Kayaking Books - Page 4

Stitch-and-Glue Boatbuilding

Chris Kulczycki

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

A shill for CLC boats 1 out of 5 stars.
13 of 14 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book hoping that it would be a good starter book for building stitch and glue kayaks and canoes. While it is a good book with information on the stitch and glue process, the concentration is along the lines of the Chesapeake Light Craft (CLC) boat kits. There are no plans in the book although what fooled me while I checked out the book at the bookstore, was that a portion of the CLC plans were reproduced in the book, but nothing to build a boat from (obviously) but that was not stated anywhere on the cover or in any kind of noticeable fashion until you start to read the text. I have heard that you should read the first chapter or two before you buy a book such as this, however, I typically don't do that and it cost me to waste time and money this time (it is stated in the intro or first chapter that this book uses CLC's boats as the point of reference and that there are no buildable plans in the book, had I seen that before I bought it, I would not have bought this book). I have read from builders of CLC boats that their kits have given newbie boat kit builders problems and I believe this book was written mostly for them. This became evident to me when I realized that, in addition to lacking plans, there was no information on even designing your own boat to utilize these techniques with nor any info. on converting plans for boats built via different methods (like strip built boats and, for kayaks and canoes, skin on frame designs). I have boatbuilding books for skin on frame and strip built boats and they include both plans and how-to general design for similar boats to those in those books.

In short, unless you're building a boat kit, avoid this book, I believe there are other books out there that not only deal with the basics of S&G boatbuilding, but also provide plans to use to apply those skills.

Editorial Review:

In Stitch-and-Glue Boatbuilding, one of the leading practitioners and teachers of the craft assembles the definitive how-to manual for the most popular method of amateur boatbuilding today. Enlivened with tales of boat shop mishaps and designs gone bad that entertain as they instruct, this invaluable book includes full plans and assembly instructions for nine boats--seven kayaks, a sailing skiff, and a wherry. Step-by-step photos and drawings make this an ideal guide for visual learners.

Sea Kayaking: Rough Waters

Alex Matthews

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Heliconia Press, Inc. Amazon Marketplace: 14 new & used starting at $13.25

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great Reference 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

As a dedicated sea kayaker, I found this book to be an excellent addition to my library on sea kayaking. It's beautifully illustrated with numerous high-quality photographs. I wouldn't characterize it as an instructional book but more of a celebration and introduction to kayaking in challenging "big water" conditions. There's enough information to get one's appetite engaged and probably enough to get one started in learning the techniques needed to manage those conditions. However, it shouldn't be regarded as a substitute for formal instruction and practice.

Editorial Review:

Whether your interest is in paddling in more challenging conditions, or in learning new skills and concepts that will boost your confidence for more sheltered paddling, Sea Kayaking: Rough Waters will help you get the most out of your time on the water.

With stunning photography by Jock Bradley and Paul Villecourt, fun illustrations, and a gold mine of knowledge passed on by expert paddler and instructor, Alex Matthews, Sea Kayaking: Rough Waters is a must-have for all sea kayakers.

YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT:

• Choosing and caring for equipment
• Optimizing your strokes and paddling techniques
• Rough water safety and rescue
• Navigating through tidal currents
• Paddling in surf zones
• Dealing with wind
• And much more...

Boundary Waters Canoe Camping, 2nd Edition

Cliff Jacobson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

An Interesting Perspective 4 out of 5 stars.
39 of 39 people found this review helpful.

Reading the other reviews submitted about this book, one would think that it is either the best or the worst book ever written about the special requirements of canoe camping in the boundary waters. Well, it is neither. I take a 14-plus day trip to the Quetico every other summer, and have travelled many of the most challenging and remote routes of the park. The value of this book is that it offers one set of ideas as to the best way to go about one's business in the wilderness. These ideas are not definitive, and I flatly ignore many of them. That said, I have also adopted some of the ideas found in the book, or at least reconsidered my tried and true methods based on some of the author's recommendations. If you're looking for a book to stimulate you to think about different ways of doing things in the woods-- this is a good choice. If you're a beginner, this isn't a bad place to start, but it would be a bad place to stop. There are as many different ways to go about travelling in canoe country as there are lakes in the Quetico. Almost all have something to offer. None are perfect. This book is worth reading as part of the exploration and learning process.

Editorial Review:

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA), located in northeastern Minnesota, is a legendary wilderness destination for canoeists from around the world. Longtime guide and canoe authority Cliff Jacobson explains the best and safest ways of planning and enjoying a BWCA journey. Includes maps, illustrations, and information on obtaining permits, packing the right supplies, practicing low-impact camping techniques, honing paddling skills, traveling with children, and dealing with hazards on land and water.

