While my daughter was trying out her new Umiak this past weekend I paddled along in a boat new to me but venerable in years and of a type I had no previous experience with. The boat was a 15'X 28" (approx.). Sawyer solo canoe set up nicely with a marathon seat mounted low and proper foot braces. I used my Klepper sized Cameno and a FG bent shaft paddle in tight places. The boat was by my amateur judgment very impressive. It was easily as fast an my Feathercraft K1 yet seemingly more nimble. It tracked extremely well with light winds on all quarters (I was amazed at the tracking). The boat has a pronounced tumblehome, a kevlar/glass, so called "Goldenglass" lay-up (whatever that might be), seems to weigh about 40 lbs. and is *very* comfortable to paddle for extended periods using the long kayak paddle. It is narrower than say the comparable Mad River Independence by apparently 1.5 or even 2". The Sawyer looks like a Jensen design but I do not know for certain. What makes a boat of this sort handle well? I expected it to be both tippy, clumsy and slow and it was none of these. Perhaps there are places for a canoe among the kayak fleet. With a proper spray deck this could be a modest tripper for sheltered waters I think. Anyone else have relevant experience? Cheers, Rich Mitchell mitchelr_at_ucs.orst.edu *************************************************************************** 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 Mon May 14 2001 - 02:36:24 PDT
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