OC aint no surf ski
Although similarly fast, the “feel” of an OC vs a Ski is completely different. At least for me, when I feel like paddling a ski, I don’t necessarily feel like paddling an OC.
Both are fun IMO, but one is not a substitute for the other. Not to me at least. But you can’t beat the stability of an OC; even when you do flip, its a very easy remount.
My ski is a Stellar 18 S. In warm weathe
– Last Updated: Nov-23-15 5:13 PM EST –
I get out a couple of times a month with the ski, mostly because I paddle places like creeks and swamps, not open water.
If I'm on flat or slightly bumpy water, I have no problems but if chop starts coming from the side, I get pretty shakey. The reason is, I stop being relaxed.
It would be nice to just paddle and forget the conditions.
I've been talking to my wife about renting a house on a lake for a week when the weather warms and paddling until I've got it or decide I'll never have it.
Like Riding a Ferrari vs. Limo
Is how I use to describe: ski vs. oc-1.
There’s a Hurricane OC-1 For Sale
In New Orleans, LA for $2500 if you live close by?
Hey Jim
If it doesn’t work out, and you don’t sell it, I’ll gladly rent it off you a few times for some local races next summer.
I have been lusting for one for a long time, but the boat barn is too full right now and I can’t see paying the big bucks for a boat that I’ll only use a few times, in between racing my QCC and canoe.
Jack L
Jack, if I still have it, you won’t have
to rent it.
Good analogy
Stick with it
The S18S is 21" wide by 18’ long, right?
If that’s your boat, I’d say stick with it. Maybe get a balance trainer so you can practice balance off the water in your warm, dry home during the off season. a 21" ski should be quite stable in the grand scheme of stability, so you should be able to master it with some more seat time.
If side chop is the problem, a skinnier, more rounded boat may actually be more stable in a way because it would be less affected by side waves, assuming you can deal with the initial stability. Something like a Stellar SR or V10 Sport maybe? But I’m sure you want to keep the boat you have, so thats moot.
Anyways, I’d say you can do it. Just paddle it more and or get a off-water balance trainer. Or if you just want to forget about it, the home made outrigger is likely the easiest option. It requires the least amount of modification to the boat and could probably be done for ~$100 and 20 hours of time.
Stellar S18?
– Last Updated: Nov-24-15 11:36 AM EST –
That's a good boat. I'd keep after it. It will pay off in dividends later.
The first thing I do when I start on a new boat is hit a few remounts.
It helps to know that you can just climb back on in the event of a swim.
You might find that doing this will relax you and allow you to feel more comfortable.
Joseph Di Chiacchio
http://www.surfskisyndicate.com/
http://www.surfskinews.com/
get out more often
frequency is the way to get better.
Honestly, a couple of times a month is not really enough to climb up the learning curve in a ski. Even a week or two of 5-6 days a week would get you over the hump. I went to Kauai and paddled 2x a day for 10 days. After that I still sucked but I didn’t fall out for a year.
The other thing that will help is go out and do 10 remounts per side in chop. I do this at the start of big water week in the columbia gorge. It gives you confidence and you relax and paddle harder which makes you more stable. If you can’t do that then work on it until you can.
Get rough water experience
There are two elements to feel “stable”. One is to be sensitive to the motions of the ski, so you are centered and don’t come off balance much in the first place. Second, bracing through your forward stroke or all out via a dedicated brace. Getting some time in rough water is the only way to gain these skills (ideally with some instruction). The 18S should be stable enough for the average person to master even in slightly choppy conditions. Easy whitewater and currents in a safe location are a great place to practice stability and bracing. I intentionally take my ski to some moving water occasionally and also seek out boat wakes and choppy conditions on purpose. The result is increased confidence with each outing. It may take a couple of seasons even longer if you only go out once or twice a month though. So do your own math and figure out if it is worth the effort/time vs. getting some more stable boat now.
