I was driving to Desolation Wilderness for a day hike yesterday when I heard a new show on NPR, a series, called What's the New What?, and the show was Kayaking is the New Canoeing (listen to it by clicking on the link). That reminded me of a story.
Once I was staying at a friends house in Guerneville and I woke up early in the morning and was eyeing my friend's rowboat. Everyone was still asleep, and I was contemplating a little joy ride. Then my friend, Roger, told me he was about to take the canoe, Tippy, out to check his crayfish trap. So I proposed a race. I would get in the rowboat, and he would take the canoe, and we would see who got across the river to the buoy first. Now I was 23 at the time, and my friend was 55, so I assumed that I would win by a mile. He accepted the challenge, and we put in. I rowed with both oars with all my might, but Roger, with only one paddle, and without seaming to exert any particular effort at all literally paddled rings around me. And he was serenely smirking. I etched a fundamental rule of seamanship onto my brain, "The canoe is faster than the rowboat." Now this reminds me of another story (hang on, last one).
Fast forward eleven years, it is now 2001, and I'm 34. I'm on a paddle with my friend Marc, and my partner, Kevin. Marc and I are in a canoe, and Kevin is downstream a few hundred feet in a kayak. He is too far out of range to hear Marc and I plotting against him. The scheme that came into my brain was this. Marc and I would paddle the canoe as fast as we could, and we would come up behind the unwitting kayaker, and speed by him as such a rate that it would knock his socks off, and wow him to his core. Kevin was not paddling for speed. He was gently paddling along. On the other hand, Marc and I were pouring on the coal, driving as fast as two very fit men could push that canoe. But, we could barely catch up! Let alone speed by Kevin. So, with all our effort, we couldn't blow by the kayak, and the kayaker wasn't even racing. Aha! I etched another rule, "The kayak is faster than the canoe."
Kayak vs. Canoe
Speed - The kayak wins because it has the lower to the water closed in deck and creates less wind resistance. Canoes are usually heavier, often made out of alumnium and a lot heavier.
Tippiness - Not sure here. But the kayaker can roll with a spray skirt on and never get any (or much) water in the cockpit. The kayak has bulkheads protecting compartments that won't fill with water very easily, so tipping over is less of a problem than with a canoe that is swamped.
Cargo - You can load a lot into a canoe, but I'm going to call this one a tie. The right kayak can hold a lot in it's compartments.
Socialability - It is true that you can ship your paddles and meet your canoeing buddy in the middle for lunch. Just be careful turning around in the canoe or your sandwiches may get wet. But the canoe's edge over the kayak is only slight. When I have lunch with my kayaking companions, we usually raft up, passing bags of chips down the line. They can be very social. Also the tandem kayak is just as social as the canoe.
Transport and Storage - It is easier for one person to carry and load a kayak. Though there are fiberglass canoes that are quite light, they are still bulkier than the sleek kayak.
Cost - (based on REI's selection) The price ranges are roughly as follows. Canoe $700 - 2,700. Kayak $320 - 3,250. Per person, that's about the same. Buying a kayak is more complicated, because you have to fit the kayak to your person and your intended use much more than you would a canoe.
Conclusion: I much prefer the kayak, but both are a lot of fun. I sure wouldn't pass up a canoe to get out on the water and see some nature. The canoe can simplify getting a novice out on the water, as long as the person in the back isn't a novice, and knows the J-stroke. Always wear your life vest, and have fun!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Saugatuck, Michigan
This Summer, my partner and I made our way to the Midwest to visit family in Chicago and Minneapolis, and while we were there we made a little side trip to the resort town of Saugatuck, Michigan. Saugatuck is located on the Kalamazoo River where it meets Lake Michigan, and recreational kayaks are available for rent. We took one out for four hours and had a great tour. We first headed upriver, under the Blue Star Highway bridge toward Douglas, then under the Highway 196 Bridge into Silver Lake. The Kalamazoo River wends its way off to the Southeast, but we only had so much time, so we headed back toward Saugatuck to get as close as possible to the mouth of the river where it spills into Lake Michigan. The rental company doesn't allow the rec kayaks to be taken out on the lake, and that is understandable.
The boat we were in had only an aft bulkhead, and no sprayskirts. The cockpit was one big opening for both paddlers, and would have taken on water wonderfully. The life vests were cheap, and the symetrical paddles were the cheapest I've ever seen without drip guards, yet they still sufficed in propelling the kayak. The tandem kayak had no rudder, and didn't track very well. I found it was easiest to control when both paddlers were aware of a bearing and aimed for it. When my attention lapsed for even a few seconds I found we drifted off course rather quickly. When renting, you may not have a lot of options for good equipment, and I've seriously begun to consider purchasing a good folding kayak for travel. This trip was not primarily about kayaking, so it was good to get out on the water even if the equipment was very basic.
We saw many fish jumping out of the water, lots of ducks and ducklings, water lillies in the still waters of Silver Lake, and many turtles.
The boat we were in had only an aft bulkhead, and no sprayskirts. The cockpit was one big opening for both paddlers, and would have taken on water wonderfully. The life vests were cheap, and the symetrical paddles were the cheapest I've ever seen without drip guards, yet they still sufficed in propelling the kayak. The tandem kayak had no rudder, and didn't track very well. I found it was easiest to control when both paddlers were aware of a bearing and aimed for it. When my attention lapsed for even a few seconds I found we drifted off course rather quickly. When renting, you may not have a lot of options for good equipment, and I've seriously begun to consider purchasing a good folding kayak for travel. This trip was not primarily about kayaking, so it was good to get out on the water even if the equipment was very basic.
We saw many fish jumping out of the water, lots of ducks and ducklings, water lillies in the still waters of Silver Lake, and many turtles.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Shared Adventures Day on the Beach
Shared Adventures Day on the Beach
On July 12, 2008, I received an email from Dean McCully, organizer for this nonprofit event. They needed volunteers for their 16th annual Day on the Beach to provide a day of beach fun for disabled people the following weekend. They needed people with battery powered drills to help assemble the platforms that allow wheelchairs to go out onto the beach. The activities include kayaking, outrigger canoeing, SCUBA diving, water floatation, and using beach wheelchairs. Sounds like a lot of fun, and it was! As soon as I saw kayaking I was hooked. I didn't know what all was involved, but I signed up via the online volunteer registration form.
By midweek, I received a call from one of the organizers, and I committed to being there on Friday morning at 9:30am at Chris Bordner Auto Body on Center St in Santa Cruz where we would be building platforms. Chris Bordner Auto Body very generously provides its parking lot for use by the volunteers to stack wood, and build frames for the weekend. If you're looking for an autobody shop, please give them a call: (831) 423-1301. I added my tool belt to the list of things to bring, recharged my drill battery, and made sure my screwdriver bits are in the case.
