If you would like to help start an OC club in NJ and promote the sport of outrigger canoeing on the east coast drop me a line: jectfirkin@hotmail.com. Has anyone tried to start a club in NJ? What are the major obstacles (besides owning an OC6 and having a place to keep it :) I'm starting from scratch, advice is needed and welcome.
Submitted by jfirkin on Thu, 09/06/2007 - 9:48am
Forgetaboudit! . ....Sorry couldn't resist.
#1 Thu, 09/06/2007 - 10:20am
jfirkin, there is a canoe club out of Philly (Philly outrigger) that competes, and I have a 4-man, OC2, and two OC1's at the Jersey shore. Don't have an organized club...but we get out for ocean paddles regularly.
#2 Thu, 09/06/2007 - 3:26pm
drewp, let's get out for an ocean paddle and discuss the possibility of an organized NJOC club.
#3 Fri, 09/07/2007 - 2:11am
I think the limiting factors to organizing an canoe club in NJ is the low water temperatures most of the year and the rough waters. Sure, you could paddle in Absecon Bay, Lakes Bay or even down in Delaware Bay. But open ocean is where the fun is. Plus, don’t you still have used syringes and medical waste floating in the water off the Jersey shore?
Damn, will I get my knee caps broken for asking that?
#4 Fri, 09/07/2007 - 11:12am
Kanoe Man (et al),
I've been paddling in Ocean City, NJ most of this summer (thanks to drewp). The water is NOT polluted with medical waste and the like. That was a news story from, what?, ten or fifteen years ago.
It's awesome in the bay and out on the ocean!
It's good to hear that someone besides drewp is interested in getting a New Jersey club going. This thing just might take off...
Philly outrigger is bouncing around the idea of keeping a six-man at the Jersey shore somewhere, although that is still just in the 'discussion' stage.
#5 Sat, 09/08/2007 - 2:26am
Interest is growing. This will take sometime. Please speak up NJ paddlers...drop me a line.
Seems like I need to get out to Ocean City and Philly.
#6 Sun, 09/09/2007 - 3:34pm
New Jersey kayak is runing & hosting our second annual "Barnegat Bay Kayak Challenge" Sun., Oct. 7, Columbus Day Weekend. We have a division for surf skis & outrigger canoes. Check our web site www.njkayak.com for details, maps, & pre registration forms. It would be great to see outriggers here at our ideal location on Barnegat bay. Call 609 698-4440 or email
newjerseykayak@newjerseykayak.com Thank you
Bill Stage
#7 Wed, 09/12/2007 - 5:27am
While the Jersey shore is no Hawaii, its 100 times better than paddling in lakes and rivers! I would love to see an outrigger club at the shore. Drew (drewp) and I have been trying to build interest in the area this summer. We started off strong, but then kinda fell off as our season(s) (POCC/PDBA) got underway. Check us out on the web as well.
www.philadelphiaoutrigger.com
#8 Fri, 09/14/2007 - 11:45am
Kanoe Man, et. al.
re: syringes...not so any longer. Water along the Jersey coast is cleaner than many U.S. coastlines, in recent years. Look it up. Much effort has gone into cleaning the coastline. You're mainly keying off an old stereotype, much like your kneecapping, Soprano's joke.
As for an outrigger club, I wondered the same thing. I moved to SoCal 4 years ago, but when I go home to visit, I'd love to paddle with a team. NYC has a club based out of Chelsea Piers, Philly has a club, and of course New England has several. Water temps should not be an issue. Just dress appropriately in the winter, and use the proper safety precaustions. Also, there are more than enough coastal inlets, bays, and waterways with ocean outlets, to make Jersey a natural for a world-class competetive team.
I paddle with Marina Del Rey OCC, in L.A., which is part of SoCal Outrigger Association. Last Sep, during the Catalina Challenge (33 mi from Catalina Island to Newport Beach, CA), there were several East Coast clubs representing the Atlantic groups. One of them, from New England, went home with a medal in one of the older divisions. And I know that at least one if not a few of these clubs or individual paddlers planned on racing Molokai in October.
Bottom line: Jersey paddlers, get it together and get it on!
#9 Fri, 04/18/2008 - 11:24am
The more clubs we have across the mainland the better we will become, collectively. It's a no brainer that Hawai'i has the best water, then the Pacific, then the Atlantic (unless there is a NorEaster flying by). Althought the winter sucks on the North Eastern Coast, for paddling, it is possible. Basically, what that means is you have seasons of training and increased levels of security precautions when the water is cold. Personally, I would not want to be on the open ocean in a 6-man in the winter on the East Coast. A river or contained bay would be ok as long as all the paddlers are experienced. The philly club racks our OC6's once the first snowfall arrives, and we unrack them in the middle of the spring. OC1 paddling in the dead of winter is possible ... as long as you have 3mm gloves (it still sucks). A Jersey Shore club should be started.
#10 Thu, 05/15/2008 - 10:31am
Even in the summer, here in New England ,a 6 man crew needs to have excellent huli recovery skills . The water will cool you off in a hurry if you don`t get out of it fast.
I would never send a crew offshore here unless I knew for sure they can recover quickly. Even then it`s risky.
Best always to have chaseboat nearby.
Around here paddlers need to have huge respect for cold water.
http://maineoutriggerchampionships.blogspot.com/
#11 Thu, 05/15/2008 - 1:18pm
Wadda bunch a wimps.
First, the water in the summer on the East Coast south of Maine is warmer than the waters on the entire West Coast all year long. Check with an oceanographer.
