Further up I had a water supply what's called a dromedary from MSR. Move up one and youâre into 100-percent surf ski territory: the Stellar Racer, at over 19 feet long, 18.9 inches narrow, and with zero hatches. Something longer, sleeker, broader, whatever; figure out what you want for it. Obviously, the surf ski requires a little bit more skill to handle in those conditions but once you get used to it, it's fine. The ski is also available in (4) different compositions and a signature range of colors selections. So for me when I was going through any chop on the lake, if I didn't have the majority of the weight above my shins here, I was going in (and I paddled this a fair amount). So the next thing we'll talk about is handling. You have to make some aftermarket modifications to get access to the hull to put gear inside of it if you want to store a lot more weight in it. It is a sea kayak, so it's it's made for billowing waves and big chop out in the ocean. If you're talking about paddling for 24 hours straight, the surfski definitely does it. Having been a long time Sit On Top paddler I had always yearned for something faster and sleeker then the barge like SOTs available. The K1 kayak had the potential to be faster, but only if I had the skill to make the most of it. Also, if you're doing a lot of lake paddling or you've got paddling in the ocean where there's lots of debris, they've got a rudder guard, which is a small carbon fiber piece that fits that is shaped in such a way that it deflects any weeds from getting stuck in the rudder. A 23.5″ wide ski is considered slow and novice friendly, but it will be FAR tippier than a 23.5″ kayak so it’s not apples to apples. With 18x you have a carbon-fiber plate on the bottom and you have the pedals on the top here like this. You are on my RSS reader now so I can read more from you down the road. Kayak triathlon options have exploded across Michigan in the last three years. The SR is faster than the 18S, V8, and I I assume the Eze and the Bluefin though I have not paddled that either. Anybody who's paddled a lot of surf skis in the past will tell you if you've got weight on top, it's going to be a problem. My goal is to primarily fitness paddle for 1.5 hours at a time. The cockpit is the same as the V8 surfski and features a fully adjustable foot brace and a bottle holder. A group of surfski paddlers paddle through the surf zone A surfski (or: "surf ski", "surf-ski") is a type of kayak in the kayaking "family" of paddling craft. So I would paddle ashore a lot of times, get out of the boat, eat a snack, get back in. But I was using each particularly for lake paddling. I didn't have time to modify mine. Get something for your heels because those are the touch points on the boat, and it's far more comfortable to paddle with those guys--they're really light you don't don't worry about it being a lot of extra weight. And the reason for this is the surfski I found very quickly does not stay very stable if you have a lot of top heavy weight on it. Beginning The Lanier Lap with the Epic 18X. If you're riding too much with a lot of weight in the back, then you're gonna have potentially too sensitive steering, and also your waterline is going to be a little off which can slow you down as well. 10 thoughts on â A Fat Paddler must decide â Racing Ski vs Sea Kayak â Allen Taylor 12/05/2009 at 9:46 pm Nice writing. Iâm going to give you a few tips that will help you when youâre buying your kayak. Sometimes you can turn hard left or right with a rudder, and that will kind of clear the debris as well. Surfski if you actually want to go fast;) (and donât mind getting wet) Both are similar position with knees close together but your butt is pretty much at water level in a ski. If you look in this hatch here, you can change out that rudder very simply with just an allen wrench. So this is universal most surfskis they've all got buckets like this. A great shape that has set the bar for performance and comfort in an 18' kayak. So that was something that I highly recommend if you're going to do any very long paddles in the surf ski. Fast, yet extremely stable, this is a surfski/ touring kayak hybrid that almost every paddler should be able master very quickly. I get it there’s more speed and whatnot but you pay a steep price. If you can look here, there's some stains on the boat. Taking a food break ashore while paddling the Epic V10. Other manufacturers have followed on with their own more user-friendly designs, so the picture for a prospective buyer is now much more clouded, for anyone attempting to weigh up the relative merits of different skis, in different stability & ⦠Lake Lanier is extremely high-traveled lake and the south side of the lake is a very open body of water. And we're going to be comparing them in terms of what watercraft is best for what duration paddle. The S18S is closer to the recreational side of things, being the shortest intermediate ski on offer. And as a result of that, this boat was not ideal for turning. The surfski is at 21 feet and the 18X is at 18 feet. Replied by mckengmsurfski on topic Re: Surfski vs. Fast Kayak. As far as the things that I did have to go to shore for, I had extra food that was refrigerated and unrefrigerated food stored in the hatches. If you're digging too much in your water that's going to slow me down. Epic Kayaks Inc. is a