Ken C

I wouldn't miss it Bob. Its been too long... A word to the wise..... Always keep an eye on your back deck when the "B" is in the neighborhood!!!

Suz, Will the Tropos work on the Ocean Cockpit on my Anas? I see the only cockpit size is listed as large. I'd imagine with this lighterweight material it may cinch up that tight but thought i;d inquire. Thanks Ken

I'll be there albiet a bit earlier. Will either hang about or diddle around in the harbor and meet at launch time.

Gene, Certainly you bring up an interesting subject here. But my read was that it was Not really "performance" that improved, but the paddlers comfort zone, and stability. And ballast will definately improve stability to a point. I'm only 140# wet, so i indeed know the issue of design weight. In the end i found that paddling skills, and time in the boat go a long ways towards making one comfortable. Plus i'm too lazy to haul around extra weight.

Both the Q and Anas are obviously a different breed. The Anas requires skills and a knowledge of a hard chine boats idiosyncrocies to paddle it well, i'd imagine the Q is much the same. Explorers and Romany's they are not. Ballast lowers the center of gravity also which will translate into a bit more stability. If a boat requires ballast, i'd suggest that perhaps that the boat/use/paddler combination is not appropriate.

Dave, Mine is the one in the pic you imbedded in the post. The one in the REI link is a different one with the large pressurized wheels. I doubt that would fit but who knows. Mine comest apart in two the the legs seperating about 1/2 way. It fit in my Romany easily. I just picked up may Anas yesterday so haven't had time to see if it fits. I'll try to give it a go tonight and let you know. If it fits in the Anas it will fit anything of course . Regards,

I have one of the Paddleboy rigs. 2 Wheels you slide if from the stern and it angles and pinches the hull with foam pads. It doesn;t have the 4" wide wheels. But comes apart with the quick release buttons and slides into the hatches just fine. Mind you i've not portaged it a long distance on soft beach sand but it's great on most tidal flats.

Thanks Liz, It's good to be back!

Returning after a layoff of a couple of years i need some rescue practice. Any interest for some informal rescue/skills sessions mid week at Cochituate? Can't make it this week but i was thinking Wed next the 27th. Time dependent on those interested if any. For newer paddlers i'm glad to extend any help and knowledge in the skills area as well as rescues. While my name is new to many of you i paddled with NSPN for a number of years before my hiatus, was BCU 3* and getting ready to assess 4* when injury side tracked me. Ken

I paddled one that Linda S had one some years back. I am unsure of who the builder was then. As a smaller guy myself i really liked it. It is however NOT for the inattentive, and the boat does not really know the words "primary stability". Very lively, seemed pretty fast for a shorter boat also, edged nicely and rolled like a snap! Being padded out for Linda i wasn't able to really get comfortable in it so stayed out of the real surf but did find it accelerated quickly if you caught a swell. Perhaps she'll check in or Brian will have more detailed feedback. Ken C

Very cool Adam!! He's so smooth. Thanks for sharing.. Ken

Aye mate!

Roger, I'm finalizing my plans this week and had the 11th in mind. Let me get back to you in a day or 2 after plans are squared away. Ken

Sir Godfrey, This blast from the past has to polish up those Star Skills to get back out and Play! (after an injury induced respite) I snagged Mr. Stoehrer's Avocet RM, so no longer have to bow to the gel coat gods in the rocks! I have fridays off for the most part. Perhaps i'll join you in the next couple of weeks when i plan to be in the area for the weekend. I will of course e-mail you prior. Regards, Ken

