Surf skiing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for surf skiing. The apparatus includes a pair of surf skis for attaching to each foot of a surf skier and using the force and momentum of a wave to propel the surf skier.

1 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A surf ski for surf skiing on a wave, whereby a surf ski is attached to each of a surf skier's feet, each surf ski comprising:
 a) a buoyant core;   b) an outer shell;   c) the outer shell having a length, a width and a thickness;   d) the outer shell having a top surface rounding to a bottom surface, edges between the top surface and the bottom surface, and a tip, a tail, a middle section and a rocker;   e) a binding mechanism structured and arranged to secure the surf skier's foot to the surf ski.   
     
     
         31 . The surf ski of  claim 30 , wherein the buoyant core comprises an inflatable bladder system. 
     
     
         32 . The surf ski of  claim 30 , further comprising a tail fin or rudder. 
     
     
         33 . The surf ski of  claim 30 , further comprising carving means. 
     
     
         34 . The surf ski of  claim 33 , wherein the carving means comprise the edges of the surf ski between the bottom surface and the top surface along the length of the surf ski. 
     
     
         35 . The surf ski of  claim 34 , further comprising an edge angle between 80 and 90 degrees. 
     
     
         36 . The surf ski of  claim 34 , further comprising an edge angle between 85 and 90 degrees. 
     
     
         37 . The surf ski of  claim 30 , wherein the buoyant core is selected to provide sufficient buoyancy. 
     
     
         38 . The surf ski of  claim 30 , wherein the buoyant core provides a buoyancy sufficient to allow the surf skier to gain an initial velocity to catch a wave. 
     
     
         39 . The surf ski of  claim 30 , wherein the buoyant core provides a buoyancy sufficient to allow the surf skier to float and move by the force and momentum of waves of a variety of sizes and at various speeds. 
     
     
         40 . The surf ski of  claim 30 , wherein the outer shell comprises fiberglass. 
     
     
         41 . The surf ski of  claim 30 , wherein the binding mechanism comprises a releasable binding mechanism. 
     
     
         42 . The surf ski of  claim 30 , wherein the binding mechanism comprises a rigid or semi-rigid nonreleasable binding mechanism. 
     
     
         43 . The surf ski of  claim 30 , wherein the buoyant core is a foam material. 
     
     
         44 . The surf ski of  claim 43 , wherein the binding mechanism attaches to a top surface of the surf ski. 
     
     
         45 . The surf ski of  claim 44 , wherein the binding mechanism comprises a soft nonreleasable binding mechanism. 
     
     
         46 . The surf ski of  claim 30 , wherein the binding mechanism comprises a sliding binding system allowing for paddling while in a prone position. 
     
     
         47 . The surf ski of  claim 46 , wherein the sliding binding system further comprises a sliding platform, which slides within the surf ski along the length of the surf ski between an upright position about the center of the surf ski, allowing a surf skier an upright stance and a prone position about the tail of the surf ski, allowing a surf skier a prone position. 
     
     
         48 . The surf ski of  claim 47 , further comprising one or more releasable locking mechanisms structured and arranged for locking the sliding platform in at least one of the upright position and the prone position. 
     
     
         49 . The surf ski of  claim 47 , wherein the binding mechanism further comprises:
 a binding toe end; and   a binding heel end,   wherein the binding mechanism is structured and arranged to:
 secure the binding toe end and the binding heel end on the sliding platform when in the upright position; and 
 pivotally secure the binding toe end and allow the binding heel end to pivot about the binding toe end when in the prone position. 
   
     
     
         50 . The surf ski of  claim 47 , wherein the surf ski further comprises a connection mechanism structured and arranged for releaseably connecting the pair of surf skis together to form a single unit. 
     
     
         51 . The surf ski of  claim 50 , wherein the connection mechanism is structured and arranged to release when the sliding platform is in the upright position.