Excited Beginner

Hello and greetings. I am new here, and new to this whole sport. My name is Mark, I'm 59 and live in central Florida on the shore of a freshwater lake. I have been kayaking for a while now, and enjoy it thoroughly. For the past few months I've been reading about surfskis, watching videos, and learning all i can about the sport without actually trying it. I must admit as exciting and fun as it all looks, im quite intimidated by what I've found to be a lack of info and places online that beginners can go to get help, ask silly questions, and get encouragement. I'm very happy to have found this forum, and have already read quite a few topicsthat answered the same questions i also have. 
But good news, i just bought a used surfiski that i am picking up next Tuesday, then I'll really feel more like one of the gang i hope. As I'm 59 and retired on a fixed income now, i had to choose a surfski that i could afford, and hopefully it will be an adequately stable and forgiving surfski to get my feet wet on. I bought an older Fenn Tarpon spec ski. I hope i wont be disappointed in it, but its been very well taken care of, and at least i know its a quality name and time tested design. So wish me luck on my first paddle, and please give any advice you think of, im eager to learn and there's not much info on taking that first paddle. 
Thanks for letting me join your group, and have a great day to everyone. 

Depending on your natural balance, fitness, and determination, a 19" boat is borderline ok for a beginner, but I forget if the spec skis are tippier than their beam suggests due to a higher seat. Maybe someone else can comment. If you had a fat kayak, it will be quite a change! if you're used to skinny sea kayaks (~20-21") it will be a little easier. If you find yourself constantly swimming after 10 paddles, it may be worth considering another (wider) boat in the 21"+ range like a Epic V7, V8, or a Fenn Bluefin etc. Some swimming is ok, but if the only thing you can concentrate on is not falling in after several paddles, that is not good. Florida has a ton of cheap boats if you watch closely. Like, nice boats for less than $1500 regularly come up. Florida has an excellent used ski market IMO. 

As for a first steps, watch some technique videos like these

If you understand all of that info, you're off to an excellent start. 

Next, dont be afraid to tip over and remount. Practice it a lot. Even if you can handle staying in the ski, practice swimming and remounting every time you paddle until you have it down in your sleep. Knowing that you can remount anytime takes away all the fear and apprehension of falling out, making paddling much more enjoyable in any conditions. 

also, try and find a group to paddle with. you will learn a lot if you ask, and finding a local community will help shorten the learning curve. 

Welcome!

Mark, welcome to the weird and wonderful, exciting and frustrating  (often at the same time) sport of surfski paddling

Don't be apprehensive of an idea of swapping out skis if they don't work out for you. If you have a decent used market, you can do that with a pretty nominal loss. Finding a right boat is not easy and then as your skills progress you also may want to upgrade. I am on my 3rd (and 2nd) boat and I have only been doing it for two seasons.

Hey Mark....(and ive not posted on this page in forever).....I started dabbling in surfski myself a couple years back, but didn't dedicate any real time and training...just paddled once a month or less in hopes to improve my technique a bit.

2019 was my first season of racing...ever...in any sort of sport period. 

I had no "aerobic base" much at all it turns out...my technique I rummaged around the webs enough to figure that out some at first...but found folks to send gopro videos too, to analyze technique. 

I live in central Alabama btw...and pretty much paddle on my own...did 3 races this year, finishing off with "chattajack31" last weekend. 

This year I started "actually training serious" and got with Hayley Nixon (pro paddler out of South Africa, well known) and her coach Linton Hope, they have a web based training program that helped me TREMENDOUSLY as a newcomer to like...um...fitness and this sport also haha. 

If you happen to have a deep fitness background, some of this wont be as intimidating...like bad azz cyclers etc coming into this, they already know about "fitness" in general.

If you do not, then I can tell you from my own experience, one has to learn not only technique (which is intimidating enough) but how to create workouts that fit your schedule, are well thought out as far as intensity, duration, and also allowing time for recovery...etc.etc etc.....frankly, for me, paying someone a bit per month to writeup a pro level tested means was worth it....(although I'm quite sure others go about things entirely different!)

Online videos that helped me were the ivan lawler masterclass video on youtube...Oscar chalupsky technique videos on youtube...and that one series on youtube, I forget the name of the channel, alexis...something or other with k1 focus technique.....good stuff...ivan lawler was my favorite, good stuff there.....Hayley helped me along with a couple other mentors online with my technique.

The biggest change I saw though, FOR ME, was getting my "aerobic base" building up....it was very unintuitive for me....it started very slower than I thought...I had reached a point where my speeds were not improving, and then when entered the program, I had to slow down for a month...build slow...then add more....

