Michael_Crouse

One problem I have with this bill is the way Tom Leech (the harbormaster) has been promoting it. He has violated copyright laws, digitally altered photos, and presented incorrect statistics to support the bill. He was also doing all of this on the Harwich Harbor Master's website, which I guess we're all paying for. If you scroll down to the bottom of this page you'll find an altered photograph http://web.archive.org/web/20050308154823/...rsmissing2.html Now take a look at this picture http://www.shearersoftware.com/personal/pi...mg_1537-md.html Compare the text on Tom Leechs website to the text on Andrew Shearer's website, it's fairly obvious that the picture was stolen and altered. Tom Leech no doubt acted heroically in the search for the two missing girls, but for his presentation of false information he should be ashamed.

>"Attending" and "Participating" have different meanings. >Which one are you folks talking about? We're talking about participating, bringing a boat, getting wet, etc... To just show up and watch should be free.

From the calendar posting for the Ipswich Pool Sessions "$20 for members, $40 for non-NSPN members" So you don't have to be a member to go, but since a membership is only $35 if you plan on going to two or more pool sessions it's cheaper to join the club.

Yea but Safari has a built in spell check.

I wish I could buy a pair of light mukluks in a 14, but for some reason they only make the light in a 13, but the quicklace is available in a size 14.

>... the ones with the strap on top of the legging. They all seem to be made with the strap at the top now. Be sure to try them on then get into your boat, I can't wear quicklace mukluks because they won't fit in my boat. I do wear them for shoveling snow and when my basement flooded this spring. I wear chota booties over my gtx socks (dry suit) over smart wool socks, and my feet stay warm and toasty.

If you're interested in buying a rack you can check out Martin Creek, Talic, or Castle Craft. If you're going to make your own rack do a search on community.webshots and you'll find lots of homemade solutions. Our kayaks are resting on foam blocks or being cradled by 3" wide webbing.

You could try Moor & Mountain in Andover MA or maybe New England Backpacker in Worcester. I would call Walrus (now MSR) and try to get a replacement pole.

You can find instructions for these all over the web, www.backpacking.net is a great place to start. A search for cat stove (cat food can) should turn up lots of matches and instructions. I would say make your own, if you don't like it you haven't invest much $.

Here's a decent chart comparing sea kayak volumes, demensions, etc... of course it says my Gulfstream has more volume than my Argonaut but I have more leg room, foot room , and gear room in the Argonaut than the Gulfstream. I guess it's only as good as the data from the manufacturers. http://seayak.net/filer/Marketsurvey%2006/...tsurvey-SK1.pdf

Cool concept, not too off base when you consider how many folks have a 2 boats, one for play (Avocet, Pintail, etc...) and one for speed/gear hauling (Aquanaut, Explorer, etc...) I doubt many of us would accuse folks who own a pintail and a greenlander of lacking skills since they own a straight tracking boat and an highly maneuverable boat. Yes it's pricey but have you looked at a feathercraft lately? They're nipping at the $5000 price range. The hype is just that, hype and marketing, they're trying to sell a product. Exaggerated claims of performance will always be around. It would be interesting to see one of these but since we're still waiting to see the hydro-foil racing kayak, a Rockhopper kayak, a titanium surf kayak from necky, etc... I doubt we'll ever see this "adjustable" boat either.

I'll second that, the Orion is small and doesn't have the initial stabilty of the Gulfstream. The GUlfstream is an incredibly stable boat.

I agree with everyone here that the price is too high for a boat that old. The classified ads in Atlantic Coastal Kayaker had a pair of explorers for $1800 or $1000 each. The Gulfstream is a great do it all boat, it's not fast but it isn't slow, it can hold a lot of gear, but it's not too big for day trips. You may find, like I did, that after owning one you decide you'll want something a bit faster, or with less volume, etc... It's a nice boat, jack of all trades, master of none. The one thing I didn't like about the Gulfstream is that is in following/quartering seas it tends to slide and skid around a bit. The bow also has very little volume/bouancy so it can purl and it's a bit of a wet ride sometimes.

The only time I've used my pfd knife was to cut a duck free from a fishing line at Chebaco lake, Rick Crangle got restrain the duck while I was cutting the line. So I guess we were dealing with a fouled fowl line..... (groan)

$10 sounds right Can I change my previous post to 40% sure? I must have been thinking about my HMO co-pay.

I'm 99% sure that the second page works as the ACA guest waiver. Guest fee? $15? I'm only 70% sure of that though.

http://www.nspn.org/join-us.html or http://www.nspn.org/NSPForm0106.pdf Just print the second page

You might want to contact Sebastian at Vertetmer http://www.vertetmer.com/en/equipe.html Ok he's in the Madeline Islands (go there, red sand stone cliffs, flat warm lagoons, wind and waves) but he knows lots of people who paddle up there so he might be able to give you some good info. Sine you're in Gaspe' I assume you've paddled around Roche Perce?

Any advice for a lubber line that has shifted to one side? I keep paddling slightly off course now ;-)

http://www.mass.gov/czm/coastguide/online/index.htm pdf files, in case you don't want to wait for the book

http://www.sdkc.org no message board, but it looks like they have a mailing list Congrats on the new job!

>FWIW....I know Tom Leach. He's well meaning - I won't try >to defend his legislation. His intentions may be noble, to save people, but it won't work. The two girls who drown were violating the existing law, no one was able to give them a ticket or better yet stop them and educate them. I don't see how anyone can think that expanding a law that isn't getting enforced will make anyone safer. Tom also quotes all sorts of incorrect figures about kayak sales on his pro mass pfd bill website and uses ridiculious quotes and inaccurate statistics from Tim Ingrim (aka: the spoonson guy). Tim is a well know spammer and general nut case. It's too bad Tom Leach didn't talk to any kayakers before pushing for this legislation. Maybe we could have come up with something that would benefit kayakers and the harbor masters, enviromental police, and coast guard.

Hi Dan, Kim and I will be there too.

Several people have pointed out (and rightly so) the high cost of many of the boats on my list. My suggestion would be to try them all and wait for a deal. What type of deal? Well here are some spectacular deals that folks have gotten over the years on used boats, Kajaksport Viviane $1050, NDK Greenlander $400, NF Legend $950?, NDK Explorer $950. Hell Atlantic Coastal Kayakercurrently has a Kajak Sport, Artisian Millennmnium for $1200 in the classified ads. So buy a boat that gets you on the water, almost everyone buys a new/different boat after thier first year of paddling. In other words don't worry too much about the boat.

possible reasons the boat was turning to the left 1) the wind- a boat will generally want to turn up or into the wind, this is call weathercocking 2) your technique- a lot of people find the boat turning to the left when they first start to paddle, they are usually right handed and are pulling harder on thier right side then thier left because they are stronger on thier right side (btw. you shouldn't be pulling at all) 3) the current- it may have also been a factor, it can push, pull, nudge a boat around I know I push harder on my right foot and therefore with my right side, I know this because I'v worn through my booties quicker on my right heel than on my left.