"BCITORGB" wrote in message
oups.com...
John F comments:
==============
The obvious solution, of course, it to
buy a solo kayak. While the Necky Amaruk is fine affordable tandem,
it's
just not intended for solo paddling.
================

As I've just purchased the Amaruk, I'm quite sure a solo is not in the
budget.

Perhaps I'm too obtuse or don't want to get the message "don't do it"
if that's what people are saying. Or are they saying it's not ideal?

I'm willing to deal with less than ideal conditions in terms of things
like paddling harder and moving slower. What I really need, however, is
people with expertise to weigh in with input on the extent this becomes
a safety issue. For example, by way of comparison (if that's even
possible), would I be safer in a 13'7"x24" Necky Zoar solo kayak or the
17'10"x28.5" Amaruk tandem (paddling solo - with about 100 pounds of
weight foreward)?

As an inexperienced kayaker, I realise my fixation on simply putting
weight in the foreward cockpit or hatch may be completely nutty and too
simplistic and may be missing other important variables. That's where
I'd appreciate the veterans' input...

I can only speculate about kayaks, but I've done this many times in a 17
foot aluminum canoe. On occasions when I couldn't conveniently find enough
weight (I tended to rely on whatever I could find where I launched) the bow
would ride high and could get squirrelly in wind, otherwise it worked
beautifully. Obviously, it helps to get the weight as far forward as
possible. I'd guess I typically used about 60-75 lbs. or so forward of the
front seat.

Here's the speculation part: From what little I've seen of them, the seats
in two seater kayaks appear to be closer together and nearer the center of
the boat than is typical in a canoe. In theory, this means anyone soloing
from the back seat would have less affect on trim than in a canoe, and it
should be easier to balance. Unfortunately, the other seat is also closer
to center which means it would take more weight to counterbalance there. On
the other hand, if there is a forward hatch or some other way to get weight
up near the bow, it would take considerably less to do the job.

I can't think of any reason that dead weight should be a safety issue. I've
never paddled one of these boats, so I have no idea whether paddling alone
is a safety issue........but I wouldn't hesitate to try it myself.

Wolfgang

Wolfgang says:
==============
In theory, this means anyone soloing
from the back seat would have less affect on trim than in a canoe, and
it
should be easier to balance. Unfortunately, the other seat is also
closer
to center which means it would take more weight to counterbalance
there. On
the other hand, if there is a forward hatch or some other way to get
weight
up near the bow, it would take considerably less to do the job.
===============

Wolfgang, that was pretty much my thinking as well, but I thought,
given the wealth of experience around this forum, that I'd ask.

It would be just like me to have given this a theoretical one-over,
only to have missed some fairly obvious practical variables. As a
lifetime klutz, I speak from experience. If it can be screwed up, I'll
be the one to do it (reality NEVER correlates with my abstractions!).

Wilf
=============

"BCITORGB" wrote in message
ups.com...
Wolfgang says:
==============
In theory, this means anyone soloing
from the back seat would have less affect on trim than in a canoe, and
it
should be easier to balance. Unfortunately, the other seat is also
closer
to center which means it would take more weight to counterbalance
there. On
the other hand, if there is a forward hatch or some other way to get
weight
up near the bow, it would take considerably less to do the job.
===============

Wolfgang, that was pretty much my thinking as well, but I thought,
given the wealth of experience around this forum, that I'd ask.

It would be just like me to have given this a theoretical one-over,
only to have missed some fairly obvious practical variables. As a
lifetime klutz, I speak from experience. If it can be screwed up, I'll
be the one to do it (reality NEVER correlates with my abstractions!).

So, what's the worst that can happen? You die, right?

Wolfgang
um.......you won't sue me, will you?

Wolfgang opines:
=============
So, what's the worst that can happen? You die, right?

Wolfgang
um.......you won't sue me, will you?
====================

On the second point, my name's neither Tinker nor Weiser.

On the first point, in light of the reaction you got on the Florida
accident thread, I'll just leaving sleeping dogs lie. My theoretical
abstractions never include death, but, with reality, you can never be
sure.

Wilf

BCITORGB wrote:
Wolfgang opines:
=============
So, what's the worst that can happen? You die, right?

Wolfgang
um.......you won't sue me, will you?
====================

On the second point, my name's neither Tinker nor Weiser.

On the first point, in light of the reaction you got on the Florida
accident thread, I'll just leaving sleeping dogs lie. My theoretical
abstractions never include death, but, with reality, you can never be
sure.

