serene – 2, part 42

Made some more longer paddlings (20 ~ 25 km) to get to really know her, my newly – built Serene – 2. It’s not until now that I could get myself familiarized with the boat’s primary stability, which could be really “frightening” to most novice paddlers. In reality, Serene – 2 is “more stable” compared to Serene – 1, but with a much higher free board, the secondary stability comes a bit later, to assure that everything is alright!

Actually, I’m a bit concerned about the boat’s primary stability, cause it has lots of V – bottom the under side. I would need to trail the kayak in its full capacity, to really make sure that the boat reaches its expected stability when fully – loaded with gears for a multiple – days paddling trip. The “fearful, uneasy feeling” caused by the low primary stability should not be taken for granted at all, even when I know that it’s safe.

Cause you would virtually going nowhere when all the time, you’re just worrying about it, worrying that something (a potential capsize) would happen. I’m pretty sure that the boat would be fine at its designed displacement, but only trialling would tell precisely. Looking back at all my boat building, boat playing times, lots of fearful moments, lots of self – doubting, self – disappointments, self – blaming, etc…

But that’s the nature of boating things, of “adventures” on the water. It requires lots of practicing and improving, to make sure that everything is right, that everything just works. My paddling performance is really really bad lately, with very little training ever since my last 9 days paddling trip in June. Obviously, something need to be improved here, and that would be among my resolutions in the coming new year!

serene – 2, part 41

Made several longer paddlings (15 ~ 20 km) to see how the kayak would perform. As with all my previous boats, it takes some little time for me to adapt myself to a new boat, in particular, the primary stability. Each kayak differs by a little, after a few dozens of kilometers, I would feel more comfortable and confident with the boat’s motions. Only after that, the speed measures could be evaluated more accurately.

The Garmin GPS data shows that I could sustain about 7 kmph with my new kayak. That’s pretty much very good, though only slightly better compared to Serene – 1 (it was about 6.5+ kmph). The 7 kmph value is very closed to the average speed that other famous sea kayakers would usually make. The improvement at this point is very critical, since I can hardly make any more gain without sacrifices to the boat stability.

The weather this season is quite ideal for paddling, the temperature is dropping to around 20 ~ 25 degree (Celsius). The Northern wind is blowing, but much a lesser amplitude compared to this time last year. But too bad, I’m quite busy with my works and can’t spend much time on water, my paddling performance is not truly at its peak, so it’s still early to say more about the new kayak’s performance characteristics.

Anyway, I’m feeling very pleased with my new kayak, and I think that with more training, I could bring her to a much better performance level. Some more works required still on the kayak though, in essence, I would have to rework the USB – charging circuit, the current one is over – powered by the 3 powerful Lithium cells and wouldn’t work very well. Christmas and New Year season is coming, happy season to everyone!

serene – 2, part 40

Continue trialling and adjusting various boat equipments. The 2.2 Amph SLA battery works, but not to my expectation, first, it’s too heavy, second, its capacity is quite small, and third, the battery doesn’t hold its electricity for too long, about 2 days without charging and the battery would exhaust… After consulting with some other paddlers, I’ve decided to replace it with 3 Lithium cells, the results are just… superb!

I now have about 10 Amph in the very small 3 Li-ion cells, almost 5 times more the capacity, and 5 times less the weight, yet 5 times the price, advancements in battery technologies is just amazing! According to one of my friend, an “expert” in electric and electronic devices, the Li-ion would usually last longer, and compared to the SLA, with zero maintenance cost. After replacing the battery, I fitted the last electrical components.

The AA charger and the USB charger, they’re positioned inside another waterproof box, connected to the battery box with electrical wires inside a plastic tube. The installation is pretty easy, the two devices are connected via two switches, simply put your iPhone (or your VHF radio, or your AA batteries) into the box, turn on the switch, close the box, and let the Li-ion cells, plus the solar panel do their job!

Also, I’ve removed the plastic seat, replace it with just a back – rest instead. The back – rest is built from plywood, bent into a curved shape, covered on 1 side with a rubber sheet (to make your back resting more comfortable), and fitted into the cockpit aft, it could be rotated slightly to suit my various sitting positions. These are last updates for the boat in this 2016 year, now it’s time to just enjoy the water!

văn giảng


Tựa: trong thời đại nhạc thương mãi đang hoành hành trên nửa phần đất nước nầy, thính giả hầu như đã lãng quên những nét vàng son vang bóng thời qua, những nét nhạc hiện thiếu người nuôi dưỡng, phải lép vế dưới thế lực của những nhà thương mãi và những người có uy thế phổ biến loại nhạc thời trang hiện nay.

