Join us on our sea kayaking adventures along the coast of South Australia. Based in Adelaide we explore the local coastline by kayak as well as far away destinations
I purchased this about 6 years ago to use as an expedition craft and it has performed in all sorts of sea conditions.
Unfortunately my paddling partner has an on-going injury and we are no longer paddling long distance expeditions.
So after sitting in the shed for the last year we have decided it needs a new owner.
Condition is good. There are the normal amount of scratches on the hull from launching/landing on pebble beaches but otherwise no damage. Fitted with a sail which is included in the price. I fitted out for expeditions and there is provision for 2 electric bilge pumps (not included). Fitted with Jackson Sweet Cheek Seats for extra comfort.
Price $A3500 ONO. (replacement cost over $A6000)
I also have a trolley which will fit in centre hatch if you need one. Great for rolling down the boat ramp and onto the water. Price $A40. Can also supply a Rhino Nautic kayak lifter.Price $A300
Purchased around 6 years ago as our spare sea kayak for overseas friends it has only been p
addled a few times. The Cosma Tx is now made by Boreal Designs with a few deck changes
but essentially the same kayak.
Condition is very good with a few scratches on hull from pebble beaches, and would suit paddler looking for a great thermoformed sea kayak at a very reasonable price.
Price $A1750 ONO (replacement cost around $A3000)
Approx Dimensions
Length 4.9m
Width 58cm
Weight guess around 25kg Thermoformed construction
For more info contact me Mob. 0411619698 or Email thepopeshome@gmail.com
The winter storms have been with us for a while and now there is another wave of cold fronts lining up in the Indian Ocean ready to flog us with 30-40 knot winds so paddling has been off the fun menu for a while.
When it blows….It sucks !!!
Sometimes there is a few hours of grace between the departure of one cold front and the arrival of the next and today was that day. We managed a surf kayak along the coast in what was rather lumpy conditions, with the waves breaking in a different spot on each wave.
We were testing a new camera setup as well as a new tripod and needless to say “things went wrong”, not only with the camera. However, here’s a short clip from today.
Have a great day….the next cold front is on its’ way
Ian
What’s a C-Boat ? It’s a slang term for canoe and generally one that is used for racing or white water.
Over 25 years ago I thought that it would be fun to try paddling an Olympic flatwater C1. It was extremely challenging having to balance on one knee whilst engaging maximum effort with the paddle. It took me 12 months to be able to paddle the C1 around Delphin Island, West Lakes; that’s a bit over 5km and that was not at full power. I made it to the start line of a few local Sprint Regattas, wobbling my way into the starting lane and somehow managing to make it across the finish line.
That’s me on the way to the starting line….it’s an old photo and has slowly deteriorated, just like the paddler.
I was invited to race a 500 metre event in a C2, when no one else was available. We were disqualified because I fell in with 100m to go, but paddler Hugh Stewart finished strong and upright. Swimming across the line with your paddle is apparently not counted. Later I actually paddled a 100 km race as part of the Riverland Paddling Marathon in a C4 and I think that was the finish of my C-boat career and my right knee.
Earlier I had paddled a Gyromax C1 on a white water river managing to stay upright until the final rapid where I centre-punched an avoidable rock, capsized and was washed upside down into a large eddy. Everyone was laughing so much they didn’t get any photos.
The Final Rapid aptly known as the “Final Fling”. I was close behind Marty who was paddling a plastic Polo kayak (a Combat from QK in New Zealand from memory) We had decided to try some “odd kayaks” that day !!
Recently I inherited an ageing Gyromax C1 from Roy Farrance, of Canoes Plus in Victoria, and set about restoring the foam saddle and knee blocks. Being vintage late 1980’s the craft was manufactured from cross linked polyethylene which is not repairable, so when the cockpit coaming parted company from the rest of the craft it became a flat water C-boat.
My dreams of paddling it the local ocean surf breaks were dashed; probably a good thing !!! I didn’t want to follow in the footsteps of Jesse Sharp who paddled a Gyromax C1 over Niagra Falls in 1990 and hasn’t been seen since. (the Gyromax survived)
A high price to pay for a world record.
After a re-fit it was down to the beach for sea trials.
Now I remember what it feels like to be kneeling.
In line with “the period” I rummaged around in the shed and found a “Geoff Barker” canoe paddle (circa late 1980’s I think)
Amazingly light and certainly beautiful
I slowly worked on technique…or what little I could remember of it.
Well it’s just another “Toy in the Toybox” according to Robyn but I think it will spur me on to a lot more leg stretching.
To finish off have a look at this vintage piece of film. Linville Gorge 1989 features the amazing (in it’s day) Gyromax and the Perception Dancer kayak (Yep I had one of those as well circa 1984).
