Topic one: adjustable foot peddles.

Would lead to improved performance.

Topic two:

Boats are too fragile.

What do you think ?

Ultimately its really an advertisement for the Great Barrier Reef, but still.....sweet!!! $100,000 to go snorkeling and "explore the island." Fire up your video cameras.

www.islandreefjob.com

Any suggestions for good paddling music ?

A friend got me a couple Go Pro Wide angles. Last week I had an early dismissal aloha Friday, and tried them out. Check it out on my good friend's blog, here... http://www.beachwalks.tv/.
Aloha,
Eric

If you train on a Concept II erg that's been converted to a paddler with an adapter, one of the things that might plague you is the boredom of not going anywhere and the unchanging scenery of your living room. Now, thanks to modern (and inexpensive) technology, you can make your workouts much more interesting and fun.

If you have a GoPro camera or a Flip cam with a waterproof case, mount it to the front of your canoe pointing forward and record one of your workouts. Try to capture interesting scenery going by - the more entertaining the better.

Once you get home, convert the video to play on your television. There are a number of free programs out there that will convert your training video and get it onto a DVD. I ripped my training video into iTunes and use my iPod for playback on a big TV. Situate your paddler and yourself in front of the television, start your video and paddle away. I've found this much more interesting than watching a movie (which I can't hear over the erg anyway) and with a little suspension of disbelief, you can feel like you're actually going somewhere without leaving the room. I have video of fellow paddlers getting passed, which makes the video training that much more fun.

Here's my blog entry and an accompanying video that I posted of my setup:
http://feljcruz.blogspot.com/2009/01/paddling-in-my-living-room-and.html
Please leave me comments or suggestions on my blog.

Let me know what you think and perhaps we can start a database of videos for other landlocked (or weatherlocked) paddlers that have an erg/paddler setup.

I am contemplating purchasing my first OC1 and would appreciate your input. The water on Guam generally varies between flat to moderate. In all of Guam there are less than 10 OC1's and none of the models I am considering, so I am unable to trial any of them. Before anyone asks why I am not considering the Pueo, @ $3800.00 w/o crating, shipping or taxes it is outside of my budget.

The Zephyr is a newer design and from what I gather is of excellent build quality. It excels in moderate to large conditions and is acceptable in flats. The Zephyr lists @ $3299.00 and my estimated total cost to get it landed here on Guam is $3700.00 to $4200.00. The Hurricane is the older and much loved design. It is known to perform very well in flatwater and acceptably in moderate to large conditions. I have been told that there will be some available on island for $3600.00.

What do you guys think? Two canoes is not an option!

http://oc1design.blogspot.com/2009/01/oc-1-kaiwi-channel-crossing-solore...

Here also some data are missing. Please comment in case you raced or know the rankings of the past.

Especially the relay is incomplete. I am hoping to get some data from Walter or Jon.

http://oc1design.blogspot.com/2009/01/oc-1-evolution-overview.html

In case you know the year when some of the canoes where built, please comment. It's a work in progress. Mahalo.

Stoked there were two V-1s at the race today! Also pleased with everyone's interest in paddling rudderless canoes.

A few people took the V-1 that I repaired out for a quick paddle to get a feel for it;

HOWEVER not happy that someone took it out and broke my Tahiti Rames paddle. It is very unlike paddlers to not fess up to breaking someone else's equipment and make things right. I hope the paddler who took the rudderless out reads this and fesses up. I was very lucky to get that paddle and it was cherry, it will cost me a pretty penny to replace.

Please have the decency to let someone know if you've broken their gear so that they don't have to go rummaging for another paddle right before the start of a race.

Helps things move along til we get back out on the water.