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Heya, paddle board thread. Have fallen in love with wing foiling down here in Cornwall which I guess counts as a paddle-board-derived activity? Have done one lesson getting used to the wing - like carrying a big inflatable batman symbol - and we were meant to have a lesson today, but the complete abscence of wind meant our instructor hopped in a speed boat and we got towed around on foil boards getting used to how they fly. It's a very cool sort of magic carpet experience, but murder on the knees - I had a go at standing up but I think doing that properly is a lesson or two advanced for now. The sailing / foiling / general watersports place is 10 minutes away and the instructor and nice admin girl are actually the couple who run the place, so looks like I'll be going back there a lot - if any UK goons want to know more or get some recommendations, hit me up! I'm loving the long distance kayak camping content in the thread; it's not possible to the same extent in the UK as you're never more than about 20 metres away from someone's house here. Going to keep living vicariously though so keep posting!
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Sep 13, 2021 21:06
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Man that must suck. I went on a 3 day kayak camping trip this summer on the Cabonga Reservoir (basically one of the most remote places in southern Quebec) this summer and I haven't had such a feeling of isolation and seen such deep starry nights often in my life. Hope you get to experience it eventually!
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Sep 13, 2021 21:21
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Casual Encountess posted:spent all weekend on a lake in new hampshire on a bunch of toys so now im trying to decide how to make it happen where i live. i dont have a car but i live a quarter mile from a river. Maybe look at an inflatable? There will be compromises vs a rigid boat, but way more transportable without an automobile.
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Sep 13, 2021 23:22
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Epitope posted:Maybe look at an inflatable? There will be compromises vs a rigid boat, but way more transportable without an automobile. see im worried about inflatables. i do a LOT of biking and I have specifically set up my bikes to be as failure-resistant as possible so i can be hammered at 1am and still fix most of the problems, so relying on an inflatable item is a big ask for me. also i suppose I could hand pump, but it seems like thats gonna be a lot. I have a full rear end garage to store stuff in so im not too worried about space. i mean honestly carrying 50 pounds on my shoulders a half mile seems fine. is sit in/on top a taste thing or is it super significant? i'm not a fisher but i love stability and i will be hopefully taking my large dog with me and it looks like the fisher kayaks would be more platform for pup to hang on
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Sep 14, 2021 15:44
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Casual Encountess posted:see im worried about inflatables. i do a LOT of biking and I have specifically set up my bikes to be as failure-resistant as possible so i can be hammered at 1am and still fix most of the problems, so relying on an inflatable item is a big ask for me. also i suppose I could hand pump, but it seems like thats gonna be a lot. I have a full rear end garage to store stuff in so im not too worried about space. i mean honestly carrying 50 pounds on my shoulders a half mile seems fine. You should get a solo canoe or pack boat. They are basically kayaks with a raised freeboard and gunwales making them canoeish, without being so darned big. This holds three major advantages for you: 1. The canoe hull design means your dog has a tub to sit in/ some freedom to move around. It's a lot easier than getting them to sit ON something, or squeezing them into a seat. 2. Similar to point 1... That room /depth means you could possibly even transport your bike and trailer in the canoe. I'm picturing a wicked bikepack/canoe camping tour now. If you do this successfully I will need to know your trailer setup cuz it sounds sweet! 3. Solo canoes and packboats should have detachable yokes that clamp onto the gunwales (or work with an after market one). Allowing you to carry the canoe to the river comfortably balanced on your shoulders. This is SIGNIFICANTLY more comfortable than hanging it off one shoulder at a time. On a well balanced boat you can more or less carry it hands free this way. They can be used with both kayak and canoe paddles, though you'd probably want a longer kayak paddle than you'd otherwise use (like a fishing kayak paddle), but that's dependant on the width of the craft. Edit: pretty nice little video introduction to the concept https://youtu.be/iQBFDyOJ5Ks Math You fucked around with this message at 19:45 on Sep 14, 2021 |
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Sep 14, 2021 19:07
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yeah the wild thing about my bike trailer is its already like 8' and would need very few adjustments to take a canoe or kayak. I figure throwing a thick yoga mat on it for shock absorption would probably be the only thing I'd have to add. i didn't even think about throwing the bike+trailer on board tho that's genius. I would for sure need a different trailer though. sounds like a fun scheme.
