Snowbound
Published February 15, 2008 | 
Can you imagine. . . We’ve had 2 snowstorms in the last week and have another on the way. Now early on in the winter, I start tossing snow into a little dip on one side of the driveway. Slowly it begins to invert from a dip to a hill. This year the hill has risen high enough to become a great sledding run for a 6 year old. Ok, I’m ready for spring!
What, no kayak endorsement?
Published February 15, 2008 | 
I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence and
So the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They’re quite aware of what they’re going through
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
-bowie
So here we are in Wisconsin getting our shot at the presidential primaries. The thing is, to this point I’ve not heard any of the major candidates even mention the word “Kayak”. How disappointing. What’s worse is that none of the major pollsters have even attempted to tell us which way the kayak block may swing. Now you may say that kayakers are a small group. Granted. However, with this tight race (at least on the democratic side), it could be that who wins and who loses could come down to the votes of just a small number of paddling voters. Where’s our respect??
The low profile, or should I say NO profile of kayaking issues in the presidential race makes it pretty hard for a politically active kayaker to make an informed choice. Barack Obama has said little about his stand on deck lines, and Hillary Clinton has inserted nothing about lowering the price of carbon fiber into her position papers. Are we invisible?
Without direct evidence of an interest in kayaking, we are left to infer where these candidates may lean in regards to the issues we care about. So what do we know?
Well on Barack Obama’s side, he does represent a constituency near Lake Michigan. We can’t prove that he’s actually swam, paddled or even looked in the direction of the lake, but he has at least trudged through lake effect snow. In addition he does claim roots in Hawaii & Indonesia so you could assume that he may be more sensitive to the issues kayakers care about. Kayaker’s after all love islands.
Now on Hillary’s side we know that she likes to spend a lot of time in Martha’s Vineyard. More than just being an island, we also know those guys can afford Kevlar kayaks. We also have evidence from Edgartown Harbor Department that daughter Chelsea actually has been in a kayak. Apparently the Harbor Master, Charles Blair is the guy who was given the task of finding her a boat when she felt like getting out on the sea. In addition the fact that Hillary named her daughter after an area of London on the bank of the Thames may show a leaning toward British boats. . .
In the end though, at least here in Wisconsin the whole thing may come down to an issue of Navigation. Barack Obama seems to have had no problem actually finding Wisconsin. Hillary on the other hand missed a Wisconsin landing by a few hundred miles and is now trying to decide if it’s worth backtracking. What made it all the more interesting is that she is attacking Obama for not debating her in Wisconsin. . . thing is, wouldn’t she have to be here?
Ah, politics!
Love Sonnet VII
Published February 14, 2008 | 
Come with me, I said, and no one knew
where, or how my pain throbbed,
no carnations or barcaroles for me,
only a wound that love had opened.
I said it again: Come with me, as if I were dying,
and no one saw the moon that bled in my mouth
or the blood that rose into silence.
O Love, now we can forget the star that has such thorns!
That is why, when I heard your voice repeat
Come with me, it was as if you had let loose
the grief, the love, the fury of a cork-trapped wine
that geysers flooding from deep in its vault;
in my mouth I felt the taste of fire again,
of blood and carnations, of rock & scald.
- Pablo Neruda
Happy Valentines Day. . .
A chat with Werner
Published February 13, 2008 | 
With spring on it’s way and Canoecopia just a couple weeks off it seems like a great time to talk about gear. Well, isn’t it always a great time to talk about gear? So today I’m happy to share with you a little interview with Jim Miller who is the Marketing Manger at Werner Paddles. Now I tried to get him to talk to us about that heated paddle shaft, but as you’ll see the sacrifice would have been too great!
d – I’d guess that most of the readers here feel like they know all they need to know about paddles. What might we not know or what is something that deserves more consideration when choosing a kayak paddle?
JM - Two words SWING WEIGHT. The static weight of a paddle has very little to do with how well a paddle performs. Swing weight is the measurement of the paddles resistance to being moved through a stroke and is primarily affected by the weight of the shaft as well as the weight and shape of the blades. Because we have been building paddles for over 40 years and our Production Management staff has over 100 years of combined experience; we understand the dynamic nature in which are paddles are used better than almost anyone out there today. Advanced materials, great design, hand crafted construction all combine to create a paddle with the lightest swing weight per dollar; or as I like to say “Just pennies a stroke!”
d – Has paddle development reached its pinnacle?
