In one of the most interesting interviews I have ever done, I sit down with Ivan van Vuuren, South Africa's very own Robby Naish. He is a former 4x wavesailing champion, an all round waterman, filmmaker, tv host and stand up paddle surfing pioneer.
1) Tell us a bit about yourself. When did you start paddle surfing, and how did you get into it? Dylan Grafmyre, a pro kiteboarder and tow-in-surfer on Maui introduced me to SUP in about 2004. At that time there were really no SUP boards around so we got hold of a 11 ft Surftech Softop. A handful of guys in Hawaii were using tandem surfboards as they had some extra volume so the Soft top was the next best thing. Prior to this I had been a professional surf sailor for 12 years (4x South African champion), shaped surfboards and windsurfers in between competing and traveling to Hawaii. In 1986 I had my first visit to Maui and got hooked on the islands so in 1994 I moved to Hawaii full time and started a Video production company filming water sports for TV stations around the world. The unique thing about the company was that our whole crew not only filmed the extreme sports but was actively participating in all the sports. Windsurfing kicked in full tilt so we produced about 15 windsurf movies. About the same time “Jaws” hit the scene so we focused on big wave tow in surfing for a few years. Kiteboarding was the next big thing and once again we were in the forefront of a new sport documenting and making some of the first kite movies like Boost and Power Zone. Before long and 25 movies later Premier Productions became rated by companies such as Time/ Life, Discovery Channel as one of the world’s top Watersports production companies so that was quite rewarding. But with SUP on the horizon we knew the best was still to come.
2) You recently started a Stand Up Paddle Surf company called Coreban. Tell us a bit about the company and your range of products.Coreban (which means “dedicated- to God”) was actually started in 2005 while we were setting up offices in California. I had 2 years in San Diego where myself and surfers like Rob Machado would most times be the only ones out doing any SUP paddling. It was a time that while I was away from Maui I could keep fit and also stay out the cold Californian water. At that time there was no real demand for any SUP gear as no one thought it would ever take off. After getting back to Hawaii we slowly noticed a surge in SUP but with us producing a weekly action sports TV show that airs in 171 countries, my focus was on TV production rather than on SUP products, so I used my spare time to work with and promote other emerging SUP companies such as Jimmy Lewis, C4 Waterman and Starboards.
Last year I set up offices in Cape Town and apart from Reinhardt Fourie, Barend Buys, Jason Ribbink and a couple of other local guys there was no one really pushing SUP so once again we kicked off the Coreban label with a complete range of boards and gear. Currently we have what is probably the best performance / strongest range of paddles on the market and for 2009 we have a range of boards that are designed for riders of all levels so very exciting.
What makes us different to other labels- well the fact that we are a Core SUP company, not a kite or windsurf company trying to jump onto something new so our designs are by Stand up paddlers for Stand Up Paddlers with effective, quality products that work in a wide range of conditions- and like our slogan says “Dedicated to the Core”
Ivan Paddling into Sunset reef
3) You recently moved back to Cape Town, South Africa after living in Hawaii. Tell us a bit about the conditions in Hawaii (for those not fortunate enough to live there), and also the awesome conditions right here in Cape Town, South Africa (for those not fortunate enough to live here).The best of both world’s indeed. Hawaii is dream country. Warm waters, trade winds, sunshine, shorts and Jamba Juice smoothies. Unless you live on one of the more remote islands the negative side is crowds, bad attitudes and lack of space. Summer can be very small for long periods so great for down winders but not for practicing new moves. So pros and cons. South Africa however is SUP heaven- If I want I can paddle every day without seeing one other ocean user – 1000’s of miles of empty beaches, you have to take in the shark factor which is not too bad on a SUP board, and then cooler waters at times. But as far as variation goes both the West Coats and East coasts of SA have probably the best all round testing conditions in the world with everything from flat water to huge outer reefs so as far as Coreban gear goes a perfect place for R&D.
4) What is your preferred setup at the moment and why?The Coreban Hybrid is my paddle of choice. I’ve been using the same paddle for close to a year and it’s still as good as new.
