I didn’t plan on doing any more posts about the boats. The stories has been told, embellished and generally classified as legends but alas there is apparently one more chapter to be chronicled.
Our first paddling race/event of 2021 was in Pewaukee Wisconsin May 8th. An 8 1/2 mile paddle down the narrow and shallow Pewaukee “river” to Waukesha, WI. And by narrow and shallow, I mean narrow and shallow!
Never more than 3′ deep and often times less than 15′ wide the river had so many hairpin turns that it was a real challenge. Then the rough water came.
Now in fairness to the Pewaukee Kiwanis, they did warn us. The sub heading for the race was, “Get your Rapid Test!” So we knew it might be rough but if we had known then what we know now, we would have used different boats.
Just under 6 miles into the race, the ‘rapid test’ started. In a hairpin turn that with no way to go around, the Great Auk took a crushing blow to the keel and it shattered a hole with cracks in the cedar planks extending 24″ in each direction.
The boat was done for the day. Mary called me when I got to the finish line (yet another story) and picked her and the wounded boat up and she was done for the day.
In fact, the hull really took a beating
So, the next few post will be how to fix a badly damaged cedar strip kayak. Our next event is June 5 so I’ve ordered repair supplies and will start today.