Re: [Paddlewise] Wave~Length: touring boats

I just demoed a Looksha III for a couple hours last weekend.  I found it to be fast and
tippy.  I also found that it would start tracking in its own direction and I would have
to lean pretty hard to get it back on course.  I'm sure that would cease to be a problem
once I got comfortable with its secondary stability.  The Caribou I demoed right after
that seemed a whole lot more even tempered.  I didn't get a close look at the Looksha
III hull but I'm guessing it gets some of its speed from a low amount of rocker.  That
must be where it gets its tracking, too.  The difficulty I had bringing it back on
course probably had to do with its rounded bilge (compared to the Caribou and my hard
chine stitch and glue) and the low amount of rocker.

The question I have for the techies out there that are familiar with the Looksha III is
this:  Besides the obvious length and width issues does it derive its speed by having
low rocker and a rounded bilge?  On the other side of the coin I paddled a fiberglass
Sea Lion.  It felt like it had a lead keel.  It just didn't want to lean.  How is that
accomplished?  Mostly by width?

Craig Olson wrote:

> Awhile back, I had the opportunity to paddle a Necky Looksha 3 sea kayak for a few
> months.  Actually, I bought it & then took it back.  It's a pretty radical design,
> being 19' 6" long, double hard chines and a beam of only 19 inches.
>

         snip

> Anyone else paddle this boat or one similar to it?  I miss the speed and agility but
> I don't want to give up the comfort of my current boat.  'Guess I'm looking for ways
> to have the best of both worlds.
>
> Craig Olson
> Bellingham, Washington
>
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