In today's NY Times there is an orbituary to Mischa Richter, a cartoonist for the New Yorker who just died at the age of 90. The orbit has one of his cartoons from 1967, out of some 1,500 of his that they had published over the years. In the cartoon, the god Zeus is on a cloud alongside a Greek godess. Lightning is flashing down to earth from his right hand. The godess, with one hand on her hip in a stance of contempt, says to him "If you're so good, why can't you ever strike twice in the same place?" Which brings up an interesting theory on how to avoid getting struck. Have your friend, Arnie (don't we all have one?), stand up tall when lightning begins to strike. Hand him a cheap aluminum shaft paddle to hold up high (Tell him you want to test out a theory) while you crouch down low 20 yards away. When he gets hit, rush to the spot he was standing in. :-) I have to thank my high school sophmore chemistry class for my warped thinking. One day while we were in lab and doing experiments with various chemicals and bunsen burners, my classmate O'Connor's beaker suddenly started foaming up violently. Brother Ivo, who had survived a childhood in a wartorn Poland, came rushing over. He looked at what O'Connor had been mixing and heating up, did an instant calculation in his head that the thing was about to explode and pulled O'Connor in front of him as a shield to take the impact of the blast. Brother Ivo quickly but unapologetically applied first aid to a bloody O'Connor before sending him down to the school nurse. I don't know about the other kids in the class but I was saying to myself "Hmm, so that is how he survived all those years." 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 - 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/ ***************************************************************************
I test paddled a beautiful West 180 from CLC kayaks. The edge of the wood coaming was smooth and rounded and would not hold my neopreme sprayskirt at all. It would pop off, from the side, everytime I did a leaning brace. The skirt was the correct size. Do you wood boat builders do anything special to the coaming edge to ensure a secure fit? The boat handled extremely well in 15knot winds and following 2 to 3 foot seas. Very easy to control and very forgiving. It felt fast as well. But I really had to tie the skirt bungie excessively tight. After paddling a while I opened the skirt for something and could not get it back on without assistance. My buddy had to hold down the back while I stretched the front. If the back was not held down it would slip off the polished coaming. Is this a solvable problem. Jerry *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated Tue, 27 Mar 2001 5:13:27 PM Eastern Standard Time, "Gerald Foodman" <klagjf_at_worldnet.att.net> writes: << I test paddled a beautiful West 180 from CLC kayaks. The edge of the wood coaming was smooth and rounded and would not hold my neopreme sprayskirt at all. It would pop off, from the side, everytime I did a leaning brace. The skirt was the correct size. Do you wood boat builders do anything special to the coaming edge to ensure a secure fit? ... Is this a solvable problem. >> My Chris Kulczycki inspired Yare has a three-layered coaming, all three made of 1/2 inch ply (concave lamination in profile): Top layer provides a 1/2 inch outer lip over the second layer, the third layer is laminated underneath the deck. Bomb proof coaming (over kill?!?), bomb proof skirt purchase (neoprene). I did build the rim after buying the skirt and kept the curvature of the sides to as small a radius as was practical. The rim seal is perfect, the leak (when I'm not paddling in a drytop) is down my spine. Ralph C. Hoehn Ralph_at_PouchBoats.com www.PouchBoats.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/ ***************************************************************************
-----Original Message----- From: Gerald Foodman <klagjf_at_worldnet.att.net> To: PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net <PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net> Cc: Fred Mansueto <w.doolaan_at_worldnet.att.net>; kcwboats_at_aol.com <kcwboats_at_aol.com> Date: Wednesday, March 28, 2001 10:33 AM Subject: [Paddlewise] Sprayskirt on CLC wood coaming >I test paddled a beautiful West 180 from CLC kayaks. The edge of the wood >coaming was smooth and rounded and would not hold my neopreme sprayskirt at >all. It would pop off, from the side, everytime I did a leaning brace. The >skirt was the correct size. Do you wood boat builders do anything special >to the coaming edge to ensure a secure fit? > I have heard people using surf board wax and shoe goo (whatever that is) on the coaming as a fix for slippery sprayskirts. I guess I will find out in a couple of weeks when my CLC boat finally gets into the water for the first time. Pete Croft (who is completely new to this sea kayaking thing so dont take my word for it !! ) *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 3/27/01 5:13:27 PM, klagjf_at_worldnet.att.net writes: << The edge of the wood coaming was smooth and rounded and would not hold my neoprene sprayskirt at all. It would pop off, from the side, everytime I did a leaning brace. The skirt was the correct size. >> I don't have a wood boat but I do have plastic and glass boats. A couple of questions and thoughts. How do you know it was the right size? The skirt that fits my Gulfstream will, with effort, a few choice words, and sometimes with help from friends, fit onto the Breeze. I made the mistake of bringing the Gulfie skirt with the Breeze on Sun. and spent many minutes tugging at the skirt as it repeatedly popped