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Sep 14, 2021 20:09
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You might even be able to get wheels that strap on to the canoe for portaging/transport and turn the canoe into a trailer!
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Sep 14, 2021 20:20
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A well-practiced J-stroke is a small pleasure in itself and I am a tiny bit judgemental when I see someone in a canoe with a kayak paddle. Doubly so if they've set the feather at zero, triply so if they're holding the paddle upside down.
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Sep 14, 2021 23:58
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ihop posted:A well-practiced J-stroke is a small pleasure in itself and I am a tiny bit judgemental when I see someone in a canoe with a kayak paddle. Doubly so if they've set the feather at zero, triply so if they're holding the paddle upside down. It's okay. I judge people who give me the stink-eye for using a kayak paddle in my canoe. Doubly so if they are tandem paddling, triply so if I see them goon stroking. I'm a single blade fan myself but you have to admit the practicalities of a kayak paddle when solo. I only use mine if I'm tripping with a tandem pair, because frankly that is the only way to hold pace with one, or if I'm putting in a lot of miles. I have tendonitis in my wrists and avoiding flare ups is a pretty big priority for me. Still make sure to put in practice with my traditional paddle though. It's a much more immersive experience, that's for sure.
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Sep 15, 2021 03:55
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Math You posted:It's okay. I judge people who give me the stink-eye for using a kayak paddle in my canoe. Doubly so if they are tandem paddling, triply so if I see them goon stroking. I don't think I've heard this term before but I'm guessing it's someone who takes 2 strokes on one side, then 2 strokes on the other side to fix the 30-degree course swing, and yeah they're the worst.
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Sep 15, 2021 11:44
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ihop posted:I don't think I've heard this term before but I'm guessing it's someone who takes 2 strokes on one side, then 2 strokes on the other side to fix the 30-degree course swing, and yeah they're the worst. A goon stroke is trying to do a J stroke and turning the paddle the wrong way (executing a pry instead). The pry is a very valuable tool but it's not intended for slight corrections and will slow you down significantly. You typically see people doing it when they are first learning how to do the basic strokes because it feels a bit more natural than the J. Some people spend their whole lives never learning the difference though, because it does ultimately turn the canoe.
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Sep 16, 2021 04:42
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Ah I see. Yeah that's how i initially learned the "J-stroke" and it wasn't for years that I figured out the proper way. It's surprising how much energy you lose doing the pry vs the J. I think that's part of the pleasure I spoke about, it just feels so efficient.
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Sep 16, 2021 12:38
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Casual Encountess posted:spent all weekend on a lake in new hampshire on a bunch of toys so now im trying to decide how to make it happen where i live. i dont have a car but i live a quarter mile from a river. What lake? Just curious.
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Sep 21, 2021 18:32
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I've been doing the "pry" stroke because I find the proper J stroke hurts my wrist. I'm probably just doing it wrong. Anyway I did a bunch of canoe/kayak camping trips this year because the pandemic basically cuts off most other forms of vacation. Three canoe trips to Algonquin park (Joe lake, Parkside bay, Pen Lake/Galeairy Lake), and two kayak trips in Thousand Islands. Last weekend (Pen/Galeairy) involved a 1680m portage and the guy renting the canoes cheaped out and got the heavier ones  . That was not fun, but the rest of the weekend was great, saw a bald eagle on Pen lake.
