The Compleat Kayaker

Over the years I have slowly been evolving to meet any and all conditions while I attempted to paddle my kayak in places far from home. Here one can see what's happened during this voyage of discovery. First the kayak, mounted on it's long distance delivery system. Next comes the home away from home where the paddler, that's me, rests between bouts on the water, and last, the local delivery component which also doubles as the put-in scout vehicle, the foldable micro-transporter which allows me to venture here and there peddling between various bits of kit and caboodle which most paddlers carry about with them for reasons known mostly to themselves. It's been known to bring food and drink in as well!

It all seems to work rather well, amazingly enough!

Getting To The Beach On Time

I just added a new piece of equipment to my hoard of junk. With it, I'll be able to get to the beach quickly, paddle sooner, run errands, lower my carbon intake, attract girls and generally get more out of life. Well, mostly, perhaps, if I'm lucky.

One of the things about kayak camping is being able to explore the coastline. However, I like to see the coastline from both sides and with my new folding bike I'm hoping to do more of that during my travels this coming summer. The MEC folding bike is actually made in Taiwan by Dahon and comes well fitted out for day cruising both in town and out in the country. I can just picture me now, returning after a long day's paddle, peddling down to the store for some cold ones, a bit of firewood and then curling up to a camp fire meal with all my gear close by. You guessed it, idyllic isn't it?


While the bike folds into a relatively small package, it's too large for my kayak hatches. It might work as a deck ornament for short outings in calm waters, but that's not my objective. This bike is one which will pack easily in my small car, yet rides much like a full-sized bike on shore for trips here and there. While I've yet to test it out, I'm pretty sure I can set it up to tow my kayak to the beach if I don't feel like carrying it that far. I already have a cart which will carry the boat and only need a rig to fix the bow to the bike. I can't wait to see how it works out!

Before Tomorrow

If you saw Isuma's film Atanarjuat several years ago you may remember there is a kayak scene in it. It was interesting to see that kayak as it's design was quite different from the more commonly seen kayaks of Greenland on which modern glass and plastic kayak designs are often based.

In the more recent film Before Tomorrow, a Greenlandic story is told, produced by Inuit from Igloolik and filmed in Nunavik, in the Puvurnituq area. Of interests to kayakers is the presence of several traditionally built boats as well as a larger umiaq. The kayaks seem to be a mix of traditions, flat bottomed and long as seen in northern Quebec, yet using a bent rib construction method more common in Igloolik and Greenland. It would be interesting to learn more about these craft and who made them. They remind me of a kayak I saw years ago in Igloolik and certainly the dialect of the actors was north Baffin Inuktitut. Interesting...!

Ford's Kayak Van

Despite the fact that my little Go-Camp trailer has proven to be a welcome and handy way of traveling to the kayak put-ins around the country, I seem to be continually on the lookout for an even better idea. The other day I discovered Ford's Transit van which is relatively new here in North America, although Europe has seen it for several years now.

As you can see in the top photo, kayakers have already discovered it and have begun adapting them to whatever fits their needs. My idea is a variant on this idea. My boats would go on the roof, but I'd convert the interior into a micro-motorhome. The photo below gives an idea of what the interior looks like when tricked out for your particular dream. I haven't seen a camper version done by anyone yet, but I'd like to. In fact, I think Ford (Are you reading this Mr Ford?) really ought to give me one of these vans so I could build a dream home on wheels, ready to kayak anywhere, anytime! I'm sure Mr Ford could sell a bunch of these to the kayaking crowd once they see what I've done with mine...

Paddle Time!

Having given a paddle away to a friend in Newfoundland last summer (only to have it suddenly switch ownership again once his wife spotted it!) I hit the workshop this week to replenish my dwindling supply. I had decided to take photos of the process, but things got out of hand. First I forget to bring the camera to the saw mill where I got the cedar blanks. They had a yummy supply of the stuff and let me run through the pile to select out what I wanted. I like that!

Next, I managed to measure out all the critical points on the wood and begin cutting before I remembered the camera. By the time the blank was roughed out, the camera seemed to have disappeared and it stayed that way during the planing and sanding stages. Finally just after the tung oil got applied, the camera resurfaced with the result you can see on the left.

