Bell Canoe Northshore

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'

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

What the road looks like

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

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

Bending Branches Factory Tour

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

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

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

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

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.