[Paddlewise] New Yak for Douggie

I bought a new Valley Nordkapp today; was $1000 off and I got free dockside
shed rental for 6 months so I can gently get back into paddling without
needing to lift a yak on and off a car and also the free "berth" rental was
as a gesture of goodwill by the store while I heal from the loss of my
partner Yvonne too. People have been so good to me in my community. I was
going to order a new custom Etain but don't know how good the paddling will
be with an L4 - L5 fusion/fixation so don't want to spend double for a yak
right now and the boats I have in my current fleet are all Ocean cockpits so
now I have a keyhole boat for easier ingress and egress. I will custom order
a Gemini playboat from Valley when I determine the correct time and get to
demo the boat to see if I like it. I am, and will always be, a Valley boy.
Alaska may have to wait another season though. I also saved enough that I
might buy another Valley yak in case I meet someone new over the next year
or two and want to introduce them to the port but really just want Yvonne
back but apparently that ain't going to happen in this current plan of
reality. One of my daughters want to get into real sea kayaking too.

 

I will move the bulkhead back, add a pod, and hopefully transition from my
previously ruddered Nordkapp (1980) to this newer (2010) skegged yak. I will
add a custom keel strip to the Nordy too and an underdeck pod possibly,
though I have toned down my extreme paddling for now. May save that for the
Gemini when the girls (my two teens) are a bit older and won't be worrying
about me so much. 

 

Life is a bit lonely but life is good and getting better and I will be back
on the water one day where I tend to find my spirituality and meaning and
joy.

 

Happy Thanksgiving to my American pals.

 

Doug Lloyd
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