Lanes Cove SNG, Saturday 9/25

[leong]

I'll be at Lanes Cove at 11:00 (BIB by 11:20).

I'm CAMable so we can discuss CAM issues (or anything else at the put-in).

Most likely head towards Plum via beach route or to Rockport.

Any interest?

[Lallen]

Hey Leon,

We're heading South in the opposite direction tomorrow, and so will not be joining you. But I hope you have great conditions and a stress-free no drama trip! Happy paddling.

Lorrie

[leong]

Hey Leon,

We're heading South in the opposite direction tomorrow, and so will not be joining you. But I hope you have great conditions and a stress-free no drama trip! Happy paddling.

Lorrie

You're paddling south from Lanes tomorrow? What time? Perhaps I could join you at the cove or catch up later (give me a little workout that I badly need).

[Phil Allen]

Hi,

No, sorry we aren't heading South from Lane's tomorrow-we're driving South from Brookline and heading down to the MA/RI border in search of surf!

Lorrie

[Phil Allen]

Hi,

No, sorry we aren't heading South from Lane's tomorrow-we're driving South from Brookline and heading down to the MA/RI border in search of surf!

Lorrie

And yes, this is Lorrie responding while poaching Phil's account. Sorry, Phil!

[leong]

Hi,

No, sorry we aren't heading South from Lane's tomorrow-we're driving South from Brookline and heading down to the MA/RI border in search of surf!

Lorrie

Oh, I thought that. But after reading about 130 responses to the IOS trip report I’m so delirious I thought I should verify even something as obvious as this. Especially bothersome were those posters that told me that I should have towed someone even if he didn’t need or want to be towed. The whole affair has given me a lot of aggravation. In addition to all the time I spent reading the responses (yours was great Lorrie) now none of my friends from the IOS trip will ever go paddling with me again. But, there is a silver lining to this nightmare. The bothersome posters gave me a great idea. I’m now working on a money making scheme based on this towing thing. The basic idea is that you go up to someone on the water, who, obviously, doesn’t need a tow and somehow convince her that she does. Any dating service would pay big $$ for the solution to this typical dating dilemma. I’ll be up all night trying to fine-tune the solution I’ve discovered. And, hopefully, I’ll have a chance to try it at tomorrow’s paddle. Yes, I’ve written many programs today that simulate peoples reactions to a request to tow (mostly in FORTRAN, Maple, Mathematica, Matlab and Mathcad). But real life experiments are always needed to verify and validate a solution.

I have only two questions for you Lorrie:

1. Should I give the bothersome tow-insistent-posters a cut of the action (and what’s a reasonable percentage)? They probably deserve something for sparking the idea in my brain.

2. Should I approach the potential tow-ees with my Seda Impulse or my Epic 18X?

[tyson]

...my Seda Impulse or my Epic 18X?

The Epic! Definitely the Epic.

[brambor]

What a great idea!

May I suggest you expand on this and preemptively roll people when you think they should? Just sneak up behind them and do it.

Rb (en route to live free or die)

[quote name=leong' date='Sep 25 2010, 12:44 AM' post='42185]

Oh, I thought that. But after reading about 130 responses to the IOS trip report I’m so delirious I thought I should verify even something as obvious as this. Especially bothersome were those posters that told me that I should have towed someone even if he didn’t need or want to be towed. The whole affair has given me a lot of aggravation. In addition to all the time I spent reading the responses (yours was great Lorrie) now none of my friends from the IOS trip

L

will ever go paddling with me again. But, there is a silver lining to this nightmare. The bothersome posters gave me a great idea. I’m now working on a money making scheme based on this towing thing. The basic idea is that you go up to someone on the water, who, obviously, doesn’t need a tow and somehow convince her that she does. Any dating service would pay big $$ for the solution to this typical dating dilemma. I’ll be up all night trying to fine-tune the solution I’ve discovered. And, hopefully, I’ll have a chance to try it at tomorrow’s paddle. Yes, I’ve written many programs today that simulate peoples reactions to a request to tow (mostly in FORTRAN, Maple, Mathematica, Matlab and Mathcad). But real life experiments are always needed to verify and validate a solution.

I have only two questions for you Lorrie:

1. Should I give the bothersome tow-insistent-posters a cut of the action (and what’s a reasonable percentage)? They probably deserve something for sparking the idea in my brain.

2. Should I approach the potential tow-ees with my Seda Impulse or my Epic 18X?

[Lallen]

You may be onto something, Leon. Sea Tow makes good $ towing sailboats and other small craft. You could carve out your own nichw woth the kayak market. Will you give me a discount if I'm tired on our next trip? I won't be picky about whether you

use your Seda or Epic to tow me-your choice

[rylevine]

Leon,

Rene's 'algorithm' would be effective but, as you point out, troublesome in the long-run.

As to which boat? I agree with Tyson, without a doubt!

