I’m trying to learn how to film on the water. It’s incredibly challenging but if I can get my sea legs under me I think this would be a great way to share experiences and paddling tips. Most of what I’ve shot so far I’ve trashed but I did throw up a little four-minute...
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Video: More footage from yesterday’s kayak sail testing
More footage from yesterday’s kayak sail testing. The first sail is a 1 square meter ripstop nylon sail in 10-15 mph winds. The second is a .8 square meter laminate sail in 15-25 mph winds. I’m sailing upriver here and current against me was 1 to 2 mph. More technical details in yesterday’s post....
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Video: Sail testing in the LPB
I managed to find some decent wind yesterday to test the new sail rig. With the wind blowing 12-15 and gusting to 25, and 1-2mph of current against me, I started out with the 1 square meter ripstop nylon sail, but it was too twitchy in the gusts, and I had to throw several...
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Rigging the LPB kayak
I couldn’t bring myself to set the sail project aside quite yet so I grabbed a completely different kayak off the rack (my LPB design) and spent yesterday evening rigging it. On the last rig I was veering towards complexity so this time I decided to simplify every detail as much as possible and...
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Video: Sail testing an F1
I’ve been steadily working on the canoe/kayak sail system for about the last 10 days. The geometry and componentry of all parts of the system is getting really clean and functions really well. The harder part is just testing the rig. I’ve got 3 different sail designs, in 3 different sizes, with 2 different...
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Video: Took the sail set up out for some testing
Took the sail set up out for some testing on a rainy afternoon. The goal here isn’t so much a performance assessment as just evaluating the functionality of the rigging. I ditched the various in-line tensioners that I had bought to try to make the stay attachment and tensioning quicker. It’s a good idea...
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Jeep XJ build + trip, Part 2
Jeep XJ build part 2, continued from previous post. I’ve always gone with dual solar panel dual deep cycle battery set ups in my vehicle builds but the XJ just doesn’t have the weight capacity or space for it, so I was stoked that in the real world my single battery single panel setup...
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Video: Testing the light sail rig on the canoe catamaran
Had the light sail rig (carbon masts and rip stop sails) out for some testing last night on the canoe catamaran. I was definitely cringing when a couple of the gusts approached 20 but so far neither of the carbon fiber masts have snapped. 5 mph in roughly 10mph of wind ain’t bad performance...
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On YouTube: Sailing, rowing and catamaran modifications to the nesting canoes
For anyone who is interested I just posted a new video on the Cape Falcon Kayak YouTube channel going over all of the latest sailing and rowing and catamaran modifications to the latest batch of nesting canoes. ...
Video: the canoe schooner
One of the first things I tried when I was building the pack canoe system was to take both of the sails from a set of nesting canoes and put them on one boat in a schooner configuration. The result was an aggravating contraption with no practical utility, so I shelved the idea until...
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Video: Rowing and sailing the canoes
My life is lived in tiny adventures. A couple nights ago it was 15 minutes upwind and 7 minutes back, this time with Liz and I sailing separately. The easiest way to sail these canoes with the rowing rig attached is just to let the oars trail in the water leaning back in the...
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Video: Another clip from Sunday evening on the water.
Another clip from Sunday evening on the water. Full details in previous post. I like the sound on this one....
Video: Testing the new canoe catamaran, oar, and sail rigs
Tested the new canoe catamaran, oar, and sail rigs on the river last night. It’s very easy for canoe rigs to become unusable contraptions so I’m pleased that this whole setup felt tight and clean on the water. I got the idea for the new catamaran boards from Uwe, who built a couple of...
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Video: A quick sail test with the rowing outrigger installed
While I wait to carve the next oar I grabbed an older set and a newer version of my outrigger and brought them down to the dock for some testing on the medium size boat. It was blowing about 12 when we got there so I rowed upwind for 10 minutes and then sailed...
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Video: A rainy evening test paddle
Yesterday evening we said goodbye to our local urban paddling spot, Smith and Bybee Lakes, which will be an unnavigable tangle of weeds by the end of the week, and then a slow transition to dry land until next winter. Nestled between the railroad tracks, the freeway, and adjacent to the airport landing approach,...
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