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Epic V11, V12, Nelo 560 1st Impressions - by: Cerca Trova

January 22, 2018, 7:46 am
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After seeing the then called V12M on YouTube right after the Gorge Downwind Champs race I called Dave Amodio of Kayakinvestors.com in Houston Tx and ordered one. The V11 came in early October and I drove to Houston to pick it up and test it. Dave also had a new V12 in the same Ultra lay up to paddle, and purchase instead of the V11 if I so desired. And a good friend brought his new Nelo 560.
I 1st naturally paddled the V11. After getting in the bucket I was immediately surprised at the initial stability. It was very solid, no twitchiness whatsoever. The stability is very comparable to the Stellar SES that I use to own. I quickly got it up to speed and was immediately impressed with the glide & speed. And the ultimate stability was very good, especially for a UHP ski. I had the 4" race rudder on it and it turned much easier than the V12. A quick note on the V12. It seemed more stable than the V11, yet it did not turn as well. And it was at least 4 lbs heavier in the same lay up. A great ski though with very good top in speed.
Next up the Nelo 560, which I had previously paddled a few times before. The 560 stability was very comparable to the V11 along with the speed. (Another paddler thought the 560 was more stable). I did think the glide was not quite on par with the V11.

I came away very impressed with all 3 skis. You could not go wrong with any of them. The more I paddle the V11 the more I'm glad I bought it!
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What is your surfski story? - by: LakeMan

May 28, 2017, 12:11 pm
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I'd like to hear your story about what and why you started paddling a surfski. You do not have to answer the questions below, they are just some ideas. I think giving your story will motivate others to get into the sport.

For example:
Did you paddle other boats first?
Is this for fitness, racing or just for the mental solitude?
Why paddle something so challenging?
Did you start with a beginner ski or jump into an elite?
How difficult was it to start the sport?
Did you find balance natural or a trial?
What is the best ski you've ever owned?
Do you paddle alone or in groups?
Does your spouse also paddle?
Multi-skis or do you keep one?
Daily, weekly or monthly on the water?
Do you winter ski and why?

This is an open post. Write whatever would be helpful to those who read it. Thank you
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Remount Question - by: LakeMan

August 22, 2017, 12:35 pm
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As you guys probably heard too many times I paddle a 2nd gen Think Uno Max. According to Wesley it's one of the toughest skis to remount. The bucket is deep and the walls are very thin making it not only difficult but painful to mount. Being 17" wide doesn't help matters. After months of practicing remounting I have decided that the straddle mount works much better for me and it doesn't hurt so much.
My question is, how may of you use the straddle method over the more elegant sidesaddle method? And why do you use it and what type of ski makes this a better choice?

www.surfski.info/getting-started/item/10...lls-the-remount.html

Thanks
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Closer Look: Nelo 510 - by: photofr

February 5, 2017, 1:38 am
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First and foremost, plastic kayaks - and plastic surfskis - have been around for quite some time. Today, we can benefit from somewhat lighter plastic surfskis, with plenty of stiffness, bundled with amazing agility on the water to have some serious fun.

The NELO 510 is a polyethylene surfski - made in France by ROTOMOD. They are available and on sale throughout Europe, since January 2017. They come in 3 colors: Apple Green, Italia Blue, and Bubble Gum Pink.

Both the Blue and Green are available in Brittany (France) for FREE DEMOS to anyone interested.

SPECS
515cm x 53cm
20.5 to 22 kilos - yes, there's still a 4% difference, just like composite skis.

STOCK FEATURES
Front and rear carrying handles
Long side handles for better balance
Rear tie downs and bungee
Front tie downs and bungee
Large oval rear hatch and heavy duty cover
Surf rudder - through hull - PE
Stern rudder-ready - with extra line length
DeBrito foot-actuated drain
Leash attachment
2017 footboard and pedals
Allen key insert - rear of footrest
Rigid padded foot bar
GoPro mount on foot bar
Quick release waterproof case on foot bar

OPTIONAL FEATURES
Stern rudder - flip up rudder
Front hatch

ON THE WATER
If you didn't have to carry the ski, you would have a hard time telling it apart from the popular Nelo 520 - at least in terms of SPEED. Most remarkable is how the 510 totally holds its own in huge conditions. It is super manoeuvrable in the surf. It still offers a nice glide on the flats - very close to the 520. The magic of plastic vs. rocks, vs. rocks, vs. transport will have you smiling (I say this as I just place my demo 510 on the rocks without worrying about it). The front end is still narrow - there's a Nelo trademark if I ever saw one.

The price isn't the only thing that will set it aside and above many composite skis... the 510 has plenty of storage, especially if you decide to add the front hatch. The seat on the 510 is slightly higher, giving you a bit of an edge when it comes to power.

