My list for defo keeping on the person at all times is: PLB Whistle VHF Emergency food (I'm type 1 diabetic) GPS (or wear a GPS watch with Lat/Long and GB grid ref on it) What's yours? PLB VHF Whistle Knife Strobe Bright yellow Reed skull cap (in case I end up bobbing about...) And in the pockets o...

It's getting there - previous versions were very buggy (not a lot of use in an emergency) and, on Android on 3 different phones, wouldn't display the trak I had just recoreded, crashing the app every time I tried. I don't know how it behaves in terms of battery life yet, it used to kill my phone bat...

No - Gel coat is the outer layer of a composite boat. It's not as "runny" as resin and is waterproof once it cures It doesn't set in air so when the boat is being built once it's applied to the mold it stays "tacky" on the surface to give a good bond to the resin used with the glass / diolene /kevla...

It looks like a bit of gel-coat repair might be all it needs - or possibly a bit of repair to the "hole" with stiffened resin then gel coat to make good the cosmetics (and waterproof the repair)

KCS - Expedition Trolly https://www.kayakcarriers.co.uk/product-page/expedition-trolley-mark-5-10-foam-filled-tyres For - very light, (3.2Kg with extension fitted, 3.0Kg without) packs into the boat without any problem, solid wheels are pucture proof, tool-free build and take down. Against - not muc...

Sounds like an excellent idea. Possibly a page in the Almanac could be used to keep links to photographs of all our classic boat logos before they fade away?

I replaced leaking hatches on an Island Explorer several years ago. All three were originally stuck on with Sikaflex and bolted. All three had cracked and split around the bolt holes. After cleaning and sanding I used a two-pack acrylic adhesive for the new rims. No bolts. I can still pick up the bo...

Any second-hand boats available near you? Local club? As a beginner maybe you shouldn't be considering a new boat but work your way through few second hand options over the next few years so that, when you do buy new, you know exactly what you want and can spec your new boat to suityou. Buying an of...

Which country are you in? No need for any insurance, permit etc. in the UK but that's not the case in other countries

Putting a vhf into an Aqua-Pac type dry-case solves the water in the speaker problem, makes it float and acts as a wind break to make your transmission much more readable in windy conditions. Downside is a slight increase in overall size and (for a DSC set) you can't activate the DSC alarm while it'...

The Reed paddle britches can be threaded onto the deck lines for a semi-permanent fitting, that way the deck lines don't need to be too tight to keep them in place. I untied one end of my deck line, pulled it through to the bow and back down past the point where I want the paddle park to sit then fe...

I can't help with any local knowledge of your area but in general.... (and you've probably done most of this already) Proper buoyancy aids for everyone and a couple of ways to call for help are good advice. Don't put a phone in a dry bag in the boat - keep it attached to you in case you end up in th...

Reed will have one to suit. https://www.chillcheater.com/decks/aqua ... ixed-waist. There's a size chart on the page or they will make to order if needed.

or a flexible 1/4 wave antenna that again is longer and more efficient. A 1/4 wavelength of insulated wire connected to the metal body of the radio, and allowed to hang down will also improve the efficiency of the radio/antenna system. Interesting idea. To save my tired old brain from doing the mat...

Nikon AW1 was excellent but isn't available any more - but if you see one second-hand it's worth considering. It was an interchangeable lens camera with a reasonable sensor size and is capable of producing very good quality images. The negatives - It's a bit bigger than the compacts but is still man...

Not misunderstanding - just not fully understanding. Seems to me that I am understanding very well. Calling for help would be done using the device you have on your person. Not the device you have stowed away in a hatch. As I wrote in my latest post: As far as I know, there is no law against owning...

You can retrofit a spray hood to most life-jackets. I wonder if it would be possible to design something similar to protect a kayaker's airway in an emergency situation? Without one the advice is to breath trough hands cupped in front of your nose and mouth to prevent inhaling spray. I've also wonde...

Lomo do a very good tapered bag which I've found to be ideal for up in the bow.

https://www.lomo.co.uk/acatalog/tapered ... ml#SID=117

An interesting debate indeed, raising several points. My only hope is that we don't all get so bogged down in concerns about our own (or our groups) "followership" skills that we forget to enjoy ourselves. A lot of the points made about the original article seem to be based on the premise that the p...

I think we might be in danger of overthinking this....

Am I misunderstanding the purpose of this app? I thought the purposes were: Registration of a planned route before the trip Tracking during the trip For the first purpose, you need neither phone coverage nor access to your phone during the trip. For the second purpose, you need phone coverage, but ...

Thanks Gordon. That echos my feelings about Safetrx fully. Good points - Makes use of technology most of us already have. Database can store multiple vessels and the profile to suit can be called up from the app. It's free! It's fairly easy to use. It's fine when sailing as it can be used in shelter...

I'm sure Rubberman in wales would do a dry-suit repair / service for you.

https://www.rubberman.co.uk/7/Repairs.html

I've only ever seen these strange swirl marks on very new boats, they seem to get worse for a bit then disappear after a few outings although they'll sometimes return just before I sell a boat. I've also noticed them on the occasional new car for a month or so too - and again they seem to come back ...

Not really appropriate for you as you've never worn the suit in anger, so can send it back, but this man https://www.rubberman.co.uk/home.html can easily (and quickly) swap out socks or seals that are too big / small for you as well as repair any damaged dry-suits you happen to have.

Don't skimp - It's one thing which really does benefit from some shopping around and trying on a few to find one which is comfortable. There are so many variables in terms of neck and wrist seals, entry zip placement and types, braces / no braces, type of socks (latex, breathable fabric or Goretex) ...

From the Sound of Jura... with only one other boat in sight. "Yacht in Sound of Jura, yacht in...... This is Kayak blue Etain, kayak blue Etain....... over" "Ehhhh - kayak blue Etain, this is yacht Blue Etain......." But, once we'd had a laugh about the co-incidence, they were very helpful with the ...

Something which I've done in the past is call up a passing yacht on VHF and ask if they have the most recent forecast. They often get a forecast even if I don't due to the difference in height of the radio aerials and are usually happy to help.

Interesting comments Douglas. I'm also an RYA member - but it had never occurred to me that they would respond to any kayaking issues. I'll bear that in mind if I ever come across any problems in future. My reservations about the SafeTrx app are due to it's reliance on smart phones. I've used it whi...

I know several sea paddlers who love taking a P&H Hammer down rivers. Basically, as a rough guide, anything a good open canoe paddler can get down, you'll get a Hammer down.