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 Post subject: Quest Paddle Power
PostPosted: Fri Sep 02, 2005 5:59 pm 
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Location: Out There
We had some relatively calm ocean conditions this morning, so I went for a little speed run with my Quest.
Using stock Hobie paddles, with three fishing rods and about 7-8lbs. of gear and water stowed in the forward hatch, I reached a top speed of 5.6 mph, measured with a GPS.
I paddled for a little over 12 miles and caught a bunch of fish.
I know I can easily reach 6 mph or more under the right conditions.


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 26, 2005 6:08 pm 
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With a boat fully loaded for a long day of fishing, including bait tank and battery(no water in the 5 gallon tank), using stock Hobie paddles, had the Quest up to 7.7mph, measured by GPS. Slight bump on the water, a little current from the tide.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2005 5:31 am 
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Location: Tallahassee, FL
Hey ron,
Congrats--that's pretty impressive! I figured the Quest would be fast based on its hull design, but didn't figure it could get up to that speed because of its length. Wonder what that hull would do with a Mirage drive? :mrgreen:

Maybe we will find out when the Adventure arrives on the scene: similar hull design, longer length (important), PLUS the Mirage drive!
Best,
Dick

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2005 7:21 pm 
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Location: Out There
Today, with the same gear, on my way in from fishing with a 5 mph tailwind and incoming tide, I hit 9.0mph(measured with the GPS). I made an effort to try and make a speed run, but that speed seems kind of fast. About the speed of a surfer on a small California wave. Beautiful fall weather, calm water and sunny with no wind, but the fishing is somewhere between pitiful and not even there. I think our season is over.


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PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2005 7:37 pm 
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Gotta question--when you do a speed run using a GPS, how do you set it up? Is it the distance traveled in miles, or a fraction thereof, during a particular time period, say 10 minutes or what? Just curious. since I have not used a GPS before.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2005 7:56 pm 
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Location: Out There
Well, today, after trolling 14 miles without a nibble, I was coming in, conditions were perfect, so I laid down a speed run. Just like a powerboat, when you hit a certain speed, the nose comes out of the water and it really gets going. For about 100 yards, I gave it all I had; deep, smooth, even strokes. Deliver the power, but you have to keep the boat from going side to side from uneven strokes or you lose speed.
The GPS I have is very accurate, but 9 mph on water is pretty fast for a human-powered vehicle. Wind gives you the real speed(talking non-motors here).
The Quest is super stable, to make it faster, I would put the seat back about 6" and kick the nose up like a Boston Whaler. I'm talking open ocean here, those design features would probably slow you down in smooth water like a bay or lake. I wouldn't want to give up the Quest's storage space or stability for speed, it's a working man's boat.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:39 pm 
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Location: Farmington, CT
Apalach:

I use a Magellan Meridian Mariner. I believe that most GPS units work basically the same, some have a lot more bells and whistles.

On this unit, there are a number of different navigation screens that you can go to. Many of those screens have your speed in mph (or whatever unit of measure you choose).

The measurement is relative to your position on earth. So, you could be sitting quitely and still moving (tide, current, wind, etc.). As long as your relative position is changing, the GPS will post the mph at which your position is changing. To do a true measurement of your inherent speed, you would have to be in a no wind, no tide situation.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 2:02 pm 
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Hey Doc,
Thanks for the info--I have been thinking about getting one, so the more ideas the better. Not exactly sure what I would need it for though, since I don't plan on challenging ron's 9 mph any time soon! I did look into geting a fishfinder/GPS combo, but those things cost as much as a lot of yaks alone. But I guess a GPS is one of those gadgets that you end up inventing reasons to get one :mrgreen:.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 3:11 pm 
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Location: Sandy Eggo
Apalach... GET ONE NOW!! They go for about $100 and you'll amaze yourself with how many uses you'll find for it and how often you'll use it. Speed over the ground is only one of many functions. You can mark any place you go and store it to memory then return any time later within a couple meters. (Like that hot fishin' spot or infrequently visited oyster bar) Plus on the way there the GPS will give you a constantly updated distance and an arrow to point the way.

