Kayak varnish

1st coat on hull after varnishing the right side of the hull yesterday.

Bolted speaker shelves on stereo cart.

Bike ride w/John F. R&R the stem on the mtn bike just before going out--feels like it's about 5-6" higher. Feeling pretty good on the bike.

Kayak paddle shaft length

After chatting with Sheri Cassuto, we agreed that paddlers need a better guide to paddle length.

Factors to consider:

1. paddler height. Really?
2. paddler's shoulder height above the water. This really does matter.
3. boat width, yes
4. shaft length, definitely
5. blade length, not really
6. paddling style: vertical vs. low angle.
7. the seated height to the nose tip and the boat beam. Pretty good. Still, I use a 210 and better paddlers have observed to have one hand too high. Probably true, as I like to give that shoulder a rest by not paddling every day.

For Vertical Paddling style:

Paddler	Paddle	Paddler height bench to shoulder/nose	Seat height above water	boat beam overall	Paddle length	Paddle shaft length
Me	Epic purple	22.5"/29"	1"	22"	210	43.5" = 110.5 cm currently under evaluation
me	Braca I	same	1	boat beam overall	220	45"
so	Paddle	Paddler height	1	boat beam overall	Paddle length	Paddler shaft length
ever	Paddle	Paddler height	1	boat beam overall	Paddle length	Paddler shaft length
wishes	Paddle	Paddler height	1	boat beam overall	Paddle length	Paddler shaft length

4th coat

of varnish on the kayak deck. ,Before varnishing, the kayak was moved to a room with no traffic to attain finish with less dust.

june 28

finished watching super size me

Bread

Kayak 2nd coat on today.

to Olympia to pay for and pick up '95 Volvo. Rear brakes done

Traded bread for coho salmon fillets w John F.

3rd coat on deck of kayak at 8:30 p.m.

daytime running lights

O Canada. Needs cars to have DRL. Phoebe's 2010 Kia Forte did not have them.

$44 module arrived from California http://www.automotiveelectronicaccessories.com/aeapn480hd.htm

How to do it:

Tools needed:

socket wrench set for removing headlights to examine..

wire cutting tool

Wire stripping tool. pliers to crimp wire splicers.

electric meter to detect DC voltage and detect connections.

1. Figure out what kind of switching system the Kia had. Removed headlight assembly to access the wiring. Following the instructions, I found the Kia was not a double negative switching system (where light switch and dimmer switch are connected to the positive wires leading to the bulb and volt meter shows 12 volts betw wires to the bulb and ground while lights are off).

Six wires attach to a plug that inserts into a socket on each headlight assembly. On our car, two wires each go to the low beam, high beam and parking lights.

How: turn on low beam headlights--the low beams and the parking lights will turn on. Remove the six wire plug from a headlight assembly. Use the volt meter to determine which two wires are the positive wires to the low beam and the parking lights (place red lead of voltmeter in the plug and black lead on the negative battery terminal--a 12 volt reading says it's on). On our car, the wires on right side were the yellow and pink wires. Then turn the headlight control switch to the parking light position, leaving only one wire that reads 12 volts--meaning the yellow wire on our car's right headlight assembly goes to the low beam. The corresponding wire (red) on the left was in continuity with the right. We'd only need to wire one side. I spliced the green wire of the DRL unit to the red wire on the left headlight wiring harness.

Next, I hooked up the brown wire directly to the negative battery terminal and the red wire directly to the battery positive terminal

Finally, I sought a way to route the blue wire into the passenger compartment to access the fuse box there, when I got this idea that I could wire to the car's fuse box in the engine compartment. I found a fuse that I thought would not be "live" with the key in accessory. The included adapters to attach the blue wire connector to a fuse wouldn't fit, so I removed the socket on the end of the blue wire and stripped 1/2" of insulation. I pushed the wire into the fuse socket and then the fuse. The low beams came on. I pulled out the fuse & the wire and found a fuse that was really off. Tested the installation--it worked.

