Suz

It is a problem. When the water is too cold for a bare hand, I use a combination of thin pogies and thin gloves. Works for me. There would be no way you could easily put a pair of gloves on once your hands are wet and you are 'in need'. Need to put them on prior to your hands becoming inoperable. You could try a neoprene mitten, I found they worked like a pogie but allowed my hands to be a bit more useful.

Pru, When I stored outside, I did a 4 x 4 system that allowed for storage of multiple boats. It was safe, secure and possible to lock boats along with covering. If you are going to hang on the fence, it seems it would be much easier to attached something to the posts so that you can place the boat on it. The whole thing about loops and cinching seems to be a PITA... My husband made some for me to hang on the side of the barn but indoors. Then just pad them with a bit of foam. Best to have a means to tie them also so that you don't have to worry on windy days.

No girly man episode for Rob. He bought his suit locally and so gets a loaner while waiting for his to come back. Now that's a benefit you don't get from the internet! Suz

I never use the one I made. It was a waste of money. I should make something else out of it now like small dry bags or something. But the fabric is tough to work with. I ended up buying the Granite Gear one that you pointed out. http://www.granitegearstore.com/White-Lightnin-P97C6.aspx It is excellent and I will show it to you. I think I got the 10 x 12 but will show it to you when you come up next.

WOW, I was so surprised to see such a full house. I assumed half the people that signed up would actually come. There were 55 people in the room! I will be e-mailing to all who gave me their e-mail address my camping lists and the spreadsheet calculator for my meal plan. If you don't get an e-mail from me, send me an e-mail and I will resend. Suz suz at kayakne dot com

I will say flat out that camping in areas where you are not allowed, someone's front yard or private islands are what gives kayakers a really bad name. Loads of books available that tell you what places you can camp are available. They are the guide books for a particular area. Dorcas Miller's book comes to mind. In addition, we are very lucky to have the Maine Island Trail (MITA) http://www.mita.org/ available, it would be silly not to pay the membership fee and follow the guidelines. If in an emergency, meaning, you can't make it to an island where it is allowed, then arrive at sundown. Set up quickly and quietly, hide the kayaks and then leave ASAP in the morning at sunrise. (not leaving for skiing until tomorrow early - today is packing day!)

There are two candle lanterns in my gear closet but they no longer come on trips with me. That said, if you are staying up late nights and like the ambiance of a fire but are on a no fire island, it is sometimes nice to have a candle lantern. These days I much prefer the black diamond lanterns. http://www.rei.com/product/807910/black-diamond-orbit-lantern I don't camp in the winter but perhaps then they would throw enough heat to help to dry out a tent. I wouldn't think it significant for summer.

Funny, I just checked the online registration info and it says that there are 50 spots and 20 available. Perhaps they just keep changing the number of seats. Truthfully I would be very surprised if the room is full. I have found that whenever events are free, people are not as fussed if they change their mind last minute and don't come.

Another fun thing to do would be to plan a spring weekend and spend the night. Years ago I stayed at the Eighth of Maine while taking a kayak course from MIKCO. The place was great - big quirky old New England house right on the water. They have a big dining area and kitchen for food preparation. If space was available, it would be a fabulous place for a larger group to stay. It would also allow for non paddling significant others to join in the evening fun. http://www.eighthmaine.com/Pages/default.aspx

Rob, You can borrow my Cetus MV if you want. I will be away next weekend so you would have to pick it up ahead of time and drop it back off a week later. Suz

Cathy would find the classic Cetus WAY too big and probably a bit difficult to manage at her size so you probably won't have to share!

Ignore posted weights on websites as they don't always tell you what the weighing parameters are. P&H weights are with hatches and seats... other brands have different specs. If you are looking at used boats - weigh the boat itself if weight is a concern for you. The nominal difference between the boats don't usually show up in performance, just in carrying! A 4-5 pound difference in used boats of the same brand/model would not be unheard of and I think well within their tolerance levels. Once upon a time I had a really, really heavy Explorer. That boat reportedly weighs even more now due to repairs and numerous changes to the front bulkhead. Out of all the Cetus models, performance wise, I prefer what is now called the classic Cetus. Although it is too big for me, I really prefer how it paddles when I am camping - weight is not an issue. I am now paddling the MV as it fits me better for all around. The classic though is what my husband has and whenever I am camping, especially when I am guiding a camping trip, I like to bring that and do so when he won't be needing his boat. One camping trip I utilized the WHOLE day hatch and filled it with clams (and sea water) that my friend had dug the day before. We had fresh clams every night - what a treat that was. Normally it just allows me to pack very loosely without concern about things fitting. Last year I went on a few trips with the MV and I was very happy with the volume it allowed for camping. Just means you don't have to fuss so much when packing. When I was paddling the LV, I had to plan a bit better. For example, it was always difficult to pack a loaf of bread that would have been left to the side to pack last... PS - that heavy Valley boat was my first time kayak camping and was so heavy that Rick and I couldn't lift it at all! It needed to be loaded on shore and never lifted! I don't pack like that anymore.

Audrey -Not a chance that Kate and I will be doing another talk at a different location! Hard enough for us to find this date. Warren - got you covered.

