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From: Rev. Bob Carter <revkayak_at_ptialaska.net> subject: [Paddlewise] test paddle Date: Tue, 1 Aug 2000 17:52:13 -0800 · This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:33:16 PDT

Recently Robert Cline emailed me that he was coming to Sitka for a paddling
class and wanted me to pick up a new boat he was shipping up. I agreed. Then
he let me know he wanted me to  throughly check out the boat for shipping
damage. I agree.

the boat a Romany Explorer S arrived yesterday. Brand spanking new straight
from the factory in England. 

I took my skill saw and quickly cut through the packing material end to end to
check it out. With the exception of one strange jagged long scratch from end
to end  the boat seemed o.k. (no gell coat cracks) I grabbed the duct tape and
quickly added a silver racing stripe to the all white boat.

I decided that since Robert wanted the boat throughly tested for factory
defects that surely meant he wanted me to take the boat out for some sea
trials. Luckily for both of us a storm hit a couple days ago and the waves are
kicking off Sitka.

First though I had to test the boat for car topping. I tied the boat to the
top of the car with some old cotton clothes line I had. Sure enough as soon as
I hit sixty the boat when air borne! I had hoped this would happen since
areodynamics and hydrodynamics are about the same. The driver behind me said
that the boat really took off like a rocket and reached 50 feet in altitude
before "stalling" . All I saw was the landing which end over end simulated
getting end over ended in a surf landing. A few more boat length cracks
appeared so I added mopre duct tape racing stripes.

I launched the boat into a heavy surf. I flipped  three times but don't worry
I was able to wet exit each time just before the boat landed on the cobble
stone beach.

Another couple of duct tape racing stripes and I finally made it through the
surf.

Now to begin the real test. As I watched the waves crash up on the rock off
shore, I realized that I had the perfect way to test the boat. SEAL
LANDINGS!!!

    Admittedly the sound of the crunch of 17 feet worth of barnacles all at
once was a little unnerving as was  the "screech" of sliding the boat back
over the barnacles to set back into the sea. Did I mention that sitka has some
of the largest and sharpest barnacles in the world?

    Also I noticed that if you seal landed with the skeg down that it made the
boat roll to one side.....after while though the boat stopped rolling on
landing...I guess I got used to it.

    after a while I noticed that the front of the boat was beginning to sink
so I seal landed again to check it out. Sure enough there was a small hole in
the bow. (Must be a flaw in the fiber glass). I then came up with a brillant
plan. I pulled out my leatherman and began to dig a hole in the stern. (I
figured that if both ends flooded equally then the boat should stay trim)

    On my next landing I heard a loud crack. I became upste when I realized
that Robert's boat had come down hard on a pointed rock. The point of the rock
broke off in the boat and I felt deep remorse that I had done such
enviornmental damage. I pulled the rock out and ductaped it back in place.
Then of course I added another racing stripe to Robert's boat. I figured that
having a racing stripe on the bottom would impress the salmon.

    While paddling back I noticed that the foot pedals were mushy and the boat
was tracking funny. I then realized that there was a crack between the foot
braces and  the seat that complete circled the boat top to bottom.  This
caused the entire front end to wobble back and forth. (cheap fiberglass!) At
first I though what a hassle  this was going to be for Robert to paddle but
then I realized that I had invented the STEALTH RUDDER!  (pat.pend.)

    I was  now able to turn the boat by pushing on a footbrace and moving the
entire frontend!  Robert will be so happy. He will be able to impress his
fellow paddlers who will think he can manuver of boat without needing a rubber
hanging off the back!

Think about it with the STEATH RUDDER paddlewisers will never need to debate
the rudder question ever again.

    After a few more surf landings I took the boat home. A few more cracks had
appeared so I got out the duct tape.

(The all silver boat I think looks better than the orginal all white boat
anyway.)

    Robert doesn't arrive for a couple more weeks so I can continue to
throughly test out the boat. I bought a couple more rolls of duct tape. Anyone
got any suggestions of how I can continue to break up ...er...I mean break in
Robert's boat?

Bob

Sitka

P.S. Anyone need there boat tested?  All I ask is that you reimburse me for
the duct tape I use.

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