Search results Thursday, 27 December 2007 02:33 While most SA paddlers were either resting their tired limbs after an exhausting Cape Point Challenge or catching waves at their favourite holiday beach, six intrepid paddlers from Durban decided to dodge the crowds and head for the Transkei Wild Coast. The plan: to paddle 27 kilometres of the Pondoland Marine Reserve between Port Edward and Mkambati Nature Reserve, to camp overnight at Mtentu River Camp and return by ski or horse, depending on the winds of the following day. Our seconds would undertake a 2 and a half hour drive from Port Edward on potholed unnamed tracks to the overnight rendezvous with the navigational assistance of a Pondo guide.  Paddling the beautiful Pondoland coast
Wednesday, 10 September 2008 16:52 Hurricane Alley was living up to its name - the 30kt NNW wind was ricocheting off the cliffs and mini-tornados were swirling clouds of spray across the surface of sea... and I knew that the cameras were out of memory!  Reverse Buffels surfing... Read more...
Wednesday, 03 September 2008 17:00 Over the weekend of 30/31 August Cape Town was hit by the biggest, nastiest storm in a decade... Gale force north-westerly winds combined with 30-40ft waves... Sensible people stayed in bed on Saturday morning but...  Reverse Millers Run - 30 Aug 2008 (Click on the pic or here to view the video) Read more...
Wednesday, 30 January 2008 17:29 I've been fortunate enough to play in some very strong winds
recently - and on Saturday I had another chance to experience a downwind paddle
in a gale.  At speed - downwind paddling at its best!
Friday, 08 December 2006 00:12  Sunday 3rd December, 18h00, 4km west of Steenbras Point, False Bay, South Africa
The big Oryx helicopter hovered over Casper Kruger as he lay semi-conscious on his surf ski. "It was flying only about two ski-lengths above the water, about twelve metres." he said, "It flew past about 200 metres. Then I saw it turn and I knew I had another chance at life." By the time he was found, Casper had been in the water for nearly seven hours. Read more...
Sunday, 09 July 2006 21:14  2nd July 2006 dawned a beautiful day - for the beach! Not for what was supposed to be a 30km downwind run for the Surf Ski World Cup... There was very little swell, and no wind at all. The race was run from Westbrook Beach to a buoy off the Umhlanga Rocks lighthouse and then across the bay to the Bay of Plenty Beach on the Durban beachfront. The distance as measured by my GPS was 31.4km. Read more...
Friday, 19 May 2006 21:10  The Paddler Christmas night 2005 - Alan Witherden lay awake listening to the howling wind. The southeaster had been blowing hard for several days and thoughts of the resulting rough seas were preying on Alan's mind. In Cape Town on holiday, he had arranged to join his friend John Rhynes for an early morning paddle the next day. They were to do the famous "Millers Run" from Millers Point near Simonstown, across the bay to Fish Hoek. Read more...
Sunday, 30 April 2006 19:25  A black southeaster hit Cape Town this weekend and the 30kt wind on Saturday afternoon was perfect for a downwind. Two unidentified paddlers were spotted leaving Milnerton beach, clearly for a Milnerton to Big Bay run... Elsa Lourens took the photos. Read more...
Saturday, 22 April 2006 13:20  ...happy, sunny harbinger of fun - the summer southeaster “Very windy with large seas. Small craft advisory. Large long period swell. Winds: SE 21 to 28 knots Seas: SW 14 feet at 14 sec.” Interpretation: “Millers Run calling all surf skis. Awesome run predicted.”
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Monday, 30 January 2006 22:55 (by Wayne Borchardt) After weeks of trying to coordinate a downwind paddle, Rob and I eventually manage to align our plans. Miller’s Point to Fishhoek for a classic downwind paddle is on the cards for 1pm. Read more...
