Gordon Snapp wrote: >(And by the way, I'm not saying that Chesapeakes are better. I actually think that Pygmies might be more "serious" kayaks. "John Fereira" <jaf30_at_cornell.edu> wrote: >I would suggest that it is the other way around. The Northbay (20" wide x 18'6" long) is a very serious kayak as is the Patuxent. I have found that the Pygmy boats on the other hand are generally more stable and higher volume, both qualities that one would associate with a model that is a bit "friendlier" to the less experienced paddler. The popular Chesapeake line is a huge, stable, high-volume kayak. The Arctic Terns are much smaller...but it's difficult to generalize the entire lines of both builders. Sorta depends on your definition of "serious", but for some folks, it's a narrow, low-to-mid-volume kayak, with decent maneuverability, good rough water handling, and a low aft deck or coaming (for rolling ease). In my opinion of "serious", some other S&G kayaks to check out: Squeedunk Cormorant 16, 17, and 18 (love mine!): http://www.squeedunk.com Mine (custom lowered deck, stock hull design): http://www.geocities.com/shawnkayak/cormorant Guillemot S&G Guillemot: http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/Building/Stitch%26Glue/StitchAndGlue.html I have the strip Guillemot, built as an 18' kayak, and it's a wonderful rough water playboat. Shearwater Merganser (honestly don't have experience with these, but they're reputed to be good performers:) http://www.shearwater-boats.com >When I was looking for a Greenland style boat to build I compared the Northbay with the Arctic Tern. Even more Greenland-ish is Bobby Curtis' Sea Spirit...which he designed after building and paddling a couple of modified North Bays. http://www.seaspiritkayaks.com/ My buddy Bill Price built a beautