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2012 NAISH 14' GLIDE
November 15, 2011
Meet the new Naish Glide 14'. This board is the ultimate weapon for downwind runs. In this clip PaddleBoard Specialists owner Gary Stone goes over all the details of the n ...
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Hobie 2012 E-Series Bamboo
November 1, 2011
PaddleBoard Specialists owner Gary Stone joins Hobie designer Mark Johnson in Dana Point, California to paddle the all new E-Series. These are the latest bamboo Hobie race/tou ...
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Connor Baxter Wins Battle of the Paddle
October 10, 2011
Our good friend Connor Baxter claims the crown at the 2011 Battle of the Paddle

Connor Baxter has been a very close friend to PaddleBoard Specialists owner Gary ...
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All Ages SUP
September 16, 2011
Think you're too old to try Stand Up Paddling? We have a feeling this video may help you reconsider. Thanks to our friend Virginia for showing us that SUP really is for ev ...
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The Indestructible 2011 Surftech B1
September 15, 2011
Looking for the board you can take down your favorite rivers? Or maybe you want something that you can tie up to your dock and not have to worry about it getting banged ar ...
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2012 Surftech Bark Series
August 12, 2011
Take one part Laird Hamilton, one part Joe Bark and you have a concoction for great Stand Up Paddle boards. The new Surftech/Bark lineup for 2012 was one of the highlights of  ...
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Hobie Bamboo Elite with designer Mark Johnson
August 9, 2011
Beautiful! That is the first thing that comes to mind when seeing the new Hobie 2012 Bamboo Elite race series. We were really blown away by the speed and stability of the 2011 ...
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Midwest StandUp Paddle Festival video
July 25, 2011
Chris Aguilar of Soul Surf Media produced this great video of our Midwest Stand Up Paddle Festival. Chris is the producer and director behind the first stand up paddle f ...
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2012 Amundson Aquaglide TR 11'4"
July 22, 2011
Debbie Garten of Paddleboard Specialists tests the new Amundson Aquaglide TR 11'4". This is a great board for paddlers 150lbs. and under who are looking for a board to tour fl ...
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Midwest StandUp Paddle Festival Wrap Up
July 13, 2011
Thanks to everyone that came out to the first annual Midwest Stand Up Paddle Festival. We had approximately 130 participants and close to 70 racers enjoying the 3 mile rec cou ...
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Learn to Stand Up Paddle
July 11, 2011
Want to give SUP a try? We have some great opportunities for you to get out on the water and experience Stand Up Paddling. We have taught hundreds of people to paddle over the ...
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NSP 14' Touring Stand Up Paddleboard
June 27, 2011
We really love the all-water/surf boards that we carry from NSP. They are comfortable, and easy to paddle. Now you can get that same comfortable feel with the new read more
Matt Lennert and his Lake Michigan SUP Mission
June 22, 2011
Matt Lennert is a man on a mission. He is planning a 50 mile Lake Michigan crossing on a Stand Up Paddle Board. A chicago chef and avid paddler, Matt is out to show that Chica ...
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Sawyer Rip Quickdraw Paddle
June 21, 2011
One of the most versatile and beautiful paddles we have seen, the Sawyer Rip is a go-to for someone that wants an adjustable without the extra weight. Also available in fixed ...
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Starboard Blend 11'2" x 30" vs Amundson Aquaglide 11'3" x 29"
June 14, 2011
In our continuing series of posts on all-water boards we compare the Amundson 11'3" with the Starboard Blend 11'2". The read more
Midwest Stand Up Paddle Festival Updates
June 10, 2011
Hard to believe it is only one month until the biggest standup paddle event the midwest has ever seen. People from all over the country have stepped up to help the event. It s ...
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Coreban Alpha 14'
June 8, 2011
As more and more races add 14' classes we've seen quite a few new boards come out in the last year. We're really excited to offer the read more
Quickblade Flyweight SUP Paddle
June 6, 2011
One of the great things about Stand Up Paddling is that people of all sizes and shapes can do it. That is why it is great to see SUP companies that are making equipment that i ...
