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| Surfski.wiki tries to encourage folks to include information about surfski availability (and we do have rental listings on [[:places_surfski|various location pages]] where they have been found). But as you will discover during your travels, finding a surfski to paddle can be more difficult than finding good paddling conditions, or downwind runs to paddle. | Surfski.wiki tries to encourage folks to include information about surfski availability (and we do have rental listings on [[:places_surfski|various location pages]] where they have been found). But as you will discover during your travels, finding a surfski to paddle can be more difficult than finding good paddling conditions, or downwind runs to paddle. | ||
| - | Given the relative expense and fragility of surfskis along with the risks and liabilities that may surround downwinding in many locations, surfski rental so far has been a very small part of the surfski world. As of 2023 it is almost non-existent. And the few folks who do provide rental surfskis are not entirely unreasonable if they require significant vetting of your paddling abilities and/or significant rental fees along with steep security deposits for all but flatwater paddling of their boats. Surfski retail prices are high and transporting them to out of the way places can cost as much or more than those purchase prices. (For durability it is not uncommon for rental services that we are aware of to employ plastic surfskis. (In 2023 Nelo seems to be opening a number of sites in Spain where they are offering plastic 510 surfskis - Melilla , Benalmádena , Villajoyosa , Bárbate ). But even though they are not much fun to lift and carry given how heavy they are, many [[:plastic_surfskis|plastic surfskis]] can provide plenty of downwinding fun in the hands of a reasonably capable paddler.) | + | Given the relative **expense and fragility of surfskis** (non-plastic ones) along with the** risks and liabilities** that may surround downwinding in many locations, surfski rental so far has been a very small part of the surfski world. As of 2023 it is non-existent in many locations. |
| - | If you do rent or borrow a surfski, its condition and the safety it does or doesn't provide directly determines your well being if you paddle anywhere involving risk. Carefully check out the condition of rental/borrowed surfskis and their steering assembly function. | + | * The **few folks who do provide rental/loaner surfskis** are entirely justified to **require significant vetting** of your paddling abilities and/or significant rental fees along with steep security deposits. Possibly flatwater paddling might justify a bit less stringence, but there can be risks there also, particularly when novices are involved. In reality, if there is no security deposit and skill vetting, that is a very good reason to question their practices, advice and the condition of their equipment. |
| + | * Some locations like much of Australia have a much better network of clubs that can provide loaner or rental surfskis, but typically they are also well setup to vet potential borrowers and insure that they have adequate skills and knowledge for where and what they wish to paddle. | ||
| + | * **Surfski retail prices are high** and **transporting them is expensive** to out of the way places - as much or more than those purchase prices. (For durability it is not uncommon for rental services that we are aware of to employ plastic surfskis. (In 2023 Nelo seems to be opening a number of sites in Spain where they are offering plastic 510 surfskis - Melilla , Benalmádena , Villajoyosa , Bárbate ). But even though they are not much fun to lift and carry given how heavy they are, many [[:plastic_surfskis|plastic surfskis]] can provide plenty of downwinding fun in the hands of a reasonably capable paddler.) | ||
| + | * **If you do rent or borrow a surfski**, **ALWAYS!! carefully check and test its condition** - the safety it does or doesn't provide directly determines your well being if you paddle anywhere involving risk. Carefully check out the condition of rental/borrowed surfskis, safety leashes (if borrowed) and their steering assembly function. | ||
| + | * **Please return borrowed boats in the same condition you received them**, or take care of/pay for any damage that occurred. Otherwise boat owners will be discouraged from future rentals and loans of their equipment and traveling paddlers will have that much less opportunity to paddle in wonderful places that they visit. | ||
| + | * It is not a bad idea to **take photos and email them to boat owners **when you receive borrowed equipment to document its preexisting condition and help reduce/avoid potential disputes. | ||
| + | * … | ||
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| + | ---- | ||
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| + | ===== Online Rental ===== | ||
| + | |||
| + | <WRAP indent> | ||
| + | |||
