Re: [Paddlewise] Wild at heart

Duane replied (snip):
>I enjoyed your 3-part trip report. As always, reading it provided more
insight into your fascinating character.<

Glad you enjoyed the report - a little long, sorry I didn't have time to edit
for Paddlewise (and hopefully not too much "kiss-and-tell" reporting) super
busy on other fronts and still haven't got too far with anything for Sea
Kayaker Magazine lately.

>Those darn skegs! It is funny to once again read about another paddler
(someone in your group) having major skeg problems on a trip. I am beginning
to think that the old sales pitch that skegs are more reliable than rudders is
the biggest scam to hit the kayaking industry. Once again it is too bad that
more kayaks aren't designed to not need them.<

There's a report by an Australian paddler on the NSW club website detailing a
retro-fit of a ruddered Artic Raider to a subsequent skeg. The paddler much
preferred the skeg, which I found insightful given he was able to directly
compare. I think the concept is awesome, it's just the jamming that's the
issue; and that jamming happens within the context of both the box and the
control device. I have not been on a trip with other paddlers who have skegs,
where there weren't issues. I tried sitting in a glass Necky Chatham the other
day. The sales rep said the skeg was flawless. Yes, it did seem smooth to
operate and apparently had good clearance for sand and gravel, but the tube
that runs the skeg line is routed right underneath the oval hatch cover
opening and plunks smack in the middle of where gear goes, let alone the
interference of the skeg box. Very odd.

It should be said that the paddler in question on the Nootka Island trip
didn't realize at the time that the skeg control device was the main cause of
the problem. The skeg control slides on a stainless rod. This skeg "finger"
tab was poorly  installed by VCP such that the tab was contacting the deck
indent sides when sliding along the rod, causing excess friction.  I believe
he filed the tab down and will then have to glass the whole assembly back in
place.

I like my Nordkapp rudder, but as I have rotator cuff problems, I can't be
wholly objective here. I do know it let's me get away with things in big
hydraulics where I'd be pounded into reefs without the directional control it
gives me, yet here again is some subjectivity, because a more manoeuvrable
kayak with chines, rocker, etc., might mean more efficient paddling in
big-water rock gardens (I'm not talking about normal rock-garden paddling, but
the outer break stuff where all hell is breaking loose and surging seas are
moving the kayak laterally up to 10 meters in a few seconds). As I'm a
fast-twitch muscle paddler, I can handle manoeuvring strokes well enough too
(so that's not the issue), as I tend to be a very strong in these arenas. I've
even found myself inventing new combinations of braces that I've never seen
taught or used, but wouldn't recommend them to someone prone to shoulder
dislocation. I should note that some of the Tsunami Ranger kayaks use rudders,
even in the tight, gnarly stuff. My home built kayak I'm designing will not
have a rudder. BTW, a fellow bike commuter today in the locker room at work
heard me talking to a paddling acquaintance about bashing my boat up. The
non-paddler asked me what the problem was, "So, what you are saying is you
lack good skills?" Got a kick out of that one.

>I would like to hear more comments from you about the Romany and Mariner II
that you tested on the trip.<

The Romany was a lighter lay-up, with little gear aboard. It seemed to take
off sideways in breaking nearshore seas. I find my heavy Nordkapp sits so much
deeper in the water, I get pushed around a lot less. There was an older,
heavier Romany on the trip too. The paddler who used to own the Romany
commented he preferred the more heavier Romany, and wished he hadn't sold it.
I still think it's a winning design, and know someone who wants to cedar-strip
build or ply S&G a replica of the Romany. I did find the bow yawed left to
right to left, etc., as I paddled, but then it's a more manoeuvrable kayak
design (less straight tracking, lee-helm, etc., aside).

The Mariner II paddler seemed always relaxed, even in some seas that were a
bit of a new experience (I believe) for him. In following seas, there seemed
little need to wrestle with the boat in the usual tug-of-war. Mostly, he had
to hold the thoroughbred back from taking off. One of the paddlers on the trip
used to own a Mariner II, and would have liked to have had it out in Nootka
Sound, but the gear carrying capacity he wanted was only provided for with a
much more cavernous vessel. Though I was kindly offered the chance to take the
Mariner out (after asking earlier), I figured I'd really much prefer to try it
in more extreme conditions. Matt can hype all he wants about how well his
boats handle without a skeg, and I'm sure its true in most conditions even
advanced paddlers regularly travel in. But the real test is when a gnarly
quartering sea from the stern hits with some good wind behind it, then I'd
like to see just how accurate the statements are (assuming proactive paddling,
good technique, etc.). I don't think that's an unfair statement to make (about
Matt's boats or any other boat designers'). If I were to ditch my rudder in
favour of a kayak that was advertised to get by without one I'd sure want to
know it lived up to the claims).

