Can anyone compare the Pygmy Tern to the Coho and give reasons why they would buy one over the other?? I have a early model Coho as well as the Golden-Eye and the double and would like to build another. The Coho has a ton of room in it for camping gear and is very stable in lite chop and winds, have not had it out in waves over 1 1/2 ft., but the Golden-Eye handles wind and waves up to 3 1/2" very well, I concider myself a beginner ++ as I do not know how to roll yet. My only concern with the Pygmys' is the back rest, while comfortable for short paddles, it leaves a little to be desired on long days. I have looked at the "Creature Comforts" by CLC and hope some of you can comment on the relitive benefits of this seat and back combo or anything else that's out there. I have just ordered hip braces from Phanitary Gear and would like any help or sugestions on hip and knee braces, where to put them, how to install etc. Great list and thanks for all the info from all.... *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
First the similarities: The Arctic Tern and the Coho are both excellent boats that do not weathercock, track well, and turn well when set on edge. The Coho is a little longer, 17'6, while the Tern is 17'. The Tern has a single hard chine, whereas the Coho is a multi-chine boat. Both boats have excellent secondary stability, and tremendous room for gear. Now the differences: The Tern will turn a little easier, and carve turns a little sharper and with less edge required. The Coho will track a little better, but will still turn very quick for a 17'6 boat when set on a moderate to large amount of edge. With a large amount of edge, the Tern will spin very fast indeed. Since I haven't yet paddled the tern in anything except calm conditions, I cannot say anything definite about its rough water handling, but I have heard from another paddler that it is excellent. The Coho is one of the smoothest rough water boats I have ever paddled, and I expect the Tern will be similar. I also expect the Tern to have better performance while surfing wind waves and to hold an edge better in following seas. The hard edge will probably make it less forgiving than the Coho, but probably not significant for a good paddler. IMO performance is more important than forgiveness, and in general a twitchier boat only feels twitchy for a short while until skills grow to accomodate the boat. If you can wait, I should have my Tern floating in about two weeks, and I'll try to get it out into rough water ASAP. I'll give a review of it then. In general however, I would recommend the Tern to anyone who enjoys paddling a higher performance boat for the sake of making it perform, and I would recommend the Coho to anyone who wants a fast and forgiving platform for doing long trips. both boats however would be suitable for beginners, IMO, and both boats will never limit the growth of a paddler's skill. Regarding the backrest/seat issue, I have heard this kind of complaint before, and I am slightly amazed that people will spend countless creative hours building an entire boat, and then not spend any time outfitting the boat to fit their body. It sounds like you are putting some good effort into it though. IMO, achieving proper fit is almost as important as building the boat itself. There was a truly excellent article by ken Rasmussen in the Feb '96 issue of Sea Kayaker magazine that should give you all that you need to know. Each individual has different needs regarding fit, but most people can do quite well with a big block of mini-cell foam, a sharp knife, and a piece of dragon-skin (used like sandpaper, buy it at your hardware store). I personally like the solid backrest that comes with the Pygmy kit, but I dislike the thermarest seat, so I will build my own seat out of foam. I also plan to experiment with raising the seat several inches off the floor to get increased power and performance when surfing waves -- if it works for a rodeo kayak, why won't it work for a sea kayak? :) Anyhow, I have nothing but good things to say about the Tern. It is a worthy project if you are looking for another boat to build. Cheers, Kevin On Thu, 1 Oct 1998 JorgieJ_at_aol.com wrote: > Can anyone compare the Pygmy Tern to the Coho and give reasons why they > would buy one over the other?? I have a early model Coho as well as the > Golden-Eye and the double and would like to build another. The Coho has > a ton of room in it for camping gear and is very stable in lite chop and > winds, have not had it out in waves over 1 1/2 ft., but the Golden-Eye > handles wind and waves up to 3 1/2" very well, I concider myself a > beginner ++ as I do not know how to roll yet. > > My only concern with the Pygmys' is the back rest, while comfortable for short > paddles, it leaves a little to be desired on long days. I have looked at the > "Creature Comforts" by CLC and hope some of you can comment on the relitive > benefits of this seat and back combo or anything else that's out there. > > I have just ordered hip braces from Phanitary Gear and would like any help or > sugestions on hip and knee braces, where to put them, how to install etc. > > Great list and thanks for all the info from all.... > *************************************************************************** > PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List > Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net > Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net > Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ > *************************************************************************** > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Over the last year I've pretty much skipped over the posts on radios, especially when the discussion got technical. Now I've decided that it would be a good idea to have one if I get in a bad situation. I want a radio that is: (1) JIS7 submersible (I still intend to keep it in a dry bag) (2) Has good rechargable battery life but can also operate on AA cells, preferably without needing a separate battery tray/back (3) Has at least 5W max power with selectable lower power settings (4) Has automatic scanning for the emergency channels and an operating channel Current favorites are the Raytheon RAY 106 ($256) and the Apelco 520 ($204), prices from www.defenderus.com. Does anyone have any experience with these? Other suggestions that meet the list above? Thanks, Larry Pfisterer *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Larry, I purchased new radio about 3 mths ago after trashing my apelco 520. The problem with the apleco was that it was not fully waterproof so I kept it in a radio bag most of the time. Well, after one trip I forgot to take it out of the bag and the control knobs froze/corroded in place from condensation moisture in the bag. The other problem was the power terminals for recharging the nicad battery always corroded around salt water (which is why I think I started using a bag). The new radio that I have is the Standard HX150S. This radio has a three year waterproof warranty (though I'll still keep it in a bag). It has no turning knobs. It has the option of using 6 AA battaries or a rechargable nicad assembly and it does not have exposed power terminals. It has 5w power, all U.S., Canadian, international channels, wx alert, and scan functions. At this point I have not even bothered with the nicad, this baby has been running on the same 6 AA's since I've had it! For around $150.00 that is a pretty good deal. >(1) JIS7 submersible (I still intend to keep it in a dry bag) >(2) Has good rechargable battery life but can also operate on AA cells, >preferably without needing a separate battery tray/back >(3) Has at least 5W max power with selectable lower power settings >(4) Has automatic scanning for the emergency channels and an operating >channel >Current favorites are the Raytheon RAY 106 ($256) and the Apelco 520 >($204), prices from www.defenderus.com. Does anyone have any experience >with these? Other suggestions that meet the list above? The one thing that I can assure you of is that I won't be leaving this radio in bag for any long period of time. Jeff Bingham *************************************************************************** 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 Fri, 2 Oct 1998 14:16:31 K. Whilden wrote: >First the similarities: >The Arctic Tern and the Coho are both excellent boats that do not >weathercock, track well, and turn well when set on edge. The Coho is a >little longer, 17'6, while the Tern is 17'. The Tern has a single hard >chine, whereas the Coho is a multi-chine boat. Both boats have excellent >secondary stability, and tremendous room for gear. > I may be reaching here (I'm new to this sport). How similar to the Necky Looksha IV (plastic) is the Tern? From the Pygmy web page it looks like the Tern would have a hull very similar to the Looksha. A relatively flat bottom with a hard chine. I've been considering building a Coho as a way to get a good light weight kayak for a decent price. But now I'm going to have to decide between the Coho or Tern. Just hopping over to Pygmy and trying them out is a little difficult from Kansas. :) But then we might go to Washington in the spring. My wife and I would like to do a 5 day training class in sea kayaking and are trying to decide where. Right now Tek & Trail seems like the leading candidate due to their relative proximity in Wisconsin (we live in the Kansas City area). But the added incentive of being able to try out a Pygmy may make us go to Seattle for training. Anyone have any suggestions on that front? Mel --- There are three types of people, those who can count and those who can't. -----== Sent via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----- http://www.dejanews.com/ Easy access to 50,000+ discussion forums *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Hi Mel, Read on for a few comments. Thanks for cluing me in that Pygmy has a description of the Arctic Tern on their web page. No pictures of it yet, so I guess it's now a race on who can get their photos on the web first -- mine or theirs... On Sat, 3 Oct 1998, Mel Grindol wrote: > > On Fri, 2 Oct 1998 14:16:31 K. Whilden wrote: > >First the similarities: > >The Arctic Tern and the Coho are both excellent boats that do not > >weathercock, track well, and turn well when set on edge. The Coho is a > >little longer, 17'6, while the Tern is 17'. The Tern has a single hard > >chine, whereas the Coho is a multi-chine boat. Both boats have excellent > >secondary stability, and