Enthusiastic intermediate paddler of surf skis. Currently my weapon of choice is a #CarbonologySport #BoostLV. Sharing my paddling journey and enjoyment of being out on (and occasionally in!) the water. Based in Wellington, New Zealand - Aotearoa
Thanks for sharing, that's a great video showing what less experienced paddlers struggle with when doing remounts under a bit more demanding conditions. 👍
David - great waves, great runs...I know the conditions require attention and you were probably concentrating pretty hard, but mate, if you're going to use that front camera, please give us a few more smiles when you're getting runs like that, OK - while you're still on the water? Wait, I think I caught the hint of a smile toward the end of the video...
David - you're getting a string of canceled races! Did you go ahead and do a downwinder on Lake Wakatipu? (We're visiting the south island right now and Denise had been talking to one of the local paddlers about borrowing a surfski to do the Deep South race. But it wasn't to be.)
Thanks for watching Michael and great to hear the video was helpful. Been 2 years since I made the video and I very rarely take an unplanned swim these days.
Congratulations! You two are well in sync. I paddled only twice a double ski and it was the V8 double. It was incredibly stable. It is a weird feeling to get a boost from the paddler behind you especially when you are out of sync.
Thanks for watching 🙂! I wear a Garmin Instinct watch which syncs all the details to the Garmin Connect App. Additionally I use a Vaaka cadence sensor on my paddle to track my paddling stroke rate. If also syncs as a sensor to my watch and Garmin app.
@@DavidMorrison Thanks for all the information! Is your Carbonology Sport Boost LV the X version? Are you still happy with it? Would love to try one as there aren't many low volume skis but CS is rare in Auckland.
Hiya, yup really happy with Boost LV. It is the X version. I used to have older model fibre glass layup for about 6 months then moved to the X in full carbon. I find it really stable in all conditions. I am at the upper end of the weight limit (85kg+). Ping me if you are ever in Wellington and we can tee up a go on the boost. Not sure if I will make it to King and Queen of the Harbour, but if I am will let you know!
@@DavidMorrison Thanks again! I registered to King and Queen of the Harbour but I will be away abroad soon and be back just a week before the race... Not much time to be prepared!! If you come here and want to try the Epic V10L or the tiny Fenn Bonito, just ask! I have never been to Wellington but my wife is from there. She loves it!
Looks amazing, beginner here, just got on the new Sport Cruz and that thing is super stable, is the Boost a massive jump to intermediate, any advise would be great.
Heya and thanks for watching. WIth each step up in craft you will lose a bit of stability. I have not paddled the Cruze but when I first started on the Boost I found it quite forgiving. I did have a few swims in my first few downwinds. I now find the boost really stable in all conditions. Best advice would be to try one and see how it feels!
You are welcome, it is great to see races from NZ. I was going to do it but I had a calendar conflict. That said, that race looked a bit too much for me! It is very likely I will do the Queen and King of the Bay and then Bhutty Moore. Can't tell yet if I will have enough time for Queenstown. Hopefully!
Yeah it was a good race. Two rescues, one with a dislocated shoulder. Well organised race with great safety planning allowing some great conditions to be racing in
Have you looked at the Garmin inReach or Spot Tracker? They both require a subscription plan but combine some of the devices you're using into one. I have an ACR C-Light H2O attached to my PFD over my shoulder in case I fall in at night. I carry an iPhone too with lanyard attached to my shoulder strap so even if I fumble it the phone won't go swimming. The Apple Watch is pretty handy for making and receiving calls on the water without getting your phone out.
Hi Brandyn, I don't carry either but for most of my paddles the SafeTrx app on my iPhone is sufficient for live tracking by famiy/friends. With VHF radio and Locator beacon I probably have enough for now; but I am interested in the InReach at some stage. Thanks for watching!
