Introducing the new fleet of Dean boards

Introducing the new fleet of Dean boards. These boards are built with cutting edge manufacturing technology in Charleston, SC USA. The race, all around, and SUP surf boards can be customized to fit your needs. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (843) 795-8000.

Making dreams come true

Photo caption: Dean Watersports recently upgraded to a bigger manufacturing facility in Charleston, SC.

Hands down, it’s been a challenging two years for a one-man startup manufacturing company. But creating a product for a sport that you are absolutely passionate about has kept the motivation and stoke alive and strong. It’s that resolve that, in just 20 months, Dean Watersports has grown from a dilapidated, 400-square foot vacant (and borrowed) room, followed by a warehouse space with no heat or air, finally to a 3000-square foot proper manufacturing facility.

Flashback two years. After a short stint owning and operating a restaurant, ex pro-cyclist Dean Johnson rekindled his competitive nature and started racing standup paddleboards. It was at the September 2009 national Naish race series in San Diego, CA that Dean realized he needed a faster board. At that time, no one in our hometown of Charleston, SC was selling (or paddling) race boards. So with his background in art and construction, he was determined to build a board that was as good, if not better than anything on the market.

We were very optimistic heading in to 2011. SUP was blowing up on the East Coast and starting to gain momentum in Charleston. It was time for us to get serious. Dean met Tony Blakley, a composites engineer, and the two immediately hit it off and began developing high performance technology. Five months later, Dean Watersports welcomed Shawn West to the team who handles all customer relations and sales. With a good crew pulled together, the next step was obvious...we needed a larger space so manufacturing could get underway.

























The future is bright. Dean Watersports is no longer a one-board-at-a-time manufacturing company. We are on the cutting edge of technology and design, and we do it with a passion for the sport of SUP. We welcome SUP retailers, tour/rental companies, and consumers to visit us at our new factory in Charleston, SC. Call us at (843) 795-8000 to set up an appointment.

The Dean Team:
Dean Johnson, shaper/owner/operator
dean@deanwatersports.com
Misty Johnson, marketing/fitness/tours/rentals
misty@deanwatersports.com
Tony Blakley, engineer
tony@deanwatersports.com
Shawn West, financials /sales/customer relations
shawn@deanwatersports.com

Words by Misty Johnson

SUP Fitness classes take off in the Lowcountry

Standup paddleboarding has really come to life here on the East Coast in the last two years. We're proud to be on the cutting edge of that movement as we continue to build and manufacture SUPs locally, offering lessons and sharing the stoke of being on the water. Recently Dean Watersports started teaching SUP Fitness classes through a couple of local rental companies and it has become all the craze! Why not get fit while having fun on the water and exploring Charleston's beautiful waterways? It's a no brainer.
If you are a beginner or a seasoned pro, you should check out a SUP Fitness class designed to help you develop good paddle skill and flexibility while strengthening your core and improving your overall balance. In our classes, we warm up on land and go through core exercises that we then take to on the water. Students are feeling core burns in places they didn't know exist! And the very best part is that we're having a ton of fun.

Sup Fitness has launched all over the East and West coasts. Recently we read this motivating quote from Brody Welte of Paddle Fit Tampa in SELF magazine: "The average male can burn between 800 and 1,000 calories per hour with the average female burning about 500 to 700 calories per hour," he said. "Compare this to running on a treadmill or an elliptical machine where an average male burns between 600 to 700 calories and the average female burns between 300 and 400 calories."

Maintaining a good fitness and nutrition regimen is something that everyone should incorporate into their regular routines. And no one ever said it had to be dull. Hope to see you on the water!

Class offerings, taught by the Dean Watersports team:

Island Paddle Adventure
Brittlebank Park Lockwood Blvd, downtown Charleston, SC 29403
Mondays & Wednesdays with Dean, 7:00-8:15am
Tuesdays & Thursdays with Misty, 6:00-7:15pm
Drop-in: $25
BYOB: $15
10-Class Pass: $200
10-Class Pass BYOB: $100
(save $50 with the 10-Class Pass!)
To sign up: info@barrierislandpaddle.com
More info: http://www.islandpaddleadventure.com/fitness

Ocean Fitness
Isle of Palms Marina 50 42nd Ave Isle of Palms, SC 29451
Mondays & Wednesdays with Misty, 7:00-8:15am
July 11, 13, 18, 20, 25 and 27
6-Series Class Pack: $150
To sign up: (843) 559-6073
More info: http://www.beoceanfit.com/fitness-4


Photos courtesy of Ocean Fitness (top), and Island Paddle Adventure (bottom)

Laid back in St Augustine, Florida

November 20, 2010

After a late-night, epic drive south to St Augustine, Florida, we made it just in time for a benefit paddle race through some amazing intracoastal creeks. Through our friend David Slemp, we met some really great people who are eager to jump start the SUP scene and Dean Watersports is excited to be a part of this up-and-coming community.

Along with our personal race boards in tow, we delivered two new Dean boards to Surf Station, the local shop for everything surf and skate.

Pictured at top is the Dean 9'8 designed for SUP performance surfing. This lightweight board is fast paddling out and with the unique rail design, is easy to maneuver, turn and carves much faster than a typical SUP surf board. This board is great for any size wave.

Next up is the Dean 12'6 SUP race board. Weighing in at only 23 lbs, this displacement hull board does it all. Expect a stable and fast board in all conditions.

Both boards are constructed from EPS foam, fiberglass and epoxy. Full carbon models are also available.

If you live in central Florida and you'd like to take a Dean board for a spin, please contact Tory at Surf Station.

1020 Anastasia Blvd, St Augustine Florida 32080

http://www.surf-station.com/

(904) 471-9463

Or toll free (800) 460-6394

For all other inquiries, email:

dean@deanwatersports.com

$10,000 In Cash & Prizes Awarded At Shem Creek Shootout

Charleston, SC—The first annual Shem Creek Shootout on Saturday, July 17, had a great turn out from SUP pros on the East Coast. A good- and enthusiastic- crew from Wilmington, NC really brought the heat! Also in town and representing Starboard, East Coast champ Iain McFarland from Cocoa Beach, Fl. In all, there were 36 racers from Fl, NC, VA, and NJ racing amongst others from SC and Charleston. It wasn't all about the pros though- there was a "Kids" division and they all had a blast! Thanks to Dave at Charleston Watersport for really pulling this together! And special thanks to John from Distressed Mullet for helping us get the word out and rallying the Wilmington crew. Conditions on the water were pretty rough, but in all, a great race. Red's Icehouse on Shem Creek were great hosts of this family-friendly affair- thank you.

Stay tuned for details about the October 9-10 SUP surfing contest, and our regular race series beginning late August.
Dean + Misty Johnson
Dean Watersports