Paddlewisers, I just completed my sixth Catalina for Lunch crossings, which consist of paddling 19 NM to Catalina Island in Southern California, having lunch, and paddle back the same day, making for a 38 NM day. This time I did it solo. I used a GP for the crossings, and it worked wonderfully. No blisters or sore joints to report the day after, and that was doing it in a rudderless and skegless kayak. My crossing times were pretty good too. Anyway, the video report is at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXmQR5yIIho or you can read the trip report at: http://www.rollordrown.com/ci4lunch.html Duane *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Way to go Duane!!! I'm glad you didn't try to talk me into joining you, because I know I could get there ok, but the return on the same day would probably kill me. Sometimes, being an Old Fart has its disadvantages. Glad you made it without becoming a story on page 58 of Deep Trouble. LOL. Steve Holtzman Southern California __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 3994 (20090407) __________ The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. http://www.eset.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/ ***************************************************************************
Duane, Quite an excellent history of crossings and thanks for posting the video for this one. Several questions: 1) I presume you have GP's of different lengths. For a long paddle like this do you choose a particular length and is that length different from one you would use in a normal day paddle? 2) What is your pattern of eating, drinking and resting during the crossing? 3) Your stats over of 5.5 hr for 19 nm is an average of 3.45 kts. I presume your speed underway is somewhat faster, guessing 3.75 kts or so, still a fairly relaxed pace. In knot meter tests with my own boats I have found a relatively easy pace to be between 4.0 and 4.25 kts, although I have never attempted to maintain this for 5 or 6 hr. Have you tried to do the crossing at a slightly faster speed in order to reduce time on the water? In general, how do you decide on the best speed? Do you think a faster boat would provide any significant advantage? 4) What makes you so confident that you can avoid a large ship in the channel? Is it not difficult to gauge its direction and speed? Jerry > I just completed my sixth Catalina for Lunch crossings, which consist of > paddling 19 NM to Catalina Island in Southern California, having lunch, > and paddle back the same day, making for a 38 NM day. This time I did it > solo. > > I used a GP for the crossings, and it worked wonderfully. No blisters or > sore joints to report the day after, and that was doing it in a rudderless > and skegless kayak. My crossing times were pretty good too. > > Anyway, the video report is at: > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXmQR5yIIho > > or you can read the trip report at: > > http://www.rollordrown.com/ci4lunch.html > > Duane *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Jerry, I'm 5'10" tall and at first I used GPs that were 88" long. In the surf it felt a bit long, so I made an 84" long one, which felt really good for distance too. Since then all of my GPs are 84s, and I use them for everything: crossings, touring, rock gardens and surf. On crossings I try to eat about 250 calories each hour and drink at least every half hour. Typically for the 19 NM Catalina crossings I'll drink 3 quarts of water. I only stop long enough to drink, eat and pee. You may be interested in my group crossing procedures: http://www.rollordrown.com/tips/cross.html I don't worry about actual speed. How my body feels is much more important. On long paddles I try to think of doing walking effort, a pace you could do all day and still enjoy it. On one crossing, a friend took the lead for an hour, and during that time, he really jumped up the speed. Afterwards, I asked him why he paddled so fast. He said his GPS (I hate them) indicated we were going a speed that he didn't think was fast enough, so he speed up to what he thought was a good speed. I told him to "F" the GPS and go by how the body feels. As far as avoiding cargo ships, a few times I've been in the fog and avoided them by listening to their horns, which they are required to blast in the fog. If you can cross a street safely, you can cross shipping lanes safely. It's the pleasure boaters zigzagging all over the place that freak me out. Duane Southern California --- On Wed, 4/8/09, Jerry F <gfoodma_at_earthlink.net> wrote: > 1) I presume you have GP's of different lengths. For a > long paddle like this do you choose a particular length and > is that length different from one you would use in a normal > day paddle? > > 2) What is your pattern of eating, drinking and resting > during the crossing? > > 3) Your stats over of 5.5 hr for 19 nm is an average of > 3.45 kts. I presume your speed underway is somewhat faster, > guessing 3.75 kts or so, still a fairly relaxed pace. In > knot meter tests with my own boats I have found a relatively > easy pace to be between 4.0 and 4.25 kts, although I have > never attempted to maintain this for 5 or 6 hr. Have you > tried to do the crossing at a slightly faster speed in order > to reduce time on the water? In general, how do you decide > on the best speed? Do you think a faster boat would provide > any significant advantage? > > 4) What makes you so confident that you can avoid a large > ship in the channel? Is it not difficult to gauge its > direction and speed? *************************************************************************** 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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