Total Whitewater Fun

WW Boater going to Belize to be more than just a tourist

2012-01-05T12:27:00.002-05:00

Bryan Griesemer will join a team of health care professionals to help improve the quality of life in rural Belize.

Click this first link and read his plan. It's a good one.

http://sundogphilosophy.blogspot.com/2011/12/lets-join-forces-to-help-community-in.html?spref=fb

This next link is for those who are willing to support Bryan's efforts by donating to MedicForce (a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization, thus tax deductable). When you do decide to donate please be sure to include the name Bryan Griesemer in the memo section, so they know to let him know that his friends are helping (I believe the amount you donate is kept private, but letting Bryan know that you are helping only encourages him to continue doing good things like this in the future)

http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/jonathon-bryant/medicforcebelize4

London 2012

2011-12-27T14:05:00.000-05:00

http://www.london2012.com/canoe-slalom

Olympic Whitewater Slalom

Condit Dam explosion

2011-10-29T14:33:00.000-04:00

boater & film maker trying to get the project off the ground

2011-09-10T00:45:00.002-04:00

he's close to the fundraising goal on kickstarter, so chip in and help Jack reach the goal so he can complete this project.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1054213271/wild-home?ref=video

paintings scanned and reproduced on canvas

2011-04-21T02:00:00.001-04:00

"Spring Thaw"
12" x 15"

"Red Wave"
12" x 12"

"What Is Dangerous, What Is Not"
12" x 12"

makes them much easier to share, a bit smaller AND less expensive than the originals.

I have coated them with some textured clear acrylic so they actually look like paintings (and are protected from the elements)

New Uranium Mining near and in Grand Canyon?

2011-04-16T19:13:00.002-04:00

https://secure3.convio.net/lcv/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=608

The above link is for those who'd like to sign a petition to stop any new mining in and around the Grand Canyon.

As the march of "progress" continued the Grand Canyon was chosen for preservation so that it could be enjoyed as it is in a natural state. The theory being that some places are just too spectacular to be destroyed. A left leaning liberal arguement would be that we have done enough damage to the environment, and need to stop the trend of mining at all costs. A right leaning arguement is more fiscally driven and uses the rational "conservative" means being cautious and slow moving because we don't need to just jump right in a raid our country's resources in a haphazard fashion. In short, there are mines that exist, and technology that is being developed that would make this type of mining uneccessary.

Regardless of your political leaning, I think that you can agree that the Grand Canyon, as a national treasure, and one of the great natural wonders of the world, is one of the last places that we need to exploit for energy needs. Let's look elsewhere, and preserve the Grand Canyon for future generations.

Arbesman Photo

2011-04-16T19:05:00.000-04:00

http://www.arbesmanphoto.com/#/page/kayaking/

Photos (and other media) from 2011 New England Whitewater Triple Crown Championships

2011-04-11T00:38:00.011-04:00

http://artandwater.smugmug.com/Whitewater

The above link takes you to a page with all of the photos taken over the weekend before they are edited, cropped, color corrected, and otherwise manipulated.

Each day's gallery should be in event order: Wildwater, Slalom, then Freestyle.

Fox News at the event

Local Simsbury Coverage of the event

Haley Mills shares here experience as a competitor at the Triple Crown

Hartford Courant photos from Triple Crown

Women's competition on YouTube from Wavehopper

Top Results:

Women
1. Emily Jackson ($1,000 award)
2. Katrina Van Wijk ($500 award)
3. Jessie Stone ($250 award)

Men
1. Nick Troutman ($1,000 award)
2. Dan Jackson ($500 award)
3. Bryan Kirk ($250 award)

Top C-1
Jordan Poffenberger ($500 award)

click this link to go to the official event website

Jim O'Brien Memorial Paddle on Sunday, March 20

2011-03-16T19:07:00.002-04:00

obboats.com

quoted from the website:

"Jim O’Brien Memorial Paddle will be on Sunday March 20th on the Knightville section of the Westfield River. A meet time of 11:00am should work well. Hoping to organize a little after paddle picnic for those who would like to stick around. Come join us in remembering a great friend."

N.E.W. Championships is only one month away !!!

2011-03-07T06:00:00.001-05:00

Tville Triple Crown website

The first two years of this event proved to be fun and exciting for competitors and spectators alike. Locals and pros go head to head in three discliplines to see how they stack up against each other in individual sports as well as overall.

Here are some photos from last year

http://artandwater.smugmug.com/Whitewater/NEW-Triple-Crown-2010-Sunday/11811828_WLUpe#834721177_LScyc

http://artandwater.smugmug.com/Sports/NEW-Triple-Crown-2010-Saturday/11806255_UiUjv#834383250_pWRmZ

how much do you know about water?

2011-03-05T02:27:00.000-05:00

http://www.worldwaterwars.com/

2011-03-03T14:46:00.002-05:00

http://www.tvilletriplecrown.com/tvilletriplecrown.com/Home.html

Grand Canyon sketchbook direct link

2011-02-08T19:04:00.004-05:00

It is 48 pages long.
32 pages are full-page drawings.
It is a visual diary.

I'll leave this direct link up for only a short time, but I wanted boaters to be able to get this for a serious discount.
Feel free to share this link and discount code. But, I'd prefer it only goes to boaters. Non-whitewater folks can buy this through the normal Amazon.com channel when that page is complete.

https://www.createspace.com/3557001

use this discount code below to get $2 off retail price

ZJ6ZRMRE

search for the book using the ISBN: 978-0615444055

New Year's Day celebration on the Grand Canyon

2011-01-24T19:39:00.003-05:00

December 30 & 31 were cold, particularly at night. Everyone was tired, so we did an east coast standard time countdown on New Year's Eve (sort of). The next day was mostly flatwater. Everyone tied their kayaks to the rafts and hopped on board for a liesurely float. The sun broke through the clouds. By mid-day, most people were stripped down for the mild temps. It turned into a very silly, exceptionally fun celebration of the new year.

here is a link to an animated gif from that day

http://artandwater.100waves.com/NewYearsDayGCdance.gif

Grand Canyon sketchbook and Art Tour

2011-01-22T04:26:00.004-05:00

click the link to see information on the tour
http://arthousecoop.com/submissions/18632-it-must-be-done-better-a-grand-canyon-trip

http://arthousecoop.com/submissions/18632-it-must-be-done-better-a-grand-canyon-trip

search for the book using the ISBN: 978-0615444055

2011-01-21T22:45:00.001-05:00

Grand Canyon photos

2011-01-06T23:02:00.004-05:00

will be added in this gallery
http://artandwater.smugmug.com/GrandCanyonDec2010Jan2011
as each person in our group gets their own photos edited.

Check back every few days for the next three weeks to see who added a new gallery.

first photos from the Grand Canyon

2011-01-05T15:11:00.004-05:00

http://artandwater.smugmug.com/GrandCanyonDec2010Jan2011/Scotts-small-camera/15337713_9it9j#1147735100_4AGpU

the Olympus camera only worked for about 4 days, but I got a shot or two that are nice.
The big SLR photos will take some work and I'll post them in a few weeks.

Grand Canyon trip equipment supplier

2010-11-26T00:52:00.002-05:00

http://www.CanyonREO.com/

and some useful links that I'm modifying this post with
(there were on NPMB and useful to me and others over the past year for getting useful beta about GC trips)
http://www.npmb.com/cms2/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?164593.pos

http://www.npmb.com/cms2/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?158914.0

http://www.npmb.com/cms2/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?186512.0

and always worth doing a search on MountainBuzz.com

Housatonic

2010-11-09T11:24:00.002-05:00

by Arshile Gorky

is in tonights Sotheby's Contemporary Art auction
(estimates between $800,000 and $1.2 million)

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=41971

Grand Canyon launch date December 19

2010-11-05T12:26:00.002-04:00

My friend pulled a permit last month for a Grand Canyon trip. In truth, I got a permit, and another friend on this trip got a permit. Three of us had applied, thinking we might have a chance to go this winter. Apparently the usual plans for Christmas and New Year's Eve are more exciting than a Grand Canyon trip, for most people. Considering how long many people wait to get on the canyon, I am a bit surprised that we were actually turning down two permits so we could all go on one.

