Tideracer Xplore for Sale.---SOLD----

Tideracer XPlorer S Classic From Stern

Tideracer Xplorer S Hull detail

Bowr/Compass

Foot Braces

Skeg

Spending Too Much work hours in my Fun Time

Last weekend the weatherman predict a total rain out.    I know that  no one is going to be up at the lake because of the weather report so I decided to stay in Brooklyn and help out with the club kayak repair days.    I need to put my time in the Brooklyn clubhouse for political reason. I just love club politic (hint: heavy dose of sarcasm there).    I showed up at 9:30 AM to find only Cindy is there for the workshop.  Yim showed up at bit later so it just the three of us doing the boat repair.  I don't mind, I prefer to work by myself anyway.    I wanted to do some work early in the season because I mostly end up not being at the club for the rest of the summer and people are complaining about my affinity for the lake. There is a bit of friction between the small group of us that prefer to be up at the lake and the leadership in Brooklyn.  For some reason I end up the person catch between the two.

Yim and I work on epoxy and fiber-glasses three of the kayaks.  I rather enjoy doing these kind of work.  As usually I underestimate how much time all these work take.  I was planning get in some kayaking on Saturday but end up working from 9:30 AM to 5 PM.   It was a productive days, we take 6 boats off the out of service list.    

I stop by on Sunday to do some more work on three kayaks that need new seats.  I also do some more epoxy work on a boat that I wanted to get ready so I can bring up to the lake.  I would have get this done on Saturday if I know.  The biggest problem with epoxy work is waste.  I like to get all the boat that need epoxy work done at the same day so we don't have to mix a couple of patch of epoxy for little job.   I really should not care so much considering the club is paying for the material.   On Sunday I called it quit at 1 PM, and go out paddling.   I should have eaten lunch first before I go out but I was anxious to get on the water and I get a partners for the paddle that want to go out at 1 PM.  We go around Canarsie Pol and was back by 3 PM.   

I almost complete my require volunteer time for this year, and I score some point with the power that be at the club in Brooklyn. Not bad for a "rain out: weekend.   "rain out" because it turn out to be  a beautify weekend, overcast and a couple of drizzle but nothing that would impede kayaking.  

The last mile is always the Hardest

Its is starting to be a tradition to paddle from Sebago Canoe Club to State Island's Fort Wadsworth to camp out with members from a couple of local paddling club, then paddle back to Sebago Canoe Club the next day.

This year is a bit more understates. There is not as much excitement as last year when we did it for the first time.  We have a smaller group of paddle going from Brooklyn then last year.  There are  Steve H., Peter, Ilene, Larry, Cory (a new guy I have never meet before), and myself launching at 7:50 Am on Saturday morning.  It was a beautify morning, mostly clear sky with a slight breeze with temperature in the 50s in the morning with a upper 60s high.  We were surprised to find a couple of dozen kayak fishermen on the water.  It is not usual to see more then 1 or 2 kayak fisherman on Jamaica Bay.  I suspected there is a fishing competition going on, and was proven right when we picked up two more members to our group. 

We meet up with two other paddlers off Floyd Bennett Field, John (the ranger) and his friend at at a bit after 8:20 AM.  It was a fast paddle.   With our new members we paddle to Marine Parkway Bridge then head to Breezing Point where we plan to stop for a break.  It was 10:30 AM when we landed on Breezy Point, it was too early for lunch but I haven't eat breakfast so I eat my sandwich for brunch.  We head out from breezy point to Coney Island at 11 PM.  We made very good time.  It was a more risky route because we are not hugging land like we use to.  In theory this should short our distance to Ft. Wadsworth.  I don't think we keep to the plan route I thought we were supposed to take. We end up closer to Coney Island then I thought we need to be but we are so far ahead of schedule it doesn't matter. Before we cross the shipping channel to Staten Island we meet up with Tod from Red Hook Kayak Club.    From Coney Island we head to Staten Island, then head north up the coast to our destination.   We landed at exactly 1PM, just in time for lunch.  

This time I did not carry all my camping gears on my kayak so it was much lighter for the carry up the beach, and then up a hill to the camp site.  We were so early that the van with our camping gears amd dry clothing did not get to the camp site year.  It was a short wait though, the van pull into the parking lot as we get the last kayak up from the beach.

I changed into dry cloth and set up my tent by 2PM.   The only draw back is what to do till dinner time.  I never like the hanging around part of camping.

