Heading Downwind

Heading Downwind

With consistent time in the boat, and persistence, developing surfski paddlers can make quick breakthroughs in their confidence and ability to paddle on open water. And before long, checking wind & wave reports can become an addiction, as wind directions and speeds shape the plan on where and when to paddle.

As you break through progressive stability barriers on the ocean, your focus will shift to the true art of the surfski: downwind paddling. One of the most dynamic forms of kayaking, downwind runs on a surfski require strength, fitness and good technique. And that’s the easy part!

Most vital, and maybe the most difficult to obtain, is the ability to read the water and waves. No amount of muscle or lactate threshold can overcome a skilled waterman’s advantage when it comes to surfing downwind. Highlighting this point, Hungarian sprint paddler Zsolt Szadavszki noted on his transition from flatwater kayaking to ocean paddling in a ski: “My biggest challenge has been to let go of my notions of how to do well. On flatwater your form and fitness propel you to victory. To do well on a surfski I have realized that you must learn how to use the energy of the ocean instead of relying only on your own power. Ironically I often have to slow myself down out there to get the most out of it.”

So how do you get the most out of it? When do you apply power, when do you back off? Where do you place your ski on the wave to maximize the ride and be in place to link up with the next one? As with most other areas of kayaking, time spent in the boat is most important. Instinct plays a massive role in reading waves, which can only be developed by spending a lot of time paddling in waves. But some tips from Oscar Chalupsky can’t hurt!

So now that you’ve committed to open water paddling, and are devoted to developing your downwind prowess, here are some basic concepts to work on when you point that ski downwind.

Tips for the developing surfski paddler: Q&A with Oscar Chalupsky

In your mind, what is the most important skill of a downwind paddler?

I would have to say that learning how to position your ski on the steepest part of the wave is vital. If you’re missing the sweet spot of the wave, you’re losing the foundation of the entire downwind run.

What is the most common mistake you see in ski paddlers who are working on downwind paddling?

The biggest problem I see with beginners and intermediates is that they often paddle way too hard! This may seem counter-intuitive, but when you have caught a wave, paddling to hard can be very detrimental and actually hinder your progress. Also, many developing downwind paddlers can get so focused on catching individual waves, they end up losing their line/direction to the finish! This is very easy to do when chasing runs.

What question do you get asked the most about ski paddling?

There isn’t one specific question that sticks out, but I often hear confusion about what do you do when you wallow in the waves. Also, many paddlers simply want to know how to find the runs, wondering why they miss what other paddlers are catching.

When looking for waves, where should your focus be? Should you be looking around to the sides or directly in front of you?

Okay, this is one of my four points to focus on in downwind paddling: the quadrant of 90 degrees. You need to look for your runs in the 90 degree quadrant in front of you, using the finish line as the your center point. I always have four major points I keep in mind when paddling downwind:

What exactly are you looking for in a wave?

Quite simply you are looking for waves that will make the nose of your ski point downhill. Any good waves will do this, so more important is that you need to look for the steepest part of the wave, and make sure you ride the wave like a surfer, meaning go across the wave and not directly down it.

Do you only look one wave out, or are you trying to size up a course to link 2 or 3 runs together?

The first part is crucial: that you are exactly 90 degrees to the wave when catching it, so that you only have to paddle the same speed as the wave. If you are trying to catch a wave side ways then you have to paddle harder and faster. Once you are on the wave, you can ease back on the paddling and start scanning the quadrant in front of you for your next wave, so that you can “link” the runs. Be sure to stay at the top of the wave and then when you see the next run, let yourself go down and move across over to the next run. Its best to stay focused on this pattern.

When you find your next wave, when do you apply the power?

You always apply your power when you start to feel the nose of your ski start to point up, not when your nose is going downhill. You have more time to catch waves if you start paddling faster earlier!

When you feel you’ve caught the wave should your focus shift to steering your boat properly, not paddling?

Once on the wave, just like a surfer, try and keep on top and weave side to side, until you can line up the next wave. Paddle only to accomplish this and keep your positioning.

So when you catch a wave, you back off and try to stay up at the top of the wave? Should you stay perpendicular on the wave as long as possible?

Yes, the bigger the wave the less you should be putting the power down. You can just turn over your paddles - but no power. Again, you don’t want to stay perpendicular once you are on the wave, or you will just go straight down into the next one. Move side to side for your next ride.

How do you make your move from one wave to the next? When do you know the ride is over, and to start powering up again?

Normally your ride is over when your nose starts going up. When this happens it is time to put the power down, as all waves are made of crest and troughs. When the nose goes up, your next wave has lined up behind you.

So it’s more of a “sprint – rest – sprint – rest” paddling style?

Yes very much so; the best interval training in the world!

In ideal conditions, what percentage are you actually paddling versus surfing?

It depends on the day: if you have big conditions it can breakdown to about 20% paddling 80% riding waves. When in smaller seas, it is more like 50/50.

When waves are small (2-3 feet) is it better to focus on paddling, and just catch waves as opportunities? Or should you still focus on catching as many waves as possible, linking them up, etc.?

The small waves that are slow are a bit of a waste of time, as they only help you because you are going the same direction as the wind. If conditions are like this you’re better off paddling at a solid pace, and look for help from little bumps when you can. If you are constantly sprinting to catch little waves that offer no real benefit, you expend a lot of valuable energy. Small waves that are moving fast however, like boat wake, can be great rides. You should focus on holding these wave as long as possible in the direction you are going!

What’s the longest ride on a wave you caught?

I would say about 400 - 500 meters.

What’s the top speed you’ve reached riding a wave?

The fastest I have hit in the ocean is 56.6 km/h (35 mph.) My fastest 1 km time in the sea is 1 minute 59 seconds; and fastest 1 hour downwind paddle distance is 21 km (13.5 miles.)