Kayak Combat Roll Success!

We all remember our first.

I found success with my combat roll on Slippery Rock Creek in Pennsylvania on The Mile. I took the wrong line on Nemesis rapid at a paltry 0.5 feet depth on the river gauge, and I flipped. It just happened to be my personal first descent. I paddled it again a few months later at about 1 feet, hit the right line and paddled away upright and smiling.

Post by Matt Jackson.

The next time we ran it the river had dropped again to about 0.7 feet. A low-stress paddle, I thought. Lightning struck twice. Not thinking, I ran the wrong line again, missed the boof and went straight into the hole and got flipped upside down. The video above is proof that even the meekest of paddlers can find success with their river roll.

Like anything else, practice makes perfect. I probably put in 10 hours of flat water roll practice to get that one roll right when it counted. So if you're struggling with your roll, keep at it. You will find success.

The Swim

This unnamed hole got the better of me on a cold March day.

Eventually, everyone swims.

The fortunate, or maybe the good, roll.

My last real swim came before my first-ever combat roll. The water was cold -- 39 degrees Fahrenheit -- and the air was only slightly warmer. I was in a play boat I wasn't ready for and on the high end of the recommended max weight. But I had just run the same, tame stretch of river a week before at a depth of only 1 foot lower.

The shock of the cold stunned me, and I didn't even try to set up. I just pulled my skirt, kicked free and swam for an eddy. Grumbling at my own foolhardiness, I ran down the bank chasing my upside-down boat.

Fortunately, I wasn't paddling alone and had a good buddy who helped chase down my boat, which had become pinned against a concrete bridge abutment in the middle of an icy Cuyahoga River running strong at over 1,500 cfs. After about two hours, we managed to wrangle my boat free. I had only lost my $150 whitewater paddle and a pair of water shoes, sucked off and swept down river by the current.

Everyone swims. The point is, get back in your boat and paddle again. Learn your lessons and improve upon your weaknesses. Since then, I've practically mastered my roll, hit my first two combat rolls and upgraded to a boat more my size and capabilities.

We all make mistakes. The best of us learn from them.

Easy Kayak Storage for Your Garage

In my last post, I showed you how to create a do-it-yourself storage method for your kayak that gives you more space in your garage by storing the boat up near the ceiling.

This rig, which cost me a few bucks at the local hardware store, uses some anchor bolts in the ceiling and two tie-straps. Using the tie straps you can raise the boat into its storage position with minimal effort.

I have to emphasize one element. Make sure when you mount your storage eyelet bolts in the ceiling that they are anchored into a cross member. You can't just thread these into the drywall, as it won't hold the weight either of the boat or the force used when pulling on the tie-straps to raise the kayak.

How to Store Your Kayak

If you're like practically every kayaker, then you've got more than one yak.

Storing multiple boats can crowd your garage and make it tough to use. We all know kayaks live longer when stored inside, but even playboats aren't small and they can take up a lot of much-needed space.

I've found the best way to store my boats and maximize garage space is to elevate -- get them up off the garage floor. And I've gone two different routes to make this happen. First, I bought ready-made wall hanger storage hooks from my local Dick's.

These hangers, so far, have worked well. They were fairly easy to install. All I had to do was find two studs in my garage wall, one for each hanger, and screw the hanger into the stud. Measure the height of the anchor points to ensure your boats hang level if you're big on aesthetics. The key to using these hangers is to make sure you anchor them into the stud. If you don't, the weight of your boat could pull the hangers, and part of your drywall, down.

These are a straightforward solution, but it can be a comparatively expensive option. At $30 per hanger set, it costs $60 to hang two kayaks. These hangers have kept my Dagger Axis and PureSport rec boat neatly on display when stored for almost three years now.

I opted for a more do-it-yourself route for my Freeride.

To hang my playboat, I bought two eyelet bolts and two non-locking carabiner clips. I found two cross supports in the ceiling, drilled pilot holes and then screwd the eyelet bolts into the ceiling of my garage as anchor points. Next, I clipped the two carabiners to the anchor bolts for some flexibility in attachment points.

Using a tie strap, I fed the strap through the grab handles on my kayak and then attached the hooks of the strap to the carabiners.

I can then pull on the strap to remove the slack and raise the boat up near the ceiling. And voila! My boat is securely stored leaving ample space below for other storage or work space.

By taking the do-it-yourself route I saved a ton of money compared to buying the ready-made boat hooks. All total, the stainless hardware I bought for this method cost about $15. If you're deft with a drill, stud finder and measuring tape, then you can tackle either of these mounting methods.

All in all, both methods offer a convenient way to store your boat without taking up floor space and cluttering your garage.

Elevated storage for your kayak means there's more room in your garage for other toys. Credit: Matt Fredmonsky

Kokatat's Hydrus 3L is an Affordable, High End Dry Suit Option

Here in Northeast Ohio, the old saying "snow brings the flow" rings true, and some of the best paddling can be found in winter, late fall and early spring months.

There's a catch. You've got to be properly outfitted to tackle near-freezing outdoor water temperatures (or water temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit for that matter), and that means you need a full dry suit or some combination of dry gear to limit exposure to the extremely cold water.

Kokatat's Hydrus 3L Meridian dry suit. The color is mango. Credit: Matt Fredmonsky

Are you a beginner and don't know what a dry suit is? Put simply, a dry suit is a full body, waterproof suit. The dry suit features latex or neoprene gaskets at the wrists, neck and ankles (if it doesn't incorporate socks) that create a water-tight seal. Dry suits can extend the paddling season for many by preventing against hypothermia. But they are not a foolproof method for stopping hypothermia or warding off death in water temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, so a paddler should always be cautious and dress as if they're expecting to have to swim once on a cold-water excursion. You can read a highly informative article about dressing for winter paddling over at PaddlingLight.

