Re: [Paddlewise] Boat Opinions & Analyse

Doug wrote:

I'm getting older, and my joints and connective tissue are deteriorating
quickly. If it weren't for my stretching and exercise regimes, I wouldn't
be able to kayak much any more after years of storm paddling abuse in the
Nordkapp.<big snip> 

Chuck replied:
>You mentioned the Romany in an earlier post. One reason I bought mine is
>because a layback roll is easy to do in it. And for the last two years,
>James Loveridge has demonstrated a full range of Greenland rolls, hand
>rolls, and the static brace in a Romany kayak at the Great Lakes Sea
>Kayak Symposium. So now I don't have my kayak as an excuse for not being
>able to do a static brace!

Yes, the Romany is a fine sea kayak in all respects. They *are* heavy, and
a new one would be expensive for me. If I were going to buy a new
fiberglass kayak, the Romany would be on my short list. I would, however,
like to build my next kayak, for philosophical reasons, plus the chance to
build it based on my body size (there is a word for that, that escapes me
at the momment).

I did speak with Chris Duff tonight, who was in Victoria for a full length
presentation on the Ireland trip. He said he is changing from his trusty
Nordkapp to the Romany because of painful siatica problems that are getting
worse with age, and he felt the Norkapp wasn't helping. I related to Chris
that I had similar problems, but kept to a constant regime of specialized
stretching, based a bit on yoga. He said he tried yoga, but it only helped
a bit.

I asked him how he would handle following stern seas on the quarter on his
New Zealand trip. He had been using a modified hull Nordkapp, prior, and
generally got off the water at 20 knots on the Irish trip. He felt from the
testing he has done in rough seas with the new Romany, that it handled
fine, even in some awfull stuff. I assumed he had a skeg, but when I
queried him, he said no. The skeg box would take up too much cargo space,
and besides, the new Romany handled fine without it, for him. I told him to
be careful out there. I also looked over his old Nordkapp which he had on
display. He had shaved off some of the rear modified hull's built in
keel/skeg.

On a topic aside, I told him I was doing an article on tethers. He was very
excited, and said I could use his name as a recommendation for their use,
both the body to boat skeg, and the wrist leash. During the show, he went
on to extol the virtues of these accessories.

On another topic aside, during the question and answer period, I asked him,
at his choice, if he could explain what he meant by his spiritual journey
on the Irish trip. He explained it in detail to us all, and said he
normally doesn't say as much as he was telling us. I was very moved, as we
all were, I'm sure.   
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