Escaping Planet Harbour

Onshore wind was back in force today which helped breaking up the ice in the harbour. The ice floes are currently around 1cm thick and I don't want to risk the kayak by smashing my way out.

I launched the Escape Pod and soon faced a heavy and confused sea at the harbour entrance with the jetty being washed in spray. As for my balance I was going to the limit. In my pre-Moskito days I wouldn't have had a chance staying upright in this boat in such a sea. Slowly and super concentrated I worked my way towards the coast and soon faced a more regular sea. Then I could relax and power on down the coast. No swim today.

It's March, it's bitter cold and I've taken a liking to paddle in mostly the same gear I use when running. Not sure what I'll do in case I capsize. Most likely I'll just run for the club - since I'm wearing the running tights already..

The Escape Pod performed admirable. Sure the bow was sometimes deeply buried in the waves - more so than with Miss M. - but I don't feel this had a noticeable slowing effect. The rudder worked like a charm. The tiller control is way better tuned than those in the Inuk and Moskito.

The onshore wind may continue - the pod and I are ready.

Escape Pod understern rudder

Escape Pod Arrives

Spaceship One

Monday afternoon I took Miss Moskito on a short paddle in a lazy swell. I was able to enjoy the delicate balance act while still paddling agressively. When doing a stroke in one side I tilt the kayak ever so slightly to the other side. It might just be my imagination, but I think I'm able to feel a tiny resistance at one point. This is the Miss' way of telling me that from here on I'm on my own. If I keep tilting her I'll either have to convert my forward stroke into a brace and lose speed(bad) or take a swim(exceedingly bad in march). At just the right moment I must finish the stroke and slightly shift my weight to other site. This tilting/swaying motion in the forward stroke is a thing of beauty. This is when paddling the Moskito is at it's best.

Tuesday I bought a new kayak...

Truth is my balance for paddling the Moskito in real waves isn't there yet. Way too often I'm restricted to staying inside the harbour doing lanes which is getting on my nerves. It has become a running joke in my kayak club, that we've had onshore winds ever since I got my Moskito.

Now I could switch to my cheerfull little Inuk for wave paddling and that would be fine. But I've become somewhat spoiled by Miss M. I'm addicted to the speed , acceleration and balance game. Sure in nasty conditions or going ofshore I'll be back the Inuk in a second. But for regular fitness paddling I don't want a 4WD.

Introducing the Escape. Two years ago I got to test paddle an Escape. It's a K1-Trainer designed by Danish Bjørn Johansen and is currently build by German Neumann for the Scandinavian market. At that time I thought it was both highly unstable and one of the most beautyful kayaks I'd seen yet. I started fantasizing about an Escape which could be rolled.

Tuesday I found a second hand kevlar Escape for sale and I didn't hesitate for long.

Spaceship Two - Escape - 12kg - 520x51cm

While the Moskito is a sharp and mean looking kayak which barely accepts anyone rides her in waves - the Escape is a softer and more rounded K1-Trainer designed for waves. I love the shape, which looks like it was out of some Sci-Fi flick. It's my Escape Pod that'll take me out of the harbour. This thing is going to take some poundings in the waves!

I had three trips already and found it super stable compared to Miss M. Much easier to turn. Build in an ocean sized cockpit and I'm ready to take it to the open sea. For now I'll just be tracking the coast. As for speed I still have to do some trials. The Moskito should be faster(it better be!).

At any rate - my goal to be able to master Miss M in real waves haven't changed. If anything the Escape is going to accelerate that process.

Escape Pod with passenger in icy water

View at the futuristic bow design

Inside view at the tillerbar rudder control

The Inuk gets a new seat

For a long time I've been wanting to put a new seat in my Inuk. Reason is that I felt the original seat hanging from the cockpit rim was repressing my body rotation. There simply wasn't enough room for me to move around. On top of that the seat was very low and tilted backwards(!) like in most sea kayaks.

Well a month ago I cut out the seat and made some tests with a seat from the new Coastrunner k1 trainer. The result wasn't good. After 25 km of paddling my butt was hurting a lot. I only managed the 25 km back again as a mate borrowed me a cushion.

I then contacted Nelo, only to be adviced against using their racing seat in the Inuk. It would take a lot of work to fit it I was told.

Luckily the swedish paddler Erik Arnstrøm had recently posted a notice on his (highly recommendable) blog on using a Plastex racing seat in a sea kayak.

Soon I had a Plastex seat and with the help of a handyman in my kayak club, I got the seat installed 8 cm above "ground".



Now for the verdict.

As for the paddling poisture I'm enthusiastic. The forward stroke definitely feels more powerful but I haven't got numbers to back that claim yet.

The center of gravity has moved up quite a bit and I lost even more contact with the boat, so it goes without saying that the boat feels a good deal less stable. That doesn't worry me though - as I consider it a fun challenge to improve my balance. Besides I spend time each week capsizing on purpose anyway.

As for sitting comfort, the Kirton seat was better. I went on a quick 20 km training paddle today and felt a tad sore in the end. Still I only had the seat for a week, so I guess it'll only be better.

Last thing - handrolling has become easier! The Inuk was always easy to handroll but now it's even more so. A couple of the other greenland maneuvers also got easier while I haven't noticed any maneuvers got harder.

Got my Vyneck at last

I have for 7 years been craving for a Vyneck of my own. Ever since I read Nigel Foster's Sea Kayaking and saw the photos I wanted one. Unfortunately it went out of production ages ago and was AFAIK never sold in Denmark.

However last year a used and somewhat beaten Vyneck turned up - brought to Denmark by a dutch paddler and was bought by my club. I've kicked myself ever since that I didn't buy it for myself.

Then last week the impossible happened. The dutch guy struck upon a brand spanking new Vyneck in Netherland - this time with the new deck layout. I couldn't believe my luck.

I brought it home today and took it for a short paddle and rolling session. Foot support is lacking and my knees bumps directly into the hull. But that's an easy fix.

I can't paddle with the legs raised as much as I prefer but the small cockpit still allow me to keep the legs together and pump/rotate in the forward stroke. As for speed I'm pretty sure the Inuk is faster but I'll have to do speed trials with a real paddle.



The Vyneck isn't a rolling machine as the aftdeck is too high. However to my surprise - forward style rolls were effortless. For the first time I even hit the "Throwing stick forward/forward roll" - three times in row.



I've uploaded a small rolling clip.