Re: [Paddlewise] Small paddler in a folding boat, Try Khatsalano

on 9/19/00 12:41 AM, elias.ross_at_software.com at elias.ross_at_software.com
wrote:

snip
> I attended the West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium with the hope of trying
> out some Feathercraft folding kayaks, but was fairly disappointed that
> even the K-Light was still a bit too big.  The cockpit seemed to clear
> her elbows well enough but the foot pedals did not allow her to brace
> her knees near the cockpit of the boat too well.  <snip>


 Rex Roberton <rexrob_at_mac.com> asked:

>>Was there a reason you did not try the demo Khatsalano? <<

I'm going to be a buttinski and suggest a few reasons because they might not
be obvious from a test paddle of any kayak in calm conditions.
But first, one obvious reason not to try it might be the huge price
difference. You wouldn't dare try it, you just might like it. Second there
is the issue of weight, advantage K-light.

For a paddler as small as described (under 5 feet) the Khatsalano with its
17-4 length and relatively stiff tracking is going to need a fairly strong
paddler to turn it in a strong wind. I don't mean someone strong for her
size I mean ultimate strength. She will be arm wrestling the wind and
offering the wind a much longer lever arm to use against her. Further, with
a stiffer tracking kayak (that can't be turned as quickly in the troughs
before the bow clears the crest and again faces the full strength of the
wind) you will essentially be allowing the wind to get a really good grip on
you. When you are protected somewhat from the wind in a trough, if you can't
make up more than the angle you lost to the wind at the crest of the last
wave crest then a turn just isn't going to happen. The shorter more
maneuverable K-light has a big edge here especially for a smaller, lighter
paddler (or any one of more limited arm wrestling ability). It is not
strength to weight ratio that counts here it is ultimate strength. The
lighter paddler is at the further disadvantage of floating higher out of the
water and therefore exposing more of the kayak to the wind. Gear weight in
the kayak helps a lot here as the mass in the ends keeps the kayak from
swinging around so quickly at the wave crest.

The K-light cuts its wetted surface (friction) by being shorter and as Ralph
pointed out, its speed can surprise a lot of kayakers, especially those
saddled by the mistaken, but common, belief that longer is always faster
(see FAQ's on our website for more details on this). The Khats cuts its
wetted surface by being narrower so my guess is drag below 4 knots is
probably pretty even between the two. Total useable gear storage space is
about the same in the two kayaks as well so there is no advantage to either
there. So the differences are price, weight, cockpit fit and handling in
strong winds.  The Khats's lower cockpit rim (same size as K-light's rim)
and bridge truss style stiffening tubes/thighbraces does give a better fit
to a smaller paddler but I'm sure much can be done to improve the fit on the
K-light (if it really needs to be improved--which I'm not so sure of-- I'll
bet that after owning a K-light for a while you will find it doesn't need as
much modification as you think it does now).
My advice is to get a K-light while you still can. The Kahuna promises to be
the kayak that a lot of folks are looking for. More capacity/reasonable
price and better suited in reserve buoyancy for heavier paddlers. I think
Feathercraft is making a mistake to discontinue the K-light though. The
Kahuna will cut into the K-light's market seriously for sure, but the
K-light will still likely be the better choice for smaller paddlers. My
advice would be to direct it more at smaller paddlers by shortening the
footpads and narrowing up and possibly lowering the cockpit slightly. I vote
to keep the K-light in the line and will tell that to Feathercraft the next
time I talk to someone there.
I threw out my back testing/lifting heavy stiff tracking kayaks on Saturday
so didn't get to try the Kahuna on Sunday at the Symposium along with many
others I wanted to try.  Did you try the Sterns 1K-116 inflatable at $299. I
tried many little recreational hardshell kayaks at the symposium on Saturday
and was mostly disappointed. I was impressed by the Sterns inflatable,
probably partly because it paddled way better than I had expected and had a
comfortable "seat" (and partly because I was so disappointed in most of the
other sub 12 foot kayaks I tested). Now if Sterns would get rid of the
stupid fingernail snagging grab loops they recently added to the front of
the once wonderfully smooth rub pad that protected my arms from the abrasive
nylon on the rest of the tubes I'd be happier still. As it is I guess I
could cut the grab loops away, the kayak is so light they really aren't
needed (I heard they were added so that folks would use them rather than try
to pick up the boat using the edge of the zippered spraydeck. My advice is
beef that up with the same husky webbing used for the finger snagger handles
and let them use it. $299 and packs down to about a third the volume of a
K-light. Seems perfect for that plane trip taken for other reasons (than
camping out of a kayak), but where you have a little time in a new local to
explore a few of the local waterways. I suggested to Chris Cunningham that
he ought to try it out. He even Eskimo rolled it.


Matt Broze
http://www.marinerkayaks.com


***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************