PaddleWise


These lists give brief stories & descriptions on the kayaking background of some members of PaddleWise. Each submission is posted with the permission of the subscriber. A few modifications have been made for readability and to protect privacy. The list will be regularly updated. These posts may not be reproduced or redistributed without the author's permission.
Search Member By Last Name:
 
A-B  C-F  G-I  J-K  L  M  N-Q  R  S  T U-Z
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

N-Q

*Note: All email addresses have been subjected to a simple code to prevent automatic web harvesters collecting email addresses from the list. To decode substitute "@" for "BOAS" and "." for "DOT" then the email address should work.


a) NAME:
Nakpil, Tito

b) Email address:
airgypsyBOASaolDOTcom

c) KAYAKS (Owned or Paddled)
Feathercraft K1, Folbot Aleut

d) Boat name and serial number if maritime radio operator
N3ZRB ham radio

e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Hang gliding, backpacking, cycling, winter camping, kayaking, travel, reading, model building, target shooting, meeting folks, making new friends and keeping old ones, a nice sunrise, a nice sunset, a good glass of wine & cheese

f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
Technologist - computers, networking, mgmt consulting (trying to get away from all of them)

g) STRONG OPINIONS:
Trying to get away from those as well, that's why I prefer to lurk

h) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP: (so far)
Went on a long group paddle on Lake Erie and got caught in a ferocious lightning storm that spawned very quickly and snuck behind us as we were too busy paddling to look back to notice. Thunder, lightning broke out suddenly and we came out of the water like rockets onto the beach from our turbo-charged paddling 8-o. All of us were in awe of mother nature's violent display. Just like there are no atheists in foxholes, yes, hallelujah, amen, brother we believe as we huddled on the beach....

i) Short BIO (personal description)
Single, never married (come close a couple of times). Active 47 yr old outdoor buff 5'5" 60kilos, live in Erie, PA. Asst Scoutmaster for 14 yrs, ex prez of local outdoor club. Paddle when the weather aint flyable. Novice paddler, paddling 1.5yrs (since 1998). BS Computer Science, MS Business Admi. Ex-suit (tech-marketing type) from IBM(12yrs) after getting downsized. Now a network mangler, er, manager at a research center and getting downsized again - see lightning does hit the same spot twice - even if you move you still get hit. Biding my time until work becomes an option. Prefer and enjoy the simple spartan life even tho I've sampled life's very best (and worst).


a) NAME:
Newman, Bill

Hi Bill Newman here,

I must admit I feel young again after seeing the average age of posts. I am just a youngster of 37, although I often feel much older- my body does not take the wear and tear the way it did when I was in my 20s. I started kayaking soon after learning to walk - yes my parents have a photo of me at about age 3 holding my paddle upside down in the pool with " water-wings " for a PFD (not USCG approved).

I did not start sea kayaking until about 10 years ago, but after having paddled a fair bit of white water I had a good base of skills to build from. My roll is usually pretty good although my white water friends have and extensive gallery or photos of me swimming rapids. I am glad that they get so much joy out of my occassional misfortune. My offside roll is never as good as I would like, and although I could hand roll my white water from time to time, I just now managed to hand roll my Romany 18 sea kayak this last Sunday! Patrick Maun who already introduced himself was at the pool session and will do his best to deny that he witnessed this event!

I am fortunate to live right on the Mississippi River in Minneapolis MN so I have no excuses for not paddling, at least when the ice clears out like it has this week. Most of my paddling has been on the Great Lakes and especially Lake Superior, with a few trips to the Saint Lawrence, and Baja. After my housemate and I became creatively unemployed this summer we had the chance to explore all of the Great Lakes researching two guide books for Globe Pequot Press. Our guides to kayaking the Western (Superior & Michigan) and Eastern(Huron, Lake Saint Clair, Detroit River, Erie, Ontario, and the Saint Lawrence) will be out by early summer (end of shame-less promotion).