I'm pretty sure you don't HAVE to register on the REI website. Peter, can you confirm this? Surely it won't be over attended and that would be the reason they would want that! (Although a full room would be nice.) If anyone has any special requests for what they would like to have Kate/I address, post here or send an e-mail to me. suz at kayakne dot com

That would make the travel a bit easier!

Wishing I could go but instead I will be skiing in Colorado! Why don't a few people plan for a road trip up and meet on 95? I would have put my seats in the minivan if I was going to be around. Can't let Justine come for a visit without giving her a big welcome. Suz

I agree wholeheartedly with Brian on this one! My neo never stinks. All I use if fresh water to rinse. So it is definitely the socks that prevent the stink. My preference is for wool socks and I wear them year rounds. And a side benefit, the socks make the shoes easy on/off. So, where the shoe style you like and just add a pair of socks. BTW, fresh water is much stinkier than salt water. So rinse after being in 'fresh' water too.

Whether to trim the gasket or not depends on if the gasket is meant to be trimmed. If the gasket is shaped like an upside down funnel, flaired and then with straight sides that contact the wrist; it will not have cutting lines on the inside of the gasket. If no cutting lines, it isn't meant to be trimmed. If that gasket is trimmed, it will have more contact over a smaller surface area and cause discomfort. If it was tight before, it will be very uncomfortable. If instead the gasket is shaped like this: / \, it will have cutting lines and is meant to be trimmed. Kokatat sells both types of gaskets. The ones that come on the Kokatat drysuits if not specified are the ones that are meant to be stretched and not trimmed. If you want a gasket that will be trimmed, for Kokatat you would specify 'thick' gasket or coast guard gaskets - either way will get you the gaskets that are trimmable. Carl and Sam Ladd of Osprey Sea Kayak stock both styles. They cost a bit more than the other ones and Kokatat has told me that they believe the thick gaskets do not last as long. Personally, I find them much more comfortable and I install them on my personal suits. I do not install them on my demo suits. If you have small wrists, you wouldn't want the trimmable gaskets as they will be too big for your wrists and you will get leakage. I use them and don't trim them and they fit fine.

That's sweet! Thanks Christopher. Meet you somewhere midway for dinner soon?

Be real careful! I had this happen awhile back on my neck. I got a rash every time the gasket was touching my neck. Got so bad that I would develop a rash from having a scarf on! Had to go on the dreaded cortisone to calm my system down. For awhile I was using a Buff scarf inside my latex gasket so that it wouldn't touch my skin. Funny thing was that it turned out it was all triggered by a formula change to my face/neck lotion that I had used for about 5 years. For people with allergies, it is always best to isolate changes and avoid new an improved!

It appears that you may have an allergy to the material used to seal the seams or the material itself (where it is seamed, you may be getting the inside of the material exposed). Personally, I would avoid using it. Triggering allergies can trigger an immune response which if you continue to do it, it could either get worse or better. That's the funny thing with allergies! (the whole allergy shot thing is based on exposure to tiny amounts of the stuff you are allergic to in a controlled environment). Some people who are allergic to neoprene are also allergic to latex. What about not using wet suits? Just find a different alternative for pool stuff. You don't need a wetsuit for regular wear as you own a drysuit. Personally I never wear a wet suit except in the pool.

Any interest in having a big gear yard sale on a late Spring weekend? I have some samples to move and lots of duplicate items I don't need. I am envisioning an outside meet on a dry Saturday with a rain date of Sunday. Everyone could bring their own table and price their own goods. We could potentially even advertise it in the local papers. I think it would only work if there was a lot of people who had stuff to move - camping, paddling, or even all summer sports related. I may be able to do it at my house in Merrimac, MA. I am open to other locations. If there is interest, I would look at the calendar for dates. Suz

I have dehydrated but only when I have an excess of something from the garden/CSA. It isn't worthwhile to dehydrate from the grocery store as there is no financial or nutritional benefit to it. I do have a pasta meal where I dehydrate veggies - eggplant, zucchini, onions, peppers, kale and then add it to a box of pomi and cook up the sauce while camping. What I like better than the dehydrator is the food saver. I find that is immensely useful for food prep for trips. I bag up prepped veggies and seal them up. They keep nicely for a couple of days when stored this way. Veggies I do this way: peppers, onions, celery, carrots. I bake ahead of time sweets for dessert and then package them up in blocks and they keep nicely this way. Alternate between canned beans and dried beans for camping. (When using canned, you use less water. They are higher in sodium and not as healthy as dried beans. Plus they just don't taste as good.) When rehydrating, I like to put the dried beans in a nalgene and add water. Watch them though because if you put too many beans in, they soak up all the water and are very difficult to get out. Much easier if you use two nalgenes! Also using dried, you get to use different beans than the run of the mill beans found in cans.

Have you checked with the Gould Barn? They might allow it. It isn't really messy and if everyone brought a drop cloth for under their boat it would be an easy clean up.

This topic began with a discussion on sea ice. Probably Saturday's outgoing tide would be a good one to watch as there is plenty of ice in the rivers right now. I drove along the Merrimac today through Amesbury/Merrimac and saw quite a bit loose and floating. A good place to observe would be from the mouth of the Merrimac, either in Salisbury at the State Reservation or from the Plum Island side.