Why are Stand-Up Paddleboards all the rage? Because they're ridiculously fun, like walking on water. We made a lot of believers out of folks who have tried out our new Kaholo SUP kits at shows across the country.
It's taken five years and more prototypes than we care to count to refine the two Kaholo SUP boards. Working with surfing and paddleboard guru Larry Froley of Gray Whale Trading in California, we've created two beautiful hollow wooden boards with that rare quality of being fast enough to race but stable enough for first-timers. Tracking is great and a fine bow with kayak-derived shaping lifts the Kaholo 12-6 and 14 up and over waves. The tail shape and twin fins facilitate surfing on long swells once your skills build up to that.
With their uncanny speed, the Kaholo 12-6 and Kaholo 14 have found a following among racers. The 14 is better for larger paddlers (or those who might carry along dogs or small kids). The 12-6 is more compact, better for smaller-statured paddlers, and it fits in several increasingly popular racing classes. There are no other SUP boards in the world that are easier for a first-time boatbuilder, or better-looking. But you don't give up one bit of performance if you build your own Kaholo!
Kaholo 14:
14'0" Length
4-5/8" Thickness
29-1/2" Width at the rail
27-1/2" Width at the waterline
32 pounds
Kaholo 12-6:
12'6" Length
4-1/2" Thickness
29-3/4" Width at the rail
28" Width at the waterline
29 pounds
Kits include premium nonskid deck pads, cut to shape, breather tubes, and custom laminated skegs. The comprehensive instruction manual suggests ways to customize your board with fabrics and other stylish tweaks, as seen in the photo gallery.
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Designer John C. Harris counted himself among the skeptics before trying out his first SUP in California in 2006. "It's the most amazing sensation---as close to walking on water as you're going to get. But a little faster. You achieve kayak-like speeds, but your visibility is vastly improved because your eyes are so much higher off the water. You can see more, see further, and in clear water you have a much better view of sea life than you do in a kayak."
It's also a major workout---every muscle in your body is at work as you ride over waves and work the long-handled SUP paddle. If taking a walk is healthy, taking a walk on water is healthy AND the view is better. Harris says he can envision shifting one of his hobbies---wandering marinas on foot looking at boats---to a Kaholo. Nature lover? Paddle quietly through the shallows.
Construction is similar to the popular and highly refined San O' 14 and 16 paddleboards (which are too narrow for stand-up paddling). The Kaholos are okoume marine plywood, stitched-and-glued together and sheathed in fiberglass and epoxy, with a grid of bulkheads and stiffeners inside to make the boards stiff and light.
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