DOWNWIND SURFSKI PADDLING TARIFA (Full length unedited)

If you want to review the video on your TV at home here is a 4k version you could download to get better details:
www.dropbox.co...

[@Dfl87165]

Man, I could watch this all day and see something new each time! Hope to get to Tarifa to paddle with you one day!

[@boyanzlatarev]

I am very happy to hear you could see new things each time you see the video. I also view it from time to time to analyse my wave selection choices and surfing direction choices. The ocean seems to work as a giant puzzle where there are at least a couple of options in each situation.

[@giff06]

So Boyan, new life vest?? Thanks for the video and all your input! Feliz Navidad my friend!

[@boyanzlatarev]

Yes, I changed the buoyancy aids to Baltic mainly because of comfort. It’s also much easier to keep in stock one size fits all instead of multiple sizes as we had before. Thanks a lot for the comment. Felices fiestas!

[@simonsonic]

Nice video. And really nice waves. Usually I catch waves for around 5-10 seconds. Rarely longer. We don't have optimal waves around Copenhagen. Maybe I should move to Tarifa :)

[@boyanzlatarev]

Thanks for the comment. Yes, Tarifa is a special place in terms of downwind in various conditions. I have to say that there are days when I surf for no longer than 3-4 seconds and others when I can surf without stroke for 3-4 minutes. It all deepened on the wind speed, tide and distance to shore. I have had some good experience paddling in Denmark although it was on the other side at Esbjerg. It was great fun and some long rides as well.

[@raju-bitter]

You look so relaxed, the movements are so smooth! Thanks for the great video! Can't wait to learn from you in Tarifa, maybe in 2025. Still an absolute beginner with surfskis.

[@boyanzlatarev]

Thank you @raju-bitter ! As a beginner I suggest you practice the stroke technique basics, brace technique and some remounting. Once you have base speed and some sprinting abilities you will be able to learn downwind. Playing in the surf zone catching waves is also an excellent practice. Go for smaller waves, you will still learn a ton

[@raju-bitter]

@@boyanzlatarev Thanks, will do that here in Copenhagen. I'm doing Oscar's stroke exercises, the bracing every 3rd stroke (which you mentioned in your PPP podcast interview). That was an excellent exercise in smaller waves. Here in Copenhagen the waves are smaller, so good for beginners. Really look forward to learning from you. Met some Danes here who went training with you. :)

[@boyanzlatarev]

@@raju-bitter Oscar’s drills are great. Keep at it and the results will come for sure

[@ThePaddleChannel]

Thank you for posting Boyan! Great paddling and surfing, so relaxed! Which ski are you paddling in this video? Also, would you mind sharing how you mounted the camera? What pole/camera set-up and how you mounted it to the ski?

[@boyanzlatarev]

Hi, sorry for the delayed reply. The boat I paddle is a V8 in performance construction. I really need to get my act together and make a video of the pole mount. I use different parts of RAM 1 inch ball mounting system. I like it because it gives me flexibility for different mounting options in different conditions etc. Thank you for the comment!

[@T-NO]

I'll just have this on repeat on all screens in the house from now on. This is magical to watch.

[@boyanzlatarev]

Thanks Tinus, I am glad you enjoy the footage. If you have enough storage download the 4k version from the dropbox link for better quality viewing.

[@JeanYanb]

Thanks so much for the great vid ! May I ask, how did you attach your camera to the ski ? A fan from New Caledonia :D

[@boyanzlatarev]

Hi, sorry for the late reply. I have a Ram Mount setup with 1 inch balls and two suction cups to connect to the surfski deck.

[@paddlefromtonga8888]

Hey bro nicely done mate... please just one question do you do outrigger canoe as well?

[@surfskicenter8575]

Hi Sateki Kaufusi No, unfortunately we don’t have OC1 here. I have tried it once but it felt too unstable and I fell in a few times.

[@maxoutdoor5426]

Great Trip ; i am looking for Surfski for use at Tarifa.were can I buy Epic here ? Better v8 pro or V9 ??

