Hi folks, after paddling a stitch and glue "Volkskayak" for the past season (17 feet long and 25 inch wide) the kayak building virus hit me again. The past weekends I built a modified version of the "Volkskayak", 17 feet long, 22 inch wide, and lower sheer. Two weeks ago me and a friend gave it a first brief try-out on a stretch of open water (lake). It has a snug fit, but I feel comfortable in it. Last Friday I took it to a pool session to try out a couple of things I didn't dare to try this time of the year in open water, which is just going from solid to liquid. I tried the wet exit, worked despite the snug fit. I tried the roll, worked much easier than in the higher volume sister -still, after switching boats with another guy I found his PH Capella way easier to roll than the hard chined VK. I tried reentry and roll, was easier than with the old boat, since the snug cockpit made it easier to get my butt back were it belongs. During the building phase I spent also some time building a Greenland storm paddle -I used a Greenlander as spare paddle in the past- since it fits nicely on the front deck just in case.. I also tried the new paddel in the pool. The sliding stroke still needs more time to get used to it, but the roll worked like a charm. First I was a bit concerned that with the short paddle there would be not enough leverage/lift, but wrong thinking. It was so easy to roll with the short stick, easier than with the Euro-style paddle, and even easier than with the regular Greenlander. Got call to spent the $5 for the 2x4 and 2 hours to transform it into the Greenland Stick. I just traditional tools like jig saw, power planer, disk grinder, and belt sander for the job. The only not so traditional tools were the sand paper and the block plane I used for the final touch. Last Saturday Spring found his way to us. What a georgous day! IT doesn't really matter that it rains right now, since I know it is just a matter of time till the last snow will be gone. Cheers Ulli (All spelling errors are intentional and are there to show new and improved ways of spelling old words.) Ulli Hoeger Dept. Physiology and Biophysics Dalhousie University Halifax, B3H4H7, Nova Scotia Canada Phone I : 902-494-2673 Fax: 902-494-1685 Phone II :902-488-6796 http://is.dal.ca/~uhoeger *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sun Apr 22 2001 - 16:02:34 PDT
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