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From: Doug Lloyd <dlloyd_at_telus.net>
subject: [Paddlewise] Soft Paddlers (was Soft Water)
Date: Sun, 05 Nov 2000 09:04:56 -0800
I said:
<snip> <<I can always tell after a few posts on paddlewise, whether a
paddler is talking or walking the walk.>> <snip>

Due to numerous requests, I will be publishing a list of "soft-core"
paddlers and real "hard-core" ones. The list will be sub-divided
further, indicating "good soft-core" paddlers and "poseur hard-core"
paddlers. I will not be needing any help from more experienced paddlers
on PW, as this would provide sub-optimal results. As sole adjudicator of
this forthcoming list, it will no doubt be absolute and perfect.  :-)

In self-jest,

Doug Lloyd


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From: <HenryHast_at_aol.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Soft Paddlers (was Soft Water)
Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2000 17:12:50 EST
In a message dated 11/5/00 4:46:28 PM Eastern Standard Time, dlloyd_at_telus.net 
writes:

<< 
 Due to numerous requests, I will be publishing a list of "soft-core"
 paddlers and real "hard-core" ones. The list will be sub-divided
 further, indicating "good soft-core" paddlers and "poseur hard-core"
 paddlers. I will not be needing any help from more experienced paddlers
 on PW, as this would provide sub-optimal results. As sole adjudicator of
 this forthcoming list, it will no doubt be absolute and perfect.  :-)
  >>
Doug, could we collate this with what tents they use?  Hank  :-)

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From: rdempsey <rdempsey_at_CALAMITY.WYOMING.COM>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Soft Paddlers (was Soft Water)
Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2000 17:28:28 -0500
How about us foam-core open canoe paddlers....Doug?

Are you tough enough to surf launch an open canoe in 3 foot waves, or do you
always tuck (hide)  your  jello-core in pointy boats with spray skirts?
I have noticed that the bigger the waves, the bigger the talk, and the
tighter the (spray) skirt.  Remember, a skilled seakayaker with practice can
roll their boats, a trick I have yet to master, since I always fall out of
those open canoes, first.

So.. am I a hard core foam cored poseur, or

Glub, glub.
Rich Dempsey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
See our  wilderness canoe tripping website
http://communities.msn.com/RichWendysAwayFromHomePage



----- Original Message -----
From: "Doug Lloyd" <dlloyd_at_telus.net>
To: <PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net>
Sent: Sunday, November 05, 2000 12:04 PM
Subject: [Paddlewise] Soft Paddlers (was Soft Water)


> I said:
> <snip> <<I can always tell after a few posts on paddlewise, whether a
> paddler is talking or walking the walk.>> <snip>
>
> a list of "soft-core"
> paddlers and real "hard-core" ones...sub-divided
> further, indicating "good soft-core" paddlers and "poseur hard-core"
> paddlers.


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From: <JSpinner_at_aol.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Soft Paddlers (was Soft Water)
Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2000 18:16:45 EST
In a message dated 11/5/00 4:46:28 PM, dlloyd_at_telus.net writes:

<< Due to numerous requests, I will be publishing a list of "soft-core"
paddlers and real "hard-core" ones. The list will be sub-divided
further, indicating "good soft-core" paddlers and "poseur hard-core"
paddlers. I will not be needing any help from more experienced paddlers
on PW, as this would provide sub-optimal results. As sole adjudicator of
this forthcoming list, it will no doubt be absolute and perfect.  :-) >>

I can hardly wait <G>.

Joan Spinner
who wonders on which list her
name will appear

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From: <JSpinner_at_aol.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Soft Paddlers (was Soft Water)
Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2000 18:23:17 EST
In a message dated 11/5/00 5:41:09 PM, rdempsey_at_CALAMITY.WYOMING.COM writes:

<<Are you tough enough to surf launch an open canoe in 3 foot waves, or do you

always tuck (hide)  ...  a skilled seakayaker with practice can

roll their boats, a trick I have yet to master, since I always fall out of

those open canoes, first. >>

Last year this fairly obnoxious guy showed up at a pool session with a canoe 
filled to the brim with flotation. I was at least impressed with his paddling 
as I watched him repeatedly roll this canoe, even if his manners were much 
less than gracious to others in the pool.

Joan Spinner
who has retreated to
the pool for voluntary rolling 
until at least next spring.
I guess I'm not on the hard-core list <G>

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From: rdempsey <rdempsey_at_CALAMITY.WYOMING.COM>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Soft Paddlers (was Soft Water)
Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2000 20:44:20 -0500
Joan..you have the wrong obnoxious guy in mind, it wasn't me. Honest!

