First surf ski advice

Looking around I have tried to find other threads about this topic but its individual as to whats best for who and where. Buying a surf ski mid winter is not ideal, but theres no better incentive for not swimming as freezing water.

First I am located Vancouver Island, Canada. my nearest rental place for a surfski is over a 2 hour drive away so I cant really get enough time on any surf ski to know what I would like. Reading articles only goes so far but makes me think an epic V10 sport would be best. Money is an issue so it will be a used boat. I have had troubles finding used boats with it being winter, allthough I have found a used 8 year old Epic V10 for a fair price within a days drive. So I guess the question is would that be a boat as a beginner I would be able to handle and grow into for ability or holding off to find something a little easier.

To learn it would all be close to shore ocean for the many swims I would be doing. Eventually I would like to do some paddles around 10 km or so when the ability has that being done safely. I am 5'11" at 185 pounds and would be doing this for exercise.

Also the V10 I have found being that it is 8 years old I am curious as to what to look for in it or what has changed with them in the last 8 years.

I appreciate any advice the wise people of this board can offer a new guy trying to get into the market.

Look up "Raw Beginner Story" on this site for my story. The generation of the V10 is important for changes in stability, the more recent is more stable. I'm not sure how to spot visual changes from one to the other. There was once a person you could rent from in Victoria but I don't know if he is still there. Deep Cove in Vancouver has EVERYTHING you could try out. Prior kayak experience will be key. As you are smaller than me the Think boats sound like they could fit you too.

IMHO - better to aim for an intermediate or even beginner ski if your can. The original v10 is an elite ski. It is significantly less forgiving than the current v10, and less comfortable as the seat is lower relative to the feet. Of course you could learn on it, and if you have the right combination of youth, athleticism, balance, and stubborn determination it will only take a few years to be comfortable on it without constant risk of swimming. but that will be a few years wasted in that you were focusing on balance rather than proper stroke, surfing waves, and just enjoying the ocean. When I think of vancouver island I think of cold water and very strong currents. Better to be in a more stable boat if you can make it work. Even staying close to shore repeated capsizes in a boat that is too tippy to reliably remount becomes a safety issue. If you fail a few remounts you get colder and weaker, and then it becomes impossible to get back into the boat, all the while the current is pulling you into a foggy shipping lane, and good fun slides into tragedy.

Remember, when Ivan Lawler, world champion flatwater kayaker, wanted to learn surfski, he chose an ultra stable v8.

Listen up Newtoit, Zachhandler is providing excellent advice and wisdom. I agree 100%

Well I shall start by saying thank you for the advice, Sink me I think that thread should be on every surfski site to help people choose the best way for them to start out. Zachhandler thank you for the advice as well as I am in this to get and stay in shape not die.

I am located in comox and the nearest place to me to rent is deep cove kayaks which is in vancouver, a 4 hour trip including an expensive ferry ride so that is difficult to justify. Ocean River I believe used to rent surfskis but it appears that they no longer do, that only being a 2.5 hour drive.

There has been interest in getting some at our local paddle shop but no luck with that yet.

Being 25 I have to fight my natural instincts to buy fast to go fast even though swimming is the slowest thing you can do. I have alot of kayak experience, both ocean and white water for several years. ocean trips are out to around 40km in a day. But I also understand that surf skis are a new can of worms for re learning everything you thought you had mastered since you cant roll a surf ski like you can kayaks.

The one reason I was considering this V10 so much is simply because it is for sale right now and would allow me to start practice right away and the price is right, looking at spending around 1500 CAD. Am I better of just waiting till paddling season and trying to pick up a V10sport or whatever would be comparable of a different brand, just seems to be more epics for sale then anything else when they come up so thats where I looked, any advice there would also help, I dont want to go as stable as a V8.

I am hoping being young and within 5 minutes of the ocean that I can gain the skill that boat requires relatively quickly (in surfski terms) also I could get out any day that the weather would allow. I am 5'11" and around 185, around 10 pounds over my in shape weight but working on that as well.

