PLB problem and modification

I have been using a Personal Locator Beacon for a few years.

While Australian Maritime laws require that I should carry an EPIRB while paddling offshore (more than two nautical miles from shore in non sheltered waters) I find that for sea kayaking a PLB is possibly a safer unit to have in case of emergency.

I believe that a beacon should be carried on the person and be readily accessible in case of emergency instead of being stored below deck when kayaking.

Current EPIRBs are too bulky to be carried on my PFD.

I have my PLB attached to the back of my life jacket and is exposed to the marine environment, often submerged while rolling or swimming.

While the manufacturer does assure that my PLB (model GME MT 410G) is a waterproof and submersible unit there are several documented cases (that I am aware) of malfunction of the unit by water intrusion.

On a trip to the Whitsunday Islands our group had one GME unit activate by itself without any prompting by the user.

The PLB started to beep suddenly giving the same signal as transmitting an emergency call.

We were able to paddle to shore and had the presence of mind to quickly deactivate the unit by disconnecting the battery.

Here are the steps that we performed to disable the PLB:
To do so, the top cap had to be unscrewed and removed.

unscrewing cap

removing cap

After removal of the cap the plug that connects the battery was separated from the electronics.

removing battery connector

water droplets on battery

salt water present inside the PLB

At close inspection and careful analysis I noticed the small "O" ring under the central screw was deformed.

It appears to be a design flaw.

GME designed the unit to have the "O" ring under the screw under compression but did not create a suitable receptacle for the "O" ring to be housed and prevent lateral expansion.

So, after a while the "O" ring slips away from the screw's head and allows leakage. The faulty unit was returned to GME and repaired under warranty.

I was assured that it was an isolated case but after the recent reports of other GME units malfunctioning I have my doubts.

GME has not recalled the units nor updated the design.

I have therefore decided to address the problem myself and modified the unit to possibly prevent the same problem occur again.

The central screw on the cap is recessed deeply into the shape of the cap.

I simply cleaned the area and applied a liberal amount of polyurethane sealant (not silicone) to the cavity and worked it really well to ensure good adhesion of the sealant.

In a few years time when the battery of the PLB unit will need replacing there might be a bit of a problem reaching that screw but in the meantime I hope that at least my unit will possibly not malfunction there.

Committed to surfing.

On a recent trip I was joined by a sea kayaker that likes to mix up the fun: surfing is as important to him as sea kayaking.
While he is a good sea kayak surfer he also likes to surf with his surfboard.
Meet Adrian:

His passion for surfing goes back to his childhood.
Since he has moved to the South-East Queensland area he no longer lives right on the beach.
Surfing at the local spots at Gold or Sunshine coast does not bring him the experience that he once had when young.
He does not mind the surf, actually quite good; he laments the crowds that he has to share his waves with.
So he decided to experiment with combining a sea kayak trip with board surfing.
He rigged a special holder on the back of his kayak for his compact ultralight surf board.

The trip to one of his favorite non crowded spots took a few hours of paddling.
His board seemed well secured and posed no problems in the 15knots wind and small waves washing over the deck.
There was a slight increase in weather cocking but nothing a bit of skeg could not correct.
The reward however was worth it...

There was not a single other person in sight; and no jet skis either!

The waves were crowded nevertheless.
A large pod of dolphins wanted to share the same fun.

However all was good and no "turf wars" were sparked by Adrian's presence among the locals.
I stood on the rocks watching Adrian having fun, jealous of his skills.

Technique: reverse surfing

After the recent training with Queensland instructor Craig McSween, I gained more confidence in the surf.
Craig taught me how to land on the beach when the waves are bigger and one technique that he advocates is to reverse in, with the bow pointing out at sea.

His teaching calls for paddling your kayak backwards between the waves while forward paddling as waves roll in. The bigger the wave the more forward paddling/speed required to avoid the steep ones pushing you back.
In case my timing is out and a larger wave is approaching at the wrong time, he suggested paddling back out against the wave to brake the speed the wave could generate on my kayak.

