Dee Hall

Brian has a good point. I sanded the Kevlar when applying epoxy for structural changes such as when I moved the bulkheads. I lightly touch-sanded when sealing with epoxy. Even then, it did lift the fibers a little and create a rough surface. -Dee

I have noticed that the carbon-kevlar layups are coated with a smooth layer of resin. This makes sense because the carbon fibers have no ability to stand up to abrasive contact. Kevlar, on the other hand, is extremely strong, and can put up with lots of rubbing with just about anything. That is why you need to buy special scissors for cutting the cloth and tape. So unlike the carbon-kevlar layup, it is not going to be covered with extra resin. It will fuzz up a bit under your heels, but that's about it. When they make the boat, they don't want to use extra resin because it doesn't add extra strength, that comes from the fibers stiffened by gluing them together with the resin. The whole point of using Kevlar is to keep the weight down, so adding more resin for cosmetic purposes defeats the purpose. Because the surface is bumpy, with the only resin being that which the Kevlar absorbed (it absorbs a lot), it may look exposed, but it is very unlikely to be. If it appears to be turning white, then you can be sure that it isn't exposed. It is the resin that is turning white. The Kevlar doesn't change color. I'd like to know Joe and/or Danny's answer on the white color. I've been curious about it. Since it hasn't cause any degradation of the resin in my boat over the years, I haven't been worried. If you still want to add some epoxy in area, any laminating epoxy you find in a marine store is fine. You are going to have to sand the surface first which is going to expose those fibers, which are probably fine up until that point. Then wash it with clean water and wait for it to dry. -Dee

Dan, I observed the same thing early on in my Currituck, but I don't think it's what you think it is. Kevlar absorbs resin very well during vacuum bagging, and as long as there are no bubbles and the fibers are completely covered, it is not resin starved. In fact, I believe that the whitish color you are seeing is actually the resin. The resin in a kayak can absorb a few pounds of water during a trip (yes, it really is heavier at the end). It doesn't degrade the resin since the resin lets it go as it dries out. Sometimes there are impurities that leave it white for a while. I wouldn't seal it, or at least not the whole kayak. I sealed it near one of my bulkheads because there is a stiffener in mine for the keel that slowly wicked moisture through the bulkhead. I just used marine epoxy. However, if you seal the whole hull, it's going to add a lot of weight to the boat and could possibly seal IN moisture which might be bad. -Dee

> Hey Dee - > You bad-mouthing my boat????? LOL!!! You saw our Orion too. I'm gonna have to do some serious finish work on that when we sell it (after I build Bob his dream boat). -Dee

Some of the outfitters (see our Links) also have some good deals on used boats. These are boats they have used for demos or taken in trade. -Dee

>I notice that alot of people are paddling an NDK Explorer >and I am addled trying to find what I want in a kayak. I am >currently paddling a Wilderness Sytems tsunami 120 and doing >alot of ocean kayaking with it. I want to get into a >composite but dont know waht to get, looking for a lite >touring kayak. Does anyone have a review of the cape horn >150 pro??? Hi Brad, The Tsunami is a wonderful boat to learn and develop great skills with. I use them a lot to teach and still amazed that although they look quite unusual for a sea kayak, they do most of what a good sea kayak is supposed to do well. However, it is a stable, and slow design, and at 12', it is quite short for the ocean and will result in a rough, tiresome ride in steep chop and wind waves. The Cape Horn is also in what Wilderness Systems calls their "transitional touring" line. This means that they are designed for sheltered ocean waters and still make some sacrifice of performance for stability. It sounds like you are long past the transition from flat water to ocean touring, or true sea kayaking. I recommend a good Greenland style touring boat that is at least 16' long. I also strongly recommend going for a skeg instead of a rudder - the list of reasons why would double the length of this post. Finally, buy a boat that makes you feel great on the water, not just the one that seems most popular or best looking. A word on used composite boats, provided it isn't full of ugly, amateurish patches, you can always sell it for at least $1500 dollars. Some people will buy a used, composite kayak and try it for a season, then decide it's not exactly the kayak for them and sell it without losing any money. It's kind of a long, free demo. -Dee

We were teaching a class of 12 children on Monday off Revere Beach when we noticed 3 helicopters milling about just to the south for about 20 minutes. When we got back to the beach, there were many relieved parents. As it turned out, some sharks of significant size had been spotted there for the second time, so the news helicopters where hoping to get some footage. Reports of the cause of the presence of the helicopters got back to the parents, so they were quite nervous since we were out of sight around the corner. -Dee

I always carve a hand hold into the foam. That doesn't mean that the foam is going to slide out easily beyond various obstructions inside the boat (footpeg rails, deck fittings, etc.) -Dee

For those that camp and don't have really long legs, that extra storage space is really wonderful. In my boat, those first two dry bags just disappear from sight after being dropped into my forward hatch. It also means that weight is closer to the paddler making manuevering easier. -Dee

Actually, Bob has forgotten that his foam did come loose, so we have used contact cement to glue it together. I do not look forward to the day we have to pull it out. -Dee

For fast cutting, serrated knifes are wonderful, especially on the denser, thicker pieces.

