bob budd

With more than a bit of ambivalence I can say that if there was a stiff wind in your face displacing the icicles frozen to your eyebrows as you sit at a safe distance in the shallows off of Race Point when the whale comes out of the water and you see right down its throat I daresay you wouldn't feel the cold. I'll be looking from shore this weekend.

He even has a flag for the new kayak safety law.

A wet (on the inside) wetsuit is going to keep you a bit warmer by sealing the suit to your skin. This is also responsible for the clammy feeling some complain about. Pouring something warm inside the suit would "presoak" and "preheat" it, possibly improving the initial warmth of the suit. I've never done such a thing, but I have dunked a wetsuit as it is easier to put on when wet on a hot day. I have also dunked the suit to cool it after an extended landing on a sunny day. The fit of the suit is key, as has been mentioned above, as a looser suit is going to flush more water inside/through when you are (moving) in the water. You can put layers inside to defeat the flushing, but you may find they increase the "clammy" feeling.

I would not recommend "separates" but a guarantee of wetness for an extended swim does not stand up to Dee's (my wife's) experiences in leader training and otherwise with her first choice of garment. That is, while the garments are more difficult to put on and take off you can be as dry with them as with a one-piece dry suit. If you read elsewhere, you will also see someone who skimped on their dry suit and regrets it. Clearly a dry suit is a better choice if you can afford it, but from the point of view of comfort and convenience.

A dry suit provides more protection from cold water (and air) than a wet suit. Most people transition from one to the other as the water/air warms/cools. Some people find a wet suit sticky, clammy, etc. and thus would find dry suits more comfortable but the breathability of a dry suit is a factor in its comfort. A wet suit is a bit easier to take on and off. My wife started out with "separates" because they were alot less expensive than a dry suit. When the first dry suit wore out she bought another dry suit, i.e. she never again contemplated "separates". The thing is you might find you don't like winter paddling enough to justify the expense of a dry suit.

I don't see that a (kayak) racer with an (flaccid) PFD would be in violation of this ordinance. Most recreational kayakers have so much stuff in their PFDs that they would rather have them on anyway.

I presume "Surf Session / Easy Tune-Up Paddle" + No Surf = Easy Tune-Up Paddle. Either way a great opportunity for "newbies".

The thing about manning the tiller is that you are focused on the horizon, something about the relationship between what your body is feeling and what you are seeing. Another thing that is very helpful in combating seasickness is to keep a moderate amount of food in your stomach.

While it may seem that something that was released from a sewage treatment facility is "icky" you really need to look at the big picture. This sort of technology has alot to do with the resurgence of Boston Harbor and many other aquatic environments. In that way it is truly beautiful and wonderful.

We both know that lighting is required. I never said it wasn't, its part of knowing "how to take care of themselves". I mentioned it in my response to the legislators. It may have been more proactive to have reminded them that they could/should enforce lighting requirements as you did but I was giving them the credit for connecting the dots. I don't see a need for any of us to debate this issue, the point is to get others involved. I am glad to see that happening.

After watching this and other cowboy re-entries I would suggest you launch/land across the cockpit instead of the back deck. You can swing a leg across and drop into the cockpit without actually sitting up and thus remain lower in the boat. You also get in the cockpit/boat faster this way.

Lots of people kayak fish and noone is being run down by power boats doing it. I know many of them. I can't offer suggestions on how to solve what isn't a problem. If someone goes out for a long paddle in the dark on their own it doesn't really matter whether they are fishing or not. I won't get into whether or not its a bad idea to paddle alone in the dark. If they are aware of the risks and know how to take care of themselves they are likely to do okay. If they don't there's no amount of legislation that is going to help.