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Starboard Atlas 12' vs. Surftech Universal 11'6"
June 6, 2011
If you're a larger paddler and are looking for a super stable board, we have many options at our shop. Two of our favorites for big paddlers are the read more
Naish Nalu, Hobie ATR and NSP Stand Up Paddle Boards
June 1, 2011
In our second installment of our series of posts on all-water boards we take a look at three of our favorites. The read more
11'6" All-Water boards vol. 1
May 27, 2011
We are really excited about all the new 2011 boards that have arrived. So testing has begun. We took out three of our 11'6" all-water boards to compare differences in glide, t ...
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Amundson TR vs Tahoe Zephyr
May 23, 2011
The Amundson Aquaglide TR and the Tahoe Zephyr are two standouts for the paddler that wants a versatile and stable board for touring and even an occasional race. In this video ...
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Paddle for the Polar Bears
May 17, 2011
We are really excited to be working with the Henry Vilas Zoo again this year to bring you Paddle for the Polar Bears. This fun filled event features Stand Up Paddling Lessons  ...
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Satisfied Customers
May 13, 2011
We had the wonderful opportunity to paddle with two of our great customers this week. Cindy and Brad little came down from Duluth, MN to pick up a new board. PaddleBoard Speci ...
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SUP the Coast
May 9, 2011
We caught up with Mike and Will of SUP the Coast while at the Carolina Cup. These guys are truly inspiring. They are paddling the entire East Coast from Key West to the Easter ...
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Sea to Summit SPT Lockable Tie Down
May 6, 2011
We caught up with our good friend Kevin Vangritis at the Carolina Cup and spoke with him about our read more
Great stroke technique video from Quickblade
May 5, 2011
We are always looking for ways to improve our stroke technique. This video clip from Quickblade is one of the most thorough and inventive that we have seen . Jim Terrell gives ...
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See you at the Carolina Cup
April 27, 2011
PaddleBoard Specialists owner Gary Stone is headed to Wrightsville Beach, NC this weekend to experience the Carolina Cup. The Carolina Cup is the Mid-Atlantic's Premier St ...
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Gatekeeper Angled Wall Rack
April 25, 2011
A couple of SUP boards can start to take up a lot of space in your garage. The Gatekeeper wall racks solve this problem by getting the boards up and off the floor. Not on ...
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Starboard Ace 14'
April 21, 2011
As soon as we pulled the Starboard Ace out of it's box we knew we were about to experience something different. Starboard shaper Brian Szymanski keeps pushing the boundaries o ...
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Midwest Stand Up Paddleboard Championship Series
April 14, 2011
We truly believe this is the year that SUP hits big across the midwest. That is why we are stoked to be a part of an amazing race series that will finally unite paddlers f ...
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Werner Bent Shaft SUP Paddle
April 12, 2011
The Werner Bent Shaft is a new leap in the ever evolving sport of SUP. Werner has been in the paddle business for a long time. It is a no-brainer that they would use their hug ...
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2011 Hobie Elite 12'6" vs Surftech Competitor Elite 12'6"
April 7, 2011
We love the Bark 12'6" Competitor. Until now all of the other 12'6" flatwater/race boards we paddled did not come close. But that was until we tested the new Hobie production  ...
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O'Neil Breeze Breaker Jacket
April 4, 2011
Looking for something to wear when a t-shirt isn't enough and a wetsuit is way too much? The read more
Midwest Stand Up Paddle Festival July 9th
March 25, 2011
We are stoked to announce the first annual Paddleboard Specialists Midwest Stand Up Paddle Festival set for Saturday July 9th! This will be the biggest Stand Up Paddle event i ...
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Surftech's Bark 14' Dominator
March 21, 2011
Fast. That about sums it up. But more than fast, this board is smooth. Joe Bark continues to impress us with his mastery of shaping SUPs. The read more
Seattle Sports SUP Deck Bag
March 10, 2011
We love packing a lunch and heading out on the water for the day. That is why we love this deck bag. It's low profile keeps it out of your way while paddling, and there is ple ...
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QuickBlade Kanaha 3 piece Adjustable
February 18, 2011
In this video clip PaddleBoard Specialists owner Gary Stone shows us the new Quickblade K ...
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Danny Ching official race fin by True Ames
February 8, 2011
We now have the new Danny Ching race fin by True Ames in stock! The fin could be mistaken for a piece of art with its beautiful bamboo core. The is the design that Danny has b ...
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Connor Baxter on Ice
February 2, 2011
It's not everyday that Madison, Wisconsin has a Stand Up Paddle pro navigating it's waters. Especially when it is January and the air temperature is only 26. The chilly condit ...
