PaddleWise by thread

From: Tord Eriksson <tord_at_tord.nu>
subject: [Paddlewise] Complete Idiot's Guide to Canoeing and Kayaking
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 01:31:09 +0200
Happened upon this book when looking for something at Amazon.

Are these guys at Canoe and Kayak for real?

"Do you know the 20/20 rule?

If it is below 20 F and blows more than 20 mph
stay on shore"

I guess it is supposed to be funny -
must be something cultural that I just don't get ...

Soon we'll see the Utter Moron's book on writing,
no doubt, no doubt!

Tord
***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************
From: Tord Eriksson <tord_at_tord.nu>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Complete Idiot's Guide to Canoeing and Kayaking
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:20:36 +0200
On Tuesday 11 September 2007 09:30, you wrote:
> The text does specify "below 20 F OR more than 20 MPH".

Sorry! 

> But still.... its target is beginners...

What ever should they be doing at 21 F in a canoe, or kayak?!
 
> A beginners 20/20 rule could be European
> (20 C = 68 F / 20 kmph = 13 mph )

Much better!

> -- Kasper

Hej Kasper!


Actually it is the water temperature that should be the guide to how you 
dress, but 5 m/s (10 knots, close to 13 mph) seems a good rule! Something 
that keeps your head, hands and body warm should be compulsory, at least 
tilll the water has reached summer temperature, say over 20C/68F!

Another intelligent information I got from the book (you can read a few 
sample pages at Amazon's site) was that the bow paddler sits in the front, 
and the stern paddler sits in the back.  

Enough said,

Tord
***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************
From: Kasper Osterbye <kasper_at_itu.dk>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Complete Idiot's Guide to Canoeing and Kayaking
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:34:38 +0200
Hi Tord

I live in Denmark. In the winter season we paddle the ocean rather than
inner waters - because it is less frozen. Winter paddling is not for
beginners, but is is certainly not something to refrain from. I have even
capsized in racing kayaks in ice water, as has many here, and that is
without dry or wetsuit, as one would overheat in such clothing.

But as I said, it is not for beginners to do such things, normally we say
you have to have around 1000 km in your hips to do winter paddling.

Similarly, 20 mhp never kept me ashore, that is, under the implicit
assumption that we are not talking ocean shore. But the page mentions "all
across North America", so they are talking lakes here.

Btw, my dictionary says
Stern: The rearmost part of ship or boat

So to me it makes some sense that the stern paddler sits in the back. But, I
could easily have misunderstood something here, I am confusing right and
left anyway, and clearly prefer front and back to more maritime expressions.

-- Kasper

On 11/09/07 11.20, "Tord Eriksson" <tord_at_tord.nu> wrote:

> On Tuesday 11 September 2007 09:30, you wrote:
>> The text does specify "below 20 F OR more than 20 MPH".
> 
> Sorry! 
> 
>> But still.... its target is beginners...
> 
> What ever should they be doing at 21 F in a canoe, or kayak?!
>  
>> A beginners 20/20 rule could be European
>> (20 C = 68 F / 20 kmph = 13 mph )
> 
> Much better!
> 
>> -- Kasper
> 
> Hej Kasper!
> 
> 
> Actually it is the water temperature that should be the guide to how you
> dress, but 5 m/s (10 knots, close to 13 mph) seems a good rule! Something
> that keeps your head, hands and body warm should be compulsory, at least
> tilll the water has reached summer temperature, say over 20C/68F!
> 
> Another intelligent information I got from the book (you can read a few
> sample pages at Amazon's site) was that the bow paddler sits in the front,
> and the stern paddler sits in the back.
> 
> Enough said,
> 
> Tord
***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************
From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Complete Idiot's Guide to Canoeing and Kayaking
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 09:54:16 -0700
On 9/11/07, Kasper Osterbye <kasper_at_itu.dk> wrote:
>
> <snip>... I have even
> capsized in racing kayaks in ice water, as has many here, and that is
> without dry or wetsuit, as one would overheat in such clothing.
>

Hi Kasper,

I'm curious about your statement about overheating in a drysuit. Everyone I
know wears a drysuit - often in summer and always in winter - and I don't
know of any serious overheating problems. Of course, most of my paddling is
Puget Sound (Seattle) area or the west coast of Washington State. I've
paddled ice water without a dry suit but I am pretty sure I'd never do it
again without one. Or are you talking about racing?

Wasn't there a story about a female Dutch kayak racer who died in a winter
workout without drysuit (or even PFD)?

Maybe I'm just not tough enough.

