Paddle sports enthusiast turns surf kayaking into his work.

It’s easy to spot Mathew Hoff’s ride, a small silver sedan with two kayaks, one bulging from the passenger window and another strapped to the top of the car. The 27-year-old Seaside resident has acquired an instinct to be prepared to surf the waves – not by surfboard, but by kayak. He carries a surf kayak or two wherever he goes, even when he’s traveling abroad.

Hoff caught his first wave in 2008 at age 20 during a beginner class in Moss Landing. Soon after that, he started an entry-level job as a sea kayaking tour guide in Monterey, and Hoff quickly realized he had a passion for the sport. He’s since competed in Spain, Australia, Costa Rica and New Zealand, and next heads to Ireland in 2017.

Today, Hoff dedicates almost all of his free time to paddle sports. When he’s not leading kayak tours for Kayak Connection through the Elkhorn Slough, Hoff is competing in the international circuit for surf kayaking or busy coordinating the largest and longest-running surf kayaking competition in the world. He expects more than 200 competitors and 5,000 spectators to attend this year’s Paddlefest in Santa Cruz, which happens March 17-20.

Weekly: Is there bad blood between surf boarders and surf kayakers?

Hoff: The bad blood was earned in the past. Surf kayaks have come a long way. They started out as river boats and the river boats didn’t have the same features as they do now, so the control aspect was not quite there. Things have gotten a lot better between the two groups, but even if I am the only guy out in the lineup, I am going to be playing by the rules. Surf etiquette is something I focus heavily on, especially when I am teaching, making sure everyone is playing nice. There are a lot of little nitpicky things that surfboarders will get irritated about. You just do your best to play by the surfboarders’ rules.

Explain what goes through your mind when you are out in the water.

Surfing is a huge stress reliever for me. I’m able to get out there and everything melts away; it’s just me and the ocean at that point. It’s really about me out there reacting and planning in accordance to the environment and nothing else. Some days, if I’m training, I will be out there pushing myself. Other days I am out there for fun, but it all really matters on what type of waves the ocean provides.

Is there a difference in difficulty between surfboarding and surf kayaking?

I have actually never surfed on a surfboard. As far as I understand, surfboarding requires one to be in good physical shape.

Surf kayaking is a bit more accessible, although there is a steep learning curve when learning how to roll yourself back upright. Once you’ve got that, your athleticism will just dictate what type of waves you take and how large a wave you can catch.

So you don’t need to be very athletic to do surf kayaking?

Athleticism will help you be a good surf kayaker, but even if you’re not terribly athletic, it will still be very accessible. I don’t mean to downplay it, because seeing what some of the guys do out there in surf boats is insane.

Tell me about leading international visitors on kayak tours. How does it work with a language barrier?

Most groups speak and understand a little bit of English, and if they don’t they usually bring a translator. Elkhorn Slough tours have so much wildlife that it’s hard for someone not to enjoy themselves. I’m just there to make sure the group has a good time and doesn’t get into trouble.

You’ve been able to compete all over the world. Does traveling ever get stressful?

It’s one of the main reasons I compete, because it gives me the ability to travel. I’m part of the U.S. team, which supports me throughout my travels.

I’ve also started to become a professional at traveling. I’ve learned that my kayak must be completely dry before I get to the airport, and if I don’t have any room left for carry-ons, I can wear my helmet on the plane which only draws a couple of confused looks.