Yakima Mako Saddles reborn with T-Bolts

Another in my line of El-cheapo fixes for old kayak gear.  I wanted to make use of my old, but still perfectly functional, Mako Saddles with my newer aero-style cross bars.  Unfortunately, Yakima’s “Universal MightyMounts” necessary for the job are expensive – and apparently I’d need two packs of them (8 mounts) to secure them to aero bars at a cost of $118.  Ouch.  

Yakima and Thule both sell T-Bolts to mount various gear on aero bars, but they’re gear-specific – one type for luggage boxes, another for bike mounts, etc. In the case of discontinued gear like the Mako Saddles, Yakima does not provide a way to attach them via T-Bolts.  So, for $20 I ordered some knock-off brand T-bolts made in China that were the correct dimensions and made of stainless steel, called the “X AUTOHAUX 8pcs Universal Roof Rack T Shaped Bolt” (?).  I drilled holes in the bottom of my Mako Saddles and presto – the saddles are on my aero bars securely.  (See photos) 

Note:  I later discovered that there is a more robust option made by Yakima for the same price as the generic T-bolts I bought.  These are called the “T-Bolt with Nut for Yakima Rack and Roll Trailers” (Item # Y8880184), sold by E-Trailer or Re-Rack online.  Although made for the Yakima kayak trailer, their dimensions would work fine for attaching the Mako saddles to an aero bar, and they’re thicker than the T-bolts I bought (10mm vs 6 mm).  Always wise to buy from the original manufacturer.  

Beach Parking Fees in Fairfield County, CT – Exclusionary Pricing for Non-Residents

Exorbitant parking fees to access coastal parklands have become the norm in Fairfield County it seems.  Was recently faced with this when I attempted to go for a short walk at one of my former kayaking launch spots - Norwalk's Calf Pasture Beach - they wanted $65 to park on a cold late September day.    This price-shock experience at Calf Pasture Beach motivated me to look into the non-resident parking fees now charged (2022) at a number of shoreline/beach parks in Fairfield County, the details are listed below.  

Some years back a Stamford resident who enjoyed running on the beach, Brenden Leydon, had a similar experience in Greenwich, CT.  Leydon was prohibited from entering Greenwich Point Park so he sued the Town of Greenwich. (See the book "Free the Beaches"  which recounts this case and the larger issue).  In response to the court ruling in that case, which found in favor of Leydon, Greenwich reopened its beaches to non-residents but began charging them much higher fees than residents – orders-of-magnitude higher fees, effectively creating exclusionary pricing for non-residents.

As the years go by, access to land bordering the nation's coastlines and waterbodies becomes increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few.  And so, parks and public boat launches are an increasingly vital resource to prevent the complete exclusion of boating, fishing, swimming, and coastal recreating.  Nevertheless, use of and access to the waters of the U.S. is a ‘right’ of all U.S. citizens enshrined in various laws and legal decisions. This right of access is called the “Public Trust Doctrine”, and began (according to Wikipedia) with ancient laws of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian which held that the sea, the shores of the sea, the air and running water was common to everyone.  In the United States, the Public Trust Doctrine limits the rights of ocean front property owners to exclude the public below the mean high tide line.  One could argue that a $65 parking fee is exclusionary and unlawful according to the Public Trust Doctrine… 

On the other hand, perhaps pressures on these beachfront parks are extreme such that a $65 parking fee is a legitimate mechanism to reduce crowding in summer?   One argument against that position is that parking fees are not as high at the shoreline parks I frequent in New York – parks that arguably face more pressure from crowds than those in Fairfield County.  Public beaches in Westchester County and NYC typically charge only $10 to park in-season (Glen Island, Orchard Beach, Playland).  Parking fees for Town beaches in Fairfield County are all $40-and-up for non-residents.  The exceptions to this “rule” are the Connecticut State Parks which charge non-residents a more reasonable parking fee ($15 weekdays, $22 weekends).   Note also that the beach “season” varies considerably, from a minimum of Memorial Day to Labor Day, up to a maximum of April 1st until October 31st.   So, the take-home message is to visit these parks in the off-season when they’re free to park if all you plan to do is take a walk or launch a kayak.

