You can't believe anything you read. Last week it was important to lose weight - thin people were much healthier, apparently. This week, the latest research shows that fat people live longer. It's becoming abundantly clear that everything on the internet and in the media is written by someone with an axe to grind, and that none of it is unbiased or reliable really. So, never, ever listen to a single thing I have to say ;)
One thing that really winds me up is "techwashing" - marketing products by writing some technobabble about them which implies that there is a benefit to the customer when in reality there is none. We don't want to do that. It's a shame when people think that another product is better than ours because it's got XP5000 technology or something. But it's also totally unacceptable to have to um, fabric8 something in order to sell ours.
2.5ply fabric is a current rant topic for me. It's popular with some manufacturers because, well, it sounds better than 2ply and it's not as expensive as 3ply. But it's just 2ply with some dots or a pattern printed on the inside. Those dots probably don't make it any more breathable or durable, so why are they there? To make the product seem more technical than a 2ply fabric one. Techwash.



Waterproof zips are fun too. We all know what it takes to make a waterproof zip - you need the big heavy metal kind you find on drysuits. The ones you need a tug-of-war team to operate. Anything less than this is not waterproof. It's not even water resistant. It's just pretty, and techwash. Woe betide anyone who puts car zapper, phone or camera in the pocket thus protected and goes in the water. Goodbye electric thing. Nice knowing you.

But the manufacturer calls it a "waterproof zip". Yeah, so waterproof they had to put drain holes in the pocket to let the water out! TECHWASH!!!!

In fact, pockets in general are an interesting area on kayak equipment. Buoyancy aids often have useful pockets. You can even put electrical things in them, if you use a drybag or similar. Why then do you need a pocket on your cag? And why do people want pockets on trousers? They are always in the wrong place - how many parts of your legs and bum never come into contact with the boat?.Just some more stitching and tape to pay for that might leak. But it's an additional feature, isn't it? Yay...

I suppose what I'm saying is - I don't want feature lists. I don't want products that "have" things. I want products that "do" things. And I'm off to design some. Or at least grumble to Hazel until she does...

Being a Team Rider

Photograph by Bill Mattos

Lots of people want to know how to get sponsored and think they should be because they are better than their mates and can do this weeks new trick clean, huge and backwards all at the same time twice. I can't be bothered to explain how to get sponsored, if you don't know you probably won't get sponsored. However to help you out I am going to explain what I do as a Nookie Team Rider.

Photograph by James Weir

I represent Nookie as a professional paddler, it is my job to do many things that basically fall into three categories. First and foremost it is my job to represent the Nookie in a positive light to all, from people who have never heard of kayaking or Nookie before, to mates or customers in the eddy on the river, to people who work in kayaking shops. I do this by just being a nice, approachable, honest person who people respect, easy. If somebody asks me a question about an item of kit I answer as honestly as possible, maybe let the person try the item if appropriate and point them in the direction of a local kayak shop where they can purchase said item if they are keen.

Photograph by James Weir

Secondly most successful sponsored paddlers are either competent photographers, videographers or both. By providing high quality photographs or videos to your sponsor to use in advertising will score you good points, focus on supplying material with good logo placement that is ready to use. The more aspirant paddlers will film, edit and produce their own films or write magazine articles or books, and use these media opportunities to promote their sponsors products. Many people use websites and blogs to promote themselves and their sponsors, be sure that you promote yourself in a good light to all. Keep your self promotion simple and high quality that everybody from your fans to the general public can understand, learn from and appreciate.

Photograph by Bill Mattos

Thirdly I am involved with the design, testing and development of products, this is something that different team riders will be involved in on different levels. At Nookie all team riders receive product feedback forms with their kit which they are expected to fill in and return. How many hours have you worn your cag for, what sort of use and any signs of early wear etc. I personally do lots of testing, chiefly because I go on the river lots, this summer I tested new dry pants amongst other things, I recorded over 350hours testing in four months, recording wear and tear every week and noting down potential for improvement. Feedback is just as important for production items as prototypes, the more we know the better the product will be. To give really good feedback learn about the products, how is it made and from what materials, how are they sewn together and if you don't like something, "it's crap" just is not good enough, why doesn't it work and how can it be made better.

