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mattdrayer

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Everything posted by mattdrayer

  1. I'm excited to attend! I am planning to get there around 5:30ish and will bring cut vegetables + hummus. Matt
  2. Hello everyone! Save the date! Mark your calendars! The North Shore Surfski Community will once again be hosting our end-of-season celebration on Tuesday, September 12th from 6pm-8pm at Old Planters Brewing Company (232 Rantoul Street, Beverly Massachusetts). We'll have some pizza, tell some stories, hand out some awards and swag, and (for those inclined) consume a tasty craft brew or two. Friends, partners, and kids are all welcome! Please RSVP via Eventbrite so we know how much food to order -- here is the link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2023-north-shore-surfski-community-celebration-tickets-694823725467 Hope to see you there! Best, Matt
  3. Agreed Joe we had a great time! Couldn’t have asked for a better day to be on the water, it was just gorgeous out there. Matt
  4. The 2023 Blackburn Challenge is a wrap, and my summer paddling schedule is now 100% focused on messing about with friends and surfskis and wing paddles -- ping me via direct message if you'd like to get together for a session! In addition I'm still up for doing an NSPN Intro to Surfski workshop on a Saturday or Sunday morning or afternoon -- if you'd like to see that happen, let's do it! Matt
  5. I haven't paddled the Epic 18X, so I can't really comment on how it handles in any sort of conditions. I do know that it is a Fast Sea Kayak design intended for touring/expedition use, among other things. I know some NSPN members have/had one so you might search the forum archive for pertinent threads. Best, Matt
  6. Oh man and here I am now realizing this thread is already about wing paddles and not the surfski sessions thread — haha juggling too many threads on too many forums I guess. Matt
  7. Sounds like a good topic for a separate discussion thread — let’s keep this one about the surfski sessions.
  8. Correct the lengths are adjustable. Epic offers two standard shaft length options: 205-215cm and 210-220cm. I have the 205-215cm version and I usually set it to approximately 210cm, give or take ~1cm — I’m 6’1”. Proper length is paddler-specific and depends on several factors, which we cover in the session @Paul Sylvester the larger wing blade sizes are normally used by K1 sprinters. The increase in force generated by a larger blade size is not linear and places a substantial amount of strain on one’s joints. Not saying you shouldn’t get one but I’ve been pretty happy (and fast!) with the mid size for a decade at this point. Matt
  9. I recommend posting a WTB message in the classifieds section. Used Epic small-mids seem to be difficult to come by right now, maybe because everyone loves them. As far as wing paddles being better for your shoulders — it’s less about the shape of the paddle and more about the paddlers form. Touring paddles aren’t necessarily worse for your shoulders. I recommend watching Ivan Lawler’s excellent MasterClass video for more on this: Best, Matt
  10. Hello NSPN members! Is winter done? The calendar says so, but the weather forecast says "not so fast" Either way, I'm pretty excited about the idea of thawing-out my surfski and getting back on the water soon. I'm happy to continue with our now multi-year tradition of putting on a free Intro to Surfski workshop at some point this summer. Late July or early August seems to work best for this. It would be great if I could work with someone to organize the session, which typically goes 9am-12pm on a Saturday morning. Let me know if you'd like to help make it go! In addition, I am continuing this year with my free 1:1 coaching sessions for any NSPN members interested in learning more about surfskis. I have an extra Epic V8 and a wing paddle, and I also have this sweet Epic V10 Double Let's have some fun this summer! Matt
  11. I’ve worked for edX since 2014 — PredictionX is a popular course that has received a lot of positive feedback, although I haven’t gone through it myself yet. Definitely a good one to flip through for free even if you don’t want to pay for the full certificate track! Matt
  12. Here is the AWSC's online White Shark Logbook -- it's a nice addition to their Sharktivity mobile app.
  13. I often joke with my friends and family (particularly my mom) that I'm never concerned about sharks because I can easily look on the shark tracker apps and see exactly where they all are A shark was spotted near Nahant Beach earlier this week -- when a friend asked me if it was the shark I saw, I responded that I wasn't sure, because there are so many around here it is hard to tell . I connected with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy a few years ago to see about having an acoustic buoy placed somewhere in Nahant Bay. There is one located just off Marblehead, and I'm looking forward to seeing the list of pings when it is pulled. The cost to provision and deploy a buoy seemed relatively reasonable (~$2500). It might be fun to see GWS activity in Nahant Bay...or maybe it wouldn't be fun at all and maybe it's better just to not know. Welp, time to hit the water again! Matt
  14. Last Thursday evening I was about 1/2mi off of Swampscott doing one of my standard 10k out-and-back courses in the Epic V12. I heard a wooshing sound to my left and was able to turn my head quickly enough to see a 7-8ft shark about 25 yards away falling back down into the water after having breached. Its dorsal coloring was a dark charcoal and abdominal coloring a beautiful silvery white. I'm almost positive it was a juvenile GWS, although it could have been an adult mako or a very large thresher. I don't believe it was a thresher although admittedly I didn't get a good look at the tail. I slowed my paddling and said "Holy &@#$ did that just happen?!!" -- can't stop in the V12 without getting wobbly and hanging my legs over the sides for stability -- definitely didn't want to do that! About 30 seconds later I cruised through a school of baitfish, and so I'm presuming that I surprised it with my surfski in the middle of its dinner. At that point I had to decide if I should turn around or keep going out, figured the odds were in my favor so I decided to keep going ? I did see similar a couple years ago while standing on the beach at Sandy Point State Reservation -- a shark about the same size jumped several feet straight up out of the water, same coloring and everything. Similar behavior to what I observed: Matt!
