Santa Yak visited my house; gear questions, drive questions

It was a tough work week in Stockton, but I got to Sacramento early enough to pick up my first kayak: a mango colored Adventure with the fisherman package from Adventure Sports. Carl and the boys took good care of me; thanks guys I made it home safe and sound.

I learned from Carl that Hobie saw one or more of my emails and flew Tim to Sacramento to Adventure Sports (and I assume other dealers) to make sure they had the latest information. Impressive response!

Carl also said someone else said they saw my email and came to Adventure Sports and bought a Hobie Adventure.

As I arrived packages from Hobie were being opened and there were the new enhanced drive and rudder. I took a brief food break and when I returned the new stuff was assembled on the boat and the original rudder and drive fins were packaged as my spares. The boat was loaded on a soft rack on my Taurus and after a brief shakedown trip and some rope re-adjustment I hit the freeway home.

The car with kayak on top fit easily into the garage. I'm beat and just loosened the tie-downs. It just turned dark outside and I am looking at some of the new stuff I brought into the house. If I get my act together I may be able to hit the water tomorrow, but Sunday is more likely.

The boat looks great. Thanks Adventure Sports; thanks Hobie.

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I lasted until about 8:30 pm and then had to crash. It's 1:50 am and I'm back up. Had to go out to the garage to be sure I really brought a mango colored Hobie Adventure home. Yep, still there.

So, it's like Christmas at my house. Apparently Santa Yak brought me some cool loot. Like the extasport retroglide pfd: seems to be an adjustable great fit and lots of pockets and gear attachment points. The Hobie soft cooler is a nice piece of gear. The trunk of the Taurus is enjoying the anchor, Mirage drive, paddle, seat, sports bottle(s), cart - oops, was going to order the upgraded cart.

I asked Carl and the boys at Adventure Sports to get me a yellow sail kit instead of the grey ones they had in stock. Thinking about the Delta fog and grey days on the ocean, I decided a little more visibility would be a good idea. And the blue and red clashed with mango after all!

Isn't there a little tackle box with the fisherman package? Could it be in the hull? Maybe I'm wrong. Not like I don't have fishing stuff out my ears around here anyway.

Found the warranty. Hmm, when I go back to get the sail kit I guess I have to ask the dealer to sign the warranty registration card. No biggee.

Wonder if, for the appropriate financial adjustment, I can swap out the unused standard cart for the upgraded cart. Won't hurt to ask.

Look at all the Hobie stuff in the catalogs! Whoa, heat gun and plastic welding material? Thunderwear cold weather gloves look interesting; wonder if they can be used for diving gloves? Need a paddle leash; hatch bags? Thigh control straps (does this kayak make me look fat?).

Mirage drive a bit scary. Hobie will recycle your kayak? Okay, here's how to fine tune the rudder and put in the Mirage drive. I will have to check the posts again for the "speed" adjustment with the ?thumb knurle?

Missing a scupper plug string. Where's the darn cat?

More later.

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Okay, back into the trunk of the Taurus. Brought the Mirage drive (a fine wicked piece of gear) and the original fins/masts/etc. in to work out this speed adjustment thing.

Carl from Adventure Sports put the upgrade instructions, allen wrench and cotter pins together with the original stuff. At the bottom of page 2 of 2 of the instruction it says:

"Tuning Your ST Turbo Fins

The ST Turbo fins are equipped with an adjustment knob located in the upper rear corner of each fin to change the tension of the fins."

Okay, there they are, brass thumb screw thingys (a technical term).

"To tighten up the fin, turn the thumb screw clockwise and to loosen the fin turn it in the opposite direction. By having more tension in the fin, it will become stiffer and faster with more resistance on the pedals. With having less tension on the fin, it will be more flexible with more torque and less resistance on the pedals."

Hmm. Clockwise seems to mean the brass thumb knurl is pulling the threaded part [clew tension screw?] "down" away from the body of the drive. [Righty tighty , lefty loosey?]

