B

Rick There has been only two times in my life that I have been rendered speechless. My NSPN going away party was one, this is the other. Truely from the heart. Love, B

Al I was going to write a holiday greeting and thank the gang for all that they do, but since you said it so well, I'll keep my trap shut. There's no place like NSPN! A safe and happy holiday season to all. Love to all, B

I'm here, whatever you decide! B

Well how about testing yourself in one of the countries most challenging races. The 42 mile San Juan Challenge is held every May in Anacortes WA. I'll provide support to any NSPN member that has the what it takes to make a go of it. I'll even find a fast boat for you if you want to give it a go. I'm 1.5 hours from the starting line. B

If you have come up with a way to provide a better way to secure the knees on a Romany I would be interested in seeing some pictures. Would a masik work? B

Hey Rog, Maybe we should formally petition for Rocky Mountain and Northwest branches. I'm sure you've built enough boats for guests by now. We just have to get a branch on the Lakes and members can spend their summers traveling between branches. It's pretty wild that NSPN is known far and wide. Not something we thought about when we formed the club. For those of you that don't know Roger, he is one of the founding fathers of NSPN. B

Hi Al Salamander Pro is a double ender - Short on the right and long on the left. I've had mine for 4 yrs and it's hasn't failed to deploy or fail me in any way. I did add small floats to the line to keep the Biners afloat, but no other mods. The con is that it doesn't reload quickly. I'm also carrying a WW pigtail on my vest these days in place of a short contact rig. That way I can release it quickly if needed. The other contact rig I couldn't. Northwater makes a good rig also, but I prefer the Salamander until they make some mods to the Northwater systems. B

Hi Al, I'm still paddling up hear in the Northwest in a wetsuit. The water here is 50 degrees year round althought the air temps this time of year average high 30s in the morning to low 50s in the afternoon. As for me, I found that if I keep a layer of polypro(Capaline)between my upper body and my wetsuit and then a layer of fleece over the wetsuit, and a paddling jacket over all, I am very comfortable for the conditions. It's when I don't layer the polypro against my skin that I do get chilled due to persperation. The points others have made about headwear, a full length wetsuit, and gloves are all great. A Breathable Drysuit is the most comfotable way to go. Just remember, the drysuit itself doesn't offer any insulation. It's just a shell. The layaring you do under it will take some experimentation to get right for your needs. Hydration or the lack of hydration might also be something to think about. I do get cold if I'm not properly hydrated. B

Saving the fish are one thing, but slowing you down is a task for only the greatest minds to accomplish. Leon, as much as I've paddled with you over the years I've only seen one speed. Maybe we should make you paddle with a broomstick. Perhaps a drouge or an anchor even. Is Jed keeping up with you yet? B

Who needs to get on the water when you can learn everything you need to know right here? Healthy discussion is good, but paddling is better. For me, working from home has lead to too much computer time along with too much time staring out the window at Puget Sound and dreaming. B

I thought the tone, writing style, and frequency of the posts were a bit unusual for for you; but who knew, the New England weather can make anyone crazy. An execution by paddle will be scheduled this w/e for the perp. B

He did 3 Star training with some of you on Mystic lake. I just got a note from him. He lives up here on Orcas Island. The East/West paddling gang is growing. Who was the NSPN member that moved out here to work at a traditional kayak building school? Somebody mentioned him to me when I was back east last summer. I found the school in Anacortes. B

November 13, 2003 Coast Guard: Lost logs headed for Oregon shore TILLAMOOK - The Coast Guard has a warning for residents and visitors along the Oregon coast after a load of logs broke free from a barge Tuesday night. Sometime Tuesday night, roughly 2,000 logs fell off a barge 100 miles southwest of Tillamook. The logs were wrapped in bundles of five, and each bundle weighs up to several tons. The logs are headed for the Oregon shore near Tillamook, but officials have no idea when the logs will reach the beach. ..... Anyone one up for a paddle in 20ft seas with this stuff floating around? B

Sanjay In San Francisco, in the summer, every day was 20-35 knot NW winds by 2pm with with 12+ ft swell on average and windwaves as high as 6-7ft outside the GGate. I used to paddle over to Sausalito from Berkeley in the morning and surf back across the Bay in the afternoon on 4-7 ft(tide dependent)wind waves. The Washington coast is much more like the NE in the summer. B

