Introduction

Following a raft of positive reviews and awards for the first Sea Kayak With Gordon Brown DVD, Simon Willis and Gordon Brown followed up with Sea Kayak With Gordon Brown Vol 2 which was released in October 2011. I reviewed the DVD for Ocean Paddler Magazine and was very impressed with the DVD. In particular I had access to preview copies and various small sections of the footage from Simon as I was preparing for my BCU 4* Leader assessment and found various sections of this DVD absolutely invaluable.

Review

As with the first DVD, the second DVD has two intertwined aspects to it – coaching sessions and a journey. The menu structure on inserting the DVD allows you to watch the whole DVD (2 hours content in all), just the journey footage or just the coaching sessions.

The journey footage follows a group of paddlers exploring St Kilda, a series of Islands and stack some 40 miles out into the North Atlantic. Based on a support ship, The Cuma, the group explore the dramatic, rugged and imposing scenery on a series of day trips. Within the group are paddlers with varied abilities as well as various ‘areas’ of expertise on the area they are paddling. The group is shown enjoying the plentiful caves, stacks, cliffs and bays of this extraordinary archipelago of islands and it is difficult to watch without pangs of jealousy!

During the journey sections of the DVD the viewer is presented not only with paddling footage but discussions about the local geography, geology, wildlife and history. In particular there is a highly engaging interview with and archive footage of Hamish Gow, who along with his partner Anne made the first open crossing to St Kilda.

The coaching aspect of the DVD is focused on rescue skills. There are coaching sessions on foundation skills, self and assisted rescues, contact and distance tows, rescue scenarios and technical landings.

In terms of both content and quality of presentation, the coaching sessions are quite simply superb. Gordon covers a vast array of skills, demonstrating them on both calm and then very rough water conditions. Simon Willis has managed to capture each of the skills from an impressive range of angles, including underwater, and then edited them skillfully to provide concise, detailed and clear demonstrations. Where relevant still images, annotations and side-by-side shots are utilised to ensure the viewer sees the whole skill clearly from both the perspective of the rescuer and casualty.

Throughout, the calm and detailed commentary from Simon adds context to the footage whilst Gordon’s authoritative explanations accompany his excellent on-the-water demonstrations with exceptional audio quality despite some challenging background noise.

Conclusion

Whilst there is no substitute for hands on training and practice this DVD provides a superb reference tool for sea kayakers, including those working towards coaching and leadership awards. I have dipped into the coaching sessions repeatedly over the last couple of months and am still picking up little nuggets of information, which have directly influenced my coaching and leadership on the water.

Overall, the quality of the Sea Kayak With Gordon Brown Vol 2 is stunning and however you choose to view it – as one film, or journey or coaching sessions – you are presented with gold standard coaching, superb high definition footage and commentary from a highly engaging duo in the form of Simon and Gordon. The good news is that filming for Volume 3 is already underway. Highly recommended.

Useful Links

Sea Kayak With Gordon Brown Website: Information and ordering – £19.95

In the spring of 2011 Harry Whelan and Jeff Allen picked up the gauntlet to break a 21 year old record.
Their 1000 mile journey would push them beyond their limits of endurance as they battled their way around Ireland’s remote and wind ravaged coastline.

Many sea kayaker will be familiar with Jeff Allen and Harry Whelan’s epic and record breaking trip around Ireland. Setting off from Admore, the duo set their sites on beating the 20 year old record for the circumnavigation of 33 days. Amazingly, Harry and Jeff managed to achieve their goal by a significant margin of 8 days setting the new record of 25 days utilising the ‘alpine style’ approach to expedition paddling that Jeff has become renown for.

The DVD Into The Wind charts the physical, emotional and meterological highs and lows of the trip and provides the viewer with a glimpse of what Jeff and Harry went through in order to achieve this impressive feat.

Videographer Vaughn Roberts followed then paddlers around Ireland shooting both on and off the water material which he has combined with footage shot by Jeff and Harry using small bullet cameras. This is interspersed with segments of very 1on 1 interviews conducted immediately after the paddlers completed the journey to provide a concise 52 minute chronicle of the trip.

The choice of title for the DVD is incredibly apt as sea kayakers and the wind share a complex love/hate relationship, a reality that is brought home to Jeff and Harry in huge measures. Vaughn Roberts has played on this fact quite brilliantly by overlaying the start of each section of the DVD with text messages between the expedition paddlers and expedition wether guru, Karel Vissel. These lower thirds provide an brief glimpse into not only the conditions that the duo endured but also the knife edge on which the success of the planned trip was placed.

This is never more evident than the series of texts that provided the paddlers with a brief weather window in which they could cross *** bay – a crux point of the route in terms of achieving their 25 day goal. Without this detailed information the pair would have endured a significant storm bound period which may have jepordised the whole trip.

Stylistically, Vaughn Roberts has excellent use of depth of field in a lot of the material he has shot. There is some wonderful footage of the locations, conditions and shore based shots of the paddler both on and off the water. He has not been afraid to include footage that suffers slightly from stability or brightness in favour of the fly on the wall insight that it provides whether this is material shot by the paddlers or in their seemingly frequent pub based route planning sessions. The footage of Jeff and Harry huddled together in open water during a hail and thunderstorm speaks volumes. Throughout the DVD Vaughn has made of use of modern, celtic influenced music. Whilst this DVD has scenes that could have been set to ‘action’ music the footage speaks for itself and does not to be ‘enhanced’.

An expedition film has the potential to become somewhat repetitive by it’s linear nature however a combination of interspersing the DVD with sections of insightful interviews, the various weather texts and nice use of a map charting progress ensures that the viewer is kept engaged throughout the DVD. If anything, I was left wanting to see, hear and learn more.

Into the Wind is a superb record of what Jeff Allen and Harry Whelan achieved and whilst it portrays a level of suffering and hardship the average sea kayaker is unlikely to be prepared to undergo in their own trips, it is most certainly makes for inspiring viewing. There are some expedition videos and DVD’s that, to an extent, are ‘watch once’ films however I sense that ‘Into The Wind’ is once I will come back to repeatedly.

Trailer

Useful Links

Romany productions – Website for ‘Into The Wind’ Filmmaker.

A few months ago, I got my hands on an mKettle to try out for an Ocean Paddler Magazine review.

It’s an interesting little device, designed simply to boil water, rather than as a full blown stove but could potentially secure a place in paddlers day or overnight/expedition kit. This is the review I wrote for Ocean Paddler. Thanks to Rich the editor, for allowing me to republish it.

Description

The mKettle is a small, UK manufactured, solid fuel burning kettle weighing in at 422 grams and capable of boiling half a litre of water. It consists of an aluminium cylinder and a small aluminium ‘firebase’. As opposed to a pot, the cylinder is actually a hollow walled tube. The tube, shaped like an inverted funnel (wide at the bottom, tapering to a narrow opening at the top) acts as a chimney when the mKettle is placed on it’s solid fuel burning firebase.

Water is poured into the hollow walls through a small hole at the top of the hollow walls and then the mKettle placed on its base which contains a round opening into which solid fuel (twigs, solid fuel blocks etc) are placed and lit. This opening then allow air to fan the fire and draw the flames up the chimney thus heating the water contained in the hollow walls. The firebase can also be used with meths burners such as those used in a Trangia (this would obviously increase the packed weight).

When in transit, the firebase (which is tapered to match the funnel shape of the chimney, is turned upside down and inserted into the mKettle with fire-starting kit stored inside it. A bung is placed in the water spout and the compact unit is stored in a nylon drawstring sac (supplied).

In use

The mKettle is very lightweight and a nice compact size which means carrying the unit is easy and disappears into all hatches without a second glance, however a few extra items are required as explained later. It was tested with both wood and a Trangia burner as fuel sources and tended to boil a capacity load in somewhere between 7.5 and 9 minutes.

Burning wood effectively relied on finding small twigs and debris that could be easily inserted into the opening on the firebase, or longer, thin twigs that could be dropped down the chimney. When conditions were not windy I needed to get down to ground level to blow into the firebase and kick start the fire but once established there was something really enjoyable and ‘romantic’ about tending to the fire – bringing back childhood memories campfire cookouts at the bottom of the garden.

The trangia burner fits the firebase perfectly and burns equally well – but requires less attention whilst boiling up the mKettle.
The neoprene sleeve does it’s job and the mKettle could be safely handled even when boiling hot. However, the mKettle does require an additional cup to make/drink a brew in or bowl/pot for a dehydrated meal so this has to be factored into packing space/weight unlike something like the Jetboil system which integrates a 1 litre pot/mug with a gas canister burner that fits inside the pot during transit.

If you utilise the top of the chimney as a route to adding twigs and other fuel, care is required not to drop debris into the spout thus adding ‘extra ingredients’ to your water.

I found the mKettle to be nice and stable despite a relatively small base area. It is also possible to add extra support by surrounding most of the firebase with stones or other materials without affecting performance.

Conclusion

To be honest, the mKettle has left me perplexed. There are some definite positives in it’s design, functionality and use but also some issues when compared to alternative options.

It’s ability to burn wood means, in many paddling locations, a limitless supply of extra fuel. It also makes the mkettle a lot of fun to use. If you already carry a Trangia as your stove, it makes a nice addition to this set-up and if wood is available could be used at the same time as the Trangia.

Although boil times are a little on the slow side compared to gas other fuel powered stoves, the mKettle is reliable and lacks small, fiddly components that could break or require servicing and the whole system is incredibly well made.

However, the mKettle does require you to carry extra kit to drink from and, unless using an ‘eat in the bag’ style dehydrated meal, cannot be used to cook food. Whilst the mKettle is not designed or marketed as a stove there are similarly sized ‘single pot’ systems that can be used to not only boil water, but drink from and also cook in without need for extra kit making them a bit more versatile.

