I recently purchased one and I'd like to hear from owners as to their experiences, i.e. ease or suggestions of assembly, rolling and paddling characteristics, behavior in quartering and following seas, etc. hb. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Hans Brandl wrote: > > I recently purchased one and I'd like to hear from owners as to their > experiences, i.e. ease or suggestions of assembly, rolling and paddling > characteristics, behavior in quartering and following seas, etc. > hb. I am not an owner of a K-1 but I did review it within the last year or so. If you want a copy of the review email directly and I will send it to you. However, here are some nutshell answers to your questions: 1. Ease of assembly. The new K-1 is infinitely easier to assemble than the pre-1998 version. A number of changes account for this: a) the chine and gunwale stringers are pre-connected to the bow and stern pieces. The method used before (a pin going through holes in these various long pieces) was tricky and could take a few minutes especially if your hands are cold. b) the new K-1 does away with the welded rib cage in the cockpit area. This was an extremely strong part of the boat, but you had to line up 4 bars at the same time with their mating points in the rib cage. It was easy to wedge one in a bit further than another and that would slow you down in assembly. c) the new deck material. Polytech replaced cordura in 1998. It is a stable material, meaning it stays true in size through various temperature and moisture ranges. The cordura, for example, would shrink in the heat of an apartment closet and be a devil to deal with in the first assembly in springtime because of this (you had to wet the deck to get the cordura stretchy again). d) several other things too which I can't remember now. 2. I don't roll but from what I have seen, the K-1 rolls easily. If anything the newer version should be a bit easier as it has an upswept bow and makes the boat want to come back up again some. However, I think it is worthwhile pointing out that the K-1's stability is such that it can weather lots of wakes and beam waves without tipping or requiring much of a brace. Anything can tip over, but the K-1 is more stable than its cousin, the Khatsalano. 3.Paddling characteristics. The K-1 has always been a good tracking boat. I remember my first experience with one about 8 years ago. It tracked so much better than a number of hardshells that were around me on various trips. The new version of the K-1 seems to have kept that tracking ability, perhaps a smidgen less so. What is nice about the newer version is that it can be put on its side a bit easier than the older version...mind you I am talking about small degrees of difference that I felt in the seat of my pants...you might have a different feeling than I and others...so much is subjective. Quartering winds and seas. It is okay and I mean by that that it is no worse behaved than other leading hardshell and folding kayaks. A lot depends on your body weight, paddling stroke, body english etc. ... some people are better at keeping a boat going straight without a rudder than other paddlers. It depends on what you learned on... I learned on the Klepper Aerius I which is poor in tracking and gets sucked into every kind of wind direction. So, I developed the non-conscious body english for that. If you want a good tracking comparable folding kayak that is almost impervious to such quartering wind forces try the Nautiraid Greenlander. It is about the same dimensions as the K-1 (albeit a bit wider by 2 or 3 inches). Again, if you want to get an email version of the review email me backchannel. And, as always, I send it to you no strings attached. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Hans Brandl wrote: > > I recently purchased one and I'd like to hear from owners as to their > experiences, i.e. ease or suggestions of assembly, rolling and paddling > characteristics, behavior in quartering and following seas, etc. > hb. I am not an owner of a K-1 but I did review it within the last year or so. If you want a copy of the review email directly and I will send it to you. However, here are some nutshell answers to your questions: 1. Ease of assembly. The new K-1 is infinitely easier to assemble than the pre-1998 version. A number of changes account for this: a) the chine and gunwale stringers are pre-connected to the bow and stern pieces. The method used before (a pin going through holes in these various long pieces) was tricky and could take a few minutes especially if your hands are cold. b) the new K-1 does away with the welded rib cage in the cockpit area. This was an extremely strong part of the boat, but you had to line up 4 bars at the same time with their mating points in the rib cage. It was easy to wedge one in a bit further than another and that would slow you down in assembly. c) the new deck material. Polytech replaced cordura in 1998. It is a stable material, meaning it stays true in size through various temperature and moisture ranges. The cordura, for example, would shrink in the heat of an apartment closet and be a devil to deal with in the first assembly in springtime because of this (you had to wet the deck to get the cordura stretchy again). d) several other things too which I can't remember now. 2. I don't roll but from what I have seen, the K-1 rolls easily. If anything the newer version should be a bit easier as it has an upswept bow and makes the boat want to come back up again some. However, I think it is worthwhile pointing out that the K-1's stability is such that it can weather lots of wakes and beam waves without tipping or requiring much of a brace. Anything can tip over, but the K-1 is more stable than its cousin, the Khatsalano. 3.Paddling characteristics. The K-1 has always been a good tracking boat. I remember my first experience with one about 8 years ago. It tracked so much better than a number of hardshells that were around me on various trips. The new version of the K-1 seems to have kept that tracking ability, perhaps a smidgen less so. What is nice about the newer version is that it can be put on its side a bit easier than the older version...mind you I am talking about small degrees of difference that I felt in the seat of my pants...you might have a different feeling than I and others...so much is subjective. Quartering winds and seas. It is okay and I mean by that that it is no worse behaved than other leading hardshell and folding kayaks. A lot depends on your body weight, paddling stroke, body english etc. ... some people are better at keeping a boat going straight without a rudder than other paddlers. It depends on what you learned on... I learned on the Klepper Aerius I which is poor in tracking and gets sucked into every kind of wind direction. So, I developed the non-conscious body english for that. If you want a good tracking comparable folding kayak that is almost impervious to such quartering wind forces try the Nautiraid Greenlander. It is about the same dimensions as the K-1 (albeit a bit wider by 2 or 3 inches). Again, if you want to get an email version of the review email me backchannel. And, as always, I send it to you no strings attached. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** 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/ *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** 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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