The holidays sure are upon us! And today being “Cyber Monday” you can be sure that all of our sponsors are going to be offering some great buys on kayak, canoe and paddling gear.

So be sure to check out our shopping pages to take advantage of some of these great buys!

• Click here to browse kayaks and canoes
• Click here to browse kayak and canoe paddles
• Click here to browse kayak and canoe car roof racks and storage systems
• Click here to browse kayak and canoe gear and equipment
• Click here to browse paddling, kayak and canoe clothing
• Click here to browse paddling, kayak and canoe gear just for kids
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Good luck shopping! We hope you get great deals on just the paddling gear you want!

A tool to take along on kayak, canoe, paddle, boat, hiking, backpacking and other adventure trips that could save your life.

We found this story on line from the St. Petersburg Times (FL) about a kayaker who used the new SPOT satellite messaging device to get himself rescued from a bad situation.

“When sea kayaker Derek Crook set out to circumnavigate Tasmania earlier this year, the Canadian adventurer knew the dangers involved. Midway through his 36-day expedition, a rouge wave flipped his kayak and left him fighting for his life on an offshore reef.

Luckily, Crook was able to grab hold of his kayak and trigger a small, handheld satellite messaging device that transmitted his Global Positioning System coordinates to authorities on the mainland…”

SPOT is not only a great idea for all boaters and paddlers, but also for hikers, backpackers, mountain climbers and anyone who tends to venture off the beaten path. SPOT lives on when cell phones die! The device weighs just 7 ounces and includes the following features:

• Ask for help: Request help from friends and family at your exact location.
• Check in: Let contacts know where you are and that you’re okay.
• Track progress: Send and save your location and allow contacts to track your progress using Google Mapsâ„¢.
• Alert 9-1-1: Dispatch emergency responders to your exact location.

If you’re looking for a holiday gift for your favorite kayaker, you’ll hit a home run with SPOT.

Bass Pro Shops carry SPOT Satellite Messenger Personal Tracker and SPOT accessories, click here to learn more about SPOT.

***Take advantage of a $50 rebate when you purchase SPOT between now and December 31, 2008. Click here for more details.

Here’s the whole story from the St. Pete Times, or click here to read it on line:

(reprinted courtesy of the St. Petersburg Times and TampaBay.com)

Satellite tracking device delivers help in an emergency or sends a jab to those schmoes at the office

By Terry Tomalin, Times Outdoors Editor

When sea kayaker Derek Crook set out to circumnavigate Tasmania earlier this year, the Canadian adventurer knew the dangers involved. Midway through his 36-day expedition, a rouge wave flipped his kayak and left him fighting for his life on an offshore reef.

Luckily, Crook was able to grab hold of his kayak and trigger a small, handheld satellite messaging device that transmitted his Global Positioning System coordinates to authorities on the mainland. He was plucked from the water by locals as a helicopter arrived. Suffering from hypothermia, Crook was transported by air to the nearest hospital by paramedics. Without that immediate medical care, Crook is convinced he would have died.

A lifesaver

The National Association for Search and Rescue estimates that more than 50,000 search-and-rescue missions are initiated each year. These missions involve everything from U.S. Coast Guard helicopters searching for overdue boaters to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers in four-wheel drive vehicles scouring state forests for lost hunters. The Satellite Personal Tracker (SPOT) system removes the guesswork by providing GPS coordinates to narrow the location to within 20 feet.

In many cases, authorities are not notified that there is a problem until it is too late. In the winter months, with low temperatures, boaters don’t stand much chance of survival if they float in the water for more than a few hours. In December 2003, four men who went fishing in Tampa Bay died after their boat took on water and they had no way to signal authorities.

Most big offshore boats carry Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs), but these devices are often heavy and expensive, putting them out of reach for many sportsman.

Lightweight and affordable

If technology has advanced so much that a television can be the size of a cell phone, than a satellite messaging device can be made small enough, inexpensive enough and light enough for Joe the Angler. The new SPOT unit retails for just $149.95. And more likely than that latest cell phone, the SPOT can save your life.

Many outdoorsmen are under the mistaken impression that a cell phone can work as an emergency backup system. But anybody who spends any time paddling or hiking the wildest regions of this state will tell you that cell phones don’t work in the wilderness.

The SPOT has four simple functions. First, you can hit Alert 9-1-1, which dispatches emergency responders to your location. Second, you can check in with prearranged contacts and let them know where you are and that you are all right. Third, you can request help from family or friends at your exact location (this will come in handy next time I lock the keys in the truck on a kayaking trip.) And lastly, SPOT will save and send your location out so friends can actually track your progress using Google Maps.

The fine print

But piece of mind comes with a price. The SPOT has an annual subscription plan (similar to that of your cell phone or Blackberry) to keep you wired.

Check out more useful kayak, canoe and paddle gifts by clicking here to go to our Great Gifts for Paddlers Page.

Well, as much as we hate to admit it, for many of us, it’s getting near time to put up the kayak and canoe for the winter.

If you’re lucky enough to live in a warmer region you may not need to put up your boat just yet, or at all. But there will be times when you’ll want to store your boat for a while, so this post will be equally helpful to you.

There are several ways to store your kayak when the paddling season ends. You can hang them on straps, stand them upright, store them upside down, or on their side. But there are some pre-storage steps you need to do first, whichever way you choose to store your kayak.

