jdkilroy

Interestingly; Even Kajaksport indicates that their rubber hatches are the best of all their hatches; this is a quote taken directly from their web site: "Kajak-Sport original hatch cover series is made of real rubber. 100 % watertight hatch cover solution is created for the most demanding "expedition" use, when the cover is used in abberant conditions and when the maximum reliability is essential." In addition to treating the exposed portion, keeping the inside of the hatch cover 303'd and also the hatch rim, makes their use, even the monstrous rear hatch on the the Cetus, easy to use. Treating the inside of the cover and the hatch rim is even more important for "ease" of use on Valley boats. Jon

As far as getting Reed equipment: I have taken to ordering directly from Reed in the UK. I have had multiple interactions with local (wet coast) supply source that seemed to end in a black hole without repeated requests for attention to my order. (No comment at all personally but I think that rep may just be trying to manage to many things alone) Order from Reed on the web at chillcheater.com and enjoy excellent prompt and, if needed, custom service. (you'd think I was workin' for 'em) Re: the pump tunnel: I think the Reed material lends itself well to this particular feature so its not a major production problem to add. Neoprene decks would likely need to add the tunnel in a different material so perhaps not worth it as far as additional cost. To be honest, Ive only used it when fully loaded on day-long paddles in conditions where I'm accumulating water slowly and I want to get rid of it. If I've been in the kind of crap that dumps me out of the boat in the first place, I reenterandroll and paddle with a full cockpit with my attention to managing my craft (both hands on the paddle) not messin" with a pump. It would be great feature tho with another paddler to stabilize you while pumping and not getting any more water in cockpit from seas. Another thing I like about the Reed equipt: I can patch in a couple minutes with a piece of McNett "clean Tape" no mess, no fuss... ('course, I'm known for patching my hull with tarp tape so take that for what its worth.) If we paddle together this winter ast to use one of my decks to try it out. I might add: A very important detail to attend to on any kayak with a fiberglass cockpit flange is to sand the edge of that flange all around to make it smooth and rounded. Really decreases the wear on your spray deck wher it rides on that edge. Jon

I have been using the Reed spray decks for quite a while now. I've had the pleasure of putting them through some pretty miserable conditions including breaking through good sized surf. I've never had one come off unintentionally, no rips even with rescues, easy to put on in any weather and easy to carry a spare in your permanent kit (in case you arrive at the launch and yours is still at home on the drying rack...) They do make them with map case attachments but I didn't like them. They also can be fitted with a tunnel that your pump could fit through to pump out with spray deck in place; closes with a dry-bag-like roll up. (its like having a big "innie" in your spray deck) I've heard others mention theirs tore easily but I use nothing else and I just haven't seen it. (I'm not known for being easy on my gear either) hope that's helpful, Jon

I think that salt water needs to be used as a percentage of total water when using to cook with. So say you are preparing pasta or some other food that you would normally add salt to anyway, then you could substitute say a third of the total water used with salt water. Adding too much salt to diet could easily result in your needing more water to address your kidney's need to maintain electrolyte balance in the system. I found Google Earth to be really helpful in locating where fresh water sources exit to the sea. Much of the coast along your planned trip is displayed in pretty high resolution making the location of even smaller creeks possible. If you haven't bought a water filter yet, I found that a filter with a piston style pump action(such as the Katadyn Pocket) is much more usable than the type with the pump-handle. (I have big hands and repeatedly smacking my knuckles into the filter cylinder got old fast. The piston motion is easier to perform for a prolonged period (as you fill that 10 liter bladder) so don't just look at pump rates when you compare them. Sounds like a great trip. Jon

Hey Bill and Jason, Just a thought to tuck away for a day when there is really nothing else you can come up with to do... When I click on the "Sign In" link in the upper R corner, it would be nice if the cursor was in the sign-in name box so I can just start typing. At this point, I need to click inside the sign-in name box to make the cursor appear there before I can type. Thanks for all your efforts, Jon

Yeah; 'cause what's a little snow eh Ed? Nothing you can't clean up with a roll... Jon

Bob, bring the Margarita by the shop if she's in need of any glass work and we'll square her away. I've got boards in early Dec so anytime after that. Jon

Good on you guys for practicing in conditions. Makes you more valuable to all you paddle with. Bob, how's the Margarita holding up? Jon

It was great fun all in all. A little bit of bump, some wind, some significant currents... an educational day on the water and as Gene said, a great bunch of folks. Thanks to all who attended and thanks to Suz and Scott. Jon

Last minute check before loading up and heading out.... we're still on for today's cold water paddle? Jon

Very nicely done. Looks great. just noticed that I'm having trouble navigating back to the "General Message Board" from any other category but NOT between any of the other categories. In order to get back to GMB, I need to return to nspn.org and then go to GMB. (Intel Mac/Firefox) Thanks guys, Jon P.S. Is the "Private Trips" category somehow different from the old "Trips" category?

