Howard Jeffs is a well known sea kayaking coach and designer as well as being the author of one of the classic books on the sport, "A Practical Guide to Sea Canoeing". We interviewed him in Jersey when he was on the island to repair sea kayaks which belonged to members of the local club. Old kayaks were transfomed in a matter of hours. He has spent the last few months developing a sledge (pulk) which cannot only be man hauled but paddled across the ever increasing leads of the Arctic Ocean. For more information look at Ice Warrior.

1. How did you get into paddling? It was through an aunt and uncle who had a friend who used to lecture and he was from Canada and when he was over here he had a PBK and when he wasn’t in the UK I could use it.. I did my Silver D of E expedition on the Preston – Lancaster Canal
2. What type of kayak do you paddle? I actually enjoy jumping into lots of different boats and paddling them which is probably because I am a kayak designer/builder
3. What is your favourite paddling area? British west coast
4. What is your day job? A bit of coaching, a bit of kayak building, AALA and BCU inspections etc
5. Who would you say has had the most influence on your paddling development? Ray Rowe although Mike Fennessey was a huge influence sea kayaking wise
6. Who do you think has done the most to develop modern sea kayaking? You couldn’t put it down to one person
7. If you were paddling a double sea kayak who would you want in the front seat and why? I would want to be in the front seat but with Shirley, my wife and our two daughters
8. What is the best or most memorable paddle that you have undertaken? It was in an open canoe on the sea from Glenfinnan Monument to Sourlies Bothy at the head of Loch Nevis, we were sailing the canoe at the time.
9. What is your favourite stroke? It would have to moving the kayak sideways, not just the drawstroke
10. If you were to offer one piece of advice to newcomers to the sport what would it be? Buy yourself a second hand sea kayak until you know what you want.
11. How do you see the sport developing in the next 10 years? There is still lots to develop on the kayaking front, with regard to design and materials. Fibre glass will eventually be phased out due to developments in material technology
12. What is your major frustration with the sport? Everyone's an expert.
13. What music would be the soundtrack to your paddling life? Beyond these Shores by Iona
14. Do you belong to a Club and what is your involvement? No
15. Have you ever had an embarrassing moment? Something afterwards that you can smile about but wished hadn’t happened. I remember testing out a tow line in my early days which I was really pleased with and I released it in Bovisand Bay and it sank to the bottom
16. Do you have any regrets – something that you had wished you had done but now can’t see yourself doing? I wish I had been a little more wiser to some of the more colourful characters in the kayaking world.
17. Why do you think we are interviewing you today? Because I am over fixing some old sea kayaks in Jersey.

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