By late noon the wind was picking up and the calm water we paddled in less then 4 hours ago developed into a 3-4 feet waves with whitecap.  Most people would count themselves lucky to be off the water before the ocean get to that condition, but not Todd. He wanted to play in the water and is asking if anyone want to join him.  I wasn't about to let him have all the fun since I remember I brought extra kayaking cloth anyway. Wish I know this before so I don't carry my boat all the way off the beach and up a steep hill.   I get to practice beach lending.  I get a bit too much water in boat launching because I did not have time to put on my dryskirt before I launch.   We paddled around trying to catch some waves but most of the wave is too short to be any fun.  I was tire in less then 30 minutes of paddling in and out from the shores.  Two other kayakers join us for a little fun in the wave.

I took a quick cold shower to wash the salt from my body.

It seem to take forever to dinner.   We end up having dinner real early because of potential of run early in the evening. I think we start pre-dinner sneak by 5PM, and Steve started cooking the beefs on teh BBQ at 5:30PM.  It was a good meal as usual when Steve cook.  I hang around the fire.  Steve is always funny when he's drunk.   After the sun set, John, the ranger take us on a tour of Ft Wadsworth, a tour I missed last year because I was lock out.  Steve take a lap of the inner court topless and we lost him for the rest of the tour.

The tour of the fort itself was interesting. It is a very impressive fort.

We gathered around the front entrance debating if we need to search for Steve before we leave the fort when we get a call from him saying he is back at camp.  As least he is a considerate drunk.  We would be real piss if we spend hours searching for him.

After the tour we gather around the camp fire, and professional guitarists pay a couple of songs as the rest of us sung along.  It was fun.   I call it a night at 9:30PM and was dead to the world as soon as my lead hit clothing bag I use as a pillow.

I was up by 6:30 AM with a urge to piss but I don't want to get out of my sleeping bag. I hold out till 7:30 PM before I get out and see what for breakfast.  I had a dry box of Fruit Loop and a piece of steak left over from yesterday dinner.  I took down my tents and pack everything up as I eat breakfast.  Plan was to launch at 9 AM.  As I expected I need to do number 2 not soon after breakfast.   Better now then when I am in the water i supposed.   My stomach been good all Saturday and Saturday night so I was grateful for that.

We launched at a bit after 9 AM after all the goodbye and photo ops.   The wind was blowing from the Northwest so we have favorable wind.  We make much better time then we though.  We hitted our only plan stop, Manhattan Beach by 10:30, way to early to lunch so it was decided that that break would only be for pee break and leg stretching.   I did not land.  I prefer not to land if it is for a very short time.  I hated relaunching after a beach landing.  It turn out to be  longer stop I was lead to believe.  I relaxed on the water and let the wind blow me  in the direction that we would be paddling.  After 30 minutes the rest of the group launched from the beach and catch up with me.  The paddle from Manhattan Beach to Memorial Parkway Bridge take less the half an hour.  At this rate we were so sure that we will get to Sebago dock by 12 PM.  We underestimated how much head wind when we finally pass Mill Basin Bridge.

My plan was to cross the channel into Mill Basin Bridge and head into land to get some protection from the wind.  The problem is my boat keep on getting blow further and further from where I need to be.  I remembered that I had the same problem on the way home from the Staten Island trip last Fall and wanted to avoid getting blow pass the entry to our bay.  Try as I may I can't get my kayak to go north. I get blow further and further South.   At one point I was seriously debating landing to rest and wait out the wind. The wind was gusting at 25-30 knot when we get to the market in front of our bay.   Ilene called on the radio asking where I was after 20-30 minutes, and asked if I see Peter. I did not see Peter.  I though he was behind me, but I can't see him.  I scanned the land to see if he beach but nothing.  I have my own problem so I wasn't too worry about Peter.  After Ilene call on the radio I somehow find the strength to paddle north against the wind, and reach the channel market that have been eluding me.  As I cross the boat channel I see peter a head of me and on the North shore. He have got blow all the way to Canarsie Pier.  I was 10 minutes behind the group when I land at Sebago beach, at exactly 1PM.  It take me 30-40 minutes to paddle the last 1 miles.   I was so glad to be off the water.

I am still debating whether two days of good paddling is worth the 1 miles of killer padding.   But I know I will do it again next year. 

Putting in My hours

That all I did today.   Putting in my hours but not getting any done work.

I arrived at Sebago Club house at 10 AM, arriving at the tail end  of Cindy's summary of what work need to be done.  We have a good group for today Club kayak repair day.  The usual dependable Sebago members that come to every work day.  Cindy is very organize.  She get 5 stack of forms, each page describing what work need to be done on that particular boat.  We were to break up into 5 groups, each group fixing what needed fixing as indicated on the worksheet.  I joined the fiberglass/epoxy group since it already have group leader.  I don't feel like being in charge of anything today.   Fiberglass epoxy is the lease popular work and require some skills so not many other member join our group.

