I did the flambé process today. Here were my steps:
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I put the decals on my mango Tempest 170 and green Scorpio.
Those look good right now
The real test will be how long those last. I will report back.
updates on activities and plans
I tried putting a decal on my kayak but it came off in the salt water off the Tofino coast. Since then I have been researching how to do this. From all accounts it is difficult to have anything stick to a plastic kayak. However, after a lot of reading it seemed like there is one option and that is using flame. I did the flambé process today. Here were my steps:
It should be noted that because of the problems with adhesion, my sign guy put clear 3M plastic adhesive overlapping the black vinyl decal. This clear stuff is transparent as you can see in the images below. I feared that the fine strands would tend to lift if we didn't do that.
I put the decals on my mango Tempest 170 and green Scorpio. Those look good right now The real test will be how long those last. I will report back.
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I was out paddling last week and this week on the local lakes - the ice is already off - it has been unseasonably warm.
This last summer we took a trip to Vancouver Island and I I did some day trips from our home base at Long Beach Golf camp ground just south of Tofino.
These all seemed like awesome locations to me but I don't know how these short jaunts compare with others ...I found those great! These would certainly depend on ocean weather and could turn nasty if the weather turned foul. It was great just probing along the open ocean coast without committing to an extended trip. The extended trip will have to wait for another time. My brother and I went back to Milk River Ridge and checked out the nesting island. Look what we found:
Seagull eggs and chicks as well as cormorant chicks and eggs. I wanted a paddle retainer to store my spare paddle on the front deck of my kayak. I decided this was a good idea because of two reasons. First, it will help to hold the paddles in place. Second it is a visual reminder to take the spare paddle along. I found an pvc return pipe with 180 degree bend at HomeDepot (I think it is 2 inch) and then found an adapter the reduces the size of the hole. I drilled a hole in either side and attached it to the deck safety lines. I positioned it so that the front bungies would also act as a an additional support so it doesn't flop around in the breeze on top of the vehicle. The following images are self explanatory: Update: Here is an addendum to my kayak retainers to give those more support by adding extension pipes. I boiled water in a pot and and put the 180 bend pipe in the water for about 5 minutes (just tried to cover the bend area with water rather than the fittings). I am not sure if the fitting bent or the bend area bent more but I was able to get a bit of an angle. I used liquid steel epoxy to glue it together - I think this will work.
Here is the result. I had been thinking about purchasing another kayak, so friends and family can join me. Here is a link to some of the research that I have done: Kayak Comparison Discussion (West Coast Paddler Discussion Forum) In the end, a used P&H Scorpio came on the Kijiji at a good deal, so I purchased it. I was doing some quick comparisons between the two ships. Even after I moved the seat back a bit the cockpit of the Scorpio seems more confined compared to the Tempest. I like the cockpit of the Tempest, it seems roomy and comfortable. The stern hull is deeper on the Tempest, so the storage difference might be a wash since the Scorpio is wider in the stern. I find the choice of geometry on the boats intriguing. The Scorpio being overall wider and shallower while the Tempest is narrower and deeper. The position of the thigh braces seem at an odd angle in the Scorpio - even after taking those apart and adjusting the position (lengthwise) I couldn't change the angle and those seem to dig into my thighs rather flow around the thigh. The better foot-peg system goes to the Scorpio for its ingenious locking mechanism. On my Tempest when I roll, the foot pegs have come out and moved out of position because those are kept in place by gravity - a poor design. I note the 2015 Tempests have a new foot peg system that locks in place - I will have to rig a locking mechanism for my Tempest. I took the Scorpio out for a test paddle this morning and here is my experience based on a comparison to the Tempest: The Scorpio has about the same initial stability as the Tempest - maybe just a bit more. Secondary stability is similar to the Tempest. The one noticeable difference is that it is easier to turn the Scorpio. I am very pleased with how the ship paddles. At first I was worried that the the cockpit of the Scorpio would be too tight but it is about right for me - 5'11" 150 lbs (68 kg, 180 cm). I also worried about tracking but the skeg doesn't fully retract into the skeg box which is probably a good thing and keeps the ship tracking straight. In that configuration,tracking was pretty much the same as the Tempest. Speed wise very close to being the same but maybe the edge goes to the Scorpio (or was that just a burst of energy I had this morning). The one downside was that I could not get the rear hatch on - tried for 10 minutes, it was just too tight. Perhaps it needs to be warmer outside but that is worrisome. Addendum: I have tried rolling the Scorpio and it is difficult - much harder than the Tempest. The flat contour of the hull makes it difficult to roll. I brought the Tempest 170 into the house and worked on it over the holidays. I added 3 Scotty flush mounts. One on the front deck - this will be used for a Garmin Map 62S or a camera mount (ensured it would not constrain getting my knees in or out of the cockpit) I already had a RAM GPS holder and purchased an adapter for the Scotty flush mount. There are two flush mounts on the back deck, one for a Scotty light pole and another for a fishing Scotty fly pole holder and Scotty extender. I also wiped down the entire kayak and gave it a coat of 303 UV protectant. I had already added my Water-Horse Logo to the bow and a compass. I also use a carabiniere as a paddle clip.
