Archive for Announcements
NACK Newsletter Spring 2013
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The NACK Spring Newsletter is now online including the Presidents Message, Spring Schedule, Wind & Waves, Build a Greenland Kayak, The Heel Hook Self Rescue Technique and more.
The Jersey Paddler’s Paddlesport Show is this Weekend!
Posted by: | CommentsThis weekend, the largest canoe, kayak and standup paddling show on the East Coast is taking place in Somerset, NJ. The show features manufacturers of kayaks, canoes, accessories, sportswear, paddling clubs professional instruction and expeditions, as well as lectures and video and slide shows of paddling trips, expeditions and paddling techniques. Paddlesport hosts over 100 exhibitors, including the top names in canoes, kayaks and SUPs, such as Hobie, Ocean Kayak, Epic Kayaks, Perception, Wilderness Systems, Wave Sport, Mad River Canoe, Old Town, Surftech and much more! North Atlantic Canoe & Kayak and the American Canoe Association will both be at the Paddlesport Show all weekend so be sure to stop by and visit. You can talk with NACK members to get first hand information on our club and programs, and see Sarah Kadis, ACA Safety, Education and Instruction Coordinator, to grab some ACA materials or to hear about what’s new with the ACA!
Our recent kayak rolling class with Cheri Perry and Turner Wilson demonstrated a strong interest in Greenland style kayak rolling among NACK members. While there are many exotic Greenland rolls, the Standard Greenland Roll is probably the easiest roll to master and can be done just as well using the familiar “Euro” paddle.
Anyone who has tried to learn how to roll their kayak is certainly familiar with the frustration involved in mastering this skill. Fortunately there is a wealth of information on how to do it. Now Christopher Crowhurst, the creator of the Rolling with Sticks® Guidebook and Video, has decided to make both the book and video available for a free download. Heres the story as Chris puts it.
Rolling with Sticks® started as a fun project to document the progress I was making as I learned the different Greenland style kayak rolls. This work evolved into the water proof guidebook that is available for sale in the webstore. After completing the book I realized that during the time I learned the rolls I had recorded enough video to assemble a video guide of all the rolls. I used video extensively to critique my rolls and sent them to many great rollers for their feedback. For the past two years I have provided the book and a DVD of the video for sale, and I will continue to do that. Both projects have now paid for themselves and rather than continue to make money from these projects I have decided to release both and make them freely available for download. You can continue to buy printed copies of the book on waterproof paper, as well as copies of the DVD if you want a physical copy, they are both available from my webstore
Help shape the future South Shore Blueway Trail
Posted by: | CommentsThe South Shore Blueway Trail will provide a variety of opportunities and experiences for paddle users to explore the coastline and rich estuarine environment of the Hempstead Bays and South Oyster Bay. The South Shore Blueway Trail planning team will host a public Stakeholders’ Meeting on Thursday, April 4, 2013 at 6:00 pm in the Village of Freeport Recreation Center. All paddlers are invited to attend and help shape development of the trail project. Additional public meetings will be scheduled to review the Draft Plan as the project moves forward. If you’re interested in paddling this is a unique opportunity to have your voice heard.
More information can be found on the American Canoe Association website.
The Freeport Recreation Center is located at 130 Merrick Road, Freeport, NY. Please register for the meeting or sign up to keep posted on the progress of the trail.
Stakeholder Meeting Flyer Please feel free to pass this along. Everyone is welcome!!
Kayak Rolling Instruction with Cheri Perry and Turner Wilson & “This is the Roll” DVD
Posted by: | CommentsWith the NACK Winter Pool Program now in full swing, and in keeping with the NACK philosophy of providing the very best instruction available, we were fortunate to have Cherri Perry and Turner Wilson on hand today to provide some terrific rolling instruction. A bunch of NACK members spent a couple of hours learning aft and forward-finishing rolls.
Cheri and Turner were standout competitors, winning numerous Gold Medals, at the 2005 Greenland National Kayaking Championships, in Paamiut, Greenland. Since then they have travelled the world teaching kayak rolling. They have also recently produced a terrific instructional DVD titled “This is the Roll”
To make this DVD Cheri and Turner teamed with adventure cinematographer, Justine Curgenven, the creator of the ‘This Is The Sea‘ kayaking series, to create the most comprehensive video yet on learning to roll your kayak. Shot in HD, it’s a full two and a half hours of truly epic proportions. Each scene is done from several different angles, in many different kayaks, using different blades. The DVD focuses on the primary real-water paddle rolls, the Standard Greenland Roll, the Reverse Sweep Roll, and the Storm Roll. Breaking these down, in great detail, in an open and progressive method, you see real students making and correcting real mistakes along their learning path, and you also see these rolls done well in the conditions that they are REALLY meant for. (Hint: that does not involve flat mill pond water or a pool!).