S18S
I’d say stick with it, also-bucket time is key. Have you tried padding it out so it fits you perfectly? This particular Stellar bucket is quite generous; I know of another individual with the exact same boat, who realized a world of difference when he padded it out. He had the same issues in beam chop, that all but went away once fitted.
In a ski, your main points of contact are your heels, bum, and to some degree, the sides of your calves. I like my foot strap snug also-yet another point of contact. Start by duct taping some minicell in, at your contact points. Adding a thinner foam wedge in your seat back will keep you forward in the bucket. As your core tires, most folks have a tendency to slump and lean back, which results in the negative effect of dragging a paddle blade at exit, lifting water, and imbalancing you further.
Give the padding a try-you might find it makes the difference you’re looking for!
The issue with the ski is in part my
size. There is barely room for my butt in the seat and it is a compression fit. As in zero wiggle room.
The leg length at max is just right.
I have a long torso so my COG is 6-8" higher than most(I’m 6’5").
Seat time is my friend.
All the More Reason to Switch to OC-1
– Last Updated: Nov-30-15 9:08 PM EST –
Don't fool around with a makeshift boat. Get a true oc-1 and you'll be up to speed in no time. I would say that 90 per cent of the former surfski paddlers in Hawaii have switched to oc-1s or SUPs. I'm probably one of the few last hold outs still paddling surfskis.
Pure comfort alone, makes the oc-1 a no brainer for you. Test one out and you'll wonder why you're not paddling one already. Choose an adjustable bent shaft paddle, for your size, since you can automatically shorten the shaft from 56" to 53" as you gain experience with your limited time in the water. An 8.75" wide blade will be good enough for you and your bod. You don't need a 10+" wide blade to get up to 10 mph.
How About This For Motivation?
Paddle smart, know your limitations, shorten your learning curve and don’t waste time. Get up to speed in 2 weeks (or even a week) and enjoy going fast. Watch these paddlers glide 32 miles on the open ocean: http://vimeo.com/132564084
Thread Hijack: Who makes this OC1?
what manufacturers make sit-in OC1’s with a K1 like cockpit like seen here:
http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/cockpit-racing-outrigger-canoe-8259871.jpg
I have only seen sit on’s. The K1 style cockpit looks pretty sleek and cool.
ski
don’t seen to work anything like a ski when surfing,
Doesn’t Look Like a Tahitian Made
Outrigger. Or any of the Hawaii made V-1s by either Tiger Canoe or Kamanu Composites. I thought at first, it might be a Canadian made Sea Lion (C-Lion) or Nelo’s V-1 outrigger that’s made in Portugal? Maybe, it’s a new sit inside outrigger from Italy, by AllWave? Don’t know? These rudderless outriggers, have become popular worldwide and probably more kayak manufactures will be making them? They do race in a separate category from the OC-1s, for although similar, they are entirely two different types of boats by design and how they are steered.
Check out the small kid racing solo against the grownups at the 1:30 portion of the following video (his paddle is bigger than him): http://www.vimeo.com/112182956
Very cool
http://www.kamanucomposites.com/aukahi is one of the models I was looking for. You can see a few more in your video.
I never knew of this type of boat. Its not considered an OC because it is rudderless? It looks sleek.
I love the look of it. I want to paddle one…Bet there aren’t many on the east coast though…
Thanks for the video
I Haven’t Seen Any Too
On the East Coast? Mostly OC-1s and OC-2s. Maybe it’s the cost? Or maybe too long? But at around 20 pounds, easy to carry and handle and fast to set up. Good for shallow and flat water paddling also.
The V-1 usually has a round hull from the bow to the cockpit. And from the cockpit back to the tail there is a long hard chine to help the canoe track straight. But, it also makes it more difficult to steer and turn. Of course, you can add a rudder to it, but then it would be ineligible to race in the V-1 division.
Check out the V-1s and V-3s at http://www.tigercanoe.com for comparison.