Help me choose which Ski

I say good choice - I paddle a V10L and love it.

I have found the discussion very useful. I am still tossing between the two pieces of advice I have had.

On one side is believing my coach who says drop back to a more stable kayak (Think EVO) in which case your paddling technique will shine through and your added stability will result in improvements in time.

The other side is from my paddling mates on the coast who say get the boat you want that represents the paddler that you want to be and push through to become that paddler. In which case I would either get a Fenn Elite or UNO.

Where my head is at at this moment is in between the two which would be update the craft I have (the Epic V10L) to a lighter model which will help with acceleration and a bit more speed.

So I guess I leave the conversation where I started - no idea!

Thanks for all the suggestions.

There is no doubt that my stroke technique/leg drive have suffered from the move up to the V10L from the Sport, but you have to "leave the nest" so to speak at some point. The exciting part is that I still have improvement to see in the speed of the V10L over what I have already achieved.

Your Coach? is right in getting you up to scratch in a more stable boat so you know what you should feel like when you are getting proper leg drive, catch and twist of the torso. It took me about 9 months in the sport to get to the point where i was technically sound.

I expect it wont take as long when adjusting to the new boat.

I would encourage you to get in a sport,the changeover cost should be small as they are both popular boats, you will feel right at home coming from the V10L (accept for the wide bucket) and give it 6 months or so, then when you do nail your technique you will be excited for the change up.

Otherwise do what a lot of people here do, find a nice flat river to train on, taking out the stability factor while you work on technique, then try to take that technique into the ocean/harbour

My 2 cents worth

I just took a peak at your profile Westley, seems the Think kayak choice is a commercial decision ?

Watched the video of you on your website being coached on the river, well at least I got that part right

Best wishes with the Think, will you put up another Youtube video showing a before and after of your improvements

Nope nothing to do with a commercial decision. If you have read my comments I am tossing between a Fenn Elite (which I actually felt fairly comfortable in), another V10L (which I love) and the Think EVO which is very stable but I need to try out again for the speed comparison.

I am very open minded about these things. I just want the best ski and don't have any relationships with any product maker. I do run a website with a coach who has a connection with Think but he also has advised me to either stay where I am (on the V10L) or go the more stable craft. My role on that site is simply to write stories to help educate paddlers. No commercial interests in it.

I will stay where I am for a while longer so that I can try a couple of new options that have come out of this discussion but as far as the stability option I am convinced that the EVO is the best mix of stability, make and speed. Happy to hear if you think differently.

I hear on the grape vine that Fenn is coming out with an option for shorter guys - me being one of those and am keen to try out the Atom although it doesn't sound like the stable option but does sound fast. Also need to keep an eye on the NELO options as they are definitely quality in other craft.

No worries Westley, just saw that you had already stated in your profile that you were going to the more stable Uno.

I have signed up as a fan of your site and have enjoyed some of the articles, some great instructional stuff on there too, must be a buzz having your name up there with the likes of Kirsty Holmes as examples of coaching results.

Ty from Perth Paddlesports could use some of your website magic to get his coaching "out there" so to speak, perhaps you guys could cross link?

All the best with the site, look forward to seeing your progression on You Tube with the new boat...whichever way you go

Hi there,

I read through this thread on Ski choice, and find myself making similar decisions, although I am probably more at the beginner level. Ive entered some AR races but not solo events, I have a good bike do well in those events with the plastic ski's on flat water (though Im over navigating, and looking forward to Multisport such as Anaconda)

So as to Paddling...still a Newbie.

I noticed your choice in Epic Sport when you started. Could you have skipped that and gone to your next level ski, or do you think its better to start off with more Stable one first? I dont think my balance is too bad and Im prepared to put the training in, but still....I dont want to be frustrated from the beginning! .

I was also considering the Think ski's, perhaps the Legend, as the Evo seems a little slow when reading about it. The Epics do seem the safest choice though and widely available... I was also recommended a Red 7 Surf 70 as a very stable and fast ski for AR racing.

Like you I think stability is important when AR racing, when Im buggered from other legs I dont want to have to put to much effort into not falling off, yet I need to be competitive and not in a slow boat! Tough choices...

Any advice appreciated

cheers

Steve

Hi Steve,

I popped a link in another thread today about a blog I wrote on craft selection. It may be of assistance to you too.

www.mykayakcoach.com/blog/choosing-the-right-craft.


AR and Multi-sport bring a whole lot of extra variables into craft selection. At Team Think, we have three excellent AR/Multi-sport racers using our craft. Grant Suckling finished second overall in the Anaconda series this year, Luke Haines is one of Victoria's top racers, and Jon Hitchens in Hobart, is the quickest local Tassie racer. Each use different craft based on testing and all have their own ideas on what works for them. I can't give you those ideas of course, I'll they'll kill me for giving away information!!