STABILITY
There's a strange one: don't expect the new 510 to be a stable slow barge. In fact, its glide will probably really surprise you (it may be the fastest plastic ski on the market).

UPDATE ON STABILITY
With this comes the verdict on stability: 3 completely different paddlers (including myself) have come to the conclusions that:
- The 510 is fast (fact noted on our GPS)
- It glides well (pure feeling/feedback)
- Higher seating position
- Heavier to carry
- Didn't feel sluggish on accelerations

And get ready... "while we all agree that the 510 is nearly as fast as the 520, it's worth mentioning that the 510 didn't feel more stable than the 520".

Worth noting: the new 510 will not let you down if you are aiming kamikaze style.

Here are couple of photos...








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What are the odds of a ski being damaged in shipping? - by: Canadasurfskiguy

February 1, 2018, 4:24 pm
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Hi folks,

I'm thinking of buying a Pulse and having it shipped from SA to Canada. It seems that any damage during shipping will be on me to fix. I don't have a good sense of how high the risk of shipping damage is. Is it rare or does it happen all the time? Does anyone have some experience to share in this arena?

My other hesitation is that I'd be buying a boat that I have never padded or even seen in person.... I know this is ill-advised but, it looks great on paper and is a good bit more affordable than the Thinks and Epics that are available locally.

Thanks!
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Newble from Toronto - by: SpaceSputnik

February 2, 2018, 7:36 am
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Hey all

I am a complete ski newbie and generally pretty recent to paddling. Did some sea kayaking last season, took classes and whatnot. While loved being in the Toronto harbours didn't love being packed into a boat, weird sitting position, wet exits and all the mandatory gear one is supposed to carry in a sea kayak as well as a never-ending array of required self-rescue skills.

So, decided to transition to a ski and when an opportunity arose picked up a mint gen 2 Epic V7 from a private seller along with an Epic wing paddle.
Now just need to wait for the season. I am reasonably fit with good core strength. Been lifting weights consistently over last couple years so I believe I should be well set to start paddling the ski.

Meanwhile, is there anything I can do to better prepare for the season. I believe I am set for gear and clothing (3/4 wetsuit and a PFD of course), roof racks and all. I lined up an instructor for an intro lesson when the season comes.

Thanks!
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Paddle leash - by: SpaceSputnik

February 3, 2018, 12:49 pm
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A newbie question.
I am confused about using a paddle leash. Seems like a basic question but I am struggling to find a clear answer.
Is paddle leash to be used all the time? Specific conditions? On sea kayaks there are no leashes but you are supposed to carry a spare paddle.
My case would mostly be flat water if that makes a difference. If I went by my sea kayak training I would strap a spare to the rear deck of my V7 and be done with it. With a paddle leash can't help wondering about the increased entanglement potential.
Can someone please set my head straight?

Thanks.
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Knee injury - by: malvina

February 7, 2018, 10:14 am
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Hello,

I have over time developed a pain in the inside of both my knees (exactly where they would touch each other). I am pretty sure it is surfski related as the pain disappear if I don´t paddle for a few days.

I have noticed that that I stretch my leg completely ("locking" my knee) every time I push with the heel on the footrest, and was wondering if that could be the reason. Am I doing it wrong? Could that be the reason for the pain? I have studied theoretical technique quite extensively, but I don´t remember seeing any advice from the experts as to whether the leg should be extended all the way or should stop short of it.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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please extend login timeout - by: tve

February 8, 2018, 7:51 am
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Could you please extend the login timeout to at least 24 hrs, best several days? I have a window open with many surfski tabs, surfski.info being one of them, and when I look for news in the morning I have to re-login every single time. Please extend the login timeout so a simple page refresh brings in the new topics on the forum. Thanks much!
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Paddling in Hawaii - by: kwolfe

February 9, 2018, 6:19 am
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So I'm getting married soon and as luck would have it (thanks to a lot of unspent airline miles), my wife and I are looking to go to Hawaii for our honeymoon.

The first thing I mentioned was "you know I have to paddle when I'm there.......like every day for a few hours". She's a great woman and know how much I love it so she just smiled and said "of course".

Does anyone here know of places I could rent a surfski (or OC1) and good places to paddle? We aren't really set on any particular island.
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Boat blows away whilst kitting up - by: MK

February 10, 2018, 1:35 am
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Recently, as I've been chasing some more lively weather, my boat has blown away a couple of times.

First time I upgraded the stands, but the wind tends to come around a corner or change direction at just the wrong time.

Normally I am over at the car putting the PFD etc on, after carefully checking the wind direction and that the boat is firmly in the stands in the same direction.