As far as fins and boards are concerned, I really like to mix it up so I ride anything from a single fin 11’6 long board SUP to a 7ft kids windsurfer to keep it fresh. Jimmy Lewis and C4 gave me a 10ft board with a thruster set up that I found to be a great size and good all rounder. Starboards recently sent me their new 9’8 and 9’0 to test which were super loose but if I had to choose one board it would probably be the Coreban 9’6 x 29/1/2 swallow tail model. Reason being is that it is a little more challenging to ride than a long 12 ft board, but allows for a more straight up and down surfing style of riding and easy to get in the barrel so lots of fun. Not sure on the size ratios for the future of SUP as some say smaller boards are better than long- so we’ll have to wait and see, but what I do tell everyone; the biggest thing is to just get out there and make it work, don’t get hung up on names, marketing, colors, quads, thrusters etc. There’s so many variations- just ride it and go have fun.
5) Tell us a bit about your favorite spot at the moment, and where it is.I’ll have to keep that one a secret otherwise it will get crowded. I would say a spot called Sand Piles on Maui and Melkbos in Cape Town. Melkbos is rough with no channels, so great training for other locations.
6) Coreban produces a 7ft 10 "Stealth" SUP board. What are the handling characteristics like, and how does it perform?The Stealth is in R&D testing for our 2010 range. Quite interesting as the concept is that of riding a smaller fish style board while maintaining enough volume displacement to carry the weight of an average 85 kg rider without making it a dog. It has a 5 fin set up so allows for single, thruster or quad fin set ups. On a hollow wave it is superb especially with a quad fin configuration. It handles well up to about 8 ft faces. It’s great for high performance surfing where speed is essential. Due to the smaller size a lot easier to get barrels too. We also have a foot strap option, which is great for aerials and added control when doing quick turns. All in all maybe a bit ahead of it’s time but a lot of fun and especially great for ladies and kids.
7) What's your favorite style of riding?As I mentioned earlier, I really like to mix it up. Big is exciting, small is relaxing. Being a short boarder and long boarder surfer I try to match my style according to the conditions I’m riding in. If it’s fast down the line I’ll take out my 9’10 single fin and see how tweaked I can get – if it’s small I’ll be goofing around trying fin first take offs on a 11’6 and when in big surf I’ll be riding my 11’3 gun praying that I don’t drown.
8) What's the heaviest break that you have pulled into on a SUP and where?Reinhardt Fourie and myself paddled into Sunset Reef, South Africa last year which had some decent size, but the biggest was at Pier 1 on Maui’s North Shore 2 years ago - It was about 2km’s out to sea with 25-30 foot faces, offshore winds, 3 guys out and pretty crazy stuff – The nice thing about Hawaii compared to South Africa is that there are usually channels so it’s more forgiving as long as you don’t wipe out in front of the wave.
9) What sort of tips do you have for our readers on Stand Up Paddle Surfing in bigger surf. With the boards being bigger and heavier than surfboards and long boards, they pose more of a risk in the water.I think the biggest thing is what Brian Keaulana says on our new How To SUP Vol 2 DVD - know your limits, prepare and then know how you are going to react before you even wipeout. Practice regular surfing first and don’t try take on big waves if you’re not comfortable on a normal long board or short board. It’s recommended to use a thick leash but learn how to get pulled under water so that the wave doesn’t rip your leg off. You can also use your paddle as a tool to get to the surface quicker after a wipeout by turning the blade at an angle while the wave pulls you forward. - Never go out in big surf alone. Realise that safety is key to you and don’t put others in jeopardy. Then as far as safety and respect- Where possible, stay away from surfers. Respect other water users, SUP riders can get 10 times more waves so be a giver and not a wave hog.
10) What sort of differences does different fin setups setup make, and how does it equate to different riding styles?Fin setups will alter the board’s performance in many ways depending on the shape of the board. If you want to nose ride then try a large single fin that will hold your tail in the water while you’re up on the nose. Generally 4 smaller fins, quad set up, is used on a wider swallow tail and allows some drive off the tail while allowing the board to stay loose. Twin fins will be loose as it is more fin on the rails and thrusters will allow more drawn out turns. Once again remember that there are tons of boards, fins, paddles on the market. Experiment, mix it up, have fun and “if you don’t go; you’ll never know”.
Ivan filming tow in surfing in Hawaii
Early days of SUP : Ivan using a softop surfboard
Ivan is the producer of the "How to Stand Up Paddle Surf Hawaiian Style" series of DVDs
For more information on the "How to Stand Up Paddle Surf Hawaiian Style" series of DVDs, click here.
For more information on Coreban Stand Up Paddle Surf gear, click here.
Ivan, 1 Athlete, 15 Extreme Sports