APEX 2 – NEW IMPROVEMENTS
The attached pictures are of our new APEX ‘2’ double surfski. The hull shape is the same as the previous APEX but the deck and cockpits have been changed and improved substantially.
1. Both seats are further forward in the ski – Acceleration is quicker and catching and staying on runs requires very little effort. Cruising speed is quicker. In Sundays’ race we used one for the first time and improved our time from 90% of the winners’ time in the previous race to above 95% of the winners’ time. This was in flat to head wind conditions.
2. The seats are more comfortable with all wasted space filled in to reduce the amount of water in the cockpit. The front seat is a bit lower than the original APEX making it very stable through the surf.
3. The foot well is longer and has a 40cm size range. Most other manufacturers have a 30cm size range. This caters for the very tall long legged paddler and can be easily reduced to accommodate a 12 year old. The bottom of the foot well is lower than in the previous model positioning the paddler in a very positive paddling position.
4. We have used a new construction for the first carbon epoxy vacuum moulded construction APEX 2 that we made and it has finished ready to race at a staggering 18kgs. Standard models will finish at 27kg and the Hybrid models at 23 kgs.
Se the attached photographs of the new ski and below read a report on race 9, the Toti downwind race. Contact me if you are curious and would like to try out a demo model of the new boat.
SERIES RACE 9 – Toti downwind
The KZN south coast is full of surprises. I really do sympathize with the race organizer, Billy Harker, in trying to work out what the wind, weather and surf is going to do on race day. We all knew that there was very little likelihood of a down wind race for yesterday’s race billed as the ‘Downwind to Toti race’. We had the swell going in the right direction from the previous few days easterly wind, but the paddling into a very strong current, and shortly after the start a fresh Southerly head wind kicked up to slow the field down even further. Just to add to the fun we arrived at the start to some huge surf at Anstey’s Beach, with the prospect of it being even more difficult at the finish.
There were some very brave efforts by many of the paddlers in trying to get out through the strong rolling broken waves. Some were fortunate, some not. The toll on boats was also high, both at the start and the finish. It amazes me how some of these paddlers who took ages to get out, in some cases having long swims to get back to their boats, then had to battle it out at a snails pace against the wind and the current, and get worked over again at the finish, and have a smile and share their war stories over beer or coffee afterwards. I must single out the girls here; Anna Clifford is a veteran lady paddler from Johannesburg, unaccustomed to the surf at the coast. Junior girls (under 18 years old) Kerry Segal and Jenna Ward. Lady paddler and young mom, Maya Opperman, all toughed it out the whole way, Maya getting her ski wrecked coming in through the gnarly surf at the end. I spare a thought for the mother and daughter crew of Cara and Penny Bush who I saw try and try again to get out, getting nailed repeatedly by big sets of waves. They tried so hard, but eventually they had damage to their ski. These girls have my utmost respect.
It was the christening of the new APEX, (APEX 2) for myself and partner Mark Mulder. Mark is trying to train to take on the Avon Descent race in Australia, but has been battling to shake off flu for the past three weeks. WOW! The deeper sitting position and better shaped cockpits made it a breeze to punch through the big sets. The seats having been moved further forward makes the response time in accelerating amazing. We shot past everyone going through the surf, but better still, we were getting longs runs on the top of the swell despite the head wind chop and current.
I would be kidding myself at the age 55 and a relatively new doubles partner, if I believed that we would hold on to our lead, but we managed to do that for about 4kms and were eventually caught by the favorites Barry Lewin and Ant Stott. With about 5.5kms to go we were caught by the series leaders Quinton Rutherford and Brian Taylor who we played cat and mouse with until the end. We lost out to them coming through the surf by only a few meters and getting taken a bit off line a bit near the finish line. The improvements to the ski make it a totally different paddling experience. We improved our time from the previous week on the old APEX from 90% of the winners time to over 95% of the winners time, and only 3-4 minutes behind the leaders. We narrowed down the deficit from about 4 minutes the previous week to finishing coming in though the surf together against the previous weeks second place finishers.
Because the start is a reverse order, we have the benefit of watching all the other batches going out through the surf and are able to see them paddling when we are coming through the field. A notable feature for me is how many paddlers (in this race I am talking about the double ski’s) are racing the latest most competitive ski’s possible. You can see them battle in the surf and out in the open ocean they spend a lot of time bracing, wasting a lot of energy. I am not only talking about the novice paddlers, but in some cases seasoned paddlers who have purchased the latest racing ski that has come out that top paddlers are using and judging their ability, paddling time trial dices in a very protected environment.
Races 1 – 7 in the series was very kind to both boats and paddlers with very few dented ego’s and not too many damaged boats. Races 8 and 9 have made up for it in degree of difficulty and toughness.
In two weeks time we have the 46km Scottburgh to Brighton. It is time to do a late prep on paddling for 3 – 4 hours. It means that you may have to get out there on Saturday and get in a long paddle and sacrifice a good result on Sunday in race 10 in the series.
See you on the water.
Mark.
