A great tutorial. Agree with your comment about starting on small river features (waves etc). Often these require more skill and push your limits in a relatively safe environment. Then on the bigger stuff, you have confidence and refined skills. At our local play spots, I see paddlers looking, but not having a go. Perhaps need to push themselves to move forward. Stay safe Matthew.
Thanks as always for the comments! Love the community of viewers that's starting to build up here - all a reflection of the great, supportive paddling community.
What wave are you surfing in this video? Not the sluice, the larger wave. It looks like the Fordingbridge section of the Avon? If so, what do you look for in weather to guarantee a good wave?
I don't know the exact location myself, but from my experience, I tend to spend time going to the waves/play spot regularly and in varying weathers/river levels. After a short time, you get a feel for what level the river needs to be so you can paddle it safely. Then use a marker (tree, bank height etc) as your guide for when it's going to be at it's best level. Also, don't rule out going when it is high or even flooded. Sometimes the usual features disappear and others appear! Fun - but always keep safe.
@@EdDaveKayaking Thanks for the reply, I only ask because I am relatively close to that section of river, but not so close that I can afford to go when there is no wave (as there was last time I went). I've never seen the wave that good, but the fence is reminiscent of the wave's surroundings, so I wanted to check. For Hurley I just check TV Freestylers, and my local weir in Southampton always runs at low tide. Just looking to add one more to the quiver
@@willsparrow7870 it is indeed the Avon. Just be aware that the river left landowner is very hostile to kayakers. As to levels, this is about 0.73m on the EA guage. I went back a few days later at 0.71m and it was still decent, but much flushier. It's temperamental, for sure.
@@MatthewBrookKayaking Yep, as suspected. Gauge levels was what i was fishing for in my first message ;) . Will have to check it out, with out annoying mr landowner ofc,
@@willsparrow7870 it's Mrs Landowner too! Take care of you head out there. There's one river-wide tree about 500m downstream of this feature that requires some care.
Thanks. Though the sports share a lot of similarities, many of the vital control elements in this are completely different to waveski. I'd say it's easier, but then my background is whitewater and I've only tried waveski a handful of times; dare say I'd feel differently if that was reversed!
@@MatthewBrookKayaking thanks for answering i appreciate it Im changing from surf and SUP to waveski, i bought a waveski but im still learning, My mates are zipping about on surf kayaks and making it look easy Maybe im just looking for the faster route to get waves
Exceptional video, the terminology visual overlays are very well done.
Thank you. I really appreciate that! Always learning.
Very nice video! And what a nice spot!
A great tutorial. Agree with your comment about starting on small river features (waves etc). Often these require more skill and push your limits in a relatively safe environment. Then on the bigger stuff, you have confidence and refined skills. At our local play spots, I see paddlers looking, but not having a go. Perhaps need to push themselves to move forward. Stay safe Matthew.
Thanks as always for the comments! Love the community of viewers that's starting to build up here - all a reflection of the great, supportive paddling community.
Very clear and well explained tutorial. Thank you!
Pleasure. Glad to be of help!
thanks matt, really god tips and well delivered.
Absolute pleasure. Glad to be of help.
Very helpful video. Thank you!
My pleasure. Still humbled and amazed that people are getting so much out of my older videos!
Great, looking forward to the back-surfing and flat spin videos...but will you do one on side-surfing holes?
It's stagnated here a little bit, but I do still hope to put out a few more videos, including side-surfing.
Could you do a video on how to roundhouse on a wave?
Hi Peter. Yes, absolutely. There's a roundhouse video in the pipeline!
Good video. 👍
Thanks Dean!
What wave are you surfing in this video? Not the sluice, the larger wave. It looks like the Fordingbridge section of the Avon? If so, what do you look for in weather to guarantee a good wave?
I don't know the exact location myself, but from my experience, I tend to spend time going to the waves/play spot regularly and in varying weathers/river levels. After a short time, you get a feel for what level the river needs to be so you can paddle it safely. Then use a marker (tree, bank height etc) as your guide for when it's going to be at it's best level. Also, don't rule out going when it is high or even flooded. Sometimes the usual features disappear and others appear! Fun - but always keep safe.
@@EdDaveKayaking Thanks for the reply, I only ask because I am relatively close to that section of river, but not so close that I can afford to go when there is no wave (as there was last time I went). I've never seen the wave that good, but the fence is reminiscent of the wave's surroundings, so I wanted to check. For Hurley I just check TV Freestylers, and my local weir in Southampton always runs at low tide. Just looking to add one more to the quiver
@@willsparrow7870 it is indeed the Avon. Just be aware that the river left landowner is very hostile to kayakers. As to levels, this is about 0.73m on the EA guage. I went back a few days later at 0.71m and it was still decent, but much flushier. It's temperamental, for sure.
@@MatthewBrookKayaking Yep, as suspected. Gauge levels was what i was fishing for in my first message ;) . Will have to check it out, with out annoying mr landowner ofc,
@@willsparrow7870 it's Mrs Landowner too! Take care of you head out there. There's one river-wide tree about 500m downstream of this feature that requires some care.
Good video is this easier than wave skiing ?
Thanks. Though the sports share a lot of similarities, many of the vital control elements in this are completely different to waveski. I'd say it's easier, but then my background is whitewater and I've only tried waveski a handful of times; dare say I'd feel differently if that was reversed!
@@MatthewBrookKayaking thanks for answering i appreciate it
Im changing from surf and SUP to waveski, i bought a waveski but im still learning,
My mates are zipping about on surf kayaks and making it look easy
Maybe im just looking for the faster route to get waves
Also interested to where this location is :)
Hi Miles. It's the Avon in Hampshire. Full disclosure, I don't know yet how often the wave is this good, but I suspect not often!
@@MatthewBrookKayaking keep up the tutorials mate they are awesome 👌
@@milesdyson5912 thank you. More on the way, for sure.