EQUIPMENT

New Current Design Kayaks
New Kayaks from Current Design
Current Design has eight new kayaks. The Vision Family of transitional kayaks delivers solid performance at reasonable prices, says the company. The Vision Family consists of three solo kayaks, the Vision 130, Vision 140, Vision 150, and a tandem kayak, the Double Vision.

Other new boats include the Kestrel 160, an addition to the Kestrel line; the Kitsilano, a versatile day tripping kayak; the Cypress, a British design for larger paddlers; and the Freedom, CD's first ultra-light fitness kayak. For more information www.cdkayaks.com

New Gear from NRS
Motion Mambas:

For warmth, comfort, and direct feel of the paddle, the Motion Mambas ($40) take pogies to a new level for paddling in cold water. The waterproof, breathable Motion fabric is four-way stretch for ease of entry and control. The brushed polyester fleece inner layer is comfortable against your skin.

Paddle Float:
The Sea Kayak Paddle Float ($40) serves as an outrigger to stabilize your boat in an unassisted re-entry situation. The large main pocket slips over a paddle blade and buckles to the shaft with one-inch webbing and a barrel lock draw cord. It is constructed with a durable nylon outer shell with two-inch webbing grab loop. The Paddle Float has dual air chambers (provides you with a back-up chamber), with twist valves. Reflective tape runs along the sides for visibility. The NRS Paddle Float is now made completely free of PVC materials.

Sea Tour Jacket:

Warm, dry and comfortable, the Sea Tour Jacket ($195) has a form-fitting hood and a fleece-lined collar that holds your heat in. Waterproof, breathable WaveTex fabric, with mesh liner, seals you away from wind and rain, keeping your inner layers dry. It has fleece-lined hand pockets, splash-proof zippers, accessory pockets and high-visibility reflective tape. For information on all these, Northwest River Supply, www.nrsweb.com

Walking on Water

ACK contributor Chuck Sutherland alerted us to a new kayak that he discovered paddling on a lake near his home in Pennsylvania. His comment was that if the wind picked up on the way home, this avid fisherman (he had the camouflage model) would have problems paddling home. We looked in on the boat's manufacturer, Wavewalk, a company developed by Yoav and Orit Rosen. Orit's children, Yadin, (11) and Yanay (8) are members of the WaveWalk Junior Team and she is a researcher at Harvard Medical School's Dan Farber Cancer Institute.

The company makes stand-up fishing kayaks, which can also be used for surfing and touring. You can buy the regular model or the one loaded with integrated rod holders. The boat was designed to enable people to stand up comfortably and stably - the kayak uses a twin hull design - and to be able to paddle while standing. For more information, Wavewalk Inc., West Newton, MA; www.wavewalk.com