Happy Paddlin'

Eddyline Calypso Sit On Top

2011-12-09T07:25:00.001-08:00

The new 12' Calypso Sit On Top from Eddyline Kayaks. 12' long, 30" width, 48lbs. Capacity 300lbs.

The first sit on top Calypso 12' from Eddyline Kayaks is now on the market and Dan Arbuckle (Headwater's Kayak) and I were able to get it out on the water last week. Dan is 6'1" 210 lbs (red jacket) and I am 5'11" 175 lbs (black suit).

Eddyline took a lot of time getting the Calypso just right and they had plenty of feedback from the various fishing guides and outfitters around the country. You'll notice a very feature rich and customizable deck. The Calypso comes standard with sliding mounting tracks that can accomodate the plethora of rod holders, GPS mounts, beverage and camera mounts that are on the markets. There are 3 hatches on the Calypso for plenty of storage and access. Paddle holders on both sides of the boat for quick parking of the paddle. Sea dog footbraces on the rudderless version and stainless footbraces for the ruddered option. The stern tankwell is shaped to fit milk crates and buckets and also comes with optional tankwell cover for drier storage.

One of the coolest features that Eddyline has worked into the Calypso is that the seat scupper does not drain straight down into the water but is instead plumbed to drain into the forward foot compartment scupper. This means no more splashes straight into your seat and a much drier ride. Add two scupper plugs into paddler's cockpit scupper drains and you have a totally dry ride for colder water paddling when drainage is not needed.

Eddyline's carbon shaft from Swift Paddles has been used to make a "no-pinch handle" that is strong and beautiful.

Hinge Hatch--easy to open and keep open for on water access. Rods can be stored easily down inside the hull for surf landing. The hatch is "gasketed" for dryness.

Notice the small access hatch behind the paddler. Also a really easy place to store a fishing rod for surf landings. This hatch (along with the hatch in the cockpit) also make accessorizing and after market installation of gadgets a snap with the Calypso.

I really like these nylon seat clips--they are flush and accomodate all the different seat clips that are out on the market. The ruddered version of the Calypso will come standard with two flush mount rod holders behind the paddler. These can also be ordered on the non ruddered version for additional cost.

Optional rear tank well hatch keeps gear dry and looks way cool!

We have been very pleased with the suction mounts from Ram Mount. Tom placed this on the boat 3 weeks earlier and after a couple trips to the water and various toys attached it was still holding strong! The benefit of the high gloss/low porosity Carbonlite surface.

Track Mounts are excellent for allowing custom placement and choice of your favorite fishing, photography and navigation tools.

Project Ouch!

2011-04-29T08:31:00.000-07:00

How tough is that material?

I have heard a lot of mis-truths about thermoforming and the material that Eddyline calls Carbonlite. In a past blog I illustrate how easy Carbonlite is to repair. But how tough is it?

There are many types of abuse and each type has a different outcome on your kayak. Everyone says that a Poly boat is the toughest yet it is the worst for abrasion and UV damage (shape retention and longevity).

For 99% of Eddyline's customers, the current lay-up and material thickness does a great job of balancing the durability vs weight trade-off. Eddyline wanted to remove the light "weight" emphasis that is so important on the market and make a heavy duty version for impact zone paddling and rep abuse. Just how thick of a sheet material to use for impact zone abuse is the question at hand.

I've done most of the things you will see during this season's Project Ouch to my demo boats over the years. They hold up. I decided to have a special Samba made up just for me to abuse. If something does break we will turn it into a chance to learn about repair. Durability of thermoformed boats is just like any other material. How thick of a lay-up? What kind for reinforcements? What kind of abuse?

There is no "best" material but just tradeoffs. I love having a quiver of personal boats so I can choose the right tool for the job without any compromise. In my garage are boats of every material and they all hold up differently depending on the abuse.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FIRST INSTALLMENT OF PROJECT OUCH

A Good 'Ol Fire

2010-11-09T19:44:00.000-08:00

As snow begins to fall in central oregon there is still reason to get outside and hang on to the last few nights under the stars. Just the other night my close friend Colby had a going away party. He is heading to Hawaii to start up Emotion Kayak's distribution on the islands. Colby is the real deal and he doesn't use an evite to get people to his party. He just sends a photo:

This photo led 100 good friends to a big clearing in the woods. Enough said...

Emotion and Jim Snyder in Japan

2010-10-06T08:43:00.001-07:00

http://ameblo.jp/init003/entry-10668830228.html

Eddyline Samba Review

2010-09-04T11:51:00.001-07:00

I finally was able to get the Eddyline Samba in some wind and waves. I've been really looking forward to this boat for this type of day paddling. Just messing around near the beach...

Compared to its predecessor, the Merlin LT, it has more generous leg room and a lower back deck. The bow is sharp and cuts right through the waves without being to "sticky" to swing around in a hurry. One of these shots shows how well the water just peels off the bow. A really nice knife like feel.

The Samba had enough acceleration to jump up to cruising speed quickly. Its shorter length and low stern kept it unaffected by wind. I found the stability and edging extremely predictable and when I caught a few of these small waves I was able to easily control the bow and play a little on the way down the wave. I did not need to use the skeg this day at all.

Eddyline Samba in action

2010-08-22T09:01:00.000-07:00

Eddyline Samba in Limited Edition Color Sunset Orange

2010-08-13T18:51:00.000-07:00

Just picked up the newest kayak from Eddyline. The Samba is gorgeous. Mine weighed in at 42.44 lbs on the climbing gear scale that I use. I'm thrilled with the limited edition color--I'm calling it Sunset.

Rockpool Kayaks now available at Scappoose Bay Kayaks

2010-05-25T08:44:00.000-07:00

Scappoose Bay Paddling Center is pleased to now offer the new Rockpool Alaw Bach TCC!

www.scappoosebaykayaking.com

They are even offering a special for the first month!

British Design merges with the best in American kayak manufacturing. The Alaw Bach Thermoformed Composite Construction (TCC) are shipping all over the world as more and more paddlers are realizing the benefits of this type of manufacturing:

Zero Waste--all extra material is sent back to the supplier of the material. The manufacturing process is much cleaner than a fiberglass production.
Zero Gel Fractures--the fragile gel exterior of a composite kayak is replaced with a hard acrylic outer skin.
Automated manufacturing that takes the variability out of the kayak. Uniform thickness (Rockpool uses the thickest material on the market for rough water conditions)
52 Lbs
Ease of Repair--see how easy it is to do HERE . Touch ups, fills, fractures--all much faster than a composite repair

I'll be there June 4th and 5th! Give Scappoose Bay Paddling Center a call for more information.

Western Inventory

2010-05-20T07:03:00.001-07:00

Get what you want when you want...

We bring in full container loads to the West to help meet our dealers quick inventory needs with freight savings.

Updated 7.03.10

Bend OR Available Inventory

Emotion Comets-Yellow, Red and Blue

Emotion Spitfires- Yellow, Red and Blue

Emotion Steatlth- mixed colors

Emotion Comotion-red and blue

Grand Slam Angler- Mustard, Yellow, Green

Canoes

Esquif Avalon Green

Esquif Prospector 16 Red and Green

Esquif Presage Yellow and Red

Esquif Heron square stern Green

Esquif Canyon Red

Mistral 16 and 17.5

Burlington WA RubyCreek Boathouse

See www.rubycreekboathouse.blogspot.com

Bend Kayak Sculpture

2010-05-06T08:04:00.001-07:00

I happened to go by this new sculpture going up next to the Bend Parks and Rec Castle (I mean office) along the Deshutes River. I had heard about the artist doing this (can't find his/her name). I think Eddyline feels honored that the artist chose their boats to use and they do look pretty cool shooting into the sky. But, I also had some mixed feelings.

The Bend Parks and Rec office in town sits on the most prime real estate in town and this statue is on a roundabout on the way into their parking lot( which is used by many paddlers). The new office was constructed during the economic collapse and it appears that no expense was spared. The park around the building is nice and the geese are going to love the fresh surface. For me, the grace of a kayak or canoe is in its ability to help me escape our cement trappings. They are quiet crafts that allow us to foray into nature and then escape sans footprints. I kind of felt sorry for all these stationary boats that will never feel the water. I guess that is the point of Art...makes you think. And when I go around a roundabout, I'm usually thinking about absolutely nothing. Perhaps most people will pause a moment and wish they were on the water in a kayak instead of in their car. Right before they are rear ended by the car behind them looking into the sky!

If you have heard any of my soap box ramblings on a demo beach then you know that sunshine is the enemy of all of our Gear (including ourselves). I've seen what kayaks look like when stored outside full time for years on end.
Get down and take a look at this while it is still shiny and new. Perhaps I'm over thinking all of this!

Here's a new one...

2010-05-05T07:19:00.000-07:00

Alder Creek Bend becomes Tumalo Creek Kayak and Canoe

2010-05-04T07:42:00.001-07:00

Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe changes its name to Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe: New name, same friendly staff serving Central Oregon for over a decade

Bend, OR – It’s official, Tumalo Creek has unveiled its new name, new image and new website in an effort to further emphasize its local ownership and Central Oregon location.

“We are not the same company as Alder Creek anymore,” said owner Geoff Frank who bought the store from the Portland company in the winter of 2008, after serving as general manager for eight years.

Frank wanted to choose a new name that had some continuity with Alder Creek, the river near Portland that flows into the Sandy River, for which the original Portland stores were named.

Tumalo Creek flows into the Deschutes on a section of the river known by local kayakers as the “Riverhouse run,” the stretch from The Riverhouse Hotel & Convention Center to Tumalo State Park.

“I have a lot of fond kayaking memories of that spot where Tumalo meets the Deschutes,” said Frank. “After coming off the Class 4, I like to stop and paddle up Tumalo into this pretty little canyon, and then there is lots of fun, poppy water down below to look forward to.”

This summer, Tumalo Creek will be offering a wide range of beginning flatwater and whitewater kayak classes, summer camps for kids, a music series/demo day the last Wednesday of every month, and a Stand Up Paddleboarding race series every Wednesday in July and August. Please see the website for more details.

About Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe:

Tumalo Creek Kayak and Canoe has the largest selection of whitewater kayaks, sea kayaks, recreational kayaks, paddleboards and canoes in Central Oregon. We also offer a range of tours and classes to improve your kayaking skills. Whether you want to paddle the whitewater rivers of the Cascades or canoe across placid, high mountain lakes, our super friendly staff of paddlers are here to help. Our locally owned and operated shop is located next to the Colorado Bridge off SW Industrial Way, right on the Deschutes River.

