lhunt

Little tiny stuff: the favicon (the little icon you see next to the URL and in your bookmark panel or title bar) has changed from the nice NSPN kayaker to a "V". Also, "view new content" used to give you all the new content, and just mark the ones you haven't read. Now it removes the ones you have already read. I find the old way more useful in case I want to go back or didn't read the whole thing and don't remember what forum it was in. But many thanks for doing all this technical stuff! -Lisa

It was a great argument up 'til the "snob" part - different strokes for different folks, and all that... I suspect that much of the "wet vs. dry" ride stuff has more to do with rocker. An overhanging bow does not necessarily imply lots of rocker, and I doubt the overhang affects wet vs. dry as much. When designing for performance you try to avoid digging into the water at the bottom of the trough, because that slows you down quite a lot, as you pointed out, and performance boats also avoid rocker because it increases wetted surface (also maneuverability isn't a big priority when racing). Mostly, though, performance boats want the resistance reduction offered by a long waterline without the weight disadvantage of an overhanging bow, and I believe the Epic video is trying to counter unfounded fears of pearling. (I don't know why people seem to think that plumb bows are likely to pearl dive, but it is a common misconception). That being said, as is clear from the many discussions we have had over the years about this, many people believe plumb bows are worse in rough water, and I'm sure it's possible to produce a video that proves whatever one wants to believe. Though I've never seen or experienced proof, I can't disprove it, either, so I prefer to remain agnostic. I can only say that I've had good experiences with (deep) rough water. I avoid surfing for personal reasons, and because performance boats are harder to turn. Here is another video that Leon took of me in an unfamiliar performance boat that I was evaluating before getting Mustang Sally. Apologies to those who have already seen it. It's tough to get side shots in conditions like that, but there are a few in the beginning, before things really got going. That boat was a pretty dry ride, as is my QCC. Mustang Sally is a little wetter, probably because the design displacement is 40 lb. lower. But she's great at rough water nonetheless. -Lisa

Well, I guess I'd put that more into the set labeled "opinion" (or maybe "religion"). I've met a wall of water or two in my plumb-bowed boat, too :-) But yes, many people believe that the overhanging bow is a boon in rough water conditions, apart from the added maneuverability. Speaking of "crashing effects" - yesterday coming out of the Annisquam I hit a rock at speed with my new Wahoo "Mustang Sally". The rock was a flat, barnacle-encrusted tabletop sticking out of the water maybe 2" (maybe 3"?), and I should have been paying more attention! But, in this case at least, no crash. Ms. Sally nosed up and over almost to the cockpit and sat on top as though waiting for instructions. To avoid further hull damage I got out and lifted her free. But it certainly was germane to this discussion. No doubt a higher overhang would clear a larger obstacle, of course. The Wahoo design has a little overhang, as explained by the designer John Winters in one of his articles, to keep the deadwood (the part of the bow that is too skinny to help reduce residual resistance) out of the water. The waterline is the grayish area quite low down as seen here. So I guess that's what saved her bow. And that tough grayish graphite must be what saved her hull! The scratch is minor, considering...

Sounds like you are saying if you point your kayak at a fixed angle from the local meridian (bearing) and paddle continually at that angle your course will end up automatically correcting for cross wind or current. Maybe I'm misunderstanding? For me, yes. I always have a GPS anyway, for speed and distance, so it's convenient for this, too. I have an old track here which shows some results: across Sandy Bay I used ranges (one tower on Thatchers' lines up with the straight), and on the long straightaway from Lands' End to Eastern Point (just before the turn into Gloucester Harbor) I used the GPS. There was a stiffish offshore crosswind on that one. On other straightaways I used lobster buoys, which are very numerous in those waters. A lobster buoy and a distant land feature (like a point) works especially well. There isn't much zig-zagging in real life. The GPS gives you the ferry angle for this second, and in the next second it gives you the new ferry angle. The angle doesn't change much over the second. The only "zig" is maybe at the beginning, while you are accelerating, because the ferry angle keeps changing until you get up to speed. Really not noticeable in real life. Getting sideswiped by one small wave puts you off course more than that. Maybe another way to say this is that errors caused by screen resolution do not accumulate - they average out. The small correction at Eastern Point in my track is because I decided at the last minute to be more conservative about the rocks (!) The GPS gives you a long straight line which is brightly colored and easy to see... I guess some other models might have shorter arrows, though. Both methods work because they use the amount of drift to tell you how much to correct, IMHO. That way, you always correct by the right amount. (Note that the GPS doesn't really "give you the ferry angle". Actually, it bases its pointer on your course, not your heading, so if it finds you moving to the left it says, in effect, "turn right", "more", "more" - "there, that's good". When you look up, you find that the GPS is not pointing at the destination, it's pointing to the right of the destination. That is, it's giving you the ferry angle.) -Lisa ah - I see I crossed with Leon on this. Oh, well.

