Sea Kayak with Gordon Brown

Gordon Brown

 

 

I got this last week from EK. I love kayak porn and I was as excited as a small boy waiting for Santa. When it came, I cleared the decks of family and chores then settled in with a snack and a nice beer (John Smiths Extra Smooth, actually) for some kayaking pleasure. To my surprise, it is much more than kayaking porn and actually full of good instruction which encourages you to go out and practice. The trip along the coast of Skye was nice and my only criticism was that it was way too short. Clearly, it sets the stage for extra volumes but they should have padded out this one with some gratuitous paddling about in boats. The production values are really nice and I’m glad I have it. The instruction is great for repeat value but the Skye trip is too short and not very action packed. Still, it’s a pretty good addition to a sound kayaking DVD library.

Hunter Kayak Klan Update

These days, I spend more time on the Hunter Kayak Klan site than I do here. That site keeps me in touch with the people I actually paddle with and the Aus Seakayak forum keeps me communicating with paddlers further afield. So this blog is getting relegated to its original intention and that’s to record the stuff I get up to on a personal level. As a retailer and marketer, I spent a lot of time trying to get this blog some readership and some influence. Motivating this was the desire to understand the blogging science so that I could use it in my ‘real’ career, such as it is. So lately I’ve been thinking about the success of my venture and where this blog now sits.

Umina Sea Skills Training

A prevailing attitude in our klan is the desire to advance our kayaking skills with a particular emphasis on Sea Skills. As a result of our determination, Rob Mercer and Mark Sundin of Expedition Kayaks sponsored a weekend of tailored tuition at Umina beach at Broken Bay. This spot is perfect for sea kayaking as it gives ready access to a wide range of conditions from rebounding heavy swell to surfing and picturesque river cruises. Our relationship with Expedition Kayaks is becoming almost symbiotic. As our klan grows, we generate business and in return we get access to great gear and awesome instructors. I’ve written before about how kayaking businesses and the paddling community are vitally interlocked and our relationship with EK is almost like a benchmark. EK is our shop. Sure we buy from other stores but when we want the elite kit we call them. In return for our business and promotion we get unbelievable service and advice as well as friendship.

Klanners at Umina

I can’t tell you how excited this weekend has made me. I don’t get away as much as I’d like and on the drive down in my fully packed Volvo I had the windows down and Kiss blaring at full volume from the iPod. The Ocean Beach Holiday Park at Umina is the perfect venue for camping as well as kayaking with great facilities and location. When Rob arrived we were disappointed to discover that the sea was as flat as a pancake with barely a ripple. So much for sea skills training. Anyhow…

On Saturday morning we all departed for Box Head, a notorious rebound site where Rob planned to drill us in a variety of skills. We were met with a gentle swell and glassy conditions. After a few assisted rescues, which we did well enough, alarm bells started ringing. Sea Sickness! In me! I’ve never been sea sick and I couldn’t believe it started now. I left the group momentarily for a quick spew. Rob was on top of this as his trained eye could see my bowed head and slow movement. I was OK for a while but after we headed back around the headland, I got worse and hosed my spray deck with a tasty melange of beans and pikelets. Yummy. Rob called us into Lobster Beach, a pretty little sandy retreat just inside Broken Bay. Here, after resting, John Anderson gave me two concentrated ginger tablets that exploded like mini nukes in my mouth causing sufficient discomfort to forget all about sea sickness. Thanks John. Worked a treat. While we were having our lunch, a pod of several dozen dolphins entertained us with some acrobatics and fish herding. Their show was enjoyed and appreciated and they left before we could get into our boats and join them.

For the rest of the afternoon, we surfed on the lengthy bar break near Ettalong and honed our skills until overcome by exhaustion. We plodded back to camp and then trotted off to the RSL club for dinner and the Bledisloe Cup which the All-Blacks won. This greatly pleased the increasingly intoxicated Sundin who annoyed everyone with his damned kiwiness. Back at camp again we sat around the campfire (Trangias) and talked shop for hours.

