On Downwinding: You’re Not Surfing
Most paddlers learn to think about downwind paddling in terms of waves. You catch a wave, you ride the wave, and you look for the next wave. Wash, rinse, repeat. That model works well enough [...]
On Training: Stress and Adaptation
Nothing in training happens without stress. In the absence of a stressor, our system remains exactly as it is. But stress alone is not improvement, and in an ocean environment, misunderstanding that difference is one [...]
On Racing: Starting Right
Most races are decided long before the first buoy or the first run. They begin in the final minutes before the start, when paddlers are already spending physical, mental, and emotional energy, whether they realize [...]

Blackburn Challenge to host 2026 National Championships
The American Canoe Association has selected the Cape Ann Rowing Club's Blackburn Challenge as the host venue for the 2026 USA Canoe Ocean Racing National Championships, placing one of America’s most iconic open-water races at [...]

USA Surfski Paddlers @ 2025 ICF COR World Championships
The 2025 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing (COR) World Championships were held in Durban, South Africa this past October. Worlds is the pinnacle international competition for surfski paddlers all over the world, in addition to World Cups [...]
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On Downwinding: You’re Not Surfing
Most paddlers learn to think about downwind paddling in terms of waves. You catch a wave, you ride the wave, and you look for the next wave. Wash, rinse, repeat. That model works well enough at first, but it starts to fall apart as conditions get more complex. Many of us [...]
On Training: Stress and Adaptation
Nothing in training happens without stress. In the absence of a stressor, our system remains exactly as it is. But stress alone is not improvement, and in an ocean environment, misunderstanding that difference is one of the most common ways capable paddlers stall or break down. Stress is simply load applied [...]
On Racing: Starting Right
Most races are decided long before the first buoy or the first run. They begin in the final minutes before the start, when paddlers are already spending physical, mental, and emotional energy, whether they realize it or not. The start line is not a pause before the race. It is the [...]
Giant Fish Closing, Offering 75% Archive Sale
A letter from Scott Darling, founder of our community's much-loved brand, Giant Fish, states: A CLOSING NOTE As we begin 2026, I’ve found myself slowing down and thinking about what really mattered along the way. Not the plans or the outcomes, but the people—the conversations, the notes that landed at the [...]
Blackburn Challenge to host 2026 National Championships
The American Canoe Association has selected the Cape Ann Rowing Club's Blackburn Challenge as the host venue for the 2026 USA Canoe Ocean Racing National Championships, placing one of America’s most iconic open-water races at the center of next year’s ocean racing calendar. Long known as the “Boston Marathon” of open-water [...]
USA Surfski Paddlers @ 2025 ICF COR World Championships
The 2025 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing (COR) World Championships were held in Durban, South Africa this past October. Worlds is the pinnacle international competition for surfski paddlers all over the world, in addition to World Cups and (for us) Pan American Continental Championships. The venues for these international competitions are fantastic -- [...]
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Surfski Reviews
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Epic V10 Sport Performance Review – by Wesley Echols
The Epic V10S( Sport) is one of a group of more stable surfskis along with the Think Evo, Mako XT, and Huki S1R. The Sport, along with the other Epic skis, is offered in several different layups. I have personally owned the Ultra(24 lbs) and the Performance (32lbs). Like all [...]
Fenn Swordfish S Review
I fell into the same mindset that many paddlers are guilty of when it comes to buying skis. We ask ourselves how different can all these surfskis really be? Well certainly, I know the differences, the major, minor, nuances of most skis, but I put off trying the Swordfish S(SFS) [...]
Epic V10L Ultra First Paddle by Wesley Echols
I took today off from work in anticipation of my Epic New V10L Ultra being delivered which it was at 2:30 pm. I quickly unwrapped it, surveyed it for any shipping damage which there was none and signed for it. Then I proceeded to outfit it. I have outfitted so [...]
Comfort is King – Uno Max 3G- Sean Rice
Reposted with permission, from Think Surfski Journal, Think Kayaks NOVEMBER 30, 2017 COMFORT IS KING – UNO MAX 3G – SEAN RICE Sean Rice was directly involved in the refinement and design process that developed the 3rd generation Uno Max. He then paddled it to his first victory at [...]
Nelo 550L 2G (WWR) Surf Ski Review
In May 2021, I reviewed the newly designed Nelo 540L 2G and now the 550L 2G in the WWR layup. I have approximately 60 miles in the 550L 2g in various small bay conditions where I live in Portsmouth, RI. I have also raced it on the modified Ride the [...]