I think the mKettle will appeal to certain paddlers and I would recommend those interested take a look at the mKettle website. If this system does appeal to you and fulfils a need in the kit you carry, rest assured it is extremely well made, reasonably priced and reliable as well as fun in use.

Gallery

Specifications

Composition: Hard Anodized Aluminium, British Standard ISO10074:2010
Weight: 370g (13 oz)
Capacity: 530 ml (18 oz) About 1 Pint
Dimensions: 17cm (7”) Tall by 10cm (3.75”) Diameter
Pack: Fitted Rip Stop Nylon Carry Bag with D-Rings
Fuel: Solid, Eco-friendly, No Gas-canisters Required; Successfully Paired With Trangia (Sweden), White Box (USA), and Evernew (Japan) Spirit Burners.
Boil Time*: About Six to Ten Minutes, Six If You Are Good!
Transport: Use Stopper to Carry Water
Storage: Space for Matches Fire Starter Inside Firebase
Origin: mKettle, Nylon Bag, and Neoprene Sleeve all MADE IN THE UK

Useful Links

mKettle – mKettle Website

Introduction

There are some kayaks that just look cool. They may have superb build quality or be shoddily put together. They may handle well or handle atrociously. They may be the perfect size for us or completely the wrong volume. Regardless of any of this they still make you stop and say ‘that looks cool!’ The Tahe Marine Reval Mini SC is one of those boats – it just looks fantastic.

The SC in the name refers to the Semi-Carbon construction. With the chequered carbon hull and candy apple red fiberglass deck with black trim and fittings the review boats looks fantastic.

About The Test: paddling conditions and paddlers

The Reval Mini was tested over a period of 2/3 weeks in a range of sea/wind conditions (calm to large wind blown waves, surf, F3-5/6) and was paddled, primarily, by two paddlers with weights of 64kg and 88kg with additional feedback from third parties who have tried the boat. The heavier paddler is outside the recommended weight range for this lower volume kayak but looked at the boat as a potential day/play boat rather than its intended load carrying potential.

Design

The Reval Mini has obvious rocker when viewed in profile with a shallow V shaped hull. The front and rear decks also sport a V shape, which shallows to a flatter bow and stern. The widest point of the kayak sits just in front of the seat, about 2/3 of the way along the cockpit. The tip of the bow and stern are reasonably chunky with the stern of the review kayak having the mounting point for the optional rudder set-up.

Construction, finish, fitting and ergonomics

The Reval Mini’s aim is to provide similar handling and performance as the standard Reval for smaller paddlers (<75kg). Its vital statistics run at 5’11” (483cm) long and 20.5” (52cm) wide at its widest point. It has a capacity of 219lbs (100kg) and weighs in at 35-40lbs (16-18kg) depending on exact specification/extras.

A standard 3-compartment/hatch set-up provides storage for journeys. The rear compartment holds 53L with an oval hatch (43x26cm/17x10”). The day hatch sits to the right rear of the cockpit and provides 17L of storage with a small round hatch (15cm/6”). The front compartment provides 42L of storage with a round hatch (25cm/10”). The two round hatches are the plastic Kayaksport variety; the oval rear hatch uses a rubber Kayaksport cover.

Decklines use suitable chunky cord/bungee and run to about 3/4 of the length of the kayak where comfortable handles are situated for long carries. The Reval Mini uses two different types of recessed fittings keeping things neat and tidy. The front decklines lack bungee near to the bow for those paddlers who stow splits on the front deck. However there are spaces in the fittings to add another bungee for this although they are situated alongside the deck mounted compass position and could obscure a compass slightly.

The cockpit coaming of the Reval Mini feels thicker than the standard Reval I reviewed in an earlier issue of OP but still flexes slightly when manhandled. The coaming sits reasonably high off the deck allowing easy fitting of shockcorded decks.

The seat is comfortable and has simple paddling attached via poppers and Velcro. The backrest is similarly padded and quite high. It is very comfortable, however adjustment is achieved by unbolting the backrest from each side of the seat and using the range of pre-drilled bolt holes to position it rather than using an adjustable back-strap. This does prevent the backrest from slipping out of position but would require a bit of time for initial set-up.

The lay-up of the kayak is superb. The carbon/aramide hull is vacuum infused and is extremely strong yet light. The deck feels stiffer than previous Tahe Marine models paddled, perhaps due to the added rigidity of the hull? The quality of the finish is also superb both inside and out. There is a choice of nine gelcoat colours for the deck, which should cater for most paddler’s needs.

The skeg operates on a solid bar/cable system with the slider control mounted on a solid bar then attached to the cable running down to the skeg box. The skeg control is situated on the left side of the kayak alongside the front of the cockpit. Pulling this back lowers the skeg, highlighting a nice smooth operation. The actual skeg control is raised and juts out passed the deck, as does the control on the standard Reval. Although it did not interfere with paddling I would prefer to see a flush control as on many other boats. However it is easy to grip with wet/gloved hands so there is method to this design.

