Dubside

http://www.dubside.net/

http://www.dubside.net/press/press_dubsidedown.pdf

Helen Wilson Rolling

http://www.greenlandorbust.org/

Canoe & Kayak Racing: Wash Riding/ Drafting

Canoe & Kayak Racing: Wash Riding/ Drafting


Recently I came across a post by Bob Putnam, owever of Deep Cove Outdoors in in Deep Cove British Columbia, on the outskirts of Vancouver. The post itself was on the topic of "Wash Riding" in paddlesports racing. Bob, who opertates the largest weekly canoe/ kayak racing series in ALL of North America, the Deep Cove Tuesday Night Race Series, offers up some good insights. See the entire post below, quoted word for word with permission from Bob.

"Any benefit I can get from wash riding I'll take. Sometimes it doesn't seem like much. When we look at drafting it would be great to know which is the most beneficial position? The most obvious spot is directly behind the paddler in front, the stern wash. Just like in bike racing. I read somewhere that you can save 5% by stern wash. If its 5% for paddling I would imagine it to be at least double that for cycling. In paddling the benefit is not from wind resistance reduction as in cycling but from, #1 riding the downhill wave that is formed from the lead boat, and #2 the back eddy that is formed as the lead boat pushes through the water.

The next great place to draft is side wash. Here there is a bit of a side wave that you can get a push from. Who knows which is better?? I usually like to ride side wash. This way you can taunt your host and it's easier to move up as you don't have stern wave to climb up and over. Tactically, I think the side wash is a better position to be in. I like to position myself just behind and to the side of the host paddler. Far enough away so that we are not clashing paddles, unless for some reason you want to intimidate him, she or them.

Now when it comes to clashing paddles or trying to take somebody out, normally nobody wins. Both parties strokes ends up getting messed up or stopping altogether and they slow down, whilst the other people in the group chortle to themselves saying things like,"Suckers" or the like.

Converging Sidewash

Now if you can get two cooperative individuals on either side, you can rider their converging sidewashes. This is pretty sweet and you can get a big push from this. Usually you should lay low and keep your mouth shut so they don't notice. If you start yelling things like, "Sweeeet ride!" or "Oooh Baby I can stop paddling now!!!" Your two hosts may decide to close the gap and squeeze you out.

Triple Wash Ride

If you can get it, a stern wash ride with a side wash ride on either side is the Holy Grail of wash rides. Here you can park your paddle and pull out the newspaper. Not long ago on Surfski.info I was watching the great Rambo video of Clint Robinson in an Aussie Race, and prior to the Fenn Hot Spot Clint looked like he was getting a triple wash ride. The only problem is that you are somewhat boxed in. Some how Clint managed to escape and took the hot spot. In last weeks TNR there was a good pack and I am sure somebody had this spot…it just wasn't me.

Scraping Off

Now if the individual riding your side wash is annoying you or you think they will out-sprint you at the finish you can make it difficult for them and try to "scrape them off". This can be done by paddling close to an object that you can pass by, but will force them to slow down and ride your stern wash. Shallow water, docks, rocks and slower paddlers all make for good obstacles for scraping people off. I heard of one case in a river marathon, where the draftee had a rudder which shed weeds really well and lead the group through weeds. The drafter's rudders collected weeds and they had to slow down. Now there is an un-written, but much discussed rule preventing the lead boat from just slamming the door on somebody who is beside them. Here's my interpretation… Let's say we are rounding a buoy or dock and I have the inside lane and I am riding the sidewash of a single ski. If I am behind the paddler beside me but my bow is between him/her and their bow then they have to give way. If my bow is trailing the paddler, then, (if they are feeling particularly nasty) they can shut the door and scrape me off. But always remember to play nicely and that you may have to have beers with them after the race.

Symbiotic Relationships

So with drafting you can look to nature and see a variety of symbiotic relationships. So for instance, a Mutualistic relationship is where both parties benefit. This is like the little bird that sits on the Hippo and eats all the little bugs. The bird gets a meal and the Hippo is Happy too. This can be likened to a break-away group where both parties are taking turns pulling. This usually works well until it is time to determine who will win between the two.

The other type is called commensalism. This is where the one party benefits but doesn't affect the other. An example is when soldier ants go on a raid and stir up other bugs and insects which following birds then eat. In a kayak race this could be when a single is just hanging on to a double and doesn't get in the way. The single's position is advanced, but they don't slow the double. Kinda like me clinging onto the OC2 at Lake Whatcom Classic and pulling away from Reivers!

Another relationship in nature is the Parasite, This is where the parasite benefits from the host, in some cases killing the host and maybe heading off to find a better host. Tapeworms or the notorious Mountain Pine Beetle. In surf ski racing, I would liken this to somebody who drafts a competitor for the entire race and then out-sprints them in the final 200m, bad form, or in some cases the beneficiary would offer words of encouragement or direction to the host giving them false hope that they could catch up to parasite's competitor. "If you paddle a bit fasterI…………., I mean, we could catch that guy" These words are spoken until the Host cracks and the beneficiary moves onto another host.

