7.15am Sandy Beach, Bassendean


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Down River Race Around Buoys

Tuesday night we had the race at Ascot Kayak Club.

Bruce McWhirter was the fastest on the first run but Mark Lawson was the same time on the second run, next was Peter Liddle then myself. I designed the course with a few more tricky sections to make it that little harder which favoured my paddling skills and helped me to be closer to the leaders than the other 2 races we had.

With the nights drawing in and getting darker this was our last evening race for this season.

FRIDAY 6.00am Advanced Skills

We had a good advanced skills session this morning and we have another next Friday morning at 6.00am. We are paddling dancers, RPMs and white water kayaks. This session is aimed at increasing your advanced flatwater skills, which are all needed when paddling white or rough water.

Sculling for Support - Try this and try to keep your boat edgewise in this position up for 30 secs or more.

SCULLING FOR SUPPORT
If you are a white water enthusiast and plan to side-surf big stoppers, it is advisable to practise 'sculling for support' on flat water first. The objective of 'sculling for support' is to stay balanced by maintaining the blade's movement across the water surface, while edging the kayak towards the sculling side.

• Use the face (front) side of the blade.
• Overbalance your boat towards the nominated sculling side.
• With the leading edge of the blade raised slightly, scull across the water surface to and fro. Use your wrists to adjust the blade angle. The raised leading edge is helpful in assisting the paddle to track the surface and preventing the blade from slicing too far downwards.

The Xstream 420 Expedition

The Xstream 420 Expedition is a top of the line recreational kayak, designed to offer the reliability and stability that you get with a sit-on-top kayak as well as the speed, efficiency and comfort of a traditional sea, or touring kayak. It is also a great fishing kayak.

The Xstream 420 Expedition has all the same performance characteristics and features as the Xstream 420 however it comes fitted as standard with a rudder and a front bulkhead. Coming fitted with a rudder and a front bulkhead it will give you the confidence in rough weather and peace of mind when looking to cover longer distances.

The Xstream 420 is smooth, stable and fast even in choppy conditions and with plenty of storage space and comfortable seats, its perfect for long trips. Although the waterline length gives the kayak speed, there is still plenty of stability, rocker and volume in the boat to make navigating surf a breeze.

The unique seating configuration on the Xstream 420 is shaped to fit your body providing continuous contact with the kayak allowing for optimum paddling performance. Paddle tests have found the speed of the Xstream 420 to equal that of many other longer sit on top touring kayaks on the market and the tracking is unbelievably straight even for novice paddlers.

With Rudder: $1450.00 SPECIAL $1299.00

Length: 4.2 m
Beam: 0.73 m
Weight: 28 kg

Capacity: 180 kg

New Zealand Made

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Mirage Bootie

Do you have a big foot- if so our size 13 booties are selling on special
for $20.00 usually $45.00

The Mirage B008 has a tough tread sole with extra protection across the instep and around the heal. A robust zipper makes this an ideal multipurpose boot.

The benefits are: Neoprene booties are the best footwear for paddling. They protect your feet from rocks and uneven surfaces. They prevent chaffing. They keep feet warm and fit snugly. They allow larger feet to fit in kayaks with limited foot space.

Colour: Black/Black Sole

Price $ 45.00 Sizes: 5 - 12 Special $35.00

Canada Beautiful One Day Snowing the Next

I met Dan and Cheryl (below) at a campsite in Kenora a beautiful town next to the 'Lake of the Woods' and on the Winnipeg River, Canada. I rose from my tent just as they were driving out of the campsite to go into town for breakfast. They asked me if I wanted to join them so they treated me to breakfast. That started a good friendship.

Cheryl and Dan in Kenora

Dan and Cheryl were from Thunder Bay, a six hour drive away. Dan was 55, but he had retired from work although he was a volunteer in the Rescue Services. Cheryl still worked at a school. Dan loves scuba diving and at first I was puzzled to where he would go diving, being in the centre of Canada, but his home at Thunder Bay was on the edge pf the huge Lake Superior and apparently it was full of boat wrecks but the water is so cold and never gets any warmer than 3.5 degrees.

They love paddling and all things outside and had a caravan permantly based on one of the many lakes which they visit often in summer. When Alaine and Leo joined me at Kenora to continue my paddle across Canada they met them briefly. Nearly two months later after paddling and portages lakes and rivers along the Canadian / US border we pulled up to Thunder Bay and Dan and Cheryl was there to greet us and take us in. We spent a few days with them in Thunder Bay before paddling Lake Superior and when our trip had to come to an end Dan picked us up and took us back to their home before flying out. It was great to get to know some good friends who would do anything to be of assistance.

They are coming to Australia in October so we will get our turn to play host.

Alaine, Leo, Me , Cheryl and Dan in their home in Thunder Bay, Canada

Last week their home driveway looked like this. It all has to be cleared before the car can be taken out of the garage.

Dan using his snow clearing machine to clear their driveway.

Brrr- Isn't it nice to live in Australia??

Robyn Khorshid in Patagonia

Robyn Khorshid has just returned from a holiday, kayaking, walking, sightseeing in Patagonia. You can only been envious after seeing such spectacular scenery.

