Suggestions on Kayaks

[wavery]

Wayne,

I saw in another thread you broke your paddle.  What happened?

Ray

We....we ......(Sniff...sniff) were coming in, in the surf......and...and a big shark came up and bit it :yikes: .


Naaaaa  I hit the bottom with the end of the paddle when we were coming in, in the surf. That cheap, crummy plastic joiner, that holds the 2 halves of the paddle together, broke. Now my paddles are 1 piece .

While we are back on the subject......what offset do you use on your paddle blades? I'm starting to understand how that works (thanks to PITPOP27 ). I'd just like to hear a little more about it .

[Surfcal]

I have three paddles of varying levels (read price).  My favorite of course is the carbon fiber shaft, the lighter the better.  It comes in two pieces.  I offset it so that when one paddle is in the water, the other blade is not flat against the wind, but more like the way the wings of a plane cuts into the wind.

When you dip into the water, you have either one of your hands as the strong grip, it's the one hand that does the twisting while the other hand is the loose side.  Depending on how you twist or which side is your strong grip, a two part paddle will give you three options depending on which setting fits you best.  I also use neoprene gloves.  It lessens the wear on my soft hands, in case I need it for on-camera modeling, and it keeps my hands warm.

And when you paddle, don't just rely on the arms, twist your body with the stroke.  If you envision the center of the paddle being in line with the center of your lifejacket as you paddle, you're in good shape.  You will tire less, your strokes will be stronger and efficient.  And stroke from the tip of your toes to just past your hips.  Beyond that is worthless.

Some other paddles come with curvy shafts.  From what little I know, those are meant for racing and I'm not one of those.

[wavery]

I have three paddles of varying levels (read price).  My favorite of course is the carbon fiber shaft, the lighter the better.  It comes in two pieces.  I offset it so that when one paddle is in the water, the other blade is not flat against the wind, but more like the way the wings of a plane cuts into the wind.

When you dip into the water, you have either one of your hands as the strong grip, it's the one hand that does the twisting while the other hand is the loose side.  Depending on how you twist or which side is your strong grip, a two part paddle will give you three options depending on which setting fits you best.  I also use neoprene gloves.  It lessens the wear on my soft hands, in case I need it for on-camera modeling, and it keeps my hands warm.

And when you paddle, don't just rely on the arms, twist your body with the stroke.  If you envision the center of the paddle being in line with the center of your lifejacket as you paddle, you're in good shape.  You will tire less, your strokes will be stronger and efficient.  And stroke from the tip of your toes to just past your hips.  Beyond that is worthless.

Some other paddles come with curvy shafts.  From what little I know, those are meant for racing and I'm not one of those.

Thanks for the tips................maybe someday I will understand, "stroke from the tip of your toes to just past your hips.  Beyond that is worthless." :confused:

For right now, I'm really happy that we were able to make the thing go through the water by paddling with my arms (Toes & hips are somewhere down the road :p ). I was impressed at how fast the thing moved with, seemingly, little effort. I can't wait to go trolling with it. We just have to work on our technique and build our endurance. It's a long way to Catalina :p .

Oh ya...I have to work on that, "stroke from the tip of your toes to just past your hips" thing too.

How do the shafts connect together on your 2 piece paddles?

[dthurk]

Thanks for the tips................maybe someday I will understand, "stroke from the tip of your toes to just past your hips. Beyond that is worthless." :confused:
 

It means, when you place the tip of your paddle in the water, don't reach any further than the tips of your toes are in the boat.  Then pull the paddle out of the water just as it reaches the area of your hips as you are seated.  It controls the length of the stroke in the water.  That, combined with the twisting of your torso make for a powerful stroke that is least tiring.

[wavery]

It means, when you place the tip of your paddle in the water, don't reach any further than the tips of your toes are in the boat.  Then pull the paddle out of the water just as it reaches the area of your hips as you are seated.  It controls the length of the stroke in the water.  That, combined with the twisting of your torso make for a powerful stroke that is least tiring.

Got-it.....thanks for clearing that up :book: .

I have been sitting on the living-room floor for the last half hour trying to figure out how to hold the paddles with my feet and not let them go past my hips.........heck, I couldn't even get close to my hips. I had to tape the paddles to my feet and kept polling back on my head. :J I was beginning to get discouraged, thinking, "Man this kayaking is tougher than I thought" :eyecrazy:

[dthurk]

Got-it.....thanks for clearing that up :book: .
 
