Nalu 12.5 from Ocean Kayak

  If you have access to water, and access to paddlers of all sizes, shapes and abilities, you may want to make space for the Nalu 12.5, a plastic hybrid paddleboard/sit-on-top kayak. 

The Nalu 12.5 is not a performance boat, but it is cleverly designed to be fun and easy to use.  The board weighs 49 pounds, and is an easy one person carry balancing well from either center handhold.  Aft bungees hold gear in place, and there's a compartment up front for drier storage.  Rather than a long fin, there are three keels to help the Nalu hold direction.  You can lay it flat on the grass and there is less to worry about as you launch.  And, if you've ever caught your SUP board fin on a hidden branch, you know another advantage to the keels.
     It's an easy boat to get on, and you can stand, sit, kneel or lie down to paddle.  If you're looking for a boat for a variety of skill levels at a lake, or a craft for exploring small streams, this is a great choice.
     Newer versions include a handhold in back, as well as in front, and pads to help older joints kneel.  But the versions we purchased were close-out models bought at the twice yearly Old Town Canoe and Kayak factory seconds sale; the second cheapest way to add new boats to your fleet.*

 

These boards come with an optional seat.  The seats can attach at four points (Two by the center handles, two by the bungees.) When all four points are used, the seat is held open.  We generally prefer to just use the two front straps, and travel with the seat folded over itself and flat.  Sometimes we don't even bother to open the seat,  we just sit on the back of the seat, or even use it as knee pad.  

One of the nice features is how well these boards stack on a roof.   Stacking is enhanced by a drain line at the rear of the bottom board which lines up with the center keel of the top boat .
  The boards do okay in moderate wind and chop, though they are a wet ride.

  The hatch is a strap-on plastic cover.

 Here Mark is testing the hatch by rocking water over it.

 The inside is still dry!  But, I would still recommend a dry bag for anything in there, and being wise about using the board on cold or rough water.

  And you can see that they do very well with a Greenland Paddleboard Paddle.   There are also hybrid paddles available.  The Old Town factory outlet has a model with a tee grip end which can be changed out for a paddle.  The model they had on hand could not compete with Marks' cedar GP for lightness or comfort though.  Another option is to use a paddleboard paddle and store a break apart two-bladed kayak paddle in the hatch.  We had no trouble getting a 240cm Warner break-apart in or out of the hatch.

  Our sons recently came by to pick up "their" boats** to use for a day trip with friends up a beaver stream to a small pond.  But, after testing the Nalu's, that's what they left with.  The Nalu's were easy to transport and when the group was traveling up the winding stream it was easy for them to stand up and check on the other paddlers.  These boats have the most flexibility for getting on and off, which was perfect for getting over beaver dams (and positioning to help other boats over the dams) as well as landing on a steep shore.  One used the Greenland paddle, the other a SUP paddle, though he switched to a Euro-paddle to cross the pond in a strong wind. 

So what are the flaws?  There are a few.  It is rated for up to 350 pounds.  We did have a fairly large guy (close to 300 pounds) test it, he enjoyed the boat and found is quite stable.  He also liked that he could easily get himself back on the board, a feat which is not possible with some recreational sit-inside kayaks.  But I think the rated 350 pounds capacity is optimistic.
    When anyone over average weight is seated, the back of the boat tends to drag.  One option is to pull the seat pad further forward, but then foot brace positions are limited.  Also, the seat angle is better for relaxing than power paddling.
    The foot wells, while they add stability by lowering the feet, limit movement on the paddleboard.  
    Shifting from standing to sitting, and more so from sitting to standing is not as straight forward as you might imagine.  Especially when shifting from sitting to standing, it's easier to go through a kneeling stage (and drag a leg off the side to do so.)