After the initial excitement/confusion we decided that everyone on this trip needs to have a drysuit. I can't imagine winter paddling without one. I've used bibs that roll into a drytop, but it still does not compare to the comfort and actual dryness of a drysuit. I have an NRS Inversion Drysuit, that works well. A few people have Kokatat Meridian Drysuits, and we will order some of the new Level6 Barrier Drysuit

Two weeks (or more) in a drysuit made me wonder how to keep clean and dry. A drysuit will keep the river water out, but there is bound to be perspiration that will not totally escape, no matter how "breathable" a suit it. After hearing several suggestions of alcohol, or other wipe down scenarios for feet, pits, etc, the simplest solution came from a local Housatonic River paddler who was on the canyon two winters ago. He brought a new pair of wool socks for every day of the trip. Foot rot is a real issue for boaters. I thought that this sock idea made perfect sense. I'm going to add one or two extra layers of polypro base to be kept with the clean socks. Having a dry, clean base layer will go a long way towards maintaining comfort and cleanliness.

2010-11-05T12:25:00.000-04:00

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Lock 32 WW Park

2010-10-25T17:45:00.001-04:00

they did it low cost, grassroots, turning a forgotten, overgrown backwater into a terrific teaching and training spot

Lock 32 Documentary from Hope Alive Media on Vimeo.

A short documentary focusing on the designing and building of Lock 32 White Water Park in Pittsford, New York.

Bottled Water

2010-09-09T12:07:00.001-04:00

Deerfield River Festival July 31, 2010

2010-07-17T05:15:00.000-04:00

2010-07-16T16:48:00.000-04:00

Sheepscot Surfing Point-Of-View Camera

2010-07-14T12:08:00.000-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQVakLM3oWQ

Is the Madboy a true Creek boat?

2010-07-10T18:23:00.003-04:00

How does the Dragorossi, Madboy handle as a creeker? I have gotten this question asked of me many times over the last year and a half to two years that I have been paddling it. For me I absolutely love it as my creek boat. I feel that finally a company made a class V slalom boat. By that I mean very edgy compared to the modern standard of creek boats, a longer stern for sweeping around in quick tight S-turn style moves, but still have the volume that I need to float me safely in a class V creek setting. I understand that this is not most people’s preference when it comes to choosing a creek boat and because of that I try not to recommend it as such to beginning creek boaters. However for those of you that have some years of experience in a slalom boat and like the creeks or you are just a solid kayaker (or I suppose C1er) that is looking to make their home creek a little more playful the Madboy may be the boat for you. Disclaimer: playful: turning your creeks eddies into slalom gates, rockspins/wheels, freewheels, and big hole fun. This is not a playboat by any means.

I have had the advantage of having the Green River Narrows in my back yard for quite some time now. I know I will be contested for saying this, however the Narrows is one of the best “downriver play” rivers around. There are multiple high quality rockspins as well as two great freewheels. That does not include all the eddies there are to catch along the way and the couple descent waves to soul surf on. The edges are sharp at the ends of the bow and stern yet quite soft just in front of center. This allows paddlers to drive the boat into carves by leaning forward and engaging the edge. Having the edges soft just in front of center (where most of the paddlers weight is located) is what gives the Madboy its great initial and secondary stability. This transition from hard to soft edges allows for a smooth transition from the hard carve to charging downstream or just sitting in the eddy. The edges also allow for very playful soul surfing sessions from your small creek waves to your large volume river waves. The low sweeping progressive rocker helps give the Madboy its speed as well as its ability to boof and sweep over most holes. Keeping a larger volume bow with quick upturned bow help with getting over funny boily water as well as allowing it to surface smoothly and quickly. My personal favorite is how long and slicey the stern is. The stern really allows for sweeping pivot turns and squirting out of wave holes (if that’s your kind of thing). The length of the stern also allows for it’s ability to maintain its volume distribution for and aft.

Where the Madboy really excels is its ability to maintain speed and agility while running hard rapids. Do you like to catch a lot of eddies on the fly? Do you like to make a lot of S-turn moves? Do you like a boat that really helps you to use the rivers own features to enhance your own experience?

I would have loved to be able to have competed this year in the Green River Narrows giant slalom race to see how it would have compared. Fortunately I have been in California for almost a month testing it out on some bigger water as well as some multi day trips. The bigger water South Yuba and “Golden Gate” section of the South Fork of the American was not a problem at all. Punching large holes, grabbing diagonals and riding across them, crossing boily eddy lines, and large wave trains where par for both rivers. After getting a taste of some of the better day runs around it was time to really put the Madboy to the test. Loading her down for three days and two nights on the Royal Gorge of the North Fork of the American was the first time I had paddled the Madboy with weight other then that of myself and gear as well as my first aid drybag (Watershed, Ocoee). I weigh in at about 180 lbs. and had maybe 13-15 pounds of gear. I carried two Watershed, Ocoee duffels and one Futa float. One Ocoee contained my small camera, first aid kit, and food and snacks for the day (lunches included). The other contained my small cook pot with dinners (a combination of rice, ramen, and bratwursts), a spare set of clothes for camp, sunglasses, and my pen and journal. My Futa float had my 32-degree down sleeping bag, a lightweight nylon hammock and tarp, Thermarest, Neyolite sleeping pad, and a rain jacket for camp. As well as my three bags I carried a 1.5-liter water bottle, and a pair of Waldies for camp. I stowed the Futa on one side of my stern pillar and the lighter of the two Ocoee’s and my Waldies went into the other side. My water bottle went behind my seat and the heavier Ocoee I carried between my legs clipped to the center pillar in a way that it would fall out of the way incase of a swim.

I noticed the weight immediately. It made the boat a little slower and a little more edgy. Knowing I would be dealing with some bigger holes My aim was to keep as much weight close to the seat as possible as not to shift the for and aft balance of the boat. I honestly can’t say that the Madboy did not get the job done or that it was hard to get it done. That being said I sure wouldn’t have turned down the size of the Critical Mass if I had one to use. So far I have paddled the loaded Madboy for the three-day trip on the Royal, a two-day trip on Dinkey Creek, and another three-day trip down “Fantasy Falls” of the North Fork of the Mokelumne River. Admittedly hard committing runs, I would start to feel the edges more and more by the end of the third day but only in the sense that I was too tired to transition back off the edge and would be catching eddies I wasn’t planning on. I never got the random caught an edge and go over problems of some edgier boats. I still found the boat very agile while moving downstream but would feel the weight when I needed to accelerate quickly. Boofing still remained easy. The weight definitely did come in handy when charging downstream knowing that I had to break through that giant hole I was paddling towards. It may have been harder to get up to speed but once I was there the speed stayed and carried through features.

I still love the Madboy and would fully recommend it to the advanced creek boater who is of a similar build and doesn’t overnight on a regular basis. Although it works, when you are two days out in a class V gorge the size and ease of the Critical Mass make it the boat I would choose if I had the choice. Personally I just wish they made a larger version of the Madboy.

eskimo roll at camp

2010-07-01T23:11:00.000-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9XoXkd9EVc

New England Slalom Series

2010-04-26T13:42:00.007-04:00

Q: Where did Eric Jackson and Corran Addison start to develop their skills?
A: Whitewater Slalom, where you learn how to train and gain very precise skills.

Q: How do you practice difficult moves without having to throw yourself down a scary creek?
A: Slalom. Learn precision on easier water BEFORE you need the skills on the creek.

a few images from the Punch Brook Slalom practice this past Saturday
part of the N.E.S.S.
a "citizen" level slalom series with experts and beginners alike
the advanced boaters are usually on hand for casual instruction to beginning slalom paddler

bring any whitewater boat you have
no need for a slalom boat in this series

2010 Triple Crown Video on YouTube

2010-04-26T05:50:00.000-04:00

N.E.W. Triple Crown Championships Freestyle

2010-04-23T05:56:00.002-04:00

freestyle was in the afternoon, the sun was shining, so the audience was large; enjoying all the hot moves, like....

felixes

donkey flops

loops

screw ups

macho moves

wave wheels

sinus punshers

ear blasters

icecream headaches

and all the sweet moves that go with freestyle in the spring

results

iPhone Rescue App

2010-04-21T18:07:00.002-04:00

http://www.rescuemephone.com/

My youngest brother graduates this May from Stevens.
He is on the design team for this project, so check it out.

from the front page of the website
here is a brief description:

"What is RescueMe Phone?

In recent earthquakes, those trapped underground could signal only their presence to rescuers by striking a stone, shouting, or blowing a whistle. From these percussive signals, rescuers know that someone is still alive, but not who is trapped, where they are, or what their status is. The RescueMe Phone application digitally encodes the information rescuers need into the timing between the victim’s percussive signals. Rather than just signaling their presence, the trapped person can send their location or cell phone number. Once their location is known, the rescuers can begin digging. Their cell phone number tells rescuers who is trapped. At the disaster site, rescuers use specialized radio equipment to make a cell phone call to the victim."

