Ramblings meant for newcomers to the list and novice to intermediate paddlers, like myself. I clicked on a link this morning that I had forgotten what it went to. It took me out to a web site I hadn't seen in more than a year. I had purchased a pair of sponsoons from a retired gentleman who had bought them from the manufacturer six months earlier and never used them. Fitting them to my Seayak gave, what I believed, added versatility for using the boat as a "stable" fishing platform and a large degree of added safety margin while solo paddling. They were great and performed as advertised or so it seemed. Relying on anything as your sole source of rescue is hazardous! Trying to reenter a boat a half mile off shore with the fog rolling in using only sponsoons when one has a two inch split in a seam is possible, but not without bringing to bear other skills picked up from "pre - sponsoon" rescue training and a bit of serendipity. By the way, don't leave home without your paddle float! And know how to use it! I concluded after viewing the web site what the definition of a Radical was: Someone who has re-doubled their effort after loosing sight of their objective! And my point was ?????????? Does anyone know a good use for a single sponsoon? (Is that a safe question with this group?) So, please feel free to contribute to the top ten uses for sponsoons or a single sponsoon. Unfortunately, the developer of the web site and manufacturer of the sponsoons wasn't interested in taking a look at the split seam and I don't believe it can be patched! Fred California Kayaker *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Fred wrote: (SNIP) > > And my point was ?????????? Does anyone know a good use for a single > sponsoon? (Is that a safe question with this group?) > So, please feel free to contribute to the top ten uses for sponsoons or a > single sponsoon. Unfortunately, the developer of the web site and > manufacturer of the sponsoons wasn't interested in taking a look at the > split seam and I don't believe it can be patched! > Not sure about a single sp*ns*n but a pair can provide added stability for photography etc. I suggest anyone interested in them read my web page http://home.ican.net/~735769/seaworthiness.htm regarding the use of these things as the "ultimate" rescue device. They do have uses but they will never replace good sense. Cheers, John Winters Web site address http://home.ican.net/~735769 *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
I have just read John's web site and though I don't fully understand it I certainly have a better idea. Anyone interested in the issue of wide and stable vs. narrow and tippy should give it a thorough study. I intend to give it another read (and probably a few more) in order to fully appreciate what Mr. Winters has said. I've got a lot to learn about kayaks. As a reminder to not get to cocky I keep my certificate around from: The Tactics Institute of Blind Navigation; Mad Frustration and Foul Situations Fred At 07:22 PM 10/29/2000 -0500, John Winters wrote: I suggest anyone interested in them read my web page http://home.ican.net/~735769/seaworthiness.htm *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Fred wrote: > I have just read John's web site and though I don't fully understand it > I certainly have a better idea. Anyone interested in the issue of wide > and stable vs. narrow and tippy should give it a thorough study. I > intend to give it another read (and probably a few more) in order to > fully appreciate what Mr. Winters has said. > Always glad to elaborate. However, if you want the most complete treatise on the subject I suggest Marchaj's "Seaworthiness, the Forgotten Factor" also for a graphic example of the dangers inherent in light weight but wide stable platforms visit the Givens Life raft web site. http://www.givensliferafts.com/graphics_plus/raft.html Marchaj and Givens have done an enormous amount of research into form stability and the effect of wind and waves on boats depending on high form stability. They support their arguments with real life not armchair wisdom. For another excellent example of real life read Hannes Lindemann's "Alone at Sea". He crossed the Atlantic twice, once in a ballasted dugout canoe and once in a wide folding boat equipped with an outrigger. He did not capsize in the dugout but did capsize in the folding boat. I writes an interesting but brief discussion of why he capsized. Simply put, he got broadside to breaking waves and high winds in a light displacement high form stability boat. This is not meant as a condemnation of wide high form stability boats for they have their place but one should not confuse stability in benign conditions with safety in extreme conditions. Cheers, John Winters Web site address http://home.ican.net/~735769 *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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