Worst ever kayak surf launch attempt

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Most popular comments
for Worst ever kayak surf launch attempt

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haoledreamer - 5 years ago

Have to admit - it's big, but I launch in waves like that often. It's all about timing and watching the break. Still... it looks like they went directly into the tallest part of the waves. It looks like it was a lot more tame to both the left and right. Much of the time they were just in the wrong place.

TiagoMotorama - 5 years ago

Fucking great job considering the gusty condition.. man.. huge amount of power needed!!!

Mr Yusuf - 5 years ago

Thats funny the end part lol

chris driver - 5 years ago

Rated P.G for punctured genitalia

RC Model Planes - 5 years ago

How could you not be intimidated by that sea?

Hassan Ingram - 5 years ago

191k of people watching idiots! gotta laugh lol

Romany1111 - 5 years ago

These blokes should either learn to paddle or get powerboats.

z m - 5 years ago

if only his blades were scuppered/concave instead of convex, would say his heroic effort was hampered by reversed paddle blades. he had grit!

Mal Stewart - 6 years ago

Tools!!!look at the craft yr tryn to get out on.lol.

10. comment for Worst ever kayak surf launch attempt

J Y - 6 years ago

Only people who have attempted launching in similar or even half the size of the surf, would understand that this guy had actually done a great job. Most people would crap their pants facing 5 to 6 foot surf coming at you.

John Flinn - 6 years ago

Sea 2 kayaks 0

Norwegian733 - 6 years ago

Some say they still se a guy trying to get out there....

Bob Seguin - 6 years ago

Come try north end west coast of Vancouver island....

Bob Seguin - 6 years ago

Looks like a hoot, thought he was going to make it......

Hugo Campos - 6 years ago

arms,eggs, heart and Kayak !!!!!!!!!!!!

Foton Cuantico - 6 years ago

Muy bueno! vivo en Uruguay, a dos cuadras del mar de Aguas Dulces, una playa muy similar con olas bastante parecidas, no hay nada como ingresar al mar y correr olas en kayack, tengo un autovaciable y disfruto muchísimo luchando con el mar, yo encanta ver a otras personas haciendo lo mismo, un saludo desde acá.

Explorer Mike - 6 years ago

Anybody who criticizes these launches has never tried kayak launching in big surf. Easy to talk about, not easy to do.

911 Tech - 6 years ago

Looks like a day to stay home and watch ESPN.

Drew Kerr - 6 years ago

Love the music

20. comment for Worst ever kayak surf launch attempt

spyro1967 - 6 years ago

hahaha , their just shit paddlers, my gran could do better, :)

Di Strachan - 6 years ago

Pretty great job considering all the factors!! Nice film! Loved the second chance to see the big one...thanks for posting.

DarkSagan - 6 years ago

1 year later...this shit is still funny.

TheDiamondDopeKing - 6 years ago

Lmao

Andrew Lockwood - 7 years ago

The ocean was like...."Nope"!!!!

jason sheedy - 7 years ago

why would u even attempt this, way to rough

Really Happenings - 7 years ago

I give this guy a lot of credit. Even though he was a real "soup sandwich" it takes a lot of guts to even attempt this.

rocky - 7 years ago

"A man has to know his limitations"

Steve Johnson - 7 years ago

Thats just bloody stupid, they could have found a calmer area to launch.

Roger Oz - 7 years ago

poor bugger

30. comment for Worst ever kayak surf launch attempt

Solsist __ - 7 years ago

Launching in the middle of a set... Why?

Olaf Kühndel - 7 years ago

Wow! Das hab ichs so ganz ähnlich durch ... das ist Mega-Hammer anstrengend aus der Brandungszone zu kommen.

Kai rune Ekker - 7 years ago

one word IDIOT

Eliza Star - 7 years ago

Launching into surf like this is asking to die an embarassing, totally humiliating death...lol

boo bye - 7 years ago

CHARGE!!!!!

Evo K - 7 years ago

at some point i thought he made it to the back line and then bam.. the big one came.. credit to him for bravery tho i wouldnt go out in those waters..

DarkSagan - 7 years ago

Fuck that shit.

Christopher triola - 7 years ago

lol I love watching this stuff when nobody gets hurt. Still amazes me that most people don't know enough to get in the boat on shore, finger tip down to the water and wait until it lifts your boat and pulls you out into the surf. Lean forward, pull hard, stay perpendicular to the waves and barring no direct curl smash downs or enders your are out there in a few minutes. Like any activity involving waves, just wait, and let the water work for you.

Jaime Sharp - 5 years ago

Mate that is a very arrogant comment, and you have obviously not spent enough time with different kinds of surf to know there are many ways to launch. Likely you have not yet launched off a beach when there is a dumping break right onto shore, like in this video. It is unwise too just scoot into the water from a "seated on the beach" position when the wave surge wants to push you side ways and suck you straight into the next exploding face that then inturn just pushes you back up the beach higher and often more broken than you started. I will agree there was some bad timing and bad reading of the surf involved hear, though ultimately it was hit or miss weather any one would have enough endurance and luck to get out past that combination of break zones.

Gettin Yak'd - 8 years ago

Can't duck dive a yak!!!

zsakk9 - 8 years ago

It's not a surf board brah

zion kairua - 8 years ago

loool

Mikey San - 8 years ago

Great stuff. This clip would benefit from a Benny Hill soundtrack. Just funny in the beginning but I felt for him near the end. Time to pull out the surf rod and stand on the beach with a beer instead.

Hana M - 8 years ago

He had it, I think he would of made it but he keep going to the right straight into the lineup, he needed to stay between the to breaks not take on the break. Good attempt. I thought the same as John Sims "whereʻs the fishing poles" but I see you folks put them up pass the break not from shore. Happy for the video, those Kayakʻs did a good job not flipping sooner.

Desert Lake Striper - 8 years ago

This guy just got what we call in the kayaking world, a deep and brutal cheek pounding by the surf gods

Jon - 8 years ago

Did he died?

noli Wilson - 9 years ago

I always paddle out of the rip if there is one but these waves were massive

kross1957 - 9 years ago

I think these guys did a great job. Sometimes you can't win. When the waves are breaking that far out, timing has little to do with it. Yes, folks the fishing gear is there. If you can get it below deck for a surf launch, you do it, and they did. Nice work.

Fishing Rod - 9 years ago

Worst misleading tile attempt!
To me they are just hitting the waves as sport not they are trying to go fishing..

VTV SD - 9 years ago

The trick is, you have to paddle to beat!

Paul Whitelock - 9 years ago

Thats some pretty big surf. Good on him for giving it a go. Looks like great fun!

50. comment for Worst ever kayak surf launch attempt

John Sims - 9 years ago

getting out is the easy part....and they didn't even load up with fishing equipment!

James Stimpson - 5 years ago

They leave the kayaks out there then swim back to shore to get the fishing gear.

Tertius van Staden - 9 years ago

I paddle an EVO 495, although the Pro Fisha is a much faster ski.

Jasper Pons - 9 years ago

+John Sims yes i think you could. however most fish wont fit in the tube.

John Sims - 9 years ago

Cool. My yak does not have a hatch. I wonder if there is a way to make one from a PVC tube?

Tertius van Staden - 9 years ago

John, in South Africa we put our fishing gear in the hatch, yes we need hatches to put our gear and fish in because we do not live in protected waters like let's say Florida for arguments sake.

Malandro Camisa Preta - 9 years ago

Seria melhor buscar uma corrente de retorno...

Jonathan Gardner - 9 years ago

at 1:24, i saw that wave and knew he was going to be at square 1 again.

H. Lopez - 10 years ago

make me want to punch these chumps in the face cause they never launched!

Richard Thaxton - 10 years ago

No PFD, no helmet, poor timing, no brain! Great example of stupid and very lucky.

Zepsta - 5 years ago

THIS IS AFRICA!!!!!!

Chris acorn - 5 years ago

Wow, didn't realise they wern't wearing PFD!
Suicide!

B Hew - 6 years ago

I did think am I the only person who uses a PFD? I admit I dont use a helmet though. It looked like the tide was coming in with onshore winds, I think he would have just got washed up on the beach like a sea creature if it went wrong so I dont think it was as dangerous as it looks. I was really hoping he would actually bother to lean forward so he could bury that paddle past his toes and get a full stroke in. I wouldnt try it but part of me thinks I would have made it, though I am a kayaker rather than a fishermen.

Carlo Giovagnoli - 10 years ago

Beauuutiful performance and...movie!!

Jasper Pons - 10 years ago

Thanks! I dont think he thought his performance was beautiful - he actually vomitted afterwards from exhaustion!

henry segarra - 10 years ago

awesome kayaking guys!!

Heath Robertse - 10 years ago

hahahahhahaha are you for real?

Ian Robinson at IR-Photo-Tours - 10 years ago

wow, that was just insane even to try, that was clear to me right at the start it was going to be a fail to get out there. very entertaining though must say.

Sarasin Rattanasatian - 10 years ago

wow

Kristi Whitten - 10 years ago

Just the wrong kayak for the task at hand.

TP Shimmons - 10 years ago

Braver than I!

miamiwax - 10 years ago

and lower intestine/bladder workouts too! :)

gasgasadam - 10 years ago

best upper body workout he ever had i bet

jasper joyes - 11 years ago

True

tiredtridude - 11 years ago

I would have given up on fishing and pulled out the surfboard after the first attempt.

