Cowboy remount

I recently took a class from a world class paddler. He said that everyone should be able to remount both sides (of course) and both ways (sidesaddle as well as cowboy). Armed with that info, I went out today to try and learn the cowboy remount. Try is all I dId. googled it, and couldn't find anything on it, no videos no nothing. Assuming it's called the cowboy method, and there's not another name that I am missing. Asked a couple of experienced paddlers, they don't use the cowboy method. So, two questions: anyone have a link to a how to, video or otherwise? And, if I can effectively remount sidesaddle, do I really need to be able to do it? When would I use it, over the sidesaddle method?

As someone who has been surfing my whole life, my question is why would anyone use the sidesaddle? Climbing on a surfski for a "cowboy" remount is just the same as getting on a surfboard. Climb on the back of your ski and lie forward just as if you're lying on a surfboard. At this point you are completely stable and out of the water, then scoot a little forward until your butt is over the seat area and extend your legs on either side of the ski. Now you can bring in one leg at a time, or if it is real sketchy you can paddle home just like that.

If it's too big and too gnarly for you to stay in your boat, sidesaddle isn't gonna do anything for you. You can always paddle home (I have timed my speed at 3.5 mph or 5+ kph) with both legs out for stability.

Edit: I should say scoot forward until you're over the seating area, then while raising your upper body into a seating position, scoot your butt into the seat and extend your legs over either side of the ski.

Are you saying work your way from the stern all the way to the cockpit? I was under the impression that you started the same as side saddle, but rather than spin your legs into the bucket, you swung one leg over the back of the bucket and landed with your bum in the bottom of the bucket, with legs out. I will try the stern method tomorrow (pending further responses) but lying on the top of the rear deck doesn't strike me as stable at all. I was thinking maybe one should gain the sideways position on the cockpit, then spin so torso is low over front of cockpit, head near pedals, then straddle the boat and sit in bucket.

You're not really way far back on the rear deck. I'd say your waist area will be a foot or so behind the seat when you climb on with your chest area over the seat. You then kind of scoot forward a tad as you sit up and drop your butt into the seat

Barry Lewin at 6:10 in big conditions remounting cowboy style.

I think I have posted this before in the thread about whether kayaks or skis are safer.

Thank you
Dont lnow why i couldnt find it. Its mission tomorrow.

as the vid above shows, it's a pretty fast method to remount, which is why I favour it as well, esp. also for narrow bucket/ high sidewall skis ...

another link:
www.surfski.info/getting-started/story/1...lls-the-remount.html
concentrate on the leg you want to swing above the ski to swing it high above the ski (best: concentrate on your knee to swing it high and not hit the boat), in my experience, it works best when practiced for speed. the vid in the post above shows how it should look like, thanks for posting



leash I use for that,
www.surfski.info/forum/13-safety/18720-l...ent-point.html#26484

Thank you, those two remounting videos were extremely helpful to me. The saddle remount was as I envisioned, just have to acquire the speed to get through that short period of instability as I get the leg over. As for the side saddle method, in the video the paddler eliminates the laying across the ski portion that we newer paddlers do, prior to spinning the buns into the bucket. Sort of spins around on the way up to land in the bucket. Gives me something to work towards while the water is still warm. In a few weeks I will amaze my paddling partners with my newly developed remount skills (hopefully). Thanks again.

Wow that's a slick remount - wonder which ski he was paddling that day? Fenn skis suit the coyboy a little better too, without the bunjies and fitting to drag your bollocks across.

I struggle with the cowboy mount on my Elite S (other's are okay), so easy to roll over again at that critical moment when your C.G. is highest as you are about to drop your butt in. Strike rate is about 50% - whereas the side saddle is much more consistent. I'm sure if I could be as quick as Barry it would work better though.

I like the side saddle also when you are getting tired, you can have a breather while stable once you have your butt in the seat and both your legs trailing in the water as the ski is blown along sideways - plenty of time to sort out your gear and pick your timing between swells - then easier to bring each leg in to the pedals or throw a leg completely across.

Side saddle is a much easier remount, but certain skis are just not possible to remount this way.
I simply can't sidesaddle an elite or my elite sl. I think size has something to do with it.
Some tricks to remember.
Get your chest as low as you can into the footwell. This makes it easier for your legs to swing across the rear deck.
I like to land my bum on the back half of the hump in the footwell and then slide into the seat.
In really choppy stuff, make sure you have one hand in the correct position on the paddle so you are ready to brace.
In the elite, because the sides are so high, it is really easy to capsize again, so I tend to keep leaning forward with my chest low while I have a rest and get the paddle in the water. When I'm ready I sit up and drop in the bucket.

For added stability while attempting to remount Cowboy style, try this:
Swing leg over
Keep chest low and forward (as mentioned, but worth repeating over and over)
As soon as your leg swings over, make CIRCLES with both legs, immediately!
(this last thing is crucial in rough seas for added stability)

The Mocke Brothers' "Master of Surfski" video class has a video with the cowboy or "leg over remount".

Cowboy remount does look fast - but completely unusable if you have a light post on the rear deck (which I do when winter paddling).

Sidesaddle remount is very dependable.