On our team was Frank who I work with a lot at the club, and Loise (speaking probably wrong). Never good with name.  Well it not important to this story any way.  Frank and I went out side and pick up our first "patient" - a Fiberglass Montauk that need work on the back bulkhead.  I started sanding the area to be fiberglass while Loise read the label on the harder.  In order for the epoxy and hardener to work, the temperature have to be at least 55 degree.  It was about 39 degree today.  Kim join our group with Chris (a woman) so we have a debate if it worth doing the fiberglass- epoxy.  We decided again starting the fiberglass work.  I finished up my sanding and clean up on the Montauk.  I spend my time pretty much rummaging around and looking for thing till 1 PM when everything stop working and gather in the clubhouse for lunch. I did not have lunch but did stick around a bit before I sign out.   I put my 3 hours end but honest don't do shit.  It was a very unproductive work day for me.  

But it still 3 hours of require work hours.  I would have stay longer if there was anything constructive I can do.  

Reassess Why I started Kayaking.

I started kayaking in 2001.  2001 was the year I started a lot of self improvement project to get over my social anxiety.

1.  I took very expense speech class in the Upper West Side with a relatively famous voice coach.

•  This last for about a year, it help a lot but it was too expensive, and I need real life interaction not practice talking to the same group of people once a  week. I don't remember a single person by name now from those weekly Thursday session.  I still have email for the instructor for years after my last class.  

2.  Sign up for dance classes at the New School.

• This was a disaster.  I was too busy freaking out at being that close to a stranger to think about my feet, the music or anything else.   

3.  Sign up for my first organize running race with the New York Road Runner

• I take up running with a vengeance.  Running became an activities I can put all my frustrated energy into.   I trained 7 days a weeks and keep a close eye on my standing after each race, trying to see what the next speed I need to achieve to beat that last guy and to improve my average standing in my age group, I was very proud each time I inched up on my age group average.  I was at 89% of my age group when I drop out of competitive running.  I forget the reason why I take up "social" running in the first place.  I takes running classes and join multiple daily running group without speaking to anyone.  After my appendix operation, I tried to get back to running in organize races to be frustrated my ability to train and run competitively.  After a couple of false started at getting back to racing I give up running in races in 2012.  I did not make any running friend in that 12 years I runs. I meet so many nice people but I just was never able to connect.  I am now running just for fun and clearing my mind. I give up on the illusion that because I get up every Saturday and run with thousand of people that I am not alone. 

4.  Join a couple of political organizations.

• I don't know what I was thinking.  For a person not comfortable declaring what my favorite favor of ice cream is to a stranger, talking politic is not my thing.  I try my best to be a joiner thought. I come to every  meeting and social gathering, 99.9% without being able to speak a word to anybody but I was there.  I don't know when I stop going, it just became too much.  

5.  Sign up for first foray into online dating.

• Money I will never get back is all I can say about this foolishness.  I never get a message back from any ladies I show interested in.  Sadly, this first attempt wasn't my last.  All end the same way.  

6.  Kayaking 

• Kayaking is the last man standing as it was.  I am still kayaking as of last year.  I still have all my boats and equipments but the excitement of kayaking is gone.  I don't know when it left and I don't know if i want it back.  Kayaking give me a lot of what I am looking for socially.  A place to belong and for that I am grateful.   I love the sense of community I have at Sebago Canoe Club.  I enjoy being greet with nice loud shout of my name and a hugs at social gathering.   But I feel myself regressing into my anti-social mode again.  I don't know what happen in the last couple of years. I still enjoy being in the water but the getting myself out of bed to do it getting harder and harder.   I used to be part of a tight group that go out and do thing only crazy kayakers would do but somehow that have fallen to the way side, and I missed that.  I have to decide this year where to go with kayaking. Redouble my effect to be involve or take a break from kayaking for a while.  Who am I kidding, if I take a break it will be it for kayaking.  Like running I just don't have the enthusiasm anymore.  Waking up early to go kayaking and running used to be worth it now sleep till 10 AM win every time. Maybe I am must be lazy.  Or depress.  I am afraid I am reverting to those dark pre-2001 days when I have too much time to  think and drive myself half crazy. My kayaking buddy Stevie moving to Tucson don't help matter.  
• 2016 - the year I must get more fully involve or get out.  

Losing my Kayaking Mojo

I am thinking about quitting kayaking.  I am just not into it as I use to be.  But mostly because I am not kayaking with the people I used to kayak with.  We seem to be splitting into other stuff.  Neither that or I am too wrap up in myself to keep up with what everyone is doing.  I have lost lot of momentum after my appendix operation in 2013. I need to get back into it, find new paddling friends, and find new and exciting place to paddle or just quit the think all together.

Kayaking is not the only think that I lost momentum on to be far.  I never did get back to seriously running.  I need to do that also.  Outdoor activities keep my sane.  I am being lazy and using my stomach issues as an excuse.