How strong are ski's really

Check out the video and see how tough an 18kg spec ski is.
www.bing.com/videos/search?q=round+1+nut...075A3443FB4558C5BDC3

Dicko , great link , never really saw that kind of comp before with the different laps , gnarly ! , those competitors are BADASS ! Now back to ski strength….Have a 25 pound Huki hybrid construction that's 1+ year old now. Carbon cockpit with FG/core/FG elsewhere and it is bomber , no soft spots , stiff from stem to stern and looks brand new. No mush where the ski contacts the racks on the car or the wide straps it hangs from in the garage. My previous two skis both developed problems. (mostly at the rails) , they were both vac. infused. The Huki is Pre-peg and I think this maybe the key to the strength to weight conundrum….Why ? , much more accurate and consistent control of resin to cloth ratio . combine this with a cook-off for the cure and the end result laminate is way more uniform. The next evolution will be adding autoclave into the mix and we are there ! For more robust const. then add layers and or increase fabric weight ,and. add seam re-enforcement. You want something that can take repeated poundings in the surf and bounce off rocks…..maybe buy a plastic whitewater boat….. Huki offers many options for laminate composition and personally I think this is the future for ski const. , when you have to shell out a few thousand bucks for a ski you ought be able to spec. the construction.

For those interested:
Most surfskis have stringers (running most of the length of the surfski from bow to stern). These are usually made of various foam, but ideally not styrofoam. I guess you could refer to that as foam core, but it really is not. It has a different purpose all together.

A foam core construction is a sandwich construction. Simply put, you use material A + closed cell foam (3-5mm thick) + material A or C.
A = fiberglass, kelvlar, or Carbon
C = fiberglass, kelvlar, or Carbon

Honeycomb construction is similar, but the sandwich is made of a honeycomb. This was the "best" back in the early 80's - but i feel that it is now outdated, though still beautiful. This construction was used more for flat water kayaks.

Laminated foam - like a surfboard - yields very very strong results, but are best kept to shape a surfski for trying new things and THEN making a mold. This method isn't too practical for mass-production.

Hope this helps to better understand.

It is all well trying to compare a spec ski with a long distance (Molokai) ski, however one is much longer than the other and loads exponentially increase with length. So in a nutshell the longer skis are very strong compared to the spec ski, plus they are substantially lighter.
The problem you have with a 18kg spec ski is that most the manufactures use very poor quality materials and building techniques, if a Molokai ski were to be built like them there would be lots of problems and there are some that are and they give the most problems.
I repair both types of ski and believe me they both break if the wave is big enough, non are exempt!

Well this has been a can of worms.

Who would have thought there were more than I that were unhappy with the strength of ski's

Anyway
Back to my topic originally
What brand/s (in Australia) make strong ocean ski's? My ski looks like they made it with a 6 ounce cloth over the core then 6 ounce cloth. This is what Surf boards use, boards also are solid so have natural ridgidity. Ski's are hollow. In my eyes the weight of the cloth in my ski is waaaaay underdone.
Or is there a option to get a ski from whom ever that make them out of full glass, no core?
I used to paddle slalom white water kayaks and they were as light as 9kg, yes they are shorter, but they were in a much more tougher environment with all those boulders and rocks. Those full glass boats take more of a pounding than these ski's do.
I also have a 12kg glass multisport kayak, so eccentially the same as a Ski. That kayak is much stronger than the ski. I carry it on my shoulder and there are no soft spots and that its like 8 years old and gets used 3/4 times a week. The ski gets used like once a month. Not a good comparrison
So where can I find a well made strong ski. In Australia. Or a Brand and second hand as the budget from replacing ski's all the time has expired. the wife says no more new toys.
Gnome.
Gnome

Hayden OR1 perhaps?
If you want a ski built like a tank then a spec ski manufacturer should be a good place to start.

Vajda. Their elite build is very solid.

So spec ski's can they have deep seats and wells like Ocean ski's?
As I used to have a Gibbons spec and it had a low seat but very low side walls and I got tired of being really wet all the time (cold water here, Mmm not real nice) All the Spec ski's I have seen around here all have very shallow seats, like sitting in a fry pan.
Adjustable pedals?
If I recall speed and glide was a bit slower too.
Gnome

Got to say I'm a little mystified by the concerns of a few in these posts, perhaps it would clarify things if the specific skis that you have concerns about was made clear.

Save yourself a lot of trouble with the strength of your future surfski.
Merely CALL a boat manufacturer and ASK:
Do you hand-make surfskis?
I'd like to custom order a surfski, but I need it beefed-up.

There are certain surfski manufacturer that in the states and Europe that make strong (long lasting) surfskis. I couldn't help you with Australia, though I am certain that if you go to any race, you will be able to get the info you need in about 3 minutes flat.

I dont want to say what brand cause this is not about bagging any one brand.
Looking at specs they all appear to very similar in the construction.

