Brian Nystrom

...her choice in husbands notwithstanding. ;-)

(I could say the same thing for my "better half".)

It must be rough for her, living with such a "dogmatic" eater. I won't even bring up the issue of peanut butter, smooth or crunchy? D'OH, I just did. Now we're in trouble!!!

If Jonathan wants to join the Iron Kayak Chef contest, that's just more great food for us to judge, right? Perhaps Liz will sneak in and steal the title???

I have to go now, so I can wipe the drool of my keyboard. :-D

It's hard to find two nicer people and I hope they have a long and happy marriage.

Perhaps NSPN should change it's name to NSPNAMS, "North Shore Paddlers Network And Matchmaking Service"?

...attempting to usurp your (unofficial) title of "NSPN Kayak Chef"? Perhaps a cook-off is in order...sort of an aquatic "Iron Chef" contest. Yeah, that's the ticket! I volunteer to be a judge!!! ;-)

...I prefer tuna with a dab of sweet pickle relish. YUMMMMM!

Onions (raw, I assume) are best used in tuna only if you're trying to keep someone away from you. ;-)

Weather is one area that we have barely addressed. I'd be all for a course on it.

I'd also like to see offerings on:

- Rough water - having basic rough water skills can be a lifesaver, even for people who don't intentionally seek out rough water paddling. Perhaps holding it in an attactive area like Wood's Hole would spur interest.

- Kayak Photography - if there's a suitable instructor available. Many of us have dabbled in it, but I suspect that there are techniques, equipment and skills we haven't thought of.

- Kayak Fishing - Perhaps Adam could put together a primer on the subject? Basic gear, boat outfitting, fishing seasons/locations/techniques, handling the catch, etc.

- Kayak Camping - How about an overnight session that would start with packing/organizing, paddle to a campsite, set up camp, discuss cooking and LNT protocols, and so forth. A practical learning experience.

Won't you have some "hooking up" to do at home, after your absense? I like Adam, but I wouldn't spurn my "better half" for him. ;-)

I plan to continue to hold these annually, if not more frequently.

I would rather move the foot pegs (that's why they're adjustable) or change the padding on the bulkhead, since moving the backband affects the handling of the boat by moving its center of gravity. Specifically, moving it forward increases weathercocking.

Is Sea Kayaking UK Ltd. a different company or does Nigel Dennis actually have the audacity to offer his "manufacturing" services to others??? That would be like Yugo offering to manufacture cars for someone!

Or perhaps the new owners know more about building kayaks than Nigel and this will herald a new era of higher quality NDK boats, which would be a GOOD thing. One can only hope...

There is also one in the Goffstown, NH area.

Defender has the M88 on sale for $244.99 and there is an additional $50 rebate from Icom, bringing the price down to $194.99. Shipping is $6.90 for a total of $201.89. That's a great deal on what is arguably the best handheld VHF on the market for kayakers.

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-...21044&id=161689

Bomber Gear, Immersion Research and NSI are three of the more popular brands, but there are lots of good after market back bands. I suggest that you stick with the smaller, whitewater-style back bands, like the I.R. "Reggie" and mount it low so it supports your hips and pelvis, not your lower back. I'm not a fan of ratchets, as they tend to rust/corrode and I've never found a need to adjust a back band once I get it set the way I like it. Some backbands have both ratchet straps and web straps, so you can just ignore the ratchets or remove them. B.G. will custom make you a Reggie without the ratchets if you request it.

I don't claim to know more about Gougeon products than they do. Perhaps their epoxies do soften substantially at 200 degrees, though if that's the case, it makes me a bit leery about using them on a boat that will sit on a car (or in a rack) in the hot sun. The higher temp I spoke of will cause epoxy to break down, not just soften. In retrospect, that might not be the best way to strip the boat and leave it ready for re-application of fresh glass and epoxy. Use the minimum amount of heat necessary to allow you to peel off the glass. I suspect that will still be more than 200 degrees.

You're welcome to borrow my heat gun, but it's a bench model that's not all that well suited to handheld use.