This is an old saw, and i view it much the same way Rick S does. Drag "officials" or "regulators and politicians" into the fray, and a whole new can of worms opens up. Having been away recovering from injury a couple of years, as i hop back in, the same issues are still here. Most at least some of us can probably tell of situations where we've tried to offer sage advice, or assistance and been told to "Mind our own d#@m business! It seems everyone is an expert. As Rick mentioned, there are those of us adventerous types that have paddled in shall we say "Interesting and questionable" conditions. Training, equipment, skills, and experience can mitigate much of the risk. But there are always those that are ignorant of the very risk associated with Sea Kayaking, and try to make the jump into the "rough" without any of the above. After all this is the USA, and i don't want to be told what weather or conditions i can or can't launch in any more than the next guy. I'd say the best we can do is to offer our advice, suggestions, and help in the least offensive way we can at the time, but we must also realize that it will most likely fall on deaf ears. Should one take the advice to heart, reward it and thank them, deep down you'll know that you helped that person avoid a dangerous situation, maybe even more! Ken C Valley Avocet Yellow

Your 100% right!! I noticed that and probably should have mentioned it but i figured Adam would realize that. I wasn't sure what his use was. We have a place on the bay side and even there the bars and creek inlets change greatly season to season.

HI Adam, Been a while!!! This link will get you the area on "Terraserver". Zoom and pan to refine. It gives some great detail of the area. http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?T=1&...%7cchatham%7cma Ken C Maas Flyweight

Hey Christopher and Paul, and others! I may take you up on that at some point. I've missed my NSPN buddies also. The shell is out of storage and if i can get my butt out enough i may be at the blackburn. Not sure if i'll be in my single or a double. I've talked a couple of rowers into giving it a go. This thing supposedly handles some pretty rough stuff with a skilled orsman, unfortunately it doesn't handle rocks all that well! I haven't thrown out the possibility of picking up a plastic Avocet soon, i just hate that sound of the rocks gouging fibreglass!:-) My old Romany has a good home up in the Portland Area so keep your eye out for Old Yellow! As i get more rough water practice here and in Cape Cod bay at the summer place, i'll be heading to the NOrth Shore for some practice. I'll drop you all a line when i do. Take care and my regards to all... Ken

Hey Paul, You must have forgotten about the day you and i were off Portsmouth after the storm and you got caught by that "surprise":-) That bugger was a lot bigger that 6 feet and you rolled up like a champ after that one!! Regards to all!! Ken C Kayakless right now and on the Very Dark Side! MAAS Flyweight24 Ocean Shell

Congratulations Jed!! Exnspn obviously does NOT know the Jed that i and so many others here know!! goodonyamate!!! Ken Condon Romany 16 Yellow over white

Well now that the cat is out of the bag:-) I figured if you wanted this general knowledgeyou'd chime im Paul so I'm glad you did. I didn't want to be the bearer of "Paul Endoed" :-) For the blow by blow from the spectator at the top of the wave in back!!! As paul entered the area where some deep under water structure was forcing these waves up. The sets were large, very steep, and dumping. As the wave began to form it looked like a nice wave, but no sooner had the wave started to build it steepened rapidly and fast. As the wave crested i could see this was probably going to end with the "round side up!" The stern was picked up i the air, and all I could see was the last 3 feet of pauls boat! The wave then broke and I saw the boat start to invert and drop down into the trough. After the foam cleared there was the "round side" of the Explorer! But during the moment of calm after the storm, up from the froth rolls Paul!!! The first reaction by both of us was a double fisted "thumbs up!" one FANTASTIC endo, and one FANTASTIC combat roll!!! :-) For the record no swimming this day at all!!! Ken Condon Romany 16 Yellow over white

