Simplifying the Roll: Crossed Arm Roll

Simplifying the Roll with Helen Wilson and Rebel Ilaga

Demonstration during Nordic Tour 2014 Scandinavia

Rebel PFD for rolling and touring

Have You seen our PFD? If not just take a look :)

Our PFD has two big pockets with zippers plus 7 adjustable straps for best body's fit. Adjustable straps are on: top (shoulders), front and both sides. At the front You will also find 4 way lash tab, it can be used to fix watch, knife or whatever You need while paddling. PFD's, same as our kayaks and paddles, are made in Poland. PFD was designed for touring, however thanks to adjustable straps is good choice to perform good rolls. 

Damiano from Gnarly Dog News

Tess from The Ocean Dragons

We got already some good reveiws about our PFD. One to our's delight was made by Christopher Crowhurst from >>Qajaq Rolls :

"The Rebel PFD is a kayak rollers dream."
"It has an awesome feature, each foam panel can be removed and modified easily, they are held in place behind monster Velcro sealed pockets. Most PFDs get in my way when training, I particularly struggled last weekend to get low in the foredeck of my ocean cockpit Shrike, I found myself wanting to shape the chest panels to allow me to get lower. Now I can."

Rebel PFD : Front

Rebel PFD :Back

Do You have any questions regarding our vest? Write us on info@rebelkayaks.com or leave a comment. We are here to answer You.

Nordic Tour after the storm

Almost two months passed away from our last post, it because we are in peak season. We have a lot of work and a lot happen around us. Finally it's our first season.

As most of You already know that we are supporting Nordic Tour by Helen Wilson and Mark Tozer. They use Greenalnd T and Ilaga.
Few weeks ago Helen & Mark have had an accident on the way to Oslo. They were traveling with their bus and with the kayaks on the roof. They have rolled the van and stopped at trees. Lucky they are really fine, nothing serious happened to them and this is most important and good thing. Unluckily car and kayaks were totaly crashed.  After few days of convalescence they decided to continue their Nordic Tour and keep teaching the rolls.
If You would like to learn more, please visit their article: >>The day we rolled the van .
Now they are travelling with Johan's private car (Volvo of course;). We managed to replaced their kayak, one from our west coast delaer: KajakCenter i Grebbestad. Thank You Mats for that! Another one is a private Johan's kayak: Rebel Ilaga with wooden finish.

In general this accident could has big impact on Tour plus Mark&Helen personally, however thanks to many good people they are now fine and all problems were solved. Now is time to go forward!
Like Helen wrote on blog: "Life must go on, and we’re very grateful that we still have that life…"
At the time we are writing this post Helen and Mark are already in Greenland...  They will be back in Scandinavia around 23 of july.

new kayaks for Helen Wilson & Mark Tozer

Rebellion in Denmark! First Rebel Kayaks are already available at KajakGaarden.

We are pleased to announced that REBEL is now on in DENMARK! We wrote in one of previous post:

"Today we have started production of the first kayaks ordered from our Scandinavian partners. We are very excited because REBEL is becoming a reality."

Now we can say that REBEL became reality also in Denmark.  We are extremely happy and delighted to work with such partners in DK. A few days after delivery we already received some great photos taken by Michael (Kajakgaarden owner) and the first feedback from a happy user of a Greenland T. You can see him rolling on our Facebook profile >>here. Jan sent us a video on facebook just a few hours after he received his kayak. Can there be something more rewarding?

INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL FROM KAJAKGAARDEN

Kajakgaarden has Ilaga & Greenland T models already in stock. Also our wooden Greenland paddles are available at >>Kajakgaarden. The second shop where the Rebels will be available is >>Kano & Kajak Butikken. In total both brand have 4 shops in Denmark.

We took this opportunity and asked Michael (Kajakgaarden owner) a few questions.

Rebel:Could you tell us more about the shop and your history of how you got involved with the kayak market?

Michael (Kajakgaarden): Originally  I was working as a police officer in Copenhagen, than I took a year of leave and enrolled in an Outdoor Activity Guide course at the university of Copenhagen. I specialised in Sea Kayaking. Once I graduated I re-joined the police but started to do jobs and planned courses and events in different places around Denmark. Eventually we moved to the West side of Denmark, bought a little house at the sea and started our own business offering courses and education for seakayakers. In extension of that people started to ask for equipment and kayaks, so we evolved our little business from our home. In 2008 we were offered a place for our business at the harbour in Kolding and we accepted.

Rebel: .. and now You have already two shops in Denmark?

Michael (Kajakgaarden): That's right. Kajakgaarden Kolding opened the 1th of march 2008 with a concept to stock quality kayaks and equipment while offering a lot of knowledge about our products. In spring 2010 we opened our second shop in Aarhus.

Rebel: Why You decided to start your relation with Rebel Kayaks?

