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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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'

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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'

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

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.