Downwind Paddler Transport Conundrum !

I'm sure our paddling group are not the only ones that spend about twice the paddle time moving cars and skis back and forth for a good downwind run.

Has anyone cracked the most efficient way to go about this, apart I mean, from having a chauffeur?

We usually meet at the finish, take enough cars to carry boats/bodies to the start, then once at the finish drive back to the start to get the cars left there!

What a waste of time, could get two downwinders in that time!

Paddle/Drive efficiency formula= paddle time>drive time

Too easy, you just need to toughen up Kneewall ,paddle up wind first then turn around for the free ride back ,great strength training .

Kiwi,

Even the thought of a joyful 16km downwind wouldn't be enough to get me to paddle up wind for 16kms, especially when I only like 20knots or more.

Looks like we may have a couple of good Easter blows here in Sydney, now what's the car pool plan?

Hey kneewall... just be glad you have mates that want to do those car pool/downwinders! Around here? Ha! No one! At least none that I know of. I'm beginning to think that I have the only ski, or high-downwind-speed-capable boat in a radius of about 65 miles. Uh, ok, there is one ol' Necky Phantom.... he's quick. Very quick. But I don't expect he's signing up for any downwinders anytime soon. Bummer.

Here's my pittiful car/bike-pool plan: make sure motorbike is in good running order and ready to go, at home (I live on the water); load boat and ramps onto pick-'em-up truck and git going to launch site. Lock up truck and git paddlin' home. Arrive home with enough energy to haul ass back to the truck on the bike. Load bike onto pick-up truck. Proceed home. Unload bike, wash boat. Eats, snooze. Fortunately, our home is situated perfectly for almost any direction of downwind course 11 km and over.

Doug, one of our crew actually does something similar. If we are running north to palm beach, he will take his car up ther and ride home. That still means one of us has to pick him up, and boat. Just means we don't have to take him home. Don't think he gains anything except some bike exercise?

If you have a big paddling group, invest in a ski trailer. Then each week one paddler needs to do driver duty.

You could also make the paddler doing driver duty the one that arrived last on beach on the previous paddle. That should give each paddler some motivation to go faster. Use a handicap system based on consistent results to prevent the slower and newer paddlers not having to do constant driver duty.

Alternatively, involve some of your wifes, girlfriends, friends.