Rick crangle

Thanks to everyone who offered their drysuits. I found one that fits, and was close. Who knew a Kokatat small would be just fine. Thanks again friends.

I am hoping there is a kind soul out there who is willing to lend me a drysuit for this week. I am going to 5* training in Scotland on Thursday, and my suit leaks. I am 5' 10" 160 and will take full responsibility for it’s well being.

Here is a link [http://www.atlanticseakayaking.com/]Jim Kennedy is a ICU and BCU five star.

Ah but it's a grand place. [http://www.nspn.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=100&forum=DCForumID5&viewmode=all]

Every Thursday after 5pm. Welcome

We are practicing skills every Thursday and have been for the last three weeks. I will be traveling this week, so I am sure things will be in good order with our regulars stepping up. Enjoy and be safe.

If anyone is interested, I will be at Chebacco Lake on Thursday evenings from 5:oo pm on throughout the summer. We have practiced here since 1999 all are welcome.

Andrew and Alex are too classy for that kind of show off stuff...wait, were they racing?

I do not consider this one, a trick reentry, or two, limited to flat sea conditions. It is a legitimate mode of entry in most sea conditions, with a little practice. For the most part, you would use this type of entry from a ledge launch, where the boat is tossed into the water and you go in after it. I’ve used this many times. If you are to employ any of these types of techniques, then, they must be practiced, not just an intellectual concept. As far as the usefulness of this with small cockpit, I admit it is a little tricky, but as I own a pintail with an ocean cockpit I felt obligated to try. Sitting on the back deck and getting both feet in at the same time is difficult, but I did do it the first time I tried.. I had to pull myself in with one hand and scull for support with the paddle levered on my neck. My point is, that all these somewhat “tricks” have there usefulness at different times. I have heard that the deep scull for support is a parlor trick, but you can use this same skill from an inverted position to rise to the surface within a few strokes. Useful ? Yes. How many ways do you know to turn your boat, or should the Greenlanders stopped at the first successful roll they came up with. The more you can do with the boat and blade, the more you can do with the boat. Practice makes permanent and practice is your ticket anywhere.

I don’t want, or intend, to get into a weighty discussion of boat designs, or hull volume ratio to wetted surface. The 170 felt larger, higher, than was good for me, I liked the 165 fit, in comparison. Would you be surprised if one of the design criteria for a production boat was that it would fit as wide a range of paddlers as possible through building the cockpit size generously rather than not? There is a boat for anyone out there these days. It is what feels good to you at your level of skill, abilities, interests, at the time. We do tend to talk about boats using volume for different measurable differences, such as how much your boat will carry on the camping trip, how large, not heavy, your boat is, or what the effect of volume is with regard to freeboard fore or aft. Ideally I like a boat that is long and sleek, low in the water but not enough to have the bow dive or catch water for my weight, stable (a relative word) in confused water and able to take a beating (you may be sore but you can walk away from a fight). I find all that in the my boat. In the scheme of things it doesn’t matter what boat that is. It is designed for a larger paddler than I, but maybe an inch off the width would suit me. I thought that the 165 was a nice little boat and I was uncomfortable playing with the 170, my size, my feel. I don’t see the point of over analyzing things, there are too many variables, too subjective. As a side, skills are related to boats just as tools are to craftsman. Tools are designed to function with specific purposes, but the craftsman employs the tools to create to the height of the tool’s function and beyond its common purpose. Boats can be tools. It’s fun we’re making, boat and paddle the tools , be creative.

I must say, that I look at the 170 vs 165 in a different light. I tried both and the overwhelming difference was in the volume at the cockpit. In the 165, I felt, the perfect height proportion at the area the knees come in contact with the under deck. With the 170 that height was too much and the boat felt cavernous. Now I know you might say that the extra volume at that point on the boat is for larger people, but I am not so sure that is the best point to put the volume. Looking at the larger person in a boat there are two areas of concern, one the proper cockpit hole size, for ease in entering not necessarily exiting, and two, volume for the compensation for the extra weight and how it effects the designed optimal waterline. With regard for the first criteria, getting the legs into the boat is a feature of the cockpit hole design and not necessarily the place to raise the deck to fit a larger person. The deck height on the 165 is lower and allows for the optimal placement of the knees, wide enough to easily edge the boat without straining, yet having a close contact needed for a good fit. Secondly, if the volume for the larger person design is centered by raising the top deck at the cockpit area, I think the designer has missed an opportunity to balance the boat. I would have placed the additional volume proportionately between the front and rear decks. This spreads the volume out away from the center and thus increasing the buoyancy to keep the waterline where it should be, but gives more buoyancy to the front of the boat to keep it on top of the water, not diving. Spreading the volume away from the center balances the boat and is a more effective way to gain buoyancy because the volume is leveraged by being farther from the centered load of the paddler and thus giving the boat better trim characteristics in bumpy seas. I think the 165 did the right balance and the 170 missed. A boat should be sleek and fit, no midriff bulge, for good performance. Just a thought that's what you asked for.

I’ll be paddling out of Pebble beach on Saturday and most likely heading around Thatcher and Rockport area. It’s looking warm so if your interested show up at ten o’clock. Pebble beach is along Penzance road across from Cambourne pond. Just put Penzance rd, Rockport in a map program and look for the beach which faces Milk Island.

I resemble that remark. Winter is just another season to put paddle to water. Cabin fever is a great motivator and the quiet nature of a cool winter’s day is hard to deny.

