josko

I paddle a 215 Ikelos/Cyprus and my mid-wing seems to have settled on 214 in calm weather to 212 in rough. 60 degree feather, same as on Euro-blade.

I can tell you what little I know. I'm used to paddling with a Cyprus the first month of the season and then switching to an Ikelos - guarding my elbow tendons, which seem to cause trouble if I start off too fast. On my timed paddles (around Elizabeths) I was spinning out the small-mid Epic; the mid-wing seemed to be just a tad larger (elbow-strain-wise) than the Ikelos. With Euro blades, I paddle my Taran rudder-up most of the time; in fact dropping the rudder slows my times a tad. With a wing, it's the opposite. I loose time if the rudder's up. I think it's because with a wing blade, I need to concentrate on power delivery. An occasional sweep/edge just slows the boat down. I gain about .2 kts with the rudder down. (Not sure if you know about hydrodynamics, but a lifting foil captures the leading vortex and releases the tail vortex. On the catch, you should see a SINGLE vortex, unlike the two a Euro-blade sheds. If you see two, it's stalling, i.e. not acting as a lifting foil, and all advantage is lost. You have to concentrate initially to get used to this - it's best if someone paddles just behind you yelling out the number of vortices they see in each paddle 'puddle'. Many local paddlers are routinely shedding the leading vortex at the catch, i.e., they are not getting ANY of the wing blade's advantages, while seeing all the disadvantages. They may be used to it, 'good at it', fast, or whatever, but two vortices at the catch + no lift. FWIW, I CAN get the Ikelos to shed one vortex, but only in flat conditions with minimal power delivery - I find it a great exercise.) Anyway, back to paddling. I noticed when I need to steer the boat, I start to shed the second vortex. I'm getting better at it, but have a ways to go before I can do it in conditions.

I have a Smartwagen with 50" Thule racks. It carries three NDK's on J-bars, no problem, although the middle one is easier to load with two people and needs to be tied down before the outside boats are put on.

Monday, come prepared for a downwind surfing run from Woods Hole to Bourne bridge. It's a 12 mile run with a halfway bailout point. Meet at Pie at 9, and we'll have to do a car spot.

Any other NSPN folks coming to the Gales? It's be fun to meet up. I'll be there Wed. - Sunday.

Sunday looks like a demanding 5* tiderace day. If wind direction is anything E of SSW, we'll have ample playtime at Great Ledge tiderace in the morning, but the height of the day will be Nobska lighthouse tiderace from 1300-1600. It'll run ~4 kts and could get quite big. On the good side, we're < 1/4 mile from shore, there is a nice, safe eddy to rest up in, and there are smaller, less ambitious sections only a few hundred yards away.Solid combat roll and a willingness to look out for your mates, please.

Looks like we have a good, solid group, primarily from RICKA. Saturday forecast winds are light S, so I propose we focus on current technique. We'll warm up with ~3-4 kts of current in the morning, take a short paddle or long lunch during noontime slack tide, and then work an area with 6+ kts in the afternoon. Most intensive part of the day will occur between 1 and 3. This is a park/n play event; daily distance < 8 miles, so bring whatever boat you like for current. I'll see you at the Pie; please be ready to go (leave the Pie) by 9.Water temp is 66; I'll be wearing a dry top. Helmets, please. Please RSVP here if you're thinking of coming Saturday. I'll put up similar posts for Sunday and Monday later.

Come check out Woods Hole during a prime spring tide. We'll be meeting at 9 at Pie in the Sky bakery each day and paddling current, tiderace or maybe even downwind surfing. This is also a good chance to meet some RICKA paddlers. (Please expect 6-8 knot flows and 3-4 knot tideraces, i.e. NSPN lvl 4.) I'd like to offer my home to NSPN members; there are three guest bedrooms, couple couches, finished basement, etc. Please let me know if you'd like to stay over, and I'll do my best to accommodate all. I'll also find us all something to eat after paddling each day. Noontime slacks offer a chance to set up two events per day. What we do will depend on winds, but we'll likely spend afternoon ebb flows in Woods Hole passage; it's great training for the big Maine reversing falls. Please rsvp here if you're thinking of attending, and contact me via p.m. if you'd like a place to stay.

Mel and I will be there.

Hmmm....

Most people tend to overestimate light winds and small seas, and underestimate high winds and large seas. My personal threshold is ~40 kts and ~15' seas. I just consciously have to adjust what my mind is telling me for wind speed (and sea height).

I start with ensuring favorable current at Pollock rip (note it floods eastwards). In June, Minimoy channel was viable, but it's safer to go up to Stage Harbor light and then follow the beach east. There's now a new cut right at Chatham light. Just looked at Google earth, and it seems reasonably current. p.m. me for more details. I'd be interested in joining you.

Glad I was able to help you out. Unfortunately AMC's paddling outreach got mired in club 'politics' and petered out (in Boston, anyway). I've been looking for an alternate venue to contribute my time since.

Sure??? To me, a 'leadership provider' is someone who provides leadership, which would imply a 4* or 5* leader, and not a 4* or 5* coach. Guess it's worth a check with PNA.

Am I reading this morning's PNA email right: They want $150 for me to maintain my BCU 4* rating? I.e. if I don't pay up and travel to one of their 'moderation events', I loose my current ratings? "As well, Current Leadership Providers (old 4 and 5 Star) are required to participate in a moderation event prior to Dec 31, 2018 to assure everyone agrees as to the standards that these courses need to be trained and assessed. Current Foundation Safety and Rescue Training (FSRT) Providers need to be moderated for the same reasons, again before Dec 31, 2018."

The peanut bunker are in Buzzards bay in their usual millions. I was surfing yesterday and got to see dozens of them flitting in the back of the waves I was surfing toward. Very cool. (We still have silversides by the millions, too.)

Matt, this brings us to the original point of the thread: what can a motivated and passionate person actually DO to help build the sport and the community.

Looks like ideal conditions for a downwind surfing run from Woods Hole to Bourne bridge tomorrow (Friday 8/18/17). Contact me if interested.

I wanna bring this back up 'cause I really am concerned about the demise in sea kayaker numbers. I'm not seeing ANY near Woods Hole this summer, where just 5 years ago there were large groups paddling essentially every weekend. It's like a kayaking ghost town down here. Are we seeing the same trend elsewhere?

Wondering how folks feel about wing paddles on rudderless (skeg) boats. I'm loving mine with a rudder boat (Taran) but am starting to not use it on my Explorer in all but flat-calm conditions. To me, that slight sweep (to keep the boat tracking in a cross wind) is a natural with an Ikelos and kind of an ineffective pain with a wing blade.

Getting a little concerned about heels wearing holes in deck. What's a good way to prevent this and repair the damage already done?

Didn't that used to be called the 4* award? Why do they keep changing this around?

Like Baby Bear's porridge...

Forecast wind and tide conditions are ideal for a Buzzards Bay downwind surfing run (from near Bourne Bridge to Woods Hole) on Sunday. Please contact me if you are thinking of coming, as there are some car-spot logistics to discuss. Familiarity with ocean swells and downwind surfing will likely be needed. This is a ~10 mile downwind leg with a half-way bailout option. For those with energy on arrival, we'll likely encounter lively tiderace conditions in Woods Hole passage.

FWIW with a new boat and blade (Taran and Epic midwing) my speeds have consistently notched up a quarter knot or so. Doesn't seem like much but I expect speed increases get hard to come by at some speed.