The V6

The Sit-On Sea Kayak

Alaine and I tested out the new V6 this morning. We were excited to find it was very comfortable, stable, easy to paddle and pretty fast. I got it up to 12.5kms an hour and Alaine got it over 10kms an hour. It cruised at 8-9kms an hour.

Alaine loved it so it's got to be a good boat.

For day tripping or extended trips the large hatches allow for plenty of gear to be carried.

For social paddlers this ski is going to be a winner. With it being so stable and pretty fast paddlers of all abilities will be able to paddle it.

The cockpit is pretty high so unless big waves came over the bow your bum stays dry. The venturi sucks out any excess water in the footwell. The foot pedals are the same as on all Epic boats, comfortable and easy to adjust.

It is such a fine craft and not such a fine model!!

Length: 4.88 m (16' 00")

Width: 58.4 cm (23")

Depth: 29.2 cm (11.5")

Capacity: 152 kg (335 lbs)

Weight: 17.6kgs (39lbs)

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SPECIALS...some really good bargains!!

Check Out our Web Site for other Specials

NEW

Finn Kayak with Pod & rudder - List Price: $1300.00 Special $990.00
Ace 445 with rudder: List Price $1400.00. Special $990.00
Ocean Sprinter Ski: List Price $1600.00. Special $1200.00
Pioneer Canoe: List Price $1050.00. Special $900.00
Paddling Perfection Breaksea Sea Kayak: List Price $3900.00. Special $2950.00
Paddling Perfection Euro X: List Price $3500.00 Special $2800.00
Kayak Centre Illusion Ski: List Price $2500.00 Special $1900.00

The Dream

It was just another day. I went down to the kayak club to change and to get my kayak from the racks. Olwyn Brown (a good friend of mine) and her friend were there too and about to go out as well. From the top of the balcony we could see several paddlers coming down the river. It was quite a delightful scene. Some of the paddlers were social paddlers the others were racing.

As the first bunch levelled with the balcony, which was quite high, as the club was situated on a small hill, the water beneath the paddlers suddenly turned grey. It was like someone had dragged a huge grey tarpaulin beneath them.
Olwyn, her friend, a few other paddlers and I looked on with interest. We just couldn't figure out what the large grey shapes were. Then, without warning one of the large shapes crisscrossed the river capsizing every paddler on the river. We looked on with disbelief and shock. I reached for my camera but it was in my bag several metres away. I ran to get it. It was a new camera so when I took my first picture it didn't work.

The large shape, which turned out being a huge whale, created a tidal wave, a washing machine of wallowing water. The river was just one mass of waves. It was frightening.

For several minutes there was no other movement in the river, no sign of colour, no sign of paddlers just grey shapes and a whale going berserk. My camera still didn't work. I was upset that I couldn't record the frightening yet amazing sight.

What the hell was going on? We were in Bassendean nearly 30 kilometres from the ocean, the whales had come from upstream, but why? We just stood there stunned. How could this be happening?

Moments later swimmers started to appear one by one. Everyone looked safe so we felt so much better as they started to swim to shore, although we didn't really know if anyone was missing. All the boats had sunk. As quick as they came the whales started to disperse and suddenly my wife Jenny shouted for me to get up, Alaine had arrived to go paddling.
I woke up and suddenly realised it had all been a dream, just a dream that left me thinking about it for the next five minutes because it had been so real. It was hard for me not to think it had happened, but when I did come to my senses, it was a relief but it does make me wonder, what do dreams really mean?

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To Trial The V14

After paddling the V14 socially I needed to see how it would go in a flat water race so I took it to the Ascot Wednesday night race to see how it would go. I picked a grid with many of my opposition so it would give me an idea if I was faster or slower than I usually were.

Instead of going at the same time I gave all the other boats about 100 metres or more lead in the hope of catching them up. If I passed them I would know the V14 was faster than all the other boats I paddle. Within 600 metres I had caught several paddlers and by the time I turned the corner at Sandy Beach I had the leaders in my sight. As I passed Mick Mantel on his V10 I gave him a wide berth and took off like a rocket. He said later that he couldn't believe how fast I passed him. I made him look as if he was standing still.

