Time for a New Surfski

For the last 3 years I've mostly paddled a South African license-built Think Evo II, but... my beloved Evo has grown old, having been used and abused a great deal (I paddled over 100 downwinds in 2017 alone, and a total of over 2,200km.  In total it must have done around 7,000km). It has various dings, including, currently, a 30cm split in the seam where I was blown against a buoy during a race, and some soft spots on the hull. It's been repaired a couple of times and has become quite a bit heavier than it used to be, thanks to persistent small leaks.

I'll get it repaired, but it was clearly time to get a new ski.

Choices

The choices of intermediate surfski available here in South Africa are the Fenn Swordfish S, Epic V10 Sport, a (single) Stellar SEI and the Nelo 550. Of these:

• Epic V10 Sport - I've paddled the V10 Sport a number of times and although I think it's a fine ski, for some reason I've never made friends with it, battling to match my normal times on a Miller's Run.
• Stellar SEI - I had one glorious reverse Miller's Run in a demo ski, dicing with Nikki Mocke, who usually paddles away from me easily, but the next paddle - long distance and flat - revealed the total incompatibility between me and the seat and I ended the paddle in agony and said farewell to the ski.
• Nelo 550 - I did one very wet Miller's Run in a borrowed ski without the wave deflector and enjoyed it, but aside from anything else the cost of the imported ski in South Africa is way out of my reach

The one ski I hadn't tried (recently) was the Fenn Swordfish S, and the opportunity came up to paddle a demo ski (thanks Pete Cole/Orka) and I grabbed it for a ten-day trial, during which I did 7 Miller's runs in varying conditions as well as some flat water paddling.

Miller's Runs

As most people know, I'm a bit of a fanatic when it comes to the Miller's Run downwind route here in Cape Town and it was easy for me to measure my performance in the Swordfish S against my paddling buddies.

Miller's #1

I immediately noticed how little the Swordfish S is affected by side-on wind. To get to the start of the Miller's Run, you have to paddle 800m diagonally into the wind and waves to Bakoven Rock, which marks the start of the run. In my Evo II, in big conditions, this can be challenging: the Evo's big nose catches the wind and as you thrust over the crest of an oncoming wave, the wind often blows the ski violently sideways. On a recent paddle the GPS track showed this graphically in the form of a drunken zigzag, as I battled each time to turn the ski back into the wind, only to be smashed 45 degrees off course time and again.

Normally, we paddle straight out to Bakoven Rock.  On this day the SE was blowing 32kt, gusting to 40kt.

This simply doesn't happen on the Swordfish S. Consequently, I'm far more relaxed going out to the rock - and a lot faster.

Elliptical Rudder

The second Miller's Run saw us going out in much more messy conditions, with waves running in multiple directions. This time I battled somewhat, especially in the smaller waves near the start. I noticed that the ski often seemed to be blown off-line so that at the moment I needed to take powerful strokes to get onto the run, I'd be skewed off and miss the run. Very frustrating. After a few km, the waves cleaned up and grew bigger, and then I was fine. But my overall time was off, relative to my buddies.

So, I installed a big elliptical rudder; not to enhance the ski's ability to turn, but rather to hold the ski straight. And it works like a charm. Miller's Run #3 (and 4, 5, 6 and 7) saw me achieving very satisfactory times.

Reluctantly handing the ski back, I made the decision to get hold of my own and ordered a Hybrid Swordfish S. The Hybrid model is only a kg heavier than the all-carbon version and is more hard-wearing, something appropriate for the kind of paddling that I do.

Swordfish S Carbon Hybrid

Ten days later I collected the ski.  Back home, I impatiently ripped off the packing...

First looks

• The quality of the finish on these skis has improved radically since the last time I owned a Fenn (which admittedly was quite long ago).  I'd say the standard of manufacture of the hull matches that of any of its competitors.  The hull fittings aren't flashy, but are robust and fit-for-task.  Example: the tiller bar is a simple steel bar - Functional, but not a work of art.
• The rudder lines are the same old steel cable and they're adjusted with the same old Allen Key arrangement. The Fenn philosophy is that 99% of the time, you set your footplate once and you never move it again. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"
• The footplate assembly is a lot sturdier than my old Swordfish (the last Fenn I owned about 7 or 8 years ago) and it feels very rigid.
• The ski weighed just over 11.5kg - I was delighted, not expecting it to be that light.

Pimping the ski

I immediately:

• Fitted a bigger Orka-made elliptical rudder.  (It does make the ski slightly twitchy and some paddlers may prefer the original Fenn rudder which is less effective than the elliptical version.)
• Glued a weed deflector onto the hull in front of the rudder.
• Removed and discarded the rudder bar cover; I've done this with all the boats I've owned because I always want to see what's happening to the cables in case of corrosion.  It does expose the less than elegant rudder bar fittings, but I've always done this - and it's saved me from the embarrassment of broken rudder lines on at least one occasion.
• Fitted rubber non-slip mats to the footplate and pedals.
• Adjusted the footplate so that there were 7 holes visible in the adjuster track in front of the footplate - I've consistently used that setting in all my Fenn skis: Mako 6, Mako Elite and first generation Swordfish.

I appreciate the directional stability the elliptical rudder brings - and the slow speed agility

First Paddle - Ouch!

And then it was off for a paddle - and me being me, it was a moderate Miller's Run in 18-25kt with small, linkable runs.

And wow, was it uncomfortable! The footplate was too close and I was suffering from a raw coccyx having paddled another ski ten days earlier that had ground the skin off…

But still - the agony wore off to a bearable numbness by the time we reached the start, 800m out to sea, and the downwind went pretty well. My time of 48:21 was fairly normal, given the conditions and my discomfort.

The ski felt slight different to the demo model that I'd been paddling and I suspect that the design evolved somewhat after that particular demo ski was built. For example, the nose seemed to dip slightly more (although this might have been the particular conditions on the day).

I took the ski home and:

• Adjusted the footplate out one notch
• Added a Nelo-built wave deflector (courtesy of Oscar Chalupsky) to the foredeck.

I also took the ski down to Orka, where we installed a set of high viz neon orange stickers, highly recommended for safety reasons for those of us who paddle offshore! The stickers are available from Orka Paddles - contact them directly.

Nelo Wave-deflector - the most effective I've ever used.

And two days later, I went for another Miller's Run. This time I was a little more comfortable - leg length perfect, but still suffering from the raw coccyx - and felt more at home in the ski. Conditions were mellow (wind about 15kt) and I was recovering from a cough so I didn't push my heart rate. Time: 49min on the nose.

Wild Miller's

The next day was wild - "proper" Miller's Run conditions with 27-35kt of SE pushing some big sets across the bay.

As I set off, I felt a different kind of pain that had been masked by the raw burns the previous few days. Now I felt the back of the bottom of the bucket pushing against my coccyx - and could feel it rubbing, but fortunately on a different area to the already raw area! I'd used Vaseline as a precaution and I didn't suffer "roasties", but I did end up with a bruise or two… Things are never simple!

But the paddle was fabulous.

There were sets of swells running in several different directions, so it was possible to hurtle down a run, and then pop over a saddle between two waves in front, swing right and then swing left onto the next one… Great stuff.

But, as is often the case with big swells, there were times when there wasn't anywhere to go, and times when I just didn't have enough acceleration to get onto the run - and that dragged my average speed down to the point where I wasn't going to get a Personal Best.

I ended up with a time of 46:23, about 2min outside my PB (44:26, clocked late last year in the Think Evo II). Not bad in the circumstances, and I ended the run with a satisfactory dose of adrenalin and endorphins!

Leaving, on a jet plane…

When the opportunity came up to fly to Italy to visit Allwave Kayaks just outside Rome, and to paddle their latest creation, the Allwave DNA, I didn’t hesitate.  A renewed passport later, and I was on my way.

Allwave CEO Roberto Spigoli met me and the new Allwave Australia agent, Stefano Pirrello at Rome Airport and took us straight to the factory, about 40 minutes away. 

The business has a small but dedicated team building a range of products including outrigger canoes, lifesaving boards, paracanoes and of course, the main attraction as far as I was concerned: surfskis.

I first saw the Allwave CX in Cape Town in 2011 and after having paddled it quite extensively I wrote a fairly glowing review (click here to read the review).  In essence, I really enjoyed it, but found it a little tippy.

So, I was interested, excited, and to be honest, a little apprehensive about paddling Allwave’s latest top-end boat, the DNA.

Why apprehensive?  My balance has never been legendary, and it’s been a while since I paddled a top-end boat – my usual mount these days is a Fenn Swordfish in which I feel absolutely bullet proof.  So how would I find the DNA?

The DNA is based on the older Allwave CX

What’s in a name?

I was amused to find that the Allwave folks had been slightly wounded by my criticism of the CX name in my previous review and Roberto explained that the DNA was named for their having combined the “genes” of all their previous experience into the new design!  I think it’s a pretty cool name – and it’s certainly memorable!

After touring the factory, we headed towards Roberto’s summer residence.  For three months of the year, Rome gets really, really hot - when I was there, the temperatures ranged from 33C to 38C – and the Spigoli family move out of their home to a camp under the trees at Lake Bracciano, a spectacular body of water some 8km across that provides Rome with an emergency supply of drinking water. 

The lake is incredibly clean – motorised craft are not allowed – and on weekends is full of sailing craft, paddlers and fishermen. 

Unexpected Delivery 

April, sunshine, the beginning of what was to be the most awesome summer ever recorded in Norway.

The Norwegian EPIC dealer called me to inform that my V11 Elite 2018 had arrived on time. Totally surprised, as I had learned from experience that containers don't arrive when they should(!), I rushed to the store and picked it up.

First impression was wow! The finish is really good. I’ve had a lot of Epic boats including Elite boats, even a pre prepeg V14 Elite and a prepeg V14 GT. The new Elite sits somewhere between the GT and the old Elite in weight, but clearly outshines the GT and is more stiff and solid than the old Elite. This is not a thorough technical review about nuts and bolts, but just a few of my personal observations about paddling the ski this summer along other of my surfskis.

Spring scene in Norway...

Taking Care

I’ve been careful with the V11, but have bounced the boat around a bit. It doesn’t have a scratch (not deep scratches anyway!).  It's inevitable that the black finish will get a load of hairline scratches, just like a black car, live with it, or get another layup.

After 500km in it there’s nothing indicating that it should be prone to soft spots or structural issues. Maybe 500km is not a lot compared to its life expectancy, but compared to the V14 GT that actually came with soft spots, this is in another league.

The finish is great!  (Flip-flops optional extra!)

Short, but Proportional...  and very light

It looks good; it’s short, but proportions look right and the white interior gives it a smooth feel and looks very exclusive.

I live 1,5km from the beach and used to have a little wagon I could strap my skis to and push them down to the beach. This winter was fierce, rubber tires and ball bearings froze and the little wagon broke down after rolling 2000km. So now I carry my boats to the beach and welcome the very light V11, lighter than my Swordfish S carbon and my Think Uno Max 3^rd  Generation Ultimate. Light enough for the beach hike to be a breeze.

Is this Norway?  At the sunburnt beach...

Ergonomics and Seat

On the water ergonomics feel a bit like the new V12 (that I had along two older V12 Ultra/performance). The seat should be the same EPIC shape but I don't think that it is: the V12 pinched my butt a bit, not the V11. I could literally use it as my desk chair.  

I for one know how difficult a good fit can be and have had many frustrations with later Nelo and NK models to mention a few. But if like me you’re comfortable in the bucket of a V14, V8pro, old V12, Fenn Swordfish, most older Nelos and all things Think I’m sure you’ll like the seat of the V11. I did not like the gen 1 V10 though.

