Widemouth surf kayak competition

This weekend saw the annual Shoreline Widemouth handicap surf kayak competition. Using a slightly different format to most competitions, surfers get to surf at least three rounds, with their results from previous rounds helping to determine their next round. Then after three rounds there is a semi and a final.

After the competition there are two sets of results, the overall results, based on the results of the finals, and the handicap results based on your finishing position less points based on your age and experience.

I got a first and two seconds, which was not quite enough to get me into the semi's, but it should leave me with an overall result of joint 11 ( I hope!).

The surf was small, it started small, and as the tide rose it got worse, not necessarily smaller, but it ended up with surfers pretty much riding the shore dump!

Cornish Slabs

Here's a few quick pictures of a Mutant killer Cornish slab that I took at the weekend.

Strangely there was no one riding it!

Smooth and sunny Saunton surf.

Surfing at this time of year is great, the waters warm, the swell is good (and getting better every week!) and the air temperature hasn't dropped much yet. I managed to get a magical session in at Saunton on Wednesday, the swell was 2-3ft, sometimes smaller, sometimes bigger, but there wasn't a breath of wind, and the sun was shinning and the sky blue!
I managed to snag a few great rides. And then after my joints could take no more, I got the big camera out and snapped a few pics. The Sun was super bright, shining straight at me, and glaring off the water. So all the pics were very silhouette, and monochrome, but hey, I like it!

The swell forecast looks small for the weekend, but huge mid week next week, so hopefully I'll get some more surf action in soon......

Some surf action, and some new fins?

Another action round up. I've been trying to get out in the surf as often as possible. I've had a couple of Cornish sessions and a couple of North Devon sessions. The New Rush 7/2 is ripping in the surf!
After my little rock/fin incident I've set about re-shaping the remains of my fins and have made and started testing a new centre fin. So far the whole small side fin, larger center fin set up has been working really well, and the first prototype centre fin has worked well too. If all goes well I'll make some molds from these originals and try and make a few of them. I have a few other fins shape prototypes too, they just need re-fining and testing. Watch this space for more!

Fresh off the work bench, center fin prototype 1

The best looking surf boat ever??

The new fin set up after their first test

Cool new Yak Camo sticker

Hmmmm....... sparkly!

Me, my surf kayak and some waves

Here's a quick round of pictures of me in my new Valley Rush 7/2 surf kayak. Once again southerly winds meant a trip down to Haryln. The swell was much smaller this time, only 1-2ft, but still super clean. But being a bank holiday also meant that the surf was very busy.

The only problem was when I took off on a good sized wave, went left, got closed out and then ended up surfing over some rocks. OUCH!!! A few clonks and bangs later and I was back on the beach inspecting the damage. Lucky for me the fins took almost all of the damage. My right fin loosing large amounts of glass, my left fin, only lost a little glass, but split and delaminated, and my centre fin barely seems to have been touched. As for might boat it only has a handful of very minor surface scratches across the hull. Phew!

Moments after this I ended up going over some of the rocks in the foreground.....

Ouch!

Time to invest in some new fins. Then take the grinder to the old ones and make a smaller set out of them!

Harlyn surf, and my new boat

I took my new Surf kayak out this morning for it's maiden voyage. Due to a strong wind from the south west I opted to head to Harlyn, to try and get some shelter. To get the best of the tide, and to avoid the worst of the crowds I set off while it was still dark, and hit the water before eight and at about mid tide. There were only 4 other guys in the water, and the surf was a good, 2-3ft.

The view from my cockpit

A boardie slots into a clean one

As the tide continued to push, the waves got busier, and the swell got bigger. What had started as a comfortable couple of feet soon turned into a 3-4ft, with the occasional bigger outside set that would race in at about the six foot mark and close out most of the bay! It kept me on my toes! Somehow I manged to get away with only the one working, possibly a new Harlyn record for me!

Classic Harlyn

A bigger set wave gives a boardie a good ride

As the tide hit the High mark I called it quits. My new Valley Rush 7/2 had acquitted itself well. I really noticed the extra stiffness and the speed it helped to generate, and the light weight meant that snapping off the top hadn't completely torn my stomach muscles to pieces! After a good session it now needs a bit more padding and more footrests. I also stopped to take a few pictures of the surfers ripping in the now quite sizeable waves. Harlyn gets a bit odd at high tide, but with a solid swell pumping it was going well.

This months Round up

I can't really believe that is been three weeks since I last posted anything. It's not because I've not had any news, I've been upto loads. But that is the problem, I've been doing so much that I've not had the time or energy in the evenings to post anything up.

So heres a quick photo round up of some of the things I've been upto this month.

Paddling the River Dart with Ewart, Liam and Kayleigh

Enjoying a dawn mission raid and after work mission in the surf at Sidmouth With Ed, Dan, Owen and Ewart

And Enjoying a great highwater day playing on Topwave and the Loop

As well as this lot I've also enjoyed a great evening messing about in the canal with Playboats, and a short weekend away in mid wales Mountain biking. It really has been all go here recently, more of the same please I say!

Sidmouth surf session

Unless you've been living underground recently you can't have failed to notice that it's been hot, really hot! And hot weather means no whitewater, and quite often no surf. But Team AS watersports struck it lucky this week. We managed to get some surf (albeit very small surf) at Sidmouth this week, which meant that everyone was able to get out on the water after work and enjoy a good mess-around in the water. Check it out!

Me, on a micro-wave!

Ewart, back in the water, and enjoy the Valley Rush

Jemma, catching a 'big' wave!


Ewart, checking out my ski

Andy and Big Dan competing for a ripple!

Kayleigh, Mitch and Dan, chilling in the evening sun

Sunday Saunton Surf

After what seems like ages without being in the surf, I got to Saunton on Sunday afternoon. I managed to get the afternoon pushing tide, after the worst of the crowds had gone home, and I managed to get some reasonably clean solid 4ft swell.
I also tried out my new Circle One Noir 3mm zipless summer wetsuit. My old summer 'suit was truly on it's last legs, with multiple repairs it was really starting to look it's age. My new suit is super comfy as well as super stretchy. The zipless entry is really easy to get in and out of, and despite getting a couple of good beat downs, it remained really dry, I didn't get any 'flushing' at all.

Hacking into a decent sized wave

Driving through a turn

Another good wave

Getting some air on the way out back

Another weekly round up

Another hectic week here, results in another weekly round up from the ongoing shenanigans of 3Rider.

Last weekend a nice day out at the beach, fun snorkeling, lumpy surf and a relaxing afternoon!

Lots of rain on Wednesday led to a fun quick trip down the Dart Loop with Andy and Ewart. Ewarts first time on moving water since his shoulder Op.

And Thursday night saw the 'Tour event' road cycling race in Exeter. 50 Pro road riders tearing round a 1.5km road circuit in the middle of Exeter for an hour.

Large and lumpy surf at my favourite Cornish spot

Getting on the dart loop on Wednesday

Andy having fun at Triple play wave

me, in a Liquid Logic Biscuit at Triple

Riders flying through the first corner out of the high street

And tearing down the hill at almost 40mph