tyson

Hunt for videos of kayak, + "Warren" at skook, deception pass etc, There's one where hes' doing his greenland repetoire right in the middle of the wave.

Phil

Here's one if him at Deception Pass:

Check the white boat.

I suppose that _he_ thinks he's funny.

Sweet! I don't care what others say, you guys rock!

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

When you sign out it's no longer effective at tracking what you have viewed and it then gives you the option to see active content. That screen then has a drop down for 24hours, 1Week 2 weeks etc.

If you stay signed in you see what's new to you. If you sign out you will see the changes in the last x hours.

Yup! I've figure that much out. I get that.

The recent (24hr, week, etc...) active content is preferable to seeing what's new to me. I asking if it is possible to make these options available through the "View New Content" link/page.

More importantly, can it be made available on the mobile version. With the desktop version I know how to get to it, its just harder than it needs to be. With the mobile version it appears to be completely inaccessible.

As I've said, I think that the site is mostly great and I'm thankful you guys have donated your time to it. The updates are fantastic. They make the desktop site noticeably cleaner and even make it more usable on mobile devices. That there is a mobile version at all is a fabulous update. I'm not trying to get into any sort of flame war here. I do, however, feel that there is a couple of things that (if not too difficult to implement) would noticeably improve it even further. My multiple posts aren't to argue, they are only because it appears that my point is getting missed.

If you have an I-Phone I think that you will really enjoy the appliction it does a good job of interacting with the forum.

That's nice. There's a lot to like about the iPhone. ...but its unlikely that I'll ever buy one as there is also a lot to dislike about them. Though this may be about to change, one of their biggest problems has been that they are not available on a network that has good coverage and service for the areas that I need it. That is an immediate dis-qualifier. There are a lot of other reasons that I don't expect that I will ever buy an iPhone. I hope that this isn't becoming an Apple only site.

Thanks!

Ty

I'm really much more interested in the 24hr and 1 week options which are elusive in the desktop version and don't exist in the mobile version.

...but I'm still greatful for what you guys have done.

I normally use Firefox (currently version 3.6.8) to browse the forum. Until I saw Tyson's post, I did not realize that the new forum's "View New Content" page had an "Active in the last [24 hours ^] (Go)" bar. I'm seeing the bar when I log into the forum using IE, but not when I'm using Firefox.

Its especially a problem when the forum says "Sorry, no new content found." because then I can not even see a list of the current day's new content.

thanks,

Bill

OK, different answer:

If I'm logged out, both the upper right "View New Content" link and the "Message Boards"->"Today's Active Content", both take me to a "Active content in the last 24 hours" page.

If I'm logged in, the "Message Boards" route takes me to the same place where I can see the past 24 hrs. If I use "View New Content" it takes me to a "New Content" page that seems to only show what is posted in the past 24 hrs and I haven't read yet. ...and is now empty. In any case, the "New Content" page contains no option to select 24hrs, week, etc...

All of the above is the desktop/PC version. On the mobile version it doesn't matter if I'm signed in or not. I can get to a page that lets me select a period (24hrs, week, etc...) but refuses to provide a list of topics, or I can go to the new content page which doesn't list anything I've already read and doesn't let me select a history length.

I normally use Firefox (currently version 3.6.8) to browse the forum. Until I saw Tyson's post, I did not realize that the new forum's "View New Content" page had an "Active in the last [24 hours ^] (Go)" bar. I'm seeing the bar when I log into the forum using IE, but not when I'm using Firefox.

Its especially a problem when the forum says "Sorry, no new content found." because then I can not even see a list of the current day's new content.

thanks,

Bill

I normally use Chrome these days, but I just tried FireFox 3.6.11 on Ubuntu 9.04 and all the items are there. I normally get there by clicking on "Message Boards" in the top banner. Scroll down to the dark blue header bar below the "Main Category" table and click on "Today's Active Content".

It won't solve the any missing bars, but it does deal with the "no new content" issue.

Cheers!

Ty

It looks like the first image PC screen shot, and the last image from android have the exact same content/5messages.

In the first case (PC) I can ask for the past week. ...and I'm not certain if it was just a week vs. 24hrs issue or something else, but yesterday at one point I was getting only a single item in the mobile version while I was getting 5-ish on the PC. The week option is very useful when not checking the board every day.

The first mobile shot looks like I should be able to get the week option, but it never actually gives me anything.

...and I don't know how to get to that screen except by pasting the link in from a PC. ;-)

Do you have an Iphone? I installed the Iphone application and it the new topics works well from it.

Nope. Android.

Testing this link to see if it retrieves "new" messages...

http://www.nspn.org/forum/index.php?app=core&module=search&do=new_posts&search_app=forums

I've found that one, but it wasn't clear what it was giving me. It is neither recently active topics, nor unread topics. It appears to be recently active topics, but maybe only those I haven't read and only for the last 24 hrs? ...it doesn't say.

