NateHanson

We have spaces available for an upcoming Journey Training, and I'd like to offer NSPN members a 2-for-1 discount for those spaces.  The trip is leaving Stonington on July 17th, and touring through the Fox Islands area (North Haven, Vinalhaven, etc), with Michael Daugherty - author of the new and amazing guidebook, AMC's Best Sea Kayaking in New England.

This 5-day course offers a comprehensive opportunity for improving kayakers who would like to make a big leap in their abilities, knowledge and confidence this season.  If you've been on the fence about taking part in a week of sea kayak touring and training, here's your opportunity. 

"On July 17th, paddle across Eastern Penobscot Bay to embark on a 5 day exploration of the Fox Islands Archipelago with Michael Daugherty, Open Water Coastal Kayaking instructor, and author of the guidebook - AMC's Best Sea Kayaking in New England. This journey training is designed to increase each participant's knowledge, confidence, and ability, so that you can safely plan your own sea kayaking adventures. With fewer than 5 people total, instruction will be uniquely individualized, and you will learn skills in context as you make decisions about weather planning, route making, and navigation. Micheal will also work with students on increasing paddling ease and efficiency throughout the trip.

To discuss joining this trip, email pinnipedkayak@gmail.com, or call 207-669-2174."

http://www.pinnipedkayak.com/sea-kayaking-classes-calendar/2016/3/17/journey

Thanks,
Nate

Thank you Peter.  I'm looking forward to paddling with everyone again! 

At this point we have 6 people registered, so the $130 discounted rate is in effect for all NSPN members.  We will probably cap the group at about 11 participants, to keep things reasonable, but still allow for a good crowd of club members.
I've added a Coastal Skills Tune-up class on September 7th, because students this spring (including a few NSPNers) said that they got more out of their day at the falls after spending the previous day tuning up some foundational skills in the Porcupine Islands.  We surfed a bit, we maneuvered around rocks a bit, and visited some skills that come into play at the falls, but which are easier to tune up away from the roaring din of the rushing water.  $140 per person (my normal rate), but like the other class, if we have more than 5 NSPNers I'll bring a second instructor and lower the price to $130. 

You can find more details about these classes at the following link:  http://www.pinnipedkayak.com/sea-kayaking-classes-calendar/

Thanks, Nate

Pinniped Kayak has a variety of 3- to 5-day Journey Trainings on offer this season.  Our programs, led by ACA-certified L4 and L5 Instructors, will help you develop the skills, judgement and experience you need to expand your own adventures by sea kayak.    

With a maximum group size of 5 people, outstanding destinations along Maine's Downeast Coast, and a focus on skills development, we don't think there is any better way to increase your abilities and confidence, and extend your paddling horizons.  

Give us a call to discuss availability and we'll help you decide which of our Journey Trainings is the best match for your paddling goals this year.  Courses range from 3-days in the Stonington Archipelago, to a 5-day Journey around the Fox Islands, or the ultimate Downeast adventure from Schoodic to Lubec in September. 
Click here for a listing of Journey Trainings with Pinniped Kayak.

Let us know if you have any questions. 
Thanks, Nate

207-669-2174
pinnipedkayak@gmail.com
www.pinnipedkayak.com
 

Whether you're active with your local paddling club, work as a professional guide, or just want to improve your skills for safely planning and managing trips with your peers in complex environments, our ACA Open Water (Level 4) Trip Leader Training and Assessment, June 24-27, provides you with the opportunity to challenge and expand your skills in the stunning paddling environments around Mount Desert Island, Maine.

Join Ryan Rushton (ACA L5 Instructor Trainer) and Nate Hanson (ACA L5 Instructor) for one of the first L4 Trip Leader Training/Assessment programs in the northeast.

4 day combined Training and Assessment, $480

For more details click here

Hello Paddlers! 

We have a couple new courses this year for those who find themselves leading others on the water - to help you be a more effective, safe, and confident leader. 

In late June I will be working with Ryan Rushton, Level 5 Instructor Trainer (and former owner of Geneva Kayak Center) to offer the ACA's brand new L4 Trip Leader Training and Assessment.  This program is appropriate for paddlers with established personal skills, who would like to be trained and assessed in group management, trip planning, incident management, and more, in Open Water Coastal Kayaking conditions.  You can learn more about this program by clicking here.

At the end of May Pinniped Kayak will again be offering it's 6-day Leadership and Guide Training, but this year we are separating the Maine Guide Test Preparation aspect from the on-water skills training.  This is in response to a number of requests (some from members of this group) to help paddlers with established leadership skills (such as the BCU 4-star award), to prepare for the Maine Guide Exam.  Therefore, those who meet certain prerequisites may sign up for 2 days of exam preparation on June 4th and 5th.

Participants who don't need a Guide's license, but want to work on their personal skills and leadership abilities, can sign up for 4 days of skills and leadership training during the Memorial Day weekend.  And of course you may also sign up for all six days, to receive both practical training, and exam preparation. 

Spring is coming soon.  Hope to see many of you on the water again this season!

