OMG i finally did it. Got a kayak today

[Brambor]

I won't take out the violin and whine about how long it has taken me to get a sea kayak but I finally got one. Valley Nordkapp. I'm psyched. I do need to get a kayak for my wife and so I have a few questions.

I'm almost 6' 230lbs. She is 5'10 140lbs and not very adventurous in the water but willing to do this with me. I would love her to get a lesson from a cheerful and inspiring women group. Is there such thing in Maine or New Hampshire?

I bought my kayak used and am looking for a used kayak for her. I'm not looking for a rotomolded model but something in the same league as the Valley Nordkapp (or better). Please recommend a nice kayak model that would suit her. ...


Thank You for your responses.

 

[IndianChris]

That is a sweet looking boat. Did it come with the compass and bilge pump? How long?

From the website...

"Designed in 1975 and used for the first kayak-rounding of Cape Horn, the Nordkapp has been used on many of the world’s toughest expeditions."

That is cool.

Try Necky for her. I know several women who have the Chatham 16.

Enjoy.

 

[Brambor]

It came with a compass but I will have to buy a bilge pump and perhaps a kayak cover.

 

[Aviarome]

congrats on your new boat. I have a Valley Aquanaut rotomold and I have been very happy with it. I hope to buy a glass boat one day, maybe an NDK explorer, but Valley does make some of the best rotomolds in the industry. If you are impressed with Valley, I would recommend the Avocet, it's 16 feet long, reasonably priced, very manueverable while having good tracking, and versatile. It might feel a bit "tippy" at first, but it is very stable. She can drop the skeg down to help feel a little more stable. Happy paddling.

 

[Brambor]

ooh the skeg!

hi. I had my first experience today with my new kayak. I took it to the beach at a local lake. There was a little chop but I figured I would stay close to the shore.

I have to say that previously I have been on sit on top kayak, canooed and even 'tried' some surfing. So I'm not entirely new to tippy water sports. But this was different. I had the skirt attached and the boat felt really tippy for the first time. It sure did not help that I tried to paddle only along the shore PARALEL to the waves. Sure enough I capsized after a short time. Very interesting being under water. First I briefly, among slight panic, observed if I'd pop on one side or another but sure enough I was ideal candidate to just stay under water like an anchor. So I searched for the skirt loop, found it, pulled...realized I had to pull forward to unhinge it and then back to take it off and then nicely slipped out of the boat.

I righted the boat, located my paddle and swam to shore. Next time I will try to get into the boat while in water.

But you just mentioned the skeg. I did not have the skeg down when I paddled. It could have improved my initial stability. This is very exciting.

All this makes me think I really have to be careful about what kind of boat I get for my wife and what kind of instructor led training I get her.

 

[spider solo]

Ahhh... glad your ok. Not to worry you'll get the hang of it. I have a different boat, it took me a while before I didn't feel tippy in it.
Good succesful wet exit !! How long to seem to shore paddle et all ?

My wife also wants a kayak lesson or two...so theres this young handsome guy instructor ...I'm thinking she will be more than glad to take some kayak lessons from.....It makes for a nice gift idea as well.

 

[IndianChris]

Nice. It's always nice to get wet. Confidence usually goes up after that.

Speaking of skegs...
One thing about my skeg is that I sometimes forget to retract it before landing on shore (I have a plastic boat) which leads to a pebble or two getting stuck up in there and temporarily jamming the skeg either in the in or out position.

 

[Brambor]

100 feet or so

100 feet of swimming to shore. No big deal. I will report my second debacle soon.

 

[IndianChris]

Paddle floats are real handy for that sorta thing.

 

[Brambor]

Bilge Pump

First thing I'm getting a bilge pump, and then better PFD. The one I have is a general boating one and it was riding up high and choking me

 

[Jay H]

Don't think a skeg has much to do with initial stability, it's not a keel like on a sailboat or anything.

As far as training, I beleive there is a really good kayak school on Peaks Island as well as kayak shop and there is a serious kayak symposium at Castine in Penobscot Bay...

If you're worried about skegs jamming, a real thin cord attached to the end of the skeg will allow somebody else to pull on it while in the water, otherwise, when you launch, it's not a bad idea just to do a pre-flight check to see if the skeg is jammed or not, especially if you've been dragging the boat on a sandy beach.

Warren actually has a Valley Nordkopp, but he doesn't post much anymore.

Jay

 

[DougPaul]

Don't think a skeg has much to do with initial stability, it's not a keel like on a sailboat or anything.

A skeg will have little effect on static stability, but will damp rolling motions (dynamic stability). It can also improve tracking.

BTW, keels on sailboats come in two varieties--weighted and non-weighted. The non-weighted are often retractable (centerboards).

Doug

 

[Jay H]

Skegs improve tracking due to wind and current effects on a boat, I've never felt it really adding much of anything to the stability, especially in a kayak, you're already pretty stable to begin with.

