XOSS G/G+ Speedometer and Strava for Paddlers: an affordable speed coach

A $56 USD speed coach for paddling.

The Xoss G/G+ is an affordable solution for live technical feedback during training. Other options marketed to paddlers tend to cost around $400 and are marketed independently for surfski, SUP and outrigger - meaning if you paddle all three you would have to spend around $1200 for standalone units. I spent $37 USD on the Xoss G/G+ and $19 USD for a standalone cadence sensor, which I can use with all of my vessels.

Connected to the foot brace on my Nelo 520.

The XOSS G/G+ is waterproof rated to IPX7, meaning it can withstand heavy water droplets and be submerged to one meter for 30 minutes. I still put it inside a $10 USD Dripac because the rubber plug that covers the USB charger connection could fail. Cheap insurance. (I had this type of USB plug fail on a Standard Horizon marine radio).

The battery life is 25 days with use at 1 hour a day. In other words, take it out for a long paddle and it will last all day.

HOW TO SET IT UP FOR PADDLING:

1: Charge the included lithium battery with the USB cord provided.

2: Turn it on with the right button. Wait for the initial screen to come up showing 00:00 in the data fields.

3: Press the left button once. This initiates the GPS, which scans for a satellite signal. You should be under a clear sky. If you try it inside or under a covering, you might not pick up the signal. While it searches it will flash a little GPS icon on the upper left. It will beep when it locks in and the GPS signal will become steady.

4: Go paddling.

Yes, that’s it. That is all there is to using it as a real time speedometer. The speedometer data is the largest data and pretty easy to read. I prefer km for speed and distance, which is the default setting. If you need to change defaults do this before you go out for a paddle. You can get the pdf manual here: Xoss G/G+ manual.

I was able to adjust my surfski stroke for immediate improvements and gain .5km in speed overall very quickly. I’m fairly new to surfski, which is tremendously technical, so figuring out how to position the wing blade and press down in the water as I rotate to gain speed was very satisfying. It was also very satisfying to have only spent $37 USD to get a speedometer. What I did not realize is that Xoss also has its own app which connects to Strava (and other software). If you want to review your data on your smartphone follow these steps:

1: Download the Xoss app. (You can use the QR code that comes with the instructions to connect to it).

2: Download the Strava app.

3: You will need to have a Strava account and a Xoss account confirmed through an email. Once confirmed you are ready to connect the Xoss G/G+ to your phone via Bluetooth.

CONNECTING THE XOSS to your phone and Strava via Bluetooth.

1: Open the Xoss app. Click on your device. (Bluetooth must be on). It will bring up your device. Click on that, and it will load a page where it syncs to the Xoss. Here you also have to connect to Strava. Be patient. It took me a few tries. VERY IMPORTANT: You can’t sync data if the Xoss is still recording. To stop recording LONG PRESS the left button once.

2: It will recognize the data but there is a little button you have to click for the full sync to Strava.

3: Once synced you can click the Workouts icon and it will open the Strava data inside the Xoss app. Here you can review data and also watch a video of your paddle.

After poking around on the internet and looking at the instructions I soon realized there are add-on sensors. The Xoss G/G+ unit is a speed sensor but you can add a cadence sensor to it. This is what you see in the image above. It can be confusing because they are also sold in 2 packs as speed and cadence sensors. These are standalone sensors that can be synced to your phone, if you were just using your phone as the data screen. They are also identical sensors and each sensor can be used for speed or for cadence based on a setting. I only wanted cadence because the Xoss G/G+ is my speed sensor and screen.

If you want a cadence sensor buy a single unit, remove the battery and reinstall. If a blue light comes on it has been switched to cadence sensor. Yes, that is correct, merely by taking out the battery then putting it back in, you change the function of the sensor. You can use the Bluetooth connect screen in Xoss to find the sensor, and if you swing your arm around in a circle it will start registering the “cadence.”

The cadence sensor instructions show you how to mount it on a bicycle pedal. It put mine into another Dripac bag and just clipped it to the center of my Braca paddle. For outrigger I would tape it to the base of the handle. For SUP tape it below your lower hand on the shaft.

Follow the Xoss directions for pairing your sensor to the Xoss G/G+, and in less than a minute you will be able to see your cadence data while you paddle also. The display for this data is small, so I just review it after I paddle on my iPhone.

You may not care why the sensor works just as well for paddling as it does cycling, but I will explain anyway: the same sensor that knows whether your phone is “up” or “sideways” for changing the display is called an accelerometer. These are used for XYZ positioning. The computer program then uses this data to perform the next step. In the case of the cadence sensor it basically takes a rotation and calls it an RPM. As long as the sensor can pick up your paddle rotation, it will log the motion.

Read RPM as stroke per minute. This is surfski stroke data. This will work for any paddling sport.

Ocean conditions change all of the time, so stroke rate varies considerably. Here I tried a high rate upwind and a low rate downwind. I expect to vary my cadence during race conditions and will use the speedomter as my guide during the race.

Have fun, stay safe, and see you on the water!

ARDUINO ADDENDUM: I make small electronics and have all of the parts I need for around $25 USD to make a speed coach type of computer using Arduino programming language. The biggest issue is getting a good readable screen in a watertight housing. Apps are also available for iPhone and Android that accomplish the same thing, but the phone battery life struggles during a long race, and the phone overheats in a waterproof case. If you want to make your own Arduino speed coach, you can link to that kind of project here: Arduino.

Downwind Paddling: On Becoming a Downwind Paddler

It is March 2021, and I have spent more seat time in my Puakea Kahale than ever, in large part due to the need for social distancing. My local club started going out in our 6-man canoes late last summer, and several of us had been going out together in the smaller 1 and 2 seaters, but for a number of reasons I am still adhering to strict social distancing guidelines and not participating in any group sport activities or races. And while I miss the camaraderie of the big boats, the wind and waves and I have gotten quite close during the pandemic. If you want to get good at downwind, you have to paddle downwind. Solo. As much as possible.

In January 2020 I attended the Woo downwnd camp for the third year in a row. My skills had improved greatly, and I paddled the Woo Outrigger, French-made Feline as much as possible, as it was similar to the Kahele in length and volume. I did not huli once, no matter how tempted the Feline was to flip me, and I found some considerable speed and reasonable consistency on our daily runs.