To my understanding, SafeTRX is a cell-only option that requires you be in range of a cell tower. Garmin inReach and SPOT are satellite-based location tracking, messaging and beacon services that work outside cell range. Where I kayak in Lake Michigan, for example, I’m frequently out of cell range so a satellite system is advisable. I also carry ResQLink 400 PLB (also satellite-based) in case of real trouble, just as David suggests here. (I assume his PLB is a satellite beacon.) I could be wrong about any of this, but it pays to know exactly how these devices work. Cell and VHF are line-of-sight and typically pretty weak; i.e., short-range. Satellite coverage is global and the only problem with them is if you’re in wooded canopy, not a problem on open water!
Such a beautiful spot, and well named I might add! About ready to head out on the ski myself this morning here in Carlsbad, CA, USA. Greetings! And thanks for posting a little fun to watch with breakfast.
Thanks so much for sharing your video David. Keep up the good work with your paddling and continue to enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits that it delivers to us all.
Hi Christopher, thanks for watching :-D. I use a Mocke wrist leash. Good for the really windy days. Needed to adjust paddle position when remounting but I do find it provides a little more peace of mind. mockepaddling.com/product/wrist-paddle-leash/
Thanks for watching! Most of my paddles are in Wellington, New Zealand, one the windiest cities in the world. We have a prevailing NW wind which allows for downwind paddles over a 10km track most weeks.
@@DavidMorrison Thanks for the information. It is the same for the V8 double I tried. I am looking for a double we can steer from the back and so far it seems it is only Nordic kayak who does it (both front and back). If I am at the front my daughter rests at the back ;-)
Hi David.. question.. I want to get into surf ski (present experience is only fishing kayaks). I have been on both the epic v5 and v7. Same price but because I am new to this sport how does one choose??
Ultimately the v7 will allow you more progression as your skills improve while still providing a stable platform, also have a look at the NK breeze v5, both are similar boats.
Thanks for watching! This was on my older fibreglass model, now rocking a carbon Boost. Love it. I sadly won’t be at Poor Knights this year but hope to be several of the Darcy Price races
@@DavidMorrison Thanks for your message. I will try to be at Poor Knights and also the Windy City Downwind which sounds a bit scary! Watching your videos helps to know what to expect!
Wellington Harbour can be a fun place for downwinds. They won’t run the race in massive conditions so it should make for a great race. Fingers crossed we have a decent breeze…
Hi David. Enjoy your videos. Currently paddling a Swordfish but giving thought to a Boost or Zest. Have you paddled both?. Your opinion?... Regards Jeff. Durban. South Africa
Hi Jeff, I don't have the experience of the swordy to answer but two folks do: 1. Robin Mosley compares the Swordy and Zest here: www.surfski.info/forum/19-boats/20241-carbonology-zest-x.html#39058 2. And from my paddling buddy Ross here in NZ "Having owned all three... they are different boats, and it depends on what the person that asked the question is looking for, and why they are looking to change. If they find the swordy too unstable, then the zest most likely isn't for them. If they are happy paddling a swordy, but find the seat uncomfortable, then both boats would be suitable, with the boost more suited to the bigger conditions. If they are a big paddler, then the Zest, as long as they are an intermediate paddler. If they are looking for a faster boat, then I suggest neither is what they are looking for, caveated that you will always paddle a slower boat faster if you can put full power into each stroke over a fast boat that the paddler is struggling to keep upright. The swordy was my most regretful sale. Best advice. Get a boat you can sit in comfortably for 2+ hours and balance in. Having a too unstable boat will wreck any technique you have built up in a more stable boat, and most likely wreck your shoulders in the process."
@@DavidMorrison thanks so much. Comfortable in the Swordy, but looking for stability in bigger rough conditions. Will test a Boost. Thanks for your help.. Keep the vids coming. Regards Jeff
Hi Peter, thanks for watching. I am wearing Top - Vaikobi VCold HydroFlex, Legs - Vaikobi VCold Flex Leggings, PFD - Vaikobi V3 Ocean Racing PFD. Hope that helps
This started at a spot called Burden's Gate near the entrance to Wellington Harbour. We tracked south into the weather to start with and to push out a bit into the swell and then turned to paddle about 10kms to the Petone foreshore.
