I don't think my issue is in quite the same league as some of you guys, it only affects a very small part of my paddling in any case. I have lost quite a lot of weight this year, and it is fair to say my legs have more shape than they used to, so when I strap into my slalom C1 the straps grip my thi...

There are kayak ergos (ergometer) but they are quite expensive and take up a lot of space in use, although the kayak pro one appears to fold up well for storage. I think they would be quite boring to use so probably difficult to keep up unless you are following a specific training regime, even then ...

This may sound unappealing to anyone who just paddles for a bit of recreation, but if you are struggling to get speed and power to keep up with others I cannot recommend enough finding a group of racing paddlers that will let you join their sessions regularly and give you some coaching as you go. Fo...

If anyone is looking for replacement rope, Up & Under (when I looked) were low on stock "off the reel" and could only supply 7m - which is not long enough for much at all. So I've bought a full 100m reel (10mm rope) and will be happy to sell on what I don't need - send me a PM. I carry a 7m throwli...

Ha ha - I wondered if you were going to link to that.
I like the way he clearly misses and then strikes a classical Greek pose as the camera tracks the girl downstream :)

As Jim will no doubt confirm, the trickiest outside edge is in WWR C1, when you're edging to counteract the effect of paddling on one side. So if you're paddling on the right, you have to edge left, all the time (otherwise you have to use J strokes, which slows the boat). But if you edge too far, y...

Should be OK on easy whitewater - the main concern with slalom boats of that vintage is that they were sometimes not very strongly built.

From the above very helpful posts it seems that WW practice is great for handling and breaking in and out of moving water (tide races) but may not be so good for building sea kayak edging skills, due to the differences in hull profile.. More winter trips to the coast with onshore winds near a sandy...

Hi Now I know that I may well be out on a limb here, but I really don`t get this idea that you should edge / lean outwards to turn a sea kayak. It is totally the opposite of intuitive - people running, animals running, cyclists, motor bikers - none of them lean outwards to turn, they all lean inwar...

Hi Now I know that I may well be out on a limb here, but I really don`t get this idea that you should edge / lean outwards to turn a sea kayak. It is totally the opposite of intuitive - people running, animals running, cyclists, motor bikers - none of them lean outwards to turn, they all lean inwar...

I wouldn't worry about direction of edging. A sea kayak (unless it has a rudder) really needs to be edged to turn otherwise it is very very slow to turn and takes a lot of effort. A short river kayak - creek or play or general purpose - will turn quite well if you hold it flat and sweep the paddle e...

I seem to recall about half a km into the Kiachnish Neil suddenly started looking for the car key. We stopped and he checked on his person and in his boat. I remembered seeing it on his boat when he was getting changed, so he had to walk back to the put in and search around on the ground for it. Luc...

Another memorable cock up would be the day that having been paddling OC1 quite a lot I dragged my kayak up the Allt a Chaorainn to meet some friends who were already there (on a course). Having checked it was OK for me to paddle with the coached group I got into my boat at the top of Ecstasy and tri...

Anybody who's done this section will know what a pain in the arse the climb up the footpath is, Best not join us for a WWR training session there then, Fraser has an amazing ability to position cars to get the maximum number of runs in for the minimum number of shuttle trips, 3 back to back runs (w...

Ended up leading a beginner trip on the Tay, Stanley to Thistlebrig first time I had ever done it, but one of the beginners had been before. It was quite high, Stanley weir covered all the way accross. Got to Thistlebrig, thought it matched the description of the takeout - checked with my experience...

My wife uses neoprene pogies and really likes them whereas I don’t get on quite so well with my nylon ones, especially when I’m trying to get my hands back into them. The secret is not to take your hands out of them in the frst place :D I have to admit I can't be bothered with pogies for generally ...

I'm a big fan of crossover between disciplines. Even if a particular skill has no direct relevance to a different discipline it may improve boat balance or feel and always adds something to the toolbox which might useful when you have to invent something on the spot to deal with something unexpected...

A trip I only managed a couple of times but really liked, was to get in for the upper Roy, and take out at Mucomir power station. Even then it was 4 sections, these days it is 5. Need a fast group, plenty of water and ideally reasonable length days. And definitely don't destroy your boat in section 2!

The wind is the clue. Air flow causes water evaporation, to transition to vapour state it boosts the kinetic energy from the wind with some heat energy from your body - in this case hands. Most gloves are not windproof, and trap water, so provide a great source for evaporative cooling of your hands....

Just highlighting that everybody has different experiences :)

Did need a bit of backup, definately worse if I didn't feel there was someone there to keep an eye on me. Maybe that was lacking on Sunday? Problem is that shouldn't have been needed, I don't need someone to keep an eye on me in that way. If I do then something is very wrong and I shouldn't be on t...

Tilt - favourite day of UK boating, river, level, company all spot on Hate the Tilt and will never go up there again! First time I smashed my head in an undercut and had neck and shoulder problems for years afterwards. Second time I got stuck against a small siphon, climbed out onto it, and then re...

I'm not sure that it is fair to pick 3 favourites from so many great rivers? Colorado; Lees Ferry to Pearce Ferry - So much more than just the river influence this choice, one factor is that it is generally warm! Seriously, it is a great escape from the modern world for a couple of weeks, and I can ...

Arthritis? Dr Wilcox has explained that his arthritis is partly due to many years of windsurfing gripping the boom hard with wet hands in cold wind. I think it is the cooling effect on the blood vessels that causes the problem. It strikes me that paddling into a strong wind you could be experiencing...

I can't compare sea kayaks over long distance, but I have (not recently) done sprint training sessions over 200m in both my Taran sea kayak (19.5 - 20kg, 18' full waterline with a rudder) and my Savage 2000 WWR (~12kg due to repairs, 4.5m, full waterline without a rudder) and I was putting in almost...

I suspect I must be one of the few whose answers were not similar then! I have to admit I thought the question about the prescribed safety equipment was too vague and too closed, but on reflection the times I don't wear a bouyancy aid are within BC guidelines so I probably do always take/wear the pr...

As I recall the Connect River outfitting is lighter because it doesn't include ratchets and stuff. Still don't understand why people want that stuff in a playboat which is going to be custom padded to fit them by the time they are finished setting it up :)

Bunkhouse booked in North Wales :) Will see what everyone else fancies, rain forecast so might get on a different river. Will get to the Tyne Tour someday. Well the Dee will paddleable from Horseshoe to MEM or into the centre of town, it is possible pretty much all year round. Or if your group is c...

No idea. Maybe there is an access agreement, or maybe it is closed for maintenance that may prove hazardous to paddlers? (There was soimehting about a gravel trap recently, although that is already in place and paddling over/past has been allowed for the last few weeks). You asked for 'any ideas' - ...

Some people had the front bulkhead fitted to suit their leg length, you may need to try a few before you find one that will fit you.