Ever been in a subway or a tunnel and lose cell service?
Ok, so then how does THIS work to make the underground connection?
http://www.rescuemephone.com/aboutfaq.php

oh yea, so far it's free

and, if you like it, be sure to give it a 5 star rating

N.E.W. Triple Crown Championships Wildwater

2010-04-21T06:08:00.008-04:00

results

Wavehoppers and Speeders

creek boats and rec boats

super fast composite boats

all going as fast as they can

N.E.W. Triple Crown Championships Slalom

2010-04-20T01:03:00.009-04:00

photos from the second event of the triple crown
(wildwater, SLALOM, freestyle)
TvilleTripleCrown.com

results

Safety for spring time creeking

2010-04-12T12:42:00.010-04:00

It is starting to get a little warmer. The snow has started to melt and the runoff as well as the spring rains are making their way to our rivers. This means it's time to start creeking again. Creek boating is inherently dangerous. We paddle hard to access rivers with steep and often times very dangerous rapids. Accidents do happen but being prepared can make the difference between and accident and an emergency. There are plenty of things that we can do to help prepare ourselves; educate ourselves about swift water rescue techniques, familiarize yourself with your group, have a back up or emergency exit strategy, and have a well stocked first aid/safety kit.
I will not be discussing rescue techniques rather I would like to make some key points about group discussion before putting on the river as well as some items that I feel are essential for a good first aid/safety kit. In an ideal world we would always kayak with only our core most trusted friends. I think fortunately that doesn't happen all the time. I enjoy paddling and meeting new friends on the water. Some of my best class V experiences have been with guys I had just met. For this reason I feel that it is a good idea to discuss with your group the general plan for the day, any known hazards on the river, escape routes, basic river signals, and in general how people are feeling that day. Just the other day I put on one of my favorite creeks with one of my best friends. This was a creek we both know by heart. That day I just wasn't feeling great. I felt weak and tired. Because I made it a point to speak up to my friend and tell him I wasn't feeling 100% that day we were able paddle at a slower rate that would allow me not to get too fatigued. This allowed both of us to have a much more enjoyable time on the river. Communication is one key to a successful river trip. If everyone knows not only how others are feeling but also what others are planning on doing it helps to keep thing flowing rather then everyone trying to guess what the other person is thinking about or going to do. I want to know if my friends aren't feeling fully there that day so I can make sure to keep an extra eye on them just as I would like them to do for me when I don't feel 100 percent.
Communication is key in a successful group trip but is not the only thing needed. Being prepared will make a huge difference. I keep a first aid/safety kit with me for every creek run even if it it just a quick lap down the green. You never know when something will happen. In my boat I carry my LL 50' Speedloader throwbag, hand paddles, water bottle, and my drybag full of goodies.

What?

From top left: LL 50' Speedloader throwbag, Watershed Ocoee drybag, Hand paddles.

I keep my throwbag between my legs for quick access for an emergency. I also feel keeping it there I am more prone to grabbing it when I scout whereas when I keep them behind the seat I tend to get lazy and leave it behind. Right now I am using the LL Speedloader that I am very happy with,

For most of the low volume creeking that we do here in the SE I prefer having hand paddles in my boat rather then a full breakdown. Although a breakdown is much more practical and can be used by more people. The hand paddles with a water bottle get clipped behind the my seat on one side of the stern pillar while my drybag gets clipped to the other side.

My Watershed Ocoee holds my first aid kit and part of my safety kit. I try to keep it small while still carrying some essentials.

From top center: Pelican Case containing first aid kit, Leatherman tool, Headlamp with

duct tape, a second multi tool, MSR pac towel, small bag containing other items.

From top moving left to right: Bag to hold things, spare wing nut, allen key, box wrench,

glow stick, zip ties, spare ratchet straps, Corona folding saw, space blanket.

In my bag:
leatherman and another multi tool for boat repairs,
Corona folding saw,
zip ties,
headlamp w/duct tape wrapped around the case,
1 glow stick,
1 space blanket,
2 spare ratchet straps,
1 spare wing nut,
1 small MSR pac towel
and my first aid kit (in a pelican case).

From top moving left to right: EmergenC packets, medicine bottle, gauze pads, latex

gloves, tweezers, needle, swiss army knife, two lighters, Betadine wipes, Arnica and

dental floss, saline packets, Benadryl, Super Glue, CPR mask.

My first aid kit contains:
1 pair of latex gloves,
Betadine wipes,
super glue,
gauze pads,
1 latex CPR mask,
Benadryl,
Exederin Migraine (if you ever get one on the river you'll never not have this in your kit),
Ibuprofren,
eye drops,
Arnica,
a large zip lock bag,
1 small swiss army knife,
2 small lighters,
dental floss,
1 needle,
tweezers,
and 4 packets of EmergenC.

As well as these items I also carry a snack for the river and an extra top layer of clothing. Depending on the season I change it up a bit. In the colder months I like to go with cheese and pepperoni with some kind of chocolate. In the warmer months I like to go with some fruit, maybe a bagel, and some chocolate.

Left to right: Breathing tube, Astral Green Jacket LE1, pin kit.

As well as what I carry in my dry bag I carry a standard pin kit on me in my PFD, a small knife, and 4' breathing tube with a mouthpiece that allows the exhale to escape from it allowing one to always breath fresh air. I feel that Astral makes a great rescue vest with the Green Jacket it allows me to keep my pin kit in the Chest pocket as well keep my breathing tube in the rope slot behind the pocket.

Inside of breathing tube from left to right: 2 locking carabiners with slings, oval

carabiner with 2 prussik loops, 2 pulleys.

My pin kit contains:
2 4' sewn spectra slings,
2 Prussik loops,
2 Pulleys,
2 Locking oval carabiners,
1 Oval carabiner.

Why?

Most of these items are self explanatory. Everyone who creeks should have a pin kit and a knife. I feel this is a light weight pin kit that can handle a lot of different situations. Many have asked me about the breathing tube I carry with me. I have worn it since Max Lentz died on the Gualey river pinned just feet under water. After hearing that story and knowing some of the rescuers and friends I couldn't help but think this simple light weight piece of gear is important. As I tell others, it's not for me it's for you. It would be very easy in an underwater pin where just the use of a simple snorkel would have been enough to get someone oxygen to use this. Weighing in at only a few ounces and with the minimal space it takes up I feel it is a great addition to any safety kit.

You never know when a screw or bolt will come loose on a boat so I like to have a multi tool, any other tool that I will need for my boat, as well as a spare wing nut and ratchet strap in case of a lost one or broken one. A simple fix for a backband, bulkhead, or seat can make or break a day on the water. I feel a headlamp is a pretty essential piece if gear if something does go wrong and you end up pushing daylight. I like the Petzl e+LITE http://www.petzl.com/en/outdoor/signal-and-elite/elite a compact light with red and clear LED as well as a small case that works well to wrap duct tape around so you don't have to carry the whole roll (another common spot is wrapping some around the center of your paddle). I also like to carry a glow stick (you know like from when you were a kid). If you do end up spending the night out a little light can help in making a fire easier or just warm the spirit a little. If you're spending the night out that space blanket will help warm your chilled body a little bit and only packs in at about 4" x 2" x 1". That folding saw in the dry bag will be nice to cut up some wood for a fire that night to dry your gear and keep you even warmer. If you're adventurous you could even build a small shelter. The saw actually has a few purposeful applications. On that same creek I mentioned earlier we came across a rapid that had some new wood in it. We may not have been able to get all of it out, we were able to clear up enough to make a safe line through. We have also used my saw to cut up an old broken kayak so we could get it out of the gorge. Worst case scenario, someone breaks and arm or leg you can cut branches to make a splint. You can fasten fasten the splint with duct tape and or zip ties. Zip ties are also great for small boat repairs, fastening finger splints, fixing elbo pads and many other uses. One very good use I have found for them is to close up the tunnel of a spray skirt if you have to tow a boat out. Towing a boat is made much easier by putting a skirt on it first and closing up the tunnel. This keeps it watertight, incase it does flip it will not swamp on you. The final loose item that I carry is an MSR pac towel, it's small and has many uses. It's nice to dry your hands off if you have a camera or want to eat some food, as well it doubles great for a major wound dressing because of it's great absorbency qualities.