List of Parking Fees charged for Non-Residents at Long Island Sound Shoreline Parks in NY and Fairfield, CT (listed from west-to-east) as of May 2022:

1. Orchard Beach NYC: parking fee charged May 28^th (Saturday) until Sept. 12^th, parking fee is $8 weekdays, $10 weekends.
2. Glen Island New Rochelle: parking fee charged weekends only in May and Sept until Sept. 25^th; then daily May 28 through Labor Day. $10 for resident non-pass holder, plus car-top launch fee of $10 w/out County Pass.
3. Rye Town Beach Park: parking fee charged from May 1 to September 27. $5 for every 2 hours on weekdays (mon-thurs), $10 for every 2 hours weekends (fri-sun). 
4. Playland Amusement Park:  season dates not yet published, amusement park under construction as of spring 2022. Website says it will be $12/car to park weekdays, $15/car sat/sun. The kayak launch area is currently occupied by construction trailers. Access uncertain until new park leasing company, Standard Amusements, completes construction and opens park…
5. Byram/Greenwich Beaches: Park Passes or daily parking fee required from May 1 - October 31. $40/vehicle plus $9/person.
6. Stamford Cove Island Park: parking fee charged from May 1st through September 30^th; week days $42.50, weekends $69.00 per car.
7. Weed Beach, Darien: beach permit stickers required mid-April through late September,  non-resident daily parking fee is $53/vehicle plus $70 boat launch.
8. Pear Tree Beach, Darien: beach permit stickers required Memorial Day through Labor Day,  non-resident daily parking fee is $53/vehicle plus $70 boat launch
9. Bayley Beach, Rowayton/Norwalk: Fee charged from Memorial Day Saturday until September 15, (non-resident) vehicles without permits $25 (weekdays); $30 weekend (non-holiday).
10. Norwalk Calf Pasture Beach:  Parking fees are in effect from May 15 to October 15, non-resident parking fee is $40/car weekdays, $65/car weekends."Calf Pasture Beach, Veteran's Park, Taylor Farm, and Cranbury Park parking fees are in effect from May 15 to October 15 every year." (Nov. 2022)
11. Compo Beach, Westport: daily fee is charged to park from May 1 through Sept. 30, $45/car weekdays, $70/car weekends.
12. Sherwood Island State Park: parking fees required for visitors with out of state registered vehicles from April 1 until October 31; $15 weekdays, $22 weekends.
13. Burying Hill Beach, Westport: town of Westport parking emblem required Memorial Day to Labor Day. Non-CT-resident fee is $35/car weekdays, $50/car weekends. (NOTE: Town of Westport website says "no kayaking or canoeing".  Unclear if this applies year-round)
14. Southport Beach, Fairfield: from Memorial Day Saturday (May 28^th 2022) to Labor Day only residents with a beach sticker are permitted to park in the lot. There are no daily fees.
15. Sasco Beach Park, Fairfield: from Memorial Day Saturday (May 28^th)  to Labor Day only residents with a beach sticker are permitted to park in the lot. There are no daily fees.
16. South Pine Creek Beach, Fairfield:  from Memorial Day Saturday (May 28^th) to Labor Day only residents with a beach sticker are permitted to park in the lot. There are no daily fees.
17. Penfield Beach, Fairfield CT: from Memorial Day – Labor Day, non-resident daily parking fee of $40 weekdays, $50 weekends.
18. Jennings Beach, Fairfield CT: parking fee Memorial Day to Labor Day. Beach sticker or daily fee of $40 (Monday - Friday) and $50 (Weekends and Holidays).
19. Seaside Park Beach, Bridgeport: parking fee Memorial Day – Labor Day. Season sticker or daily fee of $50 weekdays or $60 weekends for cars w/ out-of-state registration.
20. Long Beach, Stratford (Pleasure Beach, Bridgeport): parking fee Saturday before Memorial Day until Labor Day. Daily parking fee for non-residents is $20 Monday through Thursday, $40 Friday through Sunday and holidays, for Long Beach and Short Beach.
21. Short Beach Park, Stratford: parking fee Saturday before Memorial Day until Labor Day. Fee fo non-residents is $20 per day Monday through Thursday;  $40 per day Friday through Sunday and holidays, for Long Beach and Short Beach.
22. Charles Wheeler Wildlife Mgt Area, Milford: off Court St., free but muddy outside of high tide.
23. Housatonic River State Boat Launch (under I-95): free but can be crowded.
24. Walnut Beach and Gulf Beach, Milford: parking fee from May 1 to September 30 non-residents $40 per day.
25. Silver Sands State Park, Milford: $15 weekdays, $22 weekends parking fees are required for visitors with out-of-state registered vehicles from April 1 until October 31.

Valley Sea Kayak wire skeg repair – How To Fix, with photos

Valley Kayaks wire skegs work well and are usually maintenance-free.  But my 15-year old VCP Avocet kayak developed a leak in the skeg system so I had to replace portions of it. In my case the problem was the small compression fitting (nut/bolt) that seals the plastic tubing and skeg wire at the skeg box.

