Always interested in other paddlers’ take on surf zone kayaking: 
-sing
1 Like
Fun, who doesn’t like a good surfing video.
misc comments:
- I never had the ear problems he was talking about, did get them plugged up occasionally.
I had more problems with stuffed nasal. If I didn’t intentionally (or just happened by course when packing up to leave) lean forward to drain my nose, I would end up with a stuffed up nose for a couple of days. - (do as I say, not as I do) I don’t always wear a helmet in surf either, but would suggest that it be worn, always.
In surf, if I don’t have a helmet on, I wouldn’t have a hat on - upside down in the turbulence would take it. - In addition to watching the surf from shore, I will often wade into the water to ‘feel’ for current (may influence an off center angle into surf for launch), also to get the sprayskirt wet (easier to put on kayak when wet).
- side-surfing (broaching) wasn’t mentioned at all. Very easy to get into, easy to ride out, VERY dangerous if there are swimmers on shore or surfers in the area.
- his comment about WW kayaks being slow is spot on, but I see it as an advantage (for learning surf). The ‘slowness’ acts as kind of a ‘fuse’ in that you will be knocked back by very large waves - before you are able to get out. In a sea kayak you may fast enough to get out (before that next extra big wave hits) - but then you will have to come back in (maybe more surf than you can handle).
- a bit of an ‘ad’ for Trak kayaks (which is fine - it was interesting).
1 Like
Ya man
1 Like
Have not seen the Trak kayak before. If I had the money that would be great for travel. Also his comment about sit on top kayaks in general is true, but the now older surf designed SOTs are better than most non-surf designed and sea kayaks for surf play.
1 Like
Yeah… likewise, I’ve done it on a few occaisons but helmetless diminshes the joy since one has to be more circumspect and more stringent about tucking (far) forward to avoid head dings. At my north shore (rocky reef) home break, I NEVER surf without a helmet. At my south shore (more sandy) beach break, I have taken the chance. You can see some “window shading” action in this video in which I am pretty close to shore (and thus more likely to hit my head):
Yup, he succeeded in promoting the boat. I would never have taken a look, never mind be interested in this boat, were it not for his video!
-sing
Spoken like a true surf shop outfitter/guide/coach! Most “locals” I’ve encounter would more likely say, “No man. No surf here.” LOL! You might get a nod after proving yourself over months, if not years, from the locals. (Took me over a year to get any acknowledgement from the locals at my north shore break.) Surfing a “sit down” paddle craft is a plus, or a minus, depending how well you surf and observe etiquette. You WILL be noticed (and reacted to).
-sing
I agree… If I had the discretionary money for this. Fact is that renting “high performance” equipment at a “designation” location is hard and becoming more so because most “outfitters” are shying away from “high performance” equipment since the customer base is much smaller (than for “rec” oriented folks).
I agree too. I think my Perception FiveO, Cobra ReVision (the longer iteration of your Cobra Strike) and the Dagger Kaos I have surfed are pretty good performers in the surf zone (if you are NOT looking to get “air”). The downside is the weight carrying from and to shore and car, compared to the much lighter composites.
I am changing a bit with my perception of “sea kayaks” for surf. I think we are the midst of a design evolution of sea kayaks for “play.” I think these designs are making “play sea kayaks” akin to SUPs in the boardie world. A good rider can make the sea kayak, or SUP, perform in way that is not an embarrassment to the notion of controlled “surf riding.”
-sing
Seems that Trak actively markets its boat as a “travel” AND “play” kayak. It runs specific surf and rough water training camps for its customer base (Tofino is a great place to train for surf!):
Cowabunga!
-sing
1 Like
The Trak promotion is making me cringe, just based upon recent history. And I don’t know that it should anymore. What I would love to hear is that all of their orders are fulfilled other than the most recent, and that things are running well. This thread contains a lot of information:
This next thing comes from the knife industry. I’m inclined to post it here because parallels could certainly be drawn based upon the “What’s not to like” thread. By many accounts, Survive! made a great product. They “Survived” through preorders. They worked all conceivable angles to sustain cash flow. They lied to their customers and business partners and probably themselves saying that it was going to work out, even though it couldn’t. And it survived that way for a decade.
So by posting this, I hope what I will see in reply is a bunch of evidence to the contrary. Not like I bought one from a retailer, as that can be nothing more than a cash flow angle - selling what customer John already prepaid full price for, to a retailer at a discount instead, and leaving customer John in the backorder que.
I don’t like to post stuff like this, but when I see respected kayak community members spreading a little stoke about a product, I just feel like if it can be addressed, this would be a good time and place. I hope the result is that I’m excited to possibly order one.
I am posting what is interesting to me on “surface appearance” and NOT on actual experience. Real world experience (depending on the depth of the “experiencer’s” background and skills) should be taken more into account than perceptions. I too would love to hear more real world feedback from users/buyers. I respect Ken Whiting’s skills/perception, but I suspect that he was/is certainly treated differently than the “average customer” .
-sing