I'm curious, if you currently surf with a long boat and/or want to get in surfing with a short boat, which option would you pick for your first "surf" boat?
1. S&G surf kayak plan - about $300
2. Double duty white water boat for about $800-$1000
3. Plastic surf kayak for about $900-1200
4. Composite surf kayak around $1600 and up.
If you're already surfing with a short white water boat, which of the above dedicated surf kayak option, if any, appeal to you? How likely in the next year or two would you exercise the option to buy? Provide a rationale if applicable.
Thanks, :)
sing
PS. Sorry I didn't include Surf SOT's because these are already pretty available. I am trying to guage the desirability of various closed deck options. BTW, a friend is closed to finishing his prototype glass surf kayak. I look forward to seeing that in the months ahead and maybe a report.
PS…
I already surf a Riot Boogie -- a plastic surf kayak with a three fin setup. I've just upgraded fin boxes and fins to composite. My next boat will either be a conceptual wooden surf kayak I want to build, or a used composite surf kayak. In all likelihood, this change up will happen within the coming year.
sing
s&g sit on top plan
i would build something like hunt johnsons wave witch, some have been built in wood but plans are not available as far as i know. i would build a s&g sink if it was inspiring to my aesthetic. i saw some pics of schades surf boat, very cool but not quite what would turn me on. the waves here in southern carolina are ‘longboard’ waves, not very big but very surfable with the right board.
My decision.
I love whitewater boating and know little or nothing about surfing but intend to learn. So, as you know from my previous posts, I bought a surf oriented playboat. The possibility of surfing was just a bonus. If I like it and do well enough and still have some money left I will get a more dedicated surf craft. If I don’t like it or can’t get the hang of it I still have a great river boat.
You Just Had To…
go right outside of the survey answers I asked, didn’t ya! 
Okay, here’s a link for ya:
http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/gallery/SnGSOT/IMG_1785
But, if you end up liking surf…
what type of "dedicated" surf boat would you get?
Thanks for answering
sing
BTW, did you catch this link to great lakes surf?
http://www.superiorsurfclub.com/gallery.html
if it were my
1st ever, I’d go with a plastic surf kayak. 2nd choice a dual duty ww boat- but one that performed well in surf, not a super short playboat.
If money were no object- f/g surf boat all the way. Tho most don’t have $1600 to throw at it.
If you dig around you can find old school squirt boats that aren’t too $$$ and work well in surf. My 1987- New Wave Demon is a sweetie!
:-)))
steve
Surf boat
If I had a million dollars…
but I don’t so my choices are between a plastic whitewater boat(used)and building. I’m looking at the surfyak site, seems like I could build that in the very limited time I have, but I do like the looks of the Riot Boogie.
Hey, RiverSki
I hope you have good waves today. I am headed to Rockport. Some of us will be at the south end of Jenness, Sunday, at 7 AM.
sing
Don’t know enough yet.
I would certainly look at what Corran had to offer (like the Squashtail) or something like a surf ski. But that is just an inexperienced person talking.
Thanks for the website link. Are those rocks in the surf zone??? :-0
#2, but not why you might think
I presently have gone for option #2.1, that is, a double-duty boat. But it was only $325 used, so it doesn’t quite fit your description. ;^D
This is a substantive point. I don’t do that much dedicated kayak surfing – yet – so I didn’t want to spend a lot of bucks. If I moved up, I’d probably go next for #3, a dedicated plastic boat; and at the next level, maybe composite.
Sorry, I realize it may be be hard to tabulate my response. But maybe your point is whether I want to do both WW and surf, which I don’t particularly. So maybe you should count me under #3. I went with #2 because of the opportunity to get a decent model cheap (and thank you for the lead on that Jive!)
–David.
oh yeah
rub our noses in it!!! =:-0)
stuck in the office all day! 
have fun.
steve
I’d opt to build, but…
…why do you say that plans would be $300? Those currently available are well under $100, as are plans for longer kayaks (typically ~$75). For $300, I’d expect a full kit - or at least the plywood panels - for such a short boat.
Clarification on S&G…
$300 meaning for plans and materials. Time is another matter, of course.
hey thanx, great site!
very cool boat, looks like a souped up scupper pro with the ‘sponsons’. also theres a lot of building technique to learn from the construction sequence photos, i appreciate that!
surf yak
I have had a lot more fun playing in the surf with a shorter boat. My 18’ kayak is good as long as the waves don’t get to steep. My Artic Tern 14 is easier to maneuver which takes some of the fight out. I just got a Necky Rip last week and only played in the surf once with it and it was a blast. It was so much fun to be able to turn from side to side while surfing. I don’t know if I’ll ever want to use the other kayaks to play in the surf again.
Okay, Short Boat For You…
For sure, you, me and some others believe that a shorter boat is more fun in the surf.
Now, do you envision a specifically designed surf kayak in your future? If so, which of the above would it be and why?
sing
I have got a white water boat for
river and surf. If i had one of the options i would go with number 4 and it would most likely be a Necky Jive or Bliss though i have never tried either. I would go that option because it is financially the most viable. I don’t expect that option to happen in the next year but hopefully some day. At this time I see my priority as a higher volumer river boat.
- Plastic surf kayak
But at the $900-$1200 range you gave for price - I’d look for a used composite boat!
$600-$900 seems more reasonable. Less plastic and smaller molds to make a short SINK than long SOTs that sell for this price
Double duty WW boat (again, used) might be an option, but I read too many comments that it’s just not the same thing.
You don’t need to spend 1600…
Dick Wold makes some good quality surf kayaks starting around 1200 plus shipping (no sales tax if it’s an out of state Internet sale). If you’ve tried a composite surf kayak, then you know how much faster they are compared to plastic ww boats.
http://www.humboldt1.com/~woldski/kayak/Products.html