rpg51

Thanks Prudence. Hope you are well. I have his number. I am happy to report that i will be retired effective January 3. Not a minute too soon.

I have what I think is a minor gel coat repair job on a P&H Aires. Need to find someone who can do a good job. Its on the white portion of the hull. I don't think it damaged anything but the gelcoat but not 100% sure. Need to be sure that the cloth was not damaged and do whatever repairs are called for. I'm in Vermont but I will travel to get the canoe to a capable person. The kayak is othewise in excellent condition and fairly new.

Absent any other more elegant solutions - I may give this harness a try: https://rickyoungoutdoors.com/basic-ultra-light-bino-harness/

Young persons game.

I frequently carry my waterproof binos around my neck with a fairly short strap while paddling a kayak or canoe. I use them a lot for navigation and to see wildlife etc. I wear one of two pdfs. One is a standard kayaking type pdf vest. The other is one of the minimalist inflatable horseshoe type that sailors often use. It depend on the situation I am in. Warm calm protected water? I use the inflatable. Cold. rough, exposed? Vest. I find that the binos bounce around a lot when using just a strap. Have any of you sorted out a way to use a harness of some sort to hold binos over your pdf, close to your chest and ready for use, without a lot of bouncing around?

A tarp might be a good addition.

Is this still for sale?

i pulled off the braces on this 150. I cut off the saw tooth ends on the back band straps, and looped the remaining strap through the black metal loop/guide that is bolted to the front seat bolts. I used a plastic strap gizmo to form the loop. It works very well. I ordered a replacement set of back band straps with the saw tooth ratchet gizmos so I can put the boat back to stock if I ever sell it or decide to go back to the stock braces (not likely). My wife finds this set up is far more comfortable than the whitewater style thigh grips. Jonathan - I thought you replaced the combing to a Cetus combing in your Aries - no? Anyway, could you post a picture of the thigh brace padding you have in place? I might try to glue some thin padding to boat in the thigh brace area. Not sure.

Thanks for the good advice folks.

That orbit looks nice. I'm not sure my wife would like it, but I'm intrigued. Worth considering for sure. It would be nice to hear from a few paddlers of the female persuasion.

My wife needs a new PFD for sea kayaking and canoeing. She is not interested in tons of pockets etc. She does not carry a lot of gear. One or two pockets is sufficient. She just wants something well made, and comfortable.

Is it possible to remove the white water style thigh grips, and add some simple padding similar to a typical sea kayak? Perhaps attach the back band straps with stainless bolts/washers through the side of plastic seat frame similar to the way my Aries is set up from the factory, with the Cetus style coming and thigh braces.? I'm trying to make the boat a little more roomy in that area for someone moving from rec kayak to sea kayak for the first time. I want to be able to put it back to original in the future, and it seems that should be doable. I am just a little worried about whether the boat will have enough of a thigh grip without the white water grips in place. But, she really does not need a ton of thigh bracing at her level right now anyway, and it seems this would make the entire experience a bit more relaxed for her, which will likely pay dividends down the road. At least that's my theory at the present moment. Edit: after watching this (see link below) I am more convinced that she does not need thigh bracing at all right now - maybe down the road, but not yet. Agree? Comfort v. Aggressive Bracing for new sea kayak paddler just starting out. Rob G.

Thanks. I'm thinking of zip tying my foam blocks to my crossbars and I'll try these ideas out. Sounds like we are struggling with the exact same issues. I've been carrying a small step stool which helps when tying off etc. I keep looking at trailers. But, the good ones are very expensive and they are a PIA when parking and to store etc. Plus, you have deal with registration and insurance, keeping the lights working, poor visibility, etc. I really don't want to go that route if I can avoid it. The title of this thread should be changed to "Geriatric Car Topping Woes."

I like it! I'll give it a try tomorrow. Maybe lay a towel over each bed rail, push the boat on the rails, climb in the bed and lift it onto the rack. Sounds like a darn good idea to me. Thanks. Have you figured out a way to attach the foam blocks to the rack cross bars so they stay put if you slide the kayak on them?

