Werner Blog

NOC Demo Day A Huge Success

This past weekend all boats in NOC’s massive demo fleet were available for free test-paddling on the Nantahala River.  A big "Thank you," to the world-famous Outfitter’s Store. Manufacturers such as Pyranha, LiquidLogic, Dagger, Werner, and Immersion Research were on hand to answer customer questions about new boats and gear at the sidewalk sale.

Additional activities include free rolling clinics on Saturday and Sunday, Just for Ladies Clinics with Anna Levesque, manufacturer boat demos on the Nantahala River, paddling film premieres, and the awards for the 2009 Southeast Gradient Showdown.

To learn more about this event check out the NOC Blog.

Jerry's Baddle Event Supports ALS & The Green River Access Fund

Werner Paddle's Mette Bergvall and Danny Mongno, Asheville NC locals, were especially honored to donate a paddle to suport Jerry's Baddle this past weekend.  A combined extreme kayak race and road bike race, on the Green River and in and out of the gorge, is in memory of Green River local Jerry Beckwith who was a victim of ALS.  All proceeds from the race and the auction go to ALS and the Green River Access fund.  You can learn more about the cause at www.jerrysbaddle.org and be sure to take some time to read and check out photos on our friend Shane Bendict's blog from this past weekend's event. 

Trip of the Week in Southern New England

The first weekend in May always brings a lot of excitement to my paddling heart.  First off you have the great opportunities to take free classes and try a huge array of boats and gear at North Cove Outfitters and The Kayak Centre’s demo weekends.  Plus the chance to paddle some of southern New England’s most amazing coast lines is just too big a reason to not pack the car and head out. 

 

My trip of the week; the one I look forward to every year? The Thimble Islands in Branford CT.  It is so easily accessible to I-95 it is almost a sin to not pull off and get your boat wet.  My original reason for getting so excited about paddling the Thimbles this weekend dates back to when I worked with Impex Kayaks .  You see, there is a train trestle, 12’ of clearance, which guards the put in at Stony Creek. So with my truck loaded with sea kayaks, it was too tall to get under the tresel which did not allow me to get to the Thimbles.  However, after I unloaded at North Cove’s event I was stealth baby!  This allowed me to sneak away for a few hours after set up to enjoy some of my favorite paddling. 

 

The Thimble Islands are a picturesque spot on the Connecticut coast. It’s as though the pink-granite-ringed islands of the Maine coast migrated south just off the quiet town of Stony Creek and with a rough count of 365 small to large islands there is plenty to see.  Be respectful of the locals when you show up, both the local paddlers who always deal with the limited parking and of course to those who inhabit the islands.  If you are coming from the north and you are just going to be to far away to come see me on the water on Friday, call the staff at The Kayak Centre and be sure to ask about some local paddling in Wickford that will allow you to enjoy some paddling when you at their event learning about…well paddling.  Hope to see you on the water.

Charleston Sea Kayak Symposium

Mette Bergvall, Werner Paddles SE Sales Representative posts here about the Charleston Sea Kayak Symosium...

The event was put on by Charleston County Parks and Recreation last weekend.  It was a great event with instructional and educational classes, some taught by Werner Paddles very own Danny Mongno.  The event is a weekend full of paddling of all types, kayaks, canoes, SUP boards, outriggers and even motorized kayaks.  There were many manufactures present demoing products, as well as quite a few retailers that set up shop to sell product.  We wrote many paddle prescriptions through our custom fit evaluation program.  In fact we custom fit a paddler for a paddle she won from Sea Kayaker Magazine. 

We had quite a bit of interest in out SUP board demos.  They were out all weekend!  Thanks to SurfTech, Hurricane and Uli for the demo boards.  Werner Paddles also took a few days before the event to SUP in the surf at Folly Beach.  The waves were not so great for the surfers, but the waves were perfect for us on our SUP boards.  We all caught plenty of waves and event surfed with a dolphin.  In addition to the surf we enjoyed a down winder in the creek behind the beach, the one pictured at sunset.  It was great to get a free ride with the falling tide and the blowing wind!

I love my job!

Mette Bergvall

Werner Paddles Supports "I Speak For The Rivers"

Below is a message from the Algonquin College White Water Team Expedition 2009. 

Good morning boaters. As many paddlers are aware (or should be!) the conservative government has passed Bill C-10, The Budget Implementation Act. This bill was passed without consulting the public in order to amend Canada’s Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA). This empowers the provincial government to allow development on any body of water Canada that has a draught of 1 meter or less without properly assessing the environmental damage it would cause. This issue affects every Canadian and their children’s historic right to paddle rivers or any body of water in Canada.

