Helpful Hints from a Beginner?!

[...]

Hello fellow beginner and novice colleagues. I want to take a moment to share four hints that I shamelessly gathered from several very experienced sea kayakers. A wise man once said, “A good kayaker learns from her/his mistakes, but an excellent kayaker learns from the mistakes of others.†Please remember these ideas may not work for you, but do not give up hope. Perhaps in a future posting an idea will hit home.

1. PFDs and Torso Rotation. If you are like me, you purchased a PFD perhaps because it was on sale. Although the one I purchased was highly regarded, it was a men’s L/XL and made me feel like an NFL linebacker. Although the size was correct for me, the design felt all wrong. As I attempted my mandatory 10 o’clock to 2 o’clock torso rotation during the forward stroke, my performance was less than acceptable. A wiser man than me suggested a women’s PFD since the front padding and arm holes are significantly different. He shared a secret that all the male instructors at that school wear them. I actually followed his suggestion and it worked for me. No longer can I blame my lack of torso rotation skill on the PFD. The one I selected was the Kokatat MsFIT Tour PFD available at Kittery Trading Post or many other fine New England establishments. You can obtain it in a very gender neutral mango color.

2. Hydration Systems. One of the constant fears of a beginner is an unexpected capsize event. We frequent try our best to not loose our concentration. We also tend to exert and need frequent hydration. The thought of reaching for the customary water bottle under the forward bungees can seem like a Herculean task while riding two foot swells. (I know what you are saying, what the heck are you doing riding two foot swells. That will be a story for another day.) Another wise sea kayaker suggested a hydration system mounted to the back of my new PFD listed above. Bingo, frequent hydration without the fear factor. I purchased the Kokatat Tributary Hydration System but there are other manufacturers. Although it was not easy to find in local stores, I did purchase mine at New York Kayak Company, Inc.

3. Water Sport Eyewear. Whether you need prescription eyewear or not, it is important to protect your eyes from impact as well as UV rays. Here again a wise sea kayaker shared her experiences from the whitewater kayaker world. Since beginners can spend a fair amount of our time hanging upside down under our kayaks, the last thing we need to worry about is will our eyewear still be on our head and our eyes protected. I purchased the Zeal Swap-it water sport eyewear from Sport RX Prescription Eyewear. The aqua insert also protects against water spray and the drying effects of the wind. Consider two sets of lens, one Amber 2 and one Grey 3. You will be in great shape for all day time light conditions.

4. Sunblock. Since a lot of what we do as beginners is controlling little annoyances that can break our concentration, I need to speak to sunblock. It is critical that we apply sunblock, but perhaps you have experienced the pain of some in your eyes. Try one of the sunblocks specifically manufactured for babies. I use Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby (SPF 60+). Just remember to check the label since not all baby sunblocks pledge to not sting the eyes.

Note #1. – I do not represent any of the manufacturers or business establishments listed above and can not attest to whether or not these ideas will work for you. In its purest sense, I see myself as a catalyst for conversation, nothing more.

Note #2. – To the advanced skill members, I hope I have created an opportunity for amusement as you read this posting. Once the laughter subsides, please feel free to improve upon these ideas with your own expert experiences. An example of where your guidance is needed is what you would suggest we place in the many pockets created on our PFDs. I would expect variation from member to member. Perhaps we beginners can gather your ideas and decide what works best for us. I currently have a whistle but nothing else.

Note #3. To the web moderator, I hope I have not broken any rules with this posting. If I have, then please feel free to delete this posting and give me a severe reprimand. I can blame my ignorance on guess what, “I am a Beginner!â€

Warren Parlee

[subaruguru]

Welcome, Warren

No laughter, no reprimands. However, you might exercise the SEARCH functions to see if any topic you're interested in has been covered in depth beforehand.

While we decidedly do not have an established "bible", there's a lot of reference info to be found.

Hence, you may not get the level of response to individual topics you'd expect as some have been discussed ad nauseum.

[...]

Welcome, Warren

No laughter, no reprimands. However, you might exercise the SEARCH functions to see if any topic you're interested in has been covered in depth beforehand.

While we decidedly do not have an established "bible", there's a lot of reference info to be found.

Hence, you may not get the level of response to individual topics you'd expect as some have been discussed ad nauseum.

Wow! The SEARCH function works great. You have helped me locate a vast "boat load" of valuable information. Thank you!

Warren

[PeterB]

PFDs are a personal thing. It seems that they fit different people different ways, as there is an endless variety of torso shapes amongst us. Comfort, of fit and pockets are important, what works for you, not others. I have found that some pfds ride up my torso when I;m in the water , some dont , this has nothing to do with he quality of the product, just te way it fits my torso. So in this case advice can only get you so far, trying one is the best approach.

The Kokatat Msfit is a tried and true product, a real misnomer though: it unquestionably fits boths Ms.'s and Mr.'s,

Sounds like you've hit on a hydration system that works for a lot of paddlers.

the roll-stick sunblocks are a favorite, can be applied easily, stow well in the pfd and don't get your fingers sticky.

I use them, and your nutregena product too.