The rudder is operated from using the smart-track system of pedal controls, which are integrated into the footrest system. The actual footrests are comfortable and adjustable from a seated position in the kayak. Behind the footrest is a secondary pedal, which is operated by rocking your foot to push your toes forward on either side to adjust the rudder. The rudder can be flipped up and out of the water using a deck line that runs from the left hand side of the kayak to a simple cleat just behind the cockpit.

The Reval Mini is a very light boat to pick up and carry due to the hull materials and with its shorter length, easy to store and transport.

Performance

On the water, both paddlers found the Reval Mini to be a comfortable boat to paddle. Smaller paddlers for whom this boat is primarily designed will want to adjust the seat/backrest position and possibly add padding. I found I was a snug but comfortable fit. The thigh braces are neatly positioned and work well whilst allowing smaller paddlers to move their legs into a K1 style paddling position. For larger paddlers this is not an option. The footrest was also comfortable and easy to adjust with a good range of positions.

Initial stability was felt to be excellent by the lighter paddler, whilst I found it to be comparable with the full size Reval. Secondary stability is also very good allowing positive use of edging to control the kayak.

On the move the Reval Mini displayed many of the characteristics of its larger sibling. Tracking was very good and the skeg only needed as wind conditions picked up. When deployed the skeg allowed the Reval Mini to run straight despite strong side winds. With a stern wind, the kayak required a little more thought from the paddler to keep running true.

Up on its edge, the kayak displayed its more playful side, turning superbly well. Aptly sized paddlers who are confident with edging and leaning into turns can really throw this kayak around. For novice paddlers, the good level of stability would enable the Reval Mini to provide a gentle introduction to edging without fear of being caught out.

Pace of the kayak was good. It’s shorter waterline compared to it’s 18’ counterpart had the expected effect on maximum cruising speed however at a steady pace it was able to hold it’s own.

In more confused seas the Reval Mini was a comforting boat to paddle. Whilst it does not provide the amazing stability of the P&H Cetus, it is a very stable boat and allowed the smaller paddler to feel confident in tricky conditions. With wind and waves from the rear quarter use of the skeg allowed the kayak to cope well, although it did have a tendency to start to broach in bigger conditions.

Running with wind blown swell/surf the Reval Mini accelerates quickly to pick up waves and surfed nicely, although it had a slight tendency to bury the nose at times, if not stalled soon enough. A third party reported it’s handling in surf off the Dorset coast to be very playful, managing (purposefully) to get the boat up on end in larger conditions.

The low(ish) rear deck allowed for easy rolling, although the v shape is more pronounced than on some sea kayaks and therefore intrudes slightly into layback rolls. Once up it settled quickly and did not require additional support strokes to prevent it rolling over again. Self-rescue was also easy enough due to the good stability, although the rudder wires were an added obstruction and have the potential to get in the way during a straddle self rescue.

With regards to the rudder, neither test paddlers have extensive experience of their use so were on somewhat of a learning curve. I found the operation to be easy to pick up and the rudder certainly does its job. It is well constructed and has smooth operation but I felt it to be ‘overkill’ on a boat this size, particularly as the Reval Mini is so maneuverable through positive use of edging. Once I had ascertained that the rudder worked well and was easy to deploy and use, I spent the bulk of the test period with it stowed in the back hatch, as had the previous 3rd party who paddled the boat.

Conclusion

The Reval Mini SC reviewed is a superbly manufactured sea kayak. The finish is excellent with some well thought out and constructed fittings, albeit with the need for a couple of extra decklines fitted to the existing mounting points. The kayak handles very well and for paddlers in the suggested weight range provides a good load carrying boat. For larger paddlers who can fit the Reval Mini it also provides a nice day/play boat option with sprightly handling in rougher seas and some good surfing potential. For the UK market, the rudder system is probably unnecessary despite it’s nice design/construction/operation. With a price tag of £1399 for the standard lay-up and £2199 for the vacuum infused carbon/aramide hull spec, once again Tahe Marine are providing exceptional value for money without sacrificing quality.

Specifications

Length: 483cm (15’11” )
Width: 52cm (20.5” )
Approx. capacity: 100 kg (219lbs)
Weight: 16-18kg (35-40lbs)
Cockpit: 80×42 cm (31½“x16½“)
RRP: From £1399

Useful Links

Tahe Marine Website

Gallery

With Nick Cunliffe and Matt Giblins recent release of the free iBook to accompany the Sea Kayak Essentials DVD and ability to download individual chapters from the Sea Kayak Essentials DVD, I thought it was an opportune time to post up the review I wrote for Ocean Paddler Magazine.

Introduction

Sea Kayak Essentials (S.K.E.) is the new offering from Level 5 Sea Kayak Coach Nick Cunliffe and filmmaker and BCU Coach Matt Giblin. Following on from their first DVD ‘Kayak Essentials’ which focused on core skills for kayaking, S.K.E. is being promoted as an “…instructional DVD for sea kayakers of all abilities looking to develop their paddling skills in open water sea conditions.”

Content

Sea Kayak Essentials is split into 15 chapters accessible from a single menu page. Nick and Matt describe these chapters as falling into two sets, foundation skills and applied skills. The chapters are:

• Foundation Skills
• 5 Essentials of Boat Speed, Angle and Trim; Body Position, Stroke Linking
• Fundamentals of Posture, Connectivity, Feel and Power Transfer
• Core skills of Forward paddling
• Core skills of Balancing
• Core skills of Turning
• Use of the Skeg
• Boat Awareness exercises
• Applied skills
• Open Water Forward Paddling, in wind and waves
• Moving Water Skills: crossing eddy lines, ferry gliding and using waves
• Tide race paddling: effective paddling in bigger conditions
• Rockhopping: applied skills and strategies in close quarters
• Surfing skills: launching and landing techniques
• Tide Race Paddling
• Surfing Skills

The entire DVD runs to 1hr 49 minutes of content and is filmed in HD Widescreen with footage primarily being shot around the North Wales coastline.

Review Audience

I have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of Sea Kayak Essentials DVD having very much enjoyed the first DVD, Kayak Essentials. In particular I am at a stage in my own paddling where I am converting experience and Inland/Canoe coaching qualifications into Sea Kayak leadership and coaching qualifications. To that end I am spending a lot of time analysing stroke technique and practical application of strokes in order to improve my personal performance as well as improve my own coaching of Sea Kayaking.
To gather an alternative view, the review copy of the DVD was shown to some relatively novice paddlers who are beginning their involvement with Sea Kayaking.

Review

Sea Kayak Essentials proved to be a very slick production. The HD widescreen footage is well shot throughout and provides clear views of all strokes and techniques discussed from a range of angles and heights. Audio quality is also excellent with obvious use of wireless microphones on Nick as he paddles to ensure we can hear his coaching clearly above the noise of the water.

Additional commentary is added throughout the DVD at strategic points along with the use of freeze frame and still images with annotations to describe or highlight specific points or recap a set of points. For example, when recapping the key points for a given technique, a nifty spiral bound notepad page appears in the top right corner of the screen and the points appear one by one as recapped by Nick’s commentary. Similarly, slow motion is used at certain points to allow for detailed observation of skills/techniques with key parts of body/boat/blade highlighted with overlays to accentuate learning points such as angle of body, points of contact within boat and so forth.

The menu provides easy access to any chosen chapter without the need to fast forward or rewind through the entire DVD to find a specific section. Title slides are clean and modern in styling and remain unobtrusive to the overall flow of the DVD.
Altogether, this leads to a very polished and professional aesthetic to the DVD.
Sea Kayak Essentials has been filmed in some cracking locations and care has obviously been taken to select suitable tidal, sea or wind conditions to illustrate skills demonstrated. Wherever appropriate, core skills are introduced and demonstrated on calm water before being progressed in more challenging conditions with additional commentary and discussion.

The pace of Sea Kayak Essentials was something felt to be excellent by all who viewed the DVD. There can be a tendency is paddle sports DVD’s to be fast paced affairs. At times this is effective and enhances the content. However, the slower pace of this DVD with time given to demonstrations enhances the viewers ability to take on board the wealth of information being imparted and observe skills carefully without an over reliance on the rewind button of the remote control. In particular Nick and Matt have not been afraid of periods of silence in the DVD whilst a stroke or skill is shown several times from different angles as opposed to filling the silence with unnecessary music or too much commentary.

A contributing factor to the relaxed pace and calm approach of Sea Kayak Essentials is Nick Cunliffe’s coaching commentary. He has a nice relaxed style and calm manner whilst remaining highly engaging when discussing technical content.
In terms of content, Sea Kayak Essentials fulfills its aim of covering the range of Intermediate and Advanced Boat Handling skills. Although very short and snappy, the initial chapters on the 5 essentials of Sea Kayaking (boat speed, angle, trim, body position and stroke linking) set up the remaining and longer chapters for both the foundation and applied skills sections of the DVD. Nick not only explains and demonstrates skills but sets challenges and tasks for paddlers to take away and try on their next paddle.

Sea Kayak Essentials does not teach the absolute basic paddling strokes – this is covered in the Kayak Essentials DVD. Instead there is an assumption that paddlers have the basic ability to paddle forwards, backwards, turn their kayak and move sideways. From this assumed start point, Sea Kayak Essentials was felt by all who viewed the DVD to have pitch the level and quantity of content pretty much perfectly moving skills from calm water to some nice challenging moving and rough water.

