Re: [Paddlewise] Newbie's new boat trip report

Make sure you keep a copy of this post. I'm sure you will find it amusing in
a few years!

Cya...

owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net wrote on 4/25/00 9:55 pm:

>Armed with some good 
>information from Paddlewise 
>about boats that are 
>better for larger paddlers 
>I've been out shopping for a 
>new boat. I've sat 
>in a lot of them...talked to a 
>lot of dealers, went to two 
>paddle shows and 
>a few garages of people 
>selling used boats.  I even 
>drove 45 minutes to 
>look at what was advertised 
>as a 17' kayak that turned 
>out to be a canoe 
>with spray skirts. Someone 
>was confused. I finally made 
>a decision and 
>bought a brand new 
>Sealution II XL. It's plenty big 
>enough for me...almost 
>too big in fact. But now I'll  
>have the room in case I want 
>to put in a 
>pool table later.
>    Of course it was cold and 
>raining the night I picked it 
>up and for the 
>next 3 days. Last summer 
>we had record drought here 
>in the north east until 
>the weekend I bought my 
>Seadarts...then it poured. 
>Never mind that El Nino 
>crap...kayaks control the 
>weather.  I've paddled in the 
>rain and I've 
>paddled in the cold...but I 
>wasn't real thrilled about 
>paddling in the cold 
>rain. So for the next few 
>days I spent a lot of time in 
>my garage sitting 
>in the boat with a fan on me 
>simulating a windy 
>crossing...staying away 
>from glaciers of course. I tied 
>to get my son to rock the 
>boat and yell 
>boom once in a while so I can 
>practice paddling in bad 
>weather but he just 
>walked away mumbling 
>something. Finally 3 days 
>later I peaked out my office 
>window and saw it...the sun. I 
>made an excuse to leave 
>work and 45 minutes 
>later I had the new boat 
>loaded on my truck and 
>headed for the water.
>     I picked a lake near me 
>which according to my topo 
>software is 1.48 
>miles long and 0.4 miles at 
>the widest point. I figured 
>there I could never 
>be more then 0.2 miles from 
>the shoreline. The air temp 
>was 46 and the 
>water temp was about the 
>same and there was about a 
>15mph wind. I figured 
>it was too cold for anyone 
>else to be out on the lake 
>and I'd have it all 
>to myself....I was wrong. 
>Along with the dozen or so 
>canoes and jon boats 
>out fishing the Yale rowing 
>team was there training in 3 
>four man rowing 
>shells. I wasn't crazy about 
>having an audience or the 
>possibility of 
>getting center punched buy 
>a rowing shell...those guys 
>are crazy, then 
>don't even look where 
>they're going. The good side 
>was at least there was 
>someone there if I got in 
>trouble.
>    I unloaded the new boat 
>and a pile of new gear 
>including a bilge pump, 
>spray skirt, a wet suit, 
>paddle float and a new PFD 
>to replace the 
>"fisherman" life jacket I was 
>using...is a PFD a politically 
>correct life 
>jacket? I wanted to take my 
>copy of "The Complete Book 
>of Sea Kayaking" but 
>I figured the pages might get 
>soggy so I left it. I wasn't 
>sure if I should 
>take the paddle float...I'd 
>read they are essential 
>safety equipment, not 
>much use and that they are 
>downright dangerous. So I 
>decided I'd take it 
>and not use it. Now I had a big 
>decision to make...would I 
>take the 
>stainless steel .44 magnum 
>or the 12ga loaded with 
>slugs. the Yalies didn't 
>look all that threatening so I 
>opted for just 10% pepper 
>spray and a couple 
>of bear bangers.
>   A few minutes later I was 
>ready...sitting in my new 
>boat, wet suit 
>zipped up, skirt secured, PFD 
>fastened tight...I pushed off. 
>I drifted for 
>a few seconds waiting to see 
>of I would capsize or sink 
>from being over 
>loaded but I didn't do 
>either...cool. I reached for 
