Thursday, 28 March 2019 14:52 | Written by Rob Mousley
“Oh, dear me,” I thought. Or words to that effect. Rumbly Bay (encouragingly named for the way the boulders crash together when big swells hit the shoreline) hardly ever closes out – but the wave that was roaring towards me looked as though it just might break across the entire…
Tuesday, 26 March 2019 09:05 | Written by Rob Mousley
Extreme sports and 100% safety are incompatible. When you go to sea in gale-force downwind conditions, sometimes shit will happen. And it’s then that your safety gear and your preparedness in using it become vital…
Monday, 25 March 2019 11:02 | Written by David Black
Editor: The conditions were clearly extreme: 40kt SE and 3.5m swell. But no-one could have foreseen that a breaking wave would smash Dave Black's surfski so hard that it would disintegrate, leaving him swimming in the maelstrom... Luckily he had his mobile phone with him and this lead ultimately to…
Thursday, 14 March 2019 08:55 | Written by Rob Mousley
As Alan remounted his surfski yet again, he realized that it was time to call for help. The wind was increasing, the tide had turned, and the beam-on waves were getting bigger and steeper. He fumbled with his VHF radio, but the cold had robbed his hands of feeling…
Friday, 08 March 2019 12:41 | Written by Rob Mousley
My speed surged as I launched down the run, spray flying, the howl and crash of the wind and waves in my ears… and then, crack! “Faaaaaark!” (or words to that effect). The footplate assembly had completely separated from the boat and in an instant, I had no steering, nothing…
Friday, 08 February 2019 09:33 | Written by Rob Mousley
Yeeeeeha! A couple of strokes and the ski started accelerating, 16kph, 20kph, 26kph… Whooomph! The spray deflector threw a mass of water arcing into air… Blinded, unbalanced, keep it going, paddle, paddle…!
Sunday, 03 February 2019 14:16 | Written by Rob Mousley
My opposition surged past me on the last lap of the Seadog race in Fish Hoek. In desperation, I steered to hook onto his side wash… To my surprise the XT S accelerated instantly, and I sat there with little effort riding the wash for the rest of the leg.
Wednesday, 31 October 2018 17:04 | Written by Rob Mousley
As I watched through the zoom lens it felt as though I was right there: Jasper Mocke’s surfski hung for a moment on the precipice and then plunged down the face of a massive wave. He hit a smaller cross chop, went airborne and then plunged down, the nose of…
Monday, 29 October 2018 07:45 | Written by Rob Mousley
There are quite a few how-to-remount videos on YouTube - but once again Oscar shows us the best technique for remounting and he makes it look easy (it is easy, you just need to practise!). Remounting is one of the core skills in surfski paddling - along with the brace…
Friday, 26 October 2018 17:06 | Written by Rob Mousley
It’s inevitable: sooner or later your surfski’s hull WILL be punctured and it WILL take on salt water… and over time it’ll get heavier and heavier no matter how much you try and drain it. Here’s how to get that pesky moisture out of your surfski.