Issues: I didn't pay attention to where the bulk heads were so the back two flush mounts extend slightly into the bulkheads. I had to dig into the foam bulkheads a little ways and then tried to reseal those with Lexel; in the spring I will ensure those are water tight. Went with my brother to Cameron Lake for an evening paddle. It was spectacular! The water was crystal clear and there was hardly a breath of wind. Go to the Cameron Lake page to see more details on the lake and to see a video of the paddle.
Took a trip to the Crowsnest pass and paddled around Crowsnest Lake. This is a good half day trip circumnavigating the lake. It was crystal clear and calm. The loons were out on the lake - no sign of fish surfacing. There is an interesting creek flowing into the lake underneath the railway tracks on on the North end of the lake. A quick hike revealed that that the creek is flowing out of a cave in the mountain. This is a sizeable creek so this was quite an interesting sight. I made another trip to St. Mary Reservoir (Lake) today since the forecast was for wind; I wanted to test my kayak and skills on rough water. Here is the result. It was a lot of fun - wished the waves were even bigger. Went out to St. Mary Reservoir and paddled around for a couple of hours. This is a large reservoir created by a dam. I would like to come back and do a more extensive paddle here. I wouldn't mind coming here when the wind comes up and white caps make for challenging water - just see how the kayak fairs in such circumstances. I also practiced my roll. See the video below: I went with a group of venturers from my church and canoed/kayaked across Upper Kananaskis Lake to Point Camp ground. It is a 5 KM paddle from the east boat launch to the camp on the west end of the lake. The wind came up so it was a bit of work out to get to the west end of the lake where the camp is. This is a beautiful lake and the water is cold. The camp is probably 100 M up from the shore and the individual sites are spread out, which are large enough for 4 people The sleeping pads are 3.6 M square (12 ft) with fire pits and picnic tables, there is a wood supply with bear bins for food and an outhouse. Aside: a kayaker drowned in this lake about 3 weeks ago, people on the shore heard someone yelling and then saw a man stand up in his kayak and start waving and then saw him fall into the lake. That is the last they saw him alive. It is my conjecture that he lost his paddle and panicked. He had a pfd but didn't have it on. Once in the icy water he was not able to get back in the kayak and after 10 minutes his muscles locked up because of the cold it was all over. I wonder if alcohol was a factor. It makes me think people should be certified and take a course before allowed on the water. I went over to the Henderson Lake and practiced rolling. The west side of the lake seems clearer and less scummy than the west side or Nicholas Sheran Lake. The first couple of tries failed but then I finally got the rhythm and was able to roll quite consitently. I will have to get some video footage and critique my style.
Nicholas Sheran Lake I often slip over to Nicholas Sheran lake to practice kayak skills and get a work out. It is about 5 minutes from my home so it is convenient. It is only 0.5 Km long but there is a loop and you can paddle in endless circles. It is a pleasant workout. Henderson Lake I went on Saturday for a short paddle around Henderson Lake with my brother. He has a Necky Alias - probably 15.6 ft kayak with a rudder. I will post video the next time I go.