In six years of serious paddling Ive never really hit on a perfect solution for hydration and eyewear, so its always great to hearothers ideas and experiences.

In general, you sound like youre on the right track: welcome!

Yes, this website is truly a font of paddling knowledge and information. E.G. When I was buying a waterproof digital camera, I used information from fellow paddlers on this message board as my sole resource in selecting which one to buy.

This message board is for sharing exactly the kind information about paddling that you have posted. I look forward to hearing what you have to say.

[Bill Lord]

Hi Warren:

In my PFD pockets I carry an aerial flare and a whistle. The whistle has a neck lead that I hook on one of the PFD rings. I also stick my clip-on sun glasses in a pocket when not in use.

Thanks for the suggestion on water-wear glasses, I may look into that.

Bill

[Deb Millar]

Hi Warren:

In my PFD pockets I carry an aerial flare and a whistle. The whistle has a neck lead that I hook on one of the PFD rings. I also stick my clip-on sun glasses in a pocket when not in use.

Thanks for the suggestion on water-wear glasses, I may look into that.

Bill

As I need bifocals, I invested in a pair of Rec Specs, the brand my opthomologist carries, years ago and have never begrudged the co$$$ (and I don't have that complicated a prescription, either). I need to be able to read a chart and I also have to wear sunglasses due to developing potential macular degeneration; having these sunglasses has proved to be the best.

Mine also came with a built-in strap

Deb

[Gcosloy]

Welcome to the NSPN Warren. If there is anything some members like to do other than paddle its discussing gear. You're fitting right in already.

[tyson]

2. Hydration Systems. One of the constant fears of a beginner is an unexpected capsize event.

[...]

Another wise sea kayaker suggested a hydration system mounted to the back of my new PFD listed above.

Sounds like you've hit on a hydration system that works for a lot of paddlers.

[...]

In six years of serious paddling Ive never really hit on a perfect solution for hydration and eyewear, so its always great to hearothers ideas and experiences.

There is no doubt that many paddlers like the hydration backpack solution. However, I often wonder if there is any correlation between those that use the hydration backpack and those that lack confidence in their roll. I am certain that there are those that use the backpack and are confident in their roll, but are they anywhere near the center of the curve? Sadly, I never think of it in a context where I might collect some data.

It is my decision that I will not wear a hydration backpack because I my roll to work when I need it and the pack has to hurt those chances. My rather unusual solution is to install a hydration tube that goes through the deck and has a quick disconnect. This permits me to secure my hydration bladder inside the boat on the floor where its weight is down low. The installed hydration hose comes through the deck near a front "corner"of the coaming.

This solution is also not perfect, but it is the one I prefer.

Cheers!

Ty

[Katherine]

Welcome Warren,

Be on the lookout for my "silly" questions ~ I will be posting another one shortly.

Will you go shoe-shopping with me sometime?? :-0

I often have trouble deciding between 3 pair of black flats...

[...]

Ernie, Peter, Bill, Deb, Gene, Ty and Katherine (shoes are great, kayak booties are better!)

Thank you all for your comments and ideas. You have made me feel very welcome in joining NSPN. I can not say that I had the good fortune to discover NSPN on my own. You were highly recommended by Tom Bergh at MIKCo. I had the privilege to recently spend a day at MIKCo and Tom said, “You need to join NSPN. They are a group of smart, talented men and women who have created a collegial network that supports the free flow of ideas in support of advancing the sport of sea kayaking.†Tom was right!

Now Ty, I really like your hydration solution. When I crafted the requirements for my first kayak, it needed to support my goal of having a solid roll. That was one of the reasons I was drawn to the Romany. I honestly never thought of locating the bladder in the cockpit. Perhaps some day I will see your creation and understand the quick disconnect feature. I do not know if I will be able to master a solid roll and I do not know if a back mounted bladder will hinder my performance, but if it does, you have helped me envision a solution. Nice job Ty!

Warren

[jason]

There is no doubt that many paddlers like the hydration backpack solution. However, I often wonder if there is any correlation between those that use the hydration backpack and those that lack confidence in their roll. I am certain that there are those that use the backpack and are confident in their roll, but are they anywhere near the center of the curve? Sadly, I never think of it in a context where I might collect some data.

It is my decision that I will not wear a hydration backpack because I my roll to work when I need it and the pack has to hurt those chances. My rather unusual solution is to install a hydration tube that goes through the deck and has a quick disconnect. This permits me to secure my hydration bladder inside the boat on the floor where its weight is down low. The installed hydration hose comes through the deck near a front "corner"of the coaming.

This solution is also not perfect, but it is the one I prefer.

Cheers!

Ty

Ty,

The hydration house though the deck seems to be the norm with many in the racing community.

As for the roll, I don't see the hydration pack as being an issue looking at the numbers it's not a large percent of ones weight. Doing some quick math the hydration pack when full is just 1.4% of my weight (It's true I am not a small person....). I just don't see that weight effecting my roll.

My self I like the idea that if things go very wrong and I am separated from my boat I will at least have some water with me.

Warren welcome to kayaking, you picked a great sport I hope that you have a lot of fun with it.

-Jason