Kajaksport hatches - an upgrade for any Valley kayak.

Hence I was sick and tired of water seeping into my supposed-to-be-dry compartments, I have chosen to replace the OEM hatches from Valley, with the ones from Kajaksport - and guess what, they stock some that fits nice and snug. Cheers Kajaksport!

Sail # 3 - 2nd. test

When I saw the weather forecast said some 8-9 m/sec from SW, I thought "This is good. More wind, more waves. Time for another test."

The start of the trip was too much into the wind, so the first two kilometres was with no sail - or at least I did not get anything from it. Having paddled a bit off-shore, to reach a better angle for using the sail, I raised the sail, and headed off.

I did a few crossings into the wind. As you can see, here the speed gained a km/h or so. I was paddling very light during these three 'legs'. Finally, when I turned at Assens harbour (going north), the speed picked up. I did not paddle at all since then.

 

0-2 km is where I get some distance from shore, going south.

2-4 km are the three legs.

4-7+ km. When in position from where i wanted to return, I turned the boat, an headed back. For these last three kilometres, I did not paddle at all..!! In spite of this, the speed was between 7 and almost 9 km/h on this last leg. Maybe I got better in holding the mast vertical. Maybe I got a better trim. Wind change, change of course - I do not know.

Detailed log info: http://connect.garmin.com/jsPlayer/544916580

Videos as evidence :-)

Sail # 2 - 1st. test

After I had tested how to roll with the sail, I was ready for a gentle test. I took place in 6 m/sec westerly wind. A fine direction for testing on flat water, in the harbour of Assens.

The test went quite well. I was able to cut about 45 degrees into the wind. Most efficient was probably from 90 to 135 degrees.

We soon ended outside the pier, getting the feel for a bit of waves - this was not a problem either.

Sail # 1 - mounting.

Putting a sail on our kayaks, has been in our minds for quite a while. After thorough investigating (!!), we chose Flat Earth Code Zero sails.

This photo from seakayakphoto.com He has been a great source of inspiration, to this project.

  

The mounting took place at Jan Senecas place, all four boats more or less concurrent. 

 

Jeff Allen t(hr)owbag - additions # 4

The neverending story. :-)

This is # 4, as you might know there sits a # 1, # 2 and # 3 here as well.

I have mounted a cam cleat and a fairlead, behind the cockpit. This gives me the option to mount the towing-system there, instead of having it on my waist. The white robe is always attached to the bag, like shown.
This is a big advance, especially while being one of the mid-persons in an rescue through surf. Should I capsize, not being able to roll up, the tow is still intact. The rest of the group can just continue with the rescue.

Another benefir from this cleat/fairlead solution, is that I can accomodate any lenght of line, I desire.

It does take a little effort to get out of the system, but so does knots, loops or what ever you have done to achieve different line-lenght.

Jeff Allen t(hr)owbag - alterations # 3

This is # 3, as you might know there sits a # 1 and a # 2 here as well.

As it turned out, the split D-ring in the belt, was not quite strong enough. Especially in surf, the bag was always dangling somewhere behind me. Therefore I (reluctantly) installed the quick release buckle instead.

Only time will tell how happy I will be with this solution.

Jeff Allen t(hr)owbag - alterations # 2

This is # 2, as you might know there sits a # 1 here as well.

As I do consider my towing-system as being the most important safety equipment, only (hopefully) surpassed by common sense, seamanship and skills, it is very important to me that my system works as efficient as possible - in my hands.

That I have seen, and experienced (in surf, moving water, rock-gardens, gulleys, etc, etc...), the importance of a fast and simple system, I do my best to pinpoint the flaws, and fix them. This is the reason why my system looks like this - other people might have other preferences, and therefore their system will look different from mine.

This is how I have had the system for quite a while.

As you can see, I am not too happy about it :-) Besides I feel it hinders me, doing forward rolls.

The bag and carabina hangs in a split D-ring. This is not too bad, but in surf and big water it ends up like this.

Which is not the best position to have it, dangling around. It is quite OK for swimming and cowboy-rescue though - that it is out of the way.

I have tried having the system at my waist - felt quite good, only I needed a quick release option of some kind. I like the simplicity of the split D-ring, only the one that came with the system was too weak for job. Had to find a stronger one.

Where do I find the D-ring..?? Any drybag has two or four of them. I already knew that the ones from Ortlieb are too soft, for this use.

Whereas the ones from Pacific Outdoor are much stiffer, though the dimensions are pretty much the same.

Having found, and replaced the D-ring on the belt with, one from the Pacific Outdoor drybag, the system now looks like this.

