I had a P&H Surf Ski in 1974 when I lived on the beach at Hayle in Cornwall, I got into it because I couldn’t ride a surfboard as I had smashed my left leg and ankle fairly comprehensively in 1966 on a motorcycle. We used rescue ski’s off the beach for rescue so when P&H put a ski top on their surf shoe kayak it was a natural choice for me. Had a load of fun on that ski, repaired it many times since it was hollow so not terribly strong. I kept it until the early 2000’s then gave it away as I never thought I would use it again. I am now 75-and looking at ski’s again-I ride a boogie board now-but there is just something about wave ski’s……..
I have been a waveskier since about 1982, starting in Rock Rock Rockaway Park, Queens, NY, and then continuing after a move to Los Angeles. Have about ten wave skis made mostly by Steve Boehne of INFINITY SURFBOARDS, down in Dana Pt, CA, but have owned boards by Merv Larsen, and other makers. Love the sport, and surfed with a bunch of Aussies in the early 1990's, down in Huntington Beach CA area -- Bolsa Chica State Beach. They were really good and inspired me to learn new moves. Anybody who wants to ski in the South LA Bay area, let me know. Tough always being the only wave skier in the water, but the local surfers are all friends -- or most of them LOL -- and I pretty much have no issues anymore....
Thanks for the great doco 86nathangray. Only found this today (30.03.19) after dragging out the A.T.Ski (Currumbin QLD - from Peter Burford) from under the house and washing it down for an upcoming NSW coastal holiday. Still clearly remembering 'Christo' as the god of the sport back in the day.
Thanks for the movie. Myself and my brother were avid RAIDER fans around this time. I still have my original Raider Ski and I don't think it has a rival for speed to this day. Thanks very much Roger for the hours of enjoyment all around the country.
I lived briefly in Manley in the late 1980's . As an experienced white water kayak paddler, a ski was a natural progression. I knew I would get limited opportunity to surf, I bought a "Wave Shooter" reputedly an entry raider ski. It's brilliant, takes the knocks, I fitted a decent seat belt buckle and carved my own skegs after I broke two, which were unobtainable on the UK. I still get a blast when I get it out.
I actually have a Raider Ski and I use it primarily in Waikiki, Hawaii. It never fails to get admiring comments from the Boardies. It surfs really well. The one I bought is fiberglass, I can imagine an epoxy model had the company survived the 90's.
A great video. I think part of it is that the wave skis that are available are second hand "pro" skis that are really unfriendly to a beginner. There is not the education/promotion out there that a pro board is not user friendly. People want a cheap entry into wave skiing, so they go on gumtree but there are loads of boards out there that are unridable for a newbie. So they get one, try it, and decide it's not for them. I had loads of fun on one in my youth, and it was a suitable newb friendly board. While my friend had one that was a more expensive pro model, I'm not sure he ever caught a wave but I had a great time on my long and stable board. It's a lot of fun and easier to learn than surfing IMO. I liked that you could get out quickly and easily, and catch waves that were harder for surfers, and earlier. I was also not much of a swimmer at the time.
Here in South Africa, waveski was big in the late eighties. I surfed the excellent local Macski. I had to retire after too much back trouble, most of my mates as well. They all switched to long boarding.
This is a good documentary, but it would've been better if they included footage of John Christensen competing against his strongest competition, such as Craig Dinning and Lee Dinning; and David a few years later. The Dinning brothers pushed the boundaries of Wave Ski surfing and should be acknowledged and respected.
I have very fond memories of that time. I started out wave ski surfing on a molded thing but quickly moved on to a hand crafted John Payne 'Inner Circle' Ski. John and I surfed all over Australia, on the East Coast from Queensland to Philip Island and the South Coast to Margaret River. If anyone knows how to contact Christo, please let me know as I have an interesting pic of his dad and a friend sitting on the path, leaning on a wall. I have some nice movie footage of wave ski surfing all over Oz if anyone is interested.
hey Bern Leslie I would love to see the videos and pics and if allowed to, upload them on Facebook (can edit them all together and pay tribute to the riders & the chaps filming) if you have names and details please email them to us here in KZN : kznwaveskisurfing@gmail.com
Fatelvis2 - boogie boards are super simple to carry, no paddle, fits in a car, most kids started on boogie boards when they were 8 or 10 and just never stopped. You’d have to mere deliberate to get skiing.