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Kevin Vangritis Interview
January 25, 2011
PaddleBoard Specialists had the priveledge of interviewing Kevin Vangritis. Kevin recently purchased a 14’ Double Carbon Bark from us, and raced it in the 3rd Annual Cold Stro ...
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SUP Israel: Ran Kalif Interview
January 1, 2011
We're stoked about our exclusive interview with filmmaker Ran Kalif. Below Ran gives us the lowdown on the SUP scene in Israel, along with some great footage of some of th ...
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PaddleBoard Specialists retail store
December 17, 2010
We call Madison, WI home. And as owner Gary Stone says in this clip, “Madison is surrounded by water.” Which makes it a perfect place for the largest selection of SUPs in  ...
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2011 Amundson Aquaglide Series
December 1, 2010
We taught over 600 new paddlers last year in Madison, WI. One of our go to board lines for all beginners was the read more
Danny Ching 404 Production Race Board
November 24, 2010
It's here! The new 404 Danny Ching race board arrived at the shop just a couple of weeks ago. This is the production version of Danny's weapon of choice at the Battle o ...
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2011 Werner Fuse Paddle
November 8, 2010
Many paddlers have been caught between the choice of a comfortable touring/flatwater paddle and a racing paddle. Now, you can have the best of both worlds in one blade sha ...
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QuickBlade’s Jim Terrell
October 22, 2010
“What length?”, “What size Blade?”, “ What construction?”... These are very common questions that face everyone ready to make a new paddle purchase. We spoke with Quickbl ...
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Recap of the BOP Event in California by Connor Baxter
October 18, 2010
We had a great time at the Battle of the Paddle last week. It was great to see one of our close friends Connor Baxter. Connor competed in 4 of the 5 races over the weekend ...
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Battle of The Paddle
October 1, 2010
We're really excited to be travelling to Battle of the Paddle this weekend at Dana Point's Doheny State Beach on Saturday, October 2nd & Sunday, October 3rd. Shop owner Ga ...
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2011 Werner Bent Shaft Paddle Review
September 22, 2010
Werner has a long history of paddle innovation, so we were not surprised when we laid our eyes on the brand new 2011 Werner Bent Shaft Paddle. According to Werner the idea beh ...
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Werner Spanker, 2011 Naish Carbon, and Quickblade Kanaha Review
September 17, 2010
The right SUP paddle can make all the difference in comfort, efficiency and overall enjoyment on the water. We have been paddling several new models along with our usual s ...
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Naish SUP Race Series Results - Madison, WI
September 14, 2010
This summer was the first year that we saw SUP really take hold in Madison. We were very happy with the dedicated paddlers who joined us for our Naish Race Series. The rac ...
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Surftech’s Bark 12’6” Competitor vs. Hobie’s Elite 12’6
August 31, 2010
We first paddled both the Bark and Hobie race boards last fall in California. Both boards blew us away. After a full summer of paddling these SUPs we have come to know them qu ...
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Amundson’s new 12’6” TR touring/race SUP
August 13, 2010
The Amundson Aquaglide line of stand up paddle boards have been a staple in our beginner quiver. They are well designed and affordable. That is why we were psyched to hear ...
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Surftech’s new 14’ Joe Bark Dominator SUP
August 12, 2010
We caught up with the one and only Joe Bark at the Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City, UT last week. Joe was happy to show off the new Surftech Dominator 14’ race board.  ...
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Off to the Races
August 9, 2010
This summer we have seen SUP races start to take root in the Midwest. We kicked it off with our Paddle for the Polar Bears/Naish race series, and now more events are start ...
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Introducing the Naish Catalina 12'6" race board
July 26, 2010
We love the Naish Glide series. The 14' has been our weapon of choice when doing downwinders, so we were thrilled to find out that Naish would be releasing a new 12'6" cla ...
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Aquaglide Amundson Series
July 15, 2010
There are a lot of beginner/all water boards on the market these days. There is one series that we have really taken to. It’s the Amundson Series from Aquaglide. These boa ...
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Saturday is a full day of SUP in Madison
July 15, 2010
Come and check out the first ever Stand Up Paddle division in the Paddle and Portage(http://www.paddleandportage.org/node/329). This has to be one of the most unique paddl ...