Joys of the Road

2010-03-17T18:32:00.000-07:00

Second time in 10 years that the Siskiyou Mountains on I5 south in S. Oregon has gotten the best of me. About 7 years ago I blew a transmission. Today, at literally the exact same place, I felt the drive train come apart under me as I ascended the mtn with F350, 22' enclosed trailer, and Truck Camper all depending on it.

I had seconds to slide over to the shoulder. Then the fun started. For some reason my parking brake was also fried. This meant that I had to sit in my car with both feet on the brake and phone for help. Thanks to the State Patrol Officer that arrived to help "block" the tires. Forty minutes later the super sized tow truck was there. I love AAA RV Plus Plan!!!!

They towed me up the pass and then turned around and descended back to Medford OR to Crater Lake Ford. I was reminded by Crater Lake Ford that there are still some folks out there that truly practice the art of customer service. Totally awesome. One thing led to another and the White F350 that has been with me for 218,000 miles was traded for a slightly used F450. Bigger!!!!!

The irony of what it takes to promote human powered craft all over the west.

Pic taken from below the truck on the side of I5

Stohlquist Descent PFD and Add -a Buoy

2010-03-09T20:21:00.000-08:00

Descent $199.95
Stohlquist's newest rescue pfd features so many new design elements from Stohlquist:

Wrapture Foam--the ultra soft foam has been cut pre-curved to fit your body. The jacket molds right to your body even before tightening down the signature cross chest "cinch strap".
Contoured and Reinforced Nail Cloth Shoulders: The shoulders curve away from the neck to avoid unwanted contact. Free floating with counter suspension secures the jacket against the body.
Self-Centering 1 1/2" black oxidized stainless O-Ring
High Capacity, self expanding front pocket will fit camera, Stohlquist Bullet Bag Throwbags or added bouyancy Add-a Buoy (see below).
Ventilated lumber pad
Gripp-Loc rubberized surface interior non-slip panel for zero ride up.

Stohlquist Add-A-Buoy $24.95

Increases "face-up" tendency and adds floatation in rough conditions.
Can also improve fit of the Descent.

Stohlquist Bullet Bags Sea Tow $54.95 WW Bullet Bag $49.95

WW Bullet Bag

Rockpool Alaw Bach

2010-01-03T10:46:00.001-08:00

First Rockpool Alaw Bach MSRP $2999

Thermoformed Deck and Hull. Extra thickness and strength for the rough and tumble.

First US Dealer: Penguin Paddlers Redding and Rocklin CA

Why we don't paddle

2009-10-26T06:23:00.000-07:00

Why We Don’t All Paddle. Why We Never Will.

Chances are if you are an avid paddler you have at one point evangelized the sport to everyone you know. “You just HAVE to come kayaking with us up to the lake…” If you have done enough of this you have found that it is not easy pulling a human off the couch. Who is to blame them? Couches are super comfortable. They usually have food close by and are a wonderful vista for tv watching.

It takes a lot to get to the water with a kayak or canoe. If I’m after exercise, I can be on my bike and back home before I’d even get the boat off the car at the put-in. The paddle outing is an Excursion. It is just waiting for an excuse to not be executed. Too hot, too cold, too windy, too much time, too much to do. At the checkout counter of life, paddling is not an impulse buy. You can just put it off until next time, the next season or never. It is like the garbage bags you keep forgetting to pick up at the store. Maybe next time.

Accessibility. The greater the access the more likely you will find paddlers. I was once amazed at how few kayaks sell in the Bay Area of CA. There seems to be water everywhere. However, access is sparse, roads are crowded and very few live right on the water. Way too much work to just go relax on the water. The fastest growing kayak segment in this area is kayak fishing. These enthusiasts are used to working a bit to get out on the water. For them, launching a kayak is way faster than their old motorized fishing boat. Now they are saving time and easing their access to water. Their access has improved through the kayak.

I use a few tricks to improve my chances of getting out on the water. I try to keep a boat on the car and gear in the back as much as possible. I motivate myself by knowing that it doesn’t take much to be the only one out on the water. I’ll drive further, endure a little weather and stay out later. While I’m cruising along on the water by myself I now take delight that the bicycle is easier for most and the couch is even easier.

River Retreat Sunday and Monday

2009-10-05T07:53:00.001-07:00

The River Retreat was a blast. We had perfect weather for five straight days. I was so happy that so many people were willing to take time and travel to get together. The conversations that erupt when so many passionate people get together to share in the sports and business we love.

I understand that many shops are still busy or had other plans but what could be better than this...

I took about 60 pics of Tom Strauss from Emotion. He was smiling in every one of them. Try doing that with someone else you know. I bet Tom wins everytime.

One of the many basecamps to hang out in.

Ed Vater from Bending Branches and Aquabound Paddles showed up with Bacon Wrapped Shrimp and some great stories up northern Wisconsin Christmas BBQs. Ed made a lot of friends with these delectables.

Moon Mountain Ramblers rocked

My Dad showed these Northwesterners how to steam 50 head of corn at once over a fire. They were perfect.

Tom liked the 30 lbs of Salmon. We enjoyed fresh Salmon all week.

A highlight for me was paddling with Tom Derrer from Eddyline Kayaks. We huffed and puffed our way upstream before enjoying the lazy float downstream.

River Retreat 2009 Set Up Day

2009-10-03T08:11:00.001-07:00

We payed our bills last year at the retreat with weather so we were rewarded with beautiful weather this year. I have been traveling so much that the riverhouse needed a year's worth of yard work packed into seven days. My dad flew out here on Tuesday and we have been running ever since.

The support crew and some of the closest friends from all over the west arrived. The Moon Mountain Ramblers made the trek over from central Oregon. They entertained an eager group
of us. Tom, Lisa and Denny brought the new Shasta down from Eddyline with a trailer full of other Eddylines.

My dad fine tuned his midwest tradition of steaming 30 head of corn in a steel drum over the fire. Steak, Chicken and Veggies off the grill!

More to come!

Outdoor Retailer Show On Water Demo

2009-07-21T06:34:00.001-07:00

The trade show for Outdoor Retailers comes early this year so we all left our posts in the heat of the season and headed to the heat of Salt Lake City. The on water demo takes place the first day of the show. Here are some pics from the day.

The on water hydration station from Emotion Kayaks.

Andy Knapp Memorial Paddle.

A perfect day for Costa Del Mar to help people "see what's out there".

Tom Strauss of Emotion Kayaks is ready to play.

ESP Outdoors and Penguin Paddler's Demo Evening

2009-07-14T08:03:00.000-07:00

What a blast we had a Whiskey Town Lake just west of Redding CA last Friday night. The weather could not have been more agreeable. The lucky people that call this area their home are fortunate to have nice warm water to play in. It just makes you want to get out messin' around in boats...

Owner of Penguin Paddlers/ESP Outdoors, Garth Schmeck took some time to show all the cool ways to roll his new Greenland boat. What a fun way to spend a Friday evening.

Here are some underwater vids that show the body mechanics of various front and back sculling braces and rolls. Thanks Garth...you make it all look so fun. Ain't that the point...!?

Spitfire Kayak

2009-07-14T07:54:00.000-07:00

I had a great time showing Northern California Kayaks the 8' Spitfire Kayaks. Head Instructor, Del Davidson, is really excited to use the Spitfire as an introduction to the sport of kayaking craft. Specifically, he think that it will work great in a pool course he teaches that emphasizes the ease of re-entering a sit on top. He also hosts kid's kayaks camps and plans to use the Spitfire to be a great launching point for young new paddlers.

Del had no problem making the boat go where he needed it to go and was impressed with the capacity of the 8' Spitfire.

Bending Branches and Aquabound Rendezvous, St Croix WI

2009-07-04T15:17:00.000-07:00

The entires sales force all flew in from our own hamlets and territories to meet at the Aquabound & Bending Branches Paddle factory this week. I know that everyone had to put a lot on hold back in the home turf but it was well worth getting together.

Everyone should have a hand made wood paddle in their quiver. They have the benefits of natural flex, comfortable on the hands, smooth in the water. In the under $200 price range I don't think there is a better choice for kayak paddles. Mother nature had it right all along.

The last time I toured the factory was in February of 09, shortly after the merger of Aquabound and Bending Branches paddles. A lot of new machinery, equipment and raw materials had just been moved from British Columbia. Everyone at the factory had already put in 2 exhausting months and yet there was still work to do. Viewing the factory this week was a wonderful "show and tell" of how much can be accomplished in such a short time. All the paddle materials were now neatly organized in large industrial shelves. The various machinery had clearly been whirling all season and the paddle craftsmen/women had proudly mastered another bag of tricks.

Bending Branches/Aquabound can now build to order the entire wood, aluminum, fiberglass and carbon paddles all the Osceola WI facility. Every day, yesterday's orders are shipped!

Put a pile of enthusiastic paddlers and industry insiders in a room together for two days and ideas begin to rain like it has been out west this spring. Everynight, we buffered the intensity of the day's meeting with good wisconsin fried cheese curds and ale.

The final day of the meeting left us with enough time to take a lazy float down the St Croix River. What a great spot to have in your backyard. We paddled and joked all afternoon. I enjoyed being on a river that has so much history with the trade, timber and native aspects of our country. Like any good Fourth of July paddle, we finished up with a grill out at one of the many parks that line this National Wild & Scenic designated river.

Eddyline Repair: Thermo Form Repair, Carbonlite Repair

2009-03-27T15:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a fracture from this kayak being pinned against a piling with a lot of water pushing against it. No one was hurt and this kayak will be as good as new in one hour.

Here is a detailed step by step video and photo tutorial on how to repair thermo-formed kayaks. This repair was completed in less than 1 hour with materials easily available at any hardware store or even Walmart.

Here's what you will need:

1. Devcon Plastic Welder: This is the adhesive that is used to seam and bulkhead Eddylines. You can get this from Eddyline or find it at most hardware stores and even...Walmart.

2. Fiberglass Cloth: 2-3" wide Fiberglass cloth can be purchased from Eddyline or found at Marine stores. The Eddyline stuff is especially nice because the sides of the cloth are closed stitching and won't fray.

3. Carboard Working Surface

4. Piece of Rubber to Spread Adhesive.

5. Hobby Pigment: Used for coloring Devcon Plastic Welder adhesive for the exterior repair. Krylon Fusion Acrylic Spray Paint can also be used by spraying small amount on glue.