I left the house on Friday at 6am, and arrived in Santa Cruz by 8am. Traffic was not a problem. I grabbed a humous bagel at the Bagelry (320 Cedar St, Santa Cruz, CA). Then I headed for Bordners. Made sure to put on plenty of sunscreen, though it was cloudy, plenty of rays come through, and it could clear up. I showed up, and was put to work. Jonathan and Tom were the foremen and had been there many years in the past. Two tables were built on which lumber is laid out and frames built. The frames are transported to Cowell Beach the following day where the plywood is attached. San Lorenzo Lumber (A Division of Lumbermens) stores all of the materials each year, so shop there and support them! We worked until 3pm, and we had built 57 frames.
We were asked to show up the next morning at, gulp, 7am to load the frames and plywood onto trucks for transport to the beach. A special truck is needed, and provided by the City of Santa Cruz, that can drive on the sand without getting stuck. Another crew is on the beach to unload the frames, put them in place and attach the plywood to them. The loading went on until 10am, when I went down to the beach to join the kayaking volunteer crew.
After the orientation for kayaking crew, and safety demonstration, I put on my wetsuit, PFD, and booties, and was ready for action when the kayak trips started at Noon. Here's how the kayaking activity works. There is a loading platform where there is a portable hoist that lifts the wheelchair bound out of their chairs and lowers them into their kayaks. A loading crew position the guest into the front cockpit of a tandem and make sure that they are well padded inside, with a PFD, and a spray skirt. Then the launching crew moves the kayak down beach to the edge of the water. A contact volunteer is assigned to each guest to talk to them, find out their name, introduce them to their paddler, make sure they're comfortable, and so on. The guest may or may not have a paddle themselves depending on their abilities and wishes. The paddlers gets into the rear cockpit down at the water's edge, and as soon as they're ready the launch lead (John or Shark Mark) watches the waves, and times the launch. When the lead orders the launch, the kayak is pulled by about six launch crew volunteers into the water, and off they go. Two tandems are escorted by one safety Sit-On-Top kayak. The front paddler on the safety kayak is responsible for jumping in the water if a guest goes into the water, and your one job is to get and keep the guest head out of the water. Other volunteers may help the guest either back into the tandem, or onto the deck of the safety kayak. Safety kayakers must be prepared to spend 20 minutes in the water, so must have wet suits. The landing procedure is timed by the launch lead. A tandem returning from a route waits for the signal from the lead both to make sure that a landing crew is ready, and so that the lead can time the waves. The goal is to bring the guest in on the back of the wave, not the front of the wave. This is because the kayak is less likely to broach and roll this way. As soon as the kayak is in shallow water, the landing crew have hooks that they slip through the D-rings on the kayak, and pull the kayak up the beach. The paddler gets out, and then the crew drag the kayak back up to the platform can lift the guest out of the kayak if needed.
Bill was my safety kayak companion and we took turns escorting the first pair of tandems around the bay at Cowell Beach. I was in the rear, so Bill was on point to jump in. Jerry and Bob were our tandem paddlers. The route is out to the kelp beds, then to the point off the warf, then back to the beach. It is about one mile, and takes about 20 minutes. This is repeated all day long until about 5pm, and many people rotate into the various roles. On the first trip, we saw two sea otters in the distance off of the point where the surfer statue is. The next trip, I was on the front of the safety kayak, and after that, I switched to various shore duties, mostly launching and landing. We saw a family of three sea otters right out in the middle of the bay this time. Under the warf there are scores of sea lions barking. Since safety paddling is the most fun, most people want to volunteer to do it, so you swap out to give someone else a chance. I spent the rest of the day on landing and launch crews. Each kayaking volunteer wears as many hats as needed, and goes to where they are needed based on the situation. I was often the contact person for guests about to launch, and was honored to meet and get to know a number of our guests.
We had one capsize on launch, and a very exciting rescue. We had a very heavy guest who leaned to the right. After launch, the kayak wanted to roll to the starboard. I stayed with the kayak after launch, past the soup, to hang onto the port side to stabilize things. The lead told the safety kayak to come alongside (the starboard side) and attempt to reposition the guest to center his weight. I told the paddler that I would let go and he would call me back if he needed me to steady the kayak. I was treading water closeby in case I was needed, ready to swim back to shore. Then, suddenly both the tandem and the safety kayak capsized rolling toward each other. I did as I was trained and did a scissor kick to throw myself over the hull of the tandem. I grabbed the gunwale and threw my weight backwards rolling the kayak back upright. Looking to the left I verified that the guest was still in the forward cockpit, and his head appeared to be out of the water. Since I was viewing from behind, and his PFD was riding up, I couldn't see his face to verify that he was Ok. There were two safety kayakers now in the water, and one was with the guest, and I asked if the guests head was out of the water and they confirmed that it was. Three volunteers swam and pulled the kayak back to shore. I asked the guest if he was OK, and he was calm, said he was OK, except that he was blinded by the saltwater. I told this to the launch lead when we reached shore, and he said that we'd all done exactly what we were supposed to. We got the guest back onto the platform to hoist him out of the kayak, because he was cold we decided to cut the spray skirt off of him. Unfortunately, the guest was wearing blue jeans, and a cotton hoodie; not good water wear. If you're going to be kayaking, you need to wear clothing that drains and dries quickly, so synthetic swim trunks and a synthetic fleece are perfect. We got our guest out of the kayak, wrapped in towells and blankets, and the excitement was over. Unfortunately, the guest didn't get to do the tour of the bay.
This was a tremendous event, and I plan to be back again next year. The participants enjoy the kayaking so much, that it is well worth it, even if you don't get to go into the water. I loved getting to help others do what I love to do, and share that mutual enjoyment. I encourage others to put this event on your calendar for next year, because the event is growing. More participants attend each year, and you will love every minute of it.
On July 12, 2008, I received an email from Dean McCully, organizer for this nonprofit event. They needed volunteers for their 16th annual Day on the Beach to provide a day of beach fun for disabled people the following weekend. They needed people with battery powered drills to help assemble the platforms that allow wheelchairs to go out onto the beach. The activities include kayaking, outrigger canoeing, SCUBA diving, water floatation, and using beach wheelchairs. Sounds like a lot of fun, and it was! As soon as I saw kayaking I was hooked. I didn't know what all was involved, but I signed up via the online volunteer registration form.
By midweek, I received a call from one of the organizers, and I committed to being there on Friday morning at 9:30am at Chris Bordner Auto Body on Center St in Santa Cruz where we would be building platforms. Chris Bordner Auto Body very generously provides its parking lot for use by the volunteers to stack wood, and build frames for the weekend. If you're looking for an autobody shop, please give them a call: (831) 423-1301. I added my tool belt to the list of things to bring, recharged my drill battery, and made sure my screwdriver bits are in the case.
