subaruguru

My yearning to paddle faster on 3x/wk flatwater workouts on the Mystic Lake resulted in finally getting a Chinese KP Jet a couple of weeks ago. This quasi-racer dumped me twice in two minutes on the maiden tryout, but I managed to then go 3 mi at 2 knots before dumping another 5 times in 10 minutes once I hit a 10 know wind and just a ripple of current. As this 'yak is a baffleless design, I had to swim/tow it to the Medford Boat Club ramp to put out. Unfortunately their premises were fully padlocked for the season, so I was a cold prisoner for about an hour, wondering whether to break a window to find a phone or attempt to throw me and the Jet over a 6 ft fence and then walk miles around the lake to retrieve my Subie! I finally figured out that I could portage through the lower end of the dam and climb back up to the Tufts put-in, wherein I paddled back to the Sandy Beach put-in with only one additional capsize. My buds at Charles River gave suggestions re float bags and West Systems epoxy to repair the broken seat panel (oy), so my recent two excursions have been easier. I mounted my GPS and yesterday managed 5mi in 2 hrs. I seem to barely keep afloat the first 1/2 hr, averaging 2 mph for the first hour, eventually crising around 4mph, building to spurts in the 5 mph range. Torso rotation is just a fantasy as I'm glued to the centerline for balance, so my arms eventually grow tired. (Lean turns happen with the slightest provocation, which may eventually be seen as a positive attribute. By contrast I now completely understand and appreciate my Looksha IV's rock-hard secondary!) The Jet, like the Necky, turns upwind, hence the interesting combined skeg/rudder design I'll someday dare budge with my paralyzed feet. I've attempted to adjust seat position, adding pads for seat and knee bracing (supposed to be unnecessary!), and realize that I prefer to sit far enough back to keep my knees fairly low AND my back in contact with the rear cockpit combing for stability (there's no backband). On the positive side this Jet glides very quietly with almost no effort, easily jumping to 5mph before my stability is threatened. By contrast it's a lot of work to get the Looksha IV to 5mph, with 5.5mph as my max. I'm hoping the Jet will cruise in the 6-7mph range someday. Weighing under 30lbs with float bags is a real plus, allowing one-arm carrying. The cockpit is a bit forward, so the narrow deck seems a bit short, even at 17'3". The bow-view appears as a very slightly ballooned pure conical "missile" coming to a sharp point. More Jetson-like than Flash Gordon. KP describes the JET as haing a "6"/10 for stability, in contrast to their racers at "1" and all intermediate quickies at 3-5. Phew! Anybody else have one of these...or the Simon River equivalent? Could you share tips in determining seating geometry and learning curve? I managed to survive 5-6ft seas at CRCK's Ocean Skills clinic a couple weeks ago in the Looksha, finally dumping only once when learning about smashing through an invisible-to-me eddyline. But this Jet has me feeling like a complete novice again...even in mirror-flat conditions. If any of you are game to try this fast semi-racer I'll continue to paddle on the Mystic Lake until early December on selected afternoons, and would really welcome some company out there. Oh...I bought the special zippered skirt for it, so if anyone (Peter B?) wants to try to roll it.... Will there be any more Level 2/3 trips this fall? Gotta try out that new Kokatat SuperNova drysuit. Cheers.

Are someones' tongues firmly ensconced in their cheeks?

Driving directions to the Gould Barn, please? Thanks. Ern

Hi Dee. Miss ya on the Mystic. Level 2+? Thanks.

I like my Magellan Sportrac, especially as mounted on deck with swivel display. Larger color display allows reading speedo and running average speed easily. Note that although the Sportrac floats, it will NOT if dumped ON its swivel mount (as happened this summer!). So now I clip the mount to a rigging line. Around $200 on eBay.

It's dry here now (4PM).

I'll be there...as usual.

I consider $35/yr an incredible bargain to get expert Dee Hall's (et al) tutelage at the weekly Mystic Lakes Sessions...not to mention the NSPN's other benefits. Ranks right up there with $50/yr for supporting your favorite NPR FM Radio station right?

