Eskimo Rolling a Surf Ski?

Watched this short video and was just wondering if someone has installed a lap strap like wave skis have (with a quick release buckle). I can see where this can be handy in pesky breaking waves or surf where the chance of going over is good or just for plain fun.



I suppose a remount is fast but a roll is even faster, plus you stay with the ski...

While it's only just considered a ski The finn affinity has two thigh straps for stability, I could roll that quite easily. I dont know if I'd like to put that much stress on a composite ski, the mounts for the strap would be prone to extreme forces I would think.

Good point about the strength of the ski... While near the seat I would hope there are some reinforcements, a strong tug on a strap may cause a nasty hole to open-up. A good roll does not require much effort and should not stress the ski too much. But I am thinking more about my body acting as an anchor dragging underwater while some wave tries to pull the surfski away.

G'day Guys,
Rob & I made that video for a bit of a gag, it wasn't really meant as some sort of extra safety technique. I'm sure the freedom of paddling a ski in the dynamic way you do you would be pretty well compromised by any strap system which would give you enough purchase to roll it.
Mark.

Kocho , you wanna roll ? buy a kayak.....have a friend that spent way to much time tinkering with a vampire and a bunch of minicell foam so he could comfortably roll it , even with a very solid roll and a high level of BCU certification and training it remained a mute point in conditions , with a ski , you would likely be way faster and consisitant with a remount in big conditions not to mention what a bummer it would be to rip the mounts out for your "seatbelt" to find yourself swimming with a soon to be flooded ski.

I know a guy who installed a "seatbelt"in a fenn millenium. It was made of seatbelt like material. he cut two slots in the rear rim of the bucket and it was thread though the inside of the ski. He wasn't trying to be cheeky. He was just tired of remounts and decided he'd rather roll.

If he likes rolling his V8, why not just buy an 18x instead?

Here in dbn there is a guy who is old enough to be a master but is still toward the front of the field. As a youngster he was one of the best He has retro fitted straps that run from his hip to level with his feet on either side of the boat. He slips a knee under each and eskimo rolls all the time. In big surf even the the world beaters we have living in dbn, find it tough to beat him to back line. He says one of the best uses of the knee straps is when punching thru the lip of a big wave. He stays seated in his ski during the inevitable airtime as u crash down on the other side of the wave. For me it's often my ass slamming back into the seat that rolls me out rather than the wave itself. Seeing him in action it's hard to see how a STD remount could be faster. Can't comment on how's he has attached the straps to the boat.

That's more the use I had in mind. Although, not big surf since I do not do that stuff, but for bracing and control and connectedness with the ski in pushy steep waves.

I like the idea of routing the strap through slots under the seat. That would be easy to do and very strong. Not sure about the thigh straps running front to back - these are used in many sit on tops for rough use and white water but I think they will be in the way when not in use...

And I'm not really thinking that seriously about it More like toying with the idea and checking to see what others might have done...

Kocho for your thoughts-cutting slots in light composite contruction (which is also hypothetically water tight) is a BAD idea , how would you seal the slots to prevent watre intrusion??????

Forget the eskimo roles the retro trend to take away from this is start using a Greenland Paddle.

I have laid eyes on a photo of a ski with a molded "tree" between your legs. Imagine a vertical ball buster attached to the cockpit that separates your knees/legs. I do believe I saw it on Childsplay's website a long time ago. No idea of the maker, but I assumed it was rolling. Side saddle remount would be impossible.

Finn Kayaks sell their skis with leg straps looping over the knees.

The Gizmo is a wave ski, but displays the straps better. In their surf skis, the strap anchors at the side of the footwell