David M

Jim, I'm a strong possibility.

I'm in.

Interested

Working on clearing my schedule.

Definite interest.

Looking at the hourly temps and forecasted diminishing winds, any reasonable later start works for me. 10am works here. ALSO suggest stressing BIB promptly at 10. No sense standing around and chilling.

Thanks for this Gary! I've used this brand with no complaints... They are available in a variety of sizes. Amazon.com : Gear Keeper Hammerhead Industries Net Retractors – Features Various Mounting Options with QC-II Split Ring Accessory – Ideal for Fly Fishing and Kayak Fishing - Made in USA : Diving Retractor Clips : Sports & Outdoors And the company site... Kayak Fishing » Gear Keeper Retractors by Hammerhead Industries

Thanks Rob. I'm in.

Just had another chance to try out a product I tripped across a few years back - Salt-Away. The product claims to safely remove salt from all surfaces... immediately, except when the salt is caked, or in my case close tolerance mechanisms such as zippers where it has taken a few applications and some wait time in between applications. My first experience was on a discontinued Keen water shoe that was my go-to favorite. I had neglected to properly rinse the zip at the end of last season, and it had seemingly fused. No amount of pulling, tugging paired with rinsing or WD 40 application had any effect. I remembered I had picked up a bottle of Salt-Away and decided to give it a go. Three applications over two days did the trick. The zip is now fully functional. My most recent experience was over the weekend with my Werner Cyprus paddle. Fixing to clean my paddle I attempted to separate the halves. It was not to be. Rinsing and prying finally resulted in a separation, but the button was hopelessly stuck. I imagined it to be sand. I rinsed it, soaked it and finally got a bit of movement. I again remembered the Salt-Away, gave it an ample spray and within 5 minutes, and tested again this morning, it was as good as new. Amazon.com: Salt-Away Salt Remover Spray - 16 Fl. oz. : Sports & Outdoors

Same here.

A big shout out to Robert for your service. Thanks to Sue for picking up the baton! And, to the other Directors, I am appreciative of all you do to keep us moving forward! With every best wish for your collective success!

Vlad, Neck gaskets are designed to be trimmed, if necessary. But in my opinion, careful stretching is a first step in the decision-making process. Importantly, take some days of stretching and testing to get it right. Don't do it on the eve of a paddle. Here's my approach: 1. Apply 303 to the inside and outside of the new gasket. It slides a bit easier over the skin and over the bleach bottle (see below). 2. Insert a plastic gallon jug carefully from the inside up through the neck, narrowest end first. 3. With the drysuit in a comfortable room temperature environment wait for 48 hours. 4. Try it on and see if there's any improvement. 5. Leave it on for an hour or so, as the gasket naturally wants to go back to its original size. 6. If its tolerable/comfortable consider putting the bottle in the neck over night before each paddle. 7. If it's not comfortable there are a variety of instructional videos on trimming the neck gasket. Here's a reference from the Kokatat site. I'd also post again here to pick up helpful hints. Good luck! trimming is not taboo! The neck gasket on your Kokatat dry suit is designed to be trimmed (Kokatat wrist gaskets are not designed this way). The neck gasket should fit tightly without being too constricting. If stretching the gasket over a form does not increase the comfort, trim the gasket one ring at a time until it is comfortable but does not allow water in when you are swimming (see gasket trimming instructions, trimming instructions start at 2:50). Consult your dealer or Kokatat customer service if you have any questions, and remember, cut once and test before cutting again!

I'm in.

Thanks Gary! This is a keeper. Happy Holidays All!

Not familiar with a sealant, but I have addressed the DWR (durable water repellency). See Kokatat and especially the Gore-Tex link. DWR deficiency can make one think there's a leak. Product Use & Care (kokatat.com) Outerwear Care Instructions | GORE-TEX Brand

Yes, you do! Forgot about that. For what it's worth, I've had to replace a couple of zipper pulls where the hole in the zipper pull was still intact. Found these work pretty well. Amazon.com: Zipper Solution - Jumbo (2 Ea) The Ultimate Fixer for Your Zipper If you thought something like these could work, a Google search turned up an infinite number of alternatives. Amazon.com: AXEN 60PCS Zipper Pulls, Premium Zipper Pull Replacement Zipper Tab Tags Cord Extension Fixer for Luggage, Backpacks, Jackets, Purses, Handbags (Black)

Mike, Have you come up with an alternative yet?

Dan, I just scanned some past repair orders. I've ordered and have been charged for water testing while having gaskets replaced. You mentioned the service plans. I own a number of Kokatat products and have found by putting all the items on a regular schedule of gasket replacement, purchasing an annual plan every 2-3 years has paid off.

Hey Fred. One item as I read back through the thread. Mike is right in recommending 3M 5200. It's a go to in the boating market. Although there are some caveats to its use. I was reminded of an experience within the past year when I watched, and minimally assisted a pro install a deck hatch and bulkhead on my P&H Virgo. There was a good deal of conversation on which sealant/adhesive to use connecting the hatch rim. While we settled on 3M, research on their flagship marine products 5200 and 4200 indicated one key difference. If you may ever have to access/remove/work on the area again the 4200 stood out. 5200 is so good as an adhesive there is a real challenge if you ever have to break/remove this "permanent" bond. Here's a brief summary of a comparison of the two products... Finally, concluding the comparison between 3M 4200 vs. 5200 depends on the specific situation in which you will consider using either of these adhesives. You can go with the 5200 adhesives if you need long-time connectivity, more hardness, durability, and excellent joining for parts under or above the waterline. But going with 4200 is also not bad as it provides faster curing with the latter dissembling of those joined parts. The epoxy putty referenced in the video is also an able product for the repair you're tackling. Many use it for covering the sharp, dry bag destroying screw tips left exposed when installing a deck compass on both plastic and composite boats. The best of luck with this.

I'll take one.

Wonderful change of pace paddle Jim. Thanks for organizing.

The state park registration system is still live... NH State Parks : Day-Use Reservations

I'm in

Suggesting a PPPO @ La Catrina in Ashland. Outdoor dining and pleasant temps.