Our trips are mostly 50 day expeditions. When we dumped our canoe this
summer on the Hiukitak River in Nunavut  (an unscouted ledge, after scouting
dozens of minor riffles), my wife said  "Is this (getting dumped)  the worst
that can happen? (Air temps were 80F, water temps 60F), while we were drying
off on shore and emptying the canoe, and changing clothes.

I said yes.. apart from the small risk of hitting your head on a rock , and
drowning. Or being swept downstream into a bigger rapid, and drowning. Or
dumping in 34F water with at  a  40F air temp and wind, with the canoe and
contents continuing down river, and dying of hypothermia. Mostly I was
surprised that my glasses stayed on (wasn't using  chums)....

Unfortunately that brilliant little riposte meant that  I wound up lining
the remaining shallow rapids. Those rapids  that  I  chose to wade and/or
run, I did so after Wendy removed both herself, and her clothes pack AND a
food pack from the canoe.

Definitely a pair of hardcore  foam-core poseurs, here.

Rich

PS:  Do they have "pool sessions" in heated pools?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
See our canoe tripping website
http://communities.msn.com/RichWendysAwayFromHomePage

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
----- Original Message -----
From: <JSpinner_at_aol.com>
To: <PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net>
Sent: Sunday, November 05, 2000 6:23 PM
Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Soft Paddlers (was Soft Water)


> In a message dated 11/5/00 5:41:09 PM, rdempsey_at_CALAMITY.WYOMING.COM
writes:
>
> <<Are you tough enough to surf launch an open canoe in 3 foot waves, or do
you
>
> always tuck (hide)  ...  a skilled seakayaker with practice can
>
> roll their boats, a trick I have yet to master, since I always fall out of
>
> those open canoes, first. >>
>
> Last year this fairly obnoxious guy showed up at a pool session with a
canoe
> filled to the brim with flotation. I was at least impressed with his
paddling
> as I watched him repeatedly roll this canoe, even if his manners were much
> less than gracious to others in the pool.



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From: Doug Lloyd <dlloyd_at_telus.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Soft Paddlers (was Soft Water)
Date: Mon, 06 Nov 2000 01:24:23 -0800
Hey foam-boy,

I'm a Canuk, eh! Open-Canadian Canoe is my middle name. And not only do I enter
and exit good size open water surf with my tough-enough F-glass 18 footer, I do
it without those newfangled nylon deck covers I see all the yuppies using. Know
what else? The whole fam damily does it with me. I especially delight in placing
my old lady in the bow. She sure looks cute when that big ol' wave comes over
her little head. Darn tootn' good wave deflector she is. Even the two kids get a
good laugh out of that one.

So ya big-talking foam-head, any poseur can paddle a canoe through surf, ya just
give her a good push, jump in and drive on through. Side-surfing in is even
easier. But can ya paddle yer open canoe in tidal rapids off-shore. Yup, done
that too, and with the whole fam damily in there again. We even met up with some
of those jello-core pointy boys, TURNING back 'cause the boils and eddies were
to intense. Oh my goodness gracious guys. We just gunned it through, kids down
low, with the wife unit going for all she was worth. My eldest daughter even
looked up for a second, just in time to wish the wussy wave warriors a g'day.
That's my girl! (If Social Services gets wind of this post, I will disavow any
knowledge of it).

So Rich, would you like a peek at some pics of Ol' Blue? She's a big-ass
Canadian cruiser, tri-keeled, heavy, and ready to run anywhere. We even spend
hours on placid lakes, 5-mile deep salt-marshes and overgrown tributaries
(playing "Missionaries to the Congo). That old Ralph Diaz guy was wondering what
I'd ever do with myself paddling for miles in placid conditions and steep dunes
and beaches. Well, been there, done that, will do it again -- in an open
Canadian canoe. Steep beaches, just jump out. Try that in a air-core,
pointy-blunt kayak.

PS Will post pic's address. Hey, awesome home-page, Rich.

