The Mullet

So many people have asked us what we think of the Standup Paddleboard industry after attending the Outdoor Retailer Expo in Salt Lake City. Is it growing or is it dying? What's going on? Did the bubble burst? The best way to describe it is...

While news reports tend to find a local expert to guide them through the sport of SUP, the articles written for the general public by newspapers and local magazines are poorly researched and fact checked and pick stock photos that don't show how to...

Every month, we hear of someone either drowning while paddleboarding, or having to be rescued because they either underestimated the wind or didn't see it coming. Consistently, those in danger are separated from their boards, most often in high winds with choppy, cold water....

In the past 6 weeks, there have been two examples of disastrous races. Races that barely escaped being headlines in the local paper. Races where paddlers could have been injured or killed. I can't call them out, but one was on the East coast and one...

In response to rising verbal and physical anti-SUP harassment, a team of standup paddleboard surfer/engineers have designed the first V-Edge blade hydrofoil SUP board. Not only will it catch a wave a mile before anyone else in the lineup, but it can half any surfer...

We read this tragic story from the stuff.co.nz website about the death of paddleboarder Amie Russell whose leash got stuck under the keel of a boat, she was held under, couldn't release her leash from her ankle and drowned. According the the article, Amie fell off her board. The...

This mathematical exercise is based on a comment that suggested we as a sport adopt standard marathon age groups and recognize every division in each race We are going to take the Myrtle Beach Marathon which had 1805 participants in the full marathon as our model for age groups. We...

I've been around events for a long time and there seems to be a consistent theme. With 80,000 potential divisions, people end up paddling a craft, age group, and/or gender that sets them in their own category. Inevitably, they are left out of the awards...

In April, we are launching The Mullet magazine: The first free, quarterly community paddle magazine that tells the stories of local paddlers, local events, local shops and local causes on a national stage. This community needs a unifying mechanism and we believe The Mullet is it. We...

What happens when a top pro owns his own board company? He rides the boards he produces. According to instagram, "This means all our team riders will be racing 14ft for the foreseeable future." It makes sense when you consider the costs of shipping unlimited boards to...

I received a text from a friend, "my 7-year old nephew has a rare form of brain cancer and we're looking for a few items for a fundraiser auction to help the family. I was wondering if you could donate anything."    At the same...

At what point do our choices affect others? At what point does saying "personal responsibility" really mean we're not taking personal responsibility or responsibility for the other competitors or the race directors? In the past, most personal responsibility posts have been more on the back...

I keep having the same off-the-record conversations about the 2016 Surf Expo in Orlando. For many of you, this glimpse into the industry won't make a lot of sense or really matter. Keep paddling. Keep racing. Keep having fun. (And bring friends paddling.) For the...

Mike Muir from Riviera Paddle Surf sent me this photo this morning. What a gift. "We should all aspire to be doing what Mickey is doing at 76." I'm a huge Mickey Muñoz fan, and not just because he was Gidget's stunt double. He's everything that's awesome about the...

A number of years ago, our friend Casey at SUP Gladiator posted about SUP as being the Gateway drug to other watersports. Can you say SUP Prophet? We think so.   This week, there are two OC videos on Distressed Mullet, both from OC-legend, Kai Bartlett....

Results. Wow. Let me tell you about race results. From a race director's point of view, they often are the hardest part of running a race—especially when they are trying to tackle timing and results on their own. Putting race divisions into perspective Here are 12 common...

2014 Battle of the Paddle and World Series Champion and 2015 Lost Mills Champ, Lina Augatis, is enjoying time with her husband Andrew in anticipation of their first child. Werner Paddles caught up with her for a few questions. How far along are you? We are...

What if prior to a race or rental, people had to show that they could safely perform a set of basic paddleboard skills in order to be allowed to rent boards or participate in a race? Safely demonstrate the following Launch and comfortably stand on a...

I came across this article this morning and it struck a nerve. First, it's on a site that is obviously anti-paddleboarder, so the tone rose my temperature as I read. But then, it looks like the standup paddle boarder used his paddle as a...

This is an opportunity. An opportunity to share your stoke. To share your love for paddling. To share the sport you love with a Special Olympic Athlete. On Oct 17 to Oct 18, 2015, Higgs Beach, Key West, Florida, Special Olympics Florida- Monroe County is holding the SUP Invitational, to...

It's been three weeks since Andres Pombo went missing in the Gorge. And while it may seem like things are quiet, there is actually quite a lot going on behind the scenes on two fronts. This is a quick update on what I've heard here...

This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to take part in my first Catalina Classic: 32 miles from Two Harbors in the north of Catalina Island, past the R10 Buoy at Palos Verdes, and finishing at the Manhattan Beach Pier. The entire experience changed...

Photo from Fox 13 News Salt Lake City courtesy of Summit County Sheriff’s Office There seems to be a clear and present danger from people being separated from their equipment. On July 17th, Joshua Merkley, 21 of Layton went missing in Rockford State Park in Utah when...

The 2015 Round the Rock is a non-profit event and all net proceeds go to Athletes for Cancer. This terrific organization offers adventure-based experiences such as surfing, outrigger canoeing, standup paddling, skiing and snowboarding, to young cancer survivors as channels of healing, achievement and...

At first I thought, "Is it too early for an article on this?" Then I realized on some levels it's too late. Nevertheless, it's a conversation we need to have. Are we safe when we stand up paddle board? The warning shot It started when Zbigniew Moryn,...