My French coach Alain remarked that both my paddling and my French language had improved. There is no better way to stroke a paddler’s ego than to notice something they suspect: improvement. I recognized, however, that I would do much better on a Kahale, principally because it is lighter and has the improved steering with spring return rudder.

At the airport in Pointe-de-pietre in February 2020, as paddle camp wound down and we all returned to our home countries via this small international airport, I saw my first notices about travel restrictions into the USA due to coronavirus. A flight headed toward Miami earlier in the day returned a passenger who would not be allowed to depart there. Passengers who had been to inland China had to get rerouted onto New York bound planes, like mine. By the end of February I felt like I had a virus, though the news was not very clear as yet, and while I noticed the strange symptoms of the virus, I thought little of it until later. Within a few weeks restrictions increased, and the local club’s future went into limbo. I went out into the Atlantic Ocean by myself and started getting to know it quite well. For the duration of 2020 until now, my local waters are my university.

It had been a couple of years since I had started reading and then rereading WAVES by Fredric Raichlen, and while I got the basics I had not ever really seen my local waters as a system I could study. Having always paddled along with the bigger boats in the club, where surfing was seldom our focus, I tagged along regardless of wind conditions. But on my own I began to study the wind direction and tides. Soon I recognized the telltale signs of downwind runs, the curling horsehead waves running in the same direction. In my local waters sometimes these wave train patterns are only a couple of hundred feet wide or even less. Within these conveyor belt systems I discovered I could do 1 kilometer runs over and over again.

There are about seven small breakers in this image. A dark line behind me and closer to the horizon is another breaker. The further out I go, the bigger the swell. Closer in, the waves bunch up on the shallow sand.

I live on Long Island Sound, where on any given day, as long as I have 10 knots or better wind, I can downwind north, south or west. 16 knots is optimal for solo downwind. But approaching 20 knots, solo paddling is ill-advised. East directed waves will push me out to open water, so despite the temptation, I never downwind away from the shore even if the windspeed is below 15 knots. One of the key insights to downwind is that the waves actually don’t need to be big. As long as wave trains are moving in generally the same direction, even small bumps are surfable. In the video below, I am teaching a friend how to catch the swell rolling to the north. I can see the low bumps ahead, and I know more are coming behind me. So I keep a steady pace, and when I feel the stern lifting behind me, I pick up my stroke to match the speed of the wave. When they are the same, which is something you basically can both see and feel, you can let the momentum of the wave puch you. In this way, downwind paddling technique is more of a high intensity sport. You will cycle through speeds with intermittent bursts of power. This might look like flat water to you, but it is not. The swell bumps have a direction and a speed.

In the next video, from 2019, I have stronger swell, which a decent app like Windy will give you in Kj or kilojoules. At this stage in my paddling I knew the basics of what to look for and my timing was improving. Later in 2020, however, I found I had the ability to really hammer the paddle blade in and pull myself onto the face of a wave just so, to drop ono the incline like a surfer on a surfboard. The only way to get the feel for this is to go out in any kind of swell, even if it seems tiny, and try to ride it.

To close out this brief blog on downwind, the power is in the wave, the ability to catch that power takes immersion. Study your local waters for the telltale signs of downwind conditions, and even if they are small, go after them. It will make catching waves of all sizes easier. And once you really get to know your local conditions, you will know what to look for in other conditions, as well as what the bathymetry suggests by the waves above it. Basically, the top waves are travelling in circles, like a conveyor belt rollers, with their patterns often suggestive of what the sea floor looks like beneath them, as they roll against the sea floor and bunch up. These patterns will change with tidal height and flow. In this last video, the water is brownish from the silt churned up by a storm. The swell was quite strong, and I timed it just right to ride a single wave for about 30 seconds.

So, how do you know you’re going from beginner to intermediate downwind paddler? Maybe when you go from not even knowing what downwind is, to having your friends remark they are amazed at your ability to catch a 6” (15 cm) tall wave. Mostly it comes from the first person point of view, where you are running with the wave trains, feeling it - and seeing your average speeds creep up over time. A smartwatch helps with that. I use the Apple watch. Stay safe, and see you on the water!

Paddle Board Leashes (and How to Stand Up)

Maiden voyages of NSP Sonic paddle board and VESL prone board with MetaLeash.

Paddle board leashes are essentially the same leash as an outrigger or surfski leash. This means the inexpensive leashes (and even some of the expensive leashes) marketed for boards have most of the same problems as the cheaper leashes on the market: breakage, slippage, UV rot, heaviness, etc. The stand up paddle board (SUP) paddler has some unique issues, mostly having to do with how you fall. When I bought my NSP 24” Sonic surf paddle board, the seller (Vermont Surf and Ski) had hoped to take me out to a river and give me a few lessons near Brattleboro, Vermont, where I had to drive to pick it up. My first thoughts, as a safety geek, were: how deep is the water, how rocky, how fast is the current… But he was limited on his time as NSP boards were in hot demand that day. He bought four MetaLeashes and told me if I fall off my board, to basically dive sideways so I don’t come down on it and crush the carbon hull with the paddle. Obviously, other crushable things are bones… Luckily when I took the board out on my maiden voyage, I ran into this fellow, below, who got me standing up in five minutes.

Most people would not buy a race board before getting cozy on a wider, shorter board first. As an experienced ocean outrigger paddler, my comfort level was high enough to bypass entry level boards. The price was right on this used board, which only had a couple of dings I had to repair. Compared to my outrigger canoe, the NSP Sonic looks really wide, but I am in a sitting position with a low center of gravity in the canoe. Shifting that weight upwards was going to be a challenge. This is how we met that challenge: my stand up coach stood at the back of the board and basically used his hands to steady me. He told me to get into a crouched position and start paddling. So, he walked behind me, and after a minute he told me to come up on one foot and (KEY PART HERE) WHILE TAKING A STROKE come up on the other foot into a standing position. Just like that, I was standing. Let’s cover this again: crouch on your knees, come up on one foot, stick blade in water, stroke, come up to standing position with the other foot.

