new to the ocean, some questions

The bottom of the hull shape determines how it will handle in the water. I imagine the hull it pretty flat on the bottom, simply because the limitations on wood, unless you are one of those awesome craftsmen. If the bottom is virtually flat you should be able to surf that bad boy on some nasty swell. The 'flip' side to that is there will only be 1 edge to the boat before she flips.

-Brian

I have yet to try Bean Hollow - but from the stories I've heard, It sounds like the breaks are quick and powerful. Has anyone landed successfully in these conditions? How about some pointers / suggestions   ?

I've come in on some pretty big surf but not while rigged for fishing. This was a couple of years ago when I first got the yak and was learning what to do with it. Coming in stern first is an excellent choice, it allows you to see the waves and time the sets getting in - personally I never liked it though, I like to see where I'm going espically on a crowded or rock strewn beach. What I prefer is to  come in on the back side of the waves. You spend a bit more time reverse paddling to stay off the face of the wave but generally you end up higher up the beach and you come in at a much more controlled rate.

Jeff

is to come in on the back side of the waves. You spend a bit more time reverse paddling to stay off the face of the wave but generally you end up higher up the beach and you come in at a much more controlled

I'll try that next time - thanks for the tip Timing is really the key on riding the back side of the wave. I believe someone (I'm not gonna mention his name) tried doing that at Bean Hollow but over-shot the back side of the wave and ended up tumbling in the shoreline - I believe he did this twice and broke a couple of rods.  

Joel - I don't think it's in the cards for me this weekend, since it looks like I'm  going to be stuck in the office, but you're probably going to be at the tournament in Santa Cruz anyway. I'd be happy to let you take her for a spin though, I'll post before I go.

On the local lakes, I use my PFD as a backrest. I expect I'll be wearing it out on the ocean, so I'm probably going to look into a seat. There's nothing in the pictures for scale, but the cockpit is actually pretty deep, maybe 8 inches or so, so it's ok for me with just a jacket or something back there for padding.

You spend a bit more time reverse paddling to stay off the face of the wave but generally you end up higher up the beach and you come in at a much more controlled rate.

That works until you get crashed in the middle of a set.

I try to catch the last wave of a set in and the let it help you gain speed, then brake stroke and let the wave go right before she crashes,then paddle like hell till the bow sands its self that pretty much puts you high on the beach head and gives you about 8 - 10 seconds to get the hell out of there.

-Brian

Hana Pa'a,

Here is a link to an article that details coming in on the back of a wave. Like everything else it takes practice. Hope this helps.

http://www.paddling.net/guidelines/showArticle.html?146

Also www.paddling.net is a pretty good board for kayaking related information if you haven't been there. A lot of good people there too. Not quite as open and friendly as everyone here but then they don't all fish!

Jeff

Bean hollow is my specialty, think I've done that launch/landing at least 10 times, and generally goofed around in the surf 3 or 4 times.  The most important thing is to launch from one end or the other of the hollow, depeding on which way the swell is coming from.  The surf is smallest there.  The beach in the hollow is relatively steep, going down at an angle of 30' or so.  This means that instead of long rollers like linda-mar, you get a short and very violent wave.  The trick is to get in/out between the waves and never deal with punching through one.  

Going out, I wait at the edge of the surf where the water barely picks up my boat with each wave.  I stand there for 3-5 sets so I understand how the wave height and frequency is behaving.  You can see the wave hump up against the 'jaws' of the hollow, so you can actually see how far out and how high the next wave will be.  When the next wave is suitably far out and short, I jump on my boat and paddle like hell for the middle of the hollow.  You usually only have to go about 20 feet to be past the surf zone.  After that go ahead and fish, but watch for pinnacles outside - they sit a few feet under the water and can cause big offshore breaks when hit by a big swell.

Coming in is tough because you can't see the waves break because they have a very steep face - it's worse than it looks.   Again, decide if the right or left side is the safer launch and work your way in slowly until you're at a point where you have to backpaddle a bit to keep from 'catching' the largest waves.  Again, time it by sitting through a few sets and watching the waves roll along the entrance to the hollow.  When the time is right paddle like hell with a smallish wave and let it help push you towards shore, backpaddle off it of before it breaks, paddle like hell again and jump out before the water starts to suck back out for the next wave.  Pull the yak a few feet up the steep beach and you're out of the surf zone.  

