I asked about stable photography platforms, and got a bunch of informative leads, summarized below. Many thanks to all who responded! -Paul ---- From: David Checkout Tribalance, a trimaran kayak. Outriggers are about 3 feet out to each side, total width 7 1/2 feet. Extremely stable, yet main hull is very narrow 21", so it goes quite swiftly. You can literally stand up in it to fish or take pictures. <http://www.tribalance.com> ---- rom: Jim I really like my Keowee II. It can be found used for about $450. The new Keowee III is bigger and longer and heavier. It might be a bit much for one person. I can stand in the II and fly fish easily. Its weight is just on the good side of manageable. ---- From: Jolie Chris Siegfried, is the E. Coast distributor for some really wide, stable and relatively inexpensive boats, but I can't remember the brand name. Does Walden sound familiar? That might be it! ---- From: David Find a boat that he likes and that fits him well. Stable doesn't matter that much, because he should then set up a way to attach short pieces of PVC pipe filled with lead shot under or just behind his seat as low as it can go. Due to the lead shot he should make sure he has plenty of flotation and backup flotation. It would help to have a dry riding boat with a high volume bow. And just to help get the flame war going, it should have a rudder. I prefer not to use a rudder, but when taking pictures it is really helpful to be able to keep your boat pointed in the right direction. Few of the arguments against a rudder apply in the situations most photographers would be working in. ---- From: Peter I'd recommend a "Poke Boat" or something similar. Stable with a roomy cockpit for all the photo supplies where they're easy to get at. Light enough to cartop easily by one person and very uncomplicated (no rudder, hatches, spray skirt, etc.). The folding boats by Klepper and Folbot would work well too but are more expensive and wasteful unless he needs the folding feature. ---- From: Robert A "Scrambler XT", made by Ocean kayaks". It's a sit-on-top. ---- From: Anne Feathercraft Kahuna, or folding boat model of his choice. ---- From: RC If (s)he wants a narrow kayak, but occasionally likes to shoot pictures, suggest an outrigger of an inflated paddle float (dual chamber Mariner's are excellent) run through deck lines. Or, (s)he can buy sponsons/sea wings when they want to shoot and when they want to paddle fast they have neither. ---- From: Al I've enjoyed taking thousands of photos from a variety of boats. And here are a few things I've learned that any new kayaking photographer should know: 1. As soon as you set your paddle down and pick up your camera, the wind or waves will quickly turn your boat away from your subject. 2. Subjects that move will move towards your stern quickly just enough so you can't take your shot without moving the boat again. 3. After you move your boat to bring the subject back in view, they will move again as in (2.) above. 4. Subjects will fly, swim, or run away about 3 microseconds before you squeeze the shutter release. ;-) So the ideal boat would allow the photographer to move the boat silently with camera in hand free to take shots at the same time. There is such a boat; the Hobie Mirage. The Mirage is a stable kayak propelled either by conventional paddle or by foot pedals that drive a couple of silent, efficient, flexible drive fins under the keel. It comes with a rudder. For shallow water, the fins can be held in the up position and the boat can be paddled like any other. I don't own one yet (and I don't sell them either), but if I were looking for a boat exceptionally suited for photography, I'd buy the Mirage. ---- boats i've tried that would be great for this are: perception sierra, 11'1" (owned one) perception america, 13'4" (own one, love it) and, the cadillac, the pokeboat. (www.pokeboat.com) you can stand up in these boats. i've done it, and not just in the pool. and they have a huge cockpit for loading all kinds of fishing crap, or photography crap, or 2 coolers of lunch for picnics with friends, etc. and still room for float bags. the pokeboats are pricey (~1200) but made of kevlar and weigh, like, 32 lbs. ---- From: Dave I bought a Dagger Cypress specifically for bumming around the marshes of the southern Chesapeake Bay and taking pictures. It's about 13' long, 24" wide and has super primary stability and good secondary stability. Also, it's plastic and weighs about 50 lbs. Big cockpit. I recommend it highly. Great boat. ---- *************************************************************************** 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 Tue Jan 29 2002 - 04:52:18 PST
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