[@maxoutdoor5426]

I am used to flat water kayaking in Seville ; never tried Surfski - never at the sea

[@boyanzlatarev]

Hi Max, the best is to talk to Juan Carlos who runs Epic Kayaks in Spain. Here is his website. www.surfskischooljavea.es/surfski/index.php/contactar

[@gcziko]

Boyan, looking at this again after 8 months, I noticed your comment: "Some days i can go for 3-4 seconds maximum on a wave and some other days more than 2-3 minutes." I'd like to see a video of you paddling the 3-4 second runs and try to figure out how the conditions are different from the 2-3 minute runs.

[@boyanzlatarev]

I have one very good video from a downwind in the Strait of Gibraltar I did recently. I will post the full length in a similar way I have done with this video and you will see most of the runs are short. I also push a little more speed on that run as I was trying to time myself for 18 km.

[@jamesgage03]

Awesome Video! I have a few questions. What boat are you paddling? and How did you keep the lense so clear and what Go Pro mount do you use? Thank you in advance!

[@boyanzlatarev]

Hey James, Thanks fort the comment. This is a surfski and the model is V8 in performance construction. I was very surprised by the lens clarity and if you look closely from time to time there are some drops but the wind blows them off. It turns out that DJI Action has by far much better water repellent properties than Gopro cameras and this is a DJI Action. The Camera mount I use is from RAM mounts and i use an extension from www.kayalu.com/secure_server/kayalu/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=toughbar+ The extension is attached with a clamp to the rear ladle of the surfski www.kayalu.com/secure_server/kayalu/images/DAC1455_clawpole_gopro_lg.jpg I hope this helps.

[@jamesgage03]

@@boyanzlatarev Thank you for the detailed reply!

[@davidGrainger]

The sound on this is great! Is that the internal mic on the Osmo Action? Near zero wind noise too!

[@boyanzlatarev]

@@davidGrainger there is actually a separate audio recording with a Gopro Hero 4 with a waterproof mic www.photospecialist.es/sennheiser-mke2-elements-action-mic-voor-gopro-hero4?channable=e13530.NjQ2MjI&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrMHsBRCIARIsAFgSeI1fFvlsyejwb6ZJcMECjhbLITQ74nuR6Pf3QNbK7qIO89rlmbj-O5caAqKmEALw_wcB The DJI Action camera has a terrible audio in water environment. Much worse than Gopro.

[@bernardopereira1672]

Great to see you are paddling 0°! Hope more people realise how easier it makes downwind paddling :)

[@surfskicenter8575]

Bernardo Pereira thanks Bernardo! I hope so too.

[@boyanzlatarev]

Thanks Bernardo. Yes, I changed to 0 paddle angle a couple of years ago to test the claim it was easier. It worked well for me and I kept it at zero. I used to paddle with 60 degrees Right.

[@lymancopps5957]

Thank you for sharing your beautiful run. What ski did you use? Looks like an Epic V8.

[@boyanzlatarev]

Thank you! Yes, that’s an Epic v8

[@mandarino5444]

No fish lens??? Amazing!

[@surfskicenter8575]

This is DJI Osmo action with de warp feature on. It makes the horizon leveled but I guess it also stretches the image at the corners of the screen.

[@Rubibi-saltwaterjim]

Hey love your videos I use them for indoor training.

[@boyanzlatarev]

Thank you! I posted a new one recently if you wanted a slight change. Will post another soon from the Strait of Gibraltar.

[@dudaprates1]

não acredito que assisti tudo kkkkk valeu cada segundo

[@boyanzlatarev]

Thanks Eduardo! I am glad you enjoyed the video.

[@tvepaddler]

Nice video quality and very inspiring to see you take so few strokes!

[@boyanzlatarev]

Thank you Thorsten. I was hoping to show that downwind paddling doesn't have to be full on all the time. In some cases there is no choice and you have to use strokes but when it is not needed then gliding and surfing feels great. Thanks again!

[@tomgerhardt9772]

Amazing clip thanks for this! Where is this down-winder? Can you estimate your total distance and average speed?

