Re: [Paddlewise] What do you paddle?

I started paddleing a Solstice GTS last summer and love it. It handles
well whether loaded or not. We do a lot of overnight trips and carry a
lot of gear. Funny, I started out with the Aquaterra Sea Lion too. The
Solstice has the prettiest "lines" of any boat I have seen. 

Debra
Southern Maine Sea Kayaking Network

On Sun, 15 Feb 1998 22:03:18 -0800 (PST) "Geo. Bergeron"
<heritage_at_europa.com> writes:
>At 08:50 PM 2/15/98 -0800, Dave Kruger wrote:
>
>>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
>
>        I opted for the Solstice GTS because I got a good price on it. 
>But
>more than price, it's a fast boat which is useful for when I paddle 
>with the
>"Young Turks" around Astoria who are half my age and twice as mean. 
>
>        My plastic Aquaterra Sea Lion was a good boat for expeditions 
>and
>beating around, but I was unable to keep up with most other paddlers 
>in it.
>Nonetheless, it's the number one boat of choice for a lot of the 
>paddlers in
>OOPS (Oregon Ocean Paddlers Society).
>
>        The GTS is medium volume at 96 US gallons (22" X 17'7" --43 
>lbs.
>fiberglass) and has a fish form, shallow V hull with soft chines. 
>There's
>been comments on this server that it's not "nimble" and it *is* a 
>tracker
>that stays on course. I find, however, that the slightest tip to the 
>side
>neatly turns the boat around obstacles in the water or corrects 
>course. I've
>been told it's "tender," but it doesn't feel tippy or unstable to me. 
>
>        What I really like about the Solstice GTS is that it rides 
>waves
>very easily. It's secure feeling in heavy seas no matter how they're 
>coming
>at me. The bow cuts into heavy waves and then rises over them. It's a 
>wet
>deck kind of ride. The GTS catches the smallest of following waves and
>glides with them easily, with little tendency to broach. I've never 
>had the
>rudder down, and I don't think the other paddler's using it out of 
>Pacific
>Wave have used the rudder either. It's a tracker. 
>
>        At 96 gallons, it may lack the cargo capacity of my Sea Lion, 
>but I
>tend to pack light on the long expeditions. . . something Thoreau and 
>the
>Transcendentalists taught me early in my undergraduate studies. 
>
>        My other boat is an Old Town Otter, a "Pokey" that I use for 
>fly
>fishing and horsing around (28" X 9'6" --40 lbs. plastic). It's got a 
>big
>open cockpit with plenty of room for fishing gear and a six-pack. And 
>you
>can curl up and snooze in it without drowning! 
>
>>***************************************************************************
>>PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
>>Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
>>Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
>>***************************************************************************
>>
>>
>
>***************************************************************************
>PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
>Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
>Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
>***************************************************************************
>

_____________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com
Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]

***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
***************************************************************************