GEAR: rustproof knife

There is no other subject that generates more interest than talking about knifes (Justin Bieber excluded). Websites and forums seem to spark seriously opinionated debates when it comes to the perfect blade.
Myself, I have been looking for a knife that would work well for sea kayaking.
I don't need no Bear Grills knife, no Crocodile Dundee blade or a knight's Excalibur; all I want is a knife that does not rust, and stays sharp.
No many knifes will not rust, in a marine environment.
While I can get plenty of sharp knifes that will do so well for general outdoor pursuits (like backpacking) finding a blade that will really stay rustproof in salt water is not easy.
I hear good reviews of some knifes that use some really high-end steel alloys; unfortunately those knifes are also ridiculously expensive.

I have a knife on my PFD, that despite being inexpensive, after years of regular exposure to salt water is still looking perfectly shiny. One problem: it ain't sharp, and no matter how much I sharpen it, it just does not hold an edge. The blade is also very soft and bendy (yes bendy... trying to pry open some oysters, the blade just bent!).

I was pleased that in the search of the perfect knife, that would cost me less then a small kayak, an importer of outdoor goods suggested I should look at ceramic knives.



I have seen and handled a few ceramic kitchen knifes but never have I seen a small pocket knife or one suitable for paddling. My search for one in a holder/sheet (diving style) was unsuccessful but I did find this great offering instead.



I sourced the knife on eBay for a silly price compared to sharp rustproof steel knives.
The size is perfect and fits my hand well, and my PFD pocket.
There are no spring to snap it open and it does lack a blade latching mechanism (there are other offerings that might have that) but I know that the knife will not rust.
The blade is very sharp (I could shave with it) and it folds neatly into the plastic handle. The retention of the blade is just simple friction between blade and handle.



I am not sure if this knife is the perfect choice for a rescue situation (non locking folding blade) but suitable for other common tasks. And as somebody once asked: does it cut the cheese?
I will report: yes it does :-)



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REVIEW: the best roof rack

I was shopping for a new car and since my current one had factory roof rails I was hoping that the existing roof rack could be transferred to my new wheels.
My search for a replacement vehicle was pointing towards a car that had no rails and I almost discarded that vehicle because of it.
I wanted the security of a seriously well anchored roof rack since I have seen one too many flimsy and ill fitting clip-on style roof racks fail. Transporting a kayak or two on a rack that is just secured by some kind of friction mount against the recess of the car's door is NOT my idea of safety.
Having kayaks come off the roof at high speed on the highway, where up lifting forces are greatest, is a terrible scenario, with possible consequences of causing somebody behind me to crash and possibly die.
Nah, I wanted a bolt-on serious racks.
The vehicle I eventually settled on offered no factory rails but my search for a decent roof racks revealed that some brands offer anchors that pierce the sheet metal of the roof and are permanently bolted to the car; I like that idea.
Some brands required drilling several holes into the roof of the car and installing a long flush "rail" to then accept a tower and roof rack.
Not exactly unobtrusive and maybe a bit esthetically questionable on some vehicles but the rail solutions allows for quick removal of the roof rack assembly.
On my previous car I had Rola roof bars that were clamped onto the elevated factory car rails.
The solution was good allowing me to transport two kayaks side-by-side in a lay-down position.


Rola clamp-on bars on car with factory rails
I prefer that option since in the heat of summer a light high-end kayak (epoxy lay-up) can deform if transported on its side on a "J" cradles.
The contact area of the standard swiveling cradles is so much greater that the J cradle base, not to mention the security and sturdiness (no wobble).
One thing that really annoyed me with Rola rails was the noise that the rails created at highway speed.
When not transporting kayaks, to make my rails quiet, each time I would have to remove the kayak cradles and replace the rubber strip to cover the T slot in the rail: not exactly a swift and easy operation. I did that only twice when I planned a long drive (1000 miles) but, since I used the cradles weekly, I just left them on other times and put up with the noise.
Now, having to purchase a new rack system, I wanted something quiet.
Whispbar from Pro Rack seemed the best solution guaranteeing a noiseless ride.
The rails are wing shaped to eliminate turbulence causing noise and they don't effect gas mileage, the feet are low profile and tapered to eliminate whistling.



