Lurking no more since starting to follow this list a week or two ago, I have 4 boats, paddle 1. Boat 1) a Current Designs Solstice GT, Kevlar. This boat fits me like a glove (6'4" 180) which is a thread missing from some of the boat discussions, what is great for one is too small for another and too big for another. My thoughts on the ballast discussion is that if you need ballast, you are in the wrong boat. The GT tracks wonderfully, loves into the wind, surfs well, loves a beam wind and will naturally tack to beam or straight to the wind, weathers a bit but easily overcome with a sweep to the high side or a slight lean or the ruuder if so inclined. I have been in this boat for 4 years and would buy another tomorrow in a heart beat if necessary. It has gotten me through many ugly changes in conditions with out ever putting it over unintentionally. Boat 2) A composite Surge, my guest boat or for my wife who is an occasional paddler, also used by my 9 year old son ( wife 5'8, 140, son 4'8 85) The Surge is a hand built boat from Maine, I don't remember the builder, mine is second hand from a friend, Mostly kevlar, some glass and carbon, aprox 37 lbs, 17'6" x 23" . Handles great, no rudder,. tracks and turns well. Loves a good lean but stable enough for my 9 y.o. who has 2 years of paddling a 7 years of riding under his belt. This is a great boat but I don't fit into it. Boat 3) A Folbot Greenland II. An extra boat and troop carrier. I take the kids, sometimes 3 small ones at a time for short trips, I have also used this as a single cargo carrier on short (2-3 mi) camping trips, never used it as a double with another adult so can't comment on it's performance under standard conditions. I also use it for two adult guests, virtually untippable and therefor useful for new kayakers though I prefer to start people off in the surge or GT. Boat 4) An "Epi-brat", Englehart products in Ohio, a training boat for my kids. Now used by a 6 year old 4' 55 lbs. Tracks well, extremely stable, sit-on-top boat that allows a child to get a handle on paddling and then feel the instability of a rolling platform. I have given beginner lessons to at least 20 kids in my neighborhood with this boat. My youngest should be in a real boat in a year or so so a for sale sign will likely be out. Martin Doerfler, MD Asociate Professor of Clinical Medicine NYU School of Medicine *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
Here goes: 1) (My favorite!) 17.5' x 22" kayak, stripper, self-designed and built. Go for long, lean, and fast because I tend to cruise for long times and distances. No rudder, but enough underwater profile aft to track well. 30 lbs. Designed with low profile to prevent windage. Deck is low for comfortable strokes with a greenland style paddle. Small cockit for a small guy and good bracing. 2) Necky Arluk 1.8., kevlar. Also a fairly long narrow boat, with small cockpit. Fast boat, but seems like a dog now compared to my stripper, and not nearly as pretty, but would still get this boat again if I had to BUY one. Have used on trips lasting as long as two weeks. 3) (Another favorite!) 17.5' OC-1 racing canoe, stripper, designed and built by myself, similar to a J-180. about 27 lbs. This boat is like my best friend, having carried me through three Clinton 70 milers. Like paddling an open boat in hot weather, and the single paddle is a refreshing to alternate with kayaking. 4) 18' OC-1 racing canoe. An earlier stripper I built, now used for friends or as a backup. 5) 16.5' OC-1 stripper, downriver whitewater racer. Built rugged, out of cedar strips sheathed with polypropolene and epoxy. Survived wrapping inside out on a rock on the Dead River, with only a broken thwart. 6) 11.5 Shellback dinghy - After a hard paddle in the morning, it's great to kick back and go for a sail in the afternoon breeze! Future: Sketching out an enlarged version of my 17.5' kayak for extended camping/cruising. Tom York, ME *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:32:46 PDT