However I wanted to know what would happen if I intentionally paddled with the wave, in reverse.
I wanted to surf them instead of just landing safely between them.
Reverse surfing is similar to forward surfing but the weight transfer is opposite.
To prevent pearling (burring my kayak's end in the water) I leant forward to the bow and un-weighted the stern.
It really works on small waves and after a few runs I was having great fun.
To push the technique further I then tried to actually lean back and bury that stern.
As predicted the kayak pierced the water's surface, the stern dived and I was pitched up in the air.




PS SEP10: this video was published by Rapid Media here

Technique: the Thong Rolls

I had to perform 47 rolls on Saturday, plus one for good luck.
In my paddling circles that’s the norm.
On one’s birthday, we don’t just eat cake or get drunk, we get wet.
The celebrated paddler must execute a roll for each year of his/her age.
Adventuretess started the trend last January and now we all do it.

Despite the rather cold temperatures, 7 other paddlers joined me for the on-water celebrations.
While my rolls were not really a great challenge I was glad that I wore a neoprene hood: water was nippy in the bay.
After my mandatory rolls my friends performed the “Mexican Roll” where, all lined up in a row, they rolled in sequence like in a Mexican wave, then back again.
It was good to see that the skill level of my paddling circle has advanced to the point that we now all roll consistently.
Interestingly enough we were all in rudderless kayaks too …

Vanilla wanted to gift me with a special roll.
Never performed before he proceeded to execute the “Thong Roll”.
As a true Queenslander he wears thongs (flip flops, in US and A), and wanted to see if one could be used as a norsak.
His Thong Roll worked well and he was ecstatic about it, while I captured it on film.
Adventuretess was a bit miffed about Vanilla’s success and decided to demonstrate her version of the “thong” roll: she went for the American “thong”.




Following the famous Magnum roll, the Thong Roll is now part of a new movement: The Australian Rolling style :-)

Surfing with a stick_part 2

While the "Mexicans" (South of the Queensland border) paddlers have to contend with much colder waters right now, we "banana-benders" are graced with sunshine and ocean temps that don't require much more than a Reed top.
Some locals however still regard the conditions too "extreme" and most popular surfing spots are much less crowded than in summer.
That leaves me so much more room to enjoy sea kayak surfing:

Adventuretess in Sialuk (Nordkapp LV)



Smiles all around.
Ah, I forgot, they were right: those "sticks" are not good for much else than kindling :-)

Winter rolls with Adventuretess

Here in the Southern hemisphere we are in the dead of winter.
It's the time of the year when the water of Moreton Bay is the clearest but also the coldest.
Most powerboater don't venture out in Queensland relatively mild conditions (ocean temps around 20C) and leave a lot of popular spots free of traffic.
On any given summer day my favorite destination is buzzing with the noise of the engines; in winter I can often enjoy solitude.

Dressed in little more than a light fleece and a windproof top I like to roll in the clear waters.



This post marks the 100th article for this blog, now at over 80.000 hits.
I would like to thank you, the reader, for your contributing comments.

SAFETY: training for accident avoidance

Sea kayak surfing poses inherit risks of capsize and trashing from the force of large waves.

Controlling a relatively large craft (compared to a surf board) on steep waves is often very difficult.

I really enjoy sea kayak surfing with my friends and occasionally we come in close proximity to each other when careering down a wave.

My natural reaction when facing harsh contact with an other kayaker is to roll my kayak and avoid collision.

The immersion of my body into to sea stops the speed of my kayak in a split of a second.

Recently, at a training session I asked my instructor what would be the best way to minimize the impact of a kayaker heading my way at great speed.

To really best explain the occurrence my instructor wanted to demonstrated the action.

I was asked to voluntarily "spear" him.

Although initially apprehensive, I have however great respect for Craig McSween as an instructor and proceeded to give my best in "running him over"

A waited for a decent sized wave and surfed towards him with purpose.

Just before collision Craig rolled his kayak away from me offering his hull instead.

My fast moving kayak hit his hull but my sloping bow slid over it with almost no force exerted to Craig's kayak.

I was surprised that I barely felt the impact when running over him.

