ccarlson

Thanks for the info! I ended up getting a 2017 Highlander as the financial deal turned out to be better. Downside is that the rack mounts are fixed points and are fairly close together. I think they will work though with appropriate bow and stern tie-downs. Next challenge is getting the boat up that high... used to my Jetta wagon and this is WAY higher. Will be installing the Hullavator tomorrow! Thanks again.

Looking at potentially getting one of these previous-generation Highlanders but am somewhat concerned about the roof rails. They are short and offset a lot to the rear of the vehicle. Would result in a lot of overhang at the rear of the vehicle. Stupid design but, has anyone had any experience with this? Thanks!

If you would like an opinion from an extremely qualified physical therapist who specializes in non-surgical shoulder rehab, you may wish to contact James Kennedy at Anna Jaques Hospital PT department in Newburyport.

I had sailed for many years, beginning with renting daysailers,then buying a 21 footer and then a 28 footer. Loved it and spend many happy days on the water. Then, daughter grew up and had other interests, I got divorced, lost my job, no money, sold the sailboat, etc. Few years later, a neighbor in the condo complex I was renting in was out in front of her unit with this funny looking, skinny boat on top of her little car. I went over and asked about it. She said it was a sea kayak. I said, "you really take that little thing out on the sea?" She said that she did only on occasion but used it a lot on lakes, rivers, etc. as well. As an avid cyclist, I thought, hmmm, upper body exercise and being on the water... how bad could that be? So, I found a couple of places that did kayak day tours and availed myself of a few of those during the summer. I loved it! Then, having secured employment and having a couple of spare bucks, I decided that I needed to take a winter vacation somewhere warm. Wonder if one can kayak somewhere warm? Yup, found week-long sea kayak "adventures" In Baja that sounded like fun. So, made my arrangements and jetted off to Baja for 9 days camping on an island in the Sea of Cortez with kayaking every day (and some lovely young... oh, never mind). That did it. The following Spring, I bought a kayak and took a couple of lessons. Somewhere in my travels I managed to meet up with Bob Burnett and his motley crue of paddlers... think it was an email list of some sort. Spent many great days on the water with that group that ultimately became NSPN. Having Bob and guys like Jed Luby as a mentors/friends/motivators really cemented my love of the sport and provided me with the foundation to be a "real" paddler. Injuries (not kayak related) have kept me away from paddling for a couple of years but, I will be back :-)

Great day on the water! Thanks for instigating :-)

When I carry a GPS on my kayak, it's always just a backup to map and compass. Electronic devices, especially in a hostile environment, are subject to failure for a multitude of reasons. That's enough for me not to trust my life to them. I do sometimes use one as a trip computer to track my miles, speed, time paddled, etc. It's a simple wrist-mounted one with no maps. It will, however, give me coordinates which, should I find myself lost, confused, or in thick fog, will enable me to find my location on a chart and then plot my desired course. In terms of personal experience, I did have a previous wrist-mounted unit fail due to water intrusion into the battery compartment. My current one has run out of battery power (rechargeable). My vehicle GPS has been very reliable in terms of the hardware. But, as others have pointed out, navigation is often not optimized and is sometimes grossly incorrect. Knowing where one is going and how to get there is still essential though the GPS is, indeed, a worthy and valuable backup/assistant.

I'm interested... Need to paddle. Will watch for updates. Thanks! Carl

Can't make this one but look forward to another time! Have fun!

Ah, bummer... wish I'd seen this post yesterday! Oh well, next time. Hope you all had a fun day!

I don't have a skeg cable but thinking something like graphite (lock-ease or similar) might provide lubrication without stickiness?

Peter... Lisa and I shall join you on Sunday. I am in the process of learning to paddle again so will appreciate any and all tips.

Kittery town dock launch ramp. I think they get $3 or something like that if the harbormaster is around. Oops... sorry, you said NH side. This one probably better for the Gerrish circumnav

Tom... you may want to go out (with a group of folks) in some 3 foot wind chop and try your cowboy scramble. Not saying you can't do it but you should be aware of how things change when conditions are less than benign. It's also always a good idea to have a Plan B just in case Plan A is a no-go. Check out whichever skills/practice sessions are posted and see what some other folks find to be useful and workable self-rescue methods. Have fun and be safe out there! Carl

Bill Zeller who used to run Country Canoeist in Dunbarton, NH, was a JP at least at one time. Don't know how to reach him though. Lives in Dunbarton, NH. And Congratulations to you both!

Barry... yes, that has been my experience exactly. During a particularly rough water race day, the skipper went forward and left me on the helm. I was fine the rest of the day (and we won to boot :-) ) so I really believe that being busy and/or having some sense of control seems to make a real difference.