freeze or thaw: a different point of view

Here Downunder we have fallen into the depths of winter while the northern hemisphere has now their summer.
This perception of summer and winter however is very relative.
Surely temperatures have changed and possibly the weather has turned but what might be winter to one person it could mean a heat wave to somebody else.
Lately I have noticed a marked decrease of paddling activity in my area.
We have officially entered winter but with water temperatures of 23C and air of 27C degrees I have a hard time considering that real winter.
Some paddlers around the world can only dream of conditions like our winter.
Obviously some might feel the cold more than others but you can’t expect to be paddling year round just in a T-shirt!
All that is really needed is a light spray jacket or the brilliant clothing from Reed to “battle” our harsh winter.
Look at what some folks consider summer:


used with permission; photo Stan McKenzie
You should see what conditions they paddle in, in their real winter.
I have great respect for those kayakers.
Interestingly enough harsh environments usually will produce much tougher characters.
To my local hibernating paddling community I would like to say: get some cement (or better gear) and toughen up :-)

destination: Sweden

I took the opportunity of the long week end to undertake a paddle a bit longer than just an overnighter.
I realize that I have a great place to paddle here in Moreton Bay and that the weather is so incredibly benign all year round.
But often I long for something different.
After all isn't variety the spice of life?
While browsing flickr for inspiration (photographically and as destination ideas) a while ago I came across Erik's site.
He lives in Sweden and kayaks year round.
His images have been a great inspiration to me.
I admire his photographic skills (I do ignore his iPhone uploads: they are not good) but I love the images where he obviously has spent some time creating.

published under creative commons license from Eriksjo
Just looking at this scene I long to travel to Sweden (and not just to meet the Swedish Bikini Team :-).
Considering that probably the sun never sets this time of year and that there are thousand of islands to explore and camp I am surprised that Sweden is not considered a mainstream paddling destination.
Could it be that the living standard is so high that most other's countries currency exchange rate would make it rather expensive to travel there or maybe the locals want to keep a low profile on their secret paddling paradise.
If I only had that folding kayak that I have been eyeing for some time...

PS I checked my letterbox today and in the freshly delivered Ocean Paddler magazine there is an outstanding pictorial article on Sweden.

something different: mtb video

While lately I have been concentrating on sea kayaking in my previous life (living in the US and A) mountain biking used to consume most of my time.
For a while I worked at Chumba and during the racing season I would wrench on the sponsored racer's downhill rigs.
I have met some really incredible riders and witnessed some amazing stunts but the video below just blew me away.
Total balance, control and power is portrayed in the Inspired masterpiece of real action cinematography (non Hollywood).
Enjoy.

at more than 6 million views, chances are you might have seen it before

SHOP: custom foot bilge pump

I have previously detailed the installation of an electric bilge pump.
Here I am depicting an alternative: a foot pump.

Greg Schwarz is a master in kayak modification (see his cockpit rim mods!) and he can create precision parts from fiberglass, carbon and epoxy.
After installing an electric bilge pump in his wife's Avocet LV he wanted to compare it to a foot bilge pump.
Not satisfied with the commercially available one he designed and fabricated his own one. The pump is a modified manual hand pump that was sourced at a marine chandlery.
The handle has been removed and a custom foot bracket made to optimize the action of the pump.

foot pump mounted in cockpit of a Nordkapp LV.
A reinforcing plate is mounted on the bulkhead. This version of a foot pump is mounted on the bulkhead instead of on a bracket off the foot pegs(http://www.hybridaustralia.com/).
Needless to say that a kayak must be just the right size for you with the forward bulkhead close enough to have this set up.

Extensive modelling has been done to achieve the right pedal size and leverage.

The strum box is enlarged to allow wider pick up and increase water flow.


details of the pedal: a custom one-off (no mold) unit made from fiberglass, carbon and epoxy.

strum box detail
The pump works extremely well and empties a flooded cockpit almost as fast as a Rule 500 electric bilge pump.
If your idea for a bilge pump does not include electricity, this foot pump seems to be probably the best solution.
Unfortunately Greg Schwarz is not interested in producing these units commercially (they would cost almost as much as a kayak, if he had to charge for his time making one).
If you really are confident with your fibreglassing and have the time and patience, this pump could be the inspiration for your version.
Let me know how your project turns out.