Sunday was even more fun as we test paddled the kayaks EK are currently selling and receive personal instruction from Mark and Rob. Being a rather large bastard, I could only fit in a couple of other boats with any chance of getting out again so I paddled the North Shore Atlantic and the Rockpool GT. Now the Rockpool is the boat of the moment with everyone raving about it and deciding to put it on their short lists. It is amazingly well fitted out but though I could fit in it easily, I found it quite uncomfortable and difficult to control as a result. This was pretty disappointing as everyone else was fighting over it and I felt like I’d missed out on something special. I’d like to have another crack at it but set up the seat and foot rest for a better fit.

North Shore Atlantic

All was not lost, however, as the North Shore fit me like a glove and performed like a dream. It’s a bit like my Impex but in a coupe version. It is tight around my hips and thighs without pinching or cramping and has amazing secondary stability. I would own this thing in a second and might yet. In fact, paddling this boat momentarily made me regret buying the Assateague and I had to get back into it to make sure. Nope. The Assateague is still my perfect boat. It has more volume than the North Shore and is not as nimble but it fits perfectly and handles nearly as well. I still love you, blue.

Exhaustion took over again and we called it a weekend. A perfect weekend. The klan bonded and improved, we heard loads of stories and just enjoyed the kayaking life. It’s why we paddle and why we got into this in the first place.

Vango Viper 750

 

Vango Viper 750

My next purchase was a new sleeping bag. For years I had a Fairydown which was awesome and had heaps of use in all sorts of conditions but eventually it rotted away and was chucked out. These days Fairydown are owned by Macpac and cost a fortune. Some research on camping forums put Oneplanet bags at the top of the list for awesomeness but like Macpac, cost a fortune. Hmm, what to do. Some Brit kayakers I know use Vango gear which is not common in Oz. The Viper series has some good ratings and good reviews and the price was certainly right at $350 delivered. It only has duck down instead of goose down which might be an issue for the Brits but in Oz duck down is probably just fine. The Viper 750 is rated at -6 degrees for comfort and -24 degrees extreme and these should make it a good bag for our conditions.

I received my new bag on time and in good order and it fits perfectly. My recent camp with it showed it to be warm and comfortable so I think it will be a good investment until such a time I can afford a Oneplanet bag. Some forum reviewers complained of their Vangos leaking down but the majority were pleased with the performance. When buying anything, you must always have the cost/benefit ratio front of mind. The Vango was half the cost of the Oneplanet or Macpac and in Australia will be just fine. The money I saved allowed me to buy other stuff I needed badly. I’m the sort of person that wants the best of whatever I’m looking for but so far my purchasing strategies have delivered quality gear within my very limited budget without actually going for the best. Except the Blackwolf Turbo tent. Now that’s the best. Oh, and the Thermarest, that’s the best too. Hey, I’m better at this than I thought!

Thermarest Prolite Plus

Thermarest Prolite Plus

I just bought this mattress using my normal obsessive scrutiny of available products. I really wanted the Thermarest Neo but at twice the price, I baulked and opted for the Prolite Plus which is new. It is very light and the thermal properties are amazing so I was well pleased with my decision. It is, however, very narrow and inconvenient for a base camp. I bought it mainly for packing in the kayak and I can easily say it will be perfect. My two nights on it so far have been comfortable and warm. I can understand why old hands love Thermarest mats. I will too.

Blackwolf Turbo Lite 240…now reviewed.

At Umina for training

In the previous post I described my recent purchase of the Blackwolf Turbo after careful research int the best tent for the job. I can now tell you, after sending a few days in it, what it’s like.

Firstly, It’s bloody great! This tent rules so hard that it’s impossible to contemplate an alternative. I put this thing up in about a minute and after 5 minutes had the fly over it and pegged down. My old cobber Owen helped out and this made putting the fly on a bit easier as it is oddly shaped and one of the few criticisms I have is that Blackwolf could have put some labels on it to tell you which way it goes. A small concern and easily solved with a texta but they’ve thought of every thing else so it’s not a big ask.

