Re: [Paddlewise] Mariner boats

>I am thinking about replacing my Mariner Coaster with either the Mariner
>Max or the Mariner Express. I dislike the sliding seat arrangement that
>Mariner uses to control balance-----------it adds too much

Here is what Tomckayak wrote to me on the Mariner seat:
"I did a crossing of Rosario strait in a 20+ beam wind. One of the other
boats
was also a MAX but without a sliding seat. It was paddled by a strong White
water boater. He could not maintain the agreed on heading and fell off down
wind. I found the Sliding seat to be very effective. Small movements of the
seat would change the heading the MAX could maintain. At lower wind speeds
(up
to 20 knots) the effect is less noticeable"

I have the sliding seat in my Express with standard layup.  The boat is
heavy for its size.  The sliding seat is OK for comfort but not great.
Still it makes a very significant difference in rougher conditions.  I would
not get a Mariner boat, except Coaster, without it.  Despite the weight.

Jerry



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