Category Archives: Sports

Stand Up Surf Board Paddle Build

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A few years back, I was hanging out in Laguna Beach, CA. I went into a surf shop and saw some beautifully laminated-wooden stand up surf board paddles. I’d love to have one, but man they were expensive. So I figured that I’d try making one when I got back home.

I hated to leave this view from my room, but I had to go back to work to pay for vacations like this one.

I’d never done any wood lamination work before, so as I always do I went to the web for knowledge. I found a set of instructions on how to build and finish all kinds of paddles. The instructions also included templates. I think I paid $20.00 for the downloadable set, but if you look around you can likely find some for free on the web.

After reviewing the instructions, I started digging through my wood pile. I didn’t have any really nice lumber, but I figured for my first attempt I should just use what I have.

Also, since I did not own a paddle board, I decided to make it as a gift for a wonderful friend who does own one.

I began by laying out and gluing up the paddle, paddle shaft, and paddle shaft angle. As I always say, you can never have too many clamps!

I don’t have many power tools, but I do have a biscuit joiner. This is very helpful in joining pieces of wood together. The tool makes a semi-circle cut in the edge of the wood. You then do the same to the piece of wood you want to join. An oblong wooden piece (biscuit) fits into the two semicircle cuts. All you need is to glue up the cuts with the biscuit in place and clamp together. Works great.

In the second picture (on the right), I have glued up the shaft, shaft angle, and the paddle. I put weight on the paddle so that it would not bow under the pressure of the clamps.

Here I have rough cut the paddle end and the shaft handle.

Next I used a power sander to shape the entire paddle. The paddle is very long as it is a stand up paddle. Note the lower shaft has about a 30 degree angle and was attached to the upper shaft using the biscuit method as well.

The angle gives the paddler more power per stroke.

Finally, I stained the paddle and gave it four coats of marine Varathane. That gave it a deep, glossy look and waterproofed it too.

For my first attempt, the paddle turned out pretty well. My friend loved it! I will be making more paddles in the future.

AlphaWEAR Clothing Line

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After I patented the AlphaWAVE Relaxation / Performance Improvement Disk, I thought about other ways that I might apply this concept.  How might I get people interested in learning how to improve their alpha brainwave production?

People like T-shirts… why not come up with some designs.  A Clothing Line For Your Mind became my new trademark and mantra.

Not clothing color therapy, but visual conditioning, through a process, which causes brain synchronization, producing Alpha waves.  Like biofeedback or meditation, the mind becomes quiet and in focus.  This reduces mental and muscle tension and enables optimal performance in any endeavor, and improves one’s health.

My original intention was to use the Alpha disk for training, and then wear an apparel item (shirt, hat, shoes, towel, etc.) during the actual sporting event.  This would give the user mental reinforcement during the stress of performing.  I received a second patent for this concept.

It was specifically a tool for sports performance improvement – relax the mind and your game improves.  Then it occurred to me that many of our daily or life’s events cause stress as well. 

I wanted to use clothing as a relaxation device.  Utilize the Alpha generating color, along with words and images that would have meaning to the wearer.  A Clothing Revolution so to speak that would improve people’s mental health worldwide.   Could it be done?

Here is one of my first designs. (Keep in mind that the Alpha image color as seen on your device’s screen, is not the actual yellow-green fluorescent color needed to produce Alpha waves.)

Pregnancy produces a lot of stress on a woman’s body.  Look at the Alpha producing image from the wearer’s point of view.  There is a process word, BREATHE and an outline image of a baby.  These act as queues to remind the mother to slow down, look at the image and produce Alpha waves.  In turn, her blood pressure goes down.  If it worked for my niece, then it can work for any expectant mother.

I thought that these shirts would be excellent to use in pre-birthing classes.  Then the expecting mother could take some home for daily use.  I proposed a study at UCSF, but of course received no reply back. Too bad, this really works

I did make a short production run of a long sleeve shirt for my own use.

I’ll be wearing one when I fly my Hammerhead Shark Hydrofoil Board – Flying on a Hammerhead Shark.  I know I will be very stressed prior to the first flight.  I will use the shirt to keep me calm.  Happy landings!

Here’s another shirt that I designed.

The image of the world is actually the Alpha wave producing color.  Wouldn’t it be awesome if this shirt was worn by millions of people around the world.  People’s attitudes would change for the better. Like I say, “Cambiar El Mundo – Change The World.”

The Alpha Generation would prevail. What a wonderful thought!