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Part 1. I recently bought a new farmer john wet suit with relief zipper (exhibit NRS Ultra John http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDis...ory_rn=4501480). Thursday while paddling back to Manchester from Marblehead a nature call required the use of the relief zipper. Note it was quite windy (probably 20+ knots) with high frequency whitecaps. I removed the front of the spray skirt and proceeded to use my plastic pee bottle. From a seated position the lower zipper was too high to perform the operation so I had to lift myself up off the seat. Doing this caused a capsize. I rolled up, pumped out, replaced the spray skirt and was soon on my way without further incidents, but with a full bladder. The new wetsuit was purchased for the express purpose of having a relief zipper. Since it doesn't work well while in the boat I'm now considering exchanging it for the female version (the relief zipper goes much lower). Question 1. Are there any major problems I'll have using a Farmer Jane? I assume fit is the only problem -- I can handle the hazing. I'm 5 ft 8 inches with chest-waist-hip/butt measurements of approximately 44-36-41. Any recommendations? Part 2. You're practicing hand rolls in a circular pool surrounded by a circular patio (i.e. concentric circles). A genie appears and offers to grant you any wish. But you have to answer one question first: Allowing just one linear measurement of some length, what should you measure to find the area of the circular patio in terms of pi? You don't know anything about the radius of the two circles (the pool radius or the radius of the outer circle formed by the outer edge of the patio). Question 2. What length should you measure? Question 3. If the measurement is n, what is the area in terms of n and pi? Thanks in advance for answers to question 1. A 12 pack of beer and/or a kayak fishing lesson to the first person correctly answering question's 2 and 3.

Anyone have experience with the Pentax Optio WP? What are the Pros. and Cons.?

It's early for bluefish, but I caught 9 last Thurs. (about 1/4 mile out from Halibut Point). They're hitting plugs trolled at high speed (about 5 - 6 MPH). Looks like most of the stripers have been chased away. This week I'll be doing more slow paddling, race training and fishing on the North Shore. Perhaps I'll do the Blackburn race loop again. Email me if interested for exact times and places to put in. Adam -- have you had any luck angling?

Thought this was interesting and appropriate for this thread: http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20...z1j15kayak.html

The weather is too nice to work tomorrow. Any interest in paddling from Lanes or Manchester 4/20 and 4/21. Email interest.

From my experience most racers use a 215cm paddle. I really improved when I went from a 220 to a 215. BTW I won't be paddling for a while. I'm in a hospital in West Palm Beach recovering from a break at the top of my left femur (just below the leg/hip ball and socket). The accident happened with a rented 3 person sit-on-top at Singer Island,FL(that's all the outfitter had available). The surf was very rough and there was no bow toggle to drag the kayak through the surf zone. I used a grab handle on the side to pull it out. However, a strong wave ripped it out of my hand and the backsurge brought it out between me and the breaker zone. Next a breaker pushed the kayak sideways back towards me. I was in shallow water so was able to jump over it. I guess my left leg was so extended that the torque snapped my femur. Draw your own conclusions. A helmet may not be sufficient. Leon

Like Dee I assumed incorectly that Gonddola's are poled off the bottom. I dreamed up the question a few months ago while poling off the bottom near Little Neck - the tide was so low I couldn't paddle anymore. Dee's answer would be correct (but lacking analytic rigor) for gondola's that are poled. I guess when I said the "beer is on me" I should have said that you all should spill the beer on me. However, for the sake of this contest, let's assume a different kind of gondola - one that is poled off the bottom. Also assume the force vs. speed curve of the gondola and kayak are identical (you know, like the force vs. speed tables in Seakayaker's kayak reviews. The kayaker will go 12 knots down river (assuming no air drag or other second order effects). It is clear that the kayak will go faster than the poled gondola (Dee provided a logical argument to support this but without quantifying how fast the gondola would go). I owe Dee a beer. The new question is how fast will the poled gonddola go in the down river direction? You can't answer the question unless you know the forse vs. speed curve. For simplicity, assume that force is proportional to speed. With this assumption, how fast will the poled gondala go down river? A six-pack for the first correct answer. Bet Dee does it in her head. Leon

Count me in as an occasional show. At the least, I can carry the boats. P.S. Liz, you'll have to wait until next summer for my next bluefish dropoff. Leon

Hi Commander, When I'm paddling with just one partner I go at the other paddlers speed. There are a few club members that probably slow down for me (except for ultra-distance trips like a double Blackburn circuit).

About 90% of Atlantic striped bass spawn in the Chesapeake. In the warmer months these great game fish swim in the NSPN area for our angling pleasue. Industrial-scale fishing for menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay is starving the striped bass population. Please consider signing the petition (I will soon) available on the following site: www.savethefish.org P.S. Contrary to many opinions about me (mostly in jest) I do not paddle at just one speed. When race training, I have 4 different speeds, and when fishing and/or touring an infinite number of speeds. P.P.S Assume a gondolier and a kayaker can both attain a speed of 7 knots in still water. Say they both enter a down-river race where the current is 5 knots. Who will win and why. Hint - think power. A beer on me for the most correct explanation. Leon