The smokin spring and summer Maliko report

[Tecpartner]

Really nice run.  What PFD do you use?  It looks like it doesn't get in the way at all.

[PonoBill]

My wife and I made last minute plans to get to Maui late next week.  We have only been in the winter and are familiar with typical conditions around Kihei during that season.  Since our last visit we have advanced in huge bounds regarding our SUP abilities, but are still "beginners.". We are comfortable in 15mph winds and 3.5' disorganized Great Lake chop.  This thread is of interest to me because of the cited incidents on the South side. 

Our plan is to rent a few boards for the week, get some small wave time in at the beginner spots in Kihei - but we also wanted some open water time.  My assumption has been that we would be "safer" on the south side, and have a greater chance for mild conditions- so we should stay in that area.  We've always wanted to rent a place on the north shore, but I discounted that idea as I thought we would have to drive 45 minutes to get in the water every day

We certainly planned to seek out a guide for any distance paddling, but the question is -  are we any more likely to find safe conditions in either locale this time of year? Or is the south still a better bet, check in with a guide and pick a day for a shorter Maliko run?

Contact either Jeremy Riggs (JRiggs) or Bill Boyum (headmount) for a guided Maliko run. It's absurdly fun, and either of them will make sure you don't get into trouble. Jeremy's trips are a bit more expensive and concentrate on technique. It's been nine months since I did one with him and I'm STILL working on the stuff he taught me. Bill's trips are more about the experience and minimizing the fear factor. No one knows the place better than Boyum, and he is one of the few people that can get you into the beach for shorter runs without undue drama.  You'll see the value of that once you're out there.

[LaPerouseBay]

Really nice run.  What PFD do you use?  It looks like it doesn't get in the way at all.

I can't feel it.  Looks goofy as my bike helmet, but they can save your ass if things go wrong.     

http://www.astralbuoyancy.com/products/men/V8/index.html

[LaPerouseBay]

Super fun maliko today.  Wind was strong and steady from the east, tide was high.  Conditions were excellent.  The ski is usually relatively easy in those conditions, but filming standups zipping around is tiring.  I was falling out due to exhaustion by the end of the run.  Devin was turning more, which was really tough to film.  Jeremy's lines were smoother and more gradual like a boat.  He was running away on the bigger swells.

[J.Riggs]

That was fun! Good to paddle with you again. Cool video!
Here's some pics.

[LaPerouseBay]

New personal record on my weekday evening run.  8.8 mph average. 

They say the key to a fast run is to limit the lower dips of the gps graph.  Today's run has a long section where the graph stays above 9 mph.  That's fast for me, unusual for such a long period.  Those lower dips are tough for me to avoid.  The south shore is much easier than maliko in that respect.

Today marks one year in the ski.  Super fun boats.  Really good in all conditions, but I'm obviously spoiled here on Maui.       

This clip is the section between 19:30 and 24:00.   

[LaPerouseBay]

This clip is the section between 19:30 and 24:00.   

Photobucket is red x'ing, so here it is again. 

[1paddle2paddle]

I remember just living on the back of bumps on the ski.  Just enough paddle to stay there, let the ocean do all the work.

[LaPerouseBay]

^That's my goal. 

It's fun to gradually learn what the boats can or cannot do.  The 'spin out' at 0:50 is my favorite part of the video.  It looks like an error to me, but the v-10 just motors on to the next glide.  An intermediate boat is much less forgiving.  I remember the v-10 sport stopping dead in the water, almost doing a 180. 

The gps and video are a big help because I'm usually alone.  When the 6 man distance season finishes the boys will be back in the one man.  Then I'll be able to see some smart lines.  They make it look so easy.  As do Devin and Jeremy at maliko.  They don't paddle very much but zoom right along.  Fun to watch.

Speaking of which, Jeremy just did this on vimeo.  I'll post up a picture of the tail of his bullet sometime next to the tail of my ski.  His is flat underneath and mine is round, but I think his is narrower. 

   

[1paddle2paddle]

He makes it look easy, but few people could handle a board that narrow.

Plus, I was usually working with bumps less than waist high.  It would be more tricky on a Maliko.

[Tecpartner]

Another really nice run.  Thanks for the tip on the PFD.  I'm looking forward to seeing the comparison photo of Jeremy's Bullet and your V10.

So the V10 makes the runs significantly easier?  The V10S would stall out on a spin?  I'm comfortable on my V10S, but I may have to take Mike Owens' advice and start padding up the seat to push my balance so I can handle a skinnier ski.

[LaPerouseBay]

^Yes, IMO, the v-10 makes downwinding much easier.  One of the main reasons is its ability to track across a swell better than a shorter, wider boat.  I couldn't tell you why the boat behaves this way, but the result is a more relaxed ride.  We all know the key to downwinding is to sit up high on the swell and angle across.  Somehow the 10 just hangs in there, feels more stable and offers more chances to steer without losing the glide.  When I blow it and the tail starts to spin, there is a bigger window of opportunity to save momentum.  

And this isn't due to experience on the water.  It's most apparent when you first switch to the 10.  It's tippier, yes.  But it's more at home doing what skis and outriggers are supposed to do.  You just have to get it on the glide, let it run and feel the difference.  The hull is actually 12% narrower and 7% longer.  Those sound like big numbers when it comes to moving anything through water.  

Someone started a thread over on sufski info asking for input on shaping a downwind specific ski.  He wanted to think outside the box with a big planing tail, extra fins etc.  The experts let him know that it's all about the glide.  A planing hull has too much drag on something like a ski.

http://www.surfski.info/forum/35-surfski-innovations/13204-design-challenge-ultimate-downwind-destroyer.html

To a much lesser degree, intermediate boats can't link glides like elite boats because of that transition zone.  The dips in a speed chart kill average speed.  

If you are comfy on a sport, try the V-10.  Stability will come.  Don't get me wrong, the sport is a very fast boat.  It took me weeks if not months to get faster on my 10.  The beauty of the 10 is more speed, less effort.  

As for Jeremy and our skis, I'm sure he he could roll one upside down, stand on it and paddle around.  The tail is rather flat on the top.    

[1paddle2paddle]

A "downwind specific ski" - pretty funny.  The V10 is like the Porsche 911.  Once you get it right, no point in changing it until you can come up with something better.

[Tecpartner]

Just out of curiosity:

1 paddle 2 paddle / LaPerousebay:

Have you guys tried a V12?  How does it compare tp the V10 for downwinding?  The nice thng about the V10 is that the price is coming down hard.  They're coming up for sale at below 1000 on the East Coast.

I was surfing my V10S and V8 a last weekend, and really had fun. The V8 was solid as a rock even in the rough.  A V-8 placed 6th (3rd except for a time penalty due to paddling the wrong side of an island), in a race up in Massachusettes.  There is definitey something to be said for stability, so you can lay down power. 

But it's interesting to learn your perspective on the V10 ski. 

[LaPerouseBay]

We have a few v-12's here.  I've not tried one.  The v-12 guys like them.  But they are expert paddlers, so their opinions don't relate much to me. 

They say the 12 turns better and the secondary stability works good at maliko.  But those guys have been in elite boats for many, many years. 

I considered a 12, but a veteran said 'don't do it, the 10 is more stable'.  My guess is that only an experienced paddler can justify a 12.

Wow, a V-10 for less than a grand?  That would sell fast here.