Methven Mt Hutt Village is a truly “Amazing Space” (100% honest Methven marketing slogan). Great people who really get behind their very special town. And in the South Island, thanks to the efforts of Methven farmer Simon Hampton, Methven is alive with Multisport events. Sort of like a South Island Multisport rescue Ark!

About 5 years ago, when our Methven property was still a clover paddock, our next door neighbour introduced me to her son, Glen Currie. Despite the age difference, five years on,  we have great friendship. So it was nice to receive the following email two days ago.

Hey Grahame,

Had a successful race in the weekend in the Frostbuster.Was a good turn
out I think Simon had over 200 people there which was awesome to see.

I wanted to give it a decent nudge so went out hard on the run with the
plan to give it everything on the bike.  I managed to do so by doing the
quickest bike time by four minutes, this put me in a good lead getting
into the boat.  Although I was stuffed the omega did as planned and ticked
along nicely, in the end it was ticking along faster than I thought and I
managed to post the third fastest paddle time (teams results included)
finished with an eight minute leadl over everybody, teams and individuals.So was stoked!

Glen

I see several parallels between Steve Gurney and Glen Currie. Both have survived life threatening illness’s – and come out the other side stronger in all ways. Both are very pleasant to be around. And both are capable of crafty race strategies, as can be witnessed above.

In 1997 when my original website went online I had a special page to run what would now be called a blog. It was widely read.

And then two things happened. I redirected my energy to making some solid capital in another business. And Bill Gates stuffed up my $2000 version of his FrontPage. Then I changed to Mac computers and ended up with Contribute as an editor. I hated it.

This new website is powered by WordPress – and I am loving it.

Stay tuned in as I master more functions.

Grahame

Otherwise know as river kayak anti-swimming insurance. Or – keeping your event competitors alive a little longer. Or – if they do survive – hoping that they will return to future events. Many dont. They have been scared witless after learning the true force of the river water – and withdrawn from the expensive event by the provided Jet Boat – suffering hyperthermia. Very very sad.

The NZ Multisport Association has been trying to work out a better way to the future. Their intensions are honourable. I remember when some of them were beginners too. They clearly forget how it went for them.

It is a fact that in 1987 Anna Keeling (in full jest) ordered a 67 km long kayak off me. She quite rightly figured that she would be better to run the Waimak gorge – along the deck. And Nathan Fa’avae, was much the same when I was his friend, mentor and sole support crew at the 1993 Mountains to the Sea race. He had the choice of a loan Trident or an Eliminator. Testing proved that Nathan, at that time a tramper who excelled in mountainbike racing, was faster in the ‘slower’ boat. Not unusual at all! He used an Eliminator in the event.

My bank manager in his Eliminator - he did not swim

Being a beginner can be terrifying. I still remember my first Lettman Slipper trip on the Buller – Coal Creek to Mangles River – 17 swims and some amazing tree climbing out of some very ugly willows.

For many Grade 2 instructors there is a problem. They live where real rivers are 500km+++ away. How can their clients learn about big-river currents like I did on my Buller River saga? The very best instructors can be hampered by lack of water. And the poor instructors may have the water – but just be driven by $$$$ signs. “Pay me $900 and in 3 days you will be Grade 2 qualified”. MMMMMM. MMMMMMMMMM. Tui Breweries said it first – Yeah right!

The prime reason that beginners swim in the Waimak is the fact that they are not in beginners kayaks. In fact – most multisport kayak manufacturers are the same as Anna and Nathan. They cannot remember what it was like to be a beginner. Their beginners kayaks  looks similar to a Sisson Kayaks mid-range boat – Nucleus or Centrix.

How many other multisport kayak manufacturers make a model comparable to our Eliminator? And we used to make a model that was even more stable – but just as fast – The Delaware.