Craig Jungers
Royal City, WA
***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************
From: Kasper Osterbye <kasper_at_itu.dk>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Complete Idiot's Guide to Canoeing and Kayaking
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 19:52:27 +0200
Hi

<snip>
I've paddled ice water without a dry suit but I am pretty sure I'd never do
it again without one. Or are you talking about racing?
</snip>

Those circumstances where I do winter paddling without dry-suit has been for
the workout, tough not in an actual race. Under such conditions I do not
paddle far from shore - something like 100 feet from the shore line. And
there are no tidal actions to worry about either. But there are stray waves
from commercial traffic to handle.

But so far, organized kayaking (clubs under Danish canoe union) have had
next to no lethal accidents in the last 100 year, which I contribute to the
fact that only experienced paddlers do winter paddling.

Some (very very few) sea paddlers do long distance winter paddling, mostly
as a training for Greenland expeditions (which are very popular as Greenland
is officially part of Denmark). Here the problem is not just hyperthermia in
case of capsize, but also to stay warm all day. You have to use a dry suit -
and not paddle too fast :-).

Best
    Kasper


On 11/09/07 18.54, "Craig Jungers" <crjungers_at_gmail.com> wrote:

> On 9/11/07, Kasper Osterbye <kasper_at_itu.dk> wrote:
>> <snip>... I have even
>> capsized in racing kayaks in ice water, as has many here, and that is
>> without dry or wetsuit, as one would overheat in such clothing.
>
> Hi Kasper,
>
> I'm curious about your statement about overheating in a drysuit. Everyone I
> know wears a drysuit - often in summer and always in winter - and I don't
know
> of any serious overheating problems. Of course, most of my paddling is
Puget
> Sound (Seattle) area or the west coast of Washington State. I've paddled
ice
> water without a dry suit but I am pretty sure I'd never do it again without
> one. Or are you talking about racing?
>
> Wasn't there a story about a female Dutch kayak racer who died in a winter
> workout without drysuit (or even PFD)?
>
> Maybe I'm just not tough enough.
>
> Craig Jungers
> Royal City, WA
***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************
From: Jens Viggo Moesmand <jensviggo_at_moesmand.dk>
subject: [Paddlewise] SV: Complete Idiot's Guide to Canoeing and Kayaking
Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2007 13:15:05 +0200
Dear Kasper and Craig,

Denmark is not so much different from the American shores in that we do
not agree on everything.
It was only march this year that a very experienced kayaker died on a
swedish lake. His background much have been very much the same as
Kaspars: young and very capable and fit. Yet he died.
If I'm anything then in comparison I'm old and fat and belong to a group
of peers that also enjoy paddling in the winter. We dress and equip
ourselves more conservatively. 
The popularity of kayaking has increased a lot over the last years and
we can only try to push "wisdom" to the new kayakers. I hope that not
too many of them will find it sufficient to listen to Kaspar. I know
that his institution (IT-University) harbours a lot of sound knowledge.
It's said that a landing You can walk away from is a succesfull landing.
I try to teach foresight but I'm also another type of kayaker than
Kasper. I wish him a lot of fun together with succesfull landings.

Best

Jens Viggo Moesmand
Denmark


"But so far, organized kayaking (clubs under Danish canoe union) have
had
next to no lethal accidents in the last 100 year, which I contribute to
the
fact that only experienced paddlers do winter paddling.

Best
    Kasper
"


On 11/09/07 18.54, "Craig Jungers" <crjungers_at_gmail.com> wrote:

> On 9/11/07, Kasper Osterbye <kasper_at_itu.dk> wrote:
>> <snip>... I have even
>> capsized in racing kayaks in ice water, as has many here, and that is
>> without dry or wetsuit, as one would overheat in such clothing.
***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************
From: Kasper Osterbye <kasper_at_itu.dk>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] SV: Complete Idiot's Guide to Canoeing and Kayaking
Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2007 18:38:47 +0200
Hi Jens and others

Yes, a young Swedish kayaker died last year doing a 2 km+ crossing in his K1
racer, with no proper clothing (as he would have sweated to death that way),
in a boat with no compartments, so that it could be completely filled, with
no deck lines, so there was nothing to hold onto (it was a K1).

I have never ever in any way stated that is proper behavior. But accidents
happen - a young and fit neighbor of mine died because she fell of her bike
down a hill and her helmet caught a tree branch causing her neck to snap.
She should not have been going so fast - speed killed her, or an ill
designed helmet killed her, or ...)

The original story here was under what conditions you go winter paddling,
and I merely said that if I too had been out in the 20/20 conditions, and I
did not find that to be completely bananas - just as I do not find
rappelling and parachuting to be next to suicide. But doing crossings and
other crazy stuff in a K1 in winter in Scandinavia is indeed dangerous.

What my work life (IT University) has to do with this I cannot see.

And no, I am not a young fit kayaker, I am now 45+, 200 lb, but still does a
some K1 (actually most K2) as well as a lot of seakayaking (in the order of
about 500 miles/year total in both types of boats).

