Be advised - all material is subject to copyright - Dawid Mocke (c) 2004

Muscle Memory – the reason you are unbalanced at first is because your muscles aren’t used to it yet. It’s exactly like riding a bike, once you get it, you got it. Focus on getting your muscles used to it as quickly as possible.

You maintain balance with your:

• Body

• Eyes

• Paddle

Body:

• The Hips and Abs – this is your centre for stability. Try to keep you stomach flexed and don’t let your hips wobble.

• Legs over method – anytime, anywhere

  • Easy way to keep your balance

  • In the shallows – when taking your first couple of strokes

  • Through the surf – if it looks like a wave is going to take you out

  • On a wave – when coming in, when you lose control

  • Having a rest – out the back behind the waves

  • Steering this way – In order to still use the pedals while your legs are over the sides, you need to use your big toes by bringing your leg up next to the ski and slightly tapping the pedal you want to use.

Eyes:

• Eyes front – keep them focused on the front of the ski

• Don’t look at your paddles…ever

Paddle:

• Gotta keep paddling –

  • Paddling assists your balance

  • Without paddling you’ll have no steering

• The Brace –

  • Slap the paddle down on the water using the flat side of the blade as leverage to stay upright

  • On a wave, try to ‘catch’ the top of the wave with your paddle

For many, this is one of the most daunting aspects of surfski paddling.  However, if you know how to approach the surfline, it can be one of the easiest things to master and will really change your paddling as you won't feel intimidated by the surf any more.  So here are a couple of things you need to know about paddling out through the Surf Zone....

There are two important things you need to know about the surf zone.  Firstly, you don’t want to hang around there.  You are either paddling ALL THE WAY OUT, or  ALL THE WAY IN.  Your goal is always to get either behind the waves or back to the beach as quickly as possible. You never hang out in the surf zone just paddling around checking things out.  You want to get BEHIND THE WAVES...then you can hang out.

Secondly, its not nearly as bad as it looks.  Sometimes people look at the “surf”; they see waves rolling in from way out and they think:  “Man, I have to make it through all those waves.”  But actually, its not nearly as bad as what you think.  The only time you have to worry about the waves is where they break and have a lot of power.  This happens in a relatively small area called the impact zone.  It's only in the impact zone where the waves have enough power to really dumb you. This is where the explosion happens; after that the waves become foamies which are easy to handle if you just paddle straight into them.  Now, what is important to know about the impact zone is that its very rarely any longer than 30metres.  In fact, if it gets to 30metres long the waves are REALLY big.  Anyway, paddling 30 metres in your surfski is like taking 20-30 strokes max.  So, getting through the waves literally comes down to taking 30strokes at the right time!  Only 20 to 30 strokes and you’re through the impact zone…no sweat.  Sometimes there is more than one break i.e. a mid break and a backline.  The mid-break is normally smaller than the backline, but the same principles apply.

So here is how you do it step by step. 
You'll get to the shallows first; then, you'll have to negotiate some foamies; and then, you get to the impact zone.

Step one: The Shallows. 
Here timing is the key -You want to hit the impact zone in between waves, or better yet, in  between sets.  But don't wait for ages, go with your gut.  Remember its only 30 strokes.

Step two: Get going, Be ASSERTIVE. 
Don't wuss around! Put the ski down, get on and get going.  Don't think about it so much.

USEFUL TIP...
Direction, direction, direction – ALWAYS face the ski into the waves, NOT side-on.  Once you're side on you're history.  Face directly into the waves.

Step three: Attack the waves. 
When it comes to the foamies before the impact zone, all you have to do is paddle directly into them.

USEFUL TIP...
Take a stroke over the foamie, don't brace into it.  Bracing into a foamie means you won't have anything to hold onto as the waves hits.  If you take a stroke over the wave you give yourself some much needed traction.

Step four: Impact Zone. 
When you get here you'll either hold up a bit to wait for a wave to break and then just hit the foamie, or it'll be the perfect time to put in your sprint.  Decide quickly, and not too late. If you decide to wait but you're too close to the impact zone then there will be a lot of power left in the foamie.

If you think the wave is going to tumble you then put both your legs out as soon as the front of your ski hits the wave and use your paddle to “catch” the top of the wave...When in doubt....legs out!

If you fall out in between the waves?

    * Immediatley turn it to face into the waves or back to shore, NOT side-on
    * Get back on quickly
    * Grab the foot straps and hang on if you can’t get back on
    * Make sure that you are in between the wave and the ski i.e. always have the ski on your shore side

Okay, so that's how to make it through the waves.  Sounds pretty lfy in hteory hey?  Well now that you've got the concept its just a matter of getting some practive in.