On Fri, 5 Mar 1999 12:05:15 Dan Volker wrote: >You do NOT want a plastic boat. You want a fiberglass or composite >boat. If you are starting out you may not _want_ a plastic boat but you should get one to learn in. In my first year of paddling I've done some boneheaded things in my plastic boat that I would have hated doing in a fiberglass boat (well, not that I liked doing them in the plastic boat, just that the consequences weren't as severe). How much difference will a fiberglass boat make versus a plastic one for a beginner? When I get experienced I plan on moving up to a fiberglass boat. By then I should be able to maximize the benefit it has over the plastic but until then I can bang around and learn in something dang near indestructable. Mel --- There are three types of people, those who can count and those who can't. -----== Sent via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----- http://www.dejanews.com/ Easy access to 50,000+ discussion forums *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Mel Grindol wrote: > > You do NOT want a plastic boat. You want a fiberglass or composite > > boat. > > If you are starting out you may not _want_ a plastic boat but you should get one to learn in. One reason to get a glass boat is weight. But consider the following scenario: You (180# (well, me, if not you)) are paddling along in your plastic boat (65#) loaded with gear (60#), food (20#), water (25#), and snake bite medicine (1l). That's 350+ pounds you have to motivate. Suddenly, your fairy godmother appears in the air above your bow hatch. "You are working so hard," she says. "How about some magic? I can wave my wand and reduce your load by 20 pounds." "That's not much," you say. "What's it going to cost me?" "About $1200. But your boat will be so much prettier. Of course, you'll also have to learn to do boat maintenance." Do you.... (A) fork over the $1200? (B) swat her with your paddle? (C) ask for a date with Cinderella? Steve (but that Arctic Hawk is so nice) -- Test Scoring & Reporting Services Sometimes, you never can University of Georgia always tell what you Athens, GA 30602-5593 least expect the most. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
On Fri, 05 Mar 1999 15:39:01 Steve Cramer wrote: >Mel Grindol wrote: >> If you are starting out you may not _want_ a plastic boat but you should get one to learn in. > >One reason to get a glass boat is weight. But consider the following >scenario: > >You (180# (well, me, if not you)) Close enough, say about 185#. > are paddling along in your plastic >boat (65#) loaded with gear (60#), food (20#), water (25#), and snake >bite medicine (1l). That's 350+ pounds you have to motivate. Suddenly, >your fairy godmother appears in the air above your bow hatch. "You are >working so hard," she says. "How about some magic? I can wave my wand >and reduce your load by 20 pounds." Doing a little research I found the average weight of 10 plastic touring boats (WS Epic, Sealution II; Dagger Atlantis, Magellan, Apostle; Perception Sea Lion, Shadow; Necky Looksha IV; CD Storm, Squall) to be 63#. The average weight of 10 fiberglass boats (WS Shenai, Sealution, Arctic Hawk; Dagger Sitka; Perception Sea Lion; Necky Looksha IV; CD Solstice GT, Solstice GTS, Gulfstream, Expedition) to be 53#. That is only a 10# difference. Over 350# that is only a savings of 2.9%. For a beginner is that really going to be noticeable? >"That's not much," you say. "What's it going to cost me?" > >"About $1200. But your boat will be so much prettier. Of course, you'll >also have to learn to do boat maintenance." Which you will need to know how to do because you don't know as much how to keep from banging the thing around. Wouldn't a beginner be better in a plastic boat? It's cheaper to just get into the sport. If you buy one based on your initial skills and then outgrow it you're not out big $$'s. By the time you are good enough to notice the impact of fiberglass (in its better hull shapes and performance) you will know more exactly what you are looking for and what you can handle when you go shopping for that boat that can last a long time. No, that plastic boat doesn't look as nice or perform as well but for a beginner who's just damn happy to be on the water it is fantastic. >Do you.... > (A) fork over the $1200? > (B) swat her with your paddle? > (C) ask for a date with Cinderella? Since my wife reads this list I can't say C. :) I'm too polite to swat a woman. How about I take that $1200 and buy two Gore-Tex dry suits (one for my wife, one for me)? We may not look pretty in our plastic boats but at least we'll be alive. :) >Steve (but that Arctic Hawk is so nice) Ah-ha. The Arctic Hawk was the one anomaly. At only 46# it was less than even the other fiberglass boats. Don't get me wrong. I realize that fiberglass boats are superior and fully plan to buy one in a year or two. But plastic boats have their place too. Especially the ones that are full fledged sea kayaks. The two boats we have are a Necky Looksha IV and a Perception Shadow. Quite capable boats. Mel --- There are three types of people, those who can count and those who can't. -----== Sent via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----- http://www.dejanews.com/ Easy access to 50,000+ discussion forums *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
...My personal perspective of the "Cost of Kayaking" thread is pretty simplistic. MOST of my money I have spent on motorcycles and kayaks...the rest of it I wasted !! ....Peyton (Louisiana) ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Don't get me wrong. I realize that fiberglass boats are superior and fully plan to buy one in a year or two. But plastic boats have their place too. Especially the ones that are full fledged sea kayaks. The two boats we have are a Necky Looksha IV and a Perception Shadow. Quite capable boats. --------- I have a FG Looksha IV. Weight was the only factor in choosing between FG and plastic (I decided kevlar was not worth the cost, to me). I paddle alone, mostly, and since I'm a little older and a little feebler than I used to be, a couple hundred dollars for 10 pounds less was worth it to me. My main concern at the time was getting it on and off the truck by myself. As it turns out, that is the easier part of manhandling a kayak. Here in the northeast US, there are more rock than sand beaches and I frequently find myself carrying over rocks and boulders, trying to maintain balance with an 18 foot kayak. On the other hand, I'm rather rough on equipment. If I get tired (or PO'ed) I'll just drag the damn thing. My spare paddle and self rescue practices have scratched up the aft deck pretty much. Since my maintenance efforts consist mostly of an annual 303 application and hosing off after a paddle, the 3 year old kayak looks more like 13 years old. Combined with my duct taped paddle and my overall grizzled appearance I look like I've been paddling for decades. Clyde Sisler http://csisler.com *************************************************************************** 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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