Disclaimers aside, now on to the topic of this article: Kokatat's Hydrus 3L Meridian dry suit. I've said numerous times that I'm a novice paddler at best, so don't expect an expert-level review of Kokatat's economy dry suit. Rather, I'm offering more of an introduction for new and beginning paddlers who are gear crazy and want to paddle more than just in June, July and August. Fear not experts, for if you've not seen a Hydrus 3L, which you may have heard is a rebrand of the Tropos, you might still learn something.

Kokatat is to water sports wear what the Lamborghini is to sports cars. Their dry suits are top of the line, and the price matches the performance. Kokatat is best known for its suits made of Goretex, which is their proprietary material used as the shell for the majority of its dry suits and dry tops. Kokatat's Goretex dry suits can retail for more than $1,100.

Here's where the Hydrus 3L appeals to the entry-level paddler. The Hydrus men's suit with relief zipper, sprayskirt tunnel and incorporated socks has an MSRP of $785. I picked one up for just over $600 -- a steal for any brand-new Kokatat dry suit. The Hydrus comes with all the goodies Kokatat is known for, including its incredible warranty, fit, stitching and hardware. You can even get the base model without the sprayskirt tunnel, socks and relief zipper for $530.

The Hydrus 3L includes a chest pocket that is not waterproof and patches on the knee and butt to increase durability in high-wear spots.

At first glance the Hydrus 3L is an incredible bargain for a Kokatat dry suit. Sadly I haven't had it out on the water yet to gauge its performance, but if the test fit is any indication this suit is going to prove incredibly comfortable, mobile, durable and, most importantly, dry out on the water.

A quick note on fit, I ordered the XL based on my height (6 feet 1 inches), weight (220 pounds) and chest measurements. The suit fits well and offers plenty of room for multiple layers underneath. The neck gasket does seem a bit tight, but I haven't yet tried to stretch it over night as Kokatat recommends. I'll be sure to do so before testing it out.

Essentially, the Hydrus 3L offers all the amenities of Kokatat's top of-the-line Goretex suits at a much more affordable price. From what I've read, the one potential downside to the Hydrus is that the 3L material might not prove as bulletproof or as breathable as the Goretex suits. Look for a performance review on the Hydrus 3L soon.

The men's Hydrus 3L Meridian with relief zipper, sprayskirt tunnel and incorporated socks in an XL. Credit: Matt Fredmonsky

Learning to Kayak Roll from a Beginner's Perspective

My LiquidLogic Freeride 57 at the ONAT pool at the University of Akron. Credit: Matt Fredmonsky

I fess up. From a kayaking perspective, I'm a beginner. Okay, maybe I'm an "advanced" beginner now. I've been paddling regularly for three years and have a few different boats. So I've got a few river miles under my sprayskirt. But I don't pretend to be an expert.

This summer the roiling whitewater started calling my name, and I quickly learned that if I wanted to start chasing the River God I'd have to advance my skills and get in a boat classified for more than what my Dagger Axis 10.5 -- a solid crossover kayak -- could handle.

After much window shopping, I picked up a real whitewater boat: a LiquidLogic Freeride 57 from Wild Earth Outfitters in downtown Kent, Ohio.  I decided it was time to get serious about learning to roll after taking a swim on my second, brief outing in the new ride doing some mild surfing at a park-and-play wave in Munroe Falls, Ohio.

Enter the Keelhaulers. The Keelhaulers are a canoe and kayak club in northeast Ohio that organizes open pool sessions at various aquatic centers during the winter months. The club's many skilled paddlers can offer great tips and feedback to beginners learning and practicing some basic kayaking maneuvers, such as the sweep stroke, high brace and the roll.

I visited two open pool sessions so far this winter and received some great, free instructional tips on rolling but couldn't find success in righting my boat. On my third session, and my fifth time in my new Freeride, I finally found success in the ONAT pool at the University of Akron.

You can watch all the instructional roll videos and read all the technique articles you want on rolling, but nothing beats actually getting in the water, tipping yourself upside down and trying to turn right side up.

As a beginner, I won't pretend to offer expert-level advice, and I'll stay away from specific techniques. But here are a few tips I can share about learning to roll your boat.

1. Be flexible. I was convinced I needed to learn a sweep roll, and I failed miserably for several hours at a few pool sessions. Finally, a new acquaintance suggested I try the C-to-C roll, and I got it on my first attempt (if you count rolling with such power that I rolled right over and back under before righting myself on the second try with a little less force).
2. Learn in the pool. For most of us, it's winter and that means water temperatures slightly above the freezing mark.The pool is a safe, warm and calm place to try new maneuvers.
3. Join a paddling group. I haven't formally joined, but the Keelhaulers are a great group of boaters who advocate for paddlers locally and arrange a multitude of pool sessions to keep us sharp in the winter and facilitate instruction for new boaters.
4. Don't get discouraged. It's easy for a few failures at a pool session to chip away at your passion for the water. Keep at it. You'll get that sought-after skill, whether rolling or boofing, with practice.
5. Keep your head down! This applies mostly if you're learning to roll.

Happy paddling!

"Snow Brings the Flow"

The upper Cuyahoga River as it runs through Kent, Ohio, proved enticing this weekend as melting snow raised the water levels to create some mildly challenging yet fun obstacles.

Check out the video to see a few spots of the river between Fairchild Avenue and Stow Street. Sadly data for the USGS water-level gauges has been unavailable for the upper Cuyahoga River the past few days, so I can't say what the stream flow was at. I'm awaiting delivery of a new drysuit this week, and I'm hopeful I can get out on the water if temperatures continue to cooperate and stay in the mid-40s. If so, stay tuned for more video.