====== Downwind Technique ====== . {{randominc>downwind:dwndphotos&max-height:500px&title&nodate&noeditbtn}} ---- ===== Tips for Beginners ===== ---- . These are some general ideas to try and keep in mind as a beginner downwinding. But what you will learn over time is that some choices and techniques will apply more to your benefit in specific conditions that can vary tremendously depending on where you paddle and what the weather and waves are doing. The greater variety of on-water conditions you experience and practice in, the more you will increase your ability to recognize and adjust your tactics to your advantage - usually… * **Important Basics** * **Keep your speed up**. Speed begets speed. It will be much easier to catch waves and avoid being swamped from behind. This will be easier said than done, but it is important to keep in mind and the benefit will become more evident as you improve your downwinding. * **Focus** on what's **in front** of you, **scan**ning from **10 to 2** looking for waves to form and for holes to drop into. * **Use smaller waves. **They can help you gain speed to get on larger waves if they are worth catching. Sometimes larger waves lead to fast dives which may be fun but may also result in losing speed and maintaining far less continuity and far less extension of runs. If you can diagonal across larger waves then you may be able to extend your runs on them, but learning how to spot smaller waves first will likely lead to greater overall skill in reading the water and finding ways to efficiently get your longest possible runs while maintaining energy and strength in reserve. * **Paddling Straight With Waves** * When getting up to speed or regaining speed your best chance to catch a wave is paddling **perpendicular to the wave line**, perfectly parallel with the wave direction. * There can be a moment when maximum power is applied to catch a wave when your boat may seem less stable. ([[https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-life-downwind-paddling-very-similar-dawid-mocke|Dawid Mocke on the zone of uncertainty]]) You have to get used to that. Incrementally increase the size of waves and conditions you practice in. Try to maximize opportunities when the water and weather are warmer when you don't mind (as much) getting wet. If you keep backing off to brace you won't be catching nearly as many waves. So you want to **build confidence** in being able to **continue applying power** until you are definitely on the wave and can then brace and/or steer a diagonal without losing the wave. * Sometimes you can also **catch a wave** a little **sooner** or hang on to a wave longer if you **lean forward** - moving your center of gravity a little forward * **Paddling Diagonally Across Waves** * Once you have caught a wave you may **not** want to continue **paddling parallel with the wave** direction. * Too much speed directly down your wave face will maximize the likelihood of diving into the back of the wave in front of you, burying your nose and losing all that speed you worked so hard to get. But there are times when the wave in front is starting to drop and you can keep speed, either crashing through the top of the wave in front or just paddling over the flat that has developed in front of you, keeping speed until you can **jump **all the way to the next trough in front that is catchable. * If the backside of the wave in front of you is too steep/large to push through or jump over then **don't go straight down your wave face**; surf down at an angle. You can avoid diving into the wave back in front, while keeping your speed staying on your current wave. * One trick to paddling at angles and changing angles while surfing on waves is to not turn too far and [[:terminology#broach|broach]]. * In big waves you may not want or be able to angle sideways. If you are going to hit the wave in front of you, you can lessen the force of your nose plant and loss of speed by leaning back. You can also brace a little harder and/or drag a hand in the water to shed speed and sometimes avoid over running the wave you want to stay on. * **Gateways** * **changing direction -** the **intersections of waves** traveling at different angles **can provide easier "gateways"** for passage over waves. Look for these intersections to sometimes guide your angle on the waves you are angling across. These gateways are opportunities to switch to the other waves you are intersecting with and/or to jump ahead to the next wave in the