andynormancx wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 20, 2018 5:50 pm

The original poster did specifically say he wanted to listen in to learn how VHF traffic is passed.

No he didn't, he said he wanted to listen to the coastguard, most of what I hear from the coastguard is identical to what I can hear on radio 4.

Looks to me like the cloth that the gelcoat hasn't bonded to is the tape used for the keel strip, in which case it is the flow coat which is added to the keel strip after the tape which hasn't bonded and it won't be indicative of the bond between the gel coat and cloth over the rest of the hull, whe...

The common names for spraydeck (or cockpit) sizes have become a bit meaningless over the years, cockpit sizes have got bigger to make getting in and out easier (mostly out, in an emergency) but some of the old names are still used but now apply to a much bigger cockpit than they used to. There is no...

I seem to remember someone wrote a guidebook to the Thames recently...

You get more turning moment at the end, but you get losses where the blade of an overstern breaks the surface (on a low aspect foil I seem to recall you can lose half the lift?), and an overstern will come out of the water more often in waves. I have never fitted or used one on a kayak, but the simp...

All VHF traffic is intended for the specified use only, you are supposed to disregard anything you hear (other than mayday, panpan and all stations broadcasts) that wasn't directed at you, and as already said you are not supposed to repeat any of it later on. If you just want to get used to listenin...

I've used sea water for cooking, never thought about diluting it or noticed the pasta or rice tasting salty. The alleged reason for adding salt to the water when cooking is to raise the boiling point which has always seemed like a very nitpicky thing to do, I wonder if what it actually does is raise...

Drill a small hole in the end, pass a piece of string through, tie the end to the pre-wetted cloth or tape and use the string to pull it roughly in place, and then use a brush taped to a stick to ty to smooth it out. Helps to orientate the boat so you aren't trying to fight gravity. Best wet the are...

What if you run the same river at the same level 4% faster or with 4% less clothing on? Both would make it 4% more challenging, just not in the most obvious way.

I have found banana boat 'sport' suncream in the higher factors seems to stay put better than most when river running.
Doesn't look like their UK website lists it, need to order from US or amazon or somewhere.

Looks like a 'Rob Roy' style boat, I have a feeling Pyranha used to make them in fibreglass. I would get all the old seam compound off (old chisel?) and see how it looks. It is obviously chopped strand mat construction so almost certainly built with polyester resin originally but I would repair it w...

Spikeedog wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 05, 2018 9:17 am

Like the plasticine idea - creative thinking.

You can usually get plain coloured pasticine in larger packs from composite materials suppliers

Just send Reed a paper template of your actual cockpit rim (with the back of the seat marked) and they will make you a spraydeck to fit it - costs a few pounds more than a standard size but they make a lot of customs and have a standard custom price on the website as I recall.

It could be egg shaped, the important thing is not to have any concve cuves where the elastic will take the straight line and leave a gap for water to wash in...

It would make sense for it to be a lake canoe carrying the name Huron....
I think it would look good with some new woodwork, those laminated thwarts look quite nice as they are (although a little heavy perhaps?).

I generally train on the canal without one.

Lendal were based in Prestwick for a long time - I don't know if always, but certainly for as long as I can remember.
Looks like a big blade, probably Nordcapp or Powermaster as already suggested, I probably have an old catalogue somewhere I could work it out from but I have no idea where it would be.

I actually use a deck mounted compass very rarely, maybe if I am doing a long open crossing. Most of the time I am close to land and keeping track of landmarks as I go. I guess you've been lucky and have never paddled into sea fog then?..... :-) Yeah, I stick to the west coast :-) I can actually on...

Where do you paddle? I actually use a deck mounted compass very rarely, maybe if I am doing a long open crossing. Most of the time I am close to land and keeping track of landmarks as I go. I use a GPS (usually a GPSMAP) mainly to keep track of my speed, I never use the digital compass function on i...

I think my WWR C1 knee position is a bit wider than some but is not as wide as I go in slalom C1 - I wasn't planning to change that because it seems to work (just needs practice), but I do need to make a slightly wider seat with a back part to help me stay in the straps if I go upside down again. I ...

I think you would be as well making up some loose foam shims to use for pool sessions where you are going to be doing intense rolling practise just to prevent bruising. You already know you don't need the padding to roll, it is just for comfort when practising. Like others I have a range of boats wi...

Perhaps they are looking to reduce the number of people using the car park?
Some of the 50% will just pay up and grumble and some will park elsewhere.

Personally I use a plastic fabricating company that we work with sometimes, I have never queried the equipment they use or the qualification of the fabricators, they have explained that success depends on the degree of oxidisation of the PE the boat is made from and were obviously cautious given the...

its quite common to hear: Im into sea kayaking. But what does that mean? It means the person likes to go kayaking on the sea rather than any of the many other categories (or disciplines) of kayaking: white water touring flat water touring wild water racing slalom racing sprint racing marathon racin...

overfallpaddler wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 05, 2018 6:05 pm

I agree that 'Racing' or 'fast' is better than closed cockpit ski. Although ski derived those boats are still kayaks, but built to go quickly/efficiently

Few race sea kayaks were derived from surf skis, most are derived from kayaks.

The term professional is very much deprecated these days.

I think you might be over-ambitious here. Last year I helped my friend AlexC do a paddling leg on a multi-day cycle trip with his son. He has a good double inflatable kayak (I can't remember the brand, either Sevylor or Gumotex I think) but it is a little too heavy to cycle with, and not big enough ...

I think you may be approaching from the wrong angle. Hull shapes are are a factor but I think there are probably 3 main purposes for sea kayaks: Day/play boat Touring Racing Once you have defined the purpose you can select the hull type, which is not necessarily interdependant with the purpose, most...

SPL wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 04, 2018 8:09 am

I once used marigolds (washing up gloves) during a trip to Scotland and they were awesome, thin, warm, grippy and cheap.

I found where most gloves tend to feel slippery on the shaft, I had the opposite experience with marigolds - too much grip on the shaft!

However quickly a distress signal is picked up the response time will depend on how close the various SAR assets are to you when they are deployed and how fast each can travel - you may be several hours away from an all weather lifeboat, or out of range of a faster inshore boat, which is why other v...