  We bought these boats to use on the Penobscot River.  The path to our boat launch is narrow with some steep drop-offs so carrying boats, even light ones, up and down regularly is more insane than buying additional boats.   Since we plan to paddleboard regularly on the Penobscot River, we'd like to store boards down there.  The Penobscot isn't a shallow stream, so the Nalu's keel isn't the advantage it could be other places, but I like to have the option to be able to sit, should the wind pick up while we're out. 

   After borrowing the Nalu's for the weekend, one son is thinking of getting one for his own use, which says a lot for their entertainment value.  (Remember his real kayak is still stored here.)

*  The best sale is the Old Town Employee-only Sale, held just before the public sale.  Old Town employees are held in high esteem in this area.

**  Some of the kayaks regularly featured in Penobscot Paddles are not technically our boats, but boats which were gifts to prior Penobscot Paddlers.  I'm sure they appreciate us continuing to exercise their equipment... 

Oru Kayak Demo

   Mark and I are dedicated members of the kayak of the month club.  It just seems like there are so many good ideas out there.  Like a light kayak you can fold up.
    Just last weekend we loaded our kayaks on the roof and headed two hours south for a gathering which was supposed to happen on a beach accessible by boat only.  However when we arrived it was 68 degrees (F), foggy with a 20 mph wind.  For some reason none of the others (who were arriving via a shuttling skiff arrangement) felt it would be a good beach day.  So an alternative gathering was thrown together, and on the way home, as a consolation prize, we paddled a few miles on a river.  And when we got home we lifted those same 50 pound kayaks back off the car to put them away.

  It was the sort of situation made for an Oru, the origami kayak.  Rather than lifting heavy boats, we could have tossed them in the back.  When there was a change of plans, we wouldn't have had to worry if we'd loosened the straps when the sun came out, or if the boats were filling with rain when a shower passed overhead.

  And as Mark read about the Oru, he found that they were doing a "Pop Up"  demonstration in Portland Maine on Sunday.  So we signed up, via Facebook and planned to attend. 

The boat launch in Portland, viewed from on high where we found parking

   There were the usual signs of disaster on the way down.  When Mark called Portland Paddle (the sponsor) to confirm the event at first he was told it had happened yesterday.  When Mark expressed dismay that Facebook said it was a Sunday event, the voice reconsidered and said she was mistaken, she thought the day was Monday; but had that error corrected, the day was in fact Sunday and the event had not occurred yet.  (I'm still not sure if that reflected her being overworked or over-partied.)  There were rain showers, Mark's computer turned itself on, overheating and using up most of the charge trying to run a fan to cool itself, there was a huge traffic tie-up....  still we got to the Portland Promenade about the same time the Oru rep, Cara, arrived.

   Portland Paddle has a nice set up at East End Beach.  They offer kayak and SUP rentals, lessons and tours and with Fort Gorges just a half mile off shore, some awesome places to explore.  They take kids as young as 7 on tours.  Portland Harbor is one of my favorite places for day trips in Maine - having a kayak rental on site makes it even better.

  Cara put the kayak together, while we all kibitzed about how heavy our kayaks are.

    As Cara put it together she was careful to explain about what changes had been made since the first edition, including new end caps (which are sturdier than those on the model we tested)  We took turns sitting in the Oru, then brought it, and a second boxed Oru kayak to the beach where we took turns testing the boat.  There wasn't a very big group of testers; though the second Oru was unfolded, it wasn't used.

  The questions folks seemed to have are: 
   Is it light?  Yes, it's very light.  Folded up or constructed I could easily move a boat.

Light as a feather

  Is it sturdy?  Time will tell.  The folds are rated for 10,000 folds.  I checked the bottom of one of  the kayaks for scratches and didn't see many, but it would be nice to check it again in a year.  Mark managed to pop the back of the kayak as he got out.  He was using his paddle to brace.  A bracing paddle should be placed over the combing, while his was on the back deck, plus Mark is a bigger guy. I don't have a picture of what happened, because we scrambled to fix it.  It popped back into place, but a channel sealing section was slightly torn.  (This is a piece which snapped off every time the kayak is disassembled, the tear didn't effect seaworthiness, but it would probably need replacement.)

