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Kayaking on Lake Nipigon
Lake Nipigon should be one of the premier kayaking destinations in North America. It’s remote, it’s wilderness, and it’s studded with 100s of islands to explore. It has big open water crossings, black sand beaches, towering palisades, and it can get rough and challenging. In 2008, Tim Russell and I took a week long trip to the lake. The following notes are from the research that we did (mainly Tim’s work). Originally, this research appeared on a wiki. It’s still there, but this will be a more permanent location. About Lake Nipigon From Wikipedia: Lake Nipigon (French : lac Nipigon) is the largest lake entirely within the boundaries of the…
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Review ChemFire Capsules Fire Starter
Part of the Nessmuking philosophy is being proficient in fire starting in all conditions. Many products attempt to address the needfor this skill, but none are as interesting as ChemFire Fire Starting System. The Reaction ChemFire uses a combination of potassium permanganate and glycerin. When these two chemicals are combined they react to produce fire. These items were/are often found in military survival kits and in many emergency kits sold in Europe. Back in the day, potassium permanganate was used to treat water and as a disinfectant, but it’s messy and stains skin and clothing purple, and if mixed incorrectly it can lead to death or violent illness. The Product…
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Three Easy Tarp Setups
An easy way to drop weight out of your boat is to switch from a tent to a tarp. Even using a tarp with a bug bivy will save over 2 pounds for the lightest tents and over 4 pounds for average weight tents. Besides saving weight, tarps provide more usable space, less parts to break, they’re easier to pack up, keep your sleeping area drier both in the morning when packing up and during the night with less condensation, and they take up considerably less space in your portage pack or hatches. With a little practice, tarps are easy and quick to set up, and depending on the setup,…
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A Visual View of Wave Height
Last month I described how to estimate wave height when in a canoe or kayak, but after listening to some descriptions of the “six” foot waves that some kayakers paddled through, I thought a visual aid would be helpful in understanding the height of waves. I’ve built a little diagram showing a 17-foot kayak, and a stick-kayaker in different size waves. The kayaker is 36 inches tall from the baseline of the kayak. The waterline is shown in red. The size of a wave when described in feet is the wave height. The lowest wave in this diagram is two feet. The next two waves are three and four feet.…
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Make your NDK/SKUK Romany or Explorer Seat Comfy
A common complaint about NDK/SKUK Romany and Explorers is an uncomfortable seat. If like me, you find the seat itself comfortable, but have problems with the backband pinching your arse between the seat and the band, try this easy fix before removing the glass seat. For this project, you need: You also need a comfy backband to replace the poor excuse of a backband supplied with the kayak. I heartily recommend this one: For this project, you’re going to lower the back of the seat using sandpaper and a rasp, install a new backband, and make everything look pretty. Steps: Notes: You could also try to wrap some thin minicell…
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Watch Free Classic Paddling Films Online
Injured? Is the water frozen? Or is there some reason that you can’t get out on the water? If you have a high speed Internet connection, there are dozens of online classic paddling film to help you pass the time. It isn’t a complete substitute for the joy of being on the water, but, at least, you get to watch something that you really enjoy. Bill Mason Films If you’ve never taken the time to watch one of the original paddling documentary film makers work, then it’s about time you did. You’ll be captivated by his love for the Great Lakes and northern woods. Watch online: Bill Mason’s Films at…
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Estimating Wave Height for Canoes and Kayaks
Grand Marais, MN straddles the boundary between two worlds. To the north, canoeists explore the many lakes and portages of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and to the south, kayakers navigate the big ocean-like water of Lake Superior. If one adventurer from each crowd paddled in the same water and waves, expect to hear different reports of how big the waves were later in the pub. In my experience, I’ve found most paddlers have no idea how to report the size of a wave, and this comes from a lack of education and a reference point. Measuring Wave Size The measurement of a wave is typically given in height…
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Tarptent Double Rainbow Review
