Another amazing year of paddling for the Fat Paddler
As we embrace the start of 2012, I thought it time to look back on what has been a truly incredible year for Fat Paddling.
January 2011
The year started with a deadline, with the final manuscript of what was to become The Fat Paddler due into my publisher in the first week of the year. As discussions on the editorial process got underway, I boarded a plan heading for the USA and Canada, where I met up with an incredible bunch of people from the paddling industry. I got to paddle (and sink!) a canoe on the icy waters of Lake Ontario, snowshoe in the freezing cold snowscape of Thunder Bay and of course do kayak rolling lessons with Helen Wilson and Joe O’Blenis.
Rolling classes with Helen Wilson in Thunder Bay, Canada
February 2011
With summer temperatures soaring on my return to Sydney, Team Fat Paddler decided to head to sea in the early dawn, paddling past a bull shark on the way. We also took part in an amazing event known as the “Warrior Dash” for a land-based challenge, where our mate Gelo ended up dislocating his shoulder, before closing out the month with a more gentle morning on Sydney’s beautiful Pittwater.
FP and Gelo, with Warrior Dash 2010 finishers medals.
March 2011
In March I decided to take my kids for their first camping experience and a great canoe trip hunting water dragons. We met up with Andre Janecki and got to watch him putting his newly designed Hybrid sea kayak through its paces. Then Team Fat Paddler hit the fundraising trails before taking part in the Lifestart Kayak for Kids on beautiful Sydney Harbour.
2011 Lifestart Kayak for Kids - not quite as sunny as last year
April 2011
As winter approached Team Fat Paddler were challenged in more interesting ways. A visit and a rock gardening lesson from Jim Kakuk of the Tsunami Rangers introduced us to fun in ocean white water (for some of us, more of an addiction!). The team then took on the Bridge to Beach race in truly frightening conditions, with plenty of capsizes to keep us all on our toes. And then at the end of the month, I took delivery of the first Wenonah Encounter canoe to hit Aussie shores.
Captain Kuk leads the way for some rock gardening in Sydney Australia
May 2011
The month started with a video collaboration with the Tsunami Rangers, where I was able to remix and post a mash-up of their “Greatest Hits” DVD. FatPaddler.com then published its first ever guest post with TFP member Nat comparing the Epic V8 surfski with the THINK Fit. We welcomed a new team mate, Mikey “The Inspector” Stelzer, before I managed to totally smash myself up in a rock garden.
There's something awesome about rock gardens. But they can be painful too!
June 2011
As the cold weather settled in, Team Fat Paddler head out for their first team “Commando Camping” outing, where they had to set up camp in the pouring rain and in the middle of a swamp! I also started testing Wenonah canoes in the search for a good race boat for the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic.
Commando camping, somewhere on a river somewhere in Australia
July 2011
We sadly farewelled team mate Gelo with some rock play before he returned to his homeland of Greece. I also started looking for a new rock gardening and white water playboat, deciding on the Liquidlogic Remix XP10. Then Sydney got battered by giant ocean swell which gave us a great opportunity for surf and play inside Sydney Harbour.
Surfing the winter storm swell under the Winter sun
August 2011
What a month! It started with the official launch of my book at the Sydney International Boat Show. I also took delivery of the Remix and got to paddle her for a full week in all sorts of conditions including surf, rocks, river white water and amongst dolphins. Then Team Fat Paddler expanded both interstate and overseas, with the Canadian chapter taking on the “Conquer the Dog” event in Ontario.
Team Fat Paddler representing in Ontario, Canada (MIDN Steve, MIDN Sammy)
September 2011
Another international trip saw me canoeing in Canada with Badger Paddles, night paddling on the Chicago River and exploring the rocky coastline of Los Angeles. On my return I took delivery of the Wenonah Minnesota II race canoe, and commenced canoe paddle training for the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic.
A return to Kayak Chicago, the setting for Chapter 10 in my book "The Fat Paddler"
October 2011
Despite what seemed like constant rain, I continued canoe training including paddles through both the Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park and the incredible Shoalhaven Gorge. I also attended the farewell party for Cas and Jonesy before they flew out for their next challenge, walking across Antarctica. Finally at the end of the month, ten paddlers of Team Fat Paddler took on the 2011 Hawkesbury Canoe Classic, raising over $15,000 for charity as well as bringing plenty of colour and fun to the event.
The Team Fat Paddler concept - fun, friendship, and paddling for charity.
November 2011
With November always being a recovery month after the Classic, Team Fat Paddler spent some more relaxing time introducing new paddlers to the joys of the water as well as partnering up with Benefit Fitness to help push the message of paddling for fitness. We also put a bunch of kayak paddlers on the water for the first race of the 2011 Summer Series, taking out a number of podium places under somewhat controversial circumstances!
Team Fat Paddler.... I think they're going to need a bigger podium!
December 2011
In the final month of the year I spent more time paddling amongst my beloved rocks, introducing new Team Fat Paddler member Martyn to the joys of rock gardening as well. My book The Fat Paddler was released on the iBookstore in ebook format globally and reviewed by David Johnston of PaddlingInstructor.com fame. The team took on the 2nd race of the 2011 Summer Series in Rose Bay with another couple of podium places (this time without controversy). And finally, I announced our new big challenge for 2012, the Island Shamaal in Mauritius, a surfski ocean race that I’ve already begun to train for.
