Can’t Take A Punch?
Published October 27, 2011 | 
Remember the bad old days when kayaks used to weigh a ton? Isn’t it wonderful how they are so light and easy to carry these days? Bah, humbug! When I decided to my “100 Miles To Winter” paddle for the Devil’s Lake State Park Centennial, I decided to do it in my old, heavy, 1996 NDK (Now Seakayaking UK) Romany. In fact, any time I think I’m going to be leaving gel coat deposits on the beaches and subsurface rocks.. I grab the Romany. I don’t dare take my Rockpool Alaw Bach. It’s my favorite kayak, but it’s made the modern way and I’ve already worn 4 holes through the hull. Not to mention the cracks! I don’t dare take my skin boat.. When I take it out, I have to carry it out into the water far enough that I won’t possibly tear it on a hidden stone. In addition, I like paddling near shore, especially in bouncy water and there is always a risk of hitting or dragging my boat over something. With the old tank, I’m not all that concerned. It’s tough, and repairs are easy. Continue reading
Back Support
Published July 28, 2010 | 
Over the last couple days I took a bit of time to fashion out a new back support for my the Romany I’ve been working on recently. You may remember I was just about ready to give it away. Well, after repairing a hole & going after all the weird grey gelcoat patches, and now adding a nice comfortable back support it’s starting to turn into a boat worth owning. Continue reading
Posted in Kayaks, Paddling, Repairs & Modifications | 
backrest, dragonskin, h20glue, kayak repair, minicell, repair, seatfixin’ the ark
Published June 30, 2010 | 
I said, “Just tell me something before it’s too late and we’re gone
I mean just how safe is this boat we’ll be on?” – Sting
Today my workload is a bit heavy, not least of which is that I need to commit to a kayak to take to the Door County Sea Kayak Symposium coming up in about a week. As usual, the level heads of friends, well-wishers, readers & psychologists have convinced me that doing some repairs on my old NDK kayaks is probably a better choice (and more valuable) than selling them off for something new, and maybe not so tough. Continue reading
Posted in My Paddling, Paddling, Repairs & Modifications | jamestown distributors, kayak repair, ndkRefurbishment
Published May 25, 2010 | 
Now, as much as I love my Rockpool Alaw Bach, it’s not a kayak I would use for a smash & crash weekend. So with my ACA coaching re-certification coming up this weekend, I’ve been spending time bringing my old warhorse back to life. Yeah, the old NDK Explorer has more gel coat cracks than I’d ever reasonably get out, and the white hull will never again be truly white, but it’s still the only kayak I’ve ever had that I don’t fear dragging another fully loaded kayak across or crash landing on a break wall. (I have as a matter of fact) Continue reading
Dairyland Boatwerks – Dealing with Oxidation
Published April 3, 2010 | 
My old warhorse has seen better days. It’s been some years now since I bought my 1996 Nigel Dennis Romany Explorer used at Rutabaga in Madison, WI. I’ll never forget how scary it felt to drop the $1500 back then on of all things, a kayak! Now after years of paddling, some harsh landings, intimating crashes, and just years of sitting out under the Midwest sun, the warhorse was in desperate need of care.
Skined
Published March 25, 2010 | 
Your skin
Oh yeah your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
– coldplay
Let me begin today’s story by saying again, I’m not a “Greenland” kayaker. 
Whew, I’m glad THAT’s out the way…. Which brings me to yesterday when I drove over to Milwaukee to take a look at my friend Silbs skin-on-frame kayak. The boat is a bit special, at least to me, in that he built the kayak himself in 2005 at a class with Mark Rogers of Superior Kayaks. Honestly I knew I’d buy it.. Well, if I fit.
Up the Hatch!
Published August 14, 2009 | 
Strap yourself to a tree with roots
You aint going nowhere.
– dylan
This lovely bit of artwork is what you get when you take a picture of the flooded fifth hatch in your Scorpio. It’s not as if I left the cover off or anything. It simply fills (and I mean fills) with water if I roll the kayak. I don’t believe it’s the kayak. I think it’s the hatch cover. Let me tell you why…
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