You're new, and basically just ""winged it"".
Thought it was easy, no problem, and got a wakeup call.
October, Lake St. Clair, newbie solo paddle - ouch !
A simple internet search would yield BOATLOADS of info
for classes, instruction, groups, etc. but you
simply didn't make the effort.
Others have done the homework you should have done.
Obviously you have internet access but were TOO lazy.
No pity party for you...You got owned by Lake St. Clair
wow! at least he’s asking now. Searches don’t always give the first hand aspects of which shops are better for someone in his situation. Shops that sell some of this gear unfortunately don’t warn and direct people to classes so having such “adventures” happens. Compassion is a wonderful thing.
is the title of a book worth reading over the winter.
It's a series of accounts of kayak incidents over the years. Some involved novices others involved experienced skilled paddlers. It'll give you a perspective of what can go wrong.
You're new, and basically just ""winged it"".
Thought it was easy, no problem, and got a wakeup call.
October, Lake St. Clair, newbie solo paddle - ouch !
A simple internet search would yield BOATLOADS of info
for classes, instruction, groups, etc. but you
simply didn't make the effort.
Others have done the homework you should have done.
Obviously you have internet access but were TOO lazy.
No pity party for you...You got owned by Lake St. Clair
Hey, willi_h20:
Be nice. They are looking for help, not ATTITUDE !!
Thanks 4 your post Celia thanks for the info, I have browsed the Riverside Kayak Connection in Wyandotte MI website and have looked at there rates for lessons $75-80 per. I guess being as new as i am i was hoping there were clubs around that i could pay dues and use a “club pool”. That would be a little cheaper of a route. And before anyone flames me on that comment, yeah i know safety is priceless.
I ended up buying my boat from The Kayak Store in Algonac, really cool people they let me demo 2 other boats before i picked the tsunami 140. They also filled me in on safety equipment, I just had no money left after the purchase of the kayak paddle and PFD. I will most likely stop on by today and talk to them and what they offer as far as lessons.
Thanks the the link (nrsweb.com), so your saying i should be looking for a dry-suit? Would i use something like that in the summer or just fall/winter/spring?
check out www.meetup.com and see if there are paddling groups nearby. Sometimes just chatting with or joining beginner outings (asking first what gear or skills are needed) can give you the lay of the land on classes, gear and local safety issues. Some of these groups/clubs may join forces to get better rates on classes.
Especially if on a budget you may just have to wait for warm weather to come back for more beginner appropriate outings and classes.
btw, I think that lessons are better if you have the opportunity to go out with others soon after the lessons to practice what you learned. Otherwise you may need to retake the lessons months later if the cold keeps you in. So another reason you may want to wait out the winter.
A wetsuit will work for kayak paddling, and many people here wear wet suits in very low temperatures in the winter. You can get a wetsuit that will be adequate protection until the water freezes for about $160 bucks.
You can search here for lots of threads on wetsuits that work for cold water paddling. Full surfing wetsuits with flexible arms actually work best. Good brands to look for on sale are Oneil, Xcell,
Drysuits are very nice, but not the only solution for paddling. Not realistic for those without large bank accounts. Posters on this board with lots of experience in cold water wetsuts are "Sing" and "Wikle" . Keith Wikle is a very experienced great lake paddler and good person to know about training in the great lakes region.
Thanks willowlea Yeah your right willowlea i did dodged a bullet on that one, my legs were numb by the time i made it to shore. It was last Wednesday when it happened, the air temps were about 75 deg. in my area and i don’t know what the water temp was maybe 45-55. I just wanted to get out there before i called it quits for the fall/winter (due to my lack of cold weather gear). I did end up reading that newspaper clipping, I am coming to grips on the dangers of cold water.
I am trying to educate my self on the best clothing to have for paddling. And will try to check out that REI store in troy and meetup.com
Time There is no substitute for time in the kayak in varying conditions and gradually working up to bumpier stuff. Watch all the videos you want and read as much as you can about techniques and such, but in the end, it takes time and experience.
