Checking Out the Blogs

It was a great paddling trip this weekend from Hobucken to Belhaven and around Goose Creek Island. Got a chance to raise my FEKS sail a bit, put in some miles (55 all totaled), and spend some time with some great paddling partners. I’ll check out the pictures and get a trip report out this week.

In the meantime, I noticed Alan (SOS) has updated his blog to show the beginning build of the trimaran he’s designed and building for us in next March’s WaterTribe Ultimate Florida Challenge (UFC). I’m working my way through the Challenges boat classes, as this will be a class 5 entry. I stopped over in Vandemere where Alan works and lives at B&B Yacht Designs on the way home and was very pleased with the hull size and shape. It’s gonna be fast :)

There’s another blog out there that Matt (RedBeard) has started. He and Alan, and 2 other’s, all NC State students at the time, built plywood outrigger sailng canoes (Wa'apas) for the 2007 Everglades Challenge. The original build and racing can be found on SOS blog as archived posts in 2006 through March 2007.
Dan is now getting one of those Wa'apa's  refit for the WaterTribe North Carolina Challenge next month.

FEKS Ready for the Weekend

Last night Paul helped me get my Flat Earth Kayak Sail (FEKS) all set up on my QCC.  Doesn't everyone work on their kayak in their house on the kitchen table?   Off this afternoon for Hobucken, and a 3-day paddle around Goose Creek Island, with a night in Belhaven, should have 10 mph winds throughout the weekend.

SPOT tracks here.  See Ya. 

Back on the Water

I really need a new camera, sorry no pictures.

This weekend, I finally felt better and good enough to get in some paddling. I met Christine late Saturday afternoon for a 15 miler, and then we camped at a wilderness camp site on Jordan Lake. Sunday weather called for a 60% chance of thunderstorms and rain throughout the day. We paddled another 20 miles, and the sun shone all day long. It was beautiful.

We ended the day with some rolling and rescue practice in our loaded boats. My new QCC is not nearly as easy to roll as my NDK Explorer. I’ve just got to remember to keep the lay back (the Explorer is easy to cheat on this). It had been awhile since I’d done rescue work in a loaded boat. I was surprised at how much water the cockpit took in. Way too much pumping needed. I’m now considering an electric pump.

Next weekend I’m planning another Belhaven trip from Pate’s Boat Yard  with a small group from my kayak club. Planning to arrive in time for Thirsty Thursday :)  It’s all good!

From PatesBoatyard

Plans Change

Tropical storm Emily may have stayed away, but the summer cold I started last week just continued to get worse. We ended up having to reschedule our trip this weekend, which I spent in bed rather than on the water.

But Alan's kept me feeling better with occasional phone texts about his progress as he started to build our “super secret - super fast trimaran”, the boat he has designed for the 2012 WaterTribe Ultimate Florida Challenge. This picture is a paper model of the main hull.

Alan (aka SOS) and I have entered the race as a mother and son team. He’s the expert sailor, I’ll bring my experiences by having finished this event in 2006 and as a paddler since although this is meant for sailing, we’ll be paddling at least 300 miles of the 1200 during the St Mary and Suwannee river sections, and likely more depending on weather and winds.

The video below is Alan and his then college roomates as Team RAF, launching during the 2007 WaterTribe Everglades Challenge in thier home built, but not so secret and not as fast (as this new trimaran will be) Wa'apa trimarans.

Go Away

Next Weekend Escape

Sadly Paul’s father passed way, though thankfully only a few days after his stroke. The funeral was a great remembrance of how he touched other’s lives, and all he gave to our world. Life will be forever changed without him and he’ll be remembered and missed. Life still goes on, and with things finally slowing down, I’ve planned a last minute needed weekend escape.

Christine (WaterTribe member TwinSprit) and I have planned some much needed WaterTribe North Carolina Challenge (NCC) training. Routing Beaufort to Oriental via the Intercostal Waterway, then return via the Harlow canal. This trip will give us both some familiarity with this section of the NCC route, and some good fun. I did this trip with friends in 2009, the ICW is almost always interesting, an early supper in Oriental will be a great treat, and the Harlow canal is beautiful.  I’m hoping Alan (SOS) will drive up from his home in Vandemere with B&B Yachts to dine with us.

This trip will also be my longest in my new used QCC 600, and be great to help me figure out my outfitting needs for distance paddling in this kayak. I also still need to mount my Flat Earth Kayak Sail on it, but this trip with will be paddle training, and the narrow ICW and Harlow Canal is not conducive to much paddle sailing anyway.

Earlier this morning another friend and WaterTriber Scott (aka Lenscap) and I emailed abit.  He told me his summer had been about average, meaning he’s getting in about 100+ miles per month.  I felt so jealous reading that.  I used to paddle a couple of times weekly and always managed some good regular mileage.  Lately I haven't managed more than a planned weekend trip each month.  Hardly reason to complain, just not my normal.  I was starting to think this sounded like a great new goal for me (I’m so goal oriented).  Looking back through my logs I realized I'm actually getting in more distance than I had thought.  My monthly weekend trips are usually distance trips, and it seems I've actually managed 100 miles each month anyway.

So.... I feel much better now, and I'm realy looking forward to this trip and weekend away.