If you have a stand up paddleboard and would prefer to do some sitting you are in luck. The Oar Board allows for quick conversion of a board into a single scull rowing boat. The Whitehall Rowing & Sail company of Victoria, BC have launched an Indiegogo project. It can be attached to a paddleboard in just five minutes and the polymer and marine-grade powder-coated aluminum should be ready for the water. Video after the jump
Category: Water Activities
Take Two for the Fēnix 2
Garmin has athletes covered with numerous GPS sports watches and for 2014 the fēnix 2 will ensure that wearers find their way again. This new updated model has more focus on fitness and is designed to be paired with the HRM-Run monitor that tracks heart rate, cadence, vertical oscillation and ground contact time. This can be used to help trail runners and those looking to cross train.
The watch can also estimate a user’s maximum oxygen consumption to evaluate fitness level and even calculate the recovery time post workout.
New training modes for various sports are included and this includes those hitting the pool or the slopes. The ski-board mode can track speed, distance and vertical drop; while in the pool it can track stroke count, interval distance, pace and time. This durable watch is scratch and water-resistant, and can withstand pressure up to 50 meters.
Other features include an altimeter, barometer and compass.
Olympus Toughen’s Up
This month Olympus shows that it is still going tough. The Olympus TOUGH STYLUS TG-850, which comes out this month (MSRP: $249.99) can record video with natural motion via 60p recording at 60fps in Full HD 1080p, as well as high-speed via 120 fps at 640 x 480 or 240 fps at 320 x 240.
But more importantly this one lives up to its name. It is waterproof, shockproof, crushproof, freezeproof, and dustproof camera employs True-Pic VII processor and wide-angle 21–105 mm 5x optical zoom lens. Other features include 180 degree flip LCD monitor and 16 MP backlit CMOS sensor.
Surf’s UP!
Warning: Graphic Content in Video and in image below.
Australian professional surfer knows something about riding on big swells. Now he’s created his own “big swell” so to speak with a rather phallic looking surfboard, which he unveiled on his FollowTheFish.TV website.
We’re not sure why someone would want to hang ten on a penis-shaped surfboard, but apparently Fisher liked the idea of hanging ten while looking… well, hung? Photo of the board after the jump
Ricoh Out With Rugged Cameras
Ricoh has the camera to reach for on your next adventure. The company has introduced three new rugged cameras that include the WG-4 GPS, WG-4 and WG-20 – all of which will work with a new action-oriented mounting system. These actually build on the Pentax WG line, which makes sense as Ricoh bought the Japanese camera maker in 2011. The Ricoh name will now be used for compact cameras such as these.
The camera lineup includes the WG-4 and WG-4 GPS, each of which feature a 16megapixel CMOS sensor and sensor shift shake reduction. Each can shoot Full HD 1080p video at 30fps, and both are waterproof to 45 feet, shock resistant to just over six feet, and are crushproof to 220 pounds. These are even ideal winter sports cameras as they can endure temperatures to 14 degrees F! The WG-4/WG-4 GPS features a three inch LCD display, and offer a ring of six LED marco lights as well as traditional flash. The WG-4 GPS includes a GPS unit (obviously enough) to record position data and a travel log data.
The WG-20 has many of the features of the above models, but is meant as the introductory version. It is waterproof to 33 feet, shock resistant to five feet, but still crushproof to 220 pounds and can endure up to 14 degrees F. It is smaller than the WG-4 and can shoot HD video at 720p at 30 fps. It features a 14megapixel CCD sensor and has a 2.7 inch LCD screen.
All three cameras are also compatible with Ricoh’s new mounting systems that includes a handlebar mount, suction cup mount and adhesive mount. Mount up and reach for one of these Ricoh cameras.
Breathe Easy
When it comes to super heroes Aquaman doesn’t get the love. About all he can really do is breathe underwater and communicate with fish. While we don’t think we’ll ever be able to talk to the fish, the Easybreath Snorkeling Mask will let you breathe normally while snorkeling.