Kristine and I, just got back last night from a couple of weeks on both islands and did some paddling there. I'd be happy to tell you what we found out. Give me a call Karen. Rick Crangle

It’s just cheating to use gyros for stability. Nice thinking Don.

Greg Paquin will be coming up from Connecticut to do the navigation class. What you have as an outline is impressive and of interest to a lot of us. I think between Greg and you, John, that there will be enough subject to fill up the day, or more. Perhaps I could help you out with the wave and current side of the discussion along with Greg. I hope folks will get behind this class and take advantage of the efforts of those that are willing to put it together. There will be several such events throughout the winter months that look to be very interesting and a great opportunity to get together.

Dan, You can and should learn both ways of clearing a boat. Pulling the hulk on to your deck is a matter of what is easy and efficient. If you can do it the traditional way, boat deck down, then do it, but, if it is a laden boat, or a double, then by all means slide the boat up on your lap, and flip it. There is no sin in getting it on your deck whatever way you can, but don’t forgetting that the method of the traditional t-rescue was indeed developed to protect you. Not committing to the rescued boat with the close hand high on the upturned keel and the far hand under the nose is the down fall, or fall in, of most new to doing rescues. Also, how the boat is positioned and what side of the boat you are on is important. In current, or waves, you what to approach from below the rescue so as not to be pushed into the up turned boat and swimmer. Remember too, that the current can work against you if the boat you are trying to turn up is being pushing around, out of the 90 degree position, by the flow or the waves. Practice is the key. Have fun.

As long as the group is of a reasonable size, re, small, and made up of experienced paddlers, re, ready for well off shore surfing and hard play, then I think this can be arranged. We were lucky to have some nice, and competent, people from Conn. to introduce us to this area. Catumb Rocks and Sugar reef are a good starting place, the Race has different issues and takes its toll if you are unprepared for her. We had a ball on both of the weekends this summer. I for one want to make it a regular place to play and continue to enjoy the folks from connyak. Stay tuned Sean you will enjoy this venue.

A big applause to Christopher and the others for their efforts in the BCU 4* award. Good on you, or should I say, BRILLIANT.

Do they come in flavors? tutti fruity, acorn, maple walnut, and with or without jimmys. Squirrels love them on these hot days.

Congratulations to Dave and Debbie Duncanson on achieving their three star award up in St Michael's College, Vermont with Steve Maynard. Hard work prevails. Congratulations also, to Jonathan Rose for his four star, nice work. Any one else? The opportunities for training are at hand. If you are interested in any of the BCU, ACA, or related trainings, but don’t know much about them, or the instructors, ask here. There are a lot of us who have really enjoyed the experiences and people associated with this. Don’t let the summer go by without challenging yourself a little further.

I’ve heard from a lot of new people wanting to come to the Thursday evening sessions, but, I’m not sure they can find where we are. Every Thursday evening from 5:00 pm until sunset throughout the summer, we meet to practice kayak skills. This is a very diverse group, ranging from ‘I just bought this boat’ new to kayaking to those with years of experience who are keeping up their own skills . We welcome people to the club for the first time with introductions to other members and a sharing attitude that help new people get a leg up in this activity and NSPN. What do we ask of you? We all are responsible for our own actions and safety, NSPN is solely a volunteer organization and we get together for our own enjoyment. A PFD (personal floatation device) is required, spray skirt, appropriate clothing for the water temperature, and things like paddle float, nose plugs,and goggles would be useful toys to bring. So, come join us any Thursday during the summer. Chebacco Lake is located on the town line of Hamilton and Essex, north of Manchester by the Sea. To get there, take 128 north to Manchester by the Sea ( Pine St.) exit 16 and head away from Manchester at the bottom of the exit. This direction takes you to a gravel roadway. Take this 1.4 miles and turn right into a parking lot with a boat landing.

With all this talk of the Wilderness Systems Tempest 17 vs the beginner boat Explorer I thought it was time I tried it out. For me the 17 had too much knee room with its high deck in the front part of the cockpit. My knees had two inches of free space above them in a ‘natural’ position for me. I then tried the 165 and that was a perfect fit, no high deck. It performed very well, fast and very maneuverable, easy to put up on a high edge. Spun like a Romany and easy to slow roll. I tried the Outer Island when Danny had his Impex fleet up here and I tried some other boats with the same beam as the Explorer or at least within reason. For me, I have a need to be able to have a good distance between my knees, so I can put the boat up on edge with the least amount of effort and hold it there at will. The Explorer has the most available space to spread your knees apart with out running into the boat’s sides. Other boats have the same width but have a top deck angle that does limit your knee placement. I like to have as much leverage as possible in as little a beam as reasonable. Note that a lot of Greenland style boats have fast roll easily hulls but, Greenlander don’t put a emphasis on maneuvering, just rolling and running straight. My $.01

Martha’s Vineyard circumnavigation, Rick Stoehrer and Rick Crangle. First day 17.5 nm didn’t see anything, saw MV once for a few minutes. Second day didn’t see anything until noon. Traveled 41.75 nm, took a couple of hours to stop the world from moving up and down 4,5 feet every 8 seconds. Ten hours of paddling no real help from the tides, just a following sea crossing from Gay Head to Woods Hole.

Congratulations to David, Matt, Chista, and Christopher for excellence in their 3 star assessment with Steve Maynard. Well Done