Surf skiers and other double dippers, what is your verdict?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPw5LwnK2-Y&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huki.com%2F&feature=player_embedded
Looks like you can retrofit it …
… to other surf skis and probably any kayak.
http://www.huki.com/index.php?page=Gull_Wing
gullwing
I think it’s a great idea. Not everyone wants to swim constantly 
It won’t be anywhere near as fast as a conventional ski, but it also means you can use a much narrower ski than you’d likely keep upright without the wing.
Too bad they don’t offer it in fiberglass though, built in CF the wing is fairly pricy.
Bill H.
Jude says it takes time to build it too.
I think its the coolest thing …
Brilliant design, adaptable to nearly any boat and has many applications to help people.
Where’s the Sail?
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3815082286733408111
http://www.seakayakermag.com/1997/oct97/triak.htm
Since It seems that
they’re fairly high off the water, they shouldn’t slow you down any. They look higher than the ama’s on an outrigger.
Looks like they come into play to avoid dumping. They might also provide a little extra balance, kinda like a tight rope walker’s pole.
the gull wing?, boat looks nice!
I guess I’m comprehending the gull wing, the boat sure looks nice…
Please allow me to put on my jerk hat
on for a moment.
The training wheels might be appropriate for someone who has not learned a proper forward stroke (see video), but why own a surf ski that you cannot paddle? If it is purchased as a means to get to the point where you can take it off, or the paddler has some physical limitations then it seems fine. As a permanent addition it seems quite awkward.
As for the sailboat (not kayak), it looks like alot of fun as a sailboat right up to the point where you herniate three discs trying to keep it upright. My back hurt just watching that guy lean over in the gusts. 100lbs plus is also a back killer.
If you want to paddle, paddle. If you want to sail get a sailboat. Quick deploy deck mounted sails look like a fun way to play with a kayak, they do not however turn the boat into a sailboat.
Ok hat is off.
I say to each his own, if you like it, do it! Yeah.
Bill
I agree
Jerk hat or no I do agree with you.
The aero/hydrodynamic wings on the Huki reminded me of the Triak.
BTW Triaks website seems to be defunct. Don’t know what that means to the business but I did enjoy their promotional vids.
Tommy
Need vid of a noob on it.
– Last Updated: Aug-12-09 1:47 PM EST –
With Jude paddling the wings are just some interesting looking cargo on deck.
I want to see what happens when you put a real wiggler in the bucket (preferably an over weight in less than optimal shape one with poor balance and wing stroke). Will it really keep them up? What happens at speed, or side actions waves (over 1ft mentioned on site), when one side really digs in...
The part about them being clear unless seas are "above 1ft" line sort of give me pause, as does the stated intent of getting people out on craft/in conditions they wouldn't do otherwise. Is that wise?
As usual though, really nice looking work from Jude - whatever it is. Be fun to play with and see. Not saying that sort of this is preferable to good ol' seat time, but folk to seem to like trying to pay their way around certain realities...
Jude certainly knows his stuff and I'm sure this was tested to death before it came out - so my final answer: Pretty cool.
I recently tried a surf ski
and could see the usefulness of some training wheels when you’re first getting started. Anything that builds your confidence and makes it easier to remount would probably be helpful when you’re sitting on an 18 inch wide boat. They might be useful again as you learn to paddle the thing in rough waters, although I’d have to see that to see if they are helping more than they’d be hurting.
Like other training wheels, I’d want them to go away when I became proficient, if nothing else to reduce the wind drag.
As far as looking cool, I think they are sharp.
jim
I wonder
How much it affects trim, and how much fun it is to cartop.
great point
trim would have to be impacted.
and I’m in the jerk store, too – why have a fancy, skinny ski if you need what are essentially training wheels to use it.
balance is learned pretty quickly by nearly any compotent paddler.
i like jude and his products, but this one seems a bit silly to me.
Sin. Calling something…
…a gull wing when it has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with a member of the family Laridae is demeaning and insulting to those to whom the term actually refers.
there watersprite, it’s your tern.
Santo was planning to use one
for the MO 340, not sure if he did or not, but he won the Mens solo in 44 hours and change. His theory was he could use a faster boat but not lose time to having to climb back on after he dozed off or if the wind kicked up.
Everything has a useful niche, it’s just a matter of finding what works for you.
SYOTR
Randy