Saturday, October 19, 2013

Me paddling Sulu Sea on Kelly Dudley Lakes in SE Minnesota

Paddling "Sulu Sea" on Kelly Dudley Lakes in SE Minnesota


Future videos will feature a wider angle of view than I was able to achieve with my Flip Video Ultra HD mounted on the forward ama post.

But the video shows that you can indeed use a double paddle and sit on a comfortable beach chair to enjoy the great, aquatic outdoors, on a car topper outrigger canoe.

The minimum clearance you need to comfortably us a double paddle:
fore and aft -- six and a half feet between the waka from the centerline outward -- four feet


Notes: 
  • It took about an hour to upload this video to blogger.com and YouTube, simultaneously, over the cafe's wifi.
  • It took a similarly long time for Windows Live Movie Maker to load the 34 minute original HD MP4 file for editing.
  • I still don't know anything about the best file format for uploading videos --- an excellent research topic.
  • In future I will shoot shorter video clips and upload shorter video segments, until I can upgrade my computer, wifi speed, or both.-

Monday, October 14, 2013


Photo from yesterday's launch on Lake Byllesby (13 October 2013)





Friday, October 11, 2013

Boiling Hot Minnesota Doldrums

 10 October 2013

Okay, so these pictures are from a whole year and a half ago.

I guess building a proa puts your whole life and your own mortality right out there in plain view.

At least when it takes you as long as it takes me to build a proa.

Meanwhile I have launched another neglected blog using my very own domain name:

http://douglasweir.com/blog/



On with the show...


Here are some contraptions I tried out last year:

1. Double axis rudder contraption
2. PVC pipe jam cleat contraption
3. deck box with seat back contraption
4.  foot pedal steering linkage contraption


Here's another view of the four fold contraptions in all their glory:


Oh, and a fifth contraption --- a little mounting bracket for my Flip Ultra HD video cam:


And another shot of the benefits of bungee cords for proa sailors who don't ride bicycles:



And Gary Dierking's most excellent ama post rigging system. 

Note:  I actually use a galvanized mooring cleat mounted on the aka.  A paddle can be neatly stowed under those polyester lines.  Polyester (synthetic silk) because it does not stretch when wet.



A detailed view of the dual axis rudder contraption:



And of the multi jam cleat board (inspiration credits to Wade Tarzia):



Hope  this belated post cheers you up.

Let me know if you want to see the video clips...
 

gold party