The power of disconnecting

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I call it "expedition style".
Petra was starting to understand what I meant by that; it was not the fact that we were now on our third week of 5 paddling and camping in the Swedish archipelago, it is more the state of mind that comes from being away from everyday life.

My highlights of any given year are usually my trips.
I love being away from the confinement of 4 walls and a roof, plugged and connected to the increasingly demanding "social media".
For 5 weeks I wanted to not think about others far away from the place I was in.
At the risk of offending and being called selfish I cherish the being away from others.
The islands we were travelling through had slightly more traffic then last year and on occasion my first choice of campsite was already occupied: we could not have the whole island for ourselves.
It was however prime holiday season for Sweden and realistically we were not that far off shore to think we could be really alone.



I prefer to travel with as few tools as possible that keep me connected to my usual world. I had to have a mobile phone with me so my friend Johan could text me the weather forecast. Honestly I would have preferred not to have it. I chose not to bring a GPS even tho Sweden would be one place where I could really use it as "geographical confusion" had its moments.
In a spur of the moment decision we started our trip too far South along the coast where we had no map for it. Interestingly enough the initial concern quickly drifted away since I knew I just had to keep to the right of the big islands but not too far out to be in totally open sea.
The fellow paddlers that we met and chatted to shook their head when we told them that we didn't have a map for the first days' journey and ultimately planned to reach Finland.
I now laugh at myself thinking that we might have come across a bit bizarre: we had the right gear and our kayaks were of the latest style but not having a GPS or even a map? now that is odd...


On my last local paddle in Australia before my Scandinavian trip I was in company of other paddlers that elected to use way-points to reach an island in my bay that clearly needs little navigation aid to be reached, in my opinion. I prefer the "navigation by sight" style where things become clearer as I get closer to my destination. And if I paddle a few minutes longer, I regard that as bonus time on the water.
There are times and places where electronic navigation does come in handy, but in reality often common sense still helps me out where I paddle.
Somehow there is a primeval sense of connection to the land or sea when I don't rely on too many external aids to travel in a remote place, a sense of achievement and discovery that I deem electronic devices can take away from me. I could have mapped my journey way more efficiently and searched online for "the best spots" to then have my GPS guide me along, but that is not how I like to travel.
I could have many websites tell me what the weather was going to do (rarely accurate tho) but I would have not engaged in conversation with the occasional sailor asking him for the wind predictions. I often ended up spending some times with them and had additional local knowledge shared with me, something that many websites can't offer.
Petra even scored the odd cookie or piece of cake from strangers once they discovered that we were travelling far.

And in the evening I was glad that I had no social chore of updating my site (I never did buy into the Facebook thing) and keep my fans fed. I spent my time running around the granite shores, sometimes taking pictures or just laying on my back on the warm rock, concentrated on the clouds passing by above me. I had time to talk to Petra; talk like there was no rush to say things as there was plenty of time. We did not bore each other with mundane trivial facts of who is doing what in the world.
We cared about our world: right there and right then.


Did I miss out on something?
Yes, I did.
I did not hear the news for over a month; I did not hear of air disasters or wars, Royal babies or rock stars deaths, no scores of games and no updates on championships. And it felt so good.
The simplicity of being able to focus on what really matters can only be achieved when I disconnect, anything else just muddles my head.

Tara Jacoby:
You know that naked feeling you get when you realise you’ve forgotten your phone somewhere and have to go an hour or (gasp) a day without it? Rather than rushing to cover up that nakedness with a nearby tablet or the iPhone of a passerby, embrace the freedom a little. Enjoy the fleeting moment of not being tethered to a device that can tell you anything about anything at any given time. ...
Just be present and live in blissful ignorance, if only for a moment.
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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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GEAR: the kayak sled by Hybrid

I busted my back lifting a kayak to my shoulders and carrying it to the beach.
X-rays revealed some spinal degeneration that apparently is caused by an accumulation of accidents.