Try your boat before buying…

Handling

In chop: Out there it’s very different from the new V12, much more responsive, easier to turn. It just feels more lively and fun. When I posted the first images of the boat Uli Gwinner wrote that he really liked in in chop. I wondered how much better than me he must be, as I came from the V12 and initially found the V11 way more twitchy in the rough. It is. After a few rounds though, hips started recognizing the movements of the boat. It feels rock solid in chop as long as you follow its movement.

The boat is solid in chop, once you get used to it

I'm now on my third "short" racing ski after a long string of standard length ocean skis.  Right now, I have the McGregor Classic, released in early 2017, and the McGregor Rhythm, released shortly afterwards.  I didn't think that I'd fit in the Classic when I read the early reports on the ski, so I bought a Rhythm.  

Then, during a moment of insanity, I hopped an early morning flight from Wisconsin to Florida, rented a car and drove through 30 miles of flooding roads during a week-long South Florida rainstorm, met up with Bruce Gipson of Venturesports, demo’d the Classic, and flew back home that evening.  That’s nuts, right?  "Unfortunately", I fit in the Classic just fine and had no seat issues after our one hour paddle, so I ended up buying the Classic, too.   

CLASSIC 

First Looks

The Classic is 19’ 4 long x 16.1” wide (590 cm x 41 cm width) and listed as being for paddlers under 90 kg weight. 

It looks like a K2 bow mated to a standard ski stern.  The hull cross section is a narrow U at the bow, is flat under the seat, and progresses to a boxy curve at the stern.  The "chines" under the seat area are about the width of your sit bones / ischial tuberosities, or just slightly wider. 

The seat is deep and the bottom of the seat pan is flatter and wider than usual - so the seat shape sort of follows the inner contour of the hull underneath it.  The seat bottom feels a bit higher than your heels, though, so the sitting position is pretty good and since I usually sit on a 1 cm thick seat pad, it’s pretty darn comfortable.  The knee hump seems standard height as does the gunwale height.  Rocker is pretty generous both in how it looks and in the way the ski behaves on the water.

The weight of this ski is about 22 lbs (10.5 kg), so it is very lightweight. 

It feels adequately stiff in the hand and on the water.  My ski had no soft spots or significant “oil canning” in the hull.  I can’t really say much about the build quality other than to say that I have had no issues with this ski and it’s been completely watertight.  The footrest flexed too much for my liking, and the footpedal surfaces didn't align perfectly with the footrest which bothered my big feet, so I swapped it out for a stiffer footrest and redrilled holes as was necessary to make it fit.  Most paddlers probably wouldn't feel the need to do that - only the finicky ones like me. 

The rudder crosspiece is like the one on Fenn skis and fine for what it does, but I wanted more security and the ability to use a variety of rudders, so I swapped the Classic's out for a Think crosspiece and Think rudder (both take the same size shaft.  An Uno Max rudder with one or two thin washers works for shaft length).  The ski came with scuppers, which I'd probably leave alone if I mainly paddled in the ocean, but for flatter water use, I blocked off the scuppers and had a bailer installed.

Comfort

The Classic is the skinniest ski that I can fit my rear end into.  Because the hull is chined, the bottom of the seat is wide, and I drop all the way down to the bottom of the seat without hip pinch.  The sides of the seat are vertical, meaning that they don't flare outwards at the top.  The back of the seat bucket doesn't flare back like some newer skis do.  

The boxy seat cross section feels about like the Gen1 and Gen2 Think Uno, though the Classic's seat is just a hair wider from top to bottom.  It’s also wider than the Gen 3 Uno Max, a ski that is too narrow for me.  Compared to the Epics and the Nelo 560, the Classic's seat is wider at the bottom and narrower at the top.  Like always, some will fit comfortably while others won't. 

The footwell is narrower than a 2G V10 but not as narrow as the 3G Uno/Uno Max/Ion, and the catch is quite narrow as well.  

Paddling - Flat Water

On flat water, the Classic feels like it sinks down a bit, especially under my 190 lbs (86 kg) weight.  The flatness under the seat gives it a trace of initial stability.  Lean it over to the side, and since the chine is right underneath you, it doesn't firm up all that much.  Lean it over further, ...and I can't because the opposite gunwale digs into my ribs and the ski won't lean any more. 

Under power, the Classic feels halfway between an ICF K1 and a long ski in that it accelerates more easily both from low and high speeds than a long ski, but not as well as a K1.  The corrollary to that, however, is that it also probably decelerates faster than a longer ski does. I would think that as long as the deceleration rate between strokes is not too fast, or your stroke rate too low, then it might be a good trade-off.   

Paddling this back to back with my Vajda Infusion 2 ICF K1, the stability feels fairly similar, so in other words, it's a fairly tippy elite level ski.  The only reason that I am comfortable in the Classic in mildly rough water is that I fit pretty snugly in it, the seat is low, and the trace of initial stability keeps it feeling fairly planted on the water - all of which keep me from panicking.  

Paddling in Waves 

In multidirectional waves of 1 ft (30 cm) or so, the Classic feels pretty solid for a short, skinny, lightweight ski, though it's still a handful due to the narrow beam, the flatter hull, and the high rocker.  On small downwind runs, with waves up to 3 ft (1m), the Classic works well with the small volume skinny bow seeming to more easily punch through the waves ahead than longer higher volume skis with wider bows.  I noticed this in the Nelo 560 as well.  

Downwind in waves up to 3ft (1m), it really benefits from having a larger swept back rudder and a bow deflector.  It’s easy to control on another ski’s wake and it picks up small runners well like most skis do.  But, I find that I can get onto more runners in the Classic since it accelerates faster and with less effort.

Boat Speed? 

I find it difficult to compare boat speed between elite level skis even when using my gps and HRM on flat and deep water because the differences between elite skis nowadays are so small.  

An analogy I like to use is to compare elite skis like this to a single speed time trial bicycle with a gear size that correlates to our strength, fitness, paddle length, etc.  A faster hull is like swapping out the wheels on that single speed bike for slightly more aero wheels -  which should increase our speed, right?  But it only sort of does.  With the faster wheels, it takes less effort to bump up our speed during an interval, and we might be able to accelerate better, but in a longer effort, we tend to fall back to the same or nearly the same speed where our single gear feels most comfortable and efficient.  This might just be a function of our own efficiency of muscle contraction  - meaning that maybe we automatically settle in at our optimal cadence / stroke rate.  

At any rate, I suspect the Classic is on par with other elite skis in terms of overall drag and how fast it is at marathon pace in the 7.5 to 8.5 mph (12 to 13.7 kph) range.

Seat first, Hull second

I like the design idea behind the Classic whether it was done on purpose or not:  build a narrow racing ski but design the hull to accommodate the width of seat that will allow more paddlers to fit, i.e. design the hull around the seat.  Sure, the hull would have been lower drag had it been optimized first but then the seat would have been really narrow or really high.  The shorter length has less wetted surface area, so some of that extra form drag is made up. 

Overall - Fun and Fast

Having used the McGregor Classic for a full year (minus 5 months of winter), I'm finding that it works very well for me as a flatter water ski because it meets the three main criteria which we all use:  It's comfortable enough for how long I plan to be in it; it's fast enough so that I don't feel like I'm penalized for not being in a different ski; and it's fun to paddle.  It's not a ski for everyone because it's a tippy elite level ski.  It also wouldn't be my first choice in a bigger downwind, as a rough water ski, nor as an ocean ski (I mainly paddle large fresh water lakes and slow flowing rivers).

Several other very good paddlers have taken the Classic for a spin back to back with their standard longer elite ski or their K1, and they've all had the same impression in that the Classic feels surprisingly fast, comfortable, and fun to paddle.   I suspect it accelerates well because the shorter length and narrow waterline gives them less wetted surface area, though maybe it's the rocker, or maybe it's the exaggerated swedeform shape, or maybe all three?

Ok, so the XT has always been a craft designed for paddlers of the less-well-balanced variety (I’m not going to say “beginners”) and you wouldn’t expect it to be as fast as the Elite level surfskis.

But if I were looking for a ski, and my priority was “stability before ability”, to quote a certain well-known paddling personality, I’d definitely include the new model Fenn Mako XT S (to give it its formal pedigree name!) in my list of skis to try.

And although I’d be prepared to sacrifice some speed for stability, I’d still have certain criteria by which I’d try to judge the boat before buying it.

Review Point of View

Who am I? For the purposes of the review:

• I’m a relatively experienced paddler, but I’m getting older and I’m looking for a more stable boat.
• I’m a relatively inexperienced paddler on my way up from my very first ski which is, for the sake of argument, a Fenn Blue-fin.
• In either case, I love downwind paddling.
• In either case, I know I’m not going to shoot the lights out racing but I do want to take part in my local round-the-cans Friday night summer series.

Downwind Criteria

• Shouldn’t be prone to broaching. The original XT was notorious; the rudder was placed far back on the hull, it would pop out of the water and the ski would slew off course.
• Should catch runs easily.
• Shouldn’t nose-dive.
• Shouldn’t be too wet (i.e. shouldn’t flood the cockpit too readily)
• Should track straight (i.e. shouldn’t wander off course)
• It should be stable enough that on a downwind paddle I can focus on paddling and catching runs without bracing to stay in the boat.

Nice-to-haves would include:

• Good drainage
• Comfortable cut-out at the back of the seat so that you can lean back when going down runs.
• Comfortable seat

Flat water criteria

• Shouldn’t be so slow that it’s embarrassing. I don’t want to feel that I’m at a disadvantage on flat water relative to the other stable surfskis.

Nice-to-haves:

• The boat should turn reasonably sharply.

General Must-haves

• It should be easy to remount. As a “less-stable” paddler, I don’t want any self-doubts about my ability to get back on the boat.

First Looks

The venerable Fenn Mako XT was one of the first truly stable surfskis, designed for non-elite paddlers on the market.

In this long-awaited update,

• The hull hasn’t changed.
• The nose has been slimmed down, so there’s less volume up front.
• The rudder has been moved forward.
• The seat has been moved forward.
• The overall length is the same.

Dimensions are:

• Length: 580cm
• Beam: 49cm (seam to seam at the widest point)
• Seat width: 40cm

The nose on the XT S has a new, slimmer shape

The XT S has the new Fenn seat shape, with a low hump and leash anchor point

The review boat had the conventional Fenn footplate assembly, but a self adjusting rudder/cable setup is available

The XT S hull shape hasn't changed from the previous version

Weight

The boat that I trialed was the heaviest, toughest layup: vacuum-bagged fiberglass with polyester resin. The website specifies 18kg for this layup, but the demo boat weighed in at just under 16kg and I confirmed with Fenn Kayaks that 16kg is indeed the target weight for the XT S in glass/polyester resin layup.

The rudder cables were rigged in the conventional way, adjustment requiring a small Allen key. Fenn Kayaks do provide self-adjusting footplates/rudder cables as an option.

All Fenn boats come with a leash anchor point.

The quality of the finish is good; the hull on this boat was rock-hard.

.

(Trying out a new ski is sometimes a little hairy.  I tried a prototype once on a big downwind – the ski was a total lemon and had terrible drainage.  The cockpit filled with water and the ski became almost uncontrollable.  In the words of a Spanish friend, “I fear for my life”!)

