Some pics of the Blowfish in action
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Blowfish's new stockist in Auckland
You can now get you Blowfish from the supcentre in Auckland (http://www.supcentre.co.nz/). Give them a call, check out their website or go see them, they carry an awesome range of boards and really know what they're talking about.
Tight spaces
Rotorua Paddle Tours get all snuggly trying to fit the Blowfish into the gloworm cave on lake Rotoiti in New Zealand. Try that on a fibreglass board and see how far you get without major damage!
Andy Fuller from Day Two surfing on the Tarawera River
SUP surfing on the Tarawera river, Kawerau at the end of a great 2 hour run from up in the forest. If you want to get your hands on a SUP and have some great fun exercise on the lake or rivers then give Andy Fuller a call 07 345 7647.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Visiting the beautiful Abel Tasman area?
If you're any where near the Abel Tasman National Park in Nelson, why not get in touch with these guys and go for a paddle. They've got Blowfish boards to try out as well as sea kayaks and guided tours.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Watersports photo page on flikr - join us!
Us kiwis love being in, on and around water, lets share pics of people getting out there and getting wet - surfing, windsurfing, kiting, stand up paddleboarding... not scienics, must have people (or maybe your dog?) Join the flikr "love water" group and start sharing your pics!
http://www.flickr.com/groups/lovewater/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/lovewater/
Thursday, July 7, 2011
New Fin design for Blowfish boards make them even easier to pack away
In response to a lot of feedback from inflatable board users Incept had developed a new fin system for the Blowfish. Many boards on the market have fixed fins, or a combination of fixed fins and a removable keel set into a finbox. While these are great on the water they're a real pain when it's time to roll the boards up - it's just not possible to roll the boards as tight as you'd like, and many boards end up with bent looking fins or damage from the finboxes rubbing the boards.
The solution? Blowfish has developed a fully removable thruster fin system with no plastic fin box. The result is we can roll them much tighter and fit them into a much smaller bag which is a huge bonus. The smaller rolled up size actually makes a much bigger difference that you'd realise, apart from making travel easier it opens up storage locations that they wouldn't fit into before. For example - I can now fit two boards into the side lockers of my motorhome - before we could only get one (so now i can take a friend!)
Performance? The new fins are lower in profile so when your on rivers or shallow water they're an improvement over the previous dagger board style. In surf/flatwater we haven't been able to tell any difference from the long find setup. Overall we're stoked with them and think you will be too!
Comparsion photos coming shortly.
The solution? Blowfish has developed a fully removable thruster fin system with no plastic fin box. The result is we can roll them much tighter and fit them into a much smaller bag which is a huge bonus. The smaller rolled up size actually makes a much bigger difference that you'd realise, apart from making travel easier it opens up storage locations that they wouldn't fit into before. For example - I can now fit two boards into the side lockers of my motorhome - before we could only get one (so now i can take a friend!)
Performance? The new fins are lower in profile so when your on rivers or shallow water they're an improvement over the previous dagger board style. In surf/flatwater we haven't been able to tell any difference from the long find setup. Overall we're stoked with them and think you will be too!
Comparsion photos coming shortly.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Blowfish founder John Booth's recent trip down the Escalante River
Escalante River May 2011
We had loosely talked about the Escalante River years ago but last year I followed it down on Google Earth and concluded this trip was a "must-do". I should explain that this is a river canyon in southern Utah USA running for some 90 miles and joins the Colorado River in Lake Powell which rises behind the Colorado's Glen Canyon Dam. The river is generally runnable for 3 weeks a year with a good snow pack. This year shaped up well with a 150% snow pack and we planned for launch 17 May. While only a low flow Grade 2-3 river, it is technical - the water is turbid and boulders barely covered are detectable only by the ripple pattern. A moment's inattention or mis-reading of the water was rewarded with a stranding.
