Different paddle craft prepare for Paddle for Pete
UPDATE: Results from the P4P now available on the Blast Paddlers Website.
Local surf lifesaver Pete was seriously injured during a surfing accident at Easter. Local clubbies, paddlers & business’ got together to raise money for his ongoing medical support on a cold, wet and windy day at Pittwater, Sydney. Lots of different paddle-craft including Surf Boats, Paddle Boards, Skis, SUPs, Kayaks, Outriggers… all came together for one morning, one big paddle, as one great community. It’s days like this that make you feel proud to be a paddler.
Big thanks to all the local business’ including Blast Paddlers and Sydney Harbour Kayaks who donated their time and equipment to help make the event successful. Over $7000 was raised for Pete’s medical expenses, an amazing outcome from a mornings’ paddle! Cheers – FP
Tags: Blast Paddlers, Paddle for Pete, Pittwater, Sydney Harbour Kayaks
The Australian-made Ozflyte R21 in carbon fibre.
The rise of ocean racing ski paddling has been dramatic in Australia, with the Harbour regularly abuzz with these Formula 1 paddlers on their skinny boats. Thus far the market has been dominated by popular international brands such as Fenn and Epic, but now local surf ski manufacturer OZFlyte has designed and launched a true Aussie racer onto the market.
Ozflyte R21 - a skinny speedster!
To launch the R21 in Sydney, my mates at Sydney Harbour Kayaks got together with Blast Paddlers and OZFlyte to hold a demo day down at The Spit where local ski paddlers could put the new ski through its paces against the usual Blast flotilla of Fenns, Epics and Think Unos.
The OZFlyte R21 ahead of the Epic by a nose
Needless to say the ski boys and girls had a heap of fun testing the new boats and now have a local and affordable alternative to the usual ski range.
OZFlyte / SHK Team Paddler Amy Nurthen from Terrigal
The new skis can be tested and ordered from Sydney Harbour Kayaks, so if you’re in the market for a ski, get down to the The Spit for a test paddle. I might even test one myself! Cheers – FP
Tags: aussie ski, Blast Paddlers, Epic, Fenn, ocean ski, OZFlyte, OZFlyte R21, racing ski, Sydney Harbour Kayaks
Orbitz CEO and President Barney Harford with North & Middle Heads in background
This week our business has been visited by senior execs from our parent company Orbitz, including our VP Global Media Kit Simon and CEO & President, Barney Harford. In an effort to get our visitors and HotelClub executives out of the office for a few hours, I put together a session on the water with the help of Sydney Harbour Kayaks.
Cruising past Chinaman's Beach. A little less stuffy than the boardroom!
We’d somehow managed to find the only day this week that didn’t pour with rain, and kitted out with sea kayaks and wet weather gear, the paddlers set out towards Middle Head. With Barney and HotelClub President Jeremy Bellinghausen leading the way, the small armada hugged the western shoreline of Hunters Bay on route to Grotto Point, pausing occasionally to look more closely at the rocky shoreline.
Enjoying the paddle past Balmoral beach
I had spied a couple of stingrays whilst out on the paddle, but a couple of the other paddlers saw what looked initially like a shark, then as we got closer more like a seal. When a head popped up with a snorkle and goggles on, I’m not sure who was the most surprised, but there were a few relieved faces on the water when they realised it was only a “friendly”.
Paddling with Grotto Point in the background
Finally the group passed Grotto Point and paused to take in the view of Sydney Heads. With almost no ocean swell, the conditions were perfect to take in the sight of the rocky cliffs, and the paddlers were able to enjoy the view on Sydney’s famous waterway.
Kit pausing in front of North Head. Calmest day in weeks!
The Boot blogger Timothy Hughes heading for New Zealand
With time marching on, we turned and paddled into Balmoral Beach where we paused for a well-earned coffee, before climbing back into the kayaks for the return trip to The Spit.
Jeremy enjoyed the power of the high-angled stroke
Despite conversations on scintillating subjects such as the effects of different currency fluctuations on cost/revenue models (!!), the paddlers seemed to enjoy the opportunity to talk business outdoors and to get a few hours away from the office. In all a very nice way to spend a Monday afternoon!
A special thanks must go to Sydney Harbour Kayaks who were instrumental in this great afternoon. Their care and assistance setting everyone up in their boats and again getting everyone into cabs and away during peak hour traffic was greatly appreciated by all.
Lastly, after the paddle we took Barney and Kit to Hurricanes in Bondi, an institution for any meat-lover living in or visiting Sydney, to partake in what has to be the World’s Biggest Ribs. Needless to say they were… impressive! Cheers – FP
A rack even the Flintstones would be proud of!
Tags: Barney Harford, HotelCLub, Jeremy Bellinghausen, Kit Simon, Orbitz, Sydney Harbour Kayaks
Sydney Harbour Kayaks getting behind TFP and Kayak for Kids
A big thanks to Shannon and the crew at Sydney Harbour Kayaks who are getting behind the Team Fat Paddler efforts for Kayak for Kids with their own promotion. For every Epsilon P300/C300 sold between now and 28 March 2010 they’ll donate $50 to our fund-raising efforts. And just to sweeten the deal, they’ve knocked $500 off the price.
Apart from the kind donation aspect, it’s no surprise that I’m a big fan of the newly designed Epsilon range by Boréal Design. If you read my earlier Epsilon review you can see I think it’s a well designed and fun boat. I certainly wouldn’t be upset if one my readers wanted to buy me one – haha!
So if you’re in the market for a new kayak, get yourself down to Sydney Harbour Kayaks and grab a free test paddle. I can confidently say you wont be disappointed, and you’ll also be helping out the Kayak for Kids cause at the same time. Cheers! – FP
Tags: BD Epsilon, Epsilon 300, Epsilon C300, Epsilon P300, Kayak for Kids, Sydney Harbour Kayaks
SHK crew in happier days. 6m, 12 kayak capacity, custom made. And now stolen property
I can’t say I’ve ever met a paddler I didn’t like, it’s such a great community of people sharing a passion for the outdoors. So it is really saddening to hear of the theft of Sydney Harbour Kayaks‘ two custom made kayak trailers. Consider, you can’t really use them for anything other than boats, they are 6 metres long each, and they are custom made and easily recognizable. And yet someone has still seen fit to steal not one, but both of these trailers.
And consider also – whilst SHK uses these for commercial activities, they also support local schools and charities with the delivery and use of their kayaks for community projects and activities. With both trailers stolen, not only are they unable to continue their day to day commercial activities dependant on them, but the local community (and children) now have to go without kayaking activities until they can replace them.
So I’d like to ask our Aussie (and most probably, NSW-based) paddlers to keep an eye out for these trailers and let either myself, the police or Shannon at SHK know if a trailer or two suddenly turn up in your local area. Or, if you may have seen the thefts themselves (Kenneth Road Manly Vale) and can give some information on the thieves, we’d really appreciate it. If you provide information leading to the trailers recovery, we’ll put together a Fat Paddler and Sydney Harbour Kayaks merchandise pack full of goodies for you to say thanks.
Email Fat Paddler: FP [AT] fatpaddler.com
Email Shannon: Shannon [AT] sydneyharbourkayaks.com
Let’s not let thieves get away with this brazen theft. I’m sure between all of us paddlers we can track these down. Happy hunting! – FP
Trailer seen from the front
Tags: stolen trailers, Sydney Harbour Kayaks, theft, trailers