direction you are currently following. * **maintaining speed - **instead of losing speed because all you seem to have in front of you is the backside of waves either too large to climb, you are too tired to climb, or maybe most importantly - you want to minimize exhausting your energy supply on, look for gaps between waves or the lower outside edges or shoulders of waves. These gaps may not pull you along like the sweet pockets behind nice waves, but they can allow you to more easily keep your speed up and give you time to spot and hop onto more waves to ride. * **Missing Waves** * **Don't waste your energy** paddling up the back of a wave. If you miss a wave, let it pass underneath you and jump on the next. * Repeatedly missing waves and sliding down their backsides is called "[[:terminology#wallowing|wallowing]]". * You are going to miss waves but if you miss one there is always going to be the next one. If your boat filled with water or you lost too much speed it may take a number of waves before you recover enough speed to get back in sync with the waves * [[https://tcsurfski.com/2018/08/10/chasing-the-right-waves-for-you/|Chasing the Right Waves For You]] TCSurfski * **Bracing While Surfing** * Boyan Z., in Tarifa, teaches students while surfing to **brace on the side you are angling toward**. Regardless of any steering effect, when you are on the front of a wave the side you are angling toward allows a brace on your wave somewhat higher than your boat level requiring little or no lean. Most of the time what you want is very light contact with complete relaxation and little application of force so that you do not lose any speed but you still can instantly respond to any upsetting force if needed. * Keep in mind - the harder you have to brace the more you will slow down. You CAN increase your turning capacity with your paddle via a brace or rudder stroke, but you have to BALANCE what you gain from extra turning/steering ability against the accompanying loss of speed which will lead to less control and more difficulty staying on or catching waves. * **Steering** * //"Initiate your turns by tilting your ski, like a surfer uses her board to carve. Minimize the use of your rudder."// * Wait a second - ​​​​​​according to who? //​//Not so sure about this one - we've heard it before but it may be fairly minimal and variable depending on specific surfski model design. Experiment with your own surfski and see what you can do in various conditions. Start with small waves then if you prove you can steer effectively with boat lean move up and test your technique in bigger waves. Getting more comfortable with boat tilt while maintaining forward stroke power is not a bad way to improve your rough water paddling in general anyway. * [[:pumping_pedals|Pumping/resetting rudder pedals/angle in a stall]] (to recover steering) * by the same token, steering too much in waves can tend to work as braking and slow your boat down causing you to drop off of or miss waves * **Summary** * You have to **work a combination** of the above suggestions - **conservation of energy, your level of fitness, competition or fun, and specific wave and wind conditions** can indicate what to work on and what to pay less attention to. But learn to look for and stay on smaller waves when there are clear options between bigger and smaller swell and wind waves and swell waves. [[https://www.facebook.com/surfskicenter/videos/731644591001372/|Tarifa (Boyan Z.) Video]] about making choices. **Recognizing and being able to work with smaller wave options will help your continuity in all kinds of conditions.** * Remember,** time spent in downwinding** conditions is extremely important: there is a lot to learn. Listen to [[https://youtu.be/AYiJdYZ1o34?t=51|Clint Robinson interviewing Greg Barton]] * … . ---- ===== More Technique ===== ---- ==== Balance Practice ==== * [[:stories:surfski_balance_drill|On Water Drill]] ==== Navigation ==== * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDKP-1CydJU|Dawid Mocke on Navigation for a Downwind Race]] ==== Other Strokes ==== * [[:stroke#other_strokes|Sculling and Bracing]] * … ==== Paddling Upwind ==== Upwind - If the wave coming towards you is going to break significantly as you go into it, you probably want to be stroking with a blade in the water applying power as the wave hits you. Beyond providing greater stability and reducing the amount you stall, this is also better than holding your paddle horizontal trying to keep it above the