legendary surfski, kayak & paddles brand. We also offer one of the largest surfski rental and lesson locations on the East Coast!The Epic V5 opens up a whole new world to performance paddling. At around a base cost of $2,600 and an average 16 kgs. At Paddlecraft Kayaks, located on Pittwater in Bayview, we stock demo models of the Stellar skis, as well as, Fenn Kayaks & Vadja skis, and we are able to put customers on the water to trial paddle these skis to see what best suits their ability, stability & experience. Rudder damage on the V10 from underwater rocks. The surfski is well proven to be the ultimate triathlon kayak. The deck has rear deck bungees, safety lines, and also incorporates bow, stern, and side carry handles. info@epickayaks.com Due to Covid-19 we are experiencing extremely high volume of calls/emails/orders we apologize in advance for slower than normal response times But if I could have I probably would have modified by cutting holes either in the bow or in the stern or a little bit of both to make them accessible to put gear in. If you've ever thought about swapping out your sea kayak for a surfski, this is your video. So if you're not paddling forward, then you're running the risk of tipping. You'll notice it has taken some damage. Dear Folks, I'm trying to obtain opinions of kayaks vs surfskis on small inland lakes. And these cutouts are to give your butt cheeks a little bit more space and what I used is I reused them over here I use those styrofoam pieces and sunk them in at the bottom of the foot pedals here so that my heels, which would also get kind of achy over over the hours of paddling, could rest on those those foam pads and it would provide a little cushion for them. Surf Ski Kayak - Learn about surf ski kayaks, shop different surf skis, read surf ski reviews, and find the perfect one for you. Unless you’re wanting to get into what feels like an entirely different hobby with a much steeper learning curve requiring a significant time investment to get working, I wouldn’t get rid of my sea kayaks for the same reason you wouldn’t trade in your pickup truck, SUV or family sedan/wagon for a Ferrari because you might not want to deal with all the negatives of something capable of going top speed all the time and it may not be practical for you to constantly be driving at top speed. The V8 was one of the first stable surfski kayaks for the intermediate paddler with other brands to follow. Let's talk about these hatches for a second. Your email address will not be published. If you kick it back with your foot it re-closes it and you don't have to deal with that water anymore. One of things I mentioned before is it doesn't turn well. If there's any water that comes up and over the bow, it usually rolls off pretty quickly and if it doesn't then what it ends up doing is it comes into this open hull cockpit. In a kayak I am pushing with a straight leg. . So in this boat when I did the Lake Allatoona circumnavigation I had a water bladder in the footwell down here. So if you're not happy with how the boat turns, you can always replace it with a more robust rudder. View our range of kayak paddles, kayaks a nd accessories designed by world champions for over 20 years. Once you click on the “Confirm Subscription” button in the email you were just sent (check junk filters if you don’t see it), you will be subscribed! A lot of times in the surf ski, if you're not moving it becomes more unstable. Those skis, V8,18s,Eze,Blue Fin, are grouped together as far as stability and speed. Epic V6 Surfski Description The Epic V6 is unique in its class. Perhaps you have both size paddles but you aren't sure which one to use? If you take the time to read this article, then you will be able to save money on the cost of kayaking your own. Here's a side by side comparison of surfski design and technology twenty years apart! You get all of the water out of your boat and continue on your paddle. One other thing I'll talk about is the 18X's rudder system. In that case it raises you for better leverage, but also raises the center of gravity. I need most of the things that are needed to be accessible to me very quickly, so that I wasn't having to go to shore to get things. Weight: 33.7 lbs / 15.3 kg Description: Single skin laminate hull made of Carbon & Kevlar® fabric, with clear gelcoat finish, and the deck is the standard Advantage construction. The first is the hull is log shaped instead of somewhat oval or flat so getting into one will feel like getting into, well a log and it will want to turn over accordingly. In the paddling world, one of the biggest changes in the past few years has been the amount of paddlers abandoning their kayaks and jumping onto the more stable surf skis now being offered by many manufacturers. You did it! It’s a much more fast paced, “extreme” version of kayaking, both in good and bad. That said, we can talk about turning power in a little bit. The second is that you’re sitting higher up as the design is more of a sit on top. One of the things that was interesting about this paddle for me was that both of these boats are ideal in ocean conditions. It's a highly fingered lake so I'm going in and out of very sharp coves. The hull is of the 18S surfski is the same as the 18R(kayak) not the SR. The Lanier Lap was a 400-mile paddle and it took us 6 and a half days paddling 18-19 hours a