Sit-on-top Sea Kayaks

On a recent trip to Maui, we only saw the heavy and slow rotomolded sit on top kayaks by Ocean Kayaks and similar brands. We wondered how cool it would be to have a high performance touring sit on top kayak for tropical waters for offshore adventuring or rock gardening. Here's a few that would be ideal for the task..

French company RTM makes some great boats and wave skis. Their Midway and Disco+ kayaks both have one enclosed hatch, a well in the stern for gear and thigh straps for rough water handling and surfing. http://rtmkayaks.com/products/sit-on-top/disco
Necky Kayaks recently unveiled the Vector 14 which has two enclosed hatches and one open well. Like the RTM boats, you can attach thigh straps for better control in bumpy waters. More info:
http://www.neckykayaks.com/kayaks/sit_on_top/vector_14/

Others:
-Emotion Grand Slam 14'
-Wilderness Systems Tarpon 160

One issue with all the above models is weigtht. The Tarpon for example is 76lbs. Know of a composite model?

12/26/11 Maui - Ho'okipa and Honomana Bay

Still dizzy from doing 100 of the estimated 600 horseshoe curves on the Hana Highway, we definitely enjoyed the rain forest like landscape surrounded by twisting vines, forests of bamboo, and one lane road segments.

North Shore Maui Wave Ski Shaper Tyler Lausten

Paddling a wave ski since his late teens and the winner of many top titles worldwide, Haiku Maui based Tyler Lausten now keeps busy shaping skis for a wide ranging clientele. Here's a window into his rural shop above Haiku on Maui's North Shore. TL Wave Skis, Here.

New NW Paddling Guide Blog!

I'm finishing up the revision of Randel Washburne's classic NW paddling guide, "60 Trips Kayaking Puget Sound and the San Juans" by Mountaineers Books. The book will be available June 2012. I've created a blog and Facebook page to support the book release. Both offer sample trips from the book, favorite trips not in the book, and updates on routes, public access, and other stuff.

Here's the blog url: http://60tripskayakpugetsound.blogspot.com/

Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/60-Trips-Kayaking-Puget-Sound-the-San-Juans-Mountaineers-Books/307745475925888

If you're a retailer and want to stock the book in your shop, contact Mountaineers Books accounts guy, Darryl Booker, 800.553.4453 x103 or

We added over 10 new trips to the book, a few below..
- Victoria BC harbor
- Victoria's Gorge Waterway
- outer Victoria Harbor to Cadboro Bay
- Sooke
- Freshwater Bay to the Elwha River.
- Port Angeles Harbor
- Gig Harbor
- Tacoma Narrows
- Kingston to Point No Point

3 Bootie Drying Tips!

I posted an inquiry on Facebook and Standupzone.com asking for bootie drying tips and received nearly 75 responses.

I was posting for my needs in trying to dry my 7mm Xcel Drylock booties - so thick you can't peel the ankle section down and heat doesn't affect the toe box from the exterior.

Here's the summary of what most folks preferred:

Bootie Dryers: DryGuy and Peet Shoe Dryer. Both companies have ways of drying while in your car or in the field. Peet has a propane powered option as well.

The Stuffing Method: Stuff newspaper or camping towels in the toe and foot sections of the bootie.

Make your own dryer! Several friends have done this successfully using PVC tubes filled with air powered by small fans or hair dryers. Caution: hair dyers aren't supposed to operate for long periods of time so make sure to run on low heat.

Bonus! How to keep a bootie clean of funky odor..
- Soak regularly in very hot water with one of various wetsuit cleaning products or household cleaners such as Simple Green.

- Stuff cedar sachets in your booties after drying.

Wanna keep your booties warm in cold climates prior to your session? Stuff chemical heat packets in the bootie. The packets last several hours. Kenny Wilson of Oregon suggests wrapping your wetsuit and booties around a 1 gallon jug of hot water whilst in your car prior to arriving. Use the hot water later to warm up and clean the saltwater off your gear.

Have other ideas or would like your product reviewed? Give me a holler. Cheers.

Training Wheels for SUP Boards!

Here's another innovative product by Santa Barbara based Carbonerro - inflatable training 'wheel's or rather a way to widen your SUP board to make it more stable. It's a great product for instructors as well if you don't have enough wide boards for taller, larger, or less flexible students who may require a wider board. Check it out Here.

Give my SUP book as a holiday gift!

Where to order from: Powells, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Second Ascent, Stoke Harvester, and REI. Your local book shop can order it from Mountaineers Books.

El Doble - Double Bladed Stand Up Paddle

Chris G. of Carbonerro has designed a double ended paddle for stand up paddling. Check it out, pretty cool. http://www.carbonerro.com/el-doble

Double ended stand up paddling has historically been called Striding. Jeff Snyder has been doing it for years on an inflatable kayak and is usually seen going off waterfalls. Fletcher Burton began standing up on his waveski in the late 1990's. And Israeli lifeguards have for years used the double ended paddle on super wide SUPs. Read more about Striding in this Canoe Kayak Magazine online article, Here.

SUP Gift Certificates Available!

Jayson Bowerman of Bend, Oregon squirting a SUP on the eddyline in the ebb at Deception Pass yesterday. He's on a Naish Nalu.

Great day at the Deception Pass Dash today! Blue skies, 38 degrees, and 160 paddlers including outriggers, racing canoes, sculls, sea kayaks, sups, a few homemades, and prone paddleboarders. A few pics..