Pintail

PS: negative on the outrigger floats -- totally unnecessary!

Hemminjay, go and look in the "personal classified" section, where there are <several> boats for sale right now that will fit right in with your (financial) requirements. There is a Valley Nordkapp (HM, standing for "hull modified", meaning <very> good tracking, due to the built-in skeg at the stern); there are <two> plastic boats that might do you well, at competitive prices, from the same source (plastic meaning you will not be bothered by scratches gained on pebbly beaches or the rocks); there is an Impex Force 4 that would likely suit one of you...and so on. Don't bother with "starter" boats, for if you are both as athletic as you sound to be, you will quickly grow into your boats -- that was exactly the advice I received from the founder of this club, many moons ago, when I bought my first boat -- and he was right! There are weekly skills sessions at Chebacco Lake in Wenham/Manchester and there are plenty of <great> coaches around for your tuition so that you may soon enough gain the mindset for pushing yourselves in that area (of learning). Take the plunge and go and look at some of these boats: sit in them and see what feels most comfortable. Good luck! Keep us apprised of your progress and you'll find plenty of paddlers here who will gladly pass on their skills and advice (it is that sort of club)

Thanks, Matt Drayer, for the excellent attachment (Sharon Armstrong)! She looks to be a couple of miles off-shore in that clip and <forty> knots? That's one mighty southwester blowing, there! It's not often that they are <that> strong, when they come through...

You're right on the money, Leon!

God, you're all so <sensitive> about the little greenheads! You really don't know what biting flies are all about until you've encountered the tsetse!

Inverseyourself is correct and no one else mentioned this, but the Explorer is a lot of boat and for myself, when I owned one, I found it to be a constant effort to drive it through the water. I am about 5'6" and have strong shoulders and have been paddling for 20yrs, plus... The Romany Surf, as far as I recollect, was also designed for larger paddlers. If this describes <you>, then you will be fine in either boat; but, if you are of more modest physique, then an original Romany will likely be a better fit. You did not give us enough information to offer appropriate advice!

Yes, why not? However, I had only seen <one> greenhead fly this season, on the water, recently, until a couple of days ago when a big bugger tried to bite me <in my car> here in Gloucester! Perhaps their range is increasing -- or she simply wanted to go shopping?

Sylvester-san, I can do Mondays...

<When I had a plastic Avocet, I always car-topped it upside down and backwards. Strongest point was the coaming so it made sense to let that sit on the crossbars, and as Rob said, the <aerodynamics were more favorable if it was backwards (opposite of how it would be if right side up)> This is just wrong, Kate -- with all due respect. The laws of aerodynamics apply to your kayak on the rack in the same manner as when you fly your aeroplane upside-down, regardless! Read Rob's post again: that is not what he wrote. Forwards-facing is <always> better -- <fluid> dynamics... Regards, CG @Ken (with all due respect to you, as well): What is a "yak"? I always thought it to be a four-legged transport animal?

I absolutely agree with PeterB! If you do find that you take to sea-kayaking, you <are> going to want to upgrade your boat in due course...but, initially, follow his advice.

Afraid not: I work on weekends! However, I am available in Gloucester -- or even by courtesy of the USPS, if you want them... I am at 9seven8. 23nine, three3seven6, if you wish to contact me -- best to send a text message, since I often do not answer those I do not recognize.

As a matter of interest, Janet, what do you carry or keep in that under-deck bag? Don't you have a day hatch for most articles that you might need? I'm wondering if that bag is superfluous and, of course, your PFD should have one or two pockets built-in? Musing aloud: I wonder why everyone is wedded to the idea of a pump: mightn't a collapsible bail be more space-saving? BTW: When I wrote "hanging" piece of foam, I did mean that it is glued firmly in place: it is just that it is hanging down -- slightly -- between your thighs, in position to offer some purchase for bracing said thigh when you roll your boat -- example: instead of <this> arrangement, below, imagine <one> piece of foam with roughly same dimensions in overall width. ...