First Looks

This is a very good-looking ski.  The boat that I paddled had been made in Italy at the Allwave factory there and, judging by the seams, they have build techniques that are more precise than most manufacturers.  Every other ski that I’ve ever seen has a thick layer of resin over the seam – which disguises any imperfections in the mating of the deck with the hull.  Not the CX.

For a bigger image, click here

For a bigger image, click here

For a bigger image, click here

The CX has quite pronounced "hard chine" - and the precision of the build is shown by that unhidden seam

Deep-V up front; broad and flatter behind

Words and Images

The book is written by Kevin Brunette in association with Dawid and Nikki Mocke.  Kevin describes himself as a “serious recreational paddler” and has been paddling with the Surfski School training groups longer than almost anyone else.  He’s a technical author and his writing style reflects his engineering background: the concepts are described clearly and simply, with little embellishment.

The book is worth buying for the photos alone.  It’s packed with stunning full color images taken by Jean Tresfon, himself a keen paddler.  (For more of his work, check out http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtresfon/sets/)

Dawid Mocke, showing how it's done in fabulous downwind conditions

Dawid and Nikki paddle past the Roman Rock lighthouse in False Bay, Cape Town.  Roman Rock is the half way point on the infamous Miller's Run

Mocke Magic

The book is essentially a distillation of the Mocke approach to teaching surfski paddling.

Dawid and Nikki Mocke have been running their Surfski School for 8 years and have introduced over four thousand people to the sport in Cape Town alone*.  Dawid has been the de-facto Surfski World Champion for the last three years, while Nikki has extensive sprint experience (culminating in a 7th place at the Beijing Olympics in the South African women’s 1000m K4 team) to add to her own surfski achievements (among them World Champion in 2006 and 2010).

Most importantly though, the Mocke’s have an absolute passion for paddling and for passing on their knowledge – and this shines through, throughout the book.

Audience

While SURFSKI with the Pros is aimed at the beginner to intermediate level paddler, more advanced paddlers will also find useful tidbits.

The first half of the book covers the basics: choosing and handling your gear; getting onto the water for the first time; paddling technique and safety considerations.

The text then goes on to more advanced topics: navigating the surf line; group paddling and downwind paddling; training and competing and finally some of the theory behind ski and paddle shapes.  Finally the FAQ section condenses the most commonly asked questions from the Mocke’s many years of teaching.

Simple and Elegant

While the “Flash” decals are just that, the ski is much like the other Carbonology ski’s, somewhat understated or to once again borrow from Rob’s Atom review “simple and elegant”.

This meshes quite well with what I know of the Carbonology team of manufacturer and distributors; they are content to let the skis talk for themselves and have been a slowly but surely increasing their presence in the ski market without much fanfare.

At the beginning of the year I had been paddling a Carbonology Vault for around 10 months and more out of jest than anything else I posted on the Carbonology Facebook page that a full length version of the Vault was on my wish list for 2012, much to my surprise the reply was “have you been spying on us?... watch this space!”

Here we are 6 months later and after being initially released on the European market it has finally landed on Western Australian shores and should be in the hands of those in the Eastern states as this review hits the web.

Construction

The Vault I’ve been paddling is in the Hybrid lay-up so when I was asked which lay-up I would like to demo the flash in I went for the same lay-up. I have found the hybrid lay-up of Glass re-enforced with Carbon to be quite stiff and very robust.

My ski is still in excellent condition despite the accidental knocks that all skis cop over time; I really think it is the best value for money from all the lay-ups available.

As opposed to other manufacturers who quote a weight for specific ski’s Carbonology have gone the ballpark method. There is obviously much less material used in say an Atom to a Flash, yet they quote a flat 12kg for all hybrid lay-up single ski’s.

On the bathroom scales test my Vault weighs in at 12.5kg while the Flash weighs in at 13kg.

Vital Statistics

• Length: 6,35m
• Width at seat: 445mm
• Width at front of footwell: 315mm
• Deck height in front of footwell: 345mm
• Nose height at front of ski: 265mm

So to those familiar with the Vault how does it compare… well I lined the two ski’s up bucket to bucket and this is what I found: there’s an extra 30cm in the nose and 13cm in the tail.

Bucket

After 35 kms in the Flash over 3 days this week I have yet to have any issues, the bucket is quite snug on my 90kg 6ft 2in frame, which I feel adds to my stability.  While initially I though the bucket a narrower version of the Vault bucket I also noticed that the hump under the knees is lower. This is sure to please the short-legged paddler who has problems with big humps under the knees.

When setting up the footplate for my leg length I also noticed that the bucket is slightly longer, not sure exactly how much but there is at least two more notches left on the footplate adjustment in the Flash. Given that I am 6ft 2in you would need damn long legs to max this bucket out.

Flash (L) and Vault (R) 

Looking forward from the bucket this ski is decidedly thin. Take a close look at the photos and get yourself a tape measure out, a 315mm catch!!!

Footplate

The footplate is the standard Carbonology plate, which appears to be a favoured design among many ski manufacturers. The footlength can be adjusted in a matter of seconds by pulling out the locator lugs, adjusting the length then feeding the rudder lines through the pedals to bring them back upright. The only time some knot tying is required is when you wish to adjust the pedal angle.

Steering

Carbonology skis use stainless steel rudder cables attached to cord in the footwell, which in my mind is the best of both words, giving very precise rudder control and feel while allowing easy adjustment footplate length and rudder pedal angle.

Rudder

After my swim I decided to check out the rudder and found that it was a swept back elliptical rudder. Hein from Carbonology stated that in testing the usual rudder shape was too aggressive and this new rudder smoothed that out but still gave good feel and response.

One pleasant surprise was that they have kept the same rudder shaft length, so I was able to swap out the ocean rudder for my river rudder, however the new elliptical rudder has the shaft set further back from the leading edge so if fitting a weed deflector it needs to be done with the ocean rudder fitted so as not to foul it when switching rudders.

Top Secret one way draining bullet scuppers

Hein from Carbonology tells me they have been able to integrate a one-way valve into their bullet scuppers that stops the footwell from filling with water when you slow to a stop. This would be very handy sitting on the start line to a race. Unfortunately they are only fitted as an option on new skis and he didn’t see fit to send a ski with them fitted to us for review so I was unable to test its performance. I look forward to hearing what becomes of this new design.

First Looks

My Evo II is a South African built model – made by Hein van Rooyen at Carbonology Sport.  Like all his products, the ski is beautifully finished, hard and stiff.

It’s a hybrid layup – with a carbon deck on a vacuum glass hull.  The weight is good – just a shade under 13kg.

Click here for a larger image

Click here for a larger image

Click here for a larger image

The rudder is the Carbonology standard rudder – which works pretty well, but as I note below, I’d like to try some other options.

The main differences from the Chinese-built boats are:

• The bailers are dual bullet-type; the Chinese boats have a single scupper
• There’s no hatch at the front of the cockpit
• The footplate assembly is the Carbonology standard setup – but secured with the Think rails.
• The recess for the leash anchor point is there, but the anchor point itself is not fitted (on mine).

On the water

I’ve paddled the boat in all kinds of conditions and it’s been an intriguing process.  I’ve been paddling intermediate boats for over a year now including the Fenn Swordfish and the Knysna Kayaks Genius Blu.  I won’t go into a detailed comparison here, but where relevant I’ll compare my experiences in the skis in specific conditions.

One constant is that I almost always paddle with Dale Lippstreu, my training partner, who has been on a Fenn Swordfish for the last 18 months and who has been a great marker against whom to compare my paddling.

The handles make it less likely that you'll drop the boat.

Flat water

On the flat (not my favorite), I could honestly find very little difference in speed between the intermediate skis.  However, the Evo II does have a relatively high bucket, which, together with the cutouts in front of the cockpit, gives a seating position that I find very comfortable. 

The cutouts contribute to a comfortable paddling position

What’s the bucket like?

The old V10 bucket gave me a raw coccyx in about 5 mins.

I can sit in Fenn buckets for ever, without getting the notorious “Fenn dead-leg”.

I also find the new V10 bucket very comfortable.  To me the Evo II’s bucket is similarly comfortable so if you’re comfortable in Fenn skis (or the new Epic skis), I suspect you’ll find this ski comfortable too.

Paddling the Evo II

Remounting

I find this ski one of the easier boats to remount - the relatively shallow cockpit makes it easy to swivel your bum into the bucket

Choppy, confused water

I find the ski very stable; perhaps a touch more tippy than the Swordfish, but of a similar order of stability.  Since I’ve been paddling intermediate boats, my ability to paddle skis like the Fenn Elite (which I paddled for years and loved) has diminished, and I find myself less and less comfortable in rough water in them.

The edges of Hout Bay, where I often paddle, are mostly sheer rocky cliff faces that plunge into the sea; when the open ocean swell is big, it reflects and ricochets off the rocks, producing a notoriously mixed up chop in the bay. 

During our Tuesday night dices around the bay we often have a long downwind leg where you have to find and chase small runs hidden in among the overall mixed up chop. 

This is where I sometimes find the Evo II challenging; it feels to me as though the boat is “bouncy” and I battle to settle into a rhythm and take the hard strokes necessary to get onto the runs.

But this is a quite specific set of circumstances – it sometimes happens in Hout Bay, and sometimes at the beginning of a Millers Run.  As soon as the runs become a little more defined, however, things seem to change, as I’ll go into below.

Wake-riding

As noted in other articles, when it’s calm and we can’t find downwind conditions, we often chase a big 88 ton tourist catamaran in Hout Bay called Nauticat.  Nauticat’s wake is perfect for practicing surfing but is challenging for long skis in that the wave is quite steep and short.

The Evo II is a longer ski and the rudder is more prone to pop out of the water when you’re on the wake than some of the shorter skis – and it’s a challenge to avoid broaching. 

I've arranged to get a bigger, elliptical rudder and will report back once I've had a few paddles with it.  (Depending on the boat, rudders can make a huge difference to handling; The old Fenn Mako6 was transformed in downwind conditions by a proper surf rudder.  Other boats, not so much.)

Hull contours towards the nose

The hull flattens quite radically towards the tail - giving the ski its stability

Downwind

I love paddling this ski downwind.  Here’s a typical experience…

Most people know that I have a certain fondness for the “Millers Run”, a fantastic downwind route that we paddle whenever the southeaster blows here in Cape Town.  But the southeaster blows mostly in summer.

In winter we get northwesters that blow as the cold fronts come through – so we go the other way, the so-called “reverse Millers” run.

The northwester blows offshore from Fish Hoek and along the coastline, towards Millers Point; the initial section is flat, but the runs build quickly, and within 2-3km of the start, you’re into clean downwind conditions.

A group of us did the run last weekend. For those first 2-3km, I was more or less neck and neck with my training buddy Dale on his Swordfish; from there, as soon as the runs were forming properly, I dropped him quite easily.  I’m not 100% sure why it is – the rocker, the length of the ski? - but I find easy to link runs on the Evo II, maneuvering and sometimes ramping the “next” wave with a few hard strokes. 

When we’re both paddling Swordfish, Dale and I tend to be very closely matched on the Millers Run; the fact that I’m usually a minute or more ahead when I’m on the Evo II is conclusive – to me at any rate.

Oddities

For the first few years I paddled surfskis in Sweden, they were regarded as a real oddity. But some excellent results by half-decent paddlers in various popular long-distance races in Sweden slowly turned the spotlight on these funny looking craft.

Adventure racers were quick to catch on that crawling in and out of cockpits at portages and transitions was gone and that these boats were pretty fast and more stable than the regular adventure K1s they were using.