I left the house on Friday at 6am, and arrived in Santa Cruz by 8am. Traffic was not a problem. I grabbed a humous bagel at the Bagelry (320 Cedar St, Santa Cruz, CA). Then I headed for Bordners. Made sure to put on plenty of sunscreen, though it was cloudy, plenty of rays come through, and it could clear up. I showed up, and was put to work. Jonathan and Tom were the foremen and had been there many years in the past. Two tables were built on which lumber is laid out and frames built. The frames are transported to Cowell Beach the following day where the plywood is attached. San Lorenzo Lumber (A Division of Lumbermens) stores all of the materials each year, so shop there and support them! We worked until 3pm, and we had built 57 frames.
We were asked to show up the next morning at, gulp, 7am to load the frames and plywood onto trucks for transport to the beach. A special truck is needed, and provided by the City of Santa Cruz, that can drive on the sand without getting stuck. Another crew is on the beach to unload the frames, put them in place and attach the plywood to them. The loading went on until 10am, when I went down to the beach to join the kayaking volunteer crew.
After the orientation for kayaking crew, and safety demonstration, I put on my wetsuit, PFD, and booties, and was ready for action when the kayak trips started at Noon. Here's how the kayaking activity works. There is a loading platform where there is a portable hoist that lifts the wheelchair bound out of their chairs and lowers them into their kayaks. A loading crew position the guest into the front cockpit of a tandem and make sure that they are well padded inside, with a PFD, and a spray skirt. Then the launching crew moves the kayak down beach to the edge of the water. A contact volunteer is assigned to each guest to talk to them, find out their name, introduce them to their paddler, make sure they're comfortable, and so on. The guest may or may not have a paddle themselves depending on their abilities and wishes. The paddlers gets into the rear cockpit down at the water's edge, and as soon as they're ready the launch lead (John or Shark Mark) watches the waves, and times the launch. When the lead orders the launch, the kayak is pulled by about six launch crew volunteers into the water, and off they go. Two tandems are escorted by one safety Sit-On-Top kayak. The front paddler on the safety kayak is responsible for jumping in the water if a guest goes into the water, and your one job is to get and keep the guest head out of the water. Other volunteers may help the guest either back into the tandem, or onto the deck of the safety kayak. Safety kayakers must be prepared to spend 20 minutes in the water, so must have wet suits. The landing procedure is timed by the launch lead. A tandem returning from a route waits for the signal from the lead both to make sure that a landing crew is ready, and so that the lead can time the waves. The goal is to bring the guest in on the back of the wave, not the front of the wave. This is because the kayak is less likely to broach and roll this way. As soon as the kayak is in shallow water, the landing crew have hooks that they slip through the D-rings on the kayak, and pull the kayak up the beach. The paddler gets out, and then the crew drag the kayak back up to the platform can lift the guest out of the kayak if needed.
Bill was my safety kayak companion and we took turns escorting the first pair of tandems around the bay at Cowell Beach. I was in the rear, so Bill was on point to jump in. Jerry and Bob were our tandem paddlers. The route is out to the kelp beds, then to the point off the warf, then back to the beach. It is about one mile, and takes about 20 minutes. This is repeated all day long until about 5pm, and many people rotate into the various roles. On the first trip, we saw two sea otters in the distance off of the point where the surfer statue is. The next trip, I was on the front of the safety kayak, and after that, I switched to various shore duties, mostly launching and landing. We saw a family of three sea otters right out in the middle of the bay this time. Under the warf there are scores of sea lions barking. Since safety paddling is the most fun, most people want to volunteer to do it, so you swap out to give someone else a chance. I spent the rest of the day on landing and launch crews. Each kayaking volunteer wears as many hats as needed, and goes to where they are needed based on the situation. I was often the contact person for guests about to launch, and was honored to meet and get to know a number of our guests.
We had one capsize on launch, and a very exciting rescue. We had a very heavy guest who leaned to the right. After launch, the kayak wanted to roll to the starboard. I stayed with the kayak after launch, past the soup, to hang onto the port side to stabilize things. The lead told the safety kayak to come alongside (the starboard side) and attempt to reposition the guest to center his weight. I told the paddler that I would let go and he would call me back if he needed me to steady the kayak. I was treading water closeby in case I was needed, ready to swim back to shore. Then, suddenly both the tandem and the safety kayak capsized rolling toward each other. I did as I was trained and did a scissor kick to throw myself over the hull of the tandem. I grabbed the gunwale and threw my weight backwards rolling the kayak back upright. Looking to the left I verified that the guest was still in the forward cockpit, and his head appeared to be out of the water. Since I was viewing from behind, and his PFD was riding up, I couldn't see his face to verify that he was Ok. There were two safety kayakers now in the water, and one was with the guest, and I asked if the guests head was out of the water and they confirmed that it was. Three volunteers swam and pulled the kayak back to shore. I asked the guest if he was OK, and he was calm, said he was OK, except that he was blinded by the saltwater. I told this to the launch lead when we reached shore, and he said that we'd all done exactly what we were supposed to. We got the guest back onto the platform to hoist him out of the kayak, because he was cold we decided to cut the spray skirt off of him. Unfortunately, the guest was wearing blue jeans, and a cotton hoodie; not good water wear. If you're going to be kayaking, you need to wear clothing that drains and dries quickly, so synthetic swim trunks and a synthetic fleece are perfect. We got our guest out of the kayak, wrapped in towells and blankets, and the excitement was over. Unfortunately, the guest didn't get to do the tour of the bay.
This was a tremendous event, and I plan to be back again next year. The participants enjoy the kayaking so much, that it is well worth it, even if you don't get to go into the water. I loved getting to help others do what I love to do, and share that mutual enjoyment. I encourage others to put this event on your calendar for next year, because the event is growing. More participants attend each year, and you will love every minute of it.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Boat Plan: Lake Tahoe, Emerald Bay Camping
Here is my email to my family with my boat plan for tomorrow's trip:
Dear Family,
Here are my plans for the next few days. I'm going on a solo kayak/camping trip to Lake Tahoe. This is a very safe, fun trip. To make it even safer, this email constitutes my boat plan. I'll email with photos and stories when I get back.
Love,
Shamus
Here are my plans for the next few days. I'm going on a solo kayak/camping trip to Lake Tahoe. This is a very safe, fun trip. To make it even safer, this email constitutes my boat plan. I'll email with photos and stories when I get back.
