1st Time Surf Launch Sat 10/7

Linda Mar thrus. afternoon.excellent day to launch

I'm game.  Yakingirl give me a call, you too Frank at 831 251-9732, we'll coordinate for Sunday.

BTW, could be really good fishing!  I'm bringing my secret cabezone bait so get ready.  Only one each allowed.  We can have a cabby derby.

Allen

Have you guys ever seen or used a low brace? I think you're picturing a High brace rather than low. If you rotate the paddle shaft to your waist near your navel, Your elbows must be centered over the paddle shaft to push down giving you a brace to lean into the wave using the non-powerface side of your paddle blade. This is a low brace. For a High brace it's the exact opposite. You bring your elbows in tucked into your ribs like you have 100 dollar bills under your armpits. Your wrist and paddle rotate upwards and your catching the wave with the powerface of the blade. I teach surfzone training twice a month at my shop stop by if you want to see the real thing

Yes, I've seen and used a low brace and a high brace.  Sorry for the confusion.  The way it was described, I took it for a high brace description, but in reading it again and by your response I can see how you were trying to describe a low brace.  Just as you can see that the caution I was stating was for a high brace.  Thanks for the clarification.  All good info to know!

-Allen

No worries polepole-Everyone should be on the same page when it comes to giving critical advice to newbies venturing into surf. I think that you would rarely need a high brace except in the outer breakers or when getting tossed by the landlord. I see alot of guys favoring the highbrace even in the little stuff.Inevitably your going to reach out a bit if thats your only brace and then there goes the shoulder on a half footer. Training and experience have taught me to have a bombproof low brace and I include it in all my basic level classes. I can go from baiting a hook to a low brace in miliseconds. We got rogue waves up here ya know!

Agree completely on the low brace swellrider.  I would like to hear more of your thoughts on braces when on a SOT.  I think a high brace works even better in conjuction with hip control, something that is lacking in a SOT as your not "connected" to the yak like you are in a SIK, which makes a low brace even more important.  Speaking of braces, I rarely see people in SOT using either high or low braces, something I think is lacking in this general community.  In the general sea kayaking community I see a lot more of people practicing bracing, rolls, rescues, etc. on EVERY outing, perhaps something we should incorporate more in our outings.

-Allen

Allen it sounds like you have a solid background in Sea-kayaking as well as SOT. We should put together a free skills clinic to NCKA'ers this winter somewhere near the Bay area. I think we're staying in the spirit of this thread if not expanding it a little. Sorry yakingal but this is good stuff you should be taking notes. We have a shop here in Arcata where they exclusively sell Hobies. They advertise the fact that you don't even need a paddle. I've always talked about the sport as "Paddling" not Peddaling. The paddle and knowing how to use it is a critical skill needed by anyone in any type of small people-powered craft.
 
As far  as bracing with an SOT I haven't found the need to modify My Sea-kayak Brace. I use a 210cm paddle for my Foster legend but for my Extreme and X-factor I go up to 230cm to give me enough clearance for bracing or maintining a high angle stoke when covering distances of 5nm or more. The Tao of kayaking is to unlike the Body, Boat, Blade connection easier to do in a sea-yak but still attainable in any SOT (except maybe a hobie J/K).

There should be a category on this forum where we can go to discuss Kayaking techniques and innovations. I'm no expert but I know a thing or two about a thing or two and would contibute to lively discussions time and again!

The Tao of Kayaking- is to "unlock" the Body, Boat, Blade connection I meant to say.

I have no problem with high and low braces in my SINK because I have those thigh hooks keeping my connection with the boat. I can  get the coaming in the water even--and I beleive that's what a good high brace is about--really leaning--otherwise the paddle won't be in the water if your arms are 'still in the paddler's box' so to speak. But that's because we can 'J'-lean thanks to that rigid connection in a SINK.

But  an SOTK is different (unless one has thigh straps and even then the hulls are designed for a lot of leaning), While I can do dinky little low braces, I cannot get enough of a lean to put down a decent high brace: my Marauder doesn't like to tilt that far over and Iwould be sliding out if it did. Now surf is differnt sicnethe water on the wave side comes up to you so you don't have to lean so far over. This is a littel conjecture and extrapolation on my part though--I have to admit I have not surf launched my SOTK yet though I have my SINK.

On an SOT you can throw the J-lean out the window, because your going to need alot more than that to heel it over into a surging wave. I use thigh straps snugged tight so I'm not sitting in my Kayak, I'm wearing it. Where my hips go so does the boat. I surf my SOT's without any straps also, I just lean my entire torso over the boat and sink an edge right into the greenroom. I lay into the wave with a low brave and shoot across it horizontaly rather than straight into the beach. I'll then switch mid-wave to a draw stroke and pull myself off the lip before the whitewall crashes. Your getting a high pressue shampoo but it's the only way I've found to maintain an edge on a big fat x-factor type boat. SINKs are whole other animal and mastering one will make you a better kayak fisher bar none!

Allen it sounds like you have a solid background in Sea-kayaking as well as SOT. We should put together a free skills clinic to NCKA'ers this winter somewhere near the Bay area.

Well, my background is more whitewater than sea kayaking.  I think a clinic is a great idea.

-Allen

I also think a surf clinic for SOTK would be good idea. I'd be in for it.

Well unfortunately I wasn't able to make my 2nd attemt at my 1st Surf Launch this past weekend, so hopefully this coming weekend I can try for my 3rd attempt.  We'll have to see what the swells are at.