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From: E. Sullivan <sullivaned_at_pop.mts.kpnw.org>
subject: [Paddlewise] Perception Dancer/deck blades
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 16:33:08 -0700
Anybody surf this boat? Comments? My Caribou is a little
unwieldy for surfing all day. Got a line on a good [I think]
deal ($250 for the whole kit (including Lightning graphite
shaft paddle)), and I think it'll be gone if I wait to try
it out. I will just be surfing, not whitewater.

re: blades - for those who like folders, by bro gave me a
very nice Spiderco EMT with a sheep's foot non-point. Safety
orange scales, belt clip, lanyard hole. Good little cutter.

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From: Rob Cookson <rob_cookson_at_mindspring.com>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Perception Dancer/deck blades
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 18:53:34 -0700
Hello,

The Dancer is an old whitewater boat.  When it first came out it was the hot
new boat and it stayed that way for years, it had better staying power than
any design before or since.  Almost everyone who has been paddling long
enough has paddled a dancer.  One of the best big wave surf kayakers I have
ever seen used to use a Dancer and he held out and kept that boat years
after everyone else was changing.  So yes it can work in the surf.  It is
long and has tremendous hull speed (compared to modern ww boats) so it is
easier to catch waves.

That said, it would not be my choice for a surf boat.  I like the new flat
hulls because they are far more playful and allow access to moves that you
can't get in a Dancer.  The Dancer also has a small cockpit that is not as
comfy for a lot of folks compared to modern boats.  If you are small than
the Dancer cockpit will be fine.

The boat will be old, and the plastic may be brittle, so be aware that the
life of the boat may be short.  If the paddle and skirt are in serviceable
condition than it could be a reasonable deal.  Dancers here in the Seattle
area seem to sell for 50-100 bucks.

Have fun in the surf!

Cheers,
--
Rob Cookson
		3 Hats Design
		INTERNET  PRINT  ILLUSTRATION
		5201 15 Ave NW
		Suite 220
		Seattle, WA 98107
		206.851.8202 direct line
		206.784.1641 main office phone
		206.784.2231 main office fax
		mailto:rob_at_3hats.com
		http://www.3hats.com

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
> [mailto:owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net]On Behalf Of E. Sullivan
>
>
> Anybody surf this boat? Comments? My Caribou is a little
> unwieldy for surfing all day. Got a line on a good [I think]
> deal ($250 for the whole kit (including Lightning graphite
> shaft paddle)), and I think it'll be gone if I wait to try
> it out. I will just be surfing, not whitewater.
>
>

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From: Fernando López Arbarello <uktkayak_at_uol.com.ar>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Perception Dancer/deck blades
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 02:43:04 -0300
----- Original Message -----
From: E. Sullivan <sullivaned_at_pop.mts.kpnw.org>
To: p w <PaddleWise_at_lists.intelenet.net>
Sent: Tuesday, April 18, 2000 8:33 PM
Subject: [Paddlewise] Perception Dancer/deck blades


> Anybody surf this boat? Comments? My Caribou is a little
> unwieldy for surfing all day. Got a line on a good [I think]
> deal ($250 for the whole kit (including Lightning graphite
> shaft paddle)), and I think it'll be gone if I wait to try
> it out. I will just be surfing, not whitewater.
>

Hi Ed,

The Dancer is an excellent boat for surfing waves. It will perform grate
even in rouge seas with huge waves. But you must know that whitewater
kayaking has evolved too much from the times when the Dancer was the King
(Lets say 10 years ago). Today's surf kayaks and whitewater kayaks are far
shorter and flatter than the Dancer, allowing more radical moves while
surfing, other than sliding forward, like flat spins, wave wheels, cart
wheels etc. Anyway a Dancer will be grate fun, and up to me, it is still the
"King of the Enders" ( An Ender is done when, while surfing, you manage to
dive the front of the kayak, so being pushed downwards by the wave until
getting vertical, when the air in the kayak will lift you up, and if you are
lucky, you´ll find yourself flying on the air well above the water. Of
course you´ll usually fall upside down so don´t try it if you don´t have a
bomb proof roll )

Have fun and welcome to the Club of the Adrenaline Addicts !!!

UNIÓN DE KAYAKISTAS DE TRAVESÍA
Fernando López Arbarello
uktkayak_at_uol.com.ar

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