6. Rubbing Compound for final sanding. 400, 800 and 1200 Wet Sand Paper for finishing.

6. Masking Tape: Keeps it all clean and your work within the "lines"

Clean repair area of kayak with rubbing alcohol.

Apply Devcon Plastic Welder on one side of the tape and user your rubber squeege to spread evenly to entire cloth.

Pick up this strip and apply wetside down to the inside of the damaged surface.

Wait a minute and then add and spread Devcon Plastic Welder to the exposed "dry side" of the cloth.

Repeat the same process for the second patch, covering the first patch.

Move to the outside of the repair and use a dremel tool to create a "V" where along the fracture. This will receive pigmented Devcon Plastic Welder for the exterior cosmetic repair.

After filling the "V" with pigmented Devcon Plastic Welder, you can use a razor blade to take down the extra adhesive before it hardens.

Back to the Water!

For Those Who May Need More Detail:

I use the above repair materials for repairing Royalex Canoes and even Composite (Glass, Kevlar and Carbon) Kayaks and Canoes. The reason I prefer the method and materials described above is that the materials store easily in the field and mixing the adhesive is a cinch. Using conventional polyester resins and hardners like MEK (a known carcinogen) in the field is not only hard to mix correctly but also more cumbersome to carry and store after use. Devcon Plastic Welder is really an amazing adhesive that cures to full strength in 20 minutes. In the repair above we use Devcon Plastic Welder as the "resin" to laminate glass to the inside of the kayak. We also use devcon plastic welder mixed with a small amount of hobby pigment to match the color to the outside of the boat. This step is not necessary in the field.

The repair materials pictured and used above are small enough to even fit in my Life Vest as a field repair kit.

You can also just use Devcon Plastic Welder as a filler for scratches and gouges:

First lightly sand or dremel the gouge to be filled. Then clean the area with rubbing alcohol.
Squeeze a little Devcon Plastic Welder on to a working surface and add a little pigment to color match the color of the boat surface. Acrylic Hobby Pigment works fine but I prefer Krylon Fusion Spray Paint because it is easier to find around town and can be used for spray painting my name on bridges. I'll just give a little spray to the Devcon Plastic Welder as I'm mixing the two parts.
This colored Devcon Plastic Welder is great for filling gouges and scratches. I have even used it to rebuild the ends of the boat if you have a very well used boat.
Once you have filled the gouge you are working on you can use a razor blade to scrape off the excess.
Then you can used wet/dry sand paper to smooth the surface
If you are really a polisher, you can use a rubbing compound to give it the final shine

How Tough Is Carbonlite?

Carbonlite is harder than gel coat (composite kayaks). Carbonlite boats will not scratch or gouge as easily as a Fiberglass boat. I think that Carbonlite does even better on glancing impact than a fiberglass boat that can get spider fractures. Loaded Impact and Torsional Flex is more debatable and probably unique to the individual injury. In a rough surf zone crash you might end up doing repairs on both glass and carbonlite. Different types of repair...and in my opinion a glass boat is more difficult because spidering gel cracks are a real pain.

Emotion Mojo

2009-03-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

Emotion's Mojo is a very stable 12' sit on top kayak that is available in a basic or angler version. One of the neatest features of the Mojo is the large rear compartment that can be used as a rear facing child seat. With a child or pet in the seat behind, the front paddler can make an easy forward stroke.

Emotion Kayak Tandemonium

2009-03-22T11:28:00.001-07:00

Emotion Tandemonium
Emotion's Tandemonium is the family sportsmobile. You can paddle it solo, tandem, or load it up with the whole family. In the video below, two over 200 lb paddlers are shown in the Tandemonium.

In the video below, I sat on the bow seat facing the two paddlers above. At a total weight of 585 lbs, the Tandemonium still cruised right along proving its stability and load capacity. We were having a ton of fun with this boat. The Tandemonium would make a great rental kayak or family boat to leave down by the water. If you are looking for a lighter and smaller tandem, Emotion offers the 12' Comotion.

Spitfire Kayak

2009-03-22T10:36:00.000-07:00

Nick from Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe Bend OR, treated us to a test paddle last week of the new Spitfire Kayak from Emotion Kayaks. This little 8' value kayak did just fine with the current. I think we are going to see a lot of new paddlers with this kayak.

Nick (6'1" 200lbs), having fun in the Spitfire Kayak.

Emotion Kayak Temptation

2009-03-22T10:29:00.000-07:00

Emotion Kayak's Temptation

Here's a video of the new Temptation from Emotion Kayaks. The fine gentleman paddling the boat weighs in around 200 lb proving the boat has plenty of stability. The Temptation just received Paddler Magazine Buyer's Guide 09 "Recreational Pick of the Year"! Emotion also offers an angler version of this boat called the Stealth. The Stealth has 2 flush mount rod holders and 1 front mounted Scotty rod holder.

I think that the Temptation is one of the most versatile sit on tops that Emotion offers. It has a very predictable lean to it and tracks exceptionally well for a 10' kayak. The kayak has a built in seat back and a sculpted seat that offers a lot of comfort and great water drainage.

Spitfire Kayak

2008-11-10T13:32:00.000-08:00

Spitfire Kayaks have introduced their first model on to the market and I just had a chance to get it out on the water. Spitfires were designed to introduce people to kayaking at a very affordable price. The boat is fully equipped and has a lot of nice features for the money--mounted seat back, sculpted footbraces, stern deck bungees, drain plug, and carrying handles. The molding of the boat is extremely clean compared to other models at the same price. What a looker too!

I wish they made these when I was looking for my first kayak on my grade school allowance!
I found the boat stable and easy to maneuver. Best of all it fits right in the back of the SUV, truck or van. Now there is no excuse for not being a paddler!

Eddyline Journey Review

2008-11-10T13:10:00.000-08:00

I've been paddling Eddyline's new Journey. At 15'6" and 24" wide, this is the perfect hybrid for both touring and day to day paddling. Eddyline uses the larger cockpit on this boat which can be equipped with or without thigh braces. The boat fit me perfectly with thigh braces (5'11" 170 lbs). Eddyline's new seat system (pictured below) allows for the paddler to customize fit and boat trim by moving the seat forward or back. I really like that this seat can be adjusted for forward lean and seat back height on the fly. For those who like a clean boat, you can even remove the entire seat for cleaning or maintenence.

The Journey was quite manueverable, edged with ease, and accelerated like any touring kayak should. The Journey is equipped with an adjustable skeg which can help with wind management in bigger water. I found that I only needed to use the skeg slightly in a downwind or quarter down wind. The adjustable seat can also help with adjusting your trim for the day. There is also ample storage for weekends or lighter expeditions.

The Journey combines the sensibility and fit of the Equinox with a lot of the performance chararistics of the Fathoms. Another great boat to help round out the line!

River Retreat Day 2 Night 2

2008-10-06T20:05:00.001-07:00

Looking down river from inside the house.

Seth capturing a moment of sunshine up river. Thanks for the Artwork!

Bill Walker makin' it happen on the grill.

Sarah and James Decker all geared up and ready to go!

Eric Wilborn lookin' good...even with an upside down paddle!
Brett Conrad from Stohlquist brought a bunch of donations for the treasure hunt. He made going up stream look easy. Thanks for everything Brett and Stohlquist!

a spot in the sun for Bill.

Moon Mountain Ramblers at the Retreat

2008-10-06T17:16:00.000-07:00

River Retreat Night 1 and Day 1

2008-10-05T22:03:00.000-07:00

For 8 straight days there was perfect sunshine in preparation for the Cowlitz River Pickin' and Paddlin' Retreat. I mowed, built trails and campsites, and stocked the fridge and cupboard with plenty of good food. Though it started raining on Thursday many dedicated paddlers, friends and musicians traveled through bad traffic and heavy weather on Friday and Saturday to the retreat.

The Moon Mountain Ramblers set up on Friday and really tore it up after a great BBQ of chickent and brats. Folks were arriving all night and some braved the weather to set up tents while others decided they would sleep right where and when they stopped dancing. Eddyline Kayaks and Stohlquist WaterWear both arrived with gear and donations for the attendees. Some great friends of mine from Seattle and Portland also joined in. The Ramblers played 2 sets and then late night antics and improv jams lasted into the early morning hours...like any good festival! Olympic Raft and Kayak, Alki Kayaks, Kayak Academy and many other great paddlers around the NW also came to check out the house and river for future events. We missed all the stores and staff that were unable to attend but understand that the first big storm of the year takes some of the thrill out of camping.

The paddling on Saturday was a lot of fun. The rain broke some in the afternoon and we paddled up river looking at a nice rainbow. The rain had increased some the pushiness of the river. Thankfully, everyone was in good gear and the few swims we had could turn out to be just good fun. The upstream treasure hunt tempted several contestants to paddle into some hard to get to areas and challenge themselves with the promise of free Costa Del Mar Sunglasses and Stohlquist WaterWear. All this created quite a hunger. Steaks and fresh salmon were grilled to perfection with the help of the crew with great sides and dessert to go with.

Esquif Square Stern

2008-09-15T11:26:00.000-07:00

Just picked up a new 2.5 horsepower motor to power the Esquif Cargo square stern canoe. The neat thing about a sqare stern canoe is that it still paddles well. Unlike a larger motor boat it is easy to get this boat off the car and into the water without the need of a boat ramp. I took the boat out on the Cowlitz River with my dog upfront for ballast. As I got more experienced with the boat and motor, I was able to use outside leans to turn the boat. This allowed me to just keep the motor straight and then use my body to turn the boat. I also played with ruddering the boat with my paddle. The combination of leaning and ruddering really worked well. Of course, I was also able to use the motor to turn too.

To keep my dog from jumping back toward me I lashed his leash back and forth across the seat behind him. I was able to cover the distance with the boat that would have taken me about 4 times longer to cover. I turned the motor off and floated and paddled for awhile too. The boats was easy to paddle.

Emotion Kayaks

2008-08-29T11:07:00.000-07:00

The new 10' Temptation and Stealth Angler from Emotion is so predictable edge to edge that I see the boat great on rivers and rough water. Anyone can paddle this boat. Often times 10' sit on tops can only handle smaller paddlers but this model can accomadate any size paddler.

Emotion's Tandemonium. It is stable and big enough to put the whole family on. It reminds me of the type of boat I would have loved to have growing up. Swimming off it, dogs on board, maybe anchored as a "fun island". It can be paddled with 1, 2 or 3 people.

