scamlin

I met Fred at a SMSKN meeting in Falmouth (ME) tonight and he turned out to be a very interesting guy who knows a lot about skin boats. The SMSKN folks told me he's the go to guy for skin on frame. He has a great workshop planned with lots of show and tell. He's looking forward to meeting NSPN skin boaters and wannabes. Sounds like a great event. Kudos to Bob for putting it together. Scott

Not in a sea kayak but still, it's big water. http://www.dump.com/2010/11/30/highest-waterfall-in-a-kayak-189-ft-video/ Lot to think about here? It's his voice mail to his Mom that gets to me. Scott

Barry: Definitely check out Brian's glass repair sequence on his website, besides the basics, he shows several helpful tricks of the trade. Couple of things I learned watching him do it: 1. Must remove absolutely ALL loose, soft, spongey material: cut, file or sand down to ringing hard glass. No short cuts. 2. You need a good overlap with the surrounding sound glass composite: taper the edge at least 1/2" to 3/4" onto the glass substrate, more if you can. You've got to get below the gel coat layer and expose at least some glass/resin matrix. This overlap is what gives the repair it's strength, especially if you cannot put a layer or two of glass cloth on the inside. If I couldn't reach inside, I'd want a wider overlap: 1" or more, the kind of overlap you'd want inside if you could do it. If you want a flush final surface, you have to fit the taper, all the layers of cloth and resin, and a couple of coats of gelcoat within the thickness of the hull, so taper accordingly. 3. Given the above, you really want to squeeze out all the resin you can. Remember: resin provides no strength, it just holds the glass in place. 4. Some kind of firm backing helps as it allows you to squeeze out excess resin when applying the glass while still maintaining the contour of the hull. Some ideas: Brian put one layer of resin saturated cloth on the inside, with a cut down milk jug section as temporary backing held in place by an inflated paddle float. He got a super clean and exact contour in a difficult curve of the hull. I've done other repairs where a single layer of cloth was stretched taut over the hole from the inside using a brush to draw the edges, then allowed to set before applying the layers from the outside. If you simply can't reach the inside, you can do a "backing" layer from the outside. Cut a small, piece of glass cloth (your first inner layer) just a bit larger than the hole. Saturate it with resin, then gently apply it from the outside to the bottom rim of your tapered hole and let it harden; it then becomes the "backing" for the rest of the 3-4 layers. The trick is to get enough resin in the cloth to saturate without it sagging, bubbling, folding or wrinkling (not easy). A almost dry small brush works best, tapping and drawing the edge of the cloth over the inner rim of the tapered hole. Be sure the surface of the first layer is low enough to leave room for the rest of the layers AND the gelcoat (better to have the layer sag in a bit than bulge up a bit while hardening). The remaining layers will provide the strength for the repair; this first layer allows enough support for the subsequent layers to be applied and squeeze out the excess resin. The jobs I've done this way are a bit lumpy on the inside but hold. You may have to sand imperfections on this first layer to make room for the remaining layers. For a keel location, you do have the option of a keel strip approach that avoids the need for any backing. When I repaired a similar soft area on my hull behind the skeg, I sanded down to glass along the bottom of the keel and about 1/8" to 3/16" of gelcoat on either side of the keel, down about 1" to 1-1/2" tapering to the hull (NDK's have enough gel coat to do this :-) ). Then I stretched a couple of layers of heavy cloth over keel from the skeg box stern ward. Same principle as all repairs: start with narrower strip then wider, etc. Because of the location, I was able to fair the gel coat over this 8-10" keel strip into the taper I'd sanded into the hull. The overall width of the keel was definitely wider, but was a clean repair with no visible keel strip. Because it started at the skeg box, it blended in nicely. I ended up with a sort of integrated keel strip that repaired the damage with no backing on the inside behind the skeg box. 5. Make sure the final layer of glass repair is BELOW the finish surface level of the hull: if you don't leave room for the gel coat, you will either have glass showing through or a lump of gel coat. Good luck. Scott

Adam: Thanks for posting a great reminder: this helps all of us. I think the top link was truncated. Try this one: http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/802/978195/ Maybe the club could get hold of a stack of stickers: less hassle for the CG and for NSPN members. Actually, simply writing your name and a contact number (e.g. cell phone) with permanent marker accomplishes the same purpose...and increases the chance that lost equipment will be returned to you. I use a label machine for small items like radios. Scott

The seawall at Lanes Cove--a favorite NSPN putin--was damaged in the recent blizzard. Seems the city intends to repair it. http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2010/12/noreaster_sever.html Seems it was some storm: the buoy report for Jeffery's Ledge (20 miles NE of Cape Ann) shows waves in excess of 7 meters for six hours, peaking at 7.7 m (that's 25 feet) during the height of the storm. Now, that's off shore so imagine the height when they stood up in the shallow water of Ipswich Bay. http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/realtime2/44098.spec Maybe Liz can provide a first-hand account. Scott