You can also input Lat. and Long. coordinates from a map or chart or from another person, input the data, press the "GO TO" button and it'll take you right to that spot.

For example: I was meeting a buddy of mine who was in the desert, which is a pretty wide open place. While driving out that way I called him on the cell phone and had him give me his coordinates from his GPS. I entered the data on my unit, pressed the "GO TO" button and about 20 minutes later I pulled up right behind his truck!

JUST DO IT!!!


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 3:30 pm 
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Location: Out There
Apalach-You don't really need a GPS if you don't get out of sight of land where you can see landmarks. A simple compass will keep you travelling in a straight line.
I got my GPS for ocean navigation. When you are 30 miles or so at sea, there are no landmarks, the GPS will get you where you need to go without wasting gas, day or night. I still prefer to steer a boat by compass and use the GPS for navigation. We have fog around here, so you can be 500yds offshore and won't be able to tell which way is which. With a GPS you can mark your launch site, see which way you are going and have the GPS steer you back to the launch.
They are pretty fun to play around with as well. You can mark where you catch fish, see how far you've gone and download all the data to a map program if you have one.
If you decide to get one, don't get the cheapest model, go a little higher. You'll have the GPS a long time, might as well get a decent one. I've always liked Garmin, they've always brought me home. My brother has a Magellan, the're OK too, but to me, Garmins are easier to use. The etrex Legend is a reasonably priced model with good features.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:05 pm 
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Location: Farmington, CT
Apalach:

Noalias makes a lot of good points. In addition to performing real functions, GPS units are kind of fun to play around with. So, if I'm trolling my Tube and Worm in Long Island Sound, I want to know if I am nailing 2 mph as the T&W designer recommends. Of course, if my GPS is showing 2 mph, I don't really know what speed the tube is traveling because of current speed. If I am trolling west and the current is travelling west at 1 mph, then I guess I need to troll at 3 mph on the GPS. See what fun these things can be?

Seriously, I got the GPS after we launched on one of our more ambitious routes (and a stupid route, having owned our hobies for about 2 weeks at that point). We pedaled about 2.5 miles to a famous fishing spot, only to find it was much too rough for our 2-week skill level. We pedaled back against 20 knot winds and an outgoing tide. Hours later, as we got closer to the launch site, we discovered the entire coast looked the same from about a mile away. I managed to flag down a boat who pointed us in the right direction.

I made a quick decision at that point...a real no-brainer...next time we go in the yaks, there will be a gps with fresh batteries and spare batteries along for the ride. I still have a regular compass as a backup, but the gps unit is really a hoot.

KFS sells the Magellan Meridian Marine for $149.95. This includes a base street and marine map. The marine map shows coastlines, buoys, lighthouses, etc. Really an impressive technology. As to hard to use...with your computer skills, you will be using it better than I. But, the Magellan is really easy to use. Detailed blue water and street cds are available for download, but kind of pricy at, I think, $200 a pop.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 6:15 pm 
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Location: Tallahassee, FL
Sounds good guys--mebbe I can use it in the car to teach my wife how to navigate? Doubt it though, she refuses to learn how to use a computer & has a fit when I try to use even my radar detector (even though she is the one who racks up the majority of the speeding tickets!). Asi es la vida (as my dear ole Dad used to say)...

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PostPosted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 7:10 pm 
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I agree with everything Ronbo has stated except the "you don't need a GPS" statement. Now, I've been on the water my whole life. I can plot courses and understand how to navigate. But let me give you an example of when the GPS was most definitely needed.

I launched and paddled only a mile east to a favorite honeyhole that I frequent often during the summer months. On this morning, the tide was coming in (full moon tide) and I had a strong NE wind. After releasing a fish after a fairly long fight, I noticed the fog bank off in the distance was suddenly on top of me. I had my compass, so I thought, no biggie. The fog was so thick I couldn't see 20 feet in front of me, but as long as the fish were biting, what the hell.

