Could anyone please define what is a surf ski? Are those long 19feet x 18inch rockets really used in surf? Are they all open deck? Or does a long and narrow closed deck kayak qualify? Do they all have rudders? Is that necessary/desirable? Can a 18feet x 19inch Greenland kayak be considered a surf ski? If not, what does it need? thanks! - Julio *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Julio, I'm looking forward to the discussion that will be generated by your questions about surf skis. I don't have a definition for a surf ski. I've only seen sit on tops called surf skis. As your post suggested, the key is to get the waterline length to the width ratio as high as possible. An interesting web site to check out on this issue is the sound rowers boat classification web site. The URL is: www.accessone.com/~traci/SoundRowers/yakclass.html They define three classes of kayak based on this ratio: sea kayak (less than 9.25), fast sea kayak (between 9.25 and 10.99), and high performance kayak (greater than 10.99). All the surf skis I'm aware of are considered high performance kayaks with ratios typically between 12 and 14. There are some decked kayaks that fall in the high performance kayak class. For example, a famous decked kayak in the northwest racing scene is the Sissuou Evolution (affectionatly known up here as "orange crush"). The boat's waterline length to the width ratio is greater than 12! As for rudders, my experience is that these boats really need the rudders. Yes, a skilled paddler can control the boat without the rudder, but the goal for surf skis and other high performance kayaks is speed. If you want the ultimate speed, you want to use a wing paddle. A wing paddle is great for forward strokes, but is not too good at correction strokes -- hence the rudder is quite useful. Even without the wing paddle, the rudder is useful since it can replace some correction strokes and let the paddler's energy focus on the forwared stroke. As for surf, I can't imagine using a surf ski in breaking surf. I suspect their lack of maneuverability would be difficult and that they would tend to broach in the breaking wave. They are great, however, for surfing swells. Finally, a comment on your greenland kayak. I don't know if it would be considered a surf ski, but its waterline length to the width ratio would be around 12 which would make it a high performance kayak. --Tim -----Original Message----- From: Julio MacWilliams To: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Sent: 12/23/98 10:05 PM Subject: [Paddlewise] surf skis? Could anyone please define what is a surf ski? Are those long 19feet x 18inch rockets really used in surf? Are they all open deck? Or does a long and narrow closed deck kayak qualify? Do they all have rudders? Is that necessary/desirable? Can a 18feet x 19inch Greenland kayak be considered a surf ski? If not, what does it need? thanks! - Julio ************************************************************************ *** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ************************************************************************ *** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Mattson, Timothy G wrote: > They define three classes of kayak based on this ratio: sea kayak (less than > 9.25), fast sea kayak (between 9.25 and 10.99), and high performance kayak > (greater than 10.99). All the surf skis I'm aware of are considered high > performance kayaks with ratios typically between 12 and 14. > > There are some decked kayaks that fall in the high performance kayak class. > For example, a famous decked kayak in the northwest racing scene is the > Sissuou Evolution (affectionatly known up here as "orange crush"). The > boat's waterline length to the width ratio is greater than 12! > > So how do you classify the X-Par Missile, 24 feet long by 18 inches wide? Mike -- Paddling along through fog so thick that only one's thoughts are visible, your reverie is abruptly shattered by the ancient cry of a great blue heron as she lifts uncertainly from the brilliant blue of a mussel-shell beach witnessed only by the brooding, wet spruce....your passage home seems as much back through time as it does through space. Mark H Hunt *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
>From Tim Mattson, >As your post suggested, the key is to get the waterline length to the width >ratio as high as possible. An interesting web site to check out on this >issue is the sound rowers boat classification web site. The URL is: > > www.accessone.com/~traci/SoundRowers/yakclass.html > That's one cool link! with a great table for a simpe comparison of boats and race schedule. Thor Mattson is enroute now from the East Coast to Yakama, WA. i'll pass this info on to him. He does wilderness touring and races a Futura Carrera. So i'm sure he'll be happy to see the race schedule. he raced in the Delmarva canoe&kayak circuit on the Chesapeake bay last season. bye bye bliven *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
I had the impression that surf skis were invented to aid in surf rescues in Hawaii. Am I wrong? Barbara At 12:16 AM 12/24/98 -0800, Mattson, Timothy G wrote: > >Julio, > >I'm looking forward to the discussion that will be generated by your >questions about surf skis. I don't have a definition for a surf ski. I've >only seen sit on tops called surf skis. > >As your post suggested, the key is to get the waterline length to the width >ratio as high as possible. An interesting web site to check out on this >issue is the sound rowers boat classification web site. The URL is: > > www.accessone.com/~traci/SoundRowers/yakclass.html > >They define three classes of kayak based on this ratio: sea kayak (less than >9.25), fast sea kayak (between 9.25 and 10.99), and high performance kayak >(greater than 10.99). All the surf skis I'm aware of are considered high >performance kayaks with ratios typically between 12 and 14. > >There are some decked kayaks that fall in the high performance kayak class. >For example, a famous decked kayak in the northwest racing scene is the >Sissuou Evolution (affectionatly known up here as "orange crush"). The >boat's waterline length to the width ratio is greater than 12! > >As for rudders, my experience is that these boats really need the rudders. >Yes, a skilled paddler can control the boat without the rudder, but the goal >for surf skis and other high performance kayaks is speed. If you want the >ultimate speed, you want to use a wing paddle. A wing paddle is great for >forward strokes, but is not too good at correction strokes -- hence the >rudder is quite useful. Even without the wing paddle, the rudder is useful >since it can replace some correction strokes and let the paddler's energy >focus on the forwared stroke. > >As for surf, I can't imagine using a surf ski in breaking surf. I suspect >their lack of maneuverability would be difficult and that they would tend to >broach in the breaking wave. They are great, however, for surfing swells. > >Finally, a comment on your greenland kayak. I don't know if it would be >considered a surf ski, but its waterline length to the width ratio would be >around 12 which would make it a high performance kayak. > >--Tim > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Julio MacWilliams >To: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net >Sent: 12/23/98 10:05 PM >Subject: [Paddlewise] surf skis? > >Could anyone please define what is a surf ski? > >Are those long 19feet x 18inch rockets really used in surf? > >Are they all open deck? Or does a long and narrow closed deck >kayak qualify? > >Do they all have rudders? Is that necessary/desirable? > >Can a 18feet x 19inch Greenland kayak be considered a >surf ski? If not, what does it need? > >thanks! > >- Julio >************************************************************************ >*** >PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List >Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net >Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net >Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ >************************************************************************ >*** >*************************************************************************** >PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List >Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net >Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net >Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ >*************************************************************************** > > * -- * -- * -- * -- * -- * -- * -- * --*--*--*-- Sea Kayak Italia - Elba, Italy http://www.seakayakitaly.com tel. 650-728-8720 fax 650-728-8753 * -- * -- * -- * -- * -- * -- * -- * -- *--* --*-- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
I had the impression that surf skis were invented to aid in surf rescues in Hawaii. Am I wrong? Barbara As I understand it, they were invented by the Australians for surf rescues *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Julio wrote; >Could anyone please define what is a surf ski? No. Cheers, John Winters Redwing Designs Specialists in Human Powered Watercraft http://home.ican.net/~735769/ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
John stumped!!! I think we have a first ;) At 08:17 AM 12/26/98 -0500, John Winters wrote: >Julio wrote; > > >>Could anyone please define what is a surf ski? > > >No. > >Cheers, >John Winters >Redwing Designs >Specialists in Human Powered Watercraft >http://home.ican.net/~735769/ > >*************************************************************************** >PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List >Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net >Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net >Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ >*************************************************************************** > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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