Four of us practiced basic forward stroke tips for newbie Ellen's behalf. Gorgeous evening with great sunset. See ya next week. Ern

Hi folks. I can easily bring my daughter's Perception Monterey 14 poly kayak, avec accoutrements (PFD, nice carbon 230cm paddle, paddle float, pump) to the skill sessions most Tuesday evenings. I tend to try to arrive a bit early (5-ish) to warm up a bit. This nifty yellow/red flame boat will be on top of one of my Outbacks if I'm already in the water. The Monterey is a lower-volume, much more maneuverable, skegged (rigid footrests!) improvement over the Carolina 14.5. It has the lightness (52 lbs) of the women's Carolina 13.5, but the larger cockpit of the men's 14.5. Will turn on a dime, and thus be quite wind-sensitive, but the skeg helps immensely. If there's someone out there who would like to attend the Tuesday skill sessions but cannot bring a/their kayak, just call me ahead of time so I remember to bring it. Cheers. Ern 781 483-3922

Although just a second-season paddler, last year I paddled a lot of plastic boats, along with the Carolina 14.5. The Carolina certainly seemed to "do" everything fairly well, but required lots of effort, I suppose as a tradeoff for initial stability. The Cape Horn seemed more efficient, but not very maneauverable. I ended up getting Perception's "more playful" upgrade of the Carolina, the Monterey 14. This is a skegged boat that spins on a dime AND fits larger folks. My daughter swiped it pronto, and I was forced to decide that it was too short anyway. Trying to get a fairly stable 16-17 footer in plastic under 55 lbs wasn't easy, but I did fall in love with the cockpit comfort, light weight (52) and maneuverability of the Avatar 16, and came extremely close to getting one. Think of it as a lean and playful Carolina 16. A young turk in the Tuesday Skill sessions has one I'm sure he'd let you try. I found a barely used Looksha IV HV just too difficult to pass up. I like the new Necky Chatham 17, too, but am not aware if it comes in plastic. All of these boats will easily fit 6 footers with 11+ M feet, and be under 55 lbs, with VERY comfy seats. Hope this helps. Cheers.

I found a Pentax WP to be nearly impossible to use with one (right)hand, especially when gloved, as it's a slippery grip. Using a thumb on the rear is impossible as that's where the master toggle switch is. I've yet to see/feel an older 43WR. It DOES appear more ergonomic, though. Do owners of them find that they're usable one-handed? Thanks.

I called the Mass Dept of Conservation and Recreation (MCR) at their main number (617 626 1250), left a message, but have received no response yet. At "Fisheries, Wildlife & Environmental Law Enforcement", 617 727 3905, I had a real telcon with a clerk who took contact info, stating that an officer would return my call. Maybe tomorrow? The DCR's website at mass.gov/dcr/parks/metroboston/mystic.htm specifically states "The Upper Mystic Lake is for non-powered boats only." The proliferation of slow electric-powered fishing boats (under 5mph) indicates that they're probably exempt, as is probably the use of the Boat Clubs' twin gas-powered boats for SEARCH AND RESCUE ONLY, as is my understanding. I wonder if one of us (a member attorney) could help in drafting a letter, as proposed by Dee? I'm too emotionally bludgeoned by the Medford's "co-director" to handle this alone. See you at the Skills Session Tuesday PM. Ern Noted is that there's a number for Sandy Beach (617 662 5230), but I tried too late.

