subaruguru

I'll be there if I don't suffer from heat exhaustion playing with my Subies today. Really have to practice bow rescues in prep for next week's rolling class, methinks.

Oh! At 4:45 here in Medford it's completely quiet, dry and a cooler 73F. I'll be on the water. Impressive lightning/thunder up to about 3:30.

I have statistical comments on the first of the two articles, as the author seems to misrepresent the significant values. "height of the highest 10%" (H p0.1) should read "MINIMUM height...". Similarly "height of the highest 1%" (H p0.01) should read "MINIMUM height" as both stats indicate the LOWEST sizes of these wave height groups. As well, theoretical max wave height (Hmax) is stated as approx equal to 2 Hs. The Raleigh (one-tailed distribution mentioned in the second article) distribution rightly indicates that Hmax is infinity...I guess a true roguw wave. Further, if significant wave height (Hs) is computed as 1/0.64=1.56 Hm, H p0.1 as 1.27 Hs, and H p0.01 as 1.67 Hs, then isn't it just easier for us to use a 2/3 Hs value for a safe "average", and maybe a 1.5 Hs value for approx 95% of the waves? Example would be that if Hs were 8 feet, the average would a bit under 6 feet, with MOST (approx 95%) being under 12 feet. I guess that 2x Hs stat for max wave is a PRACTICAL limit, suggesting a rogue 16 footer. Having now read the second article, I see that Rayleigh actually predicts even lower values (5/8, 0.625) for Hmean, etc., given its more skewed nature than gaussian, but the 2/3, 1.5, and 2x factors seem easier and safer for my Level 2.5 abilities!

Hi Kevin. Mapquest helped me locate Conomo Pt and the GHS. Wjere do you want to paddle? I realize it's nearly noon, but it looks like I might have the day/eve free. RSVP 781 483-3922 Thanks. Ern

Thanks Al...just emailed for a copy.

Peter, your rolling prowess continues to amaze and fill with envy, so methinks I'll sign up!

I'll be there, along with an extra kayak (Monterey 14) if needed. Ern

I see the Gerber River and Shorty around a lot, and wonder if the Benchmade River Rescue is a LOT better, and why? I was pretty excited by the new Spyderco Salt Atlantic/Pacific (H1 steel is hard AND resists salt corrosion!) and bought two (large black serrated, small yellow smooth...wanna trade for one?) but am starting to realize that a pocketed folder is just too inefficient, and I'd like to mount a fixed one on my PFD. The only posting I found was for a titanium (soft material, but doesn't rust) one, and I wonder if anyone's happy with the CRKT Bear Claw...although it may be useful only for cutting line/rope/vine, rather than an all-purpose knife? If the Gerber's the easy, cheaper bet, is the blunt Shorty just safer than the drop-point Runner, or does said blunt end actually becaome useful as a pry-bar for any purpose you know of that I can't in my meager experience imagine? Thanks for a reply. Ern

It was nice to see you guys and help out on Saturday, and to get first-hand report from Keith on his 15 minutes of fame! Despite the 5-10knot average winds and cold rain, the Horn Pond Demo was fairly well attended. I expected to have to help rescue or tow several newbies, but luck was with them. What DID surprise me was how unprepared the great majority of novices were sent out: inappropriately sized boats, and worse, with completely wrong length paddles, poor-fitting PFDs. I'm sure that I spent most of my time suggesting that newbies, after learning to NOT paddle upside down, perhaps feather their paddles and/or exchange them for different (usually shorter) ones, try a better-fitting 'yak, and tighten their PFD. Once these rudimentaries were accomlished, a few minutes instruction in forward stroke usually resulted in much greater satisfaction for their first experiences...meaning they actually paddled forward, fairly well, in a moderate wind! It was unfortunate that no child-friendly kayaks were supplied for demo. I found a 10yr old out in a fat 14 footer with a 250 unfeathered! The Necky Manitou 13 was about the smallest recommendable yak I could put switch him into, with a feathered 220. (Too bad REI decided not to carry the more appropriate Manitou 12.) Whereas I realize that some outfitters think about paddles as cheap toss-ins with first boat purchases, I think that more thought should have been gone into the process of launching prospective customers with appropriate gear. One or two minutes attention at the launch could have greatly improved the experiences of most attendees, and made our jobs on the water less tiresome. I suggest that a training session FOR THE REI EMPLOYEES precede the demo time so that the learning curve is dramatically shortened and made safer for attendees...and probably with the expected result that more 'yaks get sold---WITH better paddles. (That should get REI's attention.) I would imagine that a couple of nspn members would be glad to show up early enough to instruct, perhaps in exchange for a bit more than a 15% coupon (they're 20% in the mail!)and a 1/2 sandwich. I realize that it's the spirit of volunteership that's important here, but I remember that it wasn't so long ago when I first demoed kayaks and gear, and how important initial instruction was to "getting it". I suspect that REI's "yield" could've been greatly improved if proper attention had been paid to setting up novices appropriately, rather than leaving it to us spotters on the water to have them return to change boats, paddles, and even PFDs. The opportunity window for attracting folks to any new sport is limited, and instructing newbies in boat choice, paddling techniques, etc., while ensuring their safety, is indeed gratifying, but our jobs should have been made easier by TRAINED staffers on the shore. Perhaps most demos are this chaotic, and the nature of the sport requires it. I witnessed a bit of rep instruction to the REI staffers, and the feeling I got was that the process involves just tossing a few tons of plasticware out in the water with bodies in it and trusting that somehow a few sales will occur. Sheesh. (Is it like trying to sell a car to someone who's never even been IN one? I ponder.) So if my comments seem overly-analytical I apologize. I'm pretty certain that I helped a few newbies get enough positive feedback from their initial progress so that they may be able to make informed initial kayak purchases, but somehow I felt that I was fire-fighting more than contributing to a well-engineered project. I understand that I'm more of hands-on intense evaluator than a laissez-faire instructor, so maybe my perspective is limited, but I certainly don't run used Subaru demos that way. How absurdly inefficient. But I also feel that those others who helped out (especially by carting the tons of plastic boats!) should have had their efforts rewarded by a more productive experience for the attendees as well. Nonetheless, thanks for the opportunity to assist, and esp to Kevin for coordinating, and hope to see you all soon. Ern

