TSCKA 2002 WINTER CALENDAR

Winter 2001-'02 Club Newsletter    

Note
from the Editor:  

Winter (and winter camping season) is upon us.  Yes, we are a kayak club, but many of our members just can't stay indoors through the long cold Minnesota winters.  Though paddling Lake Superior during the winter is possible (and some of us are exploring new possibilities in winter paddling), most club members opt to pursue other outdoor opportunities when the snow starts to fall.   

Snowshoe camping trips into the Boundary Waters have become increasingly popular in the club over the last several years.  We have evolved from the use of small backpacking tents to larger wood-stove-heated tents.  These toasty dwellings allow us to dry wet gear and hang out in shirtsleeves until late in the evening, rather than retreating into sleeping bags soon after supper.  Mornings are
unspeakably more pleasant as well.  One person sticks on arm out of their bag to light the stove and within minutes we can emerge from our cocoons without the usual cold shock.  The tents are constructed of a variety of materials, including Egyptian cotton, cotton canvas and parachute nylon.  The stoves are made of titanium or stainless steel and have stovepipes that extend out through a heat resistant panel in the tent wall.   The tents and stoves add a bit to the weight of our sleds, but the ability to warm ourselves for several hours  each day significantly reduces
the amount of food we need to haul along to keep warm and makes the whole winter camping experience immeasurably more pleasurable.   

I have recently acquired an ultra-light heated tent constructed of silicone-impregnated parachute nylon.   The stove and stovepipe are lightweight stainless steel and collapse down into a compact carry case.  Both the tent and stove will easily fit in my kayak and my mind is  swirling with
ideas for early and late season paddling trips on Superior.  I will keep you posted of further developments.  

As always, I welcome feedback, articles, poems and anything else related to sea kayaking or the outdoors.  Don’t hesitate to call me at (612) 823-1272 or e-mail me at brock.hunter@justice.com with any ideas, questions, or concerns.   

Brock Hunter  

Club
News:  

If you are interesting in exploring the possibilities of winter camping touched upon above, join us on one of our trips.  We will have at least one heated tent on each trip.  Participants will be encouraged to bring their own backpacking-style tent to sleep in, but will be welcomed into the heated tents to cook and socialize.  Check the calendar for dates and contacts.   

Board
News:  

Board elections will occur at the Winter Party on January 26.  As noted in the last newsletter,
Sarah Ohmann is not planning to run for reelection.  We have not yet received any nominations for someone to replace her.  Please contact me (Brock Hunter)
at (612) 823-1272 by January 15 to nominate a fellow paddler or even yourself for the slot.  Serving on the Board is a great opportunity to make new friends and help the club continue its evolution in new, exciting directions.  

Club-Sponsored
Skills Workshops:  

Don’t let the off-season dull your skills .  Sharpen them instead.  TCSKA sponsors pool sessions through the winter, allowing members to work on their bracing, self-rescue and rolling skills.  Never rolled?  A clean, clear, heated pool is the best place to learn!  Be ready to tackle new challenges when the weather warms up.  We have been forced to find a new pool to play in this winter.  The Brooklyn Community Center pool is closed for renovations.  Sarah Ohmann has discovered a great alternative site, though.  Northview
Junior High in Brooklyn Center has generously offered us the use of their facilities.  Sarah tells me it is
slightly smaller then our old site, but is very nice and easily accessible. Pool sessions are scheduled throughout the Winter.  Check your  calendar.  

Gear
for Sale:  

1. Kokatat Gore-Dura Drysuit, size XL, great condition (used one season), relief zipper, reinforced seat and knees, Colors - Mango/Cobalt, $350 (purchased new for  $725, and listed in the last newsletter for $399).  Contact Brock Hunter at (612) 823-6529. (It's December and the lakes aren't even frozen yet.  You could be out there paddling if you had this drysuit.)  

TCSKA 2001-'02 Winter Calendar  

How
to sign up for a trip:  

v     
Remember to check the trip distances to see if they are within your range.  If you are unsure about a Check the trip rating system at the end of the newsletter to see what skills are required for a trip. 
Please requirement, please talk to the organizer about it.   

v      Contact
the trip organizer to sign up for the trip and get more specific information about meeting time and place.  

v      Official
club trips have “TCSKA” next to the date and generally require participants to be members of TCSKA and are covered by ACA and club guidelines.  Non-official trips and events are not sanctioned by the ACA or TCSKA, and membership is not required.    

Jan. 1

New Year’s Day Paddle:  Meet at noon at Hidden Falls.  We will demonstrate what hardy souls we are by paddling up to the just below the Ford dam.  Potluck lunch.  Chili and/or hot soup and/or hot chocolate especially welcome. Cookies are fine too.  Actually any food item is
fine.  Anyone having firewood, please bring a bag full to contribute to the fire.  For more information, call Adrienne Madson at 952.955.1897.     

Jan. 13

Pool Session: 4:30-6:30pm at
Northview Junior High (69th and Zane Ave, Brooklyn Center). Cost $10. To sign up, call Sarah at 612-789-2338.  

Jan. 18-21

Winter Camping in BWCA. Snowshoeing
and heated tents in the Boundary Waters. For more information call Sarah at 612-789-2338.  