This leaves us the first aid kit. Latex or rubber gloves are important for treating any kind of open wound. Betadine wipes come in small packets and work well for cleaning out wounds without too much waste or bulk. Super Glue works very well for most cuts. Even some larger lacerations can be held together quite well with some duct tape butterfly bandages and Super Glue until you are able to get the victim to a hospital. Other abrasions and cuts that are easy to wrap can be bandaged with some small gauze pads and duct tape. I also carry a very compact Latex CPR mask. I carry some medications but not much. I carry Ibuprofren for any injury where swelling or pain is an issue. I have a history of getting migraines and after the first time I got caught on the river with one I have never not had Exederin Migraine in my kit. I do not have an Epi Pen so I cary Benydryl in case of any allergic reactions. I also carry some travel size containers of saline solution incase some one gets something in their eye. I try to be as homeopathic as possible so I carry Arnica for myself if I get injured. Also there is a small pair of tweezers and a needle for splinters and ticks. I pulled a tick off me just the other day so everyone start looking. I keep all of these in a large Zip Lock bag. I use a large bag so that if there is an accident I have a place to put dirty gloves and gauze pads.
In addition to these first aid items I keep my lighters (two small bic') in here to stay dry. It's always good to have a back up on a rainy night out. It may take a while to get that fire started. The needle you used to get that splinter out is also great with the dental floss to sew up a torn skirt. A relatively quick and easy fix that once dry can be aquasealed for a really good fix. I have grown to really like EmergenC it is great source of vitamin C as well as a good little energy burst. I like the raspberry.

We put ourselves at risk every time we put on a creek. The more prepared we are the more we can prevent, treat, and manage properly the accidents that do happen to us on the water. Creek boats are not that large so minimizing what we carry and using everything we can turns a small kit into a very practical kit. From cutting limbs for a splints, using a kayak hull for a backboard, or using a drytop for a sling, there are many ways to improvise to make a bad situation much much better.

Welcome Triple Crown audience

2010-04-12T12:04:00.000-04:00

for those of you who took stickers, tshirts, art with the ARTandWATER logo, I'd like to say "Hello, and welcome to this strange and beautiful watery world".

You can follow the whitewater-specific topics directly by following this link
TotalWhitewaterFun.blogspot.com
check weekly, or subscribe in a readerand have it sent to you

or, chose to follow the art-specific topics dirctly by following this link
ARTandWATER.blogspot.com
check weekly, or subscribe in a reader and have it sent to you

Both sites have feeds that display on the front page of the main site
ARTandWATER.com
so you can see both at the same time.

Stay tuned for the new website which will feature Fine Art Giclee Prints, Etchings, Screenprints.

I hope you enjoyed the weekend and the New England Whitewater Triple Crown Championships in the Tarrifville Gorge on the Farmington River.
I will post photos of the event here, as I sort through them all.

Throw rope review: LL Speedloader 50'

2010-04-12T11:36:00.005-04:00

So a while back I took a pretty menial swim. I was fine and my boat and paddle were also found. Unfortunately my throwbag was lost in the river somewhere. I've always had a love hate relationship with throwbags as it is. I want one in quick reach at all times but I don't want to be wearing one and I don't want to fish around the back of my boat looking for it. It has to throw consistently and accurately. Oh yeah I can't stand having to repack those things it can be quite time consuming. Well after a few months of borrowing different kinds I finaly decided to make a purchase.

I decided to go with the Speedloader at 50". I tend to be on a creek for the majority of my paddling so I was not looking for a big long bag that could hit a swimmer in the middle of the Gualey. I wanted small compact and easy to grab and use. The construction is simple; three foam panels wrapped in nylon all connected with mesh in between the panels. It is made this way so that when it is opened fully it resembles a large bowl that is easy to stack the rope back in as well as have the ability to float and drain water. When the bag is not in use the rope stuffs in quite compactly with a drawstring closer and an external strap around the circumference of the bag to hold things in a snug package. Closed the Speedloader is about the size of a large grapefruit roughly 7" X 5" X 5".

When it's time to use the bag just pull it out, undo the drawstring enough to grab the non throwing end, grab the non throwing end and toss. Once you've collected your swimmer simply open the drawstring all the way and watch the bag fold out into a big bowl, stuff all your rope back in (maybe it will take you 15-30 seconds), close up the drawstring, snap the buckle closed and you're ready to go again.

I love the compactability of the Speedloader. It fits easily in the rope/water bottle holder between my legs in my Mad Boy or Critical Mass so that it is always within reach and does not get in the way. In a practice session I was able to hit my target every time giving me the impression the bag is pretty accurate and easy to throw. It is amazingly easy and quick to re stack the rope. My only complaint so far is that the buckle that is used to keep things tight and compact when not in use tends to slide and loosen a bit. I would also like to see a slightly smaller diameter rope so that we could have maybe a 75' bag but roughly about the same size as the 50" bag I have now. I would have to say that Shane and the guys at Liquid Logic have made a great improvement on the standard throwbag design. Because of the ease of re stacking this rope I tend to dump it all out at the end of the day so that the rope can actually dry out rather then constantly sitting in a wet state. I love that I can do this.

Triple Crown Sponsors

2010-04-08T01:09:00.001-04:00

TvilleTripleCrown.com

stickers for this weekend

2010-04-06T23:54:00.002-04:00

at the triple crown

the stickers in the photo are 6" each
there are also 3" and 4" versions

TvilleTripleCrown.com

Tville Triple Crown

2010-04-04T20:50:00.000-04:00

is this weekend

show up and get some free stickers

super fast, super good, unexpected "chili"

2010-04-02T17:08:00.003-04:00

1 can (18.5 oz) Progresso Light Zesty Southwestern Style Vegetable Soupt

1 can (14.5 oz) DelMonte Diced Tomatoes with Zesty Mild Green Chilies

1 can (15.5oz) Goya beans (black, red, pinto, whatever you like)

2 - 4 links of PRE COOKED chorizo, chopped up to bite sized pieces

Your favorite hot sauce (I prefer Cholula)

Pour it all into a sauce pan and heat.
Serves two.

first impressions of the SL350 MAX plastic slalom boat

2010-03-28T14:25:00.002-04:00

(top boat is SL350, bottom boat is SL350 MAX)

I threw a bit of foam (not much needed) into the new SL350 MAX yesterday and met friends on the Rattlesnake section up in Falls Village. This is a great proving ground for me to test a new slalom boat because I used to live up there, am used to the water and the races we often hosted on this whitewater.

My impressions can be summed up simply and (almost) all positively, by saying that this boat is a real deal modern slalom boat.

The only difference is that it is in plastic, thus weighs 14 Kg instead of 9 Kg. I knew the boat was ICF legal because of it's width and length, but I didn't expect it to paddle as well as a modern slalom boat (probably a plastic prejudice). A lighter boat would certainly be better for competition, I felt like I was not losing other performance features in this new plastic boat.

I enjoyed the SL350 "regular" last year, but honestly felt that it was a bit too small for 180 lbs. (It felt better at the end of the summer when I was 15 lbs lighter). I must admit a preference for larger boats, and am not so used to the skinny slalom boats since I stopped training several years ago (spent more time in fat creek boats).

The SL350 MAX is exactly the boat I have needed: a modern design in a more durable format that composite.

Sales Note:
I am not bringing these boats into the country. I am taking time to focus more on my art.
Tony Z, at Donkeflip.com is taking pre-orders for the boats and he has a nice shipping arrangement with Forward Air.
http://eastfork.mybigcommerce.com/products/SL350-Max%252d-Slalom.html
So, if you want a plastic slalom boat, contemporary design, bigger than the regluar Dragorossi/Rainbow SL350 and the Fluid Donza; that is ICF legal (the Galasport plastic boat is too short for ICF rules), then think about the SL350 MAX

SL3.50 plastic slalom boat comparison

2010-03-24T18:35:00.007-04:00

after last year's success with the SL350, the Dragorossi/Rainbow factory decided to design a larger plastic slalom boat, the SL350 MAX.

The regular SL350 plastic slalom boat is in the top half of the composite photo and the Max is in the bottom half.
(click on the image to make it bigger)

Below you will find an animated GIf with the two boats switching back and forth so you can more easily see the volume and rocker differences between these two race-legal plastic slalom boats.

