I had the good fortune to sit down with paddle maker, fitter and turner, kayaker, sailor, adventurer, and all around crazy Kiwi, Mike Nash. Listen as he shares some adventures: learning to kayak in New Zealand, sailing around the world, and his most dangerous adventure of all, learning to make kayak paddles.
Hammer Factor, eat your heart out, because in the last half of this episode we'll explore some of the technicalities of paddle design and paddle making. For those looking lay treats, you'll learn the perfect feather angle, perfect paddle length, grip width, and more.
0:00 Introduction
7:28 Learning to paddle in New Zealand
17:24 How not to paddle solo
21:01 The pitfalls of wearing a PFD
22:52 Sailing the seven seas
28:17 How to roll a sailboa
34:00 Vetting passengers to Madagascar
42:08 Discovering the Pacific Northwest
47:50 Fear and loathing in Fear Canyon in British Columbia
51:20 Finding the minivan of kayaks
59:14 Founding Hard Core Paddles
1:41:21 Paddle Taxonomy
2:23:38 Conclusion
Want more?
If you're into #vanlife conversions, you haven't seen a true conversion until you see Mike's rig.
https://paddlinglife.com/travel/paddling-rigs-hard-core-paddles-owners-chevy-express-van-conversion-into-an-adventure-rig/
Learn how Mike found the perfect watercraft to take his wife and 2 large dogs whitewater paddling with him.
https://paddlinglife.com/canoeing/grabner-outside-inflatable-canoe-review/
Check out Hard Core paddles at:
https://hardcorepaddles.com/
Today's episode's sponsors:
4Corners Riversports
4Corners Riversports is located in Durango, Colorado. They are a full service paddlesports retail and rental store! If you are looking to get on the water, look no further than 4Corners Riversports. Call them at 970-259-3893 or visit their website www.riversports.com
Taylor Barker with The Group Real Estate Steamboat
I have known and paddled with Taylor for years. If you're interested in purchasing a property in the Steamboat area, Taylor is happy to share his expertise and help you find the perfect property. You can reach him at 336-314-4353 or by email at taylor@brokerintheboat.com.
This podcast is being featured in the podcast section of paddlinglife.com. If you haven’t already visited the site, check it out for news, stories, reviews, and just about anything related to the paddling life.
For comments, questions, or if you have a story worth sharing, pitch it t
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