A question from a new paddler...
 

!Jones wrote:
On 11 Feb 2006 11:38:49 -0800, in rec.boats.paddle "RkyMtnHootOwl"
wrote:

... available than the Hobie/Mirage, and should not be subject to regional
limitations due to cold water, or warm temps either. They are used all
around the world from expeditions in Alaska, to the Congo, to the
Danube. Folks fish from them, photograph wildlife, and as myself, just
toole around in them. RkyMtnHootOwl OvO

Hey, thanks for the great input!!! That's exactly what I was asking
for. I know squat about this subject, so anything I get is certainly
appreciated!

We already own a SportsRig trailer. It's a reasonably good product,
IMO; we use it for our tandem bicycles. I'm thinking that it would
haul a kayak well. I have seen the Klepper brochures and they look
really attractive!!! So... you're happy with yours, I take it?

The trailer certainly adds drag... don't let anyone say that it
doesn't! It clobbers your MPG and top end.

Our issue is an upper-body handicap... my wife will never be a strong
paddler. That's just an issue with which we'll have to cope if we
plan to get into this sport. I'm thinking that the Hobie will
probably allow us to paddle protected water and enjoy the sport to the
extent that we can. Hey! A person who is handicapped doesn't have to
win the Olympics to lead a full life, right? I still love her even
though we'll never take on class 5 water... I'm over it!

Jones

From reading this thread, you sound like a pretty competitive A type
personality. I may be wrong, and feel free to set me straight. I have
never ridden a tandem bike, but I have ridden double century rides here
in Colorado, both mountain and plains. Finally decided that though I
enjoy riding, I did not particularly want it to be a competition. I say
this so that you would understand where I come from in regards to my
boat as well.

I have found the folders to be very enjoyable to go out on the lake on,
and have a relaxing paddle. Now that is not to say that you could not
get alot more performance out of them, but I would say that my wife and
I have had numerous leisure tandem trips. I think that what you need to
try to zero in on is what kind of experience you are wanting to have.
Also what your wife and kids are expecting. The folders can meet a wide
range of needs and expectations, and my wife paddles ours just fine.

I started out a few years back, thinking that I would get into WW
paddling, but at 56 I figure I am over that as well. My learning curve
kept me on the bottom of the lake looking up to much. I may not be a
good learner, but I am a quick learner, and I learned quickly that I
did not have anything to prove. I just enjoy being on the water in a
non-competive mode.

If you go on the Hobie web site, they have some video clips demo the
Mirage drive in a pool competition against Olympic Paddlers, and the
Hobie always wins. My thought, how many times do you plan on competeing
in a pool against Olympic paddlers. Now I am sure the Mirage system
works fine in other environments, and as I stated in the first reply on
this thread to your OP, I know of one EC competitor that used one.
However, this competition environment is not the same where you would
be going out with kids in the ocean, and in particular where the water
is very cold, and the SOT is going to be very wet. I think that the
traditional paddle system is a better solution for general paddling
needs, for most folks.

As far as transporting, I typically leave the folder assembled, and
cart top it the short distance to the lake. Longer trips are convienent
to carry in the car, and no trailer is needed, which saves alot of
hassles of traveling with the trailer. Having the folder in the car
solves major security hassles if you stay at a motel and have to worry
about your kayak being on top of the car. Numerous stories can be told
of folks who lost their kayak off the tops of their cars.

May I suggest that you can relax, slow down, and allow yourself to
enjoy a more leisurely boating experience! OvO

A question from a new paddler...
 

For many years I used a combination of a dry top and dry pants to paddle
whitewater. I always stayed dry even when I took a swim. One day I
switched to a dry top and neoprene pants instead and have been paddling like
that for about the last 5 years. With whitewater I still don't get all that
wet on a swim but then I don't swim much anymore so I don't have extensive
research on that. I've noticed that only the fleece under my top gets damp
up to about my lower rib level along with my polypro. I stay warm enough
that that I don't notice it unless I look. When I took an instructor sea
kayak coarse a few years ago we had to stay in the water in the ocean for a
while (I was in it for about 45 minutes in Washington State) and even with
doing all of the re-entries nothing under my dry top got wet and I stayed
very warm. I was actually impressed after being in the water for so long.
I have a Patagonia Gortex dry top but I used to have a Kokatat Gortex and
loved it just as much. The neoprene pants that I've been using are by Deep
See. I have also used NRS and they too are very good too. It's all a
personal choice but I hope this helps with some extra info and leads on
gear.

Courtney



Dunno how "dry" it would remain during prolonged immersion though. If the
arms/torso wind up getting flushed, that would be an extremely bad thing
if all
that was underneath was something like PolarTec.