There has been a lot of discussion and some heated debate on social media lately around the argument for stable versus elite surfskis. I have been tempted to weigh in, but the more I thought about this topic the more I appreciated how nuanced it is. It would be hard to do it justice in a social media comment, and hopefully as a blog post it can ultimately be read by more people over a longer period of time.
I’ll start this with one of my favorite all time quotes. I’m paraphrasing, but it goes something like this “We don’t have disagreements, we have different experiences”. The point being, we all have a version of our own reality which is based primarily on the experiences we’ve had. As much as we read, talk to others, and try really hard to put ourselves in another persons shoes, there is simply no substitute for own own lived experience. We should recognize that this will always weigh the heaviest on our beliefs.
As someone who spends almost exactly half the year in an intermediate surfski (Epic V9) and half the year in an elite surfski (Epic v12), I have a pretty good vantage point for this discussion. With regard to skill level, that is a tricky one, but I’ll call myself an advanced paddler, but not elite. I’ve spent 17 years paddling a ski starting at age 33, with a majority of my paddling hours in surfable conditions.
The Argument for stable boats
Safety
In my mind, there is no debate here. The number one argument for a stable boat is safety of the paddler as well as anyone paddling with them. I would argue that anyone who runs a business putting people out on open water in surfskis will, and should, have a strong bias toward stable boats. As many of you know, in the fall of 2022 we had a fatality in a local race. There is no doubt in my mind that Nick Walton would be alive today if he had been in an Epic V8 or equivalent as opposed to the intermediate level boat he was in that day. It is not an exaggeration to say that the difference of two inches of boat width can be life or death. I don’t have all the fatality statistics for the past 10 years, but I’d be willing to bet in almost all cases it happened to a beginner paddler in an intermediate boat, or an intermediate paddler in an elite boat.
Fun
For the 99.9% of us who don’t paddle surfskis to make money, the number one reason to go out and paddle downwind is for fun. If you’re not relaxed, you’re not having fun and chances are you’re also not taking full advantage of your power and what the conditions have to offer.
Skill Development
Being able to paddle well in a wide variety of downwind conditions requires a lot of experimentation to learn what works and what doesn’t. If you are at all tense due to lack of stability, or always focused on your split times, you are very unlikely to experiment and make the moves that can deliver big results in linking runs.
The Argument for Elite Boats
There probably isn’t much debate on all the arguments in favor of shorter and wider boats. So this is where we step into heated territory. Back to the quote at the beginning, individual experiences matter. The type of wind and wave conditions that you paddle in are going to have a very big impact on how you view this debate. We all know that conditions are different in the same location from day to day, and even from kilometer to kilometer. The differences in locations and bodies of water can be substantial. We know that wind strength and consistency, length and width of fetch, currents, points, ground swell, underwater topography all have drastic effects on the speed, shape, and complexity of wave profiles. I would argue there are even more factors going on that we don’t fully understand or appreciate.
Yesterday I ran my classic 12 mile downwind that goes across two prominent points and cuts across a bay. The wind was maybe 12 knots and the waves were probably 1 1/2 foot on average. There were clean sections and really messy sections. I absolutely loved being in the V12. In these small low wind conditions it often takes a bit of speed to maximize the runs and the extra glide helps me to link more waves with fewer strokes. On the flip side, three weeks ago, I went out on a different run and inside a large bay, and the wind was gusting to 50 mph off shore. On this paddle I regretted the decision to paddle the V12 as the water was still frigidly cold and I was alone, so I was tense and no doubt missed a few good runs because of it. Rather than enjoying the crazy wild conditions like I should have, I was laser focused on getting to the finish without taking a swim.
In any area that has large open fetch and you’re dealing with onshore oriented waves, the wind/wave ratio is such that you need to work hard to catch the runs. Assuming you have impeccable stability, you are going to catch more of these runs in an elite boat and the extra glide will make linking easier.
Flow States
In the Flow research they often quote this idea of experiencing peak flow when you are in a situation pushing you 4% beyond your limits. I’m not sure how they come up with the 4%, but the idea is that the experience is requiring 100% of your skill, but not so much that you are tense and nervous. I would estimate that 90% of the surfing I do is in conditions three feet or less with wind less than 15 knots. At my skill level I feel that I get more flow being in the V12 than I would in the V9. It’s hard to articulate, but the feeling of being in a craft that is highly engineered to excel in the conditions and have the skill to make it happen is very rewarding.
Short Steep Waves
I know conventional wisdom says that shorter boat are going to handle short/steep waves better, but I can’t say this has been my experience. It might be true with the earlier generation elite boats that had limited rocker, but most of the new designs have enough rocker that they maneuver through short/steep waves without ever getting stuck, and in fact, with the little bit of extra glide, I feel that I can get longer stretches of paddles down linking in an elite boat.
Summary
- If there is any doubt whatsoever, go with the more stable option
- If you have just one boat, error on the side of stability
- In winds over 20 mph with side shore wind or limited fetch, the stable boat is going to be really close if not equal to the same speed as the elite boat
- If you have to throw more than 1 or 2 “oh shit” braces to avoid a swim in a downwind paddle, you’ll probably be faster and will definitely have more fun in a more stable boat
- If you’re going out with other paddlers who could possibly go for a swim, and you have the option, opt for a more stable boat. You’ll be much better equipped to support them.
- If you’re the fastest paddler in the bunch, go with a more stable boat so you can relax and still have fun with your paddling mates
- If you’re racing, have the skill, and want to get as high up in the ranks as possible, go with the boat that allows you to maximize your power, conditioning, and skill