Những ca khúc thời gian qua sáng tác hoàn toàn bằng cảm hứng, không gượng gạo hay uốn nắn theo một đường hướng khác với ý tác giả, viết bằng những tình cảm trung thực nên dễ làm xúc cảm người nghe, gợi hoặc để lại cho thính giả những cái gì cao đẹp mà thời gian khó xoá bỏ được. Họ viết là để ghi lại những cái gì muốn nói và hy vọng truyền cảm qua người khác dìu – dắt nhau cũng đi trên con đường xây dựng Thiện – Mỹ.

Tác phẩm thời ấy như một đứa con xuất thân một gia đình thanh – cảnh có truyền thống tốt, lại được nuôi dưỡng tử – tế, làm sao không trở nên một đứa con hữu ích cho xã hội. Người nuôi dưỡng nó là ai ? nhiều khi không phải là người sinh ra nó, mà lại là những người hâm mộ giá trị của nó, tự thấy có trách – nhiệm phải giới thiệu cái hay, cái đẹp cho người khác. Chính nhờ tinh – thần vị – tha và giá trị của tác phẩm, nhiều ca, nhạc sĩ và cơ – quan phổ biến được nổi danh và nhận được nhiều thiện cảm của thính giả.

Ngược lại thời nay, những tác phẩm giá trị lại không được trình bày nhiều vì thiếu người nuôi dưỡng vô vị lợi, những ca khúc kém phần nghệ thuật lại được nghe hoài qua các làn sóng điện. Những bài hát này cũng như những đứa con hư xuất thân những gia đình truyền thống kém nếu không muốn nói là hạ cấp, có những nét phù phiếm bên ngoài mà nội dung rỗng tuếch. Nhưng chúng lại gặp may, được sinh sản trong một cái thế giới đảo – điên, tâm hồn con người đang thác – loạn chạy theo cái hào hoa bên ngoài, được săn – sóc bằng những bàn tay trục lợi của những kẻ có thế lực. Có lẽ vì hiện trạng chiến – tranh, vì thế lực kim tiền của ngoại nhân, những người kém trí thức, thiếu tự trọng đã gặp nhiều cơ – hội tốt trở nên giàu có trong nháy mắt, và những kẻ đứng đắn lại phải cam chịu phận nghèo vì tự – ái. Có lẽ vì hạng người thứ nhất khá nhiều, nên loại nhạc thời trang hiện nay đã phục vụ đắc lực cho họ, và loại nhạc đứng đắn có nghệ – thuật không đứng vững được vì hạng người thứ hai quá ít. Đây là điều mà chúng tôi và những người tha – thiết muốn xây dựng cho nền nhạc Việt rất buồn phiền, nhưng không biết làm sao lật đổ những tệ đoan ấy vì khả năng phổ biến nhạc hiện nay đang ở trong tay những kẻ thủ lợi có thế – lực.

Thấy thực tại mà càng thương mến dĩ vãng. Cho nên ngay phút đầu tiên tiếp xúc với nhóm “Đất Lành” chủ trương tuyển tập nhạc “Vang bóng một thời”, tôi đã có cảm tình ngay. Đây là một việc làm đáng ca ngợi và khuyến khích, một việc làm vô vị lợi. Chúng tôi thiết – tha mong Quý Vị đón tiếp tập tuyển nhạc nầy với một thiện cảm nồng nhiệt, và miễn thứ cho nhóm chủ trương những thiếu sót vì hoàn cảnh khó khăn trong việc thực hiện.

Hè 1971, Văn Giảng

Một vài bìa nhạc Văn Giảng:

serene – 2, part 39

Made several short paddlings (10, 12 km) to trial my newly – built Serene – 2 kayak. The overall feeling is very pleasing, the boat is much easier to control compared to my previous one Serene – 1, and it’s faster, taking up momentum in just a few light strokes! But the velocity measures would be postponed until I could finish all equippings, all adjustments, and begin longer paddling to know precisely.

Yesterday, I had a capsize in my kayak, reason is that the seat raises the center of gravity (CG) by approximately 5 cm, just a very short distance but severely affect the boat stability. This is something I’d already knew in the designing phase, but still try to do the silly thing of installing the inappropriate seat. The solution is quite simple: remove the seat, just sit barely on the bottom, and build just a back – rest instead.