Add in team building and it sounds like what we were trying to do with NEA with the graduated skill building and application trips. Go back and look at the website files, Mike may have them, and you'll see that the philosophy for NEA was just that. Build the skills and THEN apply them as realistically as possible to conditions. From basic to advanced strokes/rescues,and tows under REAL conditions. Leaving the team of paddlers(students)to make all the decisions on their fate. Tom "towboat" Casey and crew, I'm sure, still remember the lessons of that day to the Isle of Shoals. I just wish we had heavier conditions. To this day, I'm seeing most paddlers new to seakayaking wanting to run before they can walk. I have a student in the WKC rolling session that doesn't even own a boat yet and he wants to learn how to roll. I'm sorry to be an ass about it, but he's getting hip snap development and bracing practice. When he gets good at that then I'll teach him to roll. I wish I could take him to the surf. The points made in this thread are on the money, I wish all newer paddlers would read the discussion. Time learning the limits of your boat and gear, along with application of learned, practice skills are a MUST for ALL paddlers. I know I had to go through a period of adjustment. Paddling the Explorer after paddling the GS for years was an eye opener. Thank you Ken for starting it. And thank you all for contributing to it. I've seen a few posts recently that have started folks thinking again. I hope they continue. Seakayaking as it is meant to be for most advanced paddling is a dangerous endeavour if not done with the right skills and partners. Just rambling as usual, B

Point taken in wholehearted agreement. B

Great points! I found myself thinking I was comfortable in East Coast storm conditions until I hit the west coast. Life on a very steep 15ft swell with a breaking 5 ft wind wave at the top was very scary at first. Having spent time alone in those conditions brought me to the realization that seakayaking, true seakayaking only happens when the paddler applies a full compliment of paddling skills. When you're alone in those conditions, bailing isn't an option. As many of the old guard will remember, I always pushed skills through boat control exercises as a coach and instructor. Too many folks never practice anything but forward stroke 99% of the time. To be a strong paddler takes not only TIME in the boat in conditions, but a full compliment of practiced strokes for those conditions. Skills, skills, skills! You've heard it before and I hope those of you that remember my teaching will take it up a notch and teach others to carry it on. B

Sorry for opening that can Jed. I forgot that the quote under your signature rings true for more than your boat being IN the water. Love, B

Jokingly, I responded to Sanjay's "Places to play" post with JL's experience of his semi loaded Pintail being blown by a gust of wind down a Rhode Island beach a few years ago. While attending a recent meeting of paddling types, one person had thrown their Brit boat onto his car and then proceeded to go and collect their gear without tying down their boat first. I quickly mentioned to this neophyte that he should throw a strap on the boat in case the wind came up. He response was "it's too heavy for the wind to bother". Within seconds of turning his back to retrieve his gear, a gust of wind came up from the boats stern and his boat was bouncing off of his hood and into the parking lot via an unlocked double set off Hully rollers. This also happened to one of NSPN original members years ago. His boat was on a static bar rack on his truck. Lesson: No matter how heavy your boat is tie it down when on the car. Whether the wind is present or not. B

Have some stuffing for me! I miss you all. B

Forecast for late weekend at Cape Flattery on the Western Washington coast. The Pummel at La Push(just down the road) is on Jan 11th & 12th. anyone interested? SW WIND 30 TO 40 KT. WIND WAVES 5 TO 7 FT. W SWELL 14 FT BUILDING TO 20 FT LATE IN THE AFTERNOON. SUN NIGHT W WIND 35 TO 45 KT. COMBINED SEAS 24 FEET. MON S WIND 30 TO 40 KT. COMBINED SEAS 24 FEET. TUE SW WIND 30 TO 40 KT. WIND WAVES 5 TO 7 FT. W SWELL 18 FT. Stay safe, B

Rolling boats happen even when loaded with 50lbs of gear. Ask John Leonard about his Pintail rolling down the beach in RI. And we thought being on the wrong side of a boat in the waves was dangerous. B

I think it's time for the NSPN band to make its debut performance!!!!!!! How about it Jed? Any other musicians out there?

Mark Knowing the skills of the folks that have responded to you, you have gotten the best advice, be it kind in some cases, available anywhere. I'd just like to add that there is no replacement for the most important thing, good judgment. You have already taken the most important step, asking the right questions from the right people. Now take the next steps, follow the advice you've found here. Join NSPN, by the right gear, and learn from these folks. I'll paddle with them anywhere. Stay safe, B

Not being one who gives his gear a great deal of care, my Kokatat GTX drysuit is going on 6 yrs. I rarely ever rinsed it after paddles. I wash it a couple of times a year using the non detergent "Tech wash" products along with my other GTX outerwear. After washing, I've retreated the suit using Nickwax products. Having latex seals you should not machine dry. I'll be picking up my suit from a Kokatat recommended professional repair facility (Rainy Pass Inc.)here in Seattle next week. I had all the seals and booties replaced, the seams retaped as needed, pressure tested for leaks, and cleaned and retreated. All for $150. We'll see if a professional does any better than I do at cleaning and retreating. I'll let you know how it turns out. Good Luck, B (former member of NSPN/Team Kokatat)