rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com wrote: > I have been following this ballast discussion with great interest. It > makes me feel pretty dumb. I keep asking myself why anyone would want > to add 30 pounds or more of dead weight to their boat that needs to be > hefted with every launching or takeout as well as propelled through the > water with every paddle stroke. Wouldn't it be better to get a boat > that is sufficiently stable by design for your paddling skills and you > individual sense of comfort regarding touchiness and stability of the > boat? Ralph has a very good point, to which I'll raise two exceptions. You may have a boat that's perfect when loaded with gear, but just too tender when you're in it alone. Or perhaps your double rides too high when you're soloing it, or maybe you need ballast to balance that double when one cockpit is empty. The other is the point Hutchinson makes, that ballast may be useful if you want to pursue a lot of hands-off activity, like photography or fishing. In that case some lead may just make sense. Beyond that my interest is entirely academic ;-) -- mike, practicing a low brace with a 4# 7' flyrod... ---------------------------------------- Michael J Edelman mje_at_mich.com http://www.mich.com/~mje http://www.mich.com/~mje/kayak.html http://www.mich.com/~mje/scope.html *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************Received on Sat Feb 14 1998 - 13:57:46 PST
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