Last weekend on Lake Travis, I cranked my Sea Eagle Razorlite up to 5.8 mph according to my GPS – and yeah, I was showing off a bit to my buddy in his hardshell. But here's the thing: not all inflatable kayaks are created equal when it comes to speed and tracking. After paddling over […]

Last summer on Lake Travis, I made a rookie mistake. Forgot my bug spray and spent the entire sunset paddle slapping mosquitoes instead of enjoying the view. That night at camp? Let's just say the bugs threw a party, and I was the buffet. Never again. Since then, I've become obsessed with finding natural ways […]

Last summer on Lake Austin, I watched my buddy's brand-new aluminum paddle slip from his hands and disappear into the murky water like a submarine on a dive mission. Twenty minutes and one embarrassing swim later, we finally retrieved it from 15 feet down. That's when I realized not everyone knows the answer to what […]

Last summer, I flipped my kayak right at the Narrows Bridge launch – in front of about 20 other paddlers waiting their turn. Pride bruised but gear intact (thanks to my waterproof kayak storage), I laughed it off and got back in. That's the thing about Turkey Run kayaking – even the mishaps become part […]

I'll never forget my first real paddle stroke on Lake Austin three summers ago. My arms were shaking, my core was screaming, and I couldn't paddle straight to save my life. Fast forward to today, and I'm out on the water 3-4 times a week, feeling stronger and happier than I have in years. That […]

Last spring, I stared at my sun-faded Old Town Vapor 10, its once-vibrant red now looking like a washed-out salmon. That's when I decided to tackle painting my own kayak – and let me tell you, I learned more in those three days than any YouTube video could teach me. After transforming five kayaks since […]

Last weekend at Lake Travis, I watched a guy struggle to scrub algae off his neglected kayak hull for over an hour. His $2,000 composite kayak looked like it had aged 10 years in just one season. That's when another paddler rolled up with a gleaming boat that looked fresh off the showroom floor – […]

Last summer on Lake Powell, I watched a family of five try to squeeze into a standard tandem canoe. The dad insisted "it'll be fine" right up until they capsized 20 feet from the dock. That soggy disaster taught everyone watching an important lesson about canoe capacity - one I'm about to share with you. […]

Last summer on Lake Buchanan, I watched a guy's aluminium canoe bounce off three different rocks like a pinball machine. The thing took a beating that would've sent my old fiberglass Wenonah to the repair shop - or worse. But here's the kicker: that same aluminium beast was so hot from the Texas sun, his […]

Last weekend at Lake Travis, I watched a guy try to load a 20-foot canoe onto his Honda Civic. After 10 minutes of creative rope work and some colorful language, he gave up and called his buddy with a truck. That's when it hit me - most people have no idea how long canoes actually […]