With winter quickly fading and the inland waters starting to open up, there has been a definite uptick of interest from those looking to get into a surfski this summer. Among the positives from COVID-19, has been the increased interest in outdoor recreation. Bikes and boats were hard to come by last season, and the […]
A Brain Dump of Downwind Thoughts and Theories
The volume and quality of downwind video is growing exponentially, but it seems that the amount of detailed writing about the subject remains limited. Sitting down to write this blog, I can see why. It is really hard to articulate the blend of art and science that is downwind paddling. I’ve been blogging for the […]
A Very Cold Virtual Chattajack
A group of hard core Northern Michigan paddlers decided to organize for a “Virtual Chattajack” this year. I was fortunate enough to get the blow by blow details from a great friend and fellow paddler Billy Bellinger. Below is his story, broken down into 4 parts. I wanted to share this not only because it […]
One Year Paddle Calendar
I’ve always been curious to see what a one year view of my paddling looks like mapped out on a calendar. Finally with COVID-19 quarantine in effect, I’ve had the extra time to put it together. Winter paddling may not be for everyone, and it is certainly not without risks, but this past year has […]
A Formula for Optimal Downwind: (Wind Speed / Wave Height) + Current
Over the last year, as I’ve spoke with other paddlers and started paying a lot of attention to my own paddles, I’ve started forming a theory for what makes some downwind days harder than others. Ultimately, I’ve found it comes down to a simple formula of: (Wind Speed / Wave Height) + Current. Let me […]