rfolster

WHEN: Thursday, April 14th @ 7:00pm WHERE: Zoom link to be posted on the NSPN Business forum soon WHO: Any active NSPN member of any experience The term "Leader" is often associated with one person in front of the group making all of the decisions, so we often (and in my opinion, unnecessarily) shy away from using the term. Instead, we tend to focus on leadership, where multiple people with varying skill sets can come together to provide a successful outcome. This means that, even though someone might not have all of the skills to be labeled a "leader", they may still participate in some type of leadership role with the skills they do have. The concept of leadership within an organization like NSPN is a vast and complicated topic. Unlike a professional (paid) leader, or a volunteer "assigned" leader in some leader-led organizations, leadership within NSPN tends to be more fluid among various members on a trip. If you have been in the club for a while, this idea might sound familiar, and maybe even a bit controversial, but I am looking at a new approach to the idea that aims to improve the dynamics of groups on the water as well as the development and usage of leadership within the club. I would like to invite any and all club members to participate in a Zoom presentation about a new training program designed to help club members become more involved participants on NSPN trips, gain leadership skills and experience within the club, or provide others with opportunities to learn and develop their participation and leadership skills. Please come listen, ask questions, and think about whether or not this program might be right for you.

I am very disappointed to announce that, due to lack of interest or response, I am cancelling this New Year’s Day trip.

Since so many people have opted to paddle on Friday instead, I am restarting a new thread for those interested on paddling New Year's Day. Please post here (or repost if you previously posted last time) if you are interested.

Closing this thread to start a new one.

We are approaching 20 participants, so I don't see why we couldn't do both. Interested in putting another trip together (probably best as a new posting)? I will be keeping this trip to Saturday. I am not putting a limit on the number for this trip, but instead will look at running in smaller pods to help manage group dynamics on the water. Currently, Saturday is looking like a chance for rain, but temps will be in low 40's, and wind looks to be quite mild if any, so should be manageable. Based on feedback, we will launch from the suggested Charlestown launch, so please familiarize yourself with it's location and how to get there. Starting to think about the timing for the day, we need to take into account the hour+ each way between the launch and the open harbor area, plus time to stop for lunch, so looking a potential 5- or 6-hour day on the water. Sunset is around 4:30ish, and if it is cloudy, it will be dark a little earlier than otherwise, so would like to be back by 4pm at the latest (allowing a margin for safety). With that said, can we plan to be ready to launch by 9:45am?

Each winter, we make an attempt to hold a conservative trip on New Year's Day to bring in the new year. Some years, this is a little too challenging to do safely, so maybe we just grab a bite to eat and make up some epic stories!! Weather is always a big factor in trip planning for a winter trip, so location will need to be determined as we get closer to the day. Post here if you are interested in going, and join the conversation about how to make it a good day!

If someone is interested in organizing a post-workshop trip, it looks like it should be a nice day for it.

Location will be West Beach in Beverly (121 West St, Beverly, MA 01915). There is more than one West Beach around, so make sure you go to the right one! Let's plan on being ready to start by 9:30am. Weather is looking to be manageable, so let's hope that stays. Keep in mind that this is primarily a beach workshop, so be prepared to be standing around, potentially wet, on a 40-degree day. I recommend bringing extra clothing layers, and time for changing will readily be made available during the workshop. Bring what you have to stay warm while out of the water, and if you have extras to share, bring those as well. This will be a good day for experimenting and discussing what works and what doesn't.

Each year, we reach out to our membership to see if anyone is interested in serving on the the NSPN Board of Directors for the upcoming year. The BOD is the decision-making body of the club, with primary responsibilities being to review ongoing club business (finances, membership, website, etc.), managing and/or support workshops and club events, creating policies, and guiding the overall direction of the club. Aside from three officer positions, there are no set duties associated with individual BOD positions. Currently we meet via Zoom once a month, generally on a Tuesday evening, and meetings average around 2 hours give or take. Any NSPN member is welcome and eligible to apply (must have active membership), with any paddling experience or length of club membership accepted. We are looking for members with a desire to make NSPN the best club it can be! If you are interested in joining us, know someone who might be, or have any questions, please message any existing BOD member (see website for list) or email robert@NSPN.org. Please include a quick note explaining your interest in joining, and send it our way by Dec 10th.