[@surfskicenter8575]

tom gerhardt thanks for the comment. Looking at the clip timeline the overall time was around 1:13:00 h from start to finish. The distance is approximately 16 km and this five around 13.5 km/h average speed. I hope this helps. For reference the fastest I have done this (18 km, starting a bit earlier and I ending past the point in the video) is 1:01:15 h or average speed of a little less than 18 km/h. It all depends on the current, tide and wind speed. This practice was all about surfing.

[@boyanzlatarev]

Sorry I forgot to mention below that the video was filmed in Tarifa, Spain.

[@edrissemussa371]

Very nice Boyan! Great to watch and lots to learn from. Thanks a lot!

[@boyanzlatarev]

Thanks Edrisse, I like to review the footage too. It helps to identify opportunities and techniques, which can make downwind paddling more efficient. I am very glad you liked the video.

[@simonsonic]

Do you guys know if the surf is good around Las Palmas de Gran Canaria? -I thought about relocating there for a while, when it can work out with my family and work.

[@boyanzlatarev]

Hi Simon, I have never been to Canarti islands but based on the wind statistics on Windfinder, the downwind conditions have similar consistency as Tarifa. Actually they have very high percentage of downwind days in June, July and August period at 99-100% probability of downwind. Also there is a company specialising in surfski vacations and classes livingsea.es and they have activities all year around. So in general there is an opportunity for great paddling there.

[@simonsonic]

@@boyanzlatarev Thank you so much for your comment. I greatly appreciate it ! :)

[@boyanzlatarev]

@@simonsonic You are welcome. I hope you manage to arrange some great downwind sessions in Las Palmas!

[@BelevichAB]

Is the oar touching the water as a support on the water?

[@boyanzlatarev]

Hi, yes, when bracing (touching the water) you get stability and also speed control to position on top of the wave.

[@davidGrainger]

Deceptively powerful stroke. Could you show a picture of the camera pole where it attaches to the V8?

[@boyanzlatarev]

Thanks Dave, will do. Not sure i can post images here as a reply?

[@davidGrainger]

@@boyanzlatarev So the way to post an image is to upload it to a host, get a link, and paste the link in the comment. I use flickr. Here's an example - photo of Tim Dwyer on his gen3 V10 Elite live.staticflickr.com/65535/48164682382_d7919576b9_b.jpg

[@boyanzlatarev]

@@davidGrainger Thanks David. I will make a video and post here.

[@rickquist3992]

Plain ol'... *WOW* !

[@surfskicenter8575]

Thank you!

[@quantummath]

Good job dude !

[@boyanzlatarev]

Thanks!

[@MariaMartinez-sy2ud]

Subtítulos en español por favor, gracias

[@goodspeedrocket5795]

Brand of ski??

[@boyanzlatarev]

This is Epic V8 surfski in Performance construction. It is very stable and easy to use in downwind conditions.

[@fantasticfox411]

Your videos are top notch

[@boyanzlatarev]

Thank you!

[@tomerweiss8336]

Also the paddle is not connect to the boat. If the paddle fall from your hands, what yhen ?!

[@boyanzlatarev]

Hey Tomer, i am a swimmer and I can swim to shore anytime. I can also paddle with my arms without a paddle downwind and surf waves. Why do you assume I don’t care about safety? Do you know anything about what i do and what I teach people when they come to Tarifa to paddle with me?

[@philippelastours7860]

You ‘re actually very Nice to answer to him… beautiful video, wish I could paddle alongside you!👍👍👍

[@tomerweiss8336]

You paddling alone. Ans if something happen to you or to your boat, who can help you ?!