Bob

[leong]

You may be onto something, Leon. Sea Tow makes good $ towing sailboats and other small craft. You could carve out your own nichw woth the kayak market. Will you give me a discount if I'm tired on our next trip? I won't be picky about whether you

use your Seda or Epic to tow me-your choice

Lorrie, just to let you know, I did phase 1 of the towing experiments today. Left from Lanes Cove looking for a "target rich" area of kayaks. After paddling around for over an hour I finally settled on the beaches of the Annisquam, just adjacent to Wingearsheek Beach. My first request to tow was declined by some guy in a wood Pygmy kayak. But two college gals together on the beach saved the day for me ... unsolicited, they requested a tow after they heard the rejection. They had matching sit-on-tops. So I towed them one at a time. After that, I ended the experiment for the day and paddled up to Essex Bay and then back to Lanes. So far, the results are inconclusive (not enough data, but it looks promising). And, it does seem like Tufts coeds are sure friendly. I didn’t take any take pictures to document the experiment. I'll do it for phase 2. But, I really need someone to shoot the pix (actually, a video would be better).

No Rene, I didn't flip over either of the gals. But I almost capsized because I was laughing so hard. Would have really been embarrassing if I blew a roll.

Lorrie, I really think we can start a business. Say, Echo-Friendly-Green-Kayak-Tows (EFGKT). There are several potential markets: For example, 1. People that would like the kayaking experience without the hassle of paddling, 2. Kayak fisherman in their fat bathtubs (called yaks) … they need both hands free to fish, and besides they can’t paddle fast enough to get to the fishing grounds in time and 3. Sailboats in irons (that means they’re stalled for lack of wind) … the last thing a stalled sailor wants is to be towed by a stinkpot (that’s what real sailors call powerboats).

Anyway, let’s discuss these and other ideas further the next time we meet on the water. I hope that you and Phil have some other ideas too. Perhaps the business model should be a franchise system. A lot of my racing buddies would be great tow-ers. Lisa comes to mind immediately.

Keep this quiet … some of the NSPN sharks might steal the idea.

Leon

[subaruguru]

Hey Leon,

Did you SuperGlue that tongue in your cheek?

I was going to join Rick S et al at Odiorne tomorrow at noon, but he canceled

Did you get to paddle today (Sat)?

Up for Tuck's Mon or Tues?

Ern

[spider]

Leon

You may be onto something.

Though I hardly know anyone here

I will most likely run like a scared rabbit and hide in the marshes at the mere sight of approaching kayakers.

I hear they travel in pods... though the rare mutant loners potentiality are to be more feared.

I did see a distant Romany paddling person last time out. Fear coursed through my veins. Surely it's approach might mean a quadruple endo, triple whammy, double gulp of salted seas.

With great relief it turned out to be another timid person emerging from backwaters after a day of hugging trees and watching egrets.

Whew a close call...as I head for shore... in the far distance... a pod is sighted ... music starts pounding in my brain... JAWS

I make a run for it...

[EEL]

3. Sailboats in irons (that means they’re stalled for lack of wind) …

A technical correction for better marketing to sailors of you new business venture.

A sailboat in irons has nothing to do with amount of wind, it has to do with the heading of the boat relative to the wind.

A sailboat stalled for lack of wind is referred to as becalmed.

Ed Lawson

[leong]

A technical correction for better marketing to sailors of you new business venture.

A sailboat in irons has nothing to do with amount of wind, it has to do with the heading of the boat relative to the wind.

A sailboat stalled for lack of wind is referred to as becalmed.

Ed Lawson

Thanks, my wrong Ed. And I should have known better considering that I've been sailing since 1962 ... used to race a Star and a Lightening, though I'm closer to the winners since I switched to kayak racing. I even know how to get out of irons (at least with small boats). Couldn't get out once with a 45 foot ketch though, but luckily the wind changed directions enough and the sails filled.

But thanks ... now I can market my business to sailors with both problems.

[leong]

Hey Leon,

Did you SuperGlue that tongue in your cheek?

I was going to join Rick S et al at Odiorne tomorrow at noon, but he canceled

Did you get to paddle today (Sat)?

Up for Tuck's Mon or Tues?

Ern

The story is true ... I was out there Saturday ... damn it, I should have taken pix of the two gals. But I did take other pix later so, at least you'll know I was there. I'll probably go back (but probably to M' by the sea) this PM for the phase 2 experiments (I sure could use someone to take the pix though).

[bazzert]

The Epic! Definitely the Epic.

Oh Leon! We could ahave used EFGKT yesterday at Squam Lake; we had surfed almost downwind to Bowman island when we got a cell phone call with a plaintive request to pick up another young whippersnapper, who wanted to join the camping fun, at the dock at SLA.I dutifully headed out to go pick him up but the 15 knot wind on the beam and my lightly loaded tandem being paddled solo was just not up to the job. We ended up calling a "real" water taxi to deliver the young lad.

Barry.