Make a good plan for your training, structure it, follow it....there are ways to test your progress...Hayley's program/group (Wild Dog Squad) uses HR centric stuff where we target HR's for various intensity levels, do time trials, and intervals are not merely "all out"...there are various forms of nasty trickery in it that probes your tolerances! 

8 months ago, my aerobic pace was 4.5mph (7kph)....now...its 5.8mph (9.4kph)....my 10km pace 8 months ago flat water was avg speed of 5.7mph, now its 6.5mph....I'm hoping 2020 will bring me to 6.5mph as my aerobic pace  

Good luck, see me on fb if you want to chat (Ellery Curtis)...I'm MERELY an amateur blabbing for fun though so keep that in mind...good luck. 

Oscar also does web coaching  now btw (cannot speak to that)...and I think there is another web program out of California...something like "paddle California"? 

Hello Mar-D, I live on the Gulf side of Florida. Could you post a picture of that ski to get an idea of seat depth and foot well. Some have a cutout for the bum and feet, while some are similar to a surfski seat and footwell. The latter would be a lot more stable. Spec skis are typically on the heavier side of most surf skis at 38 lbs so, it should be a durable boat for your intended use while still being lighter than regular kayaks. Falling out will happen and remounting skills are essential, especially in Florida fresh water...and salt water too which I paddle in. Welcome...

Thanks everyone who comented. 
I will attempt to add photos below of the Fenn ski i am buying next week. To answer if it is a deep or shallow seat, it is a deep seat, and the owner says it should fit my 6ft height well. I know it is an older model, but my budget is limited to about $600. and that is the amount the owner accepted. I would have loved an Epic V7 or 8, but i just dont have thousands of dollars to put into a ski. 
As far as stability, if i have to i will fabricate some temporary lightweight outriggers that will at least keep me from getting too frustrated at first. I actually watched a youtube video today where a guy strapped "pool noodles" along the sides of his ski.. 
Truth be told, i am older and maybe not as strong as when i was 20, and i had cancer on my left ear that affected hearing in that ear, so my balance might not be as good as i hope it will, but i am determined to find away to row one of these things around the lake that is literally part of my backyard. Surfskis seem to be the most effortless energy efficient ways to enjoy and travel on the water. I doubt I'll ever paddle it in the ocean, or ride big waves, or race, or be anything but a novice paddler. I just want a fun, fast enjoyable way to exersise and enjoy my community lake. 
Im sure that my views and expectations will change after ive made a few paddles and actually know what it feels like, until then i have no idea what to expect or think about any of it.? But i know that this is the most exciting thing ive wanted to do in a long time, so ive already succeeded in actually following a dream, instead of just watching other people do it.. 
One of you asked about joining clubs or groups near me.? With exception to the coast where i dont get to very often, ive never seen a surfski here in central florida or seen anyone paddling one.? And thats odd because we have countless lakes everywhere around here, and there are boats in almost every driveway.? 
Anyways thanks very much for the comments. Photos below (i hope). 

That’s a good boat.  I have a Tarpon with adjustable foot plates, and had a fixed foot plate Tarpon (exactly like yours).  If it happens to be the right length for your legs, perfect.  If foot plate is a little too far away, you can add blocks (rubber, thick foam) for better fit.  You want to be able to push the boat forward with your heel when paddle blade is planted.  If footplate is too close, it just becomes less comfortable with knees sticking too high and becomes less stable.  That is a durable boat, probably does not leak and steering cable tubes probably intact.  At 19” wide and deep seat version, it should be just stable enough to learn on.  I think that’s a great first ski as long as leg length is close.  Good luck, have fun, and welcome to a great sport.

PharmGeek wrote: Hey Mark....(and ive not posted on this page in forever).....I started dabbling in surfski myself a couple years back, but didn't dedicate any real time and training...just paddled once a month or less in hopes to improve my technique a bit.

2019 was my first season of racing...ever...in any sort of sport period. 

I had no "aerobic base" much at all it turns out...my technique I rummaged around the webs enough to figure that out some at first...but found folks to send gopro videos too, to analyze technique. 

I live in central Alabama btw...and pretty much paddle on my own...did 3 races this year, finishing off with "chattajack31" last weekend. 

This year I started "actually training serious" and got with Hayley Nixon (pro paddler out of South Africa, well known) and her coach Linton Hope, they have a web based training program that helped me TREMENDOUSLY as a newcomer to like...um...fitness and this sport also haha. 

If you happen to have a deep fitness background, some of this wont be as intimidating...like bad azz cyclers etc coming into this, they already know about "fitness" in general.

