[Paddlewise] more on speed thing

----- Original Message -----
From: "Matt Broze" <mkayaks_at_oz.net>
> I couldn't agree more with Ralph, one of the reasons I added the above
> addendum to my list of sprint times was so someone wouldn't misinterpret
the
> sprint times as a way of rating anything meaningful about a kayak other
than
> its potential top speed for a strong paddler putting all he can into it
for
> less than a minute. In the real world the K-Light's shorter waterline
length
> helps it paddle easier at normal cruising speeds. This is because there is
> less wetted surface (and therefore less friction) with a shorter kayak
like
> the K-Light (other things being equal). The K-Light is plenty long for a
> smaller or weaker paddler and its less wetted surface can be a big plus in
> keeping up with paddlers cruising in bigger kayaks. For those interested,
> there is a more detailed discussion of this point in the FAQ's of
> www.marinerkayaks.com.

I got an early lesson in this, which also points to something
else...matching boat to paddler size.

I had just started my newsletter and was testing the Nautiraid Mini-Raid.  I
had just met Randy Henriksen, now a prominent kayak dealer in the Big Apple.
He wasn't in the business yet but he and his wife, Wendy, had bought 2
Nautiraid Raid 1's, a fuller size foldable model.  Since I had not been in a
single Raid, I invited them for a paddle along the Palisades across from
Northern Manhattan.  We paddled about 4 miles with me in the Mini-Raid and
Wendy and Randy in the larger Nautiraid singles.  She is a small paddler,
about 5 ft tall and very slight.  She kept lagging behind us even though we
weren't racing, just cruising.  For the trip back I switched boats with her
(I wanted to see the Raid 1) and she got in the Mini-Raid.  Well, what a
difference!  Randy and I constantly would fall behind Wendy if he and I were
talking and weren't concentrating on our paddling.

ralph diaz
--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com
"Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."
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