>From: ralph diaz <rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com> SNIP >A sea sock is like a large condom that you place around the coaming of >your kayak and whose material forms a pocket or sock in which you sit. >It extends well forward under the deck and should accomodate even the >tallest paddler. > >Its purpose is to keep water from filling the cockpit. SNIP Hi Ralph, Sorry about the inunendo-laiden subject line, but you set the tone by describing the sea sock as a condom:-) A couple of years back I actually practised paddle-float rescues in small surf (as opposed to calm water or in pools). I was appalled at how destablizing the "free surface effect" (water sloshing back and forth)in the cockpit was, even with just an inch or two of water aboard. (In retrospect, this should not have been so surprising; that inch or two represents many gallons of water, and therefore quite a few pounds, all charging about below decks like a loose cannon or misprogrammed Norwegian Stablity Troll.) I was also surprised at just how long it took in "real world conditions" to pump out the boat to a stability where I could safely detach the paddle float outrigger. As in many North American boats, the bulkheads in my boat are set fairly far forth and aft so that the off-the-shelf boat can be "one size fits most"; the result is a large amount of water shipped during a wet exit and righting. I recommend everyone try the rough-water paddle-float experiment in controlled conditions - it's an eye-opener. Since then I've been using a seasock pretty much anytime I think there's much possibility of a capsize. I've noticed having the seasock makes attaching the spray skirt a much more fiddly business, and it also seems that the spray skirt does not seal as well to the rim. I have a hardshell boat with a thin fibreglass coaming, pretty similar to the Feathercraft coamings. I'm using a Feathercraft seasock. Do you (or Matt, or anyone else) have any nifty tricks for making the sprayskirt go on more quickly and securely over a seasock? Philip Torrens N49°16' W123°06' ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed May 31 2000 - 08:33:39 PDT
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