off the back as I pulled it on in front. I paddled for several hours and it did just fine. Got back to the put-in, got talked into rolling in the 45º water and KNEW, without a shred of a doubt it would pop off. It did. Does it fit? The list of boats it is supposed to fit include this boat. If I have to worry about the thing being a bear to put on and keep on, no. To even get it on what I have to do is loosen the straps that hold it up and make sure the tunnel of the skirt is as far down as I can get it so that not a cm is being held up that might go to covering the cockpit. It is not cheap but for the pleasure of paddling and so you don't irritate those waiting for you, just get a larger skirt. Wax on the gloves or paddle is fine but nothing should be holding your skirt on if it is important that it say on. One dump of a wave will take the thing right off, even with a whole stick of wax. A side thought: I was at the pool a few weeks back watching this guy teach his friend to roll a boat without a skirt. He did just fine. Rolling a full boat is just a slower process, not a hard one. As was obvious, you can learn to roll a boat full of water. In fact, the best bracing practice I know of is to paddle one full of water. Joan Spinner *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Gerald Foodman wrote: > I test paddled a beautiful West 180 from CLC kayaks. The edge of the wood > coaming was smooth and rounded and would not hold my neopreme sprayskirt at > all. It would pop off, from the side, everytime I did a leaning brace. The > skirt was the correct size. [snip] But > I really had to tie the skirt bungie excessively tight. After paddling a > while I opened the skirt for something and could not get it back on without > assistance. Wet it thoroughly. If it was a neoprene deck skirt, that will allow the neoprene to stretch a little. I have this same problem on the coamings for my Pygmy boats, and size/tension them for wet use. My thinking is that the time I really need a spray skirt is when the waves are all over my deck. If you can not reach a good compromise by wetting, I suggest contact-cementing a thin strip of rubber under the coaming lip to increase the friction. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
I had the same problem with my Nautiraid Greenlander, a folding kayak with a wood coaming. I followed a suggestion by Ralph Diaz and tacked some sturdy marine rope around the coaming. This worked very well all last year. He also suggested epoxying the rope to the coaming. One of these days I will get around to doing that. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
I am having trouble envisioning this. Is the rope tacked on top, on the edge or under the edge? What sized rope? ----------------------------------------------------------------- Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it. ---Mark Twain ICQ#111665477 ------------------------------------------------------------------ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ralph Young" <poppo_at_dmv.com> To: "Gerald Foodman" <klagjf_at_worldnet.att.net>; <PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net> Cc: "Fred Mansueto" <w.doolaan_at_worldnet.att.net>; <kcwboats_at_aol.com> Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2001 10:23 PM Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Sprayskirt on CLC wood coaming > I had the same problem with my Nautiraid Greenlander, a folding kayak with > a wood coaming. I followed a suggestion by Ralph Diaz and tacked some > sturdy marine rope around the coaming. This worked very well all last > year. He also suggested epoxying the rope to the coaming. One of these > days I will get around to doing that. > > > *************************************************************************** > 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/ > *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
I use 1/2 inch rope purchased at a marine store and the rope is tacked to the outside of the coaming. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> > >I test paddled a beautiful West 180 from CLC kayaks. The edge of the wood coaming was smooth and rounded and would not hold my neopreme sprayskirt at all. It would pop off, from the side, everytime I did a leaning brace. <snip> Is this a solvable problem.< < < > If the kayak has a smooth and shiny varnish finish on the coaming, that may be the culprit. Some new plastic kayaks also have a tough time holding on to a spray skirt, and the fix is to rough up the too-smooth gripping surface of the coaming with sandpaper. Perhaps try a fine grit first, and if the skirt still slips, go to a medium grit sandpaper. If the boat belongs to someone else, I'd be very leery of scuffing up a nice shiny surface without the owner's permission. It also may depend on the construction of the skirt. If the skirt has a tunnel sewn in the outside edge (with a bungee in the tunnel providing the tension), chances are it will have the nylon-faced neoprene contacting the coaming. The fabric surface will not provide as much friction as would a skirt that has bare neoprene or a rubber O-ring or rand as the contacting surface. If this is the case it may be worth smearing something sticky on the edge of the skirt to provide more friction (though I've never had to try this). You state that the skirt is the right size - is it really? If a skirt is just barely big enought to fit on a cockpit, it will tend to pop off as you lean, and usually at the side. The coaming profile may also affect how well the skirt fits. Erik Sprenne *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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