Esquif Canoes

2008-08-13T07:48:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to be representing Esquif Canoes for the West. The crew at Esquif has the passion for the sport and had a lot of great buzz surrounding them at OR. They specialize in WW, River Touring, and Square Stern Royalex Canoes. Esquif has also been innovating over the last several years and now have 3 boats made of out of Twin Tex which is a laminated Poly Propolene and Glass combination that offers Royalex-like durability with a composite feel on the water. Nice!

http://www.esquif.com/2008/index_en.php

At the OR Open Air Demo, I was able to paddle the new Breeze (15' solo canoe) the Raven (new Bob Foote do it all WW solo) and the Mistral 17.5. All boats really hit the mark. The Raven was so smooth from edge to edge. The stern and bow of the Raven have plenty of volume to keep it dry and stable end to end. I see this as the perfect boat for beginners who don't want a big barge but still want predictability. The Breeze was the most stable solo that I've paddled in some time while still being fun to paddle. I see the Breeze even making a mark as a boat to paddle with a child or dog because of the fuller bow and stern. The Mistral 17.5 expands on the Twin Tex offering from Esquif. A great choice for the family.

The neatest thing about Esquif is the passion that everyone that works for the company has. So refreshing. I'm happy to be part of it. I plan to have multiple demo boats through the west in various locations. Nick Jacobs will be helping with clinics and instruction throughout the west.

Outdoor Retailer Show Day 2 & 3

2008-08-09T22:00:00.000-07:00

This year the show discontinued use fo the paddler's tank in exchange for the "paddler's plaza" area that had couches, computers, and samples of many of the new products out on the market for 2009. I was able to get a look at the new Infinity from Current Designs that will give larger paddlers a choice in the british styling. Wilderness Systems have been showing a couple of all graphite kayaks (Zephyrs) that are pretty stealth looking. The finish work looked really nice. I also saw an Airlite long kayak (name?) from Wilderness that was not as nice looking as the composite. Time will tell if they can get this catagory off the ground but I saw a few mistakes in the construction that Eddyline had once made year's ago and since corrected. Secondary sealed skeg boxes, a better working skeg cable/handle, smoother parts needed around cockpit coaming. These were "show" boats which can sometimes not represent the "end" version so we'll probably see improvements in these areas once the Airlite boats reach the stores.

I was pretty booked with appointments the last two days with the lines I represent. It was fun to see some of the excitement around Esquif Canoes. I'm going to bring back several demo models from them to start showing people. I'm really looking forward to paddling the Raven and setting up a square stern for running around the cowlitz. Werner Paddles have come out with a new website and catalog that are really full of cool content. They also had a new $130 high angle but inexpensive paddle that should find some customers. I really liked that Bending Branches have changed the color of the telescoping ferrule to black. It really goes with the graphite and glass shafts.

more to come...

Outdoor Retailer Day 1

2008-08-07T21:07:00.000-07:00

Just completed day one at the Outdoor Retail show here in Salt Lake City UT. Yesterday consisted of setting up the "Open Air Demo" up at Pineview Reservoir about 1 hour from Salt Lake City. The water was nice and warm though the location was a bit cramped as a last minute location change forced smaller booth spaces.

So, here's what was new and notable:

Bending Branches has a nice new carbon shafted/wood bladed canoe paddle called the sunburst. It has a nice grip and is super light.

Emotion Kayaks came out with a new 10' sit on top called the temptation which is probably one of the most comfortable sit on tops they have made so far. It has an integrated seat back and a very contoured seat arrangement. Very stable yet easy to edge a bit. I think this will be a great rental and entry level boat that should handle most conditions nicely.

Pak Boats completed an all new look for their folding kayaks. The deck material is a nice polyester fabric with a much more modern look. The seat on the XT 15 was THEE most comfortable kayak seat that I have ever set on/in. Great boat! I'm very excited!

Esquif Canoes Has a new solo 15 foot canoe that is extremely stable. Any one can paddle this boat and I think it has a lot of potentional as a Solo plus dog or child. The new Raven by Bob Foote has one of the nicest and inviting feels for a solo WW canoe. The shoulders of the boat were very predictable and it looks really dry. I'll be owning one for sure.

Legacy Paddlesports has added to their new prop driven peddle kayak line and they also had 2 motorized kayaks. Here we go....

Stand Up Paddle Boards Last year there were a few at the demo and now BANG! Too Many to choose from! Many times during the day there were more people practicing their stand up skills on these than in kayaks. Seems like the new craze, but the market is already saturated as everyone jumped on the band wagon. In related bandwagon crazes, Crocs are still around and people are still wearing them. Yuck.

Current Designs added a couple of CanYaks (hybrid canoe/kayaks type boats) to their line. They also have a long sit on top touring kayak that looks like it came from the Solstice line of boats. Pretty full featured.

Confluence was on the far end of the beach and I didn't go check out what was new. I hear they have a few thermo formed boats. I did see a cool looking new hatch on some of their boats that looked like a combination rubber hatch with handles to open it.

All the new boats, paddles and now paddle boards were out to try. I thought that attendance of dealers was down. The overall buzz around the beach is that most of the manufacturers are finally losing interest in this OR show. It really costs them a lot of money which eventually just makes its way as increased product costs for consumers. Maybe I was just listening to like-minded individuals as I think that this show is one of the least creative and over produced ways to meet with clients. Plus, besides today, the OR show is under big lights in the Salt Lake Convention Center. Boring...

I'll try to get more details tomorrow. One thing for sure, prices are going up...

Alki Kayaks Demo Day

2008-07-19T06:57:00.000-07:00

Toward the end of last month I had one of my favorite demonstrations of the season at Alki Kayaks. It was one of the first nice days of the summer so a lot of people were just out having fun. I didn't mind that we were not as busy as I hoped because the tours for Alki Kayaks (http://www.kayakalki.com/) were all full. Would you really want to talk to a rep when the day looked like this?

You have to go check out Alki Kayaks. Greg and his crew are about the nicest folks you'll ever meet, and they have captured the "day at the beach" feel even way up here in the NW.

Fixed Just in the Nick of Time

2008-07-08T18:15:00.000-07:00

My last trip to CA treated me to 3 days broken down in Santa Cruz CA. True to the form of Santa Cruz, I was homeless since the truck was in the shop. What a treat. Basically, the Spider Joint on the rear differential was shot. I wandered the town of Santa Cruz with the dog and found that you can't really get a hotel that allows dogs in Santa Cruz. My favorite part of Santa Cruz was everything west of the low tide mark. Everything east of that tide mark must have been really cool 30 years ago.

I finally settled into my lodging in the back of my box trailer on top of life jackets. No heater neated as the trailer stayed nice in toasty from heating all day. I missed 3 solid days of work but had fun "on the road" in Santa Cruz.

San Francisco's Aquan Fest

2008-06-29T14:50:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from an event I attended a couple of weeks ago in San Francisco. It was the first year of AquanFest which celebrated everything water. I met a ton of people who were being exposed to paddlesports for the first time and by the end of the day they had caught the bug. The night before the event, I helped the race team set up a course all the way around the lake. It was a really coolo course in that there were only select spots where you could pass people and then other spots where you would have to pull in single file. This reminded me of those roller derby courses. The race then went off with a bunch of excitement as the racers made 5 laps around the course.

Stand up paddleboards were also really well represented at the event and I had a good time playing on one for a few minutes. Standing on the water is a cool perspective but give me the glide of a fast hull any time. I see the stand up boards being a ton of fun in the ocean though.

Pak Boat 16

2008-06-29T12:32:00.000-07:00

Folding canoes and kayaks are becoming a wiser decision with fuel prices jumping and our living spaces getting smaller. I started repping PakBoats this year and after several months of playing with the product I have to say that I'm quite satisfied. My interest started as I was searching for the perfect boat to pull behind my bicycle for the "green tour" that I'm planning. The green tour has been delayed slightly as I await a new Bicycle Trailer from Equinox Bicycle Trailers (http://www.equinoxtrailers.com/) and try to line up dog care while I'm away. The Equinox trailer is ideal because it will break down and fit into a carrying case for bus or train travel!

It took me about 1 hour to put this boat together for the first time but I think that part of the delay was that at the demo I was at putting it together I was stalled several times by interested customers...all asking how long it took me to put it together! I think I could now put the boat together in less than 25 minutes. I have now paddled the boat solo and tandem and I really like the performance. The optional padded knee pads are a must if you are going to kneel. The provided seats are quite comfortable. I would not hesitate to take this boat on any canoeing adventure. It is quick to respond, quite stable and easily solo paddled even in wind.

REI Spokane Demo Day

2008-06-13T19:54:00.000-07:00

REI's Demo Day last Sunday in Spokane had some of the rare sun in one of the coldest and rainiest spring/early summers I've been through. I was thrilled to get some of Stohlquist's new Nemo Child's PFD on some young paddlers.

This was also one of the few events of the season where I wasn't presenting a boat line. Certainly easier on my back! I was able to have more "conversations" which I really enjoyed versus adjusting foot braces the whole time.

REI did a great job getting a good crowd out to Fish Lake (near Cheney WA). I was amazed that people were really after some higher end boats and paddles that unfortunately REI did not have represented in the store. It was great to get this kind of feedback from their customers. I know that REI can special order so hopefully people were able to order the boats and paddles that they were after.

Columbia River Paddlefest

2008-06-04T10:29:00.000-07:00

I like this event in Eastern Washington on the Columbia River because paddling is really a relatively fresh activity to the locals. It is exciting to see people get turned on to paddling for the first time. I specifically enjoy the fact that some of the crazy dogma that seems to follow every paddlefest around doesn't yet exist here. But every year, we see more dry suits and more people working on their 2 finger back deck roll while not seeming to smile anymore. What is it with taking a sport to the higher level that seems to take the fun out of it?

I'm biased because I grew up on the Mississippi River in MN. We paddled around there because it was fun and it was a good way to get to the sandy island that we could run up and down. My boat carried a lunch and some water and maybe some sand toys. The Columbia in Eastern WA has that same "feel" of the Mississippi where I grew up. Everything revolves around the river. The river gives life to the crops and livestock. People go straight to the river on their day off. The parks are situated along the river and the river is the commercial draw for both tourism and industry. I enjoy seeing the locals have that "Eureka" moment when they realize all the fun paddling they can have on "their" river. What a unique new way to enjoy something they have been around all their lives.

