Entries by aivasyuk

If you belong to a paddling group, now is a good time to start thinking about what trips and events you want to have for this coming paddling season. Barbara and I belong to the Chesapeake Paddlers Association, and we had our second trip planning meeting yesterday. There are now several dozen trips and events planned for this season, which is plenty to give most of our 500+ fellow members something to do between March and November. If you don't yet belong to a group and want to paddle with other like-minded people, now is also a good time to find a local group and join up.

Thanks to Jim and Monique of PotomacPaddlers.com, there are now actual photos of me doing cartwheels in the MD Chute earlier this week. Check them out here. I'm the one in the red Wave Sport Transformer. (Jim is the in the red Jackson All-Star and Monique is in the yellow Star.)

I still can't believe I was doing this in the middle of February. Actually Barbara and I should have been skiing in Canaan, West Virginia this week with Dave and Cyndi, but Barbara hurt her back at the pool rolling session on Sunday so I've been taking care of her this week. Of course the other problem is that we have no snow around here, it all melted from almost a week of 50+ degree weather. I hope Canaan got enough snow for skiing, because there is only so much time you can spend sitting in the hot tub.

So Dave and I went out to the Maryland Chute. The air temperature was in the mid 50's and the water was in the upper 30s. This is the coldest water I've paddled in so far, and I never thought I would be paddling and rolling in water this cold, but it wasn't too bad because it was sunny and the air was relatively warm. So for my personal tolerance, as long as I have my neoprene head warmer, a good drytop, and good fleece insulation underneath, I'm doing fine because I know I'm not going to exit the boat and I know how to control my gasp reflex.

Paddling while the snow is melting all around is beautiful. I wish I had my camera. One of the side streams was completely iced over, and at the MD Chute there was snow and ice all over the rocks that made for a great background while we were paddling.

So which parts of me got cold? My hands and my toes. The neoprene booties I was wearing did not provide enough insulation given that the only thing between them and the near-freezing water was a few millimeters of plastic. I wish I could wear my fleece socks under the booties but there isn't enough room, and if I get thicker booties they may not fit in the boat, so there I am paddling with cold toes. Maybe I'll start stuffing those chemical toe warmers in my booties before paddling.

As for my hands, I had pogies on the paddle so my hands were warm out of the water, but when I'm splashing around on the wave the water will get into the pogies. So after each ride I have to drain the pogies and wait a minute so my fingers can warm up before the next ride. I could probably wear some neoprene gloves under the pogies, but I like the feel of the paddle in my hands so I'm not sure how that would affect my paddling. Maybe that's something to try for later.

Well, I was going to post a long article today but I hit the wrong button in my blogging software and accidentally wiped it out.  Oh, well.  I will try again tomorrow.

Also, big congrats to Eric "EJ" Jackson on winning his third World Freestyle Championship.  This is going to be a good year for Jackson Kayak.

The ACA (American Canoe Association) just made their Smart Start  presentation available on their web site.  It's an animated slide show that touches on some basic skills for beginning paddlers.  While it may be good to show to young kids who are just starting out, it's no substitute for time and experience on the water.  In my opinion, if you're thinking about learning how to canoe or kayak you should skip this animated presentation and register for a real introductory class.

The event is being held at the Penrith whitewater park in Australia. This park was built for the 2000 Olympic whitewater competition and looks like a great place to get whitewater practice year-round. You don't even need to haul back up to the top for a second run; there is a conveyor belt that takes you back to the top of the course. Cool!

For some great photos and coverage of the event and surrounding action, check out EJ's posts on the Jackson Kayak web site.

As the water was getting colder back in November, I started noticing that the sleeves of my drytop were starting to get a bit damp, to the point where it was getting somewhat uncomfortable to continue playing for long periods of time. It's a known fact that the DWR (durable water repellency) wears off after a while, and my drytop is now about 4 years old so I figured that could be it.

After looking into the cost of getting a new drytop, I decided to try revitalizing what I already had to see if I could extend its life. After all I had just spent $40 already on a new neck gasket, so I figured I might as well get some use out of it.

I did a little research on google and found that everyone seemed to be recommending the Nikwax Tx-Direct wash-in waterproofing treatment. The drytop is Gore-Tex, and the Nikwax treatment is designed to work with all breathable fabrics of this type. For non-breathable drytops perhaps a spray-on treatment should also be considered.

