Hello, from the new paddler!

Hey guys/gals, I am new to the paddling scene, so I thought may introduce myself.

I am twenty two years old living in Sydney. My first encounter with a ski was when I was encouraged to give a spec ski a go through my surf lifesaving club as a 16 yr old. After falling a few times then finally starting to get used to paddling, I moved further inland and ceased lifesaving.

So now after moving back to the waters edge (Mosman), I started growing jealous of all the kayakers around the harbor. Made the decision to get my own ski, and started looking around.

I found a Fenn Millennium in my size, and jumped at the opportunity. Didn't actually realize how tippy this thing was!

Picked it up on the weekend, and have been out a few times so far. Finally getting it under control, I can paddle it in fairly choppy water now, but still have trouble running at right angles t swell.

Looking forward to learning more about paddling sports and getting a few curiosities answered! Maybe even finding a group to go outside the harbor and past the heads! (Cant wait!)

Will the Fenn Millennium ever be a comfortable multi hour ski to use? And how would it be entering and exiting surf zones? I realize its no surf spec ski, but what are its limits?

Cheers!

Hi there

It sounds like you are doing well to handle your new ski so quickly. I have only been paddling for a few months on an XT so feeling more confident now but it is still a test for me heading out towards the heads.

I gather you lanch from Balmoral or that side so you might want to check out Balmoral blast, or ipaddle with Yanda for some paddling groups and they can also help with tecnique etc. They run a couple of days a week and I generally see them on Tuesdays. You might also want to check out Kayak for kids and the Harbour Racing series if you are feeling up to it.

I did the bridge to beach the other weekend and it was a fun day. Competitors were friendly and it was well supported, so it made the challenging conditions enjoyable. A good way to get yourself out on some longer paddles and more challenging conditions.
See you on the water!
Grant

Yeah, that's good going, starting on a Millenium! It's one of the tippier skis around.

For a while it was the most popular ski around - in the pre-Epic days. It won a number of Molokais and all the other big races.

But Grant is right - best thing to do is get involved with some other guys, nothing like paddling with some mates. You'll get to exchange tips on technique and have opportunities to try other boats.