My conversation with a state legislator so far. I'd be willing to digest any other suggestions and send them along. Or better yet, start your own conversation. I have discussed this problem and similar issues at various points over the years with my kayaking colleagues. I have several friends who fish from their kayak. They are respectful of the rights of fisherman and others who make a living in the sea. They do not and never would apply either of the measures found in the bill for their protection as I have mentioned previously. Instead they take responsibility for their actions and are mindful of the sea and their surroundings. I believe you have given unfair voice to the concerns of commercial fisherman and their version of the facts. 1. When you say "Fishing at night is usually better than daytime fishing" this does not apply to the techniques applied by those who fish from kayaks. Instead these (kayak) fisherman are aware of their surroundings not just for other vessels as mentioned above but for behaviour of birds and other indicators of the locations of where large groups of fish are active. I have had occassion to observe a "feeding frenzy" while kayaking recreationally and to see the "bait fish" driven literally out of the water by the ravenous bluefish below is truly a sight. 2. When you say "many leave the shore at dusk and return well after dark" this is simply untrue. As mentioned above this would negate many of the techniques used to fish from a kayak. I would suggest you try to sit in a kayak from dusk until well after dark, or only part of that time, and you will find it a profoundly uncomfortable experience. It is an unworkable scenario. 3. When you say "kayaks sit low in the water. This makes them hard to see in the trough of waves, in the glare of the setting sun, and on radar screen" it is instead true that if one is paying appropriate attention forward of their vessel they would have little trouble seeing a kayak. The kayak itself is coloured in contrast to the sea. The vessel, the kayaker, and the kayaker's gear are littered with reflective materials. The kayak is a self-powered craft and as such the kayaker is more or less constantly in motion resulting in some of these reflective materials being in motion. Kayakers also follow maritime regulations regarding for and aft lighting in the dark, when they paddle at these times, and that those lights are sufficiently bright to be seen while not resulting in night blindness of the kayaker. Finally, in seas truly capable of obscuring the view of a kayaker considering all of the above said kayaker would have long since returned to shore for his or her own safety. 4. When you say "they have had to make severe course corrections" I would ask that you consider the length of a kayak to be between 10 and 20 feet and the craft travelling at 2-4 kts. In fact, their course correction would be minor. 5. When you say "I have had reports from many commercial fishermen of near miss collisions" I would suggest you are hearing each of them reporting a single incident, assuming that incident occurred. I know many kayakers who fish and many they know who have fished and the above state measures of avoidance have led to no such incidents. I would ask that you realize that all but the most experienced kayakers are uncomfortable with the idea of losing sight of shore or otherwise travelling in or near the places where commercial fisherman are operating and that the likelihood of such incidents is in fact remote. As kayakers we assume that operators of power boats are irresponsible, if not boorish, operators of their craft who consider kayaks "speed" bumps. That's not to says the we actually believe this is true, but rather that we employ and construct methods that protect us based upon this assumption. We know that power boaters are predominantly responsible individuals who would not run us over while carrying on a casual conversation but prefer to remain safe from the minority who behave irresponsibly. I suggest that there is no need to "craft a solution to address this issue". I would further suggest that personal responsibility be a sufficient deterrent to "an accident" occurring. Feb 27, 2011 04:05:18 PM, sarah.peake@MAhouse.gov wrote: =========================================== Thank you for your email regarding the kayak safety bill that I filed this session. This bill, like most that are filed is just a starting point for a conversation about the best way to address a problem. Since you have taken the time to express your concerns about the bill, I would like to ask for your help and ideas about how to most appropriately address an ever-growing safety problem. Here’s the issue: As kayaks have become more popular they are being used in ways and by greater numbers of people than we might have ever imagined even a decade ago. One of those ways is as an offshore fishing vessel. It is now common along the Cape Cod Bay and the Atlantic beaches on Cape Cod for people to attach a fishing pole or two to the back of a kayak and paddle a half mile to a mile or more offshore in pursuit of Striped Bass, Bluefish, and even Tuna. Fishing at night is usually better than daytime fishing, so many leave the shore at dusk and return well after dark. As you know, kayaks sit low in the water. This makes them hard to see in the trough of waves, in the glare of the setting sun, and on radar screens. I have had reports from many commercial fishermen of near miss collisions. They have had to make severe course corrections in order to avoid hitting the unlit and unmarked kayak. These emergency maneuvers pose a risk to the kayaker and the fisherman both. The near shore waters surrounding Cape Cod are filled with boats; fishing boats, ferries, sailboats, run-abouts, charter fishing boats, etc. As the number of kayakers increase and paddle in waters where traditionally only larger craft have and still navigate, it greatly increases the odds for an accident to happen and for someone to become injured or killed. I ask for your help in crafting a solution to address this issue. I don’t think we should wait for an accident to happen and then rush through a bill in the heat of the moment. That’s when bad legislation can get enacted. I look forward to your response, Sarah On Sun, Feb 20, 2011 at 7:34 AM, Bob Budd wrote: I have been made aware of legislation relevant to kayakers that is deterimental to their safety. If you are interested in discussing bills that promote kayak safety, I am willing to offer what counsel I have based upon years of paddling in local waters as well as references and persons who have had similar or more experience. Section 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, any person who operates a kayak within the navigable waters of the Commonwealth shall have, install, and display a high visibility orange flag on a pole at a height of 6 feet above the waterline. This provision is extremely dangerous. For a kayaker capable of an "eskimo roll", rendinging the maneuver impossible. It also substantially increases the response of the craft to windage and would "knock down" many boats/boaters in moderate winds as kayaks have no keel. In both cases you are substantially increasing the risk to the kayaker. As mentioned below if visiblity of the kayaker is your goal various requirements of reflective gear/markings would be more productive without sacrificing the safety of the kayaker. Section 2. Any kayak operated in navigable waters from sunset to sunrise shall display a revolving yellow stern light that is visible for 360 degrees. This provision substantially reduce the kayaker's ability to see in the dark as when the yellow stern light passed to the bow it would render the kayaker substantially night blind. Experienced paddlers deploy multiple means of reflective gear including on the paddle blades and/or have switches lights or small lights per existing maritime rules facing the bow and stern that do not cause night blindness.