Hi Peter, thanks for watching. I am wearing Top - Vaikobi VCold HydroFlex, Legs - Vaikobi VCold Flex Leggings, PFD - Vaikobi V3 Ocean Racing PFD. Hope that helps
Nice and chill great NZ tunes from the fins Would love to be able to travel to windy Wellington for a paddle some day after you guys get rid of the witch
The worst feeling is falling off then struggling to get back on then finally getting on and then falling off again with your feet not even inside the boat. Honorable mention: getting back in the boat and your paddle drifting away and you having to get back in the water to retrieve it. The joys of the surf ski!
Hi Gordon thanks for watching! To monitor my cadence I use a Vaaka paddle sensor synced to my Garmin instinct watch. The Vaaka website allows you to upload a data extract from my watch. It also pulls through into the Garmin Connect app (but you need to track as a bike ride) www.vaakacadence.com/
Well done David, thankyou. I liked the VHF shoulder harness. In later comments you mentioned you’ve changed the set up. Would you have details of this and harness brand name please?
Hi Mark, I stopped using the harness and now just clip it (using the belt clip on the VHF)to my left shoulder using the loop on the left front of my Vaikobi PFD. I do also have tethered and clipped to PFD so I can unhook it if needed and not lose it. You can see the setup here ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JsNfe5cnoy0.html And here I am using it mid paddle. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-58me0PF1OiM.html Being close to my ear it is easier for me to hear me being called.
Best way to bring in the new year I reckon, sweet conditions , Happy new year my friend, I always enjoy your videos, loved the music too. Stay safe and keep those videos coming
David - best wishes for 2022! Always good to get a good paddle in (you're using up Crowded House with this long video...). Is the Relive animation you use at the beginning an HD one you get with a subscription?
Hi Paul, I was keen for a bit of a New Zealand vibe with the music today! The animation is a Relive video - created in the free version and then exported to iMovie to chop up. And best wishes to you too for 2022.
I'm a beginner myself, have had a few awkward remounts. Key points that I have to remind myself to do: Take my time in water. Get leash untangled (I much prefer a paddle leash), Ensure paddle is the right way round so that when I remount I can use it immediately. Get paddle right over the other side of the boat, parallel to the side. Get across boat - pause, feel the stability. Choose my moment to drop into the bucket. Once bum is in bucket, start taking little paddling strokes to improve stability. Avoiding swims: Commit or don't. Don't half-commit to catching a wave. If I sense that I'm not going to get it, immediately let it go, brace as the peak passes and prepare for the next one. If I'm not quite getting the wave, the boat starts to broach as the wave pushes past the rudder. Straighten up with a hard shove on the rudder. If conditions are really making me nervous and I keep nearly going in, I change focus from wave catching to just paddling. If I do that, I can put my efforts into supportive strokes rather than just speed.
And certainly agree about committing. Once I changed my mindset to really drive hard to catch waves my downwind enjoyment increased significantly. Been nearly a year since I have fallen out unexpectedly…
enjoyed the video, as of yesterday l took out my ski for the first time and was going ok until fell in then l forgot all that l had learnt about remount . l'm saving this video and will practice more in flat water before going out into the rough stuff. l also liked the comments of other people on this page , some good advice.
Thanks for watching Keith! Definitely recommend practicing the remount. Also good to practice at the end of a paddle when you are tired and fatigued - which is when you are more likely to fall. And yes lots of great comments here.
Thanks Glenn, not sue I go to that stage! Been nearly a year now since this video and no unintended swims in that time as my technique (and enjoyment) have grown over the winter. Thanks for watching!
Indeed! I was a teenager paddler in the late 80s with pretty much nothing. However I probably go further offshore and in larger conditions with my safety gear than I did as a young fella.
