Cuda broke some tupperware boaats hearts

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tx river rat
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Cuda broke some tupperware boaats hearts

Post by tx river rat »

I ran the Castile kayak race yesterday, I had a blast,and the Cuda was perfect,this race is twelve miles of some of the wildest paddling this ole redneck has ever done.
Chuck and bear this place is twenty times worse than our trip on the river,2/3 of it was fast water 2 to 3 ft drops rocks
like you would believe .

I had a ball
This was my first kayak race and the first time on the LLano,it was quite an experience.
We all lined up , at last count 154 folks entered and started the race, I was enjoying watching all the boats and a guy in a K1 that had to keep paddling back and forth ,that dang boat was so narrow if he stopped paddling it would flip.
The gun went of and here we go, I knew I would burn out trying to keep up with the front runners,so I just set my pace and started working up thru the second bunch,boy this is fun,then here comes the rapids and here we go,a lot of 1 to three foot drops,then we hit the walls,two walls out in the river 6 or 8 ft apart ,once you started in it was hang on and play pin ball till you got thru,then rocks in front of you hard left ,this was a story that occur ed over and over,my boat is 15 ft 5 inches and that is as long as I would want to paddle.
A few miles down the river I picked the wrong line and wound up sideways and the hung up luckily ,where I stopped I could look down the right side of the boat at a straight 3 ft drop.well I managed to get unstuck back in the boat and off again. The we paddle up on a old dam across the river it is from 6 to 8 ft high and you cant see whats below you,I paddled up looked picked what I hoped was the best line and over I went ,was a pretty good line until you got half way down ,yep a big rock right in the middle . I managed to get the nose of the boat by it skidded of of it hit another rock that straightened me back up,that was a OHHH s@@tmoment.
The last mile was a huge rock garden I hung up got out and led the boat thru,was really getting tired,started to get back in the boat turtles big time,caught all my stuff started to get back in turtles again, finally got in the boat on the third try headed for the finish line. then the worst part to me we had to drag across a Island about 50 yards then wade the last few yards to the bank,I was whooped ,I lost 5 places going across the island.
I am going to break this here
Ron
tx river rat
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Re: Cuda broke some tupperware boaats hearts

Post by tx river rat »

Summary of my first race
It was a blast and I will do it again,my boat handled perfect the new paddle I had was great ,thanks again HOT Kayak
Gerald and I had the only two wooden boats and they both drew a lot of comments.
This being my first attempt at this I didnt know if it was a tough race or not.
The only time the old boat got passed was when I was hung up in the rapids,I could run off and leave the tupper ware boats,made an old codger feel good.
Now fellows the ones that have built boats out of polyester,don't ever let them tell you they want stand up ,you cant get much rougher on a boat than I did this weekend,and she stood up fine.
From talking to folks that have run this for several years,the water level being up a little made for more rapids ,I think I just got out of the boat 3 times and then it was just get it unhung and get back in, never really had to drag the boat.
I was tickled with the race I came in 10 behind Gerald and 20 minutes behind him ,was number 33 out of 154 and I finished
Not bad for a old man and a rookie.
The last 1/4 mile I had 4 guys behind me in there 20s,heard one of them say hey we can catch that ole man,they tried for about 5o yards but the Cuda just walked off from them, earlier in the race there were 4 young men from Washington State, I caught and passed them ,they were in Daggers after the race they came up looked at the Cuda and told me you were killing us we would look back and you were just steady paddling and just paddled on by us and we couldnt do a thing about it.
Matt You did good,
Ron
The only boats I couldnt catch were the K1
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Re: Cuda broke some tupperware boaats hearts

Post by jem »

Sounds like a good time! :D

Regarding polyester, you can build a good boat using it. It's just not as friendly to use as epoxy. Epoxy properties are better but if you know what you're doing and are experienced, you can get good results.
-Matt. Designer.
tx river rat
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Re: Cuda broke some tupperware boaats hearts

Post by tx river rat »

Matt
That was just for the guys that have used poly.
The poly has gotten so high :shock: :shock: My next boat is going to be epoxy ,I may need all kind of help on my next boat.
Ron
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Re: Cuda broke some tupperware boaats hearts

Post by hairymick »

Congratulation Ron! Bloody good result.

Re the boat, How did the K1s handle the rapids?
Regards,
Mick

JEMWATERCRAFT Swampgirl; Wadefish;Touring Pirogue;South Wind; P5 ;
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Re: Cuda broke some tupperware boaats hearts

Post by LIGHT KEEPER'S KID »

8) CONGRATS 8) GREAT REPORT AND GREAT FINISH :wink:

Mike
The wise man in the storm prays to God, not for safety from danger, but for deliverance from fear.
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Re: Cuda broke some tupperware boaats hearts

Post by Merlin »

Ron, way to go, glad you did so well. And your 'Cuda is built with Luan, also, right? It must be good enough, then.

Billy
(Been too busy with family and other stuff to get started building, but have been lurking here to keep up with you guys and what y'all are building, hope to get started soon.)
Billy
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Okwata 15-26 (soon)
OnkaBob
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Re: Cuda broke some tupperware boaats hearts

Post by OnkaBob »

Well done Ron, both for the result and for building such a tough boat.

I never would have expected a wood boat to stand up to that kind of treatment.

(For other readers like me who forgot what the Cuda is it's Ron's name for his Laker 15.5)

So, how come you didn't take any photos on the way? :lol:
Cheers, Bob

Laker 13 - christened and slimed (just).
Laker accessories underway.
tx river rat
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Re: Cuda broke some tupperware boaats hearts

Post by tx river rat »

Bob
I was a little to busy to be taking photos :D
The boat I was in was the Laker 15 5 A
Matt drew it up for me to race some of these local races.
I will be in the same boat next year.
Ron
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Re: Cuda broke some tupperware boaats hearts

Post by Tor »

maybe you can fabricate a little cowl for a camera and set it on time lapse, at least once you've got to grips with the epoxy... :lol:

Tor
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