Directions to Tuck's Point can be found under "Events & Planning"/"Put" above. Someone left the "-ins" out.

As regards the "nightlight" I mentioned the incumbent night blindness and the fact that maritime regulations already specify fore and aft lights.

I would recommend you also copy your representative if you are a Ma resident. The list of e-mail addresses, etc. can be found at mahouse.gov.

That reminds me, seals seemed to demonstrate a preference for a skin boat, or was that Linda?

The thing about disposing a used wag bag in a landfill is that you shouldn't really dispose of untreated human waste that way. I think the poo powder is responsible for treating the waste so you can dispose of it in a landfill. The ziplocs obviously are not going to decompose in a landfill, good point. As for your question, Beverly burns (and generates electricity).

A couple thoughts. Use ziploc freezer bags. They work great and cost much less. Find out where your local garbage is disposed of. If its burned you can feel comfortable putting the bags in the trash when you get home. For long trips we use a (1 Qt) "Lok-n-Lok" box and kitty litter, dumping the mess into a porta-potty when you get to one. No newspaper or poo powder needed, much less objectionable to porta-potty operators. Make sure the "Lok-n-Lok" fits neatly into a hatch for transport, i.e. don't buy one that is too large to do so. We've never used a "shittuby".

The old paddle leash trick, that explains why the paddle stood its ground. I realize this was a demo, and the particulars of said demo can be ignored. Leash or not I would prefer to park the paddle on the bow rather than leave it to the whim of the waves. Having a parking mechanism and process comes in handy should a rescue victim hands you their paddle.

I just watched the ladder rescue and it reminded me of my first unstaged roll. We were riding surge through gaps off of Manchester and I got hung up part way as the water receded. Rather than slide down the side I took one hand and kept the boat and I up on the rocks and waited for the next wave. When it came I slid down, capsizing, and rolled up. As I popped up I swelled with pride. I looked to one of the instructors, Rick Crangle, and he said "you took your hand off your paddle". If you practice the ladder rescue I would strongly suggest you heed Rick's advice, i.e. I would never leave my paddle in the water as is shown. I always make sure the rigging on the bow allows me to slide my GP under wraps easily. I'm sure one could install something suitable for spoon.

I prefer the "cowboy" as I find the "ladder" removes random attachments and otherwise entangles the front of the PFD. As for "parlor tricks", those who can't often turn to criticism.

...The more expensive paddles are lightweight and will tire the paddler less... I'd recommend you adopt classical methods and make a GP (Greenland Paddle) at home. With the money you save, you can invest in beer and veggie burgers.

My point was not to call out a boat in particular but instead that there are variations and that he, or anyone, should try them out and that they might find their first impression turns to one quite different as they become accustomed to the boat. I didn't say anything about the ads (on the general message board) in this thread either.

I'm 5'8@195 lbs and have two boats that suited me well. The best boat I have paddled was a Force IV. I also was in a Force III and liked it, but the cockpit was a bit too tight. Few who have paddled these boats have disliked them. Elsewhere a Greenland Pro was mentioned. I have never sat in a boat but I was close enough to someone on a maiden voyage with a newly acquired 'Pro to hear him scream like a girl whilst learning to deal with what is considered a relatively twitchy boat. Once he got used to the boat, however, he found it responsive and a fine ride. So take recommendations with a grain of salt and spend some time in a boat you plan to purchase if possible. The CRCK thing sounds like a great deal, if you are close enough to really work the selection.