I fancy getting into Kayaking

I fancy getting into Kayaking

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Discussion

Mave

8,208 posts

214 months

Friday 12th December 2014
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jhfozzy said:
I agree, lanyards freak me out. It's all good until it goes bad. Possibly useful on open calm water, but then why would you need it. My paddle sits on my deck if needed, my brother's boat has a nifty little hook system similar to this that releases automatically when you pick up the paddle.
Agreed. My buoyancy aid has got a karibiner on a shock cord, I use that if I need both hands free in calm water; but in the moving water situations which might cause me to let go of my paddle, I wouldn't want it held close with a rope

Gingerbread Man

Original Poster:

9,171 posts

212 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
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Right, have just arrived home from buying a Dagger Catalyst 2.8. We're looking at the Riot Enduro 13 tomorrow. Then we'll have two! The missus and I will give them a go and see what who likes what one best! They should be a good starting point anyhow.


anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
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clap

RobM77

35,349 posts

233 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
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Looks good. yes

Even if you don't want to join a club, make sure that you both learn and practise how to roll and also to get out if you do roll - it's not a nice to have, it's absolutely essential. I'd recommend regular practise too, especially in the UK where the water's often cold enough to initiate the cold shock response (an uncontrollable breath in). Learning good paddling technique can also work wonders for your endurance and make some longer distance trips possible - it's surprising how far you can paddle. If you're on a river then don't forget the current either - two miles in one direction can take a very different length of time to two miles in the other direction wink

I'm not trying to be bossy, just a bit of advice smile

Gingerbread Man

Original Poster:

9,171 posts

212 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
RobM77 said:
Looks good. yes

Even if you don't want to join a club, make sure that you both learn and practise how to roll and also to get out if you do roll - it's not a nice to have, it's absolutely essential. I'd recommend regular practise too, especially in the UK where the water's often cold enough to initiate the cold shock response (an uncontrollable breath in). Learning good paddling technique can also work wonders for your endurance and make some longer distance trips possible - it's surprising how far you can paddle. If you're on a river then don't forget the current either - two miles in one direction can take a very different length of time to two miles in the other direction wink

I'm not trying to be bossy, just a bit of advice smile
The water was ~18 degrees wink last Friday but you speak wise words.

Learn to roll over, over dieing. Roll from upright 360° or practice being under and popping up, kinda 180° roll?


RobM77

35,349 posts

233 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
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Gingerbread Man said:
Roll from upright 360° or practice being under and popping up, kinda 180° roll?
Both preferably! smile Plus getting out if you can't right it. Oh, and getting back in in deep water, which is not exactly easy. A level 1 course will cover everything IIRC.

Mave

8,208 posts

214 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
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No excuse for not having a Boxing Day paddle now smile

Gingerbread Man

Original Poster:

9,171 posts

212 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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And then there were two...





Need to find somewhere outside to store! They keep knocking baulbells off the tree on the way in and they render the spare room a bit useless unless you're going in there to sit in the kayak and play pretend.

RobM77

35,349 posts

233 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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Gingerbread Man said:
Need to find somewhere outside to store! They keep knocking baulbells off the tree on the way in and they render the spare room a bit useless unless you're going in there to sit in the kayak and play pretend.
Do you have a garage? I bought a hoist system and fixed it to the garage roof, so you just pop them onto a couple of ropes at waist height and then hoist them up into the rafters so the car could go in as normal underneath. You can of course store them outside, but the colour will fade and they'll get weathered. Perhaps build a covered shelter for them, like a long version of those lockable bike stores that are popular in people's suburban front yards?

Gingerbread Man

Original Poster:

9,171 posts

212 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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Currently in a rental. There Is a carport, so I may ask the landlord if I can do something there. Just not yet done.

Gingerbread Man

Original Poster:

9,171 posts

212 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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Had our first blast out today.

One of our kayaks has a rudder, the other not. We swapped vessel throughout the day to get a feel of both. The rudder equipped boat wasn't really to my liking. The rudder was usefull to steer/ crab the back end while navigating the front around filled trees and the like.
But while trying to cruise along, I preferred the traditional use of the paddle myself.
The rudder seemed a little like cheating! Then some fishing chap came up the river motoring his kayak. Motor, rudder.....what next, just buying a boat?

So, the kayak that we bought with myself in mind seems to work fine for now. I even found a paddle holder to use while waiting for the missus to catch up.

The hardest part of the day was working out the best method of mounting them both on the roof of the car. There seem to be a few options out there, but they just about go on the cross bars alongside each other.

All in, looking good. Might get a spray skirt/ deck next to venture out into the sea. I hear a neoprene skirt is the most waterproof version. But nylon a warm weather choice. I guess you can get a combination of the two to find a warm weather happy medium?

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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Rudder's good for open water tracking, if you're paddling a few miles alongside a beach etc. The rest of the time, I'd say it's probably not needed given the length of your boats.

2 boats will fit fine on roof bars. smile

I bet it's glorious down there at the moment, isn't it? I'm ordering a winter wetsuit before I take my new boat out frown

mcdjl

5,438 posts

194 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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Gingerbread Man said:
Had our first blast out today.

One of our kayaks has a rudder, the other not. We swapped vessel throughout the day to get a feel of both. The rudder equipped boat wasn't really to my liking. The rudder was usefull to steer/ crab the back end while navigating the front around filled trees and the like.
But while trying to cruise along, I preferred the traditional use of the paddle myself.
The rudder seemed a little like cheating! Then some fishing chap came up the river motoring his kayak. Motor, rudder.....what next, just buying a boat?

So, the kayak that we bought with myself in mind seems to work fine for now. I even found a paddle holder to use while waiting for the missus to catch up.

The hardest part of the day was working out the best method of mounting them both on the roof of the car. There seem to be a few options out there, but they just about go on the cross bars alongside each other.

All in, looking good. Might get a spray skirt/ deck next to venture out into the sea. I hear a neoprene skirt is the most waterproof version. But nylon a warm weather choice. I guess you can get a combination of the two to find a warm weather happy medium?
You can get either uprights, or J bars to hold the boats on if you're not happy with them just sat on the cross rails. have a look at any of the Thule/paddy hopkirk type suppliers to find some.
Nylon leaks, neoprene is better for spray decks....but can be harder to get on/off, especially when dry.

RobM77

35,349 posts

233 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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I can recommend the standard Thule J bars. I ran a pair for a few years - now sold I'm afraid. I have a couple of vertical posts that I used to use which you'd be welcome to have, but to be honest I'd recommend the J bars.

Gingerbread Man

Original Poster:

9,171 posts

212 months

Friday 19th December 2014
quotequote all
RobM77 said:
I can recommend the standard Thule J bars. I ran a pair for a few years - now sold I'm afraid. I have a couple of vertical posts that I used to use which you'd be welcome to have, but to be honest I'd recommend the J bars.
We actually bought some vertical posts, but they're sat in their unopened box next to the receipt as we're thinking of returning them. Actually we thought about it before getting home from the shop!

But thanks for the offer. Ironiclly it looks like I could have popped around to get them a short while back as I was a Hampshire (near Petersfield) lad myself, but I still have my Caterham VVC and have recent emigrated.

Looking at the J bars as an option as long as they're easily retractable or similar due to height restrictions.

Eleven

26,271 posts

221 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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This thread reminds me of a sad tale about a friend of mine who died whilst Kayaking.

He was experimenting with gas cylinders and a fan system, intended to pass warm air round the inside of the kayak, making year-round sport more bearable. Sadly something went wrong and the whole lot exploded.

Which just goes to prove that you cannot have your kayak and heat it.

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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Ba


Dum


Tish!