I am now thinking of putting on the ground on a 6m yoga mat, solid foam blocks, or sand bags, as the momentum to roll comes from the small distance to the ground as the stands topple...

www.kayakshopaustralia.com.au/ruk-sport-...torage-trestles-low/

Any comments PLS?
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Nelo 550 - very brief and non-conclusive impressions - by: Impala

June 12, 2017, 6:25 am
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Hi all,

during last weekend's Lake Constance Marathon I had the opportunity to paddle the new Nelo 550L (in WWR) for a couple of minutes. My background: a midpacker using an own-designed hybrid ski made of Paulovnia Wood, I can't sit a K1. I like to test other skis to compare to my own designs, get new ideas or strengthen my prejudices :P

As I paddled the new boat only for some minutes on flat water, these are really just first impressions supposed to start a discussion, not conclude it.

The intermediate Nelo was advertised as much more stable but almost as fast as the 560. This is to be achieved by a hull that is no longer round, but rather flat and box-like. In mention this beforehand because this explains the impression of boat behaviour I got. I also had the chance to paddle the 560 in similar conditions a couple of months ago, and I liked that ski very much.

The 550 has ample initial stability, as can be expected. It also accelerates very fast and turns on a dime. Secondary stability, at least for what I am used to, is lower than expected when you hit chop (it still high compared to an elite ski!). The cruising speed did not seem extraordinary to me as compared to my 580 x 52 hybrid (which has a very rounded hull with a 42cm max waterline). I would guess the 550's max waterline at my weight (72 kg) rather at 43-44 cm. I can of course not make any serious judgment on downwind behavior, but the few boat wakes I surfed left me with a very good impression about the maneuvrability & controllability of the ski.

Still, I must say that this boat did not 'blast me away' ... well, compared to my own design, commercial skis always tend to give me the impression of not snugly sitting in the boat, and the boat not snugly sitting in the water, but rather 'on' it, which I do not like, but this is rather better with the 550 as compared to longer skis. In defense of the 550 I also should mention that only the L version is available right now, in which I do not get enough boat contact.

The major point I want to make is something else: I believe it is not a fortunate strategy to make skis more stable by mostly flattening the bottom. This may give you excellent primary stability when first entering the boat, but stability reserves are then quickly exhausted in the rough if the boat is only around 45 cm max width.

Instead, I would make a narrow, tipply hull just broader (not flatter), which mostly adds secondary stability, something that in some boats you only discover once you enter the waves. The resulting boat behavior is more harmonious in real conditions, and the waterline stays narrow, preserving the speed potential. Last saturday I raced my own much broader hybrid in flat conditions over exactly 21 km in 11.8 kmh, with wash-riding opportunities only in the first half of the race, and I am not a race paddler by pedigree (I am training hard, nevertheless). And my boat is more stable than the 550 in waves, I dare say.

The message I want to get across is that I believe that many intermediate skis perform worse than they could (given their stability) because many designers commit the same specific mistake: they are anxious to keep overall width narrow in order not to give the impression of a beginner boat, and then pay for that with a flat bottom. Maybe I see that wrong, but it would be a pity if - after the excellent new 560 - the 550 would be merely a 'me too' design in that respect.

My remarks may be irrelevant for real downwind conditions, but let's face it: flatwater speed is an important criterion for surfskis, many of which are actually much more paddled in calm conditions than imagined by the designers. And speed may be even more sought after by buyers of intermediate than of elite skis. (in discussions on elite skis, people always ask for the stability of the ski, while speed is dominant in discussions on intermediate skis). I just think that many intermediate designs follow a misguided approach, but maybe that is just ... my prejudice I once more managed to confirm ;) .
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Custom made event/race booking and registration software - by: 10155794205085747@facebook

February 12, 2018, 1:23 pm
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Hi all,

I'm building a booking system for our races here in the UK. So far we've used sail racing systems or just spreadsheets.
  1. What do other other folks use?
  2. Am I reinventing the wheel?
  3. Would anyone else be interested in using it? (it'll be free)

My plan so far is that we'll use WordPress as a base (because I use it for work everyday and know it fairly well!) so that anyone can copy and use the plugin we make.

Features:
  • Register paddlers and collect details of boat(s), emergency contact, experience
  • Event organisers can add details of their event, set number limits, experience limits, costs
  • Event organisers could make an event page if they don't already have a website, or just use the booking element of our system if they do (and if their website is WordPress I can help integrate, or they could use our plugin)
  • Accept bookings and collect payment to organiser's paypal
  • Results system - categories, times, hotspot, etc
  • Use paddler info (with permission) for other events (mailchimp list or similar)
  • Compliant with GDPR

I'd welcome any feedback or requests, and if anyone has a list of surfskis with manufacturer, model, dimensions that would be awesome.