So is there an answer sheet somewhere? If I turn to the back of the book (trip report) will I find them? Here's my take on the straight line thing. If you just keep your bow pointing at the target in a cross wind, you will follow a curved path. Best two ways to get a straight path: keep two distant objects aligned ("ranges")with a GPS oriented with its top toward your bow, do a "find" on the destination and blindly keep the arrow or pointer line pegged to the middle of the top of the screen. Next best: guess at how much you need to correct for the wind by watching your drift vs. something stationary (a lobster pot, for ex.). Note that the GPS thing doesn't work if the GPS is using an internal magnetic compass at the time. Note also that I didn't recommend relying solely on the GPS to find your way home in a blind fog at night over unfamiliar open water, so please don't skin me alive about the GPS! My favorite answers for upswept bows: to make it possible to do seal landings on ice, rocks, or sand (or, in general, to avoid a huge crashing effect if you hit something at water level)to provide extra flotation if the cockpit floods without affecting maneuverability. Not sure if this is actually a "traditional" thing, but with bulkheads you can get the maneuverability of a 13' waterline with most of the flotation of a 16' boat.it looks beautifulit perhaps, traditionally, gives more deck storage or mounting for weapons and whatever.it can be a construction thing (you lash the frame together at the bow)I'm not going to touch the "oldest" or "fastest" thing with a 10 foot paddle. I wish I could have been there, too! -Lisa

That's a great idea. I do that for dry boxes too, never thought of it for a camera. In addition, it would be pretty easy to store the camera in a plastic container, with the battery compartment open, along with some silica packs (which come with new shoes). That might reduce the moisture that can get into the body of the camera on muggy days and cause fogging. It would also protect the open battery cover from getting knocked around. -Lisa

To those who are unfamiliar, Walden Pond is a normal swimming pond, with a little beach and lifeguard (in season) and all that. So I wouldn't get too worried about bacteria count, I mean, people take their kids there to swim. We do our kayaking away from the beach, so like any New England lake there are old leaves on the bottom. They feel a little mucky if you are not accustomed. To itfaster, it's not the ocean, so there isn't much danger of getting stranded and not being able to go back to your car and warm up. If you are OK with swimming in a Massachusetts lake in June you'll probably be fine (especially if it's a hot day). That being said, kayak practice is unlike swimming in that the activity level is intermittent, so you won't necessarily keep warm by moving. A wetsuit makes it easier if you're there for a long time. It's hard to concentrate on getting your roll if your teeth are chattering. Of course, you can also prolong the time by doing sprint laps around the lake to warm up :-) Rolling would require a sprayskirt, and it would be good for re-entry (rescue) practice too, although you can begin practicing that without. A paddle float and pump are also good for rescue practice, and a paddle float can be used in learning a roll. If you don't have them yet, someone might be able to lend them to you.

Track here.