JM - No. There is always something new that can be done to up the bar.
d – There are some great high performance paddles out there. Where do we go from here?
JM - New materials, new construction methods, new designs. Our Performance Foam Core is a perfect example of how Werner is an innovator in paddle materials and construction.
d – Are there any new materials or designs around the corner that we can get excited about?
JM - If I told you I’d have to kill you.
d – Which brings me to something I read lately. For us up here in the great white north the idea of a heated paddle shaft sounds interesting. I read that Werner has been playing with that idea. Is there a heated kayak paddle coming? If so, how do you keep it light and functional?
JM - I repeat; If I told you I’d have to kill you.
d – Where is Werner’s Wing Paddle?
JM - We do get the occasional request for a Wing, but have not seen enough demand from consumers or our retailers to come to market. There are some very nice Wings out there and we would want to make sure that we came with something substantially better.
d – I wanted to talk a bit about customer service. These days it can get pretty atrocious. We’ve all been there. Emails unanswered, waiting on hold forever, trying to prove it wasn’t our fault and all that stuff that makes dealing with companies awful at times. How does Werner look at customer service? Do you think most of your customers would give you high ratings?
JM - As a mater of fact our dealers were recently polled by SNEWS/Outdoor Gear Trends magazine and they place Werner as the fourth “Best Company to Do Business With” this rating includes the entire outdoor industry, not just paddle sports. It feels great to beat out players like The North Face, Columbia, and Mountain Hardware. Our ranking was based largely on our customer service, innovative product and on time delivery. The folks answering the phones in Sultan Washington are great problem solvers and they have the experience. Ryan, for example, has been with Werner for 20 years. You don’t keep someone coming to work with a smile on their face each day for 20 years with out doing something right. Werner is a great place to work and that is a direct reflection of the owners, Bruce and Shelley. They take care of their folks and in turn every employee is empowered to take care of our customers.
d – Werner sponsors a variety of paddlers including Dale Williams, Bryan Smith and others. Could you tell us a bit about your team paddlers and how someone gets “on the team”?
JM - We really are looking for more than just high profile paddlers to use our products. If you have ever spent time with Dale or Bryan or any of our team folks, what comes through, is their passion for being on the water and a desire to share that passion with others. The greatest complement is when paddlers request sponsorship and tell us up front that no matter what the response they will be using a Werner paddle because of the integrity and performance of the paddles.
d – Folks that followed along with my trip around Puerto Rico last summer knew that I used a 4 piece Werner. I get asked about that since they don’t see a 4 piece on your website. How does someone go about getting a 4 piece? Can they expect to pay more?
JM - We offer all of our Performance Core Touring, Performance Touring and Premium Touring paddles in a four piece straight shaft configuration. There is a cost increase of $60 over our two piece paddles. We sell our paddles through our dealer network and because four piece paddles are more of a specialty item, you would most likely need to place a special order. We pride ourselves on quick turn around times, but give it a couple of weeks before you plan on leaving the country with your four piece in hand.
d – Lastly, you guys will be in Wisconsin next month at Canoecopia. I wanted to give you a chance to tell us what you’ve got planned for those of us who stop by the booth. A Kelly Blades balancing act maybe?
JM - Canoecopia is the largest consumer goods paddle sports show in the world. It is really amazing to see all the people that travel, often from many states away, to hear speakers, see demos and purchase paddling gear. Because we offer so many paddle configurations, the uninitiated can get a little overwhelmed. Our goal is to get each person the prefect paddle for their paddling adventures. We will be offering “Prescriptions to the best fitting Paddles,” so stop by and see us we are the Doctors of Paddleology. Plus there will be some fun stuff for the kids to do and a little swag to be had.
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Thanks Jim! Now if you want to learn more about Werner be sure to visit their website. They also have a great interactive tool to help you select the perfect paddle right here. We’ll have a few more little interviews coming up before the big show, so check be sure to check back.
alone in the woods?
Published February 10, 2008 | 
Cover me, when I sleep
Cover me, when I breathe
You throw your pearls before the swine
Make the monkey blind
- peter gabriel
It seems if you are one of those people who think more and more Americans are enjoying the great outdoors, chances are you are still a Flock of Seagulls fan as well. According to an article by David Biello published in Scientific American magazine, the number of people in the states visiting national parks and other natural areas has been on a steady decline since 1987. In fact it would take 80 million more visits this year to get the per capita numbers back up to 80s level. It seems that public enjoyment of the great out doors was on a 50 year climb that peaked in the 80s and has slipped about 1 percent per year since.
