I am 6'5" tall. In order for me to be able to bring my knee up to facilitate getting in and out of a kayak, I find I need a cockpit length of at least 31". Any less and I must get in with arms alone by sitting on the deck and stuffing my legs toward the bow; getting out is the reverse procedure. A recent post lamented that the WS Arctic Hawk was going to be modified to provide a keyhole shaped cockpit. I would imagine that this is being done to accommodate bending the knee up all the way. WS says this boat is good for large paddlers, but with a 28" cockpit length, I don't think anyone over 6' tall can bend his knee up. Do most serious tall paddlers go in and out straight legged? Or do they think it important to be able to use your legs (or one leg at east) in getting in and out? Ken Cooperstein *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
Kenneth Cooperstein wrote: > I am 6'5" tall. In order for me to be able to bring my knee up to > facilitate getting in and out of a kayak, I find I need a cockpit length > of at least 31". Any less and I must get in with arms alone by sitting > on the deck and stuffing my legs toward the bow; getting out is the > reverse procedure. I'm 6'2", and I thought that was the way *everyone* did it...! I have to use that method on my folders when the sprayskirts are attached- which is all the time. -- Michael Edelman http://www.mich.com/~mje Telescope guide: http://www.mich.com/~mje/scope.html Folding Kayaks: http://www.mich.com/~mje/kayak.html Airguns: http://www.mich.com/~mje/airguns.html *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
Michael J Edelman wrote: > > Kenneth Cooperstein wrote: > > > I am 6'5" tall. In order for me to be able to bring my knee up to > > facilitate getting in and out of a kayak, I find I need a cockpit length > > of at least 31". Any less and I must get in with arms alone by sitting > > on the deck and stuffing my legs toward the bow; getting out is the > > reverse procedure. > > I'm 6'2", and I thought that was the way *everyone* did it...! I have to use > that method on my folders when the sprayskirts are attached- which is all the > time. I am glad that Mike pointed this out, I mean about some folding kayaks, Kleppers in particular. Kleppers are known for their open cockpits. But when you put on the spraydeck, in which there are two holes on the double and one hole in the singles, the cockpit holes are quite small, as small as some of the tiniest Brit boats. What is more, since you are dropping into a hole that is flexible (afterall, the cockpit rim is sewn into a flexible spraydeck) it is quite a chore to deal with. This is especially true when getting out because the flexible spraydeck catches your legs. ralph -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
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