Hello again... John wrote: (...) "On another note, Ari mentioned capsizing his Nordkapp while learning to paddle it. I find it interesting that capsizing seems to be an integral part in learning how to paddle a boat that is reputed to be so seaworthy." Yup. Capsizing gives you new perspectives. It is blue and green, down there ;-) I am quite aware that there is a paradox between the reputation of a Nordkapp and folks experiences :-P I did capsize during a fairly ordinary trip of few miles around an island: downwind side, quite calm waters. I was quite near the beach, equipped with the dry suit and a wake hit the left back quarter of my kayak. In a way it was good self-training - the kayak was brand new and I was not very familiar with it, though I did test it before buying. KiAyker wrote:(...)" I believe in order to expand ones limits in a kayak you need to first know what they are. I continually push my limits, and consequently capsize, in order to test my boundaries and try to push my abilities beyond them. This does not mean that I capsize every time I go out." Sounds reasonable, but I wouldnīt want to search my limits in that sense during a long expedition ;-) Anyways, most of my valuable experience with a Nordkapp comes now from the 2 1/2 -week expedition I did last summer, though I did shorter trips before that. Without my capsizing in May I would have not been so careful when paddling solo and entering shallow waters with two to three feet breaking waves coming behind - which did happen twice. The kayak was behaving nicely and I could trust it, also in a situation where I was paddling through some dancing cross-waves near a cliff. But in those situations the kayak was full of my precious camping stuff, heavy as hell. Because of my capsizing I wouldnīt have done the same with an empty kayak which is designed to stay sensitive (oh yessss..I believe so!) when itīs weight is over hundred kilos, including the noble kayaker in the cockpit. And not to mention the weight of the kayak itself. Again: I do think that "safe", stabile wider kayaks with more flat bottom can actually become a risk. One starts to learn with them and finally learning of some basic skills might become more difficult. Also, here, where the training and courses are quite short, capsizing might became a taboo. I havenīt often noticed any comments in the logbook of our club, though I do know it has happened. Also: without experience one can become so afraid of capsizing that the fear can freeze you in an emergency situation. High performance? To me it is safety combined to sensivity. A long expedition can be exhausting [which can be a safety problem ;-)] if your kayak resembles kitchen-sink... Off the soap-box. Ari Finland (Who started wearing his dry-suit last weekend. The temps at nighs drops below zero and the water is something like 12 degrees cantigrades...) *************************************************************************** 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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