Of course the body adapts some to cold water exposure. Ever notice the difference in body surface fat between top level swimmers and other top athletes in say track and field. Of course some of this is genetic variability that favors the sport (and that's why the best long distance cold water swimmers are women) but I'll bet that the surface layer of fat will increase on almost anyone swimming in cold water regularly. Another adaptation the body makes to those who regularly immerse their head in cold water is commonly called "surfer's ear". The bone near the eardrum is stimulated to grow by repeated exposure to cold water, presumably to protect the eardrum. These bone growths are known as exostoses, untreated they can totally close off the ear canal over time. Those who immerse their head often in cold water should wear earplugs to prevent having to have their ear canals being re-bored later by a surgeon. Ear plugs also help prevent vertigo. Riiight. The speed of the river water the two drownings took place in was later corrected to 9 mph. Back-paddling through the wave and then racing forward just behind the crest will work outside of the break zone to keep from being involuntarily surfed into the break zone but eventually you will end up in the break zone anyway and if the waves are small and your rudder is well secured it might even work then. It also works in the waves of translation (translation-soup) tumbling over the level waters nearer the beach (again only if these waves are not too big and also only if you back straight into them). If the waves are larger you will either have the kayak spun into a side surf or start to surf forward until the bow buries and you end flip or spear the bottom (depending on water depth and the kayak you are using). A kayaker familiar with surfing knows that the odds of getting to shore without taking one big hit in the break zone are small. They will most likely surf in on the green face of a wave and then turn before it gets steep enough to trap the bow and then survive the "Maytag" for a few seconds until it settles down into a more consistent "soup" that pushes you in sideways. Very few kayaker/kayak combinations can then get themselves out of the sideways position until the soup has diminished to the 1 to 1.5 foot high range or less. Once the soup has settled down you can move yourself (and sea kayak) a little back and forth on the soup but you can't get behind that soup without capsizing (possibly resulting in injuries in shallow water-wear a helmet and hug the boat). Just what boat did someone say has ends turned up enough to act as a roll-bar? When side surfing keep your elbows in close to your body, There is so much water upwelling in the wave that you don't have to reach out far at all to get a good brace for leaning into the wave. Reaching out too far risks a shoulder dislocation (high brace) or a torn rotator cuff (low brace). For those interested in the subject lots more surfing tips can be found in the Paddling manual on www.marinerkayaks.com. Alex wrote: <SNIP>>>>>I've heard that fibeglass and kevlar degrade much more under UV exposure, than polyethilene. Who told you that? Kevlar degrades much like nylon but if protected by an opaque (or other UV resistant) gelcoat it won't be degraded quickly (except maybe in the cockpit area, if that is not covered). I have a Kevlar WW kayak with no gelcoat that is still in good shape that I bought new in 1977. I have stored it indoor all its life though. It is a little darker color now than when it was new. More brown than golden. Polyethylene is much more subject to UV degradation than fiberglass composites (or Kevlar) protected by opaque gelcoat (as most is). Glass itself is much less affected by UV than is plastic. I suspect that is one reason why better greenhouses use glass and not polyethylene. Of course, the translucent plastic resin in the glass composite is more affected by UV exposure than the glass fiber parts. But even if it were not covered by gelcoat it would loose durability far slower than Poly which depends on its flexibility for toughness. Of course you could rub either with 303 Protectant (which acts as a sun-block) on a regular basis but I'd prefer storing any kayak in the shade if possible. I would much prefer to paddle a hard shell than a folding kayak. Because of that preference I took a 3-piece 13' 5" Coaster to Baja once. The oversized baggage charges (for just two bags-the bow and stern fit into one bag and I loaded my gear in the boats) was almost as much as the cost of the airplane ticket. It could have been a lot more because when you transfer airlines they can get you again. United (1986 I think) charged $30 per bag per each boarding. Aero-Mexico could have charged me a lot more but only charged me $18 on the return leg. You still had to keep the bags under 70 pounds each or (if I remember correctly) they would get charged twice for oversize once for dimensions and once for weight. Several years ago I know United upped the oversize charge per bag to $50 each leg of the trip when baggage had to be handled. I don't know what it is now. Since that experience and mainly because of the hassle of transporting the big bags (and the Coaster is a small kayak) and padding them against freight damage on all the 90 degree corners, I've either flown with folding kayaks and kept the weight just under 70 pounds per bag or rented a kayak (if reasonable kayaks could be found at my destination). Of course with rentals, what they tell you they will have on the phone may not be what they have when you get there, so make sure to get it in writing. and take your own paddle (that is if you can even get it on the plane these days. 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/ ***************************************************************************
