Sea Kayakers, With all of the positive comments about ocean cockpits, I have to throw in a few negative comments to provide balance. I have two fiberglass kayaks, one with a keyhole cockpit and another with an ocean cockpit, and I frequently go back and forth between them. On a long paddle with a keyhole cockpit, it is nice to occasionally bring a knee up to prevent stiffening of the legs. You can't bring a knee up in an ocean cockpit. In a keyhole cockpit, it is easier to reach forward with your hands in the cockpit to adjust foot pegs and grab gear. Even when I am out of the boat, I can barely reach my foot pegs with my hands in my ocean cockpit boat. By far the biggest disadvantage with an ocean cockpit is landing is dumping surf, which is common where I live in Southern California. With a keyhole cockpit, I can pretty much jump out of the boat. In an ocean cockpit boat, I have to take a couple extra seconds to slide my legs backwards, and those couple extra seconds is all it takes for the next dumping wave to nail me. Do I dislike ocean cockpits? No. But I don't believe for a second that they are better than keyhole cockpits. I have no problem with the thigh/knee bracing in the keyhole cockpit kayak I own. Also, because I use properly fitting whitewater style (all neoprene) sprayskirts, I've never had a sprayskirt fail me on a keyhole cockpit while in the surf, and I spend a lot of time playing in the surf. Duane Strosaker www.geocities.com/strosaker *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
My first kayak was a keyhole type and I rapidly changed to the ocean cockpit, which I've used for years since and still do. I just started using a keyhole type again, and it's one one the smaller ones around. I use tight spray skirts and I've never had a problem with either. An SOF will more or less require an ocean cockpit so when I build mine later this summer it won't intimidate me at all (the price of a tuilliq is a different matter. Now that is intimidating). I've used Kleppers not set up for me but well set up, and never had a problem, in surf or open ocean. Keyhole, ocean or open Kepper or Kruger style the one thing they all had in common was a well designed , well fitting spray skirt. When I see some of the current models offerred for sale I can only think they'd make great wrapping for fresh caught fish, but not much else. Jumping out in a surf landing is easier but a keyholes chief verture is the ease you can pull your own otherwise numb body out after a LONG day. I really appreciate that. Kevin *************************************************************************** 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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