Why do these true beginners kayaks not sell like they used to? Some people substitute them for similar plastic sea kayaks = drag = slow. Some people need to have long-and-sleek-and-carbon on the roofrack – outside their local cafe. Sadly many people have absorbed  the false advise written in the outdoors magazine multisport suppliments. Like “The Eliminator is only just fast enough not to be laughed at”. Disgusting mistruth – that has played a large part in .

My advise to all beginning Coast to Coasters – buy yourself a true beginners multisport kayak. Take some instruction on the strange ways that river currents work. Do some surfing at the beach in 400mm high waves – just to get used to the terrifying (but harmless) noise. Relax and go and enjoy yourself. Preserve your energy in the kayak – and have a strong final bike ride to the finish. Above all – finish. Dip your toe in both oceans!

It woke us in our caravan at Ohau Lodge. Our only communications were only weak texts. We later went to the top of Ohau Ski field to phone our family. Then Lynda had an accident – and the true extent of the earthquake was beginning to become clear. We headed to Methven. Our kayak factory is unharmed. And the aftershocks are well spaced and soft – when compared to the activity just the other side of the Rakaia River. Lynda’s dislocated shoulder is now healing.

By day two the news media were telling the world that the effected business people of Christchurch will be OK – because they will all be insured. The fire of 1996 taught us a lot about total loss – and I was motivated to do a post on www.interest.co.nz – which is shown below. This speaks for itself – and it was nice to see my thoughts moved on to where they could be useful.

I have also offered to do some free mentoring on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce. Many Christchurch business people have lost their home and business.

by Grahame Sisson | 06 Sep 10, 11:30am

The real extent of the true losses to Christchurch business’s will take months to unfold.

I have a gut feeling of thousands of family business’s shattered. In much the same way that our own family business, Sisson Kayaks, suffered when it was 110% (10% gaps in policies) destroyed by fire in 1996. But this Christchurch event is for each family much much worse. Read on – I have an important point to make.

Sisson Kayak’s  stock and plant policies had not kept up with inflation. Fortunately we still owned a surviving bike factory next door – so we some infrastructure. And we still had a warm home to retreat to. Still – the situation was terribly bleak – and we would never want to re-live it.

But in the midst of our carnage – our Business Interruption Policy kicked in. We had made a handsome profit the previous year. The resultant monthly shower of dollars made re-instatement of the business worth while.

I fear for the small business people of Christchurch. Many will have been in a trading-loss situation awaiting the much promised ‘upturn’. Their Business Interruption Policies may in fact return them zero – reflecting the performance of their most recent reporting period.

This possibility needs to be addressed at a high level within the next few days. Insurance companies and banks need to be collectively dealt with on behalf of Christchurch business – right now. Not in 6 months time. When it will be too late to save these family business’s.

And the city of my childhood needs these family business’s. Without them the city will be nothing.

Grahame Sisson, Sisson Kayaks Ltd, Methven, Canterbury. (zero EQ damage in our kayak factory)

• reply

by Wolly | 06 Sep 10, 11:50am

Good point GS…how far back do the insurance calculations for trading loss go?

• reply

by John Grant | 06 Sep 10, 11:59am

I agree – this will be a huge issue for the small and larger business community. Many have been trading in a loss or at break even through the financial crisis. It would not be fair to look at only the more recent trading history.

I will speak to a few insurers and see how they plan to deal with this and also talk to Chris Ryan and the Insurance Council.

Something needs to be done or it could kill many small businesses that are crucial to the economy of Canterbury and NZ.

• reply

by Grahame Sisson | 06 Sep 10, 12:37pm

The best advise that I can give to the typical ChCh family business is this:-

Pull out your insurance policies

Read them

Read them again – every word.

Read them again – every word – and making numerous notes using Post-It’s – “this is what this fine-print really means”.

Read the whole lot again 6 times.

Make sure that you understand the meaning of every clause – before the meeting with the assessor.

Realise that the happy negotiation must be initiated by your own policy knowledge.