I'm trying to get to a mobile equivalent of this:

I can get to that exact page if I set the browser to claim to be a desktop rather than mobile browser.

This looks like its supposed to be it. It lets me choose a time period, but it doesn't list topics when I click on "GO":

Clicking on the upper right gives this menu:

and then selecting "New Content" gives me something close, but I'm not quite sure what it is and I can't select how far back in time to go:

I would guess that on the first mobile image I posted, either that page isn't quite right, or the "GO" button is somehow not working for me. Note that near the top it says, "Active content in the last" and then "There have been 5 entires in the last". Neither are a complete statement as they both lack the time period that I expect to follow those phrases.

...screen captures are a new trick for me and it appears I need to adjust a color setting.

Thanks!

Ty

Sounds like you had some fun!

....and Blaine went in on a big wave....and then nothing. Apparently he had trouble finding the spray skirt loop among all the deck paraphernalia that may have shifted back toward the cockpit in the turbulence. Luckily, he had practiced for such a circumstance, and worked the spray skirt loose from the sides. It is the second time this year that a person I've been paddling with had real trouble with those loops. Everyone should practice releasing the skirt from the side - especially in surf-like confusion. Both Blaine and I decided to try to clear up our decks, at least for surfing (eg. do I really need a paddle float a hundred feet off the beach with other skilled paddlers?).

I can't claim that I keep my deck empty, but I sure am a fan of trying. Surf seems to be able to cause a whole lot of mischief. It will claim what it can from your deck. ...and that which it can't claim, it will do its damnedest to re-arrange in rather inconvenient ways.

Cheers!

Ty

Updates look fabulous! ...and I love that there is a mobile view now. So, I'm going to request one more item:

My favorite way of working with the forum is to use the "active topics" list, looking at the past 24 hrs or week, depending on how long its been since I've logged in. I can't see how to get to this with a mobile browser. ...except by setting the browser to deny that it is a mobile browser as can be done on Android. ;-)

I tried putting this link into the mobile browser:

http://www.nspn.org/forum/index.php?app=core&module=search&do=active

...and it responded with a page that looked like it would let me get the active topics, but didn't give me the topic list.

Lacking this, I'll need to go back to the non-mobile view which really doesn't work as nicely on a tiny mobile screen.

Thanks!

Ty

I wouldn't have recognized him without the rock underneath.

A busy schedule prevents me from attending this, but... ahhh.. YEAH! If any of you are even considering it, just do it! I've paddle some of these waters with some of these coaches. It WILL be worth it.

Cheers!

Ty

A pool might be too short for teaching forward stroke.

...that is what I was thinking.

Its a good thing that I like you guys.

...but we have this house under construction that we are paying a mortgage on. It would be really cool to be able to move into it and out of our tiny apartment and stop paying rent too. Also, it will have space for many more kayaks than the apartment, resources for easily hosing stuff down after kayaking and space for building that SOF I keep thinking of. ...and did I mention the post paddle hot tub? ;-)

...if only my TODO list had been done.

........Bob emptied my Vaag twice yesterday, too, which surprised me as it's rear cockpit's bulkhead wall is "ramped" forward, protruding into the cockpit to allow really quick drainage.

OTOH the Vaag is REALLY tippy when partially filled, such as during a wet surf-launch where a re-capsize is almost inevitable. Given that the water was still c. 60F it was easy to be a patient rescue-e rather than face the work of pumping out. As it was we were quite near large rocks (see Leon's comments on the recent Lane's Cove trip report), but I think I preferred having a DRY skirted boat near rocks than a half-filled one, trying to pump away as I got pushed further towards those same rocks. In this particular case the time required to double-dump during the T was a LOT less than pumping out the cockpit would've been, and of course with much less risk of re-capsize.

Since clearly the rescue went well, the rescue was clearly done well. I'd like to suggest some options that might apply to more "dire" situations:

If the rocks were closer or the drift more threatening, it may have been appropriate to stick you in the (partially?) swamped boat and then due a push style of contact tow to move further from any danger. In this method, you would be stabilizing yourself by holding onto the rescuer's boat while the rescuer paddled to a safer location. There you could either pump or get out of the boat and dump.

...and for the athletically inclined there is a method of climbing onto the rear deck of a rescuer's boat while he/she dumps your boat and then getting back in all without jumping into the water. Emilie and I have practiced this only once.

Cheers!

Ty

I'm still not convinced that rescues in really bumpy conditions might not be quicker and safer when you get the swimmer back in a wet boat and continue your death grip while they pump out. Rob reported that during his rescue on the IOS trip he needed to repeat the T part twice because the first time a wave filled up the cockpit after emptying it. Particularly in cold water I think speed is crucial.

Let the circumstances make the decision. If you need to get a swimmer out of cold water quickly, or you are in a dangerous location, get them in the boat pronto! (...or if its too dangerous, make them swim to a safer location, or something like that)

However, if you have time, it is much quicker to dump a boat than to pump it.