Did I see a parts diagram anywhere? Page 11 of the 2004/2005 kayak accessories and parts catalog has the 80010 Mirage Drive parts. No clew tension screw. Maybe something new?

Okay, first thing is the thumb screws are not quite the same distance from the body of the drive, that is, there is a different amount of the threaded part [clew tension screw?] showing on each fin. Wait a minute, looking at the opposite side they look pretty much the same.

I'm going to the loosest setting on both fins because that's pretty much where they seem to be set now and will be the smallest adjustment. Knowing my mechanical aptitude I probably got this all backward, but moving the pedals manually seemed to confirm the drive is "looser."

I wouldn't want to be doing this with wet, cold, water-softened fingers. Maybe those Hobie Thunderwear gloves on page 7 would help. Is there a thumbscrew turning tool other than the Mark One Thumb And Forefinger?

Okay, going to turn the thumbscrews to loosen the tension and reduce the pedaling effort [hey, I'm a newbie, remember?]

More later: it's late I'm getting confused.

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Saturday morning. Tired from the week and from getting up early to play with new kayak toys. The plan is to get the boat dirty tomorrow.

First, need to liberate the car from the soft rack system carrying the kayak. Okay. Hmmm.

Remove the bow stern lines from the car and kayak. They have locking pulleys and ¼” poly rope; they could be used to pull the boat up off the car and near the garage rafters. But I‘m thinking the thin poly rope might saw its way into the polypropylene of the boat – not good.

The belly straps that run through the car windows are 1” nylon strapping with their own ratchet system. They look nice and soft. Okay, throw the ratchet .buckles over two rafters just about on top of where the kayak is resting. One sissie throw bounces back, but the next two throws get both straps where they need to be. Tighten them up a bit in the bow and then in the stern – the kayak is suspended now. Tighten some more and back the car out from underneath. Turn the kayak over in the strap slings so the weight is on the cockpit gunwales. Adjust height up to just to clear the open garage door and we’re good to go.

Alright. I figure I need a current tide book, would like to get a couple crawdad traps, and some rope for bow and stern lines. Then some food and drinkables.

Worried about my bare pfd. Stop at Dolphin Dive Center and pay for a small dive knife with point for fish killing, a mostly serrated edge, and a built-in line cutter – out of stock until next week. Okay I also buy a Storm Whistle in safety orange.

Next my standing meet with Max, a buddy and head marshall at the local muni golf course. Fun visit as always, okay meal, and I’m on the road.

Off to Manteca and Delta Bait and Tackle (now known as Fisherman’s Warehouse), the local temple of bass fishing. Best local fishing stuff store. Buy two Gee’s crawdad traps, a waterproof.-looking first aid kit, a 2006 tide book, and get a copy of the 2006 fresh and saltwater DFG regs.

Over chicken salad I study the tides. Tomorrow the low is 10 a.m., with a + 15 minute correction for Village Marina – which is about a mile by water downstream from my backyard. So, dead low about 10:15 a.m. Want to be on the water and going out with the tide by about 8 a.m. to be sure of enough water. High tide about 3:30 means there should be enough water to get home by 1 p.m. or so. I hope.

List for pfd: sunscreen and lip balms (steal from golf bag); put in new first aid kit (put contents also in a freezer baggie); license holder with hook sharpener and line clipper; and TP. Going to bungee down my non-boater bass tournament bag with all its stuff – not sure where on the boat yet. Improvise a paddle leash and a couple rod leashes. Rig the crawdad traps with line and small buoys; guess I should personalize the buoys with some contact information (steal ball-marking Sharpie ™ from golf bag).

To grocery store: apples, Lunchables ™ , Gatorade ™, other stuff not kayak-relevant.

Put scupper plugs with pfd. Double freezer baggies for cell phone. More baggies for wallet and keys.

Whoops, what to wear. SCUBA wet suit failed to mature with me. Never had a dry suit or paddling suit. But do have some good ORVIS tm breathable chest waders with belt like they wear back East. No water shoes or boots – guess its tennis shoes. Broad-brimmed ORVIS tm hat a given. I guess a nylon windbreaker will complete the package. (More money to be spent, obviously.)