A second later I peeled off the wave and facing back to sea I saw Craig had rolled back up and was smiling at me.

After his demonstration I was totally convinced that learning this safety technique will help avoid future injuries in instances of unavoidable collisions.

I believe that giving each other space when surfing is probably the best tactic however in the heat of the battle things occasionally do go wrong.

I hope I will have the presence of mind to execute this safety move next time somebody is racing towards me, fails to bail and proceeds to spear me.

VIDEO: surfing with a sticks

Camera: Adventuretess, Vanilla and Gnarlydog. Music: Stephen Robin

Video footage of surfing small waves near shore using Aleut paddles.
Capturing the "big stuff" from a kayak while in the rough is rather difficult...
I am working on it. Stay tuned :-)

FEAR: the lurking of the monsters

I keep on hearing/reading about shark attacks.
The media loves a gory story and any incident (anywhere on the globe) is reported in details designed to reinforce fear into the public.



According to some local paddlers there is always a shark lurking around us when we paddle, waiting for its chance.
Too often I hear comments about sharks when paddling in a group.... usually told by paddlers of limited skill who like to make newcomers afraid.
On occasion, I have been called a total fool for voluntarily wet exiting my kayak in "open" waters to practice rescues.
And I have lost count on how many times people have commented on my unwise choice of paddling locations like Currumbin (commonly know as "Shark Alley").

While paddling takes place in the environment of sharks, I have rarely been lucky enough to actually observe one.



Only on one occasion it was just big enough to possibly pose a threat to me.
The skeptics however tell me: it's not the one you see, it's the ones you don't...

The talk of potential attack has made me think: what is the real danger of a shark attack while sea kayaking?
While tall stories of ferocious attacks and lucky escapes from the jaws of the monster are bandied about, I wonder if the fear of the unseen is bigger than it should be.
The most common question asked by a new acquaintance (once I reveal to them that I am a sea kayaker) is:
"Aren't you afraid of the sharks?"



I often would like to play up the story of narrow escapes and portray myself as a real macho man but instead I just smile and reply:
"My fear is getting hit by a bus..."
Or that 18 wheeler careering down the road in my lane travelling the opposite direction...

To put things in perspective I would like to reproduce this comment:

*WHAT SHOULD YOU REALLY BE AFRAID OF?

Using the most recent U.S. data available, (here is) a list of unsettling threats and their far riskier counterparts.

Murders (2008) - 14, 180
Suicides (2006) - 33, 289

Children abducted by strangers (1999) - 115
Children who drown in pools (2006) - 288

Burglaries (2007 - 2.2 million
Identity thefts (2005) - 8.3 million

Shark attacks (2009) - 28
Dog bites (annual average) - 4.5 million

Americans killed by terrorist attacks around the world (2008) - 33
Americans who die from the seasonal flu (annual average) - 36,171

Deaths by allergic reaction to peanuts (annual average) - 50-100
Deaths by unintentional poisoning (2006) - 27,531

Women who die from breast cancer (2009) - 40,170
Women who die from cardiovascular disease (2006) - 432,709

Fatal airline accidents (2005) - 321
Fatal car crashes (2008) - 34,017

Americans audited by the IRS (2009) - 1.4 million
U.S. Deaths (2007) - 2.4 million

*from: "Parents under fire for letting kids cycle to school " 06JUL10
ww.ABC.net.au reader GregW commnent

NB All images (from respective authors) used under the Creative Commons license

GEAR: paddling shoes review.

Sea kayaking takes me to paddling locations where good footwear is essential equipment.
While the climate I paddle in does not require insulated footwear I only occasionally frequent beaches where footwear is not necessary.
I need protection for my feet.

The kayaks I paddle have small footpegs that don't offer a platform large enough to push off with bare feet.
My heels also need cushioning when paddling.
Since I started kayaking a few years back I have always worn some kind of footwear in the boat.

My first choice was the obvious inexpensive "water shoe" that is sold at many chandleries and discount stores. It seems to be popular for snorkeling.