The animation might be sized incorrectly, depending on your browser and blogger.
The whole 700 pixel wide animation can be seen by going directly to the source here
http://www.100waves.com/animations/SL350Compare.gif

edit:
just noticed that Tony Z. is taking pre-orders for these boats.
here is the link for those who find themselves curious
http://eastfork.mybigcommerce.com/products/SL350-Max%252d-Slalom.html

Denise and Lisa are all smiles in their DR slalom boats

2010-03-23T20:01:00.001-04:00

Winters in the northeast can be long, so training means months of boating in the snow, finding runs that are free of ice (or sometimes "mostly" free of ice)

Triple Crown Championship is April 10th & 11th

2010-03-19T16:24:00.001-04:00

check the website for details
TvilleTripleCrown.com
and have a look at the sponsors

Jim, you will be missed

2010-03-17T07:00:00.003-04:00

http://www.npmb.com/cms2/e107_plugins/coppermine_menu/displayimage.php?pid=1594&fullsize=1

http://www.npmb.com/cms2/e107_plugins/coppermine_menu/displayimage.php?pid=1592&fullsize=1

http://www.kayakingphotos.com/albums/2008/ma/dryway0708/page/image63.html

http://www.kayakingphotos.com/albums/2008/ma/dryway0708/page/image65.html

a good boater
a positive enthusiastic attitude
a friend to anyone who showed up to the river

rest in peace

THANK YOU to the boating community

2010-03-16T06:00:00.000-04:00

Back in the middle of December, I was gaining some good momentum, getting positive feedback, on one of my paintings in a contests. Inspired by the possibility of doing well in the contest, I asked the boating community for their help, since they are the ones who really understand what I am making with this type of art.

http://boatertalk.com/forum/BoaterTalk/1052127370/
http://boatertalk.com/forum/BoaterTalk/1052127986/

http://www.npmb.com/cms2/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?136900

I did not win the contest (although it was very close). But, I was super psyched by how many people in the whitewater community stood up for me by voting. I was also inspired (through many requests) to make prints of the painting and a couple of other pieces that are related.

After wrestling with many different printing options, i decided that QUALITY would serve as a better "thank you" than something cheap (which would fade within a year or two). The decision reflects a belief that boaters deserve something that will last longer than their creek boats, and be something that they can enjoy for a very long time; something to look at, year after year, reminding them of the dynamic, fun times to come when the snow melts, the rain pours, and the rivers run again.

Over the next four days, I'll post a new giclee print.
The only place that these prices will exist are here on this blog.
That should keep the cheap price within the boating community and their families.
When the real website is built for these prints, the price will be about 30% higher. But, for now, I'll pass along the wholesale price that I get to the community, and let boaters be the first ones to get their hands on these limited edition prints.

Southwest Colorado Bakery

2010-03-12T09:55:00.003-05:00

just outside of Durango

with a super cool delivery vehicle

making awesome buns and rolls for restaurants

and some sweet loaves of bread for everyone else (sliced and unsliced)

with a separate room for preparing the spelt formulas (preventing cross contamination with the wheat products)

surfing rapid leads to the flume (8' drop)

2010-03-03T02:03:00.000-05:00

click image to see 2000 pix wide image

snow in the mountains is money in the bank to boaters

2010-02-15T21:38:00.002-05:00

http://www.thunderboltskirun.com/index.html

and makes winter more fun if you have a snowboard, skis, snowshoes...

spring is around the corner

2010-02-09T00:44:00.001-05:00

I'm enjoying the winter: skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, etc.
for now...
but am starting to get a bit excited for spring
and water like this
panorama of Ted in his Gangster hitting up Stairway rapid

Crossing the River

2010-01-19T06:04:00.000-05:00

" We have a saying, 'Dana prajna paramita'. Dana means to give, prajna is wisdom, and paramita means to cross over, or to reach the other shore. Our life can be seen as a crossing of a river. The goal of our life's effort is to reach the other shore, Nirvana. Prajna paramita, the true wisdom of life, is that in each step of the way, the other shore is actually reached. To reach the other shore with each step of the crossing is the way of true living. "

pp. 69-70 of "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" by Shunryu Suzuki
published by Shambhala Publications Inc.
ISBN 13: 978-1-59030-267-5

Vallecito Creek in Winter

2010-01-10T20:22:00.002-05:00

this is south of the campground (thus well below the takeout for the whitewater run), but above where it is totally absorbed by the lake and the confluence of Los Pinos on the other side of Middle Mountain

sweet shuttle vehicle

2009-12-16T11:58:00.000-05:00

your vote could help a fellow paddler go to New Zealand

2009-12-15T14:03:00.002-05:00

http://www.your-big-break.com/entry/10169

Ed Huber has been making videos as long as I've known him. He has a good eye with the camera and a solid sense of what he wants to do with each project.

Having a breakout in the creative world often means finding a way to get your bills paid for a little while so that you can make a project that will have a different impact and gain more exposure. Ed is not a trustfunder. He has always had to work. So, his creative talents have been mostly confined to regional work. (although Lake Placid and Watertown, NY have GREATLY benefitted from his presence)

Give Ed your vote, and give him a chance to sink his teeth into a unique project where I'm sure he'll make an incredible video.

Grand Canyon

2009-12-14T22:18:00.002-05:00

http://www.nrsweb.com/clydes_trip/intro.asp?&tn=206

I have applied for permits, so I'm totally obsessing over the logistics, and the blog on NRS' website has been a good place to see things all in one place, and a nice place to start.

Log in Stairway (2nd drop)

2009-12-06T08:41:00.002-05:00

Bulls Bridge, Housatonic River, CT
2nd drop of "Stairway..." rapid, the river right side that slides around "Little Niagra"
Looks like the old log has something new under it that made it stand up.

it's in the main line so a swimmer would probably wash into it
there is a way around it in a boat, but the margin for error is SUPER small
probably best to just wait until we get it out of there

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T05:54:00.000-05:00

Fall Creek helmet cam (full run)

2009-11-21T03:21:00.000-05:00

Fall Creek helmet cam from ARTandWATER on Vimeo.

Helmet cam footage from 2009

shows you the length (or really, how short) this nice little creek is.

The camera is wide angle so makes things seem a bit smaller, but not by much.

more to paddling that just the water

2009-11-17T06:03:00.000-05:00

There are the friendships, new and old.

There is the environment;
no matter how you feel about the specifics of how we need to manage the environment, I think that most people who are into boating enjoy being outside in a more natural environment

There is the personal challenge;
whether you are pushing your personal limits
getting a personal first descent
challenging a familar move in a new way
getting used some new gear

There is the familiarity
and a sense of belonging
(oddly enough) in a sport that very few people know anything about

sometimes you just need to paddle

2009-11-16T15:52:00.002-05:00

and forget your job
forget sales
forget repairs
forget everything else
and just paddle

The East Coast has had water, and this Fall has been relatively warm so far, so I expect that most people are finding ways to get outside and enjoy paddling.

Mad Boy vs. Gangster

2009-11-13T15:38:00.005-05:00

Gangster

Mad Boy

in this last photo...
YELLOW boats on left: Critical Mass and Mad Boy
RED boats in middle: Mafia and Mad Boy
BLUE boats on right: Gangster and Mad Boy

some more links with additional information...
Mad
Boy Review
Outfitting
On the Water
first impressions

Mad Boy vs. Mafia

2009-11-11T15:36:00.005-05:00

Mafia

Mad Boy

in this last photo...
YELLOW boats on left: Critical Mass and Mad Boy
RED boats in middle: Mafia and Mad Boy
BLUE boats on right: Gangster and Mad Boy

some more links with additional information...
Mad
Boy Review
Outfitting
On the Water
first impressions

Mad Boy vs. Critical Mass

2009-11-09T15:33:00.006-05:00

Critical Mass

Mad Boy

in this last photo...
YELLOW boats on left: Critical Mass and Mad Boy
RED boats in middle: Mafia and Mad Boy
BLUE boats on right: Gangster and Mad Boy

some more links with additional information...
Mad
Boy Review
Outfitting
On the Water
first impressions

Dragorossi Critical Mass vs. Prijon Rocket

2009-08-22T06:07:00.001-04:00

Dragorossi Reaction Vs. Riot Hammer

2009-08-20T06:05:00.000-04:00

the Mafia loops? (in the pool)

2009-08-19T23:14:00.002-04:00

this video made me smile so I thought I'd share
I'm glad it's still summer around here so no pool yet
think I'll go outside and loop up some creekboat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGGb7j1lHkE

Dragorossi Reaction Vs. Prijon Hurricane

2009-08-18T08:03:00.001-04:00

Dragorossi reaction Vs. Dagger Outburst

2009-08-16T07:02:00.000-04:00

Boat Sale

2009-08-15T13:56:00.001-04:00

just saw this on the DR message board.
Tony Z is selling off what he has left from this past year so it's an opportunity to get a pretty good deal on a Dragorossi kayak.

http://2imagine.net/chat/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=213

Dragorossi Reaction Vs. Dagger Crossfire

2009-08-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

Dragorossi Reaction Vs. Perception Corsica S

2009-08-12T23:58:00.000-04:00

Dragorossi Reaction Vs. Dagger Animas

2009-08-10T23:56:00.002-04:00

Reaction vs Transition
Reaction vs Critical Mass
Reaction vs Vortex
Reaction vs Dancers
Reaction vs Lazer
Reaction vs AQII
Reaction vs Animas

Asheville DR Demo Center; Proud to announce we have a new Madboy demo!

