christopherG

Slots all filled for practice in nice, warm water...

29th JAN: Beckwith/Hazard/Mears/Maas/Underkoffler/Pritchett/Flint/Foley/Godfrey/Gwynn/Wilson and Melvin on standby. 12th FEB: Beckwith/Hazard/Mears/Underkoffler/Maas/Foley/Godfrey/Gwynn/Wilson/Melvin/Cornell. 19th FEB: Beckwith/Hazard/Mears/Neumeier/Flint/Foley/Godfrey/Wilson/DeCourcy/Melvin/Cornell. Any obvious omissions? Have I forgotten anyone? (As Oscar Wilde said, "Charity, dear Miss Prism, charity -- none of us is perfect: I myself am peculiarly susceptible to drafts!")

OK, folks, we are for March, too, with these following dates: 5th/12th/19th. Put-in time: 1930 (7:30pm) -- be early, please. Those who have indicated already that they wish to participate had better, please, send money to me (the address at Centennial Farms is under the post for Jan/Feb pool sessions just down the page. Since publicly asking about interest a couple of days ago, these three further sessions are also filling fast, so let me know asap. Reserved thus far: Pritchett/Maas/Lewis/Rozelle/Gwynn/DeCourcy/Reynolds/Beckwith/Hazard/Foley/Cornell/Flint/Neumeier and probably self. Deborah R. is not participating in very first session and Jim DeC can only manage the last session, so there are some small differences between dates; but for the mostpart, paddlers are taking all three dates... RESERVE NOW!! I have no money taken in for these latter sessions yet, so send soon. Likewise those who have not paid for the earlier sessions yet -- and there are several of you (shall I make names public? No, perhaps not -- yet!) Note from my mentor (she wrote it!): Are you ready to practice your roll? Do you want to perfect your re-entry technique? Are you afraid that time spent without practising a high-brace will leave you high and wet? Or do you just miss being in your boat? All of our pool sessions this year will be the "Open Practice" format where you can learn from your peers. Things that can be practised in a pool include skills, techniques and strokes that do not need an expanse of water, such as: * Wet exits; * Rescues, assisted and unassisted; * Equipment testing, exploration, shakedown, usage or just getting comfortable, for example, using a paddle float for rescues; * Strokes not needing an expanse of water, such as draw and pry; * Rolling, bracing, balance bracing, sculling, etc. Equipment for pool sessions, includes: * PFD -- required for anyone in a boat in a pool session. * Spray skirt -- required for the vast majority of skills to be practised. * Paddle float -- optional, for rescue practice, rolling practice, etc. * Pump -- optional for practice involving capsized or swamped boats * Goggles or a face mask -- highly recommended for practice that involves immersion, since chlorinated pools can be hard on the eyes. PLEASE NOTE: NSPN requires that payment for the pool sessions must be made in advance of the pool session. Your Registrar will provide you with the details that you need to know. Pool sessions are non-refundable.

dates for march are 5th, 12th and 19th: these are all saturdays and are what are available (sorry, david!)

The three sessions scheduled thus far (29/I: 12/II and 19/II) filled quickly and readily. I have been advised that we may also have the pool for three dates in March (III) and since there are renovation problems with Chinatown, I presume folks will be glad of extra sessions in March? If I book the pool for all three, will members (and others) just give me an indication of how many would use all three (or two) sessions? Thank you. Those that have not yet paid for the existing sessions -- see my original notice on this message board and send me your cheques! OK, here again is my address: Godfrey, Centennial Farms, 10 Centennial Drive East, Peabody, MA 01960 $15 for members, $20 for non-NSPN members.

seconded!! (he is so right: even the most experienced paddlers can forget to look over their shoulders to see how the rest of the group is faring...especially when enjoying themselves up front or whatever!)

jason, you might want to think again about buying a 7mm neoprene hood (more at the back, where it folds, below the zip, by the looks of it?) -- isn't kayaking rather a workout, i hear? especially in winter... never have i seen anyone wear as much as that (except for diving) and even on the coldest days i believe you will find 3mm or 5mm more-than adequate; but don't let me put you off -- perhaps you are planning on spending lots of time upside-down? dan, the fleece-lined kokotat "hoodie" thing with the little peak and the chinstrap is usually adequate for most conditions and then a neoprene balaclava serves for the colder days. i have a selection of headwear; but possess nothing anywhere near as substantial as 7mm! (thinks to self: perhaps a tuiliq gets up there, towards 7mm? no, i don't think so)

