subaruguru

I participated in Nigel's strokes clinic last year, and wouldn't mind repeating it if a beginner's surf session devolves to it by conditions. Thanks.

Forgot: paddlers can change at our house instead of the parking lot after our session (we have two baths), but Ellen wants muddy boots left outside. Otherwise we don't get chocolate cake. Sigh....

Well, the weather's beautiful, the 20 sets of legs and thighs are grilled, along with onions, peppers and portobellos. Hope a bunch of you show up...I really don't want to carry all these beers down to the cellar again! For those not coming to the Lake session, we'll probably end up chez nous around 7: 24 Newton Road, c. Woodland Road, between Grove and Sagamore. From the Lake put-in: shortest: turn right (south) onto MVP, 0.4mi to left up onto Sagamore Ave; through first Stop to left just before second Stop onto Jackson; first right onto Woodland, to first intersection with Newton. #24 is directly in front of you on left opposite corner (my silver Audi) a bit longer: MVP south to rotary, left onto High St (rte 60); 3rd left is Sagamore (just before blinking yellow); first right onto Sagamore PARK, immediate left onto Woodland; 2nd house on right (backyard entrance, as I live on corner) From West: Rte 60E through Arlington Center (crossing Mass Ave); bear right at next light to stay on 60E; 1/2 mi downhill, through two small rotaries, thus entering West Medford; 3rd left is Sagamore; first right onto Sag Park, immediate left onto Woodland, 2nd house on right. From East/North: Rte 60W, either through or bypassing Medford Square, to WEST Medford Square (rr tracks, donuts, Gibbs Gas, church on left); RIGHT at next fork onto Grove Street; 2nd left is Newton Road; #24 is last house on left, c. with Woodland. It appears that I got carried away grilling yesterday, as there's enough here for 15-25 folks, so don't be shy! Ellen will make beans, cole slaw and maybe her famous 4 ingredient chocolate cake. There's some infamous Sabra garlicky hummus for veggie protein and even some leftover pomegranate/walnut coq au vin from Roshashana (sp?... tells ya what I know). Hope to see a bunch of members and guests!

David, I forgot: I always grill up peppers, onions and balsamic-soaked portabellos, and Ellen promises a meatless baked beans, so you'll be quite pleased...until I race ya in my new Force 5!

That was fun! Only 1-3 footers, but at 20+knots it was an interesting afternoon. Thanks.

I decided to get Kokatat's Semi-Drysuit called the Super-Nova as the neoprene neck is MUCH more comfy than LATEX. Will probably not hold up as well as the tougher Goretex, but at under $400 WITH booties and relief zipper and nicely-cuffed latex wrists it's a super deal.

Hi David, We'll probably make some home-made baked beans (onions 'n mustard-spiced), as well Ellen's slaw. Bring whatever's NOT too colorful in the back of your fridge! Hey...I surfed a Force 5 today! Cheers.

How cold's the water? Farmer John and splash jacket enough? I'm used to the lakes still. Thanks.

I'm told that Ben is a P&H rep! So absolute review neutrality is not assured. The Cetus won't arrive until April anyway....

Hi Suz, Exchanged emails with the lass, but couldn't find the Nahant SnG info. Is/was this an open SnG? Ern

Yes, Tom, THIS Tuesday! You jet-lagged again?

I for one don't feel comfortable enough with my bracing skills (esp w/ a new 'yak) to venture into much whitish water yet. So no, I don't think you're being too conservative, Gene.

It was fun! So let's repeat.

Thanks, Ed. As I've compained about the Force's molded seat's narrow sidewalls my current thinking was to ADD padding just forward of these hard plastic hip-biters to perhaps even out the pressure onto my thighs. Your comment about keeping loose for rotation might mean I'll have to start over again with a custom seat. We'll see. Danny at Impex recommends the latter, suggesting that splaying the sidewalls outward might break them eventually. And since the pinch points probably include the juncture at the seat bottom there's no way to widen it there anyway. We'll see. CRCK recommends that I look at the KayakSport seat Warren uses in their Little Wing as an option. Hmmm....

Then come on Tuesday!

Got it! Thanks. Exactly how it feels. I'll GPS-it to see if it can break my 5 knot Looksha wall.

The threat of my 17 spice North African spicey grilled chicken (skinless, bone-in thighs and drums...quite low-fat) has kept BobB in attendance on Tuesdays at the Mystic. In gratitude to his, David's, and Peter's excellent tutelage this summer, I hope you and all other attending members can join me after our session, just 1/2 mile away at 24 Newton Road in West Medford. Ellen will probably contribute her excellent non-mayo slaw as a foil for the spiciness...and maybe baked beans if there's a chill in the air. We've collected a few dozen fancy beers (some of them exotic "summer ales") over the past years, and since I don't drink you're welcome to them (designated drivers, as appropriate). Bring salad or homemade dessert if you'd like. There'll be no cancellation due to rain, as I can grill ahead of time, so let's end the Mystic Lakes Sessions with a fine soiree! RSVP would be helpful to determine quantities. A bientot!