At some point the boat developed a mysterious yet substantial leak into the rear compartment – perhaps a quart of water after paddling. On dry land I flipped the boat upside down and poured water into the skeg box from the hull side, then poked my head into the hatch from below to see what was happening – water was pouring in where the plastic tubing meets the skeg box - the tubing had pulled free from the metal compression fitting (see Photo 1). The compression fitting contains a sort of donut-shaped “olive” that deforms when compressed, thereby squeezing around the outside of the plastic tubing to create a water-tight seal.  Unfortunately, one cannot just push the plastic tubing back into the compression fitting to fix it.   So, having identified the problem I had a decision to make – do I get some epoxy putty and seal up the plastic tubing around the metal compression fitting, a messy fix that would make repair in the future difficult – or – do I fix it the proper way with new parts?  I decided to fix it the proper way and sent an email off to Jason at Valley Canoe Products who sent me replacement parts – including a new brass compression fitting, new skeg wire, new controller knob, and a plastic tubing splicing kit in case I needed to make changes to the length of the tubing. 

Photo 1

The skeg setup described below is common on Valley boats and similar enough to other kayaks that I thought it helpful to post some words and photos explaining how I did this repair.  I wasn’t able to find much in the way of instructions online specific to my skeg setup, so I mainly just “winged it”.  CLICK photos to ENLARGE:

Terms for reference:

Skeg “Blade”:  The plastic fin that goes up/down

Skeg “Wire”: The wire that’s attached at both ends – at the skeg blade end and up at the control knob

Skeg “Control Knob”:  The plastic lever/knob up next to the cockpit that you push forward/backward with your hand to deploy the skeg (sometimes called Skeg Slider Knob). This knob has a small set-bolt ("grub screw") inside that holds the skeg wire in place.

Skeg “Compression Fitting”: This is a 3-part brass nut/bolt setup that for my kayak is made in England, it’s got a specification in BSP (British Standard Pipe), which is UK plumbing nomenclature I believe. Sorry I don’t know the spec/size but it’s likely metric.

Skeg wire’s “Plastic Tubing”:  The plastic tubing that contains/protects the skeg wire like a sheath – it’s glued or fiber-glassed inside the boat, runs through the bulkheads, and extends from the control knob back to the skeg box.

Skeg control knob’s “Metal Rod”: The roughly 10-inch long hollow metal (or carbon fiber) rod that fits inside the control knob to provide a rigid piece to slide back/forth.  This metal rod has a hole drilled in it typically half-way along its length to allow the control knob’s set bolt to pass through fixing the skeg wire in-place.

Skeg “Box”:  The fiberglass (or in some cases pre-formed plastic) box that holds the skeg blade. The skeg box has a small metal post at the front-end onto which the skeg blade hooks and rotates around. The skeg box also has an opening at the top inside the boat where the compression fitting is affixed and where the skeg wire enters to raise/lower the skeg blade.

1   1. Removing the old skeg wire and control knob

Using a 2.5 mm Allen wrench (available at any hardware store), unscrew the control knob set-bolt ("grub screw") to release the skeg wire inside.  In my case, the bolt was stripped - the Allen wrench just turned and turned. So, I was forced to drill out the little bolt, sacrificing the old control knob.  TIP:  Use a drill bit specifically made for cutting metal, such as a titanium drill bit. Otherwise the drill may slide off the little metal bolt, cut through the plastic control knob and straight through the fiberglass deck of your kayak like butter!  (Uh, ask me how I know…oops. See Photo 2). 

Photo 2

Once the wire is loose at the control knob end, use your hands to pull the skeg blade out/down to expose the set-bolt that affixes the wire to the blade.  If the blade doesn’t pull down easily don’t force it – this means the bolt in the control knob has not been fully loosened.  It’s deceivingly easy, with a bit of elbow-grease, to manually pull out the skeg blade even if the wire’s not fully released from the control knob. If the wire's not fully disconnected, putting leverage on the blade can put a kink (bend) in the skeg wire making it difficult to re-use. (Uh, ask me how I know…oops. See Photo 3). Once pulled down, if you must replace the wire, detach it from the skeg blade by unscrewing the set-bolt there with a flat-head screwdriver.  Despite being a 15-year-old boat, this stainless-steel bolt on my Avocet's skeg blade came out fine. Next, pull the skeg wire out completely if you're replacing it. The plastic tubing stays affixed inside the boat - in my kayak the tubing is heavily glassed-in in places.  You can also pull the skeg wire out the front end by the control knob where (in my boat) the plastic tubing ends with an easy-to-remove cap. (See Photo 4)

Photo 3

Photo 4

Since I’d damaged some of the parts when dismantling them, I ordered new parts from Valley. (See Photo 5).  Which they sent to me free-of-charge, amazing the company is still servicing older boats – their current skeg system doesn’t even use some of these older parts.  Thank you, Valley Canoe Products!  Plus, I ordered a replacement for the metal rod that I’d bent when drilling out the control knob – purchased a new carbon-fiber version from Tom the owner of TopKayaker in N.H., a uniquely super place that sells parts for many brands of kayaks.