HappyHippo fucked around with this message at 20:49 on Sep 21, 2021 |
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Sep 21, 2021 20:40
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 Had a nice 20km paddle this weekend, said my goodbyes to summertime <3
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Sep 21, 2021 20:53
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Did what will likely be my final canoe camping trip of the year, unless I do something very spontaneously in October. Went to the southern panhandle of Algonquin Park for the first time and paddled from Kingscote to Scorch. Each way was about 9km of paddling, 3km of portaging and 400m of trudging the canoe through a rock and log jammed creek in mid calf deep mud. Well worth it.   
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Sep 22, 2021 22:17
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One of my old college instructors done wrote some stuff about how to make portaging slightly more bearable. https://paddlingmag.com/skills/15-t...4-89720021&ct=t(ptw-2021-12-16)&fbclid=IwAR0CkxMr8Q0J11ULpttWATa8KlFji7edQUPBFXMgTIZ_l_oUzkBQN9iv0tU
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Dec 17, 2021 21:03
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Is this the URL? https://paddlingmag.com/skills/15-tips-to-conquer-any-portage-canoe-how-to/
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Dec 17, 2021 21:45
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Probably yes, but when I click on my link it also works fine.
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Dec 18, 2021 00:07
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Ah, sorry, it looked broken on my desktop. Carry on.
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Dec 21, 2021 18:33
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Hey thread - I'm going to Maui next spring (from San Diego) and I was planning on renting a kayak for a number of days, but then I considered if getting an inflatable kayak and transporting it as checked baggage might be a cheaper/more convenient option. Has anyone else traveled with kayaks this way? Is it a good idea or am I running into a bunch of potential problems that make it not worth it? I haven't owned a kayak before, although I've rented and enjoyed them a number of times, but I want it to also be a regular hobby around San Diego once the weather warms up, so it'd also be one I'd want to keep and use long-term (although I'm not at the point of picking one out yet). Edit: looks like kayaks in Maui aren't nearly as expensive to rent as I thought ($235/week) and they can come with roof racks. So while I'm still looking into getting a kayak or SUP for home I'm probably going to do that. Rotten Red Rod fucked around with this message at 00:00 on Dec 23, 2021 |
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Dec 22, 2021 23:21
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You can get an entry level inflatable for roughly the price of one week of that rental for what it's worth. Even if you think it sucks it's not a huge expense to give it a try. I've owned and used a few different inflatable boats and they're pretty good if you're space constrained. They do have performance drawbacks and can be more annoying to care for but they're easier to store and transport. my smaller one fits entirely in a backpack w oars and all it's equipment and is no problem to throw in the trunk of even a small car. Costco carries an inflatable drop stitch SUP that seems pretty nice. I see a lot of people using them around here
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Dec 23, 2021 09:16
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Yeah but I'd much rather buy a non-inflatable for my home use, since I have the garage space and vehicle for it. Assuming the non-inflatables are generally better quality, of course. I'll figure that out once the weather warms up... Or maybe I should look for winter sales? If those exist for kayaks?
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Dec 23, 2021 21:19
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Inflatables are rad but there's no question there are trade offs. If you don't care about the packability and stowability advantages, rigid is probably what you want.
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Dec 23, 2021 22:50
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Yeah I'm not gonna say they are just as good, if you want a rigid for home use get a rigid one. full drop stitch inflatables are similar performant to a rigid one but more expensive and harder to keep up/more fragile. if you're got the space and transport ability it's not much of a question. and yes there are kayak sales, they have models that change and go out of style or get replaced like anything else.
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Dec 23, 2021 23:00
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I’ve never kayaked before but my soon to be 7 year old son wants a kayak for his birthday so I’m trying to do some research, though not a whole lot seems to be out there for info on kids’ kayaking options. He’ll mostly be paddling it in relatively small lakes around town and at our cabin. I’ll probably end up buying a canoe or kayak to go out with him as well. He’s around 50” tall and around 55lbs so not super small but I’m thinking a smaller kayak targeted toward kids is the way to go so he can maneuver it, though the kids kayaks I’m seeing all seem kind of cheap and there aren’t many to choose from. I’m not opposed to spending more and buying a smaller adult kayak if he’ll be able to use it and grow with it a bit. Anyone have any model recommendations of either kids kayaks or smaller adults kayaks that would be suitable? I’ve found this one which seems to receive okay reviews around the internet: https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/perception-hi-five-6-5-youth-kayak-20ptnuhfvkdskykwppsk/20ptnuhfvkdskykwppsk But I looked at it in the store and I’m a bit concerned it’ll be complete garbage.
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Jan 11, 2022 19:03
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stupid puma posted:I’ve never kayaked before but my soon to be 7 year old son wants a kayak for his birthday so I’m trying to do some research, though not a whole lot seems to be out there for info on kids’ kayaking options. He’ll mostly be paddling it in relatively small lakes around town and at our cabin. I’ll probably end up buying a canoe or kayak to go out with him as well. My neighbors kids (7-12) have cheaper versions of this style and they love em. They play bumper boats, jump from one to the other, have splash wars, load a couple-3 kids up on one, basically just act like kids in the water. They don't have much problem getting up on them from the water either, which is key for a kid. I personally can't speak to that specific one but Perception generally makes really good boats. But you can get a cheaper one that your son will probably love because he won't care about a fancy brand name. I'm curious what you saw in it that made you think was garbage? Injection molded boats tend to have kind of rough edges here and there, except in the case of premium brands and models. The biggest concern to me in terms of quality of a boat for a kid would be hull thickness, because they tend to ram them into rocks, jump on them while they're on the ground, etc. You don't want something that's thin enough to crack.
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Jan 11, 2022 19:16
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Thanks! My concern with the one I linked is less about materials (the build and materials seemed fine) but more about design. It seemed pretty shallow (it’s basically flat) and short. It’s advertised as a combo kayak and SUP so that had me a little leery. Maybe I’m overthinking it. I definitely like the cost better on the one you linked for something that he may or may not really like in the end.
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Jan 11, 2022 20:03
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stupid puma posted:Thanks! My concern with the one I linked is less about materials (the build and materials seemed fine) but more about design. It seemed pretty shallow (it’s basically flat) and short. It’s advertised as a combo kayak and SUP so that had me a little leery. Maybe I’m overthinking it. Yeah, I was skeptical of that design myself. I don’t think I’d choose one as an adult because I want to be in either a kayak or on a board specifically for the advantages of each design. I don’t know for certain but my assumption is that a hybrid design would not make a good kayak or a good board. But for kids who want to stand up and aren’t very still and don’t need to worry about boat stuff like drag and perfect maneuverability they’re actually great because it gives them freedom and confidence on the water in their own boat. Technique and balance can be learned later when they’re older. Again this is mostly my opinion based on being on the water with my kid and the neighbor kids and their friends.
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Jan 11, 2022 20:09
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any ideas when the big dicks boat sales start
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Mar 17, 2022 23:09
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Hi thread. I'm thinking of getting into kayaking and sailing this summer. We're starting to see sales popping up and while I will be renting boats at first, I would prefer to purchase and keep my own safety/safety-relevant gear. Figured I'd ask in the kayak thread as that will probably be the limiting factor for shared equipment. Kayaking will be done in a variety of settings (open bay, marsh, bayous), both fun paddling and angling. Sailing would mostly be on a large bay that will generally be fairly busy with both recreational and commercial traffic. Obviously I will need a PFD, but I'm looking for recommendations or other thoughts on the following in an on-person or temporary mount application: - PLB - Handheld marine radio - GPS with chart plotter (depth/fish finder would be a big plus but I assume that means drilling a hole?)
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Mar 18, 2022 17:03
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A really loud whistle is pretty standard safety equipment.
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Mar 18, 2022 21:56
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ihop posted:A really loud whistle is pretty standard safety equipment. And a way to tether it to your pfd. Also a dry bag would be useful for keeping poo poo dry, and also if "inflated" could also be used as another flotation device in an emergency.
