Inflatable Kayak Blog

Contributed by Sheryl Brennan

Ahhhh… February.  A time for Love, Presidential Birthdays, African American History, and Water Sport Conditioning.

Oh sure, kayaking LOOKS like an effortless activity, but it’s definitely an exercise-intensive sport. Get in the water before properly stretching and you could end up… well… running aground.

So how do you build stamina during the off-season? How about regular stretching workouts? A session of stretches improving your flexibility is as vital as any strength or endurance building exercises. Especially for the larger torso muscles comprising a segment of your body called “the core”.

By increasing flexibility, extension, and range of motion you’ll be better prepared for the water sport season.  And by the time you put your traditional or inflatable kayak in the water, you’ll find you can paddle further forward and draw through a greater range.

If you have access to Yoga or Pilates classes, take advantage of them. Many gyms now include programs focused strictly on increasing flexibility, but if you are among those winter couch potatoes, try adding these stretches to your pre-bedtime routine:

Neck Stretch: Standing erect with hands on hips, tilt your head as far forward and hold; then tilt your head as far backward as possible and hold again. Next tilt your head as far to the right as possible; then repeat to the left and hold.

Arm over Head Stretch: Standing with feet at shoulder-width and holding your back and neck erect, gently pull the right elbow over the head. For a greater stretch, you can lean your torso slightly to the left. Hold for 30 seconds while breathing deeply, then repeat for other side.

Rotator Cuff Stretch: Standing with feet at shoulder width, bend your left arm at the elbow and place the top of your wrist at your side above the waist. Use your right to hold the left elbow and ease it forward. For a greater stretch, you can twist your torso to the right. Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat for other side.

Bar Chest Stretch: Dust off your paddle and use it before kayaking. With feet at shoulder-width, hold the paddle behind your back, keeping both palms facing backward. Hold for 30 seconds. You can vary this stretch to target different chest areas: at shoulder height stretches the mid-chest, and below the shoulder height stretches your upper chest.

Deltoid Stretch: Keep your left arm straight, then reach across the length of your chest and pull the left elbow into your chest with your right hand, keeping your shoulders straight. Hold for about 30 seconds, and repeat for the other side. For a deeper stretch, you can bend the left arm at the elbow and twist your torso to the right.

Standing Side Stretch: With a shoulder-width stance, ensure the back is kept straight so your stretch comes from the lower back.

We’ll focus on some lower body stretches in a blog post tomorrow.

Sheryl Brennan is the author of Celtic Sacrifice, single mother of three rambunctious pre-teen girls, and an avid outdoors woman. Read more about Sheryl at www.sherylbrennan.com.

Fishermen and women in the Susquehanna River Regions in Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York have a new, free fishing magazine available to them. The first issue came out a couple days ago on February 2, 2010. It’s being distributed through local establishments and funded by participating advertisers. The magazine’s goal is to help to inform anglers about productive angling techniques and other pertinent information pertaining to the area, as well as promoting safety and responsible stewardship of the river. They hope to distribute abut 30,000 copies each month. For additional information and locations where you can pick up a copy, you can go to the Susquehanna Fishing Magazine web site.

I know it’s a little cold in the Susquehanna area this time of year, but it’s never to early to start thinking about warmer days relaxing on the fishing boat in search of a great ‘fish’ story!

In a recent internet search I found a web site that has some good information that kayakers in California may find useful. It’s called the ‘California Boat Launch Ramp and Put-in Index’. You can find it here. The site includes maps, which allow you to easily find a locations to launch your kayak, as well as other helpful information. The web site is interactive, too. You can add your comments on places you have been, read what others have discovered and add replies to posted comments.

I personally appreciate being able to easily find convenient launch locations. It’s especially helpful when traveling to unfamiliar areas. Even though my inflatable kayak allows me the luxury to launch almost anywhere, I still prefer a regular boat launch area for safer parking and general amenities.

Whether you’re outdoors braving the cold and paddling a kayak or indoors, just trying to stay warm this winter, dry, chapped lips can be a problem. Although there are several over the counter treatments available, here’s a natural method that is an excellent way to soothe, soften and lubricate chapped lips. Rub some Olive Oil on your lips two to three times a day. Your lips should feel better immediately, however, if the skin has cracked from being neglected too long it will be a couple days before your lips will start to heal on their own. Olive Oil is anti-inflammatory, too. And, oh yeah, it’s an excellent antioxidant when you use it normally … like cooking with it!