Bob "

Waterproof LED, Xenon, and Halogen Lights and Strobes for Sea Kayaking

Waterproof LED, Xenon, and Halogen Lights and Strobes for Sea Kayaking

(this is written from a US Boating Regulations perspective, so please read Canadian Regulations)


The following table lists all the waterproof flashlights, headlamps, and strobe lights that I use for sea kayaking. To the left of each item I've listed where I stow it ... lights won't do you any good unless they are stowed such that you have access to them and can find them in the dark. With the new generation of waterproof halogen/Xenon and LED lights it is possible to fit all but one of the lights you need while on the water on your PFD. All the lights listed here are what I consider kayak waterproof (meaning it holds up under use on the deck of a kayak in breaking seas or in a wet pocket of a pfd). All but two (the PrincetonTec Surge and the Essential Gear 7 LED headlamp) use an O-ring sealed twist-on/off switch which is less prone to being turned on accidentally than any other type of switch and relatively easy for the designers to make highly waterproof. LED lights use less power for the same amount of light, so batteries last about ten times longer than with conventional bulbs. LED lights are also more rugged when dropped and last many times longer before burning out (eliminating the need to carry spare bulbs). Halogen and Xenon bulbs have relatively short lives and drain batteries fast, but they put out many times more light than a conventional lightbulb or LED of the same size running on the same batteries. So halogen/Xenon bulbs still have a place, but LED lights are better for your more frequent needs and for lights that are likely to be left on for long periods.

To be meet your legal requirements for lighting, after sunset kayakers "shall have ready at hand a white light which shall be exhibited in time to prevent collision" (from the Navigation Rules, see COMDTINST M16672.2C wherever government charts are sold). Another words you do not need red and green side lights, just a plain flash light bright enough to be seen from at least a mile is all that is required. Although the law doesn't say this, from a practical viewpoint as a sea kayaker your light(s) better be highly waterproof, and at least one should be attached to your PFD (life jacket) so you would have it even if you loose your kayak. Lights stowed away in a hatch or behind your seat will be of limited use.

Fortunately new technologies in lighting have recently made it easier than ever for kayakers to meet the legal requirements as well as provide lighting for all our other needs at a minimal cost and with very little weight. Many of the new lights are so light, small, and inexpensive, that I now carry several lights on my PFD at all times. That way I can't leave home without them. To meet the legal requirement, I carry a waterproof Xenon light in the bottom of one of the front pockets on my PFD. This light (Pelican Mini Mitylite) is amazingly bright for it's tiny size -- only slightly larger than the one AAA battery that powers it, and it is waterproof to 2000 ft. I recommend the model with a clear housing though; that way if it ever leaks or the battery corrodes you will be able to see moisture inside. As great as this light is, it is not my main light for night paddling. Bright lights such as the Mitylight will kill their batteries in about an hour. Headlamps, even the LED ones, are too bright to leave on when paddling in a group (because they blind your companions), and they only shine in one direction (making you invisible from other directions). So a bright light should only be used when it's intense light is really needed (i.e. when a motorboat heading toward you). My primary light for night paddling, the one I leave on so other kayakers in my group can see me. This light is a relatively dim, waterproof LED light that is designed to shine a full 360 degrees (Essential Gear Guardian). By attaching this light to the top of your hat or the top strap of your headlamp (with Velcro strap or by sewing a piece of webbing on the hat to clip the light to), you make yourself visible to other kayakers in your group without blinding them. This watch sized LED light is visible for 1/4 mile in all directions (e.g. in side view, it's brightest direction is strait-on which I normally have facing up at the sky, but if you point this part of the beam at your compass or chart you will be able to read them at arms length without blinding you as much as most flashlights would), and it is light weight, rugged, and waterproof to 300 ft. It comes complete with two coin sized watch batteries that will run it continuously for 10 - 20 hours. For long trips you might want to bring extra batteries, but the problem would then be where to store them so they are handy enough to change in the dark and yet never get wet? So rather than carrying spare batteries, I simply carry a complete second one of these lights (it only costs $12.50 with batteries included and is so light and tiny, why not have two?) ... that way the spare batteries are already loaded and ready to use. This light also makes a nice all around light to hang inside your tent. One could get by with just the above two lights (one light with an intense, focused beam but short on battery life, the other light with a dim all-around (360 degree) light and 10-20 hour burn time), and they will both fit in a single pocket on the front of a PFD with room left over -- making them ideal as emergency lights to have at all times. However, if I were planning on paddling after dark or knew in advance that there was a good chance we would still be paddling after sunset, I would like to have two additional lights at hand. These other two lights would be a waterproof LED headlamp (for messing with gear etc.) and the brightest light I can reasonably pack (for beach scanning from the water before landing and as a brighter light for collision prevention).