2009-07-13T18:51:00.006-04:00

This year Dragorossi came out with the Madboy as their new river running creeker. I have been loving mine taking it down down mellow class III-IV as well as V+.
The Madboy is a fast boat with responsive playfull edges.
I have been calling it my class V slalom boat.
(my extensive review: http://totalwhitewaterfun.blogspot.com/2009/05/dr-madboy-review.html )

So i am happy to announce that we now have a blue Madboy with very little use in our demo fleet. Everyone and anyone should feel to contact me if they would like to try it out for a little while, lifeofloon@gmail.com .

Here are some teaser pictures for you to get an idea of what the new DR outfitting looks like as well as what the edges and hull design look like.

2009-07-04T07:48:00.000-04:00

Sigg Waterbottles

2009-06-29T01:14:00.002-04:00

http://www.cafepress.com/artandwater.395570652
http://www.cafepress.com/artandwater.395570377
http://www.cafepress.com/artandwater.395570866
http://www.cafepress.com/artandwater.395570881

2009-06-22T20:56:00.000-04:00

taking-risks-is-part-of-life

Deerfield Fest July 25

2009-06-21T20:15:00.001-04:00

directions to new location

Sad News

2009-06-17T13:55:00.004-04:00

Kaelan Paton, one of the new generation of Housatonic River paddlers, has disappeared while trying to rescue his friend from high water on the Rattlesnake Section in Falls Village.
http://www.wfsb.com/news/19776818/detail.html
This is a shocking and tragic happening for the area.
Information as it comes out will be posted on NPMB.com

R.I.P. Kaelan
http://www.npmb.com/cms2/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?122503

Scudder's in NJ

2009-06-17T13:37:00.002-04:00

David Millrod send me this photo of himself looping his Fish at Scudder's.
This spot has always been pretty good. But a couple of years ago, during a super low water summer, a bunch of the local paddlers got in there and moved the rocks around. What they created was a more reliable spot that gives up the big tricks.

It has gone from a good spot, to an excellent playground for freestyle boating.
So, if you are ever travelling through the mid-atlantic area, bouncing between DC and New York for work or something, it's worth keeping your playboat on your car.
Make a quick stop just north of Trenton, NJ and join the summer fun on the Delaware.

Most of the photos on the American Whitewater site are a bit older, but it will give an idea of the location, and has an excellent run down of the different spots that come in at different levels.
http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/detail/id/2920/

Clarke Outdoors has new Dragorossi boats

2009-06-14T09:07:00.002-04:00

http://www.clarkeoutdoors.com/retail.htm

They currently have inventory of the
Mad Boy for $879
Reactionfor $879
SL 350 plastic slalom boat for $749

give them a call to schedule a demo
and see if you find yourself interested in getting one of these exciting new boats

Jaws: Tri-Cities Hometown Throwdown

2009-05-30T23:09:00.005-04:00

Today I attended my first kayak rodeo in years. For years now long lines and growing egos have turned me off from kids who can loop but not be able to roll on their offside. However today I attended the Tri Cities Hometown Throwdown rodeo at Jaws on the Nolichucky.

http://www.worldkayak.com/event_wk.cfm?eventid=456

After two days of some serious class V+ I was looking for an easier day of paddling. When my friend told me he could pick me up on his way I was glad to take him up on the offer.
Although I have never really spent much time surfing Jaws I have run the Nolichucky more then a few times now. It has found a special place in my river heart.

http://www.americanwhitewater.org/rivers/id/1766/

To run the full gorge is an eight-mile paddle through one of the prettiest gorges in the SE with consistent class II-IV rapids. It very much reminds me off the Bulls Bridge section of the Housatonic River in CT., just longer.
The weather was sunny and warm today and with the rain that we had throughout the week we had a good level for Jaws just under 2,200 cfs.

Well I really didn’t know what to expect with the event. We showed up to the river around 1:00 geared up and played our way down to Jaws hitting up a few different waves and holes along the way. When we got down to hole there was a small crowd of about two dozen people on the right bank by the hole. Paddlers hanging out and relaxing shredders, canoers, rafters, kayakers, and even a few boogie boarders. There were a few people in the eddie waiting there turn to throwdown or get throwndown. On the left bank there was another two to three dozen boaters. This were most of the competitors had already gathered.

Wesley Bradley was the event organizer and just asked us to go over and have one of the volunteers add our names to the list. There were two classes K1a and K1b. Despite the fact that I hardly playboat now, I could do a cartwheel which put me in the K1a class. There were two or three K1b heats that went before the two small K1a heats. Each competitor got three one-minute rides that started when you entered the hole. We were also given a ten second warning when our time was almost up. The scoring went every 180-degree spin was a point if it was semi vertical I think you got two points and if it was vertical you got four. But then there were the style points. I was hoping they would count big.

I was having a blast and I got the impression that everyone else was too. Most of the K1b were spinning and getting some vertical ends with some good window shades, survival surfs, and one swim. With the top K1a guys throwing ends, loops, are screws, and a slew of other tricks that are still new to me, I was having a blast cart wheeling and twirling my paddle. Leland and I ended up tied for fourth. I felt old school and decided to take out the DR Pintail today for my boat of choice. As the event ended some headed downstream and a few of us stuck around for some more of a surf session. I had so much fun just hanging on the bank with some like-minded folks occasionally throwing down in a great feature.

As Jaws slowly slipped out of the sun and we started to flail in the backwash, we decided it was time to start hiking out. Just a simple mile hike up the railroad tracks, as long as the train doesn’t come. Once we dried off and were able to grab a bite to eat we all gathered downstream at the Riverpark Campground for the awards ceremony.

http://www.riverparkcampground.net/index.html

For three dollars Riverpark Campground offers you bathrooms/changing rooms and a safe place to park and relax by the river at the Big Rock playhole. The awards ceremony consisted of a raffle in which everyone received a prize ranging from a new Shred Ready helmet, Gift certificates, paddling videos, tee shirts, and a few other options.
I had so much fun at this simple event. Everyone was there to enjoy the day, the water, and their fellow boaters company. It was a great atmosphere were everything ran smoothly due to the simplicity of it. I can’t wait until the next event that will be held at Big Rock.
Thanks to everyone that volunteered and helped make this event possible as well as a lot of fun.

adam

DR Madboy; Review

2009-05-29T17:18:00.024-04:00

As one of the Southeast DR guys I have wanted to get my hands on a MadBoy for a while. A few weeks ago Scott was nice enough to bring mine down to me. I weigh roughly 180 lbs., I’m 5'10", have 30" inseam, and a US size 9.5 shoes. For the last year I have been paddling the Critical Mass as my primary creek boat and playing around in the Gangster on easier lower volume runs.

What I loved about the CM was the speed and stability that it has conveys an amazing feeling of safety. What I didn't like was the cumbersomeness and slow edge-to-edge transfer that was very apparent to me in the class II to III realm. What I liked about the Gangster was the speed it carried for it's size and the playfulness of it, can you say freewheels off of Blackwater falls. On the other hand when the gradient stepped up and the volume increased it always felt a little small for me.

My first impression of the boat was,
"holy shit, Corran actually put in outfitting!”
Ok that wasn't what I really thought. However I was drawn to the change in outfitting.

There was a simple to use ratcheting back band that easily folds down for stern access, adjustable thigh braces, Velcro hip pads, adjustable bulkhead, as well as a nice plastic center pillar up front.

The overall boat design has a forward sitting cockpit with initial bow rocker transitioning into a longer stern, which carries the progressive rocker nicely.

The MadBoy looked and even measured a few inches narrower then the CM, Nomad 8.5, and a Jefe Grande. I liked that DR has kept with the racing stripe theme as well as the molded in graphics. It has a simple planing hull with edges that start about your knees and follow to the stern.