After a life time of car topping and truck topping with every configuration known to man I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that unless I come up with another way I am going to have to start using a trailer in my old age. I don't want to do it. Trailers are a PIA to store and futz around with. I like to use my full size pick up for trips for a whole host of reasons. My habit now is to clamp two "Spring Creek" racks on the open bad and I use simple shaped foam blocks on the cross bars. It works well. But, I am really struggling to get my boats up on the racks. Especially when I am alone, but lately even when my wife is along to help. Given how high the rack is, I think my only option is to find a way to load from behind, placing the bow up on the rear rack with the stern on a pad on the ground. Then lift rear and push the kayak up onto both racks. I can barely reach the bottom of the hull when it is up on the racks, but I would not be opposed to using a small step stool as long as I don't have to have the full weight of the boat while standing on the step. Is there a cradle, saddle, or similar item that will enable the kayak to slide easily as I push it along? Any good ideas? Is there a way to slide it up on some sort of cradles without destroying the hull? I am using composite boats so some care needs to be taken not to destroy the hull.

Another loosely related issue that the folks who do the kind of trips I tend to do debate, is whether to carry a firearm. My feeling on that topic is that my trip mates would be at greater risk from me with a firearm in my hands, than they are from the grizzly bears.

I guess you guys trust the devices more than I do. They have failed in my hands so I never really trust them. In my opinion, if you are paddling into an area using GPS knowing that you do not have the navigational skills to get back out if your GPS dies, you are taking a risk that I would not take. But that is just my personal risk benefit analysis. I suspect most folks here have the navigational skills, so in that case I agree its not an issue and the GPS is a big convenience, which is why I carry one. I just think people need to understand that they need the skills - they should not place their trust in the gizmos. And yes, I do agree for the experienced paddler its all about risk benefit analysis. The real problem I worry about is inexperienced paddlers that can't do a proper risk benefit analysis because they do not have the knowledge required to perceive the risks. They only perceive the benefits. The gizmos can give them a false sense of security and they can get into real trouble. In the end we have personal responsibility for the risks we take. Many of the folks that are buying a rec kayak and a gps have no clue of the risks associated with paddling out to that island a mile off shore. I think the regular participants here at this forum understand the risks. I'm pretty sure a lot of other people don't. That is what worries me. I think I'm starting to repeat myself. Could be a sign of advancing age!

Sometimes if the wind is a high pressure wind, it will die off at night. If there is a moon, you can make some miles. Sounds like a great trip. I've never paddled in that area but I hope to one day.

I love the Allagash. Although the bugs can be bad, late May - June is a good time for the trip as far as water levels go. Also, one of the wonderful things about the Allagash is that the full trip is a lovely combination of river travel and lake travel. Try a put in at Chamberlain Bridge, and spend several days on the big lakes at the start of the trip, (Chamberlain and Eagle). Gorgeous.

In my opinion, these devices are wonderful things in many ways. But, they have a tendency to insulate folks emotionally from the reality, which is that no matter the skill level or technology available, these activities we all engage in are very dangerous. If we forget that reality, we are likely to make bad decisions. We reduce the dangers with skill development, experience, judgment, electronic devices, etc. But, the dangers remain and they are quite real. We should never think otherwise. We are literally risking our lives, and we should not pretend otherwise. Of course, we risk our lives every day just driving to work. I get that. Everything we do involves a conscious or unconscious risk-benefit analysis. I often tell my wife that in my opinion, the risks of driving to Boston and back on the interstate highway is greater than the risk of being mauled by a grizzly bear in the Northwest Territories, (of course I have no statistics to actually back that statement up :)) So, like many of you, I choose to take these risks because in my opinion the benefits are huge. But, I don't pretend there is not serious risk out there. I hate being a wet blanket, but I think this needs to be said. Lots of folks with minimal experience will read these pages and I think we do them a terrible disservice if we are not open and honest about both the joys and benefits AND the very serious risks. The problem is that to the average person the risks are not obvious. That is why so many inexperienced folks get themselves into trouble paddling, It is not because they are stupid or thoughtless, it is because the severity of the risk is not obvious to the ordinary person. We just need to remember that electronic devices can and do fail. So don't take risks with a device, that you are not prepared to take without the device.