| + | In recent years there have been some attempts to **facilitate owner to renter surfski and outrigger canoe rentals via apps and online services**. Downwind.fun tried for a while, but seems to have tabled its efforts. | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **NEW Rental Source as of 2026** * [[https://elitepaddler.com|Elite Paddler Rentals]][[https://elitepaddler.com/|https://elitepaddler.com/]] is currently up and testing. SUP, Surfski, Outrigger Canoe, etc. The elitepaddlers rental website seems to be well organized and well set up for secure transactions. Maybe the degree of ease in rentals that this site provides will prove to attract enough customers to keep it going and improving. | ||
| + | * …. | ||
| + | |||
| + | </WRAP> | ||
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| * **Important International Races **- for some popular races, surfski companies and representatives will bring a number of surfskis. Sometimes they are available for rent during the race and surrounding days with the intention of selling these boats at a discount after the races are over. Sometimes there are only enough of these boats to supply the top international paddlers who will attend these races. Other times there could be additional surfskis available for more participants. In general you should reach out to reps long before the scheduled event - that is generally going to be the best chance for you to get in on such a rental. If many boats are being transported, your share of the transport cost will be lower. | * **Important International Races **- for some popular races, surfski companies and representatives will bring a number of surfskis. Sometimes they are available for rent during the race and surrounding days with the intention of selling these boats at a discount after the races are over. Sometimes there are only enough of these boats to supply the top international paddlers who will attend these races. Other times there could be additional surfskis available for more participants. In general you should reach out to reps long before the scheduled event - that is generally going to be the best chance for you to get in on such a rental. If many boats are being transported, your share of the transport cost will be lower. | ||
| * … | * … | ||
| + | |||
| + | ---- | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===== Example Strategy for Finding a Boat from Traveling Sea Kayaker ===== | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Written about [[https://dnorwell.medium.com/the-aegean-athens-to-turkey-in-a-kayak-273c378ac294|trip from Greece to Turkey]] (some of the recommended strategy is for when you are onsite where you wish to paddle - in other words, your last opportunity) | ||
| + | * //The recipe for borrowing kayaks in a foreign country is as follows: be keen; email any leads (kayak clubs, rental companies, and kayak shops), and post friendly, ambitious requests on local paddler group pages (facebook) with photos; and walk around town for hours asking boat-related people. Below is a post I did for a winter trip in Sweden (which is another story).//<WRAP centeralign> | ||
| + | **Post for kayak and resources in Sweden** | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[https://surfski.wiki/lib/exe/fetch.php?tok=7553bc&media=https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:566/1*4OCQvYFJTwGzu2ZbHbFWlA.png|{{https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:566/1*4OCQvYFJTwGzu2ZbHbFWlA.png?direct&400x624}}]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | </WRAP> | ||
| + | |||
| + | * //This post had me a boat, gear, and a place to sleep in hours. // | ||
| + | * //Athens is different. After eight days scouring the Greeks, the only kayak shop in town (Cannibals Kayak House) agrees to sponsor our journey. They are happy to help and share resources. People of the water are friends indeed.// | ||
| + | * … | ||
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| * [[:switching_to_outrigger|2023 Switching to Outrigger Discussion]] | * [[:switching_to_outrigger|2023 Switching to Outrigger Discussion]] | ||
| + | * [[https://youtube.com/shorts/bUWL1VfpKXg?si=AeltzEwoTUVdfWvL|Don't Worry, Just Wing It]] | ||
| * … | * … | ||
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| ---- | ---- | ||
| - | |||
| - | ===== Example Strategy for Finding a Boat from Traveling Sea Kayaker ===== | ||
| - | |||
| - | <WRAP center round tip 95%> | ||
| - | |||
| - | * Written about trip from Greece to Turkey (some of the recommended strategy is for when you are onsite where you wish to paddle - as in your last chance)The recipe for borrowing kayaks in a foreign country is as follows: be keen; email any leads (kayak clubs, rental companies, and kayak shops), and post friendly, ambitious requests on local paddler group pages (facebook) with photos; and walk around town for hours asking boat-related people. Below is a post I did for a winter trip in Sweden (which is another story).<WRAP centeralign>Post for kayak and resources in Sweden</WRAP>This post had me a boat, gear, and a place to sleep in hours. Athens is different.After eight days scouring the Greeks, the only kayak shop in town (Cannibals Kayak House) agrees to sponsor our journey. They are happy to help and share resources. People of the water are friends indeed. | ||
| - | |||
| - | </WRAP> | ||
| ===== Rental Humor? ===== | ===== Rental Humor? ===== | ||
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