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First Miller's Run - by: Cryder

November 9, 2018, 12:32 am
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First miller's run. Had fun. Didn't die. Yet. 



"When I first discovered the magical water craft called a surfski, I was enamored and soon encountered early GoPro footage online of a legendary downwind run in South Africa called the “Miller’s Run”. It featured massive wind, rugged terrain and big big water for such skinny, feather light craft. The only problem was that even in an Epic V10 Sport I could only make it roughly 10 feet without falling in... in flat water. I am not sure that I am really cut out for paddling in the classic sense. I wasn’t brought up in a k1, whitewater, surf life saving and I don’t have particularly good balance. Truth be told maybe I like beer a little bit too much as well... but I am drawn to challenges and I don’t mind risking failure, humiliating swims or great white sharks. How fitting to make it to Africa on a whim a few years after discovering this fantastic sport and get to paddle my first Miller’s Run on a borrowed V10 Sport on a fairly burly day (for me anyway) with my very good friend @dawidmocke. I hope you have challenges and dreams that inspire you, and I hope you stick with them despite all the setbacks that life seems to bring us to make personal achievement that much sweeter..."
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KaiVa'a ? - by: Encino

October 24, 2018, 7:03 am
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Anyone have any news on what's happening with Kai Va'a's new ski? Throw me a bone....anything!

Thanks
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Epic V7 Buoyancy with Failed Hatch - by: SpaceSputnik

November 12, 2018, 3:35 pm
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Hi All
I recently had to deal with failing bulkhead seal in my V7. Upon a closer look I noticed something that is making me a little uncomfortable.
There are two thick foam bulkheads around the hatch. As I was dealing with the seal I noticed that both have openings. Confirmed with Epic that those are vent holes and are to be kept open. As they said, the purpose of the bulkheads is to slow down water ingress but not to be completely watertight. Ok, I get it and it makes sense given the design of the hull. However I keep thinking about the worst case when hatch fails in rough water. I do have the hard hatch cover but if the rope on the soft cover fails it won't stop the boat from taking on water.
So, worst case. The boat starts flooding and the water starts traveling through the bulkheads and fills most of it. Will I end up with a completely useless submerged log? The ski has no foam stringers. The material of the hull seems to be thick and bubbly so I am guessing it may have some boyancy to it. Would that, combined with flotation of the bulkheads be enough for a semi useful craft while waterlogged? 
Anyone ever flooded their V7?
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Surf ski hire Bali - by: van Galen

July 10, 2018, 3:12 pm
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Hi ,
I am heading to Bali in October and want to know if I can hire an ocean ski ? Can anyone provide options?
Thanks G
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waterproof socks? - by: Mile$

November 13, 2018, 3:01 pm
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What do you guys use for launching in cold water in the winter. Ive looked at dive boots, but they don't look tall enough. And wadding boots look to big for footwell. Thanks
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Winter US destination - by: Gooch

November 19, 2018, 7:11 am
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Looking to take a trip this winter to get some paddle time in. Wondering if anyone can recommend a location that has a demo shop since i do not think i can pack my ski. Anywhere in the US that you know you can rent skis and get out for a few days
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New survey ? - by: Steve Hansen

November 19, 2018, 9:21 am
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It's been a long time since we've had a survey here at Surfski.info. Might be fun to see where the sport is growing, changing feather angles, paddle and ski preferences, location and age info. How about it Rob ? Hope you are mending well !
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Forum Problem - by: robin.mousley

May 17, 2018, 12:01 am
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Hi All,

Please be aware that there is a problem with forum, following a routine upgrade yesterday...

We're working on it. Please have patience!

The issue occurs after you've logged in. You can still navigate around the forum when you're logged out.

Thanks
Rob
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Stohlquist amp drysuit - by: SpaceSputnik

November 21, 2018, 8:00 am
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I have been asked about my opinion about this drysuit, so I figured I might as well post it publicly.
It's a great suit. I owned a Kokatat Meridian before and I honestly prefer the Amp. The material feels lighter still very breathable, the plastic zippers are easy to operate and the gaskets are softer than Kokatat. The cut is more form fitting too, so overall less bulk. Overall very pleased. It may be less durable long-term, but when it kicks the bucket I would gladly buy another one even if it happens sooner than it would with a Kokatat.

