RE: [Paddlewise] Leaky spray skirts and the virtuous beer gut

From: rebyl_kayak <rebyl_kayak_at_energysustained.com>
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2009 22:47:47 +1000
G'day and thanks for all the tips,

Steve, I think your suggestion of the vest worn on the outside of the spray
skirt would do the trick. I was wearing mine inside the skirt so a wave coming
down would see a natural opening. Likewise Craig, it was a neoprene spray
skirt so I might try some elastic around the top of the tunnel but will try
the vest approach first. Will have to look closer at the Snap Dragon and Dave
and Darryls Kokatat style double layer paddle top. Dry tops mostly too hot
over here so no worries about style and empannage (good new word that!).

As for rafting up I was with a partner, we were about 100m from the cliff and
it was an 11 second swell so rebound was quite solid. It would have been a bit
like rafting up in the surf. We thought about paddling further out but the
clapotis wouldn't have been much different. It was all manageable and it
seemed better to trade the risk of rafting up for the increased effort of
paddling a sodden boat. Purely personal choice not necessarily the best one.
In those circumstances I really like a clean paddle blade so no paddlefloat
though I always carry one. I really should have recognised the issue earlier
and sorted it out while it was easy to do so.

Anyway thanks everyone, food for thought and some gear maintenance.

All the best, PeterO
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Received on Tue Apr 07 2009 - 05:48:01 PDT

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