Broken leash

Today happen to me with 1.5m waves one wave caught me and fell off the ski and drag me, seeing another wave coming decided to wait for it before remount, but this time the leash snap and watched my ski go, thankfully there were no people swimming or surfing and the beach is sand. But it's pretty serious condition so I have to ask what leash should I buy to really count on it. The broken leash was mocke and I have purchased it before 3 months.

No leash in the surf zone. Your surfski is not a surfboard... You're lucky the leash broke before your knee or ankle.
The leash is only intended to keep your ski close to you if you fall in the ocean, and to not let the wind blow it away from you.

Probably a good idea.....broke my Epic leash in the surf at Currumbin Beach Gold Coast on Sunday, resulting in a 300mtr swim through swarms of jellyfish only to find my ski on the beach with a cracked hull

Not a good day

GAvC

Same thing happened to me, also on a fairly small wave. It is highly unlikely you're going to break anything by hanging onto the leash. In general though the leash through the surf is not a good idea.

Like the others said, just unclip your leash in the surf zone. If a wave properly catches your ski broadside the forces are unbelievable.

I've grabbed my footstrap many times in the surf zone, and it's mostly ok and it feels like there isn't much force pulling the ski. Until one day a small foamy got a proper hold on the ski. You simply cannot imagine how strong the pull is, and this from a 1 meter foamy. Almost pulled my arm out of its socket.

If you get a strong enough leash to handle that you'll probably break your ski or dislocate your knee in the process.

What works best for me in the surf zone if I see trouble coming is to turn turtle, and hang tight below the ski, holding onto the foot strap and hope for the best. If a big wave rolls your ski and you are attached with a leash, you'll end up wrapped tight against the ski with a leash around you. Easy way to drown.

Hey jagter what's happens in say a 1.5metre wave when it pitches up in front and there's a big body slam coming? When faced with the unexpected or have simply mistimed it and there you are in impact zone, what happens with ski nose on to broken (not breaking) wave with downward pressure underneath on footstraps.

I've had your experience in little foamy near wrenching my palms open when I hung on to leash, but have also had a gentle trip to shore side sideways bracing in a kayak with skirt on when a two metre swell just picked right up out of nowhere on way out.

I don't plan on making a habit of it but faced with that moment when front-on is not going to be pretty, could losses be safely cut with your method? Clearly one is not leashed in here.

Watto wrote: Hey jagter what's happens in say a 1.5metre wave when it pitches up in front and there's a big body slam coming? When faced with the unexpected or have simply mistimed it and there you are in impact zone, what happens with ski nose on to broken (not breaking) wave with downward pressure underneath on footstraps.

I've had your experience in little foamy near wrenching my palms open when I hung on to leash, but have also had a gentle trip to shore side sideways bracing in a kayak with skirt on when a two metre swell just picked right up out of nowhere on way out.

I don't plan on making a habit of it but faced with that moment when front-on is not going to be pretty, could losses be safely cut with your method? Clearly one is not leashed in here.

It's not foolproof. Mostly the nose just punches through the wave, almost like duck diving a surfboard. But it has gone pear shaped as well, with me having a nice long swim back to shore looking for my ski. (Actually it's about a 60/40 success failure rate for me )

I'm definitely convinced though that it's better to be under the ski, holding on than sitting on top having a wave break onto the ski. The combined force of the paddler's weight plus a proper wave lip hitting the middle of the ski will break it easily. (have seen it happen). The trick is to time it, so that you sort of pull down with max force just before the wave hits. You don't want to pull down too early with the ski then popping up as the wave hits.

So far with 'my' trick I've never broken a ski. Of course the real experts don't get caught inside, and when they do they miraculously paddle straight through breaking waves.

Edit: Just re-read your question. If the wave is already broken this trick doesn't work. You flip backwards. Or at least it's never worked for me. Then your best bet is just to paddle hard, hold your paddle high and try to punch through. And then start swimming....

Didn't know that, thanks for the info.

This french guy installed a line going over the deck from the cockpit to the bow of the ski.
dplouepic.skyrock.com/2645429596-Fixatio...-la-patte-d-oie.html

I won't add more links as I was kicked out of the forum for a few hours (tanks Rob for fixing this and letting me back in )
If you check the link I posted before (written in french) and go the the bottom of the page, there are pics of the wole thing.
His sytem allows you to wear your leash even in heahy surf because the leash is not tied to the center of the ski. when one fall in breaking waves, the leash slides all the way to the bow and the ski stays perpendicular to the wave, thus less drag.

OK , just because you can , does that mean you should be tied to your surfski in heavy breaking surf (shore break ) ? IMHO , NO.

jagter wrote:
Edit: Just re-read your question. If the wave is already broken this trick doesn't work. You flip backwards. Or at least it's never worked for me. Then your best bet is just to paddle hard, hold your paddle high and try to punch through. And then start swimming....

I hold mine low, alongside the body, pointing into the wave. That way the wave is less likely to catch it, and if it does its not coming back into your face if you hadn't quite got it high enough.

Sandy wrote: OK , just because you can , does that mean you should be tied to your surfski in heavy breaking surf (shore break ) ? IMHO , NO.

Totally agree with you. I don't want to be tied to my ski, especialy where other people are surfing (bodyboarders, surfers,etc.)
Our ski are over 20ft long, add the lenght of your leash (usualy 6ft). Anyone who is under 26ft from you could be hit by your ski when you fall...