I still remember those agricultural offerings that I used to sell when I managed a bicycle shop in USA: they remind me of a Meccano set where parts were just bolted together with no consideration to noise or aesthetics. They might have looked OK on a Jeep but I thought that they were so out of place on a streamlined modern car.
Whispbar was offering a permanent drill and bolt-on base for their modular rack system but my car was too new (and uncommon); there was no mention of compatibility.
I searched on the net for rail installs on the same car in USA and found some samples of similar set ups. While I was risking setting off the side curtain air bags I  drilled the roof of my car.
All went well and the small anchor pads were riveted solidly to the edge of the car's roof.


anchor pad and stud for roof rack mount
The rivets are high strength stainless steel and require a commercial style pop-riveter (tore apart my light duty one trying to pull the heavy duty rivets).
The base is now super solid and the rack can not accidentally come off no matter how fast I drive or how much crosswind there is.
There is no noise while I drive and I don't have to remove the cradles: the T slot rail has a built-in rubber strip that seals the void around the cradles. Simple but ingenious.


end of rail flap open to reveal T slot detail
The overhanging rails are wide enough to fit most vehicles and when the time will come to get a new car I will not need to shop for a new rack system. All I will need is 4 small metal pads to rivet onto the roof (also modular with door clips).


small anchor pad riveted to roof (rack removed)
The bonus part of riveting the pads is that the spread can be way greater than the typical between-the-doors clip-on racks. The kayaks sit much more securely (less pitching). I purposely spaced the bars to the length of a bicycle's wheel base. When I transport a bike I don't need a bulky (and expensive) bike carrier. I secure the fork to a simple block with a T bolt fitting that slides nicely inside the roof rack rail, The rear wheel is secured by an old school toe strap. Simple, light, quiet, aerodynamic and cheap. However I can't boast to the world: look, I am a bike rider :-)

While I was not satisfied with the Rola roof rails I was pleased with their kayak cradles.
I have tried several brands (Thule, Thule J cradles, Rhino, "no brand", custom foam blocks, Yakima) No other cradle offers me the ability of the swinging Rola cradles and the hinged pad that contours the hull better than a fixed one.


swiveling Rola kayak cradles
Rola cradles self adjust and never create a hard spot that can lead to hull deformation (in the summer heat).
Where Rola come short with their kayak cradles is the simple nut that is housed inside the thumb wheel. While their T bolt  is made from stainless steel the actual nut on the adjusting thumb wheel is mild steel. Not the best choice of material for hardware designed to transport salty kayak. Needless to say the mild steel nuts rusted and froze onto the studs. I had to split one plastic wheel and remove the frozen nut with a spanner.
When contacting Rola for a replacement part (thumb wheel) their  reply was:
"... You will need to purchase a new cradle. Part number 25-0069 - RRP $41.00..."

I felt insulted and I want point out here Rola's poor customer service policy.
Not only the rusty nut is a design fault but I find the way the problem was handled is sub standard. It seems that it was too difficult to send me a single thumb wheel and, if Rola manufacturing is done in Australia, how hard would it be to reach for one in the bin and ship it?
I am used to a different style of customer service where a design fault is addressed and remedy is offered.
I ended up sourcing the simple thumb wheel somewhere else ($2).
I generally prefer to deal with companies that offer to repair the faulty/damaged item instead of forcing me to buy a whole new unit while the old would be still perfectly functional with just a small part replaced.
I think that companies like Patagonia for example, where repair is high on the priority list, no matter who is at fault, base their success on an ethical approach to manufacturing and customer service.
Needless to say that they are also the leading brand when it comes to REAL green manufacturing policies and practices. But that will be a future post.

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TEST: waterproof camera drop

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I have convinced myself that there is no durable waterproof compact camera on the market yet. These so called waterpoof cameras don't last if used regularly for sea kayaking. Corrosion creeps past the pretty external metal shell and kills the internal electonic components.
I have however never tested if they are as tough as they claim to be.
Only one way to find out...


While the test was more for "effect" than a scientific experiment it appears that the two candidates can survive normal drops even on concrete.
A typical accident would be slipping the camera out of my hand and onto the ground. Most times the hight would be around 3 feet. But what happens when the camera hits the ground from 6 feet? or even higher like 10 feet and 20 feet?
Watch and be amazed :-)



Surprisingly these so called "waterproof" cameras did not explode like most other compact cameras would. Only the tiny sticker on the selector dial of the Olympus Tough came flying off (at 1:13); no other bits broke off the two cameras.
At 10 feet I managed to crack the lens cover on the Tough, after 3 drops.

glass lens cover cracked at 10 feet drop
At 20 feet things got out of shape, I mean the poor camera bodies compressed so badly that permanently deformed the case.

camera body defomed and no longer aligned with front plate

ouch...

metal corner compressed and deformed from repeated 20 feet drops
Unfortunately I was unable to veryfy if the cameras were still working after each drop: corrosion claimed their respective "ghosts" long time ago :-)