Jay

 

[Grandaddy]

The skeg is often useful in the wind though I often pull up the skeg in strong currents as it tracks the kayak against the vector of the current. Often, this is not the line that I want to paddle, especially with tidal currents in estuaries.

 

[Brambor]

My second time in a kayak today

Today was my second time. I headed out to a small lake around 7:30am. By the time I put it it was 8am. The lake was placid. No excuses about waves or what not. Since last week I have purchased a paddle float, bilge pump and a kayaking PFD made by Stohlquist. First I made a wide circle trying to turn the boat and headed back to shore. Ok, it felt better than last week but still not really stable or comfortable. I felt I had to be on constant alert not to capsize.

Then I got out and adjusted the foot pegs. I thought they were too far out. The adjustment felt great. I headed out againg, this time I went to the end of the lake and back. As I was heading back I started losing sensation of my legs. My legs were falling asleep. It must have been the location of the footpegs.

As I was losing sensation of my legs I felt I was also losing an ability to balance and almost capsized once. All in all it was very pleasant and quick to get to the end of the lake and back.


What is the proper posture in the kayak and also what shoudl the location of the footpegs be?

Should I be leaning forward when padling or being fully into back rest?

 

[Jay H]

From personal preference, I put my footpegs in a position to retain the diamond shaped pattern of my legs. Your thighs should be on the thigh braces and if viewed from above, you'll see the diamond pattern your legs would make. I don't make my foot pegs so close though that I can't stretch out the legs (in between the pegs) once in a while, but in order to do a hip brace (or roll) you have to be able to put pressure on your knees (and hips) without really having to extend the legs.

As far as leaning, you shouldn't be leaning back as if on an Adirondack chair but you really shouldn't be leaning forward as if trying to tie your shoelaces.... I'd adjust the backband such that you are straight up and perhaps slight pressure on the lower back but not enough to feel it pushing you.

Jay

 

[spider solo]

........ My legs were falling asleep. It must have been the location of the footpegs.

As I was losing sensation of my legs I felt I was also losing an ability to balance and almost capsized once. All in all it was very pleasant and quick to get to the end of the lake and back.


What is the proper posture in the kayak and also what shoudl the location of the footpegs be?

Should I be leaning forward when padling or being fully into back rest?

...just one thought with the footpegs, I realized this past year or two that I don't keep my footpegs exactly even...one is just a notch longer than the other, maybe when a person sits we have a tendency to stretch out one leg more than the other.
All in all, for the sea kayak I like a somewhat loose fit. I can lie my legs flat when I want to ease off a little and shift around a bit then push off with the ball of my foot when I'm more actively paddling.

and of course like any sport your body needs to get used to what it is your trying to do...just like the 1st bicycle rides, or hikes of the season often your body has much to say on the subject of wether it's happy or not.

For posture the one saying I can actually remember is to keep your "ears aligned over your shoulders" ...I use that one to check and make sure I'm not slouching. (i usually start out in fair form and fade from there as I get tired ...need a break and what not.

on my boat I notice that my turns are more responsive if I lean my center of balance forward...on some of my braces I probably lean back more than I need to.
Lots of times I"m just having fun being out and about paddling and looking at this and that....sometimes you just become more comfortable in your boat from time spent on water no matter what your doing .

Kayaks and canoes that are made for going on trips can be rock solid when loaded down but they certainly can be lively when empty, making us also a bit more lively in the cockpit.

good to see you updating your gear...it's nice and early in the season
good luck, have fun...

 

[Brambor]

Time will heal

That's what I found from a lot of google searching yesterday. The body has to get used to this position (kayaking) just like you said with biking or hiking... and so I will probably the the footpegs an inch out and also work on stretching my leg in between the footpegs.

I'm looking forward to having some company so that I would practice assisted high and low brace skills.

 

[Brambor]

3rd time is a charm?

I sneaked out for an hour today. My third time on the water. Overall much better balance while paddling but still unable to really look around and paddle without tipping over, swatting mosquitoes ? - forget that. I wonder how I get out of the boat gracefully Right now it's a hopeless scramble bordering on Mr. Bean comedy sketch. I tried high and low brace and did pretty well with that. Until I tipped over. Then I tried to cowboy up and get into the kayak - no way without tipping over one way or the other. I tried the paddle float and get into the kayak. No go. Really clumsy and hopeless. There is hope however. I tell my self I'm getting better every time I do this.

 

[spider solo]

there's a nice video of Freya Hoffmeister doing a head stand in her cockpit, among other things..so there's something to aspire to if your so inclined.

...ah but for us mere mortals..it's a major under taking putting the boat on the water from a boat dock...

one thing though, some kayaks are a bit like a bicycle in the respect that it's hard to stay upright if your not moving...so a nice quite day with an empty boat on flat water you might find a bit of "tippy feeling".

For example my wife's boat is fine for hanging out looking through binoculars at this and that...mine is not, mine is more suited for paddling a bit more actively.
Eventually you get used to the "feel" of your boat and get more & more accustomed to it .

and you get to have fun swimming and trying cowboy stuff !