Apart from that, everything works well enough: the bilge pump, the rudder and rudder pedals, other electrical devices, etc… The shorter hull reacts more sensitively to load balancing, the kayak needs to be trimmed a little bit further aft to reach its most stable point. I’m especially happy with the rudder, to give a decisive conclusion on the Rudder vs. Skeg debate: the Skeg is simply left too far behind to argue!

Only long paddling would tell, if there’re some significant improves in “economical speed”, the important point of a kayak designed for cruising: the minimum effort required to propel the boat on large distance and in prolonged period of time. It takes some more efforts and times to really complete harnessing my Andalusian horse and make it ready for sea paddling trips in this Northern monsoon wind season!

serene – 2, part 38

Many miscellaneous jobs required still to finish equipping my new kayak for upcoming paddling trips. First is adjusting the seat’s back rest, it’s a bit too high that strapping on the spray skirt could be a bit difficult. I simple cut down its back, then rivet the cut – out part onto the rest part. The hatches’ gaskets are cut from a thin (5 mm) rubber sheet (1st & 2nd images), should do their job of keeping the water out.

I made a new cart for transporting the boat on land, it’s just a smaller and lighter version of the previous one. I reused the pair of wheel, couldn’t reduce the wheels’ size since they have to be big enough so that the cart wouldn’t sink in when pulled on sand and mud. The result is quite satisfactory, big enough to easily transport the kayak, and small enough to not affect the boat stability when carried on the aft deck.

The list of small jobs to really finish the boat seems to be never ending, there’s always something I could do to improve, here and there, e.g: a mesh bag would be installed inside the cockpit, under the deck, to store various things I could need during a paddling trip, e.g: a small knife, a tiny light torch, a small monocular (to be equipped), reserved batteries for camera and GoPro, lighter, my tobacco box, etc…

It’s an interesting experience equipping a kayak for long paddling trips: everything need to be ready and accessible around your cockpit: food and drink, the back up paddle, the paddle float, radio and camera, everything… Fortunately, my newly purchased PFD has two pockets on the front side where I could hold some crucial things with me: the VHF radio, the Garmin and the Cannon waterproof small camera!

serene – 2, part 37

Continue trialling my newly – built kayak with some short paddlings. The adjusted rudder pedals now work properly and smoothly. The battery system charged well, everything works as expected. One point I’ve found out is that, the SLA (Sealed Lead Acid) battery should be positioned upright for it to be charged to its maximum capacity. I was thinking about Lithium battery which is more compact, lighter, has more capacity…

But that would be later, maybe I should deploy a system of SLA and Lithium in parallel, as the SLA could provide short – bursts of hight current (required by the bilge pump), and the Lithium could provide a lower amperage for a longer period of time. Today, the Sea – to – summit spray skirt package arrived, the all – neoprene thick skirt fits well to the cockpit coaming, it should do its job of keeping the water out well!

Also I’ve found out that I need to adjust the seat’s back rest a bit, it’s too high that strapping the skirt on could be a bit difficult. One important add-on to the kayak is the water drinking system. 2nd image: the 2 plastic water bags, from left to right: 10 and 8 liters respectively. The smaller oval – shaped water bag is put in the forward compartment, with a water tube running through a cable gland over the deck.

That way you can drink (suck the water out of the reservoir through the tube) without having to stop paddling. The low – lying bags would help with the boat’s stability, no more bulky water bottles needed, and the deck space would be clearer for other items of necessity. I’ve found this drinking system idea very practical, as I’ve lost quite some water bottles lashed to the bungee cords in heavy sea, when strong waves wash over the deck.

vũng tàu sailing, 4

Serene – 2 is almost done, but the trialling would be continued on for quite some times. Now having some free time – slots to turn to sailing, joining my “sailing comrades” again in Vũng Tàu. North winds are turning much stronger, and though we’re sailing in a somewhat protected bay, the wind gusts reach 25+ knot, and waves above 1m.

The Baba (Vietnamese word for a specie of turtle) trimaran has been overhauled for repair and being refitted, there’re some works required still on the boat. It was such a wonderful experiences, and a very wet ride, when waves wash all over the boards. Looking at the stern wake in the clip below, we were going easily at 12+ knot!