I suspect that NK's first surfskis were designed with these adventure racers in mind. I've known Frederik for as long as I've been paddling in Sweden and it's been my pleasure to be on the receiving end of requests for feedback on his new prototypes.

The build quality has always been extraordinary (Frederik pushes the envelope with what's technically possible, and cooperation with Sweden's - and dare I say it, the world's - best carbon-fibre experts resulted in some insanely light (8 kg or thereabouts) craft that looked like nothing else. 

Not my thing

But the skis that came out weren't really my thing. I like catching runs so small you can hardly see them - but I also like riding storm swells on open water. The first NK skis were great long-distance mile-eating machines, but I just didn't feel at home in them. (Many, many adventure racers did, however.)

The Search for the Perfect Ski

I have to admit that my ability to tell what works in a boat hasn't always worked out. I could hardly sit in my first kayak; and even when I mastered it, the wake of a duck could set me swimming. I won't mention what boat it was, but it started with "Sea" and ended with "ish"!

Nevertheless, over the years, I've found myself judging boats by a set of guidelines – if they all check out, then I pretty much always click with the boat:

• Well built, reliable quality, nice finish
• Good working rudder setup, no play in the rudder pedals, stiff footboard, well balanced surf rudder, safe system that doesn't wear out quick.
• Easy hull shape that has enough volume to get lift from bumps, turns easily while keeping its line.
• A bucket that's comfortable without padding, and easy to re-enter
• A brand that has international ambitions and wants to be at races and supports them

And...

After years in my V10 performance, I paddled half a summer in a Red7; a year in a V12 Ultra, 2 years back in a V10 Ultra, 1 year in a Hawx.

Enter the V14

Come this last winter (the winter-that-never-arrived) and I felt that I should try the next generation of super fast skis.

Sweden being blessed with proper winters I usually spend some months off the water but, in spite of having the most hectic work travel schedule ever, I managed to keep myself fit - training in weird gyms in hotels and airports. So I wasn't as out of shape as I might have been when I got back on the water.

I had bought a used V14 Ultra and by March felt it was time to get on the water and try it out.

The speed was incredible. Where I usually have had to work hard to average 12kph on my hour-long sessions on the water, I noticed immediately this was very easy on the V14. On flat days I was regularly doing 12,3kph average over the session... in cold slow water with loads of gear on!

The ski seemed to have no maximum speed: paddle harder and it goes faster. It never sits down into the water and says, "hey, this is as fast as I go". 

Comes with a price

But, for me, this outstanding performance comes with a price in terms of stability and in the back of my mind I was thinking, yes, the speed is amazing, but on a big day in unknown waters? What then?

In the meantime I was enjoying the flat water and my newly found speed like never before.

Nordic Kayaks NITRO

Come April and Fredrik and I got in touch. I had been aware that NK had expanded their range: the three existing models (low volume fast, entry level and intermediate) had now been joined by the two NITRO top end racing skis. I also knew that Freddie had been travelling back forth to Asia all winter and that he's working with a factory there that is one of the best fabricators around.

The NK Nitro in elite layup

On paper

The new NITROs look pretty good on paper. Clean, easy lines; some rocker; some volume. They don't stand out as very extreme shapes – but to me that's good. They look... predictable.

To me, surfski paddling is all about prediction: predicting where the next run is going to start – and predicting how the ski is going to react when you go for it. Of course your skill and fitness levels are important, but so is the ski that you're sitting on.

And in the flesh...

I picked up a NITRO Plus in Kevlar layup and NITRO in full carbon. The Plus is a half cm wider than the NITRO and has a bit more volume, slightly higher gunwales and in this case is white. The NITRO has a transparent clear gelcoat and is therefore carbon-fibre black. The cockpit has black gelcoat.

Finish

About as good as you can get it. Clearly they're hand made so you can see minor imperfections - on the seam for instance. But honestly, it's as good as a human can achieve, and the boats look very slick. The tricky parts, like the rudder shaft, the spots where the rudder lines emerge, etc are all done with great care and finished off beautifully. Both boats just ooze quality.

When picking up the Plus in Kevlar, it feels very familiar to my Epic's Ultra layup in weight. I didn't check it, but it's certainly light enough!

The NITRO I paddled is full carbon, and that really does feel VERY light.

The white kevlar finish is my favorite: it's not as light and feels less hard as the carbon, but the white cockpit and hull for me feel really fresh. Small scratches and paddle strikes are less obvious on the white finish, while on the transparent clearcoat every little scratch becomes a white scratch. The black cockpit also shows dirt and scratches much more and is also hotter in summer.

Ideally would be a white cockpit on the carbon ski, but that's just my personal taste.

The sharp end

Bits 'n pieces

Footplate Assembly

The footplate is pretty straightforward; Proven technology is used here and the lines self-adjust as you change leg-length.

The plate and pedals are made out of carbon and have foam padding as standard. There are also small rubber bumpers under the plate to protect the hull from damage when pushing hard.

Footplate assembly

Rudder lines are dyneema and hardly stretch. When I push on both pedals simultaneously they move maybe 0,5 cm forward which is acceptable.

Bailer

The bailer is a plastic version of the much used Anderson bailer as used on sailing dinghies that can be opened and closed. It has a little flap in it to prevent water from backing in if you are laying still, paddling too slow or reversing.

However this means you need to open the bailer at least 75% to be far enough that the flap can actually open. I rather removed the flap, which is easily done, so I can have the bailer just as far open as necessary.

Wide open is too wide

1cm is right for flat water

Paddling at 11-12 kph and weighing 96kg with paddle means I set about a 1cm opening for it to just not gurgle. In big conditions 2cm is about right. When wide open it sucks so hard you risk losing body parts if not wearing neoprene shorts.

Rudder Assembly

The housing for the rudder is different to other boats I've seen. The back of the housing is open and the T-bar is simply covered with a lid secured by a stainless steel bolt. (The bolt screws into a nut laminated into the hull of the ski – a much better solution than the simple screw often seen on other skis.)

I think it's a little over-engineered though! A plastic knob, removable by hand, would do the job just as well and wouldn't require the allen key (that is included in a stowage behind the footplate).

The T-bar housing

I do like being able to see the T-bar though, to check it before heading out into big conditions...

Nordic Kayaks offers a range of rudders

Behind the rudder is a small deck fitting that can be used for an emergency steering bungy in case of a snapped rudderline. I guess it could also be used by adventure racers who always seem to want to tow each other!

Leash Anchor

There's a leash anchor fitting in the cockpit, in common with many other skis. I tried it for the first time and it does make sense; I much prefer it to hooking my leash on the footstrap. How strong the leash is, I don't know.

Deck Bungees

Behind the cockpit, a set of six deck fittings secures a web of bungee cables. Fenn skis, perhaps the most popular brand, don't have this feature and I often see paddlers scratching their heads, wondering how to carry a small bag or PFD.

The NITRO Bucket

Paddling the skis

To be honest, choosing one of these two after a short test paddle would be very difficult. But, having spent time in them I'm confident that, whichever I chose, I'd be happy with it.

Comfort

Both skis have perfectly shaped buckets – for my backside; I found the NITRO's bucket slightly deeper and more hollowed out, giving more support to my lower back. (It also makes my shorts chafe a little more against my lower back – but I think the seam on the shorts is more to blame than the seat.)

NITRO Plus

Click here for a bigger image

The bucket in the Plus is a bit roomier and the hump is lowish. The benefit of this is that your legs are straighter and lower – helpful for stability and leg drive. On the other hand, any water that gets in easily sloshes back from the footwell into the bucket, freezing your appendages off in winter!

Footplate Angle

The angle on this one is just right. I found the Fenn footplate, for example, needed about two years of yoga before I could get my heel on it!

It's not adjustable (unlike the Nelo for example), but then surfski paddlers don't generally expect that.

Mine did make a funny squeaking sound when I pushed hard, but I cured it by filling the empty space behind the footplate with closed cell foam blocks. This gives the footplate the ultimate solid feel; being an ex-rower I like to use my legs as much as possible. And the blocks reduce the volume of water if you do flood the cockpit.

Friendly - with Attitude

I found immediately that the Plus is a friendly ski, but with attitude.

Definitely a thoroughbred racer; my cruising speeds were right there where I wanted them to be.

Having spent the last couple of years in Epic surfskis, I can most easily compare the NITROs to them. In a nutshell I'd say that I found the Plus more stable than the V14, and more spicy than the V10.

After having paddled it in flatwater races, big downwinds, ferry wake riding and races on tiny swell conditions, I feel very confident in my judgment of this ski.

It is SO un-dramatic to paddle.

Very predictable in the downwind, fast enough on the flat, and so stable that you dare take it out on any day. For me this really grew into to the one do-it-all ski that I could feel really happy with in any conditions from the wild west coast to flat downtown Stockholm. I have completely crushed all my best times this spring using the Plus, and this to me really proves that it's a fast ski. I think some of my regular training and racing buddies can confirm this.

After watching the downwind videos all winter by Rob Mousley in Cape Town and Boyan Zlatarev in Tarifa, it was pure joy when it was finally my turn again.

To sit in a ski that is predictable and fast that allows you to do what you want to do is just fantastic.

So I can't really say much more about the Plus. Stable, fast enough, easy, predictable, nothing crazy, just plain good, as a real surfski should be. 

Dawid swears that I said, “Thanks for the session!”. I thought I was just warming up.

“We kinda just pushed you out there and let nature take its course,” laughed Dawid. “Those were the early days! And that southeaster must have been at least 30kt!”

Courses and Certification

Even in those early days, the Mockes were already developing a system of teaching the basics of ocean paddling, which became their Ocean ABCs course. A little while later, the ABCs were supplemented by an “Ocean Paddler” course that built on the basics.

They were instrumental too in developing surfski proficiency certification, which is required today for any race run under the auspices of Canoeing South Africa.

Hard at work making the videos!

Video Courses

So why the video courses?

“My brother Jasper and I have done hundreds and hundreds of coaching sessions,” says Dawid. “Not just at Surfski School, but at races and events all over the world.

“There’s a set of recurring questions and themes that come up time and time again.”

And hence the videos.

“The idea was to summarize a body of knowledge in one place,” says Dawid. “We’ve included the critical information that you need.”

There are many surfski videos on YouTube, good, bad and indifferent on many aspects of paddling. But these courses are the only place you’ll find a complete sequence from start to finish of the basics of learning to handle your surfski.

Cost

The videos were costly to make; the Mockes hired a helicopter to take the aerial footage. (To minimize the impact on the environment, though, they arranged to extend the flight of a tourist helicopter that was already in the area!)

“But we’ve kept the cost to the paddler really low,” says Dawid. “The heart of it is to reach as many people as possible.”

The Masters of Surfski course costs $20, The Downwind Pro course is $15.  AND there's a combo option - both courses for a total of $30...

Fennix/Phoenix

What's with the branding?

Fenn Kayaks lost their entire factory to a devastating fire in June 2019. 

Fortunately well insured, they immediately started to rebuild and they made a clever (IMO) play on the idea of the mythological phoenix of Greek folklore, rising reborn from the ashes - Phoenix/Fennix, get it?!

Design Tweaks

Having lost many of their moulds and plugs, Fenn took the opportunity to tweak some of the designs - and the Swordfish S was one of them.  I've been paddling a Swordfish S since January, 2018 and absolutely love it.  I have half a dozen of my best Miller's Runs time in it - and smashed my Miller's Personal Best a few weeks ago.  I find the boat super-stable, yet very responsive and quick in the runs. 

Suffice to say that I am intimately familiar with the boat, having logged approximately 4,000km in the last two years, most of it in downwind conditions.

