NACK Spring 2012 Newsletter
By · CommentsThe NACK Spring 2012 Newsletter is now available. In it you’ll find our spring and summer schedule plus a full 25 pages of articles, paddling tips, anecdotes, humor and classified ads. This is the 15th edition and each one is full of valuable information. Back Issues are available in our Library Section.
The April 17th meeting of North Atlantic Canoe and Kayak will feature a special presentation by the Wildlife Rescue Center of the Hamptons. They plan on bringing along a few of their rescued animals, that for various reasons, cannot be returned to the wild. They will also discuss what we can do as kayakers if we come across injured wildlife while kayaking.
We’ll be meeting at the South Country Library 22 Station Road, Bellport, NY. Map
The usual 6 PM pre-meeting discussion will be followed by a short business meeting and then the wildlife presentation.
The Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center of the Hamptons, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the rehabilitation of wild animals impacted by encroachment of humans on their habitat. It is a grass roots organization that grew from a few concerned friends to a group of over 1000 members and supporters. The center is a full-time professional wildlife hospital staffed by licensed rehabilitators, biologists, animal behaviorists and volunteers. Over 100 people have been trained to assist in wildlife rescues.
Southern Conneticut Small Craft Symposium 2012
By · CommentsNorth Atlantic Canoe and Kayak Founding Director and ACA Instructor Trainer Elizabeth O’Connor will be conducting the First Annual Southern Connecticut Small Craft Symposium at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven CT on Saturday March 31, 2012. NACK members will be there demonstrating basic boat handling skills and capsize recoveries in the pool. The symposium runs from 10 AM to 5 PM
Presentations and On Water Demonstrations
Information Booths and Displays
For information on kayak tours and training visit Elizabeth at Changing Tides Paddle Craft
Visit NACK at the Jersey Paddler Kayak Show
By · CommentsNorth Atlantic Canoe and Kayak will have a booth this weekend at Paddlesport 2012 the largest kayak show on the east coast, in Somerset NJ. The show features over 100 exhibitors including 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.
It’s held at the 70,000 square foot Garden State Exhibit Center located just off of I-287 Exit 10, a 45-minute drive from Manhattan.
Friday March 23 Noon-9 pm
Saturday March 24 9 am-6 pm
Sunday March 25 10 am-4:30 pm
Stop by with us, definitely take in some of the seminars, and enjoy the show.
Be Prepared for Cold Water Kayaking
By · Comments
New Years Day 2012 on Peconic Bay
We’ve had a very mild winter, Daylight Savings Time has begun, Spring is almost here, and the days have been unusually warm. Sure makes one anxious to get on the water. Unfortunately the water is still dangerously cold and will stay that way for a good while. If you decide to head out you must be prepared for immersion. That means being dressed properly and you should have had some training and experience in the cold water environment. And don’t paddle alone. Cold water shock and hypothermia are deadly.
Pre-paddle discussion of hypothermia and cold shock
Back in December NACK conducted a special Cold Water Peer Practice at Heckscher State Park. Air temps were mild but the water temperature was just below 50 degrees. Not extremely cold but good for getting some experience. The best way to test your gear and experience cold water immersion is ….cold water immersion. So after some instruction and discussion about the cold water environment paddlers took to the water…….without their kayaks.
In the water....without a kayak
Is my dry suit really dry? Does my wetsuit offer sufficient protection? How about my layering and gloves? Should I wear a hood? How long am I good for in the water? All these questions got answered the best way possible. In the water.
Now it's time to kayak
The park offers the ideal conditions for a session like this. There’s a wide expanse of shallow, sandy bottom at the launch site so paddlers can easily wade in and out of the water. They’re always close to shelter, their vehicles, warm clothing and hot liquids.
After 15 minutes in the water they took to their kayaks and paired up for some wet-exit, capsize recovery, rescue and rolling practice. This was followed by a quick paddle along the shores of Great South Bay.
Paddling on Great South Bay
When back at the launch site members gathered to discuss their experiences while enjoying tea, coffee and pastries.
See more Cold Water Peer Practice photos.
Instead of repeating some information on the subject, here are a couple of links to solid information on cold water paddling. But remember, you must actually test your equipment, and yourself, before you encounter a dangerous situation. Reading a book, watching a video or listening to someone talk about the dangers of cold water alone just doesn’t count.
Off-Season Boating, Cold Shock and Hypothermia
For information on Cold Shock and Swimming Failure:
Sea Kayaker Magazine Article
NACK Kayak Pool Session Qajaq Testing
By · CommentsAnd as if all the pool rolling successes weren’t enough, a couple of members got the opportunity to test their latest Skin-on-Frame kayak creations in the pool. These SOFs consist of a western red cedar frame that’s lashed together in the “qajaq” building fashion of the people of the Arctic.
Frame Lashed and Pegged
Traditionally they would be covered in sealskin but today they are covered with nylon or polyester fabric and painted with polyurethane. As an intermediate step, before the final skinning, these kayaks are often tested with a “skin” of saran wrap and duct tape to be sure the design actually floats and handles as intended. What could be better than a day in the pool?
Kayak designs represented included one based on the short (nine foot six), highly maneuverable, North Alaska Recovery Kayak.
North Alaska Recovery Kayak
A second design was a long, narrow West Greenland style with an upswept bow.
West Greenland bow detail as seen thru temporary "skin"
Skin-on-Frame construction yields very light kayaks as the West Greenland design, while 18 feet long and just 19 inches wide, should weigh under 30 pounds when completed. Both designs performed well and should be ready for the paddling season. From members reactions there will be more kayak building and the possibility of a NACK skin-on-frame kayak building class in the future. More kayak building details to follow.
Kayak Pool Sessions Completed
By · CommentsThe eight weeks of two-hour Sunday pool sessions at Suffolk Community College has ended this past Sunday. Ann did a fantastic job of organizing it. All the members went out of their way to help one another, including kayak unloading and loading from and to the cars, and carrying them in and out of both the recreation building and the pool area. Steve brought his short whitewater kayak on several occasions to loan to other members. Both he & John seemed to take great pride in offering instruction for helping new members -including me-along. Most members practiced rolling, various types of rescues including the heel hook, getting back into their own kayak with the straddle or cowboy style method , as well as various other stokes, sweeps and carries of a swimmer they “rescued.” Before the sessions, most members could roll, and just worked on making it more “bomb proof.” Some members -including me- took a couple of lessons to learn or improve the rolling. Several members at first practiced rolling with the paddle float and improved to rolling without it. Dara, Matt, Alex and I finally, all successfully accomplished this somewhat elusive challenge. Dara could roll before, but only if someone was spotting her. For us other three, I think it was only in our dreams. This was peer practice, minus the cold water and jelly fish. I’m already looking forward to next winter’s sessions.
Bob H
Kayak Trip Planning Using Internet Resources
By · CommentsThis month’s meeting of North Atlantic Canoe and Kayak (Wednesday 3/7/12 at the Connetquot Library) will focus on kayak trip planning using internet resources. With the prime paddling season about to begin it’s not too early to begin thinking about where we want to paddle. Which leads us seek out new places. But how does one go about planning a trip to somewhere they haven’t been before? Check out the resources available on the Internet.
The meeting presentation will utilize free internet sources for nautical charts, maps, launch sites, weather, tides and currents. And since there is nothing like a little “local knowledge” we will also discuss the use of internet message boards to share trip information.
As usual some pre-meeting discussion at 6PM, business at 7 including the election of Club Officers, and the presentation immediately following.