Ok, well....... I was told early on that having a "terminal loop", where something like the bow of a boat could get caught and trapped, was a bad idea, so it was suggested that the D-Ring on the belt be snipped so that the carabiner could pull loose if needed. However, I found that the carabiner pulled loose of the D-Ring too easily, and was just falling off constantly, so had to repair the D-Ring with a length of shrink tubing. To this day, I don't think I have had any entrapment issues with the rope connected to the belt. The repair has held up over time, only having to replace the heat shrink tube once after maybe five years? Although it holds just fine, just the fact of knowing the cut is there is always tickling the back of my brain anytime I pull or reconnect the carabiner. Apparently though, it doesn't bother me enough to replace it!! Other modifications made: - Reattached rope inside bag with a little extra line to hold a retainer carabiner which holds the daisy chain (note size of daisy chain links) - Removed float (found that it caught on deck lines. Also, I never leave the line in the water long enough to justify needing the float. - Secured tow carabiner using stitching, whipping thread, and heat shrink tubing - Don't recall if the carabiner is original, but like the attachment eyelet, and quality stainless steel has held up for nearly 10 years without any issues at all I am realizing that the retainer carabiner in the bag was just tied, and not secured like the tow carabiner. I don't think the retainer carabiner is as critical, and if it came off, that would not create potentially consequential situation unlike if the primary tow carabiner came loose. With that said, I might go back sometime and redo that connection. Maybe!

As we get into the colder weather, along with it comes colder water, which presents serious dangers requiring thoughtful mitigation and management. In this workshop, we will have both interactive discussion and active immersion opportunities to experience what works for cold water management, and maybe identify any areas of improvement. Even if you don’t consider yourself a “winter paddler”, this workshop is just as useful (and maybe even more important) to prepare for the start of next season when spring temperatures begin to welcome us back outside while the water can still be deadly cold. This workshop will be a perfect opportunity to figure out how you might need to be better prepared and give you the time over the winter to get ready. The discussions will cover topics such as: - Clothing (layering and protection) - Accessories (hats, gloves, etc) - Prevention (ways to avoid you or someone else getting cold) - Mitigation (how to manage when someone does get cold) The immersion portion(s) of the workshop will entail simply walking into the water to test gear and kit, as well as getting into boats and figuring out how to incorporate it all together. Wet exits, rolling, and re-entries (self and assisted) will be welcomed exercises, but not requirements Details: Who - any current NSPN member can attend this workshop (email membership@nspn.org for any help updating membership) When - Nov 20th at 9:30am. Where - West Beach in Beverly How - To register, please go to the calendar posting and click the Going button (see calendar posting if you need to change your status) Why - If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to post here or send me a direct message What to bring? Bring what you have, and let us know if you would like to borrow something. Here is a partial list to get you inspired: - Hot beverage - Hot food (like soup in a thermos) - Snacks (for energy) - Warm layers (base layer against skin and/or mid layer for added insulation) - Avoid any cotton, including socks and underwear, as it tends to hold moisture creating cold spots that hog body energy - Wool performs well as an insulator, even when damp, and tends to dry better than cotton - Synthetics perform very well, even when damp, and tend to dry fastest - Drysuit (if you have one). If you want to experiment with a wet suit, feel free, but generally they are uncomfortable in the boat - Paddling shoes or neoprene booties (crocks and such don’t provide any warmth) - Paddling gear and equipment (boat, paddle, PFD, spray skirt, helmet, tow belt, chart case, radio, etc) whatever you typically use - Warm land gear (jacket, hat, gloves, blanket, etc) - Shelter to hold warmth or escape wind (tarp, tent fly, etc) - sheet plastic is not recommended due to lack of breathability - Ground padding / insulation VOLUNTEERS - If you want to help with this workshop, or have extra gear to loan out, please get in touch with me to coordinate. Even if you have never helped with a workshop before and don’t want to be a presenter, there are other ways to help. Just let me know if you are interested in doing more than just attending, and we can discuss how we might be able to make that happen.

I won’t disparage Brian’s or anyone else’s gear modifications, but I would recommend that you consider holding off on permanent modifications until you are familiar with how the equipment performs for YOU and how YOU might want to modify it. I have done several modifications to mine that others might question, but they work for me. I have one modification that I did early on because someone I looked up to suggested it, and have regretted it ever since. The more “undoable” a modification, the more you need to decide if it is the right decision. Just some food for thought.