SHOP: foot pegs modification

Now, really, what's there to talk about foot pegs?
Modify foot pegs? com'on...
Actually yes.
I am not interested in foot pegs that control rudders; it's the static foot pegs for skeg boats that I want to write about.
For proper efficient paddling one needs solid foot pegs.
While most novices will think that kayaking involves a lot of arm strength they eventually discover that I kayak is propelled by the torso rotation and legs.
Your feet must make decent contact with the pegs.
Too far away and a lot of your potential power is not directed to boat propulsion.
Pegs that are too flimsy and flexible also aren't much good.
Most high end kayaks have Werner (also called Yakima) foot pegs.
Those pegs are probably the best that are commercially available.
I can hear the purists say that a proper kayak should have a bulkhead as point of contact for your feet; that option is usually feasible for custom built boats.
For the rest of us that want to use adjustable foot pegs there are two solutions on improving the standard pegs.
If you are a rather tall person and your pegs will sit close to the bulkhead I think that a bar spanning across the width of the kayak to the other peg is a good option.

The above solution allows me to have more positions for my feet that are often jammed under the deck (size 12 US) wearing paddling shoes.
I can still adjust the reach of the bar by sliding the pegs.
An aluminum curved and profiled bar is cut to length and attached with stainless steel bolts onto the plastic pegs. Since most kayaks are tapered and the hull shape is converging, the hole on the aluminum bar will have to be slotted to allow reach adjustment.
If your pegs are however positioned somewhere half way on the rail you probably want to utilize the room left in front of your feet and the bulkhead.
Having a bar there will probably prevent positioning of items (dry bags, water etc) if space is at premium on a long trip.
A lot of expeditioners have to use all available space on a kayak to carry the necessary food, water and gear.
Therefore the Werner pegs have to be individually modified.
The surface area on a Werner peg is rather small with sharp edges.
A lot of people lament sore feet when paddling in booties with rather soft soles.
Greg Schwarz, a kayaker that can see improvement in all stock items, has modified his Avocet LV pegs.
Using foam core (expanded polystyrene) fiberglass and epoxy he has shaped a perfectly fitting modified Werner peg.

color matched (to deck) epoxy with slip resistant finish

SHOP: eye candy

Have you ever been to a motorshow?
I have not since cars are not my thing, but I know that some folks are bent on nice cars.
So bent that they like to customize them.
For whatever reason (sometimes to improve performance, other times to improve looks and occasionally just to stand out of the crowd) there is on display work that makes a car lover just drool over.
Meet Greg Schwarz.
He loves kayaks.
He does to kayaks what people to do to cars.

Retired boat builder he has traded his sailing boat for a kayaks (he got some spare change out of it... :-)
His love is for British style boats; small ones.
Well, Greg Schwarz's work is simply worthy of admiration.
He can fabricate out of epoxy, glass and carbon items that are just out of this world.
His work is impeccable and often innovative.
The latest work is his Nordkapp LV's coaming.

The standard coaming has been modified just slightly and covered with carbon cloth.


Nothing is more (technoporn) sexy than clear coated carbon.
The finish is so pefectly smooth and shiny.
A real pleasure to look at.


Just for the record: it took Greg 3 weeks to create this coaming.

Sea kayak for skills development

I have experienced it myself and observed it over time in others but last weekend paddle certainly cemented my opinion: a good kayak will improve your skills.



Occasionally there is a paddler skilled and talented enough to make any kayak perform well but for the more common mortal often a decent kayak will improve things out of sight.
That moment for me occurred when I switched from a ruddered kayak to a skegged one.
Now, I know that a good tradesman never blames his tools but I don't call myself a good tradesman, actually an average one. I will seek the best tool I can get.
At the time there were only a handful of rudderless kayaks in my area.
All of them were too small and I could not test paddle them.
Finally I found a kayak that fitted me and had a skeg.

