[Paddlewise] What is performance anyhow?

>The advanced boats can do wonderful things in the hands of experienced
>paddlers with superb skills.  But beginners and intermediate paddlers
>are much better off in boats more suited for them.  They may never
>develop the skills to take advantage of an advanced boat and may have
>lots of hairy experiences they could avoid in a more suitable boat.
>

Can you be specific as to what all those wonderful things are that the
advanced boat is capable of?  Is performance more than just top speed?

>I recall many years ago the experience of two paddlers in horredous
>conditions off the New Jersey coast.  One, an instructor with impeccable
>rolling skills and in an easily leaned, responsive British boat.  The
>other, a darn good paddler in a plastic Chinook who was too cheap to buy
>a glass boat or still working out which one he really wanted.  The
>instructor got hit with breaking waves in high seas.  Rolled up, got
>dumped, rolled up, got dumped again, etc.  He just could never get
>settled enough before being hit in an instant with another dumper.
>Finally he wet exited.  The guy in the Chinook managed to broach and go
>into a brace on one of the waves and rode in with it and subsequent ones
>for a half a mile.  He never dumped or had to roll (although he was a
>good roller but not on the level of the other guy).  The guy in the
>Chinook took advantage of the initial stability of the boat plus its
>moderate lean capacity to get himself out of the predicament.  The
>advanced paddler in the advanced boat, for all of his skills, couldn't
>keep up with the situation.

Again, other than top speed, what performance advantage does the Nordkapp
have over the Chinook?  Assuming this story is true, than the Chinook has
more performance in that it allows kayaking in rougher conditions.  Can this
be true?  I never paddled either boat, but I bet that true blue Nordkappers
would disagree.  Or when the conditions get really hairy are they wishing
they were in Chinooks?

Jerry

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