Photo 5

      2. A note about the Control Knob

Not sure if Valley was the original manufacturer of this type of Control Knob, but it’s used on many brands of kayaks – see Photo 6.  Be aware that some of these knobs are set up for skeg systems found in composite (fiberglass) kayaks and some are setup for systems typically found in plastic kayaks.  In plastic kayaks, the bare skeg wire passes through the smaller hole (see in Photo 7).  For my kayak, and most composite kayaks, the skeg wire sits inside the metal rod so both must pass through the larger hole in the control knob. SO, for composite kayaks you must make sure that your replacement control knob has been drilled/threaded to allow the set bolt (seen in Photo 6) to pass all the way through to the larger hole. Otherwise, this little bolt will not be able to reach the skeg wire.  The replacement control knob I’d originally received had not been “tapped” all the way through to this second hole, so was meant for the plastic kayak setup (#@!%*!?).  Instead of buying a bolt-tapping kit to extend the threads further into the knob, I just sent off for the proper control knob. (Phew, a lot of words but important to say all that).

Photo 6: Control knob, set bolt ("grub screw"), 2.5 mm Allen wrench

Photo 7

      3.  Installing the new skeg wire, compression fitting, control knob, and metal rod

If you’re replacing the skeg wire, save the original wire and cut the new one to the same length (taping them together helps – see Photo 8). To do this I bought some thick-gauge steel wire cutters for $10 online, but West Marine or any boat store should have even stronger clippers for cutting sailboat rigging, they’d probably be happy to cut the wire for you.  (Good clippers are important - making a clean cut at the ends of the wire is necessary to smoothly thread it through the plastic tubing, metal rod, and skeg blade, as described in the steps below.) Thread the new wire into the plastic tubing from either end, I passed it through the skeg box end.  It went very smoothly until it hit something and stopped – a dent in the tubing perhaps or some debris inside?  No way to easily examine the tubing for blockages - since it's glassed-in.  Using the old wire, I reamed out the tubing some, after a long while it finally went through. (Thankfully)

Photo 8

The hard part: At this point the new skeg wire is fully inserted in the plastic tubing.  Now you must pass the stern end of the skeg wire through the new compression fitting.  As shown in Photo 9, the compression fitting has three pieces. A lower part that screws into the skeg box (which has metal threads permanently glassed into it); a middle part which is simply the compression “olive” that is critically important to have; and an upper part which screws down into the lower part, thereby compressing the olive.   I found that the space to fiddle with these parts is small and the tolerances for getting everything to fit are quite limited.  But it’s doable. Once you’ve got the skeg wire through the compression fitting and sticking out down through the skeg box (see Photo 10), it’s time to push the stern-end of the plastic tubing through both the upper part of the compression fitting and through the middle olive part so that the tubing is sticking out some past the olive (a few millimeters). This is to ensure that the tubing doesn't just pop out again when you're tightening the fitting.  Next, use an 11 mm wrench or monkey wrench to seat the lower part of the compression fitting into the skeg box. Finally, screw the upper part of the compression fitting onto the lower part until there’s resistance.  I tightened it gradually until I felt some resistance, then went a bit further – hoping that it was enough to compress the olive around the tubing but not too tight that it was squeezing the skeg wire inside, which would make the skeg wire hard to move up and down in use.  (When the job is finished, you can test the system on the water, if it leaks tighten the upper part of the compression fitting more).

Photo 9

Photo 10

The hard part is finished.  

Next, I used my new skeg blade set-bolt to re-attach my old skeg blade to the new wire. At this stage in the repair, the wire is loose in the system so it’s easy to just pull some excess down past the skeg box, push the wire into the skeg blade’s wire attachment hole, and then screw the new set-bolt in to fix the wire in place.  The set bolt’s head is a bit wider than the width of the skeg blade which sometimes causes it to catch at the opening of the skeg box or rub on the sides when putting the skeg up/down.  You may want to file down the sides of this bolt to minimize this.  The skeg blade can now be reattached to the boat by hooking it onto the post inside the front of the skeg box. (See Photo 11).

Photo 11

Next, push the skeg blade in from the stern to expose the skeg wire at the control knob recess (see Photo 12).  Then insert the new metal rod into the control knob recess from the front – as I said, the plastic tubing is exposed there under the deck, so just pull off the plastic cap and insert the new rod.   Then, push the new control knob onto the new metal rod and line it up over the hole in the metal rod.  You can see (Photo 13) that I pre-assembled the control knob and metal rod to mark-up the location of the set bolt over the hole in the rod, makes the final step easier.  Next, thread the skeg wire through the metal rod.  Use a bungee or second pair of hands to keep the skeg blade fully retracted inside the skeg box.  Then, align the control knob with the front (“up”) part of the control knob recess, screw down the bolt to affix the skeg wire at that spot.  Replace the plastic cap on the front end of the plastic tubing (see Photo 2).  You’re finished!  Wasn’t that easy…..?

