GEAR: PLB versus SPOT

A few years ago I purchased a PLB for sea kayaking.

It was the new GPS enabled unit that pin points its position more accurately for easier location by the emergency crews.

While I would technically (and legally) be better served by a proper EPIRB, the PLB size makes it a safer unit for sea kayaking, in my opinion.

I can wear mine attached to the shoulder of my life jacket (aka as PFD... dang there are a lot of acronyms in this write up :-).

An EPIRB would probably be stowed below deck when out at sea in my kayak where a possible emergency situation could see me getting separated from my vessel.
No good having that emergency beacon below deck then...
While my PLB is small and light enough to not be felt when paddling I have not been totally satisfied by its reliability.

I hear of way too many units failing due to water intrusion (see this post).

The initial purchase cost is also a bit on the steep side for some paddlers.

How much does your life cost?_ is a typical question but one has a hard time coughing up that kind of money on a safety unit that most likely (and hopefully) will never be used.

That made me think of the alternative: the SPOT.

While SPOT can still be used as an emergency beacon (some argue that is not as effective: longer response time) the little unit offers more features that would make the purchase more "justified".

SPOT has the ability to send out a signal for emergency as well as one that just asks for help, but not rescue.

One can pre-write a message that can be sent out to his/her contacts (email or mobile txt message) and alert them of your wish.

Any message: "need more food" , "come and  get me, I'm chucking in the sponge", "" "all is good, I just hit a snag"... you name it.
SPOT also can send out your location position to your contacts.
It can be sent out as a Google Earth placement and your "support crew" can determine your whereabouts.
And that's a great feature, in my opinion.
I wish I had a SPOT when on a trip where I could not communicate via cell phone (too remote, no coverage) to my land crew on the estimated meeting time for the arrival pick up.
Sure, a satellite phone would have solved that but that gadget is even more expensive than the PLB.
SPOT uses less power than a satellite phone too: no need for recharging.
Initially costsing considerably less than a PLB, SPOT requires an annual subscription to the service.
After 4 years of SPOT use (including unit purchase), the costs equals to the one of an inexpensive PLB.
I can't comment on reliability, yet.

Is SPOT the perfect tool?
Not really.
I would like to see the ability to send out more than just pre-recorded messages.
I hope that in the future SPOT will offer a unit that might do that.
Or maybe there will be an "emergency beacon" app for the iPhone :-)

TEST: Zegul 520 LV

I had the opportunity to do a brief test paddle of a brand new kayak: the Zegul 520 LV (by Tahe Marine).
The local importer had several new (to Australia) sea kayaks available for testing but the Zegul 520 definitely caught my eye over the 530 and the 550 models aimed towards the "need for speed" crowd.
Its profile resembles a more traditional kayak (so called Greenland lines) with a healthy overhanging bow.
With possibly a more pronounced upturned ends than the typical skin on frame kayak that I have seen, the hull appeared to have a considerable rocker in its keel.
The bow and stern are not as fine as the Tahe Greenland (also on offer at the demo) as there is more volume in those areas.
Actually the whole kayak is more "chunky" than the super-sleek looking Greenland.
With its generously long keyhole cockpit I could seat "bum first, legs later", even with my rather long legs.
The coaming slopes aggressively from high up front to pretty low on the back (I had no chance to get those measurements...).
Compared to the Greenland T, the front was substantially higher and the rear probably an inch higher.
Looking at the profile of the cockpit it had good credentials to be a "comfortable" low rear-deck kayak.
My quick compression test (the good old fashioned: press with my hand on the deck and hull) revealed that this kayak's lay-up had a bit more substance than the alarmingly soft deck of some other "glitter finish" British offerings :-)
The hull is a very solid carbon/Kevlar weave that is vacuum infused .
The finish is superb, inside and out.
The rear deck has a very clever profile that despite looking flat gives the surface an very positive support for possible over the deck reentry (not that you would on such a narrow high end kayak) and did not flex when I sat on it.


Initially I was sceptical about the third hatch in front of the cockpit: my experience with another British boat with that design was not positive.
But, on the Zegul, it proved to be out of the way of my knees and just big enough to store small items (compact camera, snack, towrope etc.)
The seat was a bit on the narrow side (may I say that my ass ain't size 30....).
I didn't like the configuration of the backband anchor point inboard, on the seat pan.
I would move it to the exterior of the pan and have a smooth surface with no plastic protruding into my hips.
The Zegul 520 trialled was an LV (low volume) version.
My thighs were just getting pinched at the start of the thigh braces.
I think I would fit the HV version better.
Kudos to Zegul (Tahe) for identifying that one size does not fit all body types and having two deck versions of the same hull.