200 degrees is barely above hair dryer temperatures and you'll need more than that if the glass has been epoxied. IIRC, most epoxies require temps in the neighborhood of 400 degrees to soften them. I've got a heat gun at home that goes as high as 750 degrees (you can light a cigarette with it), but runs cooler depending on the degree of air flow you set. As long as you keep it moving, you won't scorch anything. For that matter, you can use a propane torch with a flame spreader as long as you're careful. Either way, wear a respirator, as hot epoxy fumes are noxious.

Is that anything like "mastice gutta"? Although I don't use it any longer (I prefer a higher-tech product these days), I still have a tube or two at home. Ahh, yes...it brings me back to the days of webs of glue in my spokes and the scent of Brooks Proofide in the air... I still have some of that, too.

Sounds good, Paul. I'll bring Linda's rack feet home with me, so if you need them, it'll be easier to get them to you.

I just checked Thule's online fitting system and it indicates that you need the #444 specialty carrier feet. Linda has a set from her old Golf, if you're interested. Your bars should fit fine.

The Outer Island provides similar stability to the Explorer and excellent handling characteristics. Some people find it harder to turn, but that hasn't been my experience. It's a strip-built only design.

The Night Heron is similar, but considerably more maneuverable, despite it's increased length. To me, it feels like an 18' Pintail. As you know, there's also a stitch-and-glue version, which seems to track a bit more strongly than the strip version. It's probably closer to the Explorer's handling in that regard.

Both of these boats have the same low aft deck that Explorer owners love. There are other excellent designs out there - the Merganser, for example - but they would need modification to lower the aft deck.

I've heard great things about the "King" from Redfish Kayaks, but I haven't seen or paddled one. Again, it's a strip-built only design.

So, are you ready to make the leap to strip-building? If not, I'd say that the S&G Night Heron is your best bet. If you're considering the Merganser with a lowered deck, I have a set of plans you can look at to give you an idea of what would need to be done.

...you equip the rear crossbar with an extention that slides out to the side (IIRC, both Thule and Yakima sell these). You rest the bow on the extension, pick up the stern, slide the bow into the front cradle, then drop the stern into the rear cradle.

Are you going to nickname this boat "Tony"??? It's GRRRRRRRRREAT!

When you replace it, you may want to consider omitting the screws. A good marine sealant like Sikaflex or 3M 5200 will hold the rim securely without the need for mechanical fasteners, as long as the rim is clamped in place during the curing process.

Another alternative is to use aluminum pop rivets with the heads on the outside. The "T" shaped heads will not tend to split the plastic the way that "V" shaped flathead screws do. Don't use stainless rivets, as their clamping action is excessive for this application. Put a dab of sealant on the rivet heads for good measure.

If you decide to use the original screws, tighten them only enough to hold the hatch rim in place while the sealant cures. It might be advisable to back them off 1/8 turn or so afterward, to eliminate any chance of splitting the rim.

There are pics in my "Deck Rigging" album on Webshots as well as in a few others there.

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

If you're relying on bungee cord to hold things in place, you're right, nothing will stay on your foredeck in surf. That's why I use cords and sliders in lieu of bungee cord for most of my deck rigging. You can lock down your gear securely, yet release it quickly when you need it. Twice I've had nasty water rip my primary paddle from my grasp, yet my spare (storm paddle) has always remained on the foredeck when I needed it.

I still like to keep a relatively clean fordeck. Usually, all that's there is my spare paddle, chart, 3' contact tow and a neoprene hood if the water's cold enough to warrant it. None of it interferes with paddling and it's well secured.

...for this thread to take a downhill turn. I wonder if Jenna is having second thoughts about getting involved with the likes of us? ;-)

The former is .006" (a common film thickness), the later is nearly 1/4" thick. The 6 mil tape is a bit thin for protection on a kayak and I wouldn't expect it to last too long in a situation where it gets rubbed by paddles and such regularly. The products I use are substantially thicker, but I don't have the exact dimension handy. I would estimate it to be in .018" range, perhaps even thicker.