Day 1 - Tuesday 7/17
Tomorrow morning I'll drive up to SugarPine where I'll leave the Honda. I'll have lunch and put in around Noon. I'll paddle to Emerald Bay which is a short distance by water at about 7 miles. I often do trips of more than twice that distance. I'll camp at a boat only campsite on gorgeous Emerald Bay. I've got campsite #B018. There is a hike that originates from this campsite that is on the itinerary. The hike overlooks some of the route paddled. There is also Fannette Island in Emerald Bay to explore. It is a tiny island with a tea house. I'm going to bring my thermos with tea, and plan to enjoy it at the tea house. If there are other paddlers at the camp, I'll try to recruit them to join me. Motorboat traffic is restricted to 15mph on the bay, so it is very safe. I may be able to make cell phone calls from Boat Camp and Fannette Island (according to AT&T's coverage map) and will call Kevin to check in if I can.
Day 2 - Wednesday 7/18 (Full Moon)
In daylight, I plan to paddle across Lake Tahoe to Zephyr Bay, have lunch then return. This will be a round trip of 14 miles. If weather is the least bit rough, I won't do this trip, but instead will paddle close to shore along the south end of the lake, or take a hike. There are a couple of enticing trails. At night, I may take a moonlight paddle around Emerald Bay close to shore with my deck light.
Day 3 - Thursday 7/19
I will have a big breakfast of oatmeal, then break camp and paddle back to Sugarpine, have lunch, then drive home.
Extras
Here is my custom Google map of my routes.
The weather is looking very good. The wind is not getting more than 8mph lately. It's not getting below freezing, though it will be cold at night, I'll have my solo tent with fly, sleeping bag, thermals, wool hat, and will be very cozy. I will call off the trip, or any part of it, if the weather changes.
Safety Precautions
I'll wear my wetsuit in case I end up in the water (very unlikely in good conditions, and I won't go out in bad conditions).
Of course, I always wear a life vest, and know how to re-enter my kayak.
I always have a whistle with me, and this is a heavily used area with lots of other people around.
I'll have my cell phone (fully charged), and the number for Coast Guard programmed in:
U.S. Coast Guard, Tahoe City Station.............. (530) 583-4433
I'll have a Motorola VHF FM radio (can be set to channel 16 to talk directly with Coast Guard).
I'll have compass and map.
I'll have a deck light in case I'm out after dark, but will not go out on the open lake at night.
I'll call Kevin when I'm safe in camp (if I can get a signal).
Tomorrow morning I'll drive up to SugarPine where I'll leave the Honda. I'll have lunch and put in around Noon. I'll paddle to Emerald Bay which is a short distance by water at about 7 miles. I often do trips of more than twice that distance. I'll camp at a boat only campsite on gorgeous Emerald Bay. I've got campsite #B018. There is a hike that originates from this campsite that is on the itinerary. The hike overlooks some of the route paddled. There is also Fannette Island in Emerald Bay to explore. It is a tiny island with a tea house. I'm going to bring my thermos with tea, and plan to enjoy it at the tea house. If there are other paddlers at the camp, I'll try to recruit them to join me. Motorboat traffic is restricted to 15mph on the bay, so it is very safe. I may be able to make cell phone calls from Boat Camp and Fannette Island (according to AT&T's coverage map) and will call Kevin to check in if I can.
Day 2 - Wednesday 7/18 (Full Moon)
In daylight, I plan to paddle across Lake Tahoe to Zephyr Bay, have lunch then return. This will be a round trip of 14 miles. If weather is the least bit rough, I won't do this trip, but instead will paddle close to shore along the south end of the lake, or take a hike. There are a couple of enticing trails. At night, I may take a moonlight paddle around Emerald Bay close to shore with my deck light.
Day 3 - Thursday 7/19
I will have a big breakfast of oatmeal, then break camp and paddle back to Sugarpine, have lunch, then drive home.
Extras
Here is my custom Google map of my routes.
The weather is looking very good. The wind is not getting more than 8mph lately. It's not getting below freezing, though it will be cold at night, I'll have my solo tent with fly, sleeping bag, thermals, wool hat, and will be very cozy. I will call off the trip, or any part of it, if the weather changes.
Safety Precautions
I'll wear my wetsuit in case I end up in the water (very unlikely in good conditions, and I won't go out in bad conditions).
Of course, I always wear a life vest, and know how to re-enter my kayak.
I always have a whistle with me, and this is a heavily used area with lots of other people around.
I'll have my cell phone (fully charged), and the number for Coast Guard programmed in:
U.S. Coast Guard, Tahoe City Station.............. (530) 583-4433
I'll have a Motorola VHF FM radio (can be set to channel 16 to talk directly with Coast Guard).
I'll have compass and map.
I'll have a deck light in case I'm out after dark, but will not go out on the open lake at night.
I'll call Kevin when I'm safe in camp (if I can get a signal).
Love,
Shamus
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Friday, May 9, 2008
Kayaking Clearlake
Last night I got this crazy urge to kayak Clearlake. I've often heard about this lake, but had never been there, that is, until today. I checked out the weather and that looked good. So, I started by searching for public boat ramps, and considered what routes I might like to take. I found a great website resource, AnglerNet (pun!), and chose a boat ramp in the lower lake to put in at. I Googled the directions to the put in, and expected about a 2 hour drive.
On my way, I stopped at Safeway to get a sandwich for the trip. I love to have plenty of food with me, and if it had been calm I would have eaten my lunch while drifting on the water, but that was not to be.
It took a little bit longer than the expected two hours. The road is a winding one, and I go a little slower in my Honda Civic with the kayak on top. The Thule rack is very stable, and I can go full speed without any vibration or noise. The kayak is just as secure and tight when I arrive as when I left. When we first bought the kayaks I bought some foam hull cradles, and I put these on the Thule rack between the load stops, and this is working perfectly.
As I approached Clearlake, I saw a sign saying, "The Biggest Lake in California." Perhaps Tahoe doesn't count because it is shared with Nevada. I didn't really see the lake until I pulled into the boat ramp area. You take Highway 29, to Highway 53, then turn left at Ballpark Ave. Very easy. It is a very nice put in. The first three lanes on the right are dedicated to car top launches, so I had plenty of room. There are several good toilets with flushing toilets and sinks with push button cold water. There are lots of picnic tables, and a lawn space. Best of all, there's plenty of free parking.
I got the kayak all set up. I put hands in the water and decided it was warm enough, no wetsuit needed today. But definitely need the spray skirt and skeg due to wind. I had myself half of the sandwich and a granola bar, and was fueled up for the trip. I put in at about 11:30am.
My intent had been to make it as far as Buckingham Park, but the route that I actually took was dictated by the wind and the waves. The farthest I made it was the point defined by Edgewater Drive. I monitored the wind before I left on WunderMap, and it did show some wind. Also, a lot can change during the two hour drive, and wind generally gets stronger as the day goes on. After putting in, the first thing I did was cross the lower lake to see some rock formations at the water line (one of the pictures in the slideshow shows them). At that time the wind was coming gently out of the West and there were no waves to speak of. I was having a pretty blissful time of it.
