Knee Straps ?

I am new to surfskis, so please bear with a question that may be naive. A friend of mine, who is an avid river kayaker, asked why surfskis do not have attachment points for knee straps, or why not solid parts of the boat against which the knees can brace? He contends these would improve handling and allow eskimo rolls. I can imagine why such things are not used on surfskis, but don't really know the answer...I figured that someone here could explain.

This question comes up from time to time and I believe there have been some experiments with lap straps and hip braces.

I can't think of a situation where i'd want to do an eskimo roll - I hardly ever come off the ski and mostly when i do i'm in places eg surf where I'd rather be separated from the ski because of the risk of injury. Here most paddling is long distance on the open ocean - and you're not usually in a situation where you're likely to come off.

Another thing is that your knees move up & down as you rotate & push your feet against the footplate - knee straps would prevent this.

Also, because the ski is a sit-on-top, it just doesn't matter if you come off - you just get back on again. With a kayak if you come off, the thing fills with water & you're in a nasty situation.

Thanks Rob,

I'm encouraged that what I imagine to be true, is.

An additional contention of mine - which I'd appreciate your comment on - was that I don't "wear" the ski as my friend describes "wearing" his river kayak via the knee braces. Contact with the ski is through the triangle of contact points at the feet, the seat, and the paddle blade, but rather than controlling the hull with my body, I try to allow my hips to swivel with the boat, with a relaxed and centered upper body, allowing the hull to find its own stability (is this correct technique???).

I wear knee straps with my short wave rider, so I understand how they work, and it seems to me that trying to control a surf ski in that fashion would actually destabilize it...too much risk of overcompensating, causing more dumps. The only "advantage" would be the ability to eskimo roll, which, as you point out, is unnecessary (even for a beginner like me) and potentially dangerous in some circumstances.

CJB

An additional contention of mine - which I'd appreciate your comment on - was that I don't "wear" the ski as my friend describes "wearing" his river kayak via the knee braces. Contact with the ski is through the triangle of contact points at the feet, the seat, and the paddle blade, but rather than controlling the hull with my body, I try to allow my hips to swivel with the boat, with a relaxed and centered upper body, allowing the hull to find its own stability (is this correct technique???).

I do feel like I'm "wearing" my ski - what I mean by that is that I feel completely relaxed & comfortable in it. I don't think about balance, I just paddle. If I'm in a ski where I'm feeling tippy, my whole rhythm and comfort are compromised.

Your torso should be rotating in a horizontal plane as you paddle. For example, as you pull your paddle back on the left hand side of the ski, you should be thrusting with your left foot against the footplate. Your left leg will straighten & your right leg will bend a little.

Cheers, Rob