Skegs: failed rudders...

I’ve been avidly watching Freya's progress around NZ’s South Island, or the “mainland” as the South Islanders like to call it. Keeping up with how her equipment’s coping is always interesting, as with any expedition. One bit of her gear that’s pretty much given up the ghost, and is awaiting replacement, is her skeg. Only a few days into her trip she encountered problems with, what she so colourfully called, “this f*&%^% skeg”.

I’ve often wondered at this archaic European (read: British), and somewhat also American, fixation for a skeg, as someone (Kiwi) once called “a failed rudder”. They often go wrong and the skeg box takes up valuable room in the aft hatch.

As naval architect John Winters notes, “because a rudder can develop greater lift by increasing the angle of attack relative to the flow, it is more effective than a skeg.”

Many of my local paddling pals have skegs, and are always tut-tutting at rudder users, mainly complaining that we have none of the skills necessary to paddle without a rudder. Pshaw! That’s near the same mentality that had the British struggling in their amateur way towards the South Pole, decrying those who did have the correct gear and experience for the job. Many rudder users started off with skegs, and dutifully learned those skills. Now that many of us have upgraded to rudders, we can appreciate the benefits that a rudder can add to the kayaking experience, particularly on an expedition-type trip with rough and windy conditions.

As Paul Caffyn explained, having completed circumnavigations of New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, the UK, Japan and this year part of Greenland, he averaged 31 miles per day in kayaks with no skeg or rudder, 34 miles per day in kayaks with skegs, and 39 miles per day in kayaks with rudders.

I’m sure that Freya will have noticed around the coast of NZ, that all the Kiwi boats which join her for a few hours have rudders. This isn’t because Kiwi paddlers don’t have skeg-only-related skills, it’s because they know what’s best for the tough conditions the NZ coastline and weather throws at them. Justine and Barry will also find this. Give them their credit, the Ozzies feel just the same – Laurie Ford is a true rudder proponent, refining them now for nigh on 30 years for his local Tassie conditions.

NZ's the place to be

Just amazing. No woman has ever paddled around New Zealand's South Island, and only three men have, and now three sheilas are making a go of it, all within the next few months.

I mentioned Freya Hoffmeister's journey a few posts back, and now the renowned Justine Curgenven (Wales) and to me unknown Barbro Lindman (Sweden) are also taking up the challenge.

My responses are entirely irrational:

• One was fine, now three are 'competing', and I'm not one of them
• Three sheilas and not one of them is a Kiwi, and I'm not one of them (but I'm a Kiwi)
• This trip is probably one of the most challenging any paddler could make, and I'm not one of them
• With the most beautiful scenery to view, and I'm not one of them
  

Kia Kaha!

Freya to NZ

Well, here's a biggie. Freya Hoffmeister declared yesterday on her blog, that in October she'll be paddling solo around New Zealand's South Island. This will be one hell of an adventure, which could take four months or more, feeling more like paddling open ocean rather than just following a coast line. Following closely on the heels of her circumnavigation of Iceland just a few months ago, she's having a great year. No mention of whether she'll be supported or not, but even with, this is a hell of a trip, and one I'm sure she's up to.

I understand the circumnavigation of the South Island's only been done twice - by our own Kiwi, Paul Caffyn (in a Grahame Sisson, I would like to add;), and the American, Chris Duff. Both wrote books about their adventure, Obscured by Waves, and Southern Exposure, respectively. Both are great reads, and will give some idea of the enormity of the task.

She'll have some amazing scenery to both shoulders as she paddles. The east coast is usually the calmer of the two, sometimes protected from the oft-breezy fohns coming down from the Alps. There'll be slightly easier beach landings, with a mixture of rock and sand. She'll definitely have to stop in Kaikoura for cray, and I had the best burger there many years ago. Christchurch and Lyttelton will be excellent ports of call, as will Dunedin and Invercargill. After that, she's going to be pretty much on her own until she hits Westport and Greymouth on the west coast, and those harbours have notorious bars to cross. Probably the most scenic and restful part of the trip will be along the top through Abel Tasman National Park and the Malborough Sounds - she'll have the most magnificent scenery and wildlife to play along with her. And my brother and his family will wave as she passes Nelson. In fact, she'll just have to say kia ora to them in Nelson.

I look forward to following her progress!