kayak adventure

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Kayak Sail for Passat G3 Seaward kayak

I’ve been mucking about sea kayak sails for many years and had a variety of shapes and types fitted on lots of my kayaks, starting in the early 1980’s. I’ve been using the common fold down mast on my single kayaks with a 1sq metre sail for many years and thought this was the simplest model.

With the arrival of our Passat G3 double from Seaward Kayaks, Robyn and I have had to rethink the sailing idea. We looked at a couple of normal style mast fittings, but decided that we needed a” through the deck” mast socket. I wanted it to be able to paddle effectively whilst the sail was up so I decided on a central sail mount, between the 2 paddlers, and close to the front paddler, meaning that I couldn’t actually reach the mount to insert the mast.

I enlisted the help of Mal B, our Mr Gadget on this one. His design was  a stainless steel tube with exterior flange, matching underdeck reinforcing plate with a bracing bracket to the bulkhead. It incorporated a “lead in” section in the tube so that the mast could be inserted at an angle, and then pushed upright by the rear paddler. Luckily Mal had a few ideas and some expert engineering skills to install it and make it work. After buying some tube and plate it was off to the workshop to cut and weld it together. The fairlead cleat for the boom rope is not attached by bolts through the deck as is common practice, but threaded onto a spectre cord that is attached to the deckline mounts meaning fewer holes drilled in the kayak.

Then the problem of deck storage. Because the sail mast was not attached to the foredeck as in my previous fit-out with single kayaks, I had to get a more streamlined full length bag made for the furled sail and store it on the deck.

As my sewing skills are well known to be zero, I contacted an old friend who makes kayak sails as well as doing windsurfer sail modifications and repairs.

Di knocked up a perfect storage bag suitable for storage on the deck. Di had previously built lots of sails for me and all are still in excellent condition, so if you’re in Adelaide, or infact anywhere in Australia, and  need a sail repair or bag made give Di a call on (08) 82965464 or her mobile 0404040593.
I’m sure she will be able to help you out.

I took a couple of photos and filmed a little of the Passat under sail during our recent trip along the coast of Yorke Peninsula. Hope it gives you an idea of the mounting system and sailing fun.

This is only a basic overview of the system so if you want more information please contact me. The next project is to design a sail fitout for my Nimbus Njak kayak, that doesn’t involve extra holes drilled in the kayak and can be easily fitted as one unit. I’ll get onto that one when I get back from our next holiday.

Happy paddling
Ian and Robyn

PS. There is a review of the Passat G3 double sea kayak here

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Mal Blewett joins the Bass Strait club

Mal landed today at Little Musselroe Bay Tasmania after crossing Bass Strait in a single Nimbus Telkwa kayak and he did it solo. He had fun with the changing weather, fought with pesky animals (rattus rattus – aka black rat ) trying to steal his food, got dumped in large seas smashing his compass and damaging the kayak, saw lots of aquatic and bird life and camped at places few people will ever visit. All that in just 13 days.
Congratulations from everyone at Paddling South.

It took 13 days to paddle there, but longer to get back. Mal cant get back on the Spirit of Tasmania Ferry until early April.

His report on landing today.
 Hi All, well that’s it; the big crossing is done. Arrived on Tasmania’s shore today around 4.30pm(EST), to be greeted by my wife Annie, Mal Hamilton & his daughter Donna. The crossing of Banks Strait from Rebecca Cove on Clarke Island to Little Mussleroe Bay on Tassie, went well with the strong currents and 4mtr swell muddled in with a 2mtr constant wind wave and 20knots of wind, just to keep me on my toes. My little make shift compass spent most of the day pointing in the wrong direction as it has done since having my good Silva compass smashed at the beginning of the expedition. I shall be writing a very stern letter of complaint to Garmin since my good GPS the Garmin 78sc decided to die completely as I was about a mile out to sea on the start of the long ocean crossings many days ago. No compass and a stuffed GPS makes for a lot of guess work. I did carry my spare Garmin 78s which constantly shuts down. Oh what fun!!! Many thanks to all that have given me help and assistance along the way. I will create a list and add it to this web posting when I get settled back to civilization. Today Bass Strait tomorrow the world!!!!

Ashore on Tasmania
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Mal’s had an exciting day

Follow Mal B on his page by following this  link

I told you paddling a kayak across Bass strait may not be easy !!!
Latest report from Mal B

9/3/12 3.50pm  Things not so good. Things are not good. Slammed by 4m-5m waves. Dumped by a 4m + wave around lighthouse point. Rolled back up again to be slammed by a few more. Compass smashed, rudder bent, shoulder hurt and I’m not so good, but made it to shore.  Trying to fix damage and work out navigation with compass missing-completely torn off !!!.  Apart from that every thing is just dandy. Thanks for all the best wishes from everyone, am  remaining positive . Wish you were all here !!!!

P.S. 11/3/12   Repairs all done, body all ok, paddling into Bass Strait this morning.

11/3/12   Landed on Hogan Island.

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Mal B – Bass Strait Crossing Solo Update

He’s off and paddling, leaving this morning from Pt Welshpool Victoria. Mal  had strong head winds this morning with gusts up to 35kn (about 65km/hr). He decided to move out of the Port Welshpool area and he is now camped on the beach at Biddie Cove ready to make a run down the coast when the weather gets better.
If you paste this location into Google Earth you can just make him out on the beach waving.
-38.78162 , 146.46037

Follow him as he makes his run for Tasmania by following this link  to his page on the website and check back daily to see his updates.

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Lattitude Meridian kayak

I had the loan of the Meridian 15 and 16 thermoformed kayaks from Lattitude Kayaks for the last month or so. These are a recreational range of touring kayaks designed for rivers, lakes and calm coastal waters. A number of paddlers in our group have tried them in a range of conditions and had a great time.

Luckily they did’nt get scratched, even going down the Penrith White Water course !!!

A well made thermoformed plastic kayak that fits nicely into the recreational area. I have been paddling the 15 model a number of times on coastal paddles, and would be happy to take on any river or lake expedition. Seem very good value for money as they are similarly price to the heavier plastic rotomoulded models.

Might have to think about one of these for a 2 week paddling trip I’m planning on the River Murray. Not sure if he will lend me a kayak again after they see the video.

Check out our video to see what we got up to.

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Thistle Island kayak expedition

Just got back from a week paddling around Thistle Island, near Pt Lincoln in Spencers Gulf. It seems that everytime I go over there I come up against headwinds, maybe it’s something I said to offend the weather gods.
Still we had a great paddle along the coast for 2 days and then out to the islands, camping on Thistle Island for a couple of days. A great trip with Mal H, Mal B, Miss Kathy, and Donna the photographer.
I came back with some great video, especially of a feeding frenzy of dolphins and birds. They had a school of fish on the surface and were really getting into them. Ofcourse I’m not sure what drove the fish to the surface but I can guess. Ofcourse Donna had 750 photos !!!! which means my video stuff will be saved by her stills.