I'm happy to announce that GEAR AID, the makers of quality kayak gear repair kits will be sponsoring my journey around the UK and Ireland! GEAR AID is supporting me with a small but essential item: ZIPPER WAX. As someone who usually paddles in sunny warm Florida where the waters are always warm, I hardly ever need a dry suit. But paddling in the North Atlantic is a totally different experience and a working dry suit is essential (For a Florida guy like me). One critical component of the dry suit it the zipper. If it doesn't close, you DON'T have dry suit anymore. The zippers have to be ..read more

I'm happy to announce that IMG Travel insurance will be sponsoring me on my kayak journey around the UK and Ireland! During the past few months while I have been preparing for the expedition, I discovered that as a non-resident spending several months doing adventure travel in the UK, I don't get to free-ride on the largesse of the British National Health Service, unfortunately. So if something happens and I need to call a helicopter to come fetch me out of the North Sea, or get roughed up on breaking barrel wave on a deserted beach; a lot of things might be uncertain, but the one thing I kno ..read more

I'm happy to announce that Zijie Sport will be sponsoring my journey around the UK and Ireland with a challenge that if I successfully complete the 4,500 mile journey, they will present me a new carbon fiber wing paddle and a new carbon fiber euro blade paddle from their current line up. I presume that many paddlers have not heard of Zijie Sport. I admittedly did not know about them until late 2023 when I was doing some Christmas shopping for a new wing paddle for the UK and Ireland journey and landed on their website. Their carbon fiber shafts are lightweight with an elegant hash patter ..read more

I'm happy to announce that SafeVision Prescription Safety Glasses will be sponsoring me with set of Prescription Sun Goggles for my kayaking journey around the UK and Ireland! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rOxaTVxt58 If you happen to be short sighted like me and need to wear prescription lenses to see, you know that having a robust pair while you're on the kayak is essential! You need something that won't slip off your head when the big wave rolls you. SafeVision Goggles have been my trusted companions on all my trips. I'm wearing a pair on nearly all the photographs from my kayak from my ..read more

I'm happy to announce that Z&J Sport will be sponsoring my journey around the UK and Ireland with a challenge that if I successfully complete the 4,500 mile journey, they will present me a new carbon fiber wing paddle and a new carbon fiber euro blade paddle from their current line up. I presume that many paddlers have not heard of Z&J. I admittedly did not know about them until late 2023 when I was doing some Christmas shopping for a new wing paddle for the UK and Ireland journey and landed on their website. Their carbon fiber shafts are lightweight with an elegant hash pattern ..read more

I'm happy to announce that Falcon Sails will be sponsoring my journey around the UK and Ireland with free replacement parts in case any issues happen along the way. Most of you who follow my blog posts, no doubt have see several pictures of my kayak with the sail hoisted up carrying me along downwind. Falcon Sails have been my trusted companion out on the water when I need to cover 40 or more miles in a day. One of the most common questions I get is, "Who makes your sail?" to which I've always been happy to point the fellow kayaker in the right direction. You won't be disappointed with one of ..read more

I'm happy to announce that Safe Vision Prescription Safety Glasses will be sponsoring me with set of Prescription Sun Goggles for my kayaking journey around the UK and Ireland! If you happen to be short sighted like me and need to wear prescription lenses to see, you know that having a robust pair while you're on the kayak is essential! You need something that won't slip off your head when the big wave rolls you. Safe Vision Goggles have been my trusted companions on all my trips. I'm wearing a pair on nearly all the photographs from my kayak from my trips around Florida, Puerto Rico, and Van ..read more

After the Kayak, choosing a paddle that suits your physique and paddling style is the most important decision you'll make. There are a lot of choices depending on what you're looking for ..read more

I've put together the kayak gear list of everything I used on the Vancouver Island journey, along with a review of how the equipment performed. GEAR LISTS (Click the links to go to the Image Lists) 1 - Kayak Gear 2 - Kayak Repair 3 - Safety Gear 4 - Dry Suit & Accessories 5 - Electronics 6 - Camping Gear 7 - Clothing 8 - Food 9 - Miscellaneous Items KAYAK GEAR ,As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Kayak Repair ,As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Safety Gear ,As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying ..read more

Z&J is a Chinese Sports Brand that makes Several different types of Paddles. I bought a pair of wing paddles to try them out, and I have to admit that they are every bit as good as an Epic wing Paddle, but with a much lower price point. There is nothing you'll be left wishing it had (perhaps a prettier logo, but that's about it). The feel of the paddle stroke, weight on your hand, and material quality, everything feels top notch with this paddle. If you are planning to paddle long distances, then it is best to buy the small/mid sized paddle. For sprinting, you can go with the large paddl ..read more