The skeg alone is not the ultimate component in a great kayak but generally is associated with tighter fitting cockpit complemented with decent thigh braces.
I found that if a kayak is loose it generally can not be edged and consequently is a dog to control (I am talking mongrel kind of dog here...).
I had enough of just cruising paddling. Speed has never been my goal nor have been bragging rights of how fast I can go (no GPS speed readings for me).
I see a kayak as a vessel for adventure and fun.
Since I regard adventure as a long trip that often my time constraints won't allow it, the fun factor has to be high when paddling a kayak.
Enter the surf zone.

Since the local conditions don't offer rebound and rock gardens I have to content myself with surf alone.
In my ruddered kayaks I could not surf; they just were not built for that.
The design of a ruddered boat is such that even by retracting the rudder on the deck those kayaks just were not happy in rough conditions.
Needless to say that some were built too light and the surf would damage them easily but I never felt right in my ruddered kayaks.
So, when finally I came across a kayak that would fit me and that was a true British style kayak I bought it without test paddling.
I still remember my first paddle in it: bloody brilliant.
I have never looked back.

So, when a paddling buddy's skills started to improve in his considerably well fitted kayak I took him in conditions that were slightly beyond his skill level.
I would be there to pull him out of the drink, if necessary.
He did great but could only go so far in his ruddered kayak. *
He wanted more but eventually realized that he needed a better kayak to get there.
My buddy then paddled one of my boats and found it much more responsive than his ruddered one.
He wanted one.
And he was lucky to get the very last for sale in Australia.
Last Sunday we all met at our local surfing spot, him in his new Impex.
The conditions were gentle and very suited for a maiden voyage in a new boat, a new style of boat too.
I was expecting some initial embarrassment for him while trying to work out the skeg concept and the higher maneuverability of his new kayak.
It was amazing to witness the marked improvement in skills almost immediately.
He started to surf the gentle waves and quickly progressed to steeped and bigger ones.
Something I have not seen him do in his old kayak.
His comment after a short time paddling in the gentle surf:
"...I can't believe how much more maneuverable this kayak is and how much more fun I can have..."

I don't have any pictures of him surfing the bigger waves because that smile was worth a thousand words.

PS Readers have questioned my wisdom in selecting such low waters for skill development for my buddy. I am no expert but that's how I was taught by instructor Gary Forrest as seen in this video here

* PS MAY10: a very good article on how to improve skills in a ruddered kayak: here

Photography: digital cameras and viewfinders

Why have manufacturers abandoned the viewfinder on just about all compact cameras and soon on basic DSLRs?
What is wrong with the trusty little viewfinder?
Actually, a lot.

My photographic education started when there was no other option than a viewfinder (or back plate on a field camera for studio work).
Not knowing better I assumed that's how it is and you live with it.
Some manufacturers (Nikon) tried to make the viewfinder more user friendly (bigger) but it still required bringing your eye to it and placing it close to your face.
There were times that a viewfinder was useless when shooting close to the ground or raising my camera high up above eye level to get a better vantage point.

self portrait
Those were the days of film photography as well.
Unless somebody else was paying for the materials you ought to be rather careful snapping away trying to get a decent image and wasting all that costly film.
And finally one day I lost my beautiful Nikon titanium body range find camera.
Devastated at first only now I realize it was the best thing it could have happened to me.
See, I was acting like an old coot (I still do :-) and did not want to embrace the new digital photography (mind you, at the time 1.3 megapixels was regarded as "high resolution" !).
Eventually I borrowed some compact digital cameras and joined "the enemy".
Never looked back.
But let's go back to the viewfinder.