On my first night, a wind blew up. Probably about 15 knots so not large but the Turbo barely noticed. Inside, the comfort and warmth were noticeable and you can easily regulate airflow with zippered vents. There are plenty of hooks to hang things like lanterns and there’s a handy pocket for your small bits. Another criticism is the entry flap for the power lead. It would be good to have one in each corner as the single one provided is not always near the campsite power. This happened to me. The power pole of the site was at opposite ends of the tent so I couldn’t run a lead to power my stuff. A small concern on the day but maybe a real issue down the track.

This model has two rooms separated by a zipped curtain so I could keep the tent divided in two. I can stand fully upright inside and also have a table and chairs in it. I even could cook my Trangia inside without any safety issues at all. Best of all, Owen and I packed it up in about 10 minutes.

All in all I can say that this tent met every expectation and no doubt will get years of use. It will certainly house my whole family on a trip and provides a near perfect base camp for kayaking trips. Buy one.

Blackwolf Turbo Lite 240 Plus

I needed a base camp tent as my Blackwolf Tanami is too small. It’s a good tent but it is either too small for a base or too large for the boat. After careful consideration and some lengthy reviewing I opted for the Turbo 240 Lite. It weighs 17kg and will fit in the back of the Volvo. I can erect it in a minute or so and have plenty of room for my things. I plan to use it as the Hunter Kayak Klan HQ at Rock n Roll 2010.

As with most Blackwolf products, the Turbo is extremely well made and practical. I will carry out some personal reviews of it over time but in the mean time check out Kangaroo Tent City for great pricing and brilliant service.

Refuge Bay

Klan trip 31st May 2009

The klan organized a day trip to Broken Bay on Sunday 31st May. I’ve paddled here before but more to seaward and out along the coast. Since the weather was poor we settled on Patonga as our put-in point as it would give us some options if the wind turned ugly. The six of us decided to put Henry in charge of the trip again as he is the best choice and Broken Bay is his back yard. He quickly planned out a nice day trip with a few stop overs so we could have a good look around and paddle some mixed conditions and so we set out.

Immersion Research Thinskin Review

I was using a good ol’ O’Neill rashie Oz style for ages but the problem with it, like all rashies, is that the seams are not optimally placed for paddling. Long paddling ends up with badly chafed armpits. Enter the IR Thinskin. I bought it at Rock n Roll when I arrived and I can say it totally RULES. No noticeable chafing even when wet and it keeps you snug in cold weather (I mean cold for NSW not cold for North Americans and Europeans. We don’t want that sort of cold here). Long term owners tell me that it even keeps its shape despite continual abuse. Rashies stretch and change shape making it hard to set a chafe-proof fit.

I know the Sharkskin is a competitor and it’s Australian but the Thinskin rules so hard that it’s difficult to imagine anything better. When Sharkskin give me a free sample to demo (XL please) I will give a fair review of that as well but until then the IR gear should be de rigeur for kayaking in NSW.

I have chosen the image above from the IR site rather than model this garment myself due to the fact that, unlike the Thinskin, my physique has distorted over time and may present an image unconducive to IR ongoing sales.

Hurricane Riders

I just got onto these nutjobs and now I totally aspire to be one. The Hurricane Riders claim to be “committed to representing Ocean Kayaking in a safe and exciting manner”. Yeah right! Go an have a look at the insane things they do. The Oz kayaking community would be appalled at their treatment of their craft and of the crazy stunts they pull. Of course, this makes them all the more attractive.

There’s far too much emphasis in Australia on going on long trips in a kayak. There should be more emphasis on adrenaline fueled kayaking insanity for which my new Impex Assateague is perfectly suited. Hurricane Riders, I salute you.