My next mission was to get passed all the other kayaks, like Vimce, Steve, Alan and others. They were taking a route to the right so I sneaked by on the left. Unfortunately they saw me and came over to wash-hang. Having caught them up and passed them I knew I had the upper hand so slowed down a little, no point in killing myself. It was nearly 4 kilometres to the turning point at the rail bridges and I was still ahead. Occasionally I would glance behind and see a green shape which I took as Vince. Unbeknown to me there was about 5-6 boats on my wash.

Within a couple of kilometres of the finish I started to put the pressure on but I could still see a green shape. Eventually it was gone and when a K2 came up beside me with Grant Pepper and Stephanie in, I noticed the blue boat of Steve behind it. I then used the K2 wash to get a few steps ahead, Steve dropped off and by the end, my opposition were no-where to be seen.

I can surely declare that the V14 is a very fast ski and if I want to do well in a flat water ski race it would be the one I would pick.

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Julie Morgan and Colin going for a Christmas paddle

It's that time of year when WAs best and keenest slalom paddlers go over to the east to compete in the National Championships. Considering our lack of white water there is a very keen group of young slalom paddlers from Ascot and Swan Canoe Club. It's such a shame that we don't still have the Harvey Slalom Course. It was a fantastic white water course, in fact one of the best in Australia.

Working with the Water Department we were able to use the course on just about every weekend over the summer period. we were able to run Australian and International Championships and WA were able to entice great paddlers like 4 times world champion Richard Fox to coach our paddlers.

The Harvey Slalom Course was lost due to a complaining farmer downstream of the course and also later because of new works done to the dam. Due to WA wanting a man-made course at Champion Lakes, no-one pursued the idea of getting the course back. At the moment we don't have Champion Lakes White Water Course or Harvey so our slalom paddlers have to be satified with paddling on a flat water course and a little white water when the winter rains come.

Christmas paddling on the Ascot Kayak Club Slalom course. Slalom is a great sport to develop excellent skills.

Me competing at the Harvey WhiteWater Course

Me competing at the Harvey WhiteWater Course in a C1

WAs Kynan Maley and Robbie Jeffries competiting at the Olympics. They had to go to live in Sydney to train on white water.

When there is no water we just find any type of wave to paddle on!!

Sunday 30th Dec 2012 ---
The Canoeing Down Under 10km State Championships

Where : Champion Lakes

Registration : 8:30am

This event is ran in classes decided by Gender / Craft / Age groups.. Classes with sufficient numbers will be presented with Medals at the End-of-Year Function. Perpetual Shields for the fastest Male and Female Paddlers.

The 10 km full distance course consist of 2 laps of Champion Lakes with a short finishing lap. A shorter course of one lap and short lap is available for the less experienced and Novice Junior Paddlers with special courses for Guppy Classes.

With a 2 km straight immediately after the start it is a chance for paddlers to make a fast start, burning off those extra calories from to much Christmas fine dining, combining together to maintain the lead through out the narrower, shallower and twisty bits finishing with a short dash to the Finish Line from the last turn..

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Après Paddle food will be supplied by Champion Lakes Boating Club to aid the expansion of their Junior Program.

This event is being sponsored by Canoeing Down Under who is putting a new Marathon Racing Kayak, valued at $2,200, up as a lucky draw prize. Our thanks to Terry and his Staff for such a generous prize.
Terry stocks one of the largest range of Kayaks, Canoes, Skis and paddle accessories in Western Australia. The Staff at the shop are always willing to advise paddlers of the best gear to have, to realize your canoeing dreams.

As in Previous years there is a Fancy dress Theme to the days Race .. This year the Theme is "I, the Mustang Rider" .. Prizes will be presented for the paddler clothed or accessorised the best, to fit this theme by our independent Judging Panel ...

Next Event - Marathon #3 - Claisebrook Race - Sunday 6 Jan 2013 - Including the first of the K3 Championships and the Open K4 Championships..