Photo 12

Photo 13

By the way, if all you need to do is replace a kinked skeg wire, this site has clear instructions for that:  Kayak Academy Skeg Wire Replacement Instructions

Plastic Shrink-Wrapping Boats for Winter Storage – Adverse Effects on Environment

Plastic shrink-wrap on a plastic kayak…really? (see photo). When people start covering cheap-plastic with more plastic, it’s surely a sign that shrink-wrapping is getting out of hand!  

UNBELIEVABLE!?  Plastic shrink-wrap winter storage layer over a cheap, plastic recreational kayak (“banana-boat” type kayak).   What a waste….  (City of Rye NY Municipal Boat Basin, March 26, 2020)

Covering boats with heat-shrink LDPE (low-density polyethylene) film for winter storage has caught on quickly in recent years – now it seems every boat in the marina is shrink-wrapped. The mountain of plastic waste this generates every season is scandalous. But is shrink-wrapping boats for winter storage even necessary?  I did a little research on the topic and consolidated what I found below.

1    1. The Problem:

The overarching problem of plastic waste is a huge issue having larger societal and ecological consequences.  This blog post here is focused solely on the issue of boat shrink-wrap plastic.  At present, most of this shrink-wrap material is sent to landfills or is incinerated. It is made from LDPE, combined with additives to provide UV resistance and other properties. As discussed below, very little of this material is recycled. The average boat requires 15 lbs of shrink-wrap each season, multiplied by the 13 million registered boats in the United States it’s easy to see how disposal of shrink wrap could cause a landfill crisis. (1)  Incineration of LDPE and other plastics causes its own problems – principally the release of heavy metals, organic pollutants, and other toxins into the air and in incinerator ash residue, which itself must be landfilled. (2) And lastly, plastic constitutes the predominant form of marine debris. (3)  As kayakers, we all see more and more plastic (including boat-wrap) littering the shores.

 2. Is Shrink-Wrapping Boats Even Necessary?:

Retailers and manufacturers of boat shrink-wrap say the protective film is necessary to keep rain/snow out of your boat and to minimize UV sun damage when the boat is in storage for the winter. If you dig deeper though, you’ll find that this isn’t the whole story.

Firstly, the cost of wrapping your boat annually is not cheap. I’ve seen local prices range from $15-25 per foot – starting at $450 flat rate for boats 25’ or under. That’s every year.  By comparison, a well-maintained canvas cover can last 20 years and many are made from cotton duck fabric so are ultimately biodegradable. Though more expensive to purchase initially (roughly 2x/3x cost of disposable LDPE wrap), the extra up-front cost of a canvas boat cover can be quickly recouped in just a few years. (4, 5)

After reading many online sources, it appears shrink-wrapping your boat may actually be worse than doing nothing when it comes to mold. The sun’s radiation will heat up any water trapped on/in the boat beneath the plastic wrap cover.  Temperatures under the cover will swing up by day causing evaporation (increased humidity) and drop down at night causing condensation. The result – MOLD. Now you’ve got another problem so must use fungicides or other mold-preventives (sprays, heaters, desiccants, etc.). (6)    Alternatives, like keeping a boat under a more open/breathable cover (like canvas) or under the roof of a garage can provide more air-flow and prevent humidity and mold problems.

Another alternative to shrink-wrap is to have no cover at all. (How's that for a concept). UV damage can be minimized by spraying a UV protectant (303 etc.) on rubber parts a few times in the off-season and by applying a protective coating of wax on the hull before storage. If that’s too much work, then do nothing – wait until the boat's finish fades then polish/restore any oxidized gelcoat once every 20 years – remember, gelcoat has UV inhibitors in it so resists oxidation!   Isn’t restoring a boat hull with some polish and a power buffer once every 20 years a better solution than adding 300 lbs of plastic waste to landfills (15 lbs/year x 20 years)?

3      3. Recycling:

While better than landfilling, recycling LDPE shrink wrap is a mixed bag.