I've got a couple more 2x4 cedar blanks in the workshop so hopefully I'll take the photo series next time. Meanwhile, it's rapidly switching from 'Paddle Time' to 'Paddling Time'! I like that even better!

How To Race Dog Sleds

Dog sled racing has come a long way since the Inuit raced out of Siberia and crossed the Bering Strait. Today's dogs are breed as sprinters. They're lighter and fasters than the dogs used by traditional Inuit. Their dogs were breed for strength, stamina and usefulness on the hunt.

Here is what you need to race today...

Harness your dogs and attach them to the sled-line...

Get the dogs to the Start line and have someone hold each dog so it doesn't run off prematurely...

Try to avoid fouling your dogs with over-eager spectators...

Once clear, try to hang on until the finish line appears...

In wooded sections, attempt to steer dogs all on same side of trees...

Cross finish line and check to see if you've won anything...

There you have it. These photos were taken last weekend in Burke, Vermont and show a variety of different races with from four to eight dogs per team. Obviously I jest, when I imply the sport is simple. I was impressed with how well trained everyone was, dogs, children, adults all included. A great event to see if you ever get the chance. These folks just love being outside in the snow having fun!

FIMO Kayaks

I've been playing with the art clay called FIMO recently for a geocaching idea I have and came across this interesting boat seen in the photo above. It seems that FIMO, a polymer clay material, comes in transparent colours including clear. Given the seductiveness of having a see-through kayak, a company has jumped into the business of producing just such an item. While not technically a kayak, I suspect if the demand is there, it won't be long in coming to the market.

As for me, I prefer to paddle well covered up. Perhap's it's an age thing...

Watching It

My brother has an 10 year old European car which came with an interesting computer which enables him to monitor various aspects of his driving style. In particular, it provides him feedback about his mileage. Armed with this information he can adjust his driving style to save gas on a trip. Naturally I lusted after one of these devices, but none of the cars I've ever owned has such a computer.

That has now changed. I discovered a company called 'Scan-Gauge' which makes exactly the computer I've always wanted. It provides all the info of my brother's car and more, 14 different variables in all! I recently purchased one of their gauges and am beginning to learn from it. Plugging it into the OBDII outlet under the dash took about a minute or less, so even I could handle the hi-tech part of installing the Scan-Gauge.

To begin with, as the gauge provides data in real-time, I can now track my fuel consumption more closely and adjust accordingly as I drive. It can tell me whether keeping the roof-rack on the car is costing me money. I now know how much it's costing me to transport my kayak on the rack. I can tell what pulling my tiny trailer costs. In short, this little gauge is providing me with lots of information which, if I pay attention, will allow me to continue to travel to distant kayak venues and still keep my carbon footprint low enough to live with.

Feeling Good

One of my vivid memories from the Delmarva Paddlers Retreat is the early morning yoga sessions offered by a number of people who attended the event. My memories are not of being at those classes, but of being warmly snuggled down in my sleeping bag knowing I was getting a few minutes of extra rest while those poor suckers took orders on how to perform various muscle-tearing contortions while half asleep. Such bliss...

Well, I've grown up, a bit. I bought a 'Yoga For Paddlers' DVD and stored it on the bookshelf for a while, waiting, I suppose, for both of us to age sufficiently. Last week it all came together. I put the DVD in the player, sat on my new mat and did my best to follow the instructions for Session I. I wish I'd got up at Delmarva. I already feel better. I'm a bit fresher, a bit livelier, sprier, and that's after just a week!

Will I paddle better? Of course I will. And even if I don't, I'll be thinking I do and that's the joy of it, isn't it?

Living Life Upwind

Kayaking is gradually become a cold weather - cold water activity as the season crawls slowly into winter. What we wear becomes important and for me what I wear can mean how I smell! Living life upwind can affect the lives of those down-stream, which in turn can affect you!

Paddling in Newfoundland, where one wears cold water gear all year around, presented a problem for me a few years ago. Not having easy access to places to wash out my fleecy top and pants resulted in the development of that 'paddler's aroma' we all know so well. Once, using my car to head back to the put-in, I was horrified at the odor it gave off having sat in the warm sun all day. The lady who drove with me never said anything, but I had no doubts about what she was thinking. 'Nice day of paddling, but...!'