Well, the Cetus doesn't arrive 'til April, there are NO Pro-Lite (middle C/K layup 51lb) Aquanauts anywhere, and I sold my beloved Looksha HV yesterday! So I was without anything but my ultrawobbly KP Jet. Oy! So the crimson/yellow Force 5 at CRCK became mine! Spent a couple hours in it this afternoon, after reinverting its recessed rigging "teats" so I could get my big feet past them without ripping my toes off. My pair of tours around the Mystic Lake were instructive, partly in that comparing boats in unfamiliar settings doesn't yield the same quality of results as when changes occur in a familiar climate. I was surprised that the Force 5 lean-turns almost as well as my Looksha, but shared its solid-bow confidence that I found a BIT lacking in the Aquanaut. The "creamy continuousness" of both of these hulls when turned is THICKER with the Force, so I feel a bit more protected than in the AN. I was surprised that the Force 5 glides SO well, even longer than both the AN and Looksha. But my abandonned Looksha certainly accelerated faster, as long as I didn't care which direction in the wind! The AN felt almost as quick, but the Force 5 is definitely sluggish off the line, taxing me with my Ikelos. Felt like lost energy to launch. Thought maybe it's the longer waterline having more drag than the underweighted floaty Looksha HV or the simply smaller, more-rockered AN, but then I dropped this flat thing called a "skeg" and my God, it's like it clicked onto a rail! Equal forward stroke effort seemed to be more efficient, and at least satisfying in that I could glide forever. Is a fast crusing speed going to require more upper body strength from me? (When I first got my Ikelos last year I was told that some folks get tendonitis due to the big bite, but I NEVER felt that knid of inertia with the Looksha. Now I wonder if I'm up to the big spoons....) So now I have to see how this tracky yet easy-turning newbie does in conditions. Yippee. Just wish it felt a bit more explosive off the line. But the Aquanaut didn't either. Guess my Looksha was a faster "kite" than I thought. Oy.... After a couple hours' soreness I'll try padding and cutting and tweaking and hope to mimic the Aquanaut's superb cockpit fit. Thanks for all your help. And yes, David, it's RED with a yellow seam...somewhat unlike your AN, eh?

One of the first things I bought was a Palm hooded splash jacket. Really nice, but expensive unless on sale, as they're in British sterling... Never seeing the brand again for a year I assumed it was an off-brand, but it's held up so well that I trust it's as good as K and Immersion Research (they make a great dry top...the Comp.)

Well, the crap's hitting the fan, as I sold my Looksha IV HV tonight to a big novice who I invited to join the club. WHERE within a couple of hours drive can I get a deal on a C/K Aquanaut? I just emailed gro, as well. Otherwise I'm forced to get that Impex Force V, reinvent the seat and braces, and freeze* my feet in smaller boots! I suppose there are worse choices.... Thanks again. *not particularly attractive as my father was evac'd from the Hurtgen forest with trenchfoot in '44.

Mark at CRCK got to try a prototype of the upcoming P&H Cetus, and liked it a lot. As he's smaller, I've no idea if it'll fit me, but it sounds a lot like a Force 5...fast, great-tracking and maneuverable. Here's the only "review" I've found (Ben Lawry)...but quite promising: http://pages.prodigy.net/apnp/info.html As I'm searching for A Force 5 with an Aquanaut cockpit! I wonder if waiting for this newcomer makes sense. Any news or comments?

Dave, Bob, Think I can handle this? Ern

Thanks, Ed. I managed to finally try an 06 C/K/FB (yup, they still use glass on the deck-sides!) Force 5 yesterday, and agree that it lean-turns and bow-rudders really well. Acceleration was a bit slower than my Looksha, but I guess that's because of much longer waterline. Tracking, esp in wid, is superb, though! Problem is that the new 2006 seat is STILL a mess, as its molded sidewall "hangers", although now parallel instead of curved inward, are still too close together, resulting in considerable pinching. The deeper-dish, hard-backed seat itself defines the rear geometry better, and locks me in, making the still-imprecise backband almost a non-issue. Good. The thigh braces are skimpy both in length (I suppose more padding can be put in) AND girth. I don't know how to WIDEN thigh braces. Thicker padding won't do it. Anybody know of any stiffer "winglets" that can be glued on that would be stiff enough to brace against? I suppose I can try to remount the sidewall "hangers" after splaying their front edges a bit and redrilling them, but I'm afraid they might not like being torqued and might either crack or pull out, damaging the coaming mount holes too. I suppose I could cut the damned things off and try gluing the seat to the hull, but don't the sidewall hangers also protect the hull from deformation by suspension? I could REPLACE the hangers with thick flexible rubber ones (tire sidewall material has tough steel inner belts, eh), but that's take hours of reinventing the wheel...and I'd still have to glue the seat to the hull to provide a stable geomtery even if the down-force is small due to the new flexy Goodyear suspension. I'm trying to avoid starting from scratch with a whole new cockpit on a NEW boat. A used one would be more palatable as a surgical candidate. I remember as a newcomer I was told to find a COCKPIT that fits well and a reasonable hull. Now I'm told to get the perfect HULL and do the interior decorating from scratch. So the best boat for me is the Force 5 with the Aquanaut cockpit. How do I make one? Or do I just take the Looksha out and patiently wait for the new 07 iterations, like the new P&H Cetus? Oy!

Hi Al, FWIW I'm a faithful user of the NRS Hydroskin GLOVES, predominantly because their semi-sticky grip on my carbon shaft is just right. However, they're NO substitute for 3 or even 2mm neo for warmth. Hence I've stopped looking for a deal on NRS HS tops (list is $87!) as 1/2 mm is just too little insulation. There's cheaper fuzzy rubber around. See ya Tuesday?

My wife uses similar for doing a really quick chicken disembowelment. Don't know if it's a Julia Child thing or a Jewish mother thing...or both.