Spill in the surf

[flyr6105]

I guess it’s time to chime in since I’ve started launching in the surf. Last year, I fished off Wrightsville Beach several times with Straps57 and Kaleb500. Landing my first king got me hooked on fishing ocean side. I have rolled twice attempting to land in surf and after the second soaking this Memorial Day at Shackelford Banks, I began to think the backward approach might be safer and more predictable. I have launched many times into surf coming directly over the bow and, other than a good soaking, have not been pushed broadside to the waves or was in danger of rolling. Sometimes I have successfully ridden the surf into shore, but it doesn’t take much to dig the bow in or start tracking off broadside to the wave. I think, as a general rule, the shorter the kayak is, the easier it is to ride the surf in because it is easier to make corrections to stay perpendicular to the wave front. It seems the longer yaks like my Manta Ray 14 can’t correct quick enough to stay on the wave track. On my next ocean side trip, I plan to practice the backwards approach.