I have been pondering the most safety-conscious way to arrange my gear in my kayak. Currently, I have a length of cord attached to each item. The cord has a clip on the end which is attached to the kayak. With a scenario like this, gear cannot be lost unless it is unclipped. The challenge with this is that if one gets separated from their kayak, they are doomed. Perhaps one should tie themselves to the kayak? It seems to me that, although this would work, it presents an entanglement risk. Thoughts? I recently purchased a SPOT, and it seems to me that this unit would also be most effective if clipped to the kayak deck with the logo facing the sky. One would turn it on when departing the dock. A single keypress would activate the device, after which point you could forget about it. One could put this device on their body, but since it works best when the SPOT logo is facing the sky, you'd have to mount it on your helmet to be effective. You could mount it on your shoulder, but there is no way to know if your head is blocking Spot's view of the satelite. Thoughts? Derek PS How do you press Spot's "911" button without removing your neoprene gloves? The recessed button prevents false alarms, but..... --------------------------------------------------------------- Please limit all email attachments sent to this address to a maximum of 0.5MB. All email attachments that are larger then 0.5MB will automatically be deleted. --------------------------------------------------------------- ICQ: 262152266, AIM: GlamourpetsD, MSN: [my email address], Yahoo Messenger: glamourpets --------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Derek wrote: > I have been pondering the most safety-conscious way to arrange my gear Avoid extra lanyards. They constitute an entrapment hazard and can also ensnare you if you transit surf and the kayak takes a different path than you do. Better to firmly attach essentials to something solid so that it will not snag you. Or, store it behind the seat, where entrapment hazard is minimal. For ordinary paddling, a leash for the paddle is acceptable, but leashing yourself to the boat is a bad idea. When it is time to transit surf, stow the paddle leash as well. If you are solo, and miles or days from help, perhaps a lanyard attaching you to the boat is acceptable to prevent separation from the boat. -- 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/ ***************************************************************************
On Tue, Sep 30, 2008 at 6:23 PM, Derek <glamourpets_at_yahoo.com> wrote: > I have been pondering the most safety-conscious way to arrange my gear in > my kayak. Currently, I have a length of cord attached to each item. The > cord has a clip on the end which is attached to the kayak. With a scenario > like this, gear cannot be lost unless it is unclipped. The challenge with > this is that if one gets separated from their kayak, they are doomed. I think that a good method would be to create hard tie-points inside the kayak to which you can secure drybags. You could epoxy these in. There are some of these available already. I think NRS has something. > > Perhaps one should tie themselves to the kayak? It seems to me that, > although this would work, it presents an entanglement risk. Thoughts? I would be very cautious about tethering myself to the kayak. I don't think I'd do it. What I might do is use my towline to tie myself to the boat if I was already out and needed to make sure I could stay with it. > > I recently purchased a SPOT, and it seems to me that this unit would also > be most effective if clipped to the kayak deck with the logo facing the sky. > One would turn it on when departing the dock. A single keypress would > activate the device, after which point you could forget about it. One could > put this device on their body, but since it works best when the SPOT logo is > facing the sky, you'd have to mount it on your helmet to be effective. You > could mount it on your shoulder, but there is no way to know if your head is > blocking Spot's view of the satelite. Thoughts? > > If I had a SPOT - and it's likely that I'll get one at some point - I'd consider it to be a piece of safety gear like my VHF and wear it rather than leave it on the boat. If you do have a problem then if it's on the boat rescuers will find that. But if you're not in the boat then what? Of course, there is a diminishing return with carrying stuff on your body. Craig Jungers Moses Lake, 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/ ***************************************************************************
Craig Jungers wrote: > On Tue, Sep 30, 2008 at 6:23 PM, Derek <glamourpets_at_yahoo.com> wrote: > >> I have been pondering the most safety-conscious way to arrange my gear in >> my kayak. [snip] > I think that a good method would be to create hard tie-points inside the > kayak to which you can secure drybags. You could epoxy these in. There are > some of these available already. I think NRS has something. Whether drybagged or not, hard-points inside the hull can be useful. Sort of what I had in mind earlier. NRS (and others: Western Canoeing and Kayaking in Abbotsford, BC) sell these things: http://tinyurl.com/3kl8kh ), which I have found invaluable for strapping gear, in bags or not, to the insides of my boats. Note that the two-part adhesive stipulated at the link is not an epoxy, and that it works on a variety of surfaces. Scotch-Weld is good stuff. Google "Scotch-Weld 3532" for more info. Multiple lanyards are an entrapment/tangle hazard. Not the best idea. -- 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/ ***************************************************************************
