The smokin spring and summer Maliko report

[LaPerouseBay]

I remember that thread last fall, that coach had some great advice. 

As for similarities in the stroke, all I know at this point is that canoes and SUP's like the blade to run parallel to the vessel.  A ski's wing blade angles out at 45 degrees.  That's the goal anyway.

As an intermediate oc-1 paddler, my goal is to be more graceful and efficient.  The fast guys appear to be gliding without effort.  Their stroke drives the boat forward.  My stroke wastes a lot of energy correcting direction and keeping my ama light.  My guess is that my body is overdeveloped on one side.  As a result, I cheat on the ama too much. 

It takes a lot of discipline to let efficient paddlers pull away.  I usually muscle it and cheat on the ama to keep up.  Very similar to a fast swimmer gliding away from a strong guy thrashing behind. 

It's all about reducing drag in the water.  The fast guys and girls can fly the ama on flat water for great distances, while paddling on either side.  That's really difficult, their boats are only 15 inches wide. 

I'm too lazy to train oc-1 on flat water.  The ski should help.  I can feel it already, with only an hour on the water.

[1paddle2paddle]

I found that to really get the ski (if, like me, you don't have prior experience), you have to sell your OC-1 or put in in storage for a season.  The balancing thing can be very humiliating.  But once I got it the balance of the ski, I don't think I will ever go back to OC-1.  The ski is so much more efficient and faster that it is hard to imagine ever wanting to go back.  The skis are like the top fuels of the paddling world.

I'd love to do a Maliko run on a V10. 

[Tecpartner]

LaPerouse:You are right about that layup, I often confuse the two layups. 

I want to try the V-8 on a big day.  I think that ski would make big conditions a lot of fun.

[LaPerouseBay]

The ski is so much more efficient and faster that it is hard to imagine ever wanting to go back.

I'd love to do a Maliko run on a V10. 

My first day on ski was Sunday, Mike was on oc-1.  I was stunned at how fast the ski's are compared to oc-1.

My scorpius is not the fastest flat water boat, but it's 21-6 x 16.  The v-10 S is 20 x 19.  Based on the numbers - I assumed the ski would be about the same as the canoe.  I was really amazed at how much faster it is, and I can't even paddle it yet.  When I switched back into the canoe after 20 minutes in the ski, it felt like the canoe was dragging a bucket.

Drop a line if you are on Maui and the wind is up,  you can use the ski.  Kai and Lauren Bartlett kill maliko on v-10's.  Philly Gomes too.  We also have a few experienced ski paddlers that do the MCKC series.  They really motor.

I've got 3 months to figure out this boat.  My goal is to paddle the ski on some of the flat water races in January through March. 

Wind was up on the south shore yesterday after work.   The only water I could find was bumpy.  It was very, very difficult.  Small steps. 

[Tecpartner]

LaPerouse:

Very cool that you enjoyed your first time out on your ski.  Mike will have you flying on that thing.  And if you think the SUP stroke takes a lot of refining, you'll have the wing paddle stroke to work on for years. (In a good way.)

Some of our local Charleston ski paddlers aspire to race in the Molokai in May.  (They haven't said which year.)

I love the SUP stoke, and I love the ski stoke.

[ericspin]

I know this is a Maliko thread but I'm loving the ski chat.  I visit a couple of surfski forums but the vibe just isnt as cool as it is here IMO.  Sometimes I get so focused on my SUP until I get back on the ski.  I just love the speed and how easy it is to upwind.  On the windy days here on the west coast of FL the water gets really choppy.  We rarely see swell and true downwinding opportunities don't happen with any regularity.  Seems like the weather gods just cannot get together on the wind direction and the wave direction.  They always seem to be working in opppoosite directions.  But the chop together with the ski makes me such a much better paddler and I can paddle it in ALL of these conditions.  Hope to get back to Hawaii one day soon and get a chance to paddle a ski in your conditions.

[1paddle2paddle]

Yes, a full ski highjack.  But didn't Randy(?) create the thread and THEN post pics of himself on the ski?  I think ski talk is fair game now.

I began my ski journey when a buddy I had paddled 6 man with told me "you gotta do this."  So I sold my one man, acquired a Fenn Mako XT (same dimensions as the V10 Sport) and spent a season tackling the learning curve.  My experience was first time on the ski, dunk every few minutes (maybe 15 times before I gave up).  The second session I fell half as many times, the 3rd session half as many times as the previous session, etc.  By my fifth time out I was pretty stable in flat water.  By my 10th session I was ready to tackle the Hawaii Kai run.  I probably dunked at least five times my first HK run, but the same learning curve applied there and within 5 to 10 runs I was either staying upright the whole time or maybe dunking once or twice during a run.

Once I was able to do the whole run a majority of the time, I noticed that I was gaining on the guys I paddled with who were still on OC-1; within a few times after that I was beating most of them.  I did the Oahu Kanaka Ikaika short course race season and was steadily improving versus the crowd.

After 8 months on the XT I was doing Makapu runs and I knew I was ready to go to a faster boat, so I got the V10 (regular).  Now THAT boat is a blast once you get the balance for it.  Just keep that big snout pointed downhill and all it wants to do is glide.

Drop a line if you are on Maui and the wind is up,  you can use the ski.

We will be in Maui from 12/26 to 12/30.  Would love to get out there!

[LaPerouseBay]

The ski is tough now, but it's helping my oc-1 already.  The wind came up again today on the south shore.  I had my ski on the truck, hoping to practice again after work.  An oc-1 freind called, so I took it home an got the canoe.  It was a very fast run, good wind.  A few of the sections had me teetering on the edge of balance, ama up going flat out and about to lose control.  The ski practice gave me new confidence in that tight spot.  I stayed relaxed and it worked out fine.  Turned into a great connection.  It's all instinctive in those moments.  Felt great to zip through a tight spot realizing it was the ski's extra-difficult training that did it.   

No worries hijacking this thread.  Summer is officially over anyhow.

1paddle, bring your wing blade.  The wind can be very good in December.  If you have yet to do maliko, you are in for a treat.   

[1paddle2paddle]

The ski doesn't let you cheat on the ama, so it really requires you to improve the balance.  But what is amazing is that the ski is actually easier to handle in the rough conditions (once you get the balance) because it is easier to brace - no "panic" bracing like on the OC-1 when you are paddling on the left but then have to bring the paddle back to the right side to brace to prevent going over.

Will bring the wing, thanks! 

[LaPerouseBay]

But what is amazing is that the ski is actually easier to handle in the rough conditions/

I'm so glad to hear that.  I was afraid my first days at maliko would resemble the relentless beatings I took on standup.  

Today was a fun session with Mike.  He and Tara came over to enjoy the beach and to give me another lesson.  Lucky me.

Jonesey's surf shorts may be around his ankles now, but in ten years he will be punching my ticket with a wing blade.







Back in the water for me.  It's getting easier, but still very, very difficult.



I may know it's wrong to lean back and brace next to the boat, but still do it.  It feels instinctive to me, but I'll break this habit.  Or swim a lot.  



Leaning back again, with too much elbow bend and the pussy limp wrist.  These pics should be funny for the ski guys, hopefully for me too someday.  Rotation is not to bad though.  It's tough to think of so many things to do.  I've a good memory though, so it's all going to happen.  



I was exhausted after nearly an hour of paddling.  Started to fall over a lot.  Mike encouraged me to take the ski all the way back, but it was too rough for me.  Wind was picking up and bouncing me into the water as soon as I put the feet in.  





I got back in the oc-1.  It felt like sitting on dry land.  Mike makes it look so easy.  





MIke and I are paddling early tomorrow.  Should be glassy and much easier.  

[Tecpartner]

Great pics.  With parents like Mike and Tara, Jonesy is going to be one awesome athelete. He';s liable to have gills.

We had a mixed race here in Charleston yesterday, including SUPs, surfskis, and an OC-1.  Amazing how the skis can catch even small bumps to an advantage. 

