John Fereira wrote: > > I just got back from a week in Kauai and found the same equipment > restrictions. From what I saw probably 95% of those renting kayaks on the > island probably never paddled before so the SOT boats were good for rentals > and no outfitter attempted to cater to the experienced paddler. I did find > one place (Kayak Kauai) that had a plastic Sealution but they wouldn't rent > it. I ended up renting a Ocean Kayak "Sprinter" from them, just so I could > paddle something with a little more performance, but even that didn't come > with thigh straps until I asked for them This best policy for vacations in which you think you may do some paddling is BYO, bring your own. At a minimum, bring your own paddle if it is a takeapart. The odds of finding a paddle that isn't an ugly useless aluminum broom are zilch. Most of us have a reasonably light paddle in our quiver. We know how that paddle feels and what I call its sweet spot, i.e. the best way to have its blade hit the water and the pressure to apply at various points of the paddle stroke. I also recommend that you bring your own emergency kit, sans flares of course since you can't fly with them. Some of the basic 10 to 30 essentials one should carry. Put them in a fanny pack and protect any of its water susceptible items in ziplock bags. I think if you show up with your own paddle, emergency gear and seem savvy, you may be able to rent any kayak they may have that is over and above the run of the mill ones they may be renting to the great unwash. Now, I bet you all thought I was going to mention folding kayaks, those wonderful take anywhere boats that will serve you as a faithful magic carpet for adventures far and wide. That pack down small and are accepted as airline baggage on nearly every flight. That have been paddled in both polar regions and every waterway in between. But I am not going to mention all that. :-) ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue Feb 29 2000 - 06:47:58 PST
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