Kayak surfing in the ocean is one of the best kept secrets in the paddling world. The many benefits that the sport offers include excitement, adventure, adrenaline, and strength and cardio training.
Anyone can pick up the sport, from a whitewater pro wanting to branch out to the sea or a never been in a vessel and thinks it looks fun. As soon as you get out to the ocean make a good decision.
If the water is too rough out there, do not try to go surf kayaking. You should know your ability level well enough to determine if you can handle the waves you are about to paddle.
Also, do not get discouraged if the water doesn't look good enough to ride on. The swells change and will fluctuate throughout the day with the tide.
It can be tempting when to think you can go without your helmet or even life jacket. This is completely unsafe and not smart.
You never know when you will be thrown upside down onto a coral-laden sandbar and will need your helmet. Before you get in your vessel come up with a plan of attack on how you will boat out to the break.
Visually time the waves and see if there is a lull enough to paddle out. If not, you will have to paddle around the swells or through them.
Once you figure this information out, decide where you will enter the ocean. It is best to get in your vessel right at the edge of where the surf hits the shore.
This way your boat does not get moved by the impinging coastline. Then once ready to launch, use your arms underneath your vessel to lift up and push your boat into the water.
You should launch your vessel into a part of the ocean where you can paddle around the waves. If not, you will have to paddle over the swell or through it.
Try your best to avoid waves breaking right on top of you. If a swell is about to break on you or your boat take a quick action and either paddler over it or decide to ride it in.
Paddle out to a point where the waves are still just swells. While out past the break, you can paddle around to find and catch the best swells.
As a swell starts to build, start paddling toward the shore, and catch a wave. The ideal situation and position is when you are paddling only fast enough to keep up with the swell.
If you go too slow it will pass you by, but if you go too fast you will outrun the wave. You can ride straight in toward the shore or aim your vessel on an angle.
Steep swells have a tendency of forcing the bow of the kayak into the ocean in front of you. This will flip you over the long ways.
To avoid this, angle the vessel away from how the wave is breaking. If the kayak gets turned sideways, do not panic; just be sure to lean and to brace.
You can get off whenever you want by turning and paddling back over it. Ocean kayak surfing is definitely a lot of fun.
Paddling out through the swells will be reminiscent of paddling through a wave train on a river. You can even do wheels over the waves while paddling out to sea.
Be adventurous and try some flat spins and side surf as you ride them in. Have fun out there on the water and remember to enjoy the battle.
Having to swim out of your vessel should not be an option out in the ocean. Even if you can swim to shore, rescuing your equipment can be extremely difficult.
Recreational kayaks are not to be used in the ocean surf. The only kayaks that should be used to surf in the ocean are whitewater vessels fitted with spray skirts or sit-on-top vessels that are made for the ocean.
Sea kayaks have been used to surf a swell or two on their way in to shore. This, however, is not the preferred vessel to be surfing waves and they are not made for that style of paddling.
Author Resource:-
Ronald Pedactor is a fitness trainer. He has been coaching athletes for more then 20 years. He recommends the bestSpinning Bike to achieve your highest biking performance.
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