paddleboard

It’s not every day you find a solid racing board for a good price. The hardest part at times when pocketing out some green to further complete your collection of boards is justifying to your husband/wife/friends why this board is key to benefiting your paddling life. If that wasn’t the case then all of us would be building an extra garage to hold our plethora of boards!

Consider the problems no more!  Imagine owning a new racing board possibly only for $100 and the money you spent on it goes to a good cause, eliminating all haze you may get towards throwing another board on the wall!  Ben Baecker a local paddler and organizer of the Bambu Bash in Belton Texas has done just that by deciding to raffle off his custom carbon fiber Black Box Paddle Board.  All proceeds go towards an 11 month long mission trip Ben leaves for in September called The World Race.

Tickets are 1 for $20 or 6 for $100.

The board will be raffled off in person at the Bastrop SUP Cup August 15th.  www.facebook.com/bastropsupcup.  You do not need to be present to claim the board if you win.  Tickets are for sale now through the 14th of August on Ben’s support blog at

http://benjaminbaecker.theworldrace.org and will be sold in person at the SUP CUP.  To purchase tickets through Ben’s blog click the orange ‘Support Me’ tab at the top right of his page.  This will lead you to a safe online donation sight where you can type in the amount you wish to give.  While filling out the info needed be sure to include your email address so I can respond to your donation and assure you I received it and acknowledge the number of tickets you bought.  Physical tickets will not be handed out but simply your names and emails will be written on a card/cards pending the amount you buy and placed in a bucket to be drawn from the day of the race.

Now for the good part.  The board! Matt Campbell and the boys at Blk Box surf have been shaping Great Lakes surf boards for years.  Since turning their sights on paddle boarding their business has expanded rapidly. Blk Box stand up paddle boards are among the winningest SUP boards in the Midwest Race Series and have caused ripples that can be felt on either coast. It is a 14’x25’’x6.25’’ single fin, Carbon Fiber board weighing in at 21lbs and covered with a 3D foam pad.  It has placed 2nd at the Colorado River Ramble and craves to build up water miles with it’s future owner.  In the picture you will see a haze strip across the bottom of the board.  While in transit from Minnesota to Texas it fell off the rack resulting in a hairline crack in the resin on the bottom of the board and small puncture hole on top of the face.  All fixed and inspected by a professional so don’t let that scare you away! (Raffle includes board bag).

For any further questions email Ben at baeckbro@gmail.com and be sure to follow along on his blog throughout the next year to see pictures and stories from his journey around the world!  Happy paddling!

While the sports of wake surfing and stand up paddle boarding are still very much in their infancy, it’s important to buy your first board from a company that has worked through the R and D process, one that has “dialed in” their equipment with the best materials, performance construction and eye-popping designs. The same year that DFW Surf was born (2007) was also the year that Yolo Board started to produce its first boards. Nearly a decade later Yolo Board can definitely say that it is “dialed in” with its boards and performance paddles, a dealer network that has increased its sales by 20% each year and a distribution network that is fast and reliable. The most important part is that each customer is happy with his or her purchase and can find a perfect board- cruiser, yoga, fisher, fitness, surf or racer.

YOLO Board:
The 2015 Yolo Board lineup is sold exclusively in North Texas at DFW Surf. Most of the 2015 models feature new design artwork thanks to famous designer Jake Meyer. You will not find another board out there with artwork that comes close to a Yolo Board design. What is exciting is that Yolo Board is committed to the paddle community of inland America, a community that wants to get out on a board and cruise around and have a good time. The Coastal Cruiser is the epitome of the movement and one of the best all-around cruisers ever made.

YOLO Board Inflatables:
Next up, we are stoked to legitimately say that we now house the best inflatable on the market. Inflatables are no easy board to manufacture and takes years to perfect. Come 2015 the new Yolo Board inflatables are dialed in and super stylish. Both the Coastal Cruiser and inflatable are designed with an all-around focus, speed and stability for any condition plus all the tie down straps you need for gear.

YOLO Board Fishers- Guzman:
SUP fishing is becoming more popular especially in the Texas area. For years fishers have used kayaks to get around and paddle to those secret spots without scaring off all the fish. What has been lacking in kayak fishing has been opened up and literally, standing up, for SUP fishing. You can actually stand up with comfort and cast out your line with greater distance, or even go fly fishing. Paddle from A to B, find your sweet spot and toss out an anchor and then catch all the action on one of the gopro mounts. Check out the new designs on the Guzman Yolo fishers. At 325 Liters and 35 inches wide, this is also a “go-to” board for first timers or bigger paddlers in search of ultimate stability and tons of tie down straps for all your gear.

YOLO Board Racers:
Last but not least we wanted to show off the 2015 Yolo Board racers. SUP racing is still so new and niche, but something that is catching on and gaining in popularity. The exciting part is the speed gained on a racing board versus an all-around board. Racing aside, the feeling of gliding across the water and being able to get from point A to point B quicker is all the more reason to make a big purchase towards a touring or racing board. DFW Surf founder, 2014 Region 12 WPA Champ and new Yolo Board team rider, Tyler Marshall, is stoked to be equipped on Yolo Board racers and EJ elite paddles for the 2015 season. Riding on a Yolo Orange Crush 25 1/2 Tyler dominated one of the biggest races of the year, taking second, in a field of more than three hundred paddlers at the annual Hanohano Huki Ocean Challenge in San Diego. “The new Yolo racers are designed for speed at an affordable price. There is a big misconception about racing boards and a a big trend in the past year towards a lighter board. The key is a balanced board with a volume that will float your body weight with sustained glide rather than a board that is too light that requires a sustained rate of acceleration for float. At 155 lbs the new Orange Crush 25 1/2 narrow width focus is the perfect board for me,” says Tyler.

Also available are the Yolo Board touring models. The focus is a race board that is stable enough with tie down straps and gopro mount to be labeled a “Touring” board. All racing models feature the LiftSUP retractable carrying handle so that you can carry easier and lock up for security.

EJ Series Performance Paddles:
The one thing that we see the most with beginner paddlers and racers is that they purchase a nice board, but not a nice paddle. The paddle itself is a game-changer! Like the first time you get on a faster touring or racing board, the first time you use a quality performance paddle will change your life. It could even change your feeling about paddling regularly. And once again Yolo Board has set the standard for paddle performance thanks to Elite racer and legendary paddle designer, EJ Johnson. A comfortable paddle with a “fast catch and quick release,” plus new for 2015- matte finish option and 3 blade sizes to choose from. Just like the board, you want to get the right size paddle blade based on your body weight and skill.

For more info, to talk to an expert, or to place a board order please contact us today: 972 427 4082, ext. 1, or info@dfwsurf.com