That said, there are some places with breaking waves far from the coast (we call them "maoti" in tahitian) where there are no surfers... I wouldn't want to be separated from my ski there.

Sandy wrote: OK , just because you can , does that mean you should be tied to your surfski in heavy breaking surf (shore break ) ? IMHO , NO.

And why not, if the ski is tied per the previous post, by the nose? You act as an anchor, you can duck under the wave, the ski will swing over and not offer much resistance to the waves, you remount after a wave or two, and get out of there with the ski. If it is too much - you use your quick release and let go off the ski, or your leash breaks (you should be using a leash with breakaway points built in, so it breaks before you do). Worst case, you misjudge your timing and lose your ski and end up without your ski just like if you weren't tethered. Best case, you remount, don't hit anyone on the head with a loose ski because you kept your ski with you, and then keep paddling. Why would you want to guarantee yourself the worst case by not being tethered? Do surfers in beach break *not* use leashes?

I'm not talking 30' waves, just shore break that you can paddle through, with luck and skill...

Have at it Kocho , you go right ahead, tie yourself to your ski going through big shore break , may you always keep the hullside down....

Kocho wrote:

Sandy wrote: OK , just because you can , does that mean you should be tied to your surfski in heavy breaking surf (shore break ) ? IMHO , NO.

And why not, if the ski is tied per the previous post, by the nose? You act as an anchor, you can duck under the wave, the ski will swing over and not offer much resistance to the waves, you remount after a wave or two, and get out of there with the ski. If it is too much - you use your quick release and let go off the ski, or your leash breaks (you should be using a leash with breakaway points built in, so it breaks before you do). Worst case, you misjudge your timing and lose your ski and end up without your ski just like if you weren't tethered. Best case, you remount, don't hit anyone on the head with a loose ski because you kept your ski with you, and then keep paddling. Why would you want to guarantee yourself the worst case by not being tethered? Do surfers in beach break *not* use leashes?

I'm not talking 30' waves, just shore break that you can paddle through, with luck and skill...

I quite like the idea. If the anchor points are strong enough. Those pics from the French paddler looked like he used the footwell bungy attachment points. Definitely not strong enough.

I especially like the idea for those paddles where you have to go through a very wide surf zone, with a primary and secondary break. It's the bane of my existence to paddle 300 meters through wave after wave, and then just as I'm about the make it out I get smacked off my ski and have to swim for what feels like an hour. A leash will turn a long swim and generally shit day into a non event.

Do NOT wear the leash in the SURF ZONE! First rule of surfski paddling.
Cannot believe this can go on for so long.
If you cannot swim, do not paddle.

Hey Ranga what about the break a few hundred metres north west of Little Island off Hillary's Marina? (Little Island is about 2 kms off shore , generally shallow water 3-4 metres with some reef lumps - some big fish around too. It's a reef break which you can surf on right shoulder of wave remaining in deep water.) Reason I point this out is it's kind of a surf zone but it's not, which I'm guessing is the case in some of these posts. I agree with you about no leash and maybe even in this instance out there (have only surfed in plastics there) it's not a long swim to get your ski if parted with it, but maybe there are places (Tahiti example) where leash is lesser of two evils.

No! Personally I rarely use a surfboard leash, especially at at beach break. When I surf Malibu point on my longboard, I deliberately do not wear a leash in order to handicap myself, if I make mistake I pay for it. That way when some chump gives me shit for catching too many waves I can tell him - "At least I am not wearing a Leash" - usually shuts them up!

Relying on a leash will not improve your skills!

Obviously, you have to be responsible, But, surfing and surfski paddling are inherently dangerous sports. Every time you paddle out in the surf zone there is always a chance that you can hurt your self, be injured by someone else, and/or, that your toys will get broken.

If you feel you need a leash you should probably paddle some where else.

I have to agree with Ranga,
"If you cannot swim, do not paddle" (or surf). You are a hazard to yourself and others.

Seems like this subject has been pretty well covered.

Fath2o wrote: No! Personally I rarely use a surfboard leash, especially at at beach break. When I surf Malibu point on my longboard, I deliberately do not wear a leash in order to handicap myself, if I make mistake I pay for it. That way when some chump gives me shit for catching too many waves I can tell him - "At least I am not wearing a Leash" - usually shuts them up!

Relying on a leash will not improve your skills!

Obviously, you have to be responsible, But, surfing and surfski paddling are inherently dangerous sports. Every time you paddle out in the surf zone there is always a chance that you can hurt your self, be injured by someone else, and/or, that your toys will get broken.

If you feel you need a leash you should probably paddle some where else.

I have to agree with Ranga,
"If you cannot swim, do not paddle" (or surf). You are a hazard to yourself and others.

Seems like this subject has been pretty well covered.

Hope I've misinterpreted what you have said Faith2o. Seems to me that if you choose not to wear a leash surfing a longboard and you on occasion lose your board with other surfers around it is not you that is inconvenienced but the 'chump' your board hits.

In my opinion, if you are unable to 100 percent control your board in a break and you choose not to wear a leg rope because you are 'old school' or perceive you are special in some way and that out of control board injures another surfer you are morally and probably criminally negligent.

Surfing a break on your own, perfectly acceptable and actually wonderfully freeing not wearing a leg rope. Totally different scenario to coming in through surf with a surf ski.