There's a lot of confusion about strobe lights, both in the minds of kayakers as well as the rest of the boating community. In some areas a strobe light is an approved night-time emergency distress signal, in other areas it is not. The definitions and boundaries of these areas (spelled out in the appendices of the above referenced Navigation Rules which most boaters have probably never seen) are often counterintuitive, but even where a strobe is not approved as a distress signal, it will likely attract unwanted attention from others who may be obligated to come help you. And if it turns out you were just using your strobe to show your position in a non-emergency, it will cause ill-will between kayakers and other boaters, waterfront home owners, etc. who spent their time and energy making sure you are okay. Kayakers can not afford to earn a reputation for false alarms. This is true whether the strobe was designed for boating emergencies or one of the colored ones made for bikes and runners. Whether or not you are in an area where a strobe light is an approved distress signal, a waterproof marine strobe light can be a valuable emergency signal, but only use it in an emergency regardless of the type of water you are on.

Although not an absolute necessity, on camping trips it is really handy to have a headlamp (to cook with, to set up your tent, etc.) in addition to your other lights for on the water. If you already own a headlamp that isn't waterproof, you could make due with it if you carry the other lights I recommend for your on the water needs, and keep your headlamp in a drybag and only use it when on shore, but sooner or later everything in a kayak gets wet - even in dry bags. And a headlamp is handy to wear while paddling too, for finding gear in dry bags, fixing things, tying knots, etc. So a waterproof headlamp is a worthwhile investment even if you already have another headlamp. If investing in a new headlamp, there are now waterproof headlamps with LED lights that are bright enough for all your headlamp needs. Some of the early LED headlamps were rather dim, but the latest ones are getting remarkably bright. There are several waterproof LED flashlights and headlamps that are about as bright as conventional lights (lights with non-halogen/Xenon bulbs). Another option is to add a flashlight holding headband to your waterproof LED hand-held flashlight to convert it into a headlamp. There are special headbands made for this purpose.

One other light that would be nice to have (at least one such light in a group) is a really bright waterproof light to use to scope out beaches before landing in the dark, and to warn away persistent motorboats. For these uses, even the brightest lights you could keep handy in a kayak are barely adequate, but there is one such light that comes close to meeting this goal (PrincetonTec Surge, runs on eight AA batteries). Although it is still usable much longer, it looses it's exceptional brightness after about ten minutes of battery use. So save this light for the brief times when you really need its intense power, and carry other lights for the routine chores (partially drained batteries can be used to run your LED lights though). I can accept this light's short battery life, but the thing that I don't like is that, unlike all the other lights I recommend, the Surge has a toggle switch. It is quite easy and common for it to get turned on accidentally while rolling around in your hatch or on deck in the daytime when you may not notice it. Yet it's brightness and compact size can't be beat by any other light I've found, so put a piece of tape over the switch so it won't turn itself on and accidentally drain the batteries.

Paddling and Rolling Instructionals

I highly recommend both of these links.

http://www.schools.ash.org.au/daptohigh/eskimoroll.htm

...and

http://www.kayakpaddling.net/

Canadian Planisphere

Very nice LINK for us amateur sky watchers.

Float Plan

FLOAT PLAN

~~~~~~~~~~
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Name:
Phone:
Email:
Address:
Number of People on board:
Age:
Height:
Weight:
Sex:
Health, Pre-Existing Medical Conditions:
Skill Level:

~~~~~~~~~~~
VESSEL
Type: Kayak
Size:
Make:
Model:
Serial Number:
Hull Colour:
Deck Colour:
Bouyancy: Front and back, hatched bulkheads.

~~~~~~~~~~~
COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT
VHF: Yes/No
Channels monitored - 16? / WX?
Cellphone: Yes/No
Cellphone number:
Other: ?

~~~~~~~~~~
NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT
Compass: - Yes/No, Types? Locations?
GPS: Yes/No
Charts: Yes/No
Tides and Current Forecasts: Yes/No
Weather Forecasts: Yes/No
Wind Forecasts: Yes/No

~~~~~~~~~~~
SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT
Life Jacket/PFD: Yes/No, Colour?
Bilge Pump: Yes/No
Flares: Yes/No, Type?, Age?
Signaling Mirror: Yes/No
Emergency Shelter: Yes/No, Type?
Smoke Signal: Yes/No
Flashlight: Yes/No
Immersion gear: Yes/No, Type?, Colour? Insulation layers?
Whistle: Yes/No
Spare Paddle: Yes/No
First Aid Kit: Yes/No

other...
Water: Yes/No, Quantity?
Basic Personal Survival Kit (1 night): Yes/No
Personal Medications: Yes/No, Enough for?

~~~~~~~~~~~
VEHICLE
Vehicle Make/Model:
License number:
Year:
Colour:
Parked at:

~~~~~~~~~~~
Itinerary
Route:

Location
Arrive:
Date:
Time:
Depart:
Date:
Time:
Check in Deadline:

Location:
Arrive:
Date:
Time:
Depart:
Date:
Time:
Check in Deadline:

~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CALL CONTACTS IMMEDIATELY IF DEADLINE MISSED
~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Contact:

Coast Guard, Search and Rescue
Phone Number:

AND

Next of Kin
Name:
Phone Number:
Address: