Hints for Novice Surfski Paddlers 

We couldn't agree more about the similarities between the surfski and cycling -- totally get what you're say there. Thanks for sharing with us!

Great tips, Frank. We'll have to try the string. A V8 in the stable sounds like a good idea for downwind days...maybe one day...

Thanks, Peter. Sometimes we go back and think, "Well, we were doing THAT wrong," but the journey, figuring out what works and when it works, when we're ready to apply a new drill, trying to get our skill and/or technique up to the point where a specific drill actually does us some good, that's part of the fun. Always learning!

Thanks for being so positive. We are learning something EVERY time we paddle.

It's been helpful so far. Surfski paddling is so technical, and it takes a lot of time to grasp, but it's fun to learn (as long as you don't mind getting wet every once in a while). :) Thanks for sharing your comment!

I agree. Thanks for the comment. We are learning something new every time we paddle.

John, that's a great tip. We discovered that after posting this video, and you're right, it works like a charm. Thanks for sharing that!

Glad the tips were helpful, Oscar! The balance and speed will come as you get more time in the surfski and focus on technique. Looking forward to hearing more as you spend more time in the 'ski!

Glad it was helpful!

Definitely! Surfski is a LOT of fun!

I love OC1 and Surfski. Catching downwind bumps is what we want to do!

That's very kind, Peter. It may have more to do with careful editing than actual, um, amazingness. But thank you!

Careful editing plus years of SUP and OC1 paddling have helped us when moving into Surfski.

Thanks Peter. Lots of SUP and OC1 has helped the transition to Surfski. Do you paddle other craft besides Surfski?

@@barryblackburn5910 Only surf skis and in flat waters...not as brave as you athletes...but always working on technique ...maybe because of my age 86...but love the sport and everything about it...

Peter Ratz you paddling at 86 years is so awesome. I hope to be paddling like you in the future!!

They really are a lot of fun, Tommy. Definitely a technical craft to learn, but the reward is well worth the effort.

You should! The mechanics are quite friendly to my back and hips. I paddle OC1 a bunch and my body feels better with a Surfski session 1-2 times per week. Sometimes I paddle mostly Surfski and mix in OC1.

In OUR opinion, if you want to race, you probably won't be happy with the V5. A V8 or V9 might be better. Be warned, though, once you get the hang of the surfski, you may find yourself paddling it a lot more than your SUP... :)

We'll see if we can put our heads together and see what has helped us, and maybe get some input from others, too.

I am sure there are more experienced paddlers who could answer this and I would enjoy reading their comments. Here is what I have learned over the last several years down-winding on SUP, OC1 and now surfski. When we are ready to turn in really messy water and head downwind it’s always a little nerve wracking. Yes, falling happens at times so you need to be able to remount the ski and you should wear a PFD or have one on your craft, and you MUST have a leash attached correctly or your craft could be gone in just a few seconds. Here are some thoughts: 1. Time your turn. If you can see a spot in between bumps go for it. 2. Keep the paddle in the water, in other words do shorter strokes or higher strokes per minute so you have another point of balance. 3. It’s ok to paddle parallel to the bumps a few strokes to keep your speed up. Speed = balance in the ski. (Similar to riding a bike). When I go slow it’s harder to balance. 4. As you turn to follow a bump, even at an angle, then ultimately directly behind the predominant swell, it gets easier very fast and then you really start to smile!! 5. It’s totally worth it to go for it even if you know there is a high likelihood of falling. If you aren’t falling then you probably aren’t pushing yourself. Just have a leash and PFD. And don’t drop your paddle if you can help it 😂

I'm not sure we're the best to ask, since we're novices ourselves. :) Around here (Wilmington, NC) we see more Epics than anything else. They definitely have a surfski for every level and type of conditions -- maybe start by looking at a V8. The main piece of advice I hear over and over from people who know is to NOT get a ski that's too advanced, as you'll just fall over, get frustrated, and develop bad habits. I know Fenn (Mako XT) and Nelo (maybe the 510) have some good options, but we've only paddled Epic surfskis.