BC'in Ya
Doug Lloyd

rdempsey wrote:

> How about us foam-core open canoe paddlers....Doug?
>
> Are you tough enough to surf launch an open canoe in 3 foot waves, or do you
> always tuck (hide)  your  jello-core in pointy boats with spray skirts?
> I have noticed that the bigger the waves, the bigger the talk, and the
> tighter the (spray) skirt.  Remember, a skilled seakayaker with practice can
> roll their boats, a trick I have yet to master, since I always fall out of
> those open canoes, first.
>
> So.. am I a hard core foam cored poseur, or
>
> Glub, glub.
> Rich Dempsey
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> See our  wilderness canoe tripping website
> http://communities.msn.com/RichWendysAwayFromHomePage
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Doug Lloyd" <dlloyd_at_telus.net>
> To: <PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net>
> Sent: Sunday, November 05, 2000 12:04 PM
> Subject: [Paddlewise] Soft Paddlers (was Soft Water)
>
> > I said:
> > <snip> <<I can always tell after a few posts on paddlewise, whether a
> > paddler is talking or walking the walk.>> <snip>
> >
> > a list of "soft-core"
> > paddlers and real "hard-core" ones...sub-divided
> > further, indicating "good soft-core" paddlers and "poseur hard-core"
> > paddlers.


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From: <JSpinner_at_aol.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Soft Paddlers (was Soft Water)
Date: Mon, 06 Nov 2000 14:13:52 EST
there is a neat picture of "our Doug" at the bottom of this page doing a 
brace I've never thought of while he uses a hand pump. Interesting idea but 
how does he keep the pump in the boat as he pumps?

http://www.nswseakayaker.asn.au/mag/43/seams.html

Joan Spinner

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From: <Sidney_Stone_at_amsinc.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Soft Paddlers (was Soft Water)
Date: Mon, 6 Nov 2000 15:00:08 -0500
It's actually a sculling stroke he is using.  It can also be used when taking
pictures.

sid


                                                                  
there is a neat picture of "our Doug" at the bottom of this page doing a
brace I've never thought of while he uses a hand pump. Interesting idea but
how does he keep the pump in the boat as he pumps?

http://www.nswseakayaker.asn.au/mag/43/seams.html

Joan Spinner
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From: <JSpinner_at_aol.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Soft Paddlers (was Soft Water)
Date: Mon, 06 Nov 2000 15:51:11 EST
<<It's actually a sculling stroke he is using.  It can also be used when 
taking
 pictures.>>

yea! that's the word but how is he using the pump? That's what I want to 
know. Fess up Doug.

BTW, I can't open the file you sent. Is it the picture from the web page? 
Even Photshop won't open it so it must be something PC.I'm on a Mac.

Joan

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From: Doug Lloyd <dlloyd_at_telus.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Soft Paddlers (was Soft Water)
Date: Mon, 06 Nov 2000 22:01:54 -0800
Joan,
You had to dredge that picture up again, eh?

The self-rescue procedure displayed in the picture is a method for
pumping-out that actually works reasonably well in high winds and choppy
seas. It is less predictable in terms of successfulness as seas get really
steep and/or exhaustion conspires against you. In the photo shoot, I was
practicing paddlefloat and re-entry and roll self-rescues, and doing it
(including the pumping) in bigger seas but, was blown back behind a
breakwater -- where the pic came out fairly mellow. It is just as well I
didn't depict the procedure in rougher seas, given the reduced reliability in
those rougher seas.

One needs and should have a number of practiced procedures for self-rescue
and bailing in their "tool box" of protocols and practices. I have a number,
and have used some of them in real life. Nothing ever goes wrong in absolute
text-book fashion. The more you know and have practiced, the better off you
are (or will be). Having said that, one certainly should concentrate on one
or two main preferred methodologies, keeping it simple. Expand your
repertoire as time and experience permit. None are easily executed in the
kind of conditions commesurate with what normally caused the more experienced
paddler to bail-out after capsize.

Another point: On our Storm Island incident, when one of the kayakers who was
out ahead of the other two split a seam and water subsequently filled the
cockpit in the deep-water, gale-driven waves, the "re-configured lines" of
the kayak actually compressed the seat side-support sufficiently enough to
wedge the hapless paddler's hand-held pump so tight, that he could not
extricate it. I believe the individual in question eventually had to utilize
some kind of small container. Like I said, nothing ever goes "textbook" out
there when things go sideways. I try to tell people this -- that it is not as
simple all the time as the paddling manuals write and the instructors teach.
I usually get a cold reception when I mention this to folks - like I'm
complicating matters and adding drama. At this self-sufficient stage in life,
I just tell them to "bugger off then".  Not very charitable, I know.