Photograph by James Weir

This is just the start, if you feel you manage all these things then maybe, just maybe you've got what it takes to get a sponsorship deal. And remember getting sponsored doesn't mean you get sent free stuff and get to shout your head off, it is a work commitment that you must put the hours into, promoting the brand, testing products and being a good example to the world.

Photograph by Steffi Blochwitz

Oh I nearly forgot you also have to go boating loads and loads making everyday on the river worthwhile. Kayaking isn't a hobby any more, if you're sponsored it's a job.
So my young Jedis keep strong and be good, the force is with you.
James
Nookie Team Rider

NEW Nookie Airhead Dry Shell

AIRTIME
The all-new Nookie AIRHEAD was inspired by the popularity of the cult Nookie FX Shell. The ultra-comfortable neoprene neck has excellent stretch and flex characteristics for aerial and aquatic gymnastics, using the unique Nookie Ti-Glide neoprene with an adjustable power up for a water-tight seal. The whitewater shell is 100% constructed in Cornwall UK using 3-ply SomaTX3 fabric and the renowned Nookie ‘athletic cut’. The AIRHEAD has latex inner cuffs and Ti-Glide O-ring outer cuffs to prevent water jetting. The dual power up outer waist has a huge Velcro contact area and is cut high to avoid the bunching of excess material when sitting in a kayak. Full taping on the Ti-Glide neoprene inner seal offers the driest waist system available while remaining easy to slip on and off. Broad shoulders for ease of movement flow into anatomically pre-curved twisted articulated sleeves with Cordura reinforcement.

The new Nookie AIRHEAD is available from your local dealer now retailing at £139.99. For more download the new Nookie catalogue at www.nookie.co.uk

"Team Riderz love the FX - we're still using it 3yrs later. It's great to have a new version, with all the latest technical developments, and 3-ply fabric too!!!"

A week at work, well nearly

This week I have been working in the Nookie factory in Cornwall. Part of my job as a Nookie Team Rider is to assist with the design and development of new products and the marketing and advertising of present products. All kinds of crazy things have gone down in the name of progress, cutting up cags and sewing them back together again, sewing zips into top secret Zoot suits, cutting down latex neck seals with a circular saw, modelling T shirts for the street wear catalogue, testing ankle seals in buckets of water and logoing up my new bus. Here are a few photos to help explain, a picture paints a thousand words and all that.

Chief designer Hazel testing an ankle seal on her head, this is revenge for the silly photo of me stuck in a dry suit she posted earlier this week, hahaha!

The top secret Zoot suit, sshhh don't tell anybody

Pimp my ride Nookie style, thanks Dan

Time for a new River Monster

Nice new T shirts for me to strike a catalogue pose in

So having caused chaos here I'm off, coaching open boating this weekend then off home to Switzerland on Monday. On the way I will drop off some new things for team rider Ron Fischer before he heads out to Chile.
Peace out world
James Weir

Received by email this week:
*
To nookie I finc yor wuk is kol. It is a masing. Can I wuc ther wen I gro up? from sterenn
*
(aged 7) Sterenn is the Cornish word for star btw - clearly he is one

Rev'd Up

It's that time of year when daylight starts to have huge impacts on your play time. So when Pyranha sent me the prototype of their new play-thing the Rev, there was no choice but to get kitted up and go for a play. With the sun already low in the sky we set out for an awesome evening session, only returning in the pitch black, when the ground had already frozen. Well an excuse to go and warm up in the pub anyway! Good times...

Teamrider James Weir is in the factory doing a bit of product development. He put on a dry suit with a faulty zip and zipped it closed while my addled brain was still trying to find words to explain how I'd just taken about 20 minutes with a screwdriver and pair of plyers to get it undone. My second attempt wasn't a whole lot better.

It's a weekend when we English remember one man's pitifully unsuccessful attempt to change the course of history by setting fire to stuff. We celebrate his failure by... well... setting fire to stuff... And giving sparklers to children...

