The Way-Back Machine
Published June 6, 2011 | 
We’ve talked quite a bit about how paddlers are getting older recently. I know. It seems almost everyone I meet has paddled a Perception Mirage or Dancer at one point in their lives.. Well, at one point a very, very, very long ago. (Well, the 80s through 1994 actually) Of course I wasn’t paddling way back then, so when these old school cigar-shaped kayaks were all the rage I missed my opportunity. That is, until this old beat black Mirage came up for sale. Hey, I couldn’t help myself! Continue reading
Pinks & Pods
Published March 18, 2010 | 
You could be my flamingo
‘Coz pink is the new kinda lingo
Pink like a deco umbrella
It’s kink – but you don’t ever tell her
- aerosmith
Check out this pink Pyranah Fusion kayak. I think the fusion, which is a bit of an old school boat brought up to date, is one of the few more distinctly “new” boats to come around in some time. I need a respectable, non-playboat-river runner and the fusion might be the perfect beast. Luckily for most they come in other others. As for me, I’ve been pining for a pink “Hello Kitty” Special. Notice the little black deck thingy. That’s the $60 optional pod. Looks a little like a black plastic counter cookie jar. 
Continue reading
Carolina lovin’
Published January 14, 2009 | 
Wolf River (left branch), Fox River (right branch, connecting to Green Bay)
Wisconsin Gets some environmental love from North Carolina based American Whitewater. AW has asked the government to review plans to build a new hydroelectric plant on the Fox river. The concern is that the proposed plant could cut the flow of the main channel by 40 percent.
Of course padders are an irrelevant, crazy, helpless, hopless, selfish, minority who don’t listen to reason. Well, at least that’s the impression you get reading the couple of comments on the local Post Crescent article.
Fish Teeth
Published November 14, 2005 | found a book on how to be invisible
Take a pinch of keyhole
And fold yourself up
You cut along the dotted line
You think inside out
And you’re invisible – k. bush
We got a new toy! It’s a Piranha I:3 222. We had been looking for a play boat for some time but I was having a hard time wading through all the options let alone coming up with the $1000+ bucks they cost these days. In talks with a friend I had decided on a used boat. I had also decided that my friend could pick the boat since he knows white water and I know nothing. Lesson #107, “if you know nothing about it, trust someone who does”. Well, we talked about a couple boats but I could not find one on the used market or get a response when I did email someone about a boat they had to sell. Then suddenly I had an opportunity to get a Piranha. I had to take it. Suffice to say we’ve been out all weekend playing with our new toy.
The one thing I really didn’t like about most whitewater boats that I had been in is how they rolled. WW boats seem to have only two positions, up and down. I remember trying a “Hoss” a couple times and having a really tough time just getting it over. Then when I was over I had to really snap that dog back up. This is nothing like a sea boat that comes up in a nice smooth roll. When talking to friends I was getting the feeling that this was just a play boat thing and I would have to get used to it. What a shock it was when I put the I:3 over easily and it rolled up smoothly. In fact it felt very similar to my sea boat in that aspect. I got really lucky there.
Yesterday we had a little wind and some baby waves on the local lake. As I rode in on the little 8 inch waves, I noticed how easy it was to get the nose to sink just by leaning forward. After some trial and error I found that with a little momentum from the waves I could push my feet down and lift my thighs against the braces and really dive the nose until I’d stall, lose my balance, and fall over sideways in a big splash. Wow! In real waves this is going to be a blast!
I’m not a white water dude and don’t really want to be. I just wanted a boat I could use for pools and rolling practice, and for those rare occasions when I had a surf to play in. It looks like the Piranha will be a perfect choice. What a great thing it is to just throw the boat in the back of the jeep and be off. No strapping, no 10 tones of gear, just “body, boat, blade” in it’s purest form. Oh, and the best part?? It’s red.
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