Second, getting a little cool shouldn't bother anyone doing exercise. Dinghy sailors go all year round. Ever hear of frostbite races? So you might have to wear a little wool or neoprene? What's the problem, tan lines? What a bunch of Hollywood Narcissies.
This is about exercise and enjoying the ocean.
And what's all this whining about lack of an OCC club in New Jersey. There are clubs at either end, NYO and POCC. At worst there's a club an hour away anywhere in New Jersey. And I met a guy who owns his own OC-6 at the Liberty Challenge last year. I think he posted above. He lives in New Jersey and aches to have someone go paddling in his boat.
So there. Can't believe some people. If there aren't palm trees, a club within 10 minutes, and ukelele music in the background, it simply isn't worth the effort of paddling.
~~~~~~~~~~
YankeeHo'okele
"Anyone can steer the ship when the sea is calm" - Syrus Publilius
#12 Tue, 06/10/2008 - 4:48pm
It's amazing how comfortable you can be in the cold w/ the right gear. Freezing cold bumps are way better than none at all!
#13 Tue, 06/10/2008 - 6:00pm
First of all that would be Hollywood "Narcissi" and Hollywood doesn't paddle unless it's with mirrors and then they'd rather use them to look at themselves.
Expand.
#14 Tue, 06/10/2008 - 6:34pm
I think that was a new combo-word coined by Yankee. Narcissist/Sissy plural=Narcissies, if you will.
#15 Tue, 06/10/2008 - 6:40pm
Otay
#16 Wed, 06/11/2008 - 3:30am
"I think that was a new combo-word coined by Yankee. Narcissist/Sissy plural=Narcissies, if you will."
See? Can't slip anything by East Coast guys. The gray skies stimulate the gray cells.
Look enjoying a good long season is all a matter of the proper gear and preparation. I doubt the ancient Polynesians were only sunshine sailors...or the East Coast native peoples.
~~~~~~~~~~
YankeeHo'okele
"Anyone can steer the ship when the sea is calm" - Syrus Publilius
#17 Thu, 06/12/2008 - 3:23am
Yankeeo'kole,
Thanks for this history lesson. I'll take it to heart next time I'm enjoying the ocean.
Jeff
#18 Thu, 06/12/2008 - 5:27am
Yankee, you must be one of those Manu Iwa guys. Blisteringly fast time in last year's Blackburn!
#19 Thu, 06/12/2008 - 3:59pm
Sorry, not one of last year's Blackburn blistering guys.
Just a mere mortal.
~~~~~~~~~~
YankeeHo'okele
"Anyone can steer the ship when the sea is calm" - Syrus Publilius
#20 Fri, 06/13/2008 - 2:13am
Given that my biz might be sold in a couple of months, I may have more time to offer in the way of a NJ club participation. No more getting up 230am.
Keep me in mind Jeff and Drew....
As for paddling in winter, I dress properly...dry suit and poly pro on top, neoprene on the legs and feet. Short of sheet ice, there should be no problem. You might want to keep close to shore and in protected waters in this kind of cold too. Cold can kill. I remember paddling off Ocean Ave in Sea Bright in january, alone....dumb. Paddle with someone!
As for why the Jersey group can't get it together, I think an attempt or two was made but with NYcity and Philly so close, it was easier to be with the big clubs. NJ weekend shore traffic might be another issue. It is NOT dirty water. It's pretty clean these days.
ziggy
"Better to be a shining example than that horrible reminder"
#21 Tue, 07/29/2008 - 9:46am
Hey usrowboy , when your biz sells , maybe see you on the water more often , come to Casco Bay to paddle , it`s the best up here right now.
http://maineoutriggerchampionships.blogspot.com/
#22 Tue, 07/29/2008 - 11:05am
It took a year, but I finally found someone who has an OC-6 on the Jersey Shore, hooah! Thanks to Ed of NYO for helping in the search. The xylobladz and paddleme websites both list a club in Belmar, NJ. The club is defunct but the canoe lives on. It's owner is in Spring Lake, NJ and he welcomes all to join him. He keeps a sign at the boat with a launch schedule and a number to call. It's pick-up paddling, show up and go.
#23 Wed, 07/30/2008 - 4:33am
Hey that's great news jfirkin, they say persistence pays off.
Enjoy your paddling.
Cheers Rambo
#24 Wed, 07/30/2008 - 12:25pm
Hey I got your email jfirkin Thank you I will contact you when Im closer and we can meet up and paddle this oc6
Have you got one of those great "new joisey" accents?
We ozzies find accents interesting, probably because we dont have one ourselves.
#25 Wed, 07/30/2008 - 5:26pm
Greetings all!
I had the pleasure to paddle with Jeff (jfirkin) tonight for our weekly group paddle- we are a group of Jersey surfski paddlers. It was very cool to add another member to our group- and I now relize how simalar our crafts are- speed and the desire to catch waves!
This is an open invite to all that may be interested in group paddling ; both in protected bay waters as well as ocean paddling.Below is the link:
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/GardenStateKayakRacing/
I'm going to post a link over on the "general" forum too.
In closing- we all have the same love of the water- speed, waves and fun! Let's build paddle sports here in the Garden State!!
Scott
#26 Sun, 09/07/2008 - 4:03pm
Hey, any of you Jersey boys/gals get out in the Atlantic before/after tropical storm Hanna? It was a BLAST! Huge ocean swell to surf! This will have to be the memory that gets me through the winter...
#27 Mon, 09/08/2008 - 2:22am
Drew,
I'll call you the next time a storm system passes thru. I knew you were going to out there!
Jeff
#28 Mon, 09/08/2008 - 3:07am