I have ACA and BCU instructor certifications and hope that my job as free-lance environmental consultant will give me the flexability to do a bit of instruction and guiding for a friends company.


a) NAME:
Niilus, Tony

b) CONTACT:
niilusBOASaolDOTcom

c) KAYAKS (in order of purchase):
1993 Feathercraft K-1. Just completed adapting an aft mounted 32 sq. ft. Balogh Batwing Sport sail & outriggers to the K-1.
1974 Klepper Aerius II, schooner rigged with Balogh Batwing Expedition sails (24 sq. ft. foresail and 32 sq. ft. sail mounted midship).
1996 Feathercraft K-Light.
2000 Folbot Aleut with 30 sq. ft. Folbot upwind sail & outriggers and also use with the 32 sq. ft. Balogh Batwing and outriggers.

e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Birding, photography. Backpacker and downhill skier since age 15 but a few years ago hip and back problems made these activities too painful. I took up kayaking & kayak sailing instead.

f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
Biology/Entomology; real estate appraiser; stock investor.

g) STRONG OPINIONS: Too many.

h) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
No epic trips, I do mostly local day paddles for exercise. Took the K-Light to Hawaii in July 2000 and paddled with Spinner Dolphins on Kealakekua Bay, Big Island. Frequently go to Bahia San Luis Gonzaga in Baja California for kayaking and kayak sailing, four times in 1999, five times in 2000, and twice far in 2001.

i) BIO:
Born in Estonia in 1942, divorced, no kids., lived in southern California since 1950. Served 3-years in the U.S. Army Intelligence Corps in Germany. BA/MA degrees in Biology/Entomology, worked in research in the Entomology Department at the University of California, Riverside. Changed careers to real estate in 1978, self-employed broker/appraiser until retirement from real estate in 1991. Began investing in stocks in 1978 and continue to do so.

I enjoy travel (usually birding related), places visited include: Estonia (returned 2x), Germany, Italy(2x), France(2x), Spain, Liechtenstein, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands, England, Kenya(2x), Canada(4x), Mexico (Yucatan, Cozumel Island, Baja frequently), Costa Rica(5x), Ecuador & Galapagos Islands(2x), Peru (Macchu Picchu, upper Amazon basin, Atecama desert), Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina & Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica, China, Japan, India (Kashmir & Ladakh), Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia(2x), Borneo (Sabah), Indonesia (Java, Bali), Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand.


26th May 2002 - Michael Noyes

Michael in Kayak

Michael Noyes

a) NAME:
Noyes, Michael (Mike)

b) CONTACT:
- Chester, NH
- Email mnoyesBOASgsinetDOTnet



c) KAYAKS (Owned or Paddled)
In order of purchase, reverse order of current use;
- Coleman canoe
- Kiwi Kayaks Sprite (bought as a boat for my daughter too wide and limiting)
- Aquaterra Keowee (Bought for my niece, same problem as the Sprite.)
- Aquaterra Gemini
- MI Designs 380 (white water touring kayak)
- Riverjammer Kingfisher (16 foot fiberglass canoe)
- Current Designs Caribou. (Up until July 17, 2000 my number one boat.
- Kajak Sport Viviane. I named this boat "Meri Kutsuu" which is Finnish for "The Sea Beckons" This is my high speed cruising, go on a tour with a ton of gear boat.
e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Sea Kayaking (obviously), canoeing, camping, fishing, biking (mountain and street), snowmobiling, photography, target shooting (mostly pistol), reading (just about everything), Geochacing (see http://www.geocaching.com ), and exploring.

f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE: Trivia

g) STRONG OPINIONS: (I doubt we'll have any of those :~)
There is nothing made by man that doesn't have at least one use that the designer never dreamed of.

h) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
I want to go on a kayaking trip to Honduras (went there with Uncle Sam, didn't get to paddle) and to Ha Long Bay in Viet Nam. For a more normal trip for me see my Breakfast on Massabesic Lake trip report on the Paddlewise web site or my other trip reports on my personal website.

