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Pics for Ron / or anyone who wants to see a wipeout!

  • #21
Looks sweet - congrats! How does it track? (btw - we need to set a date for the NC trip) :-O
 
  • #22
Thanks.
Seemed to track really well.
Only paddled it 15 - 20 minutes total. Played with it in 12" or so of water seeing how the stability was at first. Initial was weaker then some others I checked, but the secondary was really strong. Thought I'd like that better when leaning to photograph, or just edging the boat.
Unfortunately he thought it came with a rudder, but it was only rudder ready. Not sure I'll really need a rudder. May take more trips to the Bay with this boat then I did with the canoe. Even then I usually paddle close to shore in marshy areas looking for wild life anyway, not out in the open. Although my one buddy has made mention about paddling across the Bay before....

I think you mentioned about April. Nothing going on April 19-24. I'd be driving down the 19th. Not 100% sure if I'd leave to come home Monday the 23rd or Tuesday the 24th.... Your thoughts?
 
  • #23
When fighting a crosswind in open water - especially with waves coming at an angle, the rudder is really worth it. It allows you to just paddle with few or no correction strokes. It's also very helpful when you put your paddle down & use binocs to check something out - the boat will keep tracking straight. Without the rudder - the boat almost always starts to curve - very irritating. For cruising slowly in backwater areas, I rarely use it.

Let me check the dates to see when we were there last time & I'll get back to you.
 
  • #24
Ron,
Liked the idea about when using binocs or taking pictures.
I did not feel like spending $150.00 or more on a rudder for my boat, so I did a search for DIY rudders.
Found some plans and thought I should have the metal shop use the CNC punch to make my parts.
Asked the operations how much to punch the pieces out, and was told what I was expecting, nothing.
Brackets are 1/8" aluminum, and the supervisor of the metal shop suggested I go with 3/16" on the rudder. I gave the rudder a little taper on the leading and trailing edge. I do not know if it will make any difference going through the water or not.
So it should not be hard at all to get this attached to my boat since it's already rudder ready.
Should have this made up under $25.00. :banana2:

DIY_Rudder.jpg


DIY_Rudder1.jpg


DIT_Rudder2.jpg
 
  • #25
Wow!! Really looks incredible - great job! :hail:
 
  • #26
Well Ron, the rudder is still in the garage... on the table.... I'll get it attached at some point.

Video of my rolling. Not perfect, but works most of the time. Next things to practice, self rescue in the touring kayak, then rolling that.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ocHHg4IbCaU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Couple other pics of me and the wife on the Susquehanna River a few nights ago.

RachPaddleSus.jpg


MePaddleSus_zps296d739e.jpg


Any ideas on next years trip? Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge? Merchant Millpond again?
 
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  • #27
Video of my rolling. Not perfect, but works most of the time. Next things to practice, self rescue in the touring kayak, then rolling that.
I've been really negligent with that - the hot weather should really have me out there practicing all sorts of rescues. Thanks for the reminder.
Couple other pics of me and the wife on the Susquehanna River a few nights ago.
Did you get a 3rd yak?
Any ideas on next years trip? Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge? Merchant Millpond again?
I can't even begin to think about next year until it starts to get cold. If I planned right now, with this heat, I'd be looking for places in Alaska or the Yukon. LOL
 
  • #28
I've been really negligent with that - the hot weather should really have me out there practicing all sorts of rescues. Thanks for the reminder.
It's another steamy day in PA. If it does not storm I may be cooling off this way tonight.
Did you get a 3rd yak?
First yak was the WW. Second was the rec boat for my wife, and the last one was my touring kayak, so yep I have 3.
I can't even begin to think about next year until it starts to get cold. If I planned right now, with this heat, I'd be looking for places in Alaska or the Yukon. LOL
If I had the time and $$ Alaska sounds great to me.


In Sept my wife and I are taking the yaks to Assateague Island. I may take my yak to Cape May (wife does not want to go in the ocean yet) the end of this month.
 
  • #29
Practice any self rescue Ron?

Was out playing with the touring kayak tonight with self rescue and decided to see if I could roll it without a skirt. Man this boat rolls easy. Easier then the WW yak.
Had the wife shoot some video.

1st segment: roll without a skirt.
2nd segment: the boat was already half filled with water from a previous roll. Makes for a really unstable boat as I went over again and did a self rescue then. I probably did not need to switch to the other side of the boat when using the paddle as an outrigger. There is a raised bump on the one side so it would keep the blade down in the water more when used on the side I did. I should have tried the other side to see if there was any difference.

