Tink requests a trip report:

OK, Tink, here goes...

This was the shake-down cruise for Barbie (my 15-year old) and me and,
of course, the Necky Amaruk. There were a number of things that we
needed to figure out. Yesterday we turned back because it was a bit too
windy and choppy. Under normal circumstances (that is, not a shake-down
cruise) we would clearly have ventured out. However, as we were trying
to get a feel for the craft, we thought discretion the better part of
valor.

As part of the shake-down, I wanted to determine if I could get the
kayak onto the roof-rack by myself. For starters, I'd affixed two
pool noodles to the front and back struts of the roof rack.

The process I'd decided on involved opening the front passenger door
and placing a third pool noodle (with a longitudinal slice to the
mid-point) over/along the top of the door frame. The kayak was then
placed on the ground at an angle -- with a vertex just past the right
rear bumper and with the kayak veering just to the right of the open
passenger door. I then lifted the front end of the kayak onto the open
door. With the front end of the kayak secure (OK, it was wobbly) on top
of the front door frame, I then walked to the back of the kayak and
hoisted the back end onto the roof rack. Next, back to the front end,
and lifting the front off the door frame and onto the front of the roof
rack. Voila! Now it was just a matter of tying down the kayak. This
could easily be done by me (a little more height would have been
advantageous). A plastic dairy crate came in handy when tying the boat
to the car.

NOTE: I'M OPEN TO ALTERNATE, BETTER WAYS OF GETTING A 90+ POUND KAYAK
ONTO AN AEROSTAR VAN

To get the kayak off the van, we reversed the process. Barbie and I
then walked the boat down the concrete boat ramp and into the water. I
was wearing shorts and sandals, so I walked the boat through the
shallow waters away from the ramp and onto the sandy beach. One of our
objectives was to see if Barbie could stay entirely dry.

At the beach, we put our spray skirts and life jackets on. Barbie
stepped into the front cockpit and remained dry in doing so. After
she's secured her spray skirt, I straddled the kayak and got in.
Barbie paddled away from shore as I worked on securing my spray skirt.
As I have a very negative Ape Coefficient (also known as short, stubby
arms) I've always had trouble with reaching around to get the back of
spray skirts secured. No different this time. Eventually I decided to
go with the front of the skirt around the coaming and I don't know
what happening in the back. Suffice to say, this is something I'll
have to work on. Nonetheless, the front portion of the skirt stayed in
place throughout and kept paddle droplets from splashing my bare legs.

From the Ambleside Sailing Club beach, Barbie and I headed east, past
Ambleside Beach and past the doggie beach just to the east. East of the
doggie beach, we turned northward into the mouth of the Capilano River.
As it was high tide, we were able to pass under the railway bridge
(just as the CNR was shunting a freight train across it) and proceed
about 200 meters further up the river.

We then returned to the mouth of the Capilano and headed west, with the
bow pointed toward the John Lawson Park jetty. On our westward trip, we
passed the doggie park once more, with several dogs frolicking in the
water or chasing sticks their owners had thrown. Once we passed
Ambleside Point and its First Nations totem with out-stretched,
welcoming arms, we turned in towards the beach. Here, a few families
were strolling along the beach combing for treasures. As we neared the
Ambleside Sailing Club clubhouse, the spot of our launch, we veered
south so as to get past the Ambleside jetty. Several fishermen had
lines out into the water and we made a wide berth around so as to not
disturb these lines. A number of ropes into the water also indicated
that someone had placed crab traps there.

From the Ambleside jetty to the John Lawson Park jetty we were careful
to avoid logs and other wood debris that the high tide had floated.
Once past the John Lawson Park jetty we retraced our path to Ambleside
and the beach where we'd launched.

As this was our shake-down cruise, we still had a few objectives to
meet. We successfully beached the kayak and Barbie was able to get out
without getting her feet wet. Getting the kayak back on to the van was
trouble-free. Within 15 minutes we were on the road. Five minutes later
we pulled into the driveway at home.

A successful first trip (4.2 kilometers) in gorgeous, by now, 15C,
bright, sunny, weather.

Can't wait to get out again. Weather forecast calls for more good
weather (possibly up to 19C -- that's "double it and add 30" for the
metrically impaired, as per an ancient Bob and Doug MacKenzie skit)
tomorrow.

frtzw906