Yeah, it's the little things that can upset the applecart. Know that. I was just funning with the finger thing. Anyway, glad you are on my case, Craig. And, I see there you are well insulated from calamity and the US financial meltdown, what with having converted all your commodity stocks last year into cash any buying up all the used Mariner kayaks. :-) DL > On Tue, Sep 30, 2008 at 10:24 PM, Doug Lloyd <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca> wrote: > >> >> >> Tough being a modern kayaker, isn't it? Where does my SPOT go, where do I >> get good signal, did my signal get through? Should I take my glove off >> and >> get my finger wet and cold or drown? :-) >> > > That can actually be a real dilemma. Sometimes small things (like taking > off > your glove and then spending time trying to put it back on again) can make > significant impacts. Loss of focus at a critical point. Unable to brace > effectively, etc. > > Times have certainly changed. Thirty years ago I didn't even bother to > take > a compass. Jeans and a wool shirt were my immersion gear. A $3 plastic > poncho was the rain gear. I had war-surplus duffle bags for some of my > gear > and the rest was stowed in climbing rucksacks in the FolBot. > > But we weren't out playing in rock gardens in the surf either. > > Craig Jungers > Moses Lake, 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/ ***************************************************************************
On Thu, Oct 2, 2008 at 6:29 PM, Doug Lloyd <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca> wrote: > Yeah, it's the little things that can upset the applecart. Know that. I was > just funning with the finger thing. > > Anyway, glad you are on my case, Craig. And, I see there you are well > insulated from calamity and the US financial meltdown, what with having > converted all your commodity stocks last year into cash any buying up all > the used Mariner kayaks. :-) > > I heard that I missed a few of those... but it's ok... Pam got 'em. :D Ya gotta stay ahead of the pack. Craig *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
buying up all > the used Mariner kayaks. :-) (Doug Lloyd) > > I heard that I missed a few of those... but it's ok... Pam got 'em. :D Ya gotta stay ahead of the pack. Craig I have news for both of you. The Mariner Sprite is going on the market as soon as I can find it... Did I mention I have a few too many kayaks? And the Pygmy Boats Arctic Tern 17 foot and the Pygmy Boats GoldenEye and if you twist my arm.... maybe the (kevlar) Necky Arluk II. Anyway, I'm now actively looking for a home for the 40+ year old fiberglass kayak with the riveted seams, that Matt Broze couldn't ID from pictures. I never have managed to get it to a place he or the other knowledgeable members of the kayaking community could actually look at it. It could make a good sign or planter, but would need some seam sealing and a seat and such before anyone could use it on the water. If anyone in (or who might be in) the Tacoma/ Seattle/ Everett area is interested, let me know. I can send pictures, I think. I may be able to bring it to a pool session in Tacoma or Seattle. No, not to use. Unless someone wants to practice what to do with a totally unseaworthy craft in a pool. Did I mention it's free? Only terms are you can't give it back! Pam in Washington State **************Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial challenges? Check out WalletPop for the latest news and information, tips and calculators. (http://www.walletpop.com/?NCID=emlcntuswall00000001) *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Pam, you are sell'n a bunch of your boats. So is it you that's having the liquidity crisis? :-) DL > buying up all >> the used Mariner kayaks. :-) (Doug Lloyd) >> >> > I heard that I missed a few of those... but it's ok... Pam got 'em. :D > Ya > gotta stay ahead of the pack. > > Craig > > I have news for both of you. The Mariner Sprite is going on the market as > soon as I can find it... Did I mention I have a few too many kayaks? And > the > Pygmy Boats Arctic Tern 17 foot and the Pygmy Boats GoldenEye and if you > twist my > arm.... maybe the (kevlar) Necky Arluk II. > Anyway, I'm now actively looking for a home for the 40+ year old > fiberglass kayak with the riveted seams, that Matt Broze couldn't ID from > pictures. I > never have managed to get it to a place he or the other knowledgeable > members > of the kayaking community could actually look at it. It could make a good > sign > or planter, but would need some seam sealing and a seat and such before > anyone could use it on the water. > If anyone in (or who might be in) the Tacoma/ Seattle/ Everett area is > interested, let me know. I can send pictures, I think. I may be able to > bring > it to a pool session in Tacoma or Seattle. No, not to use. Unless someone > wants > to practice what to do with a totally unseaworthy craft in a pool. > Did I mention it's free? Only terms are you can't give it back! > Pam in Washington State *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