Alright, final steps: up early to dress, get gear ready, and wheel/drag boat to water. Depending on tide height I will launch from my dock or through some volunteer irises.

Guess I better figure out how to deploy the rudder.

More later. Thanks.

Sunday 0-dark-thirty 5-8-06

Attention to orders:

Captain will report to Dennie’s to take on ballast. 

Crew (aka darn cat) will return second scupper plug tie-down and report for duty.

Tide will wait for kayak launch so as to not inconvenience captain or crew.

After action report: MUTINY!  DISASTER!

Crew refuses to return ship’s equipment, and refuses to board ship.

Captain in sickbay due to unexpected shifting of ballast.

Tide, well, it waits for no Don.

New plan:

Discipline crew.

Heal captain.

Try again to catch the rising water of the 3:15 pm high tide.

Summary report:

Oops.

Sunday 10:30 

Recovery ward (aka garage to porcelain room, repeat).

As Captain, of course, I take seriously my responsibility for the safety of the boat and Crew (aka darn cat).  It is also my job to be sure this ship’s log is maintained.  So, late Saturday evening, the initial rigging of the boat began.

I put sawhorses under the garage rafters,  the soft carrier blocks from the car carrier system onto the sawhorses, and lowered the Hobie Adventure onto soft -block-covered sawhorses.  Crew asks what is the regulation number of times the Captain is supposed to hit his head on the kayak while walking under it; Captain assures Crew that twice is naval tradition for good luck and to check the soundness of the hull.

Scotty rod holder is initially frustrating.  Crew appears to be enjoying the Captain’s struggle.  Captain finally notices the mount and holder are keyed; tells Crew it was a test and that Crew failed to promptly offer the correct solution to an obvious situation.  Angle and position of rod holder very close to Mirage drive pedals a concern.

Okay, if you were going to attach a lanyard to the Mirage drive so that the Captain, er, someone couldn’t drop it over the side, how and where would you attach it to the drive?  Captain tells Crew that this test he will not solve for Crew and that he is waiting for an answer.  Crew suggest a lanyard to be attached only just before the drive is to be removed; Captain indicates he will take that under advisement and to keep thinking on it.  [Note to self: rig a lanyard for when drive is to be taken out, conceal from Crew.]

Captain demonstrates several version of the bowline knot while attaching a bow and a stern line, emphasizing that only the last version is the official and authorized knot.  Crew notes there are no cleats or keepers large enough for the ½” rope used by the Captain. Captain entertains Crew with traditional naval genealogical terms; Crew reminds Captain that of the two of them only Crew has papers that prove his ancestry beyond one generation.

[Captain’s note: Crew has been insufferable, insisting that the Cinco de Meow holiday is meant to kick off a month-long celebration of all things Crew.  Captain notes Crew has refused to learn English, or even American.]  Crew licks something unmentionable.

Crew notes that things put in hatches will move around and not be handy when you need them.  Captain replies that that way by going over various cruiser wakes and waves you can simply watch through an open hatch and grab what you need as it slides by.  Crew asks what happens if a wake or wave sends water into the open hatch?  Captain reviews another set of genealogical terms – [and see Captain’s note above].

Crew asks if the Captain put the Mirage drive in so it will move the boat forward or reverse.  Captain retorts it will be obvious once the boat is underway, so it doesn’t really matter.  [Note to self: mark the drive.] 

Crew begins to complain about something and Captain reminds Crew who operates the can opener in the family.  Crew mutters about God giving the handicapped something in compensation and eels out through the door on a secret mission.

Captain looks at the forty pounds of fishing gear set aside and decides less is more for the first voyage.  Captain hopes Crew did not notice that the one scupper plug string is long enough to run between and secure both scupper plugs; maybe there was only one to begin with?

Time to sleep.  More later.

Sunday 6:20 p.m.  After-action report

Still not feeling well but the weather is beautiful and it’s about 2:30, time to get the kayak dirty.