** Just noticed as I looked at this today, the video is cut off by what I suspect is caused by the ad to the right. To see the videos in full, double click them to open them up in Youtube...
**** oh sure... write the edit save and ad disappears and full view of the video is there....
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6U2cYvdIuDY?list=UUBvnH2eaWE4x44C6b7Jhjng" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


And a video of me paddling upstream on the Susquehanna River when I was exploring the rock gardens, and eddy hopping.
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1YP_1xFoM9w" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


** Just noticed as I looked at this today, the video is cut off by what I suspect is caused by the ad to the right. To see the videos in full, double click them to open them up in Youtube...
**** oh sure... write the edit save and ad disappears and full view of the video is there....
 
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  • #30
Here's something I've wanted to do for a while now and it just never worked out..... Kayaking in the snow.
Went for a 2 hour paddle today.
Need to remember to bring the skirt next time...
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2Ml7jUSwAO8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Ron, did you ever get the email I sent about this years kayak trip?
 
  • #31
After paddling several boats, I purchased a new WW boat this evening.... can not wait to get it on some WW.

 
  • #32
Thats nice ! I love kayak, but im only a amateur. Sometimes a 2 places kayak with my gf :)
 
  • #33
The winter paddle was the looked awesome. Looked peaceful. Would love to clear my head that way.
Thanks for the videos. I have learned a lot from viewing them.
 
  • #34
Ron,
Made my first decent down the lower yough run this weekend.
A few pics:







 
  • #35
Great pics! :hail:

I take it that you've purchased a spray skirt since your 1st post? :-))

What class water is that? Did you go below the 'loop' (where you can take out & walk back to the start for another run)?
 
  • #36
Thanks. They where purchased. A professional photographer sits at the bottom of Cucumber rapid and snaps pics of you making the run.
Cucumber rapid has a class III rating on the American Whitewater site.
Made the whole run.
I'll be going back. :grin:
Gonna get the dust off your WW boat and join me?
 
  • #37
Bought myself a creeker; the Pyranha Nano.
From their website "The Nano is a short river running boat with a playful nature, it has influences from Shiva, Jed and Burn make for a super maneuverable, compact boat with creek potential, it has the ability to run harder lines as well as open up play spots on your favorite river. "

Took it down the Lower Muddy today with 2 other people in creekers. One had a Dagger Mamba and the other a Pyranha Burn, which I was originally thinking about getting.
So glad I went with the Nano. I was getting on features and surfing it up, while both of them could not get on the features at all.
This boats gonna be fun in the bigger water that my little playboat would get tossed around in.

Creeker_zpsa9128800.jpg


Bought a new vehicle also.
elantra_zps03c4ca9e.jpg


Best part
playboat_zps0d23aca1.jpg


newboatcar_zps7295faeb.jpg


Yep, boats fit in the car. LOL
 
  • #38
Took the new boat to the Lower Yough this weekend.











 
  • #39
Sold the wife's Rec boat.
She wanted a Sit On Top originally, but I got such a great deal on the Elie Rec boat, I couldn't pass it up.
She only paddles 3 / 4 times a year and was mentioning lately about a SOT. When I was looking around at them I noticed several of the white water manufactures where making SOT with performance hulls to run white water. This got me thinking, if I get her a white water influenced SOT, it will get more use since I'll take it on some trips. Looks like a SOT in white water would be a lot of fun.
I know my wife and comfort is the most important thing to her.

I was looking at the Pyranha Fusion SOT. I liked this boats hull design best of the 3 I was looking at, but the outfitting is terrible. You sit in plastic molded seat with only a cushioned back-band.

The Liquid Logic Coupe has much better outfitting, but for white water, looks like the worst hull design.

That brings me to the Dagger Roam. Comes in a 9.5 foot length and 11.5.
She got to try out a Dagger Roam 11.5 Sit On Top last night at the pool session and she really liked it.
I got in and paddled and was very impressed. We now own our first Dagger boat.
The outfitting is the most comfortable I've ever sat in.
Went with the 11.5 since it's the wife's boat and she only paddles flat water. The longer, little narrower boat over the 9.5 will be better for speed and tracking.
As for maneuverability, I was really impressed with the 11.5. On edge it turns incredibly quick. This will be a blast on some class 3 water.
My only problem is I haven't figured out how to roll it yet. Can get it half way up and that's about it. Looks like if I tip this one over, it's swim time....LOL

dagger_zpsk7lytor7.jpg


dagger1_zpsjaymqumm.jpg


daggerseat_zpsuxpaceec.jpg


Maybe we should set up a Pine Barrens trip and I could get her to come along.
 
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