The shoe was cheap but did not suit my paddling needs.
It quickly became evident that a shoe with a soft sole, absence of a proper heel, inferior fabric and lack of decent foot retention would only last me so long.
I lost those shoes a few times in the surf when I wet exited.
My heel was getting rubbed and fortunately I had to move on.
My second choice was only marginally better then my first.

While the quality seemed better and the Velcro strap would keep those shoes on my feet, the heel was even worse than the first shoes.

The heel area is square and not stiff enough to prevent it from collapsing when resting on an angle inside the cockpit.

this soft heel would collapse when feet are in the cockpit of the kayak

After a month of cursing them I decide it was time to actually get a shoe that offered support and was suited to walk on a beach with sharp coral or cone shells.

I purchased the Merrel Waterpro shoes.

Adventuretess wearing her Merrell Waterpro

Finally there was a sole that I could trust on the sharp rocks and oysters.

A shoe with a Vibram sole that would not see me skating at the boat ramp (siping of the sole makes them stick even to wet surfaces).

This shoe has a decent lace-up to conform to most foot shapes and stays put when walking in the shore waves.

They dry fast and don't stink like neoprene booties do.

They do however collect sand inside the shoe, that occasionally does not drain that well.

Sitting in the kayak cockpit and wiggling my feet overboard usually dislodges the annoying sand...

The men's version of the Waterpro lasted me just over a year and then the sole started to separate from the upper.

A new pair proved to have the same problem after just two months, starting at the ball of the foot.

A bit of contact glue repair keeps them going for a while longer.

delaminating fabric coating repaired with contact glue

I then purchased a lower volume kayak where my size 11.5 (US) Waterpro would not fit that well under the deck.

I needed a low volume bootie.

Searching for a sole stiffer than a scuba-diving-bootie I found the Teva white-water boat shoes.

They had all the right reinforcements, low profile, good volume (for my slender feet) and traction.

the stitching used to have black rubber strips...

While not exactly easy to put on (some serious wiggling was necessary) the shoe would fit in low decked kayaks.

After half an hour of paddling I noticed that the fabric big toe divider inside the shoe was annoying and rubbing.

Some really tricky cutting inside the shoe eventually removed the web.

The shoes however started to fall apart.

The cosmetic rubber strip placed over the stitching (no longer visible in the attached image) ripped off in several places.

After a few outings there were rubber strips dangling over the shoe... I cut them off.

This shoe proved not to be all that comfortable.

Adventuretess wore out her Merrel Waterpro and purchased some Chaco water shoes.

The fit, finish and sturdiness of these shoes is impressive.

Adventuretess sporting Chacos

Chaco's reputation for long lasting sandals seems to cross over to their shoes.

However these shoes have a bit of padding in the fabric that absorbs water and takes longer to dry than other light shoes. Not a real problem in 90F heat but a bit annoying in the middle of winter.

Vanilla (maker of Vanstix) has a wider foot and he prefers the Teva Sunkosi.

Onto his second pair, he finds them very comfortable and perfectly suited for paddling, or those short hikes up a mountain in the Whitsundays.

Vanilla's Teva

After some searching I came across these Merrells.

Not marketed as water but as running shoes the design is minimalistic.

There is no padding in the fabric and plenty of ventilation.

The sole is very close fitting to the shape of the shoe (no "air" or "gel" here) and the heel is stiff enough to be supportive.

The Merrell Robotic are low volume, small enough to fit under low deck kayaks.

They don't slip on wet concrete and have plenty of traction for an exploratory hike.

The fabric is light but reinforced with "rubber dots" to prevent premature wear.

Unfortunately they are only a few months old and I can't report yet on the durability of these.

I am sure that some readers might be laughing at me with this "obsession" for good footwear just for kayaking but after witnessing a few cone shells pierce a light bootie and injuring the kayaker's foot I am glad that I seek firmer footwear.

Foot injury on long remote trips could spell disaster.

On the other hand I have observed people paddling in thongs (the Australian type, a.k.a as flip-flops on the other side of the pond) or Crocs... puzzles me how they keep them on their feet when landing on wavy shores.