tremendous room for gear. > > > > I may be reaching here (I'm new to this sport). How similar to the Necky > Looksha IV (plastic) is the Tern? From the Pygmy web page it looks like > the Tern would have a hull very similar to the Looksha. A relatively > flat bottom with a hard chine. > The Looksha IV is a very good plastic boat, although the plastic version does tend to weathercock a bit. This is a problem for beginners, but no problem at all for good paddlers. The glass version of the Looksha IV is a GREAT boat -- no weathercocking at all. The Tern and the Looksha will feel and perform quite similar, although the Tern will be somewhat faster than the plastic version. It will also look much better, and weight much less. The Looksha IV has a double chine and a flattish bottom, whereas the Tern has a single hard chine and very slight V-bottom. > I've been considering building a Coho as a way to get a good light > weight kayak for a decent price. But now I'm going to have to decide > between the Coho or Tern. Just hopping over to Pygmy and trying them > out is a little difficult from Kansas. :) > > But then we might go to Washington in the spring. My wife and I would > like to do a 5 day training class in sea kayaking and are trying to > decide where. Right now Tek & Trail seems like the leading candidate > due to their relative proximity in Wisconsin (we live in the Kansas City > area). But the added incentive of being able to try out a Pygmy may > make us go to Seattle for training. Anyone have any suggestions on that > front? A 5-day training class in Seattle? Hrm, I guess I would have to recommend the Kayak Academy. (note: I teach classes for the Kayak Academy). I work for them because I have so much respect for their program, developed by George Gronseth; I don't need to teach kayaking for money. You can learn more about the various courses offered from the web page, http://www.halcyon.com/kayak I would be happy to add more information if you need it. Cheers, kevin > > Mel > --- > There are three types of people, those who can count and those who can't. > > > > -----== Sent via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----- > http://www.dejanews.com/ Easy access to 50,000+ discussion forums > *************************************************************************** > PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List > Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net > Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net > Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ > *************************************************************************** > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Mel, I can't comment on the Pygmy boats but I highly recommend George Gronseth's Kayak Academy! Without a doubt the best training experience I've ever had, to include climbing, skiing and 20 years in the Army. I spent the middle two weekends in September doing the Basic Strokes & Rescues class followed by a training trip in the San Juans. (The five day class adds a day in Puget Sound between.) It was mentally and physically challenging but extremely rewarding. If I can retain and practice half of what George taught me I'll be twice the paddler I was before. There are never more than five students so there is a lot of personal attention and feedback. I plan to take more of his classes in the future. I'm also a new paddler and also have a plastic Looksha. I love the boat except for the mushy foot braces and the nasty high seat back I replaced with a Snapdragon backband. My wife and I will probably be going up to Port Townsend in the next few weeks and I plan to try out the Coho and some other Pygmy boats. I'll let you know what I think. Don't know anything about the other outfit you mention but I don't think they can offer the chance to see seals, sea lions, bald eagles, porpoise, orca (killer whales) and Minke whales during your lessons. The Puget Sound and the San Juans are about the most beautiful waters you can imagine. The Kayak Academy website: www.halcyon.com/kayak/ or e-mail kayak_at_halcyon.com Larry Pfisterer Puyallup, Washington 253.840.8645 Mel Grindol wrote: > > I may be reaching here (I'm new to this sport). How similar to the Necky Looksha IV (plastic) is the Tern? From the Pygmy web page it looks like the Tern would have a hull very similar to the Looksha. A relatively flat bottom with a hard chine. > > I've been considering building a Coho as a way to get a good light weight kayak for a decent price. But now I'm going to have to decide between the Coho or Tern. Just hopping over to Pygmy and trying them out is a little difficult from Kansas. :) > > But then we might go to Washington in the spring. My wife and I would like to do a 5 day training class in sea kayaking and are trying to decide where. Right now Tek & Trail seems like the leading candidate due to their relative proximity in Wisconsin (we live in the Kansas City area). But the added incentive of being able to try out a Pygmy may make us go to Seattle for training. Anyone have any suggestions on that front? > > Mel > --- *************************************************************************** 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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