I'm thinking of buying an OC-1 just to try it for a while, but this thread is making me re think the idea, and just stay with what I've got, surfski and Sup.   When the conditions line up paddling a ski is almost a religious experience.  Just ask Father Mike, and the Church of the Blessed Forward Stroke.

[1paddle2paddle]

I found that in the beginning always try to keep the blade moving - like a bicycle - even if not really pulling any water.  And not trying to pull too much water with each stroke - just like SUP that has a tendency to pull you off balance.

The balance thing is frustrating (and fatiguing) for a spell, but once you get it it is like a bicycle and you will always have that muscle memory.

Question - is the bucket of the V10 Sport pretty big/wide?  The Mako XT's bucket was and it really helped me to add padding to the sides of the seat so that my hips were in contact with the side of the boat.  Having the additional contact really helped me feel more in control.

The regular V10's bucket is slimmer and I have never need to add side pads to it.

[LaPerouseBay]

Yes, the seat is wide in the v10-S.  I may add some foam to the sides.  I added some leftover 1/8" s.i.c. deck foam to the bottom of my seat to add some grip.  It helps a lot.

Today's session with Mike was good.  Just as everyone said, each day gets easier.  I'm gradually getting better at integrating all the advice Mike gives.  It's such a blast when things start to work. 

Mike is an amazing coach.  It sounds like he did a lot of coaching back in NC. 

Still a few of these, but learned to brace out wide today.  Big help. 



Ski's are weird at first, but I'm beginning to see the light.



Almost caught my first wave today.  Woo Hoo!

[LaPerouseBay]

Question - is the bucket of the V10 Sport pretty big/wide?  The Mako XT's bucket was and it really helped me to add padding to the sides of the seat so that my hips were in contact with the side of the boat.  Having the additional contact really helped me feel more in control.

I added about an inch to each side and it works like magic.  I've been practicing after work at makena landing - out and back about 200 yards into some wind and swells.  I took a lot of gas the first few days.  I never truly caught a wave, but started to feel good yesterday.  

So I rolled the dice today and did my first downwinder.  It was on the south shore, relatively light wind.  Decent whitecaps in the middle of the run.  About a dozen windsurfers and kiters out having fun too.  

My heartrate was probably at 200 early in the run.  I was terrified of capsizing, not really sure of how I could handle remouting in bigger bumps.  I had a leash on, but was worried about losing a paddle.  As the miles went by without a fall I began to relax.   Mike's coaching all fell into place.  'Sit tall, plant the bade and rotate'.  When the boat began to run, his advice was like magic.  The ski was very manageable, and VERY fast.  

This run is my backyard and I do it almost everyday.  I took it easy, didn't chase anything.  It was tough to hold back.  As you guys know, skis will fall into just about anything and glide like crazy.  It was very, very pleasing.  I only capsized once.  The fall happened in shallow water, about waist deep.  I was able to rest a bit and have a drink.  Only one 'spin out' - to the right.  The ski didn't lose much speed, just sort of motored off in another direction.  My oc-1 usually stalls if I go that far off course.  These ski's are just unreal.  The nose went in only once, stayed under for a long time with no drama.  

Unbelievable how fun and fast ski's are.  This is going to be a great winter.  

Here's the chart, It's going to be interesting to see how the speed increases as I gain confidence.  The average speed was 6.7 mph.  I'll stay on the south shore until my average goes way up - no falls in the toughest conditions.  Then I will head over to the north shore, and start all over again.  Guaranteed beat downs over there.  

[JonathanC]

Hey LPB really enjoying hearing about your ski adventures, my 17yo son and I are loving our Epic V10 Sport as well. It's much more stable than the boat I borrowed at first, that baby was super tippy! I did pad out the sides of the seat of the first boat and it made a huge difference so I'll do it to the V10 as well.
I'm finding paddling the ski much more tiring than SUP at this stage, seem to notice that I'm holding up my arms, need to get some coaching before the bad habits get locked in.
I've caught a few little runners and it's so much fun on the ski, great cross training for SUP and a really good option for windy crappy days. Looking forward to getting good enough to paddle upwind and get into the self powered downwinders.