Aha! A brace stroke! What is a brace stroke you ask? There are variations on it, but basically when you see a paddle board surfer leaning on a wave, on the paddle, they are bracing the paddle. When you see someone flying the ama on an outrigger, they are bracing the paddle. And I am lucky that Oscar Chalupsky taught me the brace stroke for surfski, which is the most important one: the one that keeps you from rolling over. In this case, standing up on a paddle board, the board is more stable because you have the paddle blade planted in the water, momentarily “locking” you into a stable position just like a rudder does, while you mess with gravity.

The fellow continued to hold the rear of the board while I stood and paddled (my legs shaking like mad), and I really have no idea when he let go. So, try this with a friend or family member, and make sure they don’t tell you when you’re on your own. The psychology of BELIEVING someone was stabilizing me, even if they were not, meant my brain could not tell the difference between him being there and when he let go. In fact he made it a point to let me know he would not tell me when he was not holding the board. So, I got my first “downwind” paddle on the Sonic my first day out. And in all subsequent paddles, I did not fall off.

Back to leashes. What happens when I do fall? It is more dramatic than a fall off an outrigger or surfki, where you mostly just roll into the water. Your bouyancy is such that you usually don’t go under. Not a lot of countering forces here. But a plunge? You really don’t want to smack the board, with hands, legs, head… And when you do leap sideways, you will submerge further, which means there will be more stress on the leash.

The first thing I noticed while on my knees on the paddle board, was the cuff of my leash. You have to position the cuff so the attachment to the leash is on the back of the leg, otherwise you will squat on the hardware. Issue number one solved, just position the hardware to the back of your leg. But there are other solutions. I have seen a lot of social media images of stand up paddle board paddlers preferring to connect the leash at the waist. While I do make a belt, on my first day out I just connected my leg cuff to my PFD, similar to what I’ve seen others do. I have been selling more and more of the belts lately, so it is worth considering what is comfortable for you. Link to MetaLeash shop: www.metaleash.com.

A note about prone paddling, foil, surf: the MetaLeash also works well for prone, or for any other board activity like foil. A surf leash is in development with a different set of fall parameters, because falling off a surfboard involves very complex forces, similar to paddle board surfing, with a lot of fancy footwork, and surfers prefer straight leashes. Stay tuned or hit me up with suggestions, comments, feedback, concerns, customizations, you name it, I will leash it for you. metaleash@gmail.com

And now for a video of some truly amatuer standup paddle board surfing and some speedy prone paddling. Here we ended up sharing a leash, another upside of a quick release, which is critical for getting out of trouble, possibly critical for a race start or critical if you are sharing! Have fun and stay safe. It is February 28, 2021, 39 degrees F in my local Atlantic Ocean, and that is paddling weather to me. See you on the water!

MetaLeash Quick Release Paddling Leash - SUP, surfski, outrigger, foil, prone

from $64.95

LIGHTER: at 4.5 ounces weighs half of other leashes, floats

SMALLER: 50% smaller than other leashes but still extends just as long

STRONGER: heavy duty webbing, stitching and YKK buckle system, 1600lb jacketed Samson Dyneema retractable leash, stainless steel clasp system (no hidden mystery hardware or plasticware like other leashes)

SAFER: easy to inspect, high contrast (red, orange, hot pink, lime, yellow or black cuff), red, yellow, orange or pink leash, dual quick release/connect for either race start or getting out of tricky situations

SIZING FOR OUTRIGGER, SUP, SURFSKI, FOIL, PRONE: Retractable leash comes in 9’ or 6’ length.

SIZING FOR FIT ABOVE CALF: Leash cuff is to be worn above the calf or connected to waist strap.

COLOR CUFF:

Select COLOR CUFF ORANGE CUFFBLACK CUFFLIME CUFFPINK CUFFYELLOW CUFFRED CUFF

ORANGE CUFF BLACK CUFF LIME CUFF PINK CUFF YELLOW CUFF RED CUFF

SIZE:

Select SIZE 9' LEASH REGULAR CUFF6' LEASH REGULAR CUFF

9' LEASH REGULAR CUFF 6' LEASH REGULAR CUFF

COLOR LEASH:

Select COLOR LEASH ORANGE LEASHYELLOW LEASHPINK LEASHRED LEASH

ORANGE LEASH YELLOW LEASH PINK LEASH RED LEASH

HARDWARE:

Select HARDWARE 40mm Snap Hook60mm Snap Hook

40mm Snap Hook 60mm Snap Hook

Quantity:

Add To Cart

MetaLeash Straight Leash with Rail Saver

$74.95

Straight Leash 6’ with Shock Coil and Quick Release (for surf, SUP, foil, your choice!) Comes with yellow or orange rail saver.

Color:

Select Color OrangePinkYellow

Orange Pink Yellow

Quantity:

Add To Cart

Leg Leashes!

Generic leg leash worn loosely around the ankle. Too loosely.

In January 2019 I had a leg leash fail on me in big water. It was a short leash, like the length made for surfski. Trying to move around a 21’ canoe I did not have enough length to maneuver, and the tension pulled the leash off my leg. It shot off like a giant rubber band. In that instant I witnessed how quickly a technical failure could lead to dire circumstances in the ocean. I knew if my canoe and I separated by one meter the wind could take it away. I would not be able to swim to catch it on its westward journey perhaps a thousand miles to the next land. I also would not be able to swim to the beach. I could see the beach. It was upwind from me. I raised my paddle to alert the other paddlers in my group I had a problem. I waited until they were close enough so if I lost contact with the canoe they were right there to help. We got the canoe back over. The last kilometer I paddled then to our destination was the longest ever mentally for me. Why? Two days earlier I had learned of a drowning death of a paddler in my circle. Someone who should have been paddling with us.

When I stepped onto the beach my goal as a paddler had shifted: to stay alive. As long as we are alive, we can paddle. One cubic meter of water weighs around a ton. We will never be stronger. We have to be smarter. We have to be wise. When in doubt about the conditions, just don’t paddle. The ocean will be there tomorrow, and we should be too.

That night at the villa, I pondered two problems: (1) how to resolve the leash wrapping around the hull that makes us outrigger paddlers take a leash off after a huli and (2) resolve the loose, slippery cuff problem.

