C-Forum

Hi all. I'm a longtime whitewater c-1er and recently got interested in outrigger oc1 race boats while in Maui. does anyone out there on the c-forum paddle outrigger oc1? if possible i'm looking to meet up with someone in the north east to learn the basics. if not i'll trust my gut and wing it with a PFD and within yelling distance from shore....

thanks for the help
b

I paddle a Huki V1-R that I bought a few years ago. I'm in Roanoke VA and have paddled it in the ocean from near Charleston SC up to New Jersey - I basically take it with me whenever I go near the coast. The boats are really fragile - like a rowing shell. Tough in the water, but not to point loads like a rack - as a whitewater paddler that takes some getting used to.

The first time I paddled it I flipped 3x before staying on, and I have years paddling in wildwater C1s. But since then it has been a blast. I normally beach launch and it has amazed me the size of the surf that you can break out through - coming back in is trickier and most of my flips now are when coming back in to the beach - look for a small wave to ride in on. The boats are insanely fast and efficient to paddle.

I've never had anyone to paddle with. I do have a waterproof VHF, and always wear a leash and a bright lifejacket. A good strategy early on is to do out and backs - paddle out 0.5 mile or so, and then back. Near shore is the trickiest, as the boats are really not for breaking waves.

There are some outrigger club paddlers around DC and Maryland, and I suspect you may also find some further north but am not familiar with that area. Also, you might try reaching out to some of the northeast surfski groups (check with Wesley at http://surfskiracing.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) as they get outriggers at the same races as they race the skis.

You could take a lesson from a surfski paddler also, which are a lot easier to find. As a longtime C-boater, the mechanics of paddling won't be hard for you - the part you will be learning is how to be in the ocean, and a surfski paddler or instructor could teach you those just as well as an outrigger paddler.

(I was sold on getting one after paddling in Hawaii also - I was not able to rent an outrigger there but took an Epic V-8 ski out surfing waves off Kailua (Oahu) and had so much fun.)

thanks for the tips! outriggers must be way tippier than i would expect if it was throwing you even with wildwater experience. (i've never tried wildwater, but i'd love to some time.) did you choose an outrigger over surfski to stick with the single blade? hard to wrap my head around how to carve on a wave with that much length...

i'll definitely look into the surfski clubs.

I much prefer the single blade to a kayak paddle - I'm just much more familiar with it and much smoother. You also sit a bit higher off the water in an outrigger and I find it more comfortable than a surfski, but the stroke was the main reason.

To be fair on flipping, I first took it out from a beach, so I flipped trying to get out through some small waves. It won't tip to the left, but it will tip to the right very easily and quickly. If I was on the flat I'd not have flipped that much right at first.

You don't carve on eastern waves really - they are too short. Really you would rather just paddle through the surf zone not on a wave, but that is too slow, so you find a small wave to scoot in fast on, staying as straight as you can. Maybe on a long western style wave you can carve, but not on the ones I've been on.

If you have a kayak background, you might like to try one of the fast plastic skis like an Epic V7, which have good performance, are durable, and are much less expensive than an outrigger. But I really wanted an outrigger rather than a ski.

Where are you located?

You might also check out ocpaddler.com but that is geared much more to Hawaii and the west coast.

ok got it. thanks for the clarification.

i'm in the NY area but will be headed to cape cod and maybe maine this summer.

btw, what's the proper way to gauge paddle length for an outrigger? guess i'm going to have to invest in a new blade too? or will my whitewater spoon blade get me started fine enough?

I use a 58" paddle in my cruising C1 and my wildwater C1.

I use a 52" paddle in the outrigger. A much smaller size blade area also.

You can paddle it with anything but I'd not use my whitewater paddle in it. My main paddle is a Zaveral that I really like. A more durable and moderate paddle is the Werner Churchill - http://wernerpaddles.com/paddles/canoe/churchill" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; These all have much smaller blades than a regular whitewater paddle. You are going to want some sort of bent shaft style if you paddle it any length of time. I'm sure there are others out there also.

great. thanks!

Nathalie Thomas paddles outrigger, too - she's on here, can't remember her handle. though. I know her on FaceBook and will send her this way.

I came across a Walden Nalu, rotomolded outrigger canoe several years ago - cheap - was intrigued and bought it. It must be more stable than the composite, high performance style. I only flipped it once and that was with my young son sitting in front of me - he's convinced I did it on purpose. I plead the fifth I am so accustomed to kneeling, especially in rough water, that I never got really comfortable in the boat - I could keep up with sea kayaks, but my lower back was never very happy with me. I paddled it with a short bent shaft. the same I'd used in a traditional canoe - maybe a 48"?

I sold it to a kayaker friend who is into the surf kayak scene - he can paddle the hull without the outrigger I did ask for right of first refusal if he ever sells it...

Hi! This is Natalie. I also paddle outrigger canoes and whitewater. Where are you located in the Northeast? I'm near Pittsburgh. There are also some OC paddlers in the Philly area as well as Different parts of New York, Boston area and New Jersey/NY City.

thanks for the helpful tips. i'm in brooklyn, NY. i'd love to meet up with anyone in the area to check out the outrigger thing. thanks!

I‘m swiss. Paddled my outrigger in greece a moth ago.
it was just great.

Hugo