Your opinion is not shared by the majority of ski paddlers. Surfskis are, as the name implies, aimed at open water swell and wave surfing and excel at downwind bump runs. The recent US Surfski Championship course ran out the Golden Gate, then turned and ran downwind across the Bay to Berkeley.

It is indeed skill intensive, but even a paddler with (very) modest skills can have a blast.

There is a great website dedicated to surfski paddling and racing, surfski.info. Check out some of the videos (look for Rambo's video of the US Champs).

: As for surfskis I have used them and raced them. They are fast
: boats, very lightweight, but they are in my opinion more suited
: to flatwater paddling.