wave. If you have your paddle horizontal and the wave still catches your paddle you stand a pretty good chance of getting smacked by your paddle. When paddling steadily upwind, experiment with your cadence. Slowing your stroke down somewhat may allow you to more easily adjust with a faster or slower stroke to time with the waves and insure a solid catch. Try to resist any inclination to brace as much as possible and just rely on the support you get from a solid catch. Also try to sense both of your heels and the pressure you should be feeling from each heel from each stroke on the same side as the pressing heel. Make sure you are not getting stuck with pressure on one heel/side (particularly when turning) which can also lock in a tilt to your ski to one side. Practice maintaining all of this feel and synchronized leg thrust as you make turns going from upwind to downwind and vice versa. * **Discussion** * [[:paddle_placement_upwind_waves_9_5_2020|When to Paddle Going Upwind In Steep Waves 9/05/2020]] ==== Learning How to Turn Around in Rough Water ==== * **Turning to Go With the Wind** * [[:turning_around|Surfski Kayak (facebook) 10/2/2022]] * (If you don't want to practice anymore and/or are freaked out but have to make the turn to get going downwind or headed home, put your legs in the water and get turned. One leg on your downwind side will get your turned faster, but if you need more stability put both legs out) * **Turning to Go Upwind****​​** * Can be difficult or impossible in high wind solely using your rudder * [[https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLULllRpJF0/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MXBhY3pwcnNqN3Zoaw==|Instagram Video]] shows technique for turning when you have no rudder, but this technique suggests a way to make a turn upwind possible when trying to use your rudder alone is inadequate. Put your leg on your upwind side in the water to serve as additional rudder. * … ---- ===== Transition from Flatwater to Open Ocean ===== ---- . A somewhat **related ****transition ****to**** learning downwinding** for many paddlers is **going from flatwater paddling to open ocean paddling**. If you live somewhere where there are waves to surf but little or no ocean swell you may have the luxury of being able to learn to downwind paddle without quite as much dynamic energy in the water (or shore break to deal with) as is often present in locations fully exposed to ocean swell. Examples include the [[:hood_river_columbia_gorge|Columbia River Gorge]] and much of [[:puget_sound|]] where islands block swell across a large area of marine shoreline. Even [[:tarifa|Tarifa]] (because of its unique location at the intersection of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean?) does not typically get large ocean swell (on rougher days the [[:tarifa#tidal_races|Bajeta tide race]] can get interesting). Such places may offer their own unique challenges but they will probably not completely prepare you for open ocean paddling. That experience you will only get by spending time paddling in places where you are fully exposed to ocean swell. Also take into consideration that many open ocean paddling locations have their own particular character (and challenges, and risk?) that you may need to learn to adjust to and get competent in after you already have some open ocean experience. All this being said, the more **competent** and **confident** you are with **basic technique** where you can **fully rely on your forward stroke** for good connection and forward movement in the water, the better prepared you will be to make the transition into paddling through a variety of on water conditions. . Something that usually accompanies learning to paddle where there is real swell is **learning to get in and out through shore break**. This wiki includes [[:surf#getting_in_and_out_through_the_surfzone|suggestions, videos, etc.]] about this skill, but it clearly is one only acquired through significant **practice and experience**. . **Making the Transition from Flatwater to Open Ocean Paddling** {{youtube>bGOt8xEmBJI}} . ---- ===== Working Up to Bigger Water ===== ---- **Powering Through A Columbia River Gorge Wave** {{gallery>gorge:wavebreak?