Paddleboard Lessons, August 2011

 

Sure, Matt Shubin of Poseidon Stand Up Paddle Surfing is laid-back: He grew up in Malibu and has surfed his whole life. But he never spaces out to where students feel abandoned to the big blue. He carefully coaches on survival (don't let the board get between you and a wave), balance (don't look down), and effective paddling (lock that top arm). Matt and brother Christian recently moved their shop, which carries the latest in stand-up paddle equipment and apparel, from Venice to Santa Monica. Inside are scores of beginner-friendly Laird Hamilton boards as well as charming Surfmonk hats.  Poetically, the space is a block from the pier, the hub of the previous stand-up paddle craze of the 1940s.