Saturday October 12th, 8:45AM,Ordione Point, Portsmouth NH. Overcast, light rain 50's Marine forecast e/ne winds 15-20K, seas 6-8 feet, low tide 10:20. One of our party had to make a last minute cancellation so that left Paul S. and myself. The conditiions looked perfect to see the sea at her best. Far from tame, but also far from dangerous. After making last minute safety and gear checks we decided that in the rock and surf areas we would play very conservatively, and avoid areas where rescue would be risky with such a small party. We proceded E out of Little Harbor to the breakwater into a headwind, after rounding the jetty we could tell this was going to be a great day of big wave paddling. Even at the mouth of the Harbor you could feel the power of the swells. These were big, paddle up,up,up, then down into the trough and out of the wind seeing nothing but water around you. The rather swift ebbing current from Portsmouth added an interesting "slosh" factor in crossing from little harbor to Whaleback Light. The combination of large swells and current would occasionally stand waves up and steepen them substantially! After reaching Whaleback light we paused for a bit and watched the action on Whaleback! We paddled around the lee side and got out of the wind to don our helmets which would remain on the rest of the day! We paddled up to the surf break and watched tha action as we paddled from Whaleback to White, and Horn Islands. The action there was really something. We carefully picked our way through the islands always watching carefully for "standers". The underwater structure in this area is varried and with the current, rocks, submerged ledges anything can develop. You could be sitting safely in a spot and all of a sudden you would be on the top of a steep one beginning to foam! A rear view mirror would have been handy!! We picked our way north along Gerrish stoping and playing in spots along the shore. Paul found a spot with an entrance from seaward with an exit paralell to the shore. He managed to make it in on the last of the "doable" sets. I waited and waited but the waves just kept comming in steep and dumping! I've been in large dumping surf but that was a sand beach and not a rock ledge starring me in the face. I could not see making it in without a side surf given the size, steepness, and violence of the "dump"! About that time Paul waved me off and he decided to exit on along the shore. We decided to try o get some rides and head to Gerrish for lunch.We found a spot on Gerrish and stopped for someting hot to drink, a snack, and get the bloodflow in the legs going. From our vantage it looked like things may be quieting just a bit out at White island that would make it playable, so we packed up and launched with White as our destination.(not Isle of Shoals White!) As we approached it was apparent that things had not backed off at all!! we were greeted by a rather large but curious seal who was obviously having a good time too!! As he'd surface, he would give us a look and lunge back into the soup! After several looks he tired of us quickly and headed off! We found another spot with a seaward entrance, a good emergency exit and not too much danger of getting "buggered" on the rocks. It had it all large breaking waves, a good "slosh" factor and was as safe an area as we were going to find today. Too bad we found it at the end of the day! With our time window arrived we set off back to Little Harbor with the wind and seas at our back. It was a fun and effortless ride back in with mother ocean doing most of the work. Once inside the harbor we switched boats worked on the obligatory after paddle rolls, and warmed down as we paddled back to the "Wooden Bridge". On the way in a "Pan Pan" by CG Group Boston added a somber note. The PAn Pan was issued on an overdue 36' Motor vessel en route from Ellsworth ME, to Providence RI, with a crew of 2 on board! Unfortunately on Saturday the conditions were even worse in the Cape Cod Bay to LI sound area with a Gale posted. Hopefully the boat was hold up in a cove somewhere and all wre well!! While a larger group would have allowed more play with a better safety margin, we did have a great, safe, day on some big water. We chose our route and play areas carefully, watched the wind and weather, were well prepared with all safety gear and skills, and had a great time. Too bad we don't have nore days like this!! Ken Condon Romany 16 Yellow over white

It certainly sounds to me like you people saved this clown's life! Much longer in that water and he would have quickly lost total use of his hands, arms and legs and been unable to hold on to a boat let alone help in a rescue. I think you guys did a fantastic job!! We commend you here... as it sounds like that group doesn't realize how close they came to disaster!! Did you even get a "thanks" from them? Observations. I hate to make any comments or second guess anyone on a rescue that prevented a potential death. However we are all here to learn from events that take place and be even better prepared next time. During our "Scenarios" leadership training we had a potential hypothermic paddler on one of the legs I was leading. When dealing with potential hypothermia the goal is go get the victim out of the water and wind, and out of any wet clothing as quickly as possible. Then into warm clothing and a hypo warap if necessary and warm liquids. At that point the victim can be evaluated as to wether they are improving or if medical help is necessary. The ONLY alternative I would have considered is if a landing on misery would have been closer to get the victim warmed into dry clothing, and evaluated. Rescue of a totally incapacitated victim was part of a recent leader trip and is something we all agreed we need to work on and practice. Again, a GREAT JOB Don and group!! Ken Condon Romany 16 Yellow over white