And, I'd 2nd your observation that it doesn't matter which way they roll. I can hold their boat either way.

Who feels capable paddling a swamped boat in rough conditions? Its something worth practicing.

Cheers!

Ty

... anticipation of the coming shark attacks.

Haven't they headed south for the winter yet?

Too funny. I had originally assumed that there were THREE states in the original example: 1/3 calm, 1/3 rough, and 1/3 "average" seas. Hence MY confusion.

...and my mistake was that I thought Leon had said 1/3 rough when he actually said 1/3 calm. Therefore, he was correct.

Cheers!

Ty

If you're referring to my example, they were not stats ... just an example that I made up to illustrate one type of built-in bias.

You said

- The paddle out is always "flat".

I say the paddle out is always "flat" only if you don’t paddle out when it’s not flat. Surely there are rough mornings on the sea near Rye, NH. I’ve been there twice when it was pretty rough in the morning. Keven B. once canceled the trip to IOS when it was very rough in the AM when he arrived.

You said

- 1/3 of the time the paddle back is "rough".

I say, I have no idea if this is true. My question related to what data or scientific evidence implies that a statement such as this is true. You're just stating it. How do you support the statement?

I can’t agree or disagree with anything else you stated. Don’t know, but some of it may be irrelevant with respect to my question.

My comments have been mis-understood. I was working with your example and almost completely agreeing with the conclusions reached based on it.

I was being explicit that if your self-select for days that are nice in the morning, then all paddle to the IOS are flat. Obviously this is overstated, but the bias is strong and my intent was to be explicit about a point that had been somewhat implicit.

I was also pointing out that where you stated that the return trip would be rough 2/3's of the time, the example/model you presented would actually result in rough conditions for the return trip 1/3 of the time. This does not result in rough conditions most (or more than half the time), but in contrast to the selected flat mornings, it is much more often rough for the return trip.

So, I'm suggesting a minor correction (1/3 vs. 2/3), but mostly agreeing and emphasizing the AM vs. PM contrast.

Ty

Suppose the sea conditions are in one of two possible states; calm or rough. Also, suppose the probability of a calm morning (AM) is 1/3 and the probability of a calm afternoon (PM) is also 1/3. Furthermore, assume that the PM sea conditions are independent of the AM sea conditions. Of course, being a risk adverse sea kayaker, you would only paddle out on a calm morning. So each time that you paddle out in the morning you find that 2/3 of the time the paddle back is in rough water.

I think that your stats are off a bit here. I think you'll find that:

- The paddle out is always "flat".

- 1/3 of the time the paddle back is "rough".

An additional factor is that people will more often remember the bumpy rides than the flat ones. This means that the 1/3 rough return trips may seem more like 2/3.

I have little direct data about the conditions in the AM vs. PM. I have done that trip twice. On the first it was small seas and moderate winds for most of the paddle out. Conditions stepped up a fair bit windier and larger as we neared IOS. Our first return trip was a bit epic.

On the second trip it was eerily calm, flat and glassy on the ride out and and light breezes with tiny ripples on the trip back. Certainly not rough, but still rougher than the paddle out.

There are some micro-meteorology patterns that may bias things toward being windier in the afternoon. During the night it is common to get a "temperature inversion". Normally, the temperature drops as you go up in altitude. This creates some amount of instability and mixing of layers of air. In the case of a temperature inversion, the lower air is cooler. This prevents mixing. The result can be considerable calm on the ground with the winds kept up high. I have experienced taking off in a small aircraft (such as a 2 seat, 1946 Piper J3) where it is dead calm on the ground in the early morning. At about 100-200 feet, there will be a bumpy layer. Above the bumps, you will find yourself flying a bit sideways in a considerable wind. I mostly know about temperature inversions in valleys at night. As the sun warms the ground and the air near it, vertical currents develop which mix the upper and lower layers of air and the wind reaches the ground. I don't know if this may apply to air over the ocean.

An other effect, which seems more likely to be at play is land breezes vs. sea breezes. During the night the land cools more than the sea. The result is air rising over the sea and sinking over the land. At low altitudes you get a breeze that flows from the land to the sea. (and the reverse up high) During the day, the sun heats the land much more than the water and the air currents reverse. As the day progresses into the afternoon, the heating of the land continues and these winds will grow. It might be notable that both during my trip last year and the infamous recent trip, the winds had a "sea breeze" component (from the sea, onto land) which is consistent with this.

It may be that either or both of the above effects (in addition to any bias in selection of conditions or memories of conditions) are at play. ...or I could be flat wrong.

In the recent case, there was also an approaching hurricane which may have had much more to do with the conditions of the afternoon than any common pattern. ...and nothing to do with the original question.

Cheers!

Ty

Also if I camped out overnight in the winter, perhaps in a sleet or snowstorm, I would have a hard time drying my insulating layers before I had to put them back on in the morning.

I've heard that in this case you sleep with them on. They will be dry(er) in the morning.