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#1
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Sea kayak, ballast, use of lead blankets, just an observation
This is just my observation.
Prologue And a little preface . . . before I ever stepped into a sea kayak, I did a little sailing (nothing extravagant though). Many recreational sailboats use ballast, for example lead filled keels. So with the handling of a sea kayak, borrowing what sailors in past centuries have done in many sailboats and ships and a variation presented in Derek Hutchinson's book "The Complete Book of Sea Kayaking" in which he described the use of lead pipe parts as ballast Lead blanket as ballast I purchased two 16" by 24" lead blankets. (the type to shield from radiation). Folded, two of the lead blankets fit beneath my kayak seat, a Current Designs Storm with the original seat. I carefully tied in as these lead blankets have as they have grommets. I recently went off to the local pool session to see how this ballast would work. Although I did not have a self righting boat like the U.S. Coast Guard motor lifeboats, MLBs, the ballast made eskimo rolling much easier in my sea kayak (yes, I was hoping for the capability of a MLB). The lead blankets stayed in quite securely. Regarding the use of this type of ballast, I would not use ballast when initially learning eskimo rolling. Since this ballast makes eskimo rolling much easier, their use would also the development of sloppy habits while initially learning. Besides this test, I would also not use this ballast while practicing in pool sessions. The use of ballast would allow sloppy rolling habits to develop. The next test will on open water, later this year, with some wind and additional weight in the front and rear hatches, and perhaps while under sail (and with sponsons deployed while sailing although these sponsons work, they are overhyped by certain people). And for some unknown reason, a computer recycler in Glen Flora, Wisconsin, 5R Processors, LTD. purchased or otherwise received 44,000 pounds of lead blankets. They have been listing these lead blankets on eBay. The shipping costs as much and most likley more than the lead blanket. Epilogue I also have a tendency to try unusual gear with the sea kayak so far, for example, nightime running lights, downwind sail, the electric bilge pump. I have my kayak rigged for rear (someone else) and forward towing (me) while also serves to tie up my kayak. I cannot imagine having a boat without cleats, too. In regards to ballast, I had also removed lead from car batteries before discovering theses lead blankets. I would not recommend tearing apart car batteries and smelting the lead; this is too time consuming. I did not go to a metal recycler though. End Scott Bemis |
#2
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Sea kayak, ballast, use of lead blankets, just an observation
My wife and I are avid scuba divers and as such we have ample lead weights
(solid weights as well as soft sided "bean bag" weights). For the purpose of figuring out the best trim for our seakayaks we often used beanbag weights as ballast. Worked well! I don't know that I would want to leave it in full time. It would make the boat more stable, but also means you have to paddle and carry the extra weight. Wade "Scott Bemis" wrote in message om... This is just my observation. Prologue And a little preface . . . before I ever stepped into a sea kayak, I did a little sailing (nothing extravagant though). Many recreational sailboats use ballast, for example lead filled keels. So with the handling of a sea kayak, borrowing what sailors in past centuries have done in many sailboats and ships and a variation presented in Derek Hutchinson's book "The Complete Book of Sea Kayaking" in which he described the use of lead pipe parts as ballast Lead blanket as ballast I purchased two 16" by 24" lead blankets. (the type to shield from radiation). Folded, two of the lead blankets fit beneath my kayak seat, a Current Designs Storm with the original seat. I carefully tied in as these lead blankets have as they have grommets. I recently went off to the local pool session to see how this ballast would work. Although I did not have a self righting boat like the U.S. Coast Guard motor lifeboats, MLBs, the ballast made eskimo rolling much easier in my sea kayak (yes, I was hoping for the capability of a MLB). The lead blankets stayed in quite securely. Regarding the use of this type of ballast, I would not use ballast when initially learning eskimo rolling. Since this ballast makes eskimo rolling much easier, their use would also the development of sloppy habits while initially learning. Besides this test, I would also not use this ballast while practicing in pool sessions. The use of ballast would allow sloppy rolling habits to develop. The next test will on open water, later this year, with some wind and additional weight in the front and rear hatches, and perhaps while under sail (and with sponsons deployed while sailing although these sponsons work, they are overhyped by certain people). And for some unknown reason, a computer recycler in Glen Flora, Wisconsin, 5R Processors, LTD. purchased or otherwise received 44,000 pounds of lead blankets. They have been listing these lead blankets on eBay. The shipping costs as much and most likley more than the lead blanket. Epilogue I also have a tendency to try unusual gear with the sea kayak so far, for example, nightime running lights, downwind sail, the electric bilge pump. I have my kayak rigged for rear (someone else) and forward towing (me) while also serves to tie up my kayak. I cannot imagine having a boat without cleats, too. In regards to ballast, I had also removed lead from car batteries before discovering theses lead blankets. I would not recommend tearing apart car batteries and smelting the lead; this is too time consuming. I did not go to a metal recycler though. End Scott Bemis |
