As a large 260 fellow I am using a Pachina because of larger cockpit... I really need a high volume yak for open water ... I cannot find a dealer on east coast for aquila, I also am open to other suggestions There must be an oportunity to test-paddle obviously! Trade-in not too particular as the Pachina is great fer flat and close quarter paddling (could be persuaded to sell/trade) Robin *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
On 15 Mar 98, R J Staebler wrote: > As a large 260 fellow I am using a Pachina because of larger > cockpit... I really need a high volume yak for open water ... I > cannot find a dealer on east coast for aquila, I also am open to > other suggestions I, like you am larger than average bear (as yogi bear would say). I have paddled the Aquilla for a SHORT Demo and liked it. I have also had a short ride in the Dagger Sitka - and loved it, I may be looking at one again today as a matter of fact, weather permitting. and I have tried a Long time ago the Vally Skerry XL. I can give you a list of boats that you could seriously look at if you are interested... in the mean time, Try this... It's Great River Outfitters. The US DISTIBUTOR for Valley Kayaks, they have a list of Dealers on the site, http://www.erols.com/rapids/GRO Gregg Bolton gsb_at_ime.net http://w3.ime.net/~gsb *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
R J Staebler wrote: > As a large 260 fellow I am using a Pachina because of larger cockpit... I > really need a high volume yak > for open water ... I cannot find a dealer on east coast for aquila, I also > am open to other suggestions I'm 220/230, with a wide butt and large thighs -- making the seat/forward part of the cockpit dimensions the most critical, especially when I am wearing a wet suit. I fit an Eddyline Wind Dancer well (http://eddyline.com/), and another pear-shaped paddler from Bellingham really likes the Solstice GTS HV (Current Designs: http://www.cdkayak.com/). Another boat which fits me is the Eddyline Sea Star, which I configured to accommodate me and my also generous SO, by moving the seat back 1 inch and carving away the underside of the seat to lower the seating position 1/4 - 1/2 inch. The Sea Star is narrower, slightly faster than the Wind Dancer, and with a tighter cockpit. It may be comparable to the Aquila. Unfortunately, Eddyline has discontinued the boat, though there are still a few at dealers out here, and I believe one or two warehoused at Eddyline. For comparison, I dry-fitted myself to a Pachena and found its cockpit quite roomy, but that was three years ago, and it could be my memory is not reliable. I suspect with some outfitting, any of the boats mentioned above should work for you. Depends somewhat how you carry that 260 -- if you are tall (6 - 3 or larger), some of the boats I favor would definitely demand the seat be moved back. Otherwise, you will struggle getting your legs into the cockpit! Don't be shy about moving the seat -- I paddled the modified Sea Star Saturday/Sunday on an overnight trip, and handling was just fine -- I put more of the heavier gear in the forward compartment to compensate for the seat position. The Eddyline seat is an easy move -- drill out three pop rivets on each side, reposition (after removing material on the bottom if you want that extra 1/2 inch of room), and redrill holes and reattach. I used blind nuts on the seat, fastened to the tangs coming down from the cockpit rim with finish washers and #6 stainless machine screws. Solid, and the screwheads do not bother me. Good luck in your search -- most mfrs design for the skinny butt crowd, for sure! P.S. The best euphemistic description I have come across for our mutual shapes is that we are: "... large guys in the cockpit area ...!" -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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