[Allan Edwin]

Hello all – do we have any club members with current First Aid certification who can volunteer to be our First Aid attendant at this event?

Please contact Calvin or Nick Heath ASAP if you can help in this capacity.

[Nicola Kuchta]

Thanks Allan!

[Allan Edwin]

Posting this for folk who are interested in getting email when there are updates to this season’s club Trip List.

Just subscribe to this topic. I will comment on those days where a new trip is added to the list.

There are 3 trips posted for the balance of March. Hurry, as we are getting close to cut-off for the first.

Mar 17, Sunday | Day Trip | 2B | Lower Fraser River – Part 1  | booked 5/7
Mar 24, Sunday | Day Trip | 2B | Lower Fraser River – Part 2 | booked 3/6
Mar 31, Sunday | Day Trip | 2C | English Bay | booked 5/8

There are 3 trips posted in April, 2 of which are already booked full. There are still spots available for Portland Island (2B).

[Peter Loppe]

Vancouver Water Adventures, (604) 736-5155, are taking over a covered kayak and board storage  located directly at English Bay beach.

[Barbara Holley]

Hi Kendra

I am the membership director at Club Locarno. We do indeed have a great fleet of kayaks which our members can use for free if they want to do a day paddle from Jericho or can rent for a small amount to take off site and on trips ($30 first day and $10/day for subsequent days).

Please send me an email at membership@clublocarno.com if you want more information.

You can also sign up for one of our information sessions in April and May.  Just check our website: www. Clublocarno.com

Or if you just want to look at our kayaks and facilities just send me an email and I can meet you on-site.

Barb

[Bob Maher]

Hi, we received this update:

…Currently only 9 spots remain.  The Friday Night Justine C. talk is open to everybody and is included in WOW workshop pricing.

April 27/28  WOW Women on Water Sea Kayaking Workshop

April 26   Justine Curgenven Talk

Bob Putnam
Co-Owner
Coast Outdoors
Deep Cove Kayak Centre
604-805-6975

[Nick Heath]

I’ve become accustomed to rolling up my inflatable float that occupies zero rear deck space, so I have an unused and unlikely to be used MEC copy of the Brittlestar or I think that is what it is. It is a combination float and folding backrest. I can bring it to the next monthly meeting. My asking price is 50% of retail, whatever that is. If you a want to see a photo, that should be possible. I’m not certain it is quite what you are seeking.  Nick six oh four 939 7222.

[Henry Grayman]

Does anyone have a Brittlestar paddle float for sale. I recently lost mine and I am feeling bereft. Its dual purpose is very useful.

Henry Grayman

(604)788-1504

Henrygrayman@hotmail.com

[Allan Edwin]

*bump*

C’mon out people!

[Allan Edwin]

Slightly off-topic

With regards to skin-on-frame boats, I have a TRAK (16′, 1st gen). I can confirm that it is very much a “real” sea-kayak in terms of performance, handling, and set-up. I have paddled it in wind, waves, and with other paddlers in hard-shells. It will keep up on a day paddle, overnight, or weekend paddle (maintaining a 3 NM/H pace without heroic effort).

I cannot confirm it will be suitable for anything beyond a week. According to TRAK and their professional paddlers it can handle a multi-week trip. I have no reason to not believe them. I’m just saying I can’t confirm it personally.

I will echo Quirine’s comment about her Feathercraft that mine did not get as much use as I originally imagined, when it was sitting in my closet. It got way more use when it was fully assembled and sitting on the roof of my car, where it reminded me daily that I could be out paddling.

— Extended Discussion —

SoF boats do not have bulkheads, so packing and unpacking them is a huge PITA (and that is even with the convenience of the rear deck “zipper” access on the TRAK). Packed properly, you are no less safe with dry bags and a sea sock to ensure you are not flooded in a capsize. It’s just additional work loading and unloading your boat at launch and landing.

16′ (IMHO) gets tight for longer than 5 days. It’s not the gear you have to worry over. Clothes and camping gear remain fairly constant whether it’s overnight, a weekend, or longer. It’s volume requirements for fuel, food, and to a greater extent, water, that expands the longer and further you go out. You pretty much have to stick to backpacking style, freeze-dried everything, on trips where your companions are eating food with the water still in it. If that’s fun for you, no problem. I personally appreciate good food on Day 5 and beyond if at all possible.

For anyone considering buying a TRAK, I bought mine direct from TRAK at an end-of-season sale, that netted me the “nice” golf-bag kit, sea sock (a MUST have), and discount. Even with that, I experienced a bit of buyer’s remorse when I saw people posting their TRAK boats on Craigslist for about 3/4 of what I paid.

In summary, I like paddling my TRAK. It performs every bit as well as you’ve heard. Load it like any other real sea kayak and it behaves wonderfully. Unloaded, it is lighter than a Kevlar boat and easy to car top. The rub is just about everything else that isn’t those 2 things.

Finally, do not in any way let me persuade you for or against getting a TRAK. I post this simply to make it clear that I think this particular SoF is a “real” kayak, albeit with its own specific limitations.

[Kevin Amos]

Last Summer I joined Ecomarine on a monthly basis. It was awesome because it was so cheap to get out and just paddle from Granville Island or Jericho. This allowed me to try all sorts of boats and even go out in a double with a friend (additional charge) https://www.ecomarine.com/membership/

For club trips I pretty much used MEC and Ecomarine but for the Navigation Coarse I rented on Galiano Island.

Here is another option.

http://www.vancouveroceansports.ca/

 

[Quirine Schuyff]

Hi Kendra:

I was looking to buy a kayak finally after having the same issues as you.

I started out by going to Ecomarine’s Wednesday night kayak club at Jericho. You get to try different kayaks and paddle for a short time with others. I started to feel comfortable and bought my own.
I keep it at Jericho. I pay 99 for the year membership, and 150 for the storage for the year. It has opened up a whole new world for me and I don’t regret it for a second.

I used to own a Feathercraft and it sat under my bed for years.

[Calvin Sam]

SKABC is run by Volunteers and we cannot successfully run events without you. We are currently still recruiting volunteers for this years Paddle Film Festival to be held at Langara College Theatre on Friday, March 29, 2019.

Positions that we still need filling as below:

• Security
• Lighting and Audio/Visual
• Set up and/or Clean Up Crew
• Back up Cashier
• Host/Co-Host

If you are interested in helping out, please reach out to Calvin outreach@skabc.org or 604.561.7629

Thank you

[Nick Heath]

well said, Brian …and Barbara Holley and a colleague made a brief presentation at our last meeting, just four days ago, so that option is very practical, if slightly expensive. Some club programs don’t want you to take their boats away on trips elsewhere, but Locarno doesn’t have this restriction.

The storage of kayaks at various places including Barnet Marine Pk comes up from time to time. When I last checked, the fenced compound was run by the Burnaby Sailing Assn or similar club. Another place to check is the Old Mill Boathouse in Pt Moody which  is shared by a number of clubs and has inside and outside boat storage.

 

[Cynthia Materi]

The Burnaby Sailing Association operates out of Barnet Marine Park.  They have storage of private boats including kayaks.  Within the Association there is a Kayak Co-op.  My understanding is that they are full but you could check it out.  You can get information from getbsainfo@gmail.com.

I have also noticed the Burnaby Canoe & Kayak Club.  I don’t know anything about them but you could check them out.

[Author]

Replies