[@boyanzlatarev]

Thanks for the comment. You are right that things can happen when you paddle on your own. Here are my considerations before going on water on that day: 1. I have done this run more than 1000 times and know the area very well. 2. I’m a competent swimmer and I can swim to safety if something happened to my boat. 3. I wear GPS tracker connected to an online system and our local rescue service has a link to our online system to locate me in case of an emergency. 4. I have my iPhone with WhatsApp tracking my position, which I sent to the rescue service prior to getting in the water. I also let them know where I’m going and then message them back when i get there. 5. I also have an emergency phone for elderly people with an SOS button I can press and this dials an automatic call to the rescue and sends sms to my wife, driver and rescue services. This i would use in case my iPhone fails. 6. I have plan B in case the conditions change unexpectedly and i have to shorten the paddling distance. Of course even with all the precautions we never have 100% guarantee and it is still possible for something unexpected to happen. For those instances I hope God helps me get out of trouble and live to see another day ;)

[@gcziko]

Nice contrast to the online course recently published by Jasper and Dawid Mocke in South Africa. You hardly ever see them not paddling. But they are elite racers always trying to get over the next bump which can make all the difference between winning or losing a race. A bit like the difference between racing and recreational cyclists. Racers will pedal downhill even if coasting they can roll 40 to 50 km/h. Recreational cyclists will coast down without pedaling. Of course, knowing when you can stop paddling is important because you can always paddle anytime you want. But if you don't know when you can stop, you'll have to paddle al the time, even when you would prefer not to!

[@boyanzlatarev]

Thanks Gary, Yes, elite paddlers have the goal to get from one point to the next for the minimum amount of time. I like to introduce paddlers to a different approach, something like surfing. In surfing no-one is in a rush to get from take off to the end of the wave. Most surfers look to surf each wave for as long as they can. I stopped looking at my time and use gps timing apps approximately 2-3 years ago and i noticed i became a lot more present in the moment just having fun rather than obsess over what the clock is showing. Thanks for your comment I appreciate it very much.

[@ShelbyMustang505]

@@boyanzlatarev I also think conditions there vs South Africa are very different. Runs in SA rise up quickly, lots of power and speed, big ground swell, run for a few seconds and then diffuse. So to link them takes more paddle effort. Here it looks like once you have mastered linking the winds waves its a beautiful long paddle and not that hard to keep up the boat speed to match the wave speed?!!!

[@boyanzlatarev]

@@ShelbyMustang505 Thank you for the comment. I am not suggesting that conditions in South Africa or other places in the world are exactly the same as Tarifa. As a matter of fact Tarifa on the day of the video is not exactly the same as Tarifa on other days. Some days i can go for 3-4 seconds maximum on a wave and some other days more than 2-3 minutes. The opportunities change with the conditions. On the other hand I can't say that surfing mind set has nothing to do with the way I surf the waves. I never care of my overall time and I am focussed only on making fewer strokes as possible and surfing each wave as long as i can without taking additional strokes. In general if there is wind locally that means that smaller waves are resent regardless of the size of the large swells. The wind continuously interacts with the water surface and new waves are formed along the shore despite the presence of other bigger and faster waves. In that case it is very important to have to skill to be able to see the less prominent smaller and slower waves instead of the most obvious larger swells. It is equally important to have the mind set to be ok to surf slower waves when faster waves are available. I am not saying that people focussed on paddling as fast as they can are wrong. I suggest that there is a different way to enjoy paddling and that is to focus on the surfing and not on the time or speed. it's a very rewarding way to paddle and very often the speed is not that much slower. Thanks again for the comment. I hope you would give this a try and see how it goes. You will be surprised how much further you can go with less strokes if you decide to make it the focus of your paddling.

[@ShelbyMustang505]

@@boyanzlatarev Hey agree with you entirely. Actually further into your video there are some pretty big swells running there! Great to watch your skill, you make it look easy.

[@boyanzlatarev]

@@ShelbyMustang505 thank you!

[@tomerweiss8336]

What is the wind speed ?

[@boyanzlatarev]

I can’t remember. Maybe between 15-30 knots

[@tomerweiss8336]

Also you do not use leg leash. you give very good example of ignoring saftyness. Disasters don't just happen, they are caused by people.

[@boyanzlatarev]

Tomer I think you should take a pause with the comments and look up what i do. You are getting the wrong impression. Read my other comments about all the safety precautions i take before I paddle. I always use leg leash including in this video.

[@boyanzlatarev]

0:13 look here I put my leash on

[@philippelastours7860]

Stop being a ass!! Fuckin’ hell. The Guy is a downwind master and you need to get your vision right …😂