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Phil Allen

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Posts posted by Phil Allen

    Ballast in a Kayak

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    If you look at some of Sea Kayaker Magazine's boat reviews, they give you the righting moments of the boat with different weight paddlers +/- 100 lbs of gear. Consistantly, the ability of the boat to return to upright is higher with the extra gear (ballast in the previous discussions) within some limits.

    Interestingly, adding the 100 lbs of gear gives very little change in waterline or wetted surface/submerged area (10-20 percent change) to account for the nearly 2 fold increase in righting moment. I suspect the effect is due to the change in center of mass. As the boat ways 30-60 lbs, and the paddler weighs 100-300lbs, the center of mass for an empty boat and paddler is probably near the paddlers chest. I suspect that the cargo/ballast adds mass closer to the waterline and lowers the effective center of mass towards the water surface. This would lead to increased stability due to a reduction in the torque generated by the mass of paddler, gear and boat.

    Now to stop being a pointy head, its hard to directly translate the physics into our feelings about the stability of a boat. Extra mass will help to a point, but good luck if it starts moving around in the boat while you paddle.

    Phil

    ps: wrote this and then noticed PeterB beat me to it

    Trochanteric (Hip) Bursitis, my Impex Seat, and Necky relief

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    The exercise I have in mind -- and do every day -- stretches things quite differently than sitting cross-legged on the floor. (I just tried both). It's hard to explain and I cannot find a picture online, probably because I don't know what it's called. But it really stretches the bands on the outsides of the hips.

    Lemme try. Stand with your feet a few inches apart. Put your left foot on the ground to the right of your right foot at least an couple inches away (if you can; anywhere to the right will do to start). Lean to the left and stretch your right hip, especially at the lump on the outer side of the right leg, right where the leg enters the hip. Hold it. The point is to stretch the band that goes over that hump, so when you lean, feel that. Repeat at least twice on each side.

    Do this daily, with the left foot farther and farther to the right of the right foot every day (and vv on the other side). I can now get it 14-15 inches away, but when I started I could barely even get the left foot over the right foot and down on the ground.

    This -- and one other exercise -- have saved me from a lifetime limp or worse. Bless that PT!

    --David.

    Dont have a name for your stretch David, but the stretchs the IT band (illiotibial band), which runs from the hips down to the outside of the knee. Over tight IT bands can lead to poor tracking of the knee which can lead to osteoarthritis in the joint. The Anderson stretching book describes stretch for that region but there all based on lying down (not a bad thing). As for your stretch (which I also do), its good to have a wall or door in the diretion your leaning in case you loose your balance.

    Phil

    Thoughts on Self Assessment - Wayne Horodowich

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    Good articles. I like the points about real and "emotional" context in the application of skills. When I was learning to ski as a teenager, I hated ice and would freeze up and often fall when crossing it . Not that ice was ever common in the Pocono mountains ;-). Went skiing one day in a mix of fog and snow flurries where I couldn't see the ice and what do you know, didn't fall once and actually made turns on it. My expectations about the ice were more problematic than the actually ice itself.

    I see the same stuff kayaking. 3-4 foot wind waves every 4 seconds freak me out such that my skills definitely decrease substantially <_< . I just need to get out with people I trust enough to rescue me and practice.

    Phil

    Two Days W/ Jeff Allen and Simon Osborne

    in Trip Reports

    Posted

    Rob-

    That's a great summary of Sunday (the only day I was there). Nothing like looking looking up at a swell significantly overhead just to drop down the back a few seconds later. I think it was that rafted tow that got my stomack going. It was definitely nice to have some much stronger paddlers along. Jeff's look of glee as he surfed down the harbor using the greenland paddle was priceless!

    Phil

    wish I was there

    ---

    deep blue over white

    impex kevlar currituck

    boat repair kit?

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    Folks-

    Trying to put together a repair kit that's more than just ducktape, plastic bags and bungie cord. What do people take for quick/emergency repair of their hull? Duct tape doesn't hold too well unless I can really dry the surface.

    Thanks.

    Phil

    wish I was there

    ---

    deep blue over white

    impex kevlar currituck

    sleeping bag advice.....

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    For those who like to side sleep or toss and turn, I'd suggest looking at a MontBell Superstretch bag in either down or synthetic. They've made the bag bigger than most mummys and then sown in bungy like material to snug it up around you. Net result is you can pull your legs up to fetal position, roll around, sleep on your side and the bag follows you. In my experience this has made for a MUCH more comfortable night sleep than I've ever had in a mummy before. You can also get by with a "cooler" bag as its comfortable to sleep with the hood in place.

    Also, I dont know if they still make them, but I think Sierra designs had licensed the "strecth" concept and made a few similar bags.

    I have no relationship with Montbell, just like their bags.

    Phil

    wish I was there

    ---

    deep blue over white

    impex kevlar currituck

    Practice venues

    in General Message Board

    Posted

    One piece of advice I've been given at Cochituate is to practice your rolls/rescues out of sight of either Route 9 (Middle Pond) or Route 30 (Middle and North Ponds). Apparently concerned motorists have called 911 upon seeing upside down kayaks from the road. Explaining that your fine to a concerned fireman in a boat must not be fun.

    Phil

    wish I was there

    ---

    deep blue over white

    impex kevlar currituck

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