Then I paddled north, and rounded the point of Bay Tree Lane. At this point I felt a strong wind in my face, and there were pretty good waves coming at me head on. I set my bearing for the point at Edgewater Drive and struck out to cross the bay described by Point Lakeview Road. This was a bow slapping good time! I made the crossing in about an hour, and found it exhilarating. I even took some pictures. The big mountain in the background is Mt. Konocti, a volcano! Rather than continue to Buckingham Park, I decided it was too rough to go on, and I turned around.
Now I had a problem. To do the same line as I had come by in reverse was too dangerous. Waves kept hitting me from the left at an angle. The waves washed over the side and over my spray skirt. They also tried to broach me (turn the kayak parallel to the wave), and tip me over. Suddenly, my adrenaline was pumping, and I needed a plan. I decided to paddle perpendicularly away from the waves behind me. In this way, I rode the wind and the waves into the shore closest. My reasoning was that I can follow the shore, and if I capsize, at least I will be close to shore. The waves were coming often and close together. One wave would lift my stern and put my bow underwater! Yes, I did have several cups of water in the forward compartment. As some of the larger waves overtook me I paddled faster and was able to rush down their face and make excellent time. But eventually, they would pass me up, and leave me behind. As I got close to shore the waves were worse (in the shallow water waves are bigger), and following the shore would put me parallel to the waves, and I would probably capsize. I needed a new plan. I decided to tack.
To get home, I had to paddle upwind, diagonally over the oncoming waves until I was on a line where the waves and wind at my stern would take me somewhere I wanted to go. At first I did a small tack and then came back close to shore, but you are vulnerable when you are turning about, so I eventually did the one big tack that you can see on the route. I almost crossed the lower lake to the East side, but just as I was lined up with the put in, I turned right, and kept the wind and waves to my stern all the way in.
It was a relief to come back into the boat launch area, and I had the other half of my sandwich, and another granola bar, and plenty of water. It was now 3pm. This wasn't the paddle I expected, but that's the adventure part. I am definitely coming back! Now that I'm writing the blog, and looking at my route, I realize there's a lot more lake to explore! Another time I'd like to explore the island and the waterways in the south tip of the lake, and try some other put ins to see other parts of this very large lake. Some serene conditions next time would be appreciated!
On my way, I stopped at Safeway to get a sandwich for the trip. I love to have plenty of food with me, and if it had been calm I would have eaten my lunch while drifting on the water, but that was not to be.
It took a little bit longer than the expected two hours. The road is a winding one, and I go a little slower in my Honda Civic with the kayak on top. The Thule rack is very stable, and I can go full speed without any vibration or noise. The kayak is just as secure and tight when I arrive as when I left. When we first bought the kayaks I bought some foam hull cradles, and I put these on the Thule rack between the load stops, and this is working perfectly.
As I approached Clearlake, I saw a sign saying, "The Biggest Lake in California." Perhaps Tahoe doesn't count because it is shared with Nevada. I didn't really see the lake until I pulled into the boat ramp area. You take Highway 29, to Highway 53, then turn left at Ballpark Ave. Very easy. It is a very nice put in. The first three lanes on the right are dedicated to car top launches, so I had plenty of room. There are several good toilets with flushing toilets and sinks with push button cold water. There are lots of picnic tables, and a lawn space. Best of all, there's plenty of free parking.
I got the kayak all set up. I put hands in the water and decided it was warm enough, no wetsuit needed today. But definitely need the spray skirt and skeg due to wind. I had myself half of the sandwich and a granola bar, and was fueled up for the trip. I put in at about 11:30am.
My intent had been to make it as far as Buckingham Park, but the route that I actually took was dictated by the wind and the waves. The farthest I made it was the point defined by Edgewater Drive. I monitored the wind before I left on WunderMap, and it did show some wind. Also, a lot can change during the two hour drive, and wind generally gets stronger as the day goes on. After putting in, the first thing I did was cross the lower lake to see some rock formations at the water line (one of the pictures in the slideshow shows them). At that time the wind was coming gently out of the West and there were no waves to speak of. I was having a pretty blissful time of it.
Then I paddled north, and rounded the point of Bay Tree Lane. At this point I felt a strong wind in my face, and there were pretty good waves coming at me head on. I set my bearing for the point at Edgewater Drive and struck out to cross the bay described by Point Lakeview Road. This was a bow slapping good time! I made the crossing in about an hour, and found it exhilarating. I even took some pictures. The big mountain in the background is Mt. Konocti, a volcano! Rather than continue to Buckingham Park, I decided it was too rough to go on, and I turned around.
Now I had a problem. To do the same line as I had come by in reverse was too dangerous. Waves kept hitting me from the left at an angle. The waves washed over the side and over my spray skirt. They also tried to broach me (turn the kayak parallel to the wave), and tip me over. Suddenly, my adrenaline was pumping, and I needed a plan. I decided to paddle perpendicularly away from the waves behind me. In this way, I rode the wind and the waves into the shore closest. My reasoning was that I can follow the shore, and if I capsize, at least I will be close to shore. The waves were coming often and close together. One wave would lift my stern and put my bow underwater! Yes, I did have several cups of water in the forward compartment. As some of the larger waves overtook me I paddled faster and was able to rush down their face and make excellent time. But eventually, they would pass me up, and leave me behind. As I got close to shore the waves were worse (in the shallow water waves are bigger), and following the shore would put me parallel to the waves, and I would probably capsize. I needed a new plan. I decided to tack.
To get home, I had to paddle upwind, diagonally over the oncoming waves until I was on a line where the waves and wind at my stern would take me somewhere I wanted to go. At first I did a small tack and then came back close to shore, but you are vulnerable when you are turning about, so I eventually did the one big tack that you can see on the route. I almost crossed the lower lake to the East side, but just as I was lined up with the put in, I turned right, and kept the wind and waves to my stern all the way in.