Tarptent’s Double Rainbow, introduced in 2006, received consistently good reviews on the Internet, so late in 2007, I decided to purchase one. During 2008, I used the tent exclusively. This tent has some good and bad points. Initial Thoughts Upon Receiving the Tarptent When I decided to purchase the Double Rainbow, I noticed a waiting list, so I exchanged emails with Henry Shires, the owner of Tarptent. He quickly answered all the email I sent to him before the purchase, so I made the assumption that the customer service would be quite good. Settled on a long wait, somehow my Double Rainbow showed up at the door a little earlier…
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Print Your Own NOAA Charts
Note: Check out this updated article: Print NOAA Charts for Free. Printing your own NOAA Marine Charts is easy, produces a map exactly the size needed, and provides exactly the coverage needed. These are a few of the reasons to print your own, but equally compelling is that at 36″ to 60″, commercially produced NOAA Marine Charts are too big for practical use in a sea kayak, and buying them is expensive. If you were to buy an updated NOAA Marine Chart from the only approved print-on-demand on-line dealer, you’d spend $26 per chart plus shipping. The great news is that you can download NOAA Marine Charts for free and with…
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Public Radio Interview with Nessmuking Author Bryan Hansel
This interview appeared on WTIP and The Roadhouse with Buck Benson and Bob Carter. The interview is covering my (Bryan’s) Around the Great Lake Expedition 2009. Click Here to Listen: Around the Great Lakes on the Roadhouse with Buck and Bob [22mb, mp3] Learn more about the Around the Great Lake Expedition 2009.
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Kayaker Plans 5-month 3,800 Mile Circumnavigation of All Great Lakes
Grand Marais, MN – February 14, 2009 – On May 2, photographer, writer, guide Bryan Hansel will paddle out of the Grand Marais, MN harbor on a 5-month, 3,800-mile solo kayak circumnavigation of all the Great Lakes. During this expedition, Hansel will attempt to become the first person to complete this circumnavigation by kayak. His goals for the trip are to produce a book from photographs taken, to promote paddlesports participation and resource protection on the Great Lakes. “With this trip, I plan to call attention to the increasing pressure placed on this area and highlight the world-class paddling opportunities. I believe that by increasing paddlesport participation, we will advance…
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Canoecopia 2009: Canadian Style Canoeing with the Kraikers
Video I shot at Canoecopia 2009 at the impressive pool demonstration by the Kraikers. They were demonstrating the Canadian style to solo canoe, which as you’ll see is one of the best ways to paddle a double canoe solo. Canoecopia sale floor from above:
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Siskiwit Bay Multi-Chined Kayak Plans for Plywood Building
Description: The Siskiwit Bay MC is all-around fast mid-sized British-style touring kayak designed for plywood building. This kayak suits a medium to heavy paddler looking for good initial stability and with increased flare above the waterline lots of secondary stability. As the water gets rougher, this kayak feels more stable. It’s a fast design slightly more efficient than most British kayaks in its class. Designed by Bryan Hansel. Experimental: Since the Siskiwit Bay plans became available on the Internet, I’ve received requests for a plywood version of the kayak. The SB was originally designed as a multi-chined boat for plywood building using the excellent HULLS software. I’ve taken the original…
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8 Easy Ways to Go Lighter
Lightening the load in your kayak or canoe saves you energy, makes your load easier to portage, and ends up making camp life easier. These 8 easy tips are a few ways that you can reduce your load. Store your composite kayak or canoe upside with the hatches open. As composite materials age, they can absorb water, which makes your canoe or kayak heavier. If as little as a quart of water absorption, you’re craft will gain 2 pounds. Not only does this matter on the portages and for car topping, but a heavier boat performs worse on the water. New dry bags are now lighter and just as waterproof,…
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How to Photograph Northern Lights
It’s two in the morning, the northern lights are dancing across the sky and having to remember how to set a camera to record the blazing greens and reds is made easier with a simple cheat sheet. Clip this article, laminate it and stick it in your camera bag, so it’ll be handy next time the Aurora Borealis are lighting up the sky. Digital photography makes capturing pictures of the northern lights effortless. You’ll need a digital camera that can take long exposures and has noise reduction. A tripod is a must and a remote release or self-timer is helpful. Follow these steps and you’re sure to come away with…
