One of the problems with talking about stability, I think, when it comes to kayaks or canoes, is that they are in fact unstable, except when sufficiently ballasted, sponsoond or unpractical 'wide'. Something that the 'layman' will know/recognize very well, but the expert paddlers as we are :-) can easily oversee and forget? So the phrase high secondary stability (in my country we tend to call it 'end stability'...) can give a false sort of information, because it can (may) be higher then the initial stability, but still is probably too little to prevent capsizing, which is much more, if not all, up to the paddler? Something that will not show up in measurements done from the boat alone? And if the secondary stability is high(er), it does not say a thing about how a boat behaves in waves, or heavily leaned for that matter. And although I have heard about kayaks with low initial stability that became more stable when in waves, I cannot say that I had that experience (with the unstable canoes I know) so I have my doubts about that... Dirk Barends *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Dirk wrote: >when it comes to kayaks or canoes, > . . . they are in fact unstable, except when > sufficiently ballasted, sponsoond or unpractical 'wide'. > Something that the 'layman' will know/recognize very well,< Dirk's point is well taken and moves the discussion beyond the technical measurement of stability (resistance to rotation) to the overall stability created by boat and paddler together. While initial stability allows one to rely on the boat as a stable platform on which to rest or take pictures, etc.in relatively calm conditions, and secondary stability provides a warning that full rotation is about to occur, it is ultimately the paddler who must stay balanced and keep the kayak from full rotation. Having started with the Folbot Super 40 years ago and later worked my way through a Chinook to an Arctic Hawk, I have observed this. The Folbot, at 36" wide, had great initial and secondary stability and required little or nothing from the paddler in all but the most challenging conditions. The Chinook was (initially) stable on flatwater and had good secondary stability in moderate waves, requiring more balance of the paddler, but not that much. When I shifted to the comparatively narrow, hard-chined Arctic Hawk, the initial stability was so lacking that I did nothing but wiggle back and forth -- terribly disconcerting and, at times, downright frightening. The secondary stability was terrific, but only if I was sufficiently balanced to make use of it. Then I learned something: With its excellent secondary stability, the boat would not roll unless I lost MY balance. As long as I had a paddle in the water and was either paddling or bracing, it made little difference what the boat was doing. Eventually I became comfortable with the Arctic Hawk, and in most conditions today, I wonder why I ever thought it tippy. But in big seas, especially with cross chop, I still take a minute to stop and think: As long as "I" stay upright, the boat will do just fine. Dirk's comments are right on. Paddling a kayak is like riding a horse -- once you learn to go with the motion of the boat you don't notice the lack of initial stability nor worry about the secondary stability. You learn to keep yourself balanced while your conveyance does its own thing. Rick *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
The dipwads at my local ISP changed the URL of my web page around. This includes my kayak page and the Boats for Big Guys and Gals page. The correct URL is now: http://www2.dmci.net/wesboyd/kayak.htm -- Wes *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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