Conservationists interviewed for the article believe (not surprisingly) that the electronic world is the main culprit. They also believe that “fear” runs a close second. It’s hard for modern parents to know which to fear most, strangers or racoons. . . Richard Louv, author of “Last Child in the Woods” asks, “If you are raising a generation under protective house arrest, will they have a joyful experience in nature?” The article goes on to suggest that the solution may be as simple as parents just getting outside with their kids. No surprise there either. Good luck with that.
America has always had a bit of an ambivalence toward nature. There is quite a disconnect between words and deed that tracks back to when our forefathers first set foot in the "new world". From the slaughter of the buffalo to the damming of the Colorado river we have always found nature as something to dominate and use rather than enjoy. Maybe there was just too much of it to appreciate it. Don’t get me wrong, I think there is a middle road, a way to use and not abuse, but for too many generations we’ve been extreme. Growing up in the 70s I was quite sure the world as a whole was a colorless place comprised of rusty Fords driving over flaming rivers through a mist of DDT. Natural areas were seen much like 50′s drive-thrus. The only real way to enjoy a natural park was through dirty windshields. In fact if you wanted to get any closer to nature, you may just invite a bear into the front seat for a photograph with the wife. (a classic “Darwin” moment) When I was a kid I think we were the perfect examples of the nature “drive by”. We used to visit the local state park regularly but rarely actually stop and get out of the car. I can remember staring out the glass like a prisoner and wanting nothing more than to stop and go play. Of course the $2 fee at the time was enough to keep my parents from encouraging such frivolity. Sadly too many of these folks are still passing on that attitude today.
The downside of this "out of touch" lifestyle is that nature becomes just another form of rectangular Hi-Def fiction. When nature is something we see on television or through a windshield it becomes hard for us to understand environmental issues in any real sort of way. Environmentalism becomes nothing more than another stagnant issue of the talking heads. National Geographic films showing aerial views of rain forests do nothing more than re-enforce the idea that all is right with the world, something the SA article calls, “Virtual Nature”. Viewers tend to believe what they “see” much easier than they understand the commentary that goes along with the pictures. Not to mention that kids can spend all day exploring the jungles of Tomb Raider, and those forests do seem to go on forever.
The upside of course is that the few of us who do get out have a much better chance to spend a bit of quality time alone in the woods.
a year goes by
Published February 9, 2008 |
In a house draped in net
In a room filled with coral
Sails at the window
Forests of masts
Put your hand over the side of the boat
Put your hand over the side of the boat
What do you feel?
- kate bush
A year goes by so quickly. On February 9th of last year a garbled distress call was the beginning of some dark days in the kayaking community. What was to be a celebration of an amazing accomplishment turned quickly into deep sadness. Andrew McCauley we learned had lost his life just miles off Milford Sound on New Zealand’s south Island.
Since then his motives and actions have been filtered through the sieve of every opinion and word view. All the while his wife and friend, Vicki McAuley had no choice but to keep moving ahead. She of course had young Finlay to look after. Every one of us who has been through loss in our lives knows how the cycle goes. For awhile and usually when you are too numb to really take it in, all the world seems to rally to your side. The world moves in a strange bubble that sits just outside of your reality. Then as time passes all but those most close to you slip away back into their own lives. There’s no way around it. In the end, you have to choice but take it all upon yourself and find a way forward. A year as I said, goes by so quickly. I hope today we not only take a moment to remember Andrew and his great accomplishments, but we also can send a message out to Vicki & Finlay that they are still in our hearts and minds. Life is after all an adventure and we want to continue to encourage and support Andrew’s family as they keep pushing ahead on their journey as well.
Feel your way through the darkness
Guide your soul into the light
Swim into the open water
Drift on the tides that you may find
– cass & slide
With Canoecopia coming up soon I was thinking about all the folks who will again be looking for a new kayak. For many, they will be looking for their first boat. I don’t envy them. Yeah, there is a certain joy to finally deciding to buy a kayak, browsing through review after review, and digging down into the minutia of drag coefficients with caffeine fueled reps. Shopping is one of those few places in day to day life where we can display to others our intellectual prowess. It’s interesting really. Sometimes I think that the person who is still to buy his first kayak probobly knows more about them than the person who has been paddling the same beat up boat for the past 20 years. We get over it.