Jan. 26

Annual Party:  This
year we will all get together at Julie Neubauer’s house for our annual potluck party and slide show.  You are encouraged to bring pictures and/or slides of all the great paddling you did this past season.  For directions and more information, call Julie at 651.784.1154.   

Feb. 10

Pool Session: 4:30-6:30pm at
Northview Junior High (69th and Zane Ave, Brooklyn Center). Cost $10. To sign up, call Sarah at 612-789-2338.  

Feb 15-18

Winter Camping in BWCA. Snowshoeing
and heated tents in the Boundary Waters. For more information call Sarah at 612-789-2338.  

Mar. 10

Pool Session: 4:30-6:30pm at
Northview Junior High (69th and Zane Ave, Brooklyn Center). Cost $10. To sign up, call Sarah at 612-789-2338.            

Club
Guidelines for Official Club Trips and Activities:  

Individual
Equipment Required for Club Trips Rated Level II or higher and Great Lakes or Ocean Paddling:

r  Sea worthy Sea Kayak with floatation bags or watertight bulkheads – preferably 16 feet or greater in length

r  Spray Skirt

r  Personal Floatation Device (PFD) with whistle – PFD’s must be worn at all times on club trips

r  Paddle Float

r  Bilge Pump

r  Map/Chart and Compass – required on Great Lakes and Ocean Trips

r  Wet Suit or Dry Suit for all Superior trips

r  Waterproof Flashlight or Headlamp for night paddling  

Recommended Group
and Individual Equipment for Club Trips Rated Level II or Higher and Great Lakes or Ocean Paddling:

r  Water bottle and food within reach of the cockpit (energy gel, power bars, etc.)

r  Tow line for towing tired or injured paddlers

r  First Aid kit

r  VHF Radio

r  Repair Kit for Kayak and other important equipment

r  Sunscreen

r  Sun Glasses

r  Extra food to allow for waiting out bad weather

r  Extra clothes, sleeping bag, tent or bivy sack – even for day trips; in case of bad weather

r  Paddle leash and/or spare paddle

r  Strobe light and/or reflective tape on PFD

r  Flares and signal mirror – required on Great Lakes and Ocean Trips

r  Way-cool dork-hat for shade or warmth

r  Helmet for surfing  

Skill
Requirements for Club Trips:

Each
club trip differs in the kayak skills that will be required for participants to have a safe and enjoyable experience. 
Skills required for a club trip are determined by the trip organizer and/or the TCSKA Board using the following lists as a general guide only.  Participants are expected to self-assess their abilities and take responsibility for themselves on club trips.  Trip organizers help organize trip logistics and coordinate club activities – do not expect them to act as guides on trips!  Note also that the focus on the rating systems requirements is on skills rather than on the number of years of experience in kayaking.  a paddler with ten years of experience would still be qualified only for SK I trips if they had not developed, for example, reliable self-rescue skills.

Level I:  No
previous paddling experience is required for club trips with a level I rating.  Examples would include
club-sponsored skill sessions on inland lakes and winter pool sessions.  Level I trips or skill sessions will be used to help new paddlers develop the necessary skills to participate in more advanced trips.  Level I trips will be
limited to sheltered waters and short distances with few significant hazards.  

Level II: 
Level II trips may include less sheltered open water paddles and longer distances.  Participants are expected to have a working knowledge of kayak paddle strokes and braces.  They also must be able to demonstrate a self-rescue technique such as a paddle-float rescue and have experience using at least one assisted rescue such as a T-rescue or rafting-up.  a trip organizer may require a demonstration of both a self-rescue and assisted-rescue before allowing a paddler to come on a Level II or higher rated trip.  Participants are also expected to have a working knowledge of basic navigational skills such as using a chart and compass, and basic knowledge of the effects of weather on paddling conditions and how to obtain marine forecasts prior to starting a trip.  It is assumed that participants
can maintain a reasonable pace for trips of up to ten miles per day in good weather.    

Level III:  Level III trips may include open water paddling in challenging conditions and longer trip distances.  On Level III trips, participants should have well developed paddle stroke and bracing skills.  Participants should not only have good high and low bracing skills, but should be working on a strong sculling brace and learning to eskimo roll.  Paddlers should be comfortable
paddling in higher winds (over 15 knots) and traveling in waves of 2-3 feet.  They should be comfortable
launching and landing in moderate surf when breaking waves are 3 feet or less.  Participants in Level III trips
should have a good working knowledge of navigation including strong piloting and dead reckoning skills.  On Level III trips participants should have the endurance to paddle up to 20 miles per day in good weather with a fast, efficient forward paddle stroke.  

Level IV:  Level
IV trips may include open water paddling in very challenging conditions over long distances.  Participants should
have very strong paddling and bracing skills, be comfortable paddling in rough conditions (waves 4 feet or greater and winds up to 30 knots), have mastered group and self-rescue techniques, developed a reliable eskimo roll (preferably on both sides).  Participants should
also be comfortable with landing in larger surf with 3-6 foot waves.  As a rule, trip organizers would avoid setting out to paddle in the above conditions, but, for example, a late-Fall trip on Lake Superior might be rated a Level III-Level IV rather than a Level III in recognition of the greater chance of running into sudden Fall storms.