Wilf

Now BCITORGB, or is it Wilf, or frtwz906, I dont know who you really
are to file any legal papers, so you are safe for the time being!

I can't speak for SW, whether he knows anything about putting rocks in
kayaks or not. I know I would not recommend it, especially if you just
load the bottom of the boat with loose stones. Big problems result, in
a kayak that perchance should roll, and the inside of the top, becomes
the inside of the bottom, now all loaded down with all those loose
stones. Makes rolling back up with you on now the bottom, upside down
very difficult, as in how long can you hold your breath!

Even a wet exit and subsequent attempt to drain boat that is now full
of water, in addition to all those rocks, may be difficult if not
impossible to T-Bone your kayak if you have assistance, or especially
self rescuing. In other words, the solution for wrong design, is not to
upset the design stability of the boat, by loading the keel with
ballast.

Unnecessary dead weight adversely affect the design characteristics of
the boat, the limit of the offset is dependent on your paddling skill
and strength. I suspect that what the riverman can manage is a distant
vision for most of us mere mortals. The only solution is a different
design, or as has been recommended moving the live weight nearer the
center of effort, or the center of motion back to the center of effort,
which is you.

The easiest design change would be a larger rudder in your boat, which
would require more leg strength and action to maintain control. Don't
think of the rudder as a steering device, but as a trim device, to
control windage or current. Most paddle boats, even with rudder are
best steered with proper paddling technique, not the rudder!

An additional device that I have heard of, though not seen, is a strap
on skeg. Though the strap creates some additional drag, it would be a
small price to pay, for the increase in control under the windy
conditions. Also the skeg works better than the rudder if there is wave
action that is lifting the rudder clear of the water. The rudder does
no good when out of the water, and can actually act as a sail under the
"wrong" conditions. Causing even more steering difficulties, so the
first option of a larger rudder can also be counter-productive. Plus
for the rudder to be effective, you must maintain forward motion that
becomes less in abundance as you try to paddle into a head wind or
cross wind, and the boat tries to turn down wind.

The third option is to stay home with a cup of warm chocolate, setting
in the easy chair. Now the suggestor of these suggestions, accepts no
liabilities for any of the above recommendation, and all
recommendations are subject to peer review. Hence there can be no law
suits, or wet suits, or dry suits filed that would hinder your
enjoyment, or my enjoyment of the compromises of life!

BTW give a trip report of your weekend travels! TnT

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

BCITORGB wrote:
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

Hey frtwz, I'll give you an "A+" for the trip, and an "A++" for the
first trip report. Especially the part about taking your daughter out.
Those are some of the best times shared. So congradulations to her
also! Any trip that ends with just wet feet, and a happy heart is good
for an "A+"!


Next time though, start your shake down cruise on the dry land before
getting in the water, practice putting the skirt on while setting on
dry land, have your partner check that you are doing it right. Nothing
can ruin your trip, like shipping a boat load of water and then playing
submarine. Not that the kayak will likely sink, since you have lots of
flotation, but it can sure **** off your partner, if they get wet and
have to swim for it.

Also practice releasing the skirt, once you have it properly on.
Nothing can ruin your day, if you are upside down, and find that the
pull loop is stuck inside, or the skirt is so tight that you can't get
it to release, or your gloves are in the way, and you're running out of
air.

I had to learn both the above lessons the hard way, luckily, not the
hardest way. By that I mean, after I almost drown my wife and I, and
she got all wet swimming in our scummy pond water, she began talking to
me about a month later. Sucking an excess of water would have been
easier!

Also remember it is not air temp that is the most important, but water
temp. You mention wearing shorts and sandles. I also read your post
about wetsuits earlier, and wondered how cold the water was. Did you
try swimming in it, to see the effect on you. I read an account one
time about Navy SEALS that drowned while trying to swim just a short
distance to shore, in the cold water, and these guys were strong
swimmers. In other words don't take the cold water too lightly. You did
not say how far out from shore you were, but unless you can stand on
the bottom, you had better be prepared to swim. I am just getting to
know and like you, and would not want anything nasty to happen to you.

But good report, anyway, and I enjoyed reading it since I have been
stuck inside today. Weather here in Denver is weird at times, in fact
most of the time. Last week we had temps in the high 60F, and today the
heaviest snow of the winter. But it melts fast, and the grass will
start coming up green in a short while, and the ice is off the lake, so
soon I will be out chasing rainbows and pirate ships, or whatever it is
that drives us to leave a perfectly good sofa, and go paddle! TnT

On 13 Mar 2005 12:57:34 -0800, "BCITORGB"
wrote:


(snipped)

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

Well, if you're willing to take the chance that you'll be driving home
without a door on the side of your van, I suppose your way is okay.
Careless though I am, I like to have my doors stay on the vehicle.

