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Fall Sea Kayak Paddle | Start Kayaking Blog

Paddling this weekend just did not happen. http://startkayakingblog.com/fall-kayaking-huron-river/

startkayakingblog.com Last weekend was supposed to be a big paddle weekend, with 3 paddles that I wanted to do, one of them I was leading. Well Saturday had winds forecasted to gust to 45 MPH, don't know how strong the gusts actually were, but I had to cancel my paddle

Just an hour before launch time I had to cancel a Great Lakes Paddlers club Little Portage to Zukey Lake Fall Paddle today. The forecasted Westerly wind gusts to 45 MPH was to not going to make it a fun paddle to to mention the safety issues, One person did show up and was disappointed.

Greenland Kayak Training Camp Weekend - Qajaq USA | Start Kayaking Blog

New post at:

startkayakingblog.com Over a long 4 day weekend I had a very different and very enjoyable experience at the Qajaq (pronounced kayak) Training Camp.

Huron River is up again, restricting rentals, time to go sea kayaking on the Huron this weekend.

Pictured Rocks Kayak

Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium | Start Kayaking Blog

New Post on my blog, check it out, pretty pictures at http://startkayakingblog.com/great-lakes-sea-kayak-symposium-2011-in-grand-marias-mi/

startkayakingblog.com Following up from my previous posting about the Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium http://downwindsports.com/glsks I wanted to mention some more impressions about the event.

In all my gear for Lake Superior Spray Falls adventure Kayak, amazing calm water.

Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium | Start Kayaking Blog

Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium was a blast.

startkayakingblog.com I attended the Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium July 13th through the 17th held in Grand Marais Michigan in the Upper Peninsula on Lake Superior.

Kayak Rescue GLP | Start Kayaking Blog

New Kayak Post, playing in the water: http://startkayakingblog.com/kayak-rescue-glp/

startkayakingblog.com The Great Lakes Paddlers group held a kayak rescue and safety clinic on Kent Lake July 7th

Greenland Kayak Build Ends Abruptly

Well our Greenland Kayak build is officially done for this year as the Livonia warehouse lease expires.  There was a flurry of activity in the last week to get as much done as possible before the move out.  A few of the people that were behind in schedule came on strong and got s

Greenland Kayaking Building Week 13

Getting close to the end of the Greenland kayak building session, now up to week 13 and the end of April.  Many of the boats are getting their skin sewn on, skin dyed, and the first boat got a seal coat (one of three coats).  The pressure is this week to complete on as May [...]

Easter Weekend Kayak Build – Week 12

The skin on frame build is now about cutting and sewing the skin.  Four boats are getting skinned.  The sewing is a learn as you go process, we are using the method shown on the Skin Boat Site. There are several methods to sew, this one shown on the skin boat site appears to be [

Skin On Frame Build Week 11

Second session of week 11, was used to make coamings, and finish Masiks. The steamer cranked up to bend the coamings around forms made to fit the individual Kayaks.  I added a new aluminum strip to an existing fixture and drilled some more holes for clamps. I was able to use a fi

Greenland Kayak Build Week 11

We are pretty much on schedule for many of the boats the frame is done and has a sealing finish on it, for several others they are only a couple days behind.  Unfortunately days jobs and travel has kept some people away from build days.  The facility is only rented though April,

Hot April 10th Paddle

Southeast Michigan gave us over 80 degrees and sunny which made for a great day to paddle from Little Portage to Zukey Lake Tavern and back. The forecast was originally for thunder showers, then mostly cloudy so the sunny skies was a nice surprise.  The paddle was ten miles one w

Skin On Frame Build Session 10

Finishing up the top decks this week, floor boards being added, finish sanding the frame. Putting on a coating of linseed oil to protect the wood. The “skin” was cut for each boat. Next is to make the coaming and on to the sewing.

Greenland Kayak Build Week 9 – Start Kayaking

This week all the remaining boats were doing ribs, others were working on the end plates, Steffen was fixturing and bending/gluing his Masik (pronounced Maasheek). The Masik is the last major beam to add and is top side just in front of the paddler. The Masik can be made many way

Skin On Frame Build Week 8 – End of March

The build is getting exciting as the ribs are being added to 5 boats, stems being worked on (front and back part). For two of the boats the ribs, the stems,  keelson, and chimes are completed.  These two boat the bottom side is complete, turned over and top side being finished. T

Cross roads Group Winter Paddle 2011

The Cross Roads Group held their annual winter paddle down the Huron River in SE Michigan. The Group just got it in under the wire just a short 6 hours before the official start of spring. Normally held in February, truth be told, this year there might have been frozen sections o

Skin On Frame Build Update March 19 – Start Kayaking

This week we were cranking up the steamer and bending green white oak ribs, sanding them smooth for entry and exit, then pinning them to the gunwale.  Next the bow and stern plates were cut from a pine three foot board nine inches wide. The steaming equipment, normally a turkey r

Mid March SOF Kayak Build – Start Kayaking

This week about half the people were finishing up the deck beam tenons and lashing the beams to the gunwales. The bottom boat ribs are getting cut and one person got the steamer going Saturday to bent all his ribs. I think he only lost two to cracking and had to re-do them.

March 3-5 Skin On Frame Kayak Build – Start Kayaking

This week making the deck beam tenons continued and the curved beams were cut. Three people got to the stage where the beams could be pegged in place, I will be at that stage for the next session.

Winter Scenes

Sea Kayaking in Upper Michigan | Down Wind Sports

Sea Kayaking in the UP this summer http://downwindsports.com/mainSite/summer/paddling/

downwindsports.com The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is a world class sea kayaking destination. Isle Royale National Park, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and Grand Island are few of our play spots.

New posting at http://www.startkayakingblog.com

Start Kayaking blog

Winter paddle results at http://startkayakingblog.com/

startkayakingblog.com Discussions and videos on kayaking in Michigan lakes and rivers

I just posted a new blog and winter video to my web site http://www.startkayakingblog.com

I'm under the weather today, no kayaking in the forecast for this Sunday. Sun is out not much breeze a good day for a paddle - with appropriate gear. Anyone paddling today, or wish they could?

Certified kayak canoe instruction southeast michigan group private lessons

Missed my November rolling class, had the wrong date marked, new class
date in December - Sunday the 12th. Lots of room in the class if you want
to join. visit http://www.expandinghorizonskayaking.com

expandinghorizonskayaking.com Southeast Michigan certified kayak and canoe instruction for both groups and private individuals

Handmade Kayak By Bill