Wonderful visibility on this day. We are just starting our paddle on Day 2. This was the backdrop as we set off, Torres del Paine Massif, near, but not part of the Andes. Photos Robyn

Torres del Paine, Chile. Big hike to get to here at the top. Very cold.
I wore my CDU beanie the whole time it was wonderful! Even paddling. Robyn is in red.

Part of the French Valley - so beautiful - in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile.

The 2013 Marathon Championships, Perth

Get ready for the WA Champs

Michael Leverrett at the last Marathon Championships in Perth. He won the event and has won about 11 other Australian Marathon Championships so he is pretty good.

Teamed up with Kate McGrath, Michael and Kate led the male teams some of the way

At the finish Michael and Kate were pipped at the post. It was very impressive seeing a mixed team beat several of the men teams.

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The White Water is Coming

Practise on Flat Water and be Ready

The Break-In

A Break-in is a manoeuvre that enables the paddler to leave an eddy, re-enter the moving water and continue to paddle downstream. This manoeuvre often catches beginners off guard and as a result, capsizes can occur. This problem is usually caused by the difference in speed between the current and the boat entering the current. If the current hits the boat and the water is allowed to build up on the deck, it will push the upstream edge of the boat down and probably cause the boat to flip. It is therefore essential that the paddler leans downstream and presents the boat's hull to the water current to avoid this build up of water.

Pre-requisite strokes for Break-in/Break-out
Prior to tackling a Break-in or Break-out, the paddler should be familiar with the Low Brace Turn or Bow Draw Turn. The most popular, powerful and quickest turn is achieved by using the Bow Draw (otherwise known as the 'Bow Rudder'). Many instructors introduce the Bow Draw early in training. However, some beginners find this stroke causes their boat to become unstable and prefer the Low Brace Turn, (see below) which provides the paddler with more support.

The Low Brace Turn on flat water

THE LOW BRACE TURN

The Low Brace Turn is a wide turning stroke which requires the boat to have forward momentum to be effective. It is particularly useful for eddy turns in white water. Practise this stroke before you go on whitewater.

• Accelerate the boat forward.
• Sweep on the opposite side of the turn - to assist the boat to carve.
• Edge your boat into the turn by lifting your knee and thigh on the opposite side to your intended direction.
• On the turning side, place the paddle blade almost flat on the water surface just behind your hips and out from the boat.

Ensure that the leading edge of the paddle blade is slightly raised, so that the water can pass beneath it. Leaning lightly on the flat paddle blade will provide support and cause a slight braking effect, therefore the boat will start to veer to the side that the stroke has been executed.

• Keep your elbow higher than the paddle shaft.
• Dragging the paddle blade harshly across the water, or sweeping backwards will slow your boat and create instability.
• The combination of the sweep, speed, edging, the current and the low brace are all important factors
to ensure a good stable turn.

The Break-In performed in Whitewater using a bow draw (see pictures below)

• If possible, allow yourself room to accelerate by dropping back into the eddy.

• Accelerate across the eddy. Aim the boat towards the eddy line ready to enter the current at an angle of about 20 - 45 degrees - the angle will depend upon the speed of the water and how deep into the current you wish to penetrate.

• Directly before the bow enters the current, drive the kayak across the eddy line using a Forward Sweep Stroke on the upstream side of the boat. At the same time, lean downstream to lift the boat's upstream edge. (Practise the technique of leaning away from the Sweep Stroke on flat water or in an easy current, prior to tackling white water.)

• Then, as the bow enters the current, lean the boat into the turn and execute a strong Bow Draw Stroke on the downstream side. If you feel unstable, use a Low Brace Turn to give you more stability (see 'Low Brace Turn').

• Once the boat has turned, convert the Bow Draw into a Forward Stroke to give you stability and power.

• The kayak should slide forward and turn downstream.

Key Points:
• When leaving an eddy, it is important that your boat is positioned at the correct angle. Continuing the manoeuvre with an incorrect angle can result in a capsize. If you feel that your boat angle is incorrect, drop back into the eddy and try again.
• The quicker and more powerful the current, the greater the need for boat speed across the eddy line.
• It is important to combine edging with leaning.
If boat speed has not been maintained, the current may simply bounce the boat around on the unstable eddy line between the fast and slack water.

When paddling an unstable boat or when you are at the bigginner stage of white water the Low Brace Turn will give you good stability, however in slalom racing or when you become a better paddler the Bow Draw entry is a much faster way to enter the current.

Practise from both sides of the river.

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You still have a chance to take part in the Oscar Chalupsky Paddle Clinic

Book now 9378 1333

March 8th & 9th

Flatwater & Ocean courses

3 hours $130.00

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Marathon Championships
8th 9th March

http://www.wa.canoe.org.au/event.asp?ID=16560&format=popup


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Bevan Dashwood Race

Sunday, March 23rd 10:00am

Kent Street Weir

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CWA Marathon #5 Pinjara to Ravenswood

Sunday, March 30

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CRCC- Canning Classic

Sunday, April 13 9:30am

Mirage Max Kayaks K1: Very Good Condition. $1250.00
High Deck Wizard great for the Avon Descent or for fitness. $900.00
Van Dusen Double K2: Best suited to lighter crews: $990.00
Finn Kayak with Pod: $750.00
Two Up Double open kayak: $600.00

Please call us about our used boats 9378 1333