Winter Paddlesports Races

Info on Winter races below forwarded by Shane Baker. Thanks Shane!

Also don't forget the Sound Rowers races (http://www.soundrowers.org/) starting with LaConner on Feb 6 and Lake Sammamish on March 13. Lots of fun opportunities for racers this year.

Mark your calendar -- Here is an updated 2010 Winter Series Race Schedule.

In addition to this list below, there is an Annual Fox Island paddle around Fox Island at 10am on January 1st. At the Fox Island Bridge. contact Shane Baker at Kiwibaker@aol.com if interested for more details.

Happy New Year!


2010 New Year's Challenge - This Weekend!
OC-1/2/6, Surfskis, Kayaks, SUP'S and non-motorized watercrafts
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Race Starts at 11:00am
6.5 mile downwinder from Gasworks Park to Magnuson Park or vice-versa depending on winds

More details and info to come or see more details and RSVP, follow the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=185806376055&mid=17f9351G222b4f4aG3529d9bG7
Hosted by the Sail Sand Point Outrigger Canoe Club

Ruston Way Solo/Relay
Tacoma, Washington
March 20th, 2010
On Tacoma's Commencement Bay
Jack Hyde Park
Open to all OC's, Surfski's, Kayaks, SUP's and non-motorized watercrafts
10.5 miles Solo or Partners of 2 - 8 paddlers 2.6 miles per lap(4 total laps)
Registration at 9am
Race Starts at 11am
(special fundraiser for our 2010 World Sprint Paddler headed to New Caledonia)
Hosted by PNW-ORCA

2010 PNW-ORCA WINTER SERIES RACE SCHEDULE

January 16th - B.C. Canada - Jericho OCC - 11am

January 30th - Lake Union, Wa. - Hui Wa'a O Wakinikona - 11am

February 13th - Portland, Oregon - Mountain Home CC - 11am

February 27th - Silverdale, Washington - Hui Heihei Wa'a - 11am

March 13th - Portland, Oregon - Kai Ikaika CC - 11am

March 27th - B.C. Canada - False Creek CC - 11am

April 10th - Sand Point, Washington - Sail Sand Point OCC - 11am

Check www.pnworca.org for more details on race series and points

Please pass on to your paddlers

Mahalo and Happy Holidays!

Rockpool Kayaks Alaw Bach!

Rockpool North America partners with Eddyline to build the first thermoformed British kayak
... and Ruby Creek can help you get your hands on it!

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF JESS WALKER

Chris Mitchell of Rockpool North America recently announced a partnership with Eddyline Kayaks featuring Rockpool's popular Alaw Bach kayak in Thermoformed Composite Construction -- the same burly, lightweight, affordable, space-age material made immensely popular by designers & innovators Lisa and Tom Derrer of Eddyline. Earlier this month, Mitchell stated on his web site:

"After many months we are pleased to announce that we are starting to ship the NEW Rockpool ALAW Bach TCC to our Reps across North America and will be filling a container for Europe later this month.

The TCC is a colaboration between Rockpool Kayaks of Wales, UK and Reed/Rockpool North America, LLC. We decided to build the ALAW Bach because we wanted this very popular boat to be more readily available to the many paddlers world wide that recognise the sophisticated design and expert craftsmanship of the Rockpool ALAW Bach. Instead of trying to find a cheaper source of labor we instead looked to a more modern technology that works smarter and to the same type of quality standards that Rockpool is famous for.

TCC stands for Thermoformed Composite Construction. We chose Eddyline Kayaks of Burlington, WA to partner with as they were the first and recognised leader in the field of thermoforming kayaks. We knew they would be able to bring this great design forward with their years of experience in kayak thermoforming."

Ruby Creek, as always in partnership with HappyPaddler Ethan Ebersold, is ecstatic to be a part of this arrangement. Distribution will be through dealers across the USA and Canada, some who are currently carrying Eddyline and some who are not. Check in with Ruby Creek at paddlazz@comcast.net to schedule your first test paddle and to find your nearest dealer! This is going to be a terrific seller. MSRP is $2,995.

The minimalist backband can be replace with something larger if you like. This one's nice though.

Christmas may be over, but Santa wants you to have a new Rockpool!

Emotion's First Comet!

Tom "Big T" Strauss gives one of his big trademark holiday smiles posing with the first-off-the-line Comet, the sweetest little 8-foot piece of paddling fun you'll ever meet. In the first week of the new year, Ruby Creek will receive a container load of Comets and their sensational sister sit-on-top Spitfires. Reserve your first shipment right away!

Boathouse transformation!

My old buddy (since we were both 14... that was a damn long time ago) Doug Dago Day showed up at the Boathouse yesterday at noon. As usual the place was not pretty, pfds, paddles, dry suits wherever there was room, and of course boats everywhere, stacked neatly but taking up most of the floor space.

A few hours later the change was evident. We'd put up enough racks to store the 44 Emotion Kayaks still in stock from 2009 at the 'house, with room to spare. Just in time to put them all on dealer super-special for Christmas!

By 3pm today (in time for me to be home for kickoff of the Husky game) we'd wrapped up enough rack space for all 150+ Emotion Comets and Spitfires arriving in a container at the end of the month. (Click to see my boy Ethan paddling a Comet right here)

Speaking of the Huskies, what a sweet spanking they laid on the Cal Bears.

Thanks Dago! Dig them power tools. Nail guns, chop saws and rotohammers rule!

Alki transforms to M2S

Many further congrats to Greg Whittaker and the crew at Alki Kayak Tours, firmly established as Mountain to Sound Outfitters in their new retail location at 3602 SW Alaska St. in lovely West Seattle. Skis, boots, a mountain shuttle service and a tuning shop dominate the winter scene, to be replaced in Spring by Tahoe SUP, Eddyline, Emotion, Bending Branches and Stohlquist gear for the paddlin’ season. Check out the transformation in less than a month from this…

To this…

And inside from this…

To this happy holiday scene with visitors mulling over what to buy their loved ones…

The heater in back that wanted to wack you in the head…

Still works and will still wack you in the head but it takes a little effort to get back there amongst all the cool stuff…

Greg and crew are waiting to greet you!