The smokin spring and summer Maliko report

[LaPerouseBay]

Wind is light in this video.  It may not look like fun, but I enjoy runs like this almost as much as the windy ones.  GPS numbers are surprisingly high.  The ski was flying along over 8mph for several miles.  Light conditions are great for experimenting with new angles and links. 

[LaPerouseBay]

Medium wind at the beginning, then light.  NE and NW windswell began to cross things up in this section.  It was very lumpy and strange having conflicting swells running.  Somehow the ski's are able to knife through and get on the following bumps.  Very satisfying run, good speed.  Video is bouncy due the conflicting swells.

[JonathanC]

Thanks for continuing to post the videos L, the ability of the ski to ride swells through other messy layers of cross swell is amazing. I'm finding that if I put a big effort in to catch a wave it seems to unsettle me and make the boat rock, notice a couple of times in this vid that you seem to be getting much better at putting the power in and not becoming unsettled. Just got a new Bracsa IV paddle and its made a huge difference, much lighter and cleaner entry.

[LaPerouseBay]

Good luck with the new paddle JC.  I've read nothing but great things about the braca 4.  

As for stability when the waves bash you around, do the padding in the bucket and on the calves.  It feels weird for a while but then dissapears.  You will be amazed at how much skis will roll without spilling you.  Each ride seems to get easier and faster these days.  

There is a very interesting thread about a dislocated shoulder over on the ski forum.  Every beginner needs to be aware of this danger.  I did it last Saturday, and was sore for a few days.  Lucky I didn't tear something.  Spent a few days in the oc-1 and all was good to go.  Today's run was relatively mild.  It looks like my bracing may be too far back.  I'll try to ask an expert about it. 

http://www.surfski.info/forum/1-general/9476-shoulder-dislocation-while-training.html

Here's a video of today's run.  It's a reverse downwinder on the south shore.  Makena landing to the cove.  I wish we would have done a full run to the Kehei canoe club, it was very, very fun.  The wind was light, but the fetch was excellent.  Good power in kona swells.  

[LaPerouseBay]

Well I finally bit the bullet and did a maliko.  It was quite exhilarating.  As usual, it was bigger and faster than I expected. 

The ski was faster than I expected too.  I held back from all the big waves.  A few early spills had me wondering if I had the skill to do the entire run.  After about a half hour things began to seem familiar.  I gradually settled in, relaxed and started to have fun.  Crazy fast machines on the open water.     

I'm glad the initial run is over.  It was spooky at the start.   

[LaPerouseBay]

Today's MCKC race was rugged.  1 mile of good tailwind, 2 on the side and 7 of headwind left me a bit disgruntled.  A very odd combo of chop and bumps dumped me about 5 times.  It's not fun falling out in a ski.  It's torture when boats pass as you struggle to remount.  No clean re entries.  Up and over at least once each time.  Oh well, some days you got it and some days you don't.      

The wind was good on the south shore.  I did a late run to to remind me how fun the sport usually is.  No falls here on my home course, so some days you don't got it and some days you do...


 

[headmount]

Jan 29 and think many people got a run in today.  The surface was crossed up by a sizable NW swell the last two days but the wind was blowing and there were some great glides.  Went short to Kanaha today and it was wild coming in over the reef.  Downwind city in Jan!

[PonoBill]

Man, that run about did me in. Next time I say "I'm not feeling that good but I'll go anyway" just shoot me.

[LaPerouseBay]

Today was an excellent run for me.  Unfortuanately, I only got the first 30 minutes on video.  European tarriff laws prevent consumer grade video cameras from shooting over 30 minutes.  All the best action is across kanaha, which of course happens about 30 minutes into the run.  I was so focused on not spilling, I couldn't even risk grabbing my water.  Stopping to reset the camera was out of the question.  I climbed in the boat too many times yesterday.

The boat was behaving magnificently.  I rigged up a self centering rudder, it really helps.  The experienced guys don't mind a free swinging rudder, but I need all the help I can get.  Now it's nice to be able to paddle into shorebreak with my legs out and have the boat steer straight rather than all over the map.  Seems to help on downwinders too.  No need to constantly worry about the pedal position. 

Here's a link with a few different methods.  I used the foam gizmo under the steering cover.  http://www.surfski.info/forum/20-epic/6072-self-centering-rudder-for-epic-boats.html 

Only one fall today, about 9 miles in.  I think the new rudder helped.  Super fun run.  I'll probably mount the camera within reach next maliko.  It was really good today.
    

  

[1paddle2paddle]

LPB, did you just eyeball the foam piece that you put in for the steering?  Do you find that it limits the range of steering you have with the boat?

Something is dodgy with the Surfski.info forum.  I always have problem logging in to that.

[LaPerouseBay]

1P2P, I made a template out of thin cardboard.  Then traced that onto the foam.  I just happened to have the proper density foam.

As for limiting the travel of the rudder, it may not be a bad thing.  As I'm sure you are aware, over steering a rudder will cause it to stall, (cavitate) and become useless.  I'm terrible about over steering on my ski.  Sometimes I mash so hard on the pedals I twist the rudder in the steering bar.  It's probably a typical beginner mistake.   

Tonight's run was a perfect example of how the foam keeps me from oversteering.  Wind and waves were coming from the right - meaning I had to constantly veer right to stay off the reef.  Lot's of heavy steering to surf well.  Anyhow, I occasionally panic and mash the pedals like crazy, sometimes twisting the rudder crooked on this type of run.  No problem at all tonight.  Rudder behaved just fine - actually felt better than usual on the waves.  I like a self centering rudder with a touch less travel.  The epic rudders have a lot of swing, probably to get around race bouys or something.  I never need that much rudder.  Hence the foam.

I'm going to fabricate the emergency bungee too.  The foam will help if a cable goes, but an emergency bungee will let you steer both directions.
 
I don't have trouble with that website.  I'm a PC, internet exploder.       

[1paddle2paddle]

I broke my rudder on the V10, and I was probably oversteering.  I was coming around Diamond Head and you get these waves bending/swinging in from the left - kind of doing that horseshoe thing.  On the V10 you can go fast enough to sometimes get a ride down the back (or perhaps spine) of those waves.  So I caught one and was getting a great push, but the wind was trying to push me off the back of the wave.  I was ruddering hard right to counteract that when the rudder snapped.

I'd like to borrow your template - I should make one of those things for my boat.

[LaPerouseBay]

The template is really easy to make.  I used scissors and a thin piece of cardboard.  The foam was packing around a printer.  Jam it in there and center the rudder to the foam.  It works like a charm for me.  You can adjust the stiffness of the spring by ovesizing the foam.  

The black thing is a vent.  I like to vent all my hollow boats and boards on two ends.  When on the racks, I pump fresh air through them with an aquarium pump.  

[1paddle2paddle]

Looks great, thanks.  And cool idea for drying out the boat.

When the winds are southwesterly do you guys ever do a reverse Maliko?

[PonoBill]

I'm sitting here in the house watching coconuts blow off the trees thinking the same thing. It's pretty offshore (blowing Kona), but it's tempting.