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News -
Latest News
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Written by Josh
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Friday, 10 July 2009 |
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No... not a tandem Pro Angler... well kind of... but not really. It's a Pro Angler rigged with a standard Hobie kayak seat in the rear well. Hobie community forum member sifisto has found it to be an excellent addition to his PA, allowing him to take his son out fishing, with ease. He had just as much success with his wife on the back and according to his report she really enjoyed the experience. I've always thought of the PA in the way - that it could easily be used to carry 2 passengers. Its good to see someone getting out there taking full advantage of it. |
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News -
Latest News
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Written by Josh
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Friday, 10 July 2009 |
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Prior to acquiring the tramps and fitting them to my island, I'd posted a fishing from the AI FAQ document, which attempted to answer the most commonly asked questions I get on fishing from the island. Now that I'm using tramps I've updated the FAQ with this edited addition: Q: Have you tried the tramps, and do you think they will assist for kayak fishing purposes?
A: Yes, I own a set of tramps and not only do I think they are great for sailing, are also excellent for kayak camping and of course fishing. You can sit on the tramp easily, making it a perfect platform for drift fishing. It is also very handy to have the tramps next to you, effectively giving you an extra 12 square foot of usable deck space per tramp. Very very handy indeed. I can't recommend them enough, or think of a single Island owner who wouldn't benefit by them. |
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Articles -
Interviews
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Written by Josh
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Tuesday, 07 July 2009 |
Kayak fishing the world
Dennis Farrier is a member of the Hobie US Fishing Team and one of Hobie's most active kayak fishing evangelists. I was fortunate enough to spend some 4 or 5 days fishing with him in far north Queensland during the filming of the Aussie segment of the recently released 'Hobie - Fish the World' DVD. In that time I came to know him as an intelligent and insightful person whom I shared a great deal of philosophies with and it was an absolute pleasure fishing alongside him and his kayak fishing partner, Mike Allen.
Aside from his many kayak fishing achievements and experiences, Dennis has accomplished a hell of a lot in his lifetime, having worked with the Smithsonian Institution, The United Nations, Disney Television, Paramount Pictures, the Rainforest Institute in France and was involved in the creation of Biosphere II (Arizona). He is also a multiple Emmy award winner and has also been recognized for his work by the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Centre for Transnational Corporations, the American Academy of Science, as well as the governments of Japan, Puerto Rico, France, and Italy. At the request of former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, Dennis was both a Delegate and featured speaker during the launch of the International Green Cross Program in Kyoto, Japan.
So as you can deduct from all of that, Dennis is a very accomplished person and it's easy to see why I found him to be such an interesting individual. On top of all that I truly appreciated his genuine passion for the environment as well as his enthusiasm for kayak fishing. Recently Dennis finished up a world-wide kayak fishing tour, making this an ideal time to interrupt his busy schedule to corner him and ask some questions about his passion for the sport.
JH: Thanks for taking some time to answer my questions Den. I'll start off with an obvious question. When and how did you discover kayak fishing and what was it about the sport that you found so attractive?
DF: My first attempt to fish from a kayak was in 1964. I was in the United States Coast Guard, I tried to fish from a sit-inside – which didn’t work out – and I was fishing just outside the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California.
A big part of kayak fishing is the time I’m able to spend on the water with Mike Allen, my cousin. For me it’s about the friends we’ve fished with for years, and the great folks we meet on the beaches, rivers and lakes that we’re privileged to fish all over our state, around the United states, and the world. Mike and I grew up together. We surfed in the morning and fished from our surfboards in the afternoon.
Just as important? Spending time in a natural world that brings me immeasurable joy every day. And we can’t think of a better place to play. California – our backyard - offers us 1,000 miles of coastline, 4,000 lakes and reservoirs and some 30,000 streams and rivers to play in. Mike and I love to fish. If it came down to it we’d fish in a puddle in a parking lot.
JH: Recently you and Mike Allen embarked on a kayak fishing world tour, fishing in various unique places in Europe, America and Australia. After all was said and done, did you conclude upon a favorite destination? And if so, was that influenced by the environment you fished in, the fish that you caught, or something else entirely?
DF: Australia is way up there on my list of favorite spots. The beauty, Barramundi, and great people made this a top destination. I also was blown away by fishing the bayous of Louisiana for redfish. I’ve been fishing down in Baja Mexico for many years and the marlin, dorado, and roosterfish are phenomenal.
JH: What was the most impressive fish caught during the tour (from either Mike or yourself), and can you share a photo of that magic fish with us?
