Thanks again to all the participants of the 2010 Naish Race Series at Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe in Bend. We had over 50 racers over the course of the summer and it was great to see so many of you out there putting your skills to the test.

Congratulations to the top three women: Jen Kjellesvik, Dawn Stewart and Ezabella Barna and the top three men: Randall Barna, Dennis Oliphant and Jimmy Clark. Top finishers are invited to compete at the National Finals in Lake Tahoe. To see the final results, please click on the link below.

Naishraceseries.Final

Last weekend I went out with a group of boaters to a surf hole near Bend. There were a number of Jackson Funs and Jackson Stars in the mix, both new and old models, and so I thought it would be a cool opportunity to ask the kayakers about how the new designs compared with the old, and to take some footage of all their crazy tricks.

Here are some of their observations below and be sure to check out the video to see the boats in action. Special thanks to the boaters: Dan Pilver (All Star), Kevin Carolan (All Star), Cricket (2 Fun 2007), Derrick (4 Fun 2007), Sarah (Star), Angus Eastwood (Pyranha).

Jackson Fun Series

After three years, Jackson made some serious improvements to the Fun Series.

What we like about it:

Great boat for those who want the best of both river running and playing. This boat has both a fast learning curve and is still the right choice for experts who want to run big rivers, but play on the way down.

River running:

The new Jackson Funs are noticeably lighter than the 2007, making them a lot easier to carry around for those of us on the smaller side. They are more comfortable for longer stretches on the water and have new features such as added footroom, new knee positioning and a lower cockpit, allowing for an easier roll. You are less likely to flip upside down in this boat however, as the edges have been rounded off, making it less “catchy” than the previous model. The bow and stern are higher out of the water, which makes for easier peel outs and ferries as well as carrying speed through harder moves.

Playboating:

Borrowing the same design ideas as that has made the Star a favorite among playboaters, the Fun series allows for faster wave surfing and easier squirting and cartwheeling. There is great “pop” for launching loops and getting air, and if you are new to playboating, the shorter bow and stern makes learning a lot easier.

Jackson ’09 Star Series

What we like:

This boat is super short and is designed specifically for spinning, cartwheeling and many other moves including launching into the air. The plastic is stronger on the hull, stern, and bow, and will last longer; the Star is specifically designed for low water playpark conditions. There is lots of directional control and edging even without using a paddle. One of the most amazing parts of this boat is that it is great for running rivers too, because the increased volume and decreased surface area gives it more speed.

Words, words, words… a video tells the story much better:

Another amazing night at Tumalo Creek. We raised $2,000 for the BPTA and the Miller Landing Project. Thanks to the Moon Mountain Ramblers for a great night of music and dancing. This is always one of the highlights of the summer for us at Tumalo Creek.

Mark your calendars for next month on September 22 with the Pitchfork Revolution!

Logan and Rob looking in different directions. Hummmm.

April and crew

Kricket and Mary

Marshall from 3Stream films the event for our live stream on the website.

Ladies of Tumalo Creek: Hannah, Brittany & Ivy ... sounds like a song.

Yay Bert!

Great crew - thanks for coming!!!

Tara, Otis and Bo. Hey weren't you guys wearing the same shirts last month?

Bro and Sis

Dancing kids!

The Moon Mountain Ramblers!!!

Nick, taking in the boards from demo day...

Andy and Kevin

Hank and Steven

Allison, Geoff, Katie and Bo on the Cataraft AKA Purple Pig

Last week a group of five of us, including Tumalo Creek owner Geoff Frank, departed from Bend at 2 a.m. in hopes of securing some permits for the Rogue that had been released just hours before by the BLM at the Smullin Visitor Center in Galice. After a harrowing drive through the night down to Southern Oregon (courtesy of Geoff), we arrived just minutes before the door opened, only to get in line behind others who had been camping out near the offices and had probably arrived at least an hour before us. First only two permits were available, then three, and ten minutes later… five had been released! We were on our way.

