July 12-16, 2023
"This place will change your life"
Zoom Meeting June 28
Incident management course added pre-symposium
We’ve added a 2 day incident management course for Monday and Tuesday before the symposium.
- Risk Management
- Decision making and group repsonsibilites
- Rescues
- Towing
- Scenarios from coaches and generated by the group
- cave rescues
- cliff rescues (next to them, not up them!)
If you are interested in the Incident management course, you can register at The Power of Water
Zoom Meeting Video July 1, 2020
Additional Camping Option for 2020
If you want to camp, we have access to the overflow area of the campground. It is open to RVs or tents and is located on the north and east sides of the ball field. You would still register as normal with the campground office but let them know you are staying in the overflow area.
Covid 19
COVID-19 RESPONSE AND PLAN
This document will continue to be updated and evolve as conditions and
guidance warrants.
Our objective is to operate in an open, transparent manner that respects our
Staff, Clients and Community while still functioning as a business where
possible.
- Follow CDC, State and local guidance
- Each participant will maintain an accountability to themselves and to others
- All activities are outside
- No vaccine mandate
Zoom Meeting
July 15-19, 2020
“This place will change your life”
Hope you are all staying well and safe.
GLSKS 2020 is still on as scheduled! Yes, we may have to make a few modifications, but we will work even harder to stay true to our commitment to you of Community – Learning – Adventure. It may look a little different as we strive to incorporate up to date guidance for COVID 19.
To that end we are hosting a ZOOM meeting for all interested in our Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium community. We will be joined by Danny Mongo from our presenting sponsor NRS. We want all of YOU to be in the loop, sharing your concerns and suggestions. Topics to cover include:
– How the event works
– Changes due to COVID-19
– Someone telling a funny story
– Your questions and concerns
MONDAY 5/18/2020 – 8PM EST
https://msu.zoom.us/j/95585034943
Hope to see you soon, so please JOIN us!
The GLSKS Team
Pre-symposium email
Hello everyone,
Now we are only a little over a week away! We wanted to bring a few items to your attention that we think will make this event run smoother than ever before:
You will find our rough schedule attached here as well as a waiver. Please look these over and fill out the ACA Waiver. You do not need to be an ACA member, but if you are please write in your number. BRING hard copies of this with you to registration on Wednesday.
With the response from last year, we will be having Adam and Aidan crank out some KILLER FOOD for us again. The Street Tacos and Pasties were included in your registration. Our Local Whitefish Fish Fry by the boys is $15 and it was said to be the best ever by many who attended last year. That happens on Thursday night. We will also do Hot, House Crafted Breakfast Sandwiches each morning. Those go for $5 (yes, we have veggie on request). And of course COFFEE from The Kalamazoo Coffee Company! $3 for your mug filled.
RETAIL – We will have a limited amount of Werner paddles, Astral Shoes and PFDs, and demo boats from CD and P&H. We STRONGLY encourage you to grab the little stuff from your local paddle shop! The effort and logistics does not translate for us to set up a shop at this event.
THE NATIONAL LAKESHORE – The Park is becoming much stricter on it’s Group Use policies this year. So, we will be needing to manage our presence inside Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore a bit differently. Please be prepared to carpool and have your personally trailered boats loaded onto a Big Trailer. We will bring plenty of pool noodles to protect them. More details Wednesday night.
EXPEDITION COURSE: If you are planning on participating in this course and have not heard from Keith Wikle, please let us know ASAP!
Summer is finally here! Our event is full and we are all super stoked to go paddling with each and everyone of you!
Please call me with ANY questions. Trey – (517) 927-3859
The GLSKS Team
Werner Paddle Stuck Ferrule Button Hack
Werner Paddle Stuck Ferrule Button Hack
We all love the way a Werner paddle connects us to the water, we also have seen the other side of that love when we cannot get our $400 paddle to stay together. The good news is that this is usually the result of paddling in a sandy location, bad news is that your paddle shaft has invariably saved some of that sand to frustrate you on your next time out.
Over the years I have pounded that shaft on logs, rocks and boats and jammed sticks, screwdrivers and even an old car antenna up in there just to get out on the water with my favorite paddle. Those abusive methods work sometimes but are not addressing the cause. What usually happens is that very fine sand particles are getting embedded in the plastic of the ferrule assembly. Generally this isn’t the sand ON the beach but the sand IN the water AT the beach. Sometimes this suspended sand and water mixture will include salt (lucky you) or some sort of microscopic plant material. Once this dries and cures up in there it is much harder to remove.
So here are a few solutions and preventatives to the stuck button:
Button is already stuck
– Blast it with compressed air from the inside AND outside
– Vigorously soak it in a bucket of water spiked with a splash of 303 (why not, we use it for everything else)
– Using a long small headed standard screwdriver or awl, gently activate button from inside AND out
– Be patient and repeat 10-20 times or until the button starts to regain it’s rebound
– Be patient and repeat another 10 times
– See preventatives below
Prevention
– Put your paddle together at the truck and take it apart at the truck
– Thoroughly rinse ASAP after paddling with FRESH water back at the house or campground
– While rinsing continue to activate the ferrule
– Do NOT use any type of lubricant, it will only makes it worse
Hope this helps, it has definitely worked for me. And by the way…..Werner has never heard of this being an issue. Ha, ha….we love our Werner Paddles.
Trey Rouss
THE POWER OF WATER
share. play. protect.
Demo boat Sale at the Power of Water
USED and DEMO boats 30-50% off!
All in excellent condition (except the Delphin 150, just good).
Aries 150 $2700 (4000),
Aries 155 Expedition Layup $3600 (5400),
Delphin 150 $950 (1999),
Scorpio LV for $1200 (2099
Islay 14 or 14 LV $750 (1400),
Islay 12 or 12LV $650,
Hurricane Sojourn 146 or 146 LV $900 (1499),
Flex 11.5 $500 (850),
Hurricane Sojourn 126 $750 (1299).
Give me a shout for more photos. Trey 517-927-3859.
Happy New Year News
Happy New Year!
Congratulations to Lavon Court. She wins the early, early 2018 GLSKS registration raffle and a $500 gift certificate to The Power of Water!
Lavon Court (center)
We are working hard on adding to this already AMAZING event. These are just some of the things on tap:
- Grand Marais and Pictured Rocks
- Street Taco Welcome Dinner on Wednesday night
- Fresh perspectives from Chris Hipgrave, Bill Vonnegut and Traci Lynn Martin
- “Hey Sunshine” morning coffee and tea station featuring the beans of Kalamazoo Coffee Company
- 2 nights of live music
- Commemorative tech T-shirt
- Pasty Dinner Fundraiser
- All of you and your positive energy
We are starting a new early registration drive that includes the T-shirt, both dinners AND entry into a raffle for a $250 gift certificate from The Power of Water. So take out that calendar and get signed up by March 31st!
To ensure the delivery of a high quality experience, we are limiting participation to 80 of you. So make sure you are a part of the fun.
This place will change your life.
Trey and the GLSKS team.