I) Personal info;
Born in New Hampshire (September 1958), grew up there. Divorced, 1 barely adult daughter (born February 1981), one granddaughter (born in May, 2001). I am an Electronics Technician for my job.If you want to see a picture go to my web site. http://gsinet.net/~mnoyes/

-- Paddling along through fog so thick that only one's thoughts are visible, your reverie is abruptly shattered by the ancient cry of a great blue heron as she lifts uncertainly from the brilliant blue of a mussel-shell beach witnessed only by the brooding, wet spruce.... your passage home seems as much back through time as it does through space.

Mark H Hunt


a) NAME:
Oliva, Vivian

b) CONTACT: details:
- email: snookBOASgateDOTnet
- location: FL

c) KAYAKS (Owned or Paddled) (boat names):
Scupper Pro sit on top by Ocean Kayak lovingly named: "The Escape Pod"

d) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Kayaking, travel, fishing, arts and architecture, especially SW FL history.

e) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
Kayak fishing and island camping the 10,000 islands in the Everglades Nat'l Park.

f) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
There are too many to mention but the highlights so far are:

Did a 7 day Gulf loop trip on a sit on top in the 10,000 islands. I do overnight trips in the Everglades most every weekend in the winter. I also manage to at least get away for 5 day trip once a season. While not in a kayak but in a canoe, paddled the Boundary Waters this summer and last summer canoed Algonquin in Canada. Finally, a day trip in Baja, Calif on a sit on top (won me over to purchase current boat) was a gorgeous paddling experience. Hopefully, there will be many long kayak trips in my future. I am considering a folding or take apart kayak to take along on trips in the US.

Must make a mental note to ask Ralph Diaz for opinions :)


30th May 2002 - Kirk Olsen

a) NAME:
Olsen, Kirk

b) CONTACT:
kolsenBOASimagelanDOTcom

c) KAYAKS (Owned or Paddled)
Just kayaks?
- Valley PinTail - great all around boat.
- Valley Nordkap HM - my wifes boat.
- Dyson 5.7 meter aluminum/nylon baidarka
- Futura Carrerra - 19'6" by 17" race surf ski, wonderful in a straight line, turns miserably and is a very wet boat in waves.
- Old Town Oltonar kayak - probably the worst kayak ever built. Wide, deep, slow, heavy, soft material, plus bow heavy so it tracks very poorly.
- Necky Jive
Canoes:
- Old Town Tripper - fun to take the family poling...
- 2 USCA marathon flatwater tandem canoes - 1 beater, 1 in nice shape.
- WeNoNah J200 marathon flatwater singles canoe.
- WeNoNah Jensen 17', the tripper's too heavy.

4 tier (8+ boat) canoe trailer to take everything so I don't have to choose ;-)

f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
Occasional canoe/kayak racer over the past 25 years (marathon flatwater canoes, outrigger canoes, surf skiis, sea kayaks, and conventional canoes). Admin for the skin/frame boats mailing list.

g) STRONG OPINIONS: Yes.

h) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
I wish. At best I could offer up a story on the canoe trip from hell... With a 10 wheel dumptruck as shuttle vehicle for a couple friends plus 30 or so lumberjacks (Rhode Island lumberjacks...)

i) BIO: section.
Age 38 married 2 small kids. I started canoe racing with my father when I was 13. I now only race sporadically - in surf skiis, touring kayaks, marathon flatwater canoes, conventional canoes and outrigger canoes.

I was SUPPOSED to get my wife a sea kayak instead of an engagement ring. I was too slow for her and she went out and bought herself a sea kayak, in about '92. I'm a canoeist at heart who just likes to paddle and sea kayaks were a fun addition to the flotilla. The surf ski was added because of my racing background and liking to paddle hard and fast.

I haven't done a semi-wilderness trip since canoe camping along the Maine coast about 20 years ago.

For vocation I'm a serious techie. I've written Unix device drivers, assorted networking software, and I'm now developing PC support tools.

kirk olsen

FEBRUARY's "Who We Are" ENTRY

My father got me into paddling when I was 13 by entering us in a canoe race. A memorably long 13 miler.