On the water it sits nicely under my buoyancy. The carabina is ready at hand, and the D-ring on the vest has no problem keeping it in place. Still got to test it, during a swim, and while doing a cowboy-rescue.

Close-up of the replaced D-ring on the belt.

In case it for some reason does not work to my satisfaction, I will replace the D-ring with a quick release buckle.

The D-ring on the vest is mounted with tie-bands. Not pretty - but who cares.

Thank you for listening - as you see, this seems to be a Never Ending Story :-)

Electrical bilge pump - fittet into a Rockpool Alaw Back

A friend of mine has mounted this system into his boat. Have you any questions, please consult himself: Jørgen Jepsen.  (remove SPAM)
 
Installation af el-pumpe i en Rockpool Alaw Bach

Pumpen er en Rule 500, 12V (forhandles bl.a. af www.Marinelageret.dk) som er placeret lige bag sædet. Den er holdt fast med elastiksnor.

For ikke at bore for mange huller i skotvæggen har jeg limet et par nylon/plastik kroge på væggen. Jeg har brugt ophængningskroge til betonvægge (stålstifterne er fjernet :-). På modsatte side (inde i daglugen) har jeg limet et par nylonøjer (dem der sidder på siden af campingvognen til at holde stængerne til forteltet). Det var hvad jeg lige havde ved hånden, andet kan sikkert bruges.

På siden af pumpen er monteret en Automatic Bilge Pump Switch (model 101) http://www.WaterWitchinc.com.

Holdt fast med kabelstrips. Hvordan el-ledningerne skal forbindes, fremgår af bagsiden af indpakningen.

Jeg har ført vandslangen (19 mm) gennem skotvæggen via en Skroggennemføring med et hul der lige passer (når studsen er savet af) til den udvendige diameter på slangen. Dette gør at, selvom der bliver revet i slangen, så opstår der ikke utætheder som der ville gøre hvis slangen blot var ført direkte gennem skotvæggen. 

I stedet for en Skroggennemføring kunne man bruge en "Forskruning" med den rette diameter (kan sikkert købes ved den lokale elinstallatør).

Til afgangshullet er igen brugt en Skroggennemføring i plastik. Jeg har brugt en 16 mm hvor studsen er savet af og noget af gevin-stykket er slebet så slangen kan sættes på. Yderligere har jeg slebet den udvendige krans så den udvendige diameter er ca. halveret. Der er stadig nok gods at skrue den fast med og den ser lige knap så voldsom ud. Endelig har jeg givet kransen lidt sort spraymaling. (Skroggennemføringerne der kun fås i hvid, er købt i Biltema).

Til batterikasse har jeg (foreløbig) brugt en plastbeholder med "vinger" og pakning (købt i Bilka). Den er vandtæt med nok ikke så god som Pelicase. Jeg har foret kassen så batteriet ligger fast og boret et hul til ledningerne. 

Da jeg vil fjerne batteriet efter hver tur, har jeg monteret det via et 12 voltstik (cigartænder). Tæt på +polen er monteret en 2,5A sikring.

Batterikassen er også holdt fast med elastiksnor og de før omtalte øjer.

Batteri (og lader) er købt i www.Batteribyen.dk

Yuasa NP2.3-12 - 12V - 2.3Ah (F187 4.8mm)	3339	1
CTEK MULTI XS-3600 lader til blybatterier 1,2 til 120 Ah - 12V	1466	1

Real case scenario - use of towing system

På Dansk nedenfor.

Three knights rode due west, for a bit of sea kayak surfing. The weather was amazing for the season: sunny, hardly any wind and 14℃ = lovely.

We opted-out the area with breakwaters, south of Blåvand - it was too dull. Instead we drove to Vejers Strand. Now, that was a completely different ball-game.! Loads of the white stuff, one had to punch through, to get to the green area between the sandbanks. The forecast said 3-4,5 feet swell, with 7 sec period. This combination does give loads of water, that has to pass over the sandbanks, resulting in very few waves under 1,5m, many 2m - and a few at 3m, when a couple of waves joined their forces. Quite a lot more than I anticipated for the day... Anyone can handle 3m waves/swell, as long as they do not break, which they did - otherwise it is just up-hill and down-hill.
At one point I glanced backwards, seeing a kayak wobbling on the top of one of these breaking monsters. Just a glance, that I had my own business to attend to...

I think all reached their limits, and had a few fabulous surfs. Outside the sandbanks there were some 30m peak-peak. Quite different from the 5-8m we are used to.


