Expert Chemist Reply

This advice came in from Justin the Chemist. Some interesting Insight!

I'm certainly not an expert but I am a chemist and do know a bit about polymers. I’ll also try to be succinct. All plastics will give off a plastic taste some more than others. This is where purchasing the higher quality water bags might be the way to go. The chemistry is complicated but basically some bags are not made well and some are not cured well. My rule of thumb is density - the more soft the plastic the more plastic taste. I look for a higher density bag (stronger and not able to stretch as much as softer bags) when purchasing.

To get rid of plastic taste I rinse many times (sometimes 10 – 15 times) immediately after purchase. One rinse should be defined as filling the bag with water and then emptying. I also rinse a couple of times before each use. I have recently changed my storage method from letting the bags sit empty between uses to storing them full of water. I have found this to be more successful than aeration but have only monitored this for about 1 year with only 1 product so can’t provide any hard statistics.

I would be careful about chemistry solutions to the problem. The plastic may react to the chemical introduced. If the rinsing doesn’t work and you really are unhappy then perhaps acids or bases could be used to try to fix the problem. Chemicals around the house, which could be tried, are vinegar (the white stuff) or baking soda. Don’t try them at the same time try one and rinse a few times and test and if that didn’t work then try the other. Some coffee maker cleaners are food grade phosphoric acid and could be used instead of vinegar. They could be stronger, so be careful, but will not have the vinegar taste.

Sometimes the taste is from something else. Never put organics (food, lemon, lime, sugar, flavouring etc…) in your water container. This eliminates the need to clean them. Fungi and mould will live on just about anything you put into your water container and impart a fun taste. I do use lime or lemon once in a while but rinse well right after use. The surface of plastic can be full of pits and hard to clean places. In a microbiology lab we think of plastic as impossible to clean.

Cleaning your dromedary!

Hey Dorothy,

I am sitting at a round table of experts here and we have come up with 2 solutions to try. First is to try a little baking soda and water and let it sit for a while. Shake it a little and rinse. Dympna has used this and rinsing is important!n secondly put 3 drops of bleach in the bag with water and let that sit. Hopefully one of these will shift the taste. Next time you finish with your dromedary rinse it and then let it sit with lid open and bag pulled open to increase air flow!

Hope this helps!

Optimus Nova/Nova+ Recall

Many of the students we have on our Level 2 programs ask us for recommendations on gear. When people ask me about white gas multi-fuel stoves I strongly recommend the Optimus Nova+. The first stove we had worked like a charm and still does but the newer models we bought had a few leaking issues. (If you were on this particular Level 2 you may have seen us rolling with this punch!)

Thankfully and admirably Optimus/Katadyn have released a recall on all of these leaky stoves. If you took my advice and bought an Optimus stove then check the QA No. on the black burner housing and if it is between QA000011 and QA007313 then go to this URL: www.optimusstoves.com/caen and fill in the recall form. Optimus will then mail you out a prepaid cartoon to put the stove and pump into and will replace all the faulty parts for free. If you have the silver burner housing then there is no QA No. and no issue.

Happy Camping!

Optimus Nova/Nova+ Recall

Many of the students we have on our Level 2 programs ask us for recommendations on gear. When people ask me about white gas multi-fuel stoves I strongly recommend the Optimus Nova+. The first stove we had worked like a charm and still does but the newer models we bought had a few leaking issues. (If you were on this particular Level 2 you may have seen us rolling with this punch!)

Thankfully and admirably Optimus/Katadyn have released a recall on all of these leaky stoves. If you took my advice and bought an Optimus stove then check the QA No. on the black burner housing and if it is between QA000011 and QA007313 then go to this URL: www.optimusstoves.com/caen and fill in the recall form. Optimus will then mail you out a prepaid cartoon to put the stove and pump into and will replace all the faulty parts for free. If you have the silver burner housing then there is no QA No. and no issue.

Happy Camping!

I like the Optimus Nova Plus

Hey Al,

Thanks for your question.
There are many stoves that would suit 1-3 people tripping for 2-3 days.
There are, however, some other variables to take into consideration. Such as:

Size/Weight of stove
Fuel type
Your budget
What you are cooking?