How about this idea? You glue under your foredeck a "hanging" piece of (dense-core) foam (you can even buy them, pre-shaped and -cut) with a round hole in it, into which your pump slides longitudinally along the axis of your boat. At the same time, this gives you the inverted "hump" against which your knees fit and push for rolling... There must be plenty of photos of this arrangement online, I imagine; but you can certainly buy them, already-made, ready for the glue!

Aha! And here was I thinking <I> was the village idiot...!! (I did think that others were having trouble, actually -- I have recently had exactly same issues as DaveB.)

Anyone? Men's, size 8, in charcoal colour and in great condition. Little used, in fact. $35. (In Gloucester) godfrey dot christopher gmail (Picture? Everyone knows what they look like...)

Weather forecast (NOAA) is for SW/10-15kt at the moment; but, as we know, that can change. How about resuscitating the moonlight trips with a calm, unadventurous sort of paddle out of Lanes Cove, this coming Friday? That side of the cape will be (sort of-) protected and the moon will be two days' short of full. The water <is> warming up, slowly, so suitable garb recommended. I shall be present at the cove from c.1700 (five o'clock for landlubbers), probably practising my strokes or whatever inside the cove (you <do> all practise, don't you?). Let's set a put-in time, then, of 1800? I do not carry illumination for my boat; but a waterproof headlamp <is> a good idea. Perhaps we will stop off over on Wingaersheek or inside Essex Bay for a snack? Just like Bob and Joe's Wednesday paddles, call this a co-operative effort; but of course there doubtless will be some experienced kayakers to assist or guard those who might be venturing out for the first time after dark. Respond here...

President Rob, I have been into the STORE and thence to MANAGE PURCHASES but still can find nowhere further to travel up that creek to cancel any automatic payments... Additionally, that page of my history shows two payments each for 2015 and 2016; but I daresay that one was cancelled for each year? That address that shows on that page, too, is an old one with no obvious way of modifying or editing it. Oy, vey.. Interestingly, I also see on that page that I have been -- supposedly -- a member since 2006; but that was the one year I missed out on membership, I seem to remember! I have, in fact, been around for <much> longer than that! Mr. Crangle joined up soon after me. Only Mr. Sylvester has been on board longer, I think. Happy days, indeed! And the water is getting warmer...

Careful, Michael, lest those legs atrophy... ;^) Thanks for the advice.

Sorry I wasn't with you! Next week...

This happens to me almost <every> year: I renew my membership -- with website navigational difficulty -- and then find that I have signed up for automatic renewals! Sorry, everyone; but I dislike automatic renewals of any kind, preferring to think that I have full control, myself. Why is navigation of our website so confoundedly tricky for the simple likes of me? I think that the instructions leave something to be desired and I also think that it seems to be a case of "automatic" or nothing. It seems to me, too, that I have read of others, recently, also having troubles in their efforts to renew, so it isn't just me. Time for an overhaul? In the good old days, I usually wrote a cheque and sent it to a PO box and that system never went wrong. (Does anyone write cheques any more?)

May I hi-jack this thread? I wonder if that tape to which you refer is useful as a temporary sealant for (composite) boat hulls? Is it strong enough, do you know, Jim? It just could be an easy solution for those wishing to carry repair kits in their boats...

Sylvester-san, can you take Mondays off, I wonder? I'd love to go down and play there with them on such a day...it's been a very long time... Are <you> able to make Mondays, Josko?

PeterB, I am going to try to get that weekend <off>, so (tentatively), will you please keep one place open for moi-meme? It is high-time... (Forgive me: I cannot remember the correct alternate for typing the circumflex in "meme"!)

Men's, size 8, in charcoal colour and in great condition. Little used, in fact. $35. (In Gloucester) godfrey dot christopher gmail (Picture? Everyone knows what they look like...)

So...a half-size up should do the trrrrick! Thanks, Keith.