Bill, I find that my Looksha IV is the opposite of my CD Squall - The Looksha is pushed around and weathercocks in windy conditions, making it a struggle to maneuver. I'm not used to this and probably waste a lot of energy keeping the boat pointed towards my destination. The Squall is rarely bothered by wind and tracks just fine in any direction I want. It seems that I need a rudder for the easy turning boats rather that the hard tracking ones just to compensate for weather cocking! I can lean the Squall on edge to turn just fine. Still refuse to use a rudder to learn about paddling for now. The problem arises when my wife and I kayak together - when the wind comes up it becomes very difficult, if not impossible to stay close to one another because the boats respond so differently. It is going to require extra effort on somebody's part - either take the "long" way as you suggested, making the hard tracking boat paddle a greater distance, or take the direct route which makes work for the weather cocking boat. I know paddling skills are a factor here, but you must account for the different styles of boats. Every "windy" situation I've been in with other paddlers has resulted in a few boats getting separated and taking the long route to lessen the battle with the wind. I don't like this as it separates the group when a rescue may be necessary. This brings up a factor that has not been mentioned assembling group paddles - The Boats! What about the people who show up with a 12 foot hybrid on a large lake or ocean??? Tim Boat'n in the Ozarks *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 12/1/00 3:01:07 PM, NEWTOT_at_mail.modot.state.mo.us writes: << This brings up a factor that has not been mentioned assembling group paddles - The Boats! What about the people who show up with a 12 foot hybrid on a large lake or ocean??? >> There should not be any problem with the length of the boat as long as the paddler can make it perform at the stated skill level of the trip. Some people have a real issue with boat length. I find that it's more challenging to deal with a novice in an "real seakayak" than it is to accommodate strong intermediate in a 12-14' boat. Jed *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Basically I mentioned the type of kayak I paddle because I think it is important that we know what model of boats we are talking about. Plus I like to hear about different kayaks and peoples' experiences with them so a I really appreciate your response. All kayaks have strengths and weaknesses. As you pointed out if you put a dozen different kayaks on the water and the weather comes up some kayaks are going to track one direction better than the other. All of the kayaks will handle the weather a little differently. You may have a kayaker that you think is slow but what has happened is the kayaker has a kayak that does not want to hold the course the group has chosen. So this kayaker is having to work very hard not only to make progess to hold the chosen course. As you have pointed out you could have 12 kayakers in 12 different kayaks paddling together in the same weather conditions all having a different experience because the kayaks each have somewhat different handling characteristics. If all paddlers paddled the same and all kayaks handled the same we would simplify our sport because we would all buy just one of type of everything because one would fit all. Wouldn't that be boring :-). I think some of our discussions come from the fact that we all paddle different kayaks and thus have different experiences and memories. Thanks for the well thought out response. <Bill> Brought to you from beautiful Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, Alaska. N 53°51.140' W 166°30.228' ----- Original Message ----- From: <NEWTOT_at_mail.modot.state.mo.us> To: "Bill Bradshaw" <bradshaw_at_arctic.net> Cc: <PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net> Sent: Friday, December 01, 2000 5:12 AM Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Paranoid Paddler+Boats > > > Bill, > > I find that my Looksha IV is the opposite of my CD Squall - The Looksha is > pushed around and weathercocks in windy conditions, making it a struggle to > maneuver. I'm not used to this and probably waste a lot of energy keeping the > boat pointed towards my destination. The Squall is rarely bothered by wind and > tracks just fine in any direction I want. It seems that I need a rudder for the > easy turning boats rather that the hard tracking ones just to compensate for > weather cocking! I can lean the Squall on edge to turn just fine. Still refuse > to use a rudder to learn about paddling for now. > > The problem arises when my wife and I kayak together - when the wind comes up it > becomes very difficult, if not impossible to stay close to one another because > the boats respond so differently. It is going to require extra effort on > somebody's part - either take the "long" way as you suggested, making the hard > tracking boat paddle a greater distance, or take the direct route which makes > work for the weather cocking boat. I know paddling skills are a factor here, > but you must account for the different styles of boats. > > Every "windy" situation I've been in with other paddlers has resulted in a few > boats getting separated and taking the long route to lessen the battle with the > wind. I don't like this as it separates the group when a rescue may be > necessary. > > This brings up a factor that has not been mentioned assembling group paddles - > The Boats! What about the people who show up with a 12 foot hybrid on a large > lake or ocean??? *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Bill, You said it well! With all this talk about different skill levels and slow and fast paddlers, it made us realize that we are not 100% accountable for our on water performance. The boat we paddle is a very important factor! Your e-mail made me (and hopefully everyone else) experience the "A-HA" syndrome on this subject. Tim Boat'n in the Ozarks *************************************************************************** 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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