Paddle Pau Hana Oahu SUP without fins?

SUP
#1

I just bough my first use Pau Hana SUP without fins from the seller, who is moving to Hawaii and had already packed the fin.

She’ll mail it to me when they unpack in a month or so, but in the meantime, I’d plan to mess around on it without the fin.

Do any of you paddle your SUP without any fins?

Thanks.

#2

Yes, a fin is required.

I never stood up off my knees.

Very twitch and turny. So was the boat.

#3

Nope.

#4

Okay, it’s all me, then.

Some articles that I read only said that fins contribute quite a bit to stability, but I guess that’s not always the case.

I’ll try again in cleaner water on a less breezy day.

#5

I have paddled SUPs with and without fins. The tendency to capsize is not changed by the fin.

The difference is in directional stability. Trying to go in a straight line without a fin can be quite frustrating.

#6

On a surf oriented SUP you can use the rail for directional stability while paddling, weight one rail more on the side you are paddling on so the board tips at a noticeable angle take ten or so strokes on that side and then switch if you need to do some course correction, you can also correct course with draw strokes. How well this works depends on your paddling technique, your ability to balance and judge trim and the sliceyness or thickness of your rails. I do this on a Laird board designed for nose riding and on my Focus board, a lot but with the high volume of your board I suspect your rails will be too thick for this to work.

#7

Thanks SeaDart. Sounds similar to heeling my turny solo canoes for either carving turns or getting several strokes on one side.

The main difference is that my center of gravity is two feet or more higher and the wind has more purchase on my body, as well as only having two points of contact with the board, rather than three with the canoes.

#8

Everytime I have, it was not fun. You got no control and basically just go side to side. I once lost the fin while I was on the water. I was wondering why the board became so difficult to maneuver. I figured it out when I pulled it out of the water and the fin had fallen off.

#9

Thanks for that feedback.

I haven’t tried mine again since that first time and I now have the fin.

It will be in the 80s this weekend, so maybe I’ll try again.

1 Like
#10

80’s are perfect temps. Get after it!