Patience
 

SO, amongst all the talk about launching/crashing and being safe, overly safe not safe enough I decided to make a video of my launch yesterday. I truly believe that if you have a reasonable sense about you, you know when to launch or not launch. I also feel that taking chances to loose $1000 or more of gear is just plain stupid. I have only turned away twice in my life and am happy I did. Through much experience, yesterday was not the worst I have been in, but how far the waves were crashing out and the ripping current, definitely did not make me dive head first into the surf. Patience, the title of this video shows how sometimes it takes a while to find your gap and it is certainly worth it. Through paddle surfers, scuba divers and googins with lattes telling me where to launch I eventually made it out safe, took a while. The waves were medium 2-5 but crashing far and from my experience this is not a good scenario if you get caught out there with crashers on top of you. Enjoy the vid, oh and by the way, fish report. Caught one sculpin, wave/wind sucked but saws miles of bait and one YT boil, overall brutal day. Tight lines.


Chuck D



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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89r9xXF_jX8

high tide plus wind. no way. I always go down to the boat launch area, the waves are smaller there

Great video and great suggestions, wouldn't expect any less from Chuck D!!

The best advise that I ever received came from Greg, he said, "the best time to not launch is when I launch".

The second best advise also came from Greg, he said, "the time time to not land is when I land".

The third best advise also came from Greg, he said, "the best time to launch is when the water gets to its highest point". His reason for this makes complete sense. Once the water reaches the highest point on the beach it means that the largest surf has past and the lull has begun. Obviously, you still have to consider those nice sized breakers that like to sneak in.

Follow these three rules along with a little patience and you'll survive most if not all launches and landings.

I have launched all up and down the coast. The absolute number one thing is stay straight(keep your rudder up and manage the yak with good paddling. Nose straight ahead and paddle at as close to your 100% as possible while still able to maintain directional control. You can push through 4+ ft breakers if you do this. I'm not advocating you to take your yak up to tresses and launch but as long as you paddle THROUGH the breaks you will just get wet.

Again, I will say if your unsure, don't take the chance. There will be plenty of other days out there. In my opinion though, landing is soooo much dryer once you master it. Don't surf the waves in. Just paddle in slow and gigue a few back paddles as a wave is passing and it will go under you. Once you are inside the break you can just let the waves push you in. Use your paddle as a break only to maintain directional control. Once you are not powering your yak, just manage energy, don't add any(don't paddle). Takes some practice but I haven't flipped in at least 3 years and that was on a 10' yak. :kayak-surfer:

Nice vid and info! We're your rewarded for your patience?

Great video Chuck, and amazing lesson in patience. More power to you all who surf launch and land. I have been kayak fishing for about 3 years now. I can't seem to get over my apprehension when it comes to the surf. I have done it 3 times, the last time being over a year ago. I wanna get out there and catch some game fish, but the fear holds me back. So kuddos. I have great respect for all of you.

Janine

Like 5 times during that I was thinking "just go dude" :p

practicing in warm water is always nice. I only surf launch in lajolla never had the guts to try anywhere else

After kayak fishing for more than 10 years, never thought I would ever get seasick again.
Halfway watching this video I had to take Dramamine. :puke:

Usually going out in the surf is easier than coming back in because you can be assured of pointing the bow of the kayak right into the wave at a right angle.

The real question is how long did you take to land it that day?

Same patience applies to landing for sure.

W.t. break on through to the other side. Cool vid.:kayak-surfer:

Couldn't agree more. So far no issue going out. Just keep it straight and go. Coming back in is a roll of the dice.

Thanks Chuck.

Always love watching others launch as I learn more each time so thanks!

Question, why can't you leave mirage drive in and use that when launching since it's faster and assume that would help breaking through waves. (And supplement with paddle.) Just got a hobie and wondering out loud I guess. I'm sure there are reasons and just want to know why. Thanks


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A couple of reasons for me. First I feel that I have more instantaneous power to push through waves with my paddle. Second there is more adjustability of speed and direction with a paddle then peddle. Lastly is you were to crash and you peddle was not strapped with the bungee it could be painful for you, your drive or both. I feel a lot safer landing and launching with a paddle. The only time I use my drive is launching in virtually no waves, i.e..Baja the Bay and landing with no waves, i.e.. the Bay or calm day at the Jewel.

I ALWAYs land with the mirage drive in.

There is a bungee that retracts the fins flush against the kayak when you stop using the drive.


Some people launch with the drive in. Just make sure its deep enough before you use them or you will bottom out and likely turn your kayak sideways.. Done that:D


If you ever bend a mirage drive fin mast it is pretty easy to straighten it out with a hammer.:mad:

I like to launch and land with my paddle as well, I don't have the speed the mirage drive has but definitely control.

So do you put he Mirage drive in and strapped so that he fins are along the hull while launching or is the drive out until deeper water? It looked like Chuck had them in during his launch, might be wrong.

Squid

Thanks all as I look to all you experts first for advise.

I was wondering cause although I have only flipped once I thought it was all about speed and powering through the waves while keeping straight. My old stealth was heavy enough to break through waves up to 5 foot. Could just be my luck/fear and respect everytime I launch that has kept me from flipping often. I launch mostly from county line and it's hardly ever easy and wish I could understand waves better.

So even landing better to take out? My plan was to keep drive in but use paddle in hand in case I need to back up. And then paddle hard in front of wave. Jump out once in 4 feet and grab front.

If this sounds stupid please let me know as everything makes sense when it's in your head like jumping off the 2nd floor of house into a pile of snow as a kid. Broken ankle later I learned the lesson.