So what's wrong with the viewfinder?
If you take pictures of landscapes with all the time in the world, probably nothing.
But for my style of images where speed is essential and the subject is often a human element the viewfinder is dead.
Years ago when I started using my Hasselblad I noticed a marked difference in portrait photography.
Nothing to do with the insanely sharp lenses but much more to do with the waist level viewfinder.
When photographing people it is vital that your subject can see your face.
Only a highly trained actor can overcome the psychological disturbing factor of being viewed by a person that does not show his/her face.
For a moment, imagine having somebody staring and talking to you with his/her face covered by a hood.
Most people would feel very uncomfortable.
When reviewing my old images taken with a SLR with viewfinder I notice a certain stiffness and "posed" behaviour that makes the image staged.
However, going to a studio photoshoot where human models were involved I noticed that once the camera was set up on the tripod the photographer then stepped away from the viewfinder and faced the model talking to them "face to face".
From the Hasselblad days to now digital LCD screens (used only as reference for composition) my subject can see my face.
I talk to them and they can see my eyes.
My pictures now show a much more relaxed and natural portrait.
I never hide behind the camera anymore. I don't need to.
I can view the composition of the image I am about to take somewhere away from my face and can interact with my subject in a natural way.
Results speak for themselves.

Can your kayak take this?

photo by: akasharkbow (used under Creative Commons license)

I am not sure that all kayaks can take this.

While most of us probably will never have anybody dancing on the deck of the kayak consider if your deck is strong enough to accept the weight of a fully loaded kayak in a rescue situation.

Too often I see decks of kayaks that are just a little bit on the light side being the consequence of the endless pursuit of a light craft.

And soon the spider cracks and the split seam appear...

SHOP: electric bilge pump in a kayak

It is interesting how some technology seems to be more popular in one country than others.
Sails and electric bilge pumps are way more popular in Australia than anywhere else; skegged kayaks are more popular in Great Britain than Downunder or the Americas.
But let’s look at the bilge pump.
Like probably most kayakers, I equipped myself with the safety of a trusty hand bilge pump.
I really thought that with that piece of equipment I was ready to take on the rough seas.
I soon realized that even during practice the little pump was kind of, ahem..., a joke, if I was going to rely on it to empty my boat in case of a flooded cockpit in a serious emergency.
While the hand pump has still got its place in a sea kayak (empty a flooded hatch that by accident was left open?...) I don’t regard the little pump sufficient as main safety device.

How was I going to steady myself in my swamped cockpit and balance the kayak using both hands to operate the pump while waves were tossing me around?
It just does not work; not for me.

I am aware of two options for a hands free device that will empty water from the cockpit: a foot pump

commercialy available version


custom fabricated one with carbon

or an electric bilge pump.

I had a kayak with a foot pump and did not work for me. Maybe coz my big feet rub against the deck, maybe because I could not really steady myself while trying to balance the boat and pump with one foot or just because I found the foot pump so painfully slow.
I decided that an electric bilge pump will be my choice.
While certainly not totally foolproof it has a higher percentage of success rate than other devices.
To date I have installed 15 sea kayaks with the Rule 500 bilge pump.

If you are keen to install such pump in a kayak and are a bit handy with tinkering read on.

The pump is brilliant but the switch and installation pose some challenges.
Kayaks that have some room between the seat and the rear bulkhead are best suited to this install.

Components that you will need:

1) bilge pump (my preferred one is Rule 500)
2) Switch (including a small relay; will detail later)
3) Quality electrical wire (figure of eight)
4) Waterproof battery box
5) Small SLA battery
6) Outlet hose
7) Outlet spigot

For tools and supplies:

1) power drill
2) various drill bits (some small and a large one 10mm)
3) round file (or Dremel with attachments)
4) marine sealant (polyurethane, like Sikaflex)
5) soldering iron
6) heatshrink
7) epoxy resin (optional)

Before you start drilling try to suspend your kayak with slings. Working at waist height is easier and later on working inside the cockpit you can turn the kayak belly up and avoid a bad back.
Plan your install carefully considering thoughtfully the location of your outlet spigot, switch and hose route.
Think twice drill once.

The spigot outlet should be in a spot where it is not going to spray water on yourself or back into the cockpit. While it seems that I am stating the obvious I have seen some installs that made it happen. The outlet should also be above waterline, well above it.
The deck seems to be the obvious location.
Enlarge the hole with a file (or Dremel) just big enough for the spigot to fit snugly. No need to be sloppy.

The switch for the pump must be waterproof. I mean it. Electric bilge pumps fail most times because of lousy switches. I used to install pumps using the typical toggle switch with the rubber boot.

