Ewan Scott wrote:

Paddles, get what you are comfortable with. It might be right, it might=
not.
Don't be persuaded by anyone who has just spent =A3150 on a paddle that=
theirs
would be the best for you.=20

Unless they persuade you by lending it to you for a while and you can=20
compare to alternatives, that is! But even then, wait until you know=20
what you're really up to before letting yourself be persuaded by a=20
trial. Trying out for function is only really useful if you appreciate=20
what the function is meant to be like.
For starters a basic paddle should be fine and do all you need: worry=20
about your Dream Paddle later.

A survival bag - one of those orange poly ones, don't open it, fold it =
flat
and duck tape it to the inside of your boat - it is for emergency use o=
nly.

The Blizzard Packs available from=20
http://www.blizzardprotectionsystems.com/ are better, though they're =A32=
5=20
rather than =A32.50. It's about the same insulation value as a 2 season =

sleeping bag, is wind and waterproof and packs into a vacuum sealed pack =

about the size of a video cassette. We were just recommended them by=20
the club training officers, who used one "in anger" on a client on a ski =

tour recently. They were most impressed, and said you might as well=20
chuck your old orange ones away.

If your club/ instructor want you to play silly sods on emergency exerc=
ises
get another one to play with. Keeping your original taped to your boat =
means
you will have it when you need it.

The Blizzard Pack is about the size of video cassette in its vacuum=20
pack, but doesn't go back that small! The company offer a repacking=20
service, but you don't want to take them out unless you need them, and=20
at =A325 a throw I'd stick to a spare poly bag for any such silly soddism=
=20
as Ewan suggests.

A sling and a crab for hauling your boat up and down embankments. We ha=
ve a
2m sling and a self locking crab - if you can find a piece of cork thre=
ad
the sling theough the cork in case you drop it in the water.

This reminds me... some tape to make grab slings for the boy and stern=20
of the boat makes it easier to haul out of surf etc.

Pete.
--=20
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/