Search results Thursday, 04 March 2010 08:31 Monday, 1st March, 2010 saw one of the strongest southeasters of the season hit Cape Town. Cape Point was registering an average of 40kt, gusting to 46kt. Roman Rock lighthouse showed an average of 39kt. Read more...
Sunday, 06 July 2008 08:37 Ever tried to look for a surfski from a helicopter? Or from a rescue craft on the water? Here's the story of our exercise with the South African National Sea Rescue Institute.  'Spirit of Safmarine III' - Simonstown NSRI
Saturday, 02 June 2007 15:47  Remounting your ski is an essential skill. Fall off in cold water offshore - you need to get back on that ski immediately before you get cold. Fall off in the surf zone - you need to get back on fast before the next set comes in. And yet, how to remount is one of the commonest questions - especially from beginners. What's the "straddle" method? How does it differ from the "sidesaddle" method? Here are some answers... Read more...
Monday, 12 January 2009 15:45 I watched the ski roll downwind, and knew that I'd blown it - big time. Not only was I faced with a 300m swim to the beach but the wind was blowing it offshore - with my paddle and my GPS. And I'd just started advertising the ski for sale. DAMNATION! 
The GPS track showing the ski's last moments as it dived for the rocks at 15kph
Wednesday, 08 October 2008 11:16 Having had one or two close scrapes in my time I've had opportunity to reflect on them (with relief) and learn something (like not repeating said stints again), but my most recent (repeat act) has bothered me sufficiently to feel the need to share it with you. Who knows, it might help prevent someone from being as complacent (stupid) as I was recently...  Anthony Allen - PFD next time?
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...
Friday, 25 November 2005 20:04 by Rob Mousley - 10 October 2004
I had a minor adventure this morning involving wind, waves & flares. A friend and I went out in Hout Bay for a paddle on our surf skis. The Northwester was blowing, and usually in such conditions I wouldn’t have gone downwind across the bay – especially as my paddling companion is not very paddling fit at the moment. However… we went along the western edge of the bay towards The Sentinel and then (and the wind really didn’t seem all that bad) we cut across the bay downwind. The waves got bigger and we had some small runs, and then my paddling companion said that he wanted to turn back. And that’s where the fun started. Read more...
Friday, 23 November 2007 05:37 The NSRI Fundraiser at Seaforth Beach in
Cape Town takes place this weekend.
Sometimes one has to wonder whether the NSRI looks forward to these "fundraiser"
events... Last year the southeaster came
roaring in and about 40% of the fleet ended up "retired, hurt" and ironically many
of them had to be rescued by the NSRI.  Pic 1: High speed rescue...
Wednesday, 02 December 2009 01:22 [Editor: Here's a story just in from Sydney, Australia, that illustrates just how important it can be to carry a communications device when paddling offshore. Well done to Dale Jackson and Steve Randall for having a mobile phone that they could summon help with when they got into trouble.] Read more...
Thursday, 17 September 2009 03:34 No matter how many times I've rounded Cape Recife - and I've been going there all my life - I feel a mixture of respect and fear; if you don't it will eat you. -Richard von Wildemann 
Richard 'Chopper' von Wildeman rides a biggie near Cape Recife - Dec 22, 2008 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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