105 days later my downwind coach Guy Ringrave was separated from his OC1 in big water in southwest France, and he also drowned.

It is at once horrifying and unacceptable to see my friends lose their lives paddling in the oceans we love. We must change our culture and include safety training as invaluable.

I had not feared drowning because it had not been real to me. I started my season this year by using a rope I trusted as my leash. I sewed webbing by hand. I stopped using the cheap leashes for good. I don’t know how Guy was separated from his canoe, but there are only so many scenarios. I just can’t believe he’s gone. This should never happen to any of us. Guy’s family posted through Woo that they would continue his outrigger business in his spirit.

in this spirit I continue to paddle with the deepest respect for the ocean and wind. I want to make this increasingly popular sport safer for all.

And finally I found someone who could help take my rope (Dyneema) and jacket it into a retractable cord. I’ve spent months agonizing over details to make a superior leash. It is not meant to save your life. It is made to keep you with your boat, which is a flotation device that at all times is functioning to keep you alive while you enjoy the wonders of our water world. Pay attention to the weather report and always keep communication on your person. Don’t attach it to your boat.

I present to you the Meta Leash. It is smaller, lighter and stronger than any other leash on the market. It has continuous engineered strength and is stronger than steel, outlasting it in a marine environment 3:1. It’s core is Dyneema, jacketed in rubber (1600 pound, 730 kg average strength). It fits better above the calf and can also be worn at the waist. It is superior in every way to any other leash. The second video shows you how to recover from a huli WITHOUT having to remove the leash.

The Meta Leash is for sale on my website shop. If you have any custom needs or concerns, email me.

MetaLeash Quick Release Paddling Leash - SUP, surfski, outrigger, foil, prone

from $64.95

LIGHTER: at 4.5 ounces weighs half of other leashes, floats

SMALLER: 50% smaller than other leashes but still extends just as long

STRONGER: heavy duty webbing, stitching and YKK buckle system, 1600lb jacketed Samson Dyneema retractable leash, stainless steel clasp system (no hidden mystery hardware or plasticware like other leashes)

SAFER: easy to inspect, high contrast (red, orange, hot pink, lime, yellow or black cuff), red, yellow, orange or pink leash, dual quick release/connect for either race start or getting out of tricky situations

SIZING FOR OUTRIGGER, SUP, SURFSKI, FOIL, PRONE: Retractable leash comes in 9’ or 6’ length.

SIZING FOR FIT ABOVE CALF: Leash cuff is to be worn above the calf or connected to waist strap.

COLOR CUFF:

Select COLOR CUFF ORANGE CUFFBLACK CUFFLIME CUFFPINK CUFFYELLOW CUFFRED CUFF

ORANGE CUFF BLACK CUFF LIME CUFF PINK CUFF YELLOW CUFF RED CUFF

SIZE:

Select SIZE 9' LEASH REGULAR CUFF6' LEASH REGULAR CUFF

9' LEASH REGULAR CUFF 6' LEASH REGULAR CUFF

COLOR LEASH:

Select COLOR LEASH ORANGE LEASHYELLOW LEASHPINK LEASHRED LEASH

ORANGE LEASH YELLOW LEASH PINK LEASH RED LEASH

HARDWARE:

Select HARDWARE 40mm Snap Hook60mm Snap Hook

40mm Snap Hook 60mm Snap Hook

Quantity:

Add To Cart

iPhone (or Android) Paddle Coach

iPhone mounted on Kahele for real time analysis using app Rowing Coach 4.0

A coach recently suggested I put a speedometer on my OC1 as the next step in my training. The price point of the NK Coach gadgets is a budget breaker, and I had to wonder what would I really get out of this data? At first I thought I would just build my own, since I’m a small electronics geek. I knew also that all of this capacity is built into our smart watches and cell phones. It just seemed that no one had written an app for paddlers that would solve the problem, and I have a huge iPhone 7 plus I don’t carry on the boat. Or was it the way I was looking to solve the issue the real problem? Once I entered the keyword “stroke” into the Apple app store, everything changed. There are stroke counters there, but they are geared for rowers. Aha!

I already have an accelerometer app on my iPhone, which gives you a visual graph showing how, in x,y and z coordinates, you move your phone around. I own accelerometers that cost about $5, and I can program them to recognize a specific motion in x,y and z coordinates. This is how your watch knows the difference between a step and a stroke. So, the question then was, just how differently were these rowing coach stroke counters calibrated for the accelerometer in my cellphone? Would they recognize a paddle stroke? No way to know other than to give them a try.

I paid $8 US for Rowing Coach 4.0, put it on my Apple watch and went out for a paddle. I was so confused that I just ended up deleting it and trying another app, named Rowing Coach. This one turns on water lock, and I even tried running it in the background with Waterspeed in the foreground. However, the stroke count was so off, the data was just useless.

I’m not sure why I decided to go back to Row Coach 4.0 and give it another try, but I did - with one major difference. I installed it on an old iPhone that has no cellular. Was it possible I could still use the iPhone as a computer, could I access the GPS and accelerometer chips and get the app to perform? I turned it on and went for a walk, giving it a little shake as if it were a paddling stroke. Sure enough, it worked. And what was really great is it had a high contrast white background with black lettering - very close to what you see on electronics used in direct sunlight conditions, like my VHF radio.

The next step was to mount the iPhone to my canoe. I put it inside a Pelican box, added some cushion with a foam block and a rubber thing under it, and went out for a paddle. Let’s just say, I did not understand the app when I first tried it. This is a REAL TIME ANALYSIS APP that works like the display on a C2 Rower. It expects that you are working in 500 meter sessions. It is very well-tuned and picks up every single stroke accurately. As quickly as it can track the satellites and do the math, it is telling you your stroke length - your distance per stroke or glide. Within minutes I had real time data of how far I was moving my canoe against the wind, with the wind, across the wind. If you stop paddling for several seconds, it will restart at 0.00. This is realize is part of its real time functioning.

So how did I go from wanting a speedometer to wanting to know distance per stroke? I came across a podcast on Nick Murray’s TC Surfski site, in which Michele Eray discusses coaching and using the Vaaka cadence sensor for feedback on stroke performance. Speed, she says, is not meaningful. It’s how you move the surfski stroke by stroke, your cadence. Well, I’ve certainly seen long slow strokers cross the finish line ahead of rapid paddlers (and vice versa), and I decided that she’s an Olympian she probably knows what she’s talking about.