We finally had a nice day and I went out again and tried rolling. This time I paid attention to my position in the water after I was under the kayak. It was obvious this time that the kayak had not gone all the way over, so my setup was going down not out from the kayak. I ended up having to do a wet exit. On the next attempt I tried rolling the opposite way - rolling opposite to the side of my initial setup before beginning the roll. This time it worked. I was able to roll about 4 times. Clearly this kayak does not respond the way other kayaks do and does not roll completely over. I will need to practice figuring out the proper side to setup when I am under the kayak. The good news is that I know the problem I was having.
The last time I was out I noted that my full length PFD was limiting movement. I decided that I needed a pfd designed for kayak paddling that rode higher up. I sensed this would help with rolling and my paddling form. After researching pfds, I decided on the Kokatat Outfit. Here are the reasons I went with this one :
On all counts this seems to be a great pfd and I am sure it will last based on the quality of the build. I have put sunglasses into the middle pocket, my NRS Pilot knife fits into the knife slot snuggly. I put 4 granola bars into one of the side pockets, a whistle into the front compartment of one of the pockets. In the other pocket I have put a lighter and small folder pocket knife (it serves a different purpose from safety knife). There is still room for other items yet to be determined. I also put a carabineer around one of the should straps to attach my spray skirt grab handle when walking around or during self-rescues. Okay this rolling thing is starting to get to me. In the pool I was pretty good at rolling a small white water kayak. A rec kayak was more of a challenge - I was able to to do it once.
I went out the other day and tried rolling without success with my Tempest 170 on the local lake. The water was dark and disorienting. I tired numerous times without success. I went out this evening and tried again. I was successful 2 or 3 times in row. However, after that I couldn't do it again. The water was cold so that made it more difficult. However, the main problem is orientation under water. It seems that sometimes the kayak doesn't flip entirely over or maybe I am moving out of position without realizing it. When I move my arms up to get my hands out of the water they don't protrude out of the water and seem quite deep even though I am leaning over. When I got into the right setup position it worked every time. Not sure exactly what is going on here.... It seemed when I flipped over with strength then I got far enough over to get my hands out of the water and all went well. I would like to go to a pool with my kayak and get that down in a more comfortable environment. I did the Milk River Ridge Reservoir. I didn't get there till noon - so sort of a late start. I went about 10 km in 3 hours against a head wind. Had I quit at 10 km it would have been perfect distance but I thought I would have a tail wind coming back. However, then the wind quit and gradually came out of the southeast - yes you guessed it as a cross wind and eventually as a head wind coming back. A bit much for a first outing but it felt good at the end. I found the skeg depth was the key to paddling a straight line into the wind or with a cross wind - this was achieved by subtle adjusts till just the right amount of skeg kept the line. I found that if the ship was weather cocking then a bit more skeg was needed. Without the skeg it would be very difficult to hold a straight line. Today I worked on the loading system for my Tempest 170 kayak on my FJ cruiser. I use the Malone Stax Kayak holder as the main system for keeping the kayak in place down the highway. That seems to work well. However, the kayak has fallen off the top a couple of time during the loading or unloading procedure, so I needed a solution. Here is the solution: The key was getting a fixture for the factory (OEM) roof rack that would provide a support and that would stop the kayak from sliding off but at the same be foldable so it could easily be put out of the way. I found the prefect fixture: Clamp on Frame Bracket 1 3/4" FJ Cruiser Roof Rack (eBay). I was able to find some bolts at the local hardware store and then drilled holes in pvc piping. On the one side the Malone upright braces stop the kayak from falling off to that side but on the other side the pvc pipes stop it from sliding to the other side. Here is the result: Today's kayak class focused on the roll (last class) I decided before I arrived that I would choose a smaller kayak that might roll easier - that made a big difference. At first I struggled, my paddle would dive down and I couldn't get up. Fortunately the instructor had the pool depth set so we could brace off the bottom and that helped me learn the hip flick technique and then combine that with the sweep. I rolled several times bracing off the bottom then transitioned into a full roll without the help of bracing from the bottom of the pool. The critical part was to have faith that the procedure will work. I found it useful to lean over towards the paddle side of the boat after I was upside down. Then sweep ensuring the power face was on the surface of the water then follow the paddle with my head (*eyes) and combine that with a hip flick towards the end while leaning back. At any rate, it worked for me. Heeha!