Friday around 5-ish I saw two teens in the Medford Boat Club "rescue" powerboats showing off to their female passengers by racing around the upper Mystic Lake at full throttle, repeatedly performing figure-8s and close-cut 90 degree "dare-devil" passes. Thinking they were from the Winchester Boat Club, because I had witnesses milder abuse (speeding around) from the similar speedboats there the previous Monday and Wednesday, I paddled to the Winchester Club, found the manager, and calmly addressed the safety issues, asking that he inform his "staff" that the 5mph limit on the Lake isn't just at the neck near their boathouse. The manager was VERY sympathetic, curious about the specifics of the events earlier in the week, but noted that his boats were currently docked, so that the culprits today were probably from Medford. So I crossed the Lake and came upon the kids still in the powerboats at the MBC dock. I quietly reminded them that they're limited to 5 knots on the Upper Lake. An adult standing nearby yelled at me that they were NOT limited in their use of their powerboats, that "you don't own the Lake", that "you're the type who just likes to give kids a hard time", that "I'm one of the directors here", and repeatedly "just take your little boat and get out of here". He invited me to "call the MDC and the powers that be", etc., and that "I remember you from last year when you yelled at these kids", etc. I now recognized him as the guy who last year claimed he was the MBC's "harbormaster" as he actually grabbed my paddle after chasing ME down in the middle of the lake after yelling at one of the speeding kids! As our discussion quickly was becoming a loud pissing contest, much to the amusement of the 1/2 dozen teens in the powerboats, I paddled away, trying to burn off some steam paddling another lap before I needed to host a dinnerparty for my wife's birthday last night. As I loaded up and started to drive off I saw one of the powerboats pass by the put-in (Tufts/MDC) at full throttle, this time with a sole, different guy at the helm, looking my way. Sigh.... I try to develop my kayaking skills and get some exercise 3-4x/wk on this lake, as it's very close to my house, and very commonly see sole swimmers crossing the length of the lake. These swimmers are generally unnoticed by anybody speeding around in the Clubs' powerboats (I asked them after one such close call with a black-capped swimmer last summer.) And therein lies a principal danger, of course. As the MDC doesn't exist, and I'm told that the Medford Boat Club has the Medford Police in its pocket, and that the State Police only very sparingly patrol the area (witness the huge upswing in littering on the east shore along Mystic Valley Pkwy), I don't know who to enlist to try to force this clown to act responsibly. One of us yakkers is a State Fish 'n Game employee, and, in addition to having witnessed many previous examples of abuse, also has a long gripe list re the MBC's illegal taking over of the walkbridge to their clubhouse, thereby restricting access to the public, etc. Although I am a Medford resident and have a good friend (also an attorney) who's prominent in town, as well at the Boat Club, and therefore could spot me as a new member, I'm sure he's loathe to intercede unless necessary, and frankly I'm uninterested in forking over $200 to join a babysitting/drinking club just to try to effect change from the inside. Could get too quickly very messy, methinks. And thankfully I'm a bit too moral to be giving random thoughts of stealthy sabotage and other sorts of nasty retribution much credence, less my tires get slashed at the put-in, etc., and frankly I don't like living while looking over my shoulder. But given the catcalls from a couple of bush-hidden MBC members' younger kids in the parking lot as I loaded up, it's clear that something has to happen here before someone gets seriously hurt. Feel free to forward this to whomever might be of some help, and thanks for any suggestions. Maybe we can "visit" their dock peacefully within a Tuesday Skills Clinic and ask them to control their speedboat use? Then maybe some of you'll gain an understanding of their mentality. Just a thought. As well, part of me understands that I'll eventually leave this 200acre lake and get out into Class II trips with you guys, but I still want to use this Lake for frequent exercise and maybe rescue/rolling training, etc., so leaving the scene completely is not an attractive option. Thanks. Ern

Nice to see you again, David, and thanks for the tips on high bracing. I look forward to improving my bracing skills and possibly learning to roll this season. I expect to be on the Mystic 4-5 late afternoons each week. Cheers. Ernie

I paddle the Mystic Lakes 3-4 times per week, and have carted off perhaps a couple hundred pieces of debris within paddle-reach of the shore so far...so the water itself is pretty clean. But the shorelines are still quite littered, especially the Winchester end, and must be cleaned on foot. Is there a rescheduled cleanup date? Thanks. Ernie

Will anyone be leading the Mystic Lakes skills sessions this season? I know of at least 4 members who'd welcome it (inc me!). Thanks. Ernie 781 483-3922