Yeah, I'm lazy. I haven't updated this blog in weeks. I finally developed photos from summer vacation - which aren't on any blog. But I did get around to reading Deirdre Fleming's column on buying a canoe or kayak.

I was inspecting my first aid kit the other day. It really needed cleaning out. I had a bunch of bottle of antiseptic and way too many bandages.

The need for a first aid kit may not be obvious. It's hard to imagine what type of injury needs minor care while floating on the water.

But the problem is that my kayaking trips involve stopping at islands. We tend to get out and explore an island and have lunch. That usually involves walking on wet, slippery rocks. You with me now?

A couple weekends ago (the start of vacation), I took a two-day class from Bob Myron and Chris Raab on traditional paddling. Traditional paddling was used to describe how the Inuits used their kayaks. (BTW, kayak is an Inuit word for "hunting boat." Doesn't that make you look at your boat differently?)

They taught us a bit about the Inuit way of life and paddling. But one of the big aspects was building our own paddle. They gave us a 2 x 4 that was cut in the rough shape of a paddle.We shaved it down to this:

It was a slow process. I fretted over every cut and pass with the block planer. Every once in a while, I stopped to feel the progress. It was very satisfying to craft a tool that I will use in an activity I love.

The end result was not perfect. There are a few spots I regret. The orbital sander couldn't erase all my woodworking sins. But I love it:

I bought my GPS as a safety measure for hiking. I would mark the trail head and shove it in my pack. I figured if I got lost, the GPS would point me back to my car.

Since it was waterproof, I figured it would help kayaking. The actual scenario I envisioned was being out on the water when pea-soup fog rolled into the area. I could use the GPS to find the launch or latest waypoint I marked.

And I would use it to tell me how far I paddled. It even gave me a speed reading.

That's more useful than you think. No, I'm not worried about speeding. But using it taught me I can paddle comfortably at 3.5 mph. Which helps me judge travel time and navigation.

The GPS also has a compass - which I never really used it for that. Good thing. Last week I tried out a deck compass on my kayak. Just for the heck of it, I compared it to the compass reading from the GPS.

They gave me different readings. I'm talking 20 to 30 degrees difference. How did I know which was right? I compared what I saw with features on the map I bought. The map wasn't super detailed or accurate. But it was enough to lead me to have faith in my deck compass.

I'm keeping the GPS. I've tested the waypoint marking and am confident that it work.

But even in this day of great tecnology, compass and map skills are not wasted.

Last weekend, I spent some time on a leaking hatch in my sea kayak. I pulled it off, cleaned off the old sealant and resealed it on the deck. I also had to get new locking nuts because they were missing from a few bolts. It worked.

As I tested the new seal, I was reminded of a warning I heard about hatches. Someone said they all leak.

This is your lucky weekend. You have two chances to try out kayaks:

Kittery Trading Post has its kayak demo day Saturday in South Berwick.

L.L. Bean has its PaddleSports Festival on Saturday and Sunday in Freeport.

Actually, L.L. Bean advertises the festival starts Friday. But you won't get a chance to try the boats out until Saturday. And L.L. Bean is a bit more ambitious. They have bluegrass music and lessons planned.

I did the KTP event a few years ago. It was a miserable, wet day. Elaine was in a quandry about what kind of boat she wanted to buy next. I had my eye set on just one - the Eddylines Falcon. I tried, fell in love with it and waited for her to do her due diligence on a few boats. I spent the time hanging out with the factory reps and KTP guys by the fire. It wasn't a bad way to spend the day. Elaine got a good feel for what she wanted. It was well worth the trip.

I haven't been to Bean's so I can't say which is better. The two stores offer different product lines. So it depends on who makes the boat you are interested in trying. But it is well worth your time to get into a boat and try it out. There are a lot of factors that go into fit and comfort level.

You have until Saturday to do some research and decide what to try out. Start with this gear guide. It was put together by co-MOACer Elisabeth Paine. It helps explain how the kayak design affects how you paddle. It also offers some tips for finding good deals. (Thank you Elisabeth.)

Next, look up the kayak manufacturer's Web site. They have all the vital stats on their boats. Whittle down your wish list to two or three.

Then try them out this weekend. If the weather is acceptable, try KTP on Saturday and Bean on Sunday.

Fit is important. Do your hips and feet fit in it comfortably? If not, ask for help adjusting the seat or foot pegs. That could help a lot.

Don't be scared by its stability - or instability. The kayak may feel tippy at first. But if you spend a little time getting used to it, you may be very comfortable with it. It's the secondary stability that counts. (See the gear guide for good explanation.)

Have some fun. Don't be afraid to ask questions. And let me know how it goes.

I've been doing some research into marine vhf radios. I'm looking for something submersible and easy enough to attach to my PFD. Both of those features are must haves for me.

From the chatter I picked up, Icom's M88 seems to be the gold standard. Long battery life. Compact. Submersible. So dependable that users say it doesn't fail. And it costs about $250.

Icom also offers the M72. It costs just a bit less than $200. It costs less because it doesn't offer some of the radio frequencies (for land use) that the M88 offers. It also isn't as compact. But it has a feature that literally shakes the water away from the speaker. I didn't find much on that one because it's relatively new. I wonder if I can assume it has the same reliability as the M88.

To add to the choices, I found the new M34. It floats. That may not seem like a big deal. But I'm not graced with a great deal of dexterity. This could be a deal breaker. It's battery life is much less than in the M88 or M72. It has the AquaQuake feature of the M72 and looks like it's the same size.

I found some unflattering remarks about the Standard Horizon models. Nothing on the Unidens. Nor any comments on the West Marine brands.

So I'm wondering if you have used any of these marine radios - especially the new models. Let us know what you think.

A good question came up last week. What's the difference between a rudder and a skeg?

Well the rudder is bad and a skeg not so bad.

Someone asked about buying a boat:

"Looking for your suggestion. Only kayaked a handful of times and really enjoyed ocean kayaking. What would you suggest as a beginners purchase, not looking to break the bank?"

I'm not going to suggest any boat. This is something you need to find on your own. The big reason is fit. To be frank, I don't know how much seat you need. A boat that is too tight is just too uncomfortable. A boat that is too loose may be comfortable. But it doesn't give you much control if your butt slides around in it.

So Goldilocks, you need to find one just right. Actually, it might be hard to find. So you need to sit in the kayak and see how it feels. Will it be comfortable for a couple hours of sitting? Can you make it lean? You need to figure out what you can live with.

Also, you need to test its stability in the water. Can you get comfortable with how it rocks? If it feels tippy, it may not be a bad thing. What you are feeling is it's primary stability. Some kayaks feel like they will tip easily. But once they start leaning, they are hard to turn over. That's the secondary stability. I will come back to this in a later entry.

Like I said, those are the things you find out for yourself.

But there is a factor that I strongly believe in: length.

The longer the kayak, the easier it is to keep it straight - aka tracking. Short boats veer easily to the right or left. A lot of energy is spent keeping them in a straight line.

I know people who do well in 16-foot boats. But I think you should get 17-foot. That extra foot can make a lot of difference in its tracking. I wish I could get a 18-foot boat. In the long term, a longer kayak is a better buy.

Then there is the issue of skeg vs. rudder. Give me some time and I will work on that later today. In the meantime, I'm biased against rudders.

Then there is the money issue. I say buy the lightest kayak you can afford. Think about getting it on top of your car. But the cheapest kayaks are plastic - which are heavy. But some fiberglass kayaks aren't that light. So how much can you lift to the top of a car?

There is much more to cover. But I will do that later in installments. For now, you need to buy the boat you are going to keep using. A good beginner boat would be one that feels good now and lets you do the kind of paddling your friends will be doing.

I'm between boats. For the past four summers I have been paddling a 17-foot Boreal Design Inukshuk. It's a barge. But I can handle it well, and it holds a lot of gear for camping.

During the winter, I came across a great deal on a 17-foot, 1-inch Necky Chatham. It's narrower than the Inukshuk. And it has a skeg (Inukshuk has a rudder).

My paddle is a Bending Branches Sandpiper Evening paddle. It's a wood paddle with a very thin blade. Althought it's not the lightest paddle on the market, the buoyancy of the wood makes up for the few extra ounces. It's a joy to use.

I haven't tried the Chatham yet. But looking at the specs, I should like the fit and the speed. Both qualities should be an improvement over the Inukshuk. And I'm tired of the rudder. It's dangerous in the surf zone. And it catches the wind. There's way too much drag when I do use it. I can go on but that's a whole other entry on why rudders are such a drag.

You read right. I haven't tried the Chatham yet. Yes, I broke one of my cardinal rules.

Never buy a boat you haven't paddled. Kayak fit and feel is very personal. You should make sure you are comfortable sitting in it and maneuvering it. A great boat for one paddler might not be so great for another.

Why break a rule I adamantly preach? It is such a good deal that if I don't like it, I can sell it and get my money back. Then I have my trusty Inukshuk. But if I like the Chatham, look in a classifieds section near you for a lovingly used kayak.