I have paddled 3 similarly designed but different length kayaks in windy, choppy following seas: Mariner Coaster (13 ft), Mariner Express (16 ft), and Mariner II (18 ft). It seems to me that the longer the boat is the easier it is to handle and surf these seas. In particular, directional control is easier. With the longer boat you set a line and hardly have to correct. The shorter the boat the more proactive you must be to control direction. All this assumes no rudder. Now I know that in the San Francisco area there is the "Cult of the Coaster", and that if you enter the tide rips of Yellow Bluff you are likely to see many thousands of Coasters frolicking happily about. Now frolicking and playing are one thing, but travelling through these conditions with least effort is another. When travelling you don't want to cut back and do tricks. You want to travel with least effort, yet catch as many wind or rip waves as possible to help speed you on your way. So the surf gurus are players and joyriders rather than travelers. Nothing wrong with that. But we travelers prefer the smooth low effort performance of the long boat for the surfing that we do in the course of covering distance. Who wants to start the "Cult of the Mariner II"? Or the cult of some other long boat? Jerry *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 98-06-14 16:27:46 EDT, klagjf_at_worldnet.att.net writes: << Mariner Coaster (13 ft), Mariner Express (16 ft), and Mariner II (18 ft). It seems to me that the longer the boat is the easier it is to handle and surf these seas. >> All the Mariner boats are noted for being good in following seas. Longer is better but even the coaster will out perform most other makes of longer length. *************************************************************************** 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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