Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Wow Moo! Your ski does look fast, very sleek.

I also agree with your suggestion of a Swing, they are pretty much the swiss army knife of kayaks. They kinda do everything well, not too big and not too small, fast enough, stable enough,well priced, fitted out enough its no wonder they are so popular. People catch everything from Tuna to Trout from them, go camping or just stuff about in the surf.

Heres those photos of the trolley I promised...







I tie the rope thats on the trolley to the front carry handle on the kayak to drag it along, then push the kayak off backwards into the water while pulling the rope and trolley out of the water[just like a boat trailer] All you need to make out is an grinder and cutting wheel to cut off the base plate. Then of course the obligatory pool noodle

Wow guys they look great, I am taking in all the information. I had a look at a Hobie. but not sure of the leg thing. http://www.hobiecat.com.au/kayaking/i12.html
let me know if any of those hobie kayaks are any good. also this shop lets you try before you buy, but I don't know what I want yet.http://www.maelstromkayak.com/cms/image ... g_tech.jpg. Sorry don't know how to do the here thing

kalgrm has a hobie i think...but he is into the weird and wonderful Seriously, for fishing, they are great as you can move whilst holding a fishing rid with both hands. If you want a yak for more of an upper body workout and fishing is a nice to have, maybe something more paddle oriented is the way to go.

If you want to take the hound with you, inflatable is probably not the way to go. Not saying you couldn't do it, but I wouldn't.

The maelstrom you linked to is nice But it looks expensive and not a "beginner's" boat. I'll see if I can find any that I reckon would suit to give you some idea of boats. If only you were over here...!!

moosterbounce wrote:The maelstrom you linked to is nice But it looks expensive and not a "beginner's" boat. I'll see if I can find any that I reckon would suit to give you some idea of boats. If only you were over here...!!

Come and visit me, bring your boat.
I think I will have to go to the spit and try some out. So is a Yak a brand of kayak

Hey Moo, just spoke to a guy taking his Epic V10 Sport out, it was beautiful. He only just picked it up from the shop. He said it was top range.

The v10 Sport is pretty. Quite similar geometry to mine but composite as opposed to my plastic one. and twice the price!! There is a V12 which is longer and narrower again. Very fast and super pretty

The more you look Apple, the more you are drawn to the sleeker racier models. Kayaks (yak for short) and skis are just like bikes. One is never enough and you always find other models to drool over.

Apart from having something the kids can use, and taking the dog for a ride, what do you want to "achieve" by paddling? Is it fitness, exploration, view to racing, short distances only, fishing...? I'm doing some shopping for you

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/w ... 5910879042

A MAN was forced to withdraw from a kayak race after being slapped in the face by an airborne 13kg silver carp.

Brad Pennington, a 43-year-old lawyer from Houston, Texax, nearly capsized due to the impact - and initially thought someone had thrown a brick from the shore at the Missouri River 340 event in Kansas City earlier this week.

"My first thought was, ?What hit me?'" Pennington told The Columbia Missourian. "The second thing was that I couldn't believe I didn't capsize with a boat like I had."

An accomplished river racer, Pennington was paddling an Olympic-style kayak that measured 17 feet (5.2m) long and just 30cm wide at its widest point.

A spill into the water could have meant real danger because the river's depth was approaching its extreme for this time of the year.

"I could have been swimming for miles," Pennington said. "I'm relieved to get hit by something like that and stay upright.

"I just went down the river laughing afterwards," he added. "I got face-slapped by a flying fish."

Before long, though, Pennington was forced to withdraw from the 340 mile (550km) race because of a "pounding, pounding headache that kept getting worse."

A check for a concussion came back negative.

Silver carp have become a genuine problem in the Missouri River, injuring fishermen, water skiers and other recreational boaters, according to the newspaper.

The species was brought to the U.S. from Asia in the 1970s to control algae and plankton.

Now the silver carp is leaping out of the Missouri River and causing injuries such as broken noses and jaws and threatening the food supply for native fish.

"The silver carp jump in crazy ways," said Duane Chapman of the Columbia Environmental Research Center.

"Their sides have rough parts on their pectoral fins that can cut a person's face and their heads are hard and can cause serious injury."

moosterbounce wrote:Apart from having something the kids can use, and taking the dog for a ride, what do you want to "achieve" by paddling? Is it fitness, exploration, view to racing, short distances only, fishing...? I'm doing some shopping for you

Thanks Moo, I need the help, All the above, fitness, exploration, short distance, sometimes fishing, Not Racing. I just love the outdoor and being part of nature.

