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Barbara Ryan

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Everything posted by Barbara Ryan

  1. Yes! What amazing adventures they have shared! If I hadn’t more recently bought my Cetus (and Avocet) LVs. Beautiful boat! Thanks for the head’s up Jim!
  2. Having learned that Beverly and Beverly Farms are not the same, is our location: Beverly Public Library 24 Vine St, Beverly, MA 01915, United States ?
  3. I would love to attend! Thanks Bob! Barb
  4. I'm not going to make it either. Thanks for planning this Jim.
  5. Having the same issue the last paddle pulling my loop forward far enough to get the skirt off of my Cetus in one or two tries, I just ordered 2 of these plastic levers (thanks for the link Mike) and will report back on how well they work. https://www.seaflowdesigns.com/shop?store-page=SPRAY-DECK-EASY-RELEASE-S-M-L-Universal-p461090236
  6. Thanks Deb and Chris. The device Mike H found to sort of quickly "pry" the skirt forward and up sounds interesting. Haven't heard from the supplier yet about the different sizes so need to try another supplier. In the meantime I see lots of golf practice "whiffle" balls online so I may try one.
  7. Piggybacking on Jody's and Prudence's posts: BIG THANKS to Sue and to Everyone who made this a wonderful evening of good friends and a bountiful spread of scrumptious goodies. (Joe's pie was not only delicious, it was a work of art! 🤩) Thanks to Mike for keeping our finances and website straight.
  8. Jody, Susan and I are carpooling after an Acton Conservation Trust activity so won’t be able to get there early probably but are happy to stay and help clean up.
  9. Is this the Osprey Bladder you bought Joe? https://www.rei.com/product/233342/osprey-hydraulics-lt-reservoir-15-liters I need new one having poked a hole in my Camel Back recently. Oops!
  10. Ugh! I feel you pain too having left my Werner carbon Kauai paddle never to be seen again. Also, my best ever snap dragon skirt. Sigh! So much to keep track of. You are not alone. We will keep a lookout for sure and fingers crossed. You never know.
  11. Hi Sue and friends! I am coming to the party and don't see a place to indicate what I will be bringing for the potluck. At this time I plan to bring "crunchy Asian Salad" but can adjust if we need more desserts or whatever helps to balance the offerings. Thanks for planning this Sue and looking forward to hanging out with everyone. Happy Day! Barb
  12. Mike, that Sea Flow Easy Release device is really interesting! Makes sense if pulling up on it automatically pulls the loop farther forward of the coaming overhang. Of course Amazon doesn't carry it. I have sent an email to the Canoe Centre asking what needs to be measured to decide what size device to order. https://www.canoecentre.ie/en-us/products/sea-flow-spray-deck-easy-release?contact_posted=true#product-request-form We shall see. Thanks for that info.
  13. Yes! Thanks for everyone's sharings! I hadn't thought about what a difference the gloves and pogies make either! I also need to practice with them on. With my rainbow zipper I don't see me getting out of my skirt as part of a plan. I'll stick to practicing getting my skirt off!! Maybe one of our warmer day but in drysuits paddles we can go over and share the various ways to exit and even practice them while upright in our boats together to talk about differences we notice.
  14. Thanks Karen! I look forward to seeing you in you new Qcc700X! And another great cautionary tale Bill. So many factors and unforeseen conditions can happen. Sounds like best to have a couple of tried and true exits. My Seals does have little loops on the side but I tried grabbing and using them to release the skirt yesterday to no avail. I wonder how they are meant to be used? Maybe I should attach a band connecting 2 of those side loops, opposite one another, and see if that works for a Plan B. (using my knees didn't work). I am so glad we are having this conversation.
  15. Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions David, Ed, Jim, Mike and Prudence. I agree with you- I will use two hands and try to keep my paddle somewhere, maybe under my arm. OMG Joe!!!! I am having to tell myself to BREATHE as I held my breath during your entire story!! That IS a FRIGHTENING and POWERFUL account! I am soooo glad that Plan C worked and I really appreciate you sharing your reflections: thought process and conclusions. I totally agree with your that "Bottom line" is to practice, practice, practice the "tried and true" technique! I went out and sat in my boat in the yard and practiced that many times after reading your post. I am now finding that if I lean as far forward as possible- fold myself in half, then I CAN pull the loop forward and up freeing my skirt. I just have to lean WAY farther forward than in my Avocet and even the Tempest. All good! I do need to practice in the pool now too. Until now I didn't really think about the differences in wet exits from the various skirts and coamings in my little fleet. I am really glad that Jim noticed that I was having such a hard time getting my skirt of my Cetus, and then Prudence told me that my snap dragon deck was too small and now I am learning the importance of practicing in EACH of my boats and skirts, even with the proper size deck skirt. What a cautionary tale and an important thread and lesson to have in our Forum archives. I am grateful and looking forward to our next paddle. Barb
  16. I will practice for sure! But as Ed said, this issue may have more to do with my reach. I am about 4'11' and it is challenging for sure to reach beyond the front edge of my coaming on my Cetus LV (which I otherwise and loving!). I plan to clean her tomorrow and will get in a practice and see what I can make happen about getting out. Thanks Ed and David! This is an important subject.
  17. I learned yesterday upon returning to our Little Mystic launch after Prudence's terrific "New Year's Day 2024 Paddle" with 17 or our awesome friends, that even with the LARGER deck of the Seals 1.4 that I was wearing since learning that my Snap Dragon Med. deck is too small, that I STILL can't get enough forward reach to get my skirt off at all with one hand, grabbing the loop, and only got it off with 2 hands after two tries. I am thinking about gluing some sort of rubber strip under the cockpit lip, maybe 12" in length, so that the skirt isn't fitting as deep in that area. What do you think?
  18. I learned alot from this post (having come upon it as I am researching the archives looking for handheld and deck compass suggestions. Need both! ) I have to say that I am tickled with the diversity of your responses of ways of getting stuff to work! 😆. What a great team!
  19. I am signed up too and looking forward to seeing everyone. Thanks Prudence!
  20. This is great info.: how to do it myself and how to get it done for me. Thanks so much Janet and Joe! Btw: I found and bought this skirt online last night (right size, new but needing repair) and was super excited and then received an email that there had been a mistake and it was already sold. sigh. Now we know how to fix them tho. I love this group!
  21. Thanks Mike. And thanks for the links too David. I would like to use Outdoorplay to get the 15% break ("". Thanks Mike H.). I am not seeing on topkayaker or Outdoorplay how to order the 6" tunnel and their messaging is off so I will keep trying to contact them. I am also not sure what size tunnel I should get having only used the velcro tunnel cause my son's smalls are way, way to tight. I've no waist so sitting w clothes on and especially my drysuit I'm probably gonna need a Large tunnel. If anyone is coming to Prudence's New Year paddle who has a Seals skirt- medium or Large, may I please just try it on for fit?
  22. I have a horseshoe shaped tear in the nylon part of a Snap Dragon tunnel (velcro style) sprayskirt. Reading past posts from 2009 Aquaseal was recommended for repairing a tear in a sprayskirt. Gearaid recommends Aquaseal FD for permanent repairs. Gearaid also recommends tenacious tape. I am tempted to use the Aquaseal first and when set and dry use the TT and then put a cute sea themed patch over that. Maybe of a mola mola. Your experience and suggestions greatly appreciated.
  23. Really appreciate you sharing your experiences and suggestions Joe, David, Sue and Jim! Thanks for the link Jim. I'm on it!
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