David, with all due respect, a sweeping statement, if ever I saw one! You may be correct; but...

yes, please read this one, : MOST IMPORTANT!! go now to the trip report page...

i have to say that i have personally found sealskinz products to be next-to-useless! perhaps i am just a difficult customer or perhaps i put the socks and gloves on wrong (but i think i know how to dress myself, at my age!)? walter, before i had goretex bootees added to drysuit, i habitually wore heavy socks (with thin capilene liners underneath) with knee-high mukluks over them. these are the best footwear you can imagine and will contribute much to your warmth and comfort. you do need to use caution when embarking or disembarking or you will get water over the tops of your boots: it can still happen! chota mukluks (available at new england small craft) are and i still wear them over drysuit. highly recommended!!

david, these are the only dates booked ; but, depending on demand, we could (i believe) easily have more in march. if it looks as though folks want more, we'll gladly go with it. much might depend, too, on the sort of winter we have (length/duration of?)

ummmmm...embarrassing pause here...you'd think i'd know me own email address, wouldn't ya? well, OK: i've amended it: thanks, kevin and walter (duh!) OK, repeat: these dates do not coincide with chinatown, so roll up, roll up, roll up! come and join us for two hours' worth of warm water practice time -- wet exits, bracing, sculling, rolling, whatever you want to do -- come and join us! the requests for space are starting to pour in: please book early! send details, please, not just "yes, count me in": i need the skinny on your ACA #, boat and emergency contact...don't forget this! (you know who you are!)

I have booked the (very nice, very new) pool at the YMCA in Ipswich for the following dates (all Saturdays): 29th January; 12th February and 19th February. The modus operandi will ressemble very closely that that we have followed for Chinatown: ie, email me with your ACA number, boat and name of emergency contact person and send a cheque, made out to NSPN, asap, please. Sessions will start at 7:45pm (1945), lasting two hours and costs are to be the same as at other sessions ($15 for members; $20 for non-members, who will need to download our waiver and send in or bring in person). cdwg at centennialfarms dot com for the reservation and care of Centennial Farms, 10 Centennial Drive East, Peabody, MA 01960 for the postal address. Geographically, this venue should complement Chinatown nicely.

dear suzanne and folks considering this subject: go buy expensive parallel rules if you like; but they are utterly unnecessary. ruler and set-square are all you need (think about it). i never bought one in my life -- and i used to earn my living with a map (or "chart") in my lap or in my hand. ruler and set-square... in fact, suze: there would be much to be said for practising this subject with only what you can use on the deck of a kayak -- ie, protractor and pencil! it should be quite possible. a kayak is such a limiting environment (and makes such a poor desk!) that very accurate navigation is going to be really tough; but of course you're right (i can hear you already): you have to learn the theory first. ruler and set-square! ruler and set-square! (as alice said to the white rabbit...or she might have done, when lewis carroll wasn't listening)

mark, i applaud your concern and believe you have raised some good points; but i am absolutely in agreement with messrs. cooper and camlin. rock gardens are wonderful places for developing your boat control skills -- that's what it is really about: that and learning to observe and "be one" with the ocean, by which i mean get a for what the sets of waves are doing. obviously a paddler should sit and watch a while before "charging in" -- this is part of seamanship... the one place i have to take issue with you is your statement about developing rolling skills in the surf zone: no! this skill should be down pat before playing in real surf (i do not mean eighteen inch waves on a beautiful, gentle beach like coffins or wingaersheek) if a paddler thinks he or she is going to learn good rolling skills in proper surf, i think that person is setting themself up for some serious injury to the neck!? by the way: i never dared go anywhere the rocks and whitewater until i had been paddling for at least a couple of years! all that has changed: there is nothing quite like paddling along the edge of a rocky shore, in the swells, practising bow-rudders and draw strokes to remain as close to the rocks as possible without actually hard stuff, yet allowing the swells to lift one and lower one as they come and go...wonderful sport!