I carry a small PLB in my PFD all the time. I paddle fairly often in areas where the only option for contact is sat phone, inReach, and PLB. We try to have one device in each boat. Having these devices does take a bit of the wild out of the wilderness experience. It was not that long ago when none of this existed, and when you went out on the land/sea you were completely out of contact. It definitely is a different experience to be completely without contact. I also think that some of these devices may introduce a bit of danger into wilderness trips because they give folks who's skills might not be 100% up to snuff a false sense of security. I include GPS in that comment. You really must be able to navigate without GPS, because those units can and do fail. Again, I use a GPS, but I do not let myself get in any situations where I would be in trouble if it were to fail. I have mixed feelings about carrying all this stuff. But, in the end, I carry, mostly because it makes my family members feel better when I am on a trip. Another reason I carry is because I have to acknowledge I'm no spring chicken and the chance of a medical event having nothing to do with my wilderness skills is much higher now than it was years ago. My family has been very supportive of my trips over the years and the least I can do is to carry a small device if it makes them feel more comfortable. I do draw the line at requests for daily check ins. My problem with that is that if the device fails and the check in does not come it will send my spouse into a panic for no reason. Our agreement is that no news is good news.

If you are using a tonneau cover you need to check with the rack maker to see if there is a way to attach that rack with the cover in place. My answer is to keep things simple, ditch the tonneau in the summer, and leave the bed open to the elements. Works for me. The other way, as shown in pic above, is to attach cross bars to a truck cap. A lot of people do it that way. But, these spring creek racks I have are excellent if they will work for you. You should speak with them before placing your order to make sure you get the right configuration for your circumstances. Upside down on cross bars with foam is the way to go in my opinion. Simple and cheap and effective. The pics below show my old version used with tripping canoes, (Prudence will be pleased to see the beat to cr**p condition of my truck and canoes which have all been to hell and back to carry myself and my buddies into some of the most beautiful places in New England and Canada). I use an open truck bed because all my gear is waterproofed anyway and the tonneau or cap just gets in the way. The pic shows a rack in the bed and a rack clipped to the cab. I ditched the rack clipped to the cab last year and now I use to racks attached to the bed rails. 051913_7521.JPG.pdf

I know this is a very old thread, but, since it has been recently updated I want to share my experience. Like many of you all I have been using tarps on trips for a very long time. I've used pretty much everything out there. Some years ago I discovered Cooke Custom Sewing, (mentioned above). The tarps made by CCS are BY FAR the best tarps I have ever used. They are not cheap. They last. They are extremely well made by a guy who knows the very heavy use we all put these tarps too. How does he know? He knows because he is an avid paddler and he has a very substantial amount of experience in all conditions. The CCS tarps are available in wide range of dimensions and I believe he will do custom work as well, but you won't need it. The best of the CCS tarps pack down into a VERY SMALL package and they are VERY light. For what its worth, my experience is that a rectangular tarp is far more versatile then a non rectangular tarp. But, I know some see that differently. Using a rectangular tarp gives you almost unlimited options for pitching.

Ok, thanks folks. This sounds like a go. We just need to be careful.

Is there decent protected water paddling to be done around So. Bristol? My wife and I have a bead on a vacation rental in So. Bristol. We are very familiar with the paddling around Georgetown, Deer Isle, and the areas down from Bath. We like that area a great deal. Not so familiar with So. Bristol. Anyone familiar with the paddling in that area? We are looking for protected water, not open ocean.