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 top of my “personal heroes” list, and then getting to meet them — yay, cool!) They were both really nice, and took the time to chat with me for a few minutes. I don’t know why this surprises me; maybe I’m too cynical.

But at any rate, they gave me my little moment. At one point we were talking about kayaks (seeing as I will be in the market soon), and EJ recommended that I try the Jackson Fun. My research thus far has made me a fan of that particular series, but the one thing I am concerned about (with any smaller boat) is leg room. EJ, having sized me up as being close-ish to his size, was of the opinion that the Fun (not the 4Fun, but the Fun) would be the right fit for me. Granted, I would think EJ is pretty good at sizing people for boats, but… well, I must admit to some skepticism.

Hey, don’t throw things at me! I know, I know, when God says ‘Hey, maybe you should try this,’ you don’t say ‘Uh, are you sure about that, God?’ I mean, kayaking advice from EJ… that is not to be taken lightly. But as far as sizing, EJ is, well, not a tall guy, and I’m 5′10″ with long legs. I’ve had trouble with smaller boats in the past; once I tried cramming my lower body into a friend’s Necky playboat, and that just didn’t go well.

A few days after getting EJ’s opinion, I talked to a co-worker who recently purchased a Jackson Fun. He’s slightly taller than me; he says he loves the boat, and that it’s not too small at all.

OK, so EJ was probably right about me. I’ll try the Fun. And in the meantime… my clunker kayak has plenty of leg room, but other than that I hate it. So leg room isn’t everything.

By the alygator | Posted in Events, Gear | Comments (1)

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 clunker of a boat, which neither tracks well nor turns easily (which makes steering corrections difficult!), trying to paddle a straight course can be really frustrating. If I can’t figure this out soon, my bank account just might have to cough up the price of another boat earlier than planned.

I read somewhere that beginners may find it easier to stay on track if they stroke with their paddle at a shallower angle, rather than the typical straight down into the water. This makes sense; if you’re paddling continuously, this setup logically should provide a more stable heading, and is probably more forgiving of an imperfect stroke.

I thought this might work well for me, so I tried it. Well, this way I can stay in a straight line for maybe 2 yards instead of 3 or 4 feet, but after that it gets squirrelly. My trips across the reservoir usually take the form of a long series of meandering curves, graceful pirouettes, and lots of inventive cursing.

Is there a doctor in the house? Because I can’t seem to diagnose this problem on my own.

By the alygator | Posted in Skills | Comments (2)

My first kayak

June 20, 2007 – 3:52 pm

I can’t complain too much, because when I went looking for a kayak last year, all I really wanted was a cheap, functional boat that I could paddle around the reservoir once in a while. I found a Perception Dancer on denver.craigslist.org, packaged with a paddle, spray skirt, PFD, throw rope (not that I’ve ever used it), and assorted packing straps, all for just $200. I hadn’t done much research on different boats; all I knew were a few major brands, the difference between displacement and planing hulls, and the fact that I really didn’t like cramped feet. This boat met all of my major criteria: cheap, roomy, not completely flat-bottomed.

In retrospect, I wasn’t picky enough. I should have done more research; I should have been willing to spend more money to get the right boat for me.

Now that I’ve had the boat for a while, loaded it onto and off of the roof of my car, thrashed around trying to store it neatly in my garage, and paddled it across the reservoir a few times, I am well aware of its flaws:
1. It’s big and heavy; it’s too long to store neatly in my garage, and I really hate carrying it between my car and the water.
2. It doesn’t track in a straight line for more than 3 or 4 feet. It has this powerful tendency to veer off in one direction or simply drift into a spin.
3. It’s hard to steer; it is one of the least maneuverable kayaks I have ever paddled.

Sooner or later I’m going to upgrade. This time I’m doing my research, and I’ve started early, and I have enough money saved that I can be picky. So far it looks like I’m going to go with a crossover riverrunning playboat — any recommendations?

By the alygator | Posted in Gear | Comments (0)

Hello world!

June 19, 2007 – 10:23 am

I’m posting this just so I won’t have an empty blog. I hope to have more kayaking-related things to blog about in the near future; it is my goal to chronicle my rise from novice flat-water kayaker to class VI creeking/freestyling superstar.

I wish.

Well, maybe I won’t get that far. But I will share my learning experiences as they come, such as they may be.

By the alygator | Posted in Denver, News | Comments (0)