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Four More Redwood Greenland Paddles Carved, July 4, 2009 Recently, I carved 4 more redwood Greenland paddles, which brings my total to 23 GP's built now. One of them is from the "Holy Grail" (see below) piece of wood, which has near perfect grain. These recent paddles have been finished with tung oil rather than epoxy. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but redwood turns dark when saltwater leaks into it, so tung oil seems to help keep it's appearance better. A tung oil finish is also easier to maintain. I'll be saving one of the paddles as new to donate at the auction to help support TAKS. Seven-Day Catalina Island Crossing and Circumnav Trip, June 7-13, 2009
I just got back from a wonderful 7-day Catalina Island crossing and circumnav trip with six friends. By far the highlight was on the crossing over, when for 40 minutes a minke whale followed us. Every 3-4 minutes it came up for air 10-30 yards from us. Occasionally we saw it swim under our kayaks to change sides. It actually joined our pod. We also saw a blue whale spout. I have two really good photos of the minke whale with kayaks in my photo journal. Bought Used Surf Kayak, a Dick Wold Nova, May 29, 2009
I've been in the market for a used composite surf kayak for a long time, and I finally found one. It's a Dick Wold Nova, 7 feet and 7 inches long by 26 inches wide. It was a friend's kayak, and I had already tried it out a few times in the past. It should fill the niche for a high performance surf kayak pretty well. Greenland Paddle #19 Completed, May 28, 2009 This GP is another carbon fiber one. My other carbon fiber GP is a year old and still in perfect condition after a lot of use. Building them is a fun two week project, and they are amazingly lightweight and durable. The only thing I did differently this time was add small end pours to the paddle tips. Hand Rolling Video, May 17, 2009 One of the contests we had at the CKF Fest this year was speed rolling. My goal in the contest was to put on a good show rather than win, so I did the rolls without a paddle and ended up tying for first with two other paddlers with 10 rolls in 30 seconds. Thank you, Des Hernandez, for the video. Greenland Paddle #18 Completed, May 4, 2009 I'm now three for three for trips to a lumber yard and finding redwood good enough to make GPs. I just finished making another one and it turned out really nice. If you would like to see the paddle, ask Teresa Boli in San Diego. Anacapa for Lunch Crossings, April 21, 2009 View the photo journal, which includes a couple great shipping lane photos. Found the Holy Grail, April 20, 2009 My GP collection is a plenty, enough to last me 20 years if need be, but like most of the rest of the GP fanatics, I'm always thinking about that next GP and searching for the wood for it. I have an excellent source for primo Sitka spruce, of which I have some great paddles. But being from California, I also have an affinity for redwood. It's our state tree, after all! I did find some nice redwood 1 1/2 years ago and made two GPs from it, and I gave them to cherished friends. Since then I've been searching for another good piece. Well, it's been a tough search. For months now, I have, on occasion when bored, stopped by at three higher quality lumber yards, unable to find a good piece. On a tip of another good lumber yard, I went by the forth one today. It took me over an hour, but I found the perfect redwood board, a 2"x6" that is 8' long with amazing vertical, tight, and straight grain. It cost $30 and I was happy to pay every cent for it. Actually, I would've been glad to pay $100 for it. This holy grail of a piece of redwood is in my garage now, and I can't help but stop and admire, almost worship, the wood every time I pass by. I'm almost nervous about cutting into it. Solo Catalina for Lunch Crossings, April 6, 2009 I completed my sixth Catalina for Lunch crossings, this time solo. Read the trip report or watch the video on YouTube. Southwest Kayak Symposium, March 27-29, 2009 It was another great year at the symposium! Attendance was good, and the participants and coaches all had a great time. A lot of my friends came, and I had such a wonderful time being with them that I felt truly wealthy. There was a Greenland style presence at the symposium too. Greg Stamer was instructing Greenland skills and rolling. It was great to finally meet him. I enjoyed one of his classes and we had a good chat at the campfire. I did a Greenland ropes demonstration. When it was time to start doing the rope moves, no one was there to watch. So I decided to just start doing the moves and see what happens. I almost felt silly and wondered if the whole thing was going to fail. After I did a few moves, a 10-year-old kid came over and asked if he could try. The flames of interest were sparked! Soon a good size crowd developed and were trying the moves. Here is some video of the ropes demonstration. Black Canyon, March 13-16, 2009 Great place, great weather, and most of all, great friends! Here is the photo journal. Point Bennett Chop Job Complete, February 1, 2009
I finished the Point Bennett chop job. The old deck was cut off, and a new one was installed 1 1/2 inches lower and with an ocean cockpit. The deck height at the front of the cockpit is 10 1/2 inches, and at the back of the cockpit, 6 1/2 inches. The ocean cockpit is 22 inches long and 16 inches wide (with 4 inches behind the seat back). The kayak weighs 45 lbs. fully outfitted and is expedition strength. Of course, I had to make a new spray skirt to fit the ocean cockpit.
Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium, January 9-11, 2009 The Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium was awesome. It was a world-class training event and great being around so many highly skilled, fascinating and fun paddlers, both students and coaches alike. I can't wait to go again next year. Here's the link to my photo journal of the event. Point Bennett Chop Job Started, November 2008
Just to sexy it up a bit and increase my on-the-water suffering, I've contemplated lowering the deck and installing an ocean cockpit on one of my two identical Point Bennett sea kayaks. The original PB built in 2004 was due for a paint job this winter. I thought that if I was going through the trouble of painting it, I might as well cut the deck off and install a new one 1 1/2 inches lower with an ocean cockpit. I already had all the materials laying around, except for the fiberglass cloth and paint, so the project is rather inexpensive. I'm reusing the VCP hatches, and by the way, the 3M 5200 sealant used on the hatch rims is tenacious stuff, so I had to chisel off the fiberglass and plywood. This week I'll be attaching the new deck, which will have a height of 6 1/2 inches at the back of the cockpit. The ocean cockpit is 16 inches wide and 22 inches long. For a retro Brit boat look, the day hatch is centered rather than offset. If you want to build a Point Bennett with a lower deck, the instructions are here. Greenland Paddle #17 Carved, November 6, 2008
I've known Jim Richards from the San Diego area for many years. In recent years, we've occasionally surfed together at San Onofre. As he was getting into waveski surfing about five years ago, he was a sea kayaker and made the initial cuts for a Greenland paddle in a beautiful piece of western red cedar. Because he became so involved in waveski surfing, he never finished the paddle. Earlier this week, he gave me the roughly cut wood, and a couple of evenings later, I finished carving my 17th Greenland paddle. In the spirit of Jim giving me the wood, I'm giving this paddle to California Kayak Friends so that it may be passed around to enjoy. Greenland Paddle #16 Built, October 30, 2008
I just completed my 16th Greenland paddle. This one is made of Sitka spruce with cedar highlights and carbon fiber tips. Like usual, I oriented the grain in the laminates so the shaft has vertical grain and the blades have flat grain, which I call a "crossgrain laminate." It maximizes the strength of the shaft and blade edges. The carbon fiber tips also add strength, not to mention a touch of high-tech beauty. This paddle weighs 32 oz. Edge Control in Surf, September 15, 2008 I had the day free, so I went to San Onofre State Beach to surf easy, slow spilling 2-4 foot waves, which make great edge control practice in a sea kayak. I was able to take video of some of the rides. Watch the horizon angle flip back and forth to see the edging, which helps turn the kayak and prevents broaching. Hard chines rule! "Shark Bait" Kayak Song Video, August 9, 2008 Not only is my friend and fellow G-sticker Steve Wilson (aka Hull Cracker) a great kayaker, but he is also a talented singer/song writer, and he is well known among kayakers in Southern California for his kayak songs. This song "Shark Bait" is inspired by the kayak disaster book "Deep Trouble," and it was performed at Aqua Adventures Kayak Center on 8/9/08. Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn17GPxzUdM Camp Pendleton Paddle, 22 NM, August 2, 2008 Paddling the length of the Camp Pendleton Marine Corp Base in Southern California is rather rare. One reason is the distance, and the other reason is concern about paddling in a military area. I did the paddle solo in 2000. On this more recent occasion, six local paddlers were accompanying the Rogue Otters on their paddle down the coast from Dana Point to Oceanside. View the photo journal. Difficult Surf Launch, July 20, 2008
Usually, I can land and launch in surf without getting my hair wet, but I had some difficulty launching today. With a long period swell bringing lots of water and a six foot beach break at Crystal Cove State Beach, I was repeatedly getting knocked back or turned around in just inches of water. I was trying to wait for the lull between sets, but three long sets came right after the other. It was all caught by video camera on the deck of my kayak. Catalina Island Crossing Trip, July 4-6, 2008 After canceling the Catalina crossing trip over the Memorial Day holiday weekend due to bad weather, we had wonderful weather on the trip over the Independence Day holiday weekend. I had a milestone 25th crossing of the channel between the mainland and Catalina during the crossing over. View the photo journal. The Blue Whales Are Back! June, 29, 2008 I paddled solo four miles offshore from Dana Point today, and for two hours I was following a blue whale, which I saw at the surface a dozen times, including three fluke views. It never surfaced closer than a hundred yards from me, so I wasn't able to get any good video. I saw about a thousand common dolphin too. As the pod swam by, I thought it was never going to end. Greenland Paddle #15, 100% Carbon Fiber, 19 oz., June 22, 2008
I just completed my 15th Greenland paddle. This one is 100% carbon fiber, weighs only 19 ounces, has the same amount of flex as Sitka spruce, and with foam plug silencers is as quiet as wood. It is the 4th composite paddle I've built, and I've gone through the whole "from plug, to mold, to paddle" sequence three times, so building composite GP's is not a fluke. The project is a lot of fun and results in a lightweight and rugged paddle. I've updated the instructions for building the paddle with more details and tips, and better photos. Dolphin Video, June 12, 2008
After work I paddled two miles offshore from Newport Beach to look
for blue whales, and a pod of common
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