Rubber or breathable?

[SeaDooDavid]

I also have a step arrangement at the stern to aid quick and easy re-entry.

would like to see that

 

I had an ex like that I think ha ha

 

SDD~~~~

[SeaDooDavid]

quite right marra sound advice .

 

Cheers Martin

 

I am itching at the thought of a pike meet up here (or elsewhere actually )

 

Would be great to meet up and chew some Woodalls sausage (god, I think only me and you may understand that Marra ha ha )

 

I may need to go and get some practice as someone told me yesterday that they caught a 27lb pike last weekend from W/mere!!! Fancy some of that???

 

SDD~~~~~~

[Moonyaker]

I remember being sat upon Chesil Beach one winters evening about 15 years ago. There was a light breeze blowing onto the shore from the south west. The sea was relatively calm, waves just breaking with a slap and crash and retreating with a hissing scour as they went with the shingle in their grasp. The sky was black, starless, moonless and overcast.

 

As usual, we had set up towards the rear of the second shelf of shingle, a prudent distance from the sea which we could only hear. The parafin pressure lamps gave a comforting roar and a bright curtain of light spread around our brollies within which we felt warm and secure. Pout tugged away at our ragworm baits nudging the starlights at the tips of the rods and all seemed well with the world.

 

All we heard was a change of tone as suddenly the first of three waves flooded into our camp. Fortunately, I had enough presence of mind to pick up the pressure lamp, as did my mate and we stood there almost knee deep in surf as our tackle boxes floated around us and the noise of retreating shingle deafened. We were able to grab the floating boxes and little was actually lost bar our shattered nerves. We even managed to save some ragworm as they floated away on a raft of newspaper and vermiculite. It is amazing how clearly you can think in a crisis.

 

After these three freak waves, the sea settled back into its comforting rhythm a good distance away, but I have never trusted it again..........

 

We do not know where these waves came from; some have suggested that an earth tremor or an oil tanker could have been the cause.......but we will never know.

 

However, as that great prophet Gump did say..........'**** happens'........and you had better be prepared for it...if you can.

 

Moonyaker

[Martin Hurst]

bloody hell that was a good read.

[Nicepix]

I also have a step arrangement at the stern to aid quick and easy re-entry.

would like to see that

 

It's basically a 10" piece of plastic pipe threaded through a loop of rope hung from the stern carrying handle. The pipe keeps the loop open allowing a foot to be placed in it. It means that you can use leg power to clamber aboard rather than relying on your arms and on gripping the slippy hull. I did a few practise sessions last summer and it worked a treat. The pipe can be loosly fastened to the carrying handle with a couple of turns of florists wire or left to dangle when on th water.

[Nicepix]

Marvin, It's interesting to read about your experiences when windsurfing. One of the reasons I am swayed towards a wetsuit is down to watching the local windsurfers fall off, get back on, fall off, get back on.... and so on all afternoon. They don't seem to mind the occassional dunking and it certainly does not stop them carrying on.

 

I don't know what the 'Farmer Johns' are like at Decathalon until I find time to get over there and I'll bear in mind what you say about the surface finish and zip.

[Starvinmarvin]

All wetsuits are not equal, the suit that I used for windsurfing was a Neil Pryde Steamer, this was the most comfortable suit and warmest suit that I've ever used, mainly due to the increadibly soft and flexible neoprene used in all the right places, I have used it on the kayak but it rubs a little under the arm pits, well it's not what it's designed for is it.

 

Cost of the suit £275 and that was 5 years ago... probably doesn't fit anymore, believe it or not they have a habit of shrinking if not used regularly... seriously, not much I grant you, but enough to make them uncomfortable, especially around the nads

 

SM

[paintfly]

It's basically a 10" piece of plastic pipe threaded through a loop of rope hung from the stern carrying handle. The pipe keeps the loop open allowing a foot to be placed in it. It means that you can use leg power to clamber aboard rather than relying on your arms and on gripping the slippy hull. I did a few practise sessions last summer and it worked a treat. The pipe can be loosly fastened to the carrying handle with a couple of turns of florists wire or left to dangle when on th water.

I would have thought it'd be much easier to re-enter from the side/seating area and not have to clamber over crates, fishing rods and whatever else lies between the stern and the seat.

[nigel267]

Cheers Martin

 

I am itching at the thought of a pike meet up here (or elsewhere actually )

 

SDD~~~~~~

 

Count me in especially if we get Snecklifter with the sausage

[Nicepix]

I would have thought it'd be much easier to re-enter from the side/seating area and not have to clamber over crates, fishing rods and whatever else lies between the stern and the seat.

 

The only things between the stern and the seat are one or two rods that can easily be removed from their holders. My luggage rack is at the pointy end of the yak. When I played at survival tactics I found it easier to use the styrrup on the stern and then leap frog forrad. Also, there's no chance of it tipping over as can feasibly happen when you put all your weight on one side. I know it might not happen, but it is a real fear of mine.