New impressive kayak site
Wednesday, January 20, 2010, 2 comments
Nicholas Waller has published a new kayaking site in English: KAYARCHY, perhaps the most comprehensive handbook and reference anywhere. With almost twice the number of pages of mine, it seems to cover every conceivable angle of kayak paddling – and from a quick look, to impressively high standards.
I will post more on the content when I have had the time to look at the different departments – but I get a feeling of this being the ultimate kayak paddling encyclopedia.
It is an almost overwhelming experience just to contemplate the table of content (Note! On the actual this is of course systematic and properly linked)!
HOME PAGE, About this site Section summaries, INTRODUCTION, Sea kayaking overview Compared with other sports Learn to roll About Kayarchy Get in touch Metric & imperial measurements Legal notice & privacy policy Translation project:— bilingual text— international glossary, EQUIPMENT - kayaks, paddles, clothing & other accessories, Equipment for sea kayaking The cost of sea kayaking equipment Equipment checklists: 1 - equipment for a short, easy day trip 2 - equipment for an intermediate trip3 - equipment for an advanced day trip 4 - equipment for a multi-day trip in a wilderness area Travelling light, The Sea Kayak Choosing a sea kayakTrue sea kayak Intended use Five styles of true sea kayak Will this kayak be stable enough for me? Sea kayak features (rocker, volume, cockpit size & shape, etc), Folding & Inflatable KayaksFolding kayaksInflatable kayaks, Sea Kayak Design Why a long, narrow kayak? Kayak stability Radical designs, Sea Kayak Construction Methods (1)The basics A kayak must be lightBut not too light Fibreglass, kevlar & similar composites Polyethylene Royalex, Duralex, Airalex & Carbonlite Materials for folding kayaks Build your own kayak, Sea Kayak Construction Methods (2)Fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) Biocomposites Build your own kayak in fibre-reinforced plastic, Sea Kayak Construction Methods (3)Build your own wood kayak Building in wood - plywood, Sea Kayak Construction Methods (4) Building in wood - strip plank Building in wood - cold moulded Protecting your wood kayak, Sea Kayak Construction Methods (5)Build your own skin-on-frame kayak Skin-on-frame materials in Europe Skin-on-frame kayaks & offshore safety, Sea Kayaks vs. Other Kayaks & CanoesKayaks, baidarkas, canoes White-water playboats General-purpose kayaks Two-person kayaks Sit-on-top kayaks Ocean racing skis Kayaks for surfing, Sea Kayaks vs. Other Small Boats Seaworthy small craft Sea kayakers & their other boats Sailing dinghies for exposed waters Rowing boats for exposed waters Rowing-sailing boats Sailing canoes for exposed waters Pacific outrigger canoes Other multihulls for exposed waters Yachts & sea kayaks, Sailing Rigs For Kayaks & CanoesWhy sail? Sailing a kayak Sailing a canoe Making rudders, leeboards & foils, Kayak Outfitting (1) - accessories which are essential for safetyBulkheads Hatches Hatch covers Deck lines Additional flotation for your kayak, Kayak Outfitting (2) - accessories which are almost essentialFootrest / foot brace Back support Skeg or rudder Deck elastics Paddle park / tow point, Kayak Outfitting (3) - other accessoriesKnee box / knee tube Cockpit pod Sea sock, Kayak Outfitting (4) - other accessories continued Dry bags & float bags Deck bag Built-in pump vs. portable pump Deck compass Fourth hatch Towing cleat Kayak trolley / cart Electrical accessories, built in Cockpit cover Other fairly sensible ideas And some other ideas, Kayak Outfitting (5)How to add accessories to a kayak, The Paddle (1) European-style paddles Paddle length Paddle feathering / off-set Materials for paddles Colours for paddles Emergency paddle Paddle float, The Paddle (2)Greenland-style paddles Make a Greenland paddle Using a Greenland paddle, Clothing & Tow-Belt (1)Spraydeck Waterproof kayaking jacket - the cag Waterproof kayaking jacket - the tuiliq Personal buoyancy Whistle, Clothing & Tow-Belt (2)Clothing for summer Clothing for winter Technical fabrics:— Breathable & non breathable fabrics — Wetsuit material — Thermal stretch materials — Base layer materials — Synthetic fleece materials, Clothing & Tow-Belt (3)Wetsuit Wetsuit boots Drysuit Hat, scarf, mittsHelmet Tow-belt, Distress Signals & Rescue (1)Introduction VHF radio (buying one, safety traffic, distress calls), Distress Signals & Rescue (2)Mobile phones EPIRBs Satellite personal tracker Personal strobe lights Distress flares Other distress equipment Lifeboat & helicopter rescue, Repair, Storage & MaintenanceRepairs & repair kits Storing your kayak Maintenance for kayak hulls Metals & salt water Storing kayak clothing etc, Transport & KnotsTransporting your kayak Knots for kayakers, SOME GREENLAND HISTORY, The Tuniit The Inuit Today's Greenland Vikings in kayaks Ocean-crossing Inuit, SEA KAYAK TECHNIQUE - paddling, rolling, rafting, towing, rescue, Paddling Your Sea Kayak (1)Starting out Carrying your kayak Getting into your kayak Capsizing, wet exit, emptying your kayak Basic paddling position, Paddling Your Sea Kayak (2) How to paddle forwards Body rotation More improvements Staying on course Coping with wind from the side Getting technical Getting really, really technical