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jason

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    Practice venues

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    >While Walden Pond is my favorite for many reasons there is

    >the weekend drawback of parking closings due to increased

    >summer traffic. The boat ramp at Lake Cochituate is an

    >alternative. Put in at the end of the concrete ramp at the

    >left side. (small scrap of kayak friendly earth) From there

    >paddle about a 1/4 mi south and look for the first cove you

    >spot on the left with a small sandy beach. Unlike a lot of

    >Cochituate which is infested with algae and plant growth,

    >this area seems clear and clean. It was pointed out to me by

    >a member of CRC&K which uses that spot to teach rolling.

    Walden Pond is also my favorate place. I have yet to go after work and not run into a good group of people. (Not that I have made it out enough this year).

    As for Cochituate I would recomend the car top launch location which is on the other side of RT 30 from the boat trailer ramp. This will also put you in the North Pond. http://www.nanosft.com/cochituate/mdmap.html

    If you paddle to the point of land sticking out on the right on the North pond you will find that it's nice and sandy. I did a lot of my roll practice in this location. I found out about the sand from the Bob Foote Karen Knight rolling class last year.

    -Jason

    Problems with Kokatat Drysuits--are there alternatives?

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    >My fiance and partner in Carpe Diem Kayaking and I both have

    >had repeated and extensive problems with the Kokatat

    >Drysuits last year, from the infamouse neck gaskets tearing

    >after only a few uses to water seeping in through the fabric

    >and seems. It seems reasonable that a suit that expensive

    >should keep you reasonably dry after a day of paddling!

    If the gaskets are your prime issue they can be replaced with 3rd party gaskets. The gaskets are a consumable that will need to be replaced over time. Sun screen, bug stuff, heat and sunlight will make them die much sooner.

    You can replace them your self, this is Brian's picture how to:

    http://community.webshots.com/album/139866810INJYFc

    Or go to a dive shop and they should be able to get them replaced.

    If it's the fabric that is leaking that's a warranty issue with the Gortex XCR fabric which Kokatat will be the middle man. Fabric leaking doesn't sound like a Kokatat quality issue as they don't create the fabric.

    If the seams are leaking I can see this being potentially a Kokatat quality issue.

    >

    >Any way, the customer service is getting poorer, as we've

    >made repeated calls over the past couple of weeks without

    >having our phone calls returned. This is troubling as we're

    >in the industry and guide and instruct professionally.

    I haven't talked to Kokatat since before I ordered by Dry suit and they helped me with the custom Sizing. I haven't heard of any other issues with Kokatat not returning calls. I don't know if they are ducking your calls but I don't think that being an outfitter posting this to various message boards will help any potential friction between Carpe Diem and Kokatat.

    -Jason

    >

    >So it's time to start looking seriously for alternatives.

    >Which drysuits other than Kokatat are you using? and are

    >there any you'd highly recommend?

    >

    >I'll watch for replies here or you can e-mail me directly at

    >mark@carpediemkayaking.com

    >

    >Thanks.

    >

    >Mark

    Gloucester Beaches Closed

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    >The beaches along Gloucester Harbor are closed for swimming

    >due to high bacteria count. This includes the beach at the

    >Greasy Pole.

    I was wondering if you could post a link to your source? I was wondering about other beaches around? Do you know if the Essex bay is safe?

    Thanks -Jason

    Wooden Kayak question…

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    Fred if the look of the boat doesn't convert you, loading it on the car might.

    On paper a 38 pound boat doesn't seem that diffrent that a 50 pound boat as you figure you have more weight in gear than boat weight. When your lifting some of these wooden boat it feels like a feather instead of a boat.

    Cowboy reentry?

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    Bob as you pointed out you do have the advantage of being able to sit in the boat then put your legs in.

    I also agree that I wouldn't use the cowboy if I had a choice. At this point my plan is for the Cowboy and my paddle float to be backups for my reenter and roll.

    For TLT I need to demonstrate in Level 4 conditions a reenter and roll along with a Cowboy or a paddle float. The reenter and roll in level 4 shouldn't be an issue. I question getting in my boat using a paddle float outrigger in level 4 conditions.

    If I can quote from this page:

    http://www.atlantickayaktours.com/Pages/Ex...-Skills-5.shtml

    "The paddle float self-rescue works well in calm to moderate conditions, but it will not work in rough conditions."

    and "Cowboy Re-entry

    This self-rescue looks like a trick, but it's fast and can be effective even in rough water once you've mastered it. "

    I very much like the reenter and roll, is it much easier than filling up the paddle float and attempting to climb back into the boat. If it wasn't for being wet and the water in the boat it might be easier way of getting in the boat from on shore. I haven't attempt to put my spray skirt on when under the boat but it's a thought for the future.

    Thanks -Jason

    Cowboy reentry?

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    I am now looking to learn the Cowboy reentry.

    With trip leader training I need a paddle float reentry or a Cowboy reentry. I can do the paddle float but after seeing Rick demo a Cowboy reentry I would like to to do one.

    I am not seeking to be able to do it gracefully like Rick. I would like to be able to just do it (Hopefully in conditions). I hope the graceful part will happen over the next few years.

    I can empty the water out and flip the kayak upright.

    This is the point where I just end up feeling liking I am attempting to get onto a spinning log. I just end getting onto my kayak and end up flipping my kayak.

    The Atlantickayaktours page has a description of how to do it, but I am having issues getting to the point where I can sit in the kayak. I also have to enter like I have an ocean cockpit as my knees are too long for the keyhole.

    http://www.atlantickayaktours.com/Pages/Ex...-Skills-5.shtml

    Any hints on how to learn this would be appreciated.

    Thanks -Jason

    PS I am still looking for someone to walk me through a back deck roll.

    Outer Layer Guidelines

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    I was turned away from a lot of trips while waiting for my suit to be made for me... Was a long 3 or4 moths waiting as nobody would paddle with me.

    I had a farmer john and a dry top but I wasn't allowed as I would be putting the group at risk.

    -Jason

    Looking for Epoxy advice.

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    It seems that my Icom HM-125 speaker/Mic modification didn't work 100%.

    After the 1st and only trip it leaked a little (salt water). I found out that it leaked as the transmit is now stuck on.

    I removed the water that I could then I have left it open to air dry.

    Should I wash it with distilled water or will that make things worse?

    Thanks -Jason

    Very scarey photo....SNOPES says it's real

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    >

    >Hmm....

    >

    >I wonder what Adam Bolonsky would use for a lure for this

    >one? A half-size gray seal imitator? It might be

    >interesting to land.

    From reading the trip reports, it sounds like if Adam and Mark go fishing Adam would get one and Mark would end up with two. Mark possibly doing a rolling landing the fish under water and coming up with the original fish and the new fish.

    Could be another great trip report.

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