The smokin spring and summer Maliko report

[JonathanC]

Wow fantastic south shore conditions L, never seen it as wild as that.

Have you had a paddle of a V10, be very curious to know how tippy it feels compared to the V10 Sport.

Had some advice on the Surf Ski forum regarding changing the fin on the V10S to the surf eliptical fin apparently it makes a huge difference when down-winding, helps eliminate a lot of the broaching.

[LaPerouseBay]

I see you have joined the surfski.info forum.  Wow, nice job on the rack thread JC, you've started quite a battle.  If I didn't know you better I'd think you were a troll.  I'm tempted to join and tell everyone they're all asshats and post a picture of some v-10's on a rack sideways.     Our epic rep does it like that.  RAB is a piece of work.  He knows a bit and loves to bait people.  Every forum seems to have one.  Rope Tom foolery indeed, I wouldn't let him get away with that one.   

JC, the elliptical fin in your picture is standard equipment in HI.  If you don't have one of those, you should get one.  I have a carbon shaft one and the new stainless shaft version.   The stainless is more user friendly IMO.  The metal is quite malleable.  I bend mine straight with my bare hands.  Don't fit it too tight.  The slightest bump will bend it a little - causing it to catch on the hull.  

No, I've not tried a V-10.  I'm gradually working to improve my form before moving to a tippier boat.  The 10S is a very fast boat.  Much faster than me.  

Paddling hard while going left on a steep wave is still tricky for me.  It may be a deeply ingrained fear of flipping on an outrigger.  I'm glad to have the stability of the 10S.  It's a nice feeling to know you won't go over even if you make a big mistake.  And I've made some good ones lately.  

I don't fall anymore, but scrub a lot of speed with poor turns.  Leaning back is a natural instinct for me.  It works great in outriggers.  But it severely compromises your ability to use the paddle stroke for stability.  Sitting tall and driving hard to get out of a tight spot is great fun when it works.

[1paddle2paddle]

Jonathan, for a 17" ski the V10 is very stable.  How does it compare to the V10S?  It is a noticeable difference, but hard to say exactly what the differences are.  Best thing to do is demo one.

Anyway, I paddled a 19" wide ski (Fenn XT) for one full season before moving to the V10.  When I made the jump I knew I was ready, because the XT felt like a bathtub it was so stable.

If you almost never fall in your V10S, you are ready for the V10.

[LaPerouseBay]

NW wind was not as pleasant as the recent E winds.  Water was kinda choppy.  The outriggers were bummed.  The ski's didn't mind, we just went a little slower.   

Brain damage. 

[1paddle2paddle]

LPB your improvement is clearly noticeable.  The bracing, rolling the boat, etc.  Experts would still bitch about the mechanics of your stroke but the comfort in the water comes through the video.

Question - did you think 3 months ago that you would be at the level you are now?  Was it easier or more difficult than you expected?

[LaPerouseBay]

Good questions, thanks for the compliments.

I took a look at video from a few months ago and don't have good answers.  It might help to say I'm obsessive about details and have a tough time looking past my weaknesses and errors.

One thing I'm sure of, for ME anyhow, is that proper technique is worth emulating to the best of MY ability.  It takes balance to generate power on a ski.  I don't have it yet, but it's getting better. 

I switched to ski from oc-1 because I didn't have the patience or discipline to develop proper balance - too much cheating on the ama.  It's hard to resist here on Maui because the downwind scene is so huge.  It's always a friggin' race. 

I was hanging ok with mid-packers, but getting severely thrashed by guys in their 60's and skinny girls.  They do it with balance.  That's my goal.  As you know, the ski encourages it.  And the rewards are huge.       

[Tecpartner]

I changed the universal fin to the elipical fin on my V10S, thanks to my friend Mark.  It's a better fin, even if you don't do downwinders on Maui.   

[1paddle2paddle]

LPB, I remember having those same thoughts when I was contemplating switching over to ski, and asking the guy who convinced me.  He told me "its no big deal..."  I guess he was right.

JC, the elliptical fin in your picture is standard equipment in HI.  If you don't have one of those, you should get one.  I have a carbon shaft one and the new stainless shaft version.   The stainless is more user friendly IMO.  The metal is quite malleable.  I bend mine straight with my bare hands.  Don't fit it too tight.  The slightest bump will bend it a little - causing it to catch on the hull.  

Agree, I have never seen an Epic boat here with anything other than that elliptical fin.  (My XT came with a tiny swept back fin that was close to useless in downwinders - if you have something like that it is only good for flat water.)  The original rudder which came in the V10 was the carbon shaft variety, which as I posted about a while ago snapped earlier this year near the end of a run and dropped the remaining portion (actually most of) the rudder into the ocean.  Trying to go anywhere in the ski without a rudder is very difficult.

So I bought a replacement for about a hundred bucks and the stainless shaft version showed up.  I think that is probably a more appropriate material for the rudder shaft, even if it weighs a touch more.  The only problem is the shaft is too long for me to put that cap back on the boat, so the cap is permanently removed.

Other than that, I absolutely love the V10.  Even when I hadn't paddled it for 6 months, I could not bring myself to sell it.  I took it out last night for a windy marina paddle and cranked around for an hour.  What a blast.

[LaPerouseBay]

LPB, I remember having those same thoughts when I was contemplating switching over to ski, and asking the guy who convinced me.  He told me "its no big deal..."  I guess he was right.

That's not really what I was thinking, but now that you mention it, moving into ski really is no big deal.  I'm living proof.  If I can do it, anyone can.

Slater Trout was in the MCKC 3 sisters race last Saturday - in ski.  Rumor has it that Slater may be learning ski to compete in some lifeguard type races.  He really gets around, maybe it's for a competition downunder or S. Africa.     

[LaPerouseBay]

[headmount]

Da fish were rad... very rad.. thanks again LPB

[1paddle2paddle]

I hate to admit it, but after doing a "race" today (typical Hawaii Kai run course) and it was a typical lame wind-but-no-bumps grind, I got a bit resentful at how fortunate the guys in Maui are for downwind.

I'm thinking I should start taking the V10 around Makapu, that is the only run that rivals Maliko on Oahu, but unfortunately it has a mile long prelude to paddle out and around Makapu, then a mean backwash-cross chop for a large portion of the run across the mouth of Hanauma.  Great practice, but not as many unfettered open ocean glides as Maliko.

Makapu would provide great footage, I should try to get my camera set up going.

[LaPerouseBay]

A ski guy in his 70's had a rough day today.  Rumor has it he had to swim in to kanaha.  Apparently the paramedics took him in for observation.  More info if I get any. 

An oc-1 busted a cable and may have lost his boat.  Nobody hurt seriously.  It always causes a lot of concern when paddlers have trouble.  I guess everything is ok until it isn't.

After all that a friend calls later in the day and wonders If I heard anything, and by the way he's watching a smashed boat wash up on the rocks.    

[headmount]

LPB... makes me appreciate all the things you do and have as equipment for back up.  I was stoked to hear they found Doug, another Hang gliding pal, before I launched for my run with Keith.  Put me in a much better state of mind.

[headmount]

Just watched the vid in 1080p... WOW.  Of course that early start made for excellent light and the second to the last clip was unreal... breaking waves and big drops.  Loved it.  Pretty cool to see your timing and little paddle adjustments.