Is it stable?  Definitely, it's stable and it tracks well.

Is it a sea kayak?  No.  It does not claim to be a sea kayak.  It does not have genuine bulkheads.  There are float bags available.  A tester from Portland Paddle rolled the kayak easily, and I'm sure that rescues like a foot hook rescue or re-entry and roll are possible for everyone.   Scramble rescues are practical for average sized paddlers.  But it's only a twelve foot boat and its not designed for open ocean.

Is it a fun paddle?  Yes, it feels like a bigger boat than it is. It's responsive, you can edge it, it moves quickly and obediently through the water.  It tracks very well.  There is a foot brace, a bar positioned by straps.  The seat is basic and flat, but bearable.   There is storage behind the seat and some deck storage.

Optional equipment for the Oru include float bags, a backpack, and a four piece paddle adjustable in length and angle.  The float bags are a great idea, the backpack could be useful and the paddle seemed well worth the price.  Cara mentions they are thinking of a better paddle and perhaps an add on rudder. (A seat upgrade would be a nice option too - not so much more padding, which a yak pad would offer but a little contouring -  if they're looking for suggestions.)

Cara did a great job, showing us the Oru,  and letting us test it.   She had been in New York, demoing the boat and was scheduled to be at Oru's next East Coast demonstration  in Boston, Tuesday, July 22, 2014.

The Oru was a fun kayak and is very tempting.  If money were no object I'd add it to my collection.  But, as it is, we've already bought paddleboards this year. (we might be more in the Kayak-of-the-Year club)  So we need to assess where and how likely we'd be to use it.  The Oru would be great if we were regularly traveling to quiet waters, say driving south every winter....  Ideal, if we had a sailboat we were taking to exotic locations.  Tempting if we sometimes drove long distances to family gatherings and wanted access to paddling without being too blatant about it.

Also seen at the Promonade were many other kayakers.  There was a long skinny Cheaspeake lurking off shore.  A trio of fast fiberglass paddlers came in from a trip around Peakes Island and up to Little Chebeague.   A traditional paddler who'd been out rolling visited us.  He mentioned Portland was about to get a skin-on-frame store.  (maybe called Dancing Bear??)

East End Beach Portland on a Sunday afternoon is entertaining for the kayak variety alone. 


 

Merry Christmas

 What a great Christmas tree!  Throw a few PFD's under it and you're all set for the holidays!

  This tree decorates the Old Town Canoe Factory Outlet (part of Johnson Outdoors) in Old Town, Me.   It's a great place to visit if you're in the area.

  Today, after three days of on and off icing/snow/rain we still have power!  I'm especially grateful today to the various work crews that keep roads clear and power flowing. I wish them well as they continue to restore electricity to  households affected by the recent storm.

Greenland Drip Rings

As our water gets colder and colder – Mark, a dedicated Greenland-style paddler (GP), starts to look very enviously at Euro paddles with their nice drip rings. Mark loves those skinny wooden paddles – but the water running back from the blades over the paddler's hands can be uncomfortable in colder weather. Some die-hard GP enthusiasts will say “just get good gloves” - and he has tried – but the gloves never seem to stay waterproof for very long.

Mark's past experiments with GP drip rings have not been very successful – however this year he may have finally found a design that works (for him anyway). Of course, it required an entirely new paddle design and some changes to his paddling form – some might even question if it really is GP any more – but he likes his warmer hands!