Row Coach 4.0, attached to your vessel (I’m sure it works for surfski, SUP, bathtub, etc.) is a great real time tool for power and cadence analysis. If you click on the little settings wheel in the upper left corner, you will go to a menu where “RECORDING” is listed. This is where a stroke by stroke log is kept, and you can scroll through it to get an idea of where you are at. It is very extensive. I played around with it running for 2 hours, had plenty of battery left and am a better paddler for it. I was even able to see just how far a well-time stroke could get me on some good downwind bumps. So, this is really a versatile tool.

Basically, if you want to go out and use 500 meter bursts for training, this is a great tool for setting a race pace. The reason you would put it on your watch is so that a coach watching your progress on a linked iPhone would get the data from the watch. So, basically, I was just clueless.

You can put this app on any current iPhone or Android, and if speed is all you are after displayed on your phone, you can use Waterspeed for that. I was a little clueless about what I could do with a cellphone as display. But on the other hand, of all the paddlers I know, I’ve never seen anyone using a smartphone as a real time display. If you have an old one in a drawer like I did, put it to use!

This app is smart enough to ask you how much you weigh and the weight of your boat, so it can filter out noise or be used on a heavier boat. It also has a real time GPS page with speed, but this display is rather small on the phone. Plenty to play around with.

A quick philosophical point: use data analysis to fine tune your technique, then put it away. There is so much data coming so fast it’s hard to keep your eye on the waves, and after all, it’s the waves that we’re after. See you on the water.

Marine Communication Safety: a review of the Standard Horizon HX300 VHF radio, HX40 VHF radio and ACR Personal Locator Beacon PLB-350C

UPDATED! November 2019.

Skip the bulky case and attach the HX40 to your PFD or maybe even a floaty, as pictured. You can see it’s barely twice the size of my Apple watch.

In the optional floating orange case, the HX40 is a little bigger than the HX300.

Due to the failure of my HX300, I am updating this entry. I had really liked the USB charging port, but this summer the latch over the port started opening. I got back from a surf session and found the port stuck open, and the light that comes on in the unit when it gets wet was on and blinking. I could not turn it on or off. I removed the battery and tried drying everything in a closed container with Superdry calcium chloride desiccant, but the electronics only partially came back to life. Since I won’t paddle without a radio, I headed to West Marine and bought the new, compact HX40. The HX40 is much smaller due to the fact the built-in flotation of the HX300 has been removed. I bought the optional floating case online, but it proved to be really bulky. Since I connect the radio to my PFD, I think that’s enough flotation for it. The HX40 is pared down. Just turn it on, hit the button for channel 16 and call for “Mayday” if you’re in trouble.

I tested it with my club radios then had it turned on to see if I got any Coast Guard chatter in Long Island Sound. Sure enough, I actually overheard the Coast Guard responding to a vessel in distress. Wow, that was a first time for me. I opened my eyes a little wider just in case I saw anyone in distress, but I did not. The Coast Guard repeatedly called back, without success, for the location of the vessel and number of people on it. I do not know the outcome of this episode, but it really taught me they are there and listening. If you are reading this and in another country, please comment on who patrols your waters and how we reach them by VHF.

While the radio dried and I researched the HX40, I discovered my HX300 had a 3 year warranty. As it was only two years old, off to the manufacturer it went. It was supposed to take 7-10 days for repair, but eventually it just sort of disappeared and no one picked up the phone or answered any more emails. After giving Standard Horizon an email ultimatum, I suddenly got a Fedex tracking number with no other correspondence, and a few days later a brand new HX300 showed up in the mail.

The HX40 is just a better size overall for paddlers, and while I had really liked the USB port, especially for travelling, the HX300 radio is better for boating not for small craft where getting wet and immersion are constant. The belt clip had to be on the HX300 for the strap to attach also. That is not the case for the HX40, which allows you to attach the strap directly to the radio body and then attach this to your PFD without all of the poking bulkiness. The HX40 costs around $100.00. It will be a little annoying to take a wall charger with me while travelling, but to have the electronics fail over the USB latch during some intense surf (hurricane was approaching) was exactly when I didn’t want my gear to fail.

In closing to this update, ACR also has a very compact PLB now that runs about $360.00. While I would like to have a little more room in my PFD, I will hold off on that expenditure for now. Be safe everyone!

HX40 does not float unless you buy the bulky, optional case.

The ACR Aqualink PLB-350C adjacent the Standard Horizon HX300

When I was first invited to paddle OC2 in the New York harbor with an experienced friend, I saw him put on his PFD and put his radio in a pocket. He put his cellphone in a waterproof Pelican box and connected it to the front of the canoe, under the crisscrossing bunjees. He plainly stated that communication must always be carried. I went home that day, in the summer of 2017, and put considerable time into reading reviews of VHF radios. Ultimately I selected the HX300 for its size and features. Over the past year and a half I have frequently paddled with it and have always had it with me on my OC1 in the Hudson River and Long Island Sound.

My review is overdue and prompted from the news of the drowning death of my associate paddler, Alistair Collier of the UK. I spent a week paddling with Ali at the Guadeloupe downwind camp hosted by Woo last year and am utterly disheartened to hear of the paddling community loss of this wonderful gentleman. I have certainly come across the blogs of others covering tragedy, and the focus of this entry is the prevention of any other. Ali’s close friends informed me he did not have any communication device on him and for reasons as yet unknown, the safety boats lost track of him early on during his final race.

I never would have thought a safety escort boat would not be paying attention. We must be prepared for worst case scenarios. I write this entry now not as an idle review but to urge you to be the most responsible person in your canoe.

Your safety is in your hands. The first step you need to take as a paddler is the commitment to safe paddling. When you can save yourself, you have a chance of saving others.

Now for the dry technical stuff.

My biggest concern was size. The bulkier the radio, the bulkier the assembly of stuff on my person, the bulkier my PFD, the harder it is to get onto the canoe. After considerable deliberation I finally chosen the HX 300, which easily fits inside the large front pocket of my Mocke PFD. At 5.25”x2.5”x1.5” this was as compact as I could get with its features.

