I thought I would post some thoughts on comparing these boats. Please evaluate these thoughts with the knowledge that I am perhaps an intermediate paddler, without much experience in different boats. This may be of use to paddlers in a similar situation. In the beginning, I liked the Skerray, because it seemed to turn much easier than the Explorer. In choppy seas, it tracked poorly without the skeg, but pretty good with it. The boat was slow, I thought, and the bracing position -- mostly with the knees -- seemed uncomfortable. Some of this could be corrected, I suppose, by the use of foam, etc., to make the boat fit better. The Romany Explorer, however, fit me well. I'm particularly enamored of the "keyhole cockpit," which has these flange-like things that come over the top of the thighs and a bit down the sides of the thighs. This allows, IMHO, for excellent bracing and seems better than bracing with the knees. The Romany Explorers I have used have been without a skeg -- with one, they should be great. As I have said before, in Israel I can only try British kayaks, but in my upcoming visit to the states I hope to try Mariner and CD kayaks as well. Happy 4th to all Americans. I hope you appreciate how fortunate you are that you can throw out your government every few years -- most peoples of the world do not have that privilege. (Thank God we do in Israel as well!) Josh (dreaming of trying out kayaks in the States...) ============================================================================== Dr. Joshua Teitelbaum, Research Fellow Tel: [972] 3-640-6448 Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and Fax: [972] 3-641-5802 African Studies Tel Aviv University Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 69978 Israel E-mail:teitelba_at_ccsg.tau.ac.il www.dayan.org ============================================================================== *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Joshua, Since you like the Romany Explorer, I would recommend doing comparative test paddles of the Explorer, Mariner II, and Solstice GTS. All three are superb, efficient, and best of all forgiving boats in adverse conditions. Here we have skeg, sliding seat and rudder in similarly sized boats with quite different design philosophies. So you can fairly decide which contol mechanism you like and be assured that you are getting a fine boat no matter which you choose. Personally I would like to own all 3 boats, and I cannot think of another boat I would prefer to any of the 3. Jerry *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
If you want a more maneuverable Romany, try the Romany 16! -----Original Message----- From: Joshua Teitelbaum [SMTP:teitelba_at_post.tau.ac.il] Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2000 4:02 AM To: paddlewise Subject: [Paddlewise] Boat comparing: VCP Skerray vs. NDK Romany Explorer I thought I would post some thoughts on comparing these boats. Please evaluate these thoughts with the knowledge that I am perhaps an intermediate paddler, without much experience in different boats. This may be of use to paddlers in a similar situation. In the beginning, I liked the Skerray, because it seemed to turn much easier than the Explorer. In choppy seas, it tracked poorly without the skeg, but pretty good with it. The boat was slow, I thought, and the bracing position -- mostly with the knees -- seemed uncomfortable. Some of this could be corrected, I suppose, by the use of foam, etc., to make the boat fit better. <snip> Josh (dreaming of trying out kayaks in the States...) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Second the motion. Joan On Tue, 11 Jul 2000 20:58:03 -0500 Chuck Holst <cholst_at_bitstream.net> writes: > If you want a more maneuverable Romany, try the Romany 16! > > -----Original Message----- > From: Joshua Teitelbaum [SMTP:teitelba_at_post.tau.ac.il] > Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2000 4:02 AM > To: paddlewise > Subject: [Paddlewise] Boat comparing: VCP Skerray vs. NDK > Romany Explorer > > I thought I would post some thoughts on comparing these boats. > Please > evaluate these thoughts with the knowledge that I am perhaps an > intermediate paddler, without much experience in different boats. > This may > be of use to paddlers in a similar situation. > > In the beginning, I liked the Skerray, because it seemed to turn much > easier than the Explorer. In choppy seas, it tracked poorly without > the > skeg, but pretty good with it. The boat was slow, I thought, and the > bracing position -- mostly with the knees -- seemed uncomfortable. > Some of > this could be corrected, I suppose, by the use of foam, etc., to > make the > boat fit better. > > <snip> > > Josh > (dreaming of trying out kayaks in the States...) > > ************************************************************************* ** > PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author > and not > to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission > Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net > Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net > Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ > ************************************************************************* ** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
At 10:53 AM 7/12/00 -0400, volinjo_at_juno.com wrote: >Second the motion. > >Joan > >On Tue, 11 Jul 2000 20:58:03 -0500 Chuck Holst <cholst_at_bitstream.net> >writes: >> If you want a more maneuverable Romany, try the Romany 16! >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Joshua Teitelbaum [SMTP:teitelba_at_post.tau.ac.il] >> Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2000 4:02 AM >> To: paddlewise >> Subject: [Paddlewise] Boat comparing: VCP Skerray vs. NDK >> Romany Explorer >> >> I thought I would post some thoughts on comparing these boats. >> Please >> evaluate these thoughts with the knowledge that I am perhaps an >> intermediate paddler, without much experience in different boats. >> This may >> be of use to paddlers in a similar situation. >> >> In the beginning, I liked the Skerray, because it seemed to turn much >> easier than the Explorer. In choppy seas, it tracked poorly without >> the >> skeg, but pretty good with it. The boat was slow, I thought, and the >> bracing position -- mostly with the knees -- seemed uncomfortable. >> Some of >> this could be corrected, I suppose, by the use of foam, etc., to >> make the >> boat fit better. While the Romany 16 is indeed more manoeverable than the Explorer and I've only paddled each a couple of times, I own a glass Skerray and think it gives the Romany 16 a run for its' money for manoeverability even though it's a foot longer. I do wish it handled better in choppy seas (especially downwind) and I've modified the seat in mine quite a bit and added foam and it makes a bit difference. I haven't paddled a plastic version of the Skerray but the glass version scoots along quite well, not as well as the Explorer but I think better than the 16. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I have the regular Romany (16 ft). It handles very well in following seas if you drop the skeg down part way. (I've never found it necessary to drop the skeg all the way down.) Make sure you check the skeg housing regularly to get any sand or pebbles out. The thigh bracing is superb. The boat is highly maneuverable, and rolls almost as easily as my whitewater boat (Dagger RPM). It does not hold as much gear as the long Romany of course. On a 6-day camping trip in the Gulf Islands I had quite a job fitting everything in. The wheels (disassembled) and some other stuff had to go on the deck. Even loaded to the gills like that, it handled well and rolled easily. -----Original Message----- From: owner-paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net [mailto:owner-paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net]On Behalf Of John Fereira Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2000 8:58 AM >> boat fit better. While the Romany 16 is indeed more manoeverable than the Explorer and I've only paddled each a couple of times, I own a glass Skerray and think it gives the Romany 16 a run for its' money for manoeverability even though it's a foot longer. I do wish it handled better in choppy seas (especially downwind) and I've modified the seat in mine quite a bit and added foam and it makes a bit difference. I haven't paddled a plastic version of the Skerray but the glass version scoots along quite well, not as well as the Explorer but I think better than the 16. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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