I haven't had time to respond to the Construction thread of a while back although I sure wanted to--several times. Now is still not the time. Energy from a paddle stroke that goes into flexing the kayak is lost for propulsion. A racing kayak is as stiff as possible. A soft kayak is not a lively kayak as some have called them. A soft kayak (inflatable, skin on frame, or flexible plastic) is a dead feeling kayak as it absorbs energy rather than responding in a quick and lively manner to its application. The performance of a soft kayak therefore doesn't match that of a stiffer version of the same kayak shape. This doesn't mean there are no advantages to a lack of stiffness in other areas. A kayak that flexes with the waves can be more sea kindly than the same shape that is rigid. For example, Corry Freedman of Spirit Line Kayaks (he makes the nicest Aleutian kayaks I have ever seen and paddled) made a fiberglass mold from one of his favorites with the idea of marketing it in fiberglass. I paddled both the fabric kayak and the glass version. While there was a lot of similarities (and some performance advantages to the stiffer kayak) there was one major disadvantage. The glass version had a very wet ride. The same shaped skin boat flexed and allowed the bow to rise with the waves so the water didn't easily wash over the front deck. The glass baidarka project was scrubbed. This doesn't mean that all glass kayaks will be wet but it does mean that they need to be different to be as dry riding into steep seas as a flexible kayak. Matt Broze http://www.marinerkayaks.com *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> (and some performance advantages to the stiffer kayak) there was one major > disadvantage. The glass version had a very wet ride. The same shaped skin > boat flexed and allowed the bow to rise with the waves so the water didn't > easily wash over the front deck. The glass baidarka project was scrubbed. Why is "wet" bad? Is it just a regional thing with yalls cold water up there? To me, wet is about the only way I can keep from overheating, and I often manipulate the boat to punch the bow into a wave so that I can get wet. Also, dry to me, means that the boat has way to much cross section exposed to the wind. Wind is bad, wet is good. Richard Walker Houston, TX http://www.neosoft.com/~rww/kayak_log.html *************************************************************************** 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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