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Race of the Century

It is classed by some of the oldies, the Race of the Century. I hadn't realised how important it was until talking to my competition more recently. They are all after my scalp and I now realise I really hadn't taken it seriously and I know I haven't done enough training. I had escaped the last great challenge, the Moore River Race by a lucky break and a few seconds, but I know the 10km Championships is going to be different.

First I have to beat John Breed, which will be impossible, then I have to beat Michael Leahy who I narrowly beat at the last race and since then has a faster kayak and has been training harder. Rob has also lifted his training and will do almost anything to get me back from beating him by two seconds at the Moore River race. I have seen him race on a Saturday morning like a man processed.

Then there is Steve Coffey who over the last year has been getting faster and faster and is a worthy challenger and one who I won't take for granted. But I can't dismiss Vince Linnadi and Alan Moreby who have started to paddle well. There will be others.

You know me I don't like making excuses, but....I had a really bad cold the last week and now suffering from a persistent cough and a lack of breathing that causes me to go blue in the face from time to time. I'm a little concerned that I won't be at my best on the day, but I'm sure my opposition won't give a hoot and be interested in my excuses.

So to help me I need some of my competition to have a hangover, I need the wind to whip across the lake to make it rough to upset some of them in the more unstable kayaks, I need John Breed to capsize and if Eddie Stoelwinder takes part I need a miracle as he is faster than all the multisport paddlers.

So as the day approaches and my nerves start to get jittery, my legs start to tremble at the thought of pushing hard on that footrest, my forearms tighten with fatigue, I just have to go out there and see how many of my rivals I can beat.
I just have to remind myself it is just a race and being beaten isn't all that bad - or is it??

John Tomczak and Michael Leahy getting ready for the 10km Championships with Alaine giving some advice

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Marathon No 3 - The Claisebrook Race ..

When & Where :-- Sunday 6 January, 2013. Claisebrook Cove, Victoria
Gardens, Claisebrook / East Perth

Registration :- 7:15 to 8:15 am

Course :-- Long Course -- 13 Km , 2 laps around Goongoonup/Windan Bridges and Heirisson Island.

Short Course - 6.6km , 1 lap

Guppy Course - 1 x Short Lap U10s GK1s , 2 x Short Laps U12s GK2s , Novice 2 x Short Laps ...

Divisions :-- Division 1 and 2 are Doubles only, with Divisions 3, 4 & 5
reserved for the singles.

More Details Click
<http://www.wa.canoe.org.au/site/canoeing/wa/downloads/Mara%20Hbook%20TEXT%2
012%2013.doc> Here .. Page 16 .. or contact marathonwa@canoe.org.au

With a fast and furious start in the confined waters under the Trafalgar foot bridge, Paddlers go up stream and around the bridge piers and pass down the Burswood side of Heirisson Island to turn around the western end before heading back upstream to Claisebrook Cove. A quick turn inside the Cove before heading back out and repeating the lap. The Course provides some good spectator points and with the K4s and K3s some exciting racing in and out of the Cove.

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The Doctor

The Doctor World Series Event in Perth is Australia's most exciting ocean paddling event from Rottnest Island to Sorrento Beach covering 27.5kms (or vice versa depending on wind conditions). This event is scheduled for Saturday 19th January however has a two day window to allow for the best downwind racing conditions. Final race course and time will be decided on Friday evening at the pre race briefing. The races plans to start at Rottnest Island and finish at Sorrento Beach, however should the winds be blowing easterly then the course may be reversed.

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The Duel - Ocean VS Estuary -

12-13th January 2013
An Oceanpaddler World Series Event.
Ocean Ski, K1, Outrigger, SUP.
A paddling race with a twist, two courses, same distance, different conditions, starting at the same time and finishing in the same place... who will win, Ocean or Estuary?

USED KAYAKS

Finn Kayak with Pod: $750.00
Australis Bass small 3m sit-in kayak: $350.00
Finn Molakai Mk 2: Underslung Rudder. $700.00