Michael (Kajakgaarden): My relationship with Johan Wirsen started when I met him at Paddle Expo andimmediately I communicated very well with him. Later on we met again at a sales weekend in Estonia. We had some drinks and a good long talk about kayaks as well as a lot of other things. I regard Johan's skills as a designer very highly. He has great knowledge of boat designs and craftsmanship, and with his remarkable personality it has been a pleasure to work with him. When he told me that he wanted to bring back passion into the paddlesport and move away from the cold hearted business attitudes  that he had experienced in earlier business relationships, and re-establish his designs under the Rebel Brand, I immediately told him that if he wanted to work with me I was ready to support both his thoughts and his business. Fortunately we now have recived our first Rebel Kayaks, and they look great and very sturdy. From here we look very much forward to work with Johan and Rebel in the future and also to bring back some healthy attitudes to the paddlesport market.

Rebel: Now You have 2 shops, but You also cooperate with Kano & Kajak Butikken, which actually has two other shops. Cooperation between two shops in one country is quite uniqe, isn't it?

Michael (Kajakgaarden):I met Peter for the first time while I was at the Outdoor Guide Course and bought some stuff from him. Later on, when I opened my own shop, we had some good discussions on how to run a business and cooperate, ­and we have been doing so since. It has also been a pleasure to work with Peter and we have a lot of things in common on how to do business as well as we carry a lot of the same brands in our stores. And now also Rebel Kayaks :­-)

All photos by Michael Schuh from KajakGarden

Keep REBEL!

though for weekend and for all your outdoor activity :)

Place: Rugen Island
Kayak: Greenland T
Lay-up: Sandwich
Paddle: Prototype

Vest: Aquarius Traper Guide 
Clothes: Peak UK 3X fabric

Feel free to share, just please credit to www.rebelkayaks.blogspot.com

Wooden Greenland paddles by Rebel Kayaks

Now in production! Our Greenland paddles are now in production and are currently offered in 3 different models\sizes. All of them are made from Pacific Red Cedar and reinforced with edges of Fraxinus.
On the bottom of loom the shoulders is pronounced to create an index where your thumbs will sit. The top side is smoother for a softer grip of your palm on the paddle.  The advantage of  a wooden paddle is that you can adjust it a bit and customize it yourself  for a personal  grip or feel. You can just carve or sand away a little bit at the time until you find your "own grip. After you have been using it for a while you oil it again, and have the nice feeling of holding on to wood.

Top: Storm / Middle: Standard / Bottom: Big Blade

Greenland Wooden Paddles details:

Standard

• Length: 218 cm
• Weight: 0,8 kg
• Blade width: 85 mm



Big Blade in use

• Loom length: 50 cm
• Design: Johan Wirsén
• Wood:  Pacific Red Cedar & Fraxinus

Big Blade

• Length: 218 cm
• Weight: 0,85 kg
• Blade width: 100 mm
• Loom length: 50 cm
• Design: Johan Wirsén
• Wood:  Pacific Red Cedar & Fraxinus

Storm Blade

• Length: 184 cm
• Weight: 0,6 kg
• Blade width: 85 mm
• Loom length: 20 cm
• Design: Johan Wirsén
• Wood:  Pacific Red Cedar & Fraxinus

Please remember that our paddles are not mass produced but crafted by the hands of experienced artisans. The weight & color of paddles can vary as they are made out of wood :)

Interview with Johan Wirsen by Damiano Visocnik from GnarlyDog News blog

Learn more about Johan Wirsen: great designer of greenland style kayaks but also a sea kayak enthusiast.
Did You know that Johan has designed rowing and sailing boats too? Do You know what Johan thinks about sea kayak sailing?

You can read part of interview below and if You would like to read full interview go to GnarlyDog News blog.  >>GnarlyDog link

GDN: You have started a new brand of sea kayaks called Rebel: why another brand ?

JH: You know, since 2001 I have been working independently with kayak designs for a number of companies.(...)But as you know, the kayak business is also quite dirty and some of the companies I have been working with were also very greedy, so I have decided to terminate some contract with the “big ones” and start all over with this new little company Rebel Kayaks and try to keep the passion for the sport and paddling alive for myself.

GDN: Where and when will these kayak be available?

"Designer with his baby"

JH: For the moment we are that lucky that we have been contacted by so many high end retailers, dealers and customers that we can’t satisfied them all!! (...).

GDN: What style of kayaks are you focusing on under your brand Rebel?

JH: The first two models that we put into production are my two Greenland styled kayaks: the “ILAGA” and the ”T”. Those are the type of kayaks that I personally feel a lot for, and since they are well known they are like a signature for me. (...)

GDN:I notice a certain consistency of style in your creations even if the kayaks that you have designed have different goals in mind. How did you get involved in boat design and what is the driving force for your passion?

JH: Born on an island, and growing up with a father that had all kinds of boats (anything from fishing to sailing and even a water-ski boat) it is not that unusual that I got this interest and eventually I went to school to become a boat builder. I have always tried to build or rebuild my own stuff, even motorbikes!

GDN: Sea kayak sailing: what do you think of that?

JH: I must admit that I have not experienced sailing with a kayaks before I visited Australia. But I really got hooked! (...)

GDN: Last words?

Rebel Greenland T kayak at Oland Island

JH: Well I guess that would be: With paddling try to make it your own journey.(...)

GnarlyDog News -One of the  most recognized paddling blog on Earth and region. Like he wrote on blog: 

"How do I find the time to do all this? simple: I got rid of my TV. That's right,"

See full article here  >>GnarlyDog News