Re: [Paddlewise] Pygmy Osprey/Double?

Dave,

"> I have test-paddled the Pygmy three holed boat (as a tandem, with a
> total of two people aboard) and I thought it was a very good double.
> [snip] Even with
> bulkheads a double will take on a lot of water!  The three holed
version
> of the pygmy double has a number of advantages.  The bulkheaded center

> compartment is easy to load with camping gear,"

The center hatch was open on the demo boat I tried at Port Townsend.  I
do not know what the Pygmy people use to close the extra hole(s).  If I
was designing a hatch for such a big hole I would combine a neoprene and
bungie edged cover with a stiff plywood and fiberglass cover on top of
the neoprene (to help take the force of a breaking wave).  The neoprene
cover need not be taught (except around the edges). I believe in the
theory that a slightly oversize cover (but with a tight bungie around
the rim)supported by dry bags or an airbag inside the compartment will
be less likely to be blown off by a wave than would a drum-taught
cover.  I think that you should always use air bags, even inside closed,
bulkheaded compartments.  Anything can leak.  You might run into
something.

I would be interested in hearing what people who own the Pygmy Tripple
do to close the extra cockpit opening.

I do not know what the volume of the center cockpit compartment is.

It has happened that  when a hatch came off, or a person wet exited a
boat without bulkheads, the drybags that were supposed to provide
flotation escaped and the kayak filled with water (see "Deep Trouble" by
Broze, Gronseth and Cunningham).  I have often thought that with large
hatches it might be a good idea to lash a peice of netting inside the
opening so that nothing could escape in the event that a hatch came off.

Nick Lyle

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