Ever have one of those days? I feel like such a dolt. I posted the following to CPAKayaker when I meant to post it to Paddlewise. Oh well, maybe Tuesday will be better.... ----------- Folks, I'm new to this list and a *very new* paddler. I recently finished a "stripper" kayak and the first few times out on the water with it have been a nightmare to control. I'm sure 100% of the problem is my inexperience. I just finished reading the articles on the Paddlewise web site about ballast. I know you folks discussed this in depth back in February of last year in quite a bit of detail. I don't wish to rehash this, but would like to ask a few questions. A few quotes from the web articles and a little more description about the control problems I'm having first: "A bow heavy boat will tend to start out okay and then suddenly turn." This is exactly the problem I had the first time out, I had a 15-20lb backpack on the front deck and the kayak (nothing in the forward or rear hatches) and the kayak was almost impossible for me to control. " A stern heavy boat will tend to wander and require more corrective strokes." This is more how the boat behaved my second time out. This time I had placed most of my "stuff" in a dry bag in the rear hatch. Only safety equipment (spare paddle, paddle float, bilge pump, etc) above deck and nothing in the front hatch. It still felt a little like the first time out though. "Like everything, the more extreme the weight differential the worse the effect. I would expect less dramatic handling effects in a boat with more rocker." This kayak has a moderate rocker, weighs about 45lbs, 17 ft long. I weigh about 170, 5'9". my paddling skills are at a very beginner level. The boat also feels very stable to me. I don't have a problem at all with stability, my concern is with directional control. "Also ballast cures other problems, like excessive weathercocking" I have this problem (weathercocking). It tracks well into the wind, but wants to turn hard in following waves. Re: seat placement: "Yes, an inch will make a substantial difference on boat trim and handling characteristics. I would suggest moving it in smaller increments, say 1/2" or less at a time & then paddle to evaluate the effect. " Question: Is there a way I can tell if the boat is "trim" before I get in and close the spray skirt? It would seem that trim would be a moving target based on what I was carrying for the day (winter/summer gear, day trip, camping, 2 hour "stroll", etc). Getting in and paddling for a few minutes every time I take it out and then land and make a trim adjustment doesn't seem very practical. Question: Is trim related to center of balance? This kayak (with no gear) has a center of balance near the very front section of the cockpit. If so, can I play around with trim until I'm happy with the way it tracks, get out and mark/note the center of balance, and just pack it in the future for center of balance in the same place? I was thinking of adding a more pronounced keel on the rear half of the kayak to act much like a skeg. After reading the articles on ballast, I'm now thinking I should hold off until I improve my paddling skills and make sure my problem isn't because of trim. Last question: Is trim just "fine tuning" or can it have dramatic effects on control? While willing to admit I have a lot to learn, I want to believe that my paddling is not THAT bad. Again, this isn't a stability issue, but one of control. Your thoughts on what I should try on my next outing to narrow down the cause are much appreciated. Thanks in advance, Woody *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Robert wrote; (SNIP of background) >Question: Is there a way I can tell if the boat is "trim" before I get in >and close the spray skirt? It would seem that trim would be a moving target >based on what I was carrying for the day (winter/summer gear, day trip, >camping, 2 hour "stroll", etc). Getting in and paddling for a few minutes >every time I take it out and then land and make a trim adjustment doesn't >seem very practical. Experience will tell you when the boat is properly trimmed. As you have guessed, it will vary each time you paddle so for boats that are sensitive to trim a sliding seat can be a godsend. > >Question: Is trim related to center of balance? This kayak (with no gear) >has a center of balance near the very front section of the cockpit. If so, >can I play around with trim until I'm happy with the way it tracks, get out >and mark/note the center of balance, and just pack it in the future for >center of balance in the same place? The kayak's center of balance has very little impact on how the boat trims relative to your impact. You weigh more than three times the weight of the boat and a small shift of your weight has a major impact on trim. If you carry a lot of gear you can use it to trim the boat. I do this by "by eye" and over the years it seems to have worked out just fine. >I was thinking of adding a more pronounced keel on the rear half of the >kayak to act much like a skeg. After reading the articles on ballast, I'm >now thinking I should hold off until I improve my paddling skills and make >sure my problem isn't because of trim. Paddling skills are important and holding off until you feel confident the problem can't be solved that way makes a lot of sense. On the other hand, if the boat can't be controlled without a lot of frustration, a skeg or rudder can help you get past the frustrating part as you learn. Every paddler learns in his own way and at his own pace. >Last question: Is trim just "fine tuning" or can it have dramatic effects on >control? While willing to admit I have a lot to learn, I want to believe >that my paddling is not THAT bad. Some boats have greater sensitivity to trim than others. Personally I prefer to fit the boat to the person rather than fit the person to the boat. You will determine how you want to approach the problem. The ebst way for you may not be the best way for some one else. You may want to ask people with the same kind of boat about their experiences. That may give you some insight into what you should expect from the boat and maybe some one will have found a good cure for the problem. *************************************************************************** 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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