Re: [Paddlewise] a thought on rescues

On Tue, 23 Feb 1999 rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com wrote:

> Why in the world do people get themselves into boats that need all that?
> You're probably guessing that this is leading to a sermon on folding
> kayaks.  It is not.  My thought is--Why not use sit-on-tops?

I paddle both a surf ski (a futura carerra) and sea kayaks (my main boat 
is a VCP PinTail), also I live in Massachusetts where sit on tops are 
fairly rare.

The surf ski is just too wet of a ride for the cooler seasons.  I don't
like to be wet all the time.  I like being able to keep my lower body 
enclosed in the boat.  Even if I'm wearing a drysuit I prefer the closed 
boat.

> Sit-on-tops probably would work for most of the paddling most people on
> this listserver do.  They come in all sorts of form...some quite sleek
> and speedy.  If you tip one over, what's to empty since they all have
> scuppers?  Spray skirt?  What's that to a sit-on-top paddler!  Most are
> fairly stable and don't need any sort of aid such as a paddle float to
> get back on.

We've done timings for getting back on.  I can flip over, right the boat
get back on with paddle in hand and start another stroke in under 10 
seconds.  The sit on top doesn't need a paddle float because you can simply
drop your legs into the water for stability.  Paddling with your legs in
the water as outriggers if necessary.  My surf ski is narrow (17.25 inch 
beam) and I've never felt a need for a paddlefloat.  My boat doesn't have
scuppers but splashing your feet in the footwells will pretty much empty
the footwells.

Another poster expressed concern about freeboard and sitting up high.  The
stern of the surf ski is only about 2 inches above water, nearly flush
at the rudder, and the seat is probably just barely more than 2 layers of
layup above the water.

My surf ski has no storage, but several sit-on-tops out there do.  In 
particular the Heritage boats may have as much storage as a comparable 
length sea kayak.  The Heritage boats also have, optional, thigh straps 
that allow for robust bracing and allow the boats to be rolled.  I've got 
no affiliation with Heritage I just enjoyed playing with their boats at 
a demo day.

Admittedly the futura carerra is a race boat so it isn't a "normal" 
representation of a sit on top.  

kirk
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