The ‘I speak for Rivers Foundation’ was started by Scott MacGregor, founder of Rapid Magazine in the Ottawa Valley in an effort to raise awareness and inspire people to speak out against this political transgression. Now, 6 students of Algonquin College’s Outdoor Adventure (Luke Morris, Will Andrews, Pierre Fournier, Byron Chittick, Billy Blades, Colin Loose) program are using their final expedition as an opportunity and taking to Black River, Fish Creek, The New River (Gorge Section) and The Upper Youghiogheny River on 11 day tour across the North Eastern United States. Ending the journey with a paddler celebration at MACK fest weekend in Marmora, Ontario. Team ACWW1 (Algonquin College White Water 1) is paddling to bring awareness to a part of the American paddling community who may also use our waterways. We encourage anyone who reads this blog to visit and sign up.

Cheers,
Team ACWW1 

Liquid Surf and Sail to Host SUP Race Series

Werner Paddles is proud to be partnering with one of our favorite retailers in Florida, Liquid Surf and Sail, as they host a SUP Race Series.  There is a five mile race happening April 26th in Ft. Lauderdale.  For more information get a hold of Jesse at Liquid Surf and Sail.

Congrats to the 2009 Patagonia Expedition

This past winter, Werner Paddles joined up with Optimist Paddling Club of Israel to support Yosale Dror, On Arnon and Roy Shatzki as they set forth to explore Patagonia by sea kayak.  As the expedition wraps up, here are a few words from Yosale. "I Wanted to thank you for the support of our team in the Patagonia kayaking expedition this year, this support in gear made it possible for us to set of for this amazing voyage.  We didn't make the life easy for those paddles…but they handled it very well!  Be sure to check out there journey and some more beautiful pictures on their blog, Sea Kayaking Patagonia.

 

New England Triple Crown of White Water

Kicking off this coming weekend, April 25th and 26th, the New England Triple Crown of White Water is bringing back an event from the past.  This event will be held in Connecticut's Tariffville Gorge the past home of US National Slalom events and Olympic qualifiers.  T-Ville as it is known by boaters, offers great access for spectators and wonderful white water in a beautiful New England setting.  The event will challenge how well rounded a boater is; testing them in down river wild water racing, slalom kayaking and rodeo boating.  Check the event out at www.tvilletriplecorwn.com for more information and a schedule of events.  Good luck to all the competitors. 

SUP for Washington Water Trails

Ken Campbell blogs here about the Puget Sound Challenge, you can follow him regularly on his blog...

The Puget Sound Challenge is a 150 nautical mile paddling challenge that goes out to all kayakers, canoeists, rowers, and any human powered craft to complete the selected course in one year. The paddle is from Belfair to Allyn, WA. The purpose of this event is to create a fun challenge unique to Washington state and help raise money for Washington Water Trails.

The main goals of the Washington Water Trails Association (WWTA) are to promote advocacy, education, and stewardship of public access to Washington’s waterways for people in human and wind powered beachable watercraft. WWTA is a non profit organization that incorporated in 1990 after realizing that urbanization and privatization of Washington’s shorelines are limiting access to and rapidly changing the pristine nature of Washington’s waterways. WWTA provides a clear voice for small boater’s rights and a helping hand to preserve access to Washington’s waters for future generations.

I have been exploring Washington waters by sea kayak and canoe for the last two decades. Paddling my own small boat had been, and continues to be, an integral part of my outdoor experience but it is not the only way I have found to enjoy the water. This year, I plan to paddle the Puget Sound Challenge on a Standup Paddleboard (SUP), something that has not been done before. Although SUPs are quite common elsewhere – Hawaii, California, etc. – they are just starting to make an appearance here in the Pacific Northwest. I am happy and proud to make this attempt in order to raise money for a very worthy cause. Throughout my paddling pursuits, I have found WWTA to be a stalwart defender of this unique environment as well as a voice for access that would otherwise not have been there. Every kayaker, canoeist and paddle boarder owes this fine organization their gratitude and support. Your donation will help to ensure that WWTA can continue to expand and improve water trails in Washington.

New Zeland National Slalom Championships

 

Werner Team member, Nikki Kelly blogs here about her recent participating in the National Slalom Championships in New Zeland...

National Slalom Championships were held over the Easter weekend with 300 plus competitors;what I would call a growing sport in New Zealand.   No practice, 20 gates, two runs, best one counts.  The ultimate training for extreme racing, each gate is a sequence of strokes best made for a fast and no penalty score, much like the must make moves on Home stake steep creek race at Vail Games – all under the pressure of competition.  I take my mind to that place, prepare for the race, visualize the moves, sit at the start line then take those first series of forward strokes off the mark, pulling hard, feeling smooth - then I know I have the groove.   My two runs were night and day.  The first I couldn’t get purchase or balance, the 2nd I pulled hard all the way through, hit my lines and felt elated at the end.  I took out 2nd place, just behind our Olympian.  
Cool - Nikki