Firstly I am going to rule out some of the big bruiser stoves which are great for cooking for large groups. Coleman and Brunton make decent white gas or propane "group stoves"

Depending on the size of your kayak, you probably want to stick to a smaller, "backpacking" sized stove. These again vary in size from palm sized propane units up to slightly larger heavier white gas fueled stoves.

If you are cooking boil in the bag style meals and you only have to boil water then I would recommend either the MSR Reactor or the Jetboil. The amount you can boil varies between these baby's but if this is the route you want to take check out this link below debating between the two for speed, fuel consumed and performance in the wind.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=5777

If you are not planning on just re-hydrating food and are actually going to be cooking gourmet learntokayak.ca style meals (hehe) then you are going to require good simmer control. Propane stoves will simmer really nicely but be aware that in colder weather the tanks loose pressure and then you are left trying to build a fire! White gas stoves you can just add more pressure in cold weather by pumping the bottle a few more times. Propane is also kind of wasteful because all summer you will be throwing out used tanks. White gas in bought in gallon cans which you re-fill your white gas bottles from and then can recycle the tank.

If you want a high quality white gas stove I would recommend the Optimus Nova Plus. This is the stove I use and in fact have three of them! It boils like no other white gas stove I have ever used thanks to having two controls. One is located on the top of the pump and the other is by twisting the fuel line itself! It simmers so low that once I went to reheat the stove to heat some dish water and when I turned the control found out the stove had been on a micro simmer while I was eating dinner! I couldn't even see the flame it was so low. The other beauty of this stove is that it comes with a magic magnetic key that with a couple of passes beneath the unit before lighting operates a needle that cleans out the jet for you. What!? WOW maintenance without taking the thing apart! Amazing! This is a multi-fuel stove which means when you take that trip to somewhere that doesn’t sell white gas fill it with diesel, petrol, kerosene or aviation fuel and it is ready to use without having to change the jet.
There are other nice good simmering stoves on the market too but from my experience this seems to be the best.

Check it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryJxhQRTUvg

Hope this helps!
If anyone disagrees with me please post below and give Alan your opinion!

Aquaseal

Hi Goni,

Thanks for your question. I have a few small holes in my skirt and I used Aquaseal on both sides of the rip and then after letting it get tacky stuck them together. I also put a few small stitched in black across the new seam to prevent it ever opening up again!

Good Luck!

Paddling at Night. Lights for kayaks.

Lise.

Thanks for an excellent question. Here is the scoop. If you are paddling at night you are required by the Canadian Coast Guard to have a 360 degree visible white light. Some options could be a headlamp, waterproof flashlight or a deck mounted light.

Deck Lights
Probably the best light for a kayak is the deck light. Also called an anchor light, a deck light is a white light that can usually be seen 360 degrees in any direction. It's not the most practical kind of light for a kayaker since the glare tends to obscure the paddler's night vision. Mount on the aft deck to avoid killing your night vision.

Head Lamp
A simpler solution is a head lamp worn while paddling. The light follows your head and reveals you to approaching craft. You can leave the light off and switch it on only when you need it. A floating flashlight attached to the deck or inside of the cockpit with velcro also works. The problem with a flashlight is that it can take 20 minutes to recover your night vision after use. Cover the lens with a red filter, which doesn't hurt your night vision.

Reflective Tape and Emergency Lights+
Strips of reflective tape applied to the edge of the hull fore and aft or to the paddle shaft can help make your kayak more visible and identifiable to rapidly approaching boats. Cyalume or C-lights are emergency chemical lights that are very visible and help preserve your night vision. They're easily duct taped to the hull, paddle shaft or pinned to the back of your life jacket. Yellow, lime green and orange are the easiest colors to see.
Last night paddle I did I stuck a glow stick in a hole in my helmet. I looked like a radioactive Telly Tubby but it works amazingly!

Finally, yes your strobe light is for emergency use only.

Hope this helps and enjoy your paddles in Thunder Bay!

Saddle Time.

Hi kayakinglad!