Scouts report the following:

Route to target: 18 paces from garage to gate of RV pad, 18 paces along RV pad to back lawn. 18 paces across lawn to intersect back cement path for closest approach to target, 18 paces down path to wooden decks, 16 steps down a series of short wooden decks to water edge of dock.

Height of water approaching high tide below top surface of deck: 20 inches.  Depth of water just off deck approaching high tide: 4 feet, 2 inches.

Current upwards of 1/2 miles per hour, swells nonexistent, peak between waves apparently infinite, no shore break, no rip tides, no shark sightings in recorded history, wind upwards of 4 miles per hour from the west, bright sun.

Scouts have pre-positioned and concealed a pfd, paddle, and Mirage drive on the dock.

Mission a go despite internal and external conditions less than ideal.

Got the kayak on the wheeled cart with a minimal load of gear.  Halfway down the RV pad the right wheel fell off. Repairs took 5 minutes: 1 to turn the kayak on its side to remove the cart, 1 to find a shady spot to check things out, 2 to determine the wheel just came loose and slide it back on the shaft until it snapped into place and tighten the nylon bolt; 1 to slide the cart back under the kayak and get rolling.

Easily across the grass, down the path, and bump down the levels of wooden decks to the dock.  Turn the kayak on its side to remove the cart.  Tie the bow line to a deck cleat as a precaution and compose a sit rep.

Water level is way below dock level: a challenging entry for a newbie kayaker.  Even in the days I ran a canoe all over this would call for caution and preparation for capsizing.  Apparently a 2.6 high tide is less than ideal.  Crew (aka darn cat) expresses doubt and refuses to participate in the exercise.

Crew carefully notes that Captain also decides to leave his glasses, lunch, and hat on the dock.  Captain, wearing pdf,  then eases off the dock, and slowly transfers weight to what he hopes is the middle of the kayak.  No way to use the paddle as a water or dock brace given the distance and angles.  Captain notes approvingly the boat feels extremely responsive.

Fully on the kayak now and all is well.  Captain then notices he is facing the stern.  Responsiveness of boat difficult to calculate but seems somehow to be increasing.  Crew somehow let the boat drift away from the dock; the bow rope is behind the Captain and effectively out of reach.  [Note to self: next time put the paddle in or on the kayak.]

Captain tries to relax and enjoy the beautiful day while trying to convince himself that he can gracefully turn and slide his seat into the seat, without beginning the water re-entry drill portion of the program.  Crew appears to be enjoying himself a bit too much, as the boat continues to drift with the tide toward a set of blackberry bushes arched over the water and equipped with a lifetime supply of very sharp thorns. 

The Captain decides the risk of getting wet is far more acceptable than the certainty of being punctured.  Primary stability challenged and overwhelmed; secondary stability challenged and overwhelmed.  Not sure if clinging to the overturned kayak is tertiary stability.

Successful water re-entry drill.  Seat in the seat.  Hand paddle toward the dock until bowline comes to hand, then pull on the rope to the dock.  The Captain’s planning was worthwhile: glasses, hat, Mirage drive, and lunch waiting safe and dry on the dock.  Crew does not understand the fine points of a shakedown cruise, and again refuses to board.

Everything loaded safely and stowed with some kind of tether or tie.  Mirage drive installed easily and drive plug placed on dock.  Captain decides to leave glasses on dock also.  Bowline untied and voyage begins.

Rudder deployment handle in fairly awkward place but works fine.  Mirage pedals – so close that Captain hooks knees over ears to get one leg in position.  That is not going to work.  Captain hand operates pedals and boat goes forward; Captain waves hat in success to Crew.

Captain decides to put the drive in the keeper to bring the fins against the bottom of the boat, and to paddle.  It is nice to be on the water at this intimate level again.  Turtles and ducks are not so sure they want to share their neighborhood with the Captain and a mango-colored Hobie Adventure.   Boat glides nicely with little effort.