Conclusion

All paddlers who viewed Sea Kayak Essentials, agreed it was a must have DVD. Personally I have been extremely impressed with not only the quality of the DVD in terms of both content and production, but also impressed with how accessible Nick and Matt have made some quite technical content.

For the more novice Sea Kayaker there is a wealth of information to help develop boat handling skills. More seasoned paddler or those looking at progressing through coaching or leadership qualifications with find some fantastic examples of technique and top tips to help them improve technique as well as enhance their own coaching skills.

Perhaps the highest praise I can give Sea Kayak Essentials is that on first viewing I only managed to get through a third of the DVD before I had to stop it and head out for a couple of hours on the water to try out some of the coaching points I had picked up.

Useful Links

Kayak Essentials Website
Sea Kayak Essential iBook Download
Purchase individual chapters from Sea Kayak Essentials DVD

The handikart is a portage trolley designed to handle both kayaks, Sit On Tops and Open Canoes. I reviewed the Handikart for Ocean Paddler Magazine, these were my thoughts.

Manufacturers Description

Stylish, versatile, and easy to use the new HandiKart sets new standards for the transportation of kayaks & canoes. Light, but rugged, the HandiKart makes the transfer of equipment from the car to the water’s edge undemanding and effortless. Furthermore, the HandiKart folds up into a compact shape that is easily stowed in the kayak or canoe and can be quickly dismantled for when space is really at a premium.

Design & Construction

The Handikart utilises a very different design to many of the folding, V framed trolleys on the market. It comprises of a two piece frame connected by two webbing straps. The end of the two frame pieces clip together and the the frame then fans out with the webbing straps preventing it opening too widely.

The axles on the frame, onto which the wheels are attached, are inclined and pointout and down towards the ground rather than running parrelell to it as seen on other trolleys. The frame is constructed from 304 stainless steel and coated with softex material.

The wheels are hemispherical with a solid hub and puncture proof polyurethane tyres. They use a simple click and lock system to hold them in place.

Two sets of wide ebbing straps are attached to either side of the frame with a buckles attached at the end to pass over the top of the kayak and tie it down to the frame.

In Use

Because the Handikart frame breaks down into two parts storage is very easy. When the kayak was not fully loaded, I found I could slide the two sides of the frame down the rear compartment of my boat, either side of the skeg box. The wheels fitted neatly at the other end of the rear compartment against the bulkhead that divides the rear compartment and day-hatch compartment. Alternatively, the 4 parts that make up the Handikart could be neatly stowed in a drybag and then attached to the rear deck of the kayak if required.

Assembly and dis-asssembly was generally very easy. The wheel hubs have a push lock system. Slide the catch on the hub to the side, push on the wheel and slide the catch back to lock the wheel on. Fitting the two sides of the frame together was similarly easy providing the components were clean and free from grit. However, I did find removing the arm a tad tricky with cold wet hands as it involves pushing a small catch to one side to allow the tubing to slide free.

There is a definite technique to loading and strapping the kayak onto the Handikart. Once you have placed the kayak on top and fastened the rear strap, you need to lift up the front end of the trolley to ensure it is in contact with the kayak hull before clipping the strap together. On by first attempt, I attached the strap and pulled them tight without realising the end of the trolley was still in contact with the ground – this left a 3/4 inch gap between hull and trolly and once I lifted the bow to begin walking allowed the kayak to slew about on top of the trolley.

I also spent a bit of time sorting out the straps and ensuring they were adjusted to the correct length, with a overhand knot tied behind the buckle to prevent the webbing slipping within the buckle, something it had a habit of doing initially.

However, once I perfected the loading technique and organised the built in straps the trolley worked superbly. I tested the trolley on tarmac, rough grass/earth as well as sandy, shingle and muddy beaches. It coped well with all surfaces. It takes, perhaps, a little more effort to pull along hard surfaces compared to standard pneumatic tyres however the very large surface area of the tyres compared to standard wheels mean’t it handled soft surfaces significantly better than any other trolley I have tried. Because the weight is spread over a larger area it does not cut or sink into the ground.

Conclusion

Although the Handikart is a little less efficient over hard ground, it’s versatility on a range of surfaces combined with the fact that it breaks down into 4 parts, is so easily stowed and comes with all the straps you need to get going and will not suffer from punctures make the Handikart a very handy bit of kit. On top of this, those Sea Kayakers who also paddle Open Canoes or Sit On Top kayaks would be able to use the same trolley with their other boats. If you have a need for a trolley, I would highly recommend taking a look at the Handikart.

Further Details

Price: Currenty £59.99 online
Manufacturers Website: Handiworld

Gallery

The Yak Xipe is the one of Yak’s newer Sea Kayaking PFD’s to hit the shelves and pit itself against some of the established buoyancy aids available. Currently retailing at around the £90 it is an attractively priced PFD.

This is the review I wrote for Ocean Paddler Magazine back in May 2011. Thanks go to the OP editor Rich for allowing me to republish my review.

Design and Features.

The Xipe is a front zipped, three pocket design. The rear of the buoyancy aid features a full length, expanding pocket with a wide top zip. It will hold a 3 litre hydration pouch and includes a rubber protected hole for feeding the drinking tube through the top of the pocket. It could also be used for carrying flares, as some paddlers prefer, and the wide mouth with inverted U shaped zip providing access to the pocket.

Yak Xipe PFD - Front VHF Pocket

On the other side is a another decent sized pocket which also utilises a downward opening vertical zip. Inside this pocket is an accessory clip and internal mesh pocket with velcro opening to keep equipment separated. Both pockets feature a drainage hole at the base and chunky plastic covered zips with rubberised zip pulls.

Yak Xipe PFD - Front Buckle

The review model was a two tone red and black colourway – black pockets and straps set against the red RMR400 fabric of the buoyancy aid. At strategic points on the Xipe, reflecttive pipping or decals provide additional visibility in low light conditions.

In use.

Yak Xipe PFD - Rear Pocket

The 50N Xipe I have been using has a very fitted feel, without excess bulk at the front and an uninhibited feel when performing a range of strokes and working at the extremes of body rotation. Adjustment both on dry land and on the water is simple and effective. When first donning the Xipe you have a brief moment of wondering if you’ve suddenly expanded in girth as the two front sides of the Xipe are held back by the heavily elasticated sides. This however allows you to clip and then tighten the webbing belt before pulling the front together and zipping up the buoyancy aid.

Yak Xipe PFD - Concealed Waist Strap

The pockets worked well and can hold a reasonable amount of equipment. The vertical zips provide easy access to the pockets, although there is obviously more chance of kit falling out of the pocket compared to top opening pockets so care clipping items into the provided accessory clip needs to be taken. The VHF pocket is nicely designed and even with the aerial through the provided hole at the top of the pocket I was still able to remove the VHF easily from the pocket due to the vertical zip.

Used as intended, to store a hydration pack, the rear pocket works well, for paddlers who like to store flares in a rear pocket, it is almost impossible to open the rear zip wearing the pdf so you would be reliant on another paddler opening it for you.

After 6 weeks of intensive use, it is difficult to comment on long term durability, however there are no signs of wear and tear after some reasonably heavy duty use and in particular no issues with zips corroding despite an intentional lack of care cleaning the Buoyancy Aid after use (not recommended).

Summary.

I’m really impressed with the Xipe. It is obvious that Yak have thought hard about the design brief with this buoyancy aid. The nuts and bolts of decent sized pockets, slim design, easy adjustment are all sorted but it’s the attention to detail I like such as decent zips with chunky zip pulls for cold wet hands that are corrosion resistant. The ability to tuck away strap ends to avoid flailing ends and reduce snag points. The pockets openings are well thought out and provide ample storage without over-bulking the front of the buoyancy aid and the fit was comfortable during extended paddling. A solid sea kayaking buoyancy aid!

Gallery.

Peak UK 15m Towline

The Peak UK Towline is a 15m towline system with the ability to be waist or deck mounted. It features a webbing waist belt with quick release buckle. The bag element is a large shaped pouch akin to a walking/mountain biking bum bag with a zip open top lid. This is made from sturdy fabric with hi-vis reflective tape on the outside. The ‘floor’ of the pouch is made from pastic grid material to allow drainage of any water from the pouch. There is a vertical synch strap running from the top lid down to base of the pouch which allows the volume to be reduced when stowed.

Looking at the actual towline, the red line has a larger non-snag snap gate at the towing end with a float in the line immeadiately behind it. There is then a section of line of a metre or so before the line is daisy chain coiled. The end of the daisy chain then features a smaller non-snag snap gate which keeps the coils in place allowing the towline to be used at around a 5m length. Unclipping this smaller snap gate allows the coils to pull free and the towline extends to it’s full 15m length. The towline is attached via a bungee shock absorbing loop (with rope back-up) to a stainless D ring which is fitted through both the waist belt and bag itself.

Adapting The Towline

Out of the packaging the Peak UK towline has a couple of aspects I wanted to adapt to enhance it’s use. I have made 3 key changes:

1. Moved the float just over 1/2 a sea kayak boats length down the line.
2. Changed the way the snap gate is attached to the line from a knot to whipped line
3. Diasy Chain coiled all the line from the float to the end of the line

This has ensured I have a clean line at the towing end, particularly when feeding the towline under deck lines to clip a second boat in a rafted tow situation. The original position of the float prevented this. The extra daisy chain coiling further shortens the line but retains enough length for short tows.

