Kitsap Peninsula rocks the paddlin' world

Some people just keep moving, keep getting better, and keep spreading the gospel. One of those I'm lucky to know is John Kuntz, owner of Olympic Outdoor Center in Poulsbo, WA, at the heart of the lovely Kitsap Peninsula. John is also a member of the Olympic Kayak Club, and a strong supporter of organizations that promote conservation of open spaces and access to and from the water, like the Washington Water Trails and North Kitsap Trails. So here's what John has on his plate for 2009, all to promote paddlesports, get more people in boats and build public support for our sport:

The Puget Sound Challenge, a 1-year, 150-mile, do-it-yourself-whenever-you-want-or-with-a-planned-group paddling adventure. From Belfair, WA, at the southern tip of Hood Canal, to Allyn, WA, it's just a few miles across the tiny isthmus that creates the Kitsap Peninsula. But it's 150 miles by water and the trip covers some of the most gorgeous paddling scenery you can imagine. I've talked to people who want to do it in a weekend, and others who want to stretch it out and devote nearly every weekend from now til Fall. Whatever the reason and however it's paddled, it's all for fun and awareness of paddling, and the extra bucks go to WWTA. A great cause and it should be a chance for lots of new paddling friendships.

Paddle Kitsap, a full-service 2-day, 3-evening affair on July 31 and August 1 to support the North Kitsap Trails Association. The cost is not cheap, but the organizers are going all out with shuttles, meals, and live entertainment all included. With all the development planned for this former rural backwater piece of Puget Sound, the Trails group is playing a vital role in making paddling available for everyone.

Paddle Washington is John's other ongoing project, and he's ambitiously working to unite the many members of our paddlesports business community to publicize events like clinics, races, symposia, and paddlers' gatherings of every type. After talking extensively about this with John, and reading daily about our state's cuts to parks services, it's obvious to me that all this energy will be well-spent if we can build some synergy among our industry to get more people paddling safely, no matter how much/how little they want to spend or what type of craft they want to paddle.

Great work, John. Wish I had your energy!

Awesome day for a photo shoot

What an afternoon on Thursday. With a balmy 40-something degrees under a clear blue sky and bright setting sun, Seattle surfski racing hero Don Kiesling took a couple hours of his day to coach me on my paddlestrokes and pose for some PR shots for our friends at Costa del Mar. Don's wearing the Filament rimless frames, with dark amber lenses, an awesome combo. Just like Don, the Filament is lightweight but it packs a punch in versatility and style.

In search of the perfect stroke, Don already has the perfect shades. Here, in the shadow of century-old GasWorks Park, he sports Costa del Mar's biggest-seller, Fathom frames in black, with blue mirror glass lenses. All Costa sunglasses -- every possible lens combination in all 52 frame styles -- are 100% polarized and live up to every bit of their slogan, "See What's Out There." Incredible clarity that's easy on the eyes, no matter which side of the lens you're on.

More shots of Don right here on Picasa.

Don's top-secret wing-paddle coaching tips got me a whispered "nice, you're hitting ___ knots" as he followed my Eddyline Falcon S18 -- fill in the blank, Steve Bennett. You'll only be outta my head when I beat you. Could be next month, could be next year.

On the beach I jumped out of my Falcon and into the coolest new beach toy on the market, the little 8-footer from Spitfire Kayaks.

No, I did not need that rescue boat. In fact Don got behind the camera to prove that a 210-pound paddler still has a bunch of freeboard in this little guy.....

...and while thigh straps might be good for a hip snap, it's still pretty hard to tip over. I tried really hard, but did not take a swim!

All in all a great day on the water. Thanks Don for your help and support. Now I just need to make it worth your time and beat Steve Bennett... stay tuned...

Need a drysuit gasket replacement?

You want this to happen to your neck? You sure?
This was some creative usage of velcro and a massive load of Aquaseal by a previous owner of his dry suit, but my friend Franz decided it was time to pony up for a new seal. Ruby Creek got it on a Tuesday, repaired it that night, shipped it out the next day, and Franz was on the water Friday. Simple as that.

