aqua adventures
Awesome advice!!! I’m just 5 minutes from mission bay. Thank you so much! I bought my kayak in WA so it “lives” up there so it’s good to know about that rental program down here! I’ve done sit-on-top several times in LJ but never on a rough day.
second Jen Kleck (NM)
NM
Consider borrowing for lessons
The Merlin XT was, as I recall, a bigger person’s boat. Having placed you in the female category… you may be a fit for it, but there is a good chance it will run a little large on you. It is often easier to have early success in a boat which fits on the tighter side. And you’ll have enough to think about anyway - if you borrow/rent a boat from the outfitter you can just throw yourself in the car after what may be a tiring day and go home.
Working with different boats will also be the fastest way to figure out how you want to outfit your own. There is a lot that can be customized inside the cockpit.
Merlin
I haven’t had a chance to try the Merlin out yet (bought it during a visit), but honestly my concern was that I would be too big! I’m rather, ummmmm “hippy” lol? 5’7" and 160 (165 if I’m being really honest). We will see. Was worried about getting into the 17" cockpit. If not honestly I got it for a cheap enough price that it’s not much skin off my back if I need to sell it or just keep it as a second boat. My hubby is too big for it I think (6’5"/ 240). He won’t fit in the cockpit.
Should be close then
When you start working with skills you will find that the reach to the thigh braces is pretty crucial to your success. It has to be short enough so that you aren’t doing all your edge work on your kneecaps, but long enough you can still get in somehow. At 5’7" it might be OK - but getting an eyeball on the fit from folks like Aqua Adventures would be a good idea.
Getting out is easier upside down because you are slippery and gravity works there too.
San Diego hère
Hi I’m in San Diego. While you are still here check out classes with Jenn at Aqua Adventures. She’s a fantastic instructor 5* BCU or some such.
phone in a box is no good
if you hit trouble you will be swimming. you need a vhf on salt water. an waterproof phone with buttons can help is there is a provider.
but before you are in trouble get on the courses. get the expierience.
Yes and No
Sure, people have been going solo in a lot of activities, many of them much safer than kayaking, but needless deaths do occur.
Example:
I played water polo in the late 70’s and one of the top players from UCSB decided to recover from an injury (leg) with some light backstroke swimming. He was a better swimmer than I, by far, and so swimming in a pool should not have been an issue. He went, alone, at night, in a pool that did not have backstroke flags up. It is surmised that he hit the wall, head first, between strokes. He was found on the bottom of the pool several hours later. Swimming alone is safe and I do it often, but I make adjustments to what I do upon my experience. Swimming alone while overconfident, may not be.
If there is a place that can be called a hotbed for paddling incidents, it is the Pacific Northwest between Vancouver BC and Seattle. True, since this is where “Seakayaking” is published, there may be a local biasd. It is safe to say that this area is not “…a paddle in safe, calm conditions with easy access to a landing spot is fine for any beginner.” At times, it certainly can be, but the weather is capricious, shore landings may range from easy to impossible on the same beach at different times of day. There are, at times, severe currents between the islands (over 22 knots in one location) when the tide changes. The water is cold (below 50F) enough to always require immersion protection and the air often is often chilly as well.
When I had a Volkswagen superbeetle (1972), I bought Muir’s maintenance manual for the car. In his opening, he lists the tools needed for every operation you might need to perform and within that list were the tools “you don’t go to the drive-in” movie without. The OP essentially asked for that list of tools from us.
Nobody says he’s going to die if he paddles alone, since even I do that at times, and I’m obsessive about water safety. It is just that if one paddles alone, that consequences of failure, and thus the risks to life, are higher. Because of this, extra equipment is warranted, though not required (including the rope I forgot to list in my original response - it is so automatic for me to bring rope, I didn’t think to list it). I have a mesh back that contains my list of things I don’t go to the water without, and in there is plenty of rope.