Nate

About the GPS discussion, I'm no purist, and GPS has it's place. However, it is indeed quite possible to make a straight-line crossing in thick fog, across unknown currents of varying speed and direction, using only chart and compass . . . and lobster buoys. The lobster buoys are crucial. If they are spaced less than the limit of visibility, you can stay on a perfectly straight bearing and nail your destination every time. I find this much simpler and quicker than GPS, and it keeps my attention on the bigger picture, rather than staring at a tiny screen in my lap.

That said, I'm not nearly as worried about getting lost in fog as I am about getting all chummed up. We are invisible to powerboats, and we can assume they aren't listening to VHF. So I am very very conservative when deciding whether to make a crossing in thick fog. I can navigate fine, but other boats are really surprised when they are staring at their radar all day, and then they suddenly come across a kayak in the fog. They are definitely not looking for us on those days.

These are a staple of larger boat navigation, and being a sailor before I was a kayaker, I was really keen on having one for kayaking. The "hockey puck" style hand bearing compasses used on sail boats are too big for kayak use, in my opinion, so I was really excited a number of years ago to find a Brunton baseplate compass (now discontinued) that had a lens in the bezel, and works just like the hockey puck style compasses, yet is no larger than a normal baseplate compass. You can easily take bearings to within 1 degree. It was about $100, quite nifty, and I carried it for years. Though I am a bit of a navigation nerd and generally do more navigating than I technically need to do when paddling, I rarely used the sighting function of that expensive compass. The reality is that I navigate differently in a kayak than I do on a keel boat, and a hand-bearing compass isn't really necessary, so I gave up carrying that $100 compass in favor of a $15 baseplate compass a few years ago.

Basically, everything in a kayak is plus/minus 10 degrees, so taking bearings with your bow, or with your baseplate compass is accurate enough. Keelboat navigation is less forgiving, and every degree counts when being 50 feet this way or that way could mean hitting a submerged ledge (where you might then spend the night living at a 45 degree angle). In a kayak, we just paddle to the ledge, and look down to see when we're on top of it.

Congratulations Rob!

Thank you Sherry and Peter for arranging this! I look forward to working with all of you in a few weeks.

Feel free to call or email me if you have questions about how this course will work for you. My number is 207-669-2174, or pinnipedkayak@gmail.com

Thanks, Nate

Excellent day-touring, surfing, and rough-water play boat. 40-something pounds! New last year. Beautifully built, including factory keel strip. Gently used about 2 dozen days.

$2100

Late to the party, but I can confirm that the only place you can carry over on Islesboro is at the Narrows, half-way up the island. There is a put-in at pendleton point, but I don't believe you can park there overnight. Overnight parking is free on the islesboro side of the ferry and launching is easy at a ramp just east of the ferry slip. The ferry can be busy, so don't aim for the last ferry of the day. Parking is $10/day at the Lincolnville side of the ferry. Easy launching at all tides on the ramp just north of the ferry slip.

The ferries to Northhaven/Vinalhaven are much busier. Reservations sell out on the day they are released - 1 month before sailing. Can get in line on the day of or the day before, but on busy days it could be tough. Kayaks can only be carried on cars for all three ferry routes.

Sand beach on the west side of Deer Isle is another possibility, but I don't think you can park overnight - best to check with the town office. The Colwell Ramp in downtown Stonington (behind the ferry dock) is a good option. Park at the Oil company office, where Rt. 15 turns right 90-degrees as it comes into downtown. I think it's $3/day. Only a couple extra miles to get out to Vinalhaven that way, nice short crossings if you go up to Hardhead Island.

I am in the habit of spearing the tops of waves in rough conditions, particularly in beam seas where stability can feel harder to find. More than hitting the crests, I'd say I'm avoiding the troughs. Every forward stroke provides a bit of support, and in rough conditions it's a substitute for bracing - A missed or slipped stroke can be a quick way to capsize in steeper conditions, so by planting strokes in the crests you're ensuring that there's water there to support each stroke.

Upwind or downwind I don't pay much attention to where my strokes fall with relation to the crests.

Thank you Doug and Phil!

The 2015 event schedule is now available on the Pinniped Kayak website. From Tidal Currents to expeditions along the Bold Coast - take a look at the trainings and adventures we have planned, and let us know what catches your interest, or if there’s something else you’d like us to offer.

Since many of our students travelled quite a distance to paddle with us last season, I’ve made an attempt to cluster classes by skill level, so that those wishing to sample some of the “best-of-the-region” can take part in a handful of classes while visiting. For example between July 6th and 9th I plan to teach Rocks & Ledges, Tidal Currents, and Incident Management, followed by a Journey in the Petit Manan area (puffins!). You’ll find groupings like this throughout the calendar this year to allow you to get the most out of a visit to the area.

We have also expanded our Journey series for 2015. These courses-on-the-move provide the opportunity to apply the skills you’ve been working on, and refine them in the context of exploring some stunning paddling destinations in our area. These journeys range in length from single day itineraries to a week-long training expedition along the easternmost coastline of the United States.

