I have to the chance to get a necky vibe for very cheap. I am not very familiar with this boat and am looking for any opinions on the boat. I am mainly a sea kayaker but looking to get into surf kayaking and am wondering how it will do in surf. Any opinions would be appreciated.
Dan
Correction to previous
The boat is a Jive not a Vibe
Dan
Most Of The Necky’s
– Last Updated: Dec-01-04 3:00 PM EST –
can surf with their sharper chines. Vibe is shorter and you can do more "rodeo" like moves and what they call "butt bouncing" in the foam. The Jive is longer and has a bit more speed.
But for all out speed and carving ability, you'll want a dedicated surf boat that can make it out of wave sections before they close out, or just bust back up over the top of the lip.
If you are not sure whether you'll really like surfing or not, a jive is a good way to get out and get a taste of riding a wave. Just trust that the difference between the performance of a dedicated surf boat and a white water boat is a huge jump.
The 5 of the 7 of us, who surf together regularly, have upgraded to dedicated surf kayaks in the past year. The quality of our rides has shot up tremendously...
sing
PS. I would not pay more than $300 or so for a used Jive. In comparison, with patience, you can find a used composite surf kayak from $500-$1000. If you're lucky, you may bump into a used Riot Boogie, a discontinued plastic surf kayak, that rides way better than a white water boat for anywhere from $300-$500.
Thanks
Where do you surf? I am in the San Diego area.
Here’s A Good Starting Link
– Last Updated: Dec-01-04 3:06 PM EST –
for you:
http://www.sopsa.org/
Seadart who often post here also surfs in the San Diego Area. JLK (Jerry King?) posts here occasionally and he is connected to SOPSA.
I would strongly suggest that you hook up with some experienced surf kayakers to learn the surfing skills but also to figure out the local scene, since the boardies are reportedly more territorial around your way than here in NE.
Another good link for surfing info (maintained by Izzy ?) is:
http://www.pacificfleet.net
sing
Jive works OK in surf
– Last Updated: Dec-01-04 4:13 PM EST –
If you want to get started I'd go for it, there are a lot better surf specific boats but it's one of the best inexpensive boats you can start with. To me it seems very forgiving. Used it should be $300-400 bucks. Which break are you surfing at? To get started I'd suggest going in front of the Marine Room at Lajolla when the waves at the Scripps pier are > 3 ft, nice easy spot to learn the ropes. I'm buying a glass surfboat this weekend and will be at Lajolla shores or Warm Water Jetty in Carlsbad the next couple of weeks trying to learn to surf it. San Onofre is a good place to surf but the local crew will give you a hard time about a whitewater boat. Ask local kayakers about where to surf, in the winter its not a big problem but you still would want to avoid crowded breaks with board surfers.
You’re Gonna LOVE It!!!
Just give some time to adapting to the boat. Don’t be me like me… I am embarassed to admit crying over my surfing partners about how I couldn’t control and hated the freakin’ Venom. I actually entertained getting rid of it. Now… While I am still tuning around with the fins in micro adjustments, I am just loving the speed and learning it’s maneuverability. Every time I am able to bust through curls, or get around a section, before the wave closes out, I just grin ear to ear.
sing
Thanks Seadart
I usually will paddle out of of La Jolla. I can be seen surfing in my Prijon Kodiak(yellow). As you would know however there is only so much I can do in a 17’ sea kayak. That is why I am looking at a WW boat. The Jive I am looking at is free so I can’t beat the price. If you see someone out in a big yellow boat or a yellow and orange Jive or a combo of both stop and say hi. I would love the pointers. Also you mentioned Carlsbad by the warm water Jetty, I will have to give that a try seeing how I live in Carlsbad. I will keep an eye out.
Thanks Again to all
Dan
Jive
– Last Updated: Dec-02-04 12:55 PM EST –
Free? Jump on it! I went surfing for the first time with sing a few weeks ago in my Jive, and had a great time. As he said, it doesn't have the speed or carving ability of the surf boats, but it forgave most of my mistakes -- I was able to do some long side-surfs and stay upright when I got turned instead of getting maytagged. It's also a great boat to learn on if you want to try running rivers.
The stock outfitting is bare-bones by modern standards, so you'll probably need to glue in some foam to make it fit properly.
Compared to a sea kayak, you'll find that it's much more sensitive to fore/aft body position. Don't lean back unless you need to lift the nose.
Agreed!
“for free…” What’s to look at? Just ask, “When?”, then pick it up and go. Yee Haw! 
sing
Be Careful !
Don’t go in front of the flows into the jetties!
When the tide is coming in this is really dangerous
Its lots of fun when water is flowing out, but I’m not sure its very healthy.
I live on the border of Carlsbad and Surf at Carlsbad and at Cardiff a lot.
Rips, Currents and Points
– Last Updated: Dec-02-04 6:13 PM EST –
can make for great surfing but dangerous situations when someone swims and is separated from the boat and no partners are around to help.
I think for newbie surfers, it is best to find a beach break with 2-4' surf, with light winds, and find/feel your way to a comfort level. This is what I did for a couple of years on my own, just to get more a feel for wave riding, reading, and confidence in my rolling.
If you got a really bombproof roll, I take it back 'cause you have a little more leeway. But, still before getting into any particular break, it's still best to think about what would happen if you should come out of the boat and have to swim. You want to be pretty sure you can get yourself back in, even if you might take a bit of a trashin' to do so.
sing
this spot in Carlsbad
has a partially sheltered beach break near a jetty for a power plant, the sheltered beach break is great for beginners if the surf is less than 5’, the flows coming out through the jetties are for experienced surfers. Getting sucked in the rip going into the lagoon is really nasty as you get pounded on the jetty walls … getting sucked into the powerplant turbines would just not be much fun either.
Cripes…
Maybe you’ll turn green and grow gills after a bunch of rolls there…
sing