Speed Check

Last Monday GF and I were at Lake Tahoe. We went paddling from the Left Parking Lot (West Side if I believe) to Emerald bay and paddled around in there, stopped, ate lunch then paddled back. We stoped at the mouth at Eagle Point for her to take some pictures.  We got lucky and caught the wind to our backs and a few waves we could...semi surf?. When we landed at Baldwin Beach she took another picture. Time between the two pictures...36 minutes. Considering we are both over 50 (one of us over 55), and paddling at 6100 feet elevation (we live at roughly 200 feet elevation), I think we did the roughly 3 mile return trek at a decent pace. Or roughly 10-12 minute a mile pace.

GF's stats: Eddyline Fathom LV weight 42 pounds, length 15 feet roughly
Mine: Stealth Fisha 555 weight 60 pounds, length 18'2"

I know some of you peddle boys can smoke that with your ultra mega fins, but I think that pace at that altitude is pretty decent. And neither of us is known for being speed racers by any stretch.

Last Monday GF and I were at Lake Tahoe. We went paddling from the Left Parking Lot (West Side if I believe) to Emerald bay and paddled around in there, stopped, ate lunch then paddled back. We stoped at the mouth at Eagle Point for her to take some pictures.  We got lucky and caught the wind to our backs and a few waves we could...semi surf?. When we landed at Baldwin Beach she took another picture. Time between the two pictures...36 minutes. Considering we are both over 50 (one of us over 55), and paddling at 6100 feet elevation (we live at roughly 200 feet elevation), I think we did the roughly 3 mile return trek at a decent pace. Or roughly 10-12 minute a mile pace.

GF's stats: Eddyline Fathom LV weight 42 pounds, length 15 feet roughly
Mine: Stealth Fisha 555 weight 60 pounds, length 18'2"

I know some of you peddle boys can smoke that with your ultra mega fins, but I think that pace at that altitude is pretty decent. And neither of us is known for being speed racers by any stretch.

just got back from Tahoe, went to a smaller nearby lake in the kayaks and boy, after the 1/2 mile trail to the lake with 3 kayaks and a SUP we were huffing and puffing at 6500 foot!

glad you got to take the kayaks out in such a serene place.

Dragging that 555 on the beach with the Wheel Eez was a PITA, glad I had them or it would of been a AAA call for service...lol

Wow that is pretty fast!
Last time I was there was two years ago. I got "the call" from my wife when I was fishing by the Emerald Bay. Straight across the lake to Camp Richard against the wind & wakes. I think it took me less than an hour because of the fear.
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=83891.msg953142#msg953142

Almost 6 mph? That's very impressive. On my AI, a nice relaxing sailing speed is about 6 mph. On the other hand, pedaling the AI with no wind assist, the best I could hope to sustain over that kind of distance would be about 4 mph.

How much do the amas or outriggers decrease your speed from the same hull without them?

That’s a nice pace!

I’ve been getting interested in surf skis, and have been enjoying watching downwind videos.



This woman has another video where she gets hit by a great white shark. You know she’s cool because she was carrying a fishing rod on the back of her surf ski in that video.

The last time I was out, at Tomales, Strava said my average speed was 2.0 mph (not bad for drifting), but I reached a top speed of 46.3 mph on my paddle in! Felt more like 3.5 to me, but what do I know? Maybe I caught a wave. 

The last time I was out, at Tomales, Strava said my average speed was 2.0 mph (not bad for drifting), but I reached a top speed of 46.3 mph on my paddle in! Felt more like 3.5 to me, but what do I know? Maybe I caught a wave. 

at 46.3 my guess is you were probably at a different bay, called Waimea hehe

That’s a nice pace!

I’ve been getting interested in surf skis, and have been enjoying watching downwind videos.



This woman has another video where she gets hit by a great white shark. You know she’s cool because she was carrying a fishing rod on the back of her surf ski in that video.

That video is awesome, I watched with a stupid grin on for the whole thing.

Those moments when you get a little assist from Mother Nature are really fun. I’d say you did damn good, let us not forget...you have to be fit enough to keep up with the wave right?

On a good day I might hit 4 mph for a spurt, but I am not one of those guys who can hit and maintain 6 for any distance, this was all mother nature, as we had paddle roughly 7-9 miles from the beach in and around Emerald bay back before heading back. We had what I would guess was 7-8 mph wind with gusts to 10mph (give or take).  I know I was moving at a good clip, but I would of never of guessed 6MPH, that is now my PB for documented speed...as if this was setting any records. 

How much do the amas or outriggers decrease your speed from the same hull without them?

I've never really measured it--will do so one of these days. But it is definitely an issue, as you're pushing a lot of weight with the full AI setup. It's most noticeable when accelerating. Of course, with just 1 ama (outrigger canoe style) it's somewhere in between...

Hope the pdf works. This is a test of a 2006 Adventure hull by an Australian who builds custom pedal powered fast "kayaks" for cruising and racing, not yak fishing. @006 Adventures came with solid aluminum drive arms with threaded pedals. I'm sure the testing used clip in bike pedals as that is Rick's standard for pedal craft. Very impressive top end speed with good documentation material.

On Monday I hit 6mph for a couple of minutes while I hustled to shore during the light show in Tomales in a revo 13.

I have a hard time trolling at or faster than 3 mph SOG

6 mph for a couple minutes is impressive in a Hobie. Unlike a good sea kayak Hobie pedal craft have almost no glide so a full on effort has to be constant to keep up a pace like that. Gets to be wearing quick.