Fluid Flow

I’ve been gone WAY TOO LONG! School has taken up most of my time in the past couple
months, but now that the time for paddling is upon me, I thought I might try to revive this old thing. Let’s see, since my last post I have:
-gotten a job at Potomac Paddlesports
-gotten interested in c1 slalom
-outgrown my old playboat
-searched for a new playboat
-bought a slalom c1
-had oral surgery
Obviously, I’ve done more than that, but those are things that came to mind immediately. So where did the c1 slalom thing come from? I have absolutely no idea. I think the idea of interacting with the river in a different way than I’m used to will be fun, and I like the competitive side of it as well. The boat I’m working with for right now is an old Hearn design, the Acrobat. I need to do some re-outfitting and get a paddle before I paddle it though. The guy I bought it from had much shorter legs than me, so I need to move the knee blocks/pads forward and shape the saddle a bit. Right now when I sit in it, my butt’s half on the saddle and half on the coaming of the cockpit, a big problem. So my plan of action is this:

1. Remove the current kneepads
2. Reshape the saddle a bit
3. Put in kneepads where I need them, maybe make/buy new ones.
4. Learn to paddle the darn thing!

So, that’s that…but then again, it never really is. There’s one other boat on my mind right now as well. I’ve outgrown my S6f and om the warpath to find a Wavesport ZG (Zero Gravity) 48 for this paddling season. I don’t want to spend more than $375 on the boat, so if you know anyone trying to get rid of one cheap in the Maryland/DC/NoVa area, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! That being said, I’m really jonesing for the river right now. We’ve recieved tons of rain lately. Current level on the Po is about 7.5 feet, and I wish I were out there…

“We hiked our Funs into the woods the night before, and hid them, knowing that we wouldn’t be able to successfully walk around in public during the day with the kayaks and not get noticed.* Not to mention that the border guards were literally 50 yards away and in full site of our drop off point. In the morning we managed to get into the gorge below the fall under tree cover without getting noticed and get our boats to the river’s edge…We all successfully stayed on the right of center and made it through the rapid and eddy out the bottom (a big task), and then we were home free (in terms of whitewater). This is where we bolted to a cave for cover. A cave gave us cover after the run so we could let the storm blow over before paddling out past the major hydro dams, in full view of security cameras, etc. We got into legal waters again, took out, and reflected on a day to remember forever.”

*I bolded these passages

The above was written by the best known face of the kayak industry, Eric “EJ” Jackson. These excerpts come from a trip report on his website, describing a run through through the “3 miles of whitewater from the base of Niagara Falls to below Devil’s Hole.” Now, this run is illegal, but has been completed by several relatively unknown groups over the past 30 years, none of which then took a description of their crime to the press/Internet. EJ, on the other hand, is (was?) the most respected and recognized paddler out there today. It’s like the difference between when a regular driver gets a speeding ticket, and when a senator is caught going over the speed limit. Even then though, the senator doesn’t brag about it on his website. EJ is supposed to be representing our paddling community, and while some give him the thumbs up because “Someone has to push back (EJ) to get access…” (quote from my local message board), I give him the thumbs down for casting a shadow on the rest of us. We do have to fight for access, but that doesn’t mean committing criminal acts and making the rest of us look bad. I welcome all responses, especially those from Team (Gang?) Jackson. If you can change my mind, bravo. In closing I’d just like to share an equation with you all:

ILLEGAL ACT (running the Gorge) + WELL KNOWN PERSON (EJ) =SCREW UP

SYOTR

Sorry, my asci description somehow got deleted last time, so here it is again. Just as a quick note: look out for the rafts and duckies. I was smashed sideways between a raft and a rock, causing a blade of my paddle to snap in half. Keep some distance from the rafst, and don’t be too mean to those doofy ducky paddlers. Have fun, and I hope my description helps.

