Re: [Paddlewise] Mariner Kayaks

I would really have to agree with Shawn here. To at least get a feeling for 
how different these boats are, you should go to 
http://www.marinerkayaks.com/ and look at the pictures for the Mariner XL 
and the Elan. These photos will give you a look at the bottoms of the boats, 
but they still don't do them justice.

Unfortunately they don't make their boat's in *lard ass* size otherwise I 
would have one, but my girlfriend has an Elan and it is just incredible how 
she can control that boat. 

I've been able to get every boat I've tried to carve turns to some extent, 
and I've never found a "neutral" boat that would fit me, but nothing behaves 
like the Broze's designs. 

When slaloming through pilings I need to make some fairly hard sweeps and 
bow rudders to get through where she just coasts along and lifts one knee 
then the other. 

If you think I'm jealous that my girlfriend's boat is WAY better than mine, 
you're right! 

And by the way, before anyone makes any generalizations about the vendors on 
this list they should try shopping at some of their stores. When I was 
living down in portland I found Alder Creek's service to be the best of any 
kayak store I'd been to. What more can you say about a dealer who is willing 
to exchange a paddle for a list member who didn't even buy it from them. 

And as for Mariner, how many dealers will talk you out of buying something 
because you don't really need it? Or would be willing to send you to another 
shop to make sure you get exactly what you are looking for. 

I personally consider their opinions for what they are, the opinion of 
someone with far more experience than I will probably ever have. 


Dave 


Shawn Baker writes:
> 
> First, I'm not a Mariner owner, but the Mariners carve a turn better
> than any boat I've ever paddled.  A lot of boats do it to some degree,
> but the Mariner does it very, very well. 
> 
>>What do you mean about the asymmetric shape of the hull? Almost every
>>kayak I've ever seen is asymmetric front-to-back and top-to-bottom.
> Are
>>Mariners asymmetric side-to-side?
> 
> *grin* I hypothesized it was due to the radical Swedeform with hard
> chines aft only.  Pure guess on my part.  A lot of boats are
> more-or-less asymmetric front-to-back, but not THAT MUCH! 
> 
> Shawn
 

***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************