Hi! Just a few comments about this workshop. It probably rained 4 to 5 inches while we were there. The last two days were great. A tent would have been unworkable, esp. on the days that winds over 40 MPH were predicted. Even a 14 foot old travel trailer is very good in this situation. When Craig says he hit the wall and others pitched in, he really means his SOF was built by a committee. I'm sure he will find this to be an acceptable excuse for anything that goes wrong with it. I had told Brian I was looking for the most visible color possible. When I arrived and saw the way the finish ages, I choose yellow rather than pink. He ordered the brightest yellow his supplier could find, a color he had not used before. Everyone thought it was a good choice (probably not as good for a baidarka or a Greenland kayak, though). It should be very visible. Brian asked me to remove the perimeter lines for the photos, so you won't see them on any on water pictures done there. I used reflective line and Midshipman's knots, and a carabineer so I can use the line to tie up the boat, also. Craig for once is being polite and says I demonstrated rescue techniques. I actually managed to capsize (side sculls, my nemesis) and then missed a roll in the boat, not having fitting in yet. I got to show the other students the between the boats recovery and then a heel in rescue. It's hard to get the water out of these non-bulkheaded boats, though Brian did give us some hints on that, too. Does anyone use sea socks in a SOF? I have never been in a boat that carves turns on edge like these SOF's do! Wow! And, I say, Wow! I'm sure Craig will enjoy his SOF though I think maybe the neighborhood 8 year old he has gotten hooked on kayaking may be in it more than he is. It was a rather intense and wearing week. We learned a lot and each ended up with a unique boat and paddle. I'll try to get my photos to Craig so he can post some of them. Pam in Washington State. In a message dated 5/11/2009 9:51:09 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, crjungers_at_gmail.com writes: First of all, it rains on the Oregon Coast. And not just the wimpy little showers you Seattle people are used to. No, when I say it rains on the Oregon Coast I mean that it really rains. For days at a time. Along with a lot of wind. Fortunately Pam had brought her "trailer". I put the word "trailer" in quotes because it does qualify as a trailer but only just. At 49 years of age it kept us warm and dry but at just over 13 feet in length only one of us could stand up at a time. The phrase, "Oh my god I am so happy we aren't camping in a tent!" came up in conversation on a regular basis. I need to take a moment here and talk about the "workday". I can remember two days when I "hit the wall" at about 3 or 4 pm and had to go recover. I was the oldest of the participants at 66 and I have difficulties walking due to an old knee injury so some times, even with a judicious supply of medications, I found it impossible to continue. Brian and the rest of the team worked around this gracefully and efficiently. By this time we really were a "team" of five boatbuilders working together in harmony and good humor so when I needed help there was always at least one or two other members ready to step in and get the job done. A word here about color. Out of the 5 of us only Pam chose to dye her boat a color. The rest of us chose to keep the boat natural (white, actually, the color of the nylon). We all regretted this once we saw Pam's boat which turned out to be a beautiful yellow. The polyurethane seal coat dried overnight enough for us to add deck lines. Brian uses thick leather for a pretty traditional SOF deckline look. Pam wanted grab lines and added those herself with Brian's help. This made her boat look even more like a composite kayak by the time the project was completed. Brian handed out paddling tips, Pam demonstrated some rescue techniques and did some hotshot paddling around the group. I found that my foam seat was too high and using the camping-pad as a seat significantly improved handling as well as being more comfortable (astonishingly enough!). You can see some photos of the build and the finished product on my blog, www.nwkayaking.net. Pam has more and we'll figure out a way to get those on here too. Craig Jungers Moses Lake, WA **************Recession-proof vacation ideas. Find free things to do in the U.S. (http://travel.aol.com/travel-ideas/domestic/national-tourism-week?ncid=emlcntustrav00000002) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). 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