Sat 8:30AM, raining moderately in Woburn. We still on? Ern

Hi Adam! Sorry I never caught this query. Try soaking area with a strong penetrant (not WD40 or others that vaporize quickly) overnight. Heat-treating cycles will help, but be prepared to strip head threads anyway if the bolts don't snap. In the former event you'll have to retap for larger bolts...in the latter drill out and then use whatever fits well. Remember that you're only tightening a gasket here, so even though there's thermal cycling you only need enough tension to prevent leaks. Geometry is more important than torque, and silicone may help. Hope to see you on the water soon. And call me if a recent Subie is in your future too. Ern 781 483-3922

My 19 yr old thinks this is WAY cool...and I agree. Ern

Great, David! See you there. Ern

I like my Extrasport Retroglide Saber so much that I took advantage of a recent REI-outlet sale at $80 to get another one...this time in yellow. The lack of upper torso front bulk and super-comfy shoulder straps is unequaled for me.

I second the swap inclusion idea, as the recent Cold Water Workshop spurred members' needs for some new stuff.

...and Happy Holidays!

My query too! Where's Tuck's Point?...and is this a Level 2-3? Thanks. Ern

My wife Ellen (a pro baker) thought it was the best of the desserts, but neither of us dared try the bright red "blue cheese sauce" -labelled topping! Cheers.

Hi Liz, I had hoped to tag along, but have a Subie appt this afternoon anyway. Want to schedule a "gale check" on this trip? I'd think that most of us will still have fuel to burn. Am working on better cold-water glove options. Will post soon. Cheers...and thanks again for hosting the Cold Water Clinic. Ern

Hi Liz! Want to thank you for the warm hospitality. What a wonderful day. Learned a lot about counterintuitive hypothermia treatment, as well sharing tips re clothing...especially the trickier issues re head and hand gear. There's gotta be an easier cold-water glove solution out there. Also learned that my new Kokatat SuperNova leaks on the left side. Nothing like asymmetric wetness to cause one to walk in circles. Hope to see you soon. Still on for post-Thanksgiving misery? Cheers. Ern

Hi Folks! Managed three more trips around the Mystic Lakes this week, capsizing only once, saving myself with strong low braces maybe 1/2 dozen times. Getting there.... While passing the Tufts crew where slight waves were piling (fetched as a passive verb??) I hollered to their coach Ken that I was having trouble with stability in this new JET. This man of few words only yelled that "maybe you should go faster". Ha! I'm trying to sit more perfectly upright so as to not touch the rear coaming, as well moving knees gingerly closer together, thus reaching for a more-forward purchase, but this results in bonking my right knee once in awhile in my stroke flattens if I lose stability. My current Sat AM pre-caffeinated synthesis suggests that if I can figure out how to adjust the foot-rest forward a bit I can both lower my center of gravity a bit and obtain a more relaxed geometry that still keeps me off the rear coaming. As part of my Subaruguruness I teach AWD handling skills to all prospective clients. As they learn to stay on throttle THROUGH twisties, thereby engaging a REAR-centered forward vector (rear wheel drive part), they quickly experience the more solid "on-track" stability inherent in manipulating the angular moment around its polar moment of inertia. This most-satisfying "throttle-steering" is often mentioned by REAR wheel drive Porsche/BMW/etc fans as the primary reason for cornerning preference over FRONT wheel drive...but it only works when carefully applied on a dry surface. AWD allows mere mortals to VERY confidently control forward acceleration through turns even on wet surfaces. So I try to correlate this behaviour with my "center-wheel" drive in the Jet, but I get fuzzy with the long-forgotten physics. Since the rear part of a sweep stroke seems to have little effect upon steering the Jet (compared to leaning), nor achieving stability. If anything, it would seem that any angular vector applied at the stern would cause MORE instability if applied on the tilted side, as gravity would have a cleaner (vertical) path if the JET is sliding away from the center-line. I think that applying a strong forward stroke tends to thwart a capsize in part because of the counterbalancing upward force applied as the stroke becomes a "mini-scull" as pulled to my side. (I'm told that a wing paddle automatically accomplishes this by rising upward as a stroke matures). But this "front-center-wheel drive" vector group can only halt gravity temporarily. So the question of why stability is possibily enhanced BY SPEED ALONE remains. I think I understand that a faster cadence can seem to be less prone to capsize by having a higher frequency of counterbalancing angular vectors so that there simply isn't quite enough time for gravity to work, but my aerobic endurance isn't there yet. Can anyone out there finetune this analysis? Now for that java.

Christa, Thanks for your replies, and the demo back in June. As I mentioned, the only padding I'm using is 1/2" on the coaming sides for knee-bumping (now that I'm trying to avoid knee-bracing) and that nifty thin-but-comfy seat pad I made. I rimmed the inner coaming with sturdy 1" velcro band so that popping on thin padding strips (like for a shoulder-portaging area) are easy to try. Makes the coaming less slippery when carrying. I also added a 3/4" rubber tube (heater hose) over the naked aluminum tiller, capping with a perfect-fitting auto cigaret-lighter/12v dummy plug. Greatly improves tiller feel with neoprene boots. Let me know if you want any of these ergo bits. Cheers. Ern

Sorry I mssed ya, Cathy, but the inch of snow kept me away!

Hi. Thanks much for the info and video! Mark @ CRCK might have mentioned the Sunday racers' group in the past, but I may have forgotten. I've delayed introducing an Epic midwing into JET use as I'm still bracing with the Ikelos a lot. The padding I mentioned was just a thin 3/16 seat pad and 1/2" foam pads on the rear coaming and knee-sides; the back pad I've removed, as I've become used to very light occasional contact there, but the side-pads act as bump-guards for my outer knees. So except for seat comfort I'm running farely "naked", as you say. I DO find myself low-bracing and what I guess is a combination forward-stroke/highish-brace when hitting the soft secondary. Is an Epic wing ok for that, or should I forestall purchasing one until I've mastered the JET with the Ikelos? Thanks again. Ernie PS The SubaruGuru is a moniker given to me years ago as Boston's independent used Subie procurer/servicer. My daughters overheard customers' use of it and presented biz cards as such 1/2 dozen years ago, so it stuck. If you want to learn my perspective on AWD non-SUVs see my post on craigslist.org

The sun sparkled briefly this afternoon, so I couldn't resist another Jet-trip. Still took a good 1/4 hour of slow paddling before I got up to 4+ mph. I tried to keep my back off the rear combing, while reducing knee-contact bracing. Knees-up-parallel seems far a far off goal. But I managed a tight circumference of the Mystic (3.7 mi) in an hour, so I'm getting used to it. Glasslike conditions helped. Hitting a submerged concrete step crunched the bow and pissed me off sufficiently to cause my only capsize. Thanks for the tips, Christa. I'll try sitting a bit more forward. Will that result in a more squirrely bow...especially in wind? I have a sense that sitting farther back results in more stability, but that may be only a temporary result due to my back bracing against the coaming. The Jet does seem more responsive when sitting a bit forward, but indeed more tender, too. I DO like the 3/16" (4.5mm) hogh density soft foam pad I made for the hard carbon seat. If you or Gray want to try one I'll make a second. Velcros on/off easily.... Interestingly I notice I'm better able to brace against a moderate lean with an opposite-side strong (desperate?) forward stroke than a same-side low brace...which seems to result in overkill to the other side, given the low stability. Stern rudders are easy...bow rudders much trickier. OTOH whereas I can't scull much with the Looksha I notice that light sculling is pretty effective for counteracting the Jet's soft hulls. There just isn't much righting moment here, so it's interesting to see that the stroke formulae differ from the Looksha. Or maybe I'm just not stable enough yet. Gray at KayakPro confirmed that body contact is to be ONLY at the seat and foot-panel, so as to allow free torso rotation. Maybe in 2006. Anybody want to show me how it's done?