Yup…
I was milking the thigh to waist high waves yesterday far better than the boardies. I caught them early, can roller coaster up and down, and then accelerate with a couple of quick strokes to get ahead of the closeout and back into the greenface and pocket. Lot of the boardies were getting caught in the closeout. I had to consciously let some of the boardies around me get some waves as I was catching them a good 10-15 yards further out then them. I was getting some attention. Everytime I finished a ride and headed back out, the boardies in my line up were looking me. But only one woman boardie bothered asking me what the waveski was about.
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Jeeze… I Really Lucked Out…
I’ve picked up two in a matter of a little over a month. The first is too high performance for me. It’s sitting in the basement waiting for me to get good enough for it. The other ski is more intermediate and I am just starting to have a great time with it. I picked up both for around $250. I did have to do some foam and glass work to move the footwells closer to the seat. Well worth the effort!
In terms of the number (or lack of) waveskiers, I think this is a reflection of the lack of surf kayakers in general. I think if we get more surf kayakers, there will be more options, including waveskis for folks to move up to. Waveskis definitely got a higher performance quotient than the two surf kayaks that I have ridden in. Anyway, in the New England breaks, I know only of 4 waveskiers right now – me in MA, one in ME and two in RI. But in northern NE, we just about doubled the number of committed surf kayakers in the past year and a half. So, I think some of these folks may move up to waveskis possibly in the future.
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Scrambler is Not a Surf Kayak
Since I’ve never seen a Scrambler in the line-up, I just checked the Ocean Kayaks website. No way should a Scrambler be considered a “surf kayak”. I’m hard pressed to understand why anyone would recommend that boat for wave riding. At between 11 and 12 feet, that puts it three to four feet longer then any legitimate surf craft.
I would cringe to see one of those heading out into the surf. Unless the person is super-skilled, a kayak that big becomes an accident waiting to happen…specially on a day with any size. I say stick to boats designed for the surf…like the Cobra Strike and the Wilderness Systems Kaos. An all-purpose craft like the Scrambler is inviting less than optimal results and ensuring the ire of fellow paddle surfers.
East Coast Surfing
The Scrambler is probably much better suited for the East Coast, than the West Coast
As a general rule, surf on the east coast is smaller, breaks closer in, and has much less shape that West Coast surf. Performance becomes less of an issue, especially for beginners.
Control in crowded breaks is an issue for a Scrambler. I haven’t been back east for 15 years, but I never saw crowded lineups back there like we have on the west coast.
Hey!
– Last Updated: Aug-08-05 1:59 PM EST –
we can get some decent surf... Just have to wait for nor'easters and the occaisonal hurricane swells...
I find more and more folks in the line up as the temps warmed. But I really havent' run into any of the talked about animosity. If nothing else, winter surf clears out the crowd. Only the hard core go out and there is mutual respect among those willing to brave the cold to catch the stoke.
Of course, I would cringe if I see a kayak barrelling through swimmers and surfers...
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Just Thinking About The Context
– Last Updated: Aug-08-05 5:13 PM EST –
Just thinking in the context of the orginal poster just geting started. If you are hardcore enough to go when it there is a Nor'easter, or a hurricane, that's different.
Beside, my East coast exprience ends at Virginia Beach