At 09:44 PM 8/10/00 -0700, Aaron Cunningham wrote: >I promise this will be shorter that last time... > >I went out today for my first time without adult supervision (i.e. solo) by >renting a kayak _at_ Northwest Outdoor Center in Seattle...(good people...busy, >but good)(www.nwoc.com)(no affiliation, etc...) > >Some questions/comments were thus generated... > >w/o all the gory details... > >1. What do people think of the Projon Kodiak? > -To be honest, I didn't liek the boat... > The cockpit was too big (according to info on the web the cockpit is about >the same as that that of the NW SeaScape5 I was talking about in my last >post (36x18 vs.. 35x18.75)) I haven't a lot of time in the Kodiak but I have taken one for a short paddle. I also felt that the cockpit was a bit big, but I'm only 5'8", 150#. I tend to prefer smaller cockpits anyway. The Kodiak tracks about as well as any plastic boat I've ever paddled. It also seems to be one of the fast plastic boats I've been in as well. Trying to turn it however with a simple sweep stroke and no edging is a chore, and even with an edge it takes several sweeps strokes to get it around. I thought initial stability was quite good as well as the secondary stability. For someone that wants a plastic boat that will tend to go in a straight line and doesn't plan on doing much playing I think it's a good boat. > The rudder pedals don't slide they pivot on fixed pegs (i.e. you push with >your toes). Even with some tweaking, I had to quit afater bout an hour >because my calves started to twitch... Virtually everyone that I've heard comment on the gas pedal style rudder controls sees that as a big improvement over the sliding pegs. Even with the rudder up the pegs still feel spongy with a sliding peg system. With the rudder lowered it's much more difficult to brace because you can't put pressure on the pegs. With the gas pedal system that Prijon uses the pegs are fixed so whether the rudder lowererd or not you always have a firm point for making contact with your feet. As someone else suggested learning how to control your boat without relying on a rudder is a good thing. However, I wouldn't go as far as to suggest that one should avoid a rudder entirely. As Audrey Sutherland said, "most people that suggest that you never need a rudder haven't spent three days straight, paddling 8 hours a day, in 25 knot crosswinds". Sure, with sufiecient skill levels one can control their boat under those conditions but the rudder will your life a lot easier. Personally I prefer paddling without a rudder and if you buy a boat with a rudder suggest that you spend at least 95% of your time learning how to paddle without one. >2. Is their a free online boat comparison tool? i.e. a web database of >boat specs that yopu could compare multiple boats... As a matter of fact, there is. I wrote it a year ago or so. Check out http://mayfly.mannlib.cornell.edu/kayak/ Most of the information in the database was taken from a couple of 1999 buyers guides and supplement with information from vendor web sites and I've found that some of the specs don't always agree to use it only as a general comparison and make no guarentees as to the accuracy of the specs. I also haven't updated the database in quite some time so there are a lot of 2000 models that are not included. Still, the database has about 350 different kayaks (mostly sea kayaks but also includes whitewater boats) in it. Whenever possible I included links to the vendor websites for more information. I also recommend the following site: http://paddling.net/Reviews/Kayaks.phtml for reviews on particular models. Again, I suggest that you read them with a grain of salt as many of models are being reviewed by those that own them and are generally favorable. >3. Is there a guideline for paddle length floating around out there? I >used a 230cm Werner today, and it might have been nerves from soloing but it >felt like the paddle was much too long. Then try a shorter one. Paddle length is mostly related to personal preference and paddling style. If you paddle with high angle a shorter paddle will work better. Some prefer to paddle with a lower angle stroke and a longer paddle works fine. I use a 220cm and my next paddle will like be a few centimeters shorter as I am learning how to paddle with a higher angle stroke. >(I get to go out Monday as well, woo-hooo!!! (Time off between changing >jobs)) Have fun. I'm leaving work about noon today to go for a three day kayak camping trip in the Adirondacks. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Fri Aug 11 2000 - 05:53:04 PDT
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