  15. The main questions to answer when it comes to getting into ocean kayaking are 1) What is your overall goal, 2) What is your budget, 3) How much time will you realistically will be spending in your boat, and 4) What time(s) of year you will likely be on/in the water. Matt
  16. NORTH SHORE SURFSKI COMMUNITY: UPCOMING EVENTS! TUESDAY, AUGUST 23rd: Salem League Series Race #14 Head on over to Lynch Park at 6pm on Tuesday, 8/23 for the penultimate race of the 2022 season! Experience all of the beauty, adventure, and Fame that Salem Sound has to offer. Not interested in racing? Take a spin around Beverly Harbor then hang with the gang post-race. 6:30pm start. Cost is free! [info] SATURDAY, AUGUST 27th: 2022 Nahant Bay Race Back by popular demand, the 2022 Nahant Bay Race takes place on Saturday, August 27 at Fishermans Beach In Swampscott. Cost for this excellent open water adventure is free! Open to surfskis, sea kayaks, and outrigger canoes. Registration starts at 8am. Captains meeting / course determination at 9:30am. Race starts at 10am. Apres-race food and drinks provided. Did we mention it's free?!! [info] TUESDAY, AUGUST 30th: Salem League Series Race #15 Last opportunity for league racers to score points and improve season (and lifetime) standings! Can you handle the heat of this surfski kitchen? Will the rankings boil down to the final race once again? Shall you lay the final place setting? Enough metaphors, show and go! 6:30pm race start. Cost: FREE. Bragging Rights: Priceless. [info] SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11th: 2022 Great Stone Dam Classic Great race for a great cause! The 12th Canoe, kayak, and SUP race on the Merrimack River in Lawrence, Massachusetts. On-site registration only; 9:00am. First Start: 11:00a,m, 8.6mi Racing Course, 3.5mi Recreational Course, 1k Kids Course. Cost $25; Youth 12 and under $5. Get $5 off your registration if you bring non-perishable food to benefit the Merrimack Valley Food Bank [info] TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13th: NSSC Season Celebration Come to Beverly's Old Planters Brewing Company on Tuesday, September 13th at 6pm to hang out, tell stories, and celebrate the 2022 season with your fellow North Shore Surfski Community members! Pizza and salad provided, brews are on you, some swag and an award will be handed out (or two!) Please RSVP via the linked link to ensure we order enough food for everyone -- guests/kids welcome!! [info] Matt
  17. Spied this post just now on Craigslist -- it's a good price for a V8 Pro ski. The "Performance" layup (black bow/stern) is slightly heavier but considerably more robust than the Ultra layup (red bow/stern). I have a V12 in Performance layup and have been very happy with it. https://westernmass.craigslist.org/boa/d/tilton-epic-v8pro-surfski-kayak/7507650348.html Matt
  18. It's always an option until I put the skis away for the season! (usually early October) Matt
  19. And a good time was had by all! We learned about surfskis and related equipment/kit, experienced the satisfying feeling of a perfect wing paddle stroke, mounted our skis in shallow and deep water, and whooped for joy while gliding smoothly and effortlessly across the water, picking up a few waves on the way back from some generous boaters returning to the harbor. Truly a great morning! For those of you who were unable to attend, please feel free to PM me any time and we can schedule a free 1:1 session. I've got an extra ski, paddle, PFD, and plenty of vacation time, so what are you waiting for . Matt
  20. The private discussion thread has been started. If you are not currently on the thread, I am not expecting you to attend tomorrow's session. If you would like to attend you may post here or send me a direct message and I will add you to the private thread. Matt
  21. Reminder that tomorrow (Friday 7/15) I will start a private group thread for participants in Saturday’s surfski workshop. To join the group you may indicate your interest by posting in this thread or sending me a direct message. Matt
  22. Sounds good @Raymond Allen! I see from earlier in the thread you have your own ski + paddle, which is great. So far it's just you and me, which means you get a morning of free 1:1 surfski coaching unless some other club members want to take advantage of this amazing opportunity I will start up a private message thread on Friday 7/15 for participants -- until then everyone should feel free to ask questions, etc. on this open thread. Matt
  23. I'm now available only on the morning of Saturday, July 16th, so that will be the date of our Intro to Surfski session. Please let me know if you are able to attend and we can start up a new private thread for the group to work out logistics and answer questions. Matt
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