In the event, seven of us (all bearded males over the age of 40) launched on the day in improving weather - although there was snow/rain/thunderstorms all around and predicted for the next 3 days. We had a variety of single inflatable kayaks, and Kris drove the 'bus' - a converted Oceanid RDC rescue raft. While he came in for a fair bit of ribbing about his choice of craft, it did allow the carrying of a decent kitchen and for that he was forgiven.
Yes, it was indeed a bit cool for a while but there were many sunny patches too. The river started out as a narrow muddy ditch in a reasonably open part of the canyon but was lined with Russian Olive trees - an invasive species with 2" thorns, the branches of which were a thicket overhanging the water. We quickly became proficient at fending with our paddle shafts and ducking down prostrate.
At Mile 6 we passed Boulder Creek which brought in a fair bit of water and paddling conditions immediately improved. We camped a mile or so below the confluence and fed well on steak and fresh veg.
Day Two. A stop for lunch and a chilly spot in the shade... Most of the party were in dry suits, I was not. While warm in my kayak, I was punished every time I stepped out until Day 3 when I conformed. After that it warmed up.
Days became sunny and hot. Here the boats are pulled up in the entrance to one of the many side canyons we hiked. Mike and John H. catching a nap.
Side Canyons are a source of awe. Wild flowers in the early summer were prolific. Cacti were in full bloom.
Side Canyons are a source of awe. Wild flowers in the early summer were prolific. Cacti were in full bloom.
Side canyons run for miles. Some are slots so narrow you can touch the walls on both sides, the sculpturing from millions of years of water and wind erosion in a dry climate and very old sandstone.
Hiking is addictive with great reward for climbing to over-looks. There is a surpising amount of greenery in the sandy canyon floors - predominantly poplar/cottonwoods with sparse undergrowth. There was vibrant poison ivy to 6' high in some places near water, especially in the second half of the trip.
A side canyon overlook.
Bus ahead. Kris was remarkable. In general he had no trouble keeping up with (or ahead of) the kayaks. Of course once in front, that damn Bus was hard to pass - the paddles are 9' long and you better keep clear. I guess 30 years of running technical whitewater makes one a bit cunning. The 12 days on the water were fantastic, every one with fresh and amazing views. When the rapids and boulder falls became more frequent over several days, even non-stop for periods, so much attention was needed to paddling that the only way to appreciate the grandeur was to pull over and stop. This wasn't always possible and there was way too much to see.
John navigating a rock-fall. This one was a strainer and we used a tight side channel with assist. There were two or three compulsory portages on the trip including a Russian Olive log-jam.
Morgan in the other Tasman. Small rapids like this were a surprising amount of fun. There is always the challenge to get through without bumping a rock!
High walls and massive overhangs are common, fantastic, and neck-bending. Features such as foot-wide cracks running dead straight through a 200' high block, going a hundred feet or two then lining up with a similar fault on the other side of the canyon were amazing.
Steven's Arch. The base is 600' directly above the river on both sides - the Escalante does a U-turn and goes right round it. We hiked a couple hours to reach this point above the canyon walls before turning back. It would have been another half-hour to reach the arch and nightfall was imminent. We still had an unknown amount of travel to find camp and this river was no place for night paddling. Paul and Todd are pondering the options.
To reach this overlook you have to climb up through a feature known as "the crack in the wall" above Coyote Canyon. Our boats are pulled up on the beach below. The entrance to Coyote is lower left. This part of the park is a popular hiking destination - reached through "the Crack". We were there just before Memorial Day weekend (a holiday weekend marking the start of summer) and there were already quite a few hikers. Stevens Arch, Escalante River is at top left.http://blog.incept.co.nz/2011/06/escalante-river-may-2011.html
Yes, it was indeed a bit cool for a while but there were many sunny patches too. The river started out as a narrow muddy ditch in a reasonably open part of the canyon but was lined with Russian Olive trees - an invasive species with 2" thorns, the branches of which were a thicket overhanging the water. We quickly became proficient at fending with our paddle shafts and ducking down prostrate.
At Mile 6 we passed Boulder Creek which brought in a fair bit of water and paddling conditions immediately improved. We camped a mile or so below the confluence and fed well on steak and fresh veg.
Day Two. A stop for lunch and a chilly spot in the shade... Most of the party were in dry suits, I was not. While warm in my kayak, I was punished every time I stepped out until Day 3 when I conformed. After that it warmed up.
Days became sunny and hot. Here the boats are pulled up in the entrance to one of the many side canyons we hiked. Mike and John H. catching a nap.
Side Canyons are a source of awe. Wild flowers in the early summer were prolific. Cacti were in full bloom.
Side Canyons are a source of awe. Wild flowers in the early summer were prolific. Cacti were in full bloom.
Side canyons run for miles. Some are slots so narrow you can touch the walls on both sides, the sculpturing from millions of years of water and wind erosion in a dry climate and very old sandstone.
Hiking is addictive with great reward for climbing to over-looks. There is a surpising amount of greenery in the sandy canyon floors - predominantly poplar/cottonwoods with sparse undergrowth. There was vibrant poison ivy to 6' high in some places near water, especially in the second half of the trip.
A side canyon overlook.Bus ahead. Kris was remarkable. In general he had no trouble keeping up with (or ahead of) the kayaks. Of course once in front, that damn Bus was hard to pass - the paddles are 9' long and you better keep clear. I guess 30 years of running technical whitewater makes one a bit cunning. The 12 days on the water were fantastic, every one with fresh and amazing views. When the rapids and boulder falls became more frequent over several days, even non-stop for periods, so much attention was needed to paddling that the only way to appreciate the grandeur was to pull over and stop. This wasn't always possible and there was way too much to see.
John navigating a rock-fall. This one was a strainer and we used a tight side channel with assist. There were two or three compulsory portages on the trip including a Russian Olive log-jam.
Morgan in the other Tasman. Small rapids like this were a surprising amount of fun. There is always the challenge to get through without bumping a rock!
High walls and massive overhangs are common, fantastic, and neck-bending. Features such as foot-wide cracks running dead straight through a 200' high block, going a hundred feet or two then lining up with a similar fault on the other side of the canyon were amazing.
Steven's Arch. The base is 600' directly above the river on both sides - the Escalante does a U-turn and goes right round it. We hiked a couple hours to reach this point above the canyon walls before turning back. It would have been another half-hour to reach the arch and nightfall was imminent. We still had an unknown amount of travel to find camp and this river was no place for night paddling. Paul and Todd are pondering the options.
To reach this overlook you have to climb up through a feature known as "the crack in the wall" above Coyote Canyon. Our boats are pulled up on the beach below. The entrance to Coyote is lower left. This part of the park is a popular hiking destination - reached through "the Crack". We were there just before Memorial Day weekend (a holiday weekend marking the start of summer) and there were already quite a few hikers. Stevens Arch, Escalante River is at top left.http://blog.incept.co.nz/2011/06/escalante-river-may-2011.html
We had loosely talked about the Escalante River years ago but last year I followed it down on Google Earth and concluded this trip was a "must-do". I should explain that this is a river canyon in southern Utah USA running for some 90 miles and joins the Colorado River in Lake Powell which rises behind the Colorado's Glen Canyon Dam. The river is generally runnable for 3 weeks a year with a good snow pack. This year shaped up well with a 150% snow pack and we planned for launch 17 May. While only a low flow Grade 2-3 river, it is technical - the water is turbid and boulders barely covered are detectable only by the ripple pattern. A moment's inattention or mis-reading of the water was rewarded with a stranding.
In the event, seven of us (all bearded males over the age of 40) launched on the day in improving weather - although there was snow/rain/thunderstorms all around and predicted for the next 3 days. We had a variety of single inflatable kayaks, and Kris drove the 'bus' - a converted Oceanid RDC rescue raft. While he came in for a fair bit of ribbing about his choice of craft, it did allow the carrying of a decent kitchen and for that he was forgiven.
Yes, it was indeed a bit cool for a while but there were many sunny patches too. The river started out as a narrow muddy ditch in a reasonably open part of the canyon but was lined with Russian Olive trees - an invasive species with 2" thorns, the branches of which were a thicket overhanging the water. We quickly became proficient at fending with our paddle shafts and ducking down prostrate.
At Mile 6 we passed Boulder Creek which brought in a fair bit of water and paddling conditions immediately improved. We camped a mile or so below the confluence and fed well on steak and fresh veg.
Day Two. A stop for lunch and a chilly spot in the shade... Most of the party were in dry suits, I was not. While warm in my kayak, I was punished every time I stepped out until Day 3 when I conformed. After that it warmed up.Days became sunny and hot. Here the boats are pulled up in the entrance to one of the many side canyons we hiked. Mike and John H. catching a nap.Side Canyons are a source of awe. Wild flowers in the early summer were prolific. Cacti were in full bloom.
Side Canyons are a source of awe. Wild flowers in the early summer were prolific. Cacti were in full bloom.
Side canyons run for miles. Some are slots so narrow you can touch the walls on both sides, the sculpturing from millions of years of water and wind erosion in a dry climate and very old sandstone.Hiking is addictive with great reward for climbing to over-looks. There is a surpising amount of greenery in the sandy canyon floors - predominantly poplar/cottonwoods with sparse undergrowth. There was vibrant poison ivy to 6' high in some places near water, especially in the second half of the trip.
A side canyon overlook.Bus ahead. Kris was remarkable. In general he had no trouble keeping up with (or ahead of) the kayaks. Of course once in front, that damn Bus was hard to pass - the paddles are 9' long and you better keep clear. I guess 30 years of running technical whitewater makes one a bit cunning. The 12 days on the water were fantastic, every one with fresh and amazing views. When the rapids and boulder falls became more frequent over several days, even non-stop for periods, so much attention was needed to paddling that the only way to appreciate the grandeur was to pull over and stop. This wasn't always possible and there was way too much to see.John navigating a rock-fall. This one was a strainer and we used a tight side channel with assist. There were two or three compulsory portages on the trip including a Russian Olive log-jam.Morgan in the other Tasman. Small rapids like this were a surprising amount of fun. There is always the challenge to get through without bumping a rock!High walls and massive overhangs are common, fantastic, and neck-bending. Features such as foot-wide cracks running dead straight through a 200' high block, going a hundred feet or two then lining up with a similar fault on the other side of the canyon were amazing.Steven's Arch. The base is 600' directly above the river on both sides - the Escalante does a U-turn and goes right round it. We hiked a couple hours to reach this point above the canyon walls before turning back. It would have been another half-hour to reach the arch and nightfall was imminent. We still had an unknown amount of travel to find camp and this river was no place for night paddling. Paul and Todd are pondering the options.To reach this overlook you have to climb up through a feature known as "the crack in the wall" above Coyote Canyon. Our boats are pulled up on the beach below. The entrance to Coyote is lower left. This part of the park is a popular hiking destination - reached through "the Crack". We were there just before Memorial Day weekend (a holiday weekend marking the start of summer) and there were already quite a few hikers. Stevens Arch, Escalante River is at top left.http://blog.incept.co.nz/2011/06/escalante-river-may-2011.htmlYes, it was indeed a bit cool for a while but there were many sunny patches too. The river started out as a narrow muddy ditch in a reasonably open part of the canyon but was lined with Russian Olive trees - an invasive species with 2" thorns, the branches of which were a thicket overhanging the water. We quickly became proficient at fending with our paddle shafts and ducking down prostrate.
At Mile 6 we passed Boulder Creek which brought in a fair bit of water and paddling conditions immediately improved. We camped a mile or so below the confluence and fed well on steak and fresh veg.