If you do not, then I can tell you from my own experience, one has to learn not only technique (which is intimidating enough) but how to create workouts that fit your schedule, are well thought out as far as intensity, duration, and also allowing time for recovery...etc.etc etc.....frankly, for me, paying someone a bit per month to writeup a pro level tested means was worth it....(although I'm quite sure others go about things entirely different!)

Online videos that helped me were the ivan lawler masterclass video on youtube...Oscar chalupsky technique videos on youtube...and that one series on youtube, I forget the name of the channel, alexis...something or other with k1 focus technique.....good stuff...ivan lawler was my favorite, good stuff there.....Hayley helped me along with a couple other mentors online with my technique.

The biggest change I saw though, FOR ME, was getting my "aerobic base" building up....it was very unintuitive for me....it started very slower than I thought...I had reached a point where my speeds were not improving, and then when entered the program, I had to slow down for a month...build slow...then add more....

Make a good plan for your training, structure it, follow it....there are ways to test your progress...Hayley's program/group (Wild Dog Squad) uses HR centric stuff where we target HR's for various intensity levels, do time trials, and intervals are not merely "all out"...there are various forms of nasty trickery in it that probes your tolerances! 

8 months ago, my aerobic pace was 4.5mph (7kph)....now...its 5.8mph (9.4kph)....my 10km pace 8 months ago flat water was avg speed of 5.7mph, now its 6.5mph....I'm hoping 2020 will bring me to 6.5mph as my aerobic pace  

Good luck, see me on fb if you want to chat (Ellery Curtis)...I'm MERELY an amateur blabbing for fun though so keep that in mind...good luck. 

Oscar also does web coaching  now btw (cannot speak to that)...and I think there is another web program out of California...something like "paddle California"? 

What is the course you are on called or do you have a weblink. I am in serious need of a structured training program.
Thanks for sharing your story good to hear that with proper training really good advances can be made.

I have no experience with adding like outriggers as a means to bridge a balance gap...but I think at 19 inches wide and based on various feedback, seems safe to assume on FLAT water, youll be able to paddle it fine. I recommend paddling totally flat water at first to get over the jitters....and practice remounts first and foremost...remounts before just about anything.....Oscar chalupsky clinic on youtube has a great bit in one of the videos showing good remount technique in a pool....once you get that technique and practice it a bit, youll be golden...fear of falling in with flat water will not help your stability...fear breeds tension and that breeds instability....so falling in is "no big deal" if you can remount just fine, so that if/when you do fall in, no biggie...this helps to reduce the fear of the thing and the instability that derives from that. 

If you've never paddled a ski before...it feels weird at first because most of us who jump into one, have never paddled a kayak like that with your feet together and putting your center of gravity centered with your legs...its not a big deal, but will often "FEEL" very weird or "tippy" at first, but if you kinda just trust you'll be fine, that feeling will soon pass. 

I started in a v7....very stable...sounds like youll be stable enough in this one....its easy at first if you have not practiced technique much to pull yourself in and fall in from an improper stroke...

Where you live in Florida, there seems to be *some* growth in paddling...the guy that won "chattajack" this year is from north florida...I know a couple people down in the panhandle that are enthusiasts and super helpful to meet and help you learn if you get interested (Salli Odonnel and Michael Malone...salli did the AL650 this year, and is pretty well known endurance ski racer, they live together in ft. walt. beach area of the panhandle...their fb page is "10thLifeKayaking" (worth joining and chatting with them if no one else IMO). 

Good luck and have fun! 

For Mark D and Jedd58,  You should join the Florida Competition Paddlers Association.  We are a registered non-profit that holds ~15 recreational races every year all over the state of Florida: Wukulla, Wacissa, Silver Springs, Ocklawaha. Withlacoochi, Suwannee, Santa Fe, etc.  Annual membership is only $10 and all the races are free (some races are held at parks that charge admission).  This is a great way to break into racing because the group is very friendly and the racers cover the entire spectrum from newbie to OMG fast.  Pretty much all the surfski brands are represented and most of us will let others paddle our boats.  Next three races are: Nov 16 - Crescent City, Dec 1 - Sebastion and Dec 7 - Silver Springs.  Best way to get all the race info is on the FCPA Facebook page.  If you don't do FB, give me your email and I will forward.      

www.wilddogza.com

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hayley can be reached on fb messenger if you look her up that way and WhatsApp to connect for a WiFi phone call 
+27 79 670 7962

Hayley is one of perhaps top 3 female surfski pros internationally - of course she is South African (they got that in their blood) - I’ve very much enjoyed working with her and coach Linton