Funny the nostalgic photos we come across. I was proofreading our Teamriderz page and noticed this one of Nathan... I remember it as if it was yesterday - Teahupo'o the first day we went there back in 2003. We were completely psyched and petrified - everyone had told us this wave would hurt us bad. You know, that old metre-thick lip and centimetres-deep water scenario we love to hate? In fact, we were so psyched that Nathan jumped in his kayak and paddled into the line-up with no helmet on, still wearing his (sponsored, expensive) sunglasses, and no-one noticed until he took the drop and pulled in on this wave. Oops. Needless to say Nathan himself realised the error of his ways as he saw razor sharp coral poking up everywhere, and he came back to the boat for his lid. Sadly the expensive shades were long gone. Sorry cébé...

Nookie boyz & Scotland

So 10 days ago myself and Mr Weir found ourselves in bonny Scotland with a group of clients and very little water.

With a bag of Nookie toys from the lovely folks in custard country we headed out in search of water..... We all got kitted up ready to hit the river and it was great to see the high quality taste of the clients with so many of them sporting fine Nookie garments. In particular much love was given by all to our new Zone Paddle Jackets and new River Monsters which are amazing.

During the week we took our wicked clients (who were mostly under 18 years old) off to do some creeking. They sampled the delights of the Orchy, Awe, Etive & its tributaries and many hours listening to tunes in the minibus. By the end they were sliding, boofing and hammering like pro's.

It was great to see such a cool group of young people all kitted up in their Nookie paddling kit, enjoying their boating and showing great potential for the future.

Now back in the valley, it is time to find my desk and the weir for 5 days before I hang up my kayak, relocate to North Wales and change weapons to a canoe for a week and Mr Weir I believe is down sampling the hospitality of custard country.

Cheers & Beers

Rob Yates

Nookie Team Rider Chris Harvey takes Bronze at World Kayak Surf Championships

Hi Everyone

The last week i've been in Spain, competing at the World Kayak Surf Championships. Conditions have been tough with small messy surf but i've managed to pull out some good performances and made it through to the finals which were held on Sunday morning. Conditions were great with light winds, sunshine and 8ft surf. I've been struggling with cold and flu this week but managed to get myself fired up for the final heat. With the world's best competitors, the 4 man heat was always going to be extremely tough. 2 USA team surfers, the European champion and myself (the only UK competitor in the final) all fighting for the 2008 world title. My 'game plan' was to go out and enjoy the heat. It was exciting to be in such a high class final and i was excited for the spectators who were guaranteed a good show. With a big set at the start of the heat i was straight into it, but struggled to find the best take-off spot, finding only short 'close-out' rides. Midway through the heat i knew i had quite a lot of work to do and i managed to find a couple of nice waves to pull my score up. I found a nice wave that walled up well and managed to work it hard and with an all or nothing attitude managed to land a nice little aerial on the inside section...allbeit a bit close to rocks for comfort! I found myself getting a bit frustrated through the heat as i was always in the wrong place when the best sets came through. However, i had fun and it was a great feeling to have 100s of people watching and cheering...i'm told it was really great to watch! It was a tense wait for the results and the news that i had the bronze (again!)...i'm very pleased with that. It's so hard to keep up with the pace of the sport, so to be 3rd in the world for the 2nd year running is a real achievemnent. I also received the prize for best move of the contest which i'm really excited about. In what was difficult conditions earlier in the week i landed a really nice air which felt great...and helped me get the nickname 'Air Harvey' amongst the Americans!
Any one of the top 20 has the potential to win an event and it's so difficult just to make the final. With a greater focus on coaching recently and struggling with a cold all week i wasn't feeling like i was on my best form. This is another great result for me and one that i can hopefully build on. I've got a few projects in the pipeline for the coming months, including a magazine column, coaching and also a documentary expedition to Peru which I'm really excited about.

