Re: [Paddlewise] Nordkapp review

From: "Doug Lloyd" <dlloyd_at_telus.net> Sent: Domingo, 30 de Enero de 2000
06:21 a.m.

> 1. If you know it well enough and under any situations, why are you
> soliciting opinions?

Just in order to see what´s important for you in a kayak, having in he
Nordkapp a well known reference point. Different cultures have different
preferences, for example not all Americans like Brit. boats.

> 2. If you only have one kayak mould in your country, namely the illegal
> Nordkapp, how can you fairly appraise it, if you have not paddled anything
> else for comparison and contrast?

I never said that. We have some different designs or illegal versions of
foreign kayaks. The fact they are illegal is not because we like it. With a
money exchange rate of $1 = u$s1, paying $1 for a litter of gas, and being $
700 a month the average salary, you can realise there´s only a very few
people here who can pay for an original boat. (There´s an ORION that coasted
u$s 4000 and some SEA-LIONS for u$s 2500, when local versions cost around
u$s 1000). There´s also another reason, we´re coming out from military
dictatorship governments when all importations were prohibited. So we had to
manage somehow. Anyway I have paddled these kayaks as well as a CHINOOK and
other similar in shape to Easy Ryder´s ESKIMO.

> 3. The Nordkapp is over twenty years old, admittedly it has a fine
> heritage, but other designs have evolved from it, not to mention other
> designs that are completely at odds with the Nordkapp, but have fine
> characteristics too, even superior ones.

This is the point why I am interested in your opinion as the very
experienced paddler you are. Which are these kayaks and why are them better.

> Why not concentrate on asking people what other boats they like, and why?
(I think you did in a
> round-about way, perhaps).

Yes, I did, and many of you ( including yourself ) sent me a response. I
appreciate that very much.

> You might be able to get a license for one of these other kayaks, and even
produce them legally. Or do what a
> number of designers have done -- change a few dimensions here and there,
> and call your kayak something else, and then NO royalties.

I can do that, and will get some for sure, but with our "broken up" economy
I don´t think I´ll be able to sell more than one or two kayaks. I started
kayaking 15 years ago and owned some of those kayaks I mentioned, being "my"
best choice the Nordcapp. Then, after experiencing the problems you detailed
so well, I decided to make some modifications, as you did yourself. But this
kayak I had was a really weak one, and weakness has no cure, so I decided to
build my own version. As this Nordcapp design was close enough to what I
wanted I didn´t have to change it radically, just the skeg, to make it more
manoeuvrable, add a day hatch, like the Romany, raised a little the rear
deck
to gain volume for the day-hatch, and make bigger front and rear hatches. I
did this just for me, the same way you´re planning to build you own
strip-built boat. But once the boat was finished some friends wanted it so I
still keep making it, but only under request. There´s not a think like a
market for kayaking here. We don´t have such a demand. So I have always
concentrated more in teaching novices and spreading up the sport than making
business of it.

> Anyway, glad you guys have something to paddle down there. You must have
> some beautiful coastline. I dream about paddling down in places that are
> your "backyard".

Yes, for sure. Most of it virgin and plenty of wildlife, we even have whales
in Patagonia. Argentina has every landscape or geographical region you can
imagine, from deserts to rain-forests. We have the vast plain PAMPAS and the
amazing ACONCAGUA. And I also dream on paddling our "backyard", but just an
advise, never let CHILEANS know you referred to their country as ARGENTINA´S
BACKYARD ´cause they´ll never forgive you !!!

Chilean Fjords are maybe the last unexplored paradise on earth, but permits
to access are almost impossible to get. The Navy in Chile (and their
militaries in general) are very restrictive about it. But I will do it some
day, we can even do it together ...

> And it appears trying to find the perfect kayak is a universal pursuit....

THE PERFECT KAYAK DOES NOT EXIST !!!!. I´m not looking for it. I´m just
trying to widen up my mind, learn more from other´s experience, and maybe
custom fit my kayak to better its performance or make it more comfortable.

Best regards and thank you again.

Fernando López Arbarello
(Who´s not looking for the perfect boat, but trying to become a
wiser-paddler)
uktkayak_at_interar.com.ar


P.S.:     Dough, I´m still interested on the modifications you made to your
Nordkapp, specially for the rudder ( I´designing one so I´m looking for new
different ideas), and not for commercial purposes.




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