This DVD features only sea kayaks and skin-on-frames; you won’t see any white water kayaks or C-to-C rolls. And while the rolls originate from Greenlandic heritage you will see them done just as well with conventional euro paddles. The extensive coverage of common errors should be of considerable benefit to both those trying to learn to roll and instructors teaching rolling.
You can view the trailer and order the DVD from Cheri and Turner on their Kayakways website.
Southern Connecticut Small Craft Symposium 2013
Posted by: | CommentsThe second annual Southern Connecticut Small Craft Symposium (SCSCS) is scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 9, 2013.
Changing Tides Paddle Craft invites everyone to again join them at New Haven’s Wilber Cross High School for a day of free information on paddlesports by local organizations. For the second year, Elizabeth and Gordon, New Haven Parks and the American Canoe Association are collaborating to bring this free to the public event. Many of last years participants have joined the team, and several new ones are also on board. North Atlantic Canoe & Kayak members will be there to present on water demonstrations of kayak skills and rescue techniques.
Author Kevin Stiegelmaier at NACK February 2013 Meeting
Posted by: | CommentsKevin Stiegelmaier, author of the recently published Paddling Long Island and New York City, will be our guest on February 7th at our next regular meeting. His latest work, subtitled “The Best Sea Kayaking from Montauk to Manhasset Bay to Manhattan” covers 50 paddling routes and destinations across all of Long Island and the New York City area. The meeting will be held at the Connetquot Public Library 760 Ocean Ave., Bohemia. As usual, we’ll have a pre-meeting at 6, the business meeting at 7, followed by Kevin at 730 PM. Guests are welcome.
A Word from Your Director At-Large Colin Mullen
Posted by: | CommentsIn 2012, NACK had some tremendous successes and one or two disappointments. The major disappointment was we failed to have an L-3 assessment. By the time we had all the assets in place the weather became a factor and it was too late in the season to give the assessment. Therefore, for those of you that spent weeks practicing for the L-3 assessment I apologize for our failure to fulfill our commitment.
However, instead of dwelling on the disappointments of 2012 let us focus on the positive accomplishments. It started in January 2012, when Renee organized the annual holiday and award dinner and through her efforts the return of NACK’s summer BBQ. Both of these events were very well attended and they brought a much-needed and missing social atmosphere to NACK.
In 2012, NACK’s board amended some existing policies or added policies to better serve and benefit our members. They added the Member in Training policy. This policy allows a member the opportunity to once a year to attend a paddle one level above their ACA assessed level. Last season the board eliminated NACK’s long-standing policy forbidding members from practicing any skills above their ACA assessed level at peer practices. They instituted a cold water practice day affording members the opportunity to practice paddling skills in cold water and an in cold weather environment, under the supervision of certified instructors. NACK’s in house instructors and the board agreed to drastically decrease the compensation NACK’s instructors receive when performing NACK instruction and assessments and to pass these savings onto its members by reducing their fee for training, when the training is supplied by NACK instructors. These are just some examples of the policy changes, which occurred in 2012.
One of the biggest assets to incur in 2012 was NACK added three new instructors to its staff and increased the number of level three instructors to better serve the members. There are now an adequate number of level three instructors for NACK to fulfill its commitment and offer its members a level three assessment yearly and with the addition of the additional instructors NACK will be offering two level one and level two assessments each year instead of one assessment. The intention in 2013 is to have more instructors volunteer to attend peer practice and to send out a schedule prior to the practice listing which instructor will be present and what skills they will be helping the members to perfect. Hopefully some of the new L-3 instructors will be able to obtain their ACA trip leader endorsements in 2013 allowing them to teach the ACA’s Trip Leader Course to our members increasing the number of NACK certified trip leaders. With an increased number of trip leaders NACK would be able to offer more paddling trips in the future.
In 2013, NACK will be instituting a mentor program thanks to a suggestion by Theresa Whelan. Bob Horchler will run the mentor program. The goal of the mentor program will be to have existing members volunteer and be paired up with a new member who resides in their area. This pairing of members old and new will assist the new member in becoming acquainted with NACK and feel welcome. It will also give them an insight to NACK’s policies, the ever confusing NACK Buck policy and hopefully give both members a paddling buddy discouraging old and new members from paddling alone.
NACK had the largest influx of new members in 2012 and regardless if they were experienced or novice kayakers each one without exception brought a friendly positive attitude to NACK. They also brought with them fresh ideas and recommendations, something NACK encourages from all its members. You the individual member can and have helped shape and improve NACK. If you have an idea please feel free to share it with your fellow members and the board. Additionally attend general and board meetings, run for a board position, express your ideas, get involved and NACK will continue to grow both as a paddling and social organization. I sincerely thank each member for it is you the individual member that made NACK a success in 2012.