Kayak Visibility & the RISPY

Kayak visibility -- or invisibility as the case may be -- is one of the biggest safety concerns of those who venture more than a few dozen yards offshore. As Al Goldberg states in the 9-96 BSKC newsletter:

"There is a universal complaint about kayaks from the general marine community -- they're hard to see on the water. Usually this occurs under daylight conditions since this is when nearly all kayak/boating interactions occur. The problem is that a kayak is small and low on the water, and quite often has a hull color that blends either with the water or with erratic whitecaps."

Choosing a bright colored kayak, wearing a bright colored pfd and clothing, putting reflective tape on paddles, and using a radar reflector all have a role in improving visibility and safety on the water. A kayak safety flag such as the RISPY, a new made-in-Maine product which we have begun to sell in our shop, can play an important role as well. The height and bright orange color of the flag make it more effective than a brightly colored pfd or even a brightly colored paddle. And while a radar reflector may still be advisable for some paddlers, a kayak safety flag is useful in situations where other boats may not be using radar.

The RISPY is sturdily built and economically priced. While some safety flags are mounted on the kayak deck with velcro or other less secure means, the RISPY is solidly mounted -- yet provides the best of both worlds because it can easily be removed when not in use, and has a "break away" feature that will preserve the flag in a case of extreme impact. Check it out on our website!

Another Day at the Races (Piscataquis River, Dover-Foxcroft, Maine)

--Image from rootsweb.com

Ran the Piscataquis River Canoe and Kayak Race yesterday in a tandem kayak with Jeff Sands. The tandem we paddled was an (I-kid-you-not) hybrid of 2 kayaks spliced together by Jeff, who apparently is not afraid to get creative with fiberglass. (As anyone serious about paddling probably knows, the neverending quest for the "perfect boat" knows no bounds). I paddled in the bow, which was the front half of a wildwater tandem. Jeff was in the stern which was taken from the back half of a women's flatwater racer. (The joke is that my half of the boat was a dog in the flatwater and that the back behaved badly in the whitewater!) Actually, we felt fast and ran a very efficient race over the 8 mile course of mostly flatwater mixed with a few Class I rapids. Even so, nemesis Fred Ludwig, paddling in a wildwater single, edged us by 8 seconds and claimed first place with a time of 43:15.

It is an interesting exercise to ponder all the ways we might have gotten those 8 seconds back but probably more productive to just remember those 8 seconds and use it as motivation to get ready for the next time!

Kenduskeag Canoe Race Photos

Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race photos can be found online as follows:

• Mike Alden's photos -- kenduskeagstreamcanoerace.com (Shopping Cart rapids)
• JKirlin's Photos (Six Mile Falls).
• Ken Regier's Gallery (Six Mile Falls).
• Rhesa Gordon's photos (taken near the finish line in downtown Bangor).

Click here to read "Swimming in 38 Degree Water" -- one blogger's description of what seems to have been a fairly typical experience of this year's race.

Canoes Take Back the Kenduskeag

In something of an upset, a two-person canoe paddled by Jeff Owen and Steve Woodard (1:52.30) had the fastest time in last Saturday's 16.5 mile Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race. This canoe win marked the first time in 19 years that a canoe, rather than a kayak, was first across the line. Canoes claimed 7 of the top 10 times of the day. Several time winner Trevor Maclean, paddling a K1-long was second overall with a time of 1:53.30. More on the race in today's Bangor Daily News.

I was happy with my own race. Finished 3rd among kayaks and 7th overall with a time of 2:04.54. Based on my goal of a top 3 finish (among kayakers) and a time under 2:15, I had a lot to feel good about. I lost time on the portages (draining isssues, bow stuck in the trees, stern stuck in the spectator rope, paddle stuck in the stern) and handled the whitewater more tenatively than I will next time. In retrospect, it was only the 4th time I had paddled the Ruahine Swallow (or anything of similarly slender) in whitewater and maybe only the third time using a wing paddle in whitewater -- so I had reason to be tentative.

Started well but not too fast, felt strong over the first 10 miles of mostly flatwater, portaged Six Mile Falls, then survived the sections of standing waves, the portages (thought those were supposed to be much easier with a 30 lb. rather than a 60 lb. boat), the rapids at Shopping Cart, and even the 3 - 4 foot standing waves in the Bangor canal just short of the finish. No lie -- just as the quote in the newspaper article says, the canal may have been the most challenging section of the river for those who finished at around 11:00 AM (approximately mid-tide). By noon, an hour later, the standing waves in the canal had calmed down considerably. The 6 mile section south of Six Mile Falls was notable for it's absence of rocks or other obstructions, but interspersed with gleaming white fields of standing waves (I'll be seeing them in my dreams for weeks). You just had to take a deep breath and pound down through.

Next year, I'll aim to trust the boat more, crash the whitewater with more gusto, and be more efficient on the portages.

Theories on why canoes did so well in this years race:
1. the absence of kayakers Kenny Cushman and Jeff Sands (among others)
2. multi-person craft may have had an advantage in maintaining their momentum and pushing through the sections of standing waves
3. just plain good paddling! (I am in awe of anyone who can go that fast in a canoe).
4. take-outs at portages were muddy, slippery, steep -- maybe easier to handle with a 2-person canoe.
5. paddling Six-Mile Falls? All of the first 3 kayaks portaged it. Not sure about the canoes.