I have a friend with a Suvvie. He had the same problem. There's an
attachment that you can put on your rack that has a nice firm bar
sticking out from the side of the vehicle. You put one end of the
'yak on the bar and lift the other end onto the rack, then move the
first end over to the rack, remove the bar, and you're set. He loves
it. I don't know where he bought it, but I think he just went back to
where he got his rack. If it's expensive (I didn't ask him), you can
probably do something makeshift with a metal or pvc pipe.

Since I'm hard on things and don't care about scratches, I'd just put
one end leaning against the back of the vehicle and start lifting and
shoving the other end. Or get a rope up front and pull. Or any
combination of the above. I don't regard my vehicles (or my boats) as
being up there with the Mona Lisa. They get scratched, so what?

Cyli
r.bc: vixen. Minnow goddess. Speaker to squirrels.
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli
email: lid (strip the .invalid to email)

"BCITORGB" wrote in message
ups.com...
Wolfgang says:
==============
In theory, this means anyone soloing
from the back seat would have less affect on trim than in a canoe, and
it
should be easier to balance. Unfortunately, the other seat is also
closer
to center which means it would take more weight to counterbalance
there. On
the other hand, if there is a forward hatch or some other way to get
weight
up near the bow, it would take considerably less to do the job.
===============

Wolfgang, that was pretty much my thinking as well, but I thought,
given the wealth of experience around this forum, that I'd ask.

It would be just like me to have given this a theoretical one-over,
only to have missed some fairly obvious practical variables. As a
lifetime klutz, I speak from experience. If it can be screwed up, I'll
be the one to do it (reality NEVER correlates with my abstractions!).



One problem you'll have from sitting in the stern and putting weight in the
bow, wilf, is that your boat will be a lot harder to turn. Normally, the bow
paddler turns the front of the boat for you, so you will definately notice
their absence if you replace them with a rock or two.

The reason that solo boats tend to have the paddler in the middle (or just a
tiny bit astern) is that you can pivot the boat around the center of gravity
(your butt) with wide, circular sweeping strokes. However, if you sit in the
stern seat and put enough weight in the bow seat to keep the vessel trim,
you are too far behind the center of gravity to effectively rotate the boat
with paddling strokes. Instead, your turns tend to be 'driving strokes' as
you drive around a circle, or relatively inefficient draw strokes as you
drag the butt end of your boat around the center of gravity. Fine enough in
a lake, if you don't mind adding a few dozen yards and strokes to all of
your changes of direction, but very difficult to manage in a moving river,
where you often want to realign your boat direction without actually
changing the drift you are on.

In canoes, Wolfie, its pretty common (assuming the style of seat allows it)
to turn the boat around and sit in the 'bow seat', as this puts your body
closer to the center of the boat. Often, this maintains the proper trim by
itself, without having to add a load in the bow. Similarly, when loading
canoes for trips, you tend to put the heavier gear in the center of the boat
(water bottles, beer, pots and pans) and the lighter stuff (duffel, trash
bags, empty coffee pots) out near the ends, as they won't effect your
ability to pivot so much.

--riverman

"riverman" wrote in
:


"BCITORGB" wrote in message
ups.com...
Wolfgang says:
==============
In theory, this means anyone soloing
from the back seat would have less affect on trim than in a canoe, and
it should be easier to balance. Unfortunately, the other seat is also
closer to center which means it would take more weight to
counterbalance there. On
the other hand, if there is a forward hatch or some other way to get
weight up near the bow, it would take considerably less to do the job.
===============

Wolfgang, that was pretty much my thinking as well, but I thought,
given the wealth of experience around this forum, that I'd ask.

It would be just like me to have given this a theoretical one-over,
only to have missed some fairly obvious practical variables. As a
lifetime klutz, I speak from experience. If it can be screwed up, I'll
be the one to do it (reality NEVER correlates with my abstractions!).



One problem you'll have from sitting in the stern and putting weight in
the bow, wilf, is that your boat will be a lot harder to turn.
Normally, the bow paddler turns the front of the boat for you, so you
will definately notice their absence if you replace them with a rock or
two.

On the other hand, if someone is paddling a tandem kayak solo the stern seat
is the only one that might have rudder peddles.