I have the same difficulties with most every boat. I use the NRS "Sasquatch" boot which offers great protection of the foot while walking about on hard things but has a very thin heel pad. Order a size larger than you are. I pretty well wore a pair out on the Vancouver Island paddle but I was doing a lot of heavy boat dragging up and down beaches for the better part of a month so I'd say they hold up pretty well. Jon

Why aren't you guys using a marine wx site for wx info??? Marine Wx: York/Cape Neddick Jon

I would be VERY cautious about using aspirin or anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen, Aleve etc) at the same time as oral steroids unless you are looking for a fast track to an ulcer or a GI bleed. Jon

keep in mind that the anemometer on IOS is about 80 ft above sea level. The wind readings are always higher. Jon

What a wonderful adventure for the boys and these are the experiences that lay the groundwork for staying connected to your son as the years pass. Great photos. How can you help but smile. Jon

Doug said: "... I have trouble holding a cell phone to my ear." Interesting observation Doug. I use speaker phone almost exclusively now to avoid having my arm in the phone-holding position for any length of time... that really seems to annoy my elbow. Keep doing those push-ups... the problem will resolve and you'll be a stud. By the way, go easy on the ibuprofen (Advil), 400 mg three x per day (with food and plenty of water) is enough. Do it for a couple weeks as though you were taking an antibiotic. It is consistency that is most important here. You aren't treating pain, (because you're not pissing it off, remember?) you are treating inflammation. Slow and steady wins the race here. Jon

Ice, NSAID's (ibuprofen, aleve what-ever your favorite flavor is) and don't piss it off. Be consistent with your treatment. I have had it on both sides; at times so severe I couldn't get a coffee cup to my lips. It has never been affected by or prevented my paddling. (I wonder if that is a benefit of that 360 degree feather I use.) Push-ups seemed to help as well. best of luck, Jon

Unfortunately .... your body has no way of knowing that all that sweat is collecting inside the vapour barrier. This layer has absolutely no effect on how much you sweat. The physiologic mechanisms that result in sweating have no capacity for external feed back. What it can (and will) do is diminish your bodies ability to use sweat as a cooling mechanism because evaporation can no longer take place once the air inside the shirt is saturated. If anything, the loss of evaporative cooling will result in increased sweating (due to higher body temp) and loss of moisture. The vapour barrier has its place in protecting sensitive gear (down items) against moisture; a valuable service for sure but that's about it. Jon

I'm rounding this weekend Rick so I can't go anywhere ... what about next weekend? Jon

Sweet dreams Ricky .... Jon

Derek Hutchinson's sentiments not withstanding, a well designed, low-profile deck bag is more than just a useful item. On a recent solo trip, I was loaded to the extent that, in the prevailing conditions, opening the day hatch would result in flooding. So the VHF, camera, Spot, snacks all went in the deck bag. I would suggest that after that trip, the most valuable lesson for me was that clothes can be kept to a minimum. Clothes can take up a lot of room. I wore thin wool underwear, a long-sleeved top and long johns every day for almost 4 weeks and they were the same articles of clothing the entire time. I would rinse them when I could in fresh water. The interesting thing is that they did not stink. I'm not suggesting that they were fresh, but I was amazed at how unstinky they were. I sweat a lot, I was usually wet inside the dry suit within a 1/2 hour of starting the day. I tried to wear a synthetic rash guard layer once and that was the one time I stank but good. And I had to carry that shirt for the rest of the trip. For the remainder of the trip, I never wore another piece of synthetic clothing while paddling. I endorse Suz's recommendation for using smaller stuff sacks. I would add that if you are getting new ones, don't get one without a valve and only get thin fabric or the thinnest of PVC coated bags for ease of compressing into the nooks and cranys of your compartment spaces. Another interesting note: When I ended one day early in the trip paddling into a glassy little cove, I though it would be refreshing to take a dip and since I hadn't rolled this particular boat while all loaded I gave it a go with every expectation of coming back up on the other side. Imagine my surprise when I went over and the boat just parked upside down with no inclination what-so-ever to favor either side. It was very disconcerting and it wasn't until I had to roll in more dynamic conditions that I felt the nagging tension from that event subside. So a loaded boat is not always easier to roll. Jon

djlewis said: "Had it been a missing spray skirt, however, we probably would have gone home without paddling." Interesting; I found myself at the Blackburn without a spray deck and decided to paddle it anyway. Its all in what you're comfortable with. Its going through the thought process that is important; taking the time to do your own risk assessment before you launch. Jon

I'm going to take the liberty of giving you one of Peter B's from his Nordkapp which presently resides in my shop. The day hatch cover pretty much disintegrated as you described. Send me a mailing address Brian and I'll get it to you. Jon

To properly evaluate the compass independent of any other you will want to take a coastal (or better yet, a harbor) chart and establish as accurately as you can, a bearing to some prominent object in the distance that is both on the chart and visible to you. (a range or transit is best if you can set that up) Establish what the correct bearing from the chart is and correct it to a magnetic bearing (15 degrees W variation around these parts is close enough). Then compare your compass reading to what the chart says it should be. Be sure the boat is empty and no electronic/metal etc objects nearby. This is a lot easier to do than it sounds. best of luck, Jon