Latest Race News  Durban – Team Best 4 Kayak Centre captain Hank McGregor reclaimed his customary place at the top of the pile when he cruised to victory in the Stellar Kayaks surfski race, race two of the Discovery Best 4 Surfski Series, on Sunday morning. Written on Tuesday, 15 May 2012 in Africa
Read more...  A week of great paddling awaits those going to the fourth edition of the Mauritius Ocean Classic. Starting on Sunday, 24 June 2012 with ski issue and then into training sessions with Dawid Mocke and Barry Lewin. Everyday there will be scheduled downwind paddles, allowing all to get familiar with the conditions and ready for the races. Written on Saturday, 12 May 2012 in Africa
Read more...  In another all-out heart-bursting sprint finish, Simon van Gysen managed to boost his ski's nose a few cm past Sean Rice to take the second EuroChallenge race along with the overall title. Written on Sunday, 06 May 2012 in Europe
Read more...  “Van Gysen is pulling ahead of McGregor… it’s his race to lose. No! He’s heading for the harbor instead of the buoy… He’s realized; he’s turned. McGregor’s right up with him! He’s around, they’re sprinting for the finish…” Written on Sunday, 06 May 2012 in Europe
Read more...  It’s only a few weeks until the 11th King of the Harbour Ocean ski race and excitement is building in the surf ski community. It’s a close-knit group and all agree that our race here in Auckland is unique in the world and one of the best. Written on Tuesday, 20 March 2012 in Aus/NZ
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| | Latest Product Reviews  Transcribe the accumulated wisdom of two of the best surfski paddlers in the world, add some truly stunning photographs, and in case that’s not enough, make things even more clear with beautifully executed diagrams. That’s SURFSKI with the Pros in a nutshell. Written on Sunday, 27 November 2011 in Product Reviews
Read more...  When Mario Graziani called to say that there was an Allwave CX surfski in Cape Town and would I like to try it, I leapt at the chance. At the same time I was a little apprehensive – what could Italians possibly know about making surfskis?! Written on Saturday, 20 August 2011 in Product Reviews
Read more...  “Ok, let’s sprint to the other side of the harbor,” I said. Issuing a challenge like that to my training partner Dale Lippstreu always results in a ball-bursting, neck and neck, 110% redline effort. This time though he just disappeared (behind me) and 200m later I looked back to see him paddling backwards. “I thought I had something on the rudder,” he said. Nah. We did it again and the same thing happened. I was on an Carbonology Sport Atom – and on flat water it made me look like a paddling super-hero. Written on Sunday, 12 June 2011 in Product Reviews
Read more...  Let’s start by clarifying that this is an independent product review. Secondly, I have won numerous national kayak titles in both sprint and marathon, and was selected to represent Australia at the World Cup and other International Events. I have also competed in surfski events at state and national levels in surf lifesaving. Summary – independent and qualified advice on craft. Written on Thursday, 02 June 2011 in Product Reviews
Read more...  A year ago, Kayakpro released an updated version of their Speedstroke kayak ergometer. In an effort to be on the leading edge of the indoor paddling world, I made the switch from their older model, the Speedstroke which was introduced in 2001, to their newer model, the GYM, one year ago. KayakPro is owned and operated by British ex-Olympian and World Champion Grayson Bourne. Written on Sunday, 30 January 2011 in Product Reviews
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Latest News  Richard Kohler, attempting to circumnavigate the SA coastline for charity, has been hammered for the third time by the unforgiving KwaZulu-Natal conditions. Written on Tuesday, 13 December 2011 in Latest Surfski News
Read more...  The email was brief: “Newsflash - Richard was attacked by a shark. He is safe, but his surfski is seriously damaged (entire rudder system trashed).” Later came an update: “Richard is safe, though he had to stop 3 times on his paddle today to empty his boat. “ Written on Thursday, 08 December 2011 in Latest Surfski News
Read more...  A solo Cape Town paddler is braving the entire South African coastline on a kayak, a first-ever attempt, to raise awareness and funds for children born with cleft lips and palates. Written on Thursday, 01 December 2011 in Latest Surfski News
Read more...  Here are the 2011 Surfski World Rankings, courtesy of Dean Gardiner and Ocean Paddler who have put it all together... Written on Tuesday, 23 August 2011 in Latest Surfski News
Read more...  Imagine taking ten days out of your life to paddle with (and be coached by) two of the best surfski exponents ever… In 2012, you have three opportunities to take a spectacular trip to some of the most remote and beautiful parts of the Western Australian coast with Dean Gardiner and Oscar Chalupsky. Written on Monday, 20 June 2011 in Latest Surfski News
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| | Latest Tips & Tricks  Here’s a debate that pops up quite often: what length is optimum for surfskis? Ralph Baker, a student at the Newcastle University School of Marine Science and Technology (phew what a mouthful!) recently completed an eight month long project looking at this precise question. Written on Saturday, 12 May 2012 in Tips: Other
Read more...  [Editor: When Jean Mars Tavignot tried out his new Red7 Surf 70 Pro in downwind conditions, he was not pleased; his 10 year old Fenn Millenium handled the short steep Mediterranean waves better! Nothing daunted, he took out his toolbox…] Written on Tuesday, 09 August 2011 in Tips: Other
Read more...  I have always wanted to fit an elliptical rudder to a Fenn, particularly a Mako 6 as it is my favourite ski. I can paddle an Elite but I prefer the 6 for all round stability and performance particularly in chop. Its main weakness is that the shark fin loses bite because of the ski's rocker and the fin's proximity to the tail causes the odd broach particularly in big swells. Written on Monday, 01 August 2011 in Tips: Other
Read more...  "Life's too short to learn from our own experience, instead, learn from others and save the expense..." I recently hurt my back and was forced to stop training in my kayak and ski for six weeks. In the process of repair I found some amazing things I’ve been doing wrong for at least eighteen months, and thought surfski.info readers might benefit from my mistakes. Written on Sunday, 17 July 2011 in Tips: Other
Read more...  Rudders are a critical part of any boat’s design – and in my opinion many of the rudders on surfskis are sub-optimal, to put it mildly. But at last a manufacturer has got off their butt to offer a wide range of rudders for different conditions. Written on Wednesday, 15 June 2011 in Tips: Other
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