We had great weather during the day and a powerful wind storm to make packing up interesting. Thanks to Matthew from http://www.seakayakshop.com/ for his help and http://www.columbiakayakadventures.com/ for their retail support of the products I sell. REI should be given big Kudos for sponsoring this event.

Bamboo enjoyed his new rubber Corn toy...a fitting toy for an agricultural area like E Washington.

Burn baby Burn

2008-06-03T11:24:00.000-07:00

98 miles from home, I enjoyed the sight of flames coming from under the hood while cruising down the road. Thankfully, I had a fire extinguisher in the camper and was able to put the fire out. My alternator decided that was enough and presto...instant fire.

Thankfully, AAA RV Plus will get you a tow for 100 miles for free. After a few hours I was back home. Always keep a fire extinguiser around and get AAA. And if your vehicle starts on fire, make sure you get the dog and Martin guitar out first...then put out the fire.

Flathead Lake Wayfarer's Park

2008-05-21T08:29:00.000-07:00

After 9 years, Mother Nature finally decided to deliver the good weather for the Flathead Lake Paddlefest. Five of the regional stores work together to put on this event to promote the fun of paddling at one of my favorite work spots on the circuit--Wayfarer's Park, Flathead Lake MT. Silvermoon Kayak Company, Whitefish Sea Kayaking, Rocky Mountain Outfitters, Sportsman Ski Haus and Glacier Sea Kayaking should all be complimented on playing nicely together on the same plot of sand. Unfortunately, the park restricted access as the park filled up. Talk about an external limitation! Shame on MT Dept Fish and Wildlife! There was plenty of parking all over the park still available and we were not overwhelmed on the beach.

Highlights:

1. Dubside came over from Seattle to share his passion and skills for Greenland Style Paddling.

2. Emotion's Grand Slam was a big hit with the aspiring kayak fisherman. My personal review of the boat to come soon.

3. No British enthused Romany/NDK paddlers chose to race their boats for $500 against the Fathom. Dang! I could have used the gas money!

4. I put together the Pak Boat 16 Canoe and paddled out into the 3 foot waves and wind. The boat handled perfectly.

5. I stayed an extra day to hang out in this great park and for once take some time to paddle and play some guitar at one of the cool spots I travel to.

A perfect day on the water

2008-05-21T08:11:00.000-07:00

What a perfect day on the water. Paul and his wife Kathleen helped set up this custom day on the water with me and Eddyline Kayaks. We did a little learning but mostly we had fun. I really enjoy getting on the water with people who are all about fun first and product second. By this time of the season I can get a little road weary. Thanks to the gang in Portland for recharging my batteries! Hope that you can keep paddling part of your adventures this summer and into the future. Super Kudos to Kathleen for learning how to self rescue! I'm impressed!

What did we learn:

1. Wind management--how does that skeg work? What does wind do to our boat?

2. Edging and bracing-- now these boats aren't tippy, just RESPONSIVE!

3. Boat design 101--the tradeoffs. Matching the right boat size to the right motor (paddler) and how to ground your boat selection in reality--What are you going to do 90% of the time?

4. That good friends on the water is the most important thing! After all this is our leisure time...why take it too seriously!!!

Thanks Friends!

Non-Motorized Boat Day at Scott's Valley

2008-05-05T07:28:00.001-07:00

Now this is a great idea! Wolf Creek Wilderness and I went down to Scott's Valley Lake (near Grass Valley CA) to put all the toys on the beach and have a day in the sun. I had a blast with the laid back atmosphere and lack of sales pressure. People were able to enjoy glass like conditions on the lake all day. I assembled my Pak Boat Puffin 12 and took it for a spin. It went together in about 20-30 minutes but I think the next time it will take 10-15 minutes. It was super comfy and actually paddled quite well. There is no reason why you can't have a boat in your car at all times with Pak Boat.

Thanks to the Boy Scouts who helped me load some of my gear...they have saved my back twice this year!

Wish everyday on the lake could be non-motorized!

Penguin Paddler's Repair Clinic

2008-05-03T07:35:00.000-07:00

We had a great repair and care clinic at Penguin Paddlers last night. We showed gel coat repair on a composite boat and repaired a small fracture on a Carbonlite boat. Hopefully people were able to see how easy both repairs were and that the shiny light boats on the market can be repaired to like new condition with just a few basic materials. For the Carbonlite repair I had a few basic materials:

Devcon Plastic Welder (I find it at Walmart or any hardware store)
Fiberglass Tape (you can get this at west marine or Eddyline can send you some)
Krylon Fusion spray paint or hobby pigment
3M Marine Sealant 5200 (for sealing bulkheads or skegs)
Rubbing Alchohol
Dremel tool
Wet Sandpaper (various grits)
Masking Tape

We talked about:
Lexel--A flexible clear sealant that is easy to apply with a caulking gun.

Eddyline details the repairs of Carbonlite boats at their website
http://www.eddyline.com/eddyline-kayaks-care-and-repair.php

or you can come to my next repair and care clinic.

Remember, the best thing you can do to take care of your boat is cover it up when car topping or storing outside with a Danuu Canoe and Kayak Cover and/or 303 UV Protectant.

Thanks to everyone that attended and braved my caffinated presentation! A special thanks to Garth, Jasper and all the Penguin Paddler's staff for their continued excellence in paddlesports service! In the words of Borat: Great Success!

This post is intended to show how easy it is to fix thermoformed kayaks. Themoformed canoes have been used and repaired for whitewater canoeing for years. The ABS plastic gives strength to these canoes is the same way it does for Carbonlite Eddylines.

Penguin Paddlers Super Kayak Swap

2008-05-02T11:33:00.000-07:00

I braved $4.50 diesel to drive down to Sacramento CA today to help with Penguin Paddlers yearly spring kayak and canoe swap in Rocklin CA. There are some great prices on boats and paddling equipment! There is a sweet Dagger Impulse for $200, PFDs at 20-30% off. High end boats from Eddyline, Valley, P&H, Wilderness Tempest. I've come across a bunch of used Eddylines that customers have brought in. Some of the prices are really fantastic. Some real gems. There is great energy today and I expect to be real busy tomorrow. Right now, Bamboo and I are sitting outside amongst the sea of boats and working away on the computer.

Check out Penguin's website at http://www.penguinpaddlers.com/ . We are at the Rocklin location. Tomorrow morning I'm going to go paddling with his club members. Tonight I'm going to feature repair and care of thermo-formed boats and then do a little parking lot camping to be here bright in early in the morning.

Another great way to kick off the paddling season! Give me a call at 503.572.3848 if you want me to look for something for you. I'll haul it anywhere from here to WA (for a little charge).

So you are going to a Demo Day?

2008-04-17T09:32:00.000-07:00

Tis the season for demo days around the country for people to "test drive" the kayaks and canoes they are interested in and try to make a decision on which boat is right for them. I've been adjusting footbraces for 9 seasons at these events and I've made a few observations.

Most new paddlers tend to focus their test paddle on 2 items:

1. Stability

2. Seat Comfort

While these may certainly be important I think that Stability is often a feature that is given too much attention as one's stability in any given boat is quite dependent upon their TIB (Time In Boat). Seat comfort is important but there are a lot of after market customizing that one can do (skwoosh gel seats, hip pads, heel pads).

So what other factors might be important to you when shopping for a new boat:

1. Warranty
2. Comfort
3. Weight
4. Application--is the boat the right dimensions for the job? Who are you paddling with? Hauling gear?
5. Repairability
6. Durability (see the blog below on different types of abuse)
7. Company History/Proximity/Reputation
8. Aesthetics
9. Price
10. Dealer service
11. Lifespan and resale value

I'm sure there are plenty of other concerns and factors out there. The "Demo Day" will be much more valuable if you can get a handle on what is important to you. Try to prioritize how flexible you are on these various factors. Look at what 80-90% of your use is going to be. We don't all own a moving truck because we are going to move every 5 years.
I guess I do own a moving truck so if you see me at a "demo day" how 'bout a little love? I just spent 45 cents/mile in fuel to show you my boats and let you give them a try.

Bell Canoe Northshore

2008-03-27T21:00:00.001-07:00

I haven't mentioned much about canoes lately as they have been out of my business life since last August. I was reading some thread the other day on some other chat board and someone was asking about this boat. I don't know how many people own one but I'm lucky enough to and it is the s#%!

You can solo it, paddle with 3 or 4, load a ton of gear in it and still feel like you are in a Bell Canoe and not a barge. I hear that they are doing great work these days so that makes me happy. Hopefully they are churning out more of these.

Basically, it is a Northwoods with 2 feet added in the middle (20.5 ft). Empty, it is still a joy to paddle. Like any high shouldered boat, it responds to leans effortlessly and presents a lot of different "feels" depending on the load you have in it. What does that mean? The more you put in it the wider the boat gets. So, when it is empty it is sporty and quick and when it is loaded the stability increases with the added width by sinking the boat into the water. This is the David Yost/Bell thing and once you try it you should be hooked. Now you just have to figure out where to get the $4k from!!! I wish I had the money all the time but come summer time you won't be able to get me to stop talking about the NorthShore. Mine is NOT FOR SALE!

If you have any questions about this boat I'd be happy to talk. If you don't see the need for one you should go away...

Pickin'

2008-03-27T20:31:00.000-07:00

messin' around...the theme song of my head somedays...

What the road looks like

2008-03-27T20:25:00.000-07:00

The 32nd hour of road trip. Who needs friends when you can have this much fun by yourself?

I was losing my mind at this point...20 hours straight driving...MT is way too long to be by yourself. Especially when your truck burns 40 cents/mile of diesel fuel. The irony of burning this much fuel to promote PADDLESPORTS!

Eddyline Equinox Review

2008-03-24T09:18:00.001-07:00

The “instant gratification” boat from Eddyline Kayaks. If you are looking for a boat that is stable as you are learning but will allow you to develop your skills later then you should take a close look at the Equinox. At 14’ and 25” wide the Equinox is long enough to glide but still easy to manage in rougher conditions. The boat features a multi-chined hull which presents a very stable primary surface and predictable edging with a little effort. The stern rides low to reduce windage and provide good tracking. The Equinox represents that popular class of boats that fall somewhere between light touring and performance recreational.