Look out next year canoeists! I'll be gunning for ya!

Shopping Cart Drop on the Kenduskeag

That's me setting up for the drop. A canoe is capsized just ahead.

Michael Alden's photos of this years Kenduskeag Stream
Canoe Race are online at kenduskeagstreamcanoerace.com/

The Race is On!

High water won't stop Kenduskeag according to an article in today's Bangor Daily News. Discussion on the MACKRO board speculates about possible changes in the number and length of mandatory portages in order to avoid sending paddlers through danger spots such as the rapids at Shopping Cart.

Six Mile Falls, Kenduskeag Stream 4-18-07

Kenduskeag 4-18-07

Kenduskeag Stream Flood Photos

Mike Alden's blog includes several very recent photos of the 6 Mile Falls area of the Kenduskeag. See
Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race News + Updates

Money in the Bank.

I may be one of the few people in Maine thrilled to see the snow coming down -- and happy as pie about the "rain / snow /wind" forecast for now through Tuesday. Better yet, Weather.com calls for more showers Wednesday through Friday. Best of all, Saturday, the day of the Kenduskeag Stream Canoe race is anticipated to be sunny with a high of 51 degrees.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. And let it all melt and go rushing down the river on Saturday!

The Kenduskeag Canoe Race (Bangor, Maine)

Upwards of 500 kayaks and canoes. 16.5 miles. 10 miles of flatwater, 6.5 miles of whitewater. 2 mandatory portages. 10,260 strokes. 900+ calories burned. 1:50.08 all-time record (held by Robert Lang of New Brunswick. Date: Saturday, April 21.

I'm gunning for a time of 2:15.00, which would be a 20 minute improvement of my previous time. I'm counting on the fact of having a faster boat (straight-keeled, 19 inch beam 17.5 foot, 30 lb. Ruanhine Swallow multisport racer over a rockered, 22 inch beam, 16 foot, 60 lb. VCP Avocet sea kayak) will cut most of that 20 minutes . . . with maybe better conditioning and technique counting for a five minute improvement. 'Course times are highly dependent on water levels . . . the flow was pretty good in 2004 when I last ran the 'Keag. I'm counting on having a good ride this year.

A Run on the Souadabscook Stream (Hampden, Maine)

Photo from Maine Wildwater (2006).
Paddled the Souadabscook with Jeff Sands yesterday afternoon. Jeff describes the current level on the Sou as "medium low." Course that could change in a hurry if the Thursday / Friday storm includes ample amounts of rain. I had never done the Sou before -- and was a little too busy to take any photos.

It's a fun and challenging river -- and I certainly was glad to have an experienced paddler to guide me down through. Jeff paddled a 13' inflatable kayak. I paddled a 16 foot sea kayak. We made an unlikely pair, I suppose, but he bulled his way through the ponds and flatwater at a good pace -- and sped up going through the rapids.

For those who haven't paddled the Sou, it has a number of drops that are Class III plus -- I definitely recommend scouting the river throroughly and having someone to guide you on your first trip down through. (And remember to kiss the tree on the Emerson Mill drop on the way by). The Avocet sea kayak handled the whitewater and drops just fine. A very smooth trip overall, thanks to Jeff's able leadership.

Passy Race a Winner!

The Ruahine Swallow is now 1 for 1 in Maine following a winning debut at the Passagassawakeag River Race last Saturday. I paddled the Swallow (and managed not to get bucked off her) for a winning time of 45:19 over the 8 mile course. Bangor Daily News article here. Next in was Jeff Owen and Bucky Owen of Orono, paddling a canoe in the rec century division at 46:45. A little research showed not only the winning time, but the average times in all the divisions seemed several minutes slower this year. It's true that absent from the race were some of the KI-1 heavy hitters -- Fred Ludwig, Jeff Sands, Kenny Cushman -- who have led the race in recent years. But my guess is that despite the dam release, the Passy ran 4 - 5 minutes slower than in 2005 when Cushman sprinted to a time of 38:05.

Hmmm . . . shovel or paddle?

Maine gets a record April 5 snowfall. Belfast gets 14 inches plus. (Sugarloaf has gotten 31 inches since Monday.

Passy Geese after the Snowstorm.

Spring Paddling in Maine (Passagassawakeag River, April 4, 2007)

Spring snowfall while getting ready for the Passy River race to be held Saturday, April 7.

Which way to the ocean?

This and other photos of the recent St. George River Race can be viewed at Village Soup.

Passy (Passagassawakeag) River -- April 2, 2007

Water level was relatively low on the Passy today, despite the rain. (Maybe they are already holding water back at the dam). Left an intermittent trail of red polyethylene on the riverbed! Actually wasn't that bad. Hit or rubbed over about a dozen rocks overall, including at least a couple I could have avoided. (Won't risk the new kevlar Ruahine on it just yet). Who's complaining? It was great to be on the river today!

Chased some geese on the upper river. Then startled a buck who leapt off the left bank and swam across the river just 40 feet in front of my bow.

St. George River Race -- Searsmont, Maine

St. George River Race -- Pulling hard for the finish.

St. George River Race -- Race to the Finish

St. George River Race: Fred Ludwig closes in on a first place finish.

Ludwig finished several minutes in front of the field with a time of 38:23.