Yoga is a great way to get more in shape while in front of the TV. I don't know that I would want to try this in the car though...

You might want to try making a balance board, which is pretty much a piece of 2X8 5' long with a 2X6 screwed at a "T" to it. Then you have to sit on the 2X8 in somewhat of a kayaking position. This helps your core balance.

Other than that.. GET OUT THERE!

Thanks for your question!

A message from our H2O gurus

Hey Noel,

Thanks for your question. I have consulted our LTK H2O Guru regarding your question.

Some options:

-Don't fill your Camelback so full, and keep it on your back

-Put the Camelback under your bungees not such a knock when you hit it with your paddle. (WARNING-Don't put the camelback black side up as you end up with warm water, ewww)

-Buy a Nalgene hip flask (These are flatter for under the bungees)

-Keep the camelback behind your back-band and only pop your skirt for a drink when its safe

-Only paddle on Superior and use the "Roll-n-drink" method (Our lawyers at LTK just want to me publish a disclaimer that James, Dympna, H2O Guru, and any of our associates do not advocate the drinking of untreated water as it may lead to Fever of the Beaver.)

-Dehydrate your water, so that it takes up less space.. Then you can simply pump some water to rehydrate it before you drink

I hope this helps. If you still want more options then you could try asking the rabble in the Yak-Forum!

Cheers and see you out there.

Please don't use Punctuation in Subject Lines!

Hello learntokayak.ca bulletin board users. It has come to our attention that the use of punctuation in the Subject lines of Topics create the topic to bounce people out. We have a think tank here at learntokayak.ca HQ working on the problem as we speak.

Thank you for your understanding.

See you on the water soon.

Learntokayak.ca Webmaster

Please don't use Punctuation in Subject Lines!

Hello learntokayak.ca bulletin board users. It has come to our attention that the use of punctuation in the Subject lines of Topics create the topic to bounce people out. We have a think tank here at learntokayak.ca HQ working on the problem as we speak.

Thank you for your understanding.

See you on the water soon.

Learntokayak.ca Webmaster

Please don't use Punctuation in Subject Lines!

Hello learntokayak.ca bulletin board users. It has come to our attention that the use of punctuation in the Subject lines of Topics create the topic to bounce people out. We have a think tank here at learntokayak.ca HQ working on the problem as we speak.

Thank you for your understanding.

See you on the water soon.

Learntokayak.ca Webmaster

Humane Society are looking for Carla

Hi Carla,

I checked online to see what I could find about cats and water. It turns out that some species of cat actually like water. Cats that originated from hotter climates love to bathe apparently. Cats such as lynx and snow leopards from colder climates hate water.

The other reason why people generally believe that cats hate water is because some owners don't introduce them to water or bathing. Show cats that are washed daily love it. Also people who use water in a spray bottle to punish a cat are never going to get their feline friend into a kayak.

My advice to you is to wear thick neoprene to protect your legs from claws or from a tickling cat tongue that might make you capsize. Start close to shore and then if the cat is happy venture further out.

If your pussy cat doesn't like that then Edward Lear would suggest you get out of the kayak and put an Owl with a guitar in. Then I'm sure the cat would have a great time!

Re: Paddle Canada membership question

Hi thekayakinglad!

Thanks for your question. We went to the executive director of Paddle Canada, Graham Ketcheson and here is his response.


I am really glad to hear you want to continuing your kayak skill training - with Level 2 Skills next. I wish you success! Paddle Canada has been around since 1971, servicing and representing the needs of recreational paddling enthusiasts from across Canada in non-competitive canoeing and kayaking. We encourage all PC skill participants such as yourself to join our organization. So what are the benefits of joining? PC Membership benefits include, subscription to Kanawa, Canada’s Paddling Magazine ( 4 issues a year), a Heritage River Calendar, a Paddle Canada Decal, Current Strokes our monthly enewsletter with special info & updates, and finally an online voting process to elect your regional director to the national board. Paddle Canada will also represent you at provincial and federal levels in matters concerning the environment and access to waterways. We hope you consider supporting Paddle Canada and recreational paddling in this great paddling nation of ours.

