You may want to consider taking these kind of handles off or replacing them with something more flexible like webbing? We have heard of instances where paddlers who have huli'ed in high winds have inadvertently had their fingers stuck under such bars while trying to hold onto or grab their skis as their skis have flipped over their heads - wrenching their fingers and hands backwards. Is the design for Think skis (as of 2023) with the curve better than the straight bars that some Epics have, or is the Epic smaller gap between handle and boat less likely to snag and trap fingers?

Anything added to your deck should be low-profile and tidy - particularly if placed anywhere near your seat cockpit. You do not want to be catching your clothes or body parts on anything when you are falling out of or remounting your craft.

Cockpit Drainage

• Bullets/Etc. to Improve On Venturi Drains
  • Discussion of 1st Gen Vega Drain Scuppers and Ways to improve Venturi Drainage
  • Surfski.info discussion
  • Stellar Carbon Fiber Hull Mounted Venturi - bullet/hood set
  • Ocean PaddleSports 2 bullet set
• Making a Bailer One-Way
  • Facebook Post - Stellar Gen 1 Bailer
• DIY
  • Installing a manually operable drain - replacing Venturi drains
  • Replacing Venturi drain covers

Draining Hull

Photo: Paul Reavley - Click to enlarge

In cold water when wearing bulky water shoes it can be difficult to get your feet back into the foot straps. This is especially true in big waves and when you have individual straps for each foot. By taping semi-rigid rubber inside the foot straps they will hold their shape so you can quickly get your feet into position and back to paddling. Some companies also sell footstrap covers that can also help hold footstrap shape.

• Footstraps 4/03/2015 (interesting that as late as 2015 quite a few paddlers were still not using them)
• Footstraps Again 11/07/2015

A watch can be mounted onto the foot strap by strapping a piece of closed cell foam to the foot strap with zip ties. Then wrap the wrist band around the foam and the foot strap. The watch face is closer to see and to reach than mounting on the front of the footwell. GPS Deck Mount Examples

Surfskis are generally not set up for carrying a lot of gear. Some of the heavier, more stable boats occasionally do have hatches. And one can potentially use existing bungee mounts to also attach gear and gear bags, though adding stuff to your deck will decrease stability as more weight gets added.

• Hatch (preexisting or added) Uses (storage, hydration setups, easier internal boat access and drying, can allow adding low centered weight for improving stability)
  • Ego Smuggler on Lake Chelan The surfski in this video was modified for touring (incl. hatch addition). Unfortunately the more detailed description of the modifications on fasterfarther.com is no longer available
  • Boat Interior Drying/Hatch Addition Discussion 2/13/2011
  • See Drying Boat Interior (Repair)
  • Hydration through hatch examples
• Gear Bags
  • Gearlab Kayak Bag

Seat Padding

To avoid the sticky residue left by duct tape, use black electric tape (wider tape like 1.5“ is easier to use). No messy cleanup after removing your race number.

Weed guards with flat aprons can be attached simply with a good, waterproof tape (pipe wrap, etc.). This allows a non-permanent installation for testing and may also reduce damage in the event of running it into something.

• Check major surfski brand and outlet websites - most offer weed guards
• Brief Discussion 7/19/22
• Do-it-yourself
  • surfski.info
  • kayakfari
  • If you are going to epoxy on a weed guard look at epoxy additions
• Custom Weed Guards
  • Brokenrudder.com scroll down to weed guards
  • …