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!
2015 Redesigned Stellar SR Review
Since 2003 when I began paddling surfskis, I have reviewed more surfskis than anyone else in the world making those reviews public via this website. Like most things in life, I did not intentionally set out to buy so many surfskis. I simply started out trying to find the perfect [...]
NEW 2016 Stellar SEL Surfski
Dave Thomas, Co Designer with Ed Hofmeister and owner Stellar Kayaks and Surfskis, is paddling the NEW 2016 SEL Excel in our new color scheme. With the addition of the SEL, SR, SES, all 2nd generation editions, we have launched 3 new models in 2015. Couple this with our NEW [...]
2014 Think Ion Surfski Review
Like many of you I searched the internet for information on the Think Ion when I heard it was coming out. The main points I garnered were that it had plenty of rocker with a bucket like the Evo 2 and is a big water ski. So I asked myself [...]
Update by Reid Hyle, New 2015 Stellar SES 2G Surf Ski Review
October 14, 2015, Reid Hyle's Thoughts on the New SES 2G Definitely put the new SES on your short list if you are a medium sized paddler looking for a new ride. There isn’t much need to go over a lot of detail about what has been changed from the [...]
New Surfski Reviews Coming: 2012 Nelo Vintage(30lbs), 2010 Nelo Vintage(23lbs) and Van Dusen Mohican
Team SurfskiRacing.com Chris(web master) and myself will be reviewing the 2012 Nelo Vintage in the WWR construction(30lbs), a Nelo Vintage in the E construction at 23lbs, and the pure flat water surf ski, the Ted Van Dusen Mohican. It will probably be a month before we get everything posted but [...]