My wife and I both paddle. She started paddling after meeting me but was the first to purchase a sea kayak. She got a Nordkapp HM as her "beginner" boat, after trying dozens of other boats. We've currently got about 8 paddlecraft including marathon flatwater canoes, a racing surf ski, a VCP PinTail, her Nordkapp, and a skin/frame baidarka (I'm the admin for a skin/frame boat mailing list).

I greatly enjoy paddling any boat people will let me try and I'm always interested in improving my skill set.

As for location, I work in New Hampshire, doing fairly technical computer programming, and live in Massachusetts.

As for preferred paddling, it all depends on the day and the company.

Some days it may be poling a canoe across some tidal flats on Cape Cod with the family, other days it might be a 20+ mile solo day trip, teaching acquaintances to paddle, or off exploring some local stretch of water. I've done next to no multiday trips, something I hope to remedy.

kirk


3rd January 2010 - Peter Osman (PeterO)

PeterO at Schnapper

Peter Osman

NAME: Osman, Peter (PeterO)

CONTACT:
- I live in Sydney Australia
- rebyl_kayakBOASenergysustainedDOTcom
- http://www.energysustained.com

KAYAKS (Owned or paddled):
I enjoy hiring and sharing all sorts of kayaks with friends, as well as owning a few: -
- Klepper Aerius Expedition (called "Rebyl" after my wife Beryl),
- Feathercraft Kahuna for many years - but sold it some time ago,
- Fujita folding kayak. This one went to Antarctica with my friend Mike Snoad,
- Pittarak (called "Rebyl II" for Beryl, and decorated with Minoan dolphins for my daughter Naomi),
- Mirage 580.

SPECIAL INTERESTS:
foldables, sea kayaking, kayak names, music, electric bikes

SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
biophysics, electronics, renewable energy and carbon footprint reduction

STRONG OPINIONS:
Like to give names to kayaks!
Global warming and what can be done about it.

MOST INTERESTING TRIPS:
Day trip from Lane Cove River Weir to Roseville Bridge via Sydney Harbour, my first solo day trip and a great way to see all aspects of Sydney Harbour.

Kayaking round the Dardanelles for a dawn landing into Anzac Cove followed by a memorial service and gunpowder breakfast.

Scariest trip was when I went out with no safety gear or water and got swept by a current past the Beecroft Peninsula into some challenging (for a beginner) sea. A one hour trip turned into four hours and I'll never again go out ill equipped or without planning the trip. I've repeated this trip several times (properly equipped this time). It is a glorious stretch of hidden sea caves, inlets and weathered cliff face.

Paddling from Merica River to Merimbula via Disaster Bay and GreenCape Lighthouse. This can be quite a challenging trip, its not named Disaster Bay for no reason. We were exceptionally lucky with the weather though.

A few months later I had a chance to paddle with the New York Boat House kayakers around the Statue of Liberty and spent an evening session with them rolling, taking photo's and practicing in the Hudson. They were an extremely interesting, hospitable and very impressive group.

One Christmas night I joined a group paddling around the Kent Islands in Bass Strait. Our group installed solar lighting and a gas stove for the Island Guest house, helped remove invading weeds, put up fencing and rounded up wallabies in return for staying on Deal Island. This trip included my first experience of navigating by compass alone. It was across Murray Pass between Deal and Erith islands in a thick sea fog, no visibility. It was only one km but necessary to set the course to compensate for 3 to 5 knot currents in the Pass, or else be swept into Bass Strait in the fog.

Paddling the Whitsundays from Mackay to Shute Harbour - excellent navigation practice with 40km crossings and islands in the distance that need to be distinguished and targetted while traversing quite strong currents. And its still a beautiful sub-tropical environment.

BIO:
I'm a tall skinny guy, 61 years old, married in '72 and came to Australia from England in '74. I used to visit the USA and England quite frequently. Started paddling about 11 years ago and spend much of my spare time on the water. Passed my sea proficiency 10 years ago. Still got heaps to learn and thats one of the reasons I love paddling! Three biggest events of my working life were building an experiment for the Space Shuttle years years ago; helping to get a nanomachine/biosensor to work and writing a book "the CSIRO Home Energy Saving Handbook. I paddled my first boat when I was 10 years old, it was two planks of wood supported loosely (no glue, nails or string!) on two blocks of wood and paddled with a long iron bar on a pond in Sussex. (But I was born and raised in the East End of London - a grand place!)

