Another Kayak

[nobucks]

Here's my 14' that I just skinned last week. I used a polyester canvas similar to what you find on boat covers. It's factory coated with a waterproof layer, and also has UV and mildew protection. I haven't painted it, just skinned it and threw it in the water.

These pics are on Superior on a calm day around some islands, and then also in our harbor here in Marquette.

No, I didn't wet my pants. :shock: I just haven't put a coaming on it yet.

Here's my wife paddling it:

Here's some of the scenery:

 

[Mohawk16]

Very nice, Nobucks. Looks like a nice place to paddle too.

 

[Kayak Jack]

In photo# 3 - that big brown thing - at the other end of that are a gaggle of great restaurants, one with its own micro brewery. That big thing (there's an operational one a few miles north, this one is retired) is a loading dock for ore freighters. They run loaded trains out on top of it - two of them. Then there are chutes that let down and they dump RR cars of ore over into the holds of ships.

"The legend lives on from the Chippewa down, of the big lake thay call Gitche Gumi..."

 

[nobucks]

Yup, the ore dock is a centerpiece for the downtown. They want to develop it into condos, though, which I think would stink, unless I could afford to buy one. In that case, I'd be all for it.

Marquette is a great place to live if you like to paddle or sail. The scenery is unbelievable and there are a million places to put in.

 

[islandpiper]

marquette

hey nobucks, what a treat to see the Presqu Isle area again. I spent twenty years in Iron River and often took the time to drive up and meander around the island and the University and such. Thanks for the great pics. Now I am in green water, lots warmer too. And, you'll never see a gator in the Lower Harbor!!

islandpiper

 

[nobucks]

I just spent every day of last week, 7 nights of paddling, going around the Presque Isle area. I capped it off with a five mile day trip out to some of the islands near Presque. Every day was a different experience - paddling on mercury one day, surfing 3 foot breakers the next. I love having such a great paddling buffet 5 minutes from my house.

Glad I could bring back good memories.

I may be in gator country next spring. I'm planning on starting and ending the trip that we're sponsoring with the Kayak 4 A Kure guys as they paddle from Itasca, MN to the end of the Mississippi River.

 

[JEM]

Those are some real neat looking boats!

 

[nobucks]

And those aren't even my favorite bragging boats. :wink:

Thanks Matt, I esp. appreciate that coming from someone with so many designs under his belt!

Here's the one that I've been paddling almost exclusively lately, and my favorite so far:

 

[islandpiper]

good

hey, nobucks, nice to see you are using BOTH DAYS OF SUMMER to such good advantage. (for readers who don't know.......his Lower Harbor often has ice in it on June 10th.....the it starts to cool off!!)

 

[JEM]

Thanks Matt, I esp. appreciate that coming from someone with so many designs under his belt!

A good looking boat is a good looking boat. I don't mind saying it! 8)

I could share stories of other designers publically bashing another designers effort, but in e-mail said he thought it looked great. All done in the name of spite and trying to steal sales.

But I'll play nice.

 

[oldsparkey]

I may be in gator country next spring. I'm planning on starting and ending the trip that we're sponsoring with the Kayak 4 A Kure guys as they paddle from Itasca, MN to the end of the Mississippi River.

nobucks.........

If you haven't seen this then you might want to take a look and later e-mail Johnny Swank about paddling the Mississippi River. He and his wife went from the headwaters all the way down and now has a web site about the trip, he would have a lot of valuable information for you.

Chuck.
************************************************************
Johnny Swank .. New Website on his Mississippi River trip. http://www.neilbank.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2640

His web site .... http://www.sourcetosea.net/

 

[nobucks]

Thanks for the link, Chuck. I hadn't seen that one yet. I'm only planning on paddling as far as LaCrosse, Wisconsin, then I'm planning on meeting John and Louis near the end, although I don't know if that's going to work out yet.

We're designing and building the tandem/triple kayaks that they'll be taking down the river, as well as providing them with paddles, so I'm trying to find out everything I can about the hazards on the Mississippi. They have a documentary crew going down the river with them, so how the equipment holds up could potentially make or break us.

Matt, like you said, a nice boat is a nice boat. I agree with you, I don't think there's any room in the small boat community for two faced designers. Style is so subjective anyway, so it's nice that each designer has his own style. Customers win in the end by having so many options.

As soon as I have room in my garage, I need to build one of your canoes. There're too many kayaks around my house! :shock: