PRINCEVILLE — When tow-in surfer, pro kiteboarder and kayaker Jeremy Fry first set foot on a stand-up paddle surfboard, he didn’t realize how challenging it would be. The man whose claim to fame is jumping the Hanalei Pier on a
PRINCEVILLE — When tow-in surfer, pro kiteboarder and kayaker Jeremy Fry first set foot on a stand-up paddle surfboard, he didn’t realize how challenging it would be.
The man whose claim to fame is jumping the Hanalei Pier on a kiteboard said he was first introduced to stand-up paddling by a friend six months ago.
The goal: Paddle out, catch a wave, ride it and make it back to the line-up — all while standing up, using a paddle and without falling.
To Fry’s surprise, he couldn’t stay on the board during his first go in 1- to 2-foot surf.
But that’s what kept him interested. He said paddle surfboards allow him to bypass the crowded surf spots and still have as much fun.
“The wave over in the distance that no one surfs and everyone thinks is junk, you can go over there and have the time of your life,” he said.
Fry was so enamored with the sport that he and his wife, Stephenie, decided to start a business around it.
The result: Wave Rod, their new line of stand-up and traditional surfboards.
“It’s like the hot rod of the ocean,” Fry said of the boards.
With only two months under its belt, the business is relatively new. And so is the sport to Kaua‘i’s mainstream.
Despite ancient roots, the variation on surfing is still gaining momentum with a wider audience of water enthusiasts. As reported by the Los Angeles Times last year, surf legend Laird Hamilton has been credited with popularizing paddle surfing, which he first saw in Waikiki in the 1980s.
Now it’s being practiced at Hanalei Bay, with Hawaiian Surfing Adventures offering lessons and trips up the Hanalei River to all levels of expertise. According to owner Mitchell Alapa, it was Hamilton, whom he used to baby-sit, who brought the sport to his attention.
Alapa said he sees a range of people interested in trying it out, beginning at age 5.
The boards are at once challenging to expert surfers and accessible to first-time paddlers.
“It’s a fitness thing,” said Alapa, who picked up stand-up paddling four years ago.
Because of its versatility, the boards can be used to distance paddle for a workout on flat water such in rivers and lakes, or to surf with a twist — and a paddle — in the ocean.
Fry said Wave Rod’s boards can even be used without the paddle in the style of a longboard.
Blue, red, yellow and green flames contrast the bright white of the Wave Rod designs, which have a double barrel concave that helps release the water for a smoother ride.
The dimensions — 28.5 inches wide, 10 feet 10 inches long and 4 inches thick — are designed to provide stability. And at 20 pounds, they are light and maneuverable.
“A lot of women who don’t surf love to stand-up paddle and can do it and not feel intimidated,” Stephenie Fry said.
As for her husband, he’s just as stoked on it.
“I’ve never seen him enjoy small surf so much,” she said.
For 12 years, the couple owned Kayak Adventures in Wailua but sold the business May 1 to focus on Wave Rod and a lifestyle that allows them to spend more time with family on the Mainland.
Dave Andrews, a friend of the Frys, will manage the Kaua‘i operations and Hawai‘i distribution.
The Frys have plans to sell the boards in Hawai‘i and California. In addition to the stand-up paddle boards, Wave Rod has created four styles of surfboards:
• 7-foot-10-inch minimals
• 6-foot-8-inch flat fish
• 6-foot-6-inch big boy shortboard
• 5-foot-10-inch thruster fish
Wave Rod is offering a complete stand-up package with board, bag, fin, deck pad, paddle, leash and T-shirt for $1875. The stand-up surfboard itself costs $1400, with the smaller surfboards priced at $450 to $500.
Wave Rod boards can be found locally at Nukumoi Surf Co. in Po‘ipu, online at www.waverod.com or by contacting the Frys directly at 639-6828.
For more information on lessons, call 482-0749 or visit www.hawaiiansurfingadventures.com.