So - what of the Fennix version?

The demo boat is a glass vacuum model - weighing in at about 15kg, it's a few kg heavier than my Carbon Hybrid Swordfish S.

Increased Volume

The most obvious difference is the shape of the nose - the deck is tapered down - but what's not quite so obvious is that the volume has been bulked up.  The circumference of the hull is roughly 1cm bigger from the foot-well forward.

Higher Rails

At the scuppers, the distance from the bottom of the foot-well to the top of the rail is increased by .5cm. 

New seat

I'm not sure that it's a new shape, I think perhaps they've gone back to the old shape which should be good news for my coccyx; I had to put a bum pad into my Swordfish S to make it bearable to sit it.  (I have a coccyx that seems to stick out more than other people's, and I often have problems with surfski seats...)

Shorter Cockpit overall

Caveat: the different shape of the seat makes it difficult to measure any differences to the centre of gravity, but I can report that:

• The forward bulkhead is 1.5cm closer to the tail than the old Swordfish S.
• The leash anchor is 1cm closer to the tail than the old Swordfish S.
• The rudder is exactly the same distance from the tail as the old Swordfish S.

I tried setting the footplate at the same position as my old Swordfish S for my first Miller's Run, but found it too short and lengthened it by one position for the second run, which was much more comfortable.  This tends to confirm my suspicion that the cockpit is a little shorter.  One benefit of this is that the cockpit holds less water when flooded.

Hull Shape

The bottom of the hull from the nose to the seat is slightly more V-shaped.

The distance from the tail to the rudder pin is identical to the old Swordfish.

In summary, the new Fennix Swordfish S has:

• More volume in the hull forward of the seat.
• Slightly higher rails.
• (Seemingly) a slightly shorter cockpit (although, as noted, the different shape of the seat makes this difficult to confirm).
• A slightly more obvious V-shape to the bottom of the hull forward of the seat.
• The same rudder position.
• A different seat shape.
• A more elegantly shaped (to my view!) nose.

The differences between the boats are subtle

The rails on the Fennix Swordfish S are slightly higher

Handling

I did two Miller's Runs (our favourite 12km downwind here in False Bay, Cape Town) back to back.  Conditions were challenging: for the first run we had 25-30kt wind with small, confused seas and for the second run slightly less wind (20-27kt) with even more confused waves.

Side-on to the wind and waves

To get to the start of the Miller's Run, you have to paddle out 800m to Bakoven Rock, with the wind and waves hitting you side-on, a good test of your stability in a surfski! 

When I hopped into the boat, my primary impression was that of pain.  I'd paddled another new boat from a different manufacturer a few days before and it had rubbed my coccyx raw (and no, it's not because I push too hard with my legs, it's because my coccyx is more bony and sticks out more than other people's, and in boats that don't accomodate it, it doesn't take long for the skin to rub off... A genuine pain in the ass...)

And the footplate was set too short.  I'd set it to the same length on the adjusters as my old boat, but that was definitely one notch too short.

As a result, and I think as a consequence of the increased volume, I felt a little corky and tippy.  I paddled very tentatively out to the rock, somewhat disappointed with my lack of stability.

Downwind

But...  after a couple of minutes, my backside went satisfactorily numb and I could start to focus on my paddling.

The first thing I noted was that the surfski does feel different.  The Fennix ski, perhaps as a result of its increased buoyancy, feels more lively than the old Swordfish S.  Buddies who normally paddle more elite-level boats have commented in the past that the Swordfish S feels a little sluggish in comparison - but I think they'd change their minds with the Fennix boat.

(One paddling buddy in particular is about to take delivery of a carbon Fennix Swordfish S, so I'll be getting feedback from him in the near future.  He currently paddles a Fenn Elite S and although he loves it, in really hectic conditions he finds it a handful.)

In my old Swordfish S, I find that if I let the nose dip as I surf the runs, the boat tends slow down, so I tend to focus on leaning back to keep the nose up; by doing this I can often bounce over the next wave to create sequences, surfing from one wave to the next. 

The Fennix Swordfish S seems to dip its nose less - which is to be expected given the increased volume in the nose.  I found myself leaning back less, yet maintaining speed and bouncing the runs more. 

A fast Miller's Run for me is around 45min. My PB is 43:10, achieved in exceptioinal circumstances (very strong wind, combined with big, clean waves).

My first Miller's in the Fennix boat was just under 50min - but given the confused seas and my severe discomfort, I wasn't dismayed at all - and I had some fabulous runs, one sequence around 300m without taking a stroke.  So far so good.

Second Miller's

An hour later I did a second run, with a new batch of paddlers; my buddies from the first run had decided that the conditions weren't good enough to justify a second go - but I was keen to spend as much time in the borrowed boat as possible.

By now my coccyx was on fire and on the way out to Bakoven Rock I was sitting at a weird angle in the boat, one leg almost straight as I tried to find a way to lessen the pain.  I'd lengthened the footplate position by one notch so the leg length felt better - but oh man, I was praying for the numbness to set in.  Which it did, but only about 2km into the downwind. 

Conditions were pretty horrible - the confused waves were even more so, some of them hitting side-on, 90 degrees to our course.  And the wind had died down to about 20kt.

And my time reflected it the deteriorated conditions - 52min. 

But - pain notwithstanding, I did enjoy the way the boat handled the waves.  On my own Swordfish S, I remember that when I paddled it for the first few times with the standard rudder, it veered off course very easily - and I equipped it first with a big elliptical rudder made by Orka Paddles here in Cape Town, and then with a DK rudder, which helped it to track much straighter.

In contrast, this boat seems to track very well with the standard rudder - and I wasn't being knocked off course by the side-on chop.  And I was able to maneauver, turning back and forth to find the dips in the sea ahead of me.

Communication at Sea

These days we have choices if we need to call for help:

• A tracker app (like SafeTrx) on your mobile is a great choice. It’s free and all you need is a waterproof pouch for your phone.
• Personal Locator Beacons are popular in some parts of the world – and they work everywhere.
• Flares are a good option too. I summoned help for a fellow paddler using pencil flares in daylight. Worked like a charm.

But all of these things have drawbacks:

• Mobile phones can be tricky to operate through a pouch, and they need a reliable GSM signal, which isn’t always available.
• PLBs have to be operated properly (the unit must be held clear of the water) and the communication is one-way – you can’t tell if someone is coming to get you.
• Pencil flares don’t last long, and smoke flares are bulky and usually you’ll only have one with you.

VHF radios, while also not a silver bullet, have some unique advantages:

• They’re really, really easy to operate – push a button to talk.
• Modern DSC-capable radios incorporate a GPS and automatically broadcast your position to vessels equipped with DSC-receivers (like the NSRI rescue boats).

Repeater Stations

Here in South Africa, the maritime authorities maintain a chain of radio repeaters along the coast, which extends the range of VHF communications.

For example, False Bay, home of the (in)famous Miller’s Run, is surrounded by mountains – and VHF signals from handheld radios are picked up by Cape Town Radio over the entire length of the Miller’s Run.

But even in areas where there isn’t the same infrastructure and the signal is limited to line-of-sight, a radio can be invaluable when talking to a nearby rescue craft. When we did our Search and Rescue exercise some years ago with the NSRI, I was astonished at how limited the field of view was out of the rescue boat.

It’s vital to be able to talk to your rescuers because you’ll most likely see them long before they see you.

Standard Horizon HX870E Marine Handheld VHF Radio

Having used a basic ICOM VHF for many years, I recently switched to the DSC-capable HX870E and have found it to be a reassuringly robust and feature-rich radio.

The HX870E has a big, bright screen that is easy to read in direct sunlight

The major differences between the HX870E and conventional VHF radios like the ICOM M36 are that the HX870E:

• Has a built in GPS receiver.
• Is DSC-capable. This means that it can send a digital message to other DSC-capable receivers, including your GPS coordinates. If you send a distress message, it will automatically activate alarms on all DSC-capable receivers.

User Interface

The big screen is bright and easy to read, while the menus are straight forward and intuitive to use.

The DSC Distress button is located to one side, with a cover to prevent accidental activation. To call for help, you simply lift the flap and press the red button for three seconds. Thereafter the radio will broadcast your status and position until it receives an acknowledgement from another DSC-capable unit.  

Another advantage of DSC is that you can communicate privately over the digital channel with another DSC-capable radio without broadcasting to the world.

Other Features

A number of other features are built into this radio:

• It floats.
• It has a high capacity 1,800mAh battery and comes with a rapid charger (3hr to from empty).
• On the front of the radio, there’s a programmable strobe light that switches on a automatically if the radio is submerged.

There’s never a silver bullet

There’s no question – if you go offshore in any kind of vessel, you should have some means of communication.

But whatever you choose, flares, PLB, radio or mobile phone, be aware that none of them is entirely fool-proof, and ideally you should have more than one of them AND you should have a plan B in mind should they not work.

Click here for a full discussion on surfski safety gear.

First Looks

My Evo II is a South African built model – made by Hein van Rooyen at Carbonology Sport.  Like all his products, the ski is beautifully finished, hard and stiff.

It’s a hybrid layup – with a carbon deck on a vacuum glass hull.  The weight is good – just a shade under 13kg.

Click here for a larger image

Click here for a larger image

Click here for a larger image

The rudder is the Carbonology standard rudder – which works pretty well, but as I note below, I’d like to try some other options.

The main differences from the Chinese-built boats are:

• The bailers are dual bullet-type; the Chinese boats have a single scupper
• There’s no hatch at the front of the cockpit
• The footplate assembly is the Carbonology standard setup – but secured with the Think rails.
• The recess for the leash anchor point is there, but the anchor point itself is not fitted (on mine).

On the water

I’ve paddled the boat in all kinds of conditions and it’s been an intriguing process.  I’ve been paddling intermediate boats for over a year now including the Fenn Swordfish and the Knysna Kayaks Genius Blu.  I won’t go into a detailed comparison here, but where relevant I’ll compare my experiences in the skis in specific conditions.

One constant is that I almost always paddle with Dale Lippstreu, my training partner, who has been on a Fenn Swordfish for the last 18 months and who has been a great marker against whom to compare my paddling.

The handles make it less likely that you'll drop the boat.

Flat water

On the flat (not my favorite), I could honestly find very little difference in speed between the intermediate skis.  However, the Evo II does have a relatively high bucket, which, together with the cutouts in front of the cockpit, gives a seating position that I find very comfortable. 

The cutouts contribute to a comfortable paddling position

What’s the bucket like?

The old V10 bucket gave me a raw coccyx in about 5 mins.

I can sit in Fenn buckets for ever, without getting the notorious “Fenn dead-leg”.

I also find the new V10 bucket very comfortable.  To me the Evo II’s bucket is similarly comfortable so if you’re comfortable in Fenn skis (or the new Epic skis), I suspect you’ll find this ski comfortable too.

Paddling the Evo II

Remounting

I find this ski one of the easier boats to remount - the relatively shallow cockpit makes it easy to swivel your bum into the bucket

Choppy, confused water

I find the ski very stable; perhaps a touch more tippy than the Swordfish, but of a similar order of stability.  Since I’ve been paddling intermediate boats, my ability to paddle skis like the Fenn Elite (which I paddled for years and loved) has diminished, and I find myself less and less comfortable in rough water in them.

The edges of Hout Bay, where I often paddle, are mostly sheer rocky cliff faces that plunge into the sea; when the open ocean swell is big, it reflects and ricochets off the rocks, producing a notoriously mixed up chop in the bay. 

