Update: First week on a ski

Wow. I am loving it! So after one week of surf skiing I am addicted. Yes, I do swim almost as much as I paddle but thats OK the water is warm this time of year.

I am paddling an Epic V10 Sport. I have my re entry down so no worries there.

Stability is coming on slowly, my fault not the Epic's.

I was having difficulty getting my ass set back in the bucket after re entry but thanks to your helpful tips it is no longer a problem. At first I was afraid to press hard on the footplate to slide back. Thought I would break the thing. I have not snapped the footplate yet so it appears to be sturdier than I had imagined.

Turning is a bit of a problem. say I want to turn to the left. I press on left rudder (fully depressed) with my toes but the ski seems to turn in a slow arc. A very slow arc. is this normal? I'm wondering if I can edge the ski like my kayak? I suppose I'll find out later this afternoon. Is there such a thing as a sharp turn in a ski?

Still playing with the leash. Currently attached to ankle and footplate. I will try attachment to PFD as i believe this will be a bit less cumbersome on re entry. There appears to be a leash attachment just forward of the bucket. I may try this attachment point as well.

Regarding a paddle: I am using my 220 cm 22 oz kayak paddle at this time. According to the Epic "paddle wizard" application I should be using a 212 cm small mid or mid wing paddle..

Since I've only been at it for a week and have not developed any degree of proficiency is it too soon to spend $450 U.S. (app. 3,700 Rand) on a wing paddle?

Will the wing help improve my technique or will it be a hinderance this early on?

I have a pretty good concept of the wing and have watched Greg Barton's Forward Stroke DVD multiple times.

I am thinking I should go small mid wing at this point as from what I have read it is a bit more "forgiving".

Any help is appreciated.

well done,

I would try the leash mount rather than the footplate
get a wing, you wont regret it. I believe the consensus here is that people are finding shorter paddles are easier to learn with as well as less tiring none of the guys i paddle with use anything longer than 212 on a ski or down river and longer in K1's
I suggest getting yourself a copy of the "surfski with the pros" book has great advise on remounting/turning etc..

drjay9051 wrote: At first I was afraid to press hard on the footplate to slide back. Thought I would break the thing. I have not snapped the footplate yet so it appears to be sturdier than I had imagined.

Yeah, these are pretty sturdy. They are made to do leg drive off while paddling, so pushing with your feet should not cause any damage to the boat.

As for the turning issue, no, they don't turn on a dime. But remember that the more forward speed you have then the easier the turn. The boat needs water flowing past the rudder to do the turn.

Also, check to ensure that you don't have too much slack in the rudder lines. Are the rudder pedals at the same angle as the footplate, or do they slope further forward? If the latter, then shorten the lines until the rudder pedals are further back and easier to use with the ball of your foot.

Hope this assists.

So yesterday I played in the lake for about 3 hours. I learned that you can in fact edge a ski !

I had it well over to the point where water entered the bucket.

Also found that if I don't keep my torso perpendicular to the water I will swim for sure.

I used the edging to turn with speed but it seems like a great stopping method as well, stop paddling ,edge, a bit of brace and I stop pretty quickly.

So my work day is half over and than another couple of hours on (and off) the ski. Wonder how long it takes to grow gills??

DrJay:

I just bought myself an Epic V10Sport 3 weeks ago and have been introducing myself to surf skiing with no real experience (I rowed crew about 20 years ago). Am only in the ocean and finding it challenging as hell. Going with and against the waves is the easiest so far, broadside is quite tippy. I will appreciate following your progress and hope to learn something.

Randy