To further the enjoyment, knowledge and safety of kayaking by providing training and a wide variety of trips and social events to our members and ...
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To further the enjoyment, knowledge and safety of kayaking by
providing training and a wide variety of trips and social events
to our members and the general public
Newsletter April 2013
NEXT CLUB MEETING: Tuesday, April 16th, 2013
At the Bellingham Public Library - Lower level
7pm - Social time
7:30pm - Presentation begins
This month's Speaker:
Sterling Donalson, owner of Sterling Kayaks and Fiberglass
Sterling designed the Ice Kap and Illusion kayaks and then, along with Reg Lake designed the Grand
Illusion, Reflection and Progression kayaks. Last year the "Reflection" won Canoe & Kayaks
"2012 Gear of the Year Award."
Sterling is well known for his ability to combine technical data with new composite materials to
create high performance strong-lite kayaks. He has lectured at WWU's technology department,
been a speaker at numerous kayak symposiums teaching quick and easy field repairs and
what combinations make a quality kayak lay-up.
Sterling has the pleasure of being part of a unique group of paddlers dedicated to the improvement of
quality of performance and construction. There is such an abundance of knowledge in our area, Reg
Lake, Brandon Nelson, The Hurricane Riders and our paddling community all have contributed in
making Sterling's kayak adventure possible.
Always open to listening to paddlers needs and experiences, Sterling translate these insights into
workable changes to improve performance and quality. He brings his lifetime goal of creating
quality to his business, this statement sums it up "Always creating the best kayak available, always
exploring the options to build the next best kayak."
Sterling's presentation is controlled by what the audience would like to hear about, repairs, kayak
construction, etc. He opens with "I only want to talk about what you want to hear about, do you
have any questions about field repairs, boat design, repairs or maintenance, materials in kayak
construction....
Every time he does this, the class is fully engaged for however long he has to speak.
So come with your kayak questions.....
Sterling Donalson
In This Issue
WAKE 2013
Demo Day DEMO DAY and GEAR SWAP
Gear Swap
Announcement
March Club Meeting
Review
Ski to Sea Kayak It's that time of year again!
Training Are you looking for that "great deal" on sea kayaking gear? Are you
interested in seeing and trying out new boat designs? Do you want to try
Members Helping out a used boat that catches your eye? Are you hunting for a boat for
Members Training the Ski-to-Sea race? Do you have kayaking gear you'd like to sell? Or,
do you just want to talk about boats with paddling enthusiasts?
Blazing Paddles
Event If the answer is "YES" to any of these questions...
Come to our
WAKE Calendar
Bloedel Donovan Park on May 4th, 10 am - 5 pm.
*Volunteers* The event is open to the public!
*Needed*
for
Demo Day
Gear Swap
The success of our
biggest community
event depends on
YOU!
Saturday, May 4th
Sign up to help when
you can.
Demo-Day and Gear Swap
We need help with:
*Set up
*Gear Swap Time to evaluate your gear and seriously consider the gear you
*Beach Front have, the gear you need and the gear you want to learn more
*Wristband Table about and possibly include in your repertoire.
*Membership Sign Up
*Take Down Local and regional shops, manufacturers, and kayak
representatives will be there to eagerly show you their wares. The
Contact Barb cost is only $5 to try out all boats on the water.
to sign up
for a 2 hour block or
more! If you are interested in selling your gear, the drop off time for sale
items is 8amto 10am. Sales of used boats and equipment will be
Barb@wakekayak.org
handled by WAKE for a 10% (not to exceed $200) commission.
WAKE Calendar of
Events and Paddles
March Club Meeting Review:
WAKE takes the Inside Passage
Here is your link to the Thirty WAKE members showed up for
latest updated club the WAKE club meeting March 18 at
calendar.
the Bellingham Library and for a spell-
Make sure to plan for the binding slide-ride through the fabled Inside
upcoming club events! Passage. But business first: WAKE
president Helene Irving reminded
www.wakekayak.org members of Demo Day, Saturday, May
4. Volunteers are needed. Also the
WAKE Symposium on Father's Day,
June 16, where members can renew old skills and learn new ones. Ray
Bailey asked for volunteers to be safety kayakers for the Ski-to-Sea
race. The safety team will have rescue practice sessions prior to the
race. Ray is also organizing this season's Members Helping
Members sessions, which he said will probably be on Thursdays after
work. The WAKE librarian reported that WAKE has recently acquired
an extensive collection of kayaking books and back issues of Sea Kayaker
ma ga zine . These materials, along with the other items in the
library, are available to members and will eventually be listed on
the site.