It was a relief to come back into the boat launch area, and I had the other half of my sandwich, and another granola bar, and plenty of water. It was now 3pm. This wasn't the paddle I expected, but that's the adventure part. I am definitely coming back! Now that I'm writing the blog, and looking at my route, I realize there's a lot more lake to explore! Another time I'd like to explore the island and the waterways in the south tip of the lake, and try some other put ins to see other parts of this very large lake. Some serene conditions next time would be appreciated!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
First Time Kayaker's Story
On April 25, 2008, I posted about a trip I took my friend Mark on. He wanted to contribute a blog post about the trip, and I'm glad to have it. Enjoy:
This BLOG entry relates my first time experiencing kayaking. My name is Mark and my good friend Shamus Thornton is an avid kayaker and he encouraged me to try the sport. Both Shamus and I live in the Bay Area city of Vallejo, which is situated on the north shore of San Pablo Bay (about 30 minutes outside of San Francisco). As I live near the water, taking up kayaking “seemed like a natural choice”. Although I have had some background in “adventure travel” (great white shark cage diving, elephant safaris in Thailand, bush safari in the Masai Mara, etc), I must admit that I was a bit intimidated by the prospects of kayaking. Climbing into what appeared to be a small and unstable watercraft had given a little reason to pause. However, my friend Shamus is very knowledgeable and passionate in regards to the sport of kayaking. His emphasis was on safety and he was very thorough in preparation of our outing. With Shamus as a guide, my concerns subsided. And the day that we chose for kayaking could not have been better. The wind was calm, the sun was bright, and the air was clear. We started a little after 10 AM (morning I was told is the ideal to kayak as the water and winds are generally calmer). We set out near downtown Vallejo across from the historic Navy base (first on the West Coast) of Mare Island. Though I had seen this stretch of water many times before (I can see it from the window of my house), it was an entirely new perspective from a kayak. While in a kayak, one feels very connected with both the water and the environment. And as a “human powered” craft, kayaks leave little (no) impact on the environment. Kayaking can be a little rigorous at times (I learned a lot about “currents and tides” that day), but the experience is also serene and tranquil. Kayaking is a great way to enjoy nature, but without causing damage or impact. Needless to say, my first kayaking trip will not be my last! |
Monday, May 5, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Book Review: The New Kayak Shop
Title: The New Kayak Shop Author: Chris Kulczycki ISBN-10: 0071357866 I picked this book up out of curiosity, but once I started reading, I was hooked. For the most part, this book succeeds in making all the steps involved in building a plywood kayak understandable to someone like me, who does not have woodworking skills. Even if you don't plan to build one, you will be tempted to do so once you learn how easy it is. When you see how beautiful the wooden kayaks look, you will want one out of sheer envy. And you will fantasize about the cachet of saying that you built it yourself. Chris also writes about the effect that woodworking has on him, and you will want to try it to know that level of relaxation and satisfaction. |
There are some terms that the author takes for granted that you will know, but there's no harm in doing your own research for the few items that you don't understand. Some terms are used before they are defined. I'll help you out with one. The "stems" are the ends of the kayak. The bow and stern are the stems. Some tools may be unfamiliar, but you can look them up. For instance, I had no idea what a spokeshave was.
The most exciting feature of the book is that it actually contains the complete plans for building three different designs of wooden plywood kayak. The bill of materials needed are also provided. Now, Chris doesn't recommend you build from the plans in the book alone, in fact he says you're fool if you do, but you could! The benefits of buying the plans are that they are easier to read, templates for some of the parts are provided that you can trace onto your plywood, and you get to call for help if you've paid for the plans. Chris' company, Chesapeake Light Craft, sells the plans, and also sells complete kits, precut, for you to build. A tantalizing option!
In addition to learning about building a kayak, you will also learn many facets of kayak design and trade offs that occur for different characteristics. These boats are beautiful and exciting, and you get the feeling that the wooden kayaks have a soul, and that they are alive. If you are building your own kayak, please comment here, I would love to find out how it goes for you. If I start to build my own, believe me, I will write about it here.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Book Review: Complete Sea Kayak Touring
Title: Complete Sea Kayak Touring (paperback, 2nd Ed.)
Author: Jonathan Hanson
ISBN-10: 0071461280
The author has decades of experience as a sea kayaker and professional guide, and this gives great credibility to his advice and opinions. His trips, which range from the Arctic Circle to Baja California, have provided him with a repertoire of anecdotes that he sprinkles throughout the text. I found myself laughing out loud at some of these stories, and reading them to others.
Jon gives you both sides to every controversy, and admits to his own biases, sometimes very humorously. You'll come away with both sides and armed with the facts to make your own decisions, such as, "Should I buy a kayak with a rudder, a skeg or neither?" There are many such areas of sea kayaking that can confuse the beginner. You will come away with confidence in your knowledge to evaluate the alternatives out there.
The book has a strong commitment to safety. Sometimes it may seem excessively so, but you can decide for yourself how many parachute flares to carry on your expedition. Jon makes the recommendations. Certainly, if you are in the arctic waters yourself far from any help, all of the recommended equipment will be of some comfort to you. Jon provides you the criteria to evaluate what equipment you will need in what situation.
Another very appealing feature of Jon's writing is his sensitivity toward wildlife, and low impact camping. He advises appropriate behavior when paddling with sea mammals, and in responsible camp, and fire site selection.
Although I borrowed this book from the library, I now want it on my shelf for future reference. This book is a must read and also a must have. So, I'm adding it to my Amazon.com wishlist.
Disclosure: I am an affiliate with various retailers on the internet, so I may make a commission on the purchase of certain items that I recommend.
Author: Jonathan Hanson
ISBN-10: 0071461280
I read this book cover to cover and did not want to put it down. I was very disappointed when it seemed to end suddenly and the next pages were additional resources in the appendix. The title is accurate. This is a complete guide to Sea Kayak Touring. Everything in the book is useful for any sea kayaker, but it is of particular value to those who are planning to spend one or more nights on a sea kayak trip. All topics I can imagine are well covered from equipment, clothing, technique, rescues, provisioning, packing, seamanship, navigation, repair, customization, storage, rack and travel, camping... You name it! |
The author has decades of experience as a sea kayaker and professional guide, and this gives great credibility to his advice and opinions. His trips, which range from the Arctic Circle to Baja California, have provided him with a repertoire of anecdotes that he sprinkles throughout the text. I found myself laughing out loud at some of these stories, and reading them to others.
Jon gives you both sides to every controversy, and admits to his own biases, sometimes very humorously. You'll come away with both sides and armed with the facts to make your own decisions, such as, "Should I buy a kayak with a rudder, a skeg or neither?" There are many such areas of sea kayaking that can confuse the beginner. You will come away with confidence in your knowledge to evaluate the alternatives out there.
The book has a strong commitment to safety. Sometimes it may seem excessively so, but you can decide for yourself how many parachute flares to carry on your expedition. Jon makes the recommendations. Certainly, if you are in the arctic waters yourself far from any help, all of the recommended equipment will be of some comfort to you. Jon provides you the criteria to evaluate what equipment you will need in what situation.
Another very appealing feature of Jon's writing is his sensitivity toward wildlife, and low impact camping. He advises appropriate behavior when paddling with sea mammals, and in responsible camp, and fire site selection.
Although I borrowed this book from the library, I now want it on my shelf for future reference. This book is a must read and also a must have. So, I'm adding it to my Amazon.com wishlist.