Standard Horizon HX300 inside the Mocke PFD front pocket. Note the orange whistle also.

Another major consideration was the USB charging port and the orange back light.

The orange light could be indispensable in night conditions.

I have now been using the HX300 for a year and a half. The battery life is great. I actually don’t know how long it lasts before it dies because it has not even gotten close to dying. What little recharge is required takes no time with the USB connection. This is also invaluable for travel outside of the U.S., because of the USB ports-to-other country-voltage chargers prevalent on the phone/computer market.

I recently returned from 2019 downwind paddle camp in Guadeloupe, where channel 71 (canal soixante dix-un) was used by our French coaches for their communication. I tuned in just to have it, just in case. I do not recall seeing any other paddler in the group with a communication device.

For those researching VHF radio use for travels I urge you to make the purchase and ask the locals how it is used in your paddling location. In the U.S., in the New York harbor, we use channel 16 to reach the Coast Guard. Typically I leave the radio on and listen to the intermittent chatter. It is quite reassuring.

If you are thinking your phone will take care of you, keep in mind that you might be in a dead zone for signal, especially in a foreign country or on an island like Guadeloupe. Also keep in mind that you will need to know the local dial code to reach police, etc. A VHF radio could get you in contact with another vessel in close proximity to you right away. “Mayday,” is the universal distress call, which I recently learned is French:

Owing to the difficulty of distinguishing the letter "S" by telephone, the international distress signal "S.O.S." will give place to the words "May-day", the phonetic equivalent of "M'aidez", the French for "Help me." 
—"New Air Distress Signal," The Times [London], 2 Feb. 1923

Mayday

universal distress call

If no vessels are close enough to hear your call for distress and survival is questionable, your investment in a personal locator beacon, like the ACR Aqualink PLB-350C is your way to alert the global emergency response teams you are in peril. I purchased the ACR for my trip to Guadeloupe in 2018, and I kept it inside my paddle shorts pocket at all times. I chose the product that is a little bulkier because it incorporates technology that allows you to test that it works periodically. I needed the peace of mind. When I heard about Ali’s untimely fate my first day of camp in 2019, both of my communication devices became my closest allies, ensuring to me that my idea of the greatest time in the world - playing in the ocean - was also respectful of the ocean’s power. We love the ocean, but she has no emotions for us.

Safety has long been an aspect of my dayjob. The general rule is that the day you become so comfortable that you no longer respect your environment, that is the day you are open to getting hurt or worse. When a man at camp told me to do whatever the leader said, because the leader was a safe guy, I respectfully declined and used my own leg leash instead of the one provided. Something as simple as a minor equipment substitution can throw our game. Do what you know is right for you. Rehearse with your safety gear, practice hulis and distress maneuvers with your club. Be your own best guide.

And now for more technical information.

I fumbled with the the ACR antenna when I first got the equipment. The antenna wraps around the body and a male notch on the antenna fits into a female notch on the body of the unit.

The antenna.

When the antenna is up, the red emergency button is exposed. Once pressed a signal is sent to an emergency satellite system, and the dispatch process to search and rescue teams proceeds. Each unit is registered to its individual owner. Mine is registered with NOAA. You must fill out documentation that comes with your unit to get it registered. The search and rescue team will know who you are, where you are and be able to notify next of kin. There are additional packages for texting and so forth depending on what you choose.

The bulk of the unit is the built-in battery, which has a multi-year life expectancy. The only thing it does is send the distress signal and provide your GPS to the search and rescue team.

I’m pretty sure I read something like this when I was reading PFD reviews, but you won’t care what the thing cost when it saves your life. This unit runs about $400. I bought both units online.

Here is a video of what happens when you press the test button:

You won’t be allowed to obsessively test the unit. Doing so would drain the battery. So the computer in the unit will only allow you periodic tests. Don’t abuse it.

The Aqualink comes with a strap and a place to secure it. It also comes with a clip system. The HX300 does not have a strap that works without a clip, which ads to its bulk. I’ve left the clip off and just kept it secure in the PFD pocket.

The straps, clips and belt clips.

In closing, please be an ambassador of the water. Play it safe for yourself and for all others.

Rest in peace, Ali.

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Manu'iwa Milford Gulf OC1, OC2, SUP, 9 Mile Race, 2018

At the start of every race, I question my sanity. There is no harder work than trying to beat the ocean at its own game. Soon the heart rate builds, the power propels the canoe forward, and I get lost in some kind of alpha wave trance with flickers of beta - where my brain analyzes the waves, conjures some distraction then ultimately sinks into a meditative state. I pull myself, stroke by stroke, forward across the water and eventually, around forever minus twenty-two minutes to be exact, I cross the finish line between two yellow buoys.

The Ghost Hope, a Puakea Kaku Elua, origin Hawaii, exact circa per Johnny Puakea: “Back in the day.”

Ted Taylor, head honcho at Manu'iwa Outrigger Club, introduces himself before the race as an Englishman, coaching outrigger, in Connecticut. Nothing like hearing a Hawaiian Mahalo with a UK twang on the sands of an ocean inlet in the USA. Later at the luau, Ted requests a plug on social media (click here for media/photo links). Was this race better than last year's, he wants to know? For me, yes. And it isn't just because I took first place (for finishing in 2018 the race I started in 2017) nor because I took first place in the $175 canoe class. It was, dare we utter its name, because of the Milford Triangle.

The Legendary and Deadly Milford Triangle

I personally find races that follow a coast a little difficult to mentally tag. Coastline unfolds like a rocky rope with nothing terribly remarkable. The triangular buoy set up gave me a mental check and a goal with enough frequency to keep me motivated. It also gave me three different wave and current patterns - four actually - because the southerwestly wind (that some of us surfed after the second buoy turn) tapered off near Charles Island. So the overall pattern was 1: flattish , 2: turn into the wind with bigger waves (ama bouncing up), 3: turn and surf (bow lifting high, ama rolling under the swell) and 4: calm and flat for a dash to home - then repeat. On the second round we all had a learning curve down, and mentally it wasn't just another 4.5 miles but 1.1 mile (buoy turn = Pavlovian reward), 1.5 mile (buoy turn) and 1.9 mile (beer is in sight).