=1&550x550&lightbox&nocache&random&direct&showtitle&norecursive}} Gorge SIC Race Practice 2019 Photo by: Wilson Reavley - Click to enlarge ---- ==== Technique, Evaluation, Judgement - Putting it All Together ==== **Advancing to Rougher Conditions and Stronger Downwind Paddling** * **TCSurfski** * [[https://tcsurfski.com/2020/12/11/a-brain-dump-of-downwind-thoughts-and-theories/|Art and Science of Downwind Paddling (organized by skill level)]] * **Nicholas Cryder** * [[:balance1|Part 1 - Balance and Connection to the Water]] * [[:balance2|Part 2 - Progression]] * **Robin Mousley** * [[:best_race|Relaxation and Confidence (and warmer water) Aha!]] * **Practice/Gauging Your Readiness** * [[:sloptests|Slop tests]] * Paddle cross beam and do figure 8s in increasingly strong waves. **Practice/Evaluation Discussion** * [[:stories:storms_2010|Storm Season is Here - Beware 10/10/2010 (Working Your Way Up to Bigger Conditions)]] * [[:stories:team_storm_paddling|B-Team Storm Paddling at Padden (More Working up to Rough Water) 10/24/2010]] * [[:stop_checks#rough_water_practice|More Rough Water Practice Tips 2010]] * [[:relaxing_2012|Relaxing 12/25/2012]] * [[:stories:saturday_morning_gusts_over_50mph#high_wind_remounts|High Wind Remounts 8/29/2015]] * [[:sloptest|Lake Whatcom Slop Tests (DJ Jacobson/Dawid Mocke)]] **When Are Conditions Too Rough?** This can be a question of too rough for anyone(?) and it is also a question of the combination of how rough conditions are versus where your skill, experience and judgement currently stand(?) * [[https://youtu.be/uPjshdjp0bk|Out of Their Depth Miller's Run Double]] 12/29/2023 * … If you have a local community of surfskiers usually there will be experience and judgement available before runs when big conditions appear. And often there will be honest and thorough discussions worth considering after runs in challenging conditions where problems have occurred or have been narrowly avoided. * [[:stories:bellingham_bay_conversations#too_bigtoo_unsettled|Example Discussions Mostly From Bellingham Bay]] (the cold water is a major factor here - but many considerations will probably be similar where you paddle) * **Miller's Run** * [[:stories:mousley_2010|Rob Mousley on Paddling in Extreme Conditions 3/04/2010]] * [[https://surfski.info/latest-news/story/1614/to-go-or-not-to-go-extreme-downwind-decisions.html|To go or not to go, extreme downwind decisions! Surfski.info 12/10/2017]] ==== Best Surfski for Downwinding? ==== * [[https://www.surfskicenter.com/zen-master-blog/my-most-favourite-downwind-surfski-ever|Boyan's Take 2024]] * **Phat Boats** * [[:stories:phatboats_2010|Phat Boats 11/10/2010]] * [[:phat_boat_fun_2019|Phat Boat Fun 7/09/2019]] * … ---- ===== Downwinding in a Double Surfski ===== ---- Downwinding in a double is **one way to get experience on bigger runs** if you can **team with a more experienced paddler**. It is not uncommon for surfski instructors to introduce inexperienced paddlers to their first significant downwinding in a double surfski. Learning about bigger water in this manner can **have some challenges**, though. In sitting in the back of a surfski with the more experienced paddler steering in the front, one may get enough water in their seat to **feel like they will imminently float off and out of the surfski**. (Some doubles allow steering from either seat) The backseat paddler often gets a fairly steady shower of water in their face from the front seat paddle strokes. And even though the more experienced paddler may have the situation well in hand, **it can feel to the less experienced paddler like their surfski is sometimes perilously off balance** (though strong paddlers typically make double skis much more stable than inexperienced paddlers can make them on their own). //On the other hand, if your experience of your first big downwinder seems completely trouble free because you have an expert paddler in your double with you, don't be fooled into thinking it should immediately be as simple and problem free for you in a single surfski//. **B****ottom line - with a competent, experienced paddler in charge, a less experienced paddler can experience what an absolute blast downwinding can be in conditions that they are not yet capable of paddling solo**. * [[:surfski_tables#double_surfskis|Double Surfski Table]] (measurements & reviews) * **Advice** * [[https://tcsurfski.com/2018/09/14/the-best-things-in-life-are-those-we-can-share/|TCSurfski Tandem Paddling Experiences & Advice 9/2018]] * [[:double_surfski_tips|Tandem Paddling Tips Whatcom Paddlers 1\09\2023]] * Remounting in a double is different than in a single - practice and master your [[:remount#double_surfski_remounts|Double Remounts]]. * **Video Lessons in Doubles** * **Boyan