Laby 70 - 11 years ago

Wow!

Shoal Nervo - 11 years ago

That looked like it took an incredible amount of energy..props!

Shoal Nervo - 11 years ago

For glory!

Rakesh Perla - 11 years ago

thats a nice surf down there...would love 2 go for surfing ...!!

M1STERPYGMY - 11 years ago

only in this cocky adolescent youtube society could someone possibly call this a "fail." this was some real shit, perhaps imprudent, but very well attempted. not every tale gets a happy ending. i'da puked my fuggin guts out just from the dogged exertion.

gard saxon - 11 years ago

He needed someone on the shore - playing banjo.

raindogred - 11 years ago

He never turned around, he got smashed and flukily stayed upright for a while. He almost got out but that clean up set hammered him. lol..Yeah in Australia we have surf ski races in surf life saving. Guys get out in that all the time. fun to watch

Bob alloo - 11 years ago

need bigger, wider paddles. Those skinny ones don't have the thrust

sundogforlove - 11 years ago

I think you did better than most people could do. Keep up the videos

Andy Winter - 11 years ago

If you've ever tried this you'd respect the guy for getting as far as he did before that untimely big wave got him but he knew it was gunna get him so used it to get back in, brilliant piece of surfing on a non surfing/fishing yak ;) It takes a lot of strength to keep at it as long as he did, well done m8

Jasper Pons - 11 years ago

yes, it was fantastic! I wish i could find him in the viewfinder earlier so i could zoom in.

Catching Dinosaurs Fishing - 11 years ago

i bet man, i have been that way a few times but never fished from a kayak, gotta have some big ones for that :) water is warming up fast here in Texas i should be getting offshore by the end of next month again.. i like the style of kayaks yall are using, im paddling a cobra fish-n-dive, it is slow but massively stable, i have landed some big sharks over 400 pounds from it..

Jasper Pons - 11 years ago

come to south africa we often get 2.5 ft swell days and good fish!

Catching Dinosaurs Fishing - 11 years ago

i like my life too much to paddle into that..i stay in the bay unless the swells are under 2.5 feet..

Jasper Pons - 11 years ago

true. i personally have done my heroics, been out in surf like that. Its coming back in thats worse than going out . Nowdays i check the weather report and don't even get out of bed if its over 6 foot.

Catching Dinosaurs Fishing - 11 years ago

sorry man but some of those waves are almost 10 foot, people die all the time on far less crazy days, pick your days and dont paddle into any surf your not sure you can get back through..you will live longer..

Di Strachan - 11 years ago

That was great to watch. Nice filming. When he got lost in the waves it was amazing he turned and surfed in.

ThisGirlLoves2Fish - 11 years ago

He has some balls! I would give him a A as well!!

wrybread - 11 years ago

Tricky with the short-period wind swell sending waves every few seconds. I thought he did great, everyone gets sent back to the beach every now and again. And of course it always looks easy from the beach...

hzj79 - 11 years ago

not the worst attempt ever but more like one of the best

rusty keller - 11 years ago

WOW! I think getting out past the break could tire you out a wee bit?

Paul Barker - 11 years ago

Lol

Jasper Pons - 11 years ago

no optical illusion, its continous footage, i was filming. I lost sight of him so zoomed out, you can see him paddling into the wave and he gets turned around inside the wave (by accident!) and pops out surfing it back to shore. remember he is paddling a 4.5m long kayak!

kross1957 - 11 years ago

The guys who think it's easy should post their own videos. Not likely.

Dan Numbers - 11 years ago

We've seen in this video what an angled approach technique does. It doesn't work very well. I have no problem punching through 8 foot (or a little larger) surf with the technique I described. If you hit the surf leaning back though, it will flip you. Lean forward and paddle hard.

Jasper Pons - 11 years ago

he actually vommited on the beach from the effort!

Jasper Pons - 11 years ago

stealth performance products

Jasper Pons - 11 years ago

if you paddle straight at the waves, it tips you backwards over vertically, you do an "endo", thats why yu take them at a slight angle, no more than 30 degrees so it doesnt tip you over backwards. at 90 degrees you have no chance, it just rolls you over

Kevin Nguyen - 11 years ago

lol as an amateur kayaker i didnt see this as difficult just need more speedto get past the first two or three breaks

Jaime Sharp - 5 years ago

that's because you are an amateur! i have been paddling for over 24 years in technical rivers and surf and that launch looks hard! and when he did get past the first 3 break zones the outer one still got him.

cryder - 11 years ago

More like "A" for effort. Those waves are coming in fast and dumping right on shore. its hard to think even faster and get the boat settled and under power before the next one lands on your head. Good practice anyhow, and stones for heading out in it.

