Absolutely love the look and colour of this boat. When I first saw those front bungies my thought was what a great place to tuck the front paddle blade into. Even remounting it would stop you from accidently burying the forward blade. Fishing skis often have a front strap for the purpose of quickly stashing the paddle when not in use I hear you on the full body work out, on a couple of long races i could barely stand up when i got to the beach. In the words of Ivan Lawler "kayaking is not an arm sport" if done correctly.
Thank you for the comment. I love the colors of this ski as well. Yes, the ability to store the paddle using the bungees is a big deal because when it is very windy I really need both hands to carry the ski. The ski Is actually the “Vega Pro” which means it is approximately 18 lbs. This very light weight means it is easily pushed around by the wind. I have had a couple of scares getting it off the car. The stock Vega weighs approximately 20 lbs. one of the things I love about the construction is that it is a monohull construction. There is not a seam. This is true of my Ares OC1 and all the boats that Outrigger Zone manufactures. I think this gives the boat lots of strength while helping make it very light.
Excellent review, and very engaging images of the downwind runs. Since your had a G1 V10, how do you compare both regarding stability and upwind handling? Thanks
I think the Vega is a little more stable than the G1 V10. They are similar in the upwind. When there is a quartering wind the Vega is a little more stable compared to the G1 V10. Downwind… the Vega really shines! It excels in the bumps and rough water. In the flat water, my speeds are similar to the G1 V10. The Vega is my all around Surfski. Other friends who now have a Vega race it exclusively (in all conditions). It is a well rounded fast boat in the flat water and is really fast in the rough water.
@@barryblackburn5910 thank you for the through comparison. It seems that the Vega has more surfing oriented genes. I had a G1 V10 years ago and remember how it felt downwind, like on rails. Looking forward to trying a Vega. Cheers!
This is just simply awesome footage. Watching you with big smiles makes me happy you're getting some really fun runs with the vega. Wish I was good enough to ride a elite ski. Can't get over the high gunwales in a vega.. But having a blast with my Volare pro at the moment. Maybe one day I'll pick up a vega flex.
Thank you for your kind words. Learning a new sport is very humbling and very fun!! Stoked you are enjoying the Volare. Our OC1 paddling experience really made it possible to learn Surfski. As you can see from our early Surfski videos, we really spent over a year falling out and remounting upwards of 10+ times per session! We also spent lots of time in the flat water as well. I’m loving Surfski right now but I still love paddling my Ares. When I am asked which one I like better, it is always “whatever I paddled last” and that is the honest truth. Very grateful to have both craft.
We haven't been able to do any head-to-head objective comparisons. Our subjective comparisons have led us to believe that, for us, these Kai Wa'a surfskis (and canoes) are about as good as it gets, in flats or on the ocean. We thought these surfskis might feel sluggish in flat water, since (we thought) they were primarily designed for ocean paddling, but that has in no way been the case.
Jody, Barry had a standard sticky mount on the boat at that time. That 3M mounting tape that comes on the GoPro mounts is pretty amazing, as long the surface is nice and clean prior to mounting.
Yes, I sold the 1st Gen V10 to a local lifeguard. Really glad it went to someone local. I am really loving the Vega Surfski. Every session I find a little more balance and a little better leg drive. What craft do you paddle?
I think I saw you at the Bear Town Paddle Battles this past weekend. I've been eyeing Surfskis and after seeing this boat there I had to look it up, and here you are! Lol Great job at the race!
'Hate we didn't get to speak to you at the race! Be sure to say hi next time you see us (and tell us all about your new surfski, 'cause you really do need one!) :)
Thank you!! Would love to chat at the next race. I really like the Vega Surfski. The Vega Flex is a little wider and more stable than the Vega. Check out Paddle Dynamics, Jeff Schnelle is the distributor and can tell you what he has in stock. Tell him Barry sent you!
Outstanding footage! What model GoPro are you using? Usually, with a GoPro it doesn't give a sense of the speed or size of the waves, but yours really captures the essence of downwind paddling. Your paddling technique looks solid, especially in a new boat in the ocean! I had a hard time deciding between a Vega and an Epic v10g3. I really wanted the Vega, but the v10 was available first and I'm not a patient person. Keep the videos coming!