Here's his not-so-secret recipe to make drip rings and gain drier hands for Greenland-style paddlers:

Materials

1. Extra-long dedicated winter paddle
2. 7/16” (1.1 cm) kernmantle line (braided covering over loose core) for the drip ring base
3. 1/4” (0.6 cm) kernmantle line for the capping line on the ring (may not be necessary)
4. Waxed nylon sailmakers twine and needle

Procedure

1. Make a very long paddle. His normal paddle is 88” (223 cm) long. For his drip ring paddle, he made it 92” (234 cm) long and full width 3.5” (8.9 cm) at the ends. You want a paddle that has long blades so that your hands (and the drip rings) can stay out of the water. You also want a paddle with enough blade area and power to do most corrective strokes with your hands on the loom (similar to a Euro blade in this respect.) The goal is to reduce extended strokes which put your hands in contact with wet blades. You might find that a paddle like this requires some adjustment of your paddling style – you may have to slow down your pace a bit and play with your paddling angles.
2. Figure out where you should place your drip rings. You can temporarily attach a couple of rubber bands or some rope and try different locations on the blade. You want to find the location that keeps the rings out of the water most of the time yet isn't too close to your hands.
   
   
   
3. Use a round file or rasp to cut a shallow groove in the paddle at the correct location (first frame in photo above). For Mark, it's about 2” (5.1 cm) to the outside of his hands when he's gripping at the “home” loom location. The groove keeps the ring fixed in place and might also reduce water seepage under the ring.
4. Cut a length of the 7/16” line maybe 3/4” (2 cm) short of the circumference of the paddle shaft and use a lighter to melt the ends closed. Watch out for that molten plastic – it really hurts if it gets on your skin!
5. Wrap the line around the shaft in the groove with the ends centered about the power face of the paddle (the “top” face that doesn't see dripping). If you have a symmetrical GP paddle, just pick one side or the other and call it the power face. Use waxed sailmaker's twine to sew the ends together (second frame). Use a stopper knot and a couple of large stitches to pull the ends towards each other, using the mechanical advantage of the stitch loops to tension it. Then, take some frapping turns around the stitches to add further tension (third frame). Finish off the binding with a couple of half-hitches (fourth frame). Trim and melt the end of the twine (fifth frame). 
   
   
   
6. Use marine sealant to fill the gap between the ends, although it really isn't needed if you put the gap on the top of the paddle – gravity takes the water to the bottom surface of the paddle.
7. Try out your rings and see how they work. Mark found some strokes resulted in water flowing over the top of the ring and getting on his hands (mostly his right hand for some reason – he must have an asymmetrical stroke as well as an asymmetrical paddle!). You might find that a larger diameter line would cure this – feel free to experiment. Mark has concerns that a larger line might be too stiff and not follow the curve of the paddle blade, leaving a gap under it.
8. Rather than going with larger line, Mark chose to sew on a “capping” line on the shoulder of the base line. This makes a kind of lip on the ring that creates turbulence in the water flow as it comes down the blade, forcing it to drip off, rather than flow over the ring. It seems to be working. He uses a 1/4” line for this purpose. (He also tested an 1/8” capping line and loose ends to help encourage dripping – 1/8” was too small. The loose ends didn't improve performance.)
9. To sew a capping line on the shoulder of the base line, you can use a straight needle – but angle your stitches so that the needle doesn't run into the shaft of the paddle. If you have a curved needle you probably won't have to do that.

Here's the completed ring with the capping line on the shoulder. Mark reports that it works pretty well. Occasionally, a head wind can blow the drip stream back on to the shaft – or the ring might go below the water surface and bring up a bit of water – but it is a vast improvement over no rings. He expects he will still be wearing gloves as the season progresses but hopefully they will actually keep his hands dry and warm with the help of the rings!

(And yes, as you can probably tell by the vocabulary used, Mark did write this!)

The drip ring in action

A Sighting of Ctenophora

At least four little creatures are in this picture

   We were on the south side of Long Porcupine island, headed back to Bar Harbor, when I noticed something iridescent in the water, then something else and another!   Dozens of quarter-sized striped balls with two long tentacles.
   A little ways on, there were more, and then a few of these larger creatures:

 

   We watched and photographed. Through the rest of the trip, we occasionally stopped and searched for more.  There were none close to Bar Harbor, or Bar Island, but most other places we saw them.

