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From: <Walt342_at_aol.com>
subject: [Paddlewise] pygmy coho
Date: Mon, 1 Nov 1999 23:57:17 EST
Hi gang,                                                                        
                 Any thoughts on the Pygmy Coho. Thinkin bout buildin one.    
                                 
                                                                Thanx,        
                                                 Walt Levins
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From: <JorgieJ_at_aol.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] pygmy coho
Date: Tue, 2 Nov 1999 01:50:51 EST
Have had one for two years, great boat, fast, stable and very sea worthy.  I 
have the bulkheads and hatches and they make it a lot easier to lot and 
unload.  Does not need a rudder, try the boat without it first before buying 
the rudder.

The only custom thing I did was to rout the lower edge of the combing with a 
1/4 radius and the upper edge with a 3/8 radius curve, makes getting into and 
out and handling the boat by the combing easier, and it looks more finished.  
Handles made by laminating scraps left over and routing them round matches 
the boat better then the doweling and the hatch stand offs can be made the 
same way.

I used System Three Clear Coat to lay the glass cloth, wets out faster and 
clearer and then did the filler coats with the standard resin.

Enjoy.  Mike
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From: <JCMARTIN43_at_aol.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] pygmy coho
Date: Tue, 2 Nov 1999 07:10:35 EST
There's an interesting web site run by Nick Schade at Guillemot kayaks with a bulletin board where you could get a lot more information and comparison data on "strip built" and some "stitch and glue boats".  Can't provide the URL (my primitive email system) but search under Guillemot and it'll pop up.

Jack
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From: Dave Uebele <daveu_at_sptddog.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] pygmy coho
Date: Tue, 02 Nov 1999 07:19:21 -0800
I built two Pygmy Coho's this summer.
Nice boats.

The kayak building BBS is at:
http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/cgi-bin/KBbbs.cgi

I have some notes about building the Coho, still in a bit rough format at:
http://sptddog.com/daveu/kayak.html

Their kits go together pretty well, and they are gorgeous boats.
The finishing details they suggest seem crude by comparison,
seat, hatches, etc.  
The kit provides just barely enough epoxy, you may need to 
purchase more, as well as some of the other disposable items
used while building.

Pygmy is pretty good at answering questions via phone or in
person, not so great on email, but there are enough people
on this list or the building BBS that can assist in that regard.

It seems like for most of the pygmy line, there is low initial
stability. The boats feel tippy getting in and getting started.
However they have good secondary stability.  You cringe when
that first bigger wave or wake approaches you, then are all smiles
to see how well it rode it out.
dave


-- 
Dave Uebele (daveu_at_sptddog.com)	 Spotted Dog Systems
http://sptddog.com/daveu.html
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From: Shawn W. Baker <baker_at_montana.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] pygmy coho
Date: Tue, 02 Nov 1999 09:59:56 -0700
Walt wrote:
>Hi gang,                                                               
>Any thoughts on the Pygmy Coho. Thinkin bout buildin one.    

It's a nice boat.  Pretty maneuverable, tracks well enough, comfortable
in waves, and is supposed to be pretty easy to build.

Shawn
-- 
Shawn W. Baker          0                                    46°53'N
© 1999            ____©/______                              114°06'W
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^\  ,/      /~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^
baker_at_montana.com    0        http://www.missoulaconcrete.com/shawn/
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From: Gordon S. Adams <gadams_at_socrates.berkeley.edu>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] pygmy coho
Date: Tue, 02 Nov 1999 12:08:02 -0800
I am very pleased with mine.  To the extent that my limited abilities can
test 
it, the boat meets all expectations.  I did not put a rudder on.  I can
attest 
to the Coho's stability, both primary and  secondary.  The fact that I can 
carve leaned turns speaks well of the boat.  The fact that I see other
paddlers 
carve much tighter leaned turns should probably not be held against the
boat.  

I had never built a boat before and the kit went together just like it was 
supposed to.  One tip: don't overdue the hot melt glue on the temporary molds 
that define the hull shape.  Even with a soldering iron it was a bugger
getting 
the glue out prior to fiber glassing the inside of the hull.

I am not so happy with the hatch kit design.  I have never had to haul
myself or 
anyone else across the deck in rough seas and I certainly wouldn't relish
doing 
so with those nasty looking cinch cams pointing up like the spikes on a
dragon's 
back.  The pressure necessary to keep the holds dry has also worn out the
webbing 
straps.  I am working on various alternatives to the web straps and cinch
cams 
but don't have any success stories YET.

If you get the Coho I recommend looking at the articles on the kayak
builders of 
southern Calif web page:

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/btreecs/ARTICLES.HTM


Overall I give the kit a big enthusiastic thumbs up.

Gordon Adams
Berkeley, CA

At 09:59 AM 11/2/99 -0700, Shawn W. Baker wrote:
>Walt wrote:
>>Hi gang,                                                               
>>Any thoughts on the Pygmy Coho. Thinkin bout buildin one.    
>
>It's a nice boat.  Pretty maneuverable, tracks well enough, comfortable
>in waves, and is supposed to be pretty easy to build.
>
>Shawn
>-- 
>Shawn W. Baker          0                                    46°53'N
>© 1999            ____©/______                              114°06'W
>~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^\  ,/      /~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^
>baker_at_montana.com    0        http://www.missoulaconcrete.com/shawn/
>***************************************************************************
>PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not
>to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission
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>Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
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>
>
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