On Fri, Oct 3, 2008 at 12:12 AM, Doug Lloyd <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca> wrote: > Pam, you are sell'n a bunch of your boats. So is it you that's having the > liquidity crisis? :-) > > I think Pam's "liquidity crisis" comes from not being able to get all those boats into liquid; she can only do one at a time. <grin> Craig *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
But really, why sell all of a sudden? She has a nice portfolio of sea kayaks - she's well diversified. Just cause there's a bit of a storm doesn't mean it's time to bail if you have high quality assets. :-) DL On Fri, Oct 3, 2008 at 12:12 AM, Doug Lloyd <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca> wrote: Pam, you are sell'n a bunch of your boats. So is it you that's having the liquidity crisis? :-) I think Pam's "liquidity crisis" comes from not being able to get all those boats into liquid; she can only do one at a time. <grin> Craig *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
On Sat, Oct 4, 2008 at 1:01 AM, Doug Lloyd <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca> wrote: > But really, why sell all of a sudden? She has a nice portfolio of sea > kayaks - she's well diversified. Just cause there's a bit of a storm doesn't > mean it's time to bail if you have high quality assets. :-) > Frankly, I don't understand all of it myself. The Sprite, once the centerpiece of her living room, has been relegated to the basement and replaced by the new Express. So perhaps she's running out of basement room. She can't sell the Ice Kap because that's where the cat sits and where I rest my feet and tea cup when I visit. I'm not sure what we (the cat and I) would do without it, actually. The Pygmy, arguably, would make a better living room piece than the Express... all that varnished mahogany and chines. But the Express, is (at least in my opinion... not the cat's) the most beautiful of all kayaks; slender, poised, well appointed; I can understand how it might displace the Sprite (which could be described as somewhat frumpy)... I guess. There is only so much space in any well-appointed living room for kayaks, after all. And, as a hedge against an economic meltdown her portfolio is somewhat lacking. Unlike me, Pam is almost fully invested in low volume boats. Even a small person would find it difficult to live comfortably in any of them (except the old, decrepit, white kayak of unknown ancestry). Unlike my Escape which offers room for a sleeping mat and a tiny galley (I'm considering an LED reading lamp), her boats offer little more than performance and tight fit. Perhaps she needs the money to buy a nice cabin cruiser. :) Craig *************************************************************************** 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 have been pondering the most safety-conscious way to arrange my gear in >my kayak. Currently, I have a length of cord attached to each item. The >cord has a clip on the end which is attached to the kayak. With a scenario >like this, gear cannot be lost unless it is unclipped. The challenge with >this is that if one gets separated from their kayak, they are doomed. > > Perhaps one should tie themselves to the kayak? It seems to me that, > although this would work, it presents an entanglement risk. Thoughts? For deck gear, net bags work best. They drain easily, withstand to a certain degree the stress of wave and surf - unlike solid-sided deck bags. Pockets in your PDF are secure places for small stuff and if a lanyard is required, stows safely with the attached item in the pocket. As for a bailout bag, that has long been a paddler's dilemma. Hip bags interfere with seating and skirts but are attached to you; front deck bags are usually connected by a lanyard - which we are trying to avoid, and are not connected to you; a rear deck mounted bail-out bag might be a safer location but is still not attached directly to you; a big rear PDF pocket might be a solution for some paddlers - with the attendant issues of buoyancy loss and regulation infringement; a bailout bag in the cockpit is effective use of space but there are issues with entanglement at accessing after a bail-out. So, there are no perfect solutions. Tethering yourself to your kayak is a solution, is done by a number of paddlers, can be safe, but should be done infrequently and for certain situations only. For every person that asks me about tethering options and risks, I ask them why they want to tether themselves in the first place and then I ask them what amount of practice they have done in rough water under controlled circumstances to assess their ability to bail out after an unexpected capsize/failed roll, etc., while keeping connected to their paddle and boat. If you have not done some real work in this area, I