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day tripper_ TRIP NOTES: The best way to access the Hudson River is to head down to the Downtown Public Boathouse off Pier 26 on the West Side Highway, where the public can kayak for free on weekends and holidays. Experienced volunteers will take groups of kayakers on expeditions to the Statue of Liberty or points north. Otherwise, you can just get in a boat and do runs along the shore. You can either borrow a boat from the Boathouse, or bring your own. If you're borrowing a boat, it's best to get there by 8 AM because boats ore allotted on a first-come, first-served basis. The Boathouse is in operation from April 15 through October 15. For more information, check out the Hudson River Waterfront Association website at newmedia.jrn.columbia.edu/1998/elective/stu- dents/NakedNY Ikayakindex.html or the Downtown Boathouse site at www.down- townboathouse.org. Located about an hour and 15 minutes from San Francisco, Tomales Bay is a popular getaway for the Bay Area crowd. From San FranCiSCO, head north to west Marin County. Tomales Bay is in the Point Reyes National Seashore. Here you'll find a 13-mile-long, mile-and-a-half-wide estuary. Put in at Inverness and, as you paddle toward the mouth of the bay, you'll likely see harbor seals, brown pelicans or leop- ard sharks. This waterway is a common waterfowl wintering area. For more infor- mation, or to find a guide, call Blue Waters Kayaking, 415-669-2600, www.bwkayak.com. So how are you going to get from A to B with your kayak? Thl!se two accessories, designed for carting kayaks around, attach to a standard Yakima roof rack. RACK IT UP MAKO SADDLE Resembling a horse saddle, the middle portion features a gnpPYf' soft rubber material that remains recessed as you push the kayak up onto the car and Into place. As you strap the boat down, the rubber material rises fo grab the hull of the boat and keep It in place. YAKIMA, 888-9254621, WWW.YAKlMA.COM. $55 HULLYROLLERS Roll, don't lift. Attach the Rollers to the end of your boat, prOf the bow up onto the car, then roll the boat across the car roo into position on the Mako Saddle. Once the boat is in place, the wheels lock and cradle the boat. Isn't life simple? YAKIMA, 888-925-4621, WWW.YAKIMA.COM. $65 TRIP TYPE: PADDLING CLOSE TO HOME ( DESTINATION:) NEW YORK'S HUDSON RIVER OR SAN FRANCISCO'S TOMALES BAY Recommended Boat: Dagger Callisto Boat Notes: The Callisto is designed lor basic paddling. Its strength and durabilily lie in a superlin- ear plastic composition. It is small and stable enough to be easily manageable, yet has enough stor- age space for day and weekend supplies. The Callisto is an ideal boat in which to begin-but with plenty of room for growth. Dagger, 423-882-0404, www.dagger.com. $759 Length: 13 feet 8 inches Width: 24 inches Recommended Boat Cobra Eliminator Boat Notes: The Eliminator is a training boat best suited to those with serious paddling experience or athletic beginners. It is ideal lor speed work or racing your friends. The Eliminator's sleek 16.5-loot- long, 23-inch-wide, 42-pound body is designed in Super Linear polyethylene, meaning its exterior can withstand some dings and hits as you maneuver it from your apartment to the put-in. Cobra, 310-327-9216, www.cobrakayaks.com. $1,095 Length: 16 leet 6 inches Width: 23 inches Cobra Eliminator /\