Re: [Paddlewise] Pinta / Tatoosh Info

In a message dated 2/25/01 2:01:32 AM, MJAkayaker_at_aol.com writes:

<< I have a friend who is getting ready to buy his first kayak.  He is 250+ 
lbs 
so there are not a lot of kayaks out there to fit him. >>

Hi Mark,

    As Wes, Kirby and Kevin have said, there are a lot of choices out there 
for the 250#'ers,  but there's a big difference between the needs of someone 
who weighs 250# and is 6'2" tall and another paddler who is 5'6" tall at that 
same weight. Certainly the average kayak is built for a lighter paddler, but 
that same kayak is also designed to carry another 150# of gear as well.  My 
240#, 6'1" frame fits nicely into many boats that are advertised for paddlers 
that weigh 180# or less, and no I don't carry a shoe horn to stuff myself in 
to the boats, I just don't need to pad out the smaller boats as much. Most 
full-sized boats are much to big for me and feel like barges on the water.

    So my suggestion is the same as for any paddler, find a boat that feels 
basically comfortable without paddling and then chose one with stability / 
performance that matches your friend's intended use. Paddler weight is not as 
large a limiting factor as many people believe. Many boats designed for 
"large" paddlers are just too big for any kind of aggressive paddling but are 
fine for calmer, more mellow paddling. High Volume almost always equates to 
high windage and / or increased stability. Take a look at the boats the 
Greenlanders use for rolling, many are nearly awash in conditions and so are 
not affected by winds very much at all.

Jed
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