Yes that 's what I’ve been thinking
I need to stick to one boat for about a year and practice and practice … but I have KADD …kayak induced attention deficet disorder, or KAS kayak acquisition syndrome. Actually I spent the morning surfing with a guy from south africa a couple of weeks ago on a waveski, I think I am slowly being converted to giving up kayaks.
Speaking of stoke, check out these guys on Lake Superior …holy S!
http://superiorsurfclub.com/05_winter_c/05_winter_c.html
Pursuit of Enjoyment…
the related skills get developed with experience. The issue is what is the most accessible to you and combined with what you enjoy most.
For me, the ocean is 15 minutes away. I have four long boats among me my wife and kids (all about the same size, though older son is now taller than me). I should be long boating a lot more than I have in the past year. But, there have been lots of surf this year (I should keep a journal just to know how much) so I know my surf boat has been used about at least 8 to 2 this year because frankly I like the rush/stoke and a good workout in a short 2-3 hour session than long, steady distance.
My white water boats should see the least usage since I am 1.5-2 hours away from most rivers. But I really enjoy the rush (did I say this already?). So come Spring through summer (until hurricane season), I am more likely to make the trek to a white water run almost every weekend possible.
My long boats which should see most usage actually sees the least. I take it out when my schedule can’t afford a full weekend day and there is no surf out there.
The skills for each, I work on when I am in the water. I am, however, not in a rush to develop or get anywhere except to handle the better the stuff I am in and to push a little more to the edge. Okay, okay… I do want to run the class iv Deerfield this year but only because the class II and IIIs have become little more routine. I don’t want to keep portaging up a particular fun section and doing it over and over again. My body can’t take it… 
sing
nothing too close to me
1-2 hours is the nearest whitewater and Lake Michigan is 1 hour away. Most of the water close to me is in the form of fairly quiet lakes and rivers. Lake Winnebago can kick up some interesting conditions but it is mostly standing waves and confused seas rather than a clean surfable wave. Also the problem is that there are not many (if any) dedicated surf kayakers here in Wisconsin. Most of them just surf their long boats or occassionally take out their whitewater boats. If I ever go to the Lake, the odds are I would take my long boat as there is the highest likelihood that my paddle buddies would want to paddle a few miles before playing in the surf.
Let’s see my typical summer schedule is:
Monday: Paddling Lake Michigan
Tuesday: Running whitewater
Wednesday: stay at home or paddle local lakes
Thursday: Go to Elkhart Lake (small, quiet, and also 1 hour away)
Friday: Drive to my weekend paddling destination
Sat-Sun: (usually whitewater but also sea kayaking camping trips, symposiums, etc.)
Of course granted I’m extremely busy with work and other activities, it’s hard to fit in surfing into the mix. I have a few specific dates on my calendar marked specifically for surfing but even on those dates, I will be taking along both my long boat as well as my playboat.
I’m not in a hurry to learn skills but I feel as though I have the potentially to learn skills at an accelerated pace (probably mostly due to youth) and I am fairly aggressive in terms of practicing these skills. With that said I also hope to run my first class IV this summer or if the water is low my first class III+! Too many things to learn in too short of a time! (need to learn to cartwheel, straightjacket roll, and improve my forward stroke this summer)
I KNOW I’m addicted to whitewater (river running and play), and I really enjoy calmwater paddling. The question is whether or not Greenland style paddling will cause me to be even more addicted to sea kayaking as well. I guess I’ll keep having fun with kayaking and worry about the Greenland National Kayaking Chamionships and Rodeo Championships for another day.
Islander VS Wavemaster
The Islander seems to be a much respected brand. The ones at Kayak connection is their base/beginner models. They need to take specific measurements to get the right fit. Right fit for me means I am likely not going to get a resale easily if I decide I don’t the like the waveski.
Wavemaster has those adjustable footblocks. Anyone know anything about these? Seems easier for a resale for anyone within the weight range.
Also, I am looking more towards the intermediate to advance model vs. the beginner ones.
sing
sing you’re pretty handy
Why don’t you build a surf ski? Granted it requires the most precious commodity of all (time) but aside from that, you can custom build it to your specs for not too much money.
http://www.harborside.com/~dchurch/woodyski.htm
Go with a Wave Master Strata 2.5
– Last Updated: Mar-25-05 11:39 AM EST –
Island Skis are great, the lower level performance skis like the fun ski and the EZ ski you will be much bored with quickly. As you said with Island you have to order a special ski to fit you, and since you are smaller than average and athletic you won't be able to resell it easily. (You saw the trouble Vince had trying to sell a ski made for his short legs.) The Strata is the best selling ski in Australia for young guys that want a high performance ski but don't want to spend a lot of money. The adjustable foot plate works well. The skis are a little bit fragile, but not too bad. The ski will also take very good balance and agility but you should be fine. If you email Steve Moser at www.wavemasterusa.com webpage you can ask him if they have any demos or blems he may cut some $$$ of the shipping price. He is not a very customer oriented guy but the wavemaster skis really rip. Question is whether you have steep enough surf that's clean enough. Austrailian skis suck in garbage surf. Note how well Kenny King did on Mike Johnson's Mako ski last weekend. There is a webpage out of new zealand www.waveskiinfo.com I believe that has tons of good info. I'm afraid if you get hooked your are going to want to move to SOCAL, New Zealand, Hawaii or South Africa.
