Hmmm, this thing regarding sit-on-tops is getting to be an interesting conversation. I don't know how many of you missed this but John Winters and I agree!! The last time we agreed on anything was regarding the thumbs down on the sponson man. So that puts us on the side of the angels. Some comments to the naysayers: 1. **Regarding speed, designs, etc. of sit-on-tops** This always happens when any discussion come up on something like this. Immediately people envision some highly tuned kevlar skinny long sea kayak and hold up everything else to that standard. Let's face it there are a whole lot of sea kayaks that have no more claim to that standard than do SOTs. We are not comparing Nordkapps and SOTs. We are comparing run-of-the-mill medium wide, plastic sea kayaks with plastic SOTs. In case no one has noticed, plastic sea kayaks account for most of the models and most of the sales of hardshell boats. A good number of SOTs are as fast as a lot of hardshell sea kayaks. Besides, who is racing? And what about what Kirk Olsen says about surf skiis which are SOTs. What sea kayak is faster than it? 2. **Camping, etc.** Again, we are immediately looking at some epitome of long distance sea faring. How many of you have really camped out of your sea kayak. I bet less than half. The other half don't need all that volume to put things into...they are day paddlers. If you really want to camp, use a canoe. No sea kayak is as efficient at camping as a canoe. It will swallow up large Coleman coolers, habachis, small kitchen sinks. 3. **Cold weather.** Sure a closed boat is better in the cold. But what about the other months and months of paddling in warm to hot weather that marks the waters that most paddlers on this listserver probably ply? A SOT is fine for these, in fact, probably more comfortable. In moderate temperatures, you can wear a shortie wetsuit or a combo of short jacket and shorts from LLBean, the Hydrosports series. Will keep you feeling warm and dry when splashed and in the wind. 4. **Rescues.** Notice what was said about getting back on a surf ski. 10 seconds. The same is true of just about any SOT. As to the point about upper body strength needed to do this with a SOT, if a person lacks the body strength to get back on a SOT, they would not likely succeed with a closed boat either or deal with emptying one out. Among arguments I haven't heard but I will raise and comment on are: A. You can't have the fun of building your own SOT. Building your own boat with kits or plans from Nick Schade and others certainly is something that is drawing more sea kayakers because of the satisfaction of crafting your own vessel and the aesthetics of wood. But where is it written that you could not make your own wood SOT. I can see a most stunning looking wood SOT with mahogany inlays, smooth sensuous curved seats and foot wells. Imagine all that stretch of wood with no interruption of the long lines for something so prosaic as a cockpit rim and opening, or a sprayskirt covering a large chunk of the craftsman's handy work. B. You can't have the fun of rolling, etc with a SOT. Well you could if you wish, with thigh straps as was mentioned here which gives you more control and contact with the SOT if that is important to you or needed for rough conditions. But anyway, I thought the purpose of a sea kayak was to go out and enjoy the sense of your body propelling you through open expanses of water. Rolling is not the purpose of sea kayaking. Kayaking is, i.e. going some place along a shoreline or making some crossing to an island. Rolling is only if things go wrong. Well, as you can see, what gets me passionate (aside from looking at Julia Roberts) is standing up for things that are misunderstood or looked down upon. I see SOTs in the same vein as I see folding kayaks. They are a lot better than people give them credit for. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed Feb 24 1999 - 07:07:44 PST
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