Helene introduced the presenters, Susan Conrad , an ACA certified
instructor and nationally-certified personal fitness trainer, and Ben Wells ,
an attorney and all-around adventurer for whom kayaking is one of many
sports interests. Susan also holds an ACA Open Water Coastal
Certification (Level 4), and gave a memorable talk to WAKE two years
ago about her 66-day solo paddle from Washington Park, Anacortes, to
Juneau Alaska in 2010. It was a great kayak story, full of hardships,
endurance and gritty determination, a delight for those of us who love that
genre.
The presentation opened with evocative music and gorgeous beaches,
sunsets, seascapes and kayaks--a sort of overture. Susan and Ben used
projections of charts accompanied by stunning photos, to trace their
journey along the Inside Passage, from Port Hardy to Bella Bella, 150
statute miles. After ferrying to Vancouver Island, they drove to Port
Hardy, where their put-in was marred by mishap, as Ben dumped during a
risky seal launch from a dock. The weather also proved to be dicey, and
they crossed Queen Charlotte Strait, a busy shipping channel, in heavy
fog. The wind and current pushed them off course, and they nearly
missed the south end of Deserters Island, the last island group in the strait's
channel and an important navigation marker.
Click here for the rest of their story.....
Ski to Sea Kayak Rescue Training
Thursdays, May 16th and 23rd!
Two training sessions are scheduled for Ski to Sea safety kayakers.
These training will help get our kayak volunteers ready for the
excitement of race day.
Come be rescued! Many volunteers will be needed to help our fearless
volunteers be ready for whatever may happen during the
kayak leg of Ski to Sea.
Training Sessions are on Thursdays, May 16th and 23rd.
For more information contact Jeff Irving
jeff.irving@mac.com
Members Helping Members!
Wednesday, April 24th, 5:30pm
It's MHM time again!
Hey all you Club paddlers. It's time to WAKE up and get your boats
dusted off. Spring is here. I know because I've had to mow my lawn
three times already.
In anticipation of the warmer weather ahead, we are going to have a
Members helping Members session on April 24th beginning at
around 5:30PM. We will launch at the Community Boating Center
boat launch and paddle a short ways to a protected beach where we
will start off by practicing our wet exits, then self and assisted rescues.
Some of us have recently had some formal training in these skills and
would love to pass on the information to our fellow Club members.
Remember, these are not formal training sessions by certified instructors,
but simply members helping other members to practice and improve their
skills.
And as I indicated above we are definitely going to be getting wet. So
bring your immersion gear. Drysuits are preferred. But fleece under a
paddle jacket and rain pants work great too!
Please
R(repondez)S(sil)V(vous)P(plais) if you plan to attend to:
Ray Bailey
baileyray@msn.com
384-4901
Dont' Miss Blazing Paddles...
A Celebration of Paddlesports Around the World
It's WET, it's WILD, it's BLAZING PADDLES!
Paddle4Ever,
in conjunction with
Washington Water Trails Association
will be hosting this first annual event featuring
a select and diverse group of films from the
Reel Paddling Film Festival
June 6, 2013, at the historic Lincoln Theatre in Mount Vernon,
from 7-10 p.m.
Rapid Media's 8th annual Reel Paddling Film Festival showcases the
world's best paddling films to audiences in the United States, Canada, and
around the world. The festival inspires people to explore rivers, lakes and
oceans, push physical and emotional extremes, embrace the lifestyle and
appreciate the heritage of the wild places we paddle. The films will cover
action, documentary and environmental categories featuring sea kayaking,
whitewater kayaking canoeing, rafting, stand up paddle boarding and other
paddling-related footage.
This will be an evening full of high quality films with a common
element-having fun on or in the water. Combining silliness, insight, humor,
tragedy, drama and passion with fast-paced action, incredible scenery and
culture this film festival will take you around the globe, and for only $12
you can ride shotgun along for the action!
Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at the door the night of the
event. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Show starts promptly at 7 p.m. Your
ticket will automatically enter you into the door prize drawings. Beer, wine
and snacks will be available for purchase at the theatre.
A portion of the
proceeds will go to Washington Water Trails , a non-profit organization
dedicated to the recreational use and environmental stewardship of
Washington State waterways. We hope you will join us in this visual
paddlesports feast and celebration of human powered watercraft.
WAKE 2013 Summer Calendar is here!
Download it, print it, post it! Sign up for paddling and training fun!
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