In use

I really like the size of the bag on this towline, plus the fact it comes with two really nice snap gates. Worn as a waist system it is unobtrusive when the bag is synched down. I wear it with the bag at the front, the towing snap gate clipped to my PFD ready fr quick deployment. Towing shorter or longer is comfortable. The bungee does a reasonable job at absorbing the bulk of the shock. Repacking the towline is nice and easy thanks to the large opening at the top of the bag. The quick release does it job – the large ball on the buckle makes it easy to locate. I’ve practised capsizing whilst towing and released the system with no hassle.

I don’t currently have a deck mount set-up rigged on my own boat and am jumping between so many different boats I prefer a system i can take with me however, the large velcro pads sewn on the back of this system look comparable to other deck mounted tow bags. It’s nice that this towline provides both options.

Summary

Full disclosure, I’m lucky to now be part of the Peak Professional Partner System which means I can buy Peak UK kit at a reduced price. However I chose and bought this towline at full cost before I became involved with Peak UK and after using a number of other towlines.

The main problem I encountered on the two other towlines I tried was the small opening to the towline bag which became too much hassle to deal with on the water. The wide opening on the Peak UK Towline is, for me, its major selling point. Add to that the nice stainless hardware and decent build quality and for me this is a cracking towline.

However, I would recommend folks consider the adaptions I made, particularly moving the position of the float to create a clean line at the clipping on end of the system. Alternatively, take a look at Level 5 Sea Coach, Kim Bull’s article on how he adapted his Peak UK Towline.

Images

Useful Links

Peak UK Towline – Peak UK Online Shop
Adapting Your Towline – Article by Kim Bull, Level 5 Sea Coach on adapting a Peak UK Towline.

Whilst 1:25 and 1:50 Ordnance Survey maps are superb for Sea Kayak route planning and navigation, Nautical charts offer another ‘view’ of the coastal landscape. ‘Understanding A Nautical Chart‘ by Paul Boissier is a new release from Wiley Nautical aimed squarely at helping people read and understand the huge array of data contained in a nautical chart.

I should be clear that this book does not teach the reader how to navigate. Instead it looks in great detail at what a nautical chart is, how they are created and then how to read and interpret the data within them.

Initial chapters set the scene of nautical charts: what they are, how they are created, basic history and types of projections. This is followed by a series of chapters, each dedicated chapters to different aspects of the information provided in a nautical chart.

The book makes use of a huge number of colour diagrams and sections of charts to illustrate the subject matter. The last section of the book contains a detailed, illustrated key to all the Admiralty Chart symbols and abbreviations as a quick reference.

Understanding A Nautical Chart is authored by Paul Bossier, an ex-senior Admiral in the Navy and now Chief Executive of the RNLI. It is obvious from the book that he really knows his stuff but what I also liked is the accessible style of his writing. The subject matter, may to some, seem quite dry but I found the book very engaging to read.

It would be all too obvious to state this book is for newcomers to Nautical Charts. However, the audience for this book is far greater. The book has more than enough detail to provide new information chart users of any experience and would provide a superb reference guide. At an A4, paperback size, it’s unlikely to be something you would carry on a trip rather, it would make a nice tool to utilise during the pre-trip planning. At £16-99 it’s not a cheap book (although Amazon currently have it on offer at £11-99) but certainly worth the investment if you are interested in expanding your understanding of Nautical Charts.

Final thoughts would be that, for those paddlers considering attending either of the BCU Navigation Courses, this would be a useful text to develop your knowledge of charts. It’s also worth considering knowing that 50p donation from every sale goes directly to the RNLI.

Useful Links
Understanding a Nautical Chart
– Amazon Bookstore Page
Wiley Nautical – Wiley Nautical Website
RNLI – RNLI Website

I reviewed the first edition of ‘South West Sea Kayaking‘ by Mark Rainsley back in June 2008 (see the original review here).

Roll on three years and Mark has completed a thorough update in the form of the second edition which is now available directly from Pesda Press or from a wide range of kayaking shops.

In terms of whats been updated, Mark posted the following on the Southwest Sea Kayaking website:

What’s different in the new edition? Overall, I made about 450 separate changes to the text;

Out of date information has been updated or removed.

All phone numbers and web links have been checked and updated. I couldn’t believe how many had changed, about half of the accommodation details for instance.

Removed references to out of date accommodation and added new ones, including coastal hostels.

Updated reading/ reference lists.

Where I could squeeze it in, I added extra details about areas and routes.
Reviewed some of the tidal info in the last two chapters (more info available now, it was previously a bit thin).

About half the photos have been changed – I feel that the overall quality is better now, including lots donated kindly by other paddlers.

I hope that this new edition is useful, and helps paddlers to get out and explore the fantastic south-west coast. Thanks to all who helped with the process of updating it.

Comprehensive stuff to say the least. Mark kindly forwarded a copy of the book to me as a thank you for contributing a picture for the Solent section of the guidebook and from reading through the second edition the updates have definitely kept this outstanding guidebook as a must have for anyone paddling in the South West area.

Useful Links
Pesda Press – Publishers of South West Sea Kayaking
Mark Rainsley’s South West Sea Kayaking Website