Melissa, glad to hear you are building an AH kit. I will be interested in how you like it. A while back you told me that you much preferred the Caribou to the AH, so I wonder what made you cange your mind? I also wonder how people who have built and paddled both the Northbay and the kit built AH rate the boats. Finally, has anyone paddled the 23" wide version of the AH that Mark Rogers builds? My back needs something with a little bit more initial but I love the handling of the AH (mine is composite). I thought the 23" wide version might do the trick, but for all I know it could handle completely differently. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
On Thursday, July 18, 2002, at 4:52:05 PM PST, RWMCT_at_aol.com wrote: > Melissa, glad to hear you are building an AH kit. It was a close call between a North Bay and the AH (I may build a North Bay next). More on that in a bit. > I will be interested in how you like it. A while back you told me > that you much preferred the Caribou to the AH, so I wonder what made > you cange your mind? While I did like the handling of the Caribou over that of the AH, it was not that great a difference. Also...at the time I bought my Caribou (which I still love!), I was a less experienced paddler than I am now, almost six years later. My main complaint with the AHs I'd paddled was the Wilderness Systems glass lay up. I found it to be a bit light (flimsy even), and one of the boats oil canned pretty badly in rough water. I just didn't feel entirely comfortable with the WS version of the AH. With the wood/glass kit, I'm not as concerned with the lay up problems I perceived with the WS boat, and I can also customize it in certain ways as I build it. I've recently paddled another WS AH, and found, with my now more developed skills (and my Greenland Stick), that it handled quite nicely. This is only the first of several boats I want to build, and I think it will be a nice addition to my growing fleet (to follow: more wood/glass boats, some skin on frame boats, and a surf boat!). > I also wonder how people who have built and paddled both the > Northbay and the kit built AH rate the boats. John Fereira built a North Bay, and seems quite happy with it...perhaps he'll comment. I was originally interested in building a North Bay, but since I haven't had a chance to paddle one yet, I decided to start with a boat I'm familiar with, and know that I already like. I ordered my AH kit last week, but since they're backed up on orders, I'll not get it until about the 30th. I've turned my bare garage into a well appointed boat building shop (new electricity, lighting, ventilation, utility sink, saw horses, tools, supplies, etc.) I'm really excited about my first building project! :-) Melissa -- PGP public keys: mailto:pgp_keys_at_gmx.co.uk?subject=0x46C29887&Body=Please%20send%20keys *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Melissa Reese wrote: > > John Fereira built a North Bay, and seems quite happy with > it...perhaps he'll comment. I was originally interested in building a > North Bay, but since I haven't had a chance to paddle one yet, I > decided to start with a boat I'm familiar with, and know that I > already like. > My North Bay would have been a MUCH nicer boat if I had placed the cockpit 4-5 inches aft and didn't concern myself with the unnecessary weighty reinforcement. weathercocks badly and requires more effort than it should to get it up to hull speed. I am considering sawing off the deck and doing some extensive modifications. -- gabriel l romeu ø http://studiofurniture.com ø ø http://journalphoto.org ø ø http://kayakoutfitting.org ø ø http://kayaknavigation.com ø *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
At 09:12 PM 7/18/02 -0400, Gabriel L Romeu wrote: >Melissa Reese wrote: > > > > > John Fereira built a North Bay, and seems quite happy with > > it...perhaps he'll comment. I was originally interested in building a > > North Bay, but since I haven't had a chance to paddle one yet, I > > decided to start with a boat I'm familiar with, and know that I > > already like. Actually, I built the Northbay XL. I don't think I've ever claimed that it doesn't weathercock. That's pretty much my biggest complaint with it. On the other hand, the secondary stability is so good that edging the boat to compensate on a longish crossing is real easy. > > > >My North Bay would have been a MUCH nicer boat if I had >placed the cockpit 4-5 inches aft and didn't concern myself >with the unnecessary weighty reinforcement. > >weathercocks badly and requires more effort than it should >to get it up to hull speed. It's hard to say how my XL compares in terms of weathercocking to yours but I've never had any complaints about it's speed and the effort required to get it up to speed. >I am considering sawing off the deck and doing some >extensive modifications. I've thought about doing the same with mine and making a cedar strip deck. I'd lower the rear deck and recess the cockpit combing to make it easier to do layback rolls. That would probably help the weather cocking as well. I'm quite happy with my Outer Island so far though so I'll probably just clean it up and sell it. Rather than cut off the deck you might consider building up the keel line at the stern like Duane S. wrote about awhile back. