RE: [Paddlewise] Turning efficiently in high winds - how do you do it?

Hi Greg,
> the new boat (NordKapp)
> turns downwind in these conditions.  The boat paddled by my paddling
> partner, a Katsolano (sp?), also exhibited the same behavior as the
> NordKapp.

This is interesting because from things I had read I thought the NordKapp
had a slight tendency to turn upwind. Even with the skeg in the up position?
Nothing on the forward deck to catch the wind?

> My question is: after pointing downwind I found that I had a devil of a
> time getting the boat heading upwind again... what techniques do you use
> under these conditions to gain better directional control of the boat in
> high winds?

Profile of the boat above the waterline, the boat's natural pivot point (I
don't know the term for that), a rudder or skeg,  and anything sticking up
out of the boat (deck bag or you) will influence the boats tendency to turn
up or down wind. From my understanding a rudder/skeg will produce enough
drag to make most boats turn downwind when sitting still. For me this is an
effect I'm trying to achieve with my Guillemot since it wants to turn hard
into the wind. When facing down wind it is easy for me to get it in a broach
condition. I just finished putting a rudder on it so next weekend I hope to
see how much I've changed the handling.

On the other hand, if I'm just playing around in the waves, I don't want
anything like a rudder or skeg influencing my boat at all. The moderate
rocker of the Guillemot, relatively flat bottom and hard chines make this
boat very easy to spin around on the crest of a wave. The one thing I'm
concerned about is that by putting the rudder on, when I'm playing and the
rudder is laying on the deck, it may want to turn even harder upwind.

> I tried a variety of techniques: turning on top of waves, adjusting the
> skeg to different positions (up clearly worked best), sculling, boat
> tilting, bracing, sweeping strokes - nothing seemed to work well.

I think it is supposed to be hard to turn a boat with the skeg deployed, no?
I've got no experience with them so someone please educate me if I'm wrong.
How did it handle with the skeg fully retracted?

Learning all I can...

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/
***************************************************************************