I have been sitting on the living-room floor for the last half hour trying to figure out how to hold the paddles with my feet and not let them go past my hips.........heck, I couldn't even get close to my hips. I had to tape the paddles to my feet and kept polling back on my head. :J I was beginning to get discouraged, thinking, "Man this kayaking is tougher than I thought" :eyecrazy:

LOL!
 
Sometimes we try to make things more complicated than they should be.  In the end, if the boat's moving the direction you intend to go, you're probably doing something right.

[wavery]

LOL!
 
Sometimes we try to make things more complicated than they should be.  In the end, if the boat's moving the direction you intend to go, you're probably doing something right.

That's the same thing that I found out about sailing.

Back in '83 I went sailing with a friend. Once I figured out that I could make the boat move, I got so excited that I was sailing around the world, with my own boat 12 months later (I didn't return to the US until '98). I hadn't even sailed beyond Catalina Island (and I only did that once)....next stop was Hawaii :yikes: .....and that's the truth!

I'm already trying to figure out how to strap a sail to this kayak....I'll bet that I make a trip to Catalina with this thing by the end of the summer.

[Surfcal]

Wayne:
 
 The good news is, they do make sail rigs for kayaks along with outriggers.  I bet that you "do" make it to Catalina by summer.  From what I understand, it's an easy mod.
 
 I'm interested in your progress.

BTW:  That paddling with your feet bit is funny.  LOL.

[sandykayak]

well, I'm late on this one as well...but that's not going to stop me from opining

Did you buy the aluminum shaft paddles with a flat (ie like two canoe paddles joined together)?   IMO, they are real dogs..especially since you tend to flip it higher to dig the blade into the water.  My favorites are Swift paddles - I especially like the Mid-Swift.  Really lightweight... costly but worth their weight in comfort.

I got two other 4-piece paddles (trying to save money) for my folding kayak (Puffin //www.pakboats.com) before finally getting my 3rd swift (I have my first fiberglass one, then the carbon fiber, and now the 4-piece 'glass one) for Xmas. I don't think there's much difference weight-wise in the 'glass or carbon fiber paddles.   Paddling with a heavy paddle is hell.

Was amazed that you were planning to go out in the surf without a PFD (and I do realize you are an experienced boater).  In FL the law says you must have one on board (as well as a whistle)...you don't have to wear it, but if you flip and your boat hits you on the head....well, it DOES make it easier to find the body.

Some tandem SOTs (sit-on-tops) are easier to paddle solo because they have a third seat in the middle.  I recently (6 months ago?) got the Pelican Apex II at Sports Authority dirt cheap.  Its MSRP is about $500 and I've seen it priced at $450 on the 'net.  SA had it for $299 with a $50 discount - so I paid $250 for it.  I saw that last week they had the same offer.   The epinions are that it's a good starter boat.  I bought it mostly to lend to friends (I live on a lake).

Came with the ##$%%%@@@  back-bands and the one time I tried it I found seating very uncomfortable, so I bought two seats ($50 each).

Wet re-entry is much easier in a SOT....  the trick with kayak re-entry is to float on your tummy (many people use paddle floats - slip paddle in the float and under your bungees and then use it as a lever for your legs) and get your legs up to the surface and perpendicular to the boat - so you form a T.  (It's much harder to try and pull yourself up if your feet are straight down).  Then you sort of belly up onto your boat and turn over.  

Paddling tandem is not easy...having a rudder helps...ditto with the sail rigs...

[dthurk]

That's the same thing that I found out about sailing.

Back in '83 I went sailing with a friend. Once I figured out that I could make the boat move, I got so excited that I was sailing around the world, with my own boat 12 months later (I didn't return to the US until '98). I hadn't even sailed beyond Catalina Island (and I only did that once)....next stop was Hawaii :yikes: .....and that's the truth!

I'm already trying to figure out how to strap a sail to this kayak....I'll bet that I make a trip to Catalina with this thing by the end of the summer.

Get a large golfing umbrella and open it up.  It works, at least in lower wind conditions.  Be really careful in open water treks.  An open water trek is anything where you are further from land than you can swim.  Before you go, make sure you have a PFD (and you're wearing it!) and make sure you know how to get back in your kayak if somehow you were to go over.  Bad things can happen very fast in a kayak, and your swimming ability is not a factor to safety.

[PLJ]

thanks for the helpful replies. Lots to think on. I guess I need to get to the stores and get my hands on them.

I'd be ok with my 11 year old in a kayak. She is very sporty and very well coordinated. Naturally she would always be wearing a PFD. We could always put a tow rope on her.