TT Kayaking Club

“Again, no storage hatches on that one. It'd make camping difficult. The design is very basic. I'd hunt around for something that matches the specs of the Catalina if possible.”

“the gear would fit behind the seat. which is movable.”

“Check out this one on eBay.”

“I was checking out a few of the Current Designs models. Some like the Gulfstream have a small third hatch just behind and to the right of the cockpit. Pretty cool.”

“but WOW its 16ft.

nice, very nice but i need something shorter.”

“Maple - Are you looking at my link?
That is 11' 1"”

“yes. ss i saw your link and thank you.
i will need to do more research on it. i have never heard of that kind before. but the bidding end on Friday. I will be in the Daks till Sunday.

I'll see if they have reserve.”

“Yep. I was just commenting on the PLETHORA of hatches, <G>

I saw something in a moldy old Boundry Waters Catalog... I don't see it on their site, now, but it's a Perception Arcadia.

Here's a few 'Recreational' kayaks on the Perception site... smaller than the touring kayaks but with a single hatch behind the cockpit, like the Acadia, the Sundance or the America.

Like Artex said, they might be a little 'stubby' for the big water, though.

And you thought it was the motion of the ocean....”

“Isn't this the kayak artex has?

I looked at one this past weekend and talked to the shop guy quite a bit about it.
He took this kayak out to Horn Island (about 5+ miles offshore in the Gulf) and complained of the front of the kayak "submarineing" when a big wave would come over the bow.
Artex, have you taken your kayak in any big waves? What's your experience?”

“StoveStomper, yep I have the Perception Shadow. Perception says they fitted the cockpit for shorter paddlers, but I'm 6'1" and fit in it perfectly. The main reason they say that is they made the deck low profile, but with my lanky build, it's fine.

I've never had problems with submarining with mine, but I also have an earlier model of the Shadow. Not sure what the difference in specs are, if any. Anyway, I weigh 185 lbs. and I have nothing but great things to say about it's ocean performance. It cuts through chop like a knife. The roughest I've ever taken it out in so far has been 2-3 foot seas with occasional whitecaps. It handled beautiful. I'm confident it would perform fantastic in even higher seas, and look forward to when that day comes.

Good luck with the shopping, please let me know if you have any other questions on the Shadow, I'm happy to help.”

“We're heading down to Myrtle Beach, SC in August...

Anybody know where to go kayaking there? We need rentals. And don't be a wiseass and say the water......”

“That's be a fun trip! Take lots of pictures dude.

I did a killer 10 mile paddle today around Caladesi Island. Saw two pods of dolphins which was really cool. Took a break on a nearly deserted beach midway through the trip and swam around in emerald clear water for about 1/2 hour. Great time, good exercise, and really relaxing.”

“Awesome...very jealous!”

“Not to be a wiseass (well ok, I'm meaning to be a wiseass), does Paddle Boy Artex realize that the Adirondacks trip will require the use of legs?”

“I've developed some nice strength in my shoulder and back muscles from paddling. Therefore, I plan on walking on my hands for most of the hike. I'll put the shoulderstraps of my pack through my legs. It should work, right?”

“Artex, be careful. Last time I hiked that way I got some chafing from the shoulder straps in some really hard to reach places.”

“LOL!”

“Shhhhh Birch... I want to see him do this. Stupid Human TT Tricks take 3!”

“I\'m thinking of this one

your thoughts”

“Wind was blowing one way, and the current was going another, and I got caught in a boat's wake....I flipped my rented kayak last Saturday...not one of my proudest moments. :o) Unfortunately I had my cellphone on me....it still works (after using a blow dryer on it)...but the liquid display doesn't. I'll need to send it to the repair shop. :o(”

“Drybags, they're good. Flipping is kinda fun isn't it?

Maple, that looks like a great boat for you! Nice price tag too. =) What color do you like best?”

“Yeah! Real nice...”

“no peeking treebeard.


yellow.
easy on the eyes.”

“And very visable.

Treebeard that's really a good deal. Maple could prolly turn around and sell that little kayak for $150 to $200 more! :) (Am I helping at all Maple?)”

“ohhh yes.




(check is in the mail)”

“then i'm going to order it and then pick it up Sat in the Am in the store in PA. i'm going away this weekend and I will be able to play with my very new baby. (boy I sure have alot of new babies)

hhheee a real kayak. I feel so grown up!!


oh, treebeard DUCK!! (as not to hit your head on the way into the small apartment)”

“Happy Mother's Day again!!”

“for me???

thank you baby. I owe you big time ;-)”

“oh, plus I get an another $50.00

cupon

less s/h becasue I will pick it up

so it's 450.00”

“How come you didn't say 'only' $450. What kind of American are you?


Oh, and when will I collect 'big time'?”