On the red wire, I then installed the device that reduced the intensity to 75%. Done deal.

I'm still a bit confused about how I did all that, but once done, it was easy.

On now to a little body work. I instructed and helped Phoebe tape, sand, fiberglass and paint the bumper. Also, did the work on the rusted parts of the body where the car scraped other things.

Varnish

first coat of varnish on the Tern 14 deck today. forgot I had Japan Drier--instructions indicate 3.5-7.5 ml per 8 oz. next coat: roll front deck, tip off every 18-20 inches, brush around the cockpit, roll and tip off rear deck.

One fish, two fish.

one bread, two bread.

epoxy, fiberglass

sandpaper. gloves. stir stick, squeegee, acetone, vinegar.

New Paddler

Got an invite to dinner with Jeff F.

Returned the favor and invited him to a paddle on the Huki OC2. I rigged the canoe for stability. Gave a quick lesson and we were off for 30 minutes. Impressions: Good power even as a beginner. Could even be a contender. He liked it much more than the kayak due to the more open structure of the boat.

Then dinner and a little music making.

Return from winter...

...actually, the last days of spring. cold, wet air & colder water.

Wednesday. Debbie N. called & emailed about Camp David. Thursday, I committed--loaded GPS waypoints for Anacortes Ferry terminal & Thatcher Pass.

Friday p.m. Drove with Deb to Washington State Park . Tents w/rainflies--preparation for rain paid off.

Sat a.m. Broke camp. To Mt Vernon to drop off fertilizer for Deb's job. quick meal at Big Apple, then to Guemes ferry terminal where we loaded Steve B.'s 100 lb kayak. Erik and Mark (photo) arrived w/their canoe. Eric, 87 y.o., has paddled the San Juan Islands since age of 11. We paddled to Blakely Is for lunch and then to Spencer Spit to camp. Rode a couple of ferry boat wakes enroute. Dinner courtesy of David Halpern & members of San Juan Canoe and Kayak Club. The sun splashed for an hour or two, not quite warm enough, but bright.

Sunday, Breakfast by San Juan Canoe and Kayak Club, then a little discussion w/David Halpern re: San Juan Canoe and Kayak Club. Waivers, insurance, dues, etc...

...then a 45 minute nap before loading the kayak for the long slog from Spencer Spit St. Park to Anacortes Guemes ferry terminal. hoping for a push from a flood tide--it was not to be. Instead, some confused waters, wind. would have liked to have current charts to know where we'd catch push. Steve's kayak: heavy but very stable.

Out of water, to Lummi res to drop off Steve's kayak. Hm. Must find a lighter boat (Pygmy Double?) to borrow for next trip if ever again.

Great to see David again.

Fixed OC2

All day yesterday, driving to Vanc BC, waiting at customs, from 8 a.m. til 11:30 p.m.

Called Keith L. to help move Huki into LR for epoxying. K looked at damage, a crack in the hull-deck seam near the bow, and used dremel to cut a wider groove. suggested pushing a bead of epoxy into the groove.

K left.

Attached vacuum cleaner hose to the vent plug hole. listening, easily found the leak at the rear iako receiver hole. easily heard the leak at the bow. vacuum off--repaired with thickened epoxy. 5 hours later, turned on the vacuum again. 3rd leak at the end of the seat track of front seating position. Will call Jude on Monday to discuss repair.

Mowed lawn--is it time to cover lawn & turn it to flower/veggie garden?

TOO MUCH TIME

UM, NEXT TIME I UPGRADE MY PC?

http://www.instructables.com/id/Mannequin-PC-Case/

To Bellingham and Vancouver in a.m. more tape to fix Phoebe's car?

Some more work on website.

Called Jude re repair on hull. Tape off 1" each side of seam, sand with rough grit sandpaper, retape, glass, paint as needed later.