Bill/Jason: Really like the new look, especially the full screen width. As usual, NSPN voluneers work tirelessly and selflessly to keep us up and running. It is so easy to take for granted, but we shouldn't. Hats off to your talent and dedication. Thanks, Scott

Alas, only in BEIGE L & XL! Ernie: I did think to check colors and sizes and there were plenty of choices. Didn't check the prices: the good ones are $39 and $44, not $26. Sorry. Scott

Saw some items on sale at NRS: Pro-Tech Ace Water Helmet $26.95 http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfi...mp;pdeptid=2058 Lady's Ultra Jane (with relief zipper) $99 in blue/black http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfi...mp;pdeptid=1147 We have both products: they are top quality and cheap at these prices. Also saw some warm fleece garments, but have not tried myself: http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product_list.asp?deptid=1144 No stake in NRS, just good folks with good products. Scott

I find that shaving the morning of the paddle reduces chafe a lot. If I don't, the stubble on my throat irritate the skin. Scott

Many years ago, I bought a 7" and a 10" version of the Palm neoprene emergency hatch cover that Brian mentions (for Valley day hatch and NDK cargo hatch respectively). They are more or less mini-spray skirts with bungies sewn into the rim. Work very well when on: a very tight seal, much better than any designs with gathered material such as nylon fabric. However, they were always difficult to put on (hard to get the entire bungie over the rim without the other side slipping off). After 12 or so years of drying out, it's virtually impossible for one person to put on without tools. I carried them for a couple of years, then didn't bother because 1) I didn't lose hatches and 2) couldn't get the spares on if I did. Maybe if I got them on and left them for a few weeks, they would stretch back out. I did go out and buy fabric, light bungie and cord locks to sew up my own lightweight spare covers, but that was five or six years ago and the materials are still sitting in the shopping bag. Having spares seems a good idea: I know from the experience of fellow paddlers you can lose hatches. Hint: while Valley hatches will float, NDK/Kajak Sports hatches will sink out of sight in the time it takes to say "Oh, #&@%!!!" Second Hint: Tethers are a very good idea. That's my main line of defense. Float bags are a good idea in a pinch, but you'd have to find storage for whatever was in the hatch. Scott

Suz: Checked with the MITA office and Brian Marcaurelle, Program Director, had this to say: "The goats (and shed) are supposed to be temporary. I'll try to get more information from the Council so that we can update the online guide accordingly. The designated campsites are still being established by the group." Campsites sound like a work in progress. Always best to check with the MITA office if in doubt about a new campsite or as Brian suggests, check MITA's new online guide to all 183 sites on the Trail--available to current members. The online guide allows MITA to give up to date information on Trail conditions and changes, something we cannot do in the paper Guide. So check it out before you go out. MITA appreciates reports such as this: it is an example of MITA members as stewards being the eyes and ears of the Trail. Scott

Ern: Beth and I paddled the outside coast of Vancouver Is. in 2002 and would go back in a heartbeat. As Michael suggests, Tofino is best place for kayaking if you're traveling without a boat. You;d need a car to get there from Victoria via Alberni. Very cool town: a mix of First People (aka native canadians), descendants of 19th century European gold diggers and fishermen, and various old American draft dodgers and hippies who arrived in the 1960s and 1970s. Kind of a laid back California vibe. The beachfront condos and cottages do a big business in the off season: the surf is spectacular during winter storms. We rented Current Design and Necky boats from Tofino Sea Kayaking who we recommend. They are on the Tofino waterfront so you just launch from their beach. http://tofino-kayaking.com/ Rental come with PFD, paddle and spare, paddle float, throw line. We brought our all our own equipment except the boats and food in one duffle. Well worth it. Also, stayed at two of the numerous B&Bs the nights before and after the camping trip. Many very good restaurants in the area if you want to splurge. Any number of islands to camp on and paddling can be as exposed or protected as you wish. Multiple sightings of gray whales a day (including a few very close encounters) along with seals, big turtles, huge trees, etc. The Pacific NW coast has about 5 times the biomass (land and marine) compared with New England, so it's a different world. We did find wolf footprints around our beach tent site one morning, but were told the big cats and black bears keep them in check. The second week I camped in the Broken Island Group in the Barkley Sound area southeast along the coast from Tonfino. More of the same, except this time found much evidence of First Nation people who flourished on these islands until the 19th century when European diseases decimated them. Gray whales and Stellar sea lions were the highlights. We put in at a public campground in Ucluelet, BC on Toquart Bay Rd. off the Alberni highway. Beware the major shipping lane from Alberni: I can tell you from personal experience that big boats come through the Broken Islands and they are deceptively fast. Link to the camping ground: http://www.toquartbay.com/index.html Happy to give more background if you contact me. Scott

