Rapid Descents: Winter Surf Kayaking

October-November 2003

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
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by Alex Matthews

Alex, breaking through the surf on his way out. Doug Alderson photo.

On the southern end of Vancouver Island, winter’s approach means something different to whitewater paddlers than it does to most people. Like everyone else, we realize that, sadly, the really warm, sunny weather is over for another year. But we also look forward to local rivers swelling with winter rains, waves and holes reforming where in summer there were only riffles, and our favorite challenging runs coming back to life as the rivers’ water levels rise. Because virtually all the creeks and rivers on Vancouver Island South are largely rain-fed, in summer they diminish to mere trickles and there is effectively no good whitewater paddling. Winter changes all that. Rain starts to fall in earnest and storms buffet the coast consistently. The other great piece of news is that these frequent winter storms bring large swells to our shores, resulting in good surf conditions. I love running rivers, but I also love, truly LOVE to surf-kayak!

Surf kayaking is exactly what it sounds like—catching waves and riding them the same way that board surfers do. It is also the single best medium that I have ever come across for sea kayakers to build their rough-water paddling ability. The surf zone is the perfect place for skill development and is the safest way for sea kayakers to get some cross-training in short boats. A foundation of even a few ‘play sessions’ surfing in whitewater boats, will aid significantly in preparing a sea kayaker to face a surf landing while touring, or cope with rough conditions generally. Invest some serious time at your local surf break and you will find before too long that small to medium size surf is no longer something to dread but a veritable playground of waves, foam piles and spray.

Necky Spyder. Alex Matthews photo.

I enjoy surfing anything that floats: long boats like sea kayaks, river kayaks, skinny boats, fat boats, and that very special of all breeds—the surf-specific kayak. High-performance surf-only boats are pretty new to me, and it’s only recently that I have truly come to understand the performance gap that exists between these boats and river kayaks when used for surfing.

For many years now several small specialist manufacturers have been building kayaks designed to excel exclusively in the surf. These surf-boats resemble river kayaks superficially, but differ significantly in certain key respects. The most obvious difference is the presence of fins (usually three) on the hull of high-performance surf kayaks. Very sharp rails or edges on the flat hull and low stern rocker are also clues to a surf-boat’s intended use. These design elements differ from those of river boats in that they provide anamazing amount of carving ability but make the boat considerably less forgiving in some situations. Surf-specific boats are horrible on a river. The sterns are so ‘grabby’ that river running can quickly become little more than rolling practice.

Surf boats are truly specific to their dedicated medium— waves. Think of a surfboard mated to a kayak deck and a pretty accurate image starts to form. The aggressive rails or edges of the flat planning hull allow the boat to cut into the face of a green wave, and the fins provide an amazing grip on the face, preventing the kayak from simply sliding down the wave. By holding an edge high on a wave face, the paddler can really use the power of the wave to accelerate across the face, making sections of waves or cutting back to the foam pile. A big bottom turn, where the paddler shoots straight down the face only to aggressively load an edge to turn the boat back up the face is one of the most exhilarating feelings ever achieved in a kayak.

I have never gone faster in a kayak than in a surf-boat on a big green wave. The feeling is like nothing else. There is a certain level of heightened awareness and joy co-mingling with fear and wild freedom achieved in those all too brief rides. But some of the most fun that I have had has been in really clean small surf. Surfing need not be any sort of ‘extreme’, death defying activity. When done under safe conditions, with backup from other experienced paddlers, it is simply tons of fun and a great way to improve paddling skills!

Because the surf-specific kayak market is such a small one, the vast majority of surf boats are made in fiberglass, kevlar or carbon by small specialty manufacturers. The costs of rotomoulding a plastic kayak are simply too high for the volume of sales such a boat will generate. Corran Addison and Riot Kayaks did produce a plasticsurf boat designed by Preston Holmes called the Boogie. Sadly it is no longer in production, which would tend to suggest that the venture wasn’t profitable. So virtually all the surf boats are composite, which means that they will not put up with the abuse that plastic will. ‘Ender’ a fiberglass or carbon fiber boat into the bottom and it will probably break. But the composite kayaks are very stiff and lighter than plastic and offer great performance. Abuse them the way one can plastic kayaks, and composite boats will fail. Treat them the way you would a surfboard, and years of use will follow.

Surfing in on the face of the cresting swell. Doug Alderson photo.

The most recent creation by Vancouver Island’s Spike Gladwin, head of R&D for Necky and Ocean Kayaks, is the Spyder. This highperformance surf-boat has very aggressive rails, tri fins and a great flipped-up bow that is very reassuring on late takeoffs. The low stern rocker, sharp rails and tri-fin set-up combine to create a very quick boat that feels very ‘drivey’ on green wave faces. A few surf sessions in this boat will change the very nature of how you surf ifyou have only paddled whitewater boats in the past. The goal quickly becomes to carve effectively and powerfully on the wave face, to catch waves at just the perfect time and place, timing the peak and slotting into the pocket, then carving big bottom turns or driving for the shoulder. Forget spinning in the foam pile, you want to be on the green face of a big glassy wave, rail loading, fins working, screaming across the water faster than you’ve ever been.

Other manufacturers include Mega of the UK, PS Composites in Pennsylvania (they build Mike Johnson’s designs among others) and Dick Wold in California. These manufacturers are true grassroots specialty builders and a certain level of diligence is sometimes required in obtaining a boat.Don’t expect to see a surf-specific boat at the average kayak shop. But make the effort to try one of these puppies out and you may well find yourself hooked.

Never surf alone. Tidal rips, currents and wind can all conspire to change conditions very rapidly. Stay alert to your environment and keep an eye on paddling partners. Be courteous to others playing in the surf zone. Learn the rules of surf etiquette and be an ambassador for our sport. Too often rivalries and friction arise between board surfers and kayakers. They can do moves that we are still only dreaming of perfecting. Show respect and play nicely with others.

Any good surf session concludes with the ‘just one more ride’ scenario. On a good day this should take at least 30-60 minutes as you search for the best wave of the day. Many times I have announced to my surfing buddies that I am heading in, only to be the very last one to finally get off the water. I find them all long since changed and ready to jump in the car and head home. The surf can be that good—you always need ‘just one more ride’. The wave you want is that elusive perfect ride of the day, the year, your life.

© Alex Matthews has worked as a sea kayak guide, safety-boated on river trips, managed an outdoor store, shaped boats, and been marketing manager for a major kayak manufacturer. He currently resides on Vancouver Island where he can easily indulge his obsession with paddling.

*NEXT ISSUE—Alex launches the first in a regular series of Gear reviews for WaveLength.