I practiced it as much as I could to develop muscle memory. I would like to go back and try it on the wider kayak - I am sure that would be a challenge. Today I took Mizu Uma - Water Horse (Tempest 170) for its maiden voyage on Nicholas Sharon Lake, yes the kayak has a name, . The boat preformed well. It was a bit windy and the ship tended to weather cock (surprised how much it weather cocked), less so with the skeg down but still had to compensate with the paddle. It was about as stable as I thought it would be. I was reluctant to test the edge but I was able to turn the ship with sweeping strokes - so not a problem. I will test the edging out soon. I am still having problems with the it falling off the roof rack - it slips off to one side and then just goes. I have some ideas about a solution but before I take it out again, I have to solve this issue. Today I installed my Ritchie 527 compass on the built-in recess of my Tempest 170 kayak. I had to drill 4 holes and used some small bolts and nuts. I also used Lexel adhesive to cock around it before installing it and around the end of the bolts after installation. Hopefully it will be water proof. The Ritchie V-527 seems like it will work well although it is not designed for this low angle installation. It is designed for a 45 degree through vertical installation (there is a slot in the back) by unscrewing the outer rim I was able to reposition it outside the designated slot but I think it will work. We shall see - but so far so good. I opted for this compass because the directions are more clearly labeled than the Brunton. I wanted to know I was heading North not just the degrees. At class tonight we practiced with the throw lines/bags. We also focused on rescues - T rescue and X rescue. Unfortunately I had problems getting the hip snap to roll my kayak on the T-rescue. I think one of the problems is the kayak I am using. it is quite a large cockpit and there is some knee supports but not really solid support. However, I still feel like I should be able to get this working. I will try to practice that up against the edge of the pool and gradually keep going further over until I can get that working for me.
I purchased a number of items today:
Werner Skagit paddle - this paddle seems quite sturdy, it has a carbon handle and fibreglass plastic blade. It also is a two piece paddle and the feather is adjustable - so I can play with that and see how what suits me. This will give me something to start with and I will eventually purchase a better carbon fibre paddle. NRS neoprene boots - I thought would use my Grooks but those don't have enough tread and are extremely slippery, so I goy me a pari of kayak boots - one size bigger so those can fit my neoprene waders or socks inside my dry suit- those have a zipper for easier exit and entry. NRS neoprene glove - if the water is cold I would think these would be a necessity. NRS paddle float - hopefully I will never have to use this because I hope if have to wet exit I can just cowboy my way back into the cockpit - this just gives me a margin of safety. Yesterday I brought the kayak home - it is a 2011 Tempest 170 mango - like new- I don't know that there was a scratch on it. I wrapped the kayak in pallet wrap to keep the road's salt and grit from ruining the surface. That worked really well. I am using the Malone Stax Pro kayak holders on my FJ. That setup works great and held the kayak solidly in place. I will probably have to take the rack off every time because there is not enough clearance on the garage opening but that is easy to do.
Bad News...so all went well till I got home and tried to take the kayak off the roof rack myself. Since the Stax kayak holder had the kayak up on edge I tried rotating the kayak from one end so that it would be flat so I could roll it off the back of the vehicle but when I did that it initiated a rolling action and because I was at the stern of the kayak there was no stopping it and it rolled right off the roof onto the cement. Ohh! that hurt. I tried so hard to baby the kayak and then have that happen was disheartening. Damage report: not sure - the only damage that is visible is a rough spot on the hull keel. I hope that is the extent of the damage - it was cold so I am hoping the plastic wasn't cold enough to cause hair line fractures. I will certainly be positioning the kayak further to one side so there is no way that will happen again. One surprise was that it looked shorter than 17 ft when out in the open or even on the vehicle - I was expecting it to extend further in front of the vehicle. However, once in the garage it looks very long. I am using Seattle Sport cradles and screwed those into the studs of the garage - low to the ground so it is easy to place and is off the ground - this low hang makes it easier to walk by as well. There is just enough room to get into and out of our car. |
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