[Paddlewise] Pintail has a new home

    I just returned from a GA to TN and back road trip to test paddle and
purchase a Pintail with an ocean cockpit.  It was a very interesting drive
through the Great Smokey Mountains and Smokey they were.  Lots of mist and
gentle fog everywhere.  I grabbed my paddling partner Ronnie and off we went.
Ronnie's mission was to act as safety coordinator/spotter/notifier of next of
kin in case of mishap guy.  The ocean cockpit had me a bit spooked.  We met
the owner, Jack, and off to the Tennessee River we all went.  He seemed a bit
nervous that I might drown.  Perhaps he is telepathic.  


    Ronnie launched first in a borrowed Skerray and I went second.  Jack
watched nervously from the bank.  Getting in I  immediately felt at home. I
own a Valley Avocet which is based on the  design of the pintail so the
initial experience of this boat wasn't too far off.  I tried a few gently
leans , turns and braces.  It felt solid, yet playful.  We paddled out to some
deeper water and Ronnie gruffly ordered me to quit being scared roll the damn
thing.  Over I went and up I came! After a few more rolls I missed one and the
moment of Zen had arrived.  I hung under the cockpit and pulled the grab loop.
I gently somersaulted out and floated up with one foot in the cockpit.  Some
much for worrying about getting out.  I couldn't feel a big difference between
wet exiting an ocean vs keyhole cockpit.  That is obviously a very subjective
statement. I did a paddle float reentry  (balance, balance, balance,) and used
the built in pump to empty the remaining  water.  I now had the confidence to
be my usual more aggressive self.  


    This kayak will  turn around amazingly fast.  It will also walk all over
the place without some attention.  But gentle hip pressure keeps it going
along well.  With the skeg down a bit it will  drive forward quite well.
Certainly not the best choice for an expedition but this is  to be a day/play
boat.  We paddled back much closer to Jack to ease his mind a bit.  I did many
more rolls, wet exits and braces.  I found that by far the best way to get
back into this kayak is by doing a reentry and roll.  After a few tries it was
easy.  Fun would be a better description.  The ocean cockpit really keeps out
the excess water on rolling up.


    We went to the put in point and I practiced a few landings.  The back deck
is very low and broad.  By using it as a seat it was very easy to slide out
and sit there while pulling my legs out.  Now came time for negotiations.  It
is never to your advantage when making a major purchase to drive 5 hrs one way
to "try" a kayak.  It is even worse to  have a reallygreat time in front of
the owner and then launch into price negotiations.  He was kind enough to
budge a little on an already great price.  After counting out the agreed upon
price and feeling a little like a drug dealer while handling all that cash it
was done.  


    Now the hard part............Can anyone suggest where to hide it so my
wife won't notice that I now have two yellow sea kayaks?  Perhaps I can
convince her that I built it from stuff I found in the shed.  Or that I cloned
it.  I used to work in a genetics lab.  That's it!  





                                Thanks Ronnie,





        Jim et al











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