Disclosure: I am an affiliate with various retailers on the internet, so I may make a commission on the purchase of certain items that I recommend.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Tomales Bay II - April 12, 2008

Be sure to check out the public Picasa album for this trip! Just click on the embedded slide show below. I didn't get pictures of the leopard shark I saw in the shallows, or the river otter we saw running on the beach, or the Tule Elk that we saw on the ridges of Tomales Point, but I did get lots of great pics of the bay, and a starfish.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Websites for Wind and Water Temperature
Here are a couple of tremendously useful websites for planning your kayaking trip. When deciding whether you should do your trip, you need to consider the wind conditions, and what they are likely to do. If the wind is below 10 mph, then it should be a good day paddling. But if the pressure (barometer) is decreasing, then a storm might be coming in, so look carefully at the forecast. Wind conditions are usually calmest very early in the morning, with wind speed increasing throughout the day. Once you've decided it is time to go out, you now need to decide how to dress. Dress for the water temperature. This can be tricky to figure out, but I found a website with a great marine forecast. If you have your own resources, perhaps better or also useful, please share them in the comments. While you are out on the water, you can monitor weather conditions on the VHF weather band.
Winds
iWindsurf.com is a website for windsurfers, but they maintain wind meters in many locations and offer free memberships. You can monitor the real time wind speed of your destination before you go. Any weather website will give you the winds for the nearest city or town to your put in, but iWindsurf measures the wind at the water, so it is much more useful. Always check the barometer and if it is dropping, then a storm may be coming in.
Water Temperature
I found water temperatures hard to find until I found the Weather Underground. Search for a large city near your put in if the small town closest isn't available. Look for the marine forecast link. This will tell you the water temperature if available. If you can't find the water temp for your exact area, look for some readings around your area, and guesstimate. The idea is to be prepared to perform a self rescue in water of that temperature. The amount of time a person can survive in cold water depends on a number of factors, so don't trust any published tables (one of which I link to in an earlier post). It depends on your body fat, how accustomed you are to cold water, how you react to shock, your mental state of mind, your swimming ability, and many other factors. I personally wear a farmer john wetsuit whenever the water is below 60, even in hot weather. You can peel it down to your waist if you want, then put your PFD back on. But this means you'll have to perform your self rescue with a cold upper body. Only zip the wetsuit back up if you can do so safely. Consider that if you capsized, the conditions that caused you to flip might make it unsafe for you to take off your PFD to zip your wetsuit back up. I always paddle with my wetsuit zipped up, and with my PFD on snugly.
Winds
iWindsurf.com is a website for windsurfers, but they maintain wind meters in many locations and offer free memberships. You can monitor the real time wind speed of your destination before you go. Any weather website will give you the winds for the nearest city or town to your put in, but iWindsurf measures the wind at the water, so it is much more useful. Always check the barometer and if it is dropping, then a storm may be coming in.
Water Temperature
I found water temperatures hard to find until I found the Weather Underground. Search for a large city near your put in if the small town closest isn't available. Look for the marine forecast link. This will tell you the water temperature if available. If you can't find the water temp for your exact area, look for some readings around your area, and guesstimate. The idea is to be prepared to perform a self rescue in water of that temperature. The amount of time a person can survive in cold water depends on a number of factors, so don't trust any published tables (one of which I link to in an earlier post). It depends on your body fat, how accustomed you are to cold water, how you react to shock, your mental state of mind, your swimming ability, and many other factors. I personally wear a farmer john wetsuit whenever the water is below 60, even in hot weather. You can peel it down to your waist if you want, then put your PFD back on. But this means you'll have to perform your self rescue with a cold upper body. Only zip the wetsuit back up if you can do so safely. Consider that if you capsized, the conditions that caused you to flip might make it unsafe for you to take off your PFD to zip your wetsuit back up. I always paddle with my wetsuit zipped up, and with my PFD on snugly.
Suisun City - Peytonia Slough

Surprisingly, the entire route was navigable at low tide. I think it would be interesting to do this paddle again with the tide reaching the high point at the end of Hill Slough, then come out of it after slack when the water is ebbing.
I saw more wildlife on this trip than I had on any before. I took pictures of some of the creatures, including some of a sloat crossing the slough. Unfortunately, the sloat pics are blurry, but recognizable. I also saw muskrat, but wasn't able to get pictures. This is the first time I've seen a sloat or a muskrat with my own eyes. Often during the paddle, I would round a bend and hear a splash on the far shore. Turtles could spot me for a hundred feet, and immediately drop in the water. I did get some good pics of one turtle before he dropped off of the bank.
Toward the end of the route I was in the flight path for Travis Air Force Base (click on the image above to see the dotted red line that traces the route). Check it out with Google Earth, and you will see what I mean. The end of Hill Slough it right in the flight path. The big jets were coming in for landing every ten minutes at one point. I could see the landing gear come down. On one jet, I saw the refueling tube sticking out the back. These jets caused me to turn around due to the noise.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
How to Install a Thule Roof Rack on a '97 Honda Civic
This turned out to be more fun than I planned (meaning it was a little harder that I thought it was going to be). That may be due to the choice of model or manufacturer, but I'll get into that. I own a Thule xSporter rack that is on my partner's Ford pickup. It works great, but that truck is often not around when I want to go on a solo paddle. So, I researched what rack options were available to me. Naturally I started at REI, because I'm often there, and they have great service for these things. Perhaps they even install racks, I don't know, I didn't ask. I wanted to install it myself. Now my hands are very sore, but I'm getting ahead of the story.
Since I already own a Thule, I started with their fit guide (like a small phone book), which is on a table at the REI store in Berkeley that I go to. You search for your model of car, and it will tell you the exact Thule parts you need for your vehicle. Yes, they have a rack for my car that is recommended for kayaks (the load limit is 130 pounds and should be enough for two kayaks). They have two options, fancy or simple. By fancy, I mean they have Aero load bars that are oval and are kind of cool, and simple means plain square black load bars. Since it is a '97 Honda, I'm just looking for the minimum investment to get my kayak to the water. The simple configuration is about $310 (plus tax). I think the fancy setup was $50 more, and maybe would have been easier to install. Anybody out there tried to install an Aero roof rack on a car with a fit kit? I'd love to hear from you.
I also decided to check out at least one option, so I priced the same setup from Yakima. I was very please that for the same $310, Yakima would throw in a faring for no extra charge (a $60 value, Thule charges $65 for a similar faring). For a while, my mind was made up, when a friend told me that the Yakima is made in China, and I might try to buy American Made. With a little research, I found on the Thule About page this statement, "From this decision grew the strategy to design and manufacture products in the USA for the US market." So, based on this statement, I decided to say bye to the faring, and go with Thule.
You can also access the fit guides for both Thule and Yakima on the Internet. You can probably find them at the respective websites, but I go to REI's, click on kayaking, then click on car racks. From there, the links for either Thule or Yakima are on the left.
I ordered everything I needed from REI, and waited for the rack to be delivered to my local REI store (no shipping costs this way). I picked it up yesterday and guess what. At least it isn't made in China. The feet are made in the U.S.A., but the fit kit and load stops are made in Sweden, and the lock tumblers are made in Belgium. I couldn't find any indication of where the load bars were made. So, at least I sent a little business to countrymen, but not as much as I wanted.