#3
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Sea kayak, ballast, use of lead blankets, just an observation
depleted uranium seems to be an even better choice than lead :-)
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#4
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Sea kayak, ballast, use of lead blankets, just an observation
On 17 Mar 2004 08:28:58 GMT, Dirk Barends wrote:
depleted uranium seems to be an even better choice than lead :-) But the speed at which you receive it matter a great deal. Happy trails, Gary (net.yogi.bear) ------------------------------------------------ at the 51st percentile of ursine intelligence Gary D. Schwartz, Needham, MA, USA Please reply to: garyDOTschwartzATpoboxDOTcom |
#5
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Sea kayak, ballast, use of lead blankets, just an observation
Oh well, I do not scuba dive. I should have asked first asked
regarding . . we have ample lead weights . . . as soft sided "bean bag" weights") The soft sided bean bag weights would work well beneath a kayak seat (and there is a scuba dive shop one mile from my house). I saw the solid lead weight belts for scuba divers. I never knew that scuba divers used bean bag weights. Oh well, maybe next time (the purge valves used by scuba divers work well on larger drybags - the type of drybags I used for canoeing). I don't know that I would want to leave it in full time I agree completely. This is why lead blankets or even better, your ideal of lead bean bags, is desirable. Longer term trips, yes, day trips, no. And yes, depleted uranium would be even better as depleted uranium is a denser metal than lead. As there have been (thankfully) no tank battles near my home (Minnesota U.S.A.) and therefore no leftover destroyed tanks from any tank battle, I do not have a nearby source of depleted uranium. Many tanks used depleted uranium for armor. Or should I ask the nearby VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) post if I can look at the tanks sometimes on display in front of their clubs ? My wife and I are avid scuba divers and as such we have ample lead weights (solid weights as well as soft sided "bean bag" weights). For the purpose of figuring out the best trim for our seakayaks we often used beanbag weights as ballast. Worked well! I don't know that I would want to leave it in full time. It would make the boat more stable, but also means you have to paddle and carry the extra weight. Thanks for the scuba diver bean bag tip. Scott Bemis |
#6
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Sea kayak, ballast, use of lead blankets, just an observation
Sea kayaks will not work effectively with ballast. Ballast works by
providing leverage to offset the leverage exerted by the sail. Since a kayak only goes a few inches below the water line, Ballast is not able to provide that leverage beyond the 2 or so inches below the waterline. Sailboats increase the leverage with a keel that protrudes several feet below the waterline. Outriggers work much better for Kayaks. All comercial kayak sail systems available that provide stabalization use outriggers. Balogh Sail Designs sell outriggers that can be folded quite small. Scott Bemis wrote: This is just my observation. Prologue And a little preface . . . before I ever stepped into a sea kayak, I did a little sailing (nothing extravagant though). Many recreational sailboats use ballast, for example lead filled keels. So with the handling of a sea kayak, borrowing what sailors in past centuries have done in many sailboats and ships and a variation presented in Derek Hutchinson's book "The Complete Book of Sea Kayaking" in which he described the use of lead pipe parts as ballast Lead blanket as ballast I purchased two 16" by 24" lead blankets. (the type to shield from radiation). Folded, two of the lead blankets fit beneath my kayak seat, a Current Designs Storm with the original seat. I carefully tied in as these lead blankets have as they have grommets. I recently went off to the local pool session to see how this ballast would work. Although I did not have a self righting boat like the U.S. Coast Guard motor lifeboats, MLBs, the ballast made eskimo rolling much easier in my sea kayak (yes, I was hoping for the capability of a MLB). The lead blankets stayed in quite securely. Regarding the use of this type of ballast, I would not use ballast when initially learning eskimo rolling. Since this ballast makes eskimo rolling much easier, their use would also the development of sloppy habits while initially learning. Besides this test, I would also not use this ballast while practicing in pool sessions. The use of ballast would allow sloppy rolling habits to develop. The next test will on open water, later this year, with some wind and additional weight in the front and rear hatches, and perhaps while under sail (and with sponsons deployed while sailing although these sponsons work, they are overhyped by certain people). And for some unknown reason, a computer recycler in Glen Flora, Wisconsin, 5R Processors, LTD. purchased or otherwise received 44,000 pounds of lead blankets. They have been listing these lead blankets on eBay. The shipping costs as much and most likley more than the lead blanket. Epilogue I also have a tendency to try unusual gear with the sea kayak so far, for example, nightime running lights, downwind sail, the electric bilge pump. I have my kayak rigged for rear (someone else) and forward towing (me) while also serves to tie up my kayak. I cannot imagine having a boat without cleats, too. In regards to ballast, I had also removed lead from car batteries before discovering theses lead blankets. I would not recommend tearing apart car batteries and smelting the lead; this is too time consuming. I did not go to a metal recycler though. End Scott Bemis |
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