 | Green Dragons. White Horses. Ocean Moguls. The Worms of Dune. Downwinders are truly the spice of surfski, and once you’ve had a taste, you’ll want more. |
Downwind runs are point-to-point paddles undertaken in strong, favorable winds, where forward progress is driven as much by wave energy as by paddling effort. These routes depend on a specific alignment of wind direction, fetch, and safe access, and often only “work” under a narrow set of conditions.
In practice, downwind runs emerge organically within the surfski community as paddlers identify repeatable routes that consistently produce runnable conditions. The list below reflects downwind runs that are actively paddled in New England today. It is intentionally conservative and will continue to evolve as additional routes become established.
Massachusetts
Tinkers Run (MA): ~6 mi (≈10 km). Short coastal downwind frequently paddled in moderate conditions; often used as a training or weekday run.
North Shore Run (MA): ~6.5 mi. Stage Fort Park (Gloucester, MA) → Lynch Park (Beverly, MA). Inner-shore Cape Ann route that produces consistent downwind lines with favorable wind angles.
The Wally (MA): ~7.5 mi. Wollaston Beach (Quincy, MA) → The Gazebo (Hull, MA). Compact, high-quality downwind that works well with a west wind and incoming tide.
Uncatena Run (MA): ~11 mi. Buzzards Bay. A longer, more committing downwind across open water when conditions align.
Vermont
Lake Champlain Run (VT): ~15 mi. Charlotte, VT → Burlington, VT. Big-water freshwater downwind with long fetch and sustained bump lines in strong, consistent winds.
Maine
Casco Bay Run (ME): ~16.5 mi. South Portland, ME → Merepoint, ME. Island-dotted downwind combining semi-protected stretches with open-water exposure.
Notes
- Distances are approximate and condition-dependent.
- Routes are listed based on actual community usage, not theoretical possibilities.
- Detailed mini-guides (launches, wind matrices, hazards, shuttles) will be added over time.