During our Tuesday night dices around the bay we often have a long downwind leg where you have to find and chase small runs hidden in among the overall mixed up chop. 

This is where I sometimes find the Evo II challenging; it feels to me as though the boat is “bouncy” and I battle to settle into a rhythm and take the hard strokes necessary to get onto the runs.

But this is a quite specific set of circumstances – it sometimes happens in Hout Bay, and sometimes at the beginning of a Millers Run.  As soon as the runs become a little more defined, however, things seem to change, as I’ll go into below.

Wake-riding

As noted in other articles, when it’s calm and we can’t find downwind conditions, we often chase a big 88 ton tourist catamaran in Hout Bay called Nauticat.  Nauticat’s wake is perfect for practicing surfing but is challenging for long skis in that the wave is quite steep and short.

The Evo II is a longer ski and the rudder is more prone to pop out of the water when you’re on the wake than some of the shorter skis – and it’s a challenge to avoid broaching. 

I've arranged to get a bigger, elliptical rudder and will report back once I've had a few paddles with it.  (Depending on the boat, rudders can make a huge difference to handling; The old Fenn Mako6 was transformed in downwind conditions by a proper surf rudder.  Other boats, not so much.)

Hull contours towards the nose

The hull flattens quite radically towards the tail - giving the ski its stability

Downwind

I love paddling this ski downwind.  Here’s a typical experience…

Most people know that I have a certain fondness for the “Millers Run”, a fantastic downwind route that we paddle whenever the southeaster blows here in Cape Town.  But the southeaster blows mostly in summer.

In winter we get northwesters that blow as the cold fronts come through – so we go the other way, the so-called “reverse Millers” run.

The northwester blows offshore from Fish Hoek and along the coastline, towards Millers Point; the initial section is flat, but the runs build quickly, and within 2-3km of the start, you’re into clean downwind conditions.

A group of us did the run last weekend. For those first 2-3km, I was more or less neck and neck with my training buddy Dale on his Swordfish; from there, as soon as the runs were forming properly, I dropped him quite easily.  I’m not 100% sure why it is – the rocker, the length of the ski? - but I find easy to link runs on the Evo II, maneuvering and sometimes ramping the “next” wave with a few hard strokes. 

When we’re both paddling Swordfish, Dale and I tend to be very closely matched on the Millers Run; the fact that I’m usually a minute or more ahead when I’m on the Evo II is conclusive – to me at any rate.

Oddities

For the first few years I paddled surfskis in Sweden, they were regarded as a real oddity. But some excellent results by half-decent paddlers in various popular long-distance races in Sweden slowly turned the spotlight on these funny looking craft.

Adventure racers were quick to catch on that crawling in and out of cockpits at portages and transitions was gone and that these boats were pretty fast and more stable than the regular adventure K1s they were using.

I suspect that NK's first surfskis were designed with these adventure racers in mind. I've known Frederik for as long as I've been paddling in Sweden and it's been my pleasure to be on the receiving end of requests for feedback on his new prototypes.

The build quality has always been extraordinary (Frederik pushes the envelope with what's technically possible, and cooperation with Sweden's - and dare I say it, the world's - best carbon-fibre experts resulted in some insanely light (8 kg or thereabouts) craft that looked like nothing else. 

Not my thing

But the skis that came out weren't really my thing. I like catching runs so small you can hardly see them - but I also like riding storm swells on open water. The first NK skis were great long-distance mile-eating machines, but I just didn't feel at home in them. (Many, many adventure racers did, however.)

The Search for the Perfect Ski

I have to admit that my ability to tell what works in a boat hasn't always worked out. I could hardly sit in my first kayak; and even when I mastered it, the wake of a duck could set me swimming. I won't mention what boat it was, but it started with "Sea" and ended with "ish"!

Nevertheless, over the years, I've found myself judging boats by a set of guidelines – if they all check out, then I pretty much always click with the boat:

• Well built, reliable quality, nice finish
• Good working rudder setup, no play in the rudder pedals, stiff footboard, well balanced surf rudder, safe system that doesn't wear out quick.
• Easy hull shape that has enough volume to get lift from bumps, turns easily while keeping its line.
• A bucket that's comfortable without padding, and easy to re-enter
• A brand that has international ambitions and wants to be at races and supports them

And...

After years in my V10 performance, I paddled half a summer in a Red7; a year in a V12 Ultra, 2 years back in a V10 Ultra, 1 year in a Hawx.

Enter the V14

Come this last winter (the winter-that-never-arrived) and I felt that I should try the next generation of super fast skis.

Sweden being blessed with proper winters I usually spend some months off the water but, in spite of having the most hectic work travel schedule ever, I managed to keep myself fit - training in weird gyms in hotels and airports. So I wasn't as out of shape as I might have been when I got back on the water.

I had bought a used V14 Ultra and by March felt it was time to get on the water and try it out.

The speed was incredible. Where I usually have had to work hard to average 12kph on my hour-long sessions on the water, I noticed immediately this was very easy on the V14. On flat days I was regularly doing 12,3kph average over the session... in cold slow water with loads of gear on!

The ski seemed to have no maximum speed: paddle harder and it goes faster. It never sits down into the water and says, "hey, this is as fast as I go". 

Comes with a price

But, for me, this outstanding performance comes with a price in terms of stability and in the back of my mind I was thinking, yes, the speed is amazing, but on a big day in unknown waters? What then?

In the meantime I was enjoying the flat water and my newly found speed like never before.

Nordic Kayaks NITRO

Come April and Fredrik and I got in touch. I had been aware that NK had expanded their range: the three existing models (low volume fast, entry level and intermediate) had now been joined by the two NITRO top end racing skis. I also knew that Freddie had been travelling back forth to Asia all winter and that he's working with a factory there that is one of the best fabricators around.

The NK Nitro in elite layup

On paper

The new NITROs look pretty good on paper. Clean, easy lines; some rocker; some volume. They don't stand out as very extreme shapes – but to me that's good. They look... predictable.

To me, surfski paddling is all about prediction: predicting where the next run is going to start – and predicting how the ski is going to react when you go for it. Of course your skill and fitness levels are important, but so is the ski that you're sitting on.

And in the flesh...

I picked up a NITRO Plus in Kevlar layup and NITRO in full carbon. The Plus is a half cm wider than the NITRO and has a bit more volume, slightly higher gunwales and in this case is white. The NITRO has a transparent clear gelcoat and is therefore carbon-fibre black. The cockpit has black gelcoat.

Finish

About as good as you can get it. Clearly they're hand made so you can see minor imperfections - on the seam for instance. But honestly, it's as good as a human can achieve, and the boats look very slick. The tricky parts, like the rudder shaft, the spots where the rudder lines emerge, etc are all done with great care and finished off beautifully. Both boats just ooze quality.

When picking up the Plus in Kevlar, it feels very familiar to my Epic's Ultra layup in weight. I didn't check it, but it's certainly light enough!

The NITRO I paddled is full carbon, and that really does feel VERY light.

The white kevlar finish is my favorite: it's not as light and feels less hard as the carbon, but the white cockpit and hull for me feel really fresh. Small scratches and paddle strikes are less obvious on the white finish, while on the transparent clearcoat every little scratch becomes a white scratch. The black cockpit also shows dirt and scratches much more and is also hotter in summer.

Ideally would be a white cockpit on the carbon ski, but that's just my personal taste.

The sharp end

Bits 'n pieces

Footplate Assembly

The footplate is pretty straightforward; Proven technology is used here and the lines self-adjust as you change leg-length.

The plate and pedals are made out of carbon and have foam padding as standard. There are also small rubber bumpers under the plate to protect the hull from damage when pushing hard.

Footplate assembly

Rudder lines are dyneema and hardly stretch. When I push on both pedals simultaneously they move maybe 0,5 cm forward which is acceptable.

Bailer

The bailer is a plastic version of the much used Anderson bailer as used on sailing dinghies that can be opened and closed. It has a little flap in it to prevent water from backing in if you are laying still, paddling too slow or reversing.

However this means you need to open the bailer at least 75% to be far enough that the flap can actually open. I rather removed the flap, which is easily done, so I can have the bailer just as far open as necessary.

Wide open is too wide

1cm is right for flat water

Paddling at 11-12 kph and weighing 96kg with paddle means I set about a 1cm opening for it to just not gurgle. In big conditions 2cm is about right. When wide open it sucks so hard you risk losing body parts if not wearing neoprene shorts.

Rudder Assembly

The housing for the rudder is different to other boats I've seen. The back of the housing is open and the T-bar is simply covered with a lid secured by a stainless steel bolt. (The bolt screws into a nut laminated into the hull of the ski – a much better solution than the simple screw often seen on other skis.)

I think it's a little over-engineered though! A plastic knob, removable by hand, would do the job just as well and wouldn't require the allen key (that is included in a stowage behind the footplate).

The T-bar housing

I do like being able to see the T-bar though, to check it before heading out into big conditions...

Nordic Kayaks offers a range of rudders

Behind the rudder is a small deck fitting that can be used for an emergency steering bungy in case of a snapped rudderline. I guess it could also be used by adventure racers who always seem to want to tow each other!

Leash Anchor

There's a leash anchor fitting in the cockpit, in common with many other skis. I tried it for the first time and it does make sense; I much prefer it to hooking my leash on the footstrap. How strong the leash is, I don't know.

Deck Bungees

Behind the cockpit, a set of six deck fittings secures a web of bungee cables. Fenn skis, perhaps the most popular brand, don't have this feature and I often see paddlers scratching their heads, wondering how to carry a small bag or PFD.

The NITRO Bucket

Paddling the skis

To be honest, choosing one of these two after a short test paddle would be very difficult. But, having spent time in them I'm confident that, whichever I chose, I'd be happy with it.

Comfort

Both skis have perfectly shaped buckets – for my backside; I found the NITRO's bucket slightly deeper and more hollowed out, giving more support to my lower back. (It also makes my shorts chafe a little more against my lower back – but I think the seam on the shorts is more to blame than the seat.)

NITRO Plus

Click here for a bigger image

The bucket in the Plus is a bit roomier and the hump is lowish. The benefit of this is that your legs are straighter and lower – helpful for stability and leg drive. On the other hand, any water that gets in easily sloshes back from the footwell into the bucket, freezing your appendages off in winter!

Footplate Angle

The angle on this one is just right. I found the Fenn footplate, for example, needed about two years of yoga before I could get my heel on it!

It's not adjustable (unlike the Nelo for example), but then surfski paddlers don't generally expect that.

Mine did make a funny squeaking sound when I pushed hard, but I cured it by filling the empty space behind the footplate with closed cell foam blocks. This gives the footplate the ultimate solid feel; being an ex-rower I like to use my legs as much as possible. And the blocks reduce the volume of water if you do flood the cockpit.

Friendly - with Attitude

I found immediately that the Plus is a friendly ski, but with attitude.

Definitely a thoroughbred racer; my cruising speeds were right there where I wanted them to be.

Having spent the last couple of years in Epic surfskis, I can most easily compare the NITROs to them. In a nutshell I'd say that I found the Plus more stable than the V14, and more spicy than the V10.

After having paddled it in flatwater races, big downwinds, ferry wake riding and races on tiny swell conditions, I feel very confident in my judgment of this ski.

It is SO un-dramatic to paddle.

Very predictable in the downwind, fast enough on the flat, and so stable that you dare take it out on any day. For me this really grew into to the one do-it-all ski that I could feel really happy with in any conditions from the wild west coast to flat downtown Stockholm. I have completely crushed all my best times this spring using the Plus, and this to me really proves that it's a fast ski. I think some of my regular training and racing buddies can confirm this.

