Re: [Paddlewise] What do you paddle?

dldecker_at_mediaone.net wrote:
> 
> I was wandering what kinda kayaks yall paddle and why.I paddle a hard chine
> Greenland Style kayak because I like the v-bottom for tracking, the hard
> chines for carving a turn and ease of building stitch and glue. [snip]
> I tried a Betsy Bay Kayak but it was a tight fit.I took the skin off the top 
> of my knees getting in , then could not move around inside .

Like you, I go for performance and fit.  Because I'm a big guy in the
cockpit area (225 lbs), I need a lot of vertical distance at the forward
edge of the cockpit so I can get enough knee lift to avoid leg problems
and generally be comfy.  Also, I need a larger boat to get one with a
"design load" that fits my needs.  So, my choices in striving for
"performance" are compromised by my size, somewhat.  I have two main
boats in this "big guy" class:

1. The main machine, for long trips and when I want a stable platform
for bird-watching and leisurely lunches in nasty chop:  

Eddyline Wind Dancer, an older glass design, enormous volume, especially
forward of the cockpit, having an "oval" cross section in the center
with shallow VEE fore and aft.  Tracks well, will do a leaned turn if
you work at it, and carries the gear.  Slow, slow, slow.  Hagen from
Bellingham was surprised I was able to find a slower boat than the
Dancer.  [An Orca, maybe 20 year-old Eddyline design.]

2. The sporty day boat:

Pygmy Osprey Std, a "multichine" stitch and glue with less beam than the
Dancer.  Does leaned turns with grace, tracks well, and is only 38 lbs
(!) -- owing to the sng construction, no bulkheads, and short length
(15.5 ft).  Very fast boat -- stays up with much sleeker designs -- and
handles well in small surf.  More durable than the Dancer.  Much less
initial stability, but worth it.  I've paddled this with overnight gear,
but suspect that a week's food, etc., would overload it with my bod in
it.  For a 150 lb-er, though, it would be pretty sweet, I think.

Others of my size here in the Pacific Northwest like the Current Designs
Solstice line, in the GT "High volume" configuration, notably my buddy
Noel from Bellingham.

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR

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