Day Two. A stop for lunch and a chilly spot in the shade... Most of the party were in dry suits, I was not. While warm in my kayak, I was punished every time I stepped out until Day 3 when I conformed. After that it warmed up.Days became sunny and hot. Here the boats are pulled up in the entrance to one of the many side canyons we hiked. Mike and John H. catching a nap.Side Canyons are a source of awe. Wild flowers in the early summer were prolific. Cacti were in full bloom.
Side Canyons are a source of awe. Wild flowers in the early summer were prolific. Cacti were in full bloom.
Side canyons run for miles. Some are slots so narrow you can touch the walls on both sides, the sculpturing from millions of years of water and wind erosion in a dry climate and very old sandstone.Hiking is addictive with great reward for climbing to over-looks. There is a surpising amount of greenery in the sandy canyon floors - predominantly poplar/cottonwoods with sparse undergrowth. There was vibrant poison ivy to 6' high in some places near water, especially in the second half of the trip.
A side canyon overlook.Bus ahead. Kris was remarkable. In general he had no trouble keeping up with (or ahead of) the kayaks. Of course once in front, that damn Bus was hard to pass - the paddles are 9' long and you better keep clear. I guess 30 years of running technical whitewater makes one a bit cunning. The 12 days on the water were fantastic, every one with fresh and amazing views. When the rapids and boulder falls became more frequent over several days, even non-stop for periods, so much attention was needed to paddling that the only way to appreciate the grandeur was to pull over and stop. This wasn't always possible and there was way too much to see.John navigating a rock-fall. This one was a strainer and we used a tight side channel with assist. There were two or three compulsory portages on the trip including a Russian Olive log-jam.Morgan in the other Tasman. Small rapids like this were a surprising amount of fun. There is always the challenge to get through without bumping a rock!High walls and massive overhangs are common, fantastic, and neck-bending. Features such as foot-wide cracks running dead straight through a 200' high block, going a hundred feet or two then lining up with a similar fault on the other side of the canyon were amazing.Steven's Arch. The base is 600' directly above the river on both sides - the Escalante does a U-turn and goes right round it. We hiked a couple hours to reach this point above the canyon walls before turning back. It would have been another half-hour to reach the arch and nightfall was imminent. We still had an unknown amount of travel to find camp and this river was no place for night paddling. Paul and Todd are pondering the options.To reach this overlook you have to climb up through a feature known as "the crack in the wall" above Coyote Canyon. Our boats are pulled up on the beach below. The entrance to Coyote is lower left. This part of the park is a popular hiking destination - reached through "the Crack". We were there just before Memorial Day weekend (a holiday weekend marking the start of summer) and there were already quite a few hikers. Stevens Arch, Escalante River is at top left.http://blog.incept.co.nz/2011/06/escalante-river-may-2011.html
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Lifejackets - to wear or not to wear??
As the sup industry has taken the world by storm it's becoming apparent that lifejackets haven't really found favour with paddlers. It's kind of hard to tell someone on a sunny day who's paddling up and down the shore in a bikini that they should be wearing one - I mean you never see them in the promo material from the main brands so they definately can't be cool! It ends up being the users choice - but many countries have started to introduce rules around thier use, particularly for paddle schools and commercial operators. Personally - I'd never wear one in the surf, or on casual social paddles in sheltered waters... but as soon as i'm on a river or on my own ill grab one for sure.
Other thing is there are lifejackets and there are lifejackets... some of the slalom kayak and kitesurf vests are sweet looking and don't restrict your movement at all so don't think you have to paddle round with a giant orange thing strapped to your chest! Take a look at our photos of the blowfish with the paddlers geared up in adventure gear and tell me they don't look a little bit cool...
If its aesthetics you're after... think adventure sports rather than surf and you'll not only look the part... you'll be safer too.
Other thing is there are lifejackets and there are lifejackets... some of the slalom kayak and kitesurf vests are sweet looking and don't restrict your movement at all so don't think you have to paddle round with a giant orange thing strapped to your chest! Take a look at our photos of the blowfish with the paddlers geared up in adventure gear and tell me they don't look a little bit cool...