The first drop is a horseshoe shaped slide onto a tongue between two shallow holes. The tongue is split by a half submerged triangular rock. If you go left you have a fast, fun ride back into the main current. However, if you go right, chances are you’ll be swept upstream of a large boulder protruding into the current, and into a large boiling eddy. I gotta say, the eddies, even though they’re fast, aren’t really as bad as I’d heard. It’s the eddylines you have to look out for. Anyways, let yourself get taken upstream a bit before punching out into the main current. Whichever side you go to, COMMIT! otherwise you risk getting pulled into a weird, somewhat threatening pourover/eddy behind the splitting rock. Continue down the main current through some small but fast wavetrains and drop over a small but playable hole. Below this is a large pool before the first Waveshaper. This drop is variable (kind of the point of Waveshapers) but I suggest punching one side or the other of the foam pilke at the bottom. (This waveshaper is very fun too play, definitely try it. Then drop over another waveshaper and eddy out to catch a break before the next drop. This drop gives you 2 options: either go left of the boulder in the middle current (low risk route) or go right (medium risk route). If you go right, I suggest riding on, and then boofing off of the boulder’s pillow over a fairly sticky hole below. Continue down through another ledge/hole, better than the first (good for cartweels, but don’t get to close to the rock on river left). Two more Waveshapers and your in the pool. The last waveshaper is lots of fun at the lower levels. In general, have a good time, watch out for radical rafter and doofy duckie paddlers, and work on your eddy hopping. At higher levels the lower section below the boof drop is washed out up to the Waveshapers.

Check out the link for vid and pics, taken by some people we met at the park. (the surfing is on the last waveshaper, and yes, that’s me in the blue/green boat with red helmet, way overpaddling.)

http://community.webshots.com/album/560542567rdRdBF

Final Note: Lots of people like to paddle rivers specifically for the wildlife, and have bagged on artificial courses for their lack thereof. IT’S AN ARTIFICIAL COURSE. That doesn’t mean it’s supposed to be as close to nature as possible. Artificial courses are great learning grounds. They provide a safe environment for novices to learn moving water skills or work on a combat roll, and for advanced paddlers to test their eddy hopping or boofing skills. asci has done a nicer job than USNWC of making a naturalistic course (I have paddled both the courses). The pools at asci are deep, and there are mid-stream boulders, as well as boulders lining the sides, instead of flat cement. But again, if you are on the river for the nature, don’t expect nature when you go to an artificial course. Whatever floats your boat (sorry for the pun ), but don’t rain on everyone else’s parade.

Please leave a comment, and if you have a blog on worldkayakblogs, let me know. I’ll visit and leave a comment for you!

SYOTR

Today at four everyone should celebrate! At least, I’ll be celebrating, because…MY CAST IS GETTING CUT OFF!!!!!!!!! Finally, after six weeks spent in two casts (one above and below elbow), IT IS COMING OFF!!!!! too many exclamation points? NAAAAHHHH!!!) We’ll have to see how strong my arm is before figuring out when I can finally get back to paddling. Personally, I’m pumped (just in case you didn’t notice from all the caps and whatnot). So there it is, soon I’ll be able to actually do stuff and have a life.

So, I’ve been out to Potomac Paddlesports’ shop (in Rockville,MD, near the White Flint Metro station) a bunch in the past week, and I love it. It’s only about a 40 minute metro ride for me, and then a little walk. I go out there because I really have got to get out of the house or I’ll get cabin fever. Since I don’t want to just hang out at the mall or some place like that, I’d rather go to someplace I can talk to people about paddling. The people I’ve met there are really great, super helpful, and willing to chat. Also, I’ve been able to get some tips on getting a job as a paddling instructor. I hope to work at the shop at some point, maybe in the next two years. I’d really love to work there instead of a McDonald’s or a gas station.

Click below to visit the PPS website

All in all, it’s nice to have a place kind of nearby that I can go to and chill in the midst of paddling paraphernalia. I can go there, check out some boats, talk to the people there about new gear, and chill on a comfy couch while watching kayak vids (Expeditions down the Yarlung Tsangpo, or just straight out freestyle in “New Reign”) For everyone in my area, GO TO POTOMAC PADDLESPORTS!!! It’s really a great place.

PS: Thanks to Katja and Trop (I think…) for indulging me at the shop.

FINALLY!!!! Yesterday afternoon, the humidity built as only Potomac humidity can. The night was almost exactly like what I describe in “Frikkin’ Drought” except: Around 1:30, the thunderstorm started, and it began to pour. It kept pouring until I fell asleep around 2. From here until Friday, there’s a chance of thunderstorm every day. LET THE RAIN POUR!!!!!!

