I paddle a VCP Avocet which I enjoy immensely. The solid foot pegs suit me better than the movable foot pegs that control most rudders. The boat can be extremely playful with the skeg retracted and then easily readied for a long straight tour by dropping the desired amount of skeg. It also makes for a very streamlined looking kayak. But the design of the skeg used by VCP on the Avocet is a bit too easily disabled by grit and a sloppy cable system. They should have placed the plastic lined cable into a completely rigid metal tube to keep the cable system from bending out of shape. I have to be sure to wash out the rotator/pin assembly after each paddle and spray silicone on it, as well as down the sleeve of the tube, to ensure that it will continue to work for the next day of paddling. There is no way to correct a jammed skeg on the Avocet while in the boat. This could be a real pain on a multi day trip. I really prefer gently leaning over steering with a rudder and really don't ever want another kayak with a rudder. With a little experience, say a good morning, you can control this kayak simply by leaning a bit. You aren't throwing your head way out to the side. Its reasonably subtle. I have taken the Avocet out with groups of other sea kayakers and find tracking to be a breeze, even with the skeg up. When you have a breeze from abeam a bit of skeg keeps it nice and straight. But they really need to tighten up their skeg system a bit. Ok, a lot. Jim et al *************************************************************************** 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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