When preparing to store your kayak:

• Wash it, especially if you paddle in salt water. Make sure to dry it completely.
• Cover the cockpit with a cockpit cover to keep bugs and other pests from making your kayak their home.
• Avoid sun and weather. This will help keep your kayak’s hull from deforming, cracking, or fading.
• Store your kayak off the ground. This will protect your kayak from moisture and extreme temperature changes.

To protect your kayak from the elements store indoors like a garage, basement, shed etc. If you do not have room to store indoors than store under a shelter or overhang.

If you do not have a shelter you can build a very simple one using a weather resistant tarp. You will want to hang the tarp over your kayak. Do not wrap or cover your kayak with the tarp because this may promote moisture and mold.

You can hang your kayak from straps or place it on sawhorses. You will want to support your kayak and distribute the weight evenly at several points along the length. You can use straps or cradles to distribute weight evenly.

Your other kayak, canoe and paddling equipment will need some pre-storage care as well, so:

• Don’t forget to clean and dry your life vest ( PFD), paddles, accessories, and store in a cool, dry, place. You can hang them or store them flat.

IMPORTANT! Protect your kayak against theft:

If you are storing you kayak outside, find a spot that is hidden from view. You don’t want to make it easy for someone to just carry it off. You may want to consider locking your kayak to heavy/non movable objects using a cable and lock.

If you need some of the essentials we’ve talked about in this article, here are a couple of links to reputable kayak, canoe and paddling gear dealers:

Kayak Cockpit Covers can be found at Altrec.com, just click this link to browse their selection.

Boaters World offers a simple $10.99 tarp, click here to take a look at it and see if it will work for you.

If you have any tips for our readers about storing a canoe, kayak or other paddling gear, please let us know by either leaving a comment on this post or clicking here to use our handy contact form.

According to the United States Coast Guard press release dated July 22, 2008, kayaking and canoeing represent more than 15% of all recreational boating fatalities in the U.S.

Although recreational boating fatalities decreased in 2007 to 685 from 710 in 2006, the number of fatalities associated with the use of canoes and kayaks increased to 107 in 2007 as compared with 99 in 2006. 15.6 percent of the total of all recreational fatalities in the U.S. in 2007 were using kayaks and canoes. (66 canoe, 31 kayak) and 97 of the 107 were from drowning. These statistics are from the Coast Guard’s Office of Auxiliary and Boating safety.

Well that’s sort of gloomy isnt’ it? But there is some good news…

The good news is that kayaking and canoeing are can be… and should be … safe water activities for the whole family. If you just remember some basic paddling safety tips and techniques every time you get in your kayak or canoe, you’re pretty much assured to have a trouble free and really fun time on the water.

Most of these are common sense to veteran paddlers, but you newcomers to the sport (and there are a lot of you, more and more every year) may not grasp just how important it is to think safety whenever going paddling. And let’s face it, you veterans could probably use a reminder! Maybe you feel comfortable in your boat and view your kayak or canoe as just another appendage of your body…so you think it is ok to cut safety corners.

I hate to point out again the gloomy stats above, but clearly safety is something that ALL kayakers and canoers need to think seriously about. So, here are some basic safety tips for kayak and canoe, and really for anyone out on the water is some sort of craft, raft or boat, from the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the American Canoe Association:

• Always wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket.
• Be comfortable in the water, out of your boat.
• Obtain the knowledge, skills and ability necessary for kayaking and canoeing.
• Always boat with a group. Three boats is a recommended minimum.
• Know how to self-rescue. Practice! Practice! Practice!
• File a float plan, with friends, family, or the authorities.
• Bring appropriate safety, rescue, and navigational aids, and more than adequate food, water, and extra protective clothing. Do not wear cotton!
• Pick an activity level that matches your ability, and progress to more demanding challenges.
• Monitor your physical and emotional condition, and watch the other members or your group for fatigue, illness, and changes in behavior.
• Know and follow all local, state and federal laws.
• Be visible - wear bright colors so others can see you between waves or in the fog.
• Carry a bright light, flares, and whistle to signal your position.
• Take a boating safety class offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Do you carry a first aid kit on your paddling trips?
Paddling first aid kits are small and compact and come in watertight containers. You can purchase a paddling first aid kit or make your own. Click here to browse first aid kits and learn how to make your own.

Do you have and wear a Coast Guard approved life vest?

All boaters, canoers, kayakers, and rafters should were a coast guard approved life vest when on the water. Modern life vests (or PFDs) aren’t as uncomfortable as they were years ago. You can purchase life vests that are specifically designed for paddling. Paddling life jackets and PFDs come with pockets to hold your GPS, whistle, sunscreen, car keys and any other necessities you may need on the water and afterward. They come with large armholes and adjustable straps so you can get a comfortable fit. An added bonus would be to choose a bright colored PFD with reflective strips so you can be easily seen by other boaters. Click here to browse life vests designed for kayaking and canoeing.

Do you carry extra clothing while paddling?

Carrying extra paddle clothing or gear has never been easier. Dry bags are your answer. They will keep clothing or objects dry even if the bag goes over the side. Dry bags come in many sizes and colors. Many come with a loop to attach to your kayak or canoe so if your dry bag does go over the side it will not float away. Click here to browse many sizes and styles of dry bags.

These days it so easy to be both safe and comfortable on the water, that it is just silly to do it any other way! Next time you are preparing for a kayak or canoe trip, or any boating activity, remember your safety checklist, your first aid kit, your life vest or PFD, and your extra clothing.

Happy (and SAFE) paddling!

Got a safety tip for fellow paddlers? Use our handy contact form to tell us about it and we may share it right here on BornToPaddle.com

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