Latest Surfski News

Tuesday, 17 October 2023 07:11
“What the bloody hell are you doing here?” I thought to myself a few moments after launching on the brand new V10 4G for the first time. It was getting dark; it was raining; the squalls were lifting sheets of spray off the water… directly offshore. What WAS I thinking? The answer is that I’m a sucker for new toys – and if I get my hands on one, I HAVE to play with it. Damn the weather, full speed ahead… Since then I’ve paddled the boat many more times, in much pleasanter weather. Here’s what I think of this,…
Thursday, 08 June 2023 12:42
East London, South Africa: Angus Warren watched helplessly as the shark’s teeth crunched through the hull of his surfski. “It seemed to go on and on,” he says, “pushing and chomping. I was thinking, why is it not working out that it isn’t food? “I can’t tell how long it took, but I had enough time to shout a couple of times to the others.” The next thing he knew, he was in the water…
Read more...
Thursday, 27 April 2023 18:42
CAPE TOWN - Hank McGregor and Josh Fenn convincingly claimed back their Prescient Freedom Paddle title on Thursday in a dramatic race marked by tough conditions and a rain-delayed start.  Conditions were extremely tough - a brisk northwester blowing spray from the big confused chop into the paddlers' faces as they headed out to the island.  Huge breaking surf on the far side of the island ensured a wide line but the wind dropped as the fleet started on the journey back to the finish, making it that much more difficult and energy sapping to catch the runs.  
Read more...
Tuesday, 25 April 2023 11:50
Last Friday, however, I paddled with Dawid on a windless autumn evening in Cape Town. Cruising from Fish Hoek to Muizenberg, we paddled together, stopping at all the coves to surf a few waves. In short, the operative word was "fun". This was a different Dawid - off duty - and, well, I've never paddled with anyone so noisy before. Whistling, singing, shouting to folks on shore - yahooing as he caught a wave. Heading home at dusk we crept up behind a group of seals lazing on the surface. Dawid began barking like a five-year-old paid by the bark...until…
Thursday, 09 February 2023 07:39
A look back - aaaaargh! A mountain. Let it go through... A smaller one, with a glimpse of something massive lurking further out to sea. Catch it, catch it! Sprint, sprint, you’re on it, here’s the break zone, keep going, keep going, the roar from behind and the sudden acceleration as a massive foamy caught up to me, keep it straight, keep it straight... Phew. Arrived. Panting. Stop the watch. ok. Made it. Empty the boat, pick it up to prevent it knocking you down. Done.
Read more...
Saturday, 26 November 2022 17:16
The South Africans cleaned up today at the most prestigious surfski race in Australia – arguably the most prestigious race in the world - taking five out of the top six places and the entire podium at the Shaw and Partners “The Doctor” in Perth. Defending women’s champion, Kiwi Danielle McKenzie won the women’s trophy.
Read more...
Saturday, 19 November 2022 13:01
Gold Coast paddler, Cory Hill, took first scalp in the five-event ocean ski racing series, the Shaw and Partners WA Race Week, winning the inaugural race today, the 24km Fenn West Coast Downwinder from Fremantle, just south of Perth, to Sorrento Beach. In fine conditions with a 16 knot SSW wind courtesy of the famed Fremantle Doctor, the start off Port Beach was intense with the top paddlers in a terse battle to make the first break.   But it was 33-year-old Hill – the 4-times DOCTOR champ who relishes the Perth conditions – who was able to shake the field…
Read more...
Tuesday, 16 March 2021 13:54
It’s not easy to catch a rolling, runaway single ski in 30kt of gusting wind – and as they attempted to grab it, Alex and his doubles partner lost their balance and fell into the water. By the time they’d remounted, the single ski was gone – blown away by the strengthening near-gale. They turned and paddled back upwind to find their buddy.
Read more...
Wednesday, 03 March 2021 12:08
Accident reports are easy to write when the story ends happily, but this one didn’t and it’s with a very heavy heart that I’m writing this, with a view to learning what we can from it.
Read more...
Wednesday, 15 July 2020 09:13
When the NSRI found Duncan MacDonald, he was approximately 6km off Smitswinkel Bay, drifting rapidly further offshore. Gale-force squalls whipped sheets of spray off the waves, reducing visibility almost to nothing. What Happened? Given the small size of the surfski community, there’s always intense interest whenever there’s a rescue. What happened? What did they do wrong? What can we learn from it? Clearly there are lessons to be learnt from any mishap – so here’s a description of what happened, shared with the permission and cooperation of the folks involved in the hope that we might all learn from this…
Friday, 24 April 2020 11:41
Durban – As the continued coronavirus lockdown grips the country, Canoeing South Africa will host a 24 hour Canoeing4COVID-19 event this weekend as a way to raise funds for members of the broader paddling community that have been badly affected by the lockdown.
Read more...
Wednesday, 11 March 2020 14:35
“Hey, Rob! Help!” The shouts penetrated the sound of the howling wind and crashing waves – and even through the noise it was obvious from the tone of his voice that something was seriously wrong. I turned and headed back upwind.
Read more...
Tuesday, 03 March 2020 14:43
Many paddlers use Personal Locator Beacons, or tracker apps like SafeTrx on their mobile phones. But handheld VHF radios are also a great choice to consider – especially when they’re DSC-capable like the Standard Horizon HX870E.
Read more...
Monday, 24 February 2020 12:01
I finally got my hands on a demo Fennix Swordfish S this weekend and did two Miller's Runs in succession to see if I could feel any difference in handling between the 2018 Swordfish S and the new Fennix model.  Conditions were challenging: False Bay was covered in whitecaps, whipped by a combination of a 25-30kt southeaster and small, confused seas.  The result?  I definitely want to spend more time in this boat.
Read more...
Thursday, 26 December 2019 10:30
The shark smashed like a freight train into Roger Swinney’s surfski in an explosion of noise and spray, knocking him off into the water.  “I managed to get back on the ski,” he said, “but I fell off again and as I remounted the second time, I saw the swirl and tips of the shark’s fins. “I didn’t see it clearly, but from the force of it and the movement in the water, it looked big!”
Read more...

