Beginner on an EOS660... Too tippy?

Hi all,

I'm a 35year old guy from QLD, Australia, and up until a year ago had paddled a ski only a handful of times. I decided to give ocean skiing a go, and bought an EOS 660 secondhand for a good price. It was also the only used ski for sale within 1000km.

I knew it was going to be a challenge to get straight onto an intermediate/advanced ski, but I figured I would just have to work on it a bit harder. A year on, and I'm fine on flat water, but anything more than a small chop and I cannot progress. I don't fall in very often, but I cannot get more than a dozen strokes in before having to brace.

A more experienced paddler who tried my ski on flat water fell in after just a few strokes

I'm at the stage where I'm considering downgrading to a beginners ski. Are the novice/intermediate skis all that more stable than the advanced? Or should I just face the fact that I have no balance and get an outrigger?

Thanks in advance,
Joel

Phew - in my opinion, yes! You really jumped in the deep end with the 660! Especially if it's in carbon. We tried the 660 when it came out and my buddy Dale bought one - in carbon. It proved to be much more tippy than the heavier layup boat that we had tried and he sold it again a couple of months later.

The novice and intermediate skis are MUCH more stable (and hence much more fun) than the 660.

Have a go on a Fenn Swordfish, Think Evo II, Epic V10 Sport (even the Epic V10 is a lot less tippy than the 660).

Don't go the OC route just yet!

Yep as Robin said it makes a huge difference going to an intermediate ski. The same thing happened to me and going to an intermediate ski changed everything instantly. It gives you the opportunity to relax and enjoy the ocean even in side chop. You can focus on getting the power down and the finer points of paddling and almost never come out of your ski again. Intermediate skis are not slow in the ocean - the rough stuff is a great equaliser

If you're ok on the flat, definitely don't go all the way down to a beginners boat.
If you're a big guy the EOS665 is awesome and super stable even in 35knt confused crap.
If you're average size the V10 sport (if you can find one 2nd hand) is an awesome choice.
The Carbonology Vault and Fenn Swordfish also give very little away in top speed but won't take long to be comfortable in most conditions.

Ok, I'm now convinced that I should let the EOS 660 rest for a while and get into something that is more suited to my abilities. Being 2m tall is probably not helping either. The EOS 665 sounds intriguing, but I have never seen one for sale in this country.

Any other suggestions for skis that suit tall buggers?

I'll keep an eye out for some more stable skis on Gumtree. The 660 is lightning on the flat, so I might keep it in the shed for lake paddling.

The 665 is also known as the Zeplin...

I had a Zeplin in fiberglass a couple years back -- I am 6'2" x 185lbs and loved everything about it except for the 39lb weight!! Unfortunately - it was the only Zeplin in the US - and if I could find a carbon Zeplin around here now I would grab it quick!

It was VERY stable (more than the Stellar SR I had before it) and relatively fast once you get it up to speed, which wouldn't have been an issue though if it had been the carbon one. But otherwise - I would opt for a Stellar SR in Excel layup if I was a big guy as it is relatively quick, stable, and if you are living in Oz, comes with two drain holes I think.

Scott

JD79 your biggest problem will be finding a boat with the leg length.
Think skis have huge adjustment in the leg. The stellar SEL has a huge amount of adjustment. Carbonology, epic and fenn skis need serious doctoring to fit a taller paddler and I still find there is a level of compromise. Try the think evo or the stellar sel.
The Stellar is a fast boat with similar stability to the evo. The evo is a nicer boat to sit in. I would be surprised if you didn't fit both boats.

Joel (JD79),

I'm sellng a Stellar SE (modified to fit 6'6" tall paddlers) on gumtree: www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/woodvale/kayaks-...p-to-6-6-/1052967353
This is slightly more tippy the V10sport but quicker.

Dicko wrote: JD79 your biggest problem will be finding a boat with the leg length.
Think skis have huge adjustment in the leg. The stellar SEL has a huge amount of adjustment. Carbonology, epic and fenn skis need serious doctoring to fit a taller paddler and I still find there is a level of compromise. Try the think evo or the stellar sel.
The Stellar is a fast boat with similar stability to the evo. The evo is a nicer boat to sit in. I would be surprised if you didn't fit both boats.

You have legs up to your armpits though Dicko

I am 193cm and have at least 3 inches of leg length left in my Carbonology Flash.

Some people have long torsos, some long legs so you cant go on paddler height alone.

Which qualifies me perfectly to judge leg length on a bloke 2m tall. I'm 192cm and the flash, vault and switch were too short. The oceanbuilt I have now is too short. My first xt was too short. Think legend was ok. Two red 7's I had were too short. My wifes SEL is fine and still has 2-3 cm left at the end of the pedals. I have become very creative with footplates and pedals.

I take solace from the fact that Tonyb tells me Tim Jacobs is all legs. And there the similarity ends.

Dicko wrote: I take solace from the fact that Tonyb tells me Tim Jacobs is all legs. And there the similarity ends.

There's your answer then, maybe you should be paddling a Nelo

Like you I actually became very frustrated where I actually nearly gave it away. I had a fenn elite and was doing well if I paddled frequently. Paddling dropped of to the occasional paddle.Balance became an issue in the ocean when it blew up. I decided to trade on it on a glass swordfish. I have had heaps of fun for the last couple of years.Still got the swordy and just purchased a Stellar SEL excel and its awesome. Most paddlers on this site will tell you stability is the key. I am only a back marker but still enjoy getting out 3/4 times a week. I have also have confidence that I can get back it the ski if I am tired after paddling for a couple of hours.

Well, I took the plunge, sold the EOS, and bought a used Epic V10 Sport in the performance layup. Just took it out for the first time today, and was pleasantly surprised. The stability was leagues ahead of the EOS. I stayed dry in conditions that would have had me swimming a dozen times in the old ski. I think it would take a concerted effort to fall out
. It's certainly slower, but I can concentrate on actually getting a decent stroke.

I find myself looking forward to the next paddle, rather than seeing it as a challenge and a chore.

Other intermediate options not mentioned above:

Stellar SEI (similar to Epic V10S)
Vajda Hawx 52 (beginner but quicker than Epic V8 / FENN Bluefin in my opinion)
Vajda Hawx 46 (similar to the new Epic V10)

Goodluck

Second paddle in the V10 sport today, in 2-3 foot mixed up chop, rebound waves and whitecaps with a stiff breeze. In the old EOS I would have taken one look at the conditions from the beach, turned around and gone home for fear of feeding the crocodiles as I splash around trying to remount. I decided to give it a try...

Not one dismount! I was able to smash out through the breakers, keep a strong stroke with waves on the beam, and generally have an absolute blast.

Damn I love this ski!