Of all the Corran boats I have paddled over the years this one was by far the easiest to outfit to my liking. The thigh braces are adjustable by loosening an Allen bolt (Allen key included) and sliding for or aft per personal preference. They are already padded out with 1/2" neoprened foam, all I added was some triangular knee blocks to help lock my legs in from underneath.

The bulkhead is set up to easily move forward and backward as well as expand or contract depending on how far forward one needs it to be. I cut out a 5" thick piece of foam for my bulkhead padding.

The seat has padding riveted with plastic rivets to the seat pan. I have found it comfortable as is but it would also be very easy to add a small cushion underneath the factory seat pad. The outfitting also came with hip pads that easily Velcro into place and then have one strap that adds to their security. I wish the hip pads could be opened up to either add thickness of remove some padding.

Other then the factory outfitting I added two small thigh risers on the front of my seat, a thin strip of foam on the back of the seat pan (to help with a more aggressive body position), added small shims that sit between the seat and the sidewall, and added some padding for shouldering my boat.

As far as attachment points inside the kayak, I easily added a throw rope holder in the molded in slot in front of the seat, as well as added a loop of rope to the back of the seat to attach drybags or hand paddles. Both modifications took less then two minutes.

Behind the seat I drilled two holes and ran a loop of 3/8" cordelette though the holes and have an easy place to clip things behind the seat. On a regular basis I have a filled Watershed Ocoee duffel, hand paddles, and a water bottle. There is a spot molded into the back of the seat the will hold a small Nalgene water bottle. I have been thinking of adding a webbing strap to the nice plastic bow pillar as a place to hold a larger water bottle. For the throw rope, there is a molded in tray already in the seat. I drilled four small holes and ran an old piece of bungee through them.

So far I have put the boat through some good use. I started out on the Cheoah which has a great class IV bigger water feel to it (pushy, lots of holes and waves), then put it through about half a dozen Green runs which is your standard class IV-V SE creeking, then she got the real test and got a couple of Raven's Fork and Toxaway runs big manky class V+ with huge slides (you know LVM type stuff).

First impression after day one was a good one. I could feel the speed immediatly one, two stroke ferries were easy and felt stable crossing the current. I felt like I could tuck the bow into curlers and scoot straight through, as well as catching diagonals high and using them to cross current or line up for the next move. Wasn't too sure about how it would boof, as there was not much that I felt big enough to boof as the MadBoy was going through everything. The one thing that I Questioned after that first run was the top edge on the stern, initially I thought it might be a little low. I was feeling it getting grabbed occasionally or hanging up on an eddy line. With more runs in it now, I have positioned my body more forward and have rarely thought about it since.

Being on the Green for the first time with the MadBoy was great. Hey it's my home river now and well it's fun playing with a new toy on your home river where you know all the lines (or at least think you do). First real test for boofing, tight turns, and tight slots. I have not noticed any instability due to the narrowness of the MadBoy; instead I have found it very nimble. Much more so then the CM. Edge to edge transfer is much easier and I really notice this in the class II-III shoaly sections. It gets hung up a lot less and sneaks through more slots. I could really feel the speed on a river I have run hundreds of times before in many kinds of boats. It almost felt like paddling my long boat but with the ease of today’s creekers when it came to turning or boofing. One thing I have noticed; where the CM is prone to turning out on you because of how easy it is to turn the stern edge on the Madboy I find is prone to grabbing eddy lines and carving you quickly into them. Not a problem but it’s quick when it happens. Oh yeah and I can still freewheel the Madboy and throw it around out there. It was a very fun boat for me on the Green.

Ok, now we got some rain down here and well things came up. So far I have run the Raven’s Fork and the Toxaway twice. I’ll admit I was a little nervous. It is definitely smaller and edgier then the super stable CM. All I can say is this boat gets it done. Despite the edges, narrow hull, and smaller size the Madboy felt incredible stable underneath me. On the huge slides on the Toxaway I never felt my edges getting grabbed or tripping up. In the steep tight sluices it was easy to stay straight and handled the gargantuan diagonals with easy and confidence. Yet at the same time maneuvering the much more technical rapids of the Raven’s turning the bow took a simple sweep or C-stroke which would allow me to carry my speed and make moves that need to be made.
As well as paddling the Madboy is a decent hiker as well. It is about the same weight as the CM, added weight probably from the new seat/thigh brace combo as well as the nice plastic center pillar. A little padding on the cockpit rim works well for shorter hikes. For the longer hikes I have used and NRS backpack system with good success. I found it best with the bow down to help control the weight of the bulkhead better. I always got a little bit of calf smacking with it but not enough to prevent light jogging on downhills.

Overall I was more impressed with the Madboy then I had expected. I was expecting a fun boat that would be fast yet still handle the Green with ease. I didn’t expect a boat that would feel so stable and not out of its realm on the V+ yet still being a very fun boat to play around with on the easier stuff.
Kudos.

Adam,
final photo "landbridge" shot by Chris Gragtmans

Bulls Bridge video (just for fun)

2009-05-12T22:03:00.001-04:00

and, in case the embedded video does not play for you
here is the direct link on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Zxqsbz_I_U

Dragorossi adjustable Bulkhead for 2009

2009-05-11T19:06:00.003-04:00

taken out of a Mad Boy for easy viewing

adjust the bulkhead to the length you want while sitting in your boat
loosen the four screws with the supplied hex key
adjust the white plates out as far as the boat will allow
adjust the black plates up as far as you can to fill in the space
tighten the four screws again (hand tight only, no need to crank it)

you are ready to go for general river running at this point
but, if you are using this system in a creek boat you need to add at least 3" of minicel on top of it
it's easy to do because the adjusted bulkhead gives you a perfect template to trace onto minicel.

DR ratchets and IR ratchets are the same size

2009-05-07T18:19:00.002-04:00

so, if your local DragoRossi dealer
Dragorossi.com
is waiting on ratchets for you, and you are in need (in the U.S.)
You can hit up Immersion Research's Raw Materials Mart
http://materials.immersionresearch.com/
and buy the ratchets or ladders, which are the same everest system used with the Dragorossi Kayaks.

Port Jervis wwpark and revitalization project

2009-05-03T06:40:00.000-04:00

could use your help
if you decide to help, and think it's a good idea
then take the 60 seconds to sign the petition below

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/port-jervis-river-front-and-whitewater-park

and help us get the ball rolling towards
a river clean up
a whitewater park
fishing access
walking/jogging/biking trails
a municipal park
for everyone to enjoy

N.E.W. Triple Crown great success!!!

2009-05-01T11:46:00.000-04:00

The weekend started off with a spectacular break in the weather; the shining sun warmed the Tariffville Gorge into the 80's, giving people a glimpse of summer.

Day one saw full time athletes wondering if they could perform well enough in their "off" discipline. Slalom athletes worried about freestyle. Freestyle athletes worried about slalom. Everyone wondered if they could keep the tippy, super fast wildwater boats under control enough to put up good times.

Weekend warriors showed up and competed in all three events. Some borrowed wildwater boats and were paddling them for the first time. Others, like me, paddled their retro plastic boats as fast as they could, hoping to be close enough to qualify for the next day.

In the good spirit of friendly competiton, fellow athletes were loaning each other slalom kayaks, making sure that everyone who wanted, was able to race in a slalom boat. Those who felt more comfortable in their plastic boats took on the challenge of the gates in their river runners or creek boats. Four people, including Ted DeVoe, raced in the plastic slalom boat.

It seemed like everyone had a freestyle boat. Playboats seem to be the default whitewater craft. There is a good reason for it. They are meant to play (that little kid in all of us still wants us to play).

I was competing and volunteering, so did not take any photos.
But, plenty of spectators had their cameras, and the photos are rolling in to the main website for the event.
TvillTripleCrown.com
Look at the photo links on the site.
Enjoy the photos as they are uploaded onto the gallery.
Share your photos if you were at the event and had a good time.

Reaction outfitting

2009-04-29T06:37:00.000-04:00

Three standard safety loop / grab loops; one on each end, and one just behind the cockpit for swimmer assistance.

Adjustable thigh hooks (with the included 4mm allen key) ,a ratcheting backband, and a moveable rotomolded seat with minicel foam on the center line to create a continuous beam between the bow and stern pillars.

Velcro pieces on the seat to accept the new adjustable hip pads, which are also found on the Mad Boy
(click the link to see how they work)

Four way adjustable bulkhead, allows you to expand or contract the footplate to fill in the gaps and have a bulkhead that feel like it was custom made for your inseam length.