Stew: Having been temporarily disoriented in the marshes of Plum Island Sound many times myself, I can tell you that the best strategy is local knowledge and land marks (though those change with tide heights). That, a chart and a compass is really all you need. Which GPS depends on how you are going to use it: a mapping GPS such as the 78S theoretically will locate you, but unlike more open waters and larger landforms, GPS maps tend to not have the detail of the small channels in the marsh. So you're as likely to be shown on land as on water, which won't tell you which way to turn. So check the map on the GPS you're considering to see if it has the detail you need. Without the detail, you could be a couple of yards over in the wrong branch and have to travel a bit before realizing you're traveling over land on the GPS (assuming the smaller channel is not shown). By that time, you'd probably have figured it out without the GPS. The alternative is to note the lat/lon on the GPS and carefully plot it on a printed chart which tends to have a bit more detail. Most people don't want to bother with this old numerical method, howver. If you just want to get to Newburyport from Ipswich, here's my method: 1) cross over to Grape Island (wooded island on the east side of the sound across from Middle Ground), and follow the shore north just off the right hand bank. 2) When you're past the Parker River (big channel branching to the west) start hugging the left hand bank (just past the river opening), avoiding the temptation of the several channels to the east (right) for about a half mile. 3) After the channel narrows, chose right hand forks, especially one 90 degree bend to the right and follow your nose to the bridge. Joppa Flats is dead ahead. If you're uncertain which fork to take, look for the current as indicated by grass bending in the channel: the main channel to Newburyport has the strongest current. If you still get lost, enjoy the views of the marsh and consider yourself blessed. Scott

If you are serious about a charter, I can ask a contact in the Kittery/Portsmouth area who knows fishermen who may be interested. Email me privately at scamlin at restructassoc dot com Scott

Mark: Just a clarification before we start communicating with our legislators: The text you copied appears to include Type V PFDs, contrary to your first message saying they are excluded. Am I missing something? Scott

Note the cameo appearances of other surfers. Scott

Yes, we're on. Part of smart CAM paddling is learning how to make a good assessment on the beach, come up with a good plan, observe during the trip and be prepared to make smart, timely decisions while on the water. Can't think of a better way to get that experience than to do it live. So whether we're out for the day or an hour, class will definitely be in session tomorrow. And no, we're not planning to get hit by lightening. Scott

Gene: NSPN trip ratings are given when the trip is posted even though by their nature, trip levels cannot accurately rate a trip in advance. Why? Because most of the factors relate to conditions and they can't be assessed until the day of the trip--and even then change through the day, sometimes unexpectedly. Most factors--wind and waves, surf, storms, lightening to name a few--are unknown when the trip is posted. Some can be predicted such as tide levels and tidal currents, and others such as distance can be planned (though emergencies can change even distance). The trip rating system is designed to take this uncertainty into account by describing the types of environments where the trips occur. The type of environment generally relates to potential conditions and risk. So, for example, Level 2 trips are in protected waters (rivers, estuaries, etc.) because more severe conditions are unlikely to develop. At most, some wind waves could build over a large estuary such as Essex Bay, but there will never be large swells and surf. In contrast, the Lanesville shoreline does regularly get hit by large swells: it is an open ocean coast so every time a storm tracks offshore, swells generated by the storm come into Ipswich Bay from the east and northeast. The possibility of such swells and surf is why the environment is rated Level 3. Similarly, a 15-20 kt. blow from the northwest has about 8 miles of fetch across Ipswich Bay to generate 2-4 foot wind waves (Level 4 conditions) against the Lanesville shore. On protected Essex Bay, the same winds would rarely generate waves over 1 foot, which is the Level 2 standard. While not an exact science, open ocean waters are simply susceptible to bigger conditions in a way that protected waters are not. On any given day, such as your trip, conditions along the west side of Cape Ann could be benign and fit with Level 2 criteria, but you don't know that in advance. It's the potential for the rougher conditions that make Lanesville and any open ocean coastal trip a Level 3. Note that "protected waters" doesn't mean all rivers and estuaries are Level 2. For example, the Merrimack is "protected" but has currents that far exceed the 1 kt Level 2 standard, has the potential for stiff wind waves on Joppa Flats, and regularly has major swells and standing waves on the ebb at the mouth of the river. We need to analyze all the potential factors for our intended route as we covered in the CAM workshop on May 8. The trip ratings have another mechanism to address the uncertainty: the distance from safe landing where the group can get off the water. Level 2 trips should have easy landings pretty much anywhere. Level 3 trips should have it "near at hand" which the current NSPN website says is less than one mile. That means paddlers would have 20-30 minutes of paddling at club speeds to reach safety if things turned bad or a member of group had a problem. Conditions can change dramatically (a front coming through, a thunderstorm, etc.) and a Level 3 group could quickly find itself in Level 4 conditions. Most paddlers could not paddle their normal pace or even make forward progress, and even Level 3 paddlers would have difficulty maintaining full control of their boats. That is why Level 3 trips are described as having "limited exposure:" to account for this possibility. That is also why the distance to a bail out is important: it is the margin of safety should conditions (or issues within the group) turn out different than planned. (Personally, I believe the one mile standard is too large; in my view it should be more like a half mile which puts the safe shore a 10 minute sprint away). NSPN has always advised groups to assess actual conditions at the put in. The actual level might be different than the posted level or the environment because at that point you know the conditions. So you could call Level 2 conditions at the beach, but you would still want to post it as a Level 3 for the potential of the environment. Scott