really don't want to foster tethering solutions as they are more of a backup to other what-should-be core skills. Feathercraft have a nice personal tether line they sell. I prefer a home made system and rarely use it. For myself, I've come to realize that I can only keep so much gear on my person. So, my kayak is my life boat. Hence, the important roll of a person-to-boat tether at certain times. If you do go in the water and do loose your kayak, depending on remoteness of incident and immediate help availability, I weigh heavily the option of good, waterproof communication being on my person. To that end, I have purchased a sub-compact VHF. I shall wait a little longer for the PLB, etc, to get more compact and PFD stowable. I'd consider the SPOT as a deck gear piece of equipment where the buttons are free of unintended pushing (as opposed to a PFD pocket, etc. I'd probably run an ultra-short lanyard. > > I recently purchased a SPOT, and it seems to me that this unit would also > be most effective if clipped to the kayak deck with the logo facing the > sky. One would turn it on when departing the dock. A single keypress > would activate the device, after which point you could forget about it. > One could put this device on their body, but since it works best when the > SPOT logo is facing the sky, you'd have to mount it on your helmet to be > effective. You could mount it on your shoulder, but there is no way to > know if your head is blocking Spot's view of the satelite. Thoughts? > Derek > > PS How do you press Spot's "911" button without removing your neoprene > gloves? The recessed button prevents false alarms, but..... Tough being a modern kayaker, isn't it? Where does my SPOT go, where do I get good signal, did my signal get through? Should I take my glove off and get my finger wet and cold or drown? :-) Doug Lloyd *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
On Tue, Sep 30, 2008 at 10:24 PM, Doug Lloyd <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca> wrote: > > > Tough being a modern kayaker, isn't it? Where does my SPOT go, where do I > get good signal, did my signal get through? Should I take my glove off and > get my finger wet and cold or drown? :-) > That can actually be a real dilemma. Sometimes small things (like taking off your glove and then spending time trying to put it back on again) can make significant impacts. Loss of focus at a critical point. Unable to brace effectively, etc. Times have certainly changed. Thirty years ago I didn't even bother to take a compass. Jeans and a wool shirt were my immersion gear. A $3 plastic poncho was the rain gear. I had war-surplus duffle bags for some of my gear and the rest was stowed in climbing rucksacks in the FolBot. But we weren't out playing in rock gardens in the surf either. Craig Jungers Moses Lake, 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/ ***************************************************************************
Craig and all, I sometimes check in to see what Andrew has to say about things on his Dash Point Pirate blog. Here is what he says about the SPOT: http://dashpointpirate.typepad.com/the_dash_point_pirate_woo/2008/09/spot-satellite-personal-tracker-deception-pass-epic-fail.html Cheers, Rob G -----Original Message----- From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com> To: Doug Lloyd <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca> Cc: glamourpets_at_yahoo.com; paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net Sent: Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:57 pm Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Don't loose yer' gear! Don't loose yer' Kayak! On Tue, Sep 30, 2008 at 10:24 PM, Doug Lloyd <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca> wrote: > > > Tough being a modern kayaker, isn't it? Where does my SPOT go, where do I > get good signal, did my signal get through? Should I take my glove off and > get my finger wet and cold or drown? :-) > That can actually be a real dilemma. Sometimes small things (like taking off your glove and then spending time trying to put it back on again) can make significant impacts. Loss of focus at a critical point. Unable to brace effectively, etc. Times have certainly changed. Thirty years ago I didn't even bother to take a compass. Jeans and a wool shirt were my immersion gear. A $3 plastic poncho was the rain gear. I had war-surplus duffle bags for some of my gear and the rest was stowed in climbing rucksacks in the FolBot. But we weren't out playing in rock gardens in the surf either. Craig Jungers Moses Lake, 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/ ***************************************************************************
