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community weblog - [ Watersports ]

10 Tips for Choosing Marine Stereos

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Chooseand install wisely, or your new marine stereo probably won't last long.Take these 10 tips for choosing marine stereos to heart, or there’s a good chance that the expensive sound system you install on your boat will soon be croaking instead of crooning.

1. Never buy anything that says “marinized.” This is code for saying it’s an automotive system with a spray-coated circuit-board, which is being marketed to boaters. Chances are it won’t last long in the marine environment.

2. Mount the head unit belowdecks whenever possible. Then put a waterproof remote at the dash. That will extend the life of the stereo significantly, even though the remote may need replacement every season or two.

3. Look for IPX ratings. Even if your stereo is mounted belowdecks, the moist marine environment will soon take a toll. Stereos with an IPX rating of at least 6 (tested with blasts of pressurized water) are a must. An IPX rating of 7 (which requires test units to be submerged for up to 30 minutes at a depth of one meter) is even better.  more...



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Outside Magazine Awards Boat of the Year to Sterling Kayaks. Wait, who?

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TSterling Kayaks Logohere is a bit of an upset at the Outside Magazine Gear of the Year awards this year. Rather then awarding the best boat category to one of the major players (Confluence, Johnson, etc.) Outside gave the honours to the Sterling Reflection.

Haven’t heard of Steling Kayaks you say? I don’t blame you as not many have. Right now they are a small hidden secret amongst some rough-water paddlers on the West Coast of North America. Think of the Sterling Reflection as the cool hip band that your teenage nephew saw in concert nine months before they became popular.  more...



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Adventure Technology Gives Back to Paddling Industry with 2012 Sponsorships

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Since they first came on the scene in 1993, Adventure Technology (AT) paddles have been redefining ergonomic paddle design and construction technology, all while gaining fans in every corner of the market. For 2012, AT is ready to give back to the industry with a number of national sponsorships and donations.

"The soul of Adventure Technology is in its name," said Hastings Blumer, assistant product manager for Adventure Technology. "We strive to provide the best paddle technology to those in the endless pursuit of adventure on the water. For 2012, we selected a lineup of sponsorships that reflect these values and are proud to support each of these organizations, events, expeditions, and individuals."  more...



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Signs of a great time on the Great Lakes: New markers show way along water trails

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The water trails along Michigan's Thumb provide breathtaking views, such as this rock formation 2 miles east of Port Austin.Nobody will ever mistake Lake Huron for a pond.

Paddlers have known that for the last 8,000 years.

"You need to keep a weather eye, because it can change in a hurry," said Dana Cornett, owner of Kayak Corral in Saline, who knows the lake and its moods.

To help paddlers along, the Tip of the Thumb Heritage Water Trail now is fully marked for 122 miles of Lake Huron shoreline spanning Sanilac, Huron and Tuscola counties.   more...



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U.S. waterways crackdown makes waves with boaters

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Local boaters and paddlers are frustrated by the spectre of another crackdown by U.S. customs officials, who are calling on them to phone in should they plan to cross into U.S. waters.

In the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorists attacks, get-tough rules on boaters called for more documentation and notification prior to crossing the border of the Detroit River and Great Lakes waterways.

The past couple of years, the rules have been somewhat more relaxed as recreational boaters believed they could go back and forth into U.S. waters for fishing, paddling or travelling without first calling U.S. border authorities - as long as they did not touch down on shore, anchor or come into contact with an American boat.



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Sailing On Ice? Yeah, That's A Sport.

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 Come Sail Away: Retired high school science teacher — and adrenaline junkie — Andy Sajor rides his ice boat on a frozen Lake Champlain in New York. Perfect ice sailing conditions call for cold temperatures, a strong breeze and a thick sheet of ice — but not too much snow.


The minute I learned that ice sailing was an actual sport, I wanted to give it a try. I watched YouTube videos of wooden boats with big white sails zooming across the ice on steel runners. It seemed like such a rush: Imagine racing over a frozen lake on a wind-powered sled, hitting speeds that top 40 miles an hour.

So I was delighted when Andy Sajor, of Plattsburgh, N.Y., offered to let me hitch a ride over an icy Lake Champlain. The 13th largest lake in the country, Champlain sits between upstate New York and Vermont and has emerged as one of the best ice sailing venues in the U.S.

We meet at Chazy Landing on the New York side of Lake Champlain, 12 miles from the Canadian border. It's bright and windy. The ice stretches for miles, dotted by camps of shanties set up by ice fisherman. I'm bundled up in four layers of winter clothing. Sajor hands me a crash helmet and ski goggles.  more...



Sailing  SNOW  Watersports  Wind  

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I Want Your Outdoor Job: Bryan Hansel, Professional Photographer and Kayak Guide

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Bryan Hansel. Photo Credit: Bryan Hansel

Bryan Hansel is a busy guy working in the outdoor industry. He is a professional photographer and kayak guide living in the small, quirky tourist town of Grand Marais, Minnesota which is on the northshore of Lake Superior. He tells the world about his adventures by writing for several outdoor magazines and through his blog, paddlinglight.com.

After guiding for several years, this year he decided to start North Shore Expeditions which offers both day tours and multi-day kayak trips on Lake Superior.  more...