A first place trophy for a first place race!

I have raced in Milford four times. The first two were OC6 races, and after training on the stinky Hudson River in New York City, let's just say I was astonished by the beauty of the Gulf, a tranquil little curve tucked into the greater ocean inlet of Long Island Sound. This is a five star race, where the quality of the food down to the quality and craft of the prizes are not forgotten. Manu'iwa's own novice Nicky not only came in first for women's OC1, she got to take home one of the first-prize, bottle-opener-paddles she made--and the rest of us got to choose from Monique's thoughtful and unique commemorative tiles. Thanks for a great race and bringing us, no matter our accent or World Cup favorite, together. Mahalo, Manu'iwa. Mahalo, ocean.

This one matches the heart-shaped squeaky toy my dog ripped out of a stuffed Cat-in-the-Hat. Concidence? The secret lies in the Milford Triangle.

Salem flyin' the ama. Well, sort of...

Nicky rockin' the Hurricane and snatching 1st place!

Guadaloupe Downwind Camp with Woo

January 2018. Guadeloupe Downwind Camp. Woo.

Let's just start with the action, my first successful downwind:

This is an edited version of an approximate 10K downwind run from Petite Anes to St. Francois. I don't wear a GPS, so the paddle path is general, based on our southerly trek against the wind and waves until we turned west to make the downwind run. My technique is truly lacking here, but I started to get the feel for timing, and

I did not huli.

Which is a little remarkable given some of the action.

I am a novice OC1 paddler, or as my new paddler friend J.P. told me in French, a

debutante

.  Fool might be a more appropriate word. What was I thinking taking on the Caribbean Ocean? This was probably my 8th paddle in an OC1

ever

. I had spent more time fixing my canoe than I did paddling it during the 2017 season. (Vintage Puakea Kaku, see previous repair blog entries). I did get to spend a lot of quality time in an OC2 in the New York harbor and signing up for Woo downwind camp stands as testimony to my enduring foolishness. I emerged from camp as a full-blown downwind addict. Where can I get more???

The Hole, Hull and Huli Truth - Testing Carbon Fiber Repairs

I did a very lazy huli (boat flip) on the Hudson River without thinking through that I had cut an 8" hole in the Puakea Kaku just behind the seat. This was patched in with a deck plate and white silicone. It wasn't until I had righted the craft and paddled back to shore that I realized I should have not only checked the canoe for leaks when it was right side up in the pool but also when it was upside down. About twenty years ago I caulked a 26 story hotel as an apprentice, so I guess you can say it paid off!

Picture Perfect Portal into the Carbon Hull

 It was time to epoxy the top of the bow back into place. There was concern it might not quite fit the same way, and there did prove to be a minor snarl in the top where the major puncture had contracted during repair. Nothing some fairing compound couldn't cover up later.

Black epoxy used to join carbon seams

 It is critical to mate the seams and not get too ambitious with laying carbon on the exterior. If anything budges during curing, you have to cut the nose and start all over.

Black seam epoxy sanded smooth and surface of gelcoat sanded down

 Twenty four hours after the seam cured I sanded with a heavy grit (80 and 100) to smooth the epoxy at the seams and also to take down the surface of the gelcoat. At this stage we are only repairing the section above the waterline. NOTE: all critical structural repairs were done from the inside and not the outside. Blue tape was set to mark out 3" for carbon tape.

Carbon Fiber Taped Seams

 Clear West System epoxy was laid in the marked out area and the carbon tape (which had been precut and dry-fit) was run across joints. Wax paper was taped around the repair and a few sand bags set in place to hold some key areas down.

Wax Paper and Sand Bagged Repair

 The next day, after successful curing, West System fairing was mixed into the epoxy to peanut butter consistency and troweled over the exposed carbon.

Fairing Compound

 The following day, it was time to sand. Always wear a respirator!

Darth Paddler

The OC1 was then spot checked across the hull for its numerous gelcoat cracks, which were chased open with a flat razor knife and then also hit with fairing compound. Below is an image of where there were structural fractures which were repaired on the inside with carbon fiber through the 8" hole behind the seat.

Cracks chased open in gelcoat after structural repair

 You do not want the gelcoat flaking off, so its imperative you chase the crack until it stops flaking off, then lightly sand the edges of the remaining gelcoat at the perimeter. Take your time.

Pretty

The following day I hit the fairing compound with some 120 and 240 on an orbital sander with a soft backer pad. I hand sanded with 240 and 320 to feather but decided to leave everything a touch high and spray the repair spots with a plastics paint (Krylon Fusion) and give the craft a test spin. This way if anything did not quite work out, I would not have finished the project in remorse.

Three Weeks After First Receiving the Damaged Outrigger Canoe: SEA WORTHY!

In upcoming posts I will cover the headaches associated with understanding gelcoat, the difference between non-laminating and laminating gelcoat, tuning up the steering, rudder mounting and making your own rudder - as well as how to mount a GoPro to your outrigger. STAY TUNED!

Hudson River Cup & Maiden Voyage

We interrupt this repair blog to give kudos to the Ke Aloha outrigger canoe club of Hoboken, New Jersey, which hosted the first OC6 sprint races on the Hudson River along with OC1 and OC2 races to the Statue of Liberty and back. In addition there was a SUP and kayak race.

Hoboken Cove, Ke Aloha Hudson River Cup

Many thanks to the club for a fantastic blast of a day - and for mother nature who, after cutting loose with torrential rain throughout the morning, whisked the dark clouds away and replaced them with an astonishingly blue sky. Downright cerulean, if you ask me.

Sprinters Returning from Finals

This event was also an opportunity to give the OC1 I've been repairing a maiden voyage launch, after the recent swimming pool venture baptism. Let's just say I got first place in the Staten Island Swimming Pool Cup and was guaranteed a dead last if not a DNF in the Hudson Cup in case the repairs catastrophically failed. So, I skipped the race and dallied around on the Hudson, soon forgetting the invasive surgery to the craft. 'Cause this boat, which I've named GhostHope, floats! This narrative will soon return to what you're really hungry for: tips on rebuilding a hull, epoxy, gel coats, color matching, etc. In the meantime enjoy the fruits of my labor. If you likewise are faced with major repairs, have faith, buoyancy is right around the bend of bay and swerve of shore to where the river runs! (To paraphrase James Joyce).