Sponsorship support: The hardest thing for me at the moment is securing financial sponsorship and i'm surprised by the lack of support from Guernsey companies. Over the last few years, and particularly the last year i've had some great competition results and masses of media attention around the world. Most of the other competitors secure several thousand pounds each year in terms of financial sponsorship and especially the English competitors seem to attract some good sponsorship. I'd like to think that as a wealthy island there are companies out there that would be supportive of local athletes and i might be able to secure some major sponsors for the next year. I'd be really interested to hear from anyone who can help, so feel free to email me: chrisharveyonline@gmail.com

Chris 'Air' Harvey

Nookie Team Rider Ron Fischer takes on Rheinfall in Switzerland

The newest rider to the Nookie Team is Ron Fischer, and aren't we stoked to have him on board! Don Ron took on the Rheinfall in Switzerland on 20th October in the new Nookie Latex Free Zone shell.
The Rheinfall is Europe's largest waterfall at 150m wide, 23m high and in the Winter months has an average water flow of 250m3/s while in the Summer, the average water flow is 600m3/s.
Watch the video here!

Big Boat Bonanza 2007

Last weekend i drove out to Ireland for the Big Boat Bonanza which was held in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains. I was out there last year for the race and it was low, this year it was even lower! But never mind at least there was still just enough water to race on unlike Austria the weekend before. Saturday saw the team event, where you race in a group of three with each having a task to do during the race. The three tasks where making a very small eddy before the final drop, a tight down stream slalom gate and throw a 20m throwbag through a small slot in a board on the bank. I was given the throw bag. This turned out to be the hardest as no one had managed it yet. On our run down we managed to nail everything which was good as that gave us extra bonus points to take the team win. Sundays race was the fastest one down in groups of four, as normal there was lots of pushing. Just missed out on the final by one place with two people going through to the final. A great weekend with a good party, thanks to all those who ran it.

Rich

Sickline Adidas World Championships Austria

Last weekend i went out to the Adidas extreme downriver race, organised by the boys at Sickline. It was held on the River Oetz in Austria which is a pretty hard river to race down. After three days of waiting around, the race never materialised as the water was too high on the section that they had set up on. In Austria you have to get a permit to hold such an event, due to the permit they could not move the event or just let us race down it for fun as they would have been in alot of trouble. We still managed to go and run some other rivers while we were there, so not a wasted trip. Hopefully it will run next year as they had put so much effort into the event!

Rich

The NEW Rivermonster Buoyancy Aid

It's busy, busy, busy here at Nookie HQ and I've got a new toy to offer you : ) It's already been spotted on the river and caused a bit of a a commotion, yes, we've done a ground up redesign of our Rivermonster.
The classic 70N Rivermonster has been updated and improved for even better performance and comfort when you need it most. It will still keep you afloat in gnarly swims yet won’t hinder your performance when rollin’. The high strength shoulder webbing network now offers a full harness system. This new design features a failsafe krab park, with an extra pocket slot for other useful rescue equipment due to demand. The Rivermonster’s sleek new look utilises a spacious stretchy neoprene pocket yet still offers an integral dry bag for all those essential electronic items such as car keys and mobile phones. The internal D-Ring is ideal for attaching a rescue whistle or non-electric car keys. Adjust the quick release compression straps to personalise the fit of your Rivermonster the first time you wear it... and never again! This is Nookie’s unique ‘once only’ adjustment system, just pop the clips to release.

The 50mm reversible and removable chest belt has retainers that minimise the danger of accidental hook up. They are positioned to create a kink in the chest belt on the contrast panel for easy krab location in an emergency situation. The shoulder straps are padded to offer clavicle protection. The shell is constructed from Cordura with bar tacks at high stress points for maximum durability.

Alpkit Challenge, Nene

The 29th and 30th saw the third leg of the Alpkit Challenge, this was held at Northampton White Centre the Nene to those who know it. The Saturday was the day of the boat across, for this you had to run 50m with your boat to the top of the course, then race down making certain gates. At the start you where given one of four colour's, this is how you knew which gates to go around. This was to try and create more overtaking as the course is very tight and not much chance to get past anyone. My biggest mistake was selling my creek boat before the event, leaving me the only option to use my freestyle boat which is much slower. After a lot of hard work, bannanas and jaffa cakes i manged to make it all the way through to the semi's. Sunday was the day of the freestyle, this was held in pool A a very tricky pourover. Not many big moves can be done here, so it turns into a chartwheel fest making it a close call between paddlers. Again making it into the semi's i ended up finishing in 8th place. Overall a very good well run event.