My issue is simple.
Ski's are advertised as Ocean ski's which implies they belong in the ocean.
Now at my last check, I noted the ocean had many varied conditions, smooth, smooth rolling swell, rough blown out choppy waves etc.
So if I leave on a smooth day I could expect to have any of the other conditonal changes during that day.
So at one time or another I could expect to be doing downwind or any of the other types of conditions.
Therefore I should be able to paddle out or in from a beach on or over a wave?
Now heading out there will be times when the ski will feel times of negative and positive gravity. There will be impact from above or below the hull. Im only talking about water no object are considered here.
So if Im out in a small condition day and I travel over a wave of say 1m and it is not breaking I would think no damage should happen to the ski. But Im left with soft spots and the sound of the glass flexing with sounds like its about to snap.
While transporting my ski I do this on a long dual cab ute and tray.
It is supported by a hull shaped cradle with thick soft foam to cushion the hull. This position is about half way from the coppit to nose. The tail is supported 1.5m from the tail and is sitting on 125mm of soft foam. Most people I see have those feet cradles and sit basically either side of the coppit. only about 1.5m apart. So my method hold the length much better to displace the forces more evenly.
I do not over tighten my ski to the foam and this is noted that the ski can still move and move due to the softness of the foam. No hard points. Plus the point contacts are very wide.

How much more care can one take?

The ski get used monthly and it is deteriorating so quickly. So yes Im very disappointed.
At the end once again all Im asking is, is there a ski around I should look at to replace this one and others before it and hope to get more life expectancy from it?
Gnome

@ GNOME
Couple of things going on here. I'll mention them as I really think they will greatly help in early-life-failure.

TRANSPORT:
On a car or truck, use pads of good quality.
Place your surfski with the hull aiming at the sky.
Rest your cockpit area on the bars.
Rounded cradles do not work in prolonging the life of a ski, so stay away from them.

STORING YOUR SKI:
Use exactly the same technique as above.

CARRYING YOUR SKI:
Almost the same technique as above, except you use your hands and arms as bars.
I carry my ski above my head, left hand near the footwell, right hand on opposite rail near the seat area. What ever you do, do not place the hull of your ski on your shoulder… not under any circumstances, unless you have lots of money and time to replace said ski.

WAVES:
I hear you, been there and done that.
You have couple more choices.
(1) you can time you exit between sets (from the beach).
(2) find a different launching area and paddle to where you want to go. It's a surfski, it's fast… the extra paddling is nothing.
(3) get yourself a surf-layup if you are planning to be IN THE SURF.

You do all the above, and you will notice an incredible amount of extra life in your ski.

Of course, starting out with a weak construction isn't going to help much, so choose wisely.

Yea I reckon I will return to the boats that are 18kg for the ocean just to make sure. With thich Gelcoats. Just a shame.
In regards to getting the makers to beef it up. I didn't know the like of Epic Fenn Think would do that. I will have to ask the dealers.
I hope it can be done in AUS.
Re the paddle out etc.
Yep I understand that, Im a Xwave surfer so I know about timing the exit and the sets.
Over the waves was over the hump not the break.
I appreciate all the comments
It was just sad to down grade from Kevlar to glass to find the same problems.
When all the word around was Glass boats are the tough as boats.
Thats why Im stuffed if I can figure what construction is really tough in Ocean Skis. If it was a 10kg carbon job, well I would understand why it wouldnt last. a 16kg glass was supposed to be more durable, as advertised.

Gnome

The OR1 is a 21 foot ocean racing ski, not a spec. 16kg and being hand built in Aus to order you should be able to request it beefed up as heavy as you like.

Whatever yours is sounds unusually weak though, if all skis were like that with such little use people who paddle every second day would be going though them in a couple of months, which clearly isn't the case.

Saying that Glass is stronger than Carbon is like saying that short people cannot play basketball; it can be true, but it is not always true.

There's a lot more to it.
There are a lot of different ways to build a ski. I will only speak of one that would be great for 70% of paddlers looking for a strong boat.

Glass, Foam Core, Glass.
Total skin thickness will be 0.6cm.
Epoxy (there are basically 3 types) so choose one who will have an oven cure. It's the strongest (dare I say bullet-proof) but also more expansive.
Glass - request S glass or similar. Also stronger than regular glass.
Center Beam: please make sure it's not styrofoam.
Color - Don't request any yellow for colors.
Speaking of Yellow: If you get a lemon for a boat, ask for a replacement. If they don't replace it, shop somewhere else. Be fair though… if you damaged your boat because of handling or huge waves, asking for a replacement isn't cool either (not saying you did, just saying' it.)
Tired? If you are tired of breaking too many boats, request 0.75 pounds of extra reinforcement for peace of mind.
Spec ski? Go for it… if that is what you want. You best try one first though, because while it can be perfect for you, it can also be so far from what you are used to (it just isn't a 9kg surfski).
Luck? Yeah… good luck, but try them first to improve your chances.

What is the problem with a yellow ski ? I prefer a coloured ski to the standard white.

You can get what ever color you want for gelcoat, but keep the following in mind:
Clear = faster breakdown of material with the sun.
White = Strongest pigment
Yellow = Heaviest pigment (21 feet of surfski ends up being quite a bit more weight with yellow). Plus, in my opinion, yellow is the worst: it cures differently than any other color. Matching it is nearly impossible. The only boat I sank was yellow. Should I go on about yellow?

With all the colors out there, choose away.

Why is it heaviest? Because it used to be lead or just because it needs to be applied thicker or something?

Midlifecrisis wrote: What is the problem with a yellow ski ? I prefer a coloured ski to the standard white.

well see, yellow is the colour of a lemon ... er maybe

I have been using my 9.5kg Kevlar ski for almost all sessions, down wind, up wind, punching over breaking swells and getting some big airtime for a year now. I was given a good tip about trying to get the nose down when punching over swells. Less stress on the ski and gives a little acceleration down the back of the swell. No soft spots, carry on the hip, tied tight on the cradles that are only 750mm apart in very strong cross winds.
This is not to say skis are not still fragile, impact with hard surfaces will still do damage.