If you can't get down to your local kayak shop, where I always recommend you go first for service, here's how it works to get your Kokatat, Palm, Stohlquist, NRS, or IR suit's latex neck, wrist, or ankle replaced here at Ruby Creek:

1. Tell me it's coming, by email to paddlazz@comcast.net, or phone 206-940-6269.

2. Tell me your neck, wrist, or ankle size, as the case may be.

3. Ship or deliver your suit to Ruby Creek World HQ at:
1166 Viewpoint Drive
Oak Harbor WA 98277
phone (required for UPS) 206-940-6269

4. Include a check for the following, which includes replacement gasket, installation labor, 303 protection on all your gaskets including your old ones, cleaning/lube on your zippers, WA sales tax and return shipping:

• neck: $85
• wrist or ankle (including latex socks; please specify open ankle seal or latex sock): $48 for one, $40 each for additional

5. I'll adjust the invoice amount if you provide your own seals, or if you'll be picking up your suit instead of having me ship it. Let me know this before you send the check.

6. Please include your shipping address, phone number, and email address when you contact me.

7. In most circumstances I can guarantee that the suit will be at your door one week after I receive it. Usually it's way faster. But confirm a solid date with me before you send your suit.

Unless you request otherwise I use OS Systems gaskets. I use Aquaseal to glue your new gasket to the remaining one inch or so of your old one. This is standard procedure as recommended by Kokatat, but is not used by everyone. I don't repair dry suit fabric, or install fabric socks.

Thanks for your business!

LaConner on a perfect day

Showing off my borrowed multicolor wing paddle to Mark Greengo and Wade Johnson. Paddling with a wing for the first time, it felt fast but Wade was faster in an identical boat, and a Euro blade.... hmmm... must be the horse, not the chariot...

I hit the Sound Rowers race in LaConner this morning. These guys know how to put on a show. from double racing shells to 4-oared whaleboats, surfskis, sea kayaks, and Costa del Mar sponsored racer, Don Kiesling on that amazing paddleboard. Much kudos to Sound Rowers for a great job, good people, good friends. Next event is the Lake Sammamish 6- or 13-miler (take your pick), 10am March 14. Check their site for details. Sound Rowers Rocks!

You know that really good tired feeling after you completely toast yourself in a workout? Combined with the massive frustration of wanting to do better? With the potential satisfaction of knowing with a little practice, next time will be awesome? Yeeeeahhhh, that feeling.

After seven miles of chasing Wade Johnson in his nearly-matching Eddyline Falcon S18 (his is white, mine is yellow), I watched him pull away at the finish and thump me by at least a couple minutes. And he was accompanied by none other than Steve Bennett in his $75 plastic Scirocco, who snuck through the favorable currents and passed unnoticed until it was too late.

The best part of the day was trying to keep up with the 4-oared whaleboat gig from Anacortes, 4 dudes on sliding seats, a coxswain with a huge wooden tiller in his hand. They were lauging and telling stories while I struggled just to stay in their wake. They almost ran over Wade at the turn buoy, but he was sweetly oblivious to them bearing down on him. Somehow the currents in the inner channel near the finish line favor smaller boats, so I was able to grab just enough eddy to pass them with about a mile to go.

Racing is an awesome confidence builder, skill developer, and community grower. Sure everyone competes, but the camaraderie is way more important. Except I have Steve Bennett in my head. 5 weeks to get ready...

Did I mention sound Rowers Rocks!?

Say hello to my little friend... I saw this guy hanging out by the Skagit River after the race. Likely waiting for a spawned-out salmon to float downstream.

After the race, Steve Bennett left his $75 used plastic boat upside down right behind my Falcon. This was evidence that my boat was in front of his at least once today. Best thing for him now is, he knows he's in my head. I'll be gunning for him until the day I beat him.

Seattle Boat Show Frenzy

What a show. I was lucky to be able to wander the floor of the show for four days of the week-and-a-half event, renewing old friendships and meeting lots of new people. The dealers I talked to were pretty upbeat considering all the dire news on our economy. Some even told me the first few days of the show were the best they've ever seen.

Popeye's had a sweet location on the upper floor, with the spotlight on the cherry Fathom LV, lots of room for boaters to take a look at their Eddyline and Seaward boats, and a nice selection of Stohlquist PFDs. Thanks to Dean and Bedelia for letting me hang out there for a while and chat with visitors.

Dean and Bedelia had such a good show, they're looking a little blurry... but the smiles are still there.

Hobie Cats Northwest and my old friends from Sail Sand Point shared a booth in the middle of the sailing section that featured -- beneath that gorgeous Hobie Tiger -- sit-on-top kayaks. Their display of kayak fishing gear was pretty cool too, with Bryce from Northwest Kayak Anglers regaling visitors with stories of lunkers hauled in on the deck of a Hobie.