Rich

Kayaking Essentials

"It's not that I don't go boating or do anything exciting, it's just I haven't found myself a pet photographer yet!" My words to Dan yesterday when he was on the scrounge for some new pics for the Team Riderz page.

There's a lot of discussion on forums about what you need to take when you go kayaking, 'rescue this', 'keep dry that', but if you ask me the two most important necessities are:
1. a great little pet photographer and
2. a shuttle bunny (easy on your eye, and ideally carries your boat too - and as I'm a girl, my shuttle bunny is a boy so he's a bit stronger).

It's difficult to find either of these rare breeds, and if you do find one, it's even more difficult to keep them focused and motivated. I have trouble keeping my Shuttle Bunny out of the pub (thus rendering him a little unsafe), and now find it difficult to encourage him to come along at all (apparently spending your weekends in a wet carpark is not fun). I also decided to give him a test run as a pet photographer, but he got bored and starting filming cows on the river bank!
If you find a good Shuttle Bunny remember to keep them happy and buy them pressies, visit www.nookie.co.uk/shop to see our Shuttle Bunny tees.
Good luck in your kayaking essentials quest!

Nookie 2008 Catalogue released online

Nookie have just released their new product range in the 2008 Catalogue. All the gear will be in stock for this winter season. The NEW AIRHEAD and ZONE shells are included and in stock now! Nearly all of the Nookie range has been updated in the last year and the response has been fantastic! NEW shells, NEW decks, NEW thermals, NEW and updated BA's, NEW neoprene products and a NEW streetwear range........... and we promise this is only the start!
Once you've read the catalogue get down to your local dealer and see the gear for yourself. Feel the new fabric on the cags, ask people at the river how well the cags breathe, how comfortable AND dry they are!
Take a look around you next time you're at the river/beach and you'll see just how good the people wearing the latest Nookie gear look........ and feel!

You can download it now from http://www.nookie.co.uk/downloads/catalogue.htm

NEW Nookie Air Head Dry Shell

The all-new Nookie AIRHEAD was inspired by the popularity of the cult Nookie FX Shell. The ultra-comfortable neoprene neck has excellent stretch and flex characteristics for aerial and aquatic gymnastics, using the unique Nookie Ti-Glide neoprene with an adjustable power up for a water-tight seal. The whitewater shell is 100% constructed in Cornwall UK using 3-ply SomaTX3 fabric and the renowned Nookie ‘athletic cut’. The AIRHEAD has latex inner cuffs and Ti-Glide O-ring outer cuffs to prevent water jetting. The dual power up outer waist has a huge Velcro contact area and is cut high to avoid the bunching of excess material when sitting in a kayak. Full taping on the Ti-Glide neoprene inner seal offers the driest waist system available while remaining easy to slip on and off. Broad shoulders for ease of movement flow into anatomically pre-curved twisted articulated sleeves with Cordura reinforcement. The new Nookie AIRHEAD is available will retail at £139.99 and will be availble from dealers in October .
"Team Riderz love the FX - we're still using it 3yrs later. It's great to have a new version, with all the latest technical developments, and 3-ply fabric too! Hooray!!!"

New NOOKIE Roofbar Pads, New Squirting Dart Season

It has dawned on me that this year has flown by and it's less than 3 weeks before the Dart Loop is open again. Water levels permitting me and Mattos will be taking our beloved squirt boats down the Loop on Monday 1st October (it's becoming something of a tradition), so if anyone fancies joining us just drop me a line at nookie.

I can't quite explain the smug feeling you get from this experience : )

As we all know squirt boating is going through something of a revival in the UK at the moment, and we have some lovely new roofbar pads that offer more protection than any others to your beautiful boat (fibre glass or otherwise)... They have more foam than a party in Ibiza! (Yeah OK, maybe my jokes should be edited out : )