Gary B

Keith, Glad to here you are both OK. It's evident that you both were prepared for when the $hit hit the fan. Thanks in advance for sharing your experience with us so that we can all take something good out of your calamity. Looking forward to an interesting read. Thanks again and welcome back from the edge. Gary B

Me too.

I have no suggestions for you. Never paddled in the area. Like yourselves, I just need to get on the water for a few hours. Hope the drysuit still fits after these holidays! Will need directions to the put-ins up there. Thanks,

Ed, I could do either day. The winds look calmer for Monday.

Count me in as well. Just need some paddling partners. Wanted to join the Portsmouth trip last weekend but it was too far, considering I still had to squeeze in some Christmas shopping. Was going to do the Charles in Medfield as a back-up plan but the water was too hard. Would like to go out at least once a month. Gary B.

Karen, I sent an e-mail last night to you but it got kicked back. I just tried another one. I'd like to enroll in a session on Sunday. The morning is preferable. Please let me know if I'm in or not. Meanwhile I'm holding Sunday open for this. Thanks, Gary B.

I hope to be there. Thanks, Gary B

Congratulations Sing! That's really bitchin' Bra. You must be stoked. We're very happy for you. Gary B

There was a video too? Links on the website lead to "the full story" about the event which happened in '79. I just came across it today. Figured I'd share it anyway. I like the part where someone was having a cup of joe with the Capt. a month after the event....... "He was smoking a Camel Non-filter but didn't even need an ashtray because his hands were still shaking too much for the ash to build up to any degree." Gary B.

Got to watch them currents. They can take your boat for a ride you wouldn't imagine. http://koti.mbnet.fi/~soldier/towboat.htm

Wow! That was amazing! Loved to read his first hand account. Great advertisement for that boat manufacturer! Don't think I'd buy his used wetsuit though. Gary B.

Rick, Thanks for putting this on. It should be fun. Wish I could make it but have a 25th anniversary to attend on Saturday. Enjoy! Gary B.

I enjoyed paddling with the new trip leaders last Sunday. Some I knew. Some I just met. All good people that will be an asset to the club and paddling community. It was a pleasure and I look forward to paddling with them again. Next time I'll behave. Yeah. Right. Congratulations!, Gary B.

Congratulations Jed. How cool is that! Gary B.

I'm game. Count me in too. Thanks, Gary B.

Thanks Mark. It is a little tricky getting there. See you on the water. Gary B.

Can anyone tell me what happened to the list of put-ins that used to be on the old web site? I can't find them on the new site. Thanks, Gary B.

Jim, I want to thank you for your time and significant contributions to the club especially over your past year as co-president. We've all benefited from your involvement. I'm glad it's not good bye. Hope to paddle with you again. Gary B.

Hi Leslie, I have two skeg boxes and skeg designs made of marine grade plywood. You could do the same in strips. Send me your address and I'll send you what I got. One of them I got off of kayakforum.com. I'll look for that lead later today. I haven't made the control mechanism yet but I've got some ideas on paper I could send you. It uses a SST cable within a hydraulic hose. Bit of overkill I think. Gary B.

Dee, I've been to the Rendezvous in NH for the last five years now. On Saturday there's somewhere in the vicinity of 150 boats to view and test out. The numbers are smaller on Friday and Sunday. I make it a weekend though. There are mostly strip built and a handfull of S&G and SOF. Mostly kayaks but you'll see a few canoes and row boats. There are commercial boat designers, builders and kit suppliers there representing several different makes but I've never seen any high pressure sales pitches. Their boats are there for the testing the same as individual boatbuilders and the designers are there for questions. You'd most likely have to track them down if you had any questions for them. There are demonstrations on various boatbuilding techniques, paddle making, rolling, etc. It's a very good meet. I go to meet people and see the craftsmanship and new ideas that people come up with to personalize their boats. There's plenty of builders that are willing to talk boats. Many have built more than one. It's hard to stop once you start. The event is open to anyone, whether you have one of their boats, your own design or their competitors'. The weather's usually great in September but that doesn't help anyone thinking of building a boat for launching this spring or summer. I haven't made it to the "Meet on the Beach" yet. I think it's another great opportunity to meet boatbuilders to discuss boats, paddling and boatbuilding. That's in June though and summer is for paddling. Because mine is a west coast designed boat there weren't any around to test paddle. I ended up buying it based on the company's propaganda and am quite pleased. There's nothing like test paddling a dozen boats all in the same day to make some good comparisons. I'd sign up for our own "Meet at the Beach" if there's interest. Another option for those that don't want to wait for any of these events is to contact the boat designers to see if they'll share any names of people in our area that would be receptive to calls from propective builders. I've allowed a couple individual test paddles locally this way and just talked boatbuilding with another guy and his son that have now become friends even though he's outbuilt me now two to one. It's January now and he's building a stripper so I better get going on finishing my second. A post on the building section of kayakforum.com might get you an offer for a test paddle too. Good luck. See you on the water, be it fresh, salt or chlorinated. Gary B. Pygmy Coho