Re: [Paddlewise] S-O-T suitability

This doesn't directly address your question, Tina, but I've got one of the more popular SOTs, the Ocean Kayak Scrambler.  I've installed Gaspachi hatches since buying it, and would have to say that, given enough small and medium sized drybags, I could pack that hull with enough equipment for a long weekend or a short week --- or, in the tropics and assuming water was available, just about forever.  That doesn't count the recesses in the after deck sized to hold large coolers.  

Yeah, it's a wet ride, and it's incredibly slow.  The hull speed on mine is about three knots, and it makes virtually no difference how hard you paddle after getting to that speed --- that's as fast as it's going to go, and it takes a good amount of effort to get it up there.

The Scrambler has fittings for thigh straps (I don't think you want to fool around with any sort of kayak seatbelt, at least not on PaddleWise!) and you could even make your own out of two pieces of four foot long webbing and four "dogleash" clips if you wanted to, making it possible to roll.  Not sure how it would do with a twenty gallon cooler on the back deck, but, clear deck, it's not that hard to roll.

SOTs get bad press from PaddleWisers and other elite paddling groups (;-), but they're a lot of fun in warm weather, they serve a purpose in the hierarchy of boats, especially for fishing and free diving, and they're cheap by any other standards.

Good luck with the trip.

Jack
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