“treebeard, the children are listening..



wait till artex see's this.

too funny treebeard.

smootchies to ya baby!!

I will let you try the yak ok?”

“I got your Yak right here!”

“Report to the joke thread, Maple!”

“I was wondering if they make Locks for your kayak when it's on the car. has anyone ever had theres stolen off the roof of the car?”

“thats it. I bought it :)

I pick it up this Sat morn in PA.

oooommmmmgggggg

wwweeeeeeee

maple (may be lost in password hell, but i'm riding on a new kayak)”

“What kind did you get? I can't get your link to work.”

“PERCEPTION Acadia 12.5

from EMS

maple”

“called the store and YES i can get it Sat AM

maple”

“Nice! Congrats!”

“Yes, there are cable/lock systems that can secure your yak to the car or roof rack (latter only works if you have a rack system with locking towers).

Perception, I believe, has cable loops that can be installed in your yak's deck and will facilitate locking it when off the car -- run a bike chain, etc., through the cable loop and around a tree or such.”

“I had a great, adrenalin filled kayaking trip this morning. I paddled out from my place, enjoying the clear skies, calm water and lack of motor boats on the channel leading out to the bay. About a mile later, I reached the mouth of the bay, and noticed a fin sticking out the eater. My first instinct was to think it was a dolphin, but the dorsal fin was small and shaped different. I then saw the tip of the tail stick out of the water, and knew it was a baby shark. I wasn't really scared at that point. I had seem sharks several times while surfing when I was growing up. But I have to admit, my heart did begin to beat a little faster. I started humming the "Jaws" theme out loud, and seconds later, there was a HUGE splash in the water right next to the stern of the boat. Something very big had thrashed in the water inches away, and the force of it even spun my boat a few degrees. I quickly turned around, but all I saw was the water splashing.

It was at this point where I'm confident I broke the Tampa Area speed record for kayaking. I hauled a$$ out into the bay, wanting to get away from there, my heart beating a mile a minute and adrenalin burning through my veins. My best guess was a shark had come in for a closer look and maybe the movement of my paddle suddenly scared it, but who knows. About 20 seconds later, I see another shark off the port side of my kayak. I get a good look at it, wanting to make sure my mind isn't playing tricks on me. Yes, it's another shark. There must be a lot of fish in the area, I'm thinking to myself.

I begin to settle down now, and by this point I've left the mouth of the channel far behind and I'm a good way out into the bay. I'm now paddling at my normal pace, and begin to laugh at myself at what happened. I felt pretty stoked, it was my first shark encounter from a kayak, and it was a good one.

Then, about a 100 yards away at my 2 o'clock, I see another fin. "Okay, this has gone too far," I begin to think to myself, but I see it again and get a better look. This time, it is a dolphin. Seconds later, I see several more fins as they breach the surface for air. It's a pod of about 6-10 dolphins, and they were traveling diagnolly away from me. But then, I noticed they switched directions. One of them even jumps totally about of the water about 50 feet away from my boat! My adrenalin starts pumping again, only this time there's a smile on my face. The next thing I know, they're swimming towards me! I'm still paddling along, going my intended route, and they're coming closer and closer! The pshoooo! sound of them breathing air is getting louder and louder, and now I'm hearing it every few seconds.

The next thing I know, they're following me! I look behind and see what I'm guessing was a mother and her two babies trailing my kayak about 10 feet away. To the starboard (right) side, there are more adults, breaching the surface, but sticking out their eyes out of the water and checking me out as they're doing so. The mother and her babies then pull up to my starboard side and do the same, and they're only about 10 feet away. The whole time I can't help but talk to them, asking what they're up to and whatever else... I can't remember. I even broke out laughing a few times because it was just too cool. They followed me for a good 7-10 minutes, and then forked off in the other direction.

About an hour later, I had circled around and reached the mouth of the channel again. There were several fishing boats all around. As I approached, I saw a guy reel in a good sized one. I guess the sharks were right, lot's of fish in the area.”

“Wow! What a great morning!

You're either very brave or very crazy to have continued kayaking after seeing the sharks. I would have paddled on out and headed to the nearest lake! Hmmm...sharks vs. alligators??”

“I HATE sharks...ever since JAWS. Just terrified of them....hope I never see one in the wild.

Dolphins are definitely COOL.”

“Nice experience, Artex!”

“Artex, when you tell me that you were kayaking and communing with the dolphins, you gotta extend an invitation for me to bring skeetah bait and our 2 new kayaks down to participate. That is just way too cool!!!! I am so envious.

uh.... problem.... no new kayaks yet.... but that would be a great excuse to finally get them!”

“You guys are welcome down anytime! But you better come down quick, I've moved 12 times in the past 10 years. I could wake up tomorrow in Nome, Alaska for all I know.”

“Artex, that sounds totally awesome! Take your camera next time, dude!”