day. Itâs not possible in the Blade since there are separate wells for feet and seat, so my legs are Special preorder price ends today. As a result, that edge will catch some debris in lake paddling and stuff like that. It has a high carrying capacity; also handles really well in the ocean. Si lâactivité surf-ski est tentante pour beaucoup de sportifs habitant près de la mer ou de grandes étendues dâeau⦠plate, le surf-ski de compétition est un kayak quâon apprend à maîtriser. So for this one a lot of times I would have the dry food for me was kind of in a bigger dry bag and so I had to dry bag within that hatch. I have a sea kayak but the one I chose to take out 90% of the time is the surf ski for all the reasons above. Both would do ⦠And what you can do is you can kick it back with your heel right here, and it opens up this little hatch and--as long as you're at speed--what will happen is there's a suction that forms and it drains all the water that's collected in this boat out. The carrying capacity of the 18X is far superior to that of the V10 surfski, and mainly that's because of the hatches that they have in the bow and also the stern back here; but also to the right back of the paddler that's accessible from the cockpit. Even if the hulls are identical rudder position/size/shape can ⦠In terms of comfort over time that the surfski is really difficult (in terms of staying comfortable). That's a good thing when you're doing a very long paddle and you have to carry a lot of gear with you. It held 10 liters of water. That said, I could always compensate by tightening up this backrest in the 18X. So just because of the length itself, it makes it a little bit harder to turn. So that would just be an aftermarket type modification. So one of the things to consider when you're loading your boat is the weight. The weight of the craft is often a key consideration for most paddlers that have to transport their boat on a car and need to be comfortable in lifting it onto a roof rack by themselves and with the added bonus and pleasure of paddling a lighter craft. So there's like this universal system in the sense that you can that you can you can easily access it from this hatch right here and then if you need to change out the rudder you can. A V5 or V8 in the hands of a trained and equipped paddler is far safer than the millions of âbathtub likeâ recreational kayaks on the market. I can keep it out of the way but yet that tube was accessible to me. My experience is exactly what the author says. I do believe is designed that way because the surfski is intended for surfing waves in the ocean and you do need very quick, minor response in the boat. © 2020 Joshua Forester. At this point, we could talk about the rear hatch a little bit, and what I had stored back here for the trip. But in terms of comfort, there are a lot more leg positions that are available 18X than say the surfski. Much lighter to transport (I can lift myself), self rescue is way easier than my sea kayak, and not as tippy as I had been led to believe (my entry level ski is less tippy than my sea kayak IMO). But usually that's maybe a one in four chance of it actually working. One other thing I'll note any weight in the 18X you don't feel it while paddling. It makes the boat unstable and you lose a lot of your power from doing. This one--like a lot of hatches on kayaks--has a shallower but broader hatch back here. It has a surfski cockpit with the storage capacity of a touring kayak. These latches come undone with these little latches right here. What you'll see in the Epic surfski is this auto bailer. These boats will do fine in those conditions. cycling, mountain biking, Ocala, Florida, Huracan 300, Lake Apopka, Santos, Croom, bikepacking, The Florida Trail, Reid Passmore, cycling, Biketober, Atlanta, Georgia, Silver Comet Trail, Stone Mountain Path, Alpharetta Greenway, Roswell Riverwalk, Chief Ladiga Trail. One of the things that I did to add to that carrying capacity was to get this cockpit bag right here, which made for a lot of snacks' easy accessibility, to some electronics like headlamps or portable speakers or anything that I wanted for entertainment while I was paddling. So if you look at the front of the boat you've got a very narrow bow and again that's made to cut through the water so that it doesn't submerge when you're sinking into the ocean when you're surfing. So in that regard I think the ruddering system is actually a little bit better than the V10 in terms of lake paddling, where you might encounter a lot more debris or underwater rocks or logs or anything like under the lake than say in the ocean. There's everything from ocean faring type boats they put on the water to big house boats to weight boards etc, and you get a lot of chop out there. So once you go to shore, you can access this front hatch or maybe the back hatch. But within this hatch itself, there's a ton of space. info@epickayaks.com Due to Covid-19 we are experiencing extremely high volume of calls/emails/orders we apologize in advance for slower than normal response times Because you have this part acting as a rudder in addition to the piece coming down you can make that a tighter turning system or looser turning system for how you want and what rudder selection you use. That's it guys. The other thing to consider is the size, shape, and location of the rudder on the