bob budd

I prefer XC skis and good judgement to prevent falling through the ice. XC skis are one of the abundant ways to get exercise in winter. Kayaking also works for exercise, though to a lesser degree.

If you seek relevant conditioning info that you can do at home one good source is on Adam Bolonsky's blog http://paddlingtravelers.blogspot.com/2006/07/stamina-smoothness-power-use-your-core.html Many people also find yoga useful, especially if you get numbness or shooting pains in your legs on longer days once you get out paddling. Many people have few problems (with sciatica - the cause) but for those that do they can be acute and custom seats are also a common approach, but that's another thread.

1-I'm gonna pass on lessons, as I have taken few and I'm the sort that convinces seasoned instructors to join the Peace Corps 2-You should consider a moderate investment in a boat, i.e. not a cheap boat but also not something really expensive as it almost certainly won't suit you well and/or will be followed by purchases that suit your surfing, day-tripping, expeditioning, etc. A plastic boat tends to cost less and a glass boat tends to resell better. 3-Pool sessions are a mixed bag. Alot of the benefit tends to come from honing specific skills, though the right person might teach you proper bracing, entry/re-entry, etc. The pool just isn't anyplace to learn to paddle, i.e. you can't go very far. 4-You should feel free to seek advice from this and other boards, read, view videos, or do whatever works best for you to learn. If you ultimately plan to paddle the islands you should also build a sound foundation in navigation and other self-reliant skills, i.e. even if you don't plan to paddle alone its always best if at least one person really knows how to interpret a chart, weather conditions, etc.

Yeah. I thought he broke it doing a failed roll in front of the ferry, though.

Out here in the "burbs" there is also excellent hiking nearby but I must say your air is a bit drier. I recall a recent posting justifying a tendency for the locals to carry extra weight having anything to do with the recreational choices available. This was alot of hooey (sp?) as one can ski and hike in many places out here. Like Jeff Goldblum/Michael Gold said "when was the last time you went week a without a juicy rationalization". In case this and other postings seem to be hijacking the thread I'll chime in that this sort of thing obviously provides entertainment for adrenaline junkies but is neither reasonable nor substantially involving skills.

And yet you moved to the nation's capital for foolish and risky behaviour...

When you do fiberglass repair you generally open up the hole to allow for adhesion of the fiberglass. You add generally add layers of reduced size to taper to the surface. If you need to "backfill" try to use something like polyethylene to which little or nothing will stick. Also, consider using packing tape on the outside to get a relatively smooth surface to minimize sanding. I think Brian's site has good instructions for glass repair.

I don't want this posting to be taken as Bob-bashing, after all I know more than one Bob who deserves no bashing whatsoever. Bob taught in his own particular idiom and left dissatisfied students in his path as any teacher does. It was never his intent to injure or intimidate someone. During "practice sessions" with and without Bob I have seen the surreptitiously capsized boat and the intentional prevention of rolling, also without malice. It would seem appropriate for someone who planned to engage in these practices to check the participants at the put-in to allow them to be left out of the revelry.

We should all be subscribing to e-zines. Not only due we reduce the number of homeless owls but we don't burn fuel to ship the paper to the door step. Electronic media can be saved and retrieved with less difficulty. This presumes, of course, that you have a computer but if you didn't I daresay you wouldn't be reading this message board.

I have one neoprene skirt with a reinforced ring. Very difficult to put on, especially on colder days and/or with little or no sun. As for the chart case, never had one but a bit of prudent storage on the spray deck seems useful, possibly a camera.

This reminds me of when I rolled a Pungo. I bet the owner is very prowed of his boat.

The heel protector sounds like a pretty good idea. Our WW boats, that I use for some surfing and an occasional trip when the waves don't cooperate, don't have the room for my water shoes. I tie the shoes inside the boat (should I need to walk, to drag, etc. back to the car) and wear a (poly-whatever) sock over the drysuit, thus protecting the dry suit. "Sock is cheap".

Mike, you are teetering on relapse...

As for how this thread started other than the pool session I see several people telling Rene (sp?) what he should be looking for. He knows there are plenty of talented instructors who hold half day, etc. instruction. He needs to find someone to meet the needs of his kids. Sounds like the pool sessions are the best bet.

I'll check to see if you move to Sunday (and 1PM). If so I'd be willing to participate in a carpool and could haul three boats. I'll warn you, Ernie, you'd be riding in a Forester.

