Fenn Mako 6 Remount

Could anyone give me any sage advice on remounting the Mako 6. I have recently moved from a Mark 1 which is remarkably easy to remount and although I have had no issues with the stability of the 6 and haven't fallen out od it either, I did try a forced remount yesterday and for the life of me I couldn't get back in - the boat seems to roll over before you can inch forward to drop your bum into the bucket ? I'm now worried about going out as far as I have been paddling lately. I predominatly paddle alone here in the Far North of New Zealand so would like some more confidance anyone ??

Go to the info section, click on tips and follow both methods there. My red 7 is also hard to mount but if you get a set procedure in your head and then make a point of practising at the end of a couple of paddles you will find your confidence will grow. If you are south of the equator I would practice before the water gets cold. My ski has a deep bucket and I find that if I mount it further forward and place my backside on the hump in front of the seat I slide back in pretty quickly. Like most things we practice paddling but never really practice remounting, I know the guys I paddle with don't, (or they won't admit it), and it is pretty important.

Chasp, from your description it sounds like you are doing a straddle reentry. Switch to a side saddle reentry - which is described in an article on this website - it's much easier on the deep seat skis like the 6.

I agree with Nell. When I first got my Mako6, I tried remounting with the straddle method which, I had always used easily on my old ski, and found it VERY difficult. Once I switched to the side saddle method, it is much easier to remount.

I recently changed from a Spectrum spec ski to a Mako 6. I had the straddle re-mount on the Spectrum nailed, and was reasonably confident going out on my own. I also found the Mako 6 quite stable but the first practice re-mount was very difficult - not good for your confidence.

The part of the re-mount I foung difficult was dropping my bum into the bucket. The first part (where you get your body across the ski) was ok. So I found some calm chest-high water so I can still kick off from the bottom (that just makes it easier to practice for longer) and then spent an hour practising both the straddle and side-saddle re-mounts. Or shall I say getting on one side and falling off the other! Hey, I also provided some entertainment for spectators on the beach!

Next day I went out and tried a deep water re-mount and succeeded first time. Since then I have practice both re-mounts every time I go paddle and it is getting easier.

For me, a lot was about where to place your hands, learning body position for balance and such things.

I found it easier to do the side-saddle remount without a pfd on (I normally use a pfd when I paddle on my own).

With the sidesaddle re-mount I found that it was easier to keep my balance (before dropping my bum into the bucket) if I concentrate on keeping my upper body over one side of the ski and the legs over the other side. Initillay I brought my upper body upright too quickly and this makes balancing more difficult.

I also found that, with the sidesaddle re-mount it is good to make sure that you have your paddle in a good position before you drop your bum in so that you can start paddling as soon as possible.

Hope this helps

I've just bought a Red7 Surf70 a few months ago and have been through the ordeal of remounting a few times now.

I use the straddle method and echo the comments of Dicko - get your bum forward (on the hump which is normally under your knees) and then drop your backside into the bucket. I usually find myself almost lying flat - seems to offer a lower centre of gravity before I get settled. Then I try to put in a few quick strokes to get moving and balance before adjusting myself to the proper paddling position.

My brother (normally on a spectrum ski and much more experienced than me) has had a few goes at the Red7 and he thinks side-saddle is best. I haven't had any luck with this myself, as I think I trt to sit up-right too quickly. I think the comments from John_p are probably spot on re the side-remount but I haven't practised this myself - I just stuck with what seemed to work for me!

Goodluck!

Mike, Dicko - thanks very much but to be clear, do you straddle the ski and then slide forward till your bum is over the hump then drop down ? or do you straddle the ski over the cockpit at the point of the hump and then drop in ? - as someone else has said before, there is not much grace/time given before the boat quickly rolls over again and you end up looking abit like a rotisserie !!

I've paddled a bunch of skis in the last year or so and when it comes to remounting, I've found that for me:

1. Straddle is faster than bum-first.
2. The deeper the bucket, the more difficult a bum-first (ie sidesaddle) remount e.g. I found bum-first easy in the Red7, very difficult in Fenn Mako6 or Fenn Mako Elite
3. I now favour straddle, but I had to practise it

In our Fenn v Apex article, in the video, you can see me doing a bum-first remount first, falling off, then doing a straddle remount which was much more effective.

I try to position myself so that when I sit up my bum falls straight into the bucket.

Paddled with an Aussie earlier this year on a classic downwind. He came off a couple of times but each time he remounted within seconds. He said that he trains with Dean Gardiner - and Dean makes the guys remount as a matter course during training paddles. Good idea!

I've always used side saddle and find it helps to focus on getting your leg across the ski (or better, directly into the footwell) in the first motion. As I'm laying across the ski, I push my body up and rotate my butt into the seat and get my leg across the boat in one swift motion.. or else I run the risk of the graceful move Robin showed in the vid (been there, done that). My hand on the far side grabs around the seat area and also holds the paddle, parallel with the hull, just outside the boat. Near hand holds edge near pedal.

Hi Rob - must agree with you as I tried several of each method after my paddle yesterday and the straddle method on the Mako 6 is definitely the better option for me. The boat is just far too tippy for the side straddle and while I did get in with the side mount, it was only after doing the 'rotisserie' sideshow for spectators several times.
The 6's rails on the bucket are also quite unkind to your inner thighs and I have two bruises each side this morning.
Dean Gardiners suggestion as to doing this each you go out is a good one. Many people I think would struggle once you have a PFD on too, what with a VHF radio aerieal and a plastic box of flares sticking out the front pocket.

Chasp,

For me, I follow this routine:
1) get myself ready with the front hand on the foot strap (usually holding the paddle with this hand) and the other on the opposite rail.
2) I then haul my chest over the foot-plate and swing my leg over before sitting up (at this point my butt is on the hump before the seat) and then quickly dropping back into the seat (this is usually one motion, but sometimes I need to do a panic kick of the legs to get stable before dropping into the seat).
3) I usually find myself lying relatively flat, leaning back from the seat (as if I was trying to avoid a massive nose-dive), which seems to help with low centre of gravity and therefore helps balance.
4) drop feet into place and put in a few quick strokes to get moving again.
5) sit up properly and do a 'bum-hop' in the seat to get comfortable (can't think of better words to use than 'bum-hop').

Remember, I've only been doing this for a few months, but have fallen off a few times and now have some practice. This includes falling in just after the start of the recent Bridge to Beach in Sydney ... not so much fun considering the number of shark attacks and shark sitings in/around Sydney this Summer! Needless to say, I got going again pretty quickly.

I've only owned my M6 for four days and after reading these posts I decided to practice remounts in the safe river! I used the same technique I used in my Mentor and it seems to work (although the M6 is much more tippy when you're trying to remount!).

I throw myself over the back of the ski, just behind the seat, in a maneuver taught to me as 'throw your tits over'. Then I straddle the ski while leaning forward so I'm almost flat, grab the footstraps, and pull while sliding my bum forwards, resulting in my bum landing in the seat WHUMP.

This worked first go 4/5 tries and the fifth go it worked on the second try. Hopefully I can replicate this on the ocean!!