Thanks Alex!!! Really appreciate the encouragement. It has been fun to be totally new at a sport and gradually improve. This coming August makes two years on the Surfski and I feel like the downwinding aspect of the sport is opening up now. This new aspect of downwinding in a more confident state of mind is keeping the stoke levels high!! As for the camera, I am using a GoPro 7 Black. We have been experimenting with lots of different camera mount angles to try to give some perspective of the bumps in the ocean. We laugh and often refer to the camera as “the wave flattener 5000.” I think most people who have used a GoPro in the ocean realize that it does make the waves look smaller for sure. So when you do see a big wave filmed with a GoPro you think, whoa, that must be really big in person. So far we have been using the wide angle setting on the GoPro because we want to capture our friends to the left and right of where the camera is pointing. Someone told me to try the linear setting to get an even better perspective of wave height. I haven’t tried this yet but will soon. Thanks again for the stoke!! Where do you paddle most often? Good downwind spots near you?
@@barryblackburn5910 Hey Barry, thanks for the info. I discovered surfski in 2018 and it's my favorite paddle sport. I came from a SUP and sea kayak background, but I like the speed of surfski paddling the best. I paddle on Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, so legit downwind is rare. We have no shortage of boat wakes to surf, but it's not the same. I love actual downwind paddling in the ocean, but I only get to do it a few times a year. When I raced the Surf to Sound race in 2019 it was my first time paddling in the ocean.
@@alexflach4424 Alex - I believe your neighbors south at Virginia Beach - valkyrie downwind (check out their youtube channel videos) - might disagree with you about the rarity of legit downwind and Cheasapeake Bay - at least at the south end.
![[UA] Eternal Fire проти NAVI | EPL Season 20 Malta](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/chvlsDygrZM/mqdefault.jpg)
Absolutely love the look and colour of this boat.
When I first saw those front bungies my thought was what a great place to tuck the front paddle blade into. Even remounting it would stop you from accidently burying the forward blade. Fishing skis often have a front strap for the purpose of quickly stashing the paddle when not in use
I hear you on the full body work out, on a couple of long races i could barely stand up when i got to the beach. In the words of Ivan Lawler "kayaking is not an arm sport" if done correctly.
Thank you for the comment. I love the colors of this ski as well. Yes, the ability to store the paddle using the bungees is a big deal because when it is very windy I really need both hands to carry the ski. The ski Is actually the “Vega Pro” which means it is approximately 18 lbs. This very light weight means it is easily pushed around by the wind. I have had a couple of scares getting it off the car.
The stock Vega weighs approximately 20 lbs. one of the things I love about the construction is that it is a monohull construction. There is not a seam. This is true of my Ares OC1 and all the boats that Outrigger Zone manufactures. I think this gives the boat lots of strength while helping make it very light.
Thx for sharing the run
My pleasure! Sharing a downwind run is the best. It’s the opposite of sharing a local surf spot. 😂🤙🏽
Excellent review, and very engaging images of the downwind runs. Since your had a G1 V10, how do you compare both regarding stability and upwind handling? Thanks
I think the Vega is a little more stable than the G1 V10. They are similar in the upwind. When there is a quartering wind the Vega is a little more stable compared to the G1 V10.
Downwind… the Vega really shines! It excels in the bumps and rough water. In the flat water, my speeds are similar to the G1 V10. The Vega is my all around Surfski. Other friends who now have a Vega race it exclusively (in all conditions). It is a well rounded fast boat in the flat water and is really fast in the rough water.
@@barryblackburn5910 thank you for the through comparison. It seems that the Vega has more surfing oriented genes. I had a G1 V10 years ago and remember how it felt downwind, like on rails.
Looking forward to trying a Vega.
Cheers!
Jea 🤙lässiger Run
Thank you Ben!
This is just simply awesome footage. Watching you with big smiles makes me happy you're getting some really fun runs with the vega. Wish I was good enough to ride a elite ski. Can't get over the high gunwales in a vega.. But having a blast with my Volare pro at the moment. Maybe one day I'll pick up a vega flex.
Thank you for your kind words. Learning a new sport is very humbling and very fun!! Stoked you are enjoying the Volare. Our OC1 paddling experience really made it possible to learn Surfski. As you can see from our early Surfski videos, we really spent over a year falling out and remounting upwards of 10+ times per session! We also spent lots of time in the flat water as well. I’m loving Surfski right now but I still love paddling my Ares. When I am asked which one I like better, it is always “whatever I paddled last” and that is the honest truth. Very grateful to have both craft.
