Most sea kayaks should naturally weather cock that is turn into the wind. The skeg is used to balance the trim of the kayak against the wind. If you're going into (up) the wind keep your skeg up. If you're going down wind put your skeg all the way down. If you're going across the wind put your skeg ...

My concern would be rope on rope contact, if the towed boat is jerking around by either tide or wind you'll end up with the deck line and tow line rubbing up and down on each other. You can cut a nylon rope with another length of nylon rope really easily.

But then I thought. I wonder if my heavy upper frame is the problem or could I get away with a smaller Capella 160 with no ballast? Your upper body size is most likely the problem, you don't need a smaller kayak you need a bigger one. If you can get the chance try out as many boats/different size b...

There are tidal streams around the Treshnish Isles and between Rubha Chaoil and Gometra. Tried paddling against that one once and got nowhere.

You really need to get a coach, I think there are a few local to you who post on here. "How much practice do you need" is an impossible question without seeing you paddle. The tide range in the Bristol Channel is huge and the current flow is far faster than you'll ever be able to paddle, you have to...

Yes move the bulkhead but don't make it so tight you can't stretch your legs. Put the bulkhead about 4ins short of where your footrests are and put a block of high density foam either side with a gap in the middle. If you're doing the work yourself be careful of the fumes while working inside the hu...

I don't tend to wear over-trousers with mine and definitely don't slide around in the seat.

Kokatat suits may be fantastic but the OP only has £550 to spend which will only get half a Kokatat suit.

It's ok as an undersuit.

Fourth element gear is easy to swim in, about as warm as a 3mm wetsuit. The inner fleece tends to drain very quickly so feels dry against the skin the outer is slower to dry but is fairly windproof. I've had mine for about seven years and they haven't worn yet. I've also used Reed gear but not the D...

Douglas have you cut them down or just not pull them all the way up?

Fourth element thermocline shorts and tee shirt much more comfortable than neoprene, breaths in air acts like a wetsuit in the water. Forget dry tops just use a light cag to keep spray and wind off when you need it. Fourth element do a farm John suit but no zip, as much use as a chocolate fire guard...

No, there are quite a few seals like this one in the Forth i.e. very used to and inquisitive about people. The thing to remember is this is still a wild animal so please don't try and encourage or touch them.

I've replaced the hand-pump with a day hatch in a shortline, not a hard job. I made a bulkhead for behind the seat and cut out the pump and fitted a hatch. You need to make sure that the hatch rim is sealed to the deck as sorting out any leaks is a right nightmare if you get it wrong. I glued the ri...

With all the post from people raving about Greenland paddle I feel I should point out that not everyone gets on with them. I've tried them and absolutely hate them. As with most things try before you buy.

Where are you going? Is this a multi-week wilderness trip where you will not be able to re-supply on route or is it around the coast of Britain? What are you taking? A great many people can manage six month backpacking with a 50 - 60Lts rucksack, 188Lts should be luxury. In the past I've managed som...

Use a set for a few months and then go back to flats, you'll soon feel the difference. Took me quite sometime to get used to using them but I wouldn't be without them now. Why is your friend slower, most likely technique.

That will be heave and soak up water like a sponge other than that it would do.

So if I'm reading this right, you set out to paddle to an island with two others a man and a woman. You wanted to stay in a bay the others wanted to head out to the island. I don't understand this how can you paddle to an island without leaving the bay? All three paddled to the island and all manage...

Sea kayaking safety and rescue by John Lull is still far and above the best book on the subject ever written. Sea kayak by Gordon Brown is ok but let down by the photo's. Essentials of sea survival by Frank Golden and Michael Tipton. Sea kayak navigation by Franco Ferrero. Just about all the books y...

Never used mine in anger, but why do you assume the only emergency you could get into and need help involves you floating in the water far from land without your kayak? Granted if you do find yourself in that situation there not much anyone can do for you but it's a rare situation. I think most call...

One problem I find with a lot of paddling salopettes is they have a wide band of neoprene around your waist, as do a lot of cags. Add on your neoprene deck and all of a sudden you've got three layers of ever tightening neoprene trying to squeeze your dinner out. I've Reed salopettes, cag and deck, I...

There are quite a few "whites" to chose from why don't you ask Valley which "white" they use? They might even sell you some.

I've just got one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... UTF8&psc=1 just tried it and it seems to work well. If anyone is interested.

How about -

http://palmequipmenteurope.com/product/arcadia-0

or

http://palmequipmenteurope.com/product/vantage minging colour mind.

or

http://www.chillcheater.com/dry-cags/aq ... ouring-cag might be a bit heavy for what you want, but very hard wearing.

How old is the seat/kayak and did you buy it new?

Only played with it so far, took it out walking and plotted my path https://share.delorme.com/OwenMerrick I sent a text to my sister and she replied. I'll report back after I've been to Lapland next month.

I've just bought a DeLorme inReach SE - mainly for a trekking trip to Lapland - it's waterproof to IP 7, 1m for 30 minutes similar to the VHF radios. It has the advantage of being able to send and receive text messages. I've not used it kayaking yet but I do know that a man called Chris Duff is usin...

The short answer is that we can't tell anything from a photo. You need to get someone who knows what they're looking at to give it the once over. Does it have fixed bulkheads or is the hull one open space?

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