Free??
I can host the system through my work and it'll be free for paddlers, organisers, manufacturers & sponsors. Why? Because making surfski events easy to run makes more people likely to organise them, which is good for everyone.
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Paddling in a Thunderstorm - by: robin.mousley

February 13, 2018, 9:16 pm
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I made an error of judgement yesterday and found myself in the open ocean in the middle of a thunderstorm. What happened was this:

I launched under a cloudy sky for a Miller's Run. The wind was blowing 10-15kt (perhaps slightly more at the start) and I figured I was in for a regular mellow run, with small runs. And for the first 3km or so, that's what happened. I was cruising at around 14kph with peaks of 19 and 20kph.

3km I started hearing thunder in the distance. As I approached Roman Rock lighthouse, 6km in, the wind died and the lightning became visible; mostly off the bay in the mountains with a long interval between flash and crash.

Just after the lighthouse, the rain arrived, and the wind reversed direction, swinging to the west and blowing a proper 20kt, gusting nearly 30kt. I still caught a couple of runs before the wind peaked, but ran slap into the oncoming wind chop and the boat nearly went airborne... After that it was a matter of simply grinding on into the headwind. And now the lightning was striking all around me; one strike in particular resulting in thunder so loud it nearly deafened me.

25min later, the rain lifted, the cloud lifted, the lightning was behind me and the wind swung round to the SE again and I cruised home for one of my slowest times ever for a Miller's Run!

It gave me a sufficient fright that I'll never do that again. The forecast had mentioned a thunderstorm but was about 8 hours out and I'd discounted it (perhaps blind to anything but the thought of getting on the water).

While I was on the water I figured that most of the time I was below the level of the highest waves and that the possibility of my attracting the lightning was absolutely miniscule. Given the area of the bay and the fact that there were fewer than half a dozen strikes where the flash and crash were less than a couple of seconds, I figured that the odds of being struck randomly were also miniscule...

I searched on Google, but most of the replies involved sea kayaks on calm water. I still think the odds would be small on being hit, but does anyone have a definitive reference to the risks of being on a boat on a rough sea in a thunderstorm?
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Bring on the warm weather please - by: kwolfe

February 19, 2018, 1:23 pm
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Just thought I would vent. We had a pretty cold winter here in mid state Pennsylvania. Everything froze solid for a good two months almost. Needless to say, I have a spent a lot of hours on my Speedstroke paddling to nowhere, day dreaming of water.

Recently, the river thawed out but it happened so quickly and with additional rain was a nothing but a flowing hazard full of icebergs and downed trees. Needless to say, I finally got back on the water Saturday and Sunday at my local lake. Only problem was, I had to wade out a little to smash up the ice to get to my 550 onto liquid water! Sheesh

Just thought I would share some pics (because everyone like them). Feel free to vent if you want.
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Huki S1X Special in San Diego, CA - by: zitoune

February 21, 2018, 9:23 pm
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Fenn Mako fiberglass in San Diego - by: zitoune

February 21, 2018, 9:28 pm
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San Från to LA roadtrip. - by: Bevinator

February 23, 2018, 7:51 pm
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Hi guys ,just another crazy aussie downwinder coming to your coastline from 17th to 23 july looking for a paddle with someone or group ect .is there a few facebook sites I could keep an eye on.Ta. Bev .
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Travelling with you Surfski - by: CJM

October 1, 2016, 1:46 pm
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Just wanted to share my latest experience with travelling in high winds and my surkski.
Drove down to Wollongong yesterday from Sydney early in the morning. The winds were light and nothing to be concerned about when travelling on the freeway at 110km/hr. But on the way home the wind had picked up to Gale force. I had to pull over in fear of my kayak getting ripped off the roof. The whole car was shaking sideways from the wind. Luckily I had this device from Rhino-Rack to secure the nose. Easily opened up the bonnet, threw in the hatch fastener and secured the nose of my Epic V10.
What other options are there for securing your kayak to car?
I must say this simple strap worked a treat but surely people are travelling with other devices?
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Minimizing risk of tendinitis - by: MCImes

December 27, 2017, 1:46 pm
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Hi guys,
Over the winter, I have been diagnosed with mild tendinitis in both my hands and one elbow.
I have always had bum joints. Probably doesn't help I did physical labor for several years when I was young (not for almost a decade now though)

Paddling has always been a balance for me. My muscles can exert more force than my tendons can handle, and I'm only in my early 30s.

What can you wise ones tell me about mitigating tendinitis through stroke mechanics, stretches, focused exercises , ect.

I already use a small paddle (small mid wing or small think, both around 720cm2) but still exacerbate the condition with paddling. I think I have ok form, but have never been evaluated by a paddling coach. (I know I should schedule a couple sessions with a coach! Any recommendations in New England area, US?)

I'm towards the middle of a 2-3 month break right now, but want to have a strategy in place when the ice breaks up in a month or 2.

Any insight is appreciated.

Thanks!
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