Now look here, Nystrom: your heading "NiCad memory largely a myth" and the statement following shortly thereafter regarding observations in satellite batteries are contradictory, I declare. NiCad memory is very real in certain areas -- aviation being one. (Ergo, for someone involved in that area, you might term an aircraft battery a consumer item, perhaps?) Most aircraft utilise NiCads, as far as I know -- and aircrew look after them with great care! Periodic "deep cycling" is the norm and battery life is long and dependable. Of course, "ground start" is used when an external generator is available; but a big NiCad will start a turbine engine with no trouble at all -- after start (own power), turn on the generator on that engine, monitor battery recovery closely and, when returned to previous charge level, commence start on second engine...(this recovery time may be a couple of minutes). Oil pressures and temperatures checked; avionics master "on"; requisite frequencies selected (VHF and nav); instruments checked; expected departure procedure reviewed; taxi clearance; propellers off the start locks; brakes gently tested and...bob's yer uncle! Business as usual!

pat, are you thinking of "the kayak cover company"? yes: gloria krellman is in maine. see: http://www.kayakcovers.com/

let's do it again for new year? thanks, david, for the brilliant pix, even if a certain bald head feature a little too prominently! man, can that duo of rickC and werner knock back the beers! you all that evidence (the pile of empties on front of them)?

keith attenborough teaches greenland paddle-making.

godfrey is interested again...there's work to be done! thanks, BTW.

david, david, david (ye of little faith!), did i not tell you it works fine at thirty or forty thousand feet? i do not see how you could triangulate (i'm no mathematician) from various satellites: who the heck knows where they are? their positions are not published, as far as I know, and neither does it matter... i think don perry is probably bang-on with his idea about the internal baritron/barometer -- you were perhaps getting real altitude from satellites and the internal device was giving you cabin altitude? 6000' is exactly in the ballpark...

your ideas and debate about navigation are laudable; but do get used to employing the correct terminology, so that navigators will understand you -- not just NSPNers: thus -- such phrases as "true headway" mean nothing to me -- rather use "track" or, sometimes, "track made good" (as in heading and track -- i this is what you mean?) mr. burch uses that terminology, i apologise: that would be a case of a trans-atlantic difference of usage... what on earth is a "kamal"? never have i heard that word before and neither can i guess? GPS does not, indeed, need "to see enough of the horizon" -- it needs no horizon at all. it works adequately enough on the darkest of nights; it works adequately enough at 40 000' and it works adequately enough in cloud -- as someone wrote somewhere above, it requires only satellite contact. mark, you shouldn't miss muskeget: it's all of roughly 100 acres and the highest point is probably more than 14': there is a house at the western end of it (and a shack at the eastern end). as for going compass-less: that may be good for practising dead-reckoning; but my compasses are permanently affixed to my boats (with non-ferrous bolts, of course) and that is the way i believe they should be. somehow, compasses strapped on to the foredeck with bungees are not my idea of proper toools for the job (but as everyone knows, i'm opinionated!)

two small observations (very personal, but based on experience): (i) glacier gloves are very comfortable; but their life expectancy is, as someone else has pointed out, limited (one to two seasons); (ii) seal skinz have been for me useless in . i therefore consider them fall and spring gloves only. i was almost frost-bitten, once, wearing those in the depths of icy winter! you can hardly have too many gloves (you'll need spares), so it is worth experimenting. i have a pair of nordic blues (size small) for sale, by the way, if anyone didn't see my post on the personal classified ads. page...they were bought off one of the folk who introduced us all to them -- i think they were too for her; but they are a touch too for me!

(i) i am almost certain that a solo trip in this area (the northwest fjords of iceland) was written-up in "sea kayaker" magazine within the last year or two. i'll see if i can find the article; but you should be able to research it easily enough... (ii) chris duff told us he would be writing up that trip (iceland circumnavigation) as a book!

matt, that's because they are not yet posted. just give us a few more days and we shall soon have the various dates arranged. once this is the case, we'll post to the calender and/or main message board, when you'll be able to reserve your slots with the appropriate registrar...