Captain notices what unfortunately looks like deceased female mallard on a raft of dead tule reeds in his path, and drifts to a stop against the reeds.  The hen pops up her head and give one quack, six fluff-ball ducklings pop up their little heads with many peeps; the kayak is maybe 2 ½ feet away.  Nice. 

Momma and fluff-balls form a tight armada on the far edge of the tule raft and swim slowly away.  Momma gives Captain a dirty look.  From a distance Crew urges Captain to invite family home for dinner.

Captain paddles the kayak forcefully, pulling with his torso muscle core, over the matted tules and some water weeds.  A few reeds and weeds hang up on the Mirage drive fins but the parts trailing back near the seat are easily pulled off and the rest comes off as the boat moves forward. 

The rudder works almost too well in the 10 to 15 foot wide channel of open water.  The Captain tries to set the rudder in a neutral / straight ahead position and steer with the paddle but can’t help using the rudder from time to time – it’s fun!

With the tide going out the Captain begins thinking about returning to dock, and what to do when the boat gets there.  A wide spot where the channel goes around an island gives an easy turn around. 

Soon the dock is again in sight.  The bow line is tied to the dock on what is now the upstream cleat.  Distance from dock level to water is now well over 2 feet; the dock is almost at eye level. Mirage drive is taken out and placed on dock.  Paddle is placed on dock.  Captain eases over the side into about 18” of water and puts a knee on shore, then uses the dock flagpole to pull himself up, steps on land, and then steps onto the dock. 

All proceeds routinely with gear and boat retrieval, wash down, and garage storage.  Mirage drive is set aside for adjustment.  Captain is given routine Delta dunking de-contamination shower.  The evening meal is served; Crew joins as usual and politely refrains from comment  - so far.

More later.  Thanks.

You have serious new yakitis man!

Great post!!!   

Thanks for your reply.  Yep, I am obsessing a bit about getting into this stuff in a serious and consistent way.  I love being in a rookie season and intend to make as many mistakes as are headed my way as quickly as possible to get through to competence.  Forums really help a newbie.  My posts help me think through the stuff.  Hope I am not abusing post privileges.  Thanks again.

I enjoy reading your posts. Glad to see you got on the water.

Thanks, alfredo.  Once I am more confident that the tertiary stability situation is more under control I hope to see you on the water.

.....I hope to see you on the water.

Will that be with or with-out your Crew (aka darn cat)?

Crew (aka darn cat) reminds the Captain that he signed onto this being's navy as shore-based support personnel.  Also notes the recruiter promised him fresh fish, and that it doesn't take anything special to use a can opener.  Captain offers to retire can opener; Crew offers to not use the litter box; the parties go to their neutral corners.

Skipper should remind crew he signed on dotted line.

Great posts, As far as the dolly goes that came with the adventure I never even unwrapped it. I use a paddleboy that slips over the bow, that also comes apart and fits in the hatch.
Make crew walk the plank and get a dachshund!

Crew (aka darn cat) pointed out that the Captain, in his rush to get into the water, ignored the bi-monthly tide cycle that would have made things so much easier. While the tide last Sunday afternoon peaked at 2.6, for example, the high tide this Sunday morning will be 4.4. This will mean that the deck-to-water surface difference will be very much less, presumably resulting in a much esier entry into the kayak than occured last time.

The higher than average tides repeat about every two weeks with the lunar cycle. As Crew enjoys long night patrols on moonlit nights, he has been put in charge of tide reporting. The Captain fears, however, that based on past performance Crew's idea of "reporting" just means reporting for breakfast.

The Captain would like to thank the many readers on this forum and others who posted ideas for Crew discipline. The majority who advocated Crew be made to walk the plank are clearly well-intentioned. Unfortunately this idea has been tried: Crew saunters along the plank like he owns it, stopping to rub his chin and other parts of his anatomy against the plank like a stripper against a brass pole, often making noises that would embaress a porn star. The Captain's morale will not tolerate any more such mocking of naval tradition, so the plank thing is a definite no-go.

Nonetheless, thanks.