Note that these zippers require maintenance. The suit came with two tubes of TiZip lube. Each should last over a season. I clean and lube the zippers often and haven't had leaks yet (knock on wood).
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Survey discussion - How to get new blood and women into surfski - by: MCImes

November 21, 2018, 1:32 pm
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Here's my question: In places with thriving ski communities with a good mix of women and younger people, what do these communities do that could be replicated in other areas to get more non-traditional people in the sport. (that is, anyone besides a middle age man)

Reading the comments and looking at the demographics of the survey, its quite apparent this is an extremely male, older, and likely high income sport. My experience supports this too. Although I dont live in the mecca of surfski paddling, I have:
-Never seen a woman on a ski 
-Never met a younger ski paddler than me (I am currently 33) and never met a ski paddler below 40
-Rarely meet a ski paddler with less experience than me (3 years paddling ski, though I learn quick and am a strong intermediate trending towards advanced paddler)
-Never met a non-white person with a ski

I know women, newbies, younger, and ethnically diverse people exist in the sport, they just don't necessarily cross paths with me. However, I feel like if ski paddling was growing like SUP is, we'd see more diversity in the sport. I see everyone on SUPs in relatively equal numbers. (that is, men, women, children, and people that aren't albino white, both experienced and completely inexperienced).

Pair that observation with the answers to the question "what was the main impediment to joining the sport". 50% of the responses fall into 2 categories - Cost of Equipment and No one to learn from/paddle with.  "Difficulty finding boats" is also a common response, but I'll lump that in with Cost of Equipment, because you can always find a new boat if you have the $. 

I guess, I would hate to see ski paddling suffer from long term decline, similar to sea kayaking, due to no young blood (in america at least) entering the sport. 

Also, women are 50% of the population but as I write this, only 7% of respondents. How do we get more women in the sport? They seem like low hanging fruit to bring into the ski family. 

It seems like a local Boat Club probably is a common thread of communities with an above average paddling scene. How do boat clubs start up? 

Any thoughts? 
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Stellar SR 2g vs Stellar SEI 1g - by: d0uglass

November 22, 2018, 11:50 am
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I'm an avid but relatively new paddler currently paddling a 2nd generation Stellar SR. I'm comfortable on it in all conditions including ugly chop and downwinder conditions. I have my eye out for something a little faster but without going all the way to an elite ski. (I learned on flat water in an Epic v12 but found it too tippy to be practical for me in rough water.) I'm 39 years old, 75 kg, 178 cm.

Anyway, my buddy is selling a Stellar SEI, which I tried today in light wind chop. It felt a little quicker than the SR and almost as stable, but it's hard to know for sure. I think it's the first generation because it only has one venturi bailer and it doesn't have any carry handles. Is anyone familiar with this boat? It it a good bet for all around racing and downwinding, or does it have some achilles heel that I should beware of and I should just hang on to my SR?
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Surfskis that need a redesign for 2019 - by: Steve Hansen

November 23, 2018, 6:01 pm
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It's almost 2019. I was thinking about skis that could use a new generation update and a few came to mind. What would others like to see ?
Stellar SR: Narrower catch.
Fenn Spark: Shorter length. Possibly a millimeter or two wider.
Huki S1-R: Narrower catch.
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First experience with a wall of water - by: MCImes

November 23, 2018, 8:58 pm
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I've been on the ocean in southern California for a few months now and had my first experiecne with 2.5m / 7ft @ 7 seconds swell. Wow. that's both awesome and scary.

I have paddled many times in 2m @ 15 second type swell which is usually fun but quite manageable. usually the waves are moving too fast to completely catch, but you can get some fun runs if the wind is blowing 10-15kt. I usually paddle out about 1-2km from the harbor mouth and surf the waves back a couple-few times.

