Follow Starboard SUP adventurer Bart de Zwart as he explores the Marquesas Islands for the next 12 days tracing the footsteps of the famous Norwegian adventurer Thor Heyerdahl, powered by WindSUP. The Starboard WindSUP design is based on a popular Starboard paddleboard shape, to which they added a mast track and centre-fin box to plug in a sail and centre-fin for windsurfing, the starboard WindSUP will allow Bart de Zwart to power himself by wind, helping him cover vast distances between the islands.
This journey is amazing in that the Marquesas are unlike the other islands in French Polynesia, there are no lagoons or protected coral reefs surrounding these landscapes. The Marquesas Archipelago is one of the most remote island groups in the world. They are so isolated they even have their own time zone and the flight time to get there from Tahiti is approximately 3.5 hours.
Bart de Zwart sent TotalSUP his first update after arriving on the island on April 17th.
 “At 7am yesterday I started  my Marquesas expedition from the northeasterly bay of Puamau on the island of Hiva Oa. I flew there on friday from Tahiti and managed to get a truck from the airport to this part of the island.
I started paddling north east around the point and paddled in a straight line to Fatu Hiva, (North of Mohotani island) I had very light winds and made little speed. I wanted to paddle around the point into a safe bay of Fatu Hiva before dark. But I soon realised it was going to be dark before I could make it. I had previously been here before, as we made landfall in Fatu Hiva in 2006 whilst sailing around the world, so I knew what Hanavave Bay looked like. During this crossing, the wind increased and decreased a lot. At times with the shifting winds I felt I wouldn’t make the island at all.
I arrived at 9 pm at the point of Fatu Hiva, started to paddle again, as the wind died completely, and I managed to call Dagmar. I eventually reached Hanavave Bay at 11 pm, just as a sailing boat arrived from the Galapagos Islands. The crew was really kind and allowed me to stay on board for the remaining hours until dawn. So I did not need to find a place for my tent on shore in the middle of the night. I was very grateful after a gruelling 16hrs of paddling and windsup. I had a great night sleep. Right now I am about to explore the island after setting up my tent and gear on a perfect spot overlooking the bay which is astonishing”
Follow Bart de Zwart’s amazing Marquesas expedition on his tracker https://share.garmin.com/BartdeZwartSUPCrossing and via his instagram @bartdezwart
Stay tuned for more updates of his incredible journey!
The inaugural Koh Chang International Ocean Race: The Emerald Challenge – held on 23-24 May in Thailand – brings together the ultimate ocean paddling experience across two days of world-class competition and breathtaking natural scenery. Featuring Surfski (25km), OC1 (25km), Kayak (15km), and SUP disciplines including Long Distance (15km), Technical (1km), and Sprints (200m), the […]
Before the SUP 11 City Tour became one of the most legendary Stand Up Paddle races, there was a quiet, almost forgotten chapter that few people know. In 2008, long before start lines, live tracking or international podium battles, Anne-Marie Reichmann-Totah paddled the entire 11 Cities route alone. No race. No crowd. Just a board, the […]
Starboard has shown us over the years that new launches usually come with a clear shift in direction. This time, the hints were subtle but noticeable – a hybrid dugout outline appearing in early previews, a few prototype shots circulating, and one question quietly surfacing among paddlers: are we done with blue? The sneak peeks […]
Following the early September launch of the new Airline range, Starboard has now released its latest SUP lineup. This new collection features refined shapes, upgraded constructions, and fresh designs across both hardboards and inflatables. From high-performance surf shapes like the all-new TwinFin with Acute Custom Carbon construction, to improved inflatable racing boards featuring the Quick […]
We just caught up with Linus Karlsson at Planet Baltic SUP Race in Poland (7-9 August), 11-time Swedish National SUP Champion and Starboard Team Rider, who recently returned to the race circuit while balancing a busy professional life. That meant less racing this season, and Linus was refreshingly open about the challenges of limited training […]
One of the events that have been sparking some serious FOMO* for a while now, both for elite athletes and SUP enthusiasts is Planet Baltic SUP Race. I may be biased – it’s in my homeland, Poland – but with rave reviews and striking photography, Planet Baltic stands out as an experience any SUP fan […]
The difference between paddles is probably the most common question in the SUP world, and when brands put real science behind the answer, interesting things happen. Starboard has just completed a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) study comparing two of its best-selling race paddles, the Lima and the Velocity, working in collaboration with Aubin Petit, a […]
In the months leading up to its official release, the all-new Starboard TwinFin SUP surf board was already sparking both hype and interest. More than 150 paddlers from 31 countries registered for early access, eager to be among the first to experience it. The standout favourite? The 8’3” x 30” 125L Acute Carbon, the most […]
Proudly representing the Argentinian Club Náutico Mar del Plata and flying the Starboard flag, Fabrizio Rondinara , 19, delivered a standout performance at this year’s O2Y – Okinawa to Yoron Race, brought by Kanaka Okinawa, one of the most iconic endurance events on the SUP calendar. The 2025 edition once again revived the ancient spirit […]
