The author competes in the the 2004 U.S. Surfski Championships in
San Francisco. Photo by John Brownlee.
Introducing the surfski
These sit-on-top kayaks meet your
need for speed
By Erik Borgnes Midwestern paddlers and multisport athletes ought to consider buying another boat. If you think about what you most desire in a kayak for 90 percent of your outings, it's a vessel that is, a) fast, b) safe, c) easy for one person to put on and take off the car, and d) fun to paddle in conditions ranging from flatwater to small craft advisories. Storage
compartments aren't necessary, and you should be able to paddle through much of the year.
Sea kayaks are best for expeditions that include camping, casual paddling and as a platform for photography and drinking coffee from a Thermos. I've spent hundreds of hours in a sea kayak, and while nice, it's kind of like wearing a pair of hiking boots when you really just want some trail running shoes.
In my stable right now, I've got a Romany 18, two ICF K1s, an OC-1,
OC-2, and four surfskis. The sea kayaks have gotten plenty of use on multiday trips and are wonderful for that purpose. The K1s are not well-suited for where I paddle now in the Green Bay, Wisconsin, area and I haven't spent enough time on the Outrigger canoes to get used to that ama. Virtually all my paddling and training is done in the surfskis
I moved to Door County from the state of Washington this past February. As the water temp in Green Bay rose to 70 degrees, I often
paddled several miles from shore, alone and had a great time surfing downwind in 4-foot seas.
I use common sense by bringing my leash and going out only when the waves are at least moving toward or parallel to shore. When I paddle my K1, I like to stay within swimming distance of shore, which is not very far these days.
I started kayaking as a cross-training activity in the mid-'90s. But I soon found that paddling my 55-pound sea kayak just wasn't that much fun.
Plus I was too concerned about capsizing and the amount of time I'd be in the water if I blew my roll.
Multisport races that I entered in Washington usually had a paddling leg which sometimes involved an 8-10 mile paddle down a river with class 1 and 2 rapids. Most top racers used a surfski because a capsize eliminated the possibility of hitting their heads on a rock on the bottom of the river, and a wet exit didn't mean the end of their race or a lost and
broken boat. As a result, you could take riskier, faster lines. And with such a long waterline, the ski would pierce standing waves two or three at a time.
The very same boat can be used whether the paddle leg is in the ocean or on a lake and prove just as competitive.
If you're not familiar with the surfski, you're not alone. I would hazard a guess that half of all paddlers in the Midwest haven't heard of them and have never paddled one.
Usually what's on the water is what you've seen on display at your local paddlesports shop. The thing is, you won't find a surfski in your local or regional kayak shop. The main manufacturers of surfskis are in California, South Africa and Australia and the boats are sold directly from the manufacturer, or through an importer. They run from $1,400 for a 36-pound fiberglass ski to about $2,400 for a 22-pound carbon boat.
Simply put, surfskis are high performance, sit-on-top kayaks usually made of fiberglass, carbon fiber or Kevlar. The standard length is 19 feet and the standard width is 19 inches. They are designed for open ocean conditions, flat water and surf zones with some models a little more specialized than others.
For at least 40 years they have been paddled mostly along the Pacific Rim. They evolved from lifesaving craft needed to penetrate surf zones
and rough waters. Safety and speed were the primary design priorities: they needed to be unsinkable when swamped, remountable in the event of a capsize, beach launchable, and maneuverable into high waves and seas.
Foot pedals control a rudder, usually under the stern, and a foam stringer often runs from bow to stern within the ski as backup flotation in the rare case of hull puncture (or bite). However, all sit-on-tops are not the same.
The surfski that you need is not the wide plastic type that you rent from the cabana at your hotel. No, the one you need is a composite and looks fast standing still. Its hull and deck are sleek and purpose built. No decklines. No bilge pump. No carrying toggles at the bow and stern.
The real beauty of the surfski lies in the sit-on-top design which allows experienced paddlers to recover from capsizing in fewer than 20
seconds. A closed cockpit kayak requires at least several frantic minutes in the water if a roll is not successful. And there are very, very few paddlers who can successfully roll up every time, after an unintended capsize.