I've never been fish slapped, but have had a mullet jump out of the water and hit my boat. That carp sounds like a killer

Have a look at [url=http://www.canoeingdownunder.com.au/sub ... Short=this page[/url] - they are considered short plastic skis. The longer and narrower a boat, the faster and less stable it is. Short plastics are under 4.5m but if you aren't planning to go long distances or super fast, something around 3.5m would be good. There is a trade off though. If you go too short, it won't be easy to paddle and if you are anything like me, you'll give up because you can't get anywhere.

Anything around the 3.5m mark should give you storage space for some fishing gear and the hound. On the linked page, something like the Explorer or Scrambler would be great. The others below these would be ideal too.

Obviously, these are brands we get here but you should be able to find something similar over there. A canoe shop should let you try before you buy too. My LKS has a weekly try out session which is free. You turn up and they fit you with a life jacket and and you can have a go of as many boats as you like. I'm sure many people use this service and never end up buying, so don't feel bad if you try somewhere local.

This should give you some reading

Thank you all dear friends for your advice on the Kayak, I am reading a lot and will try some out. But somehow my mind is set on the epic.
When I get back from overseas I will post again with my new toy.

moosterbounce wrote:kalgrm has a hobie i think...but he is into the weird and wonderful Seriously, for fishing, they are great as you can move whilst holding a fishing rid with both hands. If you want a yak for more of an upper body workout and fishing is a nice to have, maybe something more paddle oriented is the way to go.

There's no rule against paddling a pedal-powered yak.

Here's a shot of me on my yak yesterday - with a little dinner for later ...



Cheers,
Graeme

Geez Graeme - where do you sit??





Oh yeah...nice dinner by the way

moosterbounce wrote:Geez Graeme - where do you sit??





Oh yeah...nice dinner by the way

on the fish.


To be honest I would love to fish like that, but I would get mercury poisoning in Sydney.
I love the photo

[quote="KalgrmHere's a shot of me on my yak yesterday - with a little dinner for later ...



Cheers,
Graeme[/quote]
Is that a sail on your kayak, and wha is its name. I can see wheels, don't tell me it converts to a car

It's name is "See you this afternoon" if you ask his wife

Hobies...See? I told you he was "different"!!

I hate to say this too Apple, but I will have to talk you out of the Epic. I can't believe I just said that!! Make it your next kayak. Apart from being about $3500, they are composite and are therefore pront to scratching and possibly damage - as a learner.

Think of it as buying a alu flat bar to learn on then upgrading to a carbon roadie. Or get a PRS like me which is plastic but long and sleek

moosterbounce wrote:

Think of it as buying a alu flat bar to learn on then upgrading to a carbon roadie. Or get a PRS like me which is plastic but long and sleek

Thanks Moo, I will take your advice. I am going to look at some this weekend. So It is a PRS, do they make the epic as well. I will have to go and look at your old post again.
Fogot to ask, should I sit in or on?

Apple wrote:Is that a sail on your kayak, and wha is its name. I can see wheels, don't tell me it converts to a car

Hi Apple,

It's a Hobie Outfitter, which is a two-seater pedal kayak. We also bought a sail kit for it so the kids can practice sailing, though I admit to using the sail when I'm on a fishing trip as a slacker's trip home. The mast slots into the small hole in the hull and it's easily removed or installed when desired.

The wheels are the trolley: they plug into a pair of scupper holes when you want to drag the yak from the water to the car. I strap them to the front of the yak with a built in bungee strap instead of taking them back to the car before launching. They help keep the sail in place when it's furled and stowed.

I've made a couple of strap-on decks for it for use when I'm out fishing. By doing so, I have avoided the need to modify the hull in any extensive way, so it can still be used for family fun whenever we want. You can see a better view of the modifications I've done here.

I agree with Moo - get a HT MTB to start with and learn to ride well before moving on to the Epic.

Cheers,
Graeme

OMGosh that's fantastic, someone should do a documentary on you. Love the fish you caught, I like fishing and I love eating fish yum. You make me feel like going out there on a yak like yours, what a fabulous euphoric experience that must be.
I am lucky, I can fish from by back garden but as I said, not sure if the fish is safe due to the mercury levels

I agree with Moo - get a HT MTB to start with and learn to ride well before moving on to the Epic.