DF: There was a three-hour period in the Bayous of Louisiana when the Redfish fell in love with anything we threw at them. They’re beautiful with their neon tails, they’re great fighters, they gave us a sleigh ride with each catch and are strong enough to remain strong and healthy when released. Perfect.
JH: Its difficult to imagine many people having had the opportunity to catch as wide array of species as yourself. Do you have an all-time favourite fish to try and catch? If so, what is it, and why?
DF: The first fish that come to mind are the 40 to 50 pound Yellowtail off Cedros and Benitos Islands on the west coast of Baja, Mexico. They fight like a freight train. I love the sleigh ride.
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Articles -
Camping Kit
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Written by Josh
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Monday, 06 July 2009 |
Selecting the right stove type for the job
When it comes to kayak camping, there are a few options available for those looking for a lightweight, compact cooking stove. In a nutshell there are 3 basic categories of ultra-light stoves (gas stoves, spirit burners and liquid fuel stoves) and all of them are well suited to most kayak camping endeavours. There are some fairly significant differences between them though (each of them have their pros and cons) and it pays to know what those differences are before handing over your hard-earned money. Although I wrote the following article for an outdoors website almost a decade ago (and targeted it towards hikers) little, if nothing has changed in that time and most of it is applicable for kayak camping scenarios as well.
 Gas stoves are generally the easiest to operate, and as everyone knows, cooking with gas is easy-peezy-lemon-squeezy. Gas hiking stoves are compact units that are connected to a gas cartridge or canister, and are sometimes equipped with piezo ignition switches for easy lighting. Whether you are cooking elaborate meals (such as stews, curries, etc) or are simply boiling water for soups, coffee and freeze-dried meals, gas stoves will be suitable.
There are certain situations, however, where gas stoves won’t operate very well – and maybe not at all, so it’s a good idea to know a bit about where you are planning to use it, and what the weather is likely to be. Depending on what kind of gas is being used (butane or propane), gas stoves do not always operate very well at high altitudes or in extremely cold conditions. Propane is the best alternative for use in any condition (especially for high altitudes or cold climates), though generally isn’t well suited for hiking because propane canisters are made out of thicker steel, which of course adds to the overall weight. Propane/butane blends are available but are not guaranteed to work in all conditions.
 Spirit burner stoves are also very easy to use, and are very popular with hikers across the world. Without a doubt, the most common spirit burner style stoves are the Trangia storm cooker units. Incorporating the burner, windshield, 2 pots and a frying pan, storm cookers are often described as a total cooking solution that are well suited to cooking stews, stir frys and similar meals. They are available in full aluminium and some are lined with non-stick or stainless steel lined surfaces (the latter of which is preferred by the writer).
A spirit burner is very easy to set up and operate – it’s a simple matter of putting some methylated spirits into the burner (adding a few drops of water will help reduce pot blackening), holding a flame to the burner and hey-presto, your away. Not only are they simple to use, they will operate in any condition and they are very quiet. There are some disadvantages to spirit burners, however, and it pays to be aware of these issues. The first potential problem is that compared with liquid fuel stoves, are not very efficient and can chew through quite a bit of fuel in a relatively short space of time. The second potential problem is that spirit burners do not burn very hot, and thus take longer to boil water than gas or liquid gas stoves.  Liquid fuel stoves are a little trickier to set up and operate, but for many people, is the best solution for cooking in the backcountry. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, liquid fuel stoves are typically very efficient and do not burn through fuel as fast as the alternatives, which means less fuel is required to be carried. Secondly, liquid fuel stoves burn significantly hotter as well, and are the best at boiling water efficiently.This is a big plus for those moments when you just want to make a cuppa, or are otherwise living off freeze-dried or dehydrated meals.
Finally, liquid fuel stoves are capable of operating in extreme conditions and do not suffer the same problems of gas stoves. The only down side to liquid fuel stoves is that they are more expensive than the alternatives and that some of them are downright terrible at regulating heat. This isn’t a problem for people who are simply using them to boil water, but models with simmering capability are by far the most suitable for hikers who take their backcountry cooking seriously. They are often referred to as multi-fuel stoves because some of them will operate on a varierty of fuels, including unleaded petrol (not recomended). This often makes them an attractive option for international adventurers as well, as not all fuel types are commonly available in all parts of the world. Shellite is a good clean fuel that works in almost all of them, although some manufacturors also offer a premium fuel, which is in theory a lot like premium fuel for your car. While liquid fuel stoves are significantly more expensive than their gas-powered counterparts, and require a bit more fiddling to get going, they are almost always very good quality and Coleman, Primus & MSR have great reputations (the latter of which being favcured by the writer). |
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