Well, when it was time to leave, I hadn't noticed that the strong drift and wind had pushed me (I realized this later) close to a mile from where I thought I was. Even with the compass, in pea soup fog, my paddle home took me 2.5 hours, when it should have only taken me 20 minutes. I missed my desintation (launch site) by a long ways and found myself in a cove I'd never been in and never even realized was there!

So, in my opinion, if you're dealing with inclement weather or nasty fog, it is a very much a necessity.

One other point...if you are offshore 5,10,15 miles and something goes wrong, the GPS will provide you with your coordinates, which would make it easier for the Coast Guard to find you in cases of emergency.

Just my 2 cents...

Rol


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PostPosted: Sat Nov 12, 2005 10:35 pm 
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soundfisher wrote:
I agree with everything Ronbo has stated except the "you don't need a GPS" statement...
You are so right Soundfisher. Whether alone or in a group, if someone has cardiac problems or some other emergency, you get on the cell phone and what will emergency people ask? What is your location? Umm, I'm in the Gulf of Mexico, but I can see land. Lets see, the compass says Northeast to whatever that building is in the distance. Those without a GPS are in trouble in an emergency. $100 dollars is a cheap form of insurance.

A GPS will give you live time speed. By knowing your average speed, you can determine what distances you are capable of. How far you can go in one direction before having to turn around to get back before dark?

It is good to know what your normal kayaking speed is. Say a local kayaker is leading a kayak trip and he/she indicates the intended speed is 4.5 mph. If a novice kayaker who has no idea what speed they paddle or pedals shows up, guess who will be slowing up the group or will be left behind out in the middle of nowhere?

A GPS used in conjunction with the Pitot Tube will give you real time data to let you know whether you are flowing with or against the current. If the Pitot Tube says you are moving at 4.0 but your GPS only shows 2.5 mph movement, you're fighting a 1.5 mph current. Currents in rivers are easy to see, but when in open waters, currents and your visible speed are more elusive.

You can track your trips using some brands of GPS and download those trips to Terrain Navigator or Google Earth Plus. You can also plan a route and upload that route to your GPS so you stay on track. I've seen leaders of club trips paddle right past the entrance to the tributary they planned to explore only to stop 30 minutes later because they knew something wasn't right. They could have spent 15 minutes planning and uploading the trip route to the GPS to avoid getting lost.

Never get lost with a GPS. I have had to rely on a GPS when exploring creeks with many branches and turns. (We've got about 400 sq miles of waterways around this area.) Can't remember which way you turned because the turns all look similar and because of the clouds, you are not ever sure which way is north? Look at your GPS - all you have to do is follow the track backwards.

While a compass is good, I wouldn't want to rely on one in the fog. It is basically a guessing game when using a compass in fog. Go out in the fog with a GPS and using waypoints, you'll be able to go exactly where you expect to go.

The GPS is not a toy, but a valuable navigational tool. Like American Express, don't leave home without it.


Last edited by Rnykster on Sun Nov 13, 2005 11:27 am, edited 3 times in total.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Nov 13, 2005 8:35 am 
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Location: Tallahassee, FL
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The fog was so thick I couldn't see 20 feet in front of me, but as long as the fish were biting, what the hell.


You guys make a lot of good points, especially about the fog. Reminded me of the time a buddy and I were in his 19 foot center console. We went out early in the morning thinking the fog was lifting. Wrong! It just got worse, and we were down to 20 foot visibility when we had to hug the shoreline and work our way back, Fortunately there were no other boats out to contend with (they were a little smarter than we were!), but there were oyster bars and piers that extended out into the Gulf about a hundred feet or so. Even at the lowest running speed possible, we were on the pier pilings and decks almost before we could even see them, let alone react. Oyster bars? Furgeddaboutit. And we thought we knew this coast like the back of our hands. NOT!

OK-you folks have convinced me! DrWilki mentioned the Magellan Meridian Marine as being one good model. What do the rest of you guys use? Soundfisher?? Rnykster??? Ronbo-what model Garmin????

Anyone else, please chime in with your GPS likes and dislikes. Seems like anyone who fishes the salt, or in the estuarine tidal creeks, or in the Florida mangroves, or even in a reasonably large lake probably needs to check these units out, if for no other reason than the safety issue.

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