Here’s some more about my family. There’s me, my brother, Ben (17) my sister, Eliza (10) my mom and my dad. We also have two neurotic cats named Spitz and Polly, plus a ridiculous dog named Capo. My brother has really been giving WW kayaking a chance, but has decided he’d rather OC-1 (since he’s almost 6′3, I don’t blame him). My sister and I both are kayakers, but I’m the real waterhead in the family. My mom is a little bit squeamish about the whole thing, and my dad started as a OC-1er, but has given in to the light side and bought a Dagger Redline.

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There’s the dog…

See ya later

In case you were unaware, the Mid-Atlantic is suffering (insert scary music) a drought. Though it has rained occasionally in the past 4 days, it was never for more than 45 minutes (AKA not enough). Last night it seemed we might be freed from the drought by some storms in the area. I fell asleep around 11:30pm, and was woken up at about 12:45 by some thunder and lightening. Since I was too hyped up to sleep, I stayed up to watch the show. The wind got to be pretty strong and occasionally the lightening was bright enough to hurt my eyes. BUT NO RAIN! Finally, at around 1:15am, it started pouring. Now, you’re probably thinking, “Well, that solves his problems right?” NOPE! It began pouring at 1:15am, and stopped at 1:18am. The wind and thunder grew more distant, and I fell asleep. Our next best chance of rain is this upcoming Monday (though there’s a thirty percent chance this afternoon). Until then, things look pretty grim. Wish us well! (And if it rains, you can be sure I’ll post!)

I just looked at a bunch of posts about kid’s boats, and they all had one thing in common. They were written by adults! Here’s the (semi) youngster’s view.

I started kayaking (not whitewater) about 8 years ago. At that point it was mainly flat water in an Old Town Otter. Then, when my brother, Ben, and I showed interest in the rapids, my dad got us Perception Dancers. I paddled a pink Dancer XS (who would have thought they made that size?!?) for about three years, until two years ago when I first became interested in freestyle.

Photo of me in my Dancer XS, 2005

Courtesy Of PotomacPaddlers.com

Now, the Dancer is a great beginner-intermediate boat. It is easy to roll (it’s the first boat I ever rolled, I was 10 at the time), tracks better than a playboat, and is faster. This makes it great to learn in, and I even ran some class III on the St Croix River in Maine/Canada in it. It is a reliable boat! Don’t spend six-hundred dollars on a kids boat that you’re not sure your kid will like. The Dancer series and other longer older boats are cheap, easy to outfit, and are almost always on the market. Now I’ve grown into my brothers larger, red Dancer Large. Now even though I have a playboat, I’ll use the Dancer for recreational slalom, longer trips, and flatwater trips. Basically It comes down to five points:

1. These boats are easier to paddle than playboats. (= less frustration for child and parent.)

2. Round hulled boats are easier to roll than playboats. (However, after paddling the Dancer for two years, I had some problems transferring to a playboat. Still, I believe these round hulled boats improve rolling form and technique)

3. Older boats = More cash left in your pocket (I believe my Dancer XS cost $150 or less.)

4. Faster than the shorter boats of today. (Again, less frustration.)

5.VERY easy to outfit. All you need is some hunks of foam, plastic cement, an Exacto knife and a pair of scissors. (No screws to get lost or holes to punch in the boat.

Well, here I am! I’m Liam Malakoff, a fourteen year old avid whitewater kayaker. I live in Northern Virginia, so my main paddling is the Potomac. My current boat is a Pyranha s6f playboat. But since I’m soon to outgrow it, there’ll probably be several posts about boats I demo, either this season or next. (No winter paddling for me *sniffle sniffle*) As of now my left arm is in a cast from a few inches below my elbow down to my palm, which means no paddling till I get it off and the docs say I’m “fully rehabilitated”. I fractured my ulna in a biking accident. I wish I could say I was mountain biking, but I wasn’t. I was just on the long, straight bike path, going fast. Then I was on the ground and a mysterious bump about two inches from my wrist had appeared. After that I had an above-the-elbow cast for THREE WEEKS!!! Now I’ve got this one on, but I get it off in about a week (I’ve had it on for two!!!) So, even though we’re not sure if I’ll be able to paddle immediately after getting it off, my family has planned a trip to asci (Adventure Sports Center International, a new mountaintop whitewater course near the Wisp resort) as a belated birthday present (since my birthday was in July) during the first week of September. I hope to put up a review and some pics or video of the class III-IV course in a post. So that’s it. That’s how it is for now. Comments are welcome!

SYOTR (See You On The River, I’m only explaining it once!)

-liam m.