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 7/19/2002 6:13:47 PM Pacific Daylight Time, romeug_at_erols.com writes: > My North Bay would have been a MUCH nicer boat if I had > placed the cockpit 4-5 inches aft and didn't concern myself > with the unnecessary weighty reinforcement. > > weathercocks badly and requires more effort than it should > to get it up to hull speed. I have been paddling a North Bay for less then a year, so I still need some time to really put the boat through the ringer. But I have experienced no such problems with mine. The boat is radically different then my trusty old Arluk, so it has taken a little work to learn how to handle it. I find it responds quite nicely to a little edging and feel I'm in complete control of the boat in what wind and currents I have encountered thus far. Check with me in another year and I might have a different opinion :-) My only real regret with this boat is that I wish I had placed the rear hatch further towards the stern in order to make room for another bulkhead and a day hatch as there is very little room for anything in the cockpit with me. Scott So.Cal. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
John F. wrote: >I don't think I've ever claimed that it doesn't weathercock. That's >pretty much my biggest complaint with it. Rumor has it that boat went into production before prototyping. I haven't paddled the NB, but I know my Chesapeake 17 could have benefitted from a few more tweaks. (Its back deck is waaay too high, too). CLC's boats seem to be very fast, but aren't optimized for really serious conditions paddlers or rollers. Gabriel R. wrote: >My North Bay would have been a MUCH nicer boat if I had >placed the cockpit 4-5 inches aft >I am considering sawing off the deck and doing some >extensive modifications. John F. wrote: >I've thought about doing the same with mine and making a cedar strip >deck. I'd lower the rear deck and recess the cockpit combing to make >it easier to do layback rolls. Ponder Bobby Curtis' website--you can see how his Sea Spirit design came about after he was dissatisfied with some of the NB's characteristics. http://www.seaspiritkayaks.com Shawn Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better http://health.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> Ponder Bobby Curtis' website--you can see how his Sea Spirit design > came about after he was dissatisfied with some of the NB's > characteristics. > > http://www.seaspiritkayaks.com > > Shawn I got to demo Bobby's Sea Sprit II at Nick Schade's meet a couple of months ago. It is a sweetheart of a boat. It doesn't weathercock appreciably, is the easiest sea kayak I've ever done a balance brace in (No paddle!), and rolls so easy, I can handroll it with little effort. But if you're looking for an expedition boat, that ain't it. Very low volume aft of the cockpit. Great day paddler, though. Wayne -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------ Wayne Smith wsmith16_at_snet.net Check out my sea kayaking & homebrewing page: http://pages.cthome.net/wsmith16/home.html *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
I loved the Sea Spirit, too. I got to paddle one in mid-June as well. I was really surprised it doesn't weathercock with its relatively tall ends. 5 1/4" behind the cockpit--wow! I could easily balance brace this boat, and it let me do my first Norsaq roll. I could also stand up in the thing! Shawn --- Wayne Smith <wsmith16_at_snet.net> wrote: > I got to demo Bobby's Sea Sprit II at Nick Schade's meet a couple of > months ago. Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better http://health.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
I just found out that there's a good chance that I'll be attending a meeting in St. Johns, Newfoundland Aug 22-23. I've looked around a bit for kayaking opportunities but thought I'd ask the list if anyone knew of a recommended outfitter or trip. I'm thinking of taking the 24th and 25th off as well or arriving a couple of days early. *************************************************************************** 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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