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Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board
Re: Surfing Question...
Posted By: Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks In Response To: Surfing Question... (Petewp)
Date: Sunday, 18 July 2004, at 9:12 a.m.
Unfortunately, even the best surfing long boats don't surf in the same way a surf-specific kayak does. In order to be able to surf diagonally successfully with a long sea kayak, you really need some big waves, otherwise you will likely broach very quickly.
With small waves of the 2' range your best bet is try to keep perpendicular to the wave face and counteract any tendency to swing off on a diagonal. Your best bet for getting a diagonal run on waves is large waves that have not yet built to the point that they are breaking. With non-breaking waves the water in the waves is not moving much beyond going up and down with a slight oscillation, in breaking waves the whitewater is moving forward with the wave. The force of the white water pushing your stern is typically enough to broach a diagonally moving boat unless you are able to apply a large stern rudder stroke.
: Ive seen it mentioned a few times that some folk like to surf diagonally
: across the wave [chop?] face - Im guessing to lessen the burying of the
: bow.
: I paddle [ahem - "surf"] waves no larger than 2' max, does this
: apply with these size? Because my yak tracks so very strongly, I find Im
: hopelessly doing sweep strokes to avoid a broach and always always losing
: speed as a result. Proof in the pudding is that my flatwater cruising
: often has higher peak speeds than my following sea "surfing" due
: to constant sweeping - and stern rudder when it gets out of hand - the
: most costly action of them all.: Would diagonal paddling help hear - frankly I only see it inviting a faster
: broach - still for other people it seems to work - any opinions?: Pete
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