Thinking about building a Pygmy Osprey Triple or Double. I have built one of Pygmy's kits before, so I am experienced in stitch and glue, and know the idiosyncracies of Pygmy's products. Anybody built either? How did you like the *performance* and how did it work out for extended touring? Did you make the center compartment a watertight one (with bulkhead) or leave it open? Thanks. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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 *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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