Find the right one surfski - a guide for beginners
How to paddle surfski is a great way to build up your fitness, while enjoying nature from a whole new perspective. You can paddle it in big waves or narrow rivers. Even cities like Stockholm, Malmö or Karlstad offer great opportunities to exercise on the water without having to travel far. If you don't want to load your skis on the roof, you can join a canoe club.
If this sounds like it could be for you, read the following guide to find out:
- What is the benefit of a surfski?
- What types of surf skis are available?
- How to choose one surfski?
- What to consider before setting off surfski?
- What makes a good surfski?
Why buy one surfski
The beauty of owning one surfski is that you can use it for different types of paddling in different environments and different conditions. The most common activities are:
- training on flat water and on the sea
- downwind canoeing
- day trip paddling
- competitions
A surfski fits all these uses without major compromises. It makes it easy to catch waves while accessing quickly on flat water. That said, there are differences between different surfskis, both in terms of use, stability and individual factors (such as paddler height and weight).
If you compare with sea kayak has a surfski simply has a range of advantages:
- It's lighter
- it is faster
- it is safer (you can pick yourself up after capsizing)
- it allows more efficient paddle strokes
What types of surf skis are available?
All types surfski have in common that you sit in an open hull and the steering is done with pedals and an underlying rudder. Most are divided into stability levels such as entry, intermediate and elite.
Materials used
You can choose between plastic and composite materials. One surfski in plastic weighs from 22 kg (Nelo 510) and up to 28 kg if you choose a lighter brand. So you gain a lot in terms of weight if you choose quality. The funny thing is that it doesn't cost much more with a Nelo 510 in plastic.
Compositesurfskis is built either from fiberglass, Kevlar/carbon fiber or pure carbon fiber. The material is layered in several layers with a foam spacer in the middle. This makes the hull stiff without adding too much weight. Surfskis in fiberglass are still quite heavy, therefore building Nelo skis are only built in Kevlar/carbon fiber blend or pure carbon fiber. Syou can enjoy paddling (or carrying) an extremely stiff surfski that weighs only 10 - 12.5 kg.
How to choose a surfski?
The perfect one surfski should provide a balance between:
- speed
- stability
- ease of use
Your point of reference: what do you use it for and how much experience do you have?
- Are you a beginner who wants to learn how to surf waves?
- Do you want to start paddling as a form of exercise in mostly sheltered water?
- Or are you an advanced paddler looking for the best possible surfski?
If you do most of your paddling at sea, always choose stability over speed. You need to feel confident even in bigger waves to be able to develop your skills at sea - getting up to speed when it matters and being able to link waves. A minimum requirement is that you feel really confident in your ski on flat water. You should be able to put the paddle down without having to focus on balance - preferably even in swells from e.g. motorboats.
If you generally paddle mostly flat water and want to use your surfski for shorter training sessions, you can choose a slightly straighter ski - as long as you can paddle it without problems without the conditions it will be used in. Keep in mind that waves and dangerous situations can also occur in lakes and other bodies of water.
Once you have answered these questions, you can narrow down your selection to one of the following categories:
What should I consider before buying?
Size of the product
When you buy a surfski it is important that you find a model that fits your size and weight. Our composite models from Nelo come in different sizes to make sure you find the right one surfski.
Materials used
Investing in good materials and manufacturing quality is something that pays off in the long run. It improves the lifespan and resale value of your investment
Seating comfort
A comfortable yet upright sitting position makes a big difference, especially when you sit for long periods. You benefit from this regardless of your skill level.
Hull shape
There are big differences in hull shape, even when comparing surf ski models of the same stability. Nelo's new hull concept has resulted in significant improvements in speed, although all models have more stability than the previous model series. LRead more about the speed differences in our surfski test.
Extras
Keep in mind that a surfski will work better the more you can customize it to your needs, e.g. change the rudder for pure flatwater paddling. Or is it easy to move the footrest when paddling without thick paddling shoes?
If you choose a Nelo surfski you've come a long way in terms of build quality, performance and, last but not least, personalization of your surfski.
Summary
If there are three things to remember when choosing your new surfski it is:
- Definitely don't buy too slim if you're going paddling on the sea
- Think about where and how you will paddle
- Find a surfski that will be right for your size and weight