Greg balance bracing Zegul 520 LV
How did it behave on the water?
Better than expected.
Where you expecting it to behave bad?
Well, not really, but hopping in a new boat that is considerably narrower than my current kayaks, I was expecting the initial stability to be a bit more tender.
Interestingly enough Vanilla found the Zegul not as stable as I did.
Admittedly I thought it was a bit more tippy than the Tahe Greenland but I still felt confident to let go of the paddle and relax.
It will be interesting to see how the Zegul behaves in textured waters.

The low deck allowed me to lay on the back of the deck (with PFD) without lifting my bum out of the seat: great.
Finally a kayak that fits my legs and allows lay-backs.
The Zegul appeared to track straight (short test paddle with very little wind) and could be turned relatively sharp with a gentle sweep stroke and edging. The hard chined hull allows for precise maneuvering and correction of direction by dropping and edge, something that my round hulled kayak does not.
I felt a solid secondary stability and could drop the seam of the deck lower into the water than usual, without going over.

The Zegul shined when rolled: really.
With my limited rolling skills I could perform very slow Greenland layback rolls, something that I can't do too well in my high decked kayaks.
Skulling was a breeze, to the point of falling into a static brace with little effort.
The cockpit is roomy enough to allow my body to twist and my legs to move and apply pressure onto the deck to rotate the hull.
When I asked Greg Schwarz to briefly test the Zegul I just watched in awe the beautiful moves he could perform.
Then again Greg looks good in just about any kayak.


select 360p (not 720p) if you have slow internet connection
The Zegul 520 is a strong contender in my search for that elusive "Greenland style" kayak that would fit my non slender figure.
The quality of construction is impeccable and with the considerable lower price than the British competitors Tahe has brought to the masses a fantastic line-up of new kayaks.

PS FEB2011: I have added a Zegul 520 HV to my fleet and after a few paddles I have modified the cockpit set up. Details of the new seating arrangement coming soon...

Gear: the humble IKEA bag

Seen around the globe (or at least where Ikea is present) the humble blue Ikea bag is the ultimate gear schlepping tote.

While some use the blue bag as the ultimate fashion accessory , I have not found a better, simpler, sturdier, lighter and cheaper soft container to carry my kayaking stuff from the landing spot to the campsite.

On overnighters my kayak is usually light enough that two persons can easily just grab the kayak by the bow and stern and move it above the high tide mark and close to camp.

On longer trips the kayak tends to be loaded heavier.

Often it is necessary to unload at least some of the gear before moving the boat to the overnighting location.

The blue Ikea bag (named Frakta, in the Ikea catalogue) is just the ticket.

It is the last item I pack in my kayak before securing the hatch cover and the first one to come out and be filled with gear.

It certainly is sturdy enough to carry just about any load that one person is comfortable to lift.

The fabric is the universal "blue tarp" that is water resistant enough to be laid down on moist ground. 

The handles/straps are solidly sewn onto the fabric to prevent a premature blow-out (unlike the handles of the stripy "refugee" bags).

I have noticed those blue bags in many pictures from kayakers all over the world, from innocent overnighters to famous expeditions to remote parts of the globe.

Image supplied by Douglas Wilcox, SeakayakPhoto

And last but not least, this great piece of equipment is by far the cheapest item of my kit: a whole $ 1.99

Copyright infringment, again

Recently I have come across the blog of Canadian Ckayaker.

In one of his posts I recognized one of my images.

Unable to find an authorization/bill of sale in my records for that image I contacted the owner of that blog, Michael Bradley of Hatley (Quebec), to find out where he sourced my image.

Michael's reply to me was vague and he could not "recall" the source of the image.

That particular image is displayed on my flickr account.

Michael has conveniently cropped my name and copyright watermark from the bottom of the image, just as somebody else did in a previous case

Further perusal of Ckayaker's blog reveals that Michael seems to be using a lot of images that don't look to be his and I tend to doubt that he has permission to use them.

It puzzles me that somebody who is a teacher, and is happy to have an article of his published by Sea Kayaker magazine, appears to be ignorant of copyright laws.

Maybe Michael thinks that "because it on the net" it's OK to appropriate and in his case modify the image to prevent identifying the rightful owner.

The comment "if you don't want to have your images pinched, don't put them on the net" typically comes from provincially minded individuals that often are jealous of other's achievements.

Those individuals are unable to produce photographic work that is worth pinching.

If a photographer is happy to share his/her work with others usually their images are licensed under the Creative Commons license.

Those images are often free of copyright as long as they are attributed and are not used for commercial applications.

So, next time you want to use somebody else image, contact the owner.

The law only allows the use of images without permission in very specific instances.

