Short surfski (under 4.7m)

Advice
#1

Hi All,

Long time lurker, first time poster :slight_smile:
I had to sell my very beloved Epic V8 as I moved to a new place with a smaller garage space :/.

I’m in the market to buy a second hand ski thats under 4.7m. After a little bit of research, I found something that ticks all the boxes which is Epic v5, however it seems like it’s impossible to find it second hand. The other option is S14S but seems to be way too exy and it’s more of a SOT kayak than a ski.

I also found Wavemaster Recreational 3.8 made by a small Australian manufacturer in Newcastle. It doesn’t look bad and found couple second hand as well. It’s lightweight (15kg) and it has a fixed centre fin so doesn’t have a rudder which is not necessary (I think?) as it’s a pretty short ski.

I couldn’t find much about it online so I thought I’d ask here if anyone own it or tried it before. I’m not looking to race or anything. I just want something nimble and stable in the ocean :slight_smile:

Other Skis I considered are Knysna Jester or Guppie but I think they are a bit too small for me. I’m 174cm and my weight fluctuates between 75-85kg

Anyway, appreciate any advice :slight_smile:

Thanks!

#2

That’s a tough to size to find for a surfski. The V5 is going to be your best bet. Maybe if you’re lucky you can find one that is glass or composite.

My biggest complaint with the Stellar is that it only has a kickup rudder option and no understern.

No experience with the alternative boats you mentioned.

I don’t know about where you are and what your limitations may be, but have you looked into any local “share” options.

Maybe there is a rowing club or an outdoor agency that might allow you to use their facilities.

#3

I live in sydney close to few bays. Unfortunately, there is no facility close by to store kayaks.

Yes! It’s very hard to find any good ski that’s under 5m. Anyway, I might give Wavemaster a try once lockdown is over but I feel like having a fixed fin might be a huge drawback. Also I think it’s more like sit on top of the water rather than slicing through the water like most traditional skis do.

#4

Bummer. Just two and half more feet and you can really start to open more possibilities.

Good luck!

#5

Thanks! I was able to find this ski Enduro XTR Lite. It’s similar to Viking Javlin and Spirit CTR kayak but much lighter, only weighs 15KG. That’s pretty light for a rotomoulded ski.

This seems to tick my boxes. Ill demo it and see how it goes.

#6

what is the advantage of the understern ruder over the kick up rudder

#7

An under stern rudder does a couple things

  1. It moves the pivot point farther forward so you can turn sharper at speed. This is dependent on ma y other things too, but helps the lever point

  2. In steep waves your stern will be out of the water a lot. If you have an over stern rudder, this means it will be in the air at the exact moment a wave is overtaking you and trying to broach you. This is obviously bad and results in poor boat control in the conditions that most require a rudder.

  3. Related to #2, to keep an adequate amount of rudder in the water in steep waves, you would need a ridiculously long rudder, like 12" or more. An under stern rudder due to placement farther forward and below the hull means your rudder is in the water almost 100% of the time

The reason to have an over stern is shallow water/risk of object collision. If you just brush by a barely submerged log, rock, sandbar, or mat of weeds with a kick up its no big deal at all.
If you hit a rock or log with an under stern you’re likely to punch a hole in your hull or rip it off. Either way, a lot of damage would be expected.

#8

Well said on all counts MCImes!

#9

thanks for the very detailed response much apreciated