Peter has pretty much covered the basics for the CAM workshop. I'd like to add a couple of things: 1. Since you'll be in the water with boats around, we'll be asking everyone to wear helmets. I'll bring a few extra if you don't have one. 2. If you're not sure about other equipment, the equipment list on this website is a good place to get your checklist. That said, if you have the basics Peter lists, come on out and as Peter says, we may be able to sort it out. Also, if you really want to do the workshop but don't have immersion gear (wetsuit/drysuit), don't be afraid to post here asking if anyone can loan you something. I can offer immersion gear for a medium woman and a large man: let me know if you need something. email is best at scamlin at restructassoc dot com Scott

Yep, we'll be covering contact tows--with and without a line--on Saturday at the CAM workshop, just as Rick and Galen say. Also, if there is time, we'll have a chance to see just how cowboy and paddle float rescues are done--and you can make your own mind up whether they belong in your kit of skills. Don't forget to RSVP to Peter B. if you're coming. Scott

The PPH article online now has a "correction" "Correction: This deletes reference to the girls being on a guided kayak trip. They were kayaking on their own." No apology for the second-hand (actually third-hand) rumor in the original article or the irresponsible and unverified reference to Tom. Scott

Nice write up and pics. A little history: Bangs Island is a Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL) property. The island was originally bought by the state in the 1970s to protect a colony of nesting eider ducks. Raccoons preying on the nests eventually wiped out the population, but the management plan still keeps an April 1 to June 15 closure to protect any new nests that may be established. The fact that you saw a raccoon on Bangs indicates it will be a big challenge for eiders to re-establish nests there. The nest and eggs you found on Crow Island are news to the MITA staff: last year they saw numerous eiders in the vicinity, but no nests. The eggs in the pic appear to be eider eggs--which is great news for the eiders as they have a tough time finding places to nest in Casco Bay. It does mean that we need to be extra careful, however. Any disturbance, including approaching the nest, causes the adults to abandon it. Even a short time away from protecting the nests leave the eggs open to predation from raccoons and sea gulls. MITA's Program Director Brian Marcaurelle therefore suggests we avoid Crow Island until June 15. He'd also appreciate any information on the number and location of the nests. This kind of sharp observation of what is happening on MITA islands is exactly the kind of member stewardship MITA is based on: the users who enjoy the islands are the ones best able to care for the islands and the wildlife we share them with. While we're all familiar with MITA's clean ups, an equally important role is for us to pay attention and relay what we find back to the MITA staff. Member reports are vital data that MITA uses to develop management plans. When NSPN agreed to a partnership with MITA last year, Brian asked us to become Island Adoptors for Crow and Bangs. So we have a special interest in these two islands. Trips by NSPN members to check up on them is a great service. For now, though, the best help we can offer is to stay away from Crow and Bangs until June 15 to give the eiders a chance to get their chicks on the water. Scott

I second Brian's recommendation: the DVD is call Directional Control and as the title implies, it covers the basic principles and techniques for turning in different wind directions. Based on the course Nigel used to deliver for NSPN. Changed my whole understanding of why boats behave the way they do and what to do about it. Try http://www.nigelkayaks.com/857.html and scroll down for a description. Or we could have a video party some night. Available widely including paddling.net and Amazon. Scott

Ross: You could take a page from Bethany Ericson's daughter Lyra and start the training early: She's got it, clearly enjoys it, just needs a boat at some point down the road... Scott

Tell that to legendary big wave surfer Laird Hamilton: