Hi Matt! Paddel Meier is the exclusive producer and he also had designed it.. Thomas Meier itself had been a quite good slalom-kayaker in a fomer live and then started up a carreer like a kayak builder. He invented several kayaks, almost all for use on rivers. Except the Umiak an Muktuk, there is no boat especially build for the sea. But almost every TM kayak is quite fast. Iīve heard from a friend making 95 a longer trip on the faroer island. All paddled Nordkapps, one a selkie or something else, and one a TM(stands dor Thomas Meier) Seestern (the fastest non-sea toruing kayak Iīve ever seen). And when all get tired, the man in his Seestern paddled all the time AROUND the whole group. Was really destructive for the others. This year TM Kayak will first time sold by www.Zoelzer.de, a kind of revolution. Since this point of time, Tm is only well known in the wider Hamburg-area. My Umiak is now over 20 years old. I get him 2nd hand 5 years ago. TM hadnīt produced much of them, because of its extrem design. Most people say "hey! great, wann have one!". Then they try the boat, come back, look slightly irritated an want a more stabile kayak. When I sit first time in this beautyful kayak, I hate it. With more practise I learn what balance means. I paddle the 98 AKSR with it and I what should I say. I feel save! But never paddle it, with I completely tired head. Your first fault will let you awake under water. I need more time to write down something like an essay over the Umiak. it is the most extreme kayak I know. meanwhile I also paddle the exclusively from P&H build Spitzbergen, designed for Roy Willy Johansen (rip) from Eian Fritid/Norway. This is quite a difficult boat, but the Umiak is more difficult! When I talk to mr. meier first time, he could remember this special boat. You cansplit it, gots the old rudder, special glittering colour, he could remember almost every Umiak and he is glad he mustnīt have to build so much. It is really a bad work inside the kayak. He also builds the Seebär (?), a kayak which could be split and you can buy it as a single kayak and if there is the need, you split it and put another peace between. You could build this way a double, a triple or a quadruple kayak!!! The new recessed rudder isnīt from Meier originally. Difficult to say, who invented it first time. Maybe it was Pietsch ( home.t-online.de/home/PH-Sportboote without www ). It wasnīt Lettmann, but Lettmann also build a recessed rudder, the same which is fitted in KS-OY Kayaks (co-production). I donīt know so much about the rudder, because I didnīt got it. But by some versions (lettmanns older ones) there are problems if you going over ropes. The rope will spring between rudder an the kayak and you feel like an airplane on a aircraft carrier. Then you have to roll or get out or have to wait for help. But I think, this problem no longer occurs. They changed the design. If you want some kayak from Meier, or need more special information. Write me, I also could talk to Meier and arrange something. Or talk to Zoelzer, who had invented a completely new kind of combination between rudder and skeg!! Quit interesting! I was thinking on something similar, when I was watching the Seaquest-technology (science fiction sub-marine). Zoelzer build up several really good things for seakayakers but is mostly unknown, except in germany. Bavaria and Klepper are two completely separated companies. I think itīs right, that Bavaria was build up from a former Klepper employee. But Bavaria has nothing to do with folding kayaks. Maybe they use the same material, thatīs no problem. I donīt like bavaria, no boats for the sea. Good for hanging around and kayakers needing much much place in their cockpit. but nothing for me. Cheap, okay! Everyone has to decide on your own and live with this decision. But thats not new. Okay, hope I could help you Matt. Sorry, my scanner doesnīt work. maybe I could send you someday a few pics from my Umiak, just to make you more hungry! best regards Jochen Grikschat *************************************************************************** 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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