Paddling backwards, Paddling Your Sea Kayak (3)Forwards sweep stroke Reverse sweep stroke Stern rudder Leaning / edging a kayak Edging to steer your moving kayak Edging to spin your stationary kayak, Paddling Your Sea Kayak (4)Draw stroke Hanging draw stroke Sculling draw stroke, Paddling Your Sea Kayak (5)First, learn the hip flick Instructions for the full hip flick Common faults, Paddling Your Sea Kayak (6)"Low recovery" support stroke Common faults with the low recovery"High recovery" support stroke Common faults with the high recovery Sculling for support Keeping a moving kayak upright Low brace High brace Stern brace, ADVANCED KAYAKING - fast-moving water & surf, Paddling Your Sea Kayak (7) fast water Is it a white-water day? The shape of fast water- eddies - standing waves - holes, Paddling Your Sea Kayak (8) fast waterMore about holes Breaking in, breaking out Ferry glides, Paddling Your Sea Kayak (9)The nature of surf - spilling or plunging, Paddling Your Sea Kayak (10)Wind & waves Punching out through surf Getting back to the beach Paddle strokes for surfing Surfing a sea kayak Surfing a surf kayak Rescue in the surf zone Avoiding conflict with board surfers, Rolling Your Kayak (1)Rolling is necessary & easy Where & how to learn The basics of rolling Long lever roll Common mistakes Try these solutions, Rolling Your Kayak (2)Short lever roll Layback rolls Steyr roll Reverse screw roll, Rafting-up & towingRafting up Towing a kayak Towing other small boats Shunting with a kayak, Deep-Water Rescue & Self-RescueSwimmer-to-kayaker rescue Kayaker-to-swimmer rescue Kayaker-to-kayaker rescues Emptying a flooded kayak Self-rescue for solo sea kayakers, SEA KAYAK NAVIGATION, Kayak navigation (1)Introducing navigation The nautical mile Kayak speed Effect of wind & tide Navigation marks Night navigation marks, Kayak navigation (2)Maritime charts Chartwork ashore "North", headings, bearings & reciprocals Magnetic variation Distances on a chart, Kayak navigation (3)Features on a chart Co-ordinates on a chart Navigation tools ashore Navigation tools afloat First, take your chart... Adjusting your plot for currents, Kayak navigation (4)Using tidal streams Adjusting your plot for wind Aiming off, Kayak navigation (5)Navigation checks while afloat Visual check on the effects of current & wind, Kayak navigation (6)Running fix Using a compass afloat GPS satellite navigation, Kayak navigation (7)Distance to horizon Check your depth Night navigation, SEA KAYAKING FOR KIDS, How to learn Child-size kayaks Other issues in children's kayaking, ORGANISING A DAY-TRIP, LeadershipBefore planning a trip Trip planning Group equipment Two days before At the launch point On the water Afterwards, SEA KAYAK EXPEDITIONS, Wild campingVehicle-based camping Kayak-based camping Expedition equipment Kayak camp cooking Cooking equipment Camp food Stowing equipment in a sea kayak, KAYAKING SAFELY, Safety (1)A very safe sport Cold shock, swim failure & hypothermia Cold shock Swimming failure, Safety (2) Hypothermia Drowning Getting run over Heavy lifting Hand/arm over-use syndromes Dislocated shoulder Rockfall & icefall, Safety (3)Solo kayaking Infections Unlikely hazards, Safety (4) Child safety Child protection law, Safety (5)First Aid courses Small First Aid kit Big First Aid kit Legal requirements for sea kayaking: International law United Kingdom law Irish law French law Other countries, SEA & WEATHER, Sea & Weather (1) WindWinds & the kayaker Windward / leeward The causes of wind The effect of landscape, Sea & Weather (2) Wind, continued Beaufort Scale for kayakers Leeway, Sea & Weather (3) WavesWaves at sea Waves at the beach Waves at a river mouth, Sea & Weather (4) TidesTide tables A visual check on the tide High / low tide cycle Tidal range Rule of Twelfths Spring / Neap tides High speed tidesTidal bore waves, Sea & Weather (5) CurrentsTidal stream data Crossing a strong current Going against the current Playing with currents Some extreme currents Currents not caused by the tides Overfalls & tide racesLarge eddies & whirlpools, Sea & Weather (6) Weather forecastingPrediction from local observations The origin of wind Atmospheric pressure Coastal weather in Europe The classic depression The classic anticyclone Fog, Sea & Weather (7)Professional weather forecasts for Britain Internet weather forecasts Radio forecasts - LW / MW / FM - shipping forecast Radio forecasts - LW / MW - inshore forecast Radio forecasts - VHF Telephone (mobile & landline) forecasts Forecasts for other European countries Forecasts elsewhere, ACCESS & ENVIRONMENT, Access In England & WalesExclusion zones Where can you kayak? Where can you carry your kayak?, Protecting The EnvironmentWildlife under stress Implications for sea kayaking Leave No Trace ethics, Coastal & Sea CreaturesAdult seals Baby seals Whales & dolphins Otters Sea birds Estuary birds, SEA KAYAKING ACTIVITIES, Courses & holidays in the UKCourses & holidays elsewhereTours, treks, races & raidsMeetings & symposia , KAYARCHY SHOPPING, Gifts for sea kayakers, Sea kayaks, kayak kits, paddles, Clothing, accessories, magazine & book publishers, parts & materials, sailing kayaks, sailing canoes, Book list, LINKS, Sea kayaking organisations by country Traditional kayaking Making kayaks & equipment Lots more links.
