Pintail Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Anyone feel like having some fun this weekend? I shall be working on Saturday, so it has to be Sunday. Mr. Stoehrer? Mr. Sylvester? Beckers? Surely one or two of you might be game... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcohen Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I'm usually not available to paddle on the weekends but this Sunday might work for me. I've gotta new dry suit from Kokatat on warranty. Think I'd better go trim the neck gasket tonight and break it in a little; been putting that off by using my wet-suit. If Sunday's forecasted conditions pan out that neck gasket it could get tested for both comfort and water tightness. I might wanna avoid the headlands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djlewis Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Everybody planning to go out this weekend, don't forget to stop by your friendly, local, neighborhood detailed NOAA forecast for swell, wind, gusts, rain, etc, tailored to the exact time and location you might (or might not) want to paddle... http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/wfo/secto...ineDay.php#tabs For example, 11:00 AM Sunday at the Salvages, looking like 11' swell and gusts to 31 kts. Just sayin'. --David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Everybody planning to go out this weekend, don't forget to stop by your friendly, local, neighborhood detailed NOAA forecast for swell, wind, gusts, rain, etc, tailored to the exact time and location you might (or might not) want to paddle... http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/wfo/secto...ineDay.php#tabs For example, 11:00 AM Sunday at the Salvages, looking like 11' swell and gusts to 31 kts. Just sayin'. --David I think that this might be of help: http://magicseaweed.com/Nantasket-Beach-Surf-Report/371/ It shows that it will be a great short boat weekend. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djlewis Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 http://magicseaweed.com/Nantasket-Beach-Surf-Report/371/ It shows that it will be a great short boat weekend. :-) 9.5' swell breaking at Nantasket? Short Boat Weekend? How about No Boat Weekend? Or you're a better man than I am... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcohen Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 I did look at the forecasts and I use the Internet resources that you recommended regularly. Unless the forecast changes I probably won't be going out; discretion is the better part of valor. I've discovered that I have to be back in on Sunday by 2:30 PM anyway. Maybe if we left early and paddled in a protected area it might work for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gcosloy Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 9.5' swell breaking at Nantasket? Short Boat Weekend? How about No Boat Weekend? Or you're a better man than I am... I would like to know if there is a general rule agreed upon about how much swell or surf is too much for seakayaks 16' to18'? As a novice surfer I've been propelled offshore by as much as 4' or 5' stuff breaking off rocks, without a problem. How much is too much and why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob budd Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Theoretically you are at your worst if the waves are near the length of your boat so you definitely want to avoid 16 to 18 ft waves in your 16 to 18 ft boat. The same theory would, however, say that you are not as bad off in larger seas which I would find an arguable conclusion at best. I would work on writing my own rules for this sort of thing, perhaps going out in progressively higher seas as they become available. You need to be comfortable, especially in bigger seas, so you are flexible and best able to deal with the challenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djlewis Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 I would like to know if there is a general rule agreed upon about how much swell or surf is too much for seakayaks 16' to18'? As a novice surfer I've been propelled offshore by as much as 4' or 5' stuff breaking off rocks, without a problem. How much is too much and why? The rule is what you can handle. But a novice surfer should not generally play around with more than a couple feet of break, if that. But lets make sure we understand the difference between swell height -- the trough-to-peak measurement of non-breaking rollers, which you see in NOAA reports -- and break height -- what you often see in surf reports, in addition to swell height, often reported in body units, like waist or chest high, overhead, etc. Here's a discussion... http://magicseaweed.com/content/Predicting...ize-Tutorial/2/ So, no fixed answers, but one major factor is swell period. Here on the dull old East Coast, periods are typically 5-8 seconds, so break height is quite a bit less than swell height. But on the wild West Coast, periods are typically double that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Allen Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 David's discussion of period is relevant in many ways. Longer period swells can be easier to deal with offshore, but generally have more power when they break. A five foot swell at 3-4 seconds is really bouncy while at 12 seconds you just slowly go up and down. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEL Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 But a novice surfer should not generally play around with more than a couple feet of break, if that. Not that I am any kind of surfer, but have heard a surf/kayak coach of some repute say the ideal size for beginners is one foot. May sound small (especially since most of us overestimate wave height by a factor of two), but his point was while a decently atheltic/skilled beginner can survive playing in bigger stuff, they really are not learning anything that will enable them to handle bigger stuf with finesse and skill. At that size, a beginner can focus on learning control, timing, actual surfing, etc. that will enable them to progress to much bigger stuff without trauma and drama. Of course some are into trauma and drama and some even equate it to skill or at least adventure. Ed Lawson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Gwynn Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Breaking surf at 4' to 5' is about as big as I want in a long boat. Bigger than that, it is more survival than it is surfing. Of course period, dumping, landing zone all come into play as well. With a short surf boat I can go a little bigger, provided the period is longer and the waves are nice and clean. The problem is getting out past the breakers once the waves get big. That's why point breaks are so popular providing a way back out. This is just my 2 cents. YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdkilroy Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Seem to be drifting from the topic a bit; Is anyone interested in going out tomorrow? (Sunday) Conditions will be advanced with N ~ NE'ly winds in the F5 ~ 6 with seas in the 5+ foot range depending on where paddling. Thinking of heading out from Portsmouth area just to get out and deal with the conditions. Would obviously adjust plans as appropriate. Jon PS: I believe Rick and Paul are down in CT doing the rough water weekend with G Paquin and crew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Jon my friend, did you see this report? Was it like this in Scotland? Doug GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING TONIGHT NE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT...INCREASING TO 20 TO 25 KT LATE. GUSTS UP TO 30 KT. SEAS 8 TO 10 FT...BUILDING TO 9 TO 12 FT AFTER MIDNIGHT. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS...MAINLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. SUN NE WINDS 25 TO 30 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 KT. SEAS 11 TO 16 FT. RAIN. VSBY 1 TO 3 NM. SUN NIGHT N WINDS 25 TO 30 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 KT. SEAS 12 TO 16 FT...SUBSIDING TO 12 TO 14 FT AFTER MIDNIGHT. RAIN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djlewis Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Jon my friend, did you see this report? Was it like this in Scotland? Doug GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING TONIGHT NE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT...INCREASING TO 20 TO 25 KT LATE. GUSTS UP TO 30 KT. SEAS 8 TO 10 FT...BUILDING TO 9 TO 12 FT AFTER MIDNIGHT. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS...MAINLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. SUN NE WINDS 25 TO 30 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 KT. SEAS 11 TO 16 FT. RAIN. VSBY 1 TO 3 NM. SUN NIGHT N WINDS 25 TO 30 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 KT. SEAS 12 TO 16 FT...SUBSIDING TO 12 TO 14 FT AFTER MIDNIGHT. RAIN. Might be a good show (from land, not paddling) off Halibut Point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob budd Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Graphical surf projections for King's Beach-Nahant from the NOAA link are more manageable. They actually dropped a couple feet from what they had in mind yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Sylvester Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 PS: I believe Rick and Paul are down in CT doing the rough water weekend with G Paquin and crew. Pintail......Yes we were down in CT with Greg and the brits (Kayakwaveology) helping with his class. We had good swells friday so they surfed and did wind skills. Sat. was the Wiccapiset tide race, sun. was rescues and tows in wind. Great to watch the participants in the conditions, some for the first time in the soup. Never back away from safely paddling in the wind, it will build your skills fast. I'll try mailing you again...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdkilroy Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 You were actually quoting me Paul... This past weekend was actually a perfect opportunity to get out and deal with advanced conditions in a safe setting (Portsmouth). To be able to get out and figure out how to manage yourself, your boat and your paddle in high winds is essential to advancing your confidence to deal with these things as a paddler. Safely within the confines of Little Harbour or to bump it up a notch, Portsmouth Harbour, one can experience the demands and challenges of high winds without the risk of getting blown out to sea. The paddlers in CT this weekend experienced Force 8 I am told. These conditions can come up unexpectedly in less protected settings so why not try to get a handle on it. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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