I once had to use a similar maneuver as in the pic, but with a rear
deck-mounted pump during an approaching hurricane --no lie (I really did some
daring stuff when I was younger). The account is on the PW web page at:

http://www.paddlewise.net/stories/dlloyd.html

Here is the relevant text portion after cracking my hull on a reef in heavy
swell (well, Matt always quotes his previous writtings :-)  ):
--------------
Revelation finally came. I turned to face the waves, and headed out to safer
water, purchasing
some precious pumping time. "Okay Doug, let's see, paddle loom over back of
neck, scull for
support with one arm, pump rear deck Henderson bilge with other arm." On flat
water, Derek
Hutchison had made it look so easy. "Hey Hutchy, nice circus act. Sorry, but
I don't have time for
clowning around right now. Forget this". It was impossible to turn one's
torso backwards, try to
retain stability, and pump from the rear. I vowed to remount the pump to the
front deck if I ever
made it home. After another short prayer (one of Derek Hutchinson's better
pieces of rescue
advice), another revelation: it consisted of three or four strokes forward,
then a wide forward
sweep to correct course, then three quick pumps on the rear deck bilge. Three
pumps were the
limit, at which point capsize was imminent. That kept enough water out and
permitted the necessary
strokes to keep off the lee shore. The hurricane remnants were moving in
fast. Taking my mind off
the weather, I mused and then really wondered how the BCU's Manufacturers
Association
standards could allow such a ridiculous location as putting a bilge pump on
the rear deck.

By the time I rounded Owen Point into Port San Juan, the muscles down the
back of my pumping
arm were severely cramped, as were the muscles of my other arm from sweeping
continually. I had...
------------
As you can see Joan, in truly outlandish conditions, only an electric pump
(if it is working) wins the war for hands-free pumping. The front
deck-mounted pump is not a bad compromise though. As far as hand-held pumps,
they are a good back-up in my book. In the photo, I also have a foot pump
installed, but was purposely trying a hand-held pump, as that is what is
commonly carried by most paddlers. The foot pump can be really hard to
maintain the mechanics of that action, other than a quick once-over
clearing-out of the water in a cockpit of a smaller volume boat. Where
continuous water is entering your cockpit via a leak, it only takes a few
minutes in cold, nervous conditions to form calf muscle cramps. Some people
have played with the foot-pump peddal mounting location, allowing for either
a ball-of-foot motion, or conversely, a heal-pump motion using the whole leg.
Much depends upon the layout of your boat and individual biomechanics. In
either case, knee bracing can be compromized.

As to your question, directly, the picture is of me sculling for support
(facing forward, which is much easier), with the hand-held pump simply
pinched between my knees. I don't find any auxiliary method for fastening the
pump in place temporarily to the inside hull via a snap-in fixture,
necessary. The method works best sculling into the weather. I find my left
arm is sufficiently strong enough to pump for a certain duration, leaving my
stronger right arm for the more difficult sculling action. I can do it the
other way, when required for photography, as the shutter button works best
with my right hand. In rough stuff, I'm sorry, but I don't have a good
off-side scull n' pump. Sorry, I'm a failure, I know.

BC'in Ya
Doug Lloyd (who's gotten himself into more "ship" over the years than he
cares to remember, but is gratefull to the faithful coaches and safety-types
who have shared their advice and technical pointers over the years).

JSpinner_at_aol.com wrote:

> <<It's actually a sculling stroke he is using.  It can also be used when
> taking
>  pictures.>>
>
> yea! that's the word but how is he using the pump? That's what I want to
> know. Fess up Doug.
>
> BTW, I can't open the file you sent. Is it the picture from the web page?
> Even Photshop won't open it so it must be something PC.I'm on a Mac.
>
> Joan


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From: Allan and Joyce Singleton <alsjfs_at_voyager.co.nz>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Soft Paddlers (was Soft Water)
Date: Tue, 7 Nov 2000 20:46:52 +1300
>  yea! that's the word but how is he using the pump? That's what I want to
>  know. Fess up Doug.
>
>  Joan
>
He has fuzzy velcro glued (epoxy, of course) to his inner thighs, and the
hooked velcro epoxied to the pump. He can then hold the pump securely
between his legs while he operates it with one hand <g>.

Allan Singleton


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From: <JSpinner_at_aol.com>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Soft Paddlers (was Soft Water)
Date: Tue, 07 Nov 2000 10:04:25 EST
<<He has fuzzy velcro glued (epoxy, of course) to his inner thighs, and the
 hooked velcro epoxied to the pump. He can then hold the pump securely
 between his legs while he operates it with one hand <g>>>

He must walk kind of funny with that arrangment. I thought it was just back 
problems!

Joan

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