Well, well. Isn't that interesting. Since there was water inside his SPOT (and that caused it to fail) and since the SPOT just *has* to be water tight to 3 feet or 30 minutes, then he *must* have abused it by either having it under water longer or deeper. Case closed. Their refusal to grant Andrew a replacement unit under their return policy sounds like Catch-22 to me. If it's broken, you must have abused it, because we don't think it can be broken. Unless they test every single unit for immersion resistance to their standard, this ploy is obviously wrong and their attitude is sufficient for me to not buy one. If you already have a SPOT make sure that if you roll it stays dry. Because if it fails you are not just in trouble, but you will be out a SPOT unit as well. Craig Jungers Moses Lake, WQA On Wed, Oct 1, 2008 at 7:59 AM, <rcgibbert_at_aol.com> wrote: > Craig and all, > > I sometimes check in to see what Andrew has to say about things on his Dash > Point Pirate blog. Here is what he says about the SPOT: > > > http://dashpointpirate.typepad.com/the_dash_point_pirate_woo/2008/09/spot-satellite-personal-tracker-deception-pass-epic-fail.html > > Cheers, > > Rob G *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Craig Jungers wrote: > Well, well. Isn't that interesting. Since there was water inside his SPOT > (and that caused it to fail) and since the SPOT just *has* to be water tight > to 3 feet or 30 minutes, then he *must* have abused it by either having it > under water longer or deeper. Case closed. As one of the respondents on Andrew's site said, "That blows!" Later on in the responses, I think Andrew indicated SPOT offered him a new one for $600, inasmuch as his subscription is valid for a while yet. In contrast, other manufacturers of marine electronics honor that water intrusion rating. Garmin will replace the first GPS you get wet internally. Not sure about the second one. -- 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/ ***************************************************************************
G'Day Derek, TETHER & DAY HATCH I have one ring bolted to the underside of the deck in the day hatch. Attached to this ring is a lanyard attached to a dry bag which is long enough to easily reach the front deck. The drybag contains simple tools, first aid kit, flares and dye. Sliding along this lanyard are 1 or 2 shorter lanyards connected to a mobile phone and sometimes a VHF transceiver. At other times the VHF is tethered to the front deck if its likely to be used a lot. Otherwise I try to keep the front deck clear for maps (also tethered) and sail rigging. In my boat this reduces chance of tangling. Don't know if it would work for other boats. I don't trust my ability with adhesives to glue anchor points for tethers that will stand up to time and surf so use bolts and fibreglass instead. PFD Theres a ring sewn into a water bag pocket on the back of my PFD this is connected by a single lanyard to a pack of miniflares and an EPIRB. I'm thinking of also including water and chocolate but concerned about weight. PERSONAL TETHER As Dave commented I wouldn't wear a personal tether in surf but sometimes wear one when solo and isolated. I believe this would have saved a life in at least one case I know of. Audrey Sutherland is a well known kayaker who uses this precaution and still kayaking in her 80's - now thats soemthing to aspire to! 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/ ***************************************************************************
Derek wrote, One could put this device on their body, but since it works best when the SPOT logo is facing the sky, you'd have to mount it on your helmet to be effective. You could mount it on your shoulder, but there is no way to know if your head is blocking Spot's view of the satelite. Thoughts? ....... Hi Derek, I have placed it in the pocket of my PFD and have found that it sends the signal equally well as if placed on the deck. This in open waters in the sea. Elsewhere I don't know. Once the device locks on the satellites, it makes no difference of the position it is inside the pocket. So I don't worry about having it on deck facing up, and prefer to have it with me just in case. Besides that, SPOT people must be very happy with the great exposure these discussions are giving to their product. Best Regards, Rafael Mexico *************************************************************************** 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've used the SPOT in a few adventure races, and we usually tape it with electrical tape to the PFD shoulder straps. That seems to work pretty well. I really don't think your head will significantly block its view of the sky. It is difficult to read the LEDs when it is taped to your shoulder, however, as well as to verify that you've pressed the correct buttons. On Tue, Sep 30, 2008 at 6:23 PM, Derek <glamourpets_at_yahoo.com> wrote: > > I recently purchased a SPOT, and it seems to me that this unit would also be most effective if clipped to the kayak deck with the logo facing the sky. One would turn it on when departing the dock. A single keypress would activate the device, after which point you could forget about it. One could put this device on their body, but since it works best when the SPOT logo is facing the sky, you'd have to mount it on your helmet to be effective. You could mount it on your shoulder, but there is no way to know if your head is blocking Spot's view of the satelite. Thoughts? *************************************************************************** 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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