OK, so you can’t go very deep and you’re still using a hose to breathe this mask fits over the entire face and allows more natural movement. There is even a dry-top system that plugs the air intake when immersed, which prevents water from entering – that’s good because this thing won’t really turn you into Aquaman. Video after the jump
Shields Are Up
Shark attacks are rare, but they do happen. Now Shark Shield has been awarded a government grant for a surfboard shark deterrent. The Western Australian State Government Grant has been presented to Shark Shield to develop a shark deterrent for surfers. The company, along with two Western Australia universities, have been award $967,161 (AU) in the second round of applied research funding. Continue reading Shields Are Up
Mercedes-Benz Catches the Wave
While much has been made about BMW helping develop the Team USA’s Bobsled at the Olympic Games rival automaker Mercedes-Benz has been busy developing a surfboard with Garrett McNamara. The result is the “The Silver Arrow of the Seas,” which was used to catch the massive wave breaks at Nazaré North Canyon in Portugal earlier this month.
In addition to looking every bit a Mercedes-Benz this board offers built-in telemetry system capable of measuring surfing performance. Video after the jump
Tri It On
Want to try kayaking without the work of tipping over? This is where the TriKayak XS-1 comes in. It features outriggers that provide stability, while the V-hull design allows it to cut through the water. It features a raised seat with a soft yet supportive padding. The outriggers can be deployed into three positions, and can be removed so that the TriKayak can fit on most car carriers.
If you need to bring some gear with you, there is pleny of open storage in the back plus the designers also included a 13 liter compartment in the front, along with two small dry storage compartments on the sides.
The designers behind the TriKayak XS-1 have launched a Kickstarter crowd funding campaign, and plans are to deliver the first batch by May. Video after the jump
Fishing Sonar
While many people will simply head to the old fishing hole and cast off and hope for the best, hardcore anglers might take notice of the FishHunter Sonar, which is powered by military-grade sonar technology that can truly find the spot where they’re biting. This device floats o the water and pairs with a smartphone app that allows users to see if school (as in school of fish) is in session.
Blow Up Boat
We’ve seen a variety of fold up boats over the years, but the DinghyGo takes a different approach. The DinghyGo 2 is actually an inflatable sail boat that the company claims is lighter, cheaper and quicker to set up than most other “portable” boats.
It comes with a sailing kit that includes a 43 square feet sail, as well as pump and repair kit. The boat isn’t exactly cheap and at $3,525 there are likely other and more affordable options for those looking to go sailing. But the DinghyGo 2 is certainly a compact boat – which is good for those who don’t exactly spend every weekend on the water. Continue reading Blow Up Boat
Custom Your Body (Glove)
A New Year means a new time to treat your body right. While a wetsuit will show off those curves and inspire you to get fit. There are other ways to show off as well. In the case of Body Glove you can add some custom colors to your own wetsuit. These feature seven panels, which can be customized with 11 colors and three graphics meaning there are endless combinations. Continue reading Custom Your Body (Glove)
Tweets Keep the Sharks Away
Shark attacks are rather rare, but when they do occur they can be deadly. Now researchers in Australia have developed a system that could use social media to not only warn when a shark attack is imminent but actually monitor the movement of sharks near beaches.
It could be the next best thing to having the sharks sign up on Twitter to announce their presence. Since that would be difficult – as sharks don’t have mobile phones or the thumbs to type out tweets – the researchers have attached transmitters to more than 320 sharks, including great whites. When the sharks get close to the beaches the sensors trigger an alert, which is picked up on a computer.
From this a short message on Surf Life Saving Western Australia’s (SLSWA) Twitter feed is posted giving details on the approximate location of the shark, as well as its size and breed. This might just make it safe to go back into the water.
[Via Sky News: Australia: Sharks Use Twitter To Warn Swimmers]