Latest News
On Racing: Finishing Strong
Finishing well has little to do with who is most tired. Everyone is tired. What separates paddlers at the end of a race is not how much they have left, but how clearly they can still act with what remains. The finish is rarely a single effort. It is a sequence [...]
Stability in the Boat-Do you need more?
By Wesley Echols I have paddled a wide range of skis over the years from advanced to beginner in all types of conditions. Below are some helpful hints on becoming more stable in your ski. Boat Choice: think about the conditions that you will be paddling in the 75% of the [...]
On Racing: Expecting the Unexpected
The forecast you checked the night before is completely different when you wake up. The wind has increased, the swell period has changed, and there's a conversation happening near the water's edge about which direction the gusts are going to come from and when. Of course, nobody really knows, at least [...]
On Downwinding: Reading Lines
The line appears before the decision to take it is fully formed. A shift in the water texture, maybe forty meters ahead, something about the way a long roller is organizing at an angle to the dominant swell, and the bow is already moving in that direction. A few strokes in [...]
On Training: Chain of Fools
The stroke catches and the boat runs. There is a feeling to it, a brief firmness in the water that holds long enough for the body to push through, and the boat moves with more economy than it did on the stroke before. Paddlers sometimes describe a boat as "running" on [...]
Nationals: Meet the (Blackburn) Challenge
Every local racing community has a structure. You know who the fast paddlers are, roughly how you stack up against them, and what a good day on the water looks like for you. That knowledge shapes your training, your expectations, and your sense of progress over a season. It also has [...]
Surfski Reviews
Looking for an ocean ski? Check out the surfski comparison chart!
Stellar Introduces New 18S Surfski, 18R Performance Sea Kayak
Review Update of 18R by Joe Zellner, Winner of the Dakota 72 Mile Race. June 1, 2012 Here are my thoughts on the S18R in Excel layup. When I first saw the boat all I could think was “Wow, what a fast, pretty boat. I always liked the color orange. [...]
Think Evo Kevlar Review – by Wesley Echols
My first paddling experience with my Evo was a 37 mile circumnavigation of Aquidneck Island with my partner in crime, Tim Dwyer. I had purchased the glass Evo the previous day and was excited to try out my latest acquisition. Tim paddled my Huki S1R. So, in comparable boats, we [...]
What are my favorite skis? by Wesley Echols
Over my years of racing, my goal has been to try to optimize my boat choice for a particular race based on the conditions of that race and my skill level at that point in time. As we all know, our skill level changes over time if you paddle regularly (2-5 [...]
Stellar S18S 2G Review is Coming!
Dave Thomas of Stellar Kayaks and Surfskis paddling the new S18S 2G on the Sakonnet. Dave dropped off the Stellar S18S 2G surfski for me to review. I have a lot of paddling to do with surfski reviews stacking up! I love it! Fall/winter is actually a better [...]
New Stellar SR
Last Sunday Tim, Bob and myself launched from Bay Voyage Inn, Jamestown, Rhode Island. We are suited up in our Kokatat Goretex Paddling Suits with a light weight base layer, mukluks, pogies, spare hat, gloves, gels, water, gps w/heart rate, phone, video camera,camera and leashes. Air temps were almost 50 [...]