The EPA estimates that only 6.2% of LDPE (recycling number 4) is recycled in the United States. (7) That’s for LDPE overall – most of which is the rigid kind, used in food containers, etc. The plastic film type of LDPE is the material used in plastic grocery bags and is also the class of plastic used for shrink-wrap boat covers. Recycling of these thin, flexible LDPE films presents added difficulties over the more rigid type. These films must be separated from the general plastic recycling waste stream because they require special machines that will not become clogged during the milling process. Also, LDPE films are often contaminated (dirty) and must be cleaned before they can be recycled, adding  time and energy to the process, and accounting for the very low percentage of LDPE recycling worldwide. (8) 

Even if recycled, LDPE plastic is not “closed-loop” recycling. That is, it cannot be recycled into the same product, over and over. It is “recycled”, or more accurately “converted”, into a different final-use product, like composite lumber or carpet material. (9) This is partly due to the additives in plastic – UV inhibitors, flame retardants, coloring agents, etc. – that act as contaminants and prevent it from being reused in the same form.  Also, plastic can only be recycled a few times before its quality decreases to the point where it can no longer be used. Typically additional virgin material is added during the recycling process in order to “upgrade” the quality of the plastic. (10, 11)  

By comparison, aluminum and glass are “closed-loop” recyclable materials – they can be made over-and-over into new bottles and cans without losing quality or purity. Unlike plastic recycling, there’s no need to add virgin material in the glass/aluminum recycling process. (12)  As an aside, I’ve personally tried to eliminate all single-use plastic – bottles, bags, cutlery, etc. – and only use aluminum cans when buying beverages and fabric grocery bags when shopping, surprisingly easy things to do.

At present the cost of boat shrink-wrap disposal is largely borne by taxpayers in the form of garbage hauling, landfilling, etc. While some businesses offer prepaid shipping bags that can be used to send boat shrink wrap in the mail for recycling (“Dr. Shrink” sells a prepaid shipping bag for $50), a marina-based collection/hauling operation is clearly preferred to reduce costs and to avoid the need for additional materials to wrap/mail the waste! (4, 13)  Westchester County’s Boat Wrap Recycling program collects boat-wrap if your marina participates. (14)  Now, whether “recycled” boat wrap plastic is ultimately processed into recycled products depends on the status of the world’s recycling market at the time it is collected.  If the market is uneconomical (as it is now for many plastics), this material will be landfilled or burned... (15)  Some have advocated for an upfront “product stewardship” deposit to address the full cost of plastic boat wrap over its life cycle, thereby shifting recycling costs from municipalities to the consumers who directly benefit from the product. No such regulations currently exist in New York that I’m aware of.

So that’s it – something to think about and something for boaters to work towards eliminating if possible.  It should be noted that many kayaks are also made from LDPE and should also be recycled when their useful life has ended. And perhaps old fiberglass boats can be milled into fibers and reused.  In my view, the difference between the plastic/fiberglass material used to make boats themselves and the plastic shrink-wrap used to cover them is that shrink-wrap covers are essentially single-use items for which there are alternatives. 

For more - check out this recent PBS documentary, Frontline: Plastic Wars, which delves into the conundrum of recycling plastic:  https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/plastic-wars/

References:

1: https://www.boattrader.com/resources/shrink-wrap-recycling-easier-think/
2: http://theconversation.com/why-municipal-waste-to-energy-incineration-is-not-the-answer-to-nzs-plastic-waste-crisis-126824

3: https://www.no-burn.org/burning-plastic-incineration-causes-air-pollution-dioxin-emissions-cost-overruns/

4: https://www.seacoastonline.com/article/20140514/OPINION/405140366

5: http://www.fishercanvas.com/aboutus.asp#armyduck

6: https://tomdwelsh.com/2015/10/08/shrink-wrap-boat-storage-dangers-and-long-term-effects/

7: https://millerrecycling.com/ldpe-out-of-landfills

8: https://www.plasticexpert.co.uk/plastic-recycling/ldpe-recycling-plastic/

9: https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8817.html

10: https://www.newenglandshrinkwrap.com/SW%20Recycling%20Guide%201.pdf

11: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030438941730763X

12: https://blog.nationalgeographic.org/2018/04/04/7-things-you-didnt-know-about-plastic-and-recycling/

13: https://operationsplash.org/2010/04/03/growing-problem-of-shrink-wrap/

14: https://www.pressherald.com/2017/08/20/to-protect-them-from-the-elements-many-maine-boats-are-shrink-wrapped-in-plastic-for-the-winter/

15: https://environment.westchestergov.com/residents/212-news-events/2582-boat-wrap-recycling-expands-to-hudson

Edging a Sea Kayak When Surfing - with Illustrations

One of my “Aha!” moments when learning to surf waves in a sea kayak was the realization that edging on the same side as your paddle during a stern rudder stroke is less effective (actually ineffective) in turning the boat.

As a kayak catches a wave and begins to move forward and "plane" on that wave, the bow will invariably begin to turn one way or the other. Without correcting this the kayak will eventually broach resulting in a side-surf or coming off the wave (wave passes underneath).  Using the stern rudder stroke and edging the kayak is necessary to get the kayak back on track when surfing.