After that trip, I began to re-evaluate my cold weather clothing choices. Now, I look at fleece differently. It's warm, easy to wash and dry when facilities are available, but rapidly takes on odors. Wool, on the other hand, is warm, easily washed, although is slow to dry. However, and this is the crux, it is much slower to pick up odors. For this reason, I have been buying wool garments rather than synthetics. I especially like the merino wool clothing put out by people like Icebreaker, Helly-Hansen and Mountain Equipment Coop. They tend to cost a bit more initially than similar fleece clothing, but at the end of the day, I'm a lot more pleasant when standing to windward!

Smoke Detectors Go Camping

I've always been a bit leery of smoke detectors. For example, how reliable are they really? How can they work when the power goes down? Is changing the battery once a year often enough? What about the radioactive thingie? Will it eventually kill you long before the fire does?

Well, there's an safe, non electric alternative at last! Not only will it work in the home, but it carries on working when you're out camping during a paddling trip. You can even take one along with you while your camping! So what is it, you ask? I'm referring to the 'Jiffy Pop' heat detector shown in the photo above. Not only will this little baby wake you up from a dead sleep when it detects heat, it will go on to feed you while your new house (or campground) is being rebuilt. Will your old detector do that? I didn't think so...

Maelström's Vaag 174

Now that I've had a Maelström Kayak Vaag 174 for most of the summer where I've had a chance to paddle in a variety of conditions, I thought I could report on how we were getting along. First, this boat is very different from the QCC 600 which I also own and have paddled since 2004. Where the latter is a boat more suited to making long passages loaded with gear for a couple of weeks or more, the Vaag, with it's much greater rocker and smaller hatches is more at home at play in rougher water in conditions where stability and maneuverability are in greater demand. Together I feel that these boats complement each other very well for the two types of paddling I tend to do most: tripping and playing.


Seated in the comfy cockpit, there are a number of items to make life comfortable on the water. The seat with attached side pads is simply glued onto the hull, so it can be removed and adjusted to suit. The back rest is a piece of foam which can also by moved and shaped easily. It is glued to the rear bulkhead which slopes up directly behind the seat. I haven't altered it yet, but intend to do so to make laybacks more comfortable.

When in the water, lifting the bow and draining the cockpit water is not only simple, but virtually all the water can be easily removed in a single lift. There is both a day hatch centered behind the cockpit as well as a smaller mini-hatch just forward for small items like snacks, car keys and so on. All the hatches are made by KayakSport. They are made from soft rubber with a harder plastic center and are all tethered internally. The mini-hatch is all rubber and tethered externally as seen in the photo. So far I've not found any leaks when playing around, rolling etc. There are bungies everywhere to tuck things under and reflective perimeter lines running right to the extremities. I sometimes catch my knuckles on the fittings closest to the cockpit when paddling, but this may be due to being inattentive with my forward stroke. The carrying handles are neatly held in place with bungie cords.


A loop of cord inserted inside a short piece of plastic tubing acts as a paddle holder at the bow. My Greenland stick slips in nicely without stratching the deck. Split Euro paddle handes would also fit. A clever idea!

The foot-braces are a standard item requiring one to pinch a lever behind the peg and then sliding them fore or aft for adjustment. There's plenty of foot-room!


Unlike my QCC, pulling down on either end of the Vaag will result in it wanting to tip over. I have used this method to assist in getting back in the boat after a wet exit. With the Vaag, the only method which seems to work for me so far has been to pull myself up on the rear deck from the side just behind the cockpit, swing my leg over the aft deck and then slide forward until my seat can drop into the cockpit. I usually get some water inside the cockpit as I heave myself up out of the water, but Maelstrom sells a Seal sprayskirt equipped with a bailing hole, perhaps just for this purpose!


I find paddling the Vaag, using a bit of skeg - adjusted via a slider on the left side of the cockpit - is helpful whenever there's much wind, especially coming from the quarters or the sides. Otherwise the boat tracks well considering how much rocker there is in the hull. Sliding the skeg down to the half mark and lower, puts the boat on rails to the point where, at times, it can be a struggle to turn. With it all the way up, it's easy to spin the boat in place once it's leaned on edge a bit.