The local’s only board rider thing puts a lot of people off and is similar to what caused the Cronulla riots: yeah I know in the beginning that was more to do with disrespecting a female but it’s near always been there specially at the Sydney beaches: you think just because your parents can afford a house near the beach it gives you sole rights to the local breaks... I for one never gave a shit coz I could ride half decent, throw a fair punch and wasn’t scared of getting hurt: I actually frequented one enough to be thought of as a local but couldn’t deal with the arrogance in the line ups and this was pre leg ropes, loose your board near me and I’d pick it up and beach it, I’ve even been shot at at Ceduna (I assume the bullets weren’t supposed to hit but I could hear them wizz past) Just because you or your parents have the money to be able to live near a beach doesn’t give you any extra sea rights if it did I win, I now live on a 60’ Amel and sail a 32’ trimaran for fun which I sometimes anchor out back, oh, yeah, I’m 67, my body is fairly smashed up from motorcycle racing and a truck rollover but I still use a wave ski and long board (my knees won’t cop a knee board and flippers make my feet cramp so forget body boards which would be my preference for lots of reasons)... not been able to get into paddle boards. The long skis seem to have gone but the short ones are making a bit of a comeback, specially overseas.
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You tube creating history..I owned a Raider in South Wales in early 80s. We were not many on the Gower riding skis...most often me and my mate only.
I had a P&H Surf Ski in 1974 when I lived on the beach at Hayle in Cornwall, I got into it because I couldn’t ride a surfboard as I had smashed my left leg and ankle fairly comprehensively in 1966 on a motorcycle. We used rescue ski’s off the beach for rescue so when P&H put a ski top on their surf shoe kayak it was a natural choice for me. Had a load of fun on that ski, repaired it many times since it was hollow so not terribly strong. I kept it until the early 2000’s then gave it away as I never thought I would use it again. I am now 75-and looking at ski’s again-I ride a boogie board now-but there is just something about wave ski’s……..
I have been a waveskier since about 1982, starting in Rock Rock Rockaway Park, Queens, NY, and then continuing after a move to Los Angeles. Have about ten wave skis made mostly by Steve Boehne of INFINITY SURFBOARDS, down in Dana Pt, CA, but have owned boards by Merv Larsen, and other makers. Love the sport, and surfed with a bunch of Aussies in the early 1990's, down in Huntington Beach CA area -- Bolsa Chica State Beach. They were really good and inspired me to learn new moves.
Anybody who wants to ski in the South LA Bay area, let me know. Tough always being the only wave skier in the water, but the local surfers are all friends -- or most of them LOL -- and I pretty much have no issues anymore....
Thanks for the great doco 86nathangray. Only found this today (30.03.19) after dragging out the A.T.Ski (Currumbin QLD - from Peter Burford) from under the house and washing it down for an upcoming NSW coastal holiday. Still clearly remembering 'Christo' as the god of the sport back in the day.
Thanks for the movie. Myself and my brother were avid RAIDER fans around this time. I still have my original Raider Ski and I don't think it has a rival for speed to this day.
Thanks very much Roger for the hours of enjoyment all around the country.
I lived briefly in Manley in the late 1980's . As an experienced white water kayak paddler, a ski was a natural progression. I knew I would get limited opportunity to surf, I bought a "Wave Shooter" reputedly an entry raider ski. It's brilliant, takes the knocks, I fitted a decent seat belt buckle and carved my own skegs after I broke two, which were unobtainable on the UK. I still get a blast when I get it out.
I actually have a Raider Ski and I use it primarily in Waikiki, Hawaii. It never fails to get admiring comments from the Boardies. It surfs really well. The one I bought is fiberglass, I can imagine an epoxy model had the company survived the 90's.
