The Elan Test Drive

Monday October 5 was my last kayak outing of this season. The lake level is currently being drawn down by ~11 feet for the cooler months, as is usual. I paddled from 3rd Avenue pier, under the highway and railroad bridges, and then up Sand Creek - my most frequent route.

I had a particular mission. I was trying out a kayak I just inherited from a dear friend, the Elan model from Mariner Kayaks. I had written in an earlier post (July 18 of this year) how my Boreal Designs Ellesmere kayak was my favourite kayak at that point - and I have tried many kayaks over the last ~20 years. So the mission was to determine whether I liked the Elan better than the Ellesmere. 

Mariner Kayaks produced a series of what have become cult favourites, especially their Coaster model. Only 72 or so Elans were built and Mariner ceased operating not too long afterward (~2007). This particular Elan had a rear watertight hatch, but originally no bow hatch. However, Victoria's John Abercrombie added a bow hatch before selling it. John builds or modifies kayaks and does splendid work. The Elan was built for a small person and I made temporary modifications to the cockpit so I could fit comfortably, considering my brawny 140 pound, five foot five inch frame. 

The Elan has no rudder and no skeg. Yet it supposedly neither weathercocks nor leecocks at wind speeds beyond which I do not venture. It has no foot pegs and, when configured properly, your feet rest against the front bulkhead. It weighs 51 pounds (heavier than my kevlar Ellesmere - but quite manageable). If the Elan handles as well as the Ellesmere (without the extra frippery i.e. foot pegs, skeg), it could become my new favourite. I like that idea - no fussing with a skeg (or rudder), no constraints on foot position dictated by foot pegs. Note that skegs, rudders, and foot pegs can need repair - done that, been there.

So, how did the test go? The water was flat calm and remained that way, perhaps not ideal testing conditions. The kayak behaved well, going in the chosen direction and turning when desired. I loved having neither skeg nor rudder. The speed was much the same as for the Ellesmere.  The Elan backband, vertically reinforced by minicell foam needs some more carving. That will let me sit a bit further aft and maybe make it easier to get the sprayskirt on. So the jury is out until next spring, but I am now predisposed to declare the Elan as my new (and final) favourite.

Mariner Elan

I now have the Mariner Elan mentioned in the July 18, 2026 post. It has the Mariner rear watertight hatch. John Abercrombie then added a front hatch and spiffed it up to his usual high standards. There are no foot pegs, so your feet rest against the front bulkhead. This is very nice, allowing your feet room to roam around. John put in several pads which can be placed against the front bulkhead allowing a user to fit the cockpit length as desired. I moved the seat back one set of holes for myself and will soon zero in on what pads I need for my desired cockpit length (maybe none?). The rear hatch is quite large and has a large opening as well. I can fit my largest kayak trolley into the hatch, impossible on any of my prior singles.

Because of an old ski injury, I have a missing disc in my lower back. I require support from the back band which must be firmly vertical and high enough. The existing backband is inadequate for me. Rather than mess with the current backband, I carved some minicell chunks to provide that support temporarily, while leaving the current backband in place. 

What comes next? A test drive within the next few days. There is a possibility I will like it as much as my Boreal Design Ellesmere. The simplicity of having neither a rudder nor a skeg is very attractive. The Elan is slightly heavier, but is still a manageable 51 pounds (with hatch covers and seat).

3 hours up Sand Creek

I have not been kayaking as much this season, maybe biking a bit more. Yesterday I headed up Sand creek. There were not that many birds, but they were interesting. I saw eagles soaring or sitting, osprey fishing, ducks, etc. One osprey took the plunge straight down into the creek and grabbed a fish and then struggled to carry it into the trees for lunch. I did encounter a belted kingfisher in flight, looking much like this photo I found on the Internet. They are such pretty birds.

The water was fairly flat without the moderate south winds expected in the late morning. My arthritic left shoulder tired toward the 3rd hour, but was not painful. This is likely because I have not been kayaking much this season, but have continued my flexibility exercises. 

The air quality was in the moderate category. The nearest  forest fire is up near the Canadian border, but there are other fires and it is not clear which are contributing to our haze. So far it has not precluded outdoor physical exercise in the cool of morning.