The problem with choosing your first kayak is that you rarely have the paddling skills to make one boat really stand out from the other. And there’s the rub. Until you gain the skills to notice the differences and figure out your own personal paddling style, you’re going to be happy with just about any kayak you buy. Well, most of the time. Even with the best of intentions it’s rare that your first kayak will be your last. As your skills improve and as you start to see what kind of kayaker you’re going to be, the better equipped you will be to make a good judgment.
Everyone has an opinion. There will always be someone to tell you what sort of boat you need. There are some reasonable guidelines. However, experienced kayakers will usually tell you to just buy what’s best for you. We’ve been there. We’re aware that while we could certainly talk to you about safely features, materials and such we can’t really help you choose a boat. What’s right for you today, may not be in a year. Your skills and your goals will change. Certainly you can drop $4000 on a kayak if you have the money to spend. But none of us wants to be responsible for a new paddler dropping that kind of money on a kayak they never paddle or that turns out not to be right for them a year later.
The best advice we can give you is to wait. Take lessons, paddle lots of boats and then make an informed decision. However, if you are like me, you want a kayak NOW!! Ok then. Next. . .
You have two paths. You can buy a cheap “starter” boat and figure out if you really want to make kayaking part of your life. A year from now you will either know you love the sport, you’ll sell the poor thing, trade it, or it will become a dust farm. Who knows?? The down side is that if you keep trading up you’ll find you may spend more money than if you would have bought a top of the line sea kayak in the first place. The other choice is to take the leap for a top-of-the-line sea kayak. Maybe you could cut some costs by purchasing a plastic version. Not a bad idea, and plastic is pretty tough. However, if you are having fantasies of the wide open sea. . you may want fiberglass or Kevlar. Again you can just smoke the credit card, but don’t overlook used boats either. I took all these approaches at one time or another. Consider this a warning. . .
All I knew for sure was that I wanted a sea kayak. My first was a Current Designs Breeze. In fact I still have it. I credit the sales person at Rutabaga to no end for pointing me to that boat. It was a perfect first step. I will never sell boat because it’s the perfect kayak for taking out friends and folks first getting interested in kayaking. For myself though, I kept advancing and wanting to do more. For me it soon became just too wide and sluggish. I went through another 4 or 5 kayaks. Each one traded at a loss of a few hundred dollars a trade. Each trade had their pluses and minuses but I kept outgrowing. Yet I was being cautious. Investing in a fiberglass kayak was scary. In the end I realized that for me kayaking would always be an important part of my life and that I could jump to a “real” kayak.
At that point though, picking that high end boat was a bit like tossing a dart with a blindfold on. I knew I wanted a fiberglass boat, because they were most easily repaired. (I’m rough on gear.) Otherwise most of the reviews were way over my head. I didn’t know what applied to me and what was just “expert” jargon. The only judgment that seemed reasonable to me was to get what those “expedition” kayakers were paddling. I knew that if a kayak was tough and efficient enough for them It could certainly handle me. I bought a used NDK Explorer. It was a great choice. I doubt I will ever part from my Explorer. Still though, even then I kept learning. As much as I loved the Explorer it didn’t do everything I wanted to do. In time I got a Valley Anas Acuta. It helped me learn a lot of new fancy rolls. I really loved that boat, but for me it was specialized. When I went back out into the rough stuff, I went back to my Explorer.
These days as most of you know I paddle a Rockpool Alaw Bach. It is by far my favorite kayak of any I’ve ever owned. The Bach for me is the best of both worlds. It’s fast, yet stable and nimble as a ballet dancer. It can carry enough gear for the sort of trips I take, still the volume is low enough that I can enjoy playing around with all those traditional rolls as well. The Alaw Bach shines in surf and current which is what I’m sort of into right now. And there’s an important point. “What I’m into right now”. What kind of paddler I’ve become. At least for the moment.
So maybe in the end the most important thing about choosing your first kayak is this; Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. Don’t try to know everything. At this point in your paddling career it’s guesswork. Just pick a boat that is safe, within your budget and well, turns you on! Then just get out there and enjoy it. Your first kayak will always hold a special place in your paddling experience no matter what sort of paddler you become. Yeah, it will always be special, even if it won’t be your last.