-

PS this post marks a milestone: according to webmetrics, Gnarlydog News has passed the 100.000 hits mark

Life Cycle_ a different view

In my previous life (that's before sea kayaking :-) I use to ride, a lot.
Living in Los Angeles I had access to one of the best riding terrain: the San Gabriel Mountains.
My passion was riding steep and rocky technical single-track trails.
old footage of a ride on one of my visits back to LA
Just as I now I own several kayaks, then I owned many mountain bikes.
I needed to ride regularly to escape from the oppressive urban environment I lived in.
That was then.
I still long for the all-day long rides I used to do with the A-Team (Adventure Team).
The riding terrain around my current locale is not as demanding nor as extensive as back in the old US and A.
I don't ride anymore.
Recently I came across this trailer for a bike movie.



Memories came flooding back...

Bilge pump system for sea kayaks_patent pending?

In late 2007 I published my installation for a sea kayak electric bilge pump (on QSKC website_ it has been recently removed by the current webmaster).
I published a variation of that installation on this blog in 2009.
The article has attracted a tremendous amount of interest and I have seen links to my article appear on many websites around the world.
USA, British and German readers are particularly interested in the set up.

Recently I have found a manufacturer that appears to offer the same set up commercially.



There are no details (images or drawings) of the system but it lists the components that are the same as my documented items.
The video on their website seems to replicate the identical set up as mine.
However what intrigued me is the mention of a magnetic switch for the activation of the pump (Bluewater website: "Sealed switch, waterproof, dustproof, operated by a sliding magnet that runs on your deck bunge cord")
To my knowledge, I was the first to publish the idea of the switch, even though it is not my invention.
I am not aware of any other publication showing the magnetic switch assembly.

I do know that manufacturers occasionally scan my blog for ideas and some actually use my findings on their products.
There is nothing wrong with that, or I would keep my tinkering ideas to myself.
What makes me a bit dubious is the fact that Bluewater claims a pending patent to the system.
Bluewater makes no mention of the alleged patent number (most manufacturer don’t divulge that) but I have not been able to find any documentation of such patent in my searches.

There are a couple of scenarios: Bluewater could have applied for a patent that is not directly related to the bilge pump system that I have documented or they are just bluffing to scare competition away.
Bluewater has not replied to my queries of patent application date, and probably won’t :-)

If Bluewater has applied for a patent of the existing system, it will not be valid.
The electric bilge pump system has been used for some time now (documented on several websites) and the magnetic switch documentation is not recent (Feb 2008)

Gnarlydog News ideas are published for the benefit of the private public and not for the monopolization from the industry.
I want to keep sharing my findings with fellow adventurers that might benefit from my projects.

REVIEW: Flat Earth Sails_a year later

It has been a year since I first tried Flat Earth Sails from Mick McRobb (review here)
The sail he sent me was a bit short for my kayak deck and the existing mounting location did not lend itself for perfect stowing on deck.
I however mounted that sail on Adventuretess' kayaks since they are shorter than mine.
She immediately liked the new sail.
I kept on using the old one that I designed (inspired by Sea Mongrel's rig).
For some reason Adveturetess seemed to always be that little bit faster than me but I assumed her boat had a better prismatic coefficient than mine...

Recently Mick sponsored me again with a new sail.
This time the sail was a bit bigger and the boom a bit longer.
I can now stow the folded sail neatly on deck (an important detail to me when I have to paddle into the wind in large seas).

After a two week trip where I was able to sail most of the time I have to report that Mick's sails rock, to put it mildly.

select 360p if you don't have fast Internet connection

His sails are superior to the old one I have used for years.
He designs a bit more twist in his high aspect sails.
Suddenly I was able to use a much wider wind "window".
I was surprised to be able to propel my kayak in winds that were just 30 degrees off the bow of my kayak.
Flat Earth Sails catch the wind better and make sailing possible where before I would stow my sail away on deck.
The shorter boom (compared to my old sail) allows full range of paddle strokes without the risk of hitting the end of the boom in a higher stroke style.



I just need to stretch myself a bit more when stowing the sail on deck while securing it with bungee and olive cleat.
As usual, Mick's work is really good.
His use of high tech/low stretch fabric for the perimeter of the sail makes the shape billow and be more efficient.
His slightly flexible boom (fibreglass sailing batten) is more forgiving in high wind gusts spilling a bit of force and preventing capsize.
I confidently sailed in beam seas where waves were washing over the deck.
I could run with the wind (wind from behind) and surf on quartering stern breezes.
On the new sail the connection of boom/mast is improved.
Mick now uses a full sleeve where the batten is inserted and then bolted to the pivoting mast fitting.
I find however that the top of the sail fabric (mast pocket) is a bit on the light side and abrasion could wear a hole prematurely. I reinforced the area with self adhesive sailing cloth (used for making numbers on sail).


old sail (left) and new one (on right)

While Mick has stock of a few different sizes of sails, he is happy to create a custom size or color for you.

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