Just because a boat is recreational doesn’t mean that it can’t be efficient. In my opinion, this is where the Equinox, and any of Tom Derrer’s designs really shine. They are just really efficient. 30 years of design experience! What makes a good wine? A good meal? A good engine? It is the people involved in the design and production. This should factor into your decision and unfortunately the magazines out there can not fit this into a column of numbers. It is not just about weight, width, length and price. Tom Derrer likes to ask customers, “how do you like a boat to feel”? When you can answer that question you are ready to make your own decision. The Equinox is a good place to start.

Eddyline uses the larger sized cockpit on the Equinox. This cockpit is easy to get into but still has thigh braces for bracing and edging. If you are looking for even more room you can have Eddyline custom install the large cockpit without thigh braces. The Equinox can be outfitted with the adjustable backrest for a lot of support or the back band for a more mobile back support. The seat is padded with a removable seat pad. Many paddlers will add extra foam under the removable seat pad to adjust their height in the boat. Any good paddling shop should offer to outfit your boat with additional padding so that it fits your body just right.

Compared to the Merlin LT, the Equinox has much more room and is more stable for the beginner. If you are looking for a smaller package with a similar feel to the Equinox you might take a look at Eddyline’s 12’ Skylark.

Poor Man's Loop

2008-03-21T10:05:00.000-07:00

Bending Branches Factory Tour

2008-03-19T17:53:00.000-07:00

Made in the USA! Everything all the way down to the raw materials. And they know what they are doing after 30 + years. Many of the employees at Bending Branches have been there for close to 2 decades. Building paddles is both an art and a science and these guys have PHDs in both. Wow! The beginning of a paddle...well actually it starts with trees but I figure you know what a tree looks like.
The lamination is grooved for Bending Branches "Rock Guard" tip to be poured in.

Paddles are hand beveled. This is where the "Art" part comes into play...

Post varnish paddles. These have been dipped several times and are now drying before being boxed.

A composite blade is formed from compression molds and serious attention to detail.

Moonlight Basin/Big Sky

2008-03-10T16:50:00.000-07:00

Montana has been tough on me over the years. The weather can come up in a hurry and I seem to always get my share of wind and cold when I visit. This week on my way to Emotion Kayaks and Bending Branches in Wisconsin I was able to spend a couple of days at the new largest ski resort in the US--Big Sky/Moonlight Basin. Step aside Vail...this place kicks your overpriced behind!

Years ago I had been to Big Sky with more typical Montana weather but this time we got fresh snow and then blue skies to follow it up. Just to the North of Big Sky, linked by several runs and lifts, lies the new Moonlight Basin Resort. Moonlight offers good cruising down low and the advanced terrain of the Headwaters above it. The hike to the chutes of the Headwaters will get your heart pumping and the various chutes and cliffs that you can drop into are the real deal. You can also drop into the chutes on the other side of the Headwaters that lead you to the Lone Peak Tram on Big Sky. The Sky is the limit on top of Lone Peak. If you have the skills and equipment you can hike right off the back side of Lone Peak. Just looking down there was enough for me!

The groomers off the Ram Charger lift at Big Sky are a ton of fun and big enough to lay down some high speed super carves. We put our name in at the lodge at the top for lunch and then took a run instead of waiting in line. By the time we got back to the top our table was ready. We were staying at Moonlight so we took a nice cruise home across all 2 resorts. Moonlight is just getting started but I really enjoyed the lack of lift lines and attitude.

The one down side is night life. Locals were adamant that they get some good shows but I think you go to Big Sky/Moonlight for the terrain and beauty of the Northern Rockies. After a day of riding there I didn't need to go any further than the hot tub.

Eddyline Merlin LT

2008-03-09T17:20:00.000-07:00

Lightweight and sporty, the Merlin LT is one of my favorite boats for light tripping and play. At 13.5’ and 42 lbs, the LT is easily transported from the water by one hand as you would carry a suitcase! I especially like that the LT will fit into my truck camper for stealth boat transportation when I want to be sure no one will take the kayak from my vehicle when I’m hiking instead of paddling.

The low profile is unaffected by wind and I find it easy to control in even the roughest wind. The cockpit placement is slightly back of center which helps drive the stern deeper into the water. A lot of boats under high winds have a tendency to have their sterns pushed down wind causing the kayak to turn into wind. With slightly more stern in the water the LT will not be pushed off course and the boat had no problem tracking. In following seas, the seat placement gives easy paddle reach to the stern for draws and prys. The relatively short LT can be “teeter-tottered” to weight the bow or stern by leaning forward or back. One fun exercise on a windy day is to lean forward in the boat so the stern slides downwind and then lean back to have the bow blow down wind. You can literally go in circles without paddling!

At 6’ and 170 lbs I fit quite snug in the Merlin LT. I have size 10 feet and have to be careful what footwear I use with the LT so that I can still move my feet around. The LT is a favorite for smaller paddlers because the deck is low enough to allow for an efficient stroke. The paddled seat is comfortable. Eddyline offers two seat back options either a back band which is great for movement or a backrest which offers more support and height. If you are wondering weather the LT is for you, I recommend that you pay the most attention to the thigh brace region. The low deck can make for a nice fit but if you have Lance Armstrong legs you might not be comfortable.

The LT will reward beginners as they improve and will satisfy advanced paddlers looking for a sporty ride.

The LT has front and rear bulkheads so there is not a problem taking it into bigger waters where you might want flotation. Less weight and less windage make for great control in rough water and on rivers. When “less is more” the LT is the boat I grab.

Hibernation Ends...The Season Begins

2008-03-02T22:35:00.000-08:00

OK...I disappeared for awhile...

Well not really. I've been getting the vehicles ready and the new website http://www.happypaddlin.com/ .I also snowboarded the great snow at Mt Bachelor and checked to make sure Hawaii was still there. The month of February is about charging the road warrior batteries.

And now the first trip of the season:

Bend OR--Seattle WA--Spokane WA--Missoula MT--Bozeman MT--Bending Branches Factory Wisconsin--Emotion Production Facility Milwaukee WI--Back through MT and then Idaho--Bend OR.......5000 miles!

I wish I had Bamboo's responsibilities on the road...

Show Favorites

2008-01-31T18:15:00.000-08:00

It took me a few (powder) days back here in Bend to get my pics together from the OR show. The kahuna long board with big kahuna stick is the coolest new way to get a paddle workout while skating. My favorite things collide! In the end, it was great to see friends and colleagues. Here are a few of my favorites that will end up in the gear room:

Zbest inc (http://www.zbestinc.com/) make some really cool products. This flexible and portable solar charger is going to come along with me on the G0 Green Tour on bike in July. The panel folds up into a small case about the size of the laptop. The coolest feature is the ipod sized lithium battery (upper right) that you charge with the solar panel. The battery stores the power which can then be used to charge your laptop at any time. The 55 watt is the model that I'll use.

WhiteWood came out with a telescoping aluminum trekking/skiing pole with a multi-LED light on top of each grip. That is so smart!

Comfy sleeping bag suit...

The wild wild world of the Outdoor Retail show!

New Year's Resolution 2008

2008-01-27T12:55:00.000-08:00

Learn how to use the Force

I'd be happy with learning how to float a spoon through the air or maybe even bending it briefly. I wouldn't want my Force skills to go the route of Neo from the Matrix. In addition to the God complex he developed he also really changed his style from computer hacker metro dude to vampire-emo and I'm not really into those sunglasses he was always wearing. I'd be more into the skill of the young padawon learner jedi. Maybe a little jumping around a forest like the degaba system in Empire Strikes Back. Come to think of it, I also didn't mind the way Luke's style went in Jedi. I bet those black wool cloaks are hard to come by though.

Outdoor Retailer Show

2008-01-25T23:04:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year that the Outdoor Industry gathers under the fluorescent lights of Salt Lake City's Convention Center to show off all the new toys for the coming year. Retailers come from all over the country to view these products with all the deep scrutiny and care they can fit into a 1/2 hour appointment before running off to the next booth. Outdoor companies from all over the world ship crates and crates of rustic cabin-like displays to create that earthy, outdoor feeling that they are trying to associate their line with. In the end, the free beer brings the most attention to a booth at the end of the day. One thing for sure...whoever puts on this event is making major dough. The rest of us are just paying the admission.

Why the collective Outdoor Industry can not abandon this waste of energy, time, resources and money is beyond me. I've heard that some of the big companies out there spend over $500,000 just on their booth every show. 1 Million $/year! Why not create a Co-Op of rationale companies, combine these resources and buy 5000 acres of land that can be used year round for education, outreach, kids camps, conservation, and then twice a year a...

OUTDOOR "OUTDOOR RETAILER SHOW"

...Where we can actually try the boots, use the tents, look through the glasses, sleep on the pads, paddle the boats, use the headlamps...and actually camp out at night instead of standing on cement under evil lights. Most of the booths here at the show are really large houses constructed on cement for 3 days. I'm not joking. The "Life is Good" Log Cabin Booth is two stories high and twice the size of my house. Why not a "Life is Good" real Cabin on this land that can house their team and some of their favorite dealers.

They say 15,000 people come for this show and that the convention center in SLC is one of the few large enough to fit everyone in the country. All the hotels book, All the pseudo-beer in Utah is consumed, all the flights book, all the dining books, and all of the companies expense accounts get their workout. This cost makes its way to the goods we sell and you buy. 6 months later it will happen again. And ZERO equity is created. Buy land, build green buildings and change the way we do this!

But alas...I'm here cause I do like my job and the companies I represent. I love the friends I've made over the years and the sports we are so passionate about.

Here are some shots of Costa Del Mar Sunglasses and the up and coming Dude Girl clothing company outta Truckee CA.

More to come on what caught my attention in the next day or so.

Eddyline Factory Tour

2008-01-08T19:26:00.000-08:00

My dog Bamboo just had to get up to the Eddyline factory to check out how the 08 crew was doing. Despite storms and snow all over the west, the gang at Eddyline is staying busy. Today a load of boats was being loaded for England. I grabbed a couple of nice new boats that were headed to their new home at Popeye's Marine and Kayak Center (Everett WA).

The cleanliness of the Eddyline Factory really is something spectacular. Years ago when Eddyline made glass and kevlar boats I had to leave Bamboo in the truck because resin and composite scraps just always seemed to find their way to his mouth or coat. Since switching over to thermal forming, the factory is so much cleaner in the air and on the ground. All leftover scrap material is gathered and sent back to our material supplier for a refund.

Here are the molds that heated Carbonlite is formed over. Suction vacuum plumbing is run all through the underside of these molds that pull the heated Carbonlite sheet into all the especially tight areas (skeg handles, deckties, cockpit, etc).