  My Mac's Field Guide to Northeast Coastal Invertebrates identified the larger creatures as Northern Comb Jellies and the superball-sized ones as Sea Gooseberries.  Some more research at home would provide some interesting tidbits.

Both Northern Comb Jellies and Sea Gooseberries are Ctenophora.  (Americans get to use CB language to pronounce Ctenophora, "10-o 4-a little rainbow buddy,"  but everyone else has to append a "ka" on the front.) Ctenophora are a separate phylum from jellyfish, (which are cnidarians).  Both ctenophora and cnidarians are simple brainless creatures.  Both are a mass of jelly with cell layers outside and lining the body cavity.  In the ctenophora those layers are two cells thick (versus one for the jellyfish.)

An underwater shot

Ctenophora get their name from their combs (or ctenes.)  These combs are made up of rows of fused cilia, whose movement propels the little creatures.  It is also the movement of cilia which causes their iridescence.

This is blurry but is shows a few flashes of green and blue

Those two strings hanging out from the Sea Gooseberry are not stingers.  Jellyfish may have stingers, but ctenophora do not.  The strings are made up of sticky cells, used to capture prey and drag it to their mouths.  (One end of the body is a mouth, the other an anus.)

These little creatures look harmless, but Ctenophora are voracious carnivores; consuming zooplankton, fish eggs and pretty much anything else they can stuff inside themselves.  They can eat ten times their body weight every day.

One species of ctenophora, the sea walnut or Mnemiopsis, is an invasive species in the Black Sea, destroying the fishing industry there.

Blooms of ctenophora, like jellyfish blooms, can be a sign of an ecosystem out of whack, or they might just indicate favorable conditions for breeding.  Ctenophora reproduce year 'round.

There are about 150 known species of ctenophora, found from arctic to tropic waters.  Many are bioluminescent.

So, those were our new species sighting of the day!  If you'd like to learn more, check out:
 Wikipedia: Centaphora   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ctenophora
Centophores - some notes from an expert - http://faculty.washington.edu/cemills/Ctenophores.html
Smithsonian Jelly Fish and Comb Jellies  - http://ocean.si.edu/jellyfish-and-comb-jellies

Mark is moving on...

Three steps toward paddle boards

We've been debating getting a paddleboard.  It seems like we have less time to paddle and the same old places are starting to feel dull.  Could a paddleboard be the answer?
So far we've taken three steps into paddle boarding:
Step One:  Try an alternative board.

Greenland style paddle boarding - he is headed in to grab a life jacket

A couple of years ago we, we searched Uncle Henry's, a local want ads magazine, and bought an inexpensive used wind surfer.  The sail joint was broken, but we didn't plan to sail it, instead we took it to lakes to play on.  A wind surfer is narrower than a paddle board, with less curve up toward bow.   The sides slope down, unlike some paddleboards which have raised edges. It has a small fin and a keel.  It worked pretty well, with the keel in place it rarely flipped, but was hard to turn.  We used it with the keel a few times, but almost never use the keel anymore. 

As a new toy  it does pretty well. People used it in pairs, and even trios.  It's really sized for those under 200 pounds, but if you don't mind getting wet, you can put much more weight on it.
 Folks of all ages use it. They  stand up, kneel, or sit with one leg to each side.  We try to have folks who use it wear life jackets, but because it's also used as a float toy, in close to shore that doesn't always happen.  Like in the first picture, he's still in the swim area, its not over his head, but since he now has a paddle, we've called him in to get a life jacket.

Demonstrating the PVC paddle

Along with our windsurfer paddleboard, we have an eight foot section of PVC pipe that people love to use as a paddle. Don't ask me why; I guess just because it's different and it doesn't seem like it should work.
But the windsurfer never feels stable enough to go long distances.  Whether that was the board's size, shape, or our skill level is hard to tell.  