Under regular paddling (non-surfing), the typical way to improve the effectiveness of a stern rudder stroke is to edge the kayak on the same side that you placed the paddle. [e.g., To Turn Left - Rudder On Left Side - Edge on Left Side].  Edging this way on the stroke-side is more natural for the body and quickens the turn by shortening the kayak’s waterline length. Doing it this way also allows for a quick transition to a low brace turn.

However, edging on the paddle side won’t work when surfing if your intent is to stay on the wave. If you edge on the same side as your paddle in the stern rudder stroke, two bad things happen: First, your edge will present more of the boat’s hull to the wave face - the flat underside portion of the hull in contact with the wave. This will increase the rotational force that has already begun to turn the kayak into a broach. (bad)  Second, the chine portion of the kayak hull has a curve to it from bow-to-stern, that will naturally act to turn the boat to the left when edged on the right and vice-versa.  Using this natural tendency of the hull to turn away from the side it's edged on is super helpful when fighting the broach. But if you edge on your paddle side you'll be edging on the down-slope side of the wave, and the curve of the kayak hull will very rapidly accelerate the broach that has begun. (bad)

So, edging the kayak on the OPPOSITE side from your paddle during a stern rudder stroke when surfing is much more effective in keeping the boat running straight and on the wave. It provides a double-whammy - the paddle and the edging work together. As your kayak begins to turn or broach, put the stern rudder stroke in on the down-wave side (trough side) but edge on the up-wave side (crest or peak side).   NOTE, doing it this way can be challenging to execute without practice. You may feel off-balance and unstable at first – your mind is telling you, “Don’t do that, if I edge on the side without a paddle I won’t have any support!?”  You must ignore that warning message from your brain, curl your torso/head away from the edge side to stay balanced (it's an "edge" after all, not a "lean"), and keep the paddle blade in the water.  Try it on some small waves at first to build muscle-memory.

I’ve done my best to sketch some illustrations of this (below) that I hope are clear enough.

Stern Rudder Stroke - Viewed from Stern

Stern Rudder Stroke - Viewed from Stern

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Old grainy photo of mine taken while surfing, pre-smartphone etc.
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CLICK TO ENLARGE

"Commando" Sea Kayak Launch Sites Map - Westchester and Fairfield Counties

WATER ACCESS POINTS FOR PADDLING (or lack thereof)...

LAUNCH SITES MAP - just places I've put my sea kayak in Long Island Sound over the years, in Westchester County NY and Fairfield County CT, beginning in the early 90's when "commando-launching" for solo paddling (not in groups) was perhaps easier to do. I was only stopped from launching a few times - usually easy to jump in the water and zoom off when solo. Launch spots on this map (LINK TO MAP) mainly for fun to show, not places I personally "sanction" or officially recommend. Enjoy.

Actual sign at Flint Park, Larchmont NY... :-( 

Other great resources for launch sites in Westchester and Connecticut are maps/lists from KALM and CONNYAK, links below. And additionally a great one from SKSA for Long Island kayak launch sites:

KALM Launch Sites

CONNYAK Launch Sites

SKSA Launch Sites

Hull Shape Effects on Sea Kayak Handling – Round vs Square Hull Cross Section

Round vs Square Hull Cross Section

Kayakers will fully appreciate how their kayak handles once they've owned it for a time and have paddled the boat in a variety of conditions. It's also helpful to learn about the general concepts of boat hull design and how these can affect a kayak's paddling characteristics. Doing so can steer you towards a kayak that best fits your needs. This post is limited to the subject of cross-sectional hull shape – a parameter that has an effect on catching waves in following seas.

For a complete run-down of the many factors that contribute to a sea kayak's overall handling characteristics, a good place to start is Nick Shade’s book on strip-built kayak construction The Strip Built Sea Kayak (1997). The first chapter of Nick's book has a comprehensive discussion on the subject of hull design with clear definitions of technical terms as prismatic coefficient, center of buoyancy, etc.

Figure 1: Round vs Square (boxy) Kayak Hull Cross Section

The cross-sectional shape of a sea kayak hull is by no means the main factor determining how a kayak will paddle – width, length, buoyancy, rocker, etc., will all have more significant effects on boat behavior.  However, once you’re in the realm of the “typical” sea kayak size, that is 16-18 feet long and 20-22 inches wide, the cross sectional shape of the hull becomes an important element to consider.

Round-shaped hulls provide the most efficient shape, with the minimum wetted surface and therefore the least friction (drag) through the water.  All things being equal, a kayak hull with a rounded cross sectional shape will be a bit faster than one with a square-shaped hull. This is true for all “displacement” boat hulls and is why racing kayaks and surf skis, whose principle purpose is to go fast, are all essentially round in cross section. Think of the Epic kayaks as one example.  In a kayak with the proper width and buoyancy, round-hulled kayaks can also be very stable and confidence-inspiring in confused seas. One of my favorite kayaks, the Valley Pintail, is in this category as is the Nordkapp, Avocet, and many others.