Great video! Have you compared the flat water speed of the vega vs other elite all around canoes.. such as v12, elite s, uno max ?
We haven't been able to do any head-to-head objective comparisons. Our subjective comparisons have led us to believe that, for us, these Kai Wa'a surfskis (and canoes) are about as good as it gets, in flats or on the ocean. We thought these surfskis might feel sluggish in flat water, since (we thought) they were primarily designed for ocean paddling, but that has in no way been the case.
How do you have that front mount camera?
Jody, Barry had a standard sticky mount on the boat at that time. That 3M mounting tape that comes on the GoPro mounts is pretty amazing, as long the surface is nice and clean prior to mounting.
Looks like you ditched your 1st gen v10 😄
Yes indeed. Barry is loving the Vega and Ares combo! He is training intently for the Surfski race at the Carolina Cup in November!
Yes, I sold the 1st Gen V10 to a local lifeguard. Really glad it went to someone local. I am really loving the Vega Surfski. Every session I find a little more balance and a little better leg drive. What craft do you paddle?
I think I saw you at the Bear Town Paddle Battles this past weekend. I've been eyeing Surfskis and after seeing this boat there I had to look it up, and here you are! Lol Great job at the race!
'Hate we didn't get to speak to you at the race! Be sure to say hi next time you see us (and tell us all about your new surfski, 'cause you really do need one!) :)
Thank you!! Would love to chat at the next race. I really like the Vega Surfski. The Vega Flex is a little wider and more stable than the Vega. Check out Paddle Dynamics, Jeff Schnelle is the distributor and can tell you what he has in stock. Tell him Barry sent you!
Great video. I also enjoyed your guest appearance on the Peak Paddle Performance Podcast.
Thank you, William! We had fun chatting with Nick -- it was an honor to be his guests. Thanks again for your kind comments!
Thanks William!! The podcast was fun! This is the downwind run we talked about.
Awesome run! 👊💪🤙
Thanks John! ⚡️🦅🤙🏽
Outstanding footage! What model GoPro are you using? Usually, with a GoPro it doesn't give a sense of the speed or size of the waves, but yours really captures the essence of downwind paddling. Your paddling technique looks solid, especially in a new boat in the ocean! I had a hard time deciding between a Vega and an Epic v10g3. I really wanted the Vega, but the v10 was available first and I'm not a patient person. Keep the videos coming!
Thanks Alex!!! Really appreciate the encouragement. It has been fun to be totally new at a sport and gradually improve. This coming August makes two years on the Surfski and I feel like the downwinding aspect of the sport is opening up now. This new aspect of downwinding in a more confident state of mind is keeping the stoke levels high!! As for the camera, I am using a GoPro 7 Black.
We have been experimenting with lots of different camera mount angles to try to give some perspective of the bumps in the ocean. We laugh and often refer to the camera as “the wave flattener 5000.”
I think most people who have used a GoPro in the ocean realize that it does make the waves look smaller for sure. So when you do see a big wave filmed with a GoPro you think, whoa, that must be really big in person.
So far we have been using the wide angle setting on the GoPro because we want to capture our friends to the left and right of where the camera is pointing. Someone told me to try the linear setting to get an even better perspective of wave height. I haven’t tried this yet but will soon. Thanks again for the stoke!! Where do you paddle most often? Good downwind spots near you?
@@barryblackburn5910 Hey Barry, thanks for the info. I discovered surfski in 2018 and it's my favorite paddle sport. I came from a SUP and sea kayak background, but I like the speed of surfski paddling the best. I paddle on Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, so legit downwind is rare. We have no shortage of boat wakes to surf, but it's not the same. I love actual downwind paddling in the ocean, but I only get to do it a few times a year. When I raced the Surf to Sound race in 2019 it was my first time paddling in the ocean.
@@alexflach4424 Alex - I believe your neighbors south at Virginia Beach - valkyrie downwind (check out their youtube channel videos) - might disagree with you about the rarity of legit downwind and Cheasapeake Bay - at least at the south end.
@@paulreavley5900 Yeah, the bay can get pretty big as you get close to the ocean. Those guys at Valkyrie downwind make the most of it.