Hello!

Hi Guys and girls,

Been lurking around this site for a while now, so thought it about time I joined up and introduced myself:

I live in Mandurah Western Australia, which has to be one of the best places in the world for a paddler to live ?

I paddle a Spirit PRS, mostly in the estuary, but am now venturing into the ocean. I've done a few races: 2010 Bridge to Bridge Classic, Island Challenge, and am paddling in the Augusta Anaconda in a few weeks. I'm aiming to get myself into a composite ski sometime next year.

Awesome site, looking forward to talking to you guys?

Cheers,

Simon

Gidday Simon, not sure if we've met, I live just up the road in Rockingham but I am often down your way on a Saturday morning paddling with the Dome Cafe crowd or with the the Mandurah Ocean club members.

The Mandurah Ocean Club are a great bunch and they have a shed about 30 metres from the waters edge where you can store your ski, easy access when you want to go for a paddle!

Although the PRS will be fine hopefully you can get into a composite before the Mandurah Duel in January!?

If we don't meet before Anaconda Augusta keep an eye out for a White Carbonology Vault ski and a tall skinny fella with aphro hair

Mandurah Ocean Club have a facebook page.
There's a couple of other facebook pages where you can often hook up with other paddlers for training.

Smart Arnold (a large group of mainly social adventure racers, more around Southern metro)
"West Coast Training group" (members from Freo to Mandurah, cycling,running, paddling, swimming)
Anaconda Augusta Chat (a new FB group set up to chat about the race weekend and everything around it)

regards
Brett

Hey Simon, welcome! I've just checked out Mandurah on Google Earth, it looks like a really great place to live if you paddle. I've just recently started paddling, so I don't know too much about the various skis, etc out there. What is a Sprint PRS?

Guys, thanks for the responses!

Brett, I think you've met my missus-paddles with the Dragon Boat Club at Mandurah, Mel?

Thanks for all the info: The Mandurah Ocean Club sounds like just what I need at the moment. I think they're based next to the Dragon Boat club?. As far as 'The Duel' is concerned; yeah, bring it on!! Not sure if I'm going to go ocean or estuary side yet, and I would love to have a new ski by then....Just about to buy a new road bike, so the ski might have to wait a bit!! The PRS suits me at the moment as it's a good adventure race boat. I would like some more speed though....

I think I read your review of the Carbonology boats, and they seem pretty good. When the time comes they will be on the 'try list'. My favoured choice at the momnet would be the Epic V12, as I like the sound of the secondary stability the boat has in the rough stuff!

I don't know when you're doing a training run next, but I'm planning on a 5th marker run on Friday afternoon after work. If I don't see you out on the water, see you at The Ananconda?

DvanB, the place is even better in reality!! The Spirit PRS is a plastic 5.7m ski. Weighs about 19-20kg depending on the spec. In the scheme of things it would be an entry level ski, although the Avon Descent has been taken out by PRS mounted paddlers, and as mentioned above they make good adventure race/river race boats as they'll take a knock in a way that a carbon or fibre-glass boat probably wouldn't. It's fast enough to race and I reckon a good boat to learn the art of ocean paddling.

Cheers guys, see you out there!

Simon

A cyclist as well must be a top guy, I've just bought a new Trek Madone 5.5 so I can understand the $$$ thing. You should join our facebook training group, maybe hook up for a ride or paddle. "West Coast Training Group".

I cant really say I've MET your missus, I dont think paddling past and yelling out gidday qualifies

A couple of the guys at the Mandurah club paddle V12's and of course you always have my Vault to demo too. We tend to do a lot of boat swapping after training on Saturday mornings at the Dome, always checking out each others ski's.