Firsts II (Riaño)

In a previous entry I ranted about my first paddle of 2008 entailing many "first times" and taking it as an omen for the year. Well, it seems I wasn't too wrong. The year keeps bringing novelties into my paddling. I now use a new Euro paddle which has made a major difference (for good) and which I definitely love. A Greenland stick (first thing I've built wit my hands ever, I think) is finished and waiting to be thoroughly tested (inevitably, there will more on both in the near future in this space). I've also visited a couple of new paddling spots, including Riaño reservoir last weekend, and that happened to be my first camping kayak trip (even if for just one night).


I took part in the third edition of the Riaño Winter Paddle. Riaño Reservoir is a largish man-made lake, reasonably high (about 1200 m asl) up among the Cantabrian Mountains in Northern Spain. Seemingly, it is also pretty much the only body of water in the country combining sufficient size and nice scenery with the potential for severe paddling conditions during winter. As such, it has been identified by some enterprising Spanish kayakers as a convenient place to test both gear and oneself and acquire experience in cold weather paddling not too far from home.


Lots of snow (Riaño I) and lots of rain at near-freezing temperatures (Riaño II) provided the sought after hardships during the two previous editions, making them a definite success. This year, however, once the morning fog cleared, we had to endure a bright, sunny day that quickly melted the night's frost and left us little choice other than enjoying the scenic landscape. Ouch. Some relief came in the form of a rather cold night at the camp (around -5º C) followed by a frosty sunrise. I suppose that trying to stuff gear into dry bags frozen rigid might qualify as a bit of a challenge.


I fear I may lack a truly adventurous spirit. I must confess that the kindly weather did not disappoint me at all and that I cherished the chance to just have a good time. Also, being, as said, my first kayak camping trip, there were some personal tests anyway that I thought covered the challenge area very adequately in my case. Choosing and managing camping gear, clothing, food and water and loading it all in my 450 cm long Creus by Fun Run Kayaks (it will soon have its well-deserved entry, too) felt enough of a trial for now.



I am happy to report it all worked very well and that my boat did live up to its builder's claim (no surprise here) of good loading capacity. Everything needed for a comfortable winter overnighter fitted neatly into the two bulkheads and with some room to spare. I had no need to carry stuff on the deck (other than the pump, paddle float and small dry bag with snacks that always go there), something I don't like at all (I might be a tad anal about it...). Hatches and dry bags did their thing: nothing got wet. Balmier conditions, requiring less and less bulky gear, sharing a tent or, if it really comes to it, some minor cluttering of the deck with cargo, should free abundant space for food and water and, thus, allow for substantially longer outings.

I eagerly look forward to them.


NOTE: The pictures above were taken by Miguel (Mijeliño) and Jaime (Borrasca) who have kindly allowed me to use them. At Jaime's blog you'll find a more extensive chronicle of the trip and links to more photographs.

Link (II)

The present tourist hotspot and former hippy haven of Tofino (BC, Canada) got his current name when in their 1792 expedition to explore the Strait of Juan de Fuca commanders Dionisio Alcalá Galiano and Cayetano Valdés of the schooners Sutil y Mexicana named an inlet in the west coast of Vancouver Island after their mentor and fellow hydrographer Vicente Tofiño de San Miguel.

Rear admiral (his final rank) Tofiño (1732-1795), was an astronomer, cartographer and mathematician greatly renowned and respected by his contemporaries. He was director of the Midshipmen Academies at San Fernando, El Ferrol y Cartagena. He produced numerous books, treatises and maps, but perhaps the contribution that earned him the most fame was the maritime atlas of the coasts of Spain and adjacent islands elaborated under his direnction in the period 183-1788.

And now the kayaking connection (though many would know already): among the older models of Necky kayaks was a double named Tofino. And, in 1987, it was a minimally modified Necky Tofino that he baptized Bananafish that Ed Gillett paddled from California to Hawaii.

Free Ships

Literally and, more relevantly for this entry, metaphorically speaking, kayak touring is taking me to places I didn't expect to go. And I'm absolutely loving it.

Not only I've overcome a lifelong wariness towards DIY projects (my Greenland paddle is finished, more on that, soon...), but, lately, I've found myself fooling around with naval architecture freeware with excursions into the even wider field of 3d design.
The program I've ended up using almost exclusively is called FREESHIP. To my lack of experience, it has proved reasonably easy to use, while still doing most of what I'd want of it. Mostly, what I want is to produce 3d models of traditional kayaks that I can enjoy looking at . Those models can be exported to the more artistic types of 3d programs, where, if I find the time, I might try to add textures and whatnot to them for (hopefully) increased aesthetic value.



Well, I'm curious, so it was probably inevitable that I'd actually end up trying to do more than just admiring nice views of kayaks. I admit I'm also attempting to use FREESHIP to explore some performance features of the designs. You know, speed vs. resistance, stability.... In this regard a few words of caution, should someone else feel inclined to try his hand at it: at a certain point in time, FREESHIP V 2.6 became DelftShip Free 3.2 and grew a commercial version (reasonably priced, I'd say). In the process, the freeware avatar gained some better functioning of the interface, but lost the stability analysis. Bringing models done with DelftShip Free 3.2 version to 2.6 has proven a real pain, at least to me (the freeware does not allow "save as" older versions, as the commercial version does) and I'm now having to redo a number of models I made in 3.2. Hence, if stability interests you, I'd advise to start with ole FREESHIP 2.6 and stick to it.


Finally, I must admit that the name of the software makes it endearing to me. Just because of the "freedom" connotation. I know: it is actually about costs, but, to me, connections, no matter how unintended, casual or accidental, are connections. In an article in Adventure Kayak John Dowd told about how once, while doing consulting work, he asked the employees of the kayak section of a store what they were really selling. They eventually answered that they were selling freedom (wouldn't that automatically make kayaking gear very inexpensive? Freedom is pricless, isn't it? I don't actually expect my SO will see it that way, though) and I think they got it right. To me, the kayak functions very much as a vehicle to moments, often fleeting, of feeling free. Hardly original, of course, but I derive childish amusement from fumbling with models of these ships to freedom through software that has "FREE" in its name.

Yep, I can be that silly.