Melissa wrote: >>>>>Though I've seen some people wear their tunnels over their PFDs (usually the suspender type nylon tunnel - with either neoprene or nylon deck), I've never figured out why they would do such a thing.<<<<< Maybe you have seen me, I often wear my spraydeck over the PFD. Sometimes I do things "wrong" just to be cantankerous. I'm a much better skier than kayaker. I started skiing when I was two and kayaking not until 29 or 30. Two weeks after a hernia operation I went skiing again last winter. Needless to say, I wasn't pounding through the moguls much that day. So I toured some of the novice runs and kind of got into the swing of things, I tried to ski like a novice gone out of control but at slow speeds. My skiing partner, a ways behind, was in stitches but, some folks would try to help me out by shouting directions to correct my mistakes. One woman kept telling me to lean further forward so I kept leaning even further and further to the rear until I was so far back my boots were in the air most of the time and I was only skiing on my ski tails. I bought my skis and poles at Goodwill or a garage sale and my 20+ year old boots are haywired together so my equipment certainly didn't give me away (I don't have any new equipment). Much later I ran into someone at a party who worked at the ski area and had seen this run. While he correctly guessed that it was all a put-on on my part he wasn't totally sure and his buddy was sure I was for real, just a complete klutz. Being cantankerous, is not however why I wear my spraydeck outside sometimes, but I also will continue to do it that way no matter what others think (at least until the ACA gets a law passed to take away my paddling license if I don't tuck in my skirt). For me it is a situational thing. If I'm punching out through surf, paddling in the rain and cold or in potentially rough weather I put my spraydeck under my PFD for the shingle effect and the better seal at the waist that it provides that way. Dave is right about why a paddler in a non-folding kayak might put it outside though, ventilation. The chimney effect your body heat creates helps keep one cooled down some when paddling hard on a hot day in relatively calm waters. I can put out a lot of heat and I want to dump it as fast as I can without becoming unnecessarily salt covered (by using rotary cooling or throwing water over myself). Unlike Dave, I almost never paddle without the spraydeck on though. Even with the spraydeck wide open an Eskimo roll doesn't flood the cockpit that bad and a roll with a completely open cockpit would leave me having to pump out. I'm long waisted and like lower cockpits so the PFD riding up under my arms isn't a problem but it is for many short waisted folks. I like shoulder straps as they help keep the tube up and open when I'm using it that way. I like the buckle below the zipper on many PFD's too, for the same reason, I can unzip them but still have them on if I need it. The big opening at the top of my spraydeck also often allows me to reach things inside my cockpit (without a zipper or taking the skirt off) like the water bottle behind the seat. I'm sure some of you look at "spraydeck outside" as being a sign saying "unschooled novice" (much like I might view someone who holds the paddle upside down or flips the power face around to do a backstroke). Occasionally, I run into someone very experienced who just likes the way the paddle feels when it is upside down though. To each his own. Matt Broze http://www.marinerkayaks.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed Nov 15 2000 - 00:26:14 PST
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