Mike Addison I would advise you to try a friends ski. Also, if you are coming from a kayak/outrigger canoe background you may be surprised that you can look at then V10 Sport or V10. It also helps if you are not worried about falling in and getting wet.

@@ThePaddleChannel Excelent tip. I made a mistake to start with a V10 Sport and I got very frustrated spending more time trying to stay on the ski than paddling. V8 is definitly the one to go with. Im thinking about the new V9 now but Im scared it would too tippy for my level.

@@josealqueres it's taken a lot of flat water time to get comfortable with the V10 Sport in the ocean. Rod is paddling a V8 Pro right now while the V10 Sport is getting repaired. We're looking forward to getting it into the ocean soon! Also, we're going to have access to a V9 soon, so we'll try to do a comparison between the V8 Pro, the V9, and the V10 Sport!

Hi Mike , if I can give you advice it'll be to buy an entry level ski and grow your confidence in it , there's a lot of brands to consider and more added all of the time Fenn, Carbonology ,Think, Nelo, Epic etc . you'll find entry skis less available on the used market and thats because they become keepers the opposite is true of less stable skis. People want to jump a step to save a little money thats the first mistake really and that leads to stability and confidence issues that can become tough to shake, you'll end up being a prisoner to flat water and light days or simply loose interest because they don't paddle them enough due to difficulty. Stable skis like Cruze, V8, Zen, Mako xt , 510 etc will let you head out in much bigger conditions and settle into downwind and the pleasures of that intoxicating discipline . Id far rather have a ski that I can pick up and paddle on any given day than a ski that makes me consider my sea state options more carefully. Also worth knowing that the guy in the elite ski is sitting on the same wave as the guy in the intro ski , the wave is going at the same speed for both of them ... :) when it comes to choice of brand , compare weight and price consider a light ski that doesn't break the bank. surfskicomparison.com is a great dynamic site to compare brands. best of luck its a great sport

Agreed...those are great starting points (after all the equipment selection and set up). Thanks for sharing!

Great point! In those first few months I would fall out 6-8 times every time we paddled! Flat water time and practice remounting have been very important.

Thanks, Matt. Learning the surfski is a journey, for sure!

Thanks Matt. We are learning lots. Where do you paddle?

It's hard to say. The OC1 seems like a lot of drag after paddling the surfski for a while -- it's hard not to get addicted to the speed. Both are a lot of fun, but the surfski is really, really fun in the bumps!

WarbirdPylonRacer that is a tough one. I REALLY like both. I was having left hip pain so it has been nice to learn the ski. When I get more proficient in the ski I think I am gonna like it even more. The ski is faster and can catch more bumps. The problem is I fall out lots right now because I’m so new to the ski. Downwinding is where it’s at for sure!!! Regardless of which craft you are in. I’ll close with that.

I had a GREAT one man paddle just the other day. I have more experience in the OC1 so if there is lots of crosswind or mixed up swell I prefer the OC1. With that said we had a great down wind run last week where I was STOKED in the ski. I think that session was perfect for the ski because the wind and swell were directly behind us.

Right now I like the OC1 better in the down wind bumps. However, if the wind and swell is directly behind me... the surfski is faster. As my skill in the ski improves I think I’m going to like the ski more and kore.

LOVING the Vega Surfski right now. However I paddled OC1 last week. My answer right now would be... “whatever I paddled last.” Great problem to have.

Paddle ALLL the things!

We've talked (with ourselves) about hand height quite a bit. Hand height seems to be one of those details where coaches/legends tend to disagree. Oscar, definitely a legend who understands longevity, advocates lower hands, some coaches say the hands should be eye-high, some say forehead-high. Working through details like that is one of the fun things about paddling. Thanks for your comment. It would be fun it other knowledgeable paddlers weighed in with their feelings about hand height!

Everyone is not an Oscar. It's like saying everyone needs to swing like Tiger Woods.