We ended the event with a very educational Real Case Scenario:
We needed to get a cold (from swimming), tired and insecure (from cold) paddler back into his boat, and on-shore. The first part was done by towing him into the green area, between the sandbanks. An assistant gave him support - ups-a-daisy ;) So far so good.
Problem was we had to get him safe to shore, through the surf-zone. We were only three people and one tow-line. (luckily a Jeff Allen tow, more later).
We decided to place an anchor-man in the rear - and support on the casualty. This pair would take turns in pulling us through, while the anchor-man was supposed to maintain direction and low speed. It did not take long before the anchor-man came rushing past the float, breaking hard. Second time this happened he un-clipped the belt, to let the drogue do a better and safer job, while he rushed to shore, to help with the landing. This last part went real nice and smooth, thanks to the drogue.

Lesson Learned:
1) We were in deficit of towing systems. The ones below deck does not count. Had we had one more towing system, Jeff's throwbag could have been used solely as a drogue, while the 'free' paddler could have pulled the raft through the surf.
2) That the anchor-man overtook the raft twice, shows very clearly that 15m of line is not one bit too much, west of Skagen.!
3) Jeff Allen is absolutely right: A paddling anchor-man makes no sense above 4feet of surf. Better to drop the drogue, or use a swimmer.


Today I am very pleased that I have modified Jeff's system, so that it immediately could be used as a drogue. The early design I got, does normally need to fixed with a knot. With my modification it can just be dropped - and it worked. Jeff's design has changed later.
One thing I would have preferred was that the line had sunk - it came in the way all the time, paddles, around boats, catching skegs (not today though). I only need the bag/belt to float.


Looking forward to next time - much wiser. ;)

/////////////////////// DK \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Tre gæve gutter drog mod vest, for lidt havkajaksurf. Vejret var fantastisk: sol, ingen vind og 14℃ = dejligt.

Vi fravalgte høfderne syd for Blåvand - det så sgu for tamt ud. Istedet kørte vi om til Vejers Strand. Se det var en helt anden ball-game.! En masse hvidt (skumfiduser) der skulle tonses igennem for at komme ud. Derefter et grønt område mellem to revler. Udsigten 3-4,5fod swell, med 7sec frekvens. Denne kombination giver meget store mængder vand i hver bølger, som rejser sig over revlerne. Langt højere end jeg havde forventet.! Der var ikke mange under 1,5m, mange på 2m - samt nogle enkelte, når de slog sig sammen, på 3m - alt sammen brækkende bølger.! Enhver kan magte 3m bølger der ikke brækker - det er bare opad bakke og nedad bakke. Bliver de til skumfiduser, er det noget helt andet.!

På et tidspunkt ser jeg mig tilbage, og ser en kajak sidde og vippe på toppen af sådant et monster - "hold da op" tænkte jeg, men jeg havde jo også mit at se til, horfor jeg vender fokus framad/indad/nedad igen.....

Alle fik "set løverne", men fik vist også et par fantastiske surf.!. Bølger i indre Danske Farvande får en helt anden dimension. Udenfor revlerne hvor de 'sande' bølger løb, var der vel 30m fra top til top. Noget ganske andet end hvor vi her har 5-8meter.

Vi sluttede af med et yderst lærerigt Real case scenario:

Vi skal have en kold/træt (af at svømme) roer op i hans båd og på land. Det første blev klaret ved at trække ham ud i det grønne område mellem revlerne, en støtte på - op med ham. Så langt så godt. Problemet var han også skulle på land. Vi var kun tre mand og ét tov! (heldigvis et Jeff Allen tov, mere senere).

Vi beslutter at sætte en ankermand på bagud, med tovet - samt en støtte på den kolde. Dette makkerpar skiftes til at trække flåden indad, med ankermanden til at holde retning og til at holde farten nede. Ret hurtigt kommer ankermanden surfende ukontrolleret forbi flåden, trods 15m line.!! Da det sker anden gang kobler ankermanden sig af, og lader tovet virke som drivanker - det går mere gavn end en ankermande der ikke magter at være anker. Ankermanden spurter frem og på land, for at tage imod flåden, der dog nu kommer ganske roligt og kontrolleret fremad, hjulpet af drivankret.

Lesson learned:

1) Vi var i underskud af træktove. Bugserudstyr under dæk tæller ikke. Med at tov mere kunne Jeff's throwbag være lagt bagud som drivanker. Ankermand kunne så istedet have trukket flåden ind gennem surf-zone.

2) At ankermanden overhalede flåden to gange, viser med al tydelighed, at 15m line ikke er en skid for meget vest for skagen.