A great video. I think part of it is that the wave skis that are available are second hand "pro" skis that are really unfriendly to a beginner. There is not the education/promotion out there that a pro board is not user friendly. People want a cheap entry into wave skiing, so they go on gumtree but there are loads of boards out there that are unridable for a newbie. So they get one, try it, and decide it's not for them. I had loads of fun on one in my youth, and it was a suitable newb friendly board. While my friend had one that was a more expensive pro model, I'm not sure he ever caught a wave but I had a great time on my long and stable board.
It's a lot of fun and easier to learn than surfing IMO. I liked that you could get out quickly and easily, and catch waves that were harder for surfers, and earlier. I was also not much of a swimmer at the time.
Those surfer board boys were just jealous! the paddle aspect of the waveski made it so it caught more waves...and beach Bunny's.lol
Here in South Africa, waveski was big in the late eighties. I surfed the excellent local Macski. I had to retire after too much back trouble, most of my mates as well. They all switched to long boarding.
This is a good documentary, but it would've been better if they included footage of John Christensen competing against his strongest competition, such as Craig Dinning and Lee Dinning; and David a few years later. The Dinning brothers pushed the boundaries of Wave Ski surfing and should be acknowledged and respected.
Never been to South Africa?
Any Raider catalogs anywhere? One of my covid19 activities is refurbishing an old Raider I bought on ebay a decade ago.
learning to roll always going to be a substantial barrier to getting started; still the boom in sit on tops might provoke a resurgence.
Still have my custom Christo ski.
I have very fond memories of that time. I started out wave ski surfing on a molded thing but quickly moved on to a hand crafted John Payne 'Inner Circle' Ski. John and I surfed all over Australia, on the East Coast from Queensland to Philip Island and the South Coast to Margaret River. If anyone knows how to contact Christo, please let me know as I have an interesting pic of his dad and a friend sitting on the path, leaning on a wall. I have some nice movie footage of wave ski surfing all over Oz if anyone is interested.
hey Bern Leslie I would love to see the videos and pics and if allowed to, upload them on Facebook (can edit them all together and pay tribute to the riders & the chaps filming) if you have names and details please email them to us here in KZN : kznwaveskisurfing@gmail.com
I'm definitely interested? I'll give you my email?
Pl more lovely video
John Payne made a good ski!
IT NEVER REALLY DIED BUT YOU KNOW WHAT - ITS BACK!!!
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the kids went to boogie boarding over wave skiing because of cost or did something else draw them
Fatelvis2 - boogie boards are super simple to carry, no paddle, fits in a car, most kids started on boogie boards when they were 8 or 10 and just never stopped. You’d have to mere deliberate to get skiing.
The local’s only board rider thing puts a lot of people off and is similar to what caused the Cronulla riots: yeah I know in the beginning that was more to do with disrespecting a female but it’s near always been there specially at the Sydney beaches: you think just because your parents can afford a house near the beach it gives you sole rights to the local breaks... I for one never gave a shit coz I could ride half decent, throw a fair punch and wasn’t scared of getting hurt: I actually frequented one enough to be thought of as a local but couldn’t deal with the arrogance in the line ups and this was pre leg ropes, loose your board near me and I’d pick it up and beach it, I’ve even been shot at at Ceduna (I assume the bullets weren’t supposed to hit but I could hear them wizz past) Just because you or your parents have the money to be able to live near a beach doesn’t give you any extra sea rights if it did I win, I now live on a 60’ Amel and sail a 32’ trimaran for fun which I sometimes anchor out back, oh, yeah, I’m 67, my body is fairly smashed up from motorcycle racing and a truck rollover but I still use a wave ski and long board (my knees won’t cop a knee board and flippers make my feet cramp so forget body boards which would be my preference for lots of reasons)... not been able to get into paddle boards. The long skis seem to have gone but the short ones are making a bit of a comeback, specially overseas.
This is what happened: ruclips.net/video/Q2x936P2le8/видео.html
Yup :)