Ocean Whitewater - where surf and swell hits the land, there shall be froth!
What will 2012 Hold?
With 2011 being such an amazing year, it’s hard to imagine how 2012 could hope to get any better. The Mauritius challenge that we’ve set however is a huge one, with surfski racing being an entirely new challenge for us, so for at least the first half of 2012 that will be my entire focus. Of course we’ll still take on other events along the way, including the remainder of the Summer Series, the Lifestart Kayak for Kids, the Bridge to Beach and of course the 2012 Hawkesbury Canoe Classic. Team Fat Paddler will continue to grow stronger and we’ll continue to fundraise for our supported charities, as well as having bucket-loads of fun along the way. Happy New Year everyone, and here’s to an awesome 2012! Cheers, FP
Tags: 2011 Summer Series, Bridge to Beach, Canoe, Hawkesbury Canoe Classic, Lifestart Kayak for Kids, Mauritius, surfski, Team Fat Paddler
Team Fat Paddler and Friends on Middle Harbour
The best days are always the ones shared with good friends. On this particular day Team Fat Paddler met up at new member Seaman Riddler’s place on Middle Harbour for a bbq and some seal launch fun. We were also joined by Malcolm from Carbonology Skis who fortunately went easy on us in the speed stakes! From there on it was all fun as we ate, paddled and swam our way through the session! Hope you enjoy the video. Cheers, FP
Tags: Team Fat Paddler
The Team Fat Paddler ski boys lead the way down the river during HCC11
With ten paddlers, nine boats, and twenty landcrew, Team Fat Paddler certainly made their presence felt at this years Hawkesbury Canoe Classic. The fun of a bigger group and the incredible team spirit became immediately apparent as the large crew pushed their paddlers down the river. It was clearly the best Classic I’ve ever experienced, but I’ll let the video tell the story – cheers, FP
Video Hint: for those with mega-bandwidth, “full screen” the video for full HD glory!
Tags: Hawkesbury Canoe Classic, Hawkesbury Canoe Classic 2011, HCC11, HCC2011, Team Fat Paddler
The first Team Fat Paddler canoe entry to the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic (2010)
It’s that amazing feeling before something big. That feeling in your gut that’s a mixture of fear and anxiety, offset by a healthy dose of straight up excitement. Such is the feeling in the days before a big event, an event like this weekend’s Hawkesbury Canoe Classic.
I’ve been feeling it all week, as I expect the rest of the team’s paddlers are. We’ve gone from 2 paddlers and 3 landcrew in 2010 to 10 paddlers and 20 landcrew in 2011, a massive increase in size and logistics. As I speak the fundraising from the team has just passed the $10,000 mark, a substantial kick towards a search for a cure to Leukaemia. Gear has been primed, catering organised (thanks Lt. Burnsie), and all that’s left to do now is to wait for the event to start.
But waiting is easier said than done. So in the meantime, here’s the video of Team Fat Paddler’s attempt at last year’s Hawkesbury Canoe Classic. At least it’ll kill another eight and a half minutes of nervous excited tension! Cheers – FP
Tags: Team Fat Paddler
Honed super athletes. Midshipman Mike and Captain FP prepared and ready to race
The Sydney International Boat Show was particularly special this year. Not only did I get to launch my book The Fat Paddler with daily stage appearances, I was also asked to enter a team into an amazing event where apprentice boat-builders have to build and then race their own boats. Basically everyone gets the same materials and two hours to build a boat of their design, then after a few hours rest they take them out onto Darling Harbour to race. Apprentices from as far away as New Zealand compete in the event and the master boat builders themselves decided it was time to get in on the action – they’d build a boat, then get ring-ins to paddle it. Enter Team Fat Paddler!
Team Fat Paddler had a few issues trimming the boat. Basically, the back was underwater!
Of course the master boat builders may have slightly underestimated the weight-bearing requirement of the boat. Once on the water the back of the canoe actually submarined, with only an inch of rear cover between floating and sinking. We were oblivious of course and concentrated on trying to stay in the tippy canvas-on-frame canoe, missing the start of the race completely. By the time we actually got going, we started the race in dead last (see video at bottom of post).
Team Fat Paddler putting in big strokes. Look how low the rear of the boat is.
Once we got going the canoe was probably the fastest boat on the water. However, it simply didn’t turn at all, so on the four 180 degree corners we needed to do, we found ourselves floundering trying the turn the bloody thing. Fortunately lots of the competition actually sank mid race, so even though our turns were slower than anyone on the water, we finished exhausted in a respectable 4th position.
Chatting to onlookers after the race. Mike was probably off in search of cameras....
...and there he is, flashing that million dollar smile for the paparazzi.
Just recently I discovered that my wife recorded some video of the race with her iphone – here is a little footage that I was able to extract. Try and see how low our canoe sits in the water! Cheers – FP
Tags: Boat Builders Competition, SYdney International Boat Show, Team Fat Paddler
