Latest News
On Training: Physical Integration
The race was two-thirds over and the aerobic system was still running cleanly. Breathing had stayed in control, the stroke hadn't collapsed, and the pace was within the range that should have been sustainable. But something had shifted in the last thirty minutes. A shoulder carrying something separate from the general [...]
The difference between flatwater paddling and downwinding isn't subtle. Grinding a flat stretch is the opposite: all work and no rest, every foot of distance earned stroke by stroke with nothing free about it. Catching a wave takes a handful of hard strokes, sometimes just one, and then the boat rides [...]
On Training: Efficiency and Friction
During any long session or race, most of each stroke converts cleanly into forward motion. A small fraction gets diverted into correction, stabilization, and adjustment. Some of that cost comes from outside: the ocean pushes, the boat responds, and effort goes toward holding a line and keeping the hull settled underneath [...]
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 [...]
Surfski Reviews
Looking for an ocean ski? Check out the surfski comparison chart!
Ted Van Dusen’s Mohican, My Thoughts
Ted and Graeme. Credit Donna Lind Ted Van Dusen, famous Olympic Kayak and Rowing Shell designer living in Concord, Massachusetts, wanted a flat water boat that was comfortable, safe, stable and fast to suit his paddling needs. Ted came up with the Mohican in 2006 that fit the [...]
Chris on Nelo 550. It was a hit!
Training Paddle, Wesley and Chris from Wesley Echols on Vimeo.
Nelo 550 First Take
In the Summer of 2016, I tried Chris Chappell's (FastPaddler.com) Nelo 560L after a training paddle. I knew then Nelo's second attempt of producing surfskis was headed in the right direction under the new guidance of CEO Oscar Chulupsky. The first attempt was a disappointment. Nelo has a storied history [...]
Mako 6 Carbon Review – by Wesley Echols
If you keep up with the national and international surfski race scene you’ll note most of the field astride Fenn Mako 6’s, Mako Elites or some version of the Epic V10. Why, you might ask? Well, two immediate answers are these boats are fast and they are readily available in [...]
2014 Surf Ski Reviews and Comparison Chart by Wesley Echols, SurfskiRacing.com
This is a comparison and review chart based on 12 years of paddling surf skis with GPS recorded time trials with all the 25 skis listed on the chart over the same four courses since 2002 as explained below. I added 10 new skis to the comparison chart since last time [...]