Re: [Paddlewise] Feathercraft Khatsalano, S and Expedition K1

HTERVORT_at_aol.com wrote:

> >  Vince Dalrymple wrote:
> >  > Ken Fink "tested" me in the original Khats (and expected a quick
> >  > capsize, I think), and the trick was to not fight for a vertical rest
> >  > position, but to just let the craft settle over on a chine 'til getting
> >  > under way.
> 
> I personally didn't feel the Khats S tipping hard onto one chine the way
> Vince describes, though I know what he is saying -- I felt the same thing
> with the Nordcapp and could never warm to the boat because of that feel.

I was referring to the original no-sponson Khats (what Ralph referred to
as their prototype).  My standard (small sponson) Khatsalano sits pretty
flat with almost no air in the sponsons.  The Khats S would only sit
flatter still.

> Vince also described paddling in conditions which made the Khats sound like a
> sub rather than a kayak.  Vince, I suspect that you had the boat really
> heavily loaded.  Can you tell us what the weight of paddler and gear was
> during that trip?  One thing that can help with proper tracking and to keep
> the bow from diving is to load the Khats series with a heavy weight-biased
> towards the stern (much more weight in the rear, much further back than you
> might expect).  But, yes -- the boat is wetter, a price you pay for the more
> traditional performance.

My weight (at the time) was a muscular 165 lb.  The boat weighed in at
47 lb.  The gear load minus the boat which I packed over to Japan was in
the range of 40 lb.  To that was added about 3~4 lb. of food, 3~4
gallons of water/beverages (anyone care to estimate the weight?), about
2~3 lb. worth of camp stove, fuel, and camera.  Don't remember the other
odds & ends added there.  About 220 lb. plus 3~4 gallons worth of
weight.

To my best recollection, the packing/boat setup was as follows:
Bow float bag
Boat & Paddler repair kit
Bow tapered drybag w/: foodstuffs, stove, and some sm. handy camping
odds & ends
Cockpit: 2 bottles of water/beverage, bilge pump, and any emerg. gear
that didn't go 	in the vest (don't remember what balanced out the bilge
pump)
Rear Deck: spare paddle, paddle float, and for a portion of the trip the
sleeping mat
3 gal. water bag for drinking/washing items
Stern tapered drybag: 2 clothes changes & hygiene stuff, street shoes,
sleeping bag, 	and tent
Sleeping mat under rear deck for later portion of trip
Stern Float bag
The weight used to shift fore and aft was the in-cockpit water and
repair kit.

Wendy, sift through the information you now have, and based on your gut
reaction, make a choice and run with it,

Vince
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