The Bombproof Roll and Beyond

Paul Dutky

Amazon Price: $14.35 List Price: $15.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Menasha Ridge Press Amazon Marketplace: 47 new & used starting at $1.78

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Ditto 5 out of 5 stars.
13 of 14 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book around the time it first came out about nine years ago or so. Not only is it useful for learning the kayak roll, the author also covers "old school" playboating maneuvers such as wave surfing, side-surfing in holes, 360's, enders, and pirouttes. The illustrations are diagramatic and especially helpful. Rolling techniques included are the "C-to-C" or snap roll, the sweep roll, back deck rolls, hands rolls as well as rolling stategies and exercises. Definitely one of the most helpful kayaking technique books I have read.

Editorial Review:

Paddling on the edge - the ability to hold the kayak level or on edge using knee pressure, to maintain balance using body lean, and when needed to shift weight forward or backward are the skills fundamental to even simple maneuvers such as bracing, upstream ferries, and the Eskimo roll.

The Bombproof Roll and Beyond! is an introduction to edge control and balance for paddlers from the beginner to the most expert. Author Paul Dutky shares his whitewater experience to help paddlers master those techniques that will enable them to surf, to playboat, and to run even the most challenging whitewater safely and with confidence.

Sea Kayaking Illustrated : A Visual Guide to Better Paddling

John Robison

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Fun, Funny and Informative! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a great books. You almost have to see it to really appreciate it. There are thousands of hand-drawn images which makes everything very, very easy to understand. They make the book fun and you'll even get a giggle out of a few of them. It's definitely worth the money!

Great Book! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book is fantastic. The pictures combine humor with instruction, and the book itself covers a lot of basics for those just learning about sea kayaking. I've been very happy with it.

Funny and informative 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book has a lot of GREAT information in it. It gets the points across by funny but sometimes very serious cartoons and illustrations. There is a lot of emphasis on safety which is very important to learn up front.

Editorial Review:

For some learners a picture is worth a thousand words--and this lavishly illustrated volume proves the rule. The expert advice and lively illustrations combine to offer serious how-to instruction in an entertaining fashion to sea kayakers of all levels.

Developed by an ACA-certified instructor over years of paddling and education, this complete program provides a visual tour of all that sea kayaking can offer, including ingenious tips on advanced paddling techniques, navigation and safety, and more.

Quiet Water New York, 2nd: Canoe & Kayak Guide (AMC Quiet Water Series)

Alex Wilson, John Hayes

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Appalachian Mountain Club Books Amazon Marketplace: 19 new & used starting at $11.44

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

very helpful 4 out of 5 stars.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.

In time for spring and summer, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) has released a new, second edition of Quiet Water: New York, a Canoe and Kayak guide to the Empire State compiled by John Hayes and Alex Wilson.



As the title suggests, the authors are very clear that their new guidebook is designed for the canoe and kayak enthusiast who is look for quiet or solitude. There is no whitewater assistance offered here. However, ninety different options around New York State including nine locations within Central New York are suggested in this book.



"Quiet Water" also includes a plethora of helpful suggestions to plan your next outing on the water. The books provides maps, habitat descriptions of each area, phone numbers, websites, even a description of animal habitats one might encounter on the water. Scattered throughout the volume are photos from the water and profiles of local animals.



A great companion guide to anyone who looking to paddle this summer.

Editorial Review:

This completely revised edition of AMC’s best-selling Quiet Water guide—the first new edition in 10 years—reveals more than 100 spectacular ponds, lakes, and rivers ideally suited for canoeing and kayaking. From the Adirondacks to the western plateau and south to Long Island, the waterways described in this updated guide offer access to unique water adventures for beginners and experienced paddlers, birdwatchers and anglers, families with children and active seniors. Each easy-to-read trip description features a map and photograph of the destination, plus details of the suggested paddling route and the flora and fauna to be seen along the way.

Whitewater Kayaking: The Ultimate Guide

Ken Whiting, Kevin Varette

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Improved 2nd edition 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

The second edition with its colour illustrations and colour coding of the chapters, makes it an invaluable reference for the Whitewater kayaker.

Editorial Review:

Now in its second edition, Whitewater Kayaking: The Ultimate Guide has become the established, definitive guide on the sport.

Drawing on the combined 30+ years of experience of world-renowned paddlers and instructors Ken Whiting and Kevin Varette, this comprehensive guide covers everything from the most basic skills and concepts to the most advanced, cutting-edge paddling techniques. Whatever you need, you'll find it in this essential whitewater kayaking reference.

YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT:

• Choosing the right equipment
• The essential strokes and paddling techniques
• The art of reading whitewater
• River running
• River safety and rescue
• Playboating
• Creek boating
• Paddling in big water
• Surf kayaking
• Squirt boating
• Kayak tripping
• And much more...