>It is interesting that you read novels on your trip. I haven't read fiction
in a dozen years.<

Guess that was the point. I never read novels at any time. I wanted to learn
to relax a bit on a multi-day trip, and figured the novel reading would
provoke that. Normally on the west coast, I'm up at 6:00, on the water at
7:15, make my miles until noon to 1:00, lunch and rest, then move on, usualy
and hopefully in gale-force tail winds. By the time I hit camp, set up,and
eat, I'm exhusted, and fall asleep - or just gaze at the surf and whitcapps.
On the few group trips I've done in previous years, we'd make camp by 1:00 pm
or 2:00, and that would be it for paddling, with a start time of 8:30 am or
so. Even then, I'd take off for an afternoon in the whitecapps or playing in
the heavy surg/boomers, rock gardens. I'd be back for super, usually eating
everyones leftovers for the extra calories, then hit the tent exhusted. My
friends helped me see paddling from a bit more of a new perspective. And, for
once I didn't experience the tensions and other interpersonal relationship
issues, so some of my faith was restored in terms of group paddling. And no
one lectured me or tried to micro-manage my life when I went out to have some
fun - my style. Maybe it was just because they were Americans, who tend to be
more gregarious and generous.

> You wrote about beating your kayak up on the trip, and recently you wrote
about strength demands you had for a kayak you might build. I am a supporter
of strong, well built kayaks too, but only to a certain degree.<

My kayak is heavy for other reasons than the added hull strength. All those
stainless steel bolts and nuts, all the modifications (I have 5 hatches), and
the epoxied-in retro-fitted deck fittings put my kayak way overweight. If I
were to take a normal well-built boat and increase the hull strenght a bit,
I'd still be happy without tipping the scales so badly. My hull damage is
always around the bulkheads (I have three). When I added 2 layers of 6 ounce
cloth to the inner hull a few tears ago, I did it after I had already
repositioned and reinstalled two of the bulkheads, meaning I still have the
original stress riser breaks from 20 years ago as an underlying problem (pun,
not intended). I do however, abuse my kayak more than most, but not as bad as
the Tsunami Ranger guys n' gals. However, I doubt even those crazies from your
neck of the woods do so in fully loaded kayaks on long tours that often. I
need the faith in my boat to know I'll make it back. And don't forget, cloth
tape has little strength across its width, so I've added copious amounts pf
seam tape in expanding sizes. This adds weight too, but is definitly a
non-negotiable item for me. Heck, 500 pounds hitting a rock head on at 8
knots. You need strength - or plastic, plastic...  :-)

>Besides, nothing is indestructible, including our bodies.<

Yes, and I need to constantly remind myself of that. My faith teaches me that
my body is a temple. Okay, forget faith, that's just common sense.
Fortunately, years of open-water rock garden paddling have left me with a
fairly good ablility to time my manouvers and judge when and where to place my
boat. I think if offers a challenge far diferrent than river kayaking,
requiring less instant situational awarness, but at the same time a more
intense ability to think through in a three dimensional way, if one want's to
mitigate the lethality of some of these wild ocean places. It involves a
constant awarness of what swell set is inbound, what the surging currents are
doing and going to do, etc, and an innate ability to deal with the reality of
being in a dangerous place that doesn't often offer any degree of certainty
when a sudden large swell set can change the dynmics so quickly. I'm sure you
and Steve Brown know what I mean (and no disrespect to the river paddlers on
the list). And I'm sure not many sea kayakers have had to deal with seas like
I found myself in off the North Jetty of the Columbia River Bar, where swell
breaks in three different directions with a gnarly alongshore current to make
passage almost impossibe. I say this only as a reminder to the list of how
increadible seaworthy a modern sea kayak is, more than most can appreciate or
may indeed take the time to experience. I've devoted my adult life to this
fact.

>It was also interesting to read about your feelings about being in a group,
because you are usually a solo paddler and tripper. I could tell that with the
group and your health problems, you were really having to hold back, which
probably wasn't a bad thing.<

I tried to refrain from anything too dangerous looking with paddling
onlookers. When we came back in the swell with Gary (guest day paddler with us
to Escalante River), I strayed behind to do my playing, so as to be out of his
view. I certainly don't want to have prudent paddlers left with a wrong
conception of west coat paddling. Anyway, these guys from Seattle and environs
around I was paddling with know me from Paddlewise and from weekend get
togethers where I've told a few tales. Hopefully I gave them an impression
that I could probably live up to the reality of some of those stories. I'd
hate to be remembered as an exagerator. Not that it really matters, I'm just a
piece of floatsam swiring through this sea called life, trying to figure out
what beach I'm eventually going to land on (if I even have a choice). But
maybe it _is_ the journey that counts -- the time on the water. So I hope my
paddling friends will respect how I choose to enjoy the journey, as I do
respect them; and as I try to do with all of you on Paddlewise.

>Again, I really enjoyed the trip report and hope to someday meet and paddle
with you.<

I'd like that too. You've certainly thrown your heart and soul, as well as a
large part of your intellect -- and more than a few calories -- into the sport
Duane (and the journey). To say you've matured in the sport is an
understatement.

Doug Lloyd  (home late, working on my wife's kayak (new KayjakSport hatches -
anything is better than those old screw-off Hendersons).
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