The way I see it, if I’m really going to get serious about whitewater kayaking, there are certain things I need: kayak, spray skirt, paddle, PFD, helmet, and a dry top (or other insulating layer, e.g. neoprene top). I’m also tempted to get a pair of paddling gloves.
I have the kayak and spray skirt. They’ve [...]
Author Archives: the alygator
Boat - check; other gear… not so much
June 17, 2008 – 11:39 am
Fun in Vail, CO: Teva Mountain Games
June 9, 2008 – 11:56 am
My little sister did the bouldering competition again this year, and some family friends qualified for the bouldering World Cup event, so my entire family was in Vail this past weekend. I was there Thursday afternoon through Sunday, so I got to see almost all of the kayaking events. My only real regret is that [...]
Windy paddling
April 27, 2008 – 8:28 am
As promised, a report on my first “real” excursion in my new Fun:
It was windy out on Boulder Reservoir last weekend, as happens rather frequently in Boulder, and as a result I had to fight for every inch. In my old kayak, this would have been fair grounds for throwing a real fit; in the [...]
Weekend forecast
April 18, 2008 – 7:54 am
Here in fabulous Boulder, Colorado, this weekend’s forecast is calling for 70-degree weather. However, thanks to runoff from this winter season’s abundant snowfall, the local whitewater is maintaining a somewhat cooler temperature. Seeing as I haven’t yet acquired a drytop or other means of avoiding hypothermia in such conditions, I’ll stick to the nice, sun-warmed [...]
JK lives up to the hype
January 17, 2008 – 10:25 am
Preliminary findings on my 2007 JK Fun:
So incredibly comfortable. Wow. I know my opinion in this matter is just another drop in the metaphorical bucket; however, I’m pleased enough with my boat that I’ll go ahead and add my voice to the multitudes that sing the praises of the Jackson Kayak design team.
At Confluence Kayak [...]
My new kayak
January 11, 2008 – 4:37 pm
As of this afternoon, I am the proud new owner of a Jackson Fun.
This weekend kayaker is going kayaking this weekend!
Yee-haw!
My future kayak: Summary of research to date
August 21, 2007 – 2:52 pm
I began my forray into the wide world of kayaks with the following criteria in mind:
1. I really want to paddle whitewater.
2. River-running is what caught my interest in the first place (as in, “ooh, that looks fun, I want to do that!”).
3. The more I see, the more I really want to try playboating.
And [...]
Flat spin envy
July 2, 2007 – 9:32 am
I had the opportunity to test-drive a Wavesport EZG the other day out on the reservoir. It was just as squirrelly as my clunker, but vastly more maneuverable. I entertained myself by doing flat spins, which are (as I discovered) pretty easy to do in the right boat, and quite fun.
I also used a different [...]
What EJ said about my future kayak
June 26, 2007 – 11:50 am
I went up to Lyons, CO, a couple of Saturdays ago to be a spectator at the whitewater events of the Lyons Outdoor Games. After the events were over, I had the opportunity to meet Eric Jackson and Nick Troutman. (I have to be honest, for a while these guys have been up near the [...]
Paddling in a straight line - Arrrgh!
June 22, 2007 – 3:45 pm
This is a problem that I hear a lot of beginners asking about. I’m no exception. Usually I can get where I want to go without too much trouble. When I rent a kayak, I can paddle around just fine once I take a few minutes to get a feel for it. But with my [...]