Zlatarev** * [[https://youtu.be/XayZWCL4ylo|Boyan Teaching in Double in Tarifa (Gibraltar Run video) 9/2022]] * **Richard Forbes** * [[https://youtu.be/hSMWEPnYB5c?t=94|Inexperienced Paddler Commenting On Miller's Run With More Experienced Paddler]] 12/7/2023 * [[https://youtu.be/uPjshdjp0bk|Out of Their Depth Miller's Run Double]] 12/29/2023 * … ---- ===== Gauging/Describing Downwind Conditions and Quality ===== ---- * [[:stories:wtf_system_september_2015|Work to Fun Ratio]] (primarily used to describe downwinding laps) * [[:terminology#downwind|Downwind Terminology]] * [[:world_s_best_downwind|The World's Best Downwind Runs]] * … ---- ===== Understanding and Reading Waves ===== ---- * [[https://surfski.info/forum/2-announcements/20395-stayin-high-on-da-wave.html?start=0|Long Discussion re: Staying on Waves surfski.info (with lots of Video)]] * [[:wave_basics|]] * [[:wavedynamics|Wave Period and Water Depth Determine Wave Steepness]] (which along with wave speed determines wave catchability) * [[https://thescienceofpaddling.net/part-35-waves-linear-and-nonlinear|Wave Science and Math]] * [[:downwind#videos_technique|Watch Videos About Reading Waves]] (listed at the bottom of this page) * [[:races:most_lipps|Long Runs Without Paddle Strokes]] * …. from **PonoBill on Standupzone.com: ** (talking about SUPs but this holds true for surfskis also) \\ “The primary reason swells roll under riders (paddlers) is that they (//the swell//) are moving too fast and have no definition or steepness on their face. The best riders accelerate their boards with small swells, hop to medium sized ones and then get the biggies. You really can't paddle fast enough to get the big on your own. If there isn't enough of that kind of texture (//smaller and slower waves//) you're not going to make it no matter how good you are…" \\ ---- ===== Resources ===== ---- * [[:downwind_technique_3_2_2020|Discussion of Downwinding 3/20/2020]] * [[https://www.epickayaks.com/post/ready-for-open-water|Epic Kayaks "Ready for Open Water"]] * [[:downwind_technique_eb|Eric Borgnes' Downwind Technique pdf]] * [[https://surfskischool.co.za/product/downwind-pro/|Mocke Online Downwind Course]] $ * [[:nautical_charts|Online Nautical Charts]] * [[:places_surfski|Places to Surfski/Downwind]] * **TCSurfski** * [[https://tcsurfski.com/2013/08/27/downwind-paddling-tips-and-tricks/|Downwind Tips 2013]] * [[https://tcsurfski.com/2014/07/11/downwind-surfski-paddling-elation/|Downwind Tips 2014]] * [[https://tcsurfski.com/2016/06/29/ppp-episode-005-master-the-art-of-downwind-with-boyan-z/|TCSurfski Interview]] with Boyan Zlatarev (Surfski Center Tarifa) starts with background then moves to detailed discussion on downwind technique and how to practice them * … ---- ===== Videos (Technique) ===== ---- * **BluePlanetSurf** * [[https://youtu.be/cJlgLO5CpkQ|On Ramps/Off Ramps - Wind waves and Swell]] * **Boyan Zlatarev** * [[https://youtu.be/rZVyl06BPxQ|Downwind Surfski Basics ]] * [[https://www.facebook.com/578374501/videos/1405033240227827/|Downwind Tactics]] (facebook) * [[https://www.facebook.com/surfskicenter/videos/731644591001372/|Making Choices]] * **Darryl Khng** * [[https://youtu.be/0oRd_eufYjc|How I Catch Runs]] * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPd-OrMm20E|How I Catch Runs II]] * [[https://youtu.be/cav57ZAmMZQ|How I Catch Runs III]] * **Dawid & Jasper Mocke** * [[https://youtu.be/8pLyPcswt-E|Epic Kayaks Interview about Downwinding]] * **Greg Barton** * [[https://youtu.be/AYiJdYZ1o34|Interview - Practice, Practice, Practice]] * **John Foti** * [[https://youtu.be/HMxvZe4qsEU|Oahu OC Downwinder]] Quartering with 2 intersecting wave directions * **Oscar Chalupsky** * [[https://vimeo.com/42658790|Surfing Small Bumps]] (not really instruction, just demonstration) * [[https://youtu.be/_0k0dAp0IF0|Downwind Lessons]] * [[https://vimeo.com/84756305|Choosing Where to Go and Being Patient]] With Boyan Z. in Tarifa * **Pierre Vilella** * As of 2026 Pierre is offering to analyze your downwind videos. Check the video of his first analysis ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIKwlrl1iXw|1st Analysis Video 2026]]) which tells you how to submit videos for analysis. * **The Paddle Channel** * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3qydK-OxsM|Reducing Swamping During Downwinding]] * **TvE Paddler** * [[https://youtu.be/PRpX2QmzPv8|Downwind Analysis]] small/medium waves on Santa Barbara run * **World Paddle** * [[https://youtu.be/Tlr34uaGixk|World Paddle - Where Are You Looking]]