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Chucky, 45min of waiting is too much when the YT are out there waiting for you!! anyhow good luck amigo in the way back going out.:)

Paddle + Pedal + Jump out in knee deep water

Don't forget to have your drive bungeed so it retracts when you stop pedaling

I've primarily surf launched, only a handful of times have I gone out in the harbor. The one thing I try to keep in mind is that every time you have to be on point and not get lazy. This means leashing or stowing everything on launch, even if you don't roll or tip, breaking through waves will pass a wall of water over your yak and you can lose gear. One of the first times I went out I had my lunch sitting in my tankwell next to my crate. My crate was all secured but my lunch was just sitting there, and after a couple hours I went to grab a snack only to find no lunch sack. It's safe to safe that on launching it was swept off the yak since that was the only real adventure I had up to that point.
I agree with what everyone has said though, it's all about patience and picking your timing. I've never waited as long as 45 minutes, but I've never showed up and just raced out. I always take some time to look at the sets and where they're breaking, it's always easier to launch with the right timing and in the right part of beach.
As far as drive goes, I always launch with my drive out, just what I was taught when I went out with more experienced kayakers. I find I have more immediate control of the yak with my paddle and better holeshot on speed. I always put my drive in immediately past the breakers then will use both to get me a little deeper quicker. A lesson learned from Malibu when I thought I was past the breakers and started situating gear on the kayak only to have a huge rogue wave build and break with me right in the zone. After I got to my feet and righted my kayak the dragged myself to shore, I logged it a lesson learned. I take the drive out on the way in, if something were to happen I'd hate for the kayak to get out of my hands with the drive in if the fins came loose and were down in only a foot of water. I try to be as careful as possible, partly because I don't want to get hurt but mostly because the cost of replacing broken gear draws from my "saving for a PA fund."

The Mirage Drive is the first thing I put on my kayak and last thing I take off. It is almost always bungeed in during launch and return. There is no way I would want to take the chance of flipping and loosing my drive, having it bungeed and locked in keeps it safe and out of the way, that has always worked for me.

You will be utterly shocked at how much easier it is to launch with your drive in


Bungee
Waist deep water
Release rudder
Release fins
Find your moment
Keep straight


Fish

Some good advice here. I would add that what works for one person may not work for another (especially with a different kayak). Also, after learning how to remount your yak, you should go out bare bones and play in the surf. You will be amazed at what you can get over and through. For larger surf, a lack of speed coming in can be much harder to deal with. You are better off to be running out in front of the wave than to get sucked back up to the peak (just like surfers). And, the best landing advice ever, never get caught leaning toward the beach.

Anyone interested in my helicopter service(DKOTPter) Dropping the kids off at the pool. Picks you up on the beach drops you off pass the breakers.:you_rock:

$150 round trip

Th only problem is the rudders do not want to stay strait if your hand is not on it especially with currents pushing it which ever way it wants.

Would be better to just power through at that point with the drive in if you so choose paddle secured and hand on rudder control.

Can always try it, ive done that in the past.

Rhyak

It's amazing what kayaks are capable of when you push them. I took mine out in 4-6' surf to practice unloaded and was actually doing pretty well at getting through all the waves, with only getting wet as my outcome. Then show up at a beach to waves 3' and question launching my kayak with all my gear because I'm afraid of rolling. You want to find the fine line between over-estimating one's abilities and under-estimating the kayak's abilities. That's just my $0.02.

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I guess that's the difference with us non-Hobie kayakers. Since we use nothing but a paddle, we have more strength and confidence when paddling. Watching the video I kept saying to my self "Go Dude Go Go Go. The waves where coming in sets of 3s the frequency was definitely no fun since it was 3 to 5 second apart. When I've had to go out in that, I watch the timing. I go to knee deep water hold the kayak from the side next to the seat let a set pass the when the first 2 waves in the next set break, I jump on and start paddling as fast as I can (using deep powerful strokes). By the time you cross the first 2 they are like nothing and the 3rd is braking out in front, that allows you to go over with out much problem. I some cases you go over before it breaks. Yeah, Your going to get wet, but you get past them in no time. If I was in a Hobie I would have the drive in and the pedals aprt so the fins are against the hull, Once I was at or through the 3rd wave then I would start using the pedals as well. Shortly after you could stop using the hand paddle and worry about the rudder. The hand Paddle allows you to keep the Kayak aimed correctly at the on coming waves, the back current between waves makes the rudder useless. I seemed like there where several failed attempts due to the waves hitting at an angle and driving the Kayak backwards. I can't believe you kept at it for 45 minutes. You should get an award for that and for sharing you experience. That would make me super tired. I bet when you finally made it out, it gave you a large sense of accomplishment. Usually it's the landing that's the video moment.

PEDAL to the METAL !!!

Hobie Outback
Drive in w/bungee
Rudder up
Knee high water
Paddle in hand
Wait for a lull
Jump in & give it hell (pedal) & use my paddle to steer & stay perpendicular.
Don't forgot to tie all your gear down.
Rudder comes down after I'm passed the breaking waves.

There is definitely a difference between bare and loaded, just like between dry and just after taking on a lapful of water. You will require an extra stroke or two to get up to speed when loaded. But you will also have more inertia on your side for penetration. I agree that the risk factor does go up with lots more money on the line.

Another point that should be clarified is that "straight out" does not mean perpendicular to the shore, but to the swell direction. The most effective way to get through a wave or whitewater is by making your profile as small as possible. You accomplish this by hitting it square on. With multiple swell directions, sometimes you may have to steer back and forth between a couple or a few directions to keep your small profile. With short intervals it can be very tricky, or you may have to just pic the best (hopefully) happy medium.

Nicely done!! I've only launched from la jolla once but have surfed there for many years. I would have walked as far south on the beach as possible and headed out from there. It sees less wave action the further south as the point and kelp close to the caves etc mellow out the surf. Still kudos on be persistent!!!