Would anyone like to profer opinions of the NDK Explorer? C'mon, I know a number of you have them. Apparently, they're quite sturdy. But they look a little small volume-wise. What's it like packing them for a multi-day trip, how much do they really weigh, and how do they handle (flatwater, rolling seas, and surf)? Thanks, Evan (Lurker until now and relative newbie to the sport doing some research) *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
The Explorer would be my nominee for World Champion general-purpose sea kayak. It has plenty of room for a multi-day trip, paddles like a dream, is amazingly stable but very maneuverable, and of course it is rugged. This is the boat Chris Duff chose for his circumnavigation of the south island of New Zealand. That should say something very good about it. But this is not only a boat for an advanced paddler. I've seen a woman, new to paddling, take one on a multi-day trip and do beautifully. As for the report of the Explorer's skeg leaking, this has not been the experience of anyone I've known who owns an Explorer. But if the skeg should leak, it would not be that hard to repair. I would also say that for a boat almost 10 feet long, the Explorer turns quite well. Bill Hansen *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
While I haven't logged many hours in the Romany Explorer, I do have a couple of friends that have them, BobR being one of them, the other being a female about 5'7" and 120 lbs. The only knock on them is the weight. Unlike Bob's experiences with the leaky skeg, the other one doesn't leak. As to space, I have been paddling a Romany 16 for several years, and other than the weight absolutely love it! Plenty of space to do a 14 day trip the entire coast of Georgia last year, camping along the way and without stuff on the deck. But, had to pack carefully. There's certainly more space in the Explorer. There has been some "knock" on day-hatches in other media--personally it is not an option with me--it's a must have. No problems with leaky hatches, do need to watch putting weight on them while performing rescues, sometimes they pop open. Personally, someday I hope to purchase an Explorer but in kevlar--or maybe a Nordkapp Jubilee. JohnB *************************************************************************** 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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