So, is it safe to paddle alone. It can be, but even on flat water, in calm conditions, I’ve seen folks become careless, capsize, and find themselves in 47F water very far from shore. For those with immersion protection, a reliable self-rescue, and a palm with which to smack their forehead afterward, this is a laughable non-event with a lesson attached. For those in t-shirt and shorts, especially if they lack a decent self-rescue, it is life threatening.
I, and I believe most that have posted in reply, are trying to keep the event laughable, not deadly.
Rick
While in SanDiego…
… try to get some play time in small surf, at least on a SOT. Nothing beats experience and surf really demands strong bracing skills.
If you paddle enough in SD, by the time you get back up north you should have some solid skills. Just remember to “dress for the swim” - cold water kills!
Also - side note - be sure to check out Newport Beach and Newport Bay for some fine SoCal paddling!
Air bags, duct tape.
– Last Updated: May-29-14 9:37 PM EST –
If your boat develops a leak, good quality air bags (remember to deflate them after use, and don't inflate so tight they blow up in the heat) can help a lot - forward and back hatches.
Duct tape is wonderful. It can repair broken paddles (sort of). It can sort of fix a leak in your boat, paddling jacket or other gear. It can sort of fix broken glasses (including sun glasses). It can even be used to cover injuries, though it isn't sterile, and may re-initiate bleeding when pulled. Buy a roll from a dollar store, flatten it, and put it in a PFD pocket.
A scissors can help cut the tape, and can also cut fishing line if you get hooked - but don't expect a fisherman to be happy - it is better to avoid the hook.
That's not a complete list of course. Just the things a lot of people leave out.
BTW, if you have infinite money there are now a bunch of radios that let you call for help through a satellite. They work places that cell phones and VHF radios won't work, because there are no towers or no one listening nearby.
Also, things inside hatches you can't reach are almost useless.
Thank You!!!
I just wanted to update that I have private lessons scheduled with Aqua Adventures this Friday to do stroke technique and self-rescue work, then I am going to do their $299 annual pass rental (great deal).
Thank you so much for the recommendation! Can’t wait to get out there! I am heading up to Anacortes in July or August so hopefully I can get lots of paddling in down here in the next few months then try out my Merlin up there!
this got me to thinking…
…so do river dorks paddle alone?
Merlin XT
– Last Updated: Jun-10-14 7:01 PM EST –
Sad to say, I would never recommend the Merlin XT for a beginner. It has a deep V hull, which takes quite a bit of skill to control in rough water (feels tippy to a beginner, especially when a wave hits you from the side). Honestly, I wouldn't even recommend it for an intermediate paddler in rough conditions. I owned one once and let go of it for that reason.
After the Merlin XT, Eddyline designed a new hull that is much more stable. The new equivalent of the Merlin (in length, around 15') is either the Journey (very low through the bow, stern, and cockpit) or the new Denali (deeper throughout). They have approximately the same cockpit opening as the Merlin.
If you paddle alone it's even more important to know your skills and the kayak's capabilities and stay within both. Before you buy a kayak, you need to understand its hull shape and how that shape is likely to handle on the water.
A great website that rates the paddling skill needed for each kayak is Frontenac Outfitters.
If the Merlin is in good condition, it should be quite salable, generating some funds for your next purchase.
The cockpit should fit you
Eddyline still uses that cockpit on many of their kayaks. It’s meant for a larger person. Or, on the shorter kayaks, it gives a recreational fit for a medium person.
Waterbird
Your review is one of the ones that I read before I purchased. I know a lot of other folks liked the boat so because I got it for so cheap, I figured I didn’t have much to lose. If I get up there and it’s a monster, I can sell it or just keep it for when people visit.
I did want to say, in case it matters, that this is an older model - a 1998 - so it’s the older model with a much smaller keyhole cockpit compared to the larger post-2001 boats. Dimensions here: http://www.eddyline.com/eddyline-kayaks/discontinued-kayak-models/
Cockpit; stability
I’m guessing that you will find the length of the cocking quite small (difficult to enter and exit), but the width should be okay for you, depending on how your weight is distributed.
Check the review by “JB” comparing the old and new hull designs.
Hopefully you will be able to get to know your Merlin well on a smaller lake.