The epic V10s is an excellent all purpose boat. While in my opinion and experience the old epic V10 not so much.
The V10 is a fast and I feel, one of the more stable elite class boats. But, I have never felt completely comfortable in rough water. I am always comfortable in my kevlar EVO. I am sure that the V10s would be very similar. I like my V10 but rarely paddle it any more. IMO unless your a fanatic about winning races and having a slighty faster and much less stable surfski, I'd look for an intermediate ski. I don't think an old V10 is worth much more than about $900 USD.
Good luck!

I agree with others that an old style V10 is not the boat to start off with on Vancouver Island. More importantly, the 4 hour trip to Deep Cove to try out a bunch of boats is well worth it. It's a day out of your life. Many would love the chance to travel so little to gain so much. Do it.

In my opinion a V 10 is not a beginner boat, you should have way more fun in a V8, learn proper paddling first work on balance and leg drive, then move up.

A V10 is a racing ski, definitely NOT a beginners boat.

Don`t waste your time or money , as mentioned before a V8 or any similar type ski would do the job just fine. You will enjoy your paddling and learn correct technique, not just the ability to stay upright as is for most who try to start at the top end of ski design.

I have been paddling for over 30 years competitively and choose to paddle a intermediate ski because I want to have fun paddling, not learning how to remount because I fall in all the time!

Go to Deep Cove, try both the Think and Epic brands. Get a dry suit for certain. Consider a V8 to start out or an entry level Think boat. I've tried both and the Epic fit me better.

56 years young and counting, former West Coaster I'm fairly tall and a competitive paddler and I've got a V8 I've paddled for a couple of years now and its still a great boat especially in rough water. I also use a V10 double that can be humbling with a novice aboard.

My experience in using the V8 is more time paddling equals better technique and a much more enjoyable experience. I can paddle the V8 fast enough and reliably enough that the guys in the K1's get surprised. For the investment you'll be glad you went that way and took the good advice you got here on the forum.

As you are 25 it is hard to judge whether you can master an unstable boat or need stability. If you were 50 it would be a no brainer, go stable. However you are young (and I'm assuming strong and flexible) and have been in rough water. We see plenty of young paddlers humiliate us by mastering elite boats quickly, whilst us oldies struggle with intermediate boats for years.

I think your safest approach would be something like a v10sport first, and then move to an elite boat when you are ready. The sports are always easy to sell as they are great boats. You may find you only need the sport for a year or so, especially if you can paddle hard 4 or more times a week continuously. If not, you made the right decision.

From what I hear Comox gets great downwind conditions, especially when the summer NW winds fill in. I'd definitely start with a boat such as a V-8, or maybe even a V-10 Sport, Evo II, or something in that class. I believe Don Irvine has a shop in the area selling outriggers, and though I'm not sure he has surfskis, he probably has connections in the paddling world. I'd also hit him up to find out the downwind put ins and take outs (and bail outs if needed!) in and around Comox. Paddling is all about surfing waves as you'll soon find out!

Hey, the "right" ski depends entirely on your mindset, motivation, goals, background, budget and who you paddle with. What is right for one person may be way off for someone else. The last one: "who you paddle with" can make all the difference in the world. If you have good mates who can show you the ropes and offer pointers while keeping you out of deep sh%t, it makes a big difference and will rapidly speed your development. If however, you'll be the only ski paddler in your area, then it's tough because the nuances in ski paddling make a giant impact and it will be up to you to learn that stuff solo and via YouTube.

Either way, go paddle as many ski as you possibly can (or cant!) just for the fun of it. Bob get's it, and will hook you up. While a 4 hour drive is no joke, it will likely prove well worth it when you think about how many hours you will spend in said surfski. When I started paddling a few years ago (4ish), a V10S absolutely owned me even in flatwater. Swim after swim after swim. It was like nothing else I had ever paddled (which isn't saying much because I was brand new to paddling). The V10s was maddeningly fast and unstable for me, but thankfully the summer air was warmish despite the cold puget sound water and I was able to make progress. After a few sessions, I was hooked and determined learn how to tame the ski dragon. I would have swum less in a V8, but I developed more quickly in a V10S. There is an old sailing adage I like as a younger, aggressive dude: "buy your second boat first". That said, with the growth of surfskis in your area, a V8 will likely be a very easy ski to sell, so you should do well either way. An older V10 might be a bit harder to sell and you may find yourself making a 4 hour drive on the other side of the equation. Cheers, Nicholas Cryder / fasterfarther.com