Hi- I am looking at a used Necky Elaho with skeg and am wondering how this boat might perform on the Maine coast. Has anyone had experience with this boat? The new boats offer a rudder option and I am wondering why. Roger Lumb *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> The new boats offer a rudder option and I am wondering why. > Roger Lumb I haven't tried this boat, but one reason could be that for marketing reasons it is good to have a rudder version as well. Some people just can't live/paddle without one. Rudder and skeg should both keep the boat on track if wanted, a rudder just minimizes the skills to be able to stear the boat -not necessarily a good thing, insufficient skills I mean. Rudders and skegs can break and one should be able get along without them... If you know your paddling strokes you should be fine with the skeg version, if not learn and master them no matter if your boat will have a rudder, a skeg, or neither one. For the advertised purpose (playboat for rockgardens etc.) I think the skeg is the better solution. Long distance touring may benefit more from the rudder, but for that purpose I would pick a different boat design in the first place. But that's just my 0.02$ Ulli Ulli Hoeger Dept. Physiology and Biophysics Dalhousie University Halifax, B3H 4H7 Nova Scotia, Canada Phone: INT 902 494 2673 Fax: INT 902 494 1685 Phone 2: 902 497 4045 *************************************************************************** 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 Mon, Sep 23, 2002 at 03:13:30PM -0400, Roger Lumb wrote: > I am looking at a used Necky Elaho with skeg and am wondering how > this boat might perform on the Maine coast. Has anyone had > experience with this boat? The new boats offer a rudder option and > I am wondering why. Tom Bergh's Maine Island Kayak Company (MIKCO) has the reputation of being one of the better instructional facilities in the country. MIKCO is also a Necky National Demo Center. In any email exchanges I've had with MIKCO, I've found them quite helpful, even when the matter didn't directly relate to a course or retail sale. You could do worse than contact them at <info_at_maineislandkayak.com> and ask your query in the form os an "As a Necky National Demo Center, how to do feel about the following: ..... ?" question. If one of the instructors, and there are a good number, field the question, you may get a a very cogent explanation of the pros and cons of the Elaho for use along the Maine Coast. Visiting their site at http://www.maineislandkayak.com, snooping around a bit until you find the staff info, will yield a list of the boats owned / paddled by the various members of the MIKCO staff. See if the Elaho comes up at all. I know Necky boats do show up often on the list. What does and doesn't will give you an idea of what works in and around the Maine islands (but remember, they're also paddling Valley and NDK boats too, so they may get the nod in particular areas, even if the Necky would work well too). Just a thought. -.- jwd *************************************************************************** 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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