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HPD Experiences

 
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Spudnut



Joined: 30 Jan 2011
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Location: Ventura, Ca

PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:38 pm    Post subject: HPD Experiences Reply with quote

I have my mats, made some plywood paipos, and had to get an HPD. I really thought that the HPD would have some similarities to my mats, but my experiences say different. The riding style that is working best for me is the bodysurfing technique with the inside arm stretched out forward and holding the board with the outside hand. I was concerned about being able to turn the board somewhat quickly, but by shifting my weight from inside rail to outside rail as well as hand position switches, I can quickly cutback. This thing seems like a magnet for getting in the curl, but when getting picked off, the pounding is way more than the mats. I do not think that i have ever paddled anything slower than the HPD or had an easier time making it out to the lineup. I love when a cleanup set comes through and we all go to duck dive at the same time and I get to just swim out the back!

I would love to hear what is working for others using the HPD. I put a leash plug on it but after two sessions with a coiled leash, I took it off because I really did not like it! For those that use leashes, do you use a coiled or straight surfboard style leash? A big fear of mine is being hit in the head or face with this board, and I am thinking that the chances of being hit would be worse with a leash.
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bgreen



Joined: 20 Feb 2004
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Location: Qld. Oz

PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 4:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't surf a HPD a real lot but they like to be ridden high and a good peak is a perfect launching pad. The other way to turn them is hip pressure.

I can't recall getting hit by a HPD but have had some solid hits in the head by some of my other boards.

Have you seen the footage of the original pre-HPD riders - Jim Growney & John Waidelich? http://vimeo.com/9742493

Then there is the technique of Sean Ross. His interview and photos bear some studying. His style is quite different to the superman arm style.

To surf a HPD well I think you need to put a lot of time in. I also believe the type of wave you surf on them makes a difference.

Bob
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Soulglider



Joined: 04 Feb 2008
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 8:57 am    Post subject: f Reply with quote

depends what you expect a board to do...i hate them! guess they do what they do real well, they are to bangy, dont turn worth a sh!t, feel like you are riding a piece of concrete. i surf california waves, i like flex, no wait, i love flex! they dont. but to be fair, its all about the feel the rider is looking for, for me, i got my ass beat enough when i was a kid, dont need the hpd to keep it up. happy surfing! Wink
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geoffreylevens



Joined: 18 Nov 2009
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 9:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you make your own you could easily make an HPD style board with any amount of flex you wanted. Use Greenough technology ie shape blank, lam bottom with several layers of glass, pop off blank and fill rails w/ pour foam (or leave blank in place and just shape out the middle to your tastes. Then glass the deck and tune flex with grinder. See flexspoon threads on Swaylocks or tech articles on flexspoon.com
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mrmike



Joined: 06 Sep 2007
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Location: coronado, ca

PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 9:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

better yet make it out of cheep plywood. ti flexes and is better Cool

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kage
Dolphin Glider


Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 286
Location: Santa Cruz

PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 10:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Spudnut,
I use a body boarding style hold - one hand on nose and one on side for the most leverage. The key for me is too stay very mobile on the board, I shift the board forward and back a lot while turning. IMHO I think people that are used to foam boards are more used to weighting and using the rails. Doesn't work with an HPD.
It is true there is nothing slower than paddling an HPD back out to the line up. Will someone please install the rope tow. On the other hand I love passing standups while duck diving. Heh heh.
I use a leash. It's an extra long bicep leash, curly. It works for me, I only had one close call and that was when an old board deconstructed itself during a wave. My typical leash problem is when I come up from a wipeout right under my board and conk my head. Could probably happen with no leash too. If there are big waves I am too afraid of loosing my board with no leash. I am often in the water before it's light and good luck finding a red or black board.
The only other thing I'd say is I take off with one hand on the middle of the board, body turned sideways. I keep as much weight off the board as possible and then shift way up as soon as I start moving down the face. Late take offs, learn to love them.
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ted



Joined: 14 Jan 2008
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Location: Hawaii, Big Island

PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 4:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey, Spud.