A Conundrum

At age 85, I am nigh to abandoning my kayaking career. Here I am, with my favourite kayak of all time (Boreal Design Ellesmere), looking at abandonment! Well, old age must be acknowledged. But there is an attractive fly in this disagreeable ointment. In late September I may inherit a cult favourite kayak, from my dearly beloved occasional kayak partner and ski buddy. 

The kayak is a cult enthusiast's Mariner Elan. Those unaware of Mariner Kayaks should stop here and dive deep enough into the Mariner details (i.e. look at "marinerkayaks.com") and then return. The site is still maintained and is of general interest.

The Elan is intended for small paddlers. Hey, at 140 pounds that's me! But there is a problem, my feet are not small. The kayak is hostile to a foot size beyond man's US 9. I'll grab it in late September, wear small water shoes, and then decide.

The Elan was the final design produced by the Broze Brothers. There were perhaps 72 made. An original Elan might have a rear watertight hatch - although the Broze Brothers were not fond of such frippery. This particular Elan was modified by John Abercrombie of Victoria MC and has front and rear watertight hatches.

If I sell it, the proceeds will be donated to a bursary established in my friend's name to support aspiring young musicians. Alternatively, if I keep it, I will put equivalent funds into that same bursary. I don't actually have the kayak now, so this is speculative.

Back from Austria

We have returned from Austria and are once again in North Idaho. I had feared that I missed the Western Grebes as they migrate though Lake Pend Oreille, but I just recently spotted a flock of 10 on the water near Condo del Sol. I did not see the usual huge flock, so maybe this group was a remnant. The osprey are back, another of my favorite seasonal birds. Oddly, on my last trip I saw no Canada Geese. I expect I will see many on my next trip as I paddle further up Sand Creek. I should get beyond the Popsicle Stick Bridge, but probably short of the Schweitzer Cutoff Road. Getting past Marley Park will require the lake to be nearly at full pool level.
 

2026 Kayak Season Underway

After a dismal ski season, the kayak season is now underway. I will have accrued 4 kayak day trips before we leave on May 4 for Austria. The photo shows my Ellesmere, ready for its first day of the season. It's a bit further back on the rack than it should be and there is no tail rope for the short and low speed drive to City Beach where I launch.

At this point the lake water level is still about 7' below summer's full pool level. This means I need to launch at City Beach until the water level comes up another foot, maybe a week away. But by then we'll be in Austria.

The water is currently in the 45 to 49 degree range. I no longer have a dry suit so when it the water is this cold, I wear a wet suit and paddle close to shore.

This is a great time of year on Lake Pend Oreille. Because the water is not yet at full pool level, most of the boat launch ramps are not yet usable except by the smaller fishing boats. Those are typically very quiet, sometimes just drifting. I am often the only boat in sight and enjoy seeing the various waterfowl migrating through.

At this point, I have seen no Western Grebes (my favorite water bird). The flock may pass through while we are in Austria. However, I have seen many eagles, geese, buffleheads, mallards, my first pair of osprey, etc.
 

Der Winterschlaf ist vorbei

Es ist fast Zeit, mein Kajak aus dem Winterschlaf zu wecken. Der Wasserspiegel des Sees steigt schneller als erwartet und könnte innerhalb einer Woche bis zu 2056 Fuß erreichen. Dies ermöglicht das Starten von vielen Orten, darunter auch vom 3rd Avenue Pier. Ich muss unseren Mieter benachrichtigen, damit er seinen Parkplatz unter dem Carport abgeben kann. Ich werde das brauchen, weil der Kajakträger unser Auto zu hoch für die Garage macht. Vielleicht mache ich in der ersten Aprilwoche meinen ersten Kajak-Tagesausflug. Wir werden im Mai für drei Wochen in Österreich sein, was während dieser Zeit jegliches Kajakfahren ausschließt.

Katastrophe

Schweitzer schleppt sich auf das Schließungsdatum zu, das nun auf den 5. April angesetzt ist – eine Woche vor der ursprünglich erwarteten Situation. Nordski wurde bereits eingestellt. Auch die untere Ebene des Colburn Bowl wurde viel früher geschlossen. In einem normalen Skijahr ist die Sperrung nicht viel später als die Schneetiefe des Gipfels. In diesem Jahr traten jedoch Ende März kahle Stellen auf.  Das ist eine Katastrophe für viele der Mitarbeiter, die für Winterarbeit auf Schweitzer angewiesen sind.