I really enjoyed this trip, and it was also a good breaking in (not literally, fortunately) for my new stripper. There was some nice intermediate sharpish bump (2-1/2 feet(?)) in the shallower places, and there was a wonderful come 'n go quality to the mist. "Mustang Sally" was steady throughout all, and only a little stiff going around the hairpin turns in the creek. I did swing wide around the bigger breakers - she's not a surfer girl, at least not with me aboard (!) Pictures from my camera and Leon's are here. I can't resist those misty, moisty seascapes! For once, those blurry spots in the picture above are not water spots on the lens, but little knots of ground fog. -Lisa

I think Gore-tex, especially the water-repellent coating, functions better when clean. They recommend washing it by machine. Front-loading machines are very gentle (probably as gentle as handwashing, I think). If you don't spin, a front-loading washing machine seems to be just like tossing the wet garment from hand to hand. But you should use powdered detergent to maintain the water-repellent coating. Well, that's what I think anyway. It's worth researching it on the web site for the manufacturer of your drysuit, considering how much trouble it is to get it really clean by hand.

Wash the boat out (to get most of the salt), let the boat dry and then vacuum it. Or I guess if you use a shop-vac no worry about salt. ------------------------- My boat has a neoprene seat pad and backrest - I always try to get the salt out of that as much as possible. Otherwise it stays wet (absorbs water from humidity in the air) and starts to stink. I also spray the footbar mechanism and rudder, and the car. So in the end, I end up washing the whole boat. Gear: I put it into a big plastic bin in the car after paddling. At home, I fill that bin and another half-way with water. Swish the stuff in first bin, transfer to second bin, let it soak while unloading and rinsing boat and car and hang everything up. Something like that, anyway. I give special attention to camera and Camelbak: Soak in warm water then Salt-Away for the camera (careful to keep it off the lens), rinse the Camelbak with hot water and store in freezer. But I always wash my wetsuit and neoprene socks with all my kayaking clothing in the front-loader washing machine - normal cycle but cold water. And no spin for the wetsuit, then I take the wetsuit out and spin the rest. Every so often I put my sprayskirt and pogies in there, too. Back when I used to spray my neoprene to get the salt out, once I tried tasting it afterward. Still salty. I don't think spraying works very well for fabrics, especially the spongy neoprene. Just my opinion - don't shoot me! -Lisa

Beautiful! Thanks, Pru! -Lisa

Thanks, guys! Chris, yes, I'll try to remember to shoot you a message when I have a good feeling about how the graphite bottom is doing. Apparently it matters what ratios you use when mixing (graphite and silica). I read on the web that some people have a problem with the black graphite softening in the sun on a very hot day - we'll see. Email me (first name, underscore, last name @ yahoo) if I forget... -Lisa

All dressed up for homecoming next weekend! Guess those motorboats are going to be able to see me coming OK. That is, if you are going to be a speed bump, might as well be a brightly-colored one. More pix on Dan's FB page.

Well done, Doug, see you at the Essex, I hope! ROTC results here. Looks like MattD took 3rd Sea Kayak in the 19-miler - congrats! That's a long race with a tough crowd - lots of racing boats. And 5 portages (ugh). I was in the 6-miler - 3 min. behind last year's time, but it was really quite windy and it seems like many others had slow times, too. I registered as "touring" this year. Was beaten by 3 "sea kayaks", but one of them was a miss-classed Epic 18X, so I'm not counting that one :-) For what it's worth, I had an old camera up and taking pictures at the finish line every 10 seconds. If you click on the "full information" link you can see the "date and time - original" of each photo - use your finish time to find yourself if you are so inclined. Unfortunately the sun was behind the target, and the camera is an old one, so the quality isn't what I would wish. Oh, well.

Yes, I think it is a general rule that Mass. weather deteriorates when Leon comes North. In this case, Leon, you did us a favor. We really needed the rain. I second (third?) the notion that some feather is natural. I have often noticed how neatly the feather angle on my paddle hits the water just right without any wrist cocking. A couple of years ago, while working intensively on my forward stroke (I agree with what someone said that it's never, ever "finished"), I started getting some wrist problems. Reducing the feather angle from 45 deg. to 35 deg. seems to have helped, along with getting a very slightly smaller paddle. I suspect the natural angle varies from person to person.

