Hungary Surfski

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SurfskiFun 2023 Camp Brač, Croatia

Home Grown Surfskiers in Hungary Epic Kayak's spotlight on surfskis and SurfskiFun in Hungary

Paddles/Downwind

Freshwater

Danube River there is large boat traffic that can generate surfable wakes. As always, be familiar with the local boat traffic rules and give larger, faster boats all of the room that they legally require and you need for everyone's safety. From a SUP paddler passing through Budapest: “the Hungarian water police slapped me with fines for “not having correct maritime lighting systems,” and “traveling outside of the designated ship channel,” in addition to various other infractions pertaining to ships and, apparently, SUPs.”
Lake Balaton (“a Balaton”) Hungary's largest lake (77km long). You need a permit to cross shipping lanes (as you might need for a longer cross lake paddle). This is a long, narrow lake - the predominant wind is NW, perpendicular to the longest fetch of the lake, but wind waves do occur - See conditions below.
Lake Neusiedl (Neusiedlersee) straddles the Austrian border with Hungary, but mostly in Austria (double check the current rules and enforcement practices before you cross the border on the lake, there can be exceptions to the Schengen Agreement)

Marine

Hungary is land locked. The nearest seashore is in Croatia. SurfskiFun does offer surfski camps in Croatia

Lake Balaton
- Daily News Hungary: “The main reasons..(for wave formation) are its relatively shallow depth and the low viscosity of the hot summer water. The predominant wind direction blows perpendicular to the lake, from the northwest. The special effect of the mountains and valleys of the Balaton Uplands is that they cause the wind to “throb”. This throbbing is what causes periods of sudden waves and ripples in the lake, which is then followed by a wave-free period. Additionally, the waves are unusually steep for a lake: the highest waves measured were 1.82 metres near the shore and 1.95 metres in the middle of the lake. The length of the waves is usually between 2 to 12 metres. The water surface needs 2 hours for the furious waves to calm down after the wind has settled.”
- Windfinder Balatonfüred Forecast
- Windfinder Keszthely Forecast
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Balaton-Átevezés
Balaton Marathon (facebook) ?? 84 km length of lake Sept. 7,2024 first event, small, will it get off the ground?
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Kape Kayaks & Canoes Racing, Touring Kayaks, Outrigger Canoes
Kayak.Hu/Paddlers Hub Many boat styles (Nelo Surfskis, Sprint kayaks, Outrigger Canoes, etc.), Paddle Accessories
OldDanube Nordic Kayaks, Canoe & Kayak Ergs, Paddle Tanks
SurfskiFun New, Used, Rental Epic Surfskis, Paddles
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Kayaking Storm Wind Waves Lake Balaton (These are surfable waves for skilled surfskiers)