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GEAR: cameras_function follows design

I photograph a lot from the cockpit of a sea kayak. I believe in having a compact digital camera at hand to to capture dynamic shots, therefore I seek cameras that fit into the pocket of my PFD.
I understand that cameras that use a small chip (CCD) have limitations, even if manufacturers want to make the consumer believe that more megapixels will yield a better picture. Images produced from a compact will always be less sharp than a decent DSLR. I am fine with that. I seek images that depict the action of paddling, often in rough conditions. A DSLR in a waterproof housing wouldn't work for me.
For the last 5 years I have been using waterproof cameras that see a lot of exposure to the marine environment. My cameras usually get wet at least once a week, often stay wet for at least a few hours and are regularly rinsed in fresh water once back home.

Recent problems with one of my cameras ( I would like to keep the brand name undisclosed but users of that camera will recognize it) had led me to investigate a bit.
It appears that my problem is not isolated, actually quite common.
The manufacturer designed the shell to withstand water immersion and impact.
The core of the chassis is made of fibre reinforced plastic. To make the camera more appealing face plates of aluminium are covering the core.
Why aluminium? doesn't that material have problems in salt environments?
Well, aluminium comes in different grades and it seems that the manufacturer used a 7000 series that, while cheap to produce, has a terrible corrosion problem in salt water.

eventually stopped working; 6 months old
Different striking colors can be used for the anodizing of the aluminium plates that offer limited protection for corrosion, however bright orange, yellow, red etc. can be used to create visual appeal.
There is a prolific use of colored anodized aluminium in compact cameras these days.
The problems arise when the aluminium is used in marine environments.

While the manufacturer is very aware of the corrosion problem (on previous models) they insist in designing the new models of the waterproof camera with the same old aluminium plates.
The dirty part is that the manufacturer is NOT willing to honor the warranty when the cameras eventually fail due to corrosion.

In my case the corrosion crept into the button's contacts and, even though the camera never had water intrusion, stopped working.
I had a bit of a "heated" email exchange with the Hong Kong warranty dept. and eventually they warranteed my camera.
A reader of Gnarlydog News contacted me and had a different story.
The official Australian importer representing that brand refused warranty replacement to him claiming that the camera was not rinsed in fresh water within one hour after salt water use.
ONE HOUR!

Erin's camera: used a couple of times, 3 months old!
C'mon. Real pictures are taken in real outdoors environments where rinsing the camera within an hour is totally impractical. To my reader I suggested to seek compensation under the "not fit for the purpose intended" claim.
The manufacturer can not expect that a waterproof camera that is designed for snorkeling should be washed within such short time.

To the manufacturer I suggest:
1)  drop the aluminium plates and use stainless steel or polycarbonate instead (other manufacturers are doing it)
2)  make sure that you design a camera that is fit for what you claim. Lab test are one thing, real world is an other
3)  honor legit warranty claims. You are doing more damage to the brand than the cost of replacing those few units that actually get used in the environment that the pretty advertising campaign suggests.

GEAR: carabiners for sea kayaking.

On my sea kayak I often use carabiners (snap shackles) to attach items to the deck.
The convenience of being able to release the item without tools or too much fumbling is the main reason that a biner is used. Other items, like stays for a sail, that don't require quick release are usually secured by D shackles with a screw on gate.

I use this type of biner for the items that might need occasional use (hand bilge pump secured below deck).
This biner is compact, light and cheap.

But I don't like using this type of gate on a towrope.
There was an incident where the sharp hook ripped somebody's hand open when grabbed by its end.
A larger snap shackle is desirable when trying to attach a towed kayak since some kayak handles will have a hard time accepting a small opening gate.

A larger stainless steel snap shackle from marine chandleries seem to do the job.
What I don't like on this option is the little hook that the biner has when the gate is open and often snags on ropes when least needed.
I thought that a high quality anodized aluminum climbing biner with a key-lock style gate would be the perfect tool.

It was, for a while. The biner has a spring gate and the spring is housed inside the gate itself.
With time the spring corroded and failed leaving the gate wide open. While the rest of the biner still looked in great shape it was no longer usable/safe.
I then tried a carabiner that uses a wire gate as spring. The anodized climbing crab was perfect. The gate was free of hooks that could snag on a rope and would shut securely.

Less then a year later the carabiner started to show signs of corrosion and eventually just exploded!


Finally I sourced a biner that meets my needs.
Stainless steel with a key-hole gate designed for salt water.
The carabiner is made by Kong in Italy (holders of the key-hole gate patent).