Yesterday was something else. 20tk winds in line with smallish ground swell. Waves were Clean, Steep. Fast. Scary. Rowdy. i think rowdy is the best adjective for it. I've seen 2m waves multiple times before, but the shape of consistent 2.0-2.5m @ 7-8 seconds interval waves means every 10th wave is about to break its so steep. My harbor is perfect in that it has break walls where you can 'select your swell size'. I shot out from the leeward side of the break wall into the fray and had about (10)  1km runs between the point and the wave break. good times!

Wow. I Am so jealous of you ZA'er's that have linear wind/swell all the time. I have never been picked up and shot by a wave so hard in my life. Its the first time I've leaned all the way back and hammered as hard as I can to ride down the face, had the hull in semi-plane, and still had the spray blowing back over me. I set a new personal best speed record of 22kph / 13.6mph on a run and had multiple over 19kmh/12mph. F$&*$ awesome. Rowdy.

At the same time, I didn't venture further out because I was stability limited, the water is getting cooler, and it was certainly the largest conditions ive experienced. All in all I had a good time and kept it on the edge of my ability, but it really made me realize something. I desperately need 2 boats instead of 1. I need a 46cm Swordfish for flat-medium conditions and a 52cm bluefn for the big days. On the flats the SF would still challenge me and be more competitive with the pack. On the big days, i just need stability for days.

I completely understand what the wise mean by 'you're faster in a more stable boat' when its rough. In flat water its somewhat easy (with some dedication) to master up to a 46cm boat (IMO). in rough water, what I saw yesterday, I want a 52+cm boat like the bluefin because in big stuff, you're going with the wave no matter what boat youre in. you could be in a bathtub and ride 2+m @8sec waves, but you're not going anywhere if you're swimming. Just being comfortable enough to go out and enjoy the waves without excessive fear of dying must be amazing. so far, im not there.

So, 1. ive decided now im on a quest to sell my boats and find a swordfish and a bluefin for the best of both worlds. 2. my new dream is a downwind with 2.5m @ 8sec swell the whole way. If I was going downwind the whole time, it would have been pure bliss. 3. A steep, double overhead+ wall of water is something crazy to look at. Really makes you think about things and how small you are. 4. keep your head up. I kept an eye on the horizon and it paid off more than once to know what was coming 10-20 waves out. 5. "big downwindS for life" is my new slogan. the joy of riding a big swell for a good long run is indescribable.

to those of you who regularly get big stuff, have any advice for me? anything you may not immediately think of that changes with large and or steep waves?
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Epic V5 Composite Surf and Sea Trial - by: foundwood

July 5, 2017, 11:12 am
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First and foremost: I am an Epic Expert for Southeastern, NC in the USA. I make videos to accompany my email responses to inquiries about Epic Surfskis. Please check out my latest offering:

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Custom fit buckets- why not? - by: PSwitzer

November 26, 2018, 11:19 am
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Since the 2019-re-design thread is going off the rails with everyone's fantasy wish-lists, I'm putting my own fantasy idea in it's own thread: In this age of CNC machining and 3-D printing, how hard would it be to design a bucket that can be perfectly customized for anyone's anatomy?

I'm thinking that it would be possible to build the bucket as a 2 part design-the "base" layer that is integral with the rest of the hull, and then a "liner" in which the dimensions are customized to the paddler.  OC1 builders already do this by employing a foam seat that the customer can sand out to their preferred specs.  Can anyone imagine going back to the days in the OC1 world when the seat was rigid and immutable, like the infamous torture seat on the Hurricane?

The difference with skis is that the bucket is much closer to the bottom of the hull, but these days the butt is always higher than the feet so I think there would still be room to work with.  I think even 1 or 2 cm of customization could make a massive difference and unless I'm mistaken most skis have the bucket 20mm or more off the bottom of the hull?

The customer could sit in a gel or sand trap type thing so the butt leaves an impression which is then scanned and used to print the liner.  No more coccyx chafe! No more numb leg! No more hip pinch! 