Doug Lloyd wrote: - >Buckling is mitigated with truly adequate >seam reinforcing, all things being equal. Matt broze asked: - >Just what boat did someone say has ends turned >up enough to act as a roll-bar? G'Day, That was myself Matt and the boat was a Pittarak. I remarked "On a couple of occasions, through lack of care and attention, I've been trashed and rolled amongst rocks or at the beach edge and wondering why on earth I hadn't broken my neck or severely bruised my back. My boat has an markedly upturned stern and bow and I think they have acted in the same way a roll bar does on a car. It wasn't designed for this purpose but I'm very glad its there, but it won't always save the day!" So it seemed to me that in a couple of accidents the "markedly upturned stern and bow" protected my back and neck. I can't think of any other explanation. Also I'm thin, which would have helped. But hopefully its clear that I don't imagine it will always work. Nor will I deliberately put it to the test. Doug's comment applied to my boat, the seams did require minor repairs after those accidents, though the damage wasn't drastic. Most of the waves I practice in are about 3 or 4 feet and seem to be OK for the back paddling technique described by Mary Zuschlag. I try to avoid anything much bigger. I had to be asked not to use the back paddling method for repeatedly landing through 3 to 4 foot surf during a sea proficiency test. The examiners wanted to test my ability to surf (which wasn't all that good). I'ld be interested in learning how to control a side surfing kayak so that it could land near a predetermined point on a beach? All the best, PeterO *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Matt, I will have to correct you on your knowledge of surfing. My extensive experience surf kayaking has taught me that there are several clear cut events that occur while surfing. 1. Paddle and catch wave. 2. Go Weeeeeee! for about three seconds. 3. Go Sh!t as you begin to pearl. 4. Capsize, crash and burn to the amusement of friends and family, especially children. 5. Wait for wave to pass and roll up. 6. Try to figure out which way the beach is. 7. Repeat. I have never experienced any other outcome and feel my research is solid. Jim et al ----- Original Message ----- From: "Matt Broze" <mkayaks_at_oz.net> > A kayaker familiar with surfing knows that the odds of getting to shore > without taking one big hit in the break zone are small. They will most > likely surf in on the green face of a wave and then turn before it gets > steep enough to trap the bow and then survive the "Maytag" for a few seconds > until it settles down into a more consistent "soup" that pushes you in > sideways. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Jim jfarrelly5_at_comcast.net wrote: >>>>>>>> SNIP< My extensive experience surf kayaking has taught me that there are several clear cut events that occur while surfing. 1. Paddle and catch wave. 2. Go Weeeeeee! for about three seconds. 3. Go Sh!t as you begin to pearl. 4. Capsize, crash and burn to the amusement of friends and family, especially children. 5. Wait for wave to pass and roll up. 6. Try to figure out which way the beach is. 7. Repeat. I have never experienced any other outcome and feel my research is solid.<<<<<<<< LOL! Yes. Jim that technique sounds familiar to me too. Once I discovered it I decided to only used it for fun (rather than with a loaded kayak I'm trying to get to the beach). You might skip your points 3 through 6 and extend your second points time considerably (and not even have to take that one big dumping wave "Maytag" I wrote about earlier) if you can master your technique using a much shorter kayak with a much fuller bow. With such a kayak I've found that the hardest part is staying pointed straight down the wave if it catches me from behind after it has already broken. Staying straight works best if I can ride the same wave all the way in through the surf zone. That way the breaker lands on the back deck forcing it down but lifting my bow even higher to help plane the kayak almost to the beach. 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 3/22/2003 3:22:21 AM Eastern Standard Time, mkayaks_at_oz.net writes: > ... You might ... extend your ... [actual surfing time] ... if you can > master your technique using a much shorter kayak with a much fuller bow. > With such a kayak I've found that the hardest part is staying pointed > straight down the wave if it catches me from behind after it has already > broken. Staying straight works best if I can ride the same wave all the way > in through the surf zone. That way the breaker lands on the back deck > forcing it down but lifting my bow even higher to help plane the kayak > almost to the beach. ... Matt, what boat model do you use in this way? Do you play with white water boats in surf? Best regards, Ralph Ralph C. Hoehn Folding Boat Center P.O. Box 700 Enfield NH 03748 info_at_FoldingBoatCenter.com www.FoldingBoatCenter.com phone: +1-802-649-2555 -- Ralph phone: +1-603-632-9500 -- Alv (yup, they rhyme) *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Matt said: >>Staying straight works best if I can ride the same wave all the way in through the surf zone. That way the breaker lands on the back deck forcing it down but lifting my bow even higher to help plane the kayak almost to the beach.<< This is one technique you can use in surf with a questionable hot LZ beach. With good technique, you should be able to bow rudder port or starboard depending on obstacles suddenly encountered embedded in the foreshore. Admittedly, I usually blunder over at least a few obstacles despite attempts to secure a navigable path to safety. I only be holed now and again. I would not attempt this in dumping surf. War is still hell, however, in some surf zones. On parts of the West Coast Trail I paddle, perfect landing zones are few and far between -- with any kind of a sea running. Al this said, surfing in a WW kayak is a piece of cake compared to a sea kayak -- fishform, (S)swedeform, whatever form. Doug Lloyd Victoria BC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ "Whatever can be said at all can be said clearly and whatever cannot be said clearly should not be said at all." Ludwig Wittgenstein ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ *************************************************************************** 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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