The Wild and Scenic section of Rogue River in Southern Oregon is world-renowned for its unparelled beauty and wildlife. This section was one of the eight original areas protected by the Federal Act in 1968 to save wilderness lands near rivers from land development and mining.

Permits are given out in a lottery during the first six weeks of every year, and if you can plan ahead, this is a good first option. If you have a flexible schedule and are willing to change your plans quickly, released permits are posted on the BLM website and can be reserved by calling the office. Last minute releases can often times only be claimed in person and are announced at 3 p.m. every afternoon.

Full body armor and helmets recommended...

We did the trip in three days, but if you can do the trip in four, you can spend a little more time enjoying the campsites and taking in all the surrounding scenery. With the CFS (Cubic Feet per Second) at 1700, many rapids had mellowed and most days were an easy paddle, even for a beginner whitewater kayaker like myself.  Some of the highlights of our trip included seeing a mamma bear with her two adorable cubs in tow, floating through Mule Creek Canyon, and watching Geoff expertly navigate Blossom Bar in his cataraft after seeing many others get pinned on their way through.

We brought a Naish Mana 10 ft. Soft Top Stand-Up Paddleboard along with us, and Bo Miller and Geoff were surfing through Class III’s by the end of the trip. Check out this video of Bo attempting to ride through the Rainy Falls fish ladder:

Some more pics:

Rocky rapids near the fish ladder

Headin' into the swirlies...

Katie Koo and a waterfall

Either a very good brace or a very bad swim.

Check out Steven’s photo / video below.

What is Yak-A-Tak?

This summer, we offered two, four day classes for kids aged eight to thirteen. We were excited as both classes filled up with eager kiddos ready to paddle whitewater. We gradually built up their confidence as we increased the difficulty of the class. I know I had a great time teaching it and the kids had a great time learning to kayak!

Bend, OR – On Labor Day Weekend, September 4, 5, and 6, Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe will host their first ever “scratch and dent” rep sale out on the back lawn behind the shop. Used demo fleets of kayaks and canoes from various representatives will be available to purchase at a huge savings. This event is also a precursor to Tumalo Creek’s Annual 10-Day Fall Sale; paddlers will have the opportunity to peruse the demo fleets that will be released on September 25 and pick out the boats they hope to buy.

Tumalo Creek’s Labor Day Sale is three days only, so come down to the shop, try out a few boats, and plan to take one home: there is no better time of the year to buy a kayak or canoe.

Dog in boat! Photo by Thomas Dean

I’ve posted this to remind you of just how much fun you had last month at Pickin’ & Paddlin’ and that we have another awesome event coming up here in about a week: Wednesday Aug 25, 2010 featuring the Moon Mountain Ramblers.

This month we’ll be focusing on helping the Miller Landing Project as these folks are very close to raising enough funds to acquire the property for public use, and because Miller Landing is integral to the overall vision for the Colorado Bridge project.

Once again our neighbors StreamIt will be filming the whole event and it will be live streamed from our website, so if you have friends in other places that are interested in virtually attending a good party in Bend, send ‘em to our site!

Thanks Robert Curzon for another round of sweet photos of Pickin’ & Paddlin’.

Distance: 7 miles

Time: 2 – 4 hours

Rapids: Class 2, no surprises

Shuttling and Hitching: Class 1

John Hise, Zach Small, Philip Robert, and Toni at the Forest Glen put in on the McKenzie River, August 2010

I’ve always been intrigued by the McKenzie River and had dreams of paddling it after making the trek between Bend and Eugene so many times and seeing it bubbling along Hwy 126. Last Wednesday I was invited along on a trip with a crew of guys from the shop to explore this pristine river in a whitewater kayak.

Fun surf wave about a mile from take out

This is the perfect first trip for graduates of Tumalo Creek Full Immersion Whitewater Class. There are very few surprises and a ton of places to practice your skills, including the “land of a hundred eddies,” where catching currents could become a playful competition with the right group. Further, the scenery is lush and most houses and businesses that dot the shoreline are quaint and cute and pure Oregon.