So HT MTB does it have a real name and can I find it in Sydney? I found some shops who sell kayaks I and will go and try some before I buy but will post pictures first for all you kayakers approval

The HT MTB thing is a cycling analogy Apple. Basically start with something simple and learn the skills needed before going all out.

Mulger bill wrote:The HT MTB thing is a cycling analogy Apple. Basically start with something simple and learn the skills needed before going all out.

Oh, sorry it is the ethnic in me, didnt get it. I see what you mean. thanks

OK Apple - You've had a blood rush to the head seeing that Epic v10. It makes sense - it is an incredibly sexy piece of kit. But we need to pull you back to earth a little (though not too much!!).

If you want to go long and fast with a view possibly to racing, the Epic v10 is the beast for you...but you will hate it. Speed depends on two things - length and width. Long and narrow. 6m boats are faster than 3m boats. The Epic is about 6m long and 48cm wide. That equals long and narrow which equals fast.

I've been paddling for several years off and on. I've been paddling as a minimum 4 times a week since March. My last boat was 68cm wide and I thought it was stable. My Spirit PRS is 50cm wide (and just under 6m long) and it is pretty unstable. I've been on it 20 odd times and I'm ok on flat water, but the minute I get a boat wake or any side waves, I'm so close to going over. I've had lessons and, although I didn't fall out, I'm not yet leaning it over as far as I should and my brace strokes need work. When I bought the PRS, I was just at the edge of being able to handle it. Practice makes perfect and I am one stubborn girlie I wanted something to extend me and allow me to push my limits. This has done this...and how.

So...you will need to find the equivalent of the HT MTB.

I prefer sit on kayaks or skis. It enables me to move my legs around a bit more. It I fall off, I jump back on and the self draining hull deals with the water. Mr Moo prefers enclosed or sit in kayaks - if he falls out, he swims his yak to shore, empties it out, then gets back in. Time waster. True kayakers (the crazy sit in guys) are a strange bunch and they wouldn't have it any other way You may prefer the feel of a sit in (I won't hold it against you!!). If you search for photos of a Finn Endorphin and a Finn Multisport - these have the same hull exactly but one is sit on and the other is sit in. This is great to see the difference.

You'll need to look at sit on kayaks/skis around the 3-4m mark. Nothing less than 60cm wide. You may even be looking at something around the 80cm wide mark. It seems huge, but is stable and will enable everyone (you and the kids) to learn on it. And the dog to sit on it If possible, try to get some lessons. It isn't just a case of paddling - the better your technique, the less effort you will be putting into your stroke. Faster with less effort basically. Also, there are different strokes - power to go forward and backward, sweep for turning, high and low brace for stopping yourself capsizing. There are others but these are the major ones.

It doesn't matter which kayak you get - the basics are all the same. I bought a book by Terry Bolland with all the basics outlined. He just happens to be the owner of my local store and the most experienced paddler you could meet. I'm not sure if his book is available else where but look for it if you can as it is an invaluable resource. It also describes all the boat types, paddle types, strokes, how to read the river etc.

OMGosh I've gone on and on and on!! I'll stop now before my fingers fall off Take this info to a canoe/kayak shop and let us know how you go. Can't wait to hear.

moosterbounce wrote: I prefer sit on kayaks or skis. You'll need to look at sit on kayaks/skis around the 3-4m mark. It doesn't matter which kayak you get - the basics are all the same. I bought a book by Terry Bolland with all the basics outlined. He just happens to be the owner of my local store and the most experienced paddler you could meet. I'm not sure if his book is available else where but look for it if you can as it is an invaluable resource. It also describes all the boat types, paddle types, strokes, how to read the river etc.

OMGosh I've gone on and on and on!! I'll stop now before my fingers fall off Take this info to a canoe/kayak shop and let us know how you go. Can't wait to hear.

NO Please go on, it is great. Thanks again for all the information is wonderful advice; I will get a sit on as I would like to get back on if I fall off. I will try some on the weekend or even when I return from Europe. I will definitely keep you up to date with my progress and lots of photos.

Ah, you guys with your sit-ons... making me want to trade my Wilderness systems Tsunami 145 for something the dog can sit on. Not sure if either of the dogs will cooperate though. I think I need to borrow one of those fishing-barges to test it out.