First Place Swimming Pool Cup

In closing, here's a glimpse of the GhostHope, named for all of the waters she's seen and the waters to come! (The New York City skyline might be a bit more attractive than my stroke! So, don't mistake this for an instruction video. Especially if you are Johnny Puakea!)

Foam Foam Foam your Boat

After laying new carbon fiber cloth on both interior sides of the bow, which stiffened the hull and gave it integrity again, it was time to follow through with setting the blue XPS foam. I had tried cutting the foam with a razor knife, a hand saw and even a kitchen knife. Of those three the kitchen knife was easiest to work with to get a clean cut. However, I spent $20 on a hot foam cutter through Amazon and got my best results. None of those little blue styrofoam balls and relatively easy to cut complex curves. You definitely want to wear a respirator. The fumes are nasty.

All in all, I figure I added about 2 ounces of foam to the weight. I left a little gap on other side to ensure I was not spreading the hull and ensure the top would fit.

Hot Foam Cutter

Dry Fitting Foam

Foam Inset by Repaired Crack

Phase 1 of Returning the Top Nose

Since I also needed to repair cracks in the hull under the seat, it was decided to simply add a deck plate with access cover instead of returning the carbon patch. The deck plate cost $15 from West Marine and the hatch will be utilized to attach a small storage bag. The plate is made from ABS plastic, heavier and stiffer than carbon, so I think it will actually stiffen the area of the hole, though it added a few ounces as well.

Since I've lost 4 pounds, we're in good shape!

Stay tuned as we prepare for the Swimming Pool Test.

TO BE CONTINUED

Planet Ocean and Boat Floating

This post will serve as an introduction to the greater topic of paddling and allow me to meander to thoughts about water, especially salt water, without which there would be no need for outrigger paddling. These thoughts about our planet ocean tie into the repair thread in that I am taking into consideration the force of the collision between the hull and the standing waves of water. I discussed this with my repair mentor Gil, and while it is certainly impossible to calculate where the bow bounces against wave peaks the most, the last thing I want is the hull to crack like an egg against waves or any flotsam.

I am guilty of salvaging a 1966 Chevy Chevelle that had a tree fall on it, but it's hard to sink in an old Chevy. If I get my boat repair wrong and hit a reef, so to speak, this could be life threatening. This hull repair must be brought to 110% integrity. Okay, how?

While it was decided that the top of the canoe should be cut open to fix it from the inside, there was concern about the possibility of new damage to the location brought on by new surf stress, which could lead to "catastrophic failure." Yikes. I decided it might be best to insert some XPS insulation in the area to provide strength, and came up with this initial design:

XPS INSULATION SCHEMATIC

Just how hard is water in motion, and what kind of stress can a boat handle? I don't know, but after I came across this post on a craft marooned on a reef, once again, I felt a little better about my prospects.

Much better to add 4 ounces of XPS (fancy name for foam) with a compressive strength of 25 psi (pounds per square inch) to take any future blows than risk cracking the hull. While the foam might add 4 ounces to the canoe, I'll just have to go on a diet to offset it!

The foam brings one more aspect to the hull: it is buoyant.

XPS INSULATION FROM DOW, 25 PSI

If things didn't float on our ocean, there would be no paddling. So, why do boats float? The answer is buoyancy, which is actually a physics term. It means an object will float if it is less dense than the liquid under it. The pressure from the ocean is "upthrust" and is pressure against the object trying to displace it. The shape of a boat, or in this case, canoe, lends itself to buoyancy. This canoe is like a carbon fiber bubble where the length provides even greater stability.

The hull was cut open, and we took a peek under the "hood."

CARBON FIBER JIGSAW BLADE

A Dremel was used to make the first incision, but I decided I'd get a smoother continuous cut from a jigsaw and ordered the Bosch carbon fiber blades online.

SCRIBED CUT LINE AROUND TOP OF BOW

AND LOOK WHAT WE FOUND INSIDE? XPS INSULATION!

The XPS insulation discovered inside the hull seemed to be original to the canoe's creation and likely was meant either to hold things in place while the top was originally glued on or did serve some purpose for cushioning bounce. 4" holes are cut into it like Swiss cheese, presumably to cut down on unnecessary ounces.

TO BE CONTINUED

Puakea OC1 Rescue

What kind of OC1 costs $175? Well, who knows? But that was the price tag the night I randomly googled for used outrigger canoes. 1: usually the hits are scarce. 2: usually the listings are for OC's almost as expensive as new. 3: usually these OC's are in California or Hawaii.

They are never in Lousiana and certainly not on a Louisiana Air Force Base. But there it was, $175 on eBay. It was listed as a fixer upper missing a rudder. Well, since I've thrown away a couple hundred dollar bills on much more foolish things, I gambled and bought it.

The seller was kind enough to wrap it in its case and bubble wrap the ama and i'aku's as well as the seat. Federal Express was dumb enough to lose the X-shaped PVC cradles it was sitting on.

The Fedex guys who carried it out marveled at how light it was, but I was concerned that the boat had parted ways with the cradles and been rolling around in transit  There is no way to insure a used craft like this, so it was all part of the gamble. (*Fedex freight cost $425 to bring it to New York City, where it was retrieved at the Elizabeth Port distribution center in New Jersey.)

By the time my friend and I picked it up and unwrapped it there was bonus damage: a good hit to the left side of the bow. However this exposed a weakness, for exactly in that location someone else had done a pretty sloppy repair. Naturally the most damaged area was exposed last, and I have to say it made me very nervous. But after my friend ran his hands up and down the hull and itemized each flaw he said cheerfully, "Nothing we can't fix!"

He handed me a sander and 15 minutes later it looked like this:

Should I say I was actually comforted by the fact my friend had crashed his marathon canoe 40 miles into the General Clinton Memorial Day race just a few days prior, which ripped it in half, and he expected to fix even that. So, this was nothing. Or so I hoped!

TO BE CONTINUED