There are no signs of corrosion after a year and the action of the gate is very positive.
I don't snag on ropes when releasing from a towline and there are no sharp edges to cut myself on.

The biners come in different sizes but they are not easily sourced. Only high end marine chandleries seem to carry them.

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.

Compact waterproof cameras: long term testing

A few years back when I started kayaking I wanted to transfer my passion for photography on the water.
It was not long since I had embraced digital imaging and finally said goodbye to the film cameras.
While I noticed some drop in sharpness with my first 4.0 Megapixel digital camera compared to the Nikon FM (with quality lenses) digital images were obviously the future for me.
If nothing else the extended dynamic range alone was worth the initial drop in sharpness.
When shooting professionally (architecture) one very important aspect of my work was that the final photograph had to be very sharp.
Hasselblad gave me those desired results.
However the bulky camera was not suited for action photography or remote locations.
Schlepping a heavy and very expensive tool that I had to be very careful with ,when confronted by the elements, was fast becoming a chore that was taking a lot of enjoyment from my trips.
It was bad enough to shelter the “blad” from rain when bushwalking but I could not see myself toting around that thing on the sea, in a kayak.
The Nikon would have needed a bulky and expensive water housing to be able to use it on-water.
I was very excited when finally Olympus brought out the first waterproof camera.

MEI's current set of cameras, left to right: newest to oldest

My early attempts of housing a compact digital camera in a soft waterproof pouch proved useless; the results were worse then ghetto.
Water droplets and out of focus images were the norm, no the exception.
Olympus was offering a real waterproof camera that was compact and robust.
Finally I had the tool with me that would allow my style of images to be transferred on the water.
I don’t often photograph “sitting around the camp” or serene landscapes in dry conditions.
My preferred images are taken in rough conditions where a conventional camera does not stand a chance.
The little Olympus proved to be a winner (collection of images here)
Compact enough to be sitting in my PFD pocket I could reach for it at any time and getting it wet was not a problem.
Olympus even took care of water droplets on the lens problem.
They have a special coating that repels most water droplets. A quick dunking of the camera in the sea would clear the most stubborn ones.
The camera served me well for about 3 years when eventually some minimal water intrusion killed one memory card.
While not dead, the camera could not trusted on water anymore.

signs of light corrosion on the 720SW
In 3 years I did not bother to service the seals (recommended). At $150 a pop I figured I was ahead of the game.
I would have spent as much as a new camera. By then Olympus finally brought out a waterproof camera with wide angle lens that I purchased as replacement to the 720SW.
With improved features (better movies, better menu) the wide angle lens (comparable to 28mm) was getting close to my style of wide angle photography.
Unfortunately the quality of the 1030SW was appalling.
So far every user of the same model camera (specifically the 1030SW) that I know, that shoots in salt water, has had trouble with the camera.
Salt water corrosion being the common problem.
After only a few months the camera showed signs of corrosion (not just surface like on the 720SW) and compartment doors to battery and ports became hard to operate.
The black paint on the front panel flaked off and the lens frame with it.
Olympus "repaired" one 1030SW of mine under warranty that flooded the first time I used it in water. Eventually they replaced it with a new Though8000.
A second 1030SW had the same problems and that one got serviced under warranty too.
Without expressly saying it, Olympus admits that that particular model was a dud.

signs of heavy corrosion on the 1030SW (and that's after servicing)
However some waterproof cameras "die" way before they reach "maturity"
How often do I see kayakers using waterproof cameras while paddling without any security for accidentally dropping them.
Water makes things slippery and often tired hands become “fumbly”.
Some at least use a tether but even then a few accidents have occurred while passing the camera to an other paddler.
All of my cameras, while on water, are tethered and have a floating device to prevent them to be donated to Neptune.
A piece of minicell (closed cell foam) large enough to float the camera is essential.

fishing clip used for attaching floatie detail of reinforcement on minicell

Recently I have added a budget waterproof camera to my set: a camera from Aldi!
Yes, that’s right: a camera from the discount chain store.
Manufactured by Olympus it offers enough features to satisfy most amateur photographers.

single door on Traveler camera: battery, card and port all in one location
The quality of the images is slightly inferior to my other Olympus cameras but at 1/3 of the price of the others is not a bad one as spare for “high risk” shots (read surf photography).
Sure there are many self professed expert photographers that will laugh at the Aldi "toy".
To them I reply: it ain't what you have, it's how you use it :-)
Thousaunds of dollars worth of high end equipment and very little results to show for it... that's what I am laughing at.
What really sold me is the 3 year warranty. I strongly doubt it will last 3 years in salt water but I will make sure I keep that purchase receipt handy :-)