After watching the downwind videos all winter by Rob Mousley in Cape Town and Boyan Zlatarev in Tarifa, it was pure joy when it was finally my turn again.

To sit in a ski that is predictable and fast that allows you to do what you want to do is just fantastic.

So I can't really say much more about the Plus. Stable, fast enough, easy, predictable, nothing crazy, just plain good, as a real surfski should be. 

Time for a New Surfski

For the last 3 years I've mostly paddled a South African license-built Think Evo II, but... my beloved Evo has grown old, having been used and abused a great deal (I paddled over 100 downwinds in 2017 alone, and a total of over 2,200km.  In total it must have done around 7,000km). It has various dings, including, currently, a 30cm split in the seam where I was blown against a buoy during a race, and some soft spots on the hull. It's been repaired a couple of times and has become quite a bit heavier than it used to be, thanks to persistent small leaks.

I'll get it repaired, but it was clearly time to get a new ski.

Choices

The choices of intermediate surfski available here in South Africa are the Fenn Swordfish S, Epic V10 Sport, a (single) Stellar SEI and the Nelo 550. Of these:

• Epic V10 Sport - I've paddled the V10 Sport a number of times and although I think it's a fine ski, for some reason I've never made friends with it, battling to match my normal times on a Miller's Run.
• Stellar SEI - I had one glorious reverse Miller's Run in a demo ski, dicing with Nikki Mocke, who usually paddles away from me easily, but the next paddle - long distance and flat - revealed the total incompatibility between me and the seat and I ended the paddle in agony and said farewell to the ski.
• Nelo 550 - I did one very wet Miller's Run in a borrowed ski without the wave deflector and enjoyed it, but aside from anything else the cost of the imported ski in South Africa is way out of my reach

The one ski I hadn't tried (recently) was the Fenn Swordfish S, and the opportunity came up to paddle a demo ski (thanks Pete Cole/Orka) and I grabbed it for a ten-day trial, during which I did 7 Miller's runs in varying conditions as well as some flat water paddling.

Miller's Runs

As most people know, I'm a bit of a fanatic when it comes to the Miller's Run downwind route here in Cape Town and it was easy for me to measure my performance in the Swordfish S against my paddling buddies.

Miller's #1

I immediately noticed how little the Swordfish S is affected by side-on wind. To get to the start of the Miller's Run, you have to paddle 800m diagonally into the wind and waves to Bakoven Rock, which marks the start of the run. In my Evo II, in big conditions, this can be challenging: the Evo's big nose catches the wind and as you thrust over the crest of an oncoming wave, the wind often blows the ski violently sideways. On a recent paddle the GPS track showed this graphically in the form of a drunken zigzag, as I battled each time to turn the ski back into the wind, only to be smashed 45 degrees off course time and again.

Normally, we paddle straight out to Bakoven Rock.  On this day the SE was blowing 32kt, gusting to 40kt.

This simply doesn't happen on the Swordfish S. Consequently, I'm far more relaxed going out to the rock - and a lot faster.

Elliptical Rudder

The second Miller's Run saw us going out in much more messy conditions, with waves running in multiple directions. This time I battled somewhat, especially in the smaller waves near the start. I noticed that the ski often seemed to be blown off-line so that at the moment I needed to take powerful strokes to get onto the run, I'd be skewed off and miss the run. Very frustrating. After a few km, the waves cleaned up and grew bigger, and then I was fine. But my overall time was off, relative to my buddies.

So, I installed a big elliptical rudder; not to enhance the ski's ability to turn, but rather to hold the ski straight. And it works like a charm. Miller's Run #3 (and 4, 5, 6 and 7) saw me achieving very satisfactory times.

Reluctantly handing the ski back, I made the decision to get hold of my own and ordered a Hybrid Swordfish S. The Hybrid model is only a kg heavier than the all-carbon version and is more hard-wearing, something appropriate for the kind of paddling that I do.

Swordfish S Carbon Hybrid

Ten days later I collected the ski.  Back home, I impatiently ripped off the packing...

First looks

• The quality of the finish on these skis has improved radically since the last time I owned a Fenn (which admittedly was quite long ago).  I'd say the standard of manufacture of the hull matches that of any of its competitors.  The hull fittings aren't flashy, but are robust and fit-for-task.  Example: the tiller bar is a simple steel bar - Functional, but not a work of art.
• The rudder lines are the same old steel cable and they're adjusted with the same old Allen Key arrangement. The Fenn philosophy is that 99% of the time, you set your footplate once and you never move it again. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"
• The footplate assembly is a lot sturdier than my old Swordfish (the last Fenn I owned about 7 or 8 years ago) and it feels very rigid.
• The ski weighed just over 11.5kg - I was delighted, not expecting it to be that light.

Pimping the ski

I immediately:

• Fitted a bigger Orka-made elliptical rudder.  (It does make the ski slightly twitchy and some paddlers may prefer the original Fenn rudder which is less effective than the elliptical version.)
• Glued a weed deflector onto the hull in front of the rudder.
• Removed and discarded the rudder bar cover; I've done this with all the boats I've owned because I always want to see what's happening to the cables in case of corrosion.  It does expose the less than elegant rudder bar fittings, but I've always done this - and it's saved me from the embarrassment of broken rudder lines on at least one occasion.
• Fitted rubber non-slip mats to the footplate and pedals.
• Adjusted the footplate so that there were 7 holes visible in the adjuster track in front of the footplate - I've consistently used that setting in all my Fenn skis: Mako 6, Mako Elite and first generation Swordfish.

I appreciate the directional stability the elliptical rudder brings - and the slow speed agility

First Paddle - Ouch!

And then it was off for a paddle - and me being me, it was a moderate Miller's Run in 18-25kt with small, linkable runs.

And wow, was it uncomfortable! The footplate was too close and I was suffering from a raw coccyx having paddled another ski ten days earlier that had ground the skin off…

But still - the agony wore off to a bearable numbness by the time we reached the start, 800m out to sea, and the downwind went pretty well. My time of 48:21 was fairly normal, given the conditions and my discomfort.

The ski felt slight different to the demo model that I'd been paddling and I suspect that the design evolved somewhat after that particular demo ski was built. For example, the nose seemed to dip slightly more (although this might have been the particular conditions on the day).

I took the ski home and:

• Adjusted the footplate out one notch
• Added a Nelo-built wave deflector (courtesy of Oscar Chalupsky) to the foredeck.

I also took the ski down to Orka, where we installed a set of high viz neon orange stickers, highly recommended for safety reasons for those of us who paddle offshore! The stickers are available from Orka Paddles - contact them directly.

Nelo Wave-deflector - the most effective I've ever used.

And two days later, I went for another Miller's Run. This time I was a little more comfortable - leg length perfect, but still suffering from the raw coccyx - and felt more at home in the ski. Conditions were mellow (wind about 15kt) and I was recovering from a cough so I didn't push my heart rate. Time: 49min on the nose.

Wild Miller's

The next day was wild - "proper" Miller's Run conditions with 27-35kt of SE pushing some big sets across the bay.

As I set off, I felt a different kind of pain that had been masked by the raw burns the previous few days. Now I felt the back of the bottom of the bucket pushing against my coccyx - and could feel it rubbing, but fortunately on a different area to the already raw area! I'd used Vaseline as a precaution and I didn't suffer "roasties", but I did end up with a bruise or two… Things are never simple!

But the paddle was fabulous.

There were sets of swells running in several different directions, so it was possible to hurtle down a run, and then pop over a saddle between two waves in front, swing right and then swing left onto the next one… Great stuff.

But, as is often the case with big swells, there were times when there wasn't anywhere to go, and times when I just didn't have enough acceleration to get onto the run - and that dragged my average speed down to the point where I wasn't going to get a Personal Best.

I ended up with a time of 46:23, about 2min outside my PB (44:26, clocked late last year in the Think Evo II). Not bad in the circumstances, and I ended the run with a satisfactory dose of adrenalin and endorphins!

Leaving, on a jet plane…

When the opportunity came up to fly to Italy to visit Allwave Kayaks just outside Rome, and to paddle their latest creation, the Allwave DNA, I didn’t hesitate.  A renewed passport later, and I was on my way.

Allwave CEO Roberto Spigoli met me and the new Allwave Australia agent, Stefano Pirrello at Rome Airport and took us straight to the factory, about 40 minutes away. 

The business has a small but dedicated team building a range of products including outrigger canoes, lifesaving boards, paracanoes and of course, the main attraction as far as I was concerned: surfskis.

I first saw the Allwave CX in Cape Town in 2011 and after having paddled it quite extensively I wrote a fairly glowing review (click here to read the review).  In essence, I really enjoyed it, but found it a little tippy.

So, I was interested, excited, and to be honest, a little apprehensive about paddling Allwave’s latest top-end boat, the DNA.

Why apprehensive?  My balance has never been legendary, and it’s been a while since I paddled a top-end boat – my usual mount these days is a Fenn Swordfish in which I feel absolutely bullet proof.  So how would I find the DNA?

The DNA is based on the older Allwave CX

What’s in a name?

I was amused to find that the Allwave folks had been slightly wounded by my criticism of the CX name in my previous review and Roberto explained that the DNA was named for their having combined the “genes” of all their previous experience into the new design!  I think it’s a pretty cool name – and it’s certainly memorable!

After touring the factory, we headed towards Roberto’s summer residence.  For three months of the year, Rome gets really, really hot - when I was there, the temperatures ranged from 33C to 38C – and the Spigoli family move out of their home to a camp under the trees at Lake Bracciano, a spectacular body of water some 8km across that provides Rome with an emergency supply of drinking water. 

The lake is incredibly clean – motorised craft are not allowed – and on weekends is full of sailing craft, paddlers and fishermen. 

Unexpected Delivery 

April, sunshine, the beginning of what was to be the most awesome summer ever recorded in Norway.

The Norwegian EPIC dealer called me to inform that my V11 Elite 2018 had arrived on time. Totally surprised, as I had learned from experience that containers don't arrive when they should(!), I rushed to the store and picked it up.

First impression was wow! The finish is really good. I’ve had a lot of Epic boats including Elite boats, even a pre prepeg V14 Elite and a prepeg V14 GT. The new Elite sits somewhere between the GT and the old Elite in weight, but clearly outshines the GT and is more stiff and solid than the old Elite. This is not a thorough technical review about nuts and bolts, but just a few of my personal observations about paddling the ski this summer along other of my surfskis.

Spring scene in Norway...

Taking Care

I’ve been careful with the V11, but have bounced the boat around a bit. It doesn’t have a scratch (not deep scratches anyway!).  It's inevitable that the black finish will get a load of hairline scratches, just like a black car, live with it, or get another layup.

After 500km in it there’s nothing indicating that it should be prone to soft spots or structural issues. Maybe 500km is not a lot compared to its life expectancy, but compared to the V14 GT that actually came with soft spots, this is in another league.

The finish is great!  (Flip-flops optional extra!)

Short, but Proportional...  and very light

It looks good; it’s short, but proportions look right and the white interior gives it a smooth feel and looks very exclusive.

I live 1,5km from the beach and used to have a little wagon I could strap my skis to and push them down to the beach. This winter was fierce, rubber tires and ball bearings froze and the little wagon broke down after rolling 2000km. So now I carry my boats to the beach and welcome the very light V11, lighter than my Swordfish S carbon and my Think Uno Max 3^rd  Generation Ultimate. Light enough for the beach hike to be a breeze.

Is this Norway?  At the sunburnt beach...

