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From: Michael R Noyes <mnoyes_at_gsinet.net>
subject: [Paddlewise] Confusion over which boat.
Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1999 12:22:18 -0500
Dear fellow PaddleWisenhiemers;
I have managed to get myself into a state of confusion.  I will be
buying a new kayak in the spring, and I thought I had my choice all made
with the Current Designs Extreme.  Then Ken Fink had me try out a Necky
Looksha III.  Nice boat, so I'm a little indecisive.  Then I started
looking at the Seda Glider!
I would like feedback on any and all of these boats in order to help me
decide, or you can add to my confusion be suggesting other boats that I
haven't thought of yet.  I am looking for a boat in the 19 foot range,
23 inch beam max. although I prefer less than 22.  Mostly for day
tripping, but I intend to do a few weekends and such.  My current boat
is a Current Designs Caribou,  but I want something a bit faster.
All suggestions will be taken into consideration, with the final
decision being made on the water.  I really enjoy shopping for boats, so
this should prove fun indeed.  That is why I start looking so early.
Thanks for the help.  As another thread said, this is a great group!

Mike
--
    Paddling along through fog so thick that only one's thoughts are
visible, your reverie is abruptly shattered by the ancient cry of a
great
blue heron as she lifts uncertainly from the brilliant blue of a
mussel-shell beach witnessed only by the brooding, wet spruce....your
passage home seems as much back through time as it does through space.
Mark H Hunt


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From: Dave Flory <dflory_at_earthlink.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Confusion over which boat.
Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1999 13:11:33 -0800
on 11/12/99 9:22 AM, Michael R Noyes at mnoyes_at_gsinet.net wrote:

> I would like feedback on any and all of these boats in order to help me
> decide, or you can add to my confusion be suggesting other boats that I
> haven't thought of yet.  I am looking for a boat in the 19 foot range,
> 23 inch beam max. although I prefer less than 22.  Mostly for day
> tripping, but I intend to do a few weekends and such.  My current boat
> is a Current Designs Caribou,  but I want something a bit faster.

If you are willing to consider SOT types it sounds as though' you might be
describing the Futura Sports Touring model. You might enjoy trying that one.
I'm looking at it as a candidate for me in a year or so. (I'm only a few
months into kayaking so I'm not ready get into something like this yet.)
It's 19' x 20." Their web site is: <http://www.surfskis.com>

Similar physical dimensions on the Heritage Shearwater, 18'-3" x 24". The
Shearwater weighs 51 lbs. in fiberglass, 44 in kevlar/graphite, and both
carry about 280 lbs. at design draft. Web site:
<http://www.heritagekayaks.com/>

These are both SOT style, as I want to be able to drop off and free dive
whenever I feel like it. They're both beautiful boats and noticeably quick,
_especially_ compared to my current short fat Cobra Expedition. :-)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Dave Flory, San Jose, CA.     daflory_at_pacbell.net
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Speak softly and study Aikido, then you won't need a big stick.  ©1999
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

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From: Thomas M. Heineman <heineman_at_enteract.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Confusion over which boat.
Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1999 23:23:25 -0800
Michael R Noyes wrote:
> 
> Dear fellow PaddleWisenhiemers;
> I have managed to get myself into a state of confusion.  I will be
> buying a new kayak in the spring, and I thought I had my choice all made
> with the Current Designs Extreme.  Then Ken Fink had me try out a Necky
> Looksha III.  Nice boat, so I'm a little indecisive.  Then I started
> looking at the Seda Glider!
> I would like feedback on any and all of these boats<<<
 
> Mike<<<

I bought a Current Designs Expedition which is not a good beginner boat
because it is quite tipsy (round hull)...  It is designed for
expeditions (daahhhh...) so it wants to be loaded.   I use two lead
diver weights just in front and just behind the seat (13.5 lbs total),
and the ballast makes it very stable...  I like the boat and I will like
it more when I go on a long trip loaded.   However, at the same time as
I bought this boat, my friend bought a high volume Kevlar Current
Designs Extreme.  The boat is very similar to the Expedition except it
is about an inch narrower and has a shallow "v" bottom and is much more
stable.  It is also extremely fast.  If I had to do it all over; I would
go for the Extreme; a great boat.  

Tom
Chicago
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From: Larry Koenig <paddlin_at_home.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Confusion over which boat.
Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1999 23:55:08 -0600
> Michael R Noyes wrote:
> >
> > Dear fellow PaddleWisenhiemers;
> > I have managed to get myself into a state of confusion.  I will be
> > buying a new kayak in the spring, and I thought I had my choice all made
> > with the Current Designs Extreme.  Then Ken Fink had me try out a Necky
> > Looksha III.  Nice boat, so I'm a little indecisive.  Then I started
> > looking at the Seda Glider!
> > I would like feedback on any and all of these boats<<<
>
> > Mike<<<

I've no experience with the others but have paddled the Glider and bought
the Impulse- also by Seda.  If acquired during their Christmas special a
Seda boat can be had for quite cheap, relatively speaking.  That is, you can
get a well made kevlar boat for a price that would be good for a glass boat.
That they are assembled ( I'm told) in Mexico where labor is cheaper
probably accounts for the pricing.  The Impulse is plenty big enough for a
whale of a lot of gear, quite fast and well balanced in cross winds.  I
preferred it to the Glider for a general purpose fast touring kayak.

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