Paddling in rougher water is where the Vaag really shines. I was taken aback by how stable and comfortable it is paddling in wind-driven waves in the 1 meter range, the biggest I've been out in so far. This includes going up-wind, down-wind or across the waves even with the boat empty! It simply inspires confidence, in my opinion. I'm sure it can handle bigger stuff than my paddling skills will allow, but it's good to know it's ready for me when I'm ready for bigger stuff!

I ordered a black hull to match the black hatch covers. Of course hull scratches show up clearly against the black, but it'll be easy to tell when it's time to re-do the hull! An available option is keel strips which would probably be worthwhile if you plan to paddle anywhere with rocky coastlines!

So as I near the end of the summer, I am very happy to own a Maelström Kayak Vaag. I look forward to having many interesting paddles in her!

See-Thru Kayaking

I suppose one way to learn to become 'one with your boat' when out kayaking, if to have a see-thru deck and hull. Thus when the instructor says something like "Bring your lower knee up and push the deck" everyone will be able to see exactly what is being asked of them. Getting that transparent boat has always been a problem until recently, but not any more.









A local company called 'Appalaches' can provide you with a custom sized SOF style kayak covered in heavy clear plastic. Built somewhat like those designed by Yost, the boats have a distinct look on the water. I haven't tried one, but I understand a few have already been sold. Not recommended for those who like to paddle naked...

Oh, There's Some Fun Up Ahead!

Long time readers will recall that a little over a year ago I wrote about a new kayak company named Maelström Kayaks based here in Québec that had designed two very interesting kayaks and were on the verge of putting them into production. Now with a new association with Boréal Design Kayaks, they've ramped up both production and, most importantly, distribution.

On my way home from a little paddling trip into Ontario, I stopped to pick up my very own Vaag 174, built to my colour choices of yellow and black. Today I quickly snapped a couple of photos and then spent a good part of the day at the lake having some fun. I wish I could say the waves were huge and the conditions extreme, but they were calm and gentle. This boat wants to play, so I had to make do with slalom runs through the mooring buoys and around the bridge tressels. More exciting paddles will come in the days ahead, I'm sure. This kayak will be my first choice as I head out on my summer voyages.


This boat has a skeg rather than a rudder which I'm more used to using, but as I also paddle SOF kayaks, it didn't take me long to have the boat tracking where I wanted and spinning around the buoys when I want that. I suspect this boat will push my skill level farther ahead and I'm looking forward to that! Another skill I'm looking forward to acquiring is remembering to bring the camera when I go out paddling...

But I Thought It Was Forever...

You know how it is. You begin a new relationship, everything is so wonderful and you just know it will last forever. How could it not? Well, as you can tell from the photo above, things can go bad. Suddenly. Sadly. Emotionally.

My Blundstone 500's, my wonderful Australian boots I've owned and worn through thick and thin for over 10 years, have come down with serious sole problems. Deep down in the sole's soul kind of problems. I noticed it walking in the wet grass in Palmer Rapids a few weeks ago, but like most males I tried to ignore it. A more detailed examination once I got home reveal the problem was more serious than I thought.

I've emailed the company hoping something can be done. I've yet to hear back, but I fear there will be another little marker out next to poor Razzy who passed away a few years ago. Oh I hope this isn't the end... Life was so good in those boots!

I must say however, that I did like the looks of some of the new 500's on the Australian Boot site. And they sell Icebreaker clothing too. Everything the northern kayaker needs to keep going through the ice-fields! And did you know that Eric Shiller's partner Tony Brown worn his Blundstones on their Australian circumnavigation attempt? There's no better endorsement!

Update! They're toast! Gone. Finished. No more. They can't be re-soled. It's over...

Tow Bag Troubles

One of the clinic sessions I took while at the Palmer Rapids kayak weekend was 'Rescues'. I wanted to practice using my North Water tow line, so the instructor agreed. We'd all practice a few tows and then we'd get rescued.