I'm 78 and have bad shoulders with constant pain from a lifetime of being a labourer .and was trying doing what Chalupsky advocates. I have been going higher with the backhand lately and noticed less strain, funnily enough. I think it"s because the blade goes in more vertically and gravity does most of the work in burying the blade and by the time the strain comes on, the hand is then lower than my chin and at shoulder level.

It is interesting how technical the Surfski paddle stroke is. It certainly is a challenge to learn. I love Dawid and Jasper Mocke’s videos. Oscar has very good videos as does Ivan Lawler.

Check this video out... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2BYRlT9lYoA.html I like how his first technique video starts with the feet / legs.

Michael, that particular swim was caused by a slight swell quartering from the rear + lack of stability + lack of bracing + too long a stroke + lack of surfski ocean experience +...well, you get the idea. It's fun looking back at these videos now, as we wouldn't have any problems at all with these conditions now. But then, when just starting out, it was challenging!

Lots of falling going on 😂😂. We were really true beginners here and still are in a way with just under two years of Surfski experience now. Fun to learn a new skill.

Well, it's a V10 Sport, which is a bit more stable than the V10. Barry is now paddling a Gen 1 V10, which is a bit more tippy than the current V10 model (he says its stability is somewhere between a V11 and V14). Both of us had a fair bit of water time in the OC1 before trying the surfski, so maybe that helped. And there was much swimming in rough conditions. The 2nd time I tried the V10 Sport downwinding, I already had finished my craiglist ad in my head to sell the thing by the time I hit shore. :) But I'm glad I didn't sell it -- it's a blast!

Matt Moom yes but I have a PFD and a leash!! Plus, I don’t mind swimming and climbing back in the ski. It helps that we have been surfing, paddling for close to 25 years. We are new to the ski though and I can think of two ocean sessions in particular where I was glad I had a PFD on. I was exhausted on both occasions and and used the PFD to rest a few min before remounting the ski for the 7th time in a row!!! A leash and a PFD are so important.

No way. Only if you want to swim more than you want to paddle. Go with the V8. Its pure fun, fast, stable and you wont regreat it.

José Marcelo Alquéres thanks for the feedback. I have heard good things about the V8. 👍

José Marcelo Alquéres my buddy Rod has a V8 Pro and he said it is much more stable than the V10 Sport.

Great advice, Carina. There's a wealth of information in the videos Oscar shares, and we revisit them regularly. Thanks for chiming in!

Yeah they are good. Dawid and Jasper Mocke have excellent videos as well. I still think this video is helpful for beginners. It’s cool to see the sport growing and videos like this might not be perfect but definitely help the sport.

The book is written by Kevin Brunnette not Mocke but good advice!

Great advice. We're digging both Oscar's online course, and the Mocke brother's online course, too. But the most improvement has some from lessons with people who know what they're doing -- instant feedback is great! Will definitely check out that book -- thanks!

Billy B great advice. We have been studying his videos as well. Thanks!

That is a cicada, so common here in the summer we don't even notice them. It IS pretty hideous though, isn't it? :)

One of the things we love about paddling is all the different options available to get out and enjoy the water. Surfski manufacturers have done a great job bringing more stable skis to market over the past decade, which is great for the sport and for developing paddlers. We swam a lot when we first started surfski, and definitely couldn't carry on a conversation or look over our shoulder, but we're really glad we stuck with it. For us, it's been worth the effort. Thanks for sharing your experience with us -- try before you buy is great advice!

@@ThePaddleChannel I love paddling as people say it about different things "it can take you where nobody or nothing else can go" but paddling does that more than any other sport. I liked the idea of an ultralight boat that was really easy to carry and on paper was fast but it was too much. It's not like cycling (another sport I really like) where obviously training and physical conditioning is key but all else being equal a more expensive, upmarket model will help make more out of the same athlete. In paddling the further upmarket you go the harder the boats become and that threshold is not very forgiving if you're 6'5".