JEM Watercraft

Verlen used - and paddlers who paddled with him here and own Sea Winds - use a short shafted, wide blade, bent shaft, carbon fiber paddle.

Email Charlie Parmelee ( beaverwood13@aol.com ) and ask him. Tell him I sent you. Charlie has a Sea Wind, and paddled a fair amount with Verlen.

Here is an idea 'outside the square' -
http://www.kayakfishingmagazine.net/KFM ... addler.htm

Cheers Mike

G'day Mike,

Interesting link mate, thak you but I don't like the thing at all. I reckon it is yet another gimmick being foisted on a very gullable kayak fishing market.
some of the claims and statements in the blurb are just plain absurd.

This patent pending "leverage guard device" is the #1 kayak fishing efficiency accessory!

It will allow you to paddle with one arm and hold your fishing rod with your other arm and you will NEVER have to set your fishing rod down again----- even when paddling and fishing against the wind

utter BS - IMHO

This device allows you to keep your rod in your hand, cocked and ready or actually casting and retrieving while paddling-- even against the wind !

Does it come with an extra hand too?

Sorry mate, I know I am a cynical old coot, but I just gotta wonder who this "Capt Ken" is, What is qualifications/experience are that entitle him to attach a commissioned rank against his name and even if he has ever paddled a fishing kayak - let alone actually caught fish from one.

Mick,

In this case, the "Capt." means he does hold a US Coast Guard license that allows the use of the title, and that within certain restrictions, can "captain" a boat for hire.

So, in that respect, he is a legitimate "Captain."

As for the rest, I guess like any of us, he's entitled to his opinions. Personally, I respect that right. But I'm NOT required to respect his opinions, just his right to have them.

And this opinion (of his,) doesn't do much for me either. It doesn't look like much of a "revolution" to me, but if I wanted something like that, I'd bend one up myself. (Looks like maybe his prototype came from a set of aluminium crutches.)

Looking at his web site, I see why he looked familiar to me. I first saw this guy when someone posted a link to that picture of his, where he has snap-linked a pair of (what looks like) pool-noodle sections to a kayak. That one didn't get me all excited, either.

He doesn't strike me as a "bad guy," just someone trying to make a profit from the hobby. I'm certainly OK with that, I just don't see how it can be working out for him. Might be that he's a better guide than an inventor or salesman.

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL

All licensed fishing guides in Florida have to be certified and licensed along ( BY) with holding a Captains permit from the Coast Guard. Without it they can not (legally) take folks charter fishing and charge them for it.

It is a title given to them to show they have passed the tests and are suppose to know what they are doing. As in Captaining a flats boat with a couple of paying guests aboard for fishing. In the old days we called them GUIDES.

From what he said in his autobiography he is retired and now is making a few bucks on this new trend of SOT Kayak fishing with his one arm paddle invention and book.

Be surprised how folks use to just turn there noses up ( Can't you people afford a REAL BOAT ) at someone fishing out of a canoe or kayak ( Back then we were the red headed stepchild) , now days it is the vogue and good for the world. Damn fools found out how much fun it is and how you can catch more fish then in a stink boat.

Chuck.
PS. My bet is that now days the ones who use to shout the insults as they roared by are the ones enjoying it the most and trying to take all the credit for the idea.

G'day Mike and Chuck,

I meant no dis-respect to the bloke or his title, as it were. Different nations & cultures - different terminology. I have no problem either with a bloke trying to make an honest buck. What I was attempting to drive home was the sheer absurdity of some of his claims. The thing looks about as useful to me as mammary glands on a boar pig. but that is just my opinion.

The term "Captain" out here is a highly esteemed position and signifies one as being in charge of an ocean going ship or a commissioned rank within our armed services. Anything else is seen as just a pompous attempt at self promotion.

Out here, Licensed and qualified people in charge of guide boats or charter boats are not entitled to call themselves "Captain" They are the boats "Master" while on the boat and that is all.

If I understand correctly, you are telling me that a person in charge of a 18 foot flats boat, with one paying guest is entitled to all himself a Captain.
Sorry guys, but that just makes no sense to me.

hairymick wrote:G'day Mike and Chuck,

If I understand correctly, you are telling me that a person in charge of a 18 foot flats boat, with one paying guest is entitled to all himself a Captain.
Sorry guys, but that just makes no sense to me.

Yep that is it , nothing more , nothing less. As I said we use to call them GUIDES but with the new names ( titles) they can charge a lot more and purchase hats three sizes larger for them selves.

All you have to do is pass the test and pay the fee ... ( Small Vessel License - for any vessel carrying 4 or fewer customers - $201.50 )... to call your self that.

( By the way ... any Law Enforcement Officer working the water in Florida has to know what they know and more , we just don't pay the fee for the title since we like ours better)

If anything they should be called a Master Guide or something else , anything but a Captain. That is for the guy's running the Air Craft Carriers and vessels like them with the Armed services. Not some fool in a flats boat taking folks fishing , yes he is the Captain of the boat but so is the solo kayaker , legally speaking.

Chuck.

If anything they should be called a Master Guide or something else , anything but a Captain. That is for the guy's running the Air Craft Carriers and vessels like them with the Armed services. Not some fool in a flats boat taking folks fishing , yes he is the Captain of the boat but so is the solo kayaker , legally speaking.

I couldn,t agree more mate.

I have held a "Masters Class IV" ticket for years now. The qualifications entitles me to "captain" a commercial, ocean going vessel up to 200 nautical miles off shore with paying customers. We would call the vessel a charter boat.

Here, at best, the proper terminology for a flats skff operator or similar would be "Coxswain" pronounced Cox'n. This also require its own specific qualifications and licensing.

I would no sooner call myself "Captain' than I would call myself "Doctor" or "Rocket Scientist"

Ahh, another thread hijack. My work here is done.