Comments for KayakVagabond

Comment on Hot Stuff… by Greg

Greg — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 21:57:23 +0000

All fixed and nice and cool. An estimate from a local A/C firm was about $600 ($425 for the motor alone). As a DIY project I found the info via google, a motor on Ebay for $58.00, borrowed a capacitance tester to check the run capacitor. It was weak, so another $20.00 for a new capacitor (plus some sweating, swearing, and myriads of mosquito bites) and its done!

Doug, thanks for the offer — we need to get together. I remember you telling me how the old Florida homes (including your new home) were designed to maximize breezes and cooling without an A/C. This is certainly not the case with most homes today.

Comment on Hot Stuff… by Doug Gilliland

Doug Gilliland — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 21:50:39 +0000

I grew up in Sarasota with a box fan in every room of the house except the bathroom. Five minutes after getting out of the shower you were as wet as you were 5 minutes earlier. The only AC I knew, until I went away to college, was at at the Saturday morning downtown movies (got in for 3 RC cola bottle caps which tells you how long ago that was).
Think of it this way Greg - you are reliving my childhood dreams.
BTW - Hope you get your AC fixed soon. If not you’re always welcome in Sarasota.

Comment on Hot Stuff… by gnarlydog

gnarlydog — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 02:01:58 +0000

I don’t deny the comfort of the A/C however I run my bedroom “window box” style one probably a couple of times a year (I live in Brisbane with similar temps and humidity than you, in summer).
My gear suffers too, especially urethane coated nylon that often fails prematurely.
Needless to say that mould is also a big problem…
Have not looked into a dehumidifier but it could be cheaper than running an A/C?

Comment on Hot Stuff… by Sean Fitzgibbon

Sean Fitzgibbon — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:58:19 +0000

Hey Greg, Jeff Fabiszewski & I just camped out overnight a few weeks back on a spoil island in the intercoastal over here in Clearwater,Fl. Your post just reminded me that it was HOT & HUMID that night on the Island! We were in hammocks & it rained later which did cool us off( soaked us to the bone too ). Careful what you wish for! Remember the winter we just had here a few months back in Florida!! Great post paddling friend. We as humans (and our gear), just never seem to be happy with the current conditions; now why is that? Things that make you go hmmmm!!

-Sean Fitzgibbon

Comment on Hot Stuff… by Michael

Michael — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:39:27 +0000

Looks like it’s time to come back to Newfoundland, me boy! Naturally air conditioned, all year ’round!

Comment on Atlantic Canada — Nova Scotia and Newfoundland Symposiums by Greg

Greg — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:36:53 +0000

Thanks Avital!

Comment on Atlantic Canada — Nova Scotia and Newfoundland Symposiums by Greg

Greg — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:36:28 +0000

Malcolm,
Godfather! Does that mean I need to carry around my GP in a violin case? I had better find a 6-piece take-apart version

Jokes aside, thanks for the kind words. I’m sure that Greenland-style kayaking in Newfoundland was bound to grow through the efforts of dedicated paddlers like yourself, but I’m happy to have played a small part in that process (and hope to continue).

Comment on Atlantic Canada — Nova Scotia and Newfoundland Symposiums by avital from www.optimist.co

avital from www.optimist.co — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 15:36:15 +0000

It looks sooooo good!

Comment on Atlantic Canada — Nova Scotia and Newfoundland Symposiums by Malcolm Rowe

Malcolm Rowe — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 19:32:31 +0000

Greg is the Godfather of Greenland paddling in Newfoundland. Three years ago, when he first attended the Kayak Newfoundland and Labrador annual symposium, there was just one paddler who had been using a Greenland paddle and another who was just starting (me). Greg planted the seed such that now there is a strong minority of Greenland paddlers in eastern Newfoundland and in central Newfoundland almost all paddlers use a Greenland paddle. Many thanks to Greg for showing us that the Greenland paddle is not just for rolling nor is an simply artefact of Inuit life. Rather, it is a viable alternative for paddling in all conditions. I love my Greenland paddle!

Comment on Atlantic Canada — Nova Scotia and Newfoundland Symposiums by Greg

Greg — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 01:03:30 +0000

Alex, many thanks for your comments, I know that you, Linda, Craig, Neil and many others worked hard to bring this all together. My apologies to those folks whose name goes unmentioned!

I’m very pleased that you enjoyed the presentation. I guess that means that I didn’t botch the pronunciation of the placenames too badly… :^) I do hope that more people consider doing the “big trip” (or large chunks of it). Newfoundland is a sea kayaker’s paradise.