If you are wearing your dry suit for the first time you might want to consider selecting one of the concoctions recommended herein and not applying until you have a problem. That is, I never have chafed (under my neck gasket) and thus use nothing. The result is generally discomfort at the worst. If you go to work on Monday with "ring around the collar" just tell everyone you kayak fearlessly in frigid waters and they will think you are a bad ass. It is perhaps important to note that I shave on Monday for the week and thus would inadvertently fall under the "don't shave" category in countermeasures.

I am curious if you would expect there to be any issues with the plastic parts cracking in weather cold enough for Rick Crangle to be wearing a hat.

a small dot on the horizon...will turn out to be the Provincetown tower...But I won't trust it. Your chart should list the flash pattern on the light that could allow you to identify it. nausea...hungry Food in the stomach usually reduces nausea. Its best to eat. I've never been nauseous in a kayak but found eating while sailing did the trick. A solo kayaking trip across Cape Cod in fair weather and sea conditions, performed in late spring, by a kayaker in reasonably good shape with acceptable self-rescue training and appropriate self-rescue equipment seems free from significant risks. You did a great job completing two open water paddles in two days. I'd probably never ever try such a thing, more because I find open water too boring than anything else. I can remember the much shorter trip to Half Way Rock and the feeling "why did I do this". That said the inherent risk of solo paddling and open water paddling are worth noting, without belabouring the point. ...marine radio...cell-phone... I would carry both, its up to you. Marine radio for weather and other info that comes in and for problems. I consider the cell phone a backup to the radio. In Cape Cod Bay you should get acceptable cell reception. There are places on Cape Ann where you get nothing.

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics." - Mark Twain

My shoulders can get into a similar state if the arms remain in a bad position while sleeping. A day or two and some vitamin I usually work along with a few PT stretches. I've actually found in the last year or so that wrist, elbow, and hand pain can originate in the shoulder not unlike the way sciatica can present as apparent discomfort in the legs. I can't say if that's what you are experiencing, best of luck.

I also have little trouble regulating body temperature in the winter but do have problems with fingers, especially when its windy. The GP means my hands are wet(ter) and this leads to more evaporative cooling of the hands. I benefit from a second set of hand liners and try to take the gloves off at stops to allow the liners I'm wearing to air/dry, not unlike what some practice with the drysuit. As for extra gloves we have convertible gloves with a pocket that pulls over the fingers. This allows you to quickly expose the fingers, with fleece sleeve covering most of each finger, to untie knots, etc.

One reason you get damp/wet under the dry suit is because breathables don't work under a PFD or in a cockpit. If you find yourself cold in your drysuit you might be warmer if you introduced a bit of air. If you are in the water its a whole different ball game than when you are paddling or lounging at the beach. If you dressed for extended (hours?) immersion you would be too warm for most activities.

Neoprene is a foam and all foams provide some insulation between the two sides of the foam. A neoprene suit can be very hot on a cool sunny day. How well a neoprene suit works when wet depends alot on how well it fits, i.e. when you go for a swim water will flush in and out of the suit more or less depending on how tightly it fits.

if there is a dry, insulating/warm layer between the VB and the drysuit will it reduce the chilling effect? My opinion is that anything that would trap moisture inside the suit is a bad idea. While you are working moisture may or may not make you uncomfortable. When you are at a break the moisture evaporates and cools you off. If you slow this process you are less cool for a longer period. The key is what makes you comfortable. I've been fortunate that I am relatively immune to moderate swings of temperature and find most paddling to be moderate activity wherein I can put on what makes sense for the day and I don't need to worry. I've paddle with others that need to adjust their layers as most days unfold. If you are trying something new you can carry a known solution in the hatch and change if its not working.

...under the drysuit... Personally I wouldn't want something as clingy, etc. as neoprene under the dry suit. I would advise two-piece as it allows you to adjust for warmer days (above the cockpit) and colder water (below the waist). I find the PFD provides alot of insulation and also blocks breathability so I carry extra pullovers if I expect to be out of the boat for much time. Because the PFD blocks breathability it can help to open the drysuit on breaks. I accidentally ended up with an oversized paddling jacket that slips over the PFD, a great on-the-water-change option. ...Vapor Barrier Shirt... Each of us is different, I wouldn't paddle in temperatures where I would need more than one heavy weight upper and lower fleece. Remember that if you stop any moisture under the suit will have chilling effects.