Christmas is coming … … …and we don’t want the kayakers getting … … lazy – Club activities continue throughout the winter months to help keep us fit and upskilled: –

December Events

The Tuesday evenings at Clydebank pool include coached skills sessions alternate weeks, which help keep our skills and learn new ones that we can practice on the Second Saturday Paddles.

It’s learning/practising Low Brace tonight, 2nd December, and High Brace on the 16th

The Second Saturday Paddle, 13th December, is to a winter favourite – Loch Etive followed by curry in Dumbarton on the way home .

As it’s coming up to Christmas, we have the annual Mince Pie Paddle on Sunday 21st December.

Also on the calendar is the date of the next committee meeting, 17th December. Feel free to chat to any committee member if you feel there is something you would like discussed.

Also, keep an eye out on the WhatsApp groups for short notice trips and night paddles.

Check out the club calendar for full details.

Talking about the committee – following the AGM last month there were a few changes to the committee, the current incumbents can be seen here

Christmas Wishlists

I’m not sure that Santa will bring you that new lightweight carbons kevlar kayak or zippy river boat you dream of, but here are a couple of novel, but useful personal recommendations for stocking fillers you may want to include in that letter to the North Pole.

I suggest you do your own searches if you intend to buy any of these as there is a variety of sources and prices vary across the internet

If you carry any sort of towline or contact tow, it is a good idea to carry a knife or line cutter to ensure a quick escape from the system should the need arise. These line cutters are quick and simple to use, with no need to struggle opening opening-out blades with cold wet hands, just pull and go. Beaver Line Cutters

A must-have for keeping your hands functional and warm for winter paddling is a good set of palmless mitts and or pogies. Misha wrote an excellent article on the subject for the Craic’n last November – How to Keep Your Hands Warm in Winter, which you can see here

I was impressed when I saw these folding wetsuit hangars in a friend’s kit bag; the hanging-hook folds away to avoid nicking or damaging delicate seals or getting caught up ion other kit. The wide shoulder bars allow gear to ventilate inside as well as out, and prevent the damage or deformation at the shoulders that narrow hangers could cause.

“Search for folding wetsuit hanger”.

Rather more expensive, but could even be considered safety equipment, this Wetman backpack is great for carrying kit up & down a rocky shore, leaving your hands free to help balance over slippery rocks or help carry a boat to the launch point saving multiple journeys. Tightening the draw-cord at the top holds everything in place so it can easily hold all the day & safety kit needed for a day trip.

For Free

I am decluttering a few bookshelves this 2011 book is free to a good home, otherwise a charity chop near me. I’ll have it with me at the pool tonight.

Future Plans

We have been reviewing our club communications and the various WhatsApp groups that notify of short notice paddles. We are using Facebook more and some of you may have noticed that we have started up on Instagram. We may even show how young at heart we are by setting the club up on TikTok too, but that one is still up-in-the-air. The club website remains the main source of cub information. DCKC Home

The newsletter has evolved since being first published 3+ years ago; featuring many articles with important hints and tips, as well as interesting features and trip reports. What do you think of the newsletter, and what would you like to see more or less of? Your opinions and points of view are valuable to us, so use the Suggestions Box to let us know what you think of the club communications, or anything else you may want to say.

Here is the index of contents from inception to Sept 24 to give you some light reading on these dark evenings.

This will soon be updated and reformatted, to include all issues since then.

Happy Wintertime everyone.