The quack asked me:   "Have you had any falls on your back in your past, even as a child?"
Me:   "About one a year, if not more..."

The back injury is probably a manifestation of a life full of crashes on skis, motorcycles, mountain bikes and who knows what other back blows that I used to just shrug off when occurring. They are now catching up with me :-(
I am also sure that my current sedentary lifestyle (desk jockey) and lack of regular exercise during the week contribute to my now bad back. What bugs me is that I can't carry my kayak solo on my shoulders and look macho, even though I feel some of my kayaks are not exactly ultra light.
So, my back got bad again schlepping my boat across a bank of sand onto shore and into a back yard. Not a  long distance but long enough to compress my spine out of whack; I need a trolley even for that short of a stretch.
The kayak carts I have are bulkier than I would like; they also have wheels.
Wheels and the shallow small lagoon I have to cross don't mix: the axle would clog up and the bearing would suffer.
I then remembered attending a presentation at a kayak fest (NSWSKC Rock&Roll in 2009) where a kayak designer showcased a "sled" that required no wheels.

Hybrid kayak sled presented at Rock&Roll 2009
I needed something like that.
I contacted Andre Janecki, the brilliant designer behind the Hybrid 550 sea kayak and founder of the Hybrid Foundation. Andre has been tinkering and inventing all his life; his expertise spans from architecture to industrial design, including his passion for sea kayaking.
Andre is also a philanthropist seeking funds for producing a sea kayak that will enable wheel-chair bound paddlers to access the water unassisted, in a kayak. (More info here)

I asked Andre for details on the "sled" and he immediately offered to help sending me a new sample that he showcased a few years back.
Here is the "Kayak Sled"


Mounted on the stern, the bungee cords are not essential to the operation of the sled
Simple in design the sled is a good alternative to wheels, providing it doesn't get dragged over pavement too much. I would like to quote A. Einstein: "Anything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler"
It weights slightly more than a water bottle and takes almost no space inside the hatch, when folded.
It doesn't rust and costs so little to fabricate that even the kayaker on the tightest budget can afford.


Adventuretess testing the Hybrid Kayak Sled
While they are easy to replicate, Andre Janecki holds the copyright to the design. He is happy to share his invention with all paddlers who donate $25 into the Hybrid Foundation account.
Chasing up individuals that want to forego his request is not his intention but I am sure he would have a legal team onto a commercial operation trying to swipe his idea.
For exact dimensions and details, please email Andre Janecki and support his project.

Included are a few shots of the   "Kayak Sled" showing general proportion as well as some details of the design.

The double (or single) rope (shown with the white plastic hook) should be securely clipped to the deck fitting/s
The 316 Stainless Steel screw is 60mm long x 5mm thick and the nut is the nylon-lock type.
The PVC tubes are standard stock size 25mm  O/D diameter, sourced from an electrical/plumbing supplier.

The Hybrid kayak sled folded
The 25mm tubes are further stiffened with the 20mm inner tubes. Please note: the inner tubes run top and across to approx. 2/3rd length only. This configuration assists with bending and distributing the load as much as possible.

IMPORTANT: the cord exit point from the PVC tube should be against the hull

P.S. Of course, the cheap PVC tubes have only a very limited carry load capacity.
Andre informs me that the commercial version will use very different materials, including a custom made cross section, etc.

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DIY: simple paddle leash

For most of my paddling in a sea kayak I use a leash for my paddle.
I understand that there are numerous paddlers that see no use for one and might deem it dangerous in some environments.
I regard a paddle leash essential for my outings.
It helps keeping the paddle where it belongs: with the kayak.

Too frequently I see paddlers without a leash having their paddle drift away when assisting others, opening their day hatch or taking a picture.
I have tried many times to store the paddle under the perimeter lines but inevitably for some reason they dislodge and fall in the water.
Often I take pictures from the kayak and occasionally I include the bow in the image: I dislike having the paddle resting under the lines...
I have tried a few styles of paddle leash and the one that really bothered me was the coil type designed for surf boards (ankle strap of Velcro and a bulky plastic coil).
The noise of the constant banging of the plastic coil on the deck annoyed me.
My preferred one is no longer available commercially possibly out of "production" since it was overpriced for something that any child could make at home with very simple materials.

