[Paddlewise] K-Light back from Baja

Hola! We're back from a great paddle in Baja! The K-Light performed
admirably, though it was a bit small for an eight day trip that required
all drinking water, as well as gear, to be carried.

Assembly/disassembly was OK (just OK) (recall I was posting to the list
about assembly problems before the trip)... this time the coaming went
on as one of the last steps; off as one of the first. In the heat of the
day I didn't have much patience for working through the difficult steps
(inserting those crossribs), so when things got frustrating I ended up
calling for my husband. Also found it a real hassle to have to sit there
with directions in hand. It's one thing to put a boat together on a nice
large table platform (as in the Feathercraft video), but quite another
bending over kneeling in the hot sand. First attempt to put the boat
together I had the seat frame sections in backwards; got down to
inserting the bow and stern deck bars before I discovered the problem,
and had to break it all down and back up to the seat part of the
assembly process to correct it. 

I have to admit, after this experience I'm in the market for a hardshell
boat. Fully loaded, the K-Light was incredibly stable, but slow as
molasses, and tough to control in wind and currents without a rudder;
also a bit fragile in the coral reefs. Ran into a man paddling a
Khatsalano that was really moving along, but I'm not sure I want the
assembly hassles in the field again....

This was my first kayak camping trip, BTW, and I loved it! We're already
thinking the NW, more Baja, Caribbean islands, Hawaii..... ;-)

Karen

-- 
Karen Hancock
San Clemente, CA
magpi_at_access1.net
949/487-2602
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