Drive from Bend two hours and make a right into the town of Blue River where you’ll have to purchase a parking pass or two to leave your car by the river. The put in is across the Hwy. 126 and down a few yards, and is called Forest Glen. The take out is seven miles down at Silver Creek – straight down the Hwy and look for signs on the left if you are setting up shuttle. This road has tons of traffic and is busy with boaters in the summer, so as long as you carry your paddle etc., you should get a ride.

John Hise, who is a manager at Tumalo Creek, was the main motivator for this McKenzie trip. He has been running rivers in his open whitewater canoe for decades, and is probably one of the last ones standing for the sport. That said – he is probably one of the best whitewater canoers in Oregon – and while he might not be cascading down sick drops and rolling at the drop of at hat, his grace in his boat was humbly (or not so) on display in the land of a hundred eddies where he managed to catch at least eighty of ‘em. (I caught about six in a kayak.)

Zach Small was also on board for the McKenzie trip. Zach is a member of the Tumalo Creek team, and also known as Sloo Monster, either because his hair looks like it has been struck by lightning or because of some nefarious behavior near Slough Camp on the Upper Deschutes. Either way, it may not have been the most exciting whitewater excursion for Zach, who is also a student at U of O a few miles down the road, but he did help me improve my paddle stroke  and lent me his Adventure Technology paddle which felt like pure silk in me wee hands.

Sloo Monster looking not so monstrous

Here is what Zack had to say about my paddling technique:

Zach’s tips for the perfect whitewater forward stroke:

*find your paddler’s box. Hold your paddle above your body and lightly place it on your head while squaring your arms.

*without extending the arms outside of the box, take a vertical stroke starting at your toes and ending at your hips

*don’t pull past your hips as that will start to pull against the water and turn your boat

*keep your upper hand and eye level and avoid punching it forward; instead think about driving your upper shoulder forward and keeping that elbow down

*integrate torso movement into the stroke; this winding of the upper body should give the power to the stroke, not the arms.

*sit upright and a little forward to prevent stern edges from catching in rapids

*using a slight tilt of the body into each stoke will help you slice your bow through rapids

*concentrate on taking more frequent, more vertical, and less aggressive strokes on each side. This is great practice for situations where each stroke is also a brace to keep you from tipping over

Thanks Zach for the great tips – and special thanks to Toni and Philip Robert for also joining us on this beautiful day. For more detailed info on the forward stroke check out the article by Ken Whiting on Paddling.net.

Toni and John

Worried about tipping over in your kayak in the middle of a lake? This class is for you.

If you’ve ever wondered how you would ever get back in your kayak if you flipped over far from shore, or if you are looking to take your kayaking to the next level and do some exploring on the ocean, Tumalo Creek’s Flatwater Kayak Safety Class can help alleviate some anxiety about unexpectedly rolling over. This class is also well suited for those who are often on the water with less experienced boaters and want to keep them safe.

Seasoned kayaker Jeanne Russell will discuss basic safety options including proper clothing, equipment and rescue skill development. Paddlers will practice assisted and self-rescue techniques – so plan on getting wet!

Tuamlo Creek Kayak & Canoe will be providing all equipment including kayaks, PFDs, paddles and safety equipment. Participants are welcome to bring their own boats.

Please dress with the expectation that you will be swimming occasionally and bring a set of warm clothes to change into immediately after class.

Flatwater Kayak Safety Class costs $45 and will be offered at the end of the summer of 2010 on August 29, September 9 and September 18. Register by calling Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe at 541.317.9407 or emailing john@tumalocreek.com

Photo of kayaks in the fall by Lana Young

Tumalo Creek’s Nick Fehringer gives a quick three minute lesson on how to secure a kayak into a J-cradle roof rack system. Nick is our in-house expert on Thule and Yakima racks, so come on down to the shop if you have any questions or if you are considering having a rack installed onto your own vehicle.