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Falling overboard

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Boating in cold weather can be the beginning of tragedy — if you are not prepared. I learned this the hard way on an Ozark river several winters ago. We were “roughing it” by fishing the cold water and camping on sandbars at night.

The second morning of the trip promised to be a beautiful one with a light coating of new snow and ice on cliffs that bordered the scenic river. I was clicking pictures of a beautiful ice formation when the canoe just in front of us had an accident. The man in front of the ill-fated canoe ducked under over-hanging limbs heavy with ice. He made it, but the second man panicked and grabbed the branch.

A combination of him holding the limb and the river current made the canoe go sideways and tip. River water came over the side, quickly filling and sinking the canoe. Both men helplessly floated down the river current with only their life jackets to thank for keeping them floating. We paddled quickly to catch them, but suddenly one of the men drifted into a huge brush pile and his head tipped under the surface. He was an older man and too weak to pull himself up. more...


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GREAT LAKES: Anglers best to stick to protected areas

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Warm daytime temperatures have eroded ice this week on an already unstable Green Bay system, and anglers are urged to stick to protected bays and harbors or stop at bayside bait and tackle shops for the latest updates on offshore areas to avoid.On Tuesday, fishermen were reporting 5 to 10 inches of ice in many areas, including along the east shore and on up to southern Door County. However, there is a large section of open water, some very thin areas that recently froze over and numerous cracks to be aware of.  more...


Fishing  SNOW  Watersports  

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Through The Blue

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Sara and Jeff / Lake Michigan

In August of 2012 (around the 15th – 17th, depending on weather conditions), we’ll be crossing Lake Michigan at its midpoint. Straight across, this is a 50 mile swim… an ultra-marathon swim. With current and wind and the ever-changing, unpredictable weather on the lake, the likelihood is we’ll swim between 55 and 60 miles when we step on the beach in Ludington, Michigan.

We’ll get in the water before the sunrises in Two Rivers, Wisconsin and start our approximately 30-35 hour journey. A support boat (or two) will lead the way with a captain, first mate and several other crew members. These crew members will be our lifeline. They will feed us and keep us motivated and guide us through the trip. Crew members will rotate shifts in a small boat that will trail the main boat. Feeding is easier from the smaller boat due to the height of the main boat and the safety of being far from the motors and shifting nature of the larger vessel.

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Through The Blue

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ERyan and Ericarica Karmeisool is a life-long resident of Michigan, currently living in Ludington. Her family introduced her to sailing at a young age, which has equipped her with an immense respect for the great lakes through years of sailboat racing and deliveries. While attending Michigan State University, she played rugby and studied graphic design and sculpture, earning her BFA in 2002. Since then, Erica has worked as a project manger at the intersection of social and artistic problem solving. She will be working on a new maritime project and training for her next triathlon while assisting Team Tow this summer.   more...


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Ice Climbing in Pure Michigan

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February’s page of the 2012 Pure Michigan calendar features a photo of an ice climber scaling a frozen waterfall in Munising, one of the state’s most popular destinations for the activity. Garrett Peabody, owner of Peabody Ice Climbing Club in Fenton, shares some insights into this exciting sport and why Michigan is such a popular destination for it.

Q: How does somebody get started with ice climbing?

A: Ice climbing is a lot like rock climbing with respect to movement and belay systems. Understanding those concepts helps when getting started, though they can be learned quickly. Climbing outdoors or in a climbing gym is a great place to practice those skills in a controlled environment. That said, ice climbing requires additional considerations because of conditions and needed equipment.  more....



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Canoe and Kayak Rescue Practice – The Forgotten Little Details

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GCaptain had a great article yesterday called, Emergencies at Sea – Practicing What Can’t be Practiced. The takeaway message from the article is that it’s critically important not to forget the little details of any rescue and practice them as well. This also includes inspection of all emergency gear. A good example they provide is to actually pull the man overboard life ring from the wall and toss it overboard. Apparently the rings are difficult to get off the wall as they are designed not to get lost in the daily business of the ship and it takes more time then people think.  more...


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Nothing Says Closeness like Paddlers Hanging out in a Bothy Bag Emergency Shelter

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Bothy Bag by Brooks Range

If a bothy bag isn’t part of your gear kit yet, you should consider adding this ultra-lightweight emergency shelter to it pronto. I’m a huge fan of them and it’s easily one of the top three pieces of gear that I own.

Basically a bothy bag is a nylon sheet cut to easily wrap around you and your friends while you sit on the ground. It cuts the wind and on a cool day warms everybody up with the body heat of the people inside.  more...



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The Fat Paddler will inspire you to get out there and get back in Shape

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The Fat Paddler Cover

Over the years I have met people who tell me how much paddling has changed their life in one way or another but it isn’t often that you find somebody who can truly say that kayaking saved their life. Well, now you can add author and friend of this site, Sean Smith to that short list.

To get the full story you are going to need to pick up his recently released autobiography, The Fat Paddler in which Sean tells the very inspiring story of recovery which includes not one but two severe motor vehicle accidents, the 2002 Bali bombing (which he was a witness to), post-traumatic shock, extreme weight gain, and depression. The Fat Paddler hides behind nothing and it’s a very honest account of his adult life and how he dealt with those struggles.  more...



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