Thanks For The Lead…
waves steep enough? Well, I got tubed today in steep swells, chest to head height, as measured against the boarder surfers. Took a good look around the “green room” and had the “door” shut on me before I got out. It was EXCITING for the while it lasted. Then, it was a BIG OUCH when I got slammed!
sing
Sounds fun though
I bet if your boogie or venom are fast and smooth on the waves you’ve got you will be pretty impressed. I’m not sure how much the Strata weighs but its very very light and accelerates like a missle out of the pocket when you crank a fast bottom turn when the fins are in place correctly, even with fat guys like me on it.
Walden Milo?
Have you looked at a Walden Milo? I bet that a certain kayak shop to our north has some left and they’re inexpensive.
http://www.geocities.com/seasportsmamm/waldenmain.html
http://www.paddlermagazine.com/issues/2001_1/article_97.shtml
Kayaking Priorities
It sucks, but my boss thinks working is more important than kayaking.
I gave up on WW a few years ago,just because I got tired of working out the logisitcs. Reliable partners are hard to find.
I live two hours from the beach so I have to plan for a whole weekend to make a surftrip worthwhile. I can do day trips, but that is as much driving as water time. If I plan for a whole weekend, I need to include Kathy, and work around her schedule.
Seems like every time I make the effort to do a weekend at the beach, it is flat. Especially for the last couple years.
I decided I need to work on my touring SINK skills until I get comfortable offshore in one. If I do catch a good weekend in the meantime so much the better.
Walden Milo
– Last Updated: Mar-25-05 3:24 PM EST –
I was interested in the Milo when I was last looking at new surf kayaks, but could not find one on the west coast.
Looks like a plastic wave ski. It would not be as fragile, but at 36# it weighs as much as a surfing SOT. If I get a waveski, I want to take advanatge of the light weight material and get one under 20#
Yup…
I think the Milo, made in plastic, will weigh at least twice as much as a composite surf ski. Won’t have the all speed to make sections on big days. I feel a need for speed.
Nevertheless, the milo is probably a good starter surf vehicle for folks just getting into it.
sing
It’s all good
Luckily - time spent in one brings something to the others.
Next I’d like a SOF of similar as the Greenland stuff holds most interest (and much prefer using GP) - but a surf boat would be a close second in next boat interest. Trouble is - poor surf. Need to rig a belt for my Tsunami X-1 and used that for surf play. 16’ seems short to me lately.
Time? I don’t have time for the boats I have. Who said this all had to be logical? Logic would dictate I spend more time on the surf ski. With longer hotter days beginning that will likely happen.
Did you guys see the guy
from South Africa surfing in shorts Saturday Night and Sunday? He apparently was throwing big air moves and was surfing a lot hotter than any of the contestents on an old broken down battered ski.
I wonder if he is BCU certified and can do" a reverse figure 8 with out cheating using a forward sweep?" I’m going to sit up at night now worrying about getting that skill down. Actually Ian and I are going to spend most of tomorrow surfing, doing a mini-surf safari paddling up the coast looking for the best spots and surfing where it looks good.
The Woody Hull Shape
(triplane) is what I have in mind for S&G surf boat. If I were to attempt a waveski, I definitely would go with foam and shaping. I would want to put a concave hull that would help speed up ski.
Yes. Not enough time. I have to start soon on building a SOF for a friend. There has been too much surfing for me to get started with that project.
sing
Have Fun!
– Last Updated: Mar-26-05 6:10 AM EST –
I heard but I didn't see the guy myself.
I'm meeting up with some of the NNE surf kayakers in NH. Looks like a good group showing up for an expression session. Temps will be in the 40's and the sun will be out too. I'm psyched!
I have never tried to do a figure 8 backwards (shrug). But I can surf backwards and do 360's in the pocket. Does that count? :) Some of the younger kids (boys and girls) ripping up the waves in the junior division probably never heard of BCU and could care less. It has nothing to do with their stoke.
BTW, I look through the rotomod catalog and couldn't find any contact for a US dealer. Granted my eyes are bad and I also color blind. That's doesn't help with that brochure!
sing
I think it was a photocopied insert?
I have pitched mine now, you might ask Denis Judson for contact info or try their webpage.
WaveMaster Evolution…
The other guy from NE that went to SC bought back that waveski. I didnt’ realize the model. Saw it yesterday. It has the adjustable foot brace. Bottom line – I’ll get to try it when I want. I don’t want until the water is warmer. Don’t want swim in cold surf.
sing
Evolution is more my style
Not as high performance as the strata, but still seems to have a high center of gravity,
We got two days of surfing in, trying some of the best spots in town, the swell was kind of messy wind swell, but we had a real good session this morning, I got pretty thrashed about five times trying to get out though; and a late Easter lunch in the back patio with the whole family. It’s about 72 and really sunny, All in all a pretty good weekend.
Revolutionary Wave Ski to Hit the Market
Steve Boehne, chief designer, shaper and owner of Infinity Surf Shop in Dana Point, CA will soon announce the introduction of a high-performance, extremely durable, super light wave ski that could revolutionize paddle surfing. This new creation will have some of the features of the revolutionary surfboards introduced in the last couple of years by SurfTech. Details are being closely guarded but word has it that the roll out will happen sometime in early Summer. Stay tuned.