Brian Nystrom

Surfing is about the only form of kayaking where I get out of breath, with the possible exception of rough water rescues. It's very much like interval training and an hour or two is enough to wipe me out (usually my shoulders give out first).

Regarding the "220-your age" max hr rule, you're right, it's a crock for anyone who's athletic at all. I really think it's aimed at the general - more sedentary - population, rather than at people with an active lifestyle. The highest I've seen on the bike this year is 188, but I haven't pushed it to the limit, so I'm sure my max is still 190 or a little above that. At age 49, that's well above the 220-minus my age. The max that the rule dictates (171) is only about the point where I start to breathe hard.

What Icom does is they make the battery-case fit tight enough to create a labyrinth seal that prevents most water intrusion. Then, they use an O-ring around the small area where the contacts are. This seems to be much more effective and durable than trying to seal the entire battery-case connection with an o-ring, a la Standard Horizon.

Although they don't state it in the instructions (at least not that I've seen), Icom is telling people to use silicone grease on the o-ring and battery contacts now to improve the seal even further. I've had two of them for a few years - and M1V's too - and none have leaked.

Icom now recommends applying a small amount of silicone grease to the internal battery contacts and the O-ring that surrounds them. That improves the seal and prevents corrosion if any water does get through. This is the same kind of maintenance that you need to do with waterproof camera housings and similar underwater products.

One problem with neoprene seals is that they aren't designed to be trimmed to fit, so if the fit is too tight or too loose, there's nothing you can do about it.

...not a browser. If you mean Firefox, it doesn't work with version 1.5.07, which is the current version.

...only works in IE.

Most of one's boat control is accomplished by gentle hip/thigh pressure against the seat or hull. It's something that one develops with time in the boat. Bracing inside is only necessary when paddling hard or when firm control of the boat is required. Most of the time, my legs are relaxed and lying on the hull (the flat seat I prefer allows that).

Spider cracking is strictly a cosmetic issue and frankly, it's not worth fixing. You can sand the gelcoat down, apply new gelcoat, sand, buff and polish it, and it will look good for a little while, but chances are that it's just going to spider crack in the same places again, making all your effort for naught. Unless there are structural problems with the boat, I wouldn't invest the time and energy necessary to make it look prettier temporarily. If there is damage to the underlying layup, that involves more serious repairs that need to be done to make the boat safe. To get an idea of what fiberglass and gelcoat repairs are like, check out my related Webshots albums at:

http://community.webshots.com/user/brian_nystrom-reg

Are you sure you don't mean "hamstrings"? Quad tension would occur only from pushing on the foot brace(s).

What kind of references? Do they need to be from professional instructors? If not, I'll gladly write one for you.

...for large buildups like yours. It works fine, but there are a couple of caveats:

- Make sure to provide a drainage channel at the bottom of the foam planks. No matter what you do, water WILL get in and it needs to be able to drain back out.

- Run a cord through the stack of planks and attach a large washer or something similar to the forward-most side. Tie a short loop on the aft-most side. That will allow you to pull out the foam, if necessary. Otherwise, it can be a real bear to do so.

Regarding foot pads, the angle that I find most comfortable is 15 degrees angled forward. While that may vary somewhat with personal preference, I can't imagine anyone being cofortable with their feet inclined forward at 45 degrees. Your feet would be constantly sliding forward and jamming your toes. I also splay the pads outward, which is the way my feet naturally sit when I'm paddling, but that may also vary from person to person.

You'll find it much easier to work on the boat from the cockpit if it's suspended upside-down, either on sawhorses so you can sit on a stool to work, or from overhead slings so you can stand up and work. If access from the cockpit is really a problem, it may be easier to work through the forward hatch. The large hatch on the Force boats should provide excellent access to the bulkhead. From there, it's just a matter of cut/rasp/sand/swear, etc.

There were 9 boating deaths of all types in MA in 2005, 1 in NH and 16 in ME. Unfortunately, it's not broken down by boat type. We'll probably have to wait for the ACA's report to get more specific numbers.

...check out local archery shops. There are silicone-based bowstring waxes that work well on zippers, too. That's what I've been using since I started paddling.

...the brilliant politicians in Massachusetts target kayakers - the one group with no fatalities - as being in need of more regulation. Don't you just love it?! Someone need to send this report to the two idiotic legislators involved.

Wouldn't miss it!

You've simply taken the time to learn the risks of your chosen activities and you're acting responsibly. Kudos to you. The people you met are typical and they usually fall into one of two categories:

1- The Ignorant - who simply don't have a clue as to what the dangers of paddling cold water are.

2- The Excuse Makers - who rationalize poor judgment in order to avoid the cost of proper clothing/gear and or the perceived inconvenience of wearing/carrying it.

Both groups are irresponsible. The fact that they usually survive simply reinforces their poor judgment and allows them to procreate and produce more idiots. Of course, these are also the first people to blame someone else and sue if something goes wrong and they're often rewarded for their stupidity and irresponsible actions. It's like feeding pigeons in the park, the end result is more pigeons.

You did the right thing by trying to convince them of the necessity for immersion clothing. When I hear comments like "the conditions are calm" or "I don't plan on going in the water", I'm always tempted to reply with "I'm sure there are a lot of dead kayakers who said the same thing."

The knife you've got looks good, as long as the plastic sheath doesn't break. I've had that happen, too.

I'm curious, why would you need to cut a line that's not under tension. If it's that slack, why would it be a problem?

I need a beat-to-crap kayak to use for fiberglass and gelcoat repair photo sessions. The more holes, cracks and worn areas, the better. If anyone has - or knows of - a boat that they think is beyond repair, please let me know.

After trying a few knives (sheath-types and folders) on my PFD in my first years of paddling, I found that I was more likely to lose them or injure myself with one (I've had sheath knives come loose during rescue training and dangle menacingly from their lanyards) than to actually need it. I've since switched to a rescue hook that's long enough to serve as a skeg-clearing tool if need be (using the back side so the edge doesn't become dull). It's the Benchmade Model 6 H2O and I've been very happy with it. I still carry a knife, but it's in a dry bag in my day hatch, where it belongs.

...but the fact that she was wearing a PFD and that no obvious physical injuries were mentioned probably means that it was most likely a hypothermia (or gasp-reflex)-induced drowning.

As for standing water in the boat, a small amount won't hurt anything during the summer, but allowing water in the boat to freeze could potentially cause problems, so it's best to make sure the boat is dry in the winter. Doing what you suggest with hatch covers, etc. will generlly take care of that, but the bulk of the water should be pumped, dumped or sponged out.

...is that they're single-impact helmets. They're not designed to handle multiple impacts in the same area. Once you whack a bike helmet hard, it must be replaced. Kayakers are better off with multi-impact helmets that can take repeated abuse.

Polyester resin and gelcoat will absorb a small amount of water, but it's primarily something that affects boats that are kept on the water all the time. The effect on kayaks used for day trips is negligible, probably less than what soaks into the decklines, backbands and other absorbant parts in/on the boat.

As for rinsing, it certainly doesn't hurt with glass/plastic boats, but I almost never rinse mine and have never experienced a related problem. Skin-on-frame boats with wooden frames should NOT be rinsed with fresh water after saltwater use, as the salt helps to preserve the wood and fresh water encourages rot.