Since we normally don’t need 50’ of line for typical towing, I woul recommend starting out by daisy-chaining to shorten it. This is done by creating a loop in the line a couple of feet from the carabiner, then reaching through that loop and pulling another loop of line, then repeat, repeat, repeat. Each loop should be loose enough to pull apart easily, but not too big as to become sloppy. Once your loops get up to the bag, you want to create a securing method that will hold the loops from pulling out but still allow you to release quickly if you need to lengthen the line. Most setups I have seen utilize another carabiner in the bag, but you can experiment with other quick-release methods and equipment if you desire. As far as packing away, a figure-eight pattern inside the bag helps the line come out of the bag with minimal binding. Having the line daisy-chained makes it that much more manageable too.

You can check with Newbury Kayak and Canoe (soon to be White Rose Canoe) to see if they stock them. Kittery Trading Post has a few MapTech for sale on their website, but don't recall seeing them in the store (for what my memory is worth). West Marine tends to keep a pretty good selection of MapTech charts and chart book in stock in their stores. Sorry I don't have more info, but hopefully others will be able to contribute as well.

Something else that I was just thinking about is immersion clothing. I think that many of us are guilty from time to time of thinking that what we wear will be sufficient because the people we are with will be able to help us out of the water in couple of minutes, especially on those hot summer days. Might be worth taking the occasional extended swim in a controlled setting to test our thought processes?

Absolutely! Situations like that are always fluid (sorry for the pun), and decisions are rapid and frequent. The right decision in one moment could be the wrong one in the next moment. My only wish from the video was to have been able to see the lift into the fishing boat. I have been tossing images of that around my head for a bit, and can’t settle on what might have worked best. On a WW rafting trip, I had to pull swimmers back into the raft by grabbing the shoulder straps and just hauling their body over the side tubes. I might hesitate on that move with someone complaining of not being able to raise their arm (as opposed to a direct “my arm hurts”) since that is a lot of tarsal manipulation. Not sure there is any one “right” way of doing it, but whatever they did got him in the boat pretty quick, which is good.

Knowing afterwards the extent of injury to his torso, I wonder if leaving him in the water actually prevented further injury.

Did you try Salt-Away?

Today was a fantastic day for an easy paddle. Seven of us launched from Odiorne and made our way towards the bridge at Wentworth, where we found the flood current to still be running strong enough to make stopping to assess the passage challenging. The final call to just ride it through and collect up on the other side proved effective and enjoyable. After a quick chat about it all, we made our way through the inner bay with a healthy assist from the still rising tide. Discussions along the way included boat channels and how kayakers should interact with them. Despite the multiple channels in the area, crossings were inconsequential. As we made our way up along Pierce Island, the current brought us quickly through the small channel requiring a hard right turn to make the eddy at Four Trees Island for lunch (thanks for the brownies, Al!!). After lunch, the chart was laid out for a review of the overall area and a discussion about going down the Piscataqua side. Challenges were discussed, and a walk out to the statue to have a better view allowed for the decision to go for it. Once around the north point, it was obvious that we had hit the river at slack, as we encountered practically no currents or eddies. At least not until we got down to the lower end of the island, where we hit a massive north flow. Theories flying and debates current speed (maybe 2 knots?), we powered through the current field which offered no easy passage along the shore. Once through the worst of it, we paddled on through the now ebbing current under the New Castle bridge and back into the inner bay. The paddle back was leisurely and conversational, including more channel discussions. The ebb current at the Wentworth bridge was easily managed and even allowed for a run or two upstream. The day was finished off with Bill doing a few rolls before the final run back to the launch. Thanks to Sue, Brenda, Patricia, and Ricardo for coming along on such a fantastic day, and to Bill and Al for indulging in a bit of leadership practice and discussions.

That’s great, Brenda! We are up to five now with room for more. If others are interested in going, please let me know sooner rather than later if you can.

Nothing like fog to sharpen senses and attention. Nice trip!

We can help you figure some things out, Patricia. Looking forward to seeing you and the others! There is still plenty of room on this trip. If enough people sign up, we will break into pods as appropriate. I already have one person signed up to help out, and I am sure I can find others if needed.

If you are able to post some pictures, it might be helpful in determining the extent and feasibility of repairs. You can find instructions for posting pictures in the third post down in the General Forum.