Hey, while there's little chatter...I have a question. I have a 4 man canoe on the east coast. We paddle it in the Atlantic Ocean and surf in inlet and outer break. We have a ball..but I'd like to learn proper technique and rigging for a surfing canoe. When I look at videos/pictures of surfing events (Makaha, etc.), I notice that canoe is rigged a bit differently. I have my canoe rigged with ama on the left w/ standard rigging. What is the cord going from the bow to the ama supposed to do (keeping the ama in position if it plows)? Cord from iako to iako? What dictates whether ama is rigged to right or left (I'm supposing dependent on right or left break...your keeping the ama into the wave and guys are leaning out keeping the ama down)? Do different seats have different responsibilities when on the wave? Thanks for any input
Submitted by drewp on Sun, 03/08/2009 - 4:18am
Just what I know from talking with some of the guys I know that do it. Also some of what I remember for rigging the six man when there was surf like during Waikiki Races.
The cord from bow to ama (and also ama to stern) is to keep the ama from moving backwards(forward) on the wave and wipeout. Helps ease the torque/tension on the iakos so they don't break.
The cord from iako to iako depends on the ama as the older ama's didn't have holes and the iako's were rigged to the ama with the cord going around it. The cord in the middle was to help prevent the iakos from slipping off the ends. On the newer ama's they have holes and placements that the cord goes through that prevent the iakos from slipping foward/backward or off the ama.
Ama rigging left or right is correct on the break of the wave as it's easier to keep the ama down vice plowing it having it on the other side. Some crews rig the ama closer to the hull as it is just there to keep the canoe upright while paddling it as when they are on the wave, the ama isn't really needed.
Seats 1 and 2 keep the boat moving, seat 3 is the ama man keeps the ama down (seat 2 also doubles to help keep the ama down), 4 of course steers and tells the others what to do.
Checkout http://oceanpaddler.tv and go to Videos/ Canoe Surfing and they have a good segment about what I just mentioned above about the seats.
If you go to http://oc16.tv/ and go to Shows then Lifestyles and scroll down to Ocean Paddler checkout the last 10 minutes of Episode #8 and all of #9 to see more canoe surfing. You get to see Karel Jr, Milan and Graham surfing a standing wave coming out of a canal/inlet in Kailua Beach during one of the storms here.
#1 Sun, 03/08/2009 - 5:37am
My "armchair" best guess: Ama adds drag to boat and pulls in direction of side ama is mounted. If you surf mostly left's, probably best to have ama on left, if you surf mostly rights, probably best to have ama on right. This keeps natural tendency of boat to steer away from the wave rather than into it and dumping thus damaging boat....but I've never surfed a 4-man boat you are lucky that would be a hoot
#2 Mon, 03/09/2009 - 6:35am
Hey ChineBoy,
Wouldn't the ama on the rising face of the wave add more instability than drag? I'm always feeling more comfortable with the ama being on the low side of the trough, i.e. surfing a right with the ama on the left. It's always been the steersman's call to have someone sit on the iako and lean towards the ama when going left. Maybe I've a certain comfort level of the orthodox left side ama though. I've never surfed a oc ama right.
#3 Mon, 03/09/2009 - 8:14am
With the ama always on the left, it is hard for get the brain for change because you always stay thinking ama on the left no matter what. Hard for change habits, even when wind directions change. But old habits no bother Makaha paddlers. Years of experience and knowledge of the break determines where they rig the ama. Basically, the choice is yours on whether you like huli ama ovah or ama undah?
#4 Mon, 03/09/2009 - 9:18am
ama on trough side + huli = broken sticks, swim home, all finish for day :(
ama on crest side + huli = bail, keep playing :)
#5 Mon, 03/09/2009 - 5:22pm