Author: John Cheng

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2023 Cayuga Outrigger Board

The club met for our annual winter meeting and club elections for 2023. Thanks to outgoing board members, Liz Kluz and the Mitchell Family Unit (Alex, Patrick, and Matilda) for their service. Congratulations to this year’s board:

President – Beth Krause
Vice President – Nancy Gruen
Secretary – Anne Shakespeare
Co-Treasurer(s) – Liz Butler & John Cheng
Member at Large/Social Chair – Matthias Ulf Liepe

We have raised our annual membership dues in 2023 to $150. If you would like to join but are unable to afford the dues, please contact a board member. Cayuga Outrigger will be participating in the inaugural Ithaca Canoe Fest, May 7, 2023. Save the date!

Look for additional announcements soon about boat-rigging, practice sign-ups (when we begin at a date TBA). See everyone on the water soon!

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Our new boat!

We have a new boat! Thanks to the generosity and effort of our members, Cayuga Outrigger has a new addition to club’s fleet. We purchased a Mirage OC-6 from the Santa Barbara Outrigger Canoe Club, and KAS Transport, a specialty transport company based here in upstate New York, hauled it across the country. It arrived March 17 and will be ready to go when the club begins its paddling season. Watch for announcements about that!

Thanks to Zeming, Lori, Dave, Beth, Nancy, Mike, Susanna, and Scott (as well as Steve and his co-worker from KAS Transport) for showing up to unload it on a wet rainy day! Pictures are below.

The boat’s name is Kapolioka’ehukai, which means “Heart of the Sea” in Hawaiian. It was also the nickname of a well-known/legendary Hawaiian woman surfer, paddler, and activist, Rell “Kapolioka’ehukai” Sunn. If you’re interested, here’s a documentary made about her.

KAS Transport arriving on a cold, windy day!

KAS trailer pulling up

Lots of boats, including several OC-6s, on the KAS Transport trailer

Club members happy about the new boat

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Cayuga Lake Crossing (CLX 2022)

Cayuga Outrigger is excited to host the inaugural Cayuga Lake Crossing (CLX 2022) this Aug. 20-21 at Myers Park in Lansing. CLX 2022 will be two days of fun and paddling, with outrigger canoe (OC) and standup paddleboard (SUP) races at different distances and for folks of all levels and abilities. For more information about the race, including registration and camping, please visit our race website: https://cayugalakecrossing.com

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Polar Plunge!

Cayuga Lake’s water temperature is currently around 40 degrees and is typically below 70 degrees for most of our paddling season. And although there is debate as to what is considered cold water, according to this site it’s anything below 70 degrees. 

There can be serious consequences to an unexpected cold water immersion. Being prepared is key!

So, everyone’s invited to a Polar Plunge on Sunday, May 22. We’re meeting at the Merrill Family Sailing Center at 10am to field test thermal protection gear such as drysuits, wetsuits, neoprene etc., in addition to PFDs. If you don’t have cold water gear, come as you are to take a dip in the lake.

Not up for a polar plunge? Come out to watch. It’s sure to be entertaining!

The Sailing Center facilities will be available for people to shower and change afterwards. Bring snacks! Homemade cookies preferred. Anything will do.

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2022 Board and Coaches

The club met for our annual winter meeting and club elections for 2022. Thanks to outgoing board members, Peter Rogers and Paul Wiech. Congratulations to this year’s board and coaches:

President – Beth Krause
Vice President – Mitchell Family Unit (Alex, Patrick, and Matilda)
Secretary – Liz Kluz
Treasurer(s) – Liz Butler & John Cheng
Member at Large/Social Chair – Matthias Ulf Liepe (aka Large Person)

Coach – Mike Cook
Steering Coach – Susanna Pearce
Safety & Swimming – Lori Brewer

We are returning to our regular (pre-Covid-19) paddling schedule and annual membership dues. Look for announcements soon about boat-rigging, practice sign-ups (when we begin at a date TBA). See everyone on the water soon!

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End of the 2021 season

With the Daylight Savings Time beginning this weekend, we are approaching the end of the 2021 paddling season. Evening practices are done for the year, but we’ll continue Sunday morning paddles as long as conditions allow. As it gets colder, please remember to wear appropriate gear and clothing – no cotton! After November 1, all paddlers are required to wear PFDs. Come paddle while you still can this year!

With the return to paddling OC6s, we’ve had a terrific season with an all-time high number of members and many regular paddlers. Members paddled small craft and OC6s in races far and wide and the club sent a full crew to Ke Aloha’s annual circumnavigation of Manhattan. Cayuga Outrigger also helped organize and run the Cayuga Lake Cup (the renamed SUP Cup) in August, which we hope will become an annual event.

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OC6 paddling is back!

Cayuga Outrigger OC6s are back on the lake! Practices begin this Sunday, May 23 and will follow our regular schedule: Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 6pm – 8pm and Sunday mornings, 10am – 12pm (which will change to 9:30am – 11:30am when the weather gets warmer).

Please remember to fill out the Information and Membership and Liability Waiver (and Covid Consent) Forms for 2021 before you come to practice. Links to the forms are in the menu to the right.

See you on the water!

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2021 paddling season

Because of the uncertainty of COVID-19, we will begin the season with small craft paddle sessions on Tuesday evenings. Sign up using the link above and/or to the right. We’ve also set up a paddling hotline text chain for spur-of-the-moment paddles. Email the board if you’d like to be added.

We hope to resume paddling OC6s this season, however, so check back for updates!

Cayuga Outrigger and SUP Cayuga are organizing the Cayuga Lake Cup, with SUP, OC1, OC2, and hopefully, OC6 races, later this summer, Aug. 13-15. For more information, go to the CLC website.

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2021 Officers

The club met (virtually) for our annual winter meeting and club elections for 2021. Thanks to outgoing board members, Scott Freyburger and Paul Closs. Congratulations to this year’s board and coach:

President – John Cheng
Vice President – Peter Rogers
Secretary – Liz Kluz
Treasurer – Liz Butler
Member at Large – Paul Wiech

Coach – Mike Cook

Because of the uncertainty of COVID-19 and as a way to encourage paddlers to join the club, membership dues, which include access to Merrill Sailing Center, will be $50 for the year.