Bloodied and Unbowed

QAJAQ USA Training Camp for 2006 is over. I returned home at around 2 am after some driving and a ferry ride across Lake Michigan. In the days that follow I will be presenting some images and talking a little about the camp. Enough to say today that it was quite successful, I met more nice folks and learned new stuff. I also tore my sking apart.

Seems the skin on frame kayak I built "to fit me" has too high a combing at the back. By the end of camp I refrained from all rolls that finished on the back deck. When I would miss a roll and had to go to my "go to roll" (which happens to be a basic sweep with a back deck finish), I would grit my teeth and "cheat" near the end with downward force on the paddle to minimize by contact with the combing (I am debating sharing a picture of my back side).



Right now, I am waiting for the Advil to kick in as I have that pleasant ache from muscles being used for the first time. I worked hard spending a lot of time on the water...and slept like a baby.

So, I am going to spend this day sorting gear, de-stinking base layers, down loading and cropping pictures I took and (depending on whose advise I employ), taking a rasp or chain saw to my boat. I also need a source of either minicell (closed) and/or neoprene to rebuild a back rest.

So much to do, so little time. More tomorrow.
Paddle safe....
DS