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Free Surftech Demo with Surftech Team Athletes
July 8, 2010
Join us this Tuesday July 13th from 4-8 pm as we welcome the 2010 Surftech Stand Up Paddle Demo tour to our very own Lake Wingra. We will be on hand along with Surftech te ...
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Hobie ATR vs. Naish Nalu series
June 30, 2010
StandUp Paddle board shapes have moved far beyond simply increasing the dimensions and volume of surfboards. Shapers are fine-tuning paddling characteristics to increase track ...
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Starboard team rider Connor Baxter
June 21, 2010
15 year-old Connor Baxter of Maui Hawaii, had a great weekend at Battle of the Paddle Hawaii. Connor took 8th place in the Elite Race on Saturday. And if that wasn’t enough, C ...
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Good Morning
June 11, 2010
Now that summer is finally here, our Wisconsin waters are primed for paddling. This week we started our morning training paddles. Our plan is to meet on Wednesday mornings for ...
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Recap of our first Challenge event and first Naish race
June 9, 2010
Last Sunday was the first of our six Paddle for the Polar Bears events, and the our first  ...
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New Starboard Free Race and Surf Race
June 7, 2010
We've seen so many new boards come through our shop in the last month. It is amazing to see all the innovation and new ideas being put into board design. Two boards that have  ...
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NAISH 2010 SUP Championship series in Madison, WI
June 1, 2010
Paddleboard Specialists is proud to be hosting the Naish Stand Up Paddling race series. Our local Madison races are part of a national series taking place in 22 U.S. cities. T ...
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Women's Paddleboarding Club
May 28, 2010
PaddleBoard Specialists will be hosting a women's paddleboarding club every Thursday beginning June 24th through August 27th (except July 1st) on beautiful Lake Wingra. The ...
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Boards for Beginners
May 25, 2010
In the last week we have had two clinics at Lake Wingra in Madison, WI. Conditions were not ideal for first-timers with the winds sweeping across the lake. Wind aside, we  ...
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Displacement vs. Planing
May 19, 2010
Imagine yourself holding your hand out of a car window on a nice warm day. If you turn your hand perpendicular to the ground, you slice through the wind. This is similar to a  ...
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Visit our retail store and look for the new SUP mobile
May 14, 2010
Madison is ripe for a huge stand up boom, and we are ready. Our showroom is stocked with boards, paddles, and all gear you need to get on the water. Our sales staff lives our  ...
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Down-winding Midwest
May 11, 2010
Ok . . . so it’s not the Maliko Gulch. But as Jerry Lopez says, “Surf is Where You Find It”, and we've found it in our own back yard. Lake Mendota, Madison, Wisconsin to b ...
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Tahoe SUP Bliss and Zephyr 14', first impressions
May 7, 2010
We were very excited to finally get out and paddle Tahoe SUP’s Zephyr and Bliss. First off, we have to say how gorgeous these boards are. The finishing, graphics, and colors m ...
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Free StandUp Paddle Demo Days May 16th and 20th
May 3, 2010
Now that summer is right around the corner, we're starting to see many more paddlers on the water. Our line of read more
Starboard team rider Zane Schweitzer
April 30, 2010
Ahhhh ..... youth. We caught up with the Starboard’s SUP phenom Zane Schweitzer in Maui. In this clip Zane talks about the Santa Cruz Shootout. It gives us a great feeling to  ...
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Svein Rasmussen on Starboard’s race lineup
April 27, 2010
In our second clip from our interview with Starboard’s Svein Rasmussen, we hear about the full racing lineup from Starboard. Svein describes how Starboard’s long standing hist ...
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Starboard’s Svein Rasmussen
April 26, 2010
We caught up with Starboard’s Svein Rasmussen on our recent trip to Maui. Sven talks up some highlights in the Starboard SUP quiver including the Big Easy, Whopper, Blend and  ...
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Gary Stone on Stand Up Paddle Radio
April 20, 2010
PaddleBoard Specialists very own Gary Stone was featured on the Stand Up Paddle Radio show on April 15th. Gary talked with hosts Jeff Archer and Leslie Kolovich about the padd ...
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Exclusive Sneak Peek at the Naish Javelin
April 16, 2010
While we were in Maui earlier this month we had many opportunities to see some new developments in Stand Up Paddle boards. One of our big surprises was being able to talk with ...