Do we have two different topics on purpose? Anyway... As Leon knows, I've had lots of trouble with the whole pause before catch thing. Doesn't work for me at all above a certain speed. One problem: you are pausing at the extremity of rotation and with hands raised - not the greatest rest position. The other problem: it does give an extremely efficient catch. You go from no load on the paddle to full load very quickly. I find the sudden load on the forearm to be an issue. Sort of like "if it hurts you are doing it right". Well, not really, but close to it. I'm not arguing that it is probably the most efficient way to paddle, just have a hard time doing it. Secretly I wonder if this is the best way for, um, well, men to paddle, but maybe not women. Or maybe that's just an excuse. Somewhat related to this: When I first started using the wing I had some forearm problems which were "solved" by getting a very slightly smaller wing. That is, I deliberately chose a less efficient paddle to reduce the load on my arms. Smaller paddle, higher cadence. OK. Now I work like crazy to develop the most efficient stroke possible with my "less-efficient" paddle. Oh, well. If there were no challenges in life, life would be very, very boring. -Lisa

Some pix from today's workshop here (including a first glimpse of the new NSPN "tent"). Great job, Al, Les, Kevin, Blaine, Pru, Ernie, and everybody else! -Lisa

Here's the cleaned-up link for convenience. One of the first things to think about is what type of kayaking you want to learn - maneuverability skills like playing in surf or other rough water might lean you toward a different type of boat than distance/speed things like fitness paddling, long day tours or camping. Different boats for different strokes, so to speak. Renting, leasing, and lessons can help you explore before you commit to a boat. I second the idea of getting to pond sessions once you have a boat to work with. I have to say that I have learned more from NSPN folks than from some lessons I have taken! You can find more links to area resources at this New to Sea Kayaking Workshop topic - unfortunately the workshop is completely filled up, but there are some good links there. -Lisa

Hi, Pru, The Panasonic has one very, very bad flaw - it corrodes in salt water. Something about the finish or the type of metal makes it very difficult to wash the salt water off - I have followed all the directions (soaking for 10 min., etc) to the letter and then some and still get a white salt buildup on the camera. My first Lumix started showing signs of corrosion (pits in the metal, fogging up much worse than usual, and stuck buttons) just before the warranty ran out, so I sent it back to Panasonic and got a new one (the newer one has GPS, so I guess that's an improvement, really). Now, in addition to the soaking, I use Salt-Away on it EVERY TIME, with a toothbrush, being very careful to keep the Salt-Away off the clear lens cover. Don't want to mess with that water-repellent coating! I suggest that if your camera is still under warranty you send it back for a refurbished one. When I sent my camera back, the paperwork that came with the new one implied that they tested the old one for being waterproof, then cleaned, then tested it again. I actually sent it back for the frozen buttons, but apparently it's all connected. Otherwise, try working the buttons free: hold the camera buttons-down in warm water and work the buttons for a long time, use Salt-Away on the buttons (you can try putting a band-aid or something over the lens to protect it) Even when the buttons free up, when the camera dries they might freeze up on you again if you don't get all the salt out. It's a great camera otherwise. I can't help but think that maybe all the salt problems happen because they wanted to have a cool-looking metallic case for marketing reasons. I bet if they just did a simple plastic case like other cameras there would be no problem. Hope this helps! Lisa

(Answered in the other topic)

I'll be there, but wimping out in the 6-miler (no portages!) Touring class this year. QCC yellow over white... Lisa

Well... not quite - They're quite different, it seems, from the forms. The biggest difference from the Epic is that Epic is "one size fits all". The Wahoo is for small paddlers (by paddling standards - I never thought I would consider myself to be a "smaller" anything, but that's the way it is). I think the Epic's wide deck (and the overall beam of the hull) is to accommodate larger people.

Well, it's a tiny bit bigger at the 4" beam (for safety, since the Epic is the "ceiling" for the Blackburn Challenge). As for the rest of it, I guess my untrained eye has a hard time picking out the subtle differences in the hull between any two performance boats of similar size. The decks of the Wahoo are more crowned, I think, but you can't see that yet.

Ooh, cool. Guess it was a popular song! I don't think I want that decal (!), but the paint job rocks... And she's a survivor, too!