Early in 2009 PakBoats introduced their new line of XT folding kayaks. The new kayaks were created to add a true touring kayak to the PakBoat stable. Previously, the Puffin Swift, which has since been discontinued, was the closest PakBoat to a touring kayak. The Swift did have a flatter hull than other PakBoat designs, but at 14 feet long it wasn’t quite long enough to completely qualify as a touring model.
The XT series went through several developmental designs and testing procedures before PakBoat designer Alv Elvestad put them into production in late 2008. In fact, many of the advanced design elements of the XT series have been integrated into the new Puffin models, the Saco and the Saranac. The XT series features the XT-15 (15 foot) solo kayak and the XT-16 (16 foot) which can be used as a solo or a tandem kayak. As is the case with all the PakBoats, the XT folding kayaks are a great value for the money compared to other folding kayaks on the market.

Sea Kayaker magazine featured an excellent PakBoat XT-15 folding kayak review in it’s December 2009 issue. You can read the review by clicking on the link, then paging down to the specified link on the folding kayak page.

I wish I could take a pictures like this but I’m not sure I’ve got the guts to kayak with whales. That’s right, whales! Fifty six year old Duncan Murrell of Paignton, Devon in the United Kingdom is an extraordinary wildlife photographer. He is surely an excellent kayaker as well. I read about him in the “Daily Mail”, a newspaper web site recently. The story features pictures he took of humpback whales off the Alaska coast from his kayak. Humpbacks can grow as large as fifty feet long and Mr. Murrell often gets as close as fifteen feet away to snap his pictures. The humpbacks cover some distance as well and he sometimes has to paddle for 30 miles to get the images he wants. It’s an impressive collection of pictures and an amazing story. I’m not sure how long this article will be online, but if you care to read the complete story, you can click here to read the full article.

I realize that this is the ‘inflatable kayak blog’ and I know Mr. Murrell uses a hard shell kayak, but this story was so interesting, I thought it would appeal to anyone who’s ever been in an inflatable or folding kayak or any small boat for that matter. Just imagine what it would be like to be that close!

Here’s a wish to all our Inflatable Kayak Blog readers for a wonderful 2010! Not sure if you realize that tonight marks a very unusual New Year’s Eve. We’ll be celebrating under a “Blue Moon”, which is the second full moon in one month. According to NASA a “Blue Moon” occurs once every two and a half years; the last one was in June of 2007. Considering how rare the occurrence is, I’d say this New Year’s Eve “Blue Moon” may be a once in a lifetime thing. I guess it’s only fitting that it happens now, in the midst of all the “Twilight” hoopla and other vampire related trends.

So raise a toast to the end of 2009 as we celebrate under this rare “Blue Moon”. And thanks for visiting the Inflatable Kayak Blog. Come back soon and have yourself a very a special New Year’s Eve and a happy, healthy and paddle-worthy 2010!

From PortableKayaks.com a very heartfelt wish to you and yours this Christmas day. May the joy and happiness of the holiday season continue to fill your life throughout the coming year. Let peace on earth, good will toward men be the order of the day, not just the passing wishes of the season. May you paddle safely into the uncharted waters of 2010 and may your wildest dreams come true!

Procrastinators rejoice! I ran across this last minute shopping special from The North Face. In case you don’t know, The North Face is a company that makes some excellent quality outdoor clothing for kayaking and other outdoor accessories, such as tents, that any outdoor lover on your list will enjoy. For one day only, December 22, 2009, The North Face will upgrade customers to Free Overnight Shipping on orders over $150 to ensure delivery by December 24. Orders must be placed by 11:59 PM EST on December 22. The offer will automatically show up in the checkout if you click through on the link below. There’s no promotion code required. Shipping costs will automatically be removed at checkout once minimum is reached.

Here’s the link … One day only – Dec 22, upgrade to Free Overnight Shipping on orders over $150.

If you’re looking for a last minute gift or ’stocking stuffer’ for the kayaker on your gift list, check out the new selection of kayaking books that have just been added to PortableKayaks.com. Some of them feature content that deals with techniques and tips about the “how to” of kayaking. Others feature some of the incredibly scenic locations around the world where kayaking is popular. And, iIf you don’t find the perfect book in our selection, we have an easy to use search box where you can search Amazon.com for kayaking books or any other type of books that might interest you.