No LOL
It is advice given by many well respected coaches. I used it to get out through dumping stuff on the North Carolina Outer Banks while paddling solo a couple weeks ago. I’ll admit my surf launches on unprotected beaches are a weakness, but there are times when going out stern first, even paddling through the break zone backward will get you out quicker and dryer.
Like John said, play around with it some time.
Your definition of “surf”…
… is different from mine. If it’s not challenging to paddle through, I don’t consider it to be “surf”, just a standard shore launch. I’ve tried both methods under a variety of conditions on beaches from fine sand to boulders. Either can work for a shore launch, but I always go out face-first in surf.
In real dumping surf
it will get you seriously injured.
You guys are playing in fairyland.
I’m talking paddling out through serious surf, not two foot beach break.
LOL! I Was Wondering Too…
– Last Updated: Oct-19-09 1:20 PM EST –
what kind of "surf" are they launching in that they can it do it safely backwards (not totally safe even forwards!). LOL!
sing
I think surf paddlers should just stay out of these discussions. Definitions of what is "surf", "how big", etc. drastically differ from most of the average sea kayakers who sometimes go out in surf.
Agreed …
probably bad to have used the term “surf” as it clearly means different things to different folks. Shore launch may be a better term.
See other thread
You are right, we all have different frames of reference for “surf.” Hope you both give input for another thread that I just started on paddling out.
Perhaps bad advice, but I have had at least one exceptionally well respected coach (BCU 5*) advise to back out through the surf zone. Probably more conditions that you would consider just regular shore launch - but definitely breaking waves at least shoulder high (in the boat).
I’ve used the technique with success, although perhaps exposing myself to more risks than I was aware. As always, depends on the period between waves, wave height, strength behind the waves, etc.
Example Of “Definition” Issue
– Last Updated: Oct-19-09 2:46 PM EST –
"but definitely breaking waves at least shoulder high (in the boat). "
"shoulder high" compared to a person sitting in a boat is usually around 2'. To me, as a paddler surfer/surf paddler, that ain't even worth getting suited to get wet over. I would likely be at the gym getting a real work out.
"Shoulder high" for stand up surfers would be around 5' (twice the height of a sitting kayaker). That to me is fun, mellow surf. It's head plus, standing surfer height (6' plus), that things start getting serious (for me).
sing
I agree!!!
Let’s see now—launch stern first, hang around in the surf zone while you turn the boat around, get clobbered by a dumping wave you haven’t even seen yet.
Makes sense to me.
it could be a whole new forum
where the assumptions are always the same: that the topic is sea kayaking, it is the essential way by which we identify ourselves, we paddle largely British boats, and take instruction and all around life lessons from the brilliant and infinitely wise sages of the Steve Maynards and Leon Somme’s of the world which makes us feel complete…
That’s Why We Need "Emoticons…"
especially with the rolling eyes. LOL!
sing
Definition of "surf"
If it’s not breaking, it’s by definition NOT a surf, right???
"Just the kind that tend to spin your boat as your getting your skirt on. "
My definition of “surf” is something you can’t turn around too easily!
I wouldn’t want to paddle backward out that kind of “surf”. And turning around in the surf zone in that kind of “surf” would pretty much guarantee you end up right back on the beach!
seriously though
If the “surf” is big enough, there wouldn’t be much pebbles around the beach. They would have been pounded into fine sand. So nothing to jam the skeg box. Launch bow first in that case.
Hence my original order of preference: stern first, except in surf.
My Homebreak Is A Dumper…
there is barely any sand left. Just boulders, cobblestone and pebbles. The sand gets washed out with the rips.
sing
sand vs pebbles
I think this has way more to do with land than sea as in the nature of the land (granite, sandstone, etc.) and how much material (sand, etc.) is carried by waterways. I’ve seen plenty of photos of ten foot curling waves crashing directly onto the beach and all you see is sand.
Sure, Variations…
– Last Updated: Oct-19-09 7:45 PM EST –
Hawaii's Pipeline depends on sand deposits that outgoing currents from streams arrange seasonally for the big winter surf.
Teahupoo is a jacking up from the underlying coral reefs.
The three dumping beaches that I surf locally are all pretty much boulders, rock and pebbles. Sand gets churned up and mixed into big waves and carried around. About 300 hundred yards from where I surf there are huge sandbars as a result of the rips "eddying" out the sand into that area. But, the surf suck there (in terms of excitement factor) because it's so gradual.
sing
You guys miss your cheerios today?
I guess it’s too time consuming to look at the profile of the original poster to see that they don’t list WW, and they are in midcoast Maine and list ocean kayaking as one of their environments. To be fair, apparently others missed it too.
As to jbv, I must have hit the time that you felt like getting off a usual diatribe about Brit boats and BCU coaches. Glad to oblige, but you aren’t aware that you missed some much better opportunities higher up. People with Brit boats and whole lot more training and certs than I have.
winter in October?
sure are a lot of pissy replies
actually
– Last Updated: Oct-19-09 11:45 PM EST –
I think a lot of the more experienced paddlers are still too busy out there enjoying the warm water of the coast.
That might explain higher percentage of "less experienced" responses we see here. ;-)
surf and clear skeg
paddled NDK Explorer up east coast of Aus.
part of daily ritual was:
- end of day (after landing), attach line with loop around skeg running up to cockpit (ready for the following day)
- beginning of day: paddle through surf, when clear, lower skeg, remove line (return skeg to up position unless needed)
Note: I used this on my most recent trip up the oz coast when paddling an Explorer with the Kari-Tek skeg - it seemed to jam easily. (I first read about the ‘skeg loop’ idea by Freya on her New Zealand trip)
On a previous trip, (Explorer w/out the kari-tek skeg) I didn’t use a loop, though would always test skeg once outside surf.
Don’t Do Cheerios…
but I thought what the previous guy posted was funny. 
Heck, I just looked at his profile. He has a Romany so he can’t be on an anti-Brit thing. Tho’ he could still not be bowled over with the cult of personality. I laughed because sometimes there is just so much name dropping in this forum and that reminded me off it.
Cheer up and have some cheerios, if you’re into that. Just don’t say you eat it and it’s good because so and so eats it and says so.
sing