Latest News
Clean Open Access Race 6 miles
Clean Ocean Access Sup, Surfski, Kayak 3/6 mile Race was held at the Newport Shipyard. Timothy P. Dwyer and John Redos, Sam Duffield took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respectively in the 6-mile race. 98 participants that included 80+ Sups, then a mix of kayaks, surf skis, and Oc's. Flat ocean [...]
2022 Blackburn Challenge Summary
Article Reposted with Permission from New England Surfski(NESS) This year’s Blackburn Challenge in Gloucester, MA featured one of the great head-to-head battles in the storied 35-year history of this great race. Twenty-one single HPKs (all skis but one) and four double skis participated in this classic 19.5-mile race around Cape Ann. [...]
Sakonnet River Race 2022
Reposted with permission from New England Surfski(NESS) Twenty-one paddlers gathered at Island Park Beach in Rhode Island on Saturday for the 15th running of Wesley Echol’s Sakonnet Surfski Race. The 9.4-mile out-and-back course had competitors starting just off the beach, heading south 4.7 miles to a red can, and then returning [...]
Ride The Bull 2022
Reprinted with permission from New England Surfski Competitors at this year’s Ride the Bull Race didn’t have to contend with conditions as daunting as in some former years, but still had to negotiate a course with vexing tidal currents and confused waves from varied directions. Sixteen paddlers traveled to Jamestown, Rhode [...]
Jamestown Double Beaver Race 2022
Reposted with Permission from New England Surfski Area paddlers met in Rhode Island for the 14th Jamestown Double Beaver on a stunning day. With competition from the Toms River Race in New Jersey the day after, participation was lower than usual. The field consisted of 7 surfskis and 3 SUPs. As [...]
Sakonnet River Race 2022
We had another good turnout for the 13th Sakonnet River Race including three doubles made up of two mixed teams(Robin, Igor), (Chris, Patty), and one all-male team(Bill and Kirk). Dave Thomas of Stellar also made the trip down from Northfield. Conditions were very flat with cooler temps making the flat [...]
Surfski Reviews
Looking for an ocean ski? Check out the surfski comparison chart!
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 [...]
The Green Machine: Vajda Hawx Elite Review
A number of years ago Mark McKenzie ,co-owner with Mark Smith(pharmacist by trade), of Elite Ocean Sports, US distributors of Vajda skis and K1's, called me to discuss options for purchasing another ski. As I recall Mark, an ex cyclist, and novice surfski paddler, and veterinarian from South Carolina wanted [...]
Epic V12 Ultra Review – by Wesley Echols
April 2009 - First Impression My curiosity (re: obsession/compulsion/enjoyment) got the best of me once again courtesy of my friends from The Kayak Centre in Wickford, Rhode Island, who asked me if I might possibly have any interest whatsoever in the new Epic V12 (Note: slight tongue in cheek reference [...]
New Stellar SR by Tim H
My thoughts on the New Stellar SR 2015 2015 has been a good year for me to build strength and continue improving my stroke technique on flat water. As I bumped up the speed work in April I started to see the fruits in May at the Essex River race. [...]
Nelo 550, Think Evo 3, Stellar SEI, Surfski Time Trials
In my garage and basement I have my favorite skis. As usual it is a mix of advanced skis (Think Uno 2g, Ion 3G, Epic V12 2g, Stellar SEL 2G, Nelo 560M and intermediate skis( Nelo 550, Stellar SR 2G, SEI 2G, Think Evo 2, Evo 3). Of the advanced [...]