Jimmy D - 11 years ago

Thanx. It does transfer well.

Dan Numbers - 11 years ago

when busting out over the top of a wave, stay centered until the wave is under your body, THEN lean as far forward as possible and paddle like crazy to avoid back surfing. I should have clarified that in the earlier post. I do a lot of white water boating too, and the stuff you learn on the river transfers into the surf most of the time. Being patient and timing it so you paddle out between sets is a real energy saver.

Jimmy D - 11 years ago

Also seems if I mistime the wave & it's going to crash on me, instead of getting flipped bow over stern, i angle & lean in the wave so at least I don't flip although I get surfed back. When lucky,if high enough on wave ready 2 crash I can reach over the wave I pull myself over. Haven't found the technique 2 always get high enough. Is there one? Seems best to be patient in soup await right moment, although such moment doesn't always exist. Seems better at high tide, less break points.

Jimmy D - 11 years ago

Thanx. I didn't notice his slight angle. I do hit it straight on, I knew this from white water, where seams and other features will flip you if you hit em @ an angle. " lean as far forward as you can so that the wave" might be mis-interpreting .your instructions or maybe a white water kayak is different. If I'm forward while punching the wave, it catches my bow, sends me back, leaning backward raises my bow and I slip pass. soup = mess before the where it crashes? There I do lean forward.

100. comment for Worst ever kayak surf launch attempt

Dan Numbers - 11 years ago

My advice is: Paddle straight on into the waves (the guy in the video is at a slight angle a lot of the time), and time it so you're not paddling into the impact zone of a breaking wave. Also, once you punch through the soup, lean as far forward as you can so that the wave doesn't grab stern and send you back-surfing to the shore (like happened to the guy in the video). Lastly, start on the beach & let the incoming water carry you out. Going out into the surf and then trying to get on is futile.

Jaime Sharp - 5 years ago

in the scenario for this video, starting on the beach and letting a dumping surging wave sweep you side ways and suck you into the next shore dumper i do not believe is the best idea Dan.

Jimmy D - 11 years ago

So, what is he doing wrong? What do you do differentlyy I ask because now I live in Florida, this is what I do ( used to run white water CL4+). When the waves are 6ft, especially if they are coming in tight without sweet-spots, I am like this guy. Lucky for me, when this happens I get out by way of a inlet when it's out going. Then a 1/4 mile to 1/2 mile out, the waves are even bigger but those I can navigate because they break more gradual. Post a vid of your technique, Wanna learn fr ya

Jimmy D - 11 years ago

pyropagerik - 11 years ago

that or take a rip out - can't beat the motion of the ocean

Dan Numbers - 11 years ago

That looks like it was pretty mild surf. Only 2-4 foot faces on the waves. This is really more of a display of poor kayaking skills. I regularly launch through much bigger sets here on the Oregon coast so I can surf them in my 16 foot skin over frame kayak.

Gary Grzybek - 11 years ago

Those wave sets were just mean. Not a good day for any surf launch.

João Miguel Santos - 12 years ago

To rough

Tony Wright - 12 years ago

i need yall to come yak out my baits when it gets to rough here cause my little ocean frenzy wont make it over 6-7ft waves

Panama City Beach Vacations - 12 years ago

I am sorry but too funny! All that work and a no go... Just goes to show there is still some need of innovation needed for the kayaking fishing... But I give the A for attempt.

Katie Henthorn - 12 years ago

What kind (brand) of kayak is this guy using?

rusty keller - 12 years ago

That was cool! I hope he had an energy drink with him for after he got outside. That's the kind of surf that shipwreck survivors used to drown in while attempting to swim into the beach. With the right yak, just going in and out of the surf line would be a blast. I'm 62, and I wanna try it.

paddlesteam - 13 years ago

What was the music you put to the clip guys?

mitch mcmaster - 13 years ago

hey i dont know how you guys failed this so badly. with these kayaks and a bit of proper training this would be a breeze. i do this in australia with a 2.7m yak and fly through it mind you the short length helps turn pin point. and those waves arent big either practice and you will fly through that shit mate

Mike Manges - 13 years ago

I'm exhausted just watching that guy. I hope he had access to swim fins...crazy!

jimbojims - 13 years ago

gotta love that south african spirit of try anything! nice work

Michael Crumpton - 13 years ago

That guy has awesome skills and balance

nipzilla - 13 years ago

You ever watch the movie "Papillon" starring Steve McQueen? Based on the true story of Henri Charriere. wrongly convicted of murder in the 1930s and sentenced to life in a penal colony in French Guiana. Watch the part where he sat and studied the ocean waves to launch his home made raft to make his escape from the island prison. That movie clip may help you launch your kayak in the future.