Someone contacted me backchannel and asked me to comment on the Solstice improvements in the 2002 models. I'd mentioned this in my long post on the ECCKF. The improvements are not radical. The hull is the same (AFAIK). The most noticable is the change in the rear hatch cover. The older models had a trapezoidal, black ABS cover that strapped down with a criss-cross of webbing. The new model uses a composite cover similar to the front cover (or the rear covers on the Extreme or Caribou). The straps go straight across and have the levered closure like the front cover. I've long felt that this is one of the best designs - it's simple and it works. The levers allow you to get the webbing suitably tight and if closed properly, it's quite watertight. The only drawback is that the opening is now smaller, so some big things that you could load in an older GT/GTS might no longer fit. I can fit two olive jars (plastic, ~18 liters each and popular with the canoeists in my area) into my GTHV - these won't fit into a new GTHV (oops, now called GT XL!) This change also seems to have made the rear deck more arched than before. I've come to appreciate a flatter deck (laybacks, easier to handle the paddle for a paddle float reentry etc). I haven't been able to do a side-by-side comparison with the older models to see if it is more arched or the same, but it certainly looks more so. This may be an illusion due to the flush hatch cover. The rudder has been changed again. The previous incarnation had the rudder cables attaching to little struts that swept out from the rudder head assembly. I've seen one of these bend and wasn't convinced that it was rugged enough. They've returned to the older design where there is a triangle formed of two struts at the rudder head. This looks a little more solid. The rudder blade is now plastic and is foil-shaped. The oldest were flat aluminum and the more recent an elongated diamond section. These newest ones look the best from a drag perspective. Deck rigging is beefier and the life lines are retroreflective material. The seat has been slightly modified - this may be more cosmetic than a functional change. Overall I like the changes and think they are for the better. The flush rear hatch certainly makes the kayak look sleeker. Amie test paddled a GTS: http://members.rogers.com/michaeldaly2/testPaddle.htm at ECCKF. BTW, that's not a design on the bow - it's mud! Mike *************************************************************************** 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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