Surf Ski Reviews Coming This Fall/Winter

I am looking forward to even more paddling this Fall and Winter. It offers me a chance to give some more surfski lessons like I did this past weekend and to spend time in new boats without worrying about the next race on the schedule. My last review was the Hawx Elite and before the Nelo Vintage.

Nelo Vintage 30lbs

Wesley at L2L in Hawx. Photo Vadim Lishchuk

These reviews I did prior to me leaving Stellar. Since then I have bought my Uno Max, Evo 2, and V14. Chris(web master) has bought a V10 and a Huki S1XL in the last two months. I plan to borrow his Huki S1XL to review after I finish the Uno Max, Evo 2, and V14. My V14 I should take pick up this weekend. Is it the fastest ski I have paddled? Is it as fast my Uno Max? my SES Ultra(21lbs), my Van Dusen Mohican? Stay Tuned to find out or just by your own skis and compare them.

Uno Max Elite

Tim in my old v12 and Wesley in Uno, 2010 Narrow River Race 12 miles

Chris Rockin at L2L

I raced my Evo 2 in a local race and did far better than expected(4th) While I have raced it and paddled it, I have not time trialed it yet on my courses. So over the next month I should be able to put it through the paces. I have owned 5 or 6 Evo’s over my paddling career. I enjoy paddling my Evo’s.

Wesley and Evo 2, 4th Place Kettle Ledge Race 15 miles.

The Uno Max is one ski that I have been lusting over since it came out. Until recently it was difficult to find a local Think dealer but now we have two on the East Coast which is super. Often our choices are limited to what is available to us. I do wish there was a local Fenn dealer and Huki dealer so then everyone including myself would get to try more skis. I am thankful I got to try all the Fenn and the Huki skis at the U.S Surfski Championships. I encourage everyone to attend a demo or even a large race to see all the different skis. Most guys will let you try their skis at a race if they are not too tired, they don’t have to rip out their padding for it to fit you, and you swear not to drop it or hit a rock.

It has been four years since I bought and reviewed an Epic Ski. I reviewed the V12 after buying the first one of the East Coast and sold it three months later to my paddling partner when I knew then it was ”active” ski. I then raced and trained in my SES’s side by side for years against my training partner in this V12. Below is a picture from the Essex River Race that demonstrates how I summed up the V12 and Ses: Same speed, SES more stable. Now I get to train and race side by side with Tim with both of us in the V14. I also hope to race the Mohican against the V14 to see the difference in speed.

So I will be busy this fall and winter. You should be too. Paddle as many skis as you can in the conditions you will be training/racing in. Most paddlers put off buying a ski until the spring. It is better to buy in the fall while the weather is still good to get some great bucket time in so you will be ready for the spring/summer race schedule. The is especially true if you are an intermediate paddler.