By contrast, square-shaped hulls improve a sea kayak’s ability to plane on a wave or “surf” at the sacrifice of some speed.  The flat bottom and boxy sides of this hull type allow the boat to catch waves more readily and will keep the boat on the wave longer (with proper paddler input) than a rounded hull kayak of similar length/width/rocker. This is especially true in following seas where you can sometimes see the square-shaped kayaks catch a wave and burst ahead of the others.  When a boat starts planing, it exceeds its non-planing displacement-hull speed for a short period until it can no longer keep up with the wave it’s riding on (due to hull drag or by surfing down into the wave in front which slows the boat).  In following seas, after the wave passes beneath the boat, you can keep paddling to catch the next one.  In short order you’ve covered a larger distance than paddlers who are not catching waves. It’s also great fun to feel the sea take you for a ride faster than you’re able to paddle under your own power. At shore breaking surf zones the same surfing/planing advantages of the square-shaped hull apply.

A perfectly flat hull would surf great (see Figure 2) but would be ill suited to the varied duties of a sea kayak – which must also paddle in a straight line, must handle wind/waves from all directions, and shouldn’t be too hard to turn when needed. So even sea kayaks with comparatively flat hulls will have a “shallow-v” shape to some extent to help with tracking and to minimize leeway (being blown sideways downwind).

Figure 2: yes a FLAT surface for surfing

“What about surf skis?,” you may ask, “they’ve got rounded hulls and yet surf great.”   Of course that’s true – any kayak will plane on a wave given the right combination of paddling speed, wave speed, period, and steepness.   But surf skis maintain their position on a wave with the help of a rudder and surf best on longer wavelength swell due to their longer length.  By contrast, the typical skeg-equipped sea kayak will not maintain its position on the sweet spot of a wave for long unless its boxy shape keeps it on the wave face.  In following seas or shore breaking waves, a round hull will veer off the wave more quickly.  Sure a round-hull kayak can catch a wave but it will be more of a struggle to stay on and the result will be a shorter ride and missed chances to catch waves. (By the way, I’m talking about moving waves here, not standing waves. A round-hull boat like the Valley Avocet or Sterling Reflection can sit nicely in the saucer-shaped pocket of a perfect tidal race standing wave. But catching moving waves over a straight course in following seas is not either boat's forte.)

In my experience, the price you pay for a kayak whose boxy shaped hull assists catching waves is a boat that is a bit of a bore to paddle on flat water.  They’re less “slippery” and may be less playful in calm conditions than round-shaped hulls. Boxy hulls are a bit slower and sometimes a drag – literally, some feel like they’re plowing through the water with greater resistance. To remedy this problem, manufacturers are experimenting with combination hull shapes – combining a roundish hull in the front part of the kayak to make for smooth entry through the water, joined with a square-shaped hull from the cockpit backwards to add a more solid edging feel and to improve surfing in following seas.  As of this writing (2019) P&H and Current Designs have some sea kayaks with “combination” hulls so-to-speak, which look intriguing.

Anybody can look at a kayak and see for themselves the general shape of its hull in cross-section.  Flip the boat over, look at and feel the hull – is it round or boxy?  Also, look inside the boat at the front and rear bulkheads.  What shape are they? Square-ish or round-ish?  (See Figure 3).

Figure 3: Look at the bulkheads

Some new “sea kayaks” are being designed with atypical dimensions for improved surfing ability. These include boats with increased rocker (the up-sweep of the hull’s keel line from bow to stern) and increased width and volume massed closer to the cockpit. While helpful for surfing shore-breaking waves, these modifications come at the expense of a boat’s general sea kayaking ability. Increased rocker hurts directional stability (paddling in a straight line) and may reduce a boat's speed.  Drastic changes in the distribution of a boat’s volume can limit its speed as well. A kayak that doesn’t extend a good portion of its volume out to the bow and stern will not be as fast as one with more evenly distributed volume (this has to do with "prismatic coefficient" and "effective waterline length" terms best described elsewhere, check Nick's book).  Also, lack of volume in the bow may contribute to the problem of "pearling", when the bow gets buried in the wave in front, another factor that can limit a kayak's surfing ability in following seas. Sea kayaks with shorter sterns also handle surf in following seas a bit better in my experience - less boat volume is buried in the wave which seems to help keep the kayak going straight and allows it to be more responsive to rudder strokes. (Separate link to post on that subject HERE.)

Buoyancy is a factor in this discussion, as is paddler weight, regardless of hull shape – a more buoyant kayak (or a lighter paddler) will be more playful, will push-back more when edged, will surf more readily, and will feel more lively overall regardless of hull shape (round or square). That’ll have to be a topic for a separate post.

That’s it for now.