All the best, PeterO
http://www.energysustained.com


3rd January 2010 - Carey Parks

Carey Parks

NAME: Parks, Carey

CONTACT:- careyBOASparkswhistles.DOTcom

LOCATION:- Cape Coral, Florida, USA




KAYAKS (Owned or paddled):
- Rented a few in various places, - Monterrey Bay, CA some SOT (first paddle), SW Florida Current Designs Storm (got the bug), Perception Carolina (First river experience),
- Wilderness Systems Cape Horn (First purchased),
- Seaward Vision (my boat),
- Current Designs Solstice (Wife's boat that I paddle when she's not coming along and I don't need the volume - or weight - of the Vision.)

SPECIAL INTERESTS:
- Sailing,
- rock climbing,
- knot tying (I love ropes, can you tell?),
- wood working,
- playing Irish Traditional Music.

- SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
- Software development (35 years)
- Sailing (20 years)
- Flute making (three years.)

STRONG OPINIONS:- Eat dessert first!

MOST INTERESTING TRIPS:- Camping in the Everglades and 1000 Islands.

- http://parkswhistles.com/
- http://www.facebook.com/carey.parks
- http://twitter.com/LuthierCarey


Ron and Nanette

Greetings from Paint Island Canoe & Kayak in Bordentown, NJ on the Delaware River. Nanette and I are nonprofit types that have created this paddle shop to hopefully balance our nonprofit activities. I work full time for Isles, Inc. out of Trenton. I run the new community farm project which works to deliver fresh produce to the neediest in the city, help people start farmstand businesses, and develop new economic sustainable products from the farm like herbal vinegars and oils and perennials that we can market to the traditional outlets in the area.

Because of our roots in the nonprofit sector we often donate product and services to community groups. We have donated a canoe as a fund raiser, offer free paddling opportunites to Trenton based nonprofit staff and community members. This past April, we did a trip out of a city park on the famous Delaware and Raritan Canal once the gateway for goods coming up the Delaware and heading east to New Brunswick and the NYC markets. Spring of 99 has another venture scheduled.

Our shop is truly a small boat shop. We have 450 square feet with every nook and cranny filled with gear, rope, floatations devices, lights, and boats. The addition of a rear boat storage facility has allowed us to display up to 40 boats and on the weekends we bring in the trailer with additional craft. .

I started paddling with Boy Scouts many years ago. Then one crazy summer I got a job with the Princeton YMCA leading youth canoe/camping trips to Algonquin Provincial Park, The NorthEast Carry in Maine, and Nova Scotia. I actually got paid to go camping and canoing. That was that. I bought a 13' used Gruman for $75.00 and paddled the local lakes for years. Poetry, love, and life came from my small outings.

Nanette, my partner, grew up in Rochester NY. She was part of a mariner troop that exposed her to sailing off the coast of New England. She volunteered for the Peace Corp back in 1980's and worked in Botswana. Then she joined a local United Way and ran community service programs and fund allocations here in NJ.

I watch the list to offer assistance when I can and learn as much as I can. We have been in touch with people from Thailand, Japan, England, Australia and of course all over the US.

Our new online store will be up and running this season.

Have a great paddling season. Come see us.

Ron and Nanette
Paint Island Canoe & Kayak
350 Farnsworth Ave
Bordentown, NJ 08505
609-324-8200


From: Perkins, Robert C

Email: rperkinsBOASfayettevillencDOTcom

I just turned 59 and have been paddling kayaks for 3 years. I'm strictly a weekend paddler but I try not to miss many weekends. I have a Prijon Taifun that I paddle on Class 1-2 whitewater and on timber-clogged blackwater rivers. My primary boat is a composite Dagger Meridian. I use a Greenland style paddle with the Meridian unless I'm going to run into sunken timber, in which case I take one of my Werner paddles.

This past summer I bought a Dagger Reflection 16 for fishing and for taking my wife paddling. We do okay with the canoe but our daughter and her husband paddle it really well.