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Surftech's Laird 12'1"
April 13, 2010
The rise of stand up paddling definitely owes some gratitude to Laird Hamilton. It also might owe a little something to this read more
Surftech’s Laird Pearson Arrow 10’6”
April 9, 2010
When we headed west last fall we were super stoked for the opportunity to get some good waves. While visiting with read more
Ty Zulim introduces Surftech’s new Randy French 10’6”
April 6, 2010
“If you are looking for a board to go have fun, take the kids out on, to have on the boat, or have at the lake without breaking the bank, this is the board for you.” – Ty Zu ...
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Brian Hovnanian introduces the HovieSUP Nomad
April 2, 2010
We took the Nomad for a test paddle when we visited with Brian last fall. This board was one of the biggest surprises of our trip out west. It is perfect for our local lakes a ...
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Hobie's Mark Johnson and the Hobie ATR Series
March 30, 2010
We visited with Mark Johnson at the Hobie factory last fall. Mark was kind enough to talk us through the entire read more
Hobie's Mark Johnson and the PCX Race Elite 12'6"
March 26, 2010
Last fall we paid a visit to Hobie’s Stand Up Paddle division. Lead shaper and craftsman, Mark Johnson was a great host. He gave u ...
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Paddle for the Polar Bears!
March 23, 2010
We are super stoked to announce that our summer challenge series will not only help spread Standup Paddleboarding to the Midwest, but it will help a great cause too.

 ...
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2010 Models in Stock
March 19, 2010
The weather is warming up and our warehouse is filling up. We just received a huge shipment of stand up paddleboards and more are on the way. ...
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Quickblade Kanaha StandUp Paddle
March 16, 2010
Paddleboard Specialists recently had our first chance to fully examine the Quickblade Kanaha. Right away we noticed how silky s ...
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Paddleboard Specialists / Naish Midwest SUP Challenge Series 2010
March 12, 2010
We are super excited to announce that Paddleboard Specialists is hosting The StandUp Paddle Challenge series on our home waters of Madison,  ...
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When Seasons Collide
March 10, 2010
On Saturday a couple of us decided to head out to the Cherokee Marsh, just blocks from our shop. We were out testing some new adjustab ...
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Our 2010 Paddle Quiver
March 5, 2010
Here at PaddleBoard Specialists we know that a good board is only half of the equation when it comes to stand up paddling. The right paddle can make all the difference in comf ...
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Breaking the Ice on our 2010 Paddling season
March 3, 2010
Twenty yards to the west little Olympic hopefuls played pond hockey, while to the east fishing shanties dotted the white abyss. We on the other hand had our eyes pointed towar ...
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Joe Bark Talks About Race Boards
March 1, 2010
In November, we had the opportunity to talk with Joe Bark in his shaping room. Joe and his entire staff were very welcoming and gave us a great insight into their boards and h ...
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The Specialist Packing Method
February 23, 2010
Here at Paddleboard Specialists we can’t imagine what a bummer it would be to receive a board that you purchased, only to find that it was damaged during shipping. That's why  ...
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1st Annual Hovie SUP Paddle Festival Announced
February 19, 2010
April 24, 2010 will be the first annual Hovie SUP Paddle Festival. Classes will include a 9.5 mile SUP elite race, a 4.5 mile SUP race, a SUP Match, tandem and dog race. All P ...
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The Hovie SUP Nomad
February 16, 2010
Last fall we had a great paddle with Brian Hovnanian of Hovie SUP in Newport Harbor. We are particularly smitten by his Nomadread more
Sawyer RIP Paddle
February 5, 2010
Last summer I taught about 50 people how to stand up paddle. Two of them had some balance issues. If I gave them a paddle with a dihedral shape blade, they could pull it throu ...
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Welcome to the new site
February 2, 2010
We've spent the last couple of months making sure we have the perfect quiver of boards, paddles and accessories to meet the needs of every paddler. From beginners and fami ...
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Bark Customs
February 2, 2010
When we visited Joe Bark in November we knew we were in for a special treat. Joe radiates enthusiasm for paddling. His down to earth demeanor and unbelievable craftsmanship ma ...
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Wisconsin River Trip
February 2, 2010
Last summer we took several trips down the Wisconsin River. The stretch just west of our shop is a hidden gem in the Midwest. Below the dam that forms Lake Wisconsin is a sect ...
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