If its aesthetics you're after... think adventure sports rather than surf and you'll not only look the part... you'll be safer too.
New DLE brochures ready to hit the stores
Just had our new dle brochures printed - we're stoked at how they've turned out - big thanks to all those involved in their production!
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Thursday, June 16, 2011
Moonlight Paddle
We went for a moonlight paddle last night up the Wairoa River in Tauranga, New Zealand. The conditions were perfect - a clear sky (albiet a bit of volcanic ash making it a bit murky!), no wind and a great crew of paddlers. Have to admit being winter the feet suffered a bit - time to invest in some serious neoprene booties. Most took lights but we didnt really need them. Thanks to Kristen from Liquid Stixx for organising the paddle - lets do it again soon!
Friday, June 10, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Paddling at night with high-powered lights
Over the last few years with the advances in light and battery technology we've been mountain biking at night further, longer and with incredible visibility. It's winter here in New Zealand and it's time to apply the same ideas to SUP! Safety is a big factor so make sure you paddle with a buddy and use commonsense when you choose places to go (stay away from boating channels). Stay posted for some very cool photos of nightpaddling and check this link nightlighting for the best lights and the best service in the business...
Monday, June 6, 2011
New posters share the culture behind the Blowfish
There's just so many goodies arriving on my desk its like christmas. Check out the new posters, they look stunning in real life at A2 size. We've got lots of really exciting photoshoots coming up in some really beautiful places... i love my job!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Blowfish stickers now here to pimp your ride!
We've got our hot little hands on these cool new stickers, they look awesome - thanks to the screenprinters at Commercial Signs for a sweet print job!
The goodies keep coming!
There a very talented bunch of people who make up the team at Blowfish - not only are there some of the most experienced and respected people in the inflatable industry - but there are also some very talented creatives. Take these new brochures for example - photographed, designed and created entirely in-house!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Blowfish to visit the Antarctic!
Blowfish ambassador and all around action women Helen Ahern is going to be taking her blowfish down to the Antarctic this summer for a bit of chilly paddling...if there was ever motivation not to fall in Id say icy water, hungry polar bears and frostbite would be right at the top of the list! We'll keep you up to date with Helens amazing journey! Pictured below is helen is taking the blowfish for a paddle down the Waikato River near Taupo.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
The importance of the right pressure on an inflatable
You ever drive a car with flat tyres? If you're not pumping your board up enough your probably going to get a simlar lack of performance from your inflatable. There are a few variables we've found, for example cold water make the pressure drop a fraction, and if it's really hot the pressure tends to get a bit higher. Regardless of the these the number we've found to work the best is around 15psi, if you're a smaller person you can maybe get away with 12-13 but any lower is really not going to give you the best performance from your board.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Taupo river paddle on today
Heading down to Taupo today with a crew to do a river paddle on the inflatables. Im going to drop everyone at the control gates in town, they're then going to cruise down to the bottom of Spa Park for a hot swim on the side of the river and then (if they can get themselves out of the hot water!) head down to Reids Farm to have a go in the rapids. Bruce Webber's also taking a crew down as well and has kindly offered to shuttle us back up to town for more runs... how good are these kayak guys!
Friday, May 20, 2011
Blowfish rips in the wee stuff!
Had a great play in some tiny surf this morning, the blowfish caught the tiniest bumps and just kept on going.
Assault morning paddle
Assault morning paddle, a set on Flickr.
Headed out for an earlyish paddle this morning with Glenn and the crew from Assault. Beautiful morning, flat water and great company. If this is winter bring it on!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Reids Farm Taupo - all welcome this weekend
Were heading to Reids Farm to try out the rapids and take some photos and video footage this weekend of the Blowfish in action (Sunday). The rapids are very easy - no real experience needed just a wetsuit, helmet, bouyancy aid a a winning smile for when the camera goes off. Give me a ring if you want to join us Brent 027 249 2502
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