Guest shane Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 Yea my next adventure I'm thinking off doing. any ideas tips helpful information you guys could offer? Has it been done before. Thanks keep sailing. Stay safe. :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
erice 732 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 been done before by men and women pretty sure both will turn up on google he found fiordland difficult she found paddling out 5km? challenging to get past the manukau? bar in a stiff westerly? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
waikiore 398 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 Check out cresting the restless wave by Paul Caffyn, the guy is a legend in sea kayaking done NZ, Aussie , Japan & UK i believe. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 Yea my next adventure I'm thinking off doing. any ideas tips helpful information you guys could offer? Has it been done before. Thanks keep sailing. Stay safe. :) How competent Kayaking are you? Can you get yourself back up if you tip over? Can you get yourself back in if you tip out? You need to be able to do both if you are open sea Kayaking. It is not as easy as you may think it is once you get away from the safety of a harbour. And you cannot always just head into a local beach should the weather turn. Some beaches in NZ are far too dangerous to do so. Do NOT under estimate this. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
madyottie 82 Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 Shane if you want to do this seriously, talk to some very experienced sea kayakers. As Wheels suggested, a bulletproof eskimo roll helps, although not essential if you have the right gear and boat setup. You can get inflatable floats to attach to paddles to stabilise the kayak while you pump it out after ditching. Bare minimum you'll need a good 5+ meter seakayak, ideally a nordkapp or similar. Good lightweight paddle, spare split shaft paddle, bilge pump, flares, charts, camelbak for your drink, camp cooking /eating stuff, and several drybags full of clothes. And a strobe light on a pole for limited visibility paddling. Remember, it's a whole lot different out at sea to in a river. My mum was a bit of a legend in sea kayak circles before she passed, and that's the sort of gear list she had for a weekend, I'd hate to imagine how much more you'd need for a few months! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philstar 61 Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 Great idea shane. First build or buy a sea kayak. I've built several out of Plywood using the stitch and tape method. There are designs on the net and you can build a really good sea kayak for around $ 500 which will be 1/3 the price of a plastic one, lighter and stiffer or you can buy a 2k glass sea kayak second hand. Barracuda kayaks built in Silverdale are particularly nice as are sea bears by perfection Then do LOTS of paddling on the east coast and then the west coast in all weather conditions. Learn to self rescue, roll, land in heavy surf and get scared a few times. Then read Paul Caffyns books. He is a sea kayaking legend and circumnavigated nz in the late 70's then did Australia, then japan, then bits of Alaska and had a couple of goes at the tasman. Then think about it. cause you might be ready. Awesome goal and sea kayaking is really good fun. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
erice 732 Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 "I had a pretty rough day off Cape Egmont, with a five-metre swell and strong winds. After paddling for six hours I decided it was getting a bit sketchy so I turned around, and in three hours I was back where I started." http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9983302/Kayaker-conquers-circumnavigation-of-NZ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wild violet 38 Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 Phil is bang on the money I did a bit in the ninetys before it was well known.Did one stint from Te Waiwai bay to Dunedin,First attempt got my kayak smashed in half 2 km offshore by big breaker,big swim ashore.Second attempt made it 300 kms in 10 days.Wouldnt try it today if I was paid a million bucks.Its serious stuff down there if you try it learn to roll both ways left and right and get heaps of surfing practice bigger the better,we used to go out in northerly storms off Mapua and practice,That saved our lives down south.Paul Caffyn tried to get me to do the tasman with him but just couldnt imagine a storm at sea in the dark in a kayak so declined.Its doable but just take baby steps good luck. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Island Time 1,230 Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 Sounds pretty epic wild violet! I've only every done a very little sea kayaking, but quite a bit of whitewater. Personally, I'd want to have a bulletproof roll, both sides, and probably hand roll as well. You need to be able to stay in the boat - not many can make a 2 mile swim in cold water like wild violet! I'm in to process of practicing rolls again after a break in paddling of over 20 years. I'm sure it's harder than it used to be! I'm using an old DR boat for exercise locally..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
madyottie 82 Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 I'm using an old DR boat for exercise locally..... That's brave, I just bought an old venturer and after so many.years away even that feels tippy. I think a DR boat would drown me within a minute. I've got so bad its even hard to lift myself out of the boat after a paddle! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
waikiore 398 Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 +1 for what Philstar says, having been a boatie all my life then taking up sea kayaking in the nineties, the more I did the more respect I had for Caffyn and one or two others, surfing is definitely to be recommended in a fully loaded condition for concentrating the mind.Often the ex was convinced that I was trying to drown her, on reflection would have been cheaper. Its a great healthy sport suitable for anyone who has a real respect for the sea. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Island Time 1,230 Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 That's brave, I just bought an old venturer and after so many.years away even that feels tippy. I think a DR boat would drown me within a minute. I've got so bad its even hard to lift myself out of the boat after a paddle! Yeah, it's tippy alright! I can now roll it about 95% of the time first go, but it's taking longer to get 1/2 competant again than I ever thought. I used to be able to roll both sides, fwd, backward and hand rolls - that seems like a far off dream right now! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
madyottie 82 Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 Maybe we should add a paddle section with the next 8.5 riverhead cruise. Those keen can paddle up and sail back with kayaks on deck? That way guys like yourself could join in without fear of overhead wires or underbutt sandbanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Island Time 1,230 Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 I'd be keen for that! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sparky 20 Posted November 27, 2016 Share Posted November 27, 2016 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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