3) Jeff Allen har fuldstænig ret: En sejlende ankermand giver kun mening op til 4fod surf - en god meter. Derover er det bedre at droppe posen, eller hænge en god svømmer ud.

Jeg er idag glad for at jeg har modificeret Jeff's tov, således at det umiddelbart kunne fungere som drivanker. Den tidlige model jeg har, skal originalt bindes anderledes, for at fungere som drivanker. Med min modifikation, skal det bare droppes - og det virkede perfekt.!
Noget jeg havde foretrukket, var at linen ikke havde været en flydeline. Den kom kun i vejen for pagajer, rundt om både, ind i skeg (ikke idag dog). Jeg har det fint med at det kun er tasken/bæltet der flyder. 

Glæder mig til næste gang..!! :-)

Toggles

We all know Valley's toggle system with bungee and a hook. On a few occasions I have seen the hook catch the other boats lines, during a rescue. Obviously this is not very good - at all.! The hook has also slipped off, while I was pulling the boat on land, resulting in serious pain from the finger that got hit. Strangely it tends to hit the exact same spot more than once....

That there is quite a few issues regarding toggles and safety, it does matter how you alter/make these things. Gnarlydog has a couple of good points on this subject.

This is not at all my own idea - once more, stolen from Gnarlydog :-)

Who needs Kari-Tek

I have chosen to use a trailer for kayak(s) and gear, but I also chose not to pay bucks for a rack - this is what came out of it.

 Though I am a journeyman smith, I opted for a wood solution that I had it at no cost at all. Honestly, this wood-thing was meant to be a test - something temporarily. Like always, making something temporarily that works, you end up using it for ever.

Some steel does not hurt :-)

Latched together everywhere.

 

By moving the posts aft, I still have the full size of the bed.

 

We do not want want the strap to slip, do we...

Is it possible to improve Yakima..??

As usual, there is room for improvement. ;)

In the wintertime, wearing my Chotas, the right position for my feet, is somewhere between the last notch and the natural stop made by the front mounting-bolt.

Last possible OEM position

Last position, on the bolt

Voila - a new position !

How to store your spare split-paddle.

This has been an ongoing test and trial issue:

I have had balls on the bungees, to allow the paddle to slip under. These balls had to be redicoulus in size to let me push the shafts underneath - the blade was not a problem.

I have had plumbing-pipes attached to the bungees. Even the smallest (>2feet) surf forced the paddle AWOL.

I have had hose on the bungees, to make an open loop. This did not let me slide the shafts (easy enough) under the hose.

Went by one of GnarlyDog posts, to get some inspiration - and to exclude some solutions. The result was that I stuck to my plumbing, but fixed them much more sturdy. The reason I have them so long, is that I do not want to scratch the deck more than needed, sliding the shaft through the pipe, before I can get the blade under the bungees, and be course my splits aren't the same length...

My 'active' paddle slides nice and easy under the over-all bungee. The ball makes it even easier.

Well - this is how it looks at the moment. Next step will probably involve some epoxy and fibre-glass work...

Jeff Allen t(hr)owbag - alterations

As genius as this system is, there is always room for improvements. I think ;)

From left: I have changed the fix-point of the rope, from the bottom of the bag, to the D-ring in the opening. This way I do not have to rely on my flacky brain, to remember what to do, if I want to use the bag as a drogue.

Center: I made a different 'knot-system' on the carabin. The standard knots had no chance in hell to slip under the decklines, needed be.

Right: I need/like/prefer to have something very distinct to grab, when releasing.

The rope is fixed by sewing, under the heat-shrink-tube (what ever it's called in English. Someone?)

Later on I will mount a float of some kind, ca. 4m from the carabin.

I left the rope/knots in the very bottom of the bag, to maintain the standard attachment of the plastic carabin.

Other than the changes shown above, I have also shortened the belt, to be only 5'ish cm 'too long'. My  changes are, for me, improvements. Other people may have other preferences. The important thing is that we all look at our gear, with a skeptical mind, and go out and use the shit - the only way to find out what works for you, and what does not.! This also gives, that I might change back, or change something else, later on - after more trial and use.

I am aware that I will have to keep an eye on wear and tear of the rope, having it directly on the steel.

I am not the only one to alter systems. Here is how Søren Brink alters his Palm tow-system. 

Valley hatches

This is how a Valley hatch is supposed to go on.

Unfortunately this is not possible until one sand off some 3-5mm of the hatchs lower outer edge. Before this it will not fit in between the rim and the deck. That be PE or glass deck.

I use a beltsander for the job.

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