I'm still figuring out what works (and what doesn't) on the HPD after two years of experimentation. The bodyboard style grip with active fore-aft weighting helps with turning, but can be a setup for bouncing if you're not careful. One thing to avoid is stalling the board with tail weight on a steep takeoff: you will go over the falls hard or get sucked over the falls as you try to bail. Dropping in straight down and getting stuck in the whitewater is also a drag. Angling the takeoff and then cutting back or side slipping is almost always better than trying for a big, square bottom turn.

The superman style works well for me as long as the waves are not super critical.

I do worry about getting smacked by the lip while my unsupported neck is positioned over the nose of the board, but it hasn't happened yet. The only hard contact has been bonking my helmet on the board when I was in a big hurry to breathe. The coily leash is a necessity because of rocks here.
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ted



Joined: 14 Jan 2008
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Location: Hawaii, Big Island

PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 1:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's some basic HPD footage from this morning: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOwOgXbCrOk
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bgreen



Joined: 20 Feb 2004
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Location: Qld. Oz

PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 5:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My experience with a HPD was that I had only tapped the surface. There is a lot of untapped potential.

Regarding bottom turns check out Sean Ross in action - however, he also learnt to time exactly where to do this, at times slowing the drop to time the turn where there is maximum power as opposed to getting caught in the flats.

Paipo like other boards, vary in the waves they go best in.


Bob
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Spudnut



Joined: 30 Jan 2011
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Location: Ventura, Ca

PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2011 9:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I got some good size powerful beachbreak waves today that started out glassy and then turned bumpy. I used both the HPD and my 48x20 plywood paipo that I made. It was really interesting just how different they are. The plypo (my 9 year old daughter made that name up) has a bit more buoyancy than the HPD and I really enjoyed that. The plypo handled the choppiness better as well. Also, it was just easier overall. On the downside, I went over the falls at least 3 times and I never had that with the HPD. I too agree that the HPD has a lot of untapped potential. Does anyone feel that they have mastered it or at least uncovered how to unleash that potential? I like a good challenge and this sure seems to be one!

The issue of flex vs. rigidity I seem to have mixed opinions about. Flex can sure help to absorb bump and even give a little snap coming out of a bottom turn, but when the juice picks up I also worry about flex at the wrong moment.

I have now tried coil bodyboard as well as 6' surfboard leashes on the HPD and did not like either. I do not use leashes on my mats and I guess that I will just do without them on the HPD, at least for now.

I really love the video links that have been posted. The Waidelich video is incredible including the classical guitar. Are there any other videos like that?

I have been reading and studying the interviews as well as the prior posts on this forum. There is a wealth of information here. Any other info is always appreciated!

Ron
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geoffreylevens



Joined: 18 Nov 2009
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2011 9:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
The issue of flex vs. rigidity I seem to have mixed opinions about. Flex can sure help to absorb bump and even give a little snap coming out of a bottom turn, but when the juice picks up I also worry about flex at the wrong moment.
Yes, flex really does need to be tuned to rider weight, most commonly surfed wave conditions, even riding style. Lot of variables. Too bad Dale Solomonson is not posting, mostly off-line I think as he has a wealth of experiential info on flex as well as a lot of other design elements.
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kid



Joined: 11 Jan 2010
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Location: Bells Beach

PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2011 12:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a few HPD-style paipo's, two of which I ride regularly. I love the arm-forward "superman" style for outright speed and trim. Bottom turning becomes incrementally more difficult as the boards become wider, and I use a more bodyboard style technique for bottom turns. My favourite is 46' long and 26' wide. It is also dead flat except for a 2' flip in the nose. It also has a bit more flex than the others, and I find that the flex helps in catching waves and turning. It also seems like the flexier board rides a lot smoother than the rigid ones in bumpy conditions.
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