Join me fellow brothers and sisters who suffer from poor surfski fit, and demand better! Viva la revolucion!!!
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Carbonology Vs think Evo Gen2 - by: RichardCampbell

September 25, 2017, 7:35 pm
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Hi I am currently paddling a Carbonology Vault 1st gen(Australian), The paddling i'm doing and i'm still learning, I find the Vault a bit unstable in messed up water,Like boat wake, Or tide chop or swell coming from angles. I was looking to get out of the ski, And i was looking at the Think Evo Gen 2 (2016), Just wondering if i would be wasting my time to change.
I'm paddling twice a week in enclosed waters only
Any feed back would be appreciated
Thanks
Richard
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Boat Volumes - by: Meerkat

April 28, 2018, 5:03 pm
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Hi there,

I am in search of some advice please. I’m on the hunt for a second hand ski. My problem is pretty much my size (you would never think a woman would say that right...)

I’m 1.57 m tall and weigh 58 kg’s. The best way for me to go about selecting a ski is to look at the volume. Currently I can’t find any information anywhere on the volume of the Fenn Swordfish S. Can anyone please provide me with that?

I’m currently considering the Think Evo (up to 105 kg), Swordfish S (??) and Carconology Vault (up to 80 kg). I love the Vault but here in Australia it’s very new and therefore they are not yet available as second hand. The older ones are very very scares because their owners love them too much.

So my question to you would be, between the Swordfish S and Evo which volume wild suit me better? I also had a look at Stellar and Epic but their voumes are just massive for me.

Also while making my choice I am also a bit cheeky and expecting my next ski to be stable yet fast in both flatter, messed up stuff (like Sydney Harbour) and some ocean stuff (nothing like Millers Run though). Mmm...

Thanks
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compare/contrast beginner surf skis - by: sski

November 6, 2018, 9:30 am
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I caught the bug 15 mos ago- a buddy visited and paddled on lakes w/ me for a few days. He was in a V10S of mine but fell ?every 15 min or so on a quiet lake.
He is pulling the trigger and buying a boat.
I tried some online research on beginner boats- V8, Nelo 520 xl?, Think Ace? Not sure Stellar-S18S?
Comments or suggestions?
He will be mostly on lakes (lives inland Midwest) with some higher wind/waves if he really seeks them out, which i believe he will want to do eventually-plenty of those like Superior!
thanks in advance
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Paddling at night - what lights to use? - by: MCImes

November 6, 2018, 4:29 pm
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Well, for those of us in the Northern hemisphere the daylight saving time change happened last weekend which means its dark before 5:00 until March. My paddling will not be deterred though - I have paddled in the dark for years and love it, but typically on quiet and small bodies of water where a kayak fisherman was the only obstacle around.
Now, living on a small harbor, there is occasional small boat traffic and I should probably make myself easily visible as to not be run over.

Has anyone on here found reliable waterproof lights? Im really looking for 2 types:
1- A white light that is on at all times. This could be like a pencil flare type that mounts to the deck, or a button type that clips to your PFD. (I can epoxy a mounting bracket to the deck if needed). Ease of use (clip or easy mount) and battery life being most valuable

2- a 'SOS' flashing light that is only used in emergencies. Brightness, reliability, and battery life would be the valuable features here.

I've tried a few different 'waterproof lights' in the past, but few have survived very long. Just wondering if anyone here has had good success with marine lights.

Thanks!
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Chalupsky´s paddling technique - by: malvina

February 28, 2018, 1:07 am
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Hello,

I recently watched on youtube Oscar´s surfski clinic in Mauritius (link below). In it, he strongly suggest a couple of changes to what I understand is the current technique being used as standard by most paddlers today. Specifically:

1- He advocates for 0 feathering of the paddle (as opposed to the 50 to 60 feather recommended by other experts and pros).
2- He recommends keeping elbows very low throughout the stroke (as apposed to the "chicken wing" or "ball under the armpit" approaches).

He provides very convincing arguments and I have started to gradually incorporate these changes into my stroke. They both feel quite weird at the beginning, thought I am sure with time they will become natural.

Anyway, his approach seem so different to other experts´recommendations and to what many paddlers have been doing for decades that I wanted to see if anybody has any comments on the benefits (or demerits) of these changes or any advice on transitioning to them.

Best

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