Kayaking in general and kayak fishing have really taken off across the country during the past few years. Most of our protected waterways host kayakers in varying numbers. It is one of boating’s growth areas.

The choice of kayaks has expanded accordingly. Most people enter with smaller, cheaper kayaks then gradually progress to more upmarket models as experience and confidence grow. You can spend just a few hundred dollars on a kayak or several thousand, depending on how serious you become about the sport.

A good example is the Hobie Kayak range – you will be quite surprised at how comprehensive it is. The smallest model is the Hobie Sport at 2.9m and the largest is the 4.3m Odyssey. There are 18 Hobie kayaks from which to choose and it’s wise to have a reasonable idea of what you’re looking for before you buy.

Most of the Hobie kayaks come with the unique Mirage Drive that enables the operator to pedal as well as paddle. The Mirage system is cleverly designed to slot into a recess in the kayak’s hull, providing propulsion via twin fins linked to dual interior pedals. This leaves the hands free to fish, which will be appreciated by keen anglers.

A paddle is supplied for those who prefer more traditional kayaking. Steering is achieved via an aft rudder that’s controlled from inside.

The Revolution II is a neat single person craft that’s both easy to handle and stable to fish from. Priced at $2200, it’s ideal for protected water. The Revolution is 3.5m long, weighs 21kg and has a beam of 0.74m. Despite its light weight, however, the Revolution is extremely stable, which is always reassuring. It rides on standard roof racks comfortably.

Features of the Hobie Revolution include an adjustable clip-in seat, integrated tackle compartment, forward storage locker, drink-bottle recess and a sizeable aft recess for ice boxes or tackle boxes. It’s a very comfortable kayak to sit in and surprisingly quick in a straight line when using the Mirage Drive. Some anglers will use the paddle to move between fishing spots then stow it and switch to pedal power for casting.

As with all Hobies, the Revolution also offers a sailing option. You can buy a dedicated sailing kit that’s simple to set up and just as easy to store. Utilising the breeze to cover longer distances makes sense if you’re out on the water all day.

Loading kayaks, canoes or car topper tinnies on the farmly sedan is very convenient but requires care and thought:

• Be sure that your root racks are rated to carry the weight of your boat or kayak. A heavy craft on lightweight racks can spell disaster.
• Never try to manhandle a craft that’s beyond your capabilities as physical injury can result.
• There are several mechanical loading systems available that take the hard work out of the exercise.
• Always use reliable tie-downs. Ratchet tie downs are great but avoid the cheapies.

It appears shade sails and shade cloth are changing forever the way Australians use their outdoor space.

In the older suburbs the outdoor entertainment area and much of the garden was often protected from the summer sun by tall, shady trees.

While visually attractive, trees occupy considerable space and with the average house block shrinking in size over the past decade or so, space for gardening, let alone tall shady trees, is now at a premium.

In newer suburbs the concept of developing an outdoor living room is rapidly becoming an art form, incorporating the up-market barbecue and small fridge, and surrounded by stylish furniture and a range of attractive containerised plants.

Both plants and people need protection from the harmful elements of the sun, particularly when temperatures climb into the 30s as they often do during summer and early autumn. But the protection that garden plants need is very different to that required by people.

Plants need sunlight for growth (photosynthesis) and exposure to ultraviolet light is essential. Their ability to tolerate direct sun varies considerably.

Many of our most popular plants, such as camellias, ferns, fuchsias and orchids, will quickly burn unless grown in the shade. On the other hand, even known sun lovers such as vegetables and herbs perform best when shaded during the hottest part of the day during summer months.

The most effective way of protecting both people and plants is through the use of shadecloth or shade sails. Both are fabrics made from woven forms of polyethylene and can be manufactured to provide a range of shade factors: shadecloth 30 to 90 per cent, shade sails 78 to 98 per cent.

A fabric with a 98 per cent shade factor provides a 98 per cent UV block. However, the manufacture of shade sails and shade cloth is very different. Basically, shade sails are made for people and shadecloth for plants.

SHADE SAILS
Designed to be attached to strong Upright structures and attached under Considerable tension. While shade sails Offer maximum protection (90 per cent plus), this is quite unsuitable for growing plants.

SHADE CLOTH
Designed to be attached directly to an existing (often horizontal) structure such as a pergola. But it is not suitable for the high-tension needs of all but the smallest sails. On the other hand, it offers a wide range of shade factors and it is important that you select a shadecloth with the factor most suitable to the plants you want to grow (refer to the list at the end).

Shadecloth is now available in a range of decorator colours. But if the shade for plant protection, take care because most coloured fabrics distort the light spectrum in a way that can seriously affect photosynthesis.

The only colours suitable for plants are white and black or green as this has a beneficial distortion factor. For vegetables or herbs, experienced gardeners will tell you 50 per cent white is best because it provides sufficient sun protection but also allows additional light to diffuse through the fabric.

Shade factors:
50 per cent – Tomatoes, herbs (white) 50-70 per cent: Orchids, bromeliads white or green)
70 per cent – Camellias, fuchsias, gardenias; ferns, palms (greetn or black).

It’s taken a while for the market to kick into gear, but tablet computers are quickly becoming today’s must-have gadget. Whether it’s browsing the web, reading ebooks, watching movies, playing games or just using some of the huge range of apps, tablets are capturing everyone’s attention.

There is a diverse range of tablet computers now on the market, from the iconic Apple iPad 2 to the Samsung Galaxy Tab. While Google’s Android operating system has made some significant strides forward with recent updates, it is clear that Android based tablets still haven’t caught up to the iPad’s ease of use and fluency, which is likely to improve further with the rollout of the Apple’s new iOS 5 operating system.

Hopefully we should see some new higher-performance Android tablets arriving fairly soon with updates to the operating system and faster hardware. Still, while current-generation Android tablets may lack finesse, there’s plenty of value on offer. If you want to buy a tablet right now, you’ll probably find something to suit you.

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Tablet buyer’s guide

There’s no doubt that its still early days in the evolution of tablets, but regardless, there are always things you should consider before you buy one.

Ease of use
This is far and away the most important issue. If a tablet is difficult to use — not just the controls, but also the touchpanel itself — you’ll quickly tire of it.

Operating system updates
With Android tablets in particular, having the latest OS updates is critical to get the best from your tablet.

Weight
The heavier it is, the harder it is to hold. Obviously, smaller-screened tablets weigh less, but you generally get less screen resolution too.

Touchscreen feel
The tablet’s touchscreen should always be a capacitive unit if you want to operate it with your finger rather than a stylus, so make sure you give it a test drive before you buy.

Performance
This is as much a function of the OS as it is of the processor driving it, and it can mean the difference between 1080p Full HD video playback and a stuttering mess.

Storage
If you’re choosing a tablet that only has internal storage, this is an important issue to consider and you may want to consider a 32GB version rather than a more basic 16GB model, depending on your needs. If it has a microSD card slot, adding up to 32GB of additional storage is dead easy.

Peripheral ports
You need a USB port at minimum to sync the tablet with your PC, but extras such as microSD card slots, USB host ports and HDMI are good to have. 3G connectivity may suit some, although every tablet comes with Wi-Fi for cheaper web connecting.

Shop around
Tablet pricing vary all over the place, so shop around once you’ve decided on a particular brand of tablet computer.