Deep Water Passage: A Spiritual Journey at Midlife

Ann Linnea

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 29 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

This book took me out on the water with the author! 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I couldn't put this book down! I was there with every storm, every breathless moment of this incredible journey! I was exhausted when I finished this page-turner strictly from the adventure standpoint, but the emotional journey which parallels the physical is equally compelling and I found the author's honesty to be refreshing and comforting. This is a beautiful book to read and re-read when your own life's journey makes you wonder if you're on the right path and it makes a wonderful gift as well!

Depressing 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I admire this woman for the undertaking, kayaking around Lake Superior. But the descriptions of downpours, thick fog and cold water 24/7 was as depressing as her thoughts of her lost friend. Beautifully written, this book is not for the joyful-at-heart as it touches on a subject we all must face with time: the passing of a loved one and mid-life doubts.

The book worked because as the journey moved on around the lake, Ann described the boulders, the lichen, the flora and the immediate surroundings, all which were backdrops to her thoughts.

There was a distinctive difference in the wilderness between the Canadian and American sides of Lake Superior that she detailed along the way. Fewer but more interesting people were found on the Canadian side and some of the shore descriptions were so detailed I could smell the water and trees.

But there were times I fast-forwarded to get away from the depressing parts (when she talked about old times with her dead friend) and read more of the adventure of the trip, as she and her partner amassed miles, met up with friends or strangers along the shore, built a campsite for the night, etc. That she was able to finish the entire circumference is in itself amazing, not because she did it (she is afterall an endurance athlete) but because of the strong demons she had to fight inside.

I recommend this for people who love the seas, lakes, kayaking and pushing oneself to ones physical limits.

Editorial Review:

The first woman to circumnavigate Lake Superior by kayak retraces her sixty-five day journey through raging storms and freezing cold--a journey that also ranges out of her own spiritual wilderness into the light of fulfillment. Tour.

On Celtic Tides: One Man's Journey Around Ireland by Sea Kayak

Chris Duff

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 27 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

A mind-numbing slog 1 out of 5 stars.
3 of 8 people found this review helpful.

Chris Duff's journey and skill as a kayaker are not in question here. He's definitely got skills and experience.

What was maddening about this book was the starry-eyed reverence, awe and humility he had for every single damn rock and cliff and farmhouse he ran across. Every stone "spoke" to him, every cliff called out the timeless power of the sea, every ancient monastery still had ghosts running around in it.

His encounters with the people of Ireland at least brought him back to the living, somewhat, but even then, he has this sense of awe for the simple farming and fishing folk that, I'm sorry, just gets old after a while. He talks about visiting a pub on one stop, and being both exhilirated and driven to tears in the same song. Really? Call me a cynic, but Chris might want to adjust his meds.

I came away from this book thinking one of two things: Either Chris' "book" persona is a some ideal that he has in his head of what a serious "writer" and traveler should be... and that there are other bits of his character that for one reason or another he chose not to share. Like a sense of humor, perhaps.

Or this book really is a deep, honest, view into this guy's psyche. In which case, he sounds tedious, pretentious and boring.

Editorial Review:

A sea kayak battles the freezing Irish waters as the morning sun rises out of the countryside. On the western horizon is the pinnacle of Skellig Michael-700 feet of vertical rock rising out of exploding seas. Somewhere on the isolated island are sixth-century monastic ruins where the light of civilization was kept burning during the Dark Ages by early Christian Irish monks. Puffins surface a few yards from the boat, as hundreds of gannets wheel overhead on six foot wing spans. The ocean rises violently and tosses paddler and boat as if they were discarded flotsam. This is just one day of Chris Duff's incredible three month journey.

Alaska's Kenai Peninsula Wildlife Viewing Trail Guide

Doug O'Harra, Katherine Hocker, Kristan Hutchison, Riley Woodford

Amazon Price: $8.95 List Price: $8.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Alaska Department of Fish and Game Amazon Marketplace: 7 new & used starting at $6.98

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Subjects -> Travel -> Polar Regions -> Arctic

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The Kenai Peninsula Wildlife Viewing Trail features 65 carefully selected wildlife viewing sites that highlight the diversity of animals and habitats found on the Kenai Peninsula.

Visit all of the sites and you will have explored the Kenai Fjords National Park, the Chugach National Forest, many Alaska State Parks, the Kenai and Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuges, and several state refuges. Watch for wildlife from your car, on foot, by bike, with a canoe or kayak, and by state ferry or tour boat. And, return throughout the seasons to full discover the bears, moose, whales, salmon, eagles, otters, loons, warblers, starfish, dragonflies, and other wildlife on the Kenai.

This guide provides details on how to get to each site, what to look for when you are there, and special tips to make the most of your visit. You will also find information on wildlife species and habitats, seasonal wildlife activities, public lands, viewing, safety, and a checklist of the birds of the Kenai Peninsula.