Good when new but the boot is prone to be torn or deteriorates in the elements.
I have seen air switches used but they cost a bomb and a large hole has to be drilled to install them.
To date the best solution seems to be a magnetic switch.

Ready made fully sealed burglar alarm switches are available from electronic parts stores but I have trouble envisioning the proper operation on the deck of a kayak.
I fabricate my own ones that require no holes drilled into the deck and so far have been very reliable. See appendix on how to make one.
More info on options available here.

The wiring has to be secured to the underdeck of the kayak. Loose wires will get ripped off while entering/exiting the kayak. It’s only a matter of time. I use polyurethane to secure the wires to the fiberglass inside the kayak.

The battery that powers the electric bilge pump is a 12V. Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) 1.3 Ah.
It almost fits perfectly inside the Pelican #1010. Since the battery is just a smidgen too wide a small section of the lining inside the box MUST be cut out to ensure a good seal when closed.
If you forego this step your box will not keep the water out.


The box needs a hole drilled where the wires will run to the battery.
Once the wires are in place I seal the hole with epoxy or high quality sealant (but never with silicone! It’s a product that has no place in a sea kayak, in my opinion).

Drill a small hole into the rear bulkhead behind the seat close to the deck. Run the wires to the switch and pump then seal with polyurethane.
The battery box is secured to the hull in the day hatch away from frequent dunkings.
Pelican boxes located in the cockpit have proven to leak.

I secure the bilge pump to the floor of the kayak with little saddles (custom made) and bungee cord. I heard some people gluing the pump directly to the hull.

Measure the outlet hose with a loop close to the deck and attached to the outlet spigot. While the loop will prevent water running back in, a quality non return valve can be used instead.
For kayaks with bulkhead too close to the seat to fit the pump, a recess for the pump can be created. Details here

Appendix:

THE SWITCH:
The switch is made of two parts: the magnet and the reed.
The reed is a little ampoule that contains a metal "leaf" that is "bent" by a magnet.
When you place a magnet over the reed it closes the circuit and makes the contact to activate the pump. Reeds are available from electronics parts stores.
The reed is soldered to the wire and then placed in a little section of PVC tube cut in half.
I use epoxy resin to encapsulate the reed and exposed soldering and make it waterproof.

Once the resin has cured I remove the switch from the mold and stick it with polyurethane (Sikaflex) to the underdeck (see previous image)

The magnet is made up of a small rare earth magnet (from electronic store) and a small piece of steel to channel the magnetism towards the reed switch.
(PS: further research revealed that the piece of steel is not really necessary. The magnetism of the rare earth magnet is not really shielded by such a small piece of steel. Future magnetic sliders willbe made without the steel bit)
I position the rare earth magnet in a suitable plastic cap (or mold) .
I place a spacer of thin paper under the magnet. It will allow for clearance of the hole where the bungee cord goes.
Make sure that the resin covers all the components or salt water will corrode them in no time.

visible are rare earth magnet on top of section of steel (PS steel not really necessary)
The little reed switch is not strong enough to operate the bilge pump.
It needs a booster: a relay.
The relay must be strong enough to switch the pump (minimum 3 A). Below relay available from Jaycar.

A typical diagram for the wiring will look like this. This wiring will only work with this relay. Other relays will need a specific wiring depending on the design of the part.

The above diagram does not show a fuse (strongly recommended)
The relay (and fuse) are positioned in line with the positive (+) and are all contained inside the Pelican box inside the day hatch of the kayak.

The local kayak outfitter charges $395 for fitting an electric bilge pump in your kayak.
If tinkering does not scare you probably you can save yourself about $250+...

PS MAR'10
Douglas Wilcox from Seakayakphoto has installed a Rule 500 fully automatic pump for jetskis (25S-6WC).
He does not use any switches, fuses or relays. The pump turns on automatically every 20 sec and it continues to pumps only if encounters resistance (water).
According to his findings he used the pump on a 10 day trip having it connected every day and emptied a flooded cockpit at least 10 times.
There was plenty of power left in a 1.3 Ah SLA battery.
He does not use a waterproof case either (battery in day hatch) but simply connects to the battery terminals with spade style connectors.
After a few years of use he is confident that his set up is very reliable.