I hope you all find someplace warm to paddle this winter (whether that’s in the pool, or the tropics) and I look forward to seeing you in the upcoming year, paddling in Downeast Maine.

Thanks,
Nate Hanson

Pinniped Kayak

www.pinnipedkayak.com

www.facebook.com/pinnipedkayak

I'd certainly recommend it. I've been at both of the previous 2 symposiums, and I think it's been a very well run event. Great paddling locations as well, and a good range of courses for everyone from comfortable beginners to experienced thrill-seekers.

The ferry to Yarmouth should make for a convenient trip from Southern New England. Though the drive to the Saint John Ferry isn't bad either.

Sea To Summit "Big River" is durable, flexible, and slippery.

As we all know asymmetrical paddles have a top and a bottom to the paddle blade. Everyday I see many paddles held upside down, usually in the hands of paddlers on sit-on-top recreational kayaks. The interesting thing is that the blades of about 4 out of 5 are upside down (even including those that have writing on the blades). I wonder why this is so? For a random paddle orientation wouldn’t half of the paddles be held correctly, don’t you think?

-Leon (who's puzzled by this)

I have this exact same statistics question about my 8-year-old son's pants. They are backwards way more than 50% of the time. If he just isn't paying attention, this number should be 50%, but I think there must be some as yet undiscovered x-factor which is skewing the result disproportionately towards backwards pants.

Some skills are useful even though they're useless. Standing up in the cockpit, kissing your bow and stern, paddling with cross-bow forward strokes, etc. I've decided that everything you do in a kayak makes you better at everything you do in a kayak.

Messing about in boats. It's all good.

Interesting to hear that your VHF was so poorly received Suz. I've had good luck talking to the CG and harbormasters around here, and have generally thought that the very tall towers that the CG has positioned along the coast would make very few VHF dark areas around here. One thing to consider is that DSC calling (the digital distress beacon that is a part of GPS-equipped VHFs) has the potential to improve transmission of messages in marginal coverage areas. Might be another reason to consider one of these more-expensive (and larger) VHFs when people have need to replace their existing set. (I too have found that the extra size of the M93 is not noticeable when stowed in the handwarmer pouch of certain vests.)

I thought all boats had to have a name...

I believe that only "Documented" vessels are required to display their name in certain places on the hull. (This is basically a way of registering your boat with the federal governement instead of with state governments).

Documented vessels are identified by their name and port, and therefore don't necessarily display registration numbers outside of the boat (though their documented number must be carved or welded into a visible structural member on the inside of the vessel.)

The vast majority of pleasure boats are just registered like a car though, and are only required to display their registration numbers on both sides of the boat in 3" tall numbers.

I'm moving out a handful of used boats (and some other gear) in great condition (mostly used for just one season). You can take a look at listings at www.pinnipedkayak.com/used-gear

I can deliver anywhere between here and Virginia in the beginning of November if that's helpful.

Any questions, just drop me a line through the website, or here.

Thanks, Nate

Pinniped Kayak is winding up a great first season with two of our favorite classes at the end of this month. Join us for Tidal Currents at Sullivan Falls on Halloween, and Rough Water/Rocks and Ledges on Saturday November 1st. We have a great group signed up for both days, with both Nate and Michael instructing, but there are still a few spots left for each day, and we'd love to have you join us.

Details here. http://www.pinnipedkayak.com/sea-kayaking-classes-calendar/

The Astrals are tough for people with larger feet. I can't fit inside my boats (even fairly large boats like the Delphin 155 with the Brewers or Rasslers. But I have size 13 feet, and I know many other people (even with moderately large feet) who like there Astrals a lot.

Nate

Big boats (sailboats, powerboats) use a seasonal application of marine wax (maybe more often in Florida) to protect gelcoat from UV fading. Since 303 will wash off in water, I'd recommend saving that for your rubber parts, and stick with a good marine paste wax to minimize gelcoat fading.

If the blades are rotating independently when stuck together, then something has come unglued inside the ferrule. (Either the tip of the male end that has all the splines on it, or the bit inside the female end that engages those splines.)

Werner will fix it for much much less than the cost of a new paddle.

Nate,

I guess you mean this IR Shockwave Sprayskirt. . . .

I noticed that on this model it looks like the grab loop on this sprayskirt is sewn back so it can’t be tucked under.

Yes, that's the one. The loop isn't sewn back onto the fabric of the skirt - that's just the way things line up in that photo. (I'd be wary of any grabloop that's sewed through the neoprene in the middle of the deck fabric. I suspect that would tear out fairly quickly. That's why grabloops are generally secured to the bungy or rand instead.) The grabloop has stiff tubing over it to improve the grab-ability. Not a bad skirt. Doesn't fit my narrow sea kayak coamings so great, and I don't like the strap, as mentioned, but it's held up fairly well for me. Fits my whitewater boat better.

I'm now using a Seals Shocker 1.3, which is an excellent fit on my sea boats, and just generally seems like a really nicely made product.