Bill Gwynn

Hey Rick, Not bad for a "luddite". here is the link to Rick's rigging photo's http://www.nspn.org/forum/index.php?autoco...=si&img=359

+1 on what Rick said.

Don't know for sure, but I would imagine it the same as most other small lakes in the area...low to mid 60's

I wouldn't say the weather is going to be bad, just a chance of showers. I can't imagine that Tom would cancel due to a little rain, after all, this is a wet sport.

There will be Thursday sessions starting at Chebacco Lake in Wenham soon. My thoughts are that Mystic and Great Pond in Kingston, NH are far enough away from each other that there would be little if any redundancy. My 2 cents.

http://www.kayakseamonkeys.com/phpBB3/view...?f=4&t=1801

I think the biggest potential problem is the biner getting hung up at the stabilizers bow as it makes it's way up to the bow after disconnect. I am also curious about the bows being controlled and staying close together. I think some of that may depend on the physical condition of the victim being able to hold his bow close.

Well, I wouldn't say that there is no logic to it. The first method (biner thru stabilizers bow then clipped to victims bow) is a tried and true method and works quite well. I have yet to really experiment with this newer method, but I think that some of what Rick eluded to in regards to the bows of the boats being aligned has some validity. I would think it's possible for the tow line to work it's way down to the next RDF back from the bow and not keeping the two bows as close together as you want and making the tow more difficult. Bottom line...having many options is a good thing.

I didn't think my old rasdex was breathable either, but everyone tells me it is.

Rick, I think you may be misunderstanding this other method. This is for towing two boats (victim and stabilizer). The stabilizing boat is the one in control. The tow line goes thru the victims bow, then thru the stabilizers bow, then back to a line within reach of the stabilizing paddler. This method allows a quicker disconnect by the stabilizer (no need to paddle forward to the victims bow). I saw this method used on Jeff and Simon's Incident Management class.

Ahhh...OK, I have seen that method as well. Haven't put into on water trial yet, but I will give it a try. Just to be clear, this method still runs the tow line through the bow lines first and then clips back closer to the cockpit. Of course with a float, this method could cause real "hang-ups".

If the supporting kayak has the biner attached to his bow deck line, he can't detach it (unless you have really long arms) The way I have always done it is to run the line through the supporting kayaks deck line and then attach the biner to the victims deck line. That way, the supporting kayak can paddle up and detach the biner from the victims kayak. I agree with your comment about floats, they can get fouled up in the deck lines. I personally don't use one.

I got a chuckle out of this statement on the page: "(This animated GIF is 186K. It should take from 3 to 6 minutes to download with a 28.8 modem. You'll need Netscape 2.0 or above to view it properly.)" The site hasn't been updated since 1996.

Hi Ed, What you have speculated is correct. NSPN trips will be posted on the calendar. It will be the responsibility of any NSPN Paid Member to post the trip to the calendar. As to the differences between a NSPN Trip and a Private Trip, there are a few things. An NSPN trip will generally be posted more in advance on the calendar, but does not have to be. An NSPN trip is open only to Paid Members. An NSPN trip will require an RSVP for planning purposes. An NSPN trip will adhere to the CA standards. For more in please read this. So, to kinda sum up things, NSPN trips will have a little more structure in planning and are only open to paid members. Private trips are generally more impromptu and are open to anyone. In the end, the actual paddling trips will have little difference as I believe most private trips are currently run in the spirit of the CA model. If anyone wants to have a better understanding of the CA Model, please read this. Another thing to remember is that this is NSPN's first year using the CA Model, so we are all learning as we go. We may find in time, that changes will be needed to the Message Board and or Calendar. One of the great things with the club's new model is the flexibility it affords us to make changes as we go to best accommodate our members.

NSPN is no longer affiliated with the ACA, so there is no insurance waiver fee.

I don't know what you all do, but we normally put-in at the boat ramp on Main St. I may show up...work depending.

Gene, Not knowing what professional instructors you have worked with, I can't comment directly to your experience. However, my experience seems to be quite the opposite of what you are insinuating. My experience with professional instructors is that they are extremely well versed working with paddlers with not only different body types, but also different learning styles. They are very flexible when teaching, and teach each paddler as an individual. Everyone is different. For example, breaking down a roll to it's "constituent parts and having us master each part in a step wise fashion" may work for those analytical engineer types, but it may be completely confusing for those that need to learn with a more visual or touchy/feely approach. Bottom line, is that a good instructor has many tricks in his/her bag and not every person can be taught the same exact way. I know that the BCU coach system spends a lot of time with their coaches specifically on different approaches to learning, teaching and working with each student to accommodate their specific needs. Good effective instruction is more of an art than a science. So, to those that may be listening, don't give up on professional instructors, just find a good one that suits your needs, there are lots of them out there. Bill Gwynn I am not a Dr., but I am a BCU L2 Coach

Here is a link to local water temps by location and dates http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/natl.html This will give you a general idea of where and when temps are in your acceptable range.

I have yet to get the actual straight info on the keyhole version of the AA. Someone said that the keyhole version is also bigger to accommodate the larger paddler. Maybe a version between the AA and the Q-boat. Just speculation, as I have yet to see a keyhole AA. And...yes, it just seems wrong to put a keyhole in a classic design.

AA= Valley Anas Acuta. My personal favorite boat. Probably not the right choice for a beginner, but of course, everyone if different. It has hard chines, an ocean cockpit and is narrow at 20 inches. It also has beautiful lines, and looks oh so sexy on the water. Here's a pic of mine. Now, for my 2 cents (with a pillar of salt) If I could only have one boat, it would probably be an Avocet. It seems to be a great compromise for a do-it-all kayak.

There is one rule of thumb. Water temp below 50 - dry suit, above 50 - wet suit. Once water is above 65, you can get away without special clothing just as long as it's not cotton. Of course, this is just a rule of thumb, and other factors should be considered, such as air temp. If it 35 air temp and water temp is 60, I am still going to be in my drysuit. Also, every person is different in how they tolerate cold water. The best test, is to put on whatever clothing you plan on wearing, then go into the water and see how long you can last before you start to get too cold. This would be best to do close to shore with someone there to observe and help in case you become hypothermic. Here is a link to local water temps: http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/natl.html At a minimum, I would recommend getting a 3mil farmer john wetsuit. They are relatively inexpensive and will give you some protection. Here is an example

The standard Nordkapp would be be big for you. However the Nordkapp LV should be one to add to your list of boats to try.

WFR - Wilderness First Responder, an 80 hour class. But, I believe Kevin meant to say WFA - Wilderness First Aid, a 16 hour class.

aycaramba.wav

You should really have both. A deck compass for holding a course/heading, and a handheld compass for navigation/bearings/chart work etc.