I started my paddling career watching films of heroic paddling exploits on unknown white water rivers. In those days the term “16mm film” was something everyone understood and many paddlers had at least an 8mm camera. They gave way to VHS tapes and DVD’s over the years and now there is an avalanche of kayaking footage on social media.
“Fast and Clean” was one of the early films available documenting the 1979 Whitewater World Titles and a great showcase for the paddlers, styles and equipment of the day. Worth a look even today if only for the fashions both on and off the water. See the link at bottom of page and find a nice comfortable chair to watch this 36 minute masterpiece. Maybe cast it to your smart TV for best viewing. There’s also a Trivia Quiz for viewers. You might also look up Director Russ Nichols to see his other works from that era.
It was an inspiration watching slalom paddlers in action and it spurred me on to paddle a couple of novice slalom competitions in Victoria, which was a mere 1600km round trip on a weekend. I think the long drive and the fact that I wasn’t any good, led me to look further afield in the kayaking realm to get my kicks. It’s probably why I started kayak surfing along our local coast and have spent much of my life sea kayaking and dabbling in other disciplines.
“Fast and Clean” it might have been then but nearly 40 years later it sort of “Slow and Grotty”. We still love the surf and take any opportunity to get out there in just about anything that floats.
So on the first day of Winter we found a rather Grotty looking wave and managed lots of slow rides. Any excuse to get out there and have some fun.
It wasn’t that big at times but Steve made the most of any wave
Steve used the small waves to find his limits
Steve found his limits a number of times. This time trying to perfect his back loop…Failed
Ian is enjoying himself or is he madly waving because he just saw a shark ?
Things happen when old paddlers get together in the surf. They play “Roller Surf”, gaining points if you can make the other paddler roll. The game begins when all are on the water and ends with the first serious injury or new drowning experience. It keeps everyone on their toes and looking over their shoulder !!
Ian scores a point on Steve
Michael reckons he’s on a winner with possible double points
Michael takes a small wave
Finds the bow disappearing
Then does a disappearing act of his own
Rodney “its my Birthday” Biggs slides another one right
Gets in a bit of a pickle
Inspects the bottom for a while
And then rolls back up with just enough breath left to blow out the candles on his Birthday cake
Well that was our first day of Winter. Hope you enjoyed yours as much.
And here’s Fast and Clean. Thanks to Roy Farrance of Canoes Plus in Victoria who found the film for me. Roy was also the coach and organiser of those Novice Slalom events I attended, which just proves there are people older than me. Roy never slows up and is currently at the 2018 ICF Canoe Wildwater World Championships Muotathal Switzerland along with competitor Dita Pahl. Dita coaches and competes for the Canoe Plus Racing Team and is representing Australia. GO DITA 🙂
And our Trivia Quiz questions.
Describe Australian Team special marching style
What happened to the Australian C1 paddler
Who was the now famous Kayak Educator paddling C1
What river was the USA trials held on
Name a K1 model being paddled
Name a C1 model being paddled
Name 3 paddle manufacturers you saw
Cheers and have a great Winter (or Summer if your in the other half of the world)…..Ian Pope
It’s Mother’s Day today in Australia. A day honoring the “Mother of the family” and a day that is celebrated in over 40 countries. Generally it’s flowers and chocolates or maybe a special lunch for Mother but in my case Robyn had requested a quiet paddle somewhere.
We’ve been travelling in places that haven’t seen water for a while, riding Fatbikes in a desert landscape and if you missed the photos they are here. Having headed more towards the coast we saw a small lake on the map and Mr Google told us it was a fresh water lake suitable for swimming and boating.
A perfect place for a quiet if short-ish paddle on Green Lake and with a camp site on the banks it really was perfect. We drove into the heart of the Wimmera District chatting excitedly about the opportunity for a paddle. What about a swim as well I thought. It might be chilly but that would really wash off the desert dust and there’s nothing better than a bracing dip.
We pulled into Green Lake and found a great campsite right on the sandy bank.
Sandy banks and a great view
There were ancient but serviceable picnic tables and facilities so nothing else to want for.
NIce place for lunch
But it seems that one thing was missing on this perfect Mother’s Day. Yep you guessed it: WATER. Green Lake has been dry for the last 18 years.
Dry as a bone
We chatted with a couple of locals and legend has it that there used to be a tree in the middle of the lake which was a bit of a nuisance to the water skiing fraternity so some bright spark decided to pull it out. Sort of like pulling out the bath plug I think as it broke the lakes’ base layer and all the water disappeared down the plug hole.
Maybe this is the remains of the tree
Now we sit here looking at the old water level gauge and wonder what it was like when local families camped here on Mother’s Days past and the place was alive with sounds of play. Now it’s just us and the only sound is that of a Kookaburra laughing in a nearby tree and a crow calling in the distance.
A reminder of what once was
And on a brighter note there is talk that the locals have raised enough money to reseal the lake and it will return to its’ former glory sometime in the future.