I prefer the left side if it isn't too big, because it's got the shortest break along the beach.  Sometimes it's only got a 18" waveface that breaks for only 8'.  If you do it right you'll never even paddle through foam and stay perfectly dry.  The right side breaks the longest distance, but the waves are also shorter and pitch over into a foot or so of foam pretty quickly.  It's harder to get out here without punching through a wave and getting a lapfull.

One fine small-craft advisory day I went out and it wasn't too bad, launched dry from the left side and fished a bit.  The swell kicked up to taller than my 13' boat and turned me green so I went back.  The whole hollow was churned up and I spent 15 minutes putting on my life preserver and looking at the surf while inching my way in.  Finally I got my set and shot in on the south edge.  Stepped off onto the sand and pulled up my yak.  Then I looked up and was aghast to see the next wave break from the mouth of the hollow all the way in and slam a 6' face of water against the steep beach.

After my buddy landed safe we stripped the yaks and practiced in the surf.  My buddy got caught by one of the breakers at the mouth and his kayak was flipped - the long way.  Then I went out and also got flipped endwise, but by a wave right near the shore.  I held my paddle over my head when I went in, but since I went in head-first I got a black eye from the paddle-handle.

Pescadero is another good choice nearby, instead of a beach it's got a boulderfield that breaks the waves up into alot of foam.  Paddling through the foam and surge channels through the rocks is challenging, but we're 8 for 8 on navigating it safely.  I wouldn't do pescadero with a long fiberglass boat though, you'll probably take a few knocks.

Josh - do you think that the fishing at Bean Hollow is worth the risk? I've seen pictures if Stuart, Fred and Kevin with some big vermilion caught at the Hollow.

How does the fishing at the Hollow compare to Pescadero? I've fished Pescadero once with Lee and Ethan. I remember Ethan catching a 15 # Halibut. Lee caught a keeper ling and I caught several short lings.

I definately think we try it again when the conditions permit.  The 2 times I've fished there there was a ripping current and I had a heck of a time staying on the bottom.

Kevin

IME, bean hollow/pescadero has the best fishing in daytrip range of the bay area.  It's like a mini lost coast between pillar point and santa cruz marinas.  Last time I went out of pescadero I caught 5 cabbies to 8lbs, 2 reds, a last year legal ling and a halibut.  I'd like to see someone match that at santa cruz, linda mar or HMB.  I really worry they'll slap a MPA in this area though.  There's already a wildlife trail at bean hollow with display cases about seals and whatnot, and I know the tree buggers like to get no-fishing stickers inside those things...

Bean hollow and pescadero are only a couple miles apart, so I consider the waters there pretty much the same.  If you figure out where the wind/drift is going you can drift from one to the other and do very little paddling all day.  We did that once, kind of accidentally.  

Drift anchors are helpful out there, like anywhere on the open coast.  They'll usually buy you 2-4 more hours of fishing time than you'd otherwise get with the wind.

I think the offshore wash-rocks are much more of a hazard to larger craft than to us (we bounce not break) so they pretty much stay well offshore of the whole area.  That's definitely good for kayakers.

Craig,

Congratulations; I started building wooden/composite boats about 15 years ago, and I think yours is the first SOT woody I've seen. Lots of questions, but I'll start off slow. Most important one I can think of- do you have scuppers for the TW and cockpit? If not, I would recommend it, if your planning to challenge the surf. 2 cubic feet of water ~ 120# on the topside, which will radically alter your stability. If it were my boat, I would use short pieces of ABS pipe out the sides of the wells, through the hull sides. If you rough up the ABS, you can get epoxy and glass to stick: I've done it in much larger boats. The bigger the holes, the better for quickly dumping excessive water.

pisco - Thanks! I don't have scuppers yet, though I obviously will need some before heading out in the surf. There is framing for two scuppers at the front of the cockpit underneath the seat, and one under the tankwell, so it's just a matter of cutting the holes and reinforcing from the outside with some glass., Your idea about going out the sides is very interesting, though - that would eliminate any concern about leaking since the holes aren't through the bottom. I'll have to think about that.

just thought of something = why don't we have a kayak surf launch and land contest   ....to be held at Bean Hollow    Maybe we can have the Wives / girlfriends be the judges of the event (this way it will be a family event) . The kayaker that can successfully launch and land the yak in one piece (given 2 chances) will win the prestigious Nor Cal Kayak Fisherman "Big Kahuna" award  

Maybe we can get some sponsors to help out....we can make this a yearly event  

Bill - wacha think?

Can I stand up on my Triple and surf it in?  

How much would the extra style points be worth?

-Allen

Not as much style points as when I cross step to my bow and hang five  


I vote Montara on a small day.