It took me about three hours to assemble and install the rack on my Honda. The hardest part was clamping the feet onto the load bars. It takes sheer strength, and I just had to keep at it, applying my body wait through my thumbs to get the clamps to click closed. My thumbs are painfully sore today. I did get the rack onto the car, and today drove a distance with it. The fit kit ties the feet pedestals which sit on the roof, to the door frame. The fit kit clamps are so snug, that the doors close right over them. When I shake the rack to test it, the whole car moves on the shocks. It is that solid. I have complete confidence putting my kayak up there.
There are a lot of options for kayak mounting like rollers and cradles, but they add another $160 (and up) to the price. I opted for a set of 4 load stops for $50. We use these on the xSporter, and they keep the kayaks from moving side to side on the racks. Plus, you can strap right through the load stops, which means a very snug tie up.
Tomorrow, I'll put the kayak up there and take it to the water, to start getting my money's worth from the rack. Can't wait! I'll post some pictures later. Gotta wash the car first.
Added May 10, 2008: WARNING My thumb on my right hand still hurts from clamping the feet onto the load bars. DO NOT use your hand as shown in the instructions. It requires too much force. The easy way to do this without injuring yourself is to use the fit clip and screw to pull the unit together until it clicks, but first you have to pivot the female bolt inside the unit. Twisting the screw through the fit clip will compress the unit around the load bar and click it into place. I only discovered this when installing on the car, but you can just as easily do this in the assembly area before you go out to the car. Inside the foot, the screw goes into a female bolt that is on a pivot. The bolt must be pivoted into the proper direction so that the screw may pass through the fit clip at the proper angle. Without the fit clip, insert the screw into the bolt and pivot it. Then remove the screw and put the fit clip on. Then reinsert the screw to ensure the proper angle. Now tighten the screw until the unit clicks into place around the load bar.
Since I already own a Thule, I started with their fit guide (like a small phone book), which is on a table at the REI store in Berkeley that I go to. You search for your model of car, and it will tell you the exact Thule parts you need for your vehicle. Yes, they have a rack for my car that is recommended for kayaks (the load limit is 130 pounds and should be enough for two kayaks). They have two options, fancy or simple. By fancy, I mean they have Aero load bars that are oval and are kind of cool, and simple means plain square black load bars. Since it is a '97 Honda, I'm just looking for the minimum investment to get my kayak to the water. The simple configuration is about $310 (plus tax). I think the fancy setup was $50 more, and maybe would have been easier to install. Anybody out there tried to install an Aero roof rack on a car with a fit kit? I'd love to hear from you.
I also decided to check out at least one option, so I priced the same setup from Yakima. I was very please that for the same $310, Yakima would throw in a faring for no extra charge (a $60 value, Thule charges $65 for a similar faring). For a while, my mind was made up, when a friend told me that the Yakima is made in China, and I might try to buy American Made. With a little research, I found on the Thule About page this statement, "From this decision grew the strategy to design and manufacture products in the USA for the US market." So, based on this statement, I decided to say bye to the faring, and go with Thule.
You can also access the fit guides for both Thule and Yakima on the Internet. You can probably find them at the respective websites, but I go to REI's, click on kayaking, then click on car racks. From there, the links for either Thule or Yakima are on the left.
I ordered everything I needed from REI, and waited for the rack to be delivered to my local REI store (no shipping costs this way). I picked it up yesterday and guess what. At least it isn't made in China. The feet are made in the U.S.A., but the fit kit and load stops are made in Sweden, and the lock tumblers are made in Belgium. I couldn't find any indication of where the load bars were made. So, at least I sent a little business to countrymen, but not as much as I wanted.
It took me about three hours to assemble and install the rack on my Honda. The hardest part was clamping the feet onto the load bars. It takes sheer strength, and I just had to keep at it, applying my body wait through my thumbs to get the clamps to click closed. My thumbs are painfully sore today. I did get the rack onto the car, and today drove a distance with it. The fit kit ties the feet pedestals which sit on the roof, to the door frame. The fit kit clamps are so snug, that the doors close right over them. When I shake the rack to test it, the whole car moves on the shocks. It is that solid. I have complete confidence putting my kayak up there.
There are a lot of options for kayak mounting like rollers and cradles, but they add another $160 (and up) to the price. I opted for a set of 4 load stops for $50. We use these on the xSporter, and they keep the kayaks from moving side to side on the racks. Plus, you can strap right through the load stops, which means a very snug tie up.
Tomorrow, I'll put the kayak up there and take it to the water, to start getting my money's worth from the rack. Can't wait! I'll post some pictures later. Gotta wash the car first.
Added May 10, 2008: WARNING My thumb on my right hand still hurts from clamping the feet onto the load bars. DO NOT use your hand as shown in the instructions. It requires too much force. The easy way to do this without injuring yourself is to use the fit clip and screw to pull the unit together until it clicks, but first you have to pivot the female bolt inside the unit. Twisting the screw through the fit clip will compress the unit around the load bar and click it into place. I only discovered this when installing on the car, but you can just as easily do this in the assembly area before you go out to the car. Inside the foot, the screw goes into a female bolt that is on a pivot. The bolt must be pivoted into the proper direction so that the screw may pass through the fit clip at the proper angle. Without the fit clip, insert the screw into the bolt and pivot it. Then remove the screw and put the fit clip on. Then reinsert the screw to ensure the proper angle. Now tighten the screw until the unit clicks into place around the load bar.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Lake Berryessa

We woke up a little on the early side, and had a big breakfast. It's always a good idea to fuel up as much as you can before you hit the road. We packed food for the boats, and got all of the kayaking



From here we paddled out to the lake, which is fresh water, and very large, with lots of coves to explore. I highly recommend carrying a map. We were able to identify the various branches of the lake, and wouldn't have had any idea where we were going without the map. Though we could have followed the shoreline back to the boat ramp, it can get a little confusing if you didn't pay attention on the way out.

There is a cove along the way where we stopped for lunch, and we also practiced our self rescues. We'd dump out of our kayaks, then pull ourselves up behind the cockpit, and straddle the kayak facing the bow. Then scoot forward until your butt is over the seat, then you sit yourself down, then bring the legs in. We did this a few times each. Then you use the pump and/or sponge to get the water out of the cockpit. This was good for our kayaks because they're use to salt water, and the fresh water really is a lot nicer. When it dries you don't have that powdery salt all over everything.
This picture is taken at the beach where we stopped to have lunch. It's in a little cove, so there is no boat traffic close to shore, so it is a sheltered place to practice rescues. In Summer, the water, at least the top layer, is quite warm and pleasant to take a spill in.
Here's Kevin just off shore.
That's my Necky Looksha on shore.

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