This guy kept his legs moving, pedaling for ten straight days and never looking tired. Must be that comfy Stohlquist Wedge-E PFD.

Many thanks to Windworks Sailing, Scott, Laura, Greg, and the whole crew who allocated some prime space in their booth for the hottest, coolest shades out there.

Humbled by much aloha

The phone rang on Tuesday. I was taking a break from the ski hill on a gorgeous day. On the other end was two-time Olympian Jordan Malloch spreading the word about the PNWORCA winter outrigger race series.
"Bill, you coming out for the race this Saturday at Gas Works?"
"Jordan, I'm a kayaker, not an outrigger man... and I haven't hardly paddled all winter. I'm really out of shape."
"Awwww man, come on! They'll let you race. You should come down."

A phone call to Don Kiesling confirmed the excitement, so I geared up if only to watch Don paddle 6 miles with his bare hands and hope I can beat him in my kayak.

So no s^&*, there I was...

There's something incongruous about a few dozen outrigger paddlers dressed in fleece and Goretex, huddled around a fire. And even more mismatched was my little Fathom LV at 15 feet, next to those 20+ -foot OCs and surfskis. But the aloha was warm and the host club, HUI WA'A O WAKINIKONA was happy to see everyone come out. This was the first in a 7-race series around Puget Sound that concludes in April at Sail Sand Point Outrigger on Lake Washington.

I chased Steve Bennett all the way down the course, but never caught him... he was paddling so easily and I was thrashing along. Must be his 40 years of racing. Or his wing paddle. Or the extra 2 feet of waterline in his boat. Or my forward stroke sucks. Hmmmmmm.

Bernie Swanson showed up and snapped the pics you see here. Thanks Bernie! I think he deleted the one of my final 100 yards "what is that Bill, a low brace?" total fatigue stroke. Either that or he's saving it for blackmail.

I was slow enough that Jordan was already dressed and toasty warm when I got off the water to pose with him... but glory be, I managed to stay ahead of Don... paddling with his hands.

Here is Don, duking it out on the paddleboard in the home stretch. What a workout!

Much mahalo to Wakinikona. Good times, great people, warm fire and excellent post-race pupus! The soup really hit the spot.

Sweet! Jumping at a chance to teach

Well how bout that!? What an honor, being asked to lead a seminar discussion at Washington Water Trails' Annual Winter Seminar on February 7th & 8th. It's humbling to be a part of this featured list of paddling luminaries!*

I first titled the session "How to get what you want from your local paddlesports specialty shop... without pissing anyone off". Somehow that title didn't work on a public forum, so while the content of the discussion stays the same, the official title speaks of karma and goodwill.

Since joining this happy industry a few years ago under the watchful training of m'man Charles Graves, I've grown passionate about the need for paddlers to buy local... not because it's good for the economy and oh my, what about that poor local businessman, no not so much. More so because it builds our paddling community. For every paddle, skirt or dry suit we order on line because we save a few bucks on a "no tax, free shipping" deal, a piece of our community's soul goes away. Every time that same piece of gear gets purchased from a local dealer, it gives that dealer a chance to expand the services they offer. Essentially, by buying local, we buy back a little of that soulful lifestyle that makes our favorite paddle shop our favorite place to go hang out.

Of course, it's a two-way street. The shop needs to start out being a place you want to go hang out. They need to be open when you need them, responsive to your special requests, and open to serve every level of paddler with products, classes, and groups that keep everyone safe and excited about going on the water. We'll get into that too, so I'm hoping we can get a few shop owners in the crowd.

This seminar is in its 4th year and keeps growing and getting more interesting every year. Come on out, support WWTA's mission of conservation and access to our favorite paddling places, and learn a bundle while you're there. If you can't make it, I hope you'll shoot me an email or just comment here on the blog with your thoughts about the topic. Any ideas, anecdotes or suggestions are welcome!

*Check out today's current list of presenters. What a rush, getting listed with these folks. Many thanks to WWTA for the opportunity to be a part of the fun!

Andy Bridge

Ken Campbell

Suzy Cornell

Annette Dong

Dubside

George Gronseth

Dan Henderson

Wayne Horodowich

Karl Kohegan

Sarah Krueger

Dik Lang

Gary Luhm

Tim Mattson

Jeff Renner

Matthew Ross

Barb Sherill

Tim Walsh

Pat Welle