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Mar 19, 2022 01:44
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Spend your early money on safety gear, not electronic gadgets. PLBs and radios and poo poo are no good if you can’t take care of yourself. Get a good pfd. NRS, Stohlquist, Kokatat, are all good. Even Xtrasport has some decent ones. Get a comfortable one that you are willing to wear all day. Arm freedom is nice. Learn how it floats and go swimming in it. A good pdf will eventually feel more comfortable in a boat than being without one. The NRS Ninja is an excellent simple entry level pfd. I’ve been a river professional for 14 years now and it’s my favorite one. The Fox 40 whistle is the gold standard and dirt cheap. I use mine a couple times a year and you can hear them over rapids nearly a quarter of a mile off. Tether it to your pfd somewhere you can easily get it to your mouth but use something that will easily break if it gets tangled. I use a couple light duty zip ties. I’ve popped mine off a couple times and once was a really good thing it did. Dry bags. NRS, Sealine, Seattle Sports, Ortlieb, Jacks Plastic Welding, etc. Don’t cheap out but sales are easy to find. Rash guards and/or good synthetic base layers are not necessary but very nice to have. Depending on water and ambient temperatures, they become necessary. Kayaking is wet in good conditions, so plan on it and use appropriate clothes. A small supply of synthetic rope and line or webbing and a couple carabiners is nice. You’ll want stuff secured in the boat and might want to tie the boat off occasionally. In a sit in kayak, a big sponge is nice as a bailer.
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Mar 19, 2022 02:41
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An invaluable one imo is a paddle leash. If you lose your paddle good luck coming back. edit: also this year I'll probably get a paddle float. I practiced re-entry a bit last summer and in a canoe it's manageable, but in my 10-ft kayak it's really hard. Colonel J fucked around with this message at 04:07 on Mar 19, 2022 |
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Mar 19, 2022 03:32
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Discussion Quorum posted:
I bought the Standard Horizons HX40, mainly because of the price + floatation + submersibility, and like it a lot for saltwater kayaking on Puget Sound.
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Mar 20, 2022 18:53
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If you want a barebones VHF radio that floats and flashes, the GPS Store has the ICOM M25 for $120 shipped which is a pretty decent deal (I just bought one and it seems fine).
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Apr 1, 2022 17:02
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I'm looking for recommendations on a good canoe paddle. I was originally looking at bent shaft, but we go to Diablo & Ross lakes every year in the northern Cascades, and it can get extremely windy and rough on the water there. A friend and I were very close to capsizing several times last year. From the research I've done so far, it sounds like a bent shaft isn't great for rough water. I was looking at the bending branches expedition plus, but reviews seem to be a mixed bag WRT build quality. Any thoughts? Trying to keep it in the neighborhood of $200-250.
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May 14, 2022 05:26
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its all nice on rice posted:I'm looking for recommendations on a good canoe paddle. I was originally looking at bent shaft, but we go to Diablo & Ross lakes every year in the northern Cascades, and it can get extremely windy and rough on the water there. A friend and I were very close to capsizing several times last year. What kind of paddling do you do? So far you've mentioned lakes but the paddle you've picked out is a river paddle with a blade depth that is too shallow to be any good in the rough stuff. If you're only doing flat water you are probably best off with a beaver or otter tail shape. I'd just get what you want, and if you are worried about performance in lovely conditions that you should be working to avoid in the first place, then make sure to have a usable straight shaft paddle in the boat as your spare. I really recommend going to an outfitter and seeing how they feel in your hands. It's a very personal thing and you might be surprised by what actually feels good. There can be some neat surprises too. My favourite paddle was made by some dude related to an outfitter in Algonquin Park and has a unique blade shape that really spoke to me. You'll never find a review of it online though 
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May 14, 2022 11:27
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It's going to be mostly one to three day lake trips for boat in camping. The places we like to go are up in the mountains and tend to get very windy and rough during the day. We're good at setting out early enough to avoid rough water. There's always a chance we run into it, though, especially if we have to portage from one lake to another or wait for the ranger station to open for permits.
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May 14, 2022 16:34
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