A fun retro design in modern/new plastic, which I've been comparing (for fun) to the old school boats

Reaction vs Transition
Reaction vs Critical Mass
Reaction vs Vortex
Reaction vs Dancers
Reaction vs Lazer
Reaction vs AQII

It's not your old Reflex, it's the new SL350 from Dragorossi

2009-04-25T06:30:00.002-04:00

contemporary lines, modern 3.5 meter boat, sized for average sized slalom athletes

with a nice rotomolded, adjustable seat (mincel pillar continues under the seat), ratchetting backband, and "yakima" style footpegs

molded knee bumps in the recessed cockpit area lets the discerning slalom boat paddler make a custom fit from minicel foam (as is traditinally the case with race boats)

the minicel pillars run almost the entire length of the boat to make sure it stays rigid

more info here
http://www.100waves.com/specs/slalom.html

cockpit size is approx. 30" x 16 1/2"

direct links (below) to photos of the SL350 in action at the
New England Whitewater Triple Crown Championships
taken by spectators as they enjoyed the competition

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2649840490094366337xruGga

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2259760520094366337fjvJCf

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2450647990094366337aKrDop

http://wmercier.smugmug.com/gallery/8027364_cJEEs#522342511_qGUSG

Do you have a boat for T'ville?

2009-04-22T17:54:00.003-04:00

TvilleTripleCrown.com

Ideally, you'd have a composite slalom boat, a composite wildwater boat, and (these days) a composite freestyle boat.

In reality, most people will have all plastic.
Ok to race your plastic freestyle boat, plastic slalom boat, and plastic freestyle boat.

Since there is so much focus on the overall scoring, if you choose to be in all three events, it's ok to break out the old school boat for the wildwater section, and perhaps even the slalom section.
You can even use your creek boat for these.
I'm sure that you can get a few spins and an ender in an old long boat or your creek boat.

So, don't worry about having the perfect boat. Just come on out and participate. You never know.
After taking part in the Triple Crown, you might just look back on it as the discovery of some new aspect of whitewater that you never before realized was fun.

(boats in the top photo, from left to right: SL350, Reaction, Wavehopper, MadBoy, Fish)

TvilleTripleCrown.com

Mad Boy quick outfitting introduction

2009-04-20T20:23:00.009-04:00

The new Dragorossi Performance Outfitting system is more traditional than the Elite Outfitting system.
It comes with adjustable hip pockets which fit most people.

The super slender can easily use one of the shims as a template to cut more padding, which can be added in the pocket.

Notice the velcro pad on the side of the seat.

This does most of the work of holding your hip pads, and will allow you to adjust the position of each hip pad to fit your personal body type.

Feed the top strap through the holes in the seat (where the backband straps are) and thread the end through the buckle on the front side of the hip pad.

Get in the boat with the buckle a bit loose so you can adjust the hip pad position to fit you.

Tighten everything up when you have found the correct placement.

The rotomolded bow pillar is new for 2009. It has a thumb screw that is set loose when the boat is new. This is so you can move your seat forward or back. Once you have found the correct seat position, tighten the screw down so the bow pillar will do its job of keeping the boat's shape and making it strong. (it will compliment the foam pillar that runs under the seat, and the pillar in the stern, making a unified I-beam along the center line of the boat)

Notice the rounded, concave shape to the pillar. It's meant to be used in conjunction with a bungee cord to hold a water bottle or small throw rope. (the larger rope can go in back)

The bulkhead for 2009 is mostly traditional, with one new feature; the adjustment plates.

They can be adjusted to fill in any gaps, and prevent your feet from slipping past the bulkhead.

While not needed for general river running, if you plan to use this boat as a creeker then I'd recommend cutting a foam plate to cover all of this, that is at least 3" thick.

A special note on the adjustment plates:
BOTH the black and white plates adjust, so the adjustment is both horizontal and vertical, allowing you to fill the gaps better than if it was just one way. Essentially, you can make the plate expand or contract as you move it up and down.

The traditional thigh hooks can be adjusted with the included allen/hex wrench. (4mm)

I took two pictures so you can get an idea of the adjustability.

The thigh hooks are held in place by three screws. Be sure to loosen them all to make your adjustments.

A word of caution: when tightening them back up, you only need to make them hand tight, no need to crank down too hard. Let the gaskets do their work without making them totally flat and your boat will be dry for a long time.

The new, larger DR Performance backband is softer than the old one, and makes stern access eaiser, for important gear such as a spectra throw rope.

It's much easier to access the stern by lifting the backband up, instead of trying to stuff things over the top.

Here are way too many photos of the first Mad Boy that was unwrapped last week.

2009-04-20T10:54:00.000-04:00

Whitewater Championship

2009-04-17T06:54:00.001-04:00

is next weekend
in the T'ville Gorge on the Farmington River
WhitewaterCompetition.com
It is a Triple Crown Event that will include
Slalom
Freestyle
Wildwater
preliminary races on Saturday
finals on Sunday

The DragoRossi Container has Arrived

2009-04-08T13:13:00.003-04:00

it mostly contains SL350 plastic slalom boats and Mad Boys, with a few retro Reactions molded from new plastic.

on the far end of the photos you'll see a Green/Yellow fade Reaction (Lime) and a Blue/White fade slalom boat (ice)
those colors are a bit different from the usual Dragorossi colors, and make for some very unique looking boats.
The regular blue (not dark, not light) slalom boat was a bit of a suprise when I unloaded the container. It's a beautiful color.
Anyone who chose "ice" blue can drop me an email and let me know if they want that blue/white fade, or this new regular blue color.

I loaded my truck before taking these pictures, and am leaving for the first local, southern New England deliveries as soon as I post this.

Most of these boats are already sold, but there should be a small container of Mad Boy, Reaction, and SL350 left for customers who missed the first opportunity to get some new plastic from Dragorossi.

N.E.W. Triple Crown Champioinships

2009-04-07T21:48:00.002-04:00

TvilleTripleCrown.com

a quick way to help reverse the tide of shady politics in the river

2009-04-06T18:23:00.002-04:00

The West River releases have been reduced in number over the past couple of years
using suspect data to justify the reduction
to favor one narrow interest group

Now, the releases are moved to mid-week, so that they (technically) still exist
but they can only be enjoyed by the unemployed or few locals

In my opinion, this is the latest step towards eventually getting rid of the releases all together.
I'm sure that after a couple of years of scheduling releases when nobody can attend (mid-week)
the special interest group that would have the river all to themselves (out of town fly fisherman) will eventually start to argue that whitewater releases are not used, thus should be cancelled completely.

Sign this petition (takes less than a minute)
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-the-west-river
and help reverse the trend,
returning the West River to a true multi-use natural resource

AMC supports whitewater parks for their large variety of benefits

2009-03-09T15:47:00.002-04:00

Including building appreciation for outdoor recreation
creating environmental awareness
the outstanding benefit to local fisheries
and as an integral part of many downtown area cleanups and restorations

link to full article

benefits of Heart Rate Training

2009-03-01T18:32:00.002-05:00

recently I reverted to some training strategies that I used while racing slalom.
While I am no longer striving to be the best slalom boater that I can possibly be,
I remember the overall benefits that training gave my creeking and freestyle boating.
A large part of it was using a heart rate monitor to train within certain ranges.
It's something that applies to every sport, and every level of fitness, with incredible benefits.

The main idea is to build a strong aerobic base, upon which you can build a larger capacity for work.
In whitewater, that means that you have the strenght to pull off the more difficult moves and the health to keep doing it.
There is in incredible amount of information on the internet and in books about his subject, so worth doing your own research. But, as a very quick introduction, consider these links.

Start with 220, then subtract your age, you'll get a good estimate of your max heart rate, which is how you then calculate your exercise zones

after you have copied your excercise zones down, you are ready to compare them to the chart that will help you figure out your exercise targets, which include ways to gain general fitness or peak conditioning.

if all that is too much, and you have never done any kind of focused training, try a couple of weeks training in the "moderate daily activity" and "weight management" zones. That will give you a healthy base upon which to build.

If you are an athlete, but have not paid attention to your HR, consider alternating days of Aerobic Training and the Anearobic Threshold training.

In addition to following doctors' advice, I have found that the best trick to making sure that I was not over working, and ready for more intense workouts, is by taking my heart rate every morning when I first woke. If it's faster than normal, then I need more rest and will modify my workout. If it's normal or getting a little bit slower, then I can keep working hard.

disclaimer: this is all based on my own experience. Everyone is different. Talk to a doctor before you go and workout.