Latest Forum Topics

First Looks: V10 Sport

Sunday, 16 April 2006 15:09 | Written by 
Rate this item
(0 votes)

ImageHear Oscar talk about the Epic surf skis and the message is clear: "The V10 is the fastest, most stable, best designed, best built ski in the world and the V10 Sport comes a close second!" It’s more stable and slightly slower but, “On the V10 Sport, I could still win the Molokai against anyone on any ski (except the V10)”!

 

But there is only one Oscar – what do lesser mortals think of the ski? Said lesser mortals had the opportunity to try out the V10 Sport this weekend here in Cape Town...

 

First Looks

 

(The demo ski is the only V10 Sport in South Africa, Oscar having brought it back from the Chinese factory after his recent trip there.)

 

Image
The Epic V10 Sport

 

Click here for a larger image. 

 

The build quality is superb. The deck and hull are immaculate and bear testimony to the CNC machined plug that was used to create the mold. Slightly shorter (about 16inches/400mm) and noticeably wider (1inch/25mm) the ski looks very much like its bigger brother with the same big volume nose and wide afterdeck.

 

Image
V10 on the left; V10 Sport on the right

 

The seat is also wider and suits generously upholstered backsides.

 

Image
The wider cockpit

 

Earlier this year I spent a month paddling a V10 and achieved some great results (for me) in the last races of the season. I particularly enjoyed two races that saw us paddle downwind at a 45 degree angle to the wind and waves – the stability of the ski made it easy to catch the runs and the directional stability made it easy to stay on them.

 

So how did the V10 Sport compare? I was lucky enough to spend 40 minutes or so playing in the surf, enjoying what amounted to a personal coaching session with big Oscar. In 40 minutes it’s of course not possible to form more than a first impression, but several things struck me:

 

  • The ski is extremely stable, but still feels fast and responsive.
  • The steering was far better than the demo V10 – something that can be attributed to the new rudder which is longer and some 25% bigger.
  • The seat is very wide and apart from the incompatibility between the V10 bucket (which rubs me raw in minutes) and my coccyx, I’d have to install a bum pad to stop sliding around in it.

 

Image
The distinctive V10 afterdeck


Surf Ski School

 

A sea full of flailing, swimming paddlers and drifting skis bore testimony to the lively surf line that was challenging Dawid Mocke’s surf ski school students on Saturday morning.

 

Surf Ski School currently uses heavy old Hammerhead skis for teaching, and our purpose was to see how total beginners would cope with the V10 Sport.

 

Although the ski clearly isn’t totally fool-proof, as evidenced by several spills as the beginners took it through the surf line and back, I could see that the paddlers were not overwhelmed by it either. I watched a couple of the beginners take the ski out and all three attempts followed the same general pattern – a very wobbly beginning and a spill more often than not when the first wave hit accompanied by yells from Oscar, “don’t stop paddling, keep going!” A dodgy turn would be followed by an uncertain surf back to the beach. But all the paddlers were noticeably more confident on the second and subsequent trips.

 

Image
...noticeably more confident
 

 

It certainly appears that this is a ski that can be handled with a fair degree of confidence even by absolute beginners.

 

While we were on the beach, South African lifesaver legend “Bones” Barrett arrived (on his V10). After a spin in the V10 Sport he exclaimed “you can’t fall out of this thing even if you try…” (Take this whence it comes - Bones is of course one of the most experienced paddlers in South Africa!)  

 

Image
Springbok lifesaver Bones Barrett


Summary

 

South African consumers must remember that this particular ski is the light, (expensive) imported version – the Kayak Centre V10 Sport will be built in glass lay-up and will be somewhat heavier.

 

In my opinion though, the V10 Sport is a great ski both for beginners and intermediate paddlers.

 

What I like about the ski:

  • The stability. This is a ski suited for total beginners
  • The performance. This ski is streets ahead of the old hammerhead-type craft and will take a paddler from starting off through to intermediate racing.
  • The finish: The extremely high quality sets high expectations – I hope Kayak Centre lives up to them for the SA market!
  • The new rudder: The difference between the V10 Sport’s manoeuvrability and that of the demo V10 (with the old rudder) was striking.

Image
The new rudder - 25% bigger area
 

 

What I don’t like

  • The seat: The V10 and V10 Sport seats both rubbed my coccyx raw within minutes. (It must be said that no-one else I know has the same complaint and most paddlers give the seat an emphatic thumbs-up.)
  • The width of the seat: The V10 Sport’s seat is designed for larger backsides and I was left sliding around in it. A bum pad should sort this out though and Epic will be offering an insert to reduce the width.

 

See Also

 

Joe Glickman's write up of his experience with the V10 Sport during the 2006 Molokai Challenge.  Click here