Surf Launch and Landing
For the beginner of offshore kayak fishing the surf can be a frightening thing but it does not have to be as the surf can be one of the most exciting parts of the sport except for catching that fish of a life time of course.
The surf is something that every offshore kayaker has to face at some point and there is no worse feeling then looking at all your mates out on the back line and you can see rods bending and you are stuck on the beach.
So the first thing about a surf launch is be patient spend 5-10 minutes studying the surf and conditions take notice of the frequency of the wave, how big the set waves are, how long the break is, if there is a side wash and which direction is it going in. Secondly look for areas where the waves are less frequent, take note of any rips in the area as this can help getting you out but you don’t want to come back in on one of these rips. Remember if you choose the rip as the launch point that if you do get caught by a wave it is move then likely be a lot bigger and stronger and if you do fall off it will most likely end up with your yak being pushed back to the beach and you being sucked out to sea with a much harder and longer swim back in. So remember to always swim across the rip to get back to the beach.
Once you are ready and have your chosen a spot where you will launch pull the yak over the shore break and wait for the break in the sets. Remember that it is easier to be on the water when the break is there cause if you go from the beach by the time you get to the back line the sets are there again. So when calling the break. Wait on the beach, kayak and paddle in hand, until you see the biggest wave rolling in from out deep. This is when you should hop on the water as after the big wave is your break and your wait will not be as long.While waiting the sets out you will have to punch the foamies to do this you will have to keep the nose straight at the foamie (except if the foamie is really big hit it at a very slight angle which will stop the nose from going so high and you from flipping over) and keep a forward movement remembering that the closer you are to the break zone the more force the foamie will have but also remembering the further back you are the longer it is going to take you to get out of the surf zone and the more chance of you getting caught by a wave on the way out. So you want to find a point as close to the break zone as possible without the foamie knocking you off then just wait till u see the wave starting slow down and start moving forward slowly and once u call it as your break in the set paddle like hell!
Now for the landing this is most likely the hardest part to get right so just like the launch be patient but first check everything is tied down (except your paddle this is one thing that must never be tied to u or your yak while trying to do a surf launch or re-entry) and hatches are all closed. When doing the re-entry you have to take in to account the amount of fish you have caught and stowed in your hatch as the more fishing the yak the heavier it will be in the front and the harder it will be to stop the yak from nose diving. If you have a lot of weight in the front hatches the best idea is to try paddle in on the break of the wave the same as u paddle out in.
But if you're like me and don't have too many fish in the yak it never seems to be an issue then the best way to do the re-entry is to pick a smallish wave that does not seem to hollow and ride it in. What you want is to try get as much speed up as possible before catching the wave, once you catch it, the most important thing is to not stop paddling as once on the wave you will shoot down the face and in front of it. It will feel like the paddling is doing nothing but remember to not stop paddling and if the nose tries to start digging in lean back to lift it up the nose. Once the wave breaks, the foamie will catch up on you and this is where most people fall off once the foamie has caught up to you. You will lose the control of the rudder and will have to use the paddle to control the yak from turning sideways, always remembering to lean back if the nose wants to dig in. If the wave pushes you sideways , you can easily ride the wave sideways all the way to the beach, there are two things to do here, 1. Present you hull to the beach otherwise your rail digs in, 2. Put your paddle blade ON TOP of the wave(foam) otherwise the foam pulls you in. This part of the re-entry with practice wil come easier as you get the feel for it. Practice, practice, practice!
Now if you choose the wrong wave and it was bigger than you thought or you could not keep up with the wave and the one behind it is too big , just jump off as it is much safer and there is less chance of breaking the yak especially if you are still seated on the kayak.
The surf can be fun and frightening at time, the most important thing is to respect the sea and if you having second thoughts don’t go out as there will always be another opportunity.
Submitted By Duran