>the cord to lower the 
>rudder but it was stuck...poo, 
>forget to take the off the 
>bungee. 
>Ok...that's easy...back to the 
>boat ramp, unseal myself, 
>pop it off and 
>push off again. Rudder drops 
>down, I start to paddle and 
>I'm moving...life 
>is good. I maneuvered out of 
>the channel that leads to the 
>lake and waved 
>to a guy in a Folbot coming 
>back in...no PFD. In fact I 
>noticed I was the 
>only one on the lake wearing 
>a PFD and that included the 
>rowing teams...are 
>they exempt?
>    In a few minutes I was out 
>on the lake and moving along 
>nicely, not 
>sure I like the rudder 
>because it's another thing to 
>think about but I'm 
>trying to get the hang of it. 
>The plan was to keep it 
>simple...just follow 
>the shoreline and get the 
>feel of the boat. I'm 
>pleasantly surprised, I'm 
>having no problem with it 
>and in fact it's kinda nice. I 
>did 2 lengths of 
>the lake without capsizing or 
>being rammed by a rowing 
>shell and my 
>confidence was growing.  I 
>had the footbraces a little to 
>far forward so I 
>headed for a beach so I could 
>get out and adjust them. I 
>ran the bow of the 
>boat up onto the beach and 
>wiggled out like I've done 
>dozens of times in my 
>garage floor. This time the 
>boat rocked and my size 13s 
>caught the 
>thighbrace as I climbed out. 
>The next few seconds are 
>fuzzy but the result 
>was me on my back in 6" of 
>water with my feet still in 
>the boat. This was 
>apparently amusing to a 
>couple of guys fishing up the 
>beach because they 
>were laughing...and rolling on 
>the ground. Now I wished I 
>had brought the 
>.44 mag. I've been reading 
>the thread about using the 
>paddle to get in and 
>out with great deal of 
>interest.
>    I adjusted the foot braces 
>and had a short talk with the 
>fishermen who 
>turned out to be ok guys and 
>interested in kayaking. After 
>we decided that 
>it was in fact funny I was 
>ready to go again. I managed 
>to get myself back 
>in the boat and pushed off 
>again. I spent about an hour 
>following the 
>shoreline until they pulled 
>the rowing shells our of the 
>water. Now I had 
>more room so I zig zagged 
>back and forth across the 
>lake just playing and 
>seeing how the wind affected 
>the boat from different 
>directions. The 
>fishermen had gone so I went 
>back to the beach and sat a 
>few yards away 
>trying some bracing and 
>edging to see how far I could 
>lean it without 
>getting wet. I really like the 
>feeling of almost wearing 
>the boat rather 
>then just sitting in it. By now 
>it was getting dark so I 
>decided not to 
>push my luck and head in. 
>There was time to do one 
>last length of the lake 
>and I wanted to see how fast 
>I could do it. The best I've 
>done it in the 
>Seadart was 19 minutes and 
>was curious how much faster 
>the Sealution was. 
>I'm an engineer so I don't 
>believe anything I can't 
>measure. The bow 
>touched the boat ramp in a 
>few seconds under 17 
>minutes without even trying 
>hard...very cool. Better than 
>that, this time I was able to 
>get out of the 
>boat and on my feet without 
>getting wet. I loaded it all 
>back in the truck 
>and drove home with an ear 
>to ear grin and lifting my hip 
>and dropping my 
>knee in the corners....damn I 
>love this stuff.
>
>Disclaimers...
>I hope none of this offends 
>anyone. I'm poking fun but 
>I've got nothing but 
>respect for the knowledge 
>and experience I've seen 
>here on PW
>Also please don't confuse my 
>attempt at humor for 
>having the wrong attitude 
>about what I'm doing. When 
>it comes down to me in the 
>boat and in the water 
>I am very serious.
>And kids...don't try this at 
>home
>
>dave
>
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