Grant - Uno Ultimate

Luke - Legend Elite

Jon - Evo Ultimate


So you can see, you've got three really quick racers, finishing very closely on times, but each choose different craft. So that shows what works for one, may not work for another.One may have a stronger leg than another and vice versa, but they must all factor in what they're strongest and weakest legs are and make equipment decisions accordingly.

Hopefully what I have described with what we have gone through with the guys helps you get fixed up with a good ski so you can achieve your racing goals.

Steve, glad to hear you are joining the AR revolution In short, there is no way I could have gone from my plastic to a V10/Think Uno or Legend/Finn Elite or Mako 6. The time I did in the Sport was a good apprenticeship for the V10L I am in now.

As far as which boat, without going back over the posts I have written before my opinion is that you could throw a blanket over the Sport/Finn XT/ Think Evo but when it comes to selling them there seems to be more of a market for the Epic product which is an important consuderation at this level of boat if you can see yourself trading up after a season.

Much like 250cc motorbikes (that all learners start on)they hold thier value pretty well and should sell quickly given the growth of both AR racing and paddling in general.

I am still trying to master my V10L in swell/chop and the improvement curve is much slower than the sport, if I had started with this boat I dont think I would have paddled as fast in my last Anaconda.

Best wishes with your selection and look forward to seeing some posts on your progression.

Brett

Stew a good Blog article and helpful, a good read.

Brett thanks for the tips, you basically re-enforced what I feel is right anyway and will be looking for a Evo or Sport.

Doing the Kokoda track and a few MTB races over the next few months, but will be looking to grab a Ski in Springtime if not before.

A helpful site many thanks

Cheers

Kokoda! then all the hills at Anaconda will seem like small bumps

Agreed on Stew's blog, all common sense really, it just seems that many of us really do want to run before we are walking

Steve
There is no doubt that you should try as many skis as possible/practical before you buy, however you need to live with one for a while before you really know what you want. There is no doubt that the cut of some skis will suit some paddlers better than others, however at the end of the day they are all pretty good skis and I would suggest try a few of the more common skis - Epic, Think & Fenn, pick the one that you feel most comfortable in and buy one second hand. They keep their value pretty well, so in 6 or 12 months time when you work out what you really want, you can resell it and buy the ski you want. You will have developed your skills in the meantime and can confidently look at faster (tippier) boats. I just upgraded from a Think Evo F/G to a Think Legend Kevlar using this strategy and have no regrets. I tried a few different boats when I first started out and decided the Think Evo was the best all round boat (for me). I built up my stability and then went to the Legend. I didn't really look at any other boats when I upgraded as I really liked the Think boats, based upon my experience with the Evo. If you do go second hand then don't get too hung up on your initial choice, if in a month's time you feel you didn't get it right, sell it and buy something else.

Thanks for the advice.

I tracked down and purchased a 2nd hand Evo during the week and a new paddle and plan to get out on the water this weekend, can't wait!

Cheers

Steve

Have a look at the Ozflyte R21. This ocean ski is designed for developing / intermediate paddlers first and as you improve the ski will improve with you. By increasing the seat high the ski will improve 10-20% but your skill and balance will have to improve frist.
They are the newest ocean ski on the market as are having great reviews. We will have several of them at the Byron Bay race in July for demo paddles.
i hope this helps

Anyone who followed this thread will remember that I ended up buying a V10L in glass and up until now I had thought it was an ideal boat for me....until yesterday.

I am on the edge of what is considered the size range for this boat (192 cm and 89kg). I was 86kg when I bought the boat and it seems the paddling has put some more weight in my core and shoulders.

I was out in 25 knot winds yesterday giving the boat it's first real hit out in downwind condtions since I got it (have been delayed a bit due to a shoulder operation a few months ago). While the boat picked up the runs well and tracked well on the wind blown chop I kept plunging the nose in on almost every run that took me over 15km/hr.

Am I too heavy for this boat in downwind conditions?

I need to figure this out quick smart so I'm not in the wrong boat for the Rotto to Perth (Doctor) race in January?

Note: on large ocean swells the boat rides well, it's only the chop whipped up by the winds.

gotta surf those runs brett, u must be going too straight....

Of course, that makes sense

I do remember talking to an elite paddler before the King of the Cape saying something like that, but it didnt click until now..thanks, gotta do more downwind practise

I had the same problem when I first started riding waves on my V12, kept nose diving and stalling.

I’m a long way from being an expert but I’ve now started surfing the waves and haven’t nose dived since. I dedicated last weekend just riding waves at my local point break just so I could get a better handle on how the ski behaves, learnt a lot and had a blast!