Safety is a difficult one, there are several factors going into this, the
most common ones mentioned are: personal experience, local experience, wind,
water temperature, wave conditions (current, harbors, boats,...), group
size, boat (I do judge differently in my seakayak and my K1).
The precautions necessary for cold-water paddling in the open waters of the
ost-sea, and ours in at in inland lake or fjord are very different. The
Swedish paddler knew his boat, his waters, he was not alone, he had been
doing this trip N times before (as had my neighbor).

As a kayak club member I expect you know all these factors in and out as do
I. 

Happy paddling,
    Kasper


On 10/10/07 13.15, Jens Viggo Moesmand <jensviggo_at_moesmand.dk> wrote:

> Dear Kasper and Craig,
> 
> Denmark is not so much different from the American shores in that we do
> not agree on everything.
> It was only march this year that a very experienced kayaker died on a
> swedish lake. His background much have been very much the same as
> Kaspars: young and very capable and fit. Yet he died.
> If I'm anything then in comparison I'm old and fat and belong to a group
> of peers that also enjoy paddling in the winter. We dress and equip
> ourselves more conservatively.
> The popularity of kayaking has increased a lot over the last years and
> we can only try to push "wisdom" to the new kayakers. I hope that not
> too many of them will find it sufficient to listen to Kaspar. I know
> that his institution (IT-University) harbours a lot of sound knowledge.
> It's said that a landing You can walk away from is a succesfull landing.
> I try to teach foresight but I'm also another type of kayaker than
> Kasper. I wish him a lot of fun together with succesfull landings.
> 
> Best
> 
> Jens Viggo Moesmand
> Denmark
***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************
From: <cholst_at_bitstream.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Complete Idiot's Guide to Canoeing and Kayaking
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 12:41:59 -0500 (CDT)
Tord wrote:

> What ever should they be doing at 21 F in a canoe, or kayak?!

I've rolled at 8 degrees F -- in fresh water. On New Year's Day, it's a
tradition for the Inland Sea Kayakers and others to paddle on the
Mississippi River below the Ford Dam. The biggest hazard, aside from cold
water, is usually waterskiers, but at 8 degrees, ice accumulation also
becomes an interesting problem.

If December was cold enough, you might be so fortunate as to have cakes of
ice floating down the river that you can paddle up on top of and ride for
a while. I call it "going with the floe."

Chuck Holst
***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************
From: Harvey Golden <harveydgolden_at_yahoo.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Complete Idiot's Guide to Canoeing and Kayaking
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:39:00 -0700 (PDT)
> Another intelligent information I got from the book
> (you can read a few 
> sample pages at Amazon's site) was that the bow
> paddler sits in the front, 
> and the stern paddler sits in the back.  

Before I add this book to my library, I'd like to know
if it has any information as to which directions the
stern and bow paddler are supposed to face once they
are in the kayak. 
Harvey 
***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************
From: James Farrelly <JFarrelly5_at_comcast.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Complete Idiot's Guide to Canoeing and Kayaking
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:09:21 -0400
> Before I add this book to my library, I'd like to know
> if it has any information as to which directions the
> stern and bow paddler are supposed to face once they
> are in the kayak.
> Harvey
>

Questions that must be asked before an answer can be issued:

1. Is there a following wind?

2. Are you paddling with your spouse?

3. Is the sea state greater than 7?

4. Which hemisphere are you in? This relates to potential direction  
(clockwise, anti-clockwise) of paddle sweep when attempting to roll  
back up in case of capsize. If the paddling pair happen to be in  
different hemispheres at the same time due to a capsize at the exact  
second of transiting the Prime Meridian then the judges will have to  
be consulted. See appendix C. If GPs are being used see appendix F.

Jim et al
***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************
From: Steve Cramer <cramersec_at_charter.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Complete Idiot's Guide to Canoeing and Kayaking
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:11:46 -0400
Doesn't that depend on which way they want to go?

If you'd stop building kayaks with those round cockpits, it might be 
easier to tell.

Harvey Golden wrote:
> Before I add this book to my library, I'd like to know
> if it has any information as to which directions the
> stern and bow paddler are supposed to face once they
> are in the kayak. 


-- 
Steve Cramer
Athens, GA
http://www.savvypaddler.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/
***************************************************************************
From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Complete Idiot's Guide to Canoeing and Kayaking
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 12:22:30 -0700
Face down... because before I'd get in any boat run by people who read/wrote
this book I'd have to be drunk.

Craig Jungers
Royal City, WA

On 9/11/07, Harvey Golden <harveydgolden_at_yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > Another intelligent information I got from the book
> > (you can read a few
> > sample pages at Amazon's site) was that the bow
> > paddler sits in the front,
> > and the stern paddler sits in the back.
>
> Before I add this book to my library, I'd like to know
> if it has any information as to which directions the
> stern and bow paddler are supposed to face once they
> are in the kayak.
> Harvey
***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:33:46 PDT