Ergonomics and Seat

On the water ergonomics feel a bit like the new V12 (that I had along two older V12 Ultra/performance). The seat should be the same EPIC shape but I don't think that it is: the V12 pinched my butt a bit, not the V11. I could literally use it as my desk chair.  

I for one know how difficult a good fit can be and have had many frustrations with later Nelo and NK models to mention a few. But if like me you’re comfortable in the bucket of a V14, V8pro, old V12, Fenn Swordfish, most older Nelos and all things Think I’m sure you’ll like the seat of the V11. I did not like the gen 1 V10 though.

Try your boat before buying…

Handling

In chop: Out there it’s very different from the new V12, much more responsive, easier to turn. It just feels more lively and fun. When I posted the first images of the boat Uli Gwinner wrote that he really liked in in chop. I wondered how much better than me he must be, as I came from the V12 and initially found the V11 way more twitchy in the rough. It is. After a few rounds though, hips started recognizing the movements of the boat. It feels rock solid in chop as long as you follow its movement.

The boat is solid in chop, once you get used to it

I'm now on my third "short" racing ski after a long string of standard length ocean skis.  Right now, I have the McGregor Classic, released in early 2017, and the McGregor Rhythm, released shortly afterwards.  I didn't think that I'd fit in the Classic when I read the early reports on the ski, so I bought a Rhythm.  

Then, during a moment of insanity, I hopped an early morning flight from Wisconsin to Florida, rented a car and drove through 30 miles of flooding roads during a week-long South Florida rainstorm, met up with Bruce Gipson of Venturesports, demo’d the Classic, and flew back home that evening.  That’s nuts, right?  "Unfortunately", I fit in the Classic just fine and had no seat issues after our one hour paddle, so I ended up buying the Classic, too.   

CLASSIC 

First Looks

The Classic is 19’ 4 long x 16.1” wide (590 cm x 41 cm width) and listed as being for paddlers under 90 kg weight. 

It looks like a K2 bow mated to a standard ski stern.  The hull cross section is a narrow U at the bow, is flat under the seat, and progresses to a boxy curve at the stern.  The "chines" under the seat area are about the width of your sit bones / ischial tuberosities, or just slightly wider. 

The seat is deep and the bottom of the seat pan is flatter and wider than usual - so the seat shape sort of follows the inner contour of the hull underneath it.  The seat bottom feels a bit higher than your heels, though, so the sitting position is pretty good and since I usually sit on a 1 cm thick seat pad, it’s pretty darn comfortable.  The knee hump seems standard height as does the gunwale height.  Rocker is pretty generous both in how it looks and in the way the ski behaves on the water.

The weight of this ski is about 22 lbs (10.5 kg), so it is very lightweight. 

It feels adequately stiff in the hand and on the water.  My ski had no soft spots or significant “oil canning” in the hull.  I can’t really say much about the build quality other than to say that I have had no issues with this ski and it’s been completely watertight.  The footrest flexed too much for my liking, and the footpedal surfaces didn't align perfectly with the footrest which bothered my big feet, so I swapped it out for a stiffer footrest and redrilled holes as was necessary to make it fit.  Most paddlers probably wouldn't feel the need to do that - only the finicky ones like me. 

The rudder crosspiece is like the one on Fenn skis and fine for what it does, but I wanted more security and the ability to use a variety of rudders, so I swapped the Classic's out for a Think crosspiece and Think rudder (both take the same size shaft.  An Uno Max rudder with one or two thin washers works for shaft length).  The ski came with scuppers, which I'd probably leave alone if I mainly paddled in the ocean, but for flatter water use, I blocked off the scuppers and had a bailer installed.

Comfort

The Classic is the skinniest ski that I can fit my rear end into.  Because the hull is chined, the bottom of the seat is wide, and I drop all the way down to the bottom of the seat without hip pinch.  The sides of the seat are vertical, meaning that they don't flare outwards at the top.  The back of the seat bucket doesn't flare back like some newer skis do.  

The boxy seat cross section feels about like the Gen1 and Gen2 Think Uno, though the Classic's seat is just a hair wider from top to bottom.  It’s also wider than the Gen 3 Uno Max, a ski that is too narrow for me.  Compared to the Epics and the Nelo 560, the Classic's seat is wider at the bottom and narrower at the top.  Like always, some will fit comfortably while others won't. 

The footwell is narrower than a 2G V10 but not as narrow as the 3G Uno/Uno Max/Ion, and the catch is quite narrow as well.  

Paddling - Flat Water

On flat water, the Classic feels like it sinks down a bit, especially under my 190 lbs (86 kg) weight.  The flatness under the seat gives it a trace of initial stability.  Lean it over to the side, and since the chine is right underneath you, it doesn't firm up all that much.  Lean it over further, ...and I can't because the opposite gunwale digs into my ribs and the ski won't lean any more. 

Under power, the Classic feels halfway between an ICF K1 and a long ski in that it accelerates more easily both from low and high speeds than a long ski, but not as well as a K1.  The corrollary to that, however, is that it also probably decelerates faster than a longer ski does. I would think that as long as the deceleration rate between strokes is not too fast, or your stroke rate too low, then it might be a good trade-off.   

Paddling this back to back with my Vajda Infusion 2 ICF K1, the stability feels fairly similar, so in other words, it's a fairly tippy elite level ski.  The only reason that I am comfortable in the Classic in mildly rough water is that I fit pretty snugly in it, the seat is low, and the trace of initial stability keeps it feeling fairly planted on the water - all of which keep me from panicking.  

Paddling in Waves 

In multidirectional waves of 1 ft (30 cm) or so, the Classic feels pretty solid for a short, skinny, lightweight ski, though it's still a handful due to the narrow beam, the flatter hull, and the high rocker.  On small downwind runs, with waves up to 3 ft (1m), the Classic works well with the small volume skinny bow seeming to more easily punch through the waves ahead than longer higher volume skis with wider bows.  I noticed this in the Nelo 560 as well.  

Downwind in waves up to 3ft (1m), it really benefits from having a larger swept back rudder and a bow deflector.  It’s easy to control on another ski’s wake and it picks up small runners well like most skis do.  But, I find that I can get onto more runners in the Classic since it accelerates faster and with less effort.

Boat Speed? 

I find it difficult to compare boat speed between elite level skis even when using my gps and HRM on flat and deep water because the differences between elite skis nowadays are so small.  

An analogy I like to use is to compare elite skis like this to a single speed time trial bicycle with a gear size that correlates to our strength, fitness, paddle length, etc.  A faster hull is like swapping out the wheels on that single speed bike for slightly more aero wheels -  which should increase our speed, right?  But it only sort of does.  With the faster wheels, it takes less effort to bump up our speed during an interval, and we might be able to accelerate better, but in a longer effort, we tend to fall back to the same or nearly the same speed where our single gear feels most comfortable and efficient.  This might just be a function of our own efficiency of muscle contraction  - meaning that maybe we automatically settle in at our optimal cadence / stroke rate.  

At any rate, I suspect the Classic is on par with other elite skis in terms of overall drag and how fast it is at marathon pace in the 7.5 to 8.5 mph (12 to 13.7 kph) range.

Seat first, Hull second

I like the design idea behind the Classic whether it was done on purpose or not:  build a narrow racing ski but design the hull to accommodate the width of seat that will allow more paddlers to fit, i.e. design the hull around the seat.  Sure, the hull would have been lower drag had it been optimized first but then the seat would have been really narrow or really high.  The shorter length has less wetted surface area, so some of that extra form drag is made up. 

Overall - Fun and Fast

Having used the McGregor Classic for a full year (minus 5 months of winter), I'm finding that it works very well for me as a flatter water ski because it meets the three main criteria which we all use:  It's comfortable enough for how long I plan to be in it; it's fast enough so that I don't feel like I'm penalized for not being in a different ski; and it's fun to paddle.  It's not a ski for everyone because it's a tippy elite level ski.  It also wouldn't be my first choice in a bigger downwind, as a rough water ski, nor as an ocean ski (I mainly paddle large fresh water lakes and slow flowing rivers).

Several other very good paddlers have taken the Classic for a spin back to back with their standard longer elite ski or their K1, and they've all had the same impression in that the Classic feels surprisingly fast, comfortable, and fun to paddle.   I suspect it accelerates well because the shorter length and narrow waterline gives them less wetted surface area, though maybe it's the rocker, or maybe it's the exaggerated swedeform shape, or maybe all three?

Ok, so the XT has always been a craft designed for paddlers of the less-well-balanced variety (I’m not going to say “beginners”) and you wouldn’t expect it to be as fast as the Elite level surfskis.

But if I were looking for a ski, and my priority was “stability before ability”, to quote a certain well-known paddling personality, I’d definitely include the new model Fenn Mako XT S (to give it its formal pedigree name!) in my list of skis to try.

And although I’d be prepared to sacrifice some speed for stability, I’d still have certain criteria by which I’d try to judge the boat before buying it.

Review Point of View

Who am I? For the purposes of the review:

• I’m a relatively experienced paddler, but I’m getting older and I’m looking for a more stable boat.
• I’m a relatively inexperienced paddler on my way up from my very first ski which is, for the sake of argument, a Fenn Blue-fin.
• In either case, I love downwind paddling.
• In either case, I know I’m not going to shoot the lights out racing but I do want to take part in my local round-the-cans Friday night summer series.

Downwind Criteria

• Shouldn’t be prone to broaching. The original XT was notorious; the rudder was placed far back on the hull, it would pop out of the water and the ski would slew off course.
• Should catch runs easily.
• Shouldn’t nose-dive.
• Shouldn’t be too wet (i.e. shouldn’t flood the cockpit too readily)
• Should track straight (i.e. shouldn’t wander off course)
• It should be stable enough that on a downwind paddle I can focus on paddling and catching runs without bracing to stay in the boat.

Nice-to-haves would include:

• Good drainage
• Comfortable cut-out at the back of the seat so that you can lean back when going down runs.
• Comfortable seat

Flat water criteria

• Shouldn’t be so slow that it’s embarrassing. I don’t want to feel that I’m at a disadvantage on flat water relative to the other stable surfskis.

Nice-to-haves:

• The boat should turn reasonably sharply.

General Must-haves

• It should be easy to remount. As a “less-stable” paddler, I don’t want any self-doubts about my ability to get back on the boat.

First Looks

The venerable Fenn Mako XT was one of the first truly stable surfskis, designed for non-elite paddlers on the market.

In this long-awaited update,

• The hull hasn’t changed.
• The nose has been slimmed down, so there’s less volume up front.
• The rudder has been moved forward.
• The seat has been moved forward.
• The overall length is the same.

Dimensions are:

• Length: 580cm
• Beam: 49cm (seam to seam at the widest point)
• Seat width: 40cm

The nose on the XT S has a new, slimmer shape

The XT S has the new Fenn seat shape, with a low hump and leash anchor point

The review boat had the conventional Fenn footplate assembly, but a self adjusting rudder/cable setup is available

The XT S hull shape hasn't changed from the previous version

Weight

The boat that I trialed was the heaviest, toughest layup: vacuum-bagged fiberglass with polyester resin. The website specifies 18kg for this layup, but the demo boat weighed in at just under 16kg and I confirmed with Fenn Kayaks that 16kg is indeed the target weight for the XT S in glass/polyester resin layup.

The rudder cables were rigged in the conventional way, adjustment requiring a small Allen key. Fenn Kayaks do provide self-adjusting footplates/rudder cables as an option.

All Fenn boats come with a leash anchor point.

The quality of the finish is good; the hull on this boat was rock-hard.

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