I went over to REI and picked up a bottle of the Tx-Direct as well as the Nikwax Tech Wash, total cost under $20. The treatment consists of washing the drytop first in the washing machine with the Tech Wash, then washing it again with the Tx-Direct. You need to let the Tx-Direct soak into the fabric for some number of minutes after the washer has filled, otherwise you just set the heavy wash cycle and let it run. The only other thing to keep in mind is that you can't put the drytop in the dryer if it has latex gaskets, so I did a combination of warm-iron and blow-dryer to activate the DWR.

I was skeptical at first, but I am happy to say that the waterproofing treatment worked like a charm and I was able to stay quite dry in 40-degree water. So if you're considering getting a new drytop, you can save some money by trying the Nikwax treatment first.

It suddenly got cold here in the DC area. After being in the 60s last week it has fallen into the 20s and 30s over the weekend. On Sunday Barbara and I went to the pool session at the Lee District RECenter and I got to practice bowstalls in warm water. Next week maybe we'll try to take some pictures.

It's below freezing again today (19F) which may finally signal the end of our outdoor paddling season. For those of you still brave enough to venture out on the water, here is another good article from the Connecticut Sea Kayakers on dressing for the weather.  (The article is in PDF format, so Acrobat Reader or equivalent is required.)

Yesterday our air temperature got up to 65F. Considering that we're in Northern Virginia, this is rather unusual for mid-January. So that being said, Dave and I took advantage again and went out to park and play on the Offut Island chute on the Potomac. The water temperature was still 44F according to the Little Falls gauge.

Given that it was so warm, it was hard to dress for the water. However dressing for the water is something that all paddlers must remember to do, especially when going out in cold water conditions where hypothermia is a real danger. I know I was quite toasty in my IR Thick Skin under my drytop, full-length Power Stretch fleece tights, and a full neoprene head warmer under my helmet, but I was sure grateful for all that layering when I had to roll.

I know, I know, there are plenty of people that suggest that at these water temperatures I should be wearing a drysuit in case I have to swim. Fortunately I'm fairly tolerant of cold water, and in fact a few years ago I did swim at the Dickerson training course in exactly the outfit I was wearing. The water temperature at Dickerson was in the 40s, and the air temperature as well (it was snowing that week) and I was just fine. I've since developed my bombproof roll and haven't swum in years, so I just haven't felt the need to spend $500 on a drysuit. For people who don't have a bombproof roll yet, a drysuit may be a necessity in these conditions.

One of the things whitewater paddlers often talk about is having a bombproof roll. Whitewater paddlers often encounter conditions that most sea kayakers wouldn't go near, but in handling those conditions they develop advanced bracing and rolling skills that allow them to stay in the boat even if they flip on a wave or in a hole. (Whitewater paddlers expect to flip over.)

As do whitewater kayakers, sea kayakers often learn to roll in a pool or on a calm stretch of water, but how often do sea kayakers really get to practice these skills? Today the air temperature is 50F, and the water temperature is around 40F. If you're out paddling on the Chesepeake Bay and you flip over, is there someone close enough to do a T-rescue, or do you really want to do a wet exit?

A couple years ago we were out on the Bay with a small group and paddled out to one of the lighthouses. It was summer and the water was relatively warm with 2- to 3-foot swells. Nothing particularly difficult, so we decided to practice a few rolls. We each took turns rolling in the swells with a spotter ready for a T-rescue. Everyone successfully completed their rolls and paddled back with a sense of satisfaction.

I think that in the sea kayaking community, rolling is often considered one of those "nice to have" but not "essential" skills. When Barbara and I took our sea kayaking classes we were not taught anything about rolling, we had to learn that in the whitewater classes. I disagree with that kind of thinking. I think that rolling should be taught in the introductory classes along with the other basic sea kayaking skills such as strokes, braces, and navigation. Of course along those lines I am happy to note that many people seek rolling instruction later, and we taught a number of rolling and rescue classes over the last couple of years.

Unfortunately many sea kayakers seem to be somewhat less successful at actually completing their rolls, or even if they complete a couple they don't practice enough to have a reliable roll. Having a solid roll will increase your confidence on the water and allow you to paddle in more places and under a greater range of conditions. Isn't that reason enough?

I could suggest that the fastest way to a reliable roll is to practice in whitewater conditions (and in a whitewater boat!), but that may not a realistic option for many paddlers. However I would suggest taking every opportunity to practice until your roll becomes second nature. You don't have to learn 100 types of rolls like the Greenland paddling champions. One type of roll, practiced consistently, is all you really need. If you prefer the C-to-C, do that. Sweep rolls are often easier for sea kayakers to learn, so try those. When the water gets too cold to paddle (or freezes over), find a local pool session and keep practicing; these skills are perishable if you don't keep them fresh. Just remember to bring a buddy along just in case you need that T-rescue.