The margin of safety this affords is incredible. Cockpit racing kayaks are somewhat of an enigma for open water. Their narrowness increases the possibility of capsize. After all, these boats are not designed for open-water capsize recovery after a wet exit.
More often than not, these boats are only paddled within swimming distance from shore or in calm waters. In warm waters the severity of the situation is lessened, but in colder waters, a capsize becomes an emergency situation.
On a surfski, the paddler simply climbs up onto the boat, and in doing so, displaces the water in the cockpit and footwells. A pump and paddle float are not needed. In large wave and windy conditions, a paddler
would leash his or her ankle to the ski, or the paddle to the ski. A ski, being so buoyant, can blow away faster than you can swim. And if you've lost your ski, you're not very visible to would-be rescuers.
The hull of a surfski is no different from a regular cockpit kayak of similar measurements, and boat speed is not dependent on the deck or seating layout.
A fast hull will be long and narrow and have a waterline between 17 feet
and 21 feet. It will also have a maximum width somewhere between 17 inches and 22 inches so a wider beginner surfski will feel like a narrow intermediate sea kayak. Balance can be learned. Plus, a sit-on-top surfski leaves you feeling less trapped and claustrophobic.
Paddling a high performance hull is vastly different from paddling a standard sea kayak. With a cruising speed and stroke rate of 50 percent greater, the surfski paddler gets the feeling of pedaling a road bike at 90
rpms as opposed to 60 rpms on a loaded touring bike. It's like switching from Norwegian-welt hiking boots to trail running shoes, and thus the exercise shifts solidly into the aerobic spectrum.
Paddling a kayak at 7-8 mph is the equivalent of pedaling an 18-pound racing bike or using carbon fiber cross-country ski poles. The difference in efficiency is astounding. And all of a sudden, paddling is fun again. It takes about the same amount of effort to paddle a surfski at 7 mph as it
does a 22-inch beam sea kayak at 5 mph.
That doesn't sound like much, you say? Well, after paddling for only an hour, you'd be two miles farther. Two miles!
Dressing for immersion is not a requirement since the surfski paddler spends very little time in the water in the event of a capsize. However, all prudent surfski paddlers should continue to practice recovery precautions in varying conditions.
Above the waist, dress for the air temperature. Below the waist,
Hydroskin or neoprene long pants, neoprene socks or booties. The warmth and restrictions of long johns is not needed except in special cases. In warmer air temps, surf trunks or Hydroskin shorts are recommended. Most ski paddlers use their ski year-round so long as the water doesn't freeze and they remain comfortable for an hour or two even when the air temp is down to 30 degrees.
In contrast, sea kayaking safety suggests dressing for immersion. Have
you ever tried to get in an aerobic workout wearing all the stuff you'd need even for immersion in 60-degree water? You're overheated and soaked with sweat within the first five minutes.
Once you get into surfski paddling, you'll find yourself wanting more challenging conditions such as boat wakes, rebounding waves and small craft advisories. To a seasoned ski paddler, a small craft advisory means get your ski, drive 10 to 20 miles upwind and surf home.
So if you're looking to add a sport that will work your torso and cross-country ski muscles, consider a surfski. It will be convenient to load and unload from the car, you'll cover more distance than other craft, and you'll have a whole lot of fun.
More information about surfskis can be found at Oceanpaddlesports.com, Huki .com and surfskis.com. Most models shown come standard with an understern rudder. But an overstern or
kickup rudder is better for shallow, rocky or weedy conditions if this describes where you paddle. A ski can usually be special ordered or retrofitted with a couple of hours and some regular power tools.
Other photos and info can be found at surfski.za which is a South African Web site. There are several surfski paddlers in and around the areas of Milwaukee, Duluth, Madison and Sturgeon Bay. You may be able to hook up with someone and give one a try.
Erik Borgnes recently moved to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, from the West Coast. He competed for the U.S. Marathon Kayak Team at the 2001 ICF Marathon World Championships in England, and most recently placed sixth overall at the 2004 U.S. Surfski Championships. | |