Ordered checks. From Checks unlimited: $21; from Walmart: total price w/shipping/tax $11.

drilled and installed tubes in the rubber plugs for the vent holes in the OC2. Cut a shim to keep the wingnut up on the back bolt of the ama. ama into the garage.

Paddling with Vern, Janet, Maura, Bernie, John F.

Called Keith L. to get him back on paddle schedule.

Ama repaired

After two failed attempts to properly mix the epoxy (I've done it right hundreds of times), I squirted a bit into the cups anchoring the bolts in the ama. I then thickened the mix with silica and wood flour until it would build up the structure required to solidify the bolts. So satisfying. Almost 8 hours later the epoxy is hardening quite well. Unbelievably easy.

Next, repair the hull.

it works

The vacuum cleaner sucking out the ama from the hole for the vent plug.

A nice ride

Drove the Huki OC2 to Olympia on a very sunny Monday. Lexi and I went to Swantown, where I set up the canoe, and positioned the iako a bit higher on the ama than usual. We paddled Budd Inlet for about 70-80 minutes. We got maybe 2/3 the distance to Boston Harbor before we turned. On the way back we flipped. Pretty funny. A water bottle & my flip flops came out of the bungee cords--I'm thinking "yard sale." No waves, nothing. My fault for rigging the boat "light."

I've started repairing the ama of our V2A. Jude at Huki gave instructions on the repair after drying it out as follows: leave it standing on end in the sun to vaporize the water & it would condense in the bottom at night--pour out the water in the a.m. Vern reminded me that the sun doesn't shine quite as bright or often here as at the Huki factory in Sacramento. We'd have to do something different.

Yesterday, I poured fresh water into the ama and drained it. Today, I drilled holes near the bolts, put a tube into the plug hole, passed a vacuum hose over it and bunched a plastic bag at the base as a crude seal to get more air to pass through the holes. I thought about hooking up a handheld hair dryer and blowing air into the ama, but could even the low setting damage something or even set the house afire? Here: a picture showing the bolt on the ama with gross builder's caulk at the base--it might have plugged the leak before, but it not since we got the canoe.

Chehalis River Downwind run

The downwind run on the Chehalis River from the 28th St ramp in Hoquiam to Walmart in Aberdeen is less than 2 miles, but you can depend on it if you have two conditions: Ebb tide and westerly winds 10 knots and up. Enjoyed my run in my Huki OC1 after paddling upwind for 28 minutes. Would like to experience the run on the Arctic Tern 14.

Making a sea sock for the Arctic Tern 14

First, place the parts no longer needed for the bulkheads and hatches in the box for return to Pygmy when I go to the Rat Island race.

It'll be like making a bag by folding fabric in half n leaving a big hole corresponding to the cockpit. Will attach a bungee sleeve to bag.

Ordered 2 yards of coated nylon 200 Denier Coated Oxford Nylon Fabric from www.rockywoods.com $17 + 3.75 shipping. (Seattle fabrics had outrageous shipping expenses.)

measurements

Me sitting on floor, from back to heels: 44"

Total Length of Sea Sock 54"

Length of Sea Sock in front of cockpit 21"

Cockpit length 33"

Height of sea sock at toe 11"

Height of rear cockpit 9"

Measuring circumference of cross sections around the outside of the kayak at various points in front of the cockpit:

Toes plus 0": 45"

Toes plus 8": 49"

Toes plus 14": 50"

Toes plus 19": 53"

Front of cockpit: 55"

Measurement for the bungee sleeve and bungee cord: circumference around the cockpit rim. 90" which is 24" more than the Cockpit length 33" X two. Cockpit hole in the sea sock should be at at least 90"

can make the sock 13" longer. 54 + 13 = 67"

might be able to sew bungee sleeve as part of sock rather than separately. Sleeve would add about 3" to circumference.

Tentatively, fabric to cut for the sea sock would be 67" long by 59".