At first all went well, but then problems began to surface. My boat has a rudder. The rudder is operated via cables which attach by bolts secured with split-pins. One of these split-pins snagged the tow line rope... Now in a class, this is an easy thing to remedy, but out in a real tow situation, maybe it wouldn't be. Maybe the only solution would be to attempt to retrieve the down-stream end of the rope and try pulling it loose, or, in the worse case, I'd have to wet exit and free it by hand. No amount of paddle prodding would loosen the thing from the cockpit.

My next practice tow went well until I released the tow line using the quick-release. The bag with the extra tow line slipped off my waist as I paddled ahead and dragged along the rear deck where it then got caught in the rudder mechanism! Once again, I was unable to unfasten the bag and had to be 'rescued' by my tow person. Next time, when I undid the tow belt, I tossed the bag off to the side insuring it was free of my boat.

Another paddler used the bag before stuffing all the line back into the bag. After hooking on to her tow and paddling forward, she discovered the line had somehow managed to wrap itself around her boat making it impossible to tow anyone. Once again, the line had to be untangled by the towed boat, not something you'd want to do in a real-life situation.

It pays to practice with the so-called safety equipment we buy. The purchase alone does not guarantee you'll be safer with it on board. Knowing how best to use the stuff can be critical! Get out and play. You'll be glad you did!

Paddling Clothes

I saw another paddler on my lake today. Up until now I've either been alone or in the company of a few fishermen trolling quietly along. My fellow paddler was noticed some distance away going in the opposite direction from me so I didn't get a chance to meet up. His or her boat appeared to be a rec boat and the only article of clothing I could positively identify was what seemed to be a straw hat...

I'm still wearing my neoprene gloves and drysuit, the water is that cold and today's air temperature was a chilly 15°C. I'm hoping the straw hat was covering up something warmer. There wasn't much wind on the lake, but I knew a front was expected during the day and that often brings in sudden wind shifts and unexpected gusts.

In the end, I paddled back up the lake to try and locate the person. I wanted to make sure they were properly outfitted and would be able to get home safely. While driving home, I saw the boat making it's way down the lake. I guess the person made it, but I don't like it when I see people out in conditions which could lead into trouble. We kayakers need all the good press we can get!

Swirling Decisions...

About a year ago I discovered a new kayak. I was intrigued. She was made here in Quebec; she was British in inspiration; and, best of all, she was a playful looking companion for my 5 year old QCC 600 tripping boat. I looked forward to getting out on the water to try her out in her element. That chance came in the late spring and I wasn't disappointed. It was now only a matter of seeing my banker and being patient.

All the hurdles have now been jumped, except this last one. Maelstrom Kayaks sent me 20 suggested colour combinations to choose from, yet none seemed perfect for me. In the end, I knew the answer I sought was some combination of the three schemes seen in the photos above. I think I have it right or do I? What do you think the answer is? What combination would you choose? Choose a deck colour, a hull colour, a shearline colour and the hull fin colour and you've got it! Or do you?

Remember Kapok?

Wandering around the streets of Key West recently, I came across this magnificent tree. I wasn't sure what it was at first, but the huge buttresses at the base of the trunk had me curious. It turns out to be a Kapok tree. Now if you're old enough, you'll remember wearing life jackets filled with the soft material from these trees. If you're like me, you'll also remember them being uncomfortable and perhaps even cutting one open to expose the source of the discomfort, all wrapped up in little packages, which then were cut open and spread around the house in an impromptu science exploration. Some called it a mess, but the science held. I remembered the word 'kapok'.

I understand the fluffy material comes from the tree's seed packets. A little search on the web suggested the material is still being used here and there in the life jacket industry as a replacement for the foam materials more commonly used.

SPOT, The Home View

Most people by now have heard about the SPOT location device and have some idea of how it provides a map location to the people one selects to receive it. Obviously this device is seen as a real bonus for those roaming in isolated areas where safety and possible rescue is an issue. Those at home, can follow along and be assured that all is well - or not.

In the picture above, a participant in the on-going Everglade Challenge is using a SPOT device to keep those at home informed on her progress during the race. I'd not seen the SPOT information from the receiving end before and was amazed at it's clarity and usefulness. It would appear in this case that location 'spots' are being sent to the SPOT site every 10 minutes or so resulting in a trace of the route taken by the paddler. Fascinating!