try and make it to the finish line, as we had a sizable lead over 2nd and 3rd canoe. With the encouragement of most of the crowd on the beach we paddled underwater like crazy and passed over the line and won by half a boat length and an excited Ronnie Grabbe through his paddle so high in the air, i don’t think it ever came down.

It was one of the sweetest wins you could ever have and was a big part of what built the Mooloolaba Masters into the crew it is today and still gets talked about when the grog flows at the bar.

This was the crew - Rambo, Ronnie Grabbe, Pete Tremain, Adrian Blandford, Neil Campbell, Greg Anderson.

Bailing is a big part of our OC6 sport and history and we should embrace it and become skillful at it, not find ways to bastardize it.

BTW - My excuse for a poor “Shaka” in the photo is, i could barely lift my arms above my shoulders from all that bailing. Did OK at the bar that night though.

Learn to bail !!!!
Cheers Rambo

Labels: bailing, racing, training techniques

This was posted on Ausoutrigger forum and i thought it was worth of being recorded in the Locker.

Jeff ask's - Greetings,
Had a fun day on the water on my OC-2 with a friend who I am trying to woo over to OC from the world of dragon boat. I mentioned to him to keep his weight in the center of the boat but wow he really leans into his stroke. We had a great day and of course hulied when he was on the right.

Now I know it was my responsibility to protect the ama all day with this paddler, but just curious with the experience of the OC-2 crews in this community who is in charge of balancing the ama in the OC-2 given both are OC paddlers? I am assuming it is the right side paddler that fine tunes it with the left sided paddler keeping weight over the center. I'd welcome any insight on this.
Aloha,
Jeff

Follow up replies - Jeff, Paddle together more often and you two will click. The next person you partner will be different again.

OC6 paddlers who don't paddle OC1 or OC2 are very unstable when they first get onto an OC2, even experienced paddlers. They no longer have the canoe sides to brace against like in OC6 and need time in the two man to adapt to this. For this reason their timing is usually way out to.

I took a fellow club member out with me some time back, this paddler is a multiple OC6 Hamo and Nat winning paddler, but never paddled OC1 or OC2 before, still doesn't. We hulied 3 times and i could not focus on my own paddling it was that horrible. So what you experienced is normal.

Eventually, if you keep paddling with this person, a blend will develop and you will react to the OC2's movements instinctively.

It's not about who "keeps" the Ama, you should both just try to sit central, be balanced and move your center of gravity to maintain equilibrium.

Some combinations click straight away, usually two one man paddlers of similar ability.

Cheers Rambo

And Further - The Ama on a canoe does the job it was designed to do very well, generally it does not require input from us. So, as a paddler we should concentrate on paddling as if we don't have an Ama. If you set your canoe up correctly and paddle upright, the Ama should ride light and any time you sense a need to protect it, say if a swell is approaching on the Ama rear quarter, it should be done with a paddle stroke to compress it or a sight roll of the hips to counter the lift (not a lean) Taking a forward stroke is the preferred option, as this is contributing to the forward propulsion of the canoe, anything else just causes drag.

One of the reasons people get sore left ass is because they over protect the Ama, paddle your main hull as if it were your primary source of stability and relegate the Ama to secondary and you will be heaps faster.

Cheers Rambo

Ella wrote - Must learn this!! And that whole bracing right concept!!



Follow up reply - The bracing right concept is nothing more than taking a normal forward stroke on the right. As you press the paddle down at the catch your weight is transferred to your left butt cheek compressing the Ama usually enough to counter any lift. Sometimes you have to break your rhythm and accelerate your return stroke at the opportune time to make the brace stroke effective, but that is part of reading the ocean and using it's power, not fighting against it.

Flying the Ama and bracing passively on the right for balance is a completely different skill, in this case you induce the Ama to lift in order to reduce drag and allow the canoe to track using only the main hull. The brace drag can also be used to slow the canoe down to keep it on the crest of the wave until you decide the time is right to take the drop and link up some swells. Timing when to go and when to hold is critical to successful canoe surfing.

Cheers Rambo

Labels: OC2, training techniques