Spitfire Kayak

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

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

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

River Retreat Night 1 and Day 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!