Re: [Paddlewise] Mariner Kayaks (was: Why does rocker and carving work?)

From: Michael Daly <michaeldaly_at_rogers.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2001 19:58:17 -0500
From: "Michael Daly" <michaeldaly_at_rogers.com>

Just a comment on my own note:

> From: "Shawn Baker" <shawnkayak_at_yahoo.com>
> 
> > >According to Matt, Mariner kayaks turn by being edged alone.  No 
> > >initiation required. Something about the asymmetric shape of the hull.
> >  
> > > Tilt right and the hull turns left and visa versa.  
> > 
> > They do, they really do!  It's the craziest (but one of the neatest)
> > things I've ever felt. 
> 
> No discredit to the great folks at Mariner, but I'm a tad amazed that this 
> seems to be a unique feature.  Many kayaks do this, [...]

I hope no one takes my comments on specific kayaks in this post as gospel.  
While I try to test the no-sweep-carved-turn under similar conditions (e.g. 
negligible wind and waves) there are many things that I don't control or 
properly account for.  

For example, I don't guarantee that I test at the same forward speed - this no doubt
influences behavior.  As well, kayaks that have a well-defined sweet spot in the 
secondary stability or at least feel comfy on edge will be tested with more heel 
than those that are twitchy - especially in the spring when I don't want to dump 
(brrrr!) and when my skills are a tad rusty.

So the Pintail, which I love and which feels natural on me (and I wish I owned!), 
is likely to exhibit the behavior more easily _for_me_ than the Caribou, since I 
never felt "right" in the latter (nonetheless, IMHO it is a fairly "neutral" kayak for the 
things I tried out).  Ditto my Solstice, which, after five years, I'm quite comfortable 
with and can heel over hard quite readily.  Someone else in a Solstive GTH, a very 
stable and hard-to-lean kayak, might have trouble getting it to turn easily on edge 
without a sweep.  This is definitely a case of YMMV.

Mike


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Received on Tue Dec 04 2001 - 18:27:38 PST

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