Pintail

Any guidance appreciated...I am hoping that the Nystrom or the Sylvester will read this...I am trying to make one of my Greenland paddles look nice again, after time has taken its toll on its appearance. The paddle is a Cricket, varnished at the factory or their workshop. Question: after sanding (mostly, the not-very-good second coat I applied a season or two ago) must I remove <every> vestige of varnish first? I have a suspicion that the (inlaid) tips are epoxy-coated. Thanks!

Good one, B! (Maybe next time?)

Dan: nice report, nice photos; but you obviously have not read enough C.S. Forester (Hornblower) or Patrick O'Brien! Keel-hauling has nothing to do with boats or ships -- well, not exactly. More to do with those on board ship. A mis-behaved seaman or one guilty of some crime or insubordination might have been "keel-hauled" during the 18th or 19th century navy (Royal Navy, that is) -- and it wasn't nice! (They'd probably be lucky to survive the experience, in fact!) Excuse my nit-picking, won't you?

May we take this conversation (this virtual conversation!) a step further and slightly off-topic? It was Derek's having taught me (us -- his class, which I repeated the next season) the extended stroke for <sweeping> that got me lying down in the water and sculling on my back, from which position I then graduated to sculling with hands in "normal" position. By saying which, I mean I taught myself (further) with the tools he gave me... Yes, maestro Crouse (hello, you!) and others, of course BCU have reasons for their preferences; but they <have> caved-in, thus far, on the use of Greenland paddles, for example, in star testing, haven't they? (Their use was a no-no until just a few years ago) Perhaps, one day, they will look less awry at extended paddle strokes.

Nice article, Leon: thanks for the link...(only knew of him by name and reputation, of course) It sounds as though he <was> a mensch...

Sir Leon, old friend, how are you? <Of course> you are right about your recommendation -- if I failed my roll, I'd use that one, too (extended paddle -- it <is> the pawlata, isn't it?)! The other respondents are all correct, too (Who is this Nystrom fellow, by the way? I seem to remember the name; but I have it on good authority that he doesn't know the front end from the back end of a sea-kayak, these days -- he's just a road cyclist!) The BCU may have had their disagreements over technique with Derek; but (bless his old Yorkshire heart!) his classes helped people to overcome their timidity of being on edge and way "beyond the cockpit" -- and <that> cannot ever be described as a bad thing, can it? (And that phrase <was> the name of his regular class!) Go on, Leon: encourage your acquaintance to practise the pawlata roll as a stand-by...

Fascinating, Al. Meanwhile, what about the German woman who was supposed to be kayaking all around South America (whatshername?) She ought to be done...?

Yes, well-said, Katherine! You have hit the nail on the head, my dear... We jump all too-easily to conclusions, most of us, don't we? They probably <were> unprepared, probably <were> inexperienced, probably <hadn't> taken precautions and probably <didn't> entirely know what they were doing; but this is a message board read (mainly) by the already-converted, so a smug or sanctimonious attitude is not helpful to anyone. These incidents happen all-too-frequently and will continue to occur. We can only try to make other, lesser-trained paddlers aware of safety and perhaps even of the existence of NSPN (I know I do, at every opportunity) -- but please let us restrain ourselves from any smugness.

As others have advised, put-in at Lanes Cove! Folly Cove, whilst beautiful and attractive, is littered with underwater rocks and boulders close-in. (It is also the haunt of the scuba folk) I wouldn't put-in there, with Lanes Cove less than a mile up the road...you asked!

Good idea on the oil, Gary: you might still the troubled waters with that! I would be inclined to do away with the back-band altogether and make a foam block back-rest in its place. See Brian Nystrom's website on how to tackle the (easy) glass-fibre work (filling-in those holes).

I think Suzanne has already left for Newfoundland... Surely someone can lend you one, Leslie? I do not have one to offer you any more -- sorry, old shipmate. I really think that you will manage quite well with a dry-top, however: the water is actually not as cold as I thought it was going to be today and back on Sunday...

<Cotton?!?! <Gasp!> Sacrilege!!> And what is so sacrilegious, pray tell? I'm baffled...

There is yet another way to get off lightly with one sleeping bag for three-seasons: you buy one that is an intermediate bag (any decent salesperson at REI or any other good camping shop (I love Hilton's Tent City, on Friend Street, a few yards from North Station!) will assist you with temperature range) and then go and look on eBay for a Goretex ex-army surplus bivy-bag, which will serve you two-fold: (I) it will give you the extra warmth for beginning and end of season camping and (ii) it will keep your sleeping bag clean! Bivy-bags are really cheap on eBay, if you can live with camouflage! (That might even be a good thing, if the Feds are after you!) ;^) By the way, I usually employ an inner cotton sheet (also cheap, if you shop around) to keep the inside of my bag clean, too.

By <strobe> light, do you mean for emergency purposes -- or simply for other kayakers to be able to see you in the dark? If the latter, I have one or two of those little things you have featured in your attachment; but they are NOT going to be of any use to you (or the USCG), if someone is really searching for you in the dark. Much rather go to one of the big boating shops and buy a proper rescue strobe -- usually in orange plastic, having proper, stout rubber gasket and putting out <real>, bright white light. My 0.02...

Jason is the only one (surprise, surprise) who has even mentioned Kokatat! For me, their Sea O2 model is the most supremely comfortable PFD I have ever worn. The flotation is not <big> until you pull the rip-chord in an emergency. It is <adequate> under normal conditions. I think it is not compatible with a back-worn hydration system; but that does not bother me. My last PFD, worn for years, was a Stohlquist and the pocket zip seized (yes, corrosion) and the pull-tab on main frontal zip broke off. I do not rinse my gear all the time, post-paddling; but, after all, 90% of a PFD is nylon...oy, oy, oy! Perhaps I was asking for trouble?

Oh, Jason: you clever sausage, you! Thanks for thinking of Wiki -- now why didn't I think of that? Doh! Of course: now it is quite clear -- and very interesting. I especially like the bit about Mr. William Armstrong, of course...! (Did you know, for example, that the swing-wing concept, as used in the old F1-11 was also a British invention? And vectored thrust, as in the Harrier? Not to mention the good old steam engine for locomotion...) ;^)

No laughing: this might warrant some thought... Paul, are you sure about the extension of waterline by these means? Why not extend it with a sharper, cutting edge? (Less drag? No, I'm wrong there, aren't I?) You know those "birds" that are lowered from twin booms on deep sea fishing boats to keep them on an even keel (What do they call them? Chickens or pigeons or something avian like that?) Well, perhaps that massive bulb is rather to keep the bows steady, thus reducing longitudinal forces along the length of the vessel -- important when it is a <long> or super-vessel (There is enormous torque applied longitudinally to one of those hulls when in big seas -- tankers have meters on the bridge to watch this very phenomenon) I'm still thinking about it...

<Rob if you need more volunteers for this event I'm happy to assist> Tut tut, Beth: are you withdrawing your volunteering duties? ;^) I am otherwise occupied this Sunday, unless the winds turn easterly, so cannot attend or offer assistance...

Trust Mike Crouse for practical advice/experience; but as for someone above who mentioned the word escalade (is that related to an escalator, Rick?), serves you right, if you have to become a mountaineer to stow your kayaks! An Escalade?! (What mileage do you get to the gallon? Ha ha!)

Josko, forgive, please, my minor correction; but simply to say that there is "a vortex" behind a building is gross over-simplification. At the downwind side or edge of the building there will be vortices all the way along that edge or side, resulting, perhaps, in one grand turbulent area; but one vortex -- no. Look at the wing of an aircraft (our idealized, "go-to" example, I daresay): there are trailing edge vortices all along the wing, with one greater vortex at the tip. Leon is correct with his comment about barometric pressure: itself and the winds due entirely to rotation of the earth, along with localized variations. I would not have thought it possible to predict gusts? Interesting post; but, ultimately, futile, I suspect, Gene.

Thanks, Sal: it seems they have changed it from a kayaking shoe to one designed for canyoneering! Old one was a pure kayaking model, with very rounded heels: the sharp heels of this new one will surely cause more wear on your inner hull surface. I shall keep on looking...

David, there <is>, apparently, a magic figure for annual running/maintenance costs -- and that is 10% of the purchase price, I seem to remember...! I don't think it applies to sea kayaks, does it? (Says he, smugly) That motor yacht that Leon showed us is god-awful ugly and vulgar, isn't it? Yeuch!

Rick, I was under the impression (quick: lift it off, please -- it's heavy!) that they had been discontinued? Yes, I agree -- best paddling shoes I ever had (two pairs, one after t'other; but all worn out now) If available: where do you buy them?

I promise to post some moonlight trips again this summer: apologies for not having done so last season.

John Huth is right: the Pocket Rocket is awesome and very fast -- and tiny, when folded up and replaced in its triangular-sectioned, plastic container!