Tips & Techniques

World Ocean Racing Champion (and biokineticist) Hayley Nixon just released a video showing some excellent stretching techniques for paddlers.  As a Master-age paddler I've been more and more aware that I should be taking more care to do these pre-paddle preparations, so this comes at a great time for me - but everyone, even younger paddlers can use these techniques to avoid injury and to improve their strength and suppleness.

Extreme sports and 100% safety are incompatible. When you go to sea in gale-force downwind conditions, sometimes shit will happen. And it’s then that your safety gear and your preparedness in using it become vital…

As Alan remounted his surfski yet again, he realized that it was time to call for help. The wind was increasing, the tide had turned, and the beam-on waves were getting bigger and steeper. He fumbled with his VHF radio, but the cold had robbed his hands of feeling…

My speed surged as I launched down the run, spray flying, the howl and crash of the wind and waves in my ears… and then, crack! “Faaaaaark!” (or words to that effect). The footplate assembly had completely separated from the boat and in an instant, I had no steering, nothing to press my feet against at all. The boat veered off, out of control…

As I watched through the zoom lens it felt as though I was right there: Jasper Mocke’s surfski hung for a moment on the precipice and then plunged down the face of a massive wave.  He hit a smaller cross chop, went airborne and then plunged down, the nose of his ski diving into the green water; he disappeared in an explosion of spray and then the boat shot up without him, spinning, into the air.

There are quite a few how-to-remount videos on YouTube - but once again Oscar shows us the best technique for remounting and he makes it look easy (it is easy, you just need to practise!).  Remounting is one of the core skills in surfski paddling - along with the brace stroke.  Best you don't come out of your ski at all, but if you do, this is the best and easiest way to get in again.

It’s inevitable: sooner or later your surfski’s hull WILL be punctured and it WILL take on salt water…  and over time it’ll get heavier and heavier no matter how much you try and drain it.  Here’s how to get that pesky moisture out of your surfski. 

Downwind fiend and avid surfski videographer Sharon Armstrong does it again - and produces a video that is a Master Class in how to get through monster surf.   Watch and learn!

[Editor: This is the first of what I hope will be many "Tuesday Tips" from Stewart O'Regan, mad Irish-Aussie and Think Kayak's agent in Australia...!]  Here's Stew: If I had a dollar for every time I get asked what grip tape I use, why I use it etc etc, well I might not have the resources to retire, but I’d certainly be better off!

Sean Rice (2013 ICF Ocean Racing World Champion, 2017 Molokai Challenge Champion plus a host of other titles) of PaddleLife and Huksu Coaching recently re-published these tips for improving your surfski paddling. As I read through them I found I had a whole lot of questions, so I called Sean at his office in London and he kindly chatted through them with me.