Other leashes I tried lacked a safety quick release.
Admittedly having loose bungee cord close to your body can create a risk of entanglement.
The ability to quickly untie the paddle leash is important to me.

While the leash is firmly attached to the paddle (no sliding of the retention system on the shaft) it can be undone in a split second with just two fingers.
The bungee loop has a small section of rope or tape attached allowing for a quick release.
I just grab the "pull tab" and with little effort release the leash.
The leash will not come loose if just yanked on it; I must pull the release tab.
The bungee can be cut to any length ( I make sure mine is long enough to allow layback rolling or stern ruddering).
The materials for this inexpensive leash can be purchased at marine chandlers: all I need is about 2 mt of 5mm bungee, a small plastic tie ball , and a bit of cord.
Getting the right length of the loop is a bit of trial and error but within minutes I work out the right size for the shaft/loom of my paddles.
A bit of tension is needed on the loop when it's attached to the paddle or it just falls off.
The other end of the bungee is attached to the deck of the kayak.

I use the leash on most paddles, for me it's just so convenient not to have to worry about stowing your paddle when both hands are needed on deck.
I remove the leash when I roll play/practice since it interferes with some moves.

Keep it simple

Overcomplicating a design often makes things worse.
It's a real art (or some would call it science) to achieve the desired design and streamline it to where nothing superfluous is left.
Once you achieve that probably the design will hold.
In other words less is more.
I am guilty of often spending too much time over engineering a small item that could be simplified and made more efficient.
I often get inspiration from comments of other users to complete my ideas, like while presenting my work at the 2nd Australian Sea Kayak Symposium where I gathered tips from the attending public.
It is a trap to have something too complicated and with too many features that in the end might lead to the failure of the primary function.
In the outdoor industry I admire designs like Arcteryx (a leading manufacturer of outdoor clothing and gear) where they strive to eliminate everything that is cumbersome and superfluous but at the same time achieving an aesthetically pleasing very functional product.
In my opinion, the exact opposite is North Face, also a leading outdoor gear brand.
Their philosophy is to add more features and gadgets where none could be added anymore.
Both are successful brands in the same field but they appeal to a different style/demographic.
I noticed more college crowds wearing the heavily advertised brand North Face while Arcteryx was worn by a more discerning mature outdoor folk.
There are many other brands out there but I wanted to make an analogy between these two clothing brands and sea kayaks.

How often I see novice paddlers impressed by kayaks outfitted with gadgets or wanting to accessorize their sea craft with those gadgets.

deck clutter?

I have been one of them and in some respect still am.
Boy, was I lusting after one of those deck bags: it would make me look like a real sea kayaker.
But the more time I spent on the water the more I realized that it's best to keep a clean deck since loose items are begging to be claimed by the sea or wanting to entangle you in the heat of the battle.

Fortunately that deck bag never made it “under the Xmas tree” .
Don't get me wrong, to some I am still known as gadget man and admittedly I go to great lengths to acquire (or fabricate) the perfect item.
My goal however is to have the least chance of that gear to fail while keeping bulk and weight to a minimum (I also like to stow most items under the deck, these days)
A project of mine can see design, test, redesign and retest to lead occasionally to an abandoned project if I can not pull off the two principles: sturdy but light/compact.
Less is more.

That leads to this coin:

How much simpler could a coin get.
It clearly says 1 rupee, and to reinforce the concept of "one" a raised thumb is depicted.
I would not call it a feat in artistic design but it's simple and clear.

It achieves its function: light, simple and economical to produce (unlike some bi metal coins out there).
Now, if only Fonzie would be still around to see that his signature move made it onto the face of a coin :-)