Step Two: renting a big wide paddle board.

Wind surfer left, paddle board right

Last summer we rented a paddleboard for a day.   It was okay, much more stable.  I could imagine using it for paddle yoga. When I paddled it, I could relax and enjoy more, taking in the longer view, rather than spending all my time balancing.

Again windsurfer is left

But we still resisted...  But all those slick boards, the health benefits of standing and exercising....articles like Baffinpaddler's about the benefits of a paddleboard...

So we signed up for Step Three: a paddleboard lesson.  The morning of the lesson it was pouring and not surprisingly, the guide called to see if we wanted to cancel.  We'd heard better weather was coming, and decided to risk going ahead.
What a game guide we had!  Tina Fish, who works for Belfast Paddlesports; ready for adventure on the water. 

Tina assessing our sanity

    Plainly the better weather wasn't here yet.

It's the ideal day for paddling!

 We told her we were looking for tips on dealing with wind and fast moving water.  We wound up trying four models, in a wind that was really too stiff for beginner paddleboarding.  What we learned:

Paddle boarding in the rain isn't that bad; though I wore a wetsuit and dryjacket... 

 Most boards are not sized for Mark, it took a couple tries to get him a board.

 Paddle boarding up wind is tough.  I couldn't get the basic-style board (the green one) to make progress upwind when I was standing, and wound up switching boards with Tina.  Then, upwind progress was slow.  Eventually, we both followed Tina's lead, and knelt.   And both of us thought how much easier this would be in a kayak.  But to be fair, it would be even easier on a jet ski.  It isn't always about what's easiest.

Notice the raised edges, making it easier to lean and turn.

 Paddle boarding on the ocean is entertaining, and when the sun came out it was even nicer.  Paddleboarding did use different muscles, we were pretty tired after an hour and a half.

So, no brilliant insights, but a fun experience.  We'll see if we give in to temptation....

Winds of the Compass Rose

I happened upon this compass rose behind the Camden Public Library.

Then while taking these close ups, I saw that these weren't merely decorations but wind names. (all names are listed below.)

Some harken back to Greek or roman wind names.

Others like "Nor'easter" and "Trade"  seem to have a New England origin.

 
Plainly this needed more research.  At Wikipedia, I learned the following tidbits:   Linguistic anthropological studies show the majority of human languages(64%) have four cardinal directions; generally East-West equivalent indicating sun rise and sun set, and North-South equivalent for seasonal winds.

Aristotle referred to ten winds, North, South, and Pairings of East and West corresponding to various latitudes.

It was Timothenes of Rhodes who added to more points to make the classic 12 point compass rose.

These were interesting findings, and for awhile I thought this might be an augmentation of a classic compass rose.  But, after  looking up each name, I think this is merely an artistic decoration listing sixteen names of winds. 

The names from the Camden Compass, in case you're straining your eyes at the pictures are: 
NNW-N: Tramontana-  an Italian north wind
N-NNE: Boreas- Greek God of the North Wind
NNE-NE: Nor'easter
NE-ENE:  Trade
ENE-E: Foul
E-ESE: Eurus-  Greek God of the East Wind
ESE-SE: Tornado (from Spanish)
SE-SSE: Cyclone
SSE-S: Sirocco- a Greek wind from the Saraha
S-SSW: Auster - Roman God of the South Wind
SSW-SW:  Monsoon (from Arabic)
SW-WSW: Typhoon (from Persian)
WSW-W:  Fair
W-WNW:  Zephyrus- Greek God of the West Wind
WNW-NW:  Westerly
NW-NNW:  Mistral- a regional French wind
Referenced Wikipedia Articles:

Compass Rose :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compass_rose
Classical Compass Winds : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_compass_winds

(And, yes, we have been paddling this summer, but we're kind of in a rut where we paddle the same waters over and over.)