wilsoj2

Nice detailed description. I think one of the things to keep in mind is that the dry suiit keeps you dry, but does not supply warmth. My favorite for cold water is a wicking/rash guard base layer and a Polartec union suit. My favorite is the MEC as it has triple pull zipper which extends all the way around to the tail bone. The upper most zipper pull is encased in plastic the other two are rounded so as to not abraid the dry suit membrane. Good socks - smart wool. Alpaca, or Polartec, are essential. Hands, head, and neck are also important. Remember good gloves (I like DeepSee Comfort Dry Gloves.) Also remembering when protecting your head from cold that you need to protect your neck as well. I have a Mystery Hood which I supplement with a Henderson Ice Diving hood when the water temps dip below 40f.

Think whitewater. Jed's description of how to move in and out of eddys, peel out, etc.. is the as valid for a Romany as an I3. For squirrely water A feel I loose too much control if I have may skeg deployed. I find I rarely use any skeg and when I do it is in following or quartering seas -- and then usually 1/4 does it.

Was the guy still test paddling it? I believe that 1993 was the first year of the Romany. Must have been a MIKCo boat?

Many many congratulations!!! John is a great coach... and a keen assessor.

Heidi, Good to see the rest of the photos. You should email Mel as she is putting links on the Symposium website to photos people took at Downeast. http://www.carpediemkayaking.com/symposium.htm -Jim

Still fun but faster-- Nordkapp LV.

Excellent advice from Peter. I think Peter Orton noted something like 8 different Nordkapps. It is a boat that has been tweaked repeatedly over its 30+ year span. The Jubilee hull is the current and most forgiving. Pre-Jubilee Nordkapps are responsible for much of the Nordkapp fame and infamy. Nordkapps are the most striking looking of sea kayaks. Though the 'kapp LV is my fav for both handle and looks.

The basic reason for boats such as the Explorer and Aquanaut is that the Nordkapp is not well behaved unladen and is a demanding boat to paddle. I'm 6', 175 lbs and find that paddling an unladen Nordkapp feels like bobbing around on top of the water. Is the 'kapp you are being offered an HM or HS? If it is an HM you will be going from one extreme to the other moving from a Pintail. A '95 Nordkapp will be stiffer tracking, with lower primary and more uncertain secondary than either an Explorer or Aquanaut. The classic 'kapp was designed and intended to be paddled heavily laden. Both the Explorer and Aquanaut are designed to handle well both laden and unladen.

Here are some of the photos Celia and I took at the Symposium: http://good-times.webshots.com/album/560666507rOSVJI A wonderful event, good to see and meet many NSPN folk. I also greatly enjoyed meeting the paddlers from the West Coast who attended this year. I am already looking forward to next year's...

I HAD that knife until it went missing during Canoe Safety Test last September at Downeast. It seems any knife worn so as to be grabbed quicky may be grabbed or removed when you do not expect it. I now have sea snips where I can grab them quickly and a knife inside my pfd.

Celia and I will be at both.

Sea Kayaker reviewed the Epic Endurance 18, so the stats are available on that boat. I have never seen any stats on the Romany. There maybe some on the QCC site for their boats. For kayaks, it seems that up to about 4 knots, wetted surface maybe the significant determinant of drag, while at and above 4.5 knots waterline trumps wetted surface.

A couple of weeks ago I was paddling my Romany alongside a guy in a QCC700. My bow wake was enormous and the boat was lurching with every stroke. The QCC bow wake was minimal and the paddler barely working. Had the same experience earlier this year paddling my Romany alongside an Epic Endurance 18. Most times I paddle my Romany because it is great fun and plenty fast for most paddling. If I want to cover distance or knowingly paddling with fast folk, I paddle my Aquanaut. Sometimes the hull speed does make a difference.

I'm 6' 175 lbs and wear a large Kokatat. I have the Expedition which I like a lot. I am very happy with Kokatat's service. At the end of July I sent in my dry suit for new gaskets and had it back in two weeks. Kokatat also patched it under the Gore-Tex waranty. A few years ago, I sent in my dry suit for gaskets. Kokatat determined the Gore-Tex was delaminating and sent me a new dry suit for the price of the gaskets.

Isn't this why so many of us have more than one boat? Also, sometimes an expedition length boat can be more fun NOT carrying its ideal load. My Aquanaut is much livelier carrying a light load

It was great last year. I'm sure it will even be better this year. Many cars and boats moving around so it is easy to catch a ride and/or have your boat transported. Talk to Mel or Mark at Carpe Diem. Also when you check in you can find who is where etc... It seemed last year that many of us would stop in Aquaterra in the morning to catch up on changes and transport. We took an extra day last year to have some unstructured time on MDI. The Downeast Symposium is fun, challanging, and exhausting. We are greatly looking forward to seeing everyone and getting wet BTW. Sullivans Falls is a fabulous place for tidal work. Did last year's class (Mayhem with Maynard) and doing this years Monday class.

Yeah, but it's a bear to roll ;-)

We stayed at Rose Eden for the Downeast Symposium. We liked them quite a bit. A few of us stayed there... We will probably stay there again this for the next Downeast Symposium.

Well, people talk of the 'Kokatat premium' in reference to the expense of their dry suits. However, they are great at employing the Gore-Tex lifetime guarantee. Last year when I sent in my dry suit for new gaskets, Kokotat decided the material was delaminating, so they sent me a new dry suit for the price of new gaskets. I've heard many such stories. I think it is worth paying for a Kokatat suit.

The more information the better. I think one of the genuine characteristics of a great coach is one who takes you where you've not been and may not have thought you could be, and leaves you wanting more - and to do it again. Steve is certainly one such coach. This is the kind of report from 5* training that serves to encourage and inspire. Thank you.

Neat! Thank you.

That is very effective. Allowing your torso to stop the momentum avoids shoulder injury. The coach we worked with last winter in pool sessions had us working regularly on this technique. One can also scull for support or balance brace from the position.

It is safer and more efficient to brace than roll. The two aphorisms that stick in my head are: "A roll is a failed brace." "Having to roll is a sign of failure. Having rolled is a sign of success."

Winter can be a wonderful time to paddle, but the margins are much thinner. In winter we only paddle with those whom we know and whose skills we trust. There are pool sessions to engage those without solid rescue skills.

Rockport ME or MA?