Bob

--------------------------------------------------
Robert C. Perkins, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Research and Planning
Methodist College, Fayetteville, NC 28311
910-630-7037 rperkinsBOASmethodistDOTedu


a) NAME: Phillips, Bob

b) email: PhlopzBOASaolDOTcom

It is interesting to see who we are.

I am Bob Phillips (59) and came to yakking by a circuitous route. As an adult at UC Bezerkeley, I got into sailing on the bay through the Cal Sailing Club and built an International Fireball. This is a sailing dinghy that weighs about 220 lbs all -up with a crew of 2. One of the crew trapezes, and the boat has main, jib and spinnaker. In the strong sea breezes funneling through the Golden Gate, *Balls will do an exciting 22+ MPH through the chop.

The Fireball is plywood (or should be), and with only the back 4-ft wet while it is planing, it is like motorcycling without the risk of skin loss in a capsize.

When my family got its life together in the mid-80s and moved to the foot of Mt. Hood Oregon, we aumented our cycling with cross country skiing. Here, In Michigan (don't ask --it has to do with peace breaking out), snow season always finds me with decent aerobic fitness, useful legs and a weak upper body. Usually, by the end of the Michigan Cup season, I have gotten the upper bod in shape.

Anyhow, with my background in plywood and fast boats, I decided that off season kayaking would be just the ticket to keep my shoulders and stuff in shape. So, I built a Pygmy Golden Eye and started to learn to paddle.

My local lake is small, and it soon got to be confining. The GE started taking my to bigger and more remote waters, and I got so excited about slipping quietly through the water and watching nature that it sort of took over. Now, I have to be really serious to take the bike for a ride with Michigan's dangerous, shoulderless roads, motor-city brained drivers, ...

The yak has a permenant home on the top of the bungalow truck, and with my bikes goes everywhere. Vacation is time to take the yak somewhere and poke around. It has been wet in 4 great lakes, 1000 islands, ...

I love to share the water with Loons and get them to yodel to me.

My son taught himself to roll by reading the book and persisting in our local lake. I swear to learn to roll this season.

Kayaking is a great thing to do, and I am paddling this year because of advice and problem solving help from you, my aged colleagues from WaveLength.

Thank you

Bob Phillips


12th January 2010 - Jennifer Pivovar

a) NAME: Pivovar, Jennifer

b) CONTACT:
- kayakBOASheadwindsDOTorg
- Central VT - USA

c) KAYAKS/boats (Owned or paddled):
A cedar strip Outer Island (my "big boat" for trips)
A teeny little SOF (the Vine) made for rolling in 2007
A kevlar Impex Mystic, taken more abuse since '01 than it really deserves
An Alden Star open water shell
A S-N-G wherry
Plans for a reduced-volume OI someday...

d) PADDLES:
All cedar these days. Carved, mostly by me.









e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Quickly moving across calm water, Golden Retriever Rescue, building things, growing things

f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
I know very little about anything but do/build crazy things in spite of that

g) STRONG OPINIONS:
Life is short - do something important!

h) MOST INTERESTING RECENT TRIP:
My first extended kayak trip remains one of my all time favorites - Georgian Bay from Killarney to Snug Harbor. Some good weather, some bad, but for the first time realizing the joy in waking up and knowing that the ONLY THING I had to do that day was get up and paddle :).

i) BIO:
I'm a widowed 52 (I seem to keep getting older!) year-old native of New Hampshire. No kids (except the golden retrievers), currently retired from Oracle consulting and spending every waking moment restoring an 1826 brick cape farm house in VT. Lived all over the eastern US while working in heavy construction. Settled in the Finger Lakes region of NY State in '94 and rekindled my relationship with boats & water. A rowboat was my first independent means of transportation as soon as I could reach both oars at age 4 or 5, but I had gotten away from water and spent too much time working for a while. I'm over that now! Left the finger lakes behind, but am now closer to the sea and have other waters to explore. Also have a bigger shop in which to build that new boat (once I am done with the house...)


Next Page -->