For some reason these molds remind me of the Carbon Frozen Han Solo from Empire Strikes Back/Return of the Jedi.

Pictured below is the "Heart of Thermal Forming. Notice the cooling fans that quickly cool the sheet after it is formed on a mold. The Oven (not pictured but to the right) feeds the heated sheet to the holding tray where it is formed over the mold. Sorry about the lack of detail but this is as close as I can show you in case you are a kayak industry spy...

The extruded seam is installed on the hull as Bamboo inspects the easily stored parts behind that allow for Eddyline's Industry Applauded "Just in Time" manufacturing.

Another Eddyline being proudly built in the USA! Master Builder Rick always has kayaks on the mind.

Now to me, this is Willa Wonka's Candy Factory...Look at all those tasty treats!
The "just in time" box that allows Eddyline to ship one boat quickly and safely all over the world. We are not worried too much about showing the competition this system because they have repeatedly chosen to not invest in the packaging of their product. Eddyline has worked hard to guarantee safe arrival of their kayaks for their customers. Not everyone can win "Gear Trends Top 10 Outdoor Manufacturer/Supplier" award.

Bamboo is happy to be part of the crew!

Angry Water

2008-01-06T10:34:00.000-08:00

I just drove along the S. Chehalis and Chehalis River up in Lewis County WA on my way to pick up a kayak that I'm delivering to the Bay Area. I drove the backroads from the Cowlitz River all the way up to the Chehalis and was awestruck by the level of damage to farms, homes and roads. A few weeks ago there was certainly national news coverage of these floods because they extended all the way east to the I5 freeway causing closures. Now that the freeway is moving again the media coverage has dropped but the damage is still very present and real.

Just west of Rainbow Falls State Park on Hwy 6, I saw several large bridges that had been completely crushed and lying in the river. The river was still very angry around these bridges. The Chehalis was deeply muddied and carried debris into log jams and leftover bridge pilings. Several of the farms just south of this area were completely washed over leaving tractors, trailers and even barns just covered with mud.

I was able to speak to one of the local Fire Dept Commissioners. He said that 11 houses in the area had been condemned. One man about my age lost his entire house and the local community was going to help him build another one as FEMA was only able to kick in just over $3000. Although smaller than other natural disasters around the country recently, even this flood has changed many people's lives for a long time.

We are so lucky to have the abundant natural resources out here in the NW but with the recent storms in the NW and now down in CA we are reminded that we are living in and with this natural world. These rivers must be respected at all times even when we are able to play on them.

I was planning on paddling some today but after the sights of today's drive I just may let the river calm some before going out...

OK...I had to get out on the water...it was moving swiftly but how can you sit inside when you have this guy looking at you!

Bamboo is sitting with me in a 10' Emotion Edge Kayak. This is the best littlest boat for bringing a dog with you that I think is out there. It has a large cockpit and plenty of depth for hauling pets.

Biking with the Dog

2007-12-19T13:52:00.000-08:00

This is the set up I've been using to haul the dog and my other toys around town. I've had about 100 lbs in this trailer and have been able to bike all over my home town. Unfortunately, I see the day that I'll out grow the capacity of this one but for now it is a fine training vehicle.

I'm becoming obsessed with Bicycle Trailers and I've found that there are many others folks out there with the same interest. Other than the kiddy trailers that we see all over, you have to dig a little bit to find the cool "manly" trailers out there. It seems to be a small grass root base of people that See the Light on Bicycle Trailers. But once you start using one you'll find yourself curious about all the potentials.

Running my daily errands around town with this set up is great. I recently overloaded the canoe trailer that is pictured below so now I'm in the process of creating exactly what I'll need this summer from scratch. The paddleboy trailer is great for a quick trip to the water but I'll need something a bit stronger to tackle the open roads of the Pacific NW this summer. Come to think of it I'll have to get a bit stronger too!

Place to Paddle: Russian River Healdsburg CA

2007-12-06T11:04:00.000-08:00

Just got back from a trip to California and was able to get on the Russian River located north of San Francisco. We paddled from Asti to Alexander Valley Campground. Some of my best friends in this industry live in these parts and they are always ready to paddle. Every type of boat was represented on this trip and smiles were plentiful. The water was low from lack of rain but we were still able to make it down the river without much rock grinding.

The Russian River around Healdsburg CA is just a lot of fun. Not WW, the gentle moving river has a few obstacles and fast moving corners for excitement. The wildlife keeps your eyes up in the sky and on the bank. Our trip was led by the Blue Heron in front of us who would fly ahead and then stop to fish until we caught up. There are several narrow sections that wind through dense vegetation and several side channels to explore if you are daring enough to see if your boat can get through them.

I thought that this section of the Russian River had a real nice current for instruction with several mild play spots for beginners to learn eddy skills and wave play. With a faster boat this section of river would also be a lot of fun to paddle upstream. We were lucky enough to have several schools of Salmon swim under our boats to show us how this is done.

Despite the traffic and pace of California, we were the only ones on this section of river that day. I'm always reminded how great boating is for this. Just a few strokes and you are away from everyone. Two days later I was in Sacramento sitting in a truck at a crazy intersection during rush hour. I found myself giggling that so many humans had made the decision to sit in their car on a chunk of cement and yet so few will take the time to see the beauty of the rivers that travel under the bridges they drive over.

If you want to learn more about this area of the country check out:
http://www.riversedgekayakandcanoe.com/index.htm
http://www.mrcanoespaddlesports.com/

Limited Edition Nighthawk 16s

2007-12-06T10:57:00.000-08:00

I have several custom Eddyline Nighthawk 16s that are available. Free freight on these in the month of December and January to authorized Eddyline Dealers. These custom colors really jump out and are usually hard to get during the busy time of the season.

Yellow Deck, Yellow Hull
Blue Deck, Yellow Hull
White Deck, Yellow Hull
Red Deck, Yellow Hull

Happy Peddlin'

2007-11-19T18:53:00.000-08:00

Paddle Boy Designs just sent me a new part for their PB Flyer Bike Trailer. This trailer allows one to pull a boat behind your bike. I broke a part on mine on a questionable move and they were COOL enough to send me a replacement part at their cost. I would have paid for it and probably should have but now they are my HEROES and I'm going to use their trailer and products forever.

The trailer has the best system to hook to your bike of any trailer I've seen for bikes. The hitch stays on your bike and then the trailer can be thrown on and off easily.
The trailer is light enough to still fly and heavy duty enough to hit the off road.

Paddle Boy Designs has inspired me with their response to my broken part. I'm going to hit the road for a few weeks this summer with their bike trailer and see if repping can be done SANS petrol.
WAY TO GO PADDLE BOY DESIGNS!!!!

Solo Canoe Instruction

2007-11-17T09:34:00.000-08:00

About 4 months ago I resigned from my position as Western Bell Canoe Representative. This was a tough one for me because my first love in the paddling world are canoes. They are just so versatile!

I figured that I had spent long enough trying to share my passion of canoeing out here in the "kayak favored west" and now it was time to just enjoy canoeing on my own. Then a month ago I met someone who wanted to paddle with their dog (one of my favorite things to do too) and they were looking for a KAYAK to do it in. I couldn't contain my opinion:

YOU NEED A SOLO CANOE!!!!!

The challenge is that the solo canoe takes a bit of time to learn. I'd like to be available to help anyone who has this goal to paddle with your dog or just try solo canoeing for the first time. FREE PRIVATE INSTRUCTION for your first class (tips are always appreciated) with or without your dog. I might even have a boat for you to borrow!

email ejebersold@yahoo.com if interested.

Free Paddling Event

2007-11-10T01:59:00.000-08:00

Let's go paddling Tuesday afternoon in town on the Deschutes. Email me at ejebersold@yahoo.com .
I have a few loaner boats/gear if you are new to this. Total flatewater and beginner friendly.
4pm.
First Event of the Happy Paddlin' Club.

Holiday Gift Ideas

2007-11-09T13:36:00.000-08:00

Gadgets Galore!!!
Here are some of the neatest toys for holiday gifts for your family, friends or just for yourself. A sample of these gadgets is always first used and abused for several months in my travels to make sure they hold up. I like to find unique products that are simple and useful for paddling, camping and safety.

The first is the light cap water bottle. I've used these for festivals, camping and night paddling. The solar panel chargers the LED during the day to give two different colored lights-red and white. The light is bright enough to find your way down a dark trail or light a tent enough for a card game. Really cool GREEN product!

Information at http://www.shockles.com/products06/lightcap.cfm for info.

$24.95 MSRP

The second item are paddled grips from Yak Grips. They work great on shovels, rakes, and kayak paddles. The non-slip neoprene grips will protect from blisters and slivers. Easy to install and useful for much more than just paddling!

$15.00 MSRP http://www.cascadecreek.com/ for info.

Finally, my favorite gift idea out there. The wind up flashlights come with various cell phone adapters for charging your cell phone. The FM radio, cell charger, siren, and 3 LEDs all charge off the hand crank. Everyone should have one of these in their car this winter.

$24.95 MSRP http://jeallton.com/y_flights2.html for information.

Eddyline's Fathom LV

2007-11-08T13:54:00.000-08:00

The boat has been out for a few months now but I'm now just getting to writing up my thoughts on it. The boat is fast. The larger Fathom, according to designer Tom Derrer, has the same wave drag curve as the Falcon S18 which is a foot and a half longer. At the West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium in 06 I raced the Fathom against the Falcon S18 with a fellow rep. We then switched boats and raced again. In both sprints and longer races the boats were side by side. I've been meaning to invest in several GPS for these events but I haven't quite done that. I think our "race" was as close to real world as you can get.

At the same event in 07 I used the LV and "raced for giggles"a BCU 4 star instructor who was in a Valley Pintail. We just went for about 40 strokes but in the Fathom LV I was able to stay right along with him. My bow wake was larger of course but the bottom line is that these two boats could tour together and not be way off pace with eachother. Most of the people at this event just do the lean, edge, roll routine and I know that the Fathom LV doesn't always appeal to that crowd. Why?

The high back deck doesn't allow for easy back deck rolls! I look at the WW boats around in many of them have huge rear decks for volume...I don't hear WW boaters making a big deal out of this! More importantly though, there are a ton of boats that do fit the low deck criteria and I don't think Eddyline was after competing with that. I like to look at this from the perspective of Eddyline's history and customer base. The Raven, Nighthawk, Falcon, Merlins, Winddancer, Ospreys. North American designs for San Juan Island touring...very efficient and comfortable. They are simply Tom's designs.