surfskis compared to the sea kayaks. Recognising the appeal of these craft to the paddler transitioning from a sea kayak, Stellar has provided some attractive features including (2) dry storage compartments, bungee cords at the rear, carry handles and handy water bottle storage. That's because again I was lake paddling, and sometimes there's shallows and you hit rocks and things like that. Sleek lines and Epicâs comfortable surfski cockpit make the V5 perfect to learn downwind paddling and great for playing in the surf zone. The biggest problem with a ski is you trade 99% of your initial stability and 50% of your final stability.I tried a couple skis including the “most stable” and found them exponentially more tippy and terrifying than the touring kayaks I was used to. Most manufacturers have been racing to meet this new market and Stellar Kayaks have produced one of the most popular models available, the Stellar S18S surf ski. Then, after that it seems to chill out for a little bit and then just steadily turn after that so when you initially hit the rudder one way or another using these foot pedals here what will happen is the boat will lurch to left or to the right. Obviously, it's got a lot more carrying capacity than the surfski. So far off in the front of the bow, I would store things like camping and overnight gear--bivy bags etc in addition to sleeping gear like a closed cell foam mattress so I could soften the ground a little bit for myself. But after that, you need to be able to make sharp turns with it but it's a little bit hard when it's 21 feet long. sitting position in a surfski I think Iâve figured out the main difference between sitting in a kayak and a surfski (at least for me). So if you look at the water line of this boat it's a very narrow boat the V10 is made to go fast. You see that they have this seal right here and a holding string so that you don't lose it in the water. Both of them are perfectly suitable for, but in paddling the lakes--Lake Lanier and Lake Allatoona--both are more akin to ocean paddling in terms of the amount of chop that they get both from the wind and the boats out there. Further, I would have food in this forward hatch. Get something for your buttocks. So we have the surfski on the right which is mainly used for paddling out in open ocean and surfing waves. I found personally that the weeds were not getting stuck in the rudder so much as the bow of the boat. The V7 is outfitted with the same high quality fittings as every surfski in the Epic lineup, including our carbon fiber footboard and pedals and the hugely popular Epic designed bailer. That would allow me to resupply this water bladder right here. But for the many day-trippers who yearn for a more light hearted, lively and cost competitive solution, it is hard to turn away from these new sleek paddlecraft! Physics will say you don’t get something for nothing, Surfski is just an extension of that. Pourquoi ? I happily sit in it and enjoy the scenery. One of the primary reasons is right here--it's got a lower back support. Thank you to everyone who has preordered The Paddl, Need to know the best places to go paddling? They're both excellent boats, but my recommendation is anything you're going longer than 24 hours, you're gonna want the 18X; anything less than that and you may consider strongly a V10 or similar surfski because that's going to give you the speed you want, and you don't necessarily need the carrying capacity of the 18X. Ease of remounting the craft is another major benefit and safety consideration that has helped lift the surf ski’s popularity. Behind me in this immediate hatch right here--which stores quite a bit--I had more accessible food--stuff that I wasn't going to store in the cockpit bag upfront but maybe I needed every now and then. And then I had a dry bag actually on my shins that was just kind of balancing there with the heavier gear in it. So for me I was doing a circumnavigation of Lake Allatoona in Georgia. weight, it is really difficult to find a comparable sea kayak that matches these features. If you want to stop, have a drink or a meal, enjoy the scenery surfski is going to be a lot harder. It does turn really well for an initial three feet or so to the right or to the left. Kayak Vs Surfski â Which is better? Lastly, but certainly not the least consideration, is the weight versus the cost of these crafts compared to their counterpart in the sea kayak world. Letâs discuss what each type of boat does best. For example: âHow much faster However, on any straightaways, it was far superior to the 18x in terms of speed and ease of paddling. It's a little bit longer than say the 18X over here. 2017 Stellar SES Multisport -vs- 1997 Findeisen Shearwater surfski side by side comparison. Surf Ski vs K1 Kayak I couldnât quite decide if I should get a K1 kayak for out and out speed or a surf ski for more versatility. Being able to paddle these skis with out going for an unintended swim was unprecedented in years gone by! All right guys so that's it that's the review of the 18X versus the V10 in terms of expedition paddling. Also, I had my pee bottle back here (sealed and cleaned every time) and then of course there were other more accessible items like for example shoes or wet socks so that I could get out to shore pretty easily if I needed them (if it was a rough shore/bank or whatever).