Don’t be surprised if you get a hankering for a sea kayak rather quickly. Meanwhile, get the best pfd you can afford. Wetsuits aren’t very expensive and will work just fine until you think you have to have a dry suit. You will also want a proper quality paddle and you’re all set.
Thanks willi_h2o Thanks for the helpful post willi_h2o I was looking on other sites with buoy water temp information and the site you gave me seems more strait forward.
EMU paddlers (Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti) 2nd pool session Nov 4 3-5 pm Jones Pool. $10 for this session running now thru mid April. Open to students and nonstudents. Sign up ahead of time so you get directions, how to load boats in, & ground rules for pool sessions. At their first session, everyone must demonstrate a wet exit w. skirt on, and that they can swim width (not length) of the Olympic sized pool. Per their wording "We will teach you how to wet exit but not teach you how to swim."
emu_paddlers@yahoogroups.com
GLKayakers will be scheduling pool sessions soon in the Marysville/New Baltimore area. Fees vary per session depending on number of users usually $15-$25/session. sign up now for mailing list.
GLKayakers@yahoogroups.com
Here is a third group that offers lessons in the pool and next summer in fresh water. They are MUCH closer to you - about two hours less drive time - than Riverside Kayak Connection which is in Wyandotte - altho in past RKC has done pool sessions in Southfield which is doable.
Black Parrot Paddlers partners w. Expanding Horizons LLC for winter pool sessions in Brighton, Fenton and South Lyon approx 2x per month Nov-April. Fees vary depending on number of users for pool sessions. They will also offer lessons for around $80-$90 w. your equipment. Sign up now for mailing list. Here is website for Expanding Horizons: http://www.expandinghorizonskayaking.com/
Willi, dry v wet Willie must have run out of coffee this morning. To the OPer, you are not responsible for not knowing what you don’t know.
I congratulate you on two things. One is making it to shore wearing the clothing you had on. There is a reason that the Girl Scouts used to make us show we could get off jeans, shoes and shirt (had to have buttons) in the water in under 2 minutes before we could go out in a canoe.
The other is realizing that the correct solution was to get some help. It can be quite surprising how many people don’t do that part.
As to the drysuit/wetsuit thing… dry suits and good dry wear are pricey as hell and I can assure you that the wetsuit will look a ton better to your budget. And it is correct that a good surfing wet suit (better than the basic paddling farmer john) can get you into pretty cold temps, coupled with the ability to quickly re-enter your boat and with wind blocking layers on top depending on the wet suit.
Also, cold weather paddling means a hood, better gloves and good booties regardless of whether the basic layer is a wet suit or a dry suit. People who have been paddling a while have acquired all that stuff and tend to forget it. But when you are just starting out, those 20 to 60 dollar items can really add up.
There are people on this board who do quite well in a wet suit into winter, but if you are considering a major investment it is important to make sure that those recommendations are coming from people with similar habits to yours. So someone who is using a surf ski aggressively, for example, is probably generating a lot more heat than you are likely to on a casual paddle. Someone who is training for racing may be as well.
You also have to be conscious of the specifics of your environment. If you were to paddle right thru the winter, you are talking water temperatures under 40 degrees in lakes and streams, and I suspect under 50 nearer shore in any of the Great Lakes. Depending on your readiness and interest in discomfort, you could be looking at a perfect sunny day for paddling with air temps in the high teens before any wind chill effect. Everyone is different, but most people you talk with who have tried taking a swim in those conditions are going to come back saying that the dry suit was a much better idea.
A lot of this comes down to when you want to hang up the kayak. As far as paddling with others, I think you’ll find no lack of meetup groups including folks who want to paddle right through the winter. But you may want to set your own parameters about what level of preparation is safe. Our smaller group locally has a no drysuit-no paddle with the pod after Thanksgiving rule. But we see folks out there that obviously do not adhere to that idea - and read about some of them in the newspaper unfortunately.
Br ready to be surprised a lot, and just take time to check out used sources etc. You haven’t even gotten to the foam core paddle part yet - a moment which has sent many people to learn how to use a Greenland paddle that they can make themselves.
It is a great activity, and you will find you are within reach of some very good kayaking.