An addition to Jed's good advice: if you decide to stay with the screws (not a terrible choice if the tips don't go all the way through the glass or plastic) make sure you don't overtighten the screws while installing. It's just not necessary, and the threads are small so it's easy to strip out the hole. There are unlikely to be large forces trying to rip the compass from your deck. The nice thing about the silicone, is that it will also keep the screws from loosing on their own too. Also, you might want to check to see that you can get a wrench or at the very least pliers (Visegrips are better) on a nut behind all four corners of the compass recess before you drill that bigger hole. Usually, where there is a will, there is a way, but on the other hand, we don't want to hear about you bashing your Visegrips through the hull in frustration either. -Dee

>It was not meant to be >that way, but she has unselfishly taken on the roll in its >entirety. Good pun Kevin!

A pleated skirt, like a kilt, wouldn't be restrictive at all.

Sorry to hear about your cars, Cathy. It sounds like the body shops are going to be pretty busy up there. -Dee

I was in Amesbury and we had hail the same size but not as dense as that video. That video is pretty good at capturing the dominant sound of the hail striking buildings and decks. We just stood their waiting for broken glass which fortunately didn't happen. (Our trucks were in the garage.) Thanks for the link. -Dee

Bob's advice to submit a float plan refers to official trips only, although it is extremely good advice to have a float plan for any trip so that someone knows where you are, where you are going, and when you intend to return. Official trips can be led by NSPN trip leaders only, and only official trips require submission of a float plan. We don't want anybody thinking that they need to submit a float plan to post a message on the "Private Trips" conference or to put a trip level on their private trip. -Dee

Leatherman (knockoff) with interchangeable screwdriver bits including hex drivers Small Visegrips - pliers, wrench, clamp all in one Aquamend underwater epoxy putty, 2 oz. stick I found at Home Depot. WD-40 pen Zipper wax Miscellaneous stainless hardware, machine screws, washers, fender washers, and nuts, metric and English Drybag repair kit Cable ties, assorted lengths 4-11" Rubber bands Nylon cord 1/8" bungie Duck tape Small caribiner Extra Keeper pedal (in boat)

RSVP very quickly to dee dot hall at verizon dot net with the proper information. We launch in 3 hours. http://www.nspn.org/how-to-sign-up.html -Dee

Announcements of cancellations will be made early Saturday morning on the message board. Paddlers who don't have access to the message board should have made alternate communcation arrangements in their RSVP to their assistant/trip leader. -Dee

This is one of the biggest, but many paddles have a lunch component during a landing in the middle where you would be surprised by the quality of the food shared. Then there are the camping trips.... -Dee

Not hermit crabs. Horseshoe crabs. They were all over the barrier beach and Morris Island. Realizing I had never looked at one, I picked one up and turned it over. The stunted sword on the one I had selected swung around wildly as if it were an important sensory organ. All legs lashed in all directions in search of something to grab. Although the top was smooth on this specimen, several lady slippers had affixed themselves to the bottom near the sword. I did a little research. The pairs we saw were not mating. It turns out that the females lay their eggs above the high water mark and the males fertilize them there. However, when the males find a fertile female, they 'hitch' a ride while she looks for a spot to leave her eggs. Sometimes there will be a chain of males hanging onto the poor female. (We also made an gender ID assumption with these crabs which was incorrect.) It also was no coincidence that we found lots of crabs in the same spot where the humans had been digging up clams. Crabs are what the clams eat.

Mild forecast with rain. The trips are a go! Make sure you bring a paddle jacket or rain jacket. The Pavillion for the Potluck is sheltered, so we will still have our celebration after. Celebrate the Summer Solstice with NSPN on a traditional paddle in Marblehead Harbor and Salem Sound followed by a potluck picnic on Devereux Beach. Those that don't paddle are welcome to join us later for the potluck around 5:30PM. There will be three paddles this year, a level 2 for those that are just getting started paddling, a level 2+ for those who have gotten quite comfortable in their boats and are ready to paddle 10 miles with a group, and a level 3 for those experienced paddlers who can handle some waves up to 2 feet and distances up to 15 miles. Please review the trip levels at: http://www.nspn.org/play-trip-levels.html make sure it is an appropriate trip for you first. (Level 2+ is a new level this year that still fits in the level 2 category, but allows us to more easily cater to the large skill range of level 2 paddlers.) To RSVP for a trip, please supply the following information in your FIRST e-mail: 1) Your Name 2) Your ACA/NSPN member # and expiration date (If you have not yet received your ACA/NSPN card, forward a copy of the email acknowledging receipt of your application. If you are participating with an event waiver, state that you will be bringing the two waiver forms: http://www.nspn.org/NSPForm0106.pdf and a check for $10 made out to NSPN.) 3) A description of your boat (color, length, make) 4) An emergency contact for the day of the trip (name and phone#) 5) A way for the Trip Leader to contact you in the 36 hours before the trip (email and telephone) 6) If the Trip Leader does not already know you, your "paddling resume", i.e., a brief description of your paddling experience. This can include recent NSPN trips you have been on, members or Leaders you regularly paddle with, classes taken, practice sessions attended, assessments completed, etc. It need not be more than two sentences All trips will be leaving from Riverhead Beach: http://www.nspn.org/play-put-ins.html The level 2 trip will be leaving at 12:00 PM. RSVP to Bethany Ericson at bethany at infinitesea dot com. The level 2+ trip will be leaving at 11:30 AM. RSVP to Roger Pollock at rogerpollock at aol dot com. The level 3 trip will be leaving at 11:00 AM. RSVP to Bob Budd at bob dot budd at verizon dot net.

It's a go. RSVP information to follow very soon. Sorry for the late notice. -Dee

And much thanks to Kevin for organizing and working SO hard to get volunteers. It's been a very tough spring for motivating this sort of thing. -Dee