I like to play guitar. I think about the best guitar players that I have met over the years and they seem to be more respectful and appreciative of all the differant designs out there. Sure, a Bluegrass Player may prefer a Martin and a FingerStyle Jazz player might prefer a Taylor. But that doesn't mean that one is way better. The are just different. Frankly, I'd like to have both in my quiver. One great guitar player I know picked up my 'ol beat up guitar and ripped a few licks. "Cool...unique sound" he said.

To me the Fathoms just represent Tom's design philosophy. Comfortable and efficient and made for a target audience. I'm no super hot shot boater but I like to surf, roll and edge and the boat really is fun. I've paddled most of the other boats out there and I like a lot of them too. I think the unique thing Eddyline has going for them is their experience in thermal forming. Some companies have tried and given up while Eddyline seems to have it dialed. Sure I'm biased...but I am also the hardest on these boats as anyone out there. I've broken some but I've also been amazed when I've done something to a Carbonlite boat and it just laughs back. I've dropped them from the top of my trailer. In 8 years I have had one crack from this. The rest just bounce back for more.

The higher foredeck in the Fathoms don't seem in interfere with my stroke. Extra padding in the seat would help anyone who wants to sit up a bit higher. The volume for my big yellow boots is appreciated! The boat is quick and at 175 lbs I have to really crank to get the bow wake to slow me down.

Here are a couple of shots of me in the Fathom LV. I'd be happy to share more experiences in it or hear how other people may or may not prefer its "sound". The lower shot is Jim Stohlquist (yeah Stohlquist WaterWear) paddling the LV up in the San Juans. He paddled both models and as you can see would probably enjoy the larger volume one more.

I work for Eddyline and I drank the Kool-Aid but that doesn't mean I'm not interested in what you might have to drink too.

How Tough is that boat? How much Abuse can it take?

2007-11-07T17:13:00.000-08:00

This is a question that a lot of people ask when they go into a kayak/canoe shop and are looking at different boats made out of different materials. The most common answer I hear is that the toughest boats are made out of plastic. Most questions like these can't be answered quickly and definitively. The problem with the question is the word "tough". I think we need a follow up question:

What kind of Abuse?

One of my rep buddies, Kurt Renner, taught me that there are really several types of Abuse that can happen to our boat. After 30 years of repping I'd think he would have seen every way a boat could break. Come to think of it just a couple of years ago he had a semi-truck drive through a Kevlar canoe on the trailer. 4 Types of Abuse from most common to least.

1. UV Abuse--Sun kills everything...but it is oh so nice!

2. Abrasion--My papa always taught me to get my ankles wet when landing a boat but abrasion is pretty hard to avoid over the life of your boat. I like to just choose my scratches instead of scratching everything I come across. Hard to avoid abrasion if you are running rivers or surfing.

3. Glancing Impact--This is the type of abuse that most commonly happens while moving your boat on and off the car. There is not a ton of force behind this but certain materials can react poorly to a "glancing impact".

4. Loaded Impact--Force and Impact mean Ouch! This is the type of shot that is more common in river running and rough water. Your gear, weight, and momentum combine to cause loaded impact and this might not be as common but it can cause a lot of damage.

So, which materials hold up best to each type of abuse (listed from best to least)?

1. UV--Composite boats, made of glass or kevlar and resin, should have the longest life span in regard to UV abuse. We all know of sailboats and motor boats that are several decades old and still on the water. Thermal Formed boats, made of acrylic capped ABS, will not deform in the sun and should last 10-15 years. Thermal formed boats will not reform unless the surface temperature reaches 185 F or above. This doesn't happen on our planet so a Thermal Formed boat should keep its shape over time. RotoMolded Poly boats can deform at 130 F surface temp. Put some weight on the boat (ie racking or suspending) and this molding temp decreases even more. The term is "oil canning" and it is common. Over the long haul a rotomolded boat will lose it shape. One thing to note is that all materials will lose their ability to flex over time with exposure to UV. A hit that would be just a bounce in the early life of a boat can eventually could cause more damage as UV degrages the flexular modulus of the material.

The best thing you can do is cover and protect your boat using 303 UV protectant and/or Danuu Canoe and Kayak Covers.

2. Abrasion--Thermal Formed boats which have an acrylic cap seem to have the hardest outer skin. Gel coat on composite boats come in second. Finally, Rotomolded Poly is the softest and most likely to lose material when scratched. When eddyline had both composite boats and thermal formed boats I can remember several times that I had composite boats strapped against thermal formed boats. The gel coat from the composites would scratch off onto the Carbonlite boats. The good news on abrasion with composite and thermal formed boats is that is can easily be tended too. It is much more difficult, if not impossible, to fill in Poly boats but there is a new repair material out there that might help. http://www.crgindustries.com/recrepair.htm

3. Glancing Impact--Rotomolded Plastic bounces, Thermal Formed can bounce pretty well too but if hit on very sharp surfaces they can fracture. Composite boats can bounce but you may have gel coat repairs and fractures with sharp objects.

4. Loaded Impact--Rotomolded Plastic, Tie for second place Thermo Form and Composite. Poly really wins the battle and this is why it is preferred for WW and Surf Zone. Thermal formed and composite boats can fracture but the good news is that these are both repairable too. But if you are going to spend a lot of time slamming into objects with momentum you might want to think plastic or get ready to do repairs.

Scouting at 30,000 Feet

2007-11-06T08:03:00.000-08:00

Just flew back from the East Coast and had several flights that took me over the NW. The flight from Detroit to Seattle got me all excited about paddling the upper Columbia river again. Looking down from a plane is such a great way to see what is out there to paddle! I could visualize each days paddle and see the towns that I could restock at. There is so much barren land that such a big industrial river as the Columbia still offers plenty of solitude. I wanted to parachute right out of that plane and get started.

As we flew over the Washington Cascades I was able to see all the many high altitude glacial lakes. I was reminded of my plan of creating the new sport of "Alpine Canoeing" and why I own a 22lb ultralight solo. How fun would it be to hike along the PCT with a canoe on my back? These little lakes wouldn't offer much of a workout but it would be really neat to get a bunch of "first paddles" even if they are only 500 ft across. I also was able to see how these lakes flow down hill and into all the western running rivers off the cascades. From my lookout in seat 18E I was able to watch them wind through cities and farmland and into the Sound.

Often from our regular perspective of the car or the office window we don't realize that these rivers are the real pathways out here in the west. From the air, the roads just looked like inefficient golf cart paths winding back and forth across the liquid fairways. Everytime I get on a river with someone for the first time we both are in awe with how different the scenery looks despite all the driving we have done right along this or that river over the years. Our perspective on anything depends on where we are looking from. From the air it all seems right at my fingertips. Then we land, the phone rings, the traffic light turns red, and we find ourselves looking at the back of the car infront of us. And all of a sudden, the rivers only run as far as we can see of them from the highway.

Rants on Different Paddle Materials

2007-10-26T10:57:00.000-07:00

I've been noticing some funny trends at canoe and kayak shops. If you look at their paddle sections you'll notice that the canoe paddles (if they even have any out here in the west) are mostly made of wood but the kayak paddles are made out of every synthetic available. Maybe you can find a couple of wood kayak paddles but they are not represented in big numbers. Obviously weight is a big factor in a paddle purchase. Perhaps carbon and glass are more popular with kayak paddles because we have to hold the kayak paddle up higher than a canoe paddle and hold it in that position longer. Perhaps the tradition of the canoe and a wood canoe paddle just have a certain allure.

Wood does have benefits: Flexibility, Renewable, Easy on the Skin, Beautiful, Repairable. The water we stick our paddle in has flex, our joints have flex, so why not a paddle that has a little more give? Stiff and light is certainly efficient but does it put more stress on our soft joints?

For me, a wood paddle just has a certain magic in the water. I've also been having fun using wood shafted/graphite bladed paddles. Light weight on the ends but comfy on the hands! I've walked through a wood paddle factory and a composite paddle factory and the wood one is just a more pleasant place to be. You can't have too many paddles...I enjoy having some natural wood paddles in my quiver.

Up River Paddlin'

2007-10-11T10:33:00.000-07:00

I think that most boaters would agree that the best way to learn about currents is to paddle against them. Just like the salmon do. The Cowlitz River is perfect for both salmon and kayakers. No shuttle vehicle. The perfect upper body cardio workout and skill builder all in one. I'll work the back eddies riding the up river current and then burst out into the current sprinting up to the next eddy. The more I paddle certain sections I'll learn every little bubble and rock that I can hide behind in my upstream pusuit. I find that if I paddle the same section of river enough my muscle memory takes me upstream to the furthest point I had made it last. Like a video game expert, I'm able to get to where I was last attempt quite easily but to make it past the next level takes a new found skill. I'll study the next pour over to burst over to find the easy water....and then....BAM...put every muscle and rotational strength into each stroke. But watch the shallow water or your paddle will explode in your hands. You think nails on a chalk board sound bad? Wait until you hear graphite and river rock collide. Once I can go no further, I play a bit with a nice eddy or surf wave and then turn to float my way home and enjoy the scenery and the anticipation of a hot fire and a cold beer.

The perfect fleet

2007-10-07T17:33:00.001-07:00

I've worked 12 years on putting together the perfect fleet of canoes and kayaks for myself. One for every purpose. No compromise boats, only the exact boat for the right job. I remember when it took everything I had to buy my first kevlar solo canoe. I had the insurance check from the car my roommate crashed. Who needs a car in Madison WI? A canoe will get you everywhere. That boat started it all. Now I have spent the last 10 years helping people find the perfect boat while learning that for me it was a perfect garage full of boats. I know people who collect cars, paintings, stocks, houses and I think they probably get the same thrill that I get with a new boat. The neat thing with boats is that the buy in is one tenth the price of a car. They'll last a lifetime. And with every new boat is the perfect trip to put the boat to use.

Here is a shot of me and my best dog buddy Bamboo in a 20.5 ft carbon/kevlar beauty bringing the gear for the party. My friends were getting to the campsite by touring kayaks and shorter tandem canoes. I volunteered to be the supply vehicle. With the big canoe we could bring the pickin' fire for the lake side dinner hour. With the smaller cars making more and more sense these days, having a big canoe can still give you the thrill of bringing everything and the kitchen sink.