Finally, you do not have to be a member to keep your certification valid.

Sincerely,

Graham Ketcheson
Executive Director
Paddle Canada

info@paddlingcanada.com
http://www.paddlingcanada.com

All about DSC (Digital Select Calling) VHF Radios

Hi Vaughn,

Thanks for your question about DSC radios. Here is an article written by one of our instructors all about the new option of digital select calling on a VHF radio. Enjoy!



DSC VHF RADIO It could save your life!

Are you thinking of a new VHF radio? If not maybe you should be. There have been substantial improvements made to the traditional analog VHF that could save your life! This article is focused on the life saving benefits of this technology and is not intended to cover all of the benefits of DSC VHF communications.

DSC stands for Digital Selective Calling. DSC allows for the digital communication of information. This method of communication is standard on all commercial vessels and common place among pleasure craft. As of 2009 this technology has made its way to select hand held VHF radios.

DSC is used as a method of establishing initial contact between stations on the dedicated VHF marine channel 70. Following a distress message by DSC, communications must be established by radiotelephony on a different channel to that used for the DSC call. Most radios manage this automatically for you by switching to channel 16.

To obtain the full functionality of a DSC radio you must obtain a MMSI (Marine Mobile Service Identifier) number from Industry Canada. This number is unique to you and your radio. There is no cost to obtain an MMSI number and by filling out the forms and filing your request you are establishing a file with the Canadian Coast Guard. This file contains vital information about you, your boat, and emergence contact information. Once you obtain your MMSI number you program it into your radio’s memory where it is permanently stored. You can think of the MMSI number as caller ID for your radio as it is transmitted automatically with all digital communications.

Most DSC radios also incorporate GPS technology. While they cannot be used for navigation purposes like a full GPS unit they will provide the GPS coordinates of your position. This GPS information is also transmitted with most digital communications and always incorporated into a distress call.

A DSC distress call is activated by a single button on the radio which automatically sends a distress call to all DSC equipped ships, boats, and shore locations within range. The call automatically includes your identity (MMSI), your GPS coordinates and the nature of your distress, which can be edited if needed. The call is automatically repeated until stopped by an acknowledgement message. In the event that you are separated from your boat and or radio this is a particularly useful feature. When received by the Coast Guard this message and the digital information is automatically recorded.

Because this message is transmitted to all vessels in the area there is a high likelihood that a commercial or pleasure craft in the area will be able to respond to your emergency in a much more timely manner than the Coast Guard. And since most of them will have GPS navigation equipment on board they will be able to determine and navigate to your location much more accurately than you are likely to articulate over the radio in an emergency situation.

There are many other benefits of DSC communications several of which are worth mentioning in this article. Once you obtain the MMSI number of a fellow boater you can directly contact them using this number. It can also be stored in most radios to create a directory much like your home or cell phone does. Another useful feature of this technology is that it allows Group Calling through via a Group MMSI number. In this case the number is not allocated to a specific person or radio. This number is used to communicate to all members of a specific group. An example of the use of this might be that you arrived late for a trip and wish to contact any member in the group with their radio on. In this case you would not need to know who is in the group as your call would be sent to all members.

Hopefully this article sheds some light on the new technologies available through DSC VHF radio communications.

Written by Ralph Gardave

Soft Chines, Hard Chines and Rocker too!

Hey Carol,

Thanks for your question. We talked to Kelly at the Complete Paddler about this subject too! He had some great insight and shared it with us on film.

index.php/watch/viewvideo/13/ask-the-experts/chines-and-rocker

See you on the water!

Rudder or Skeg

Hi kayakgirl,

We asked Kelly at the Complete Paddler about rudders and skegs. Here's what he had to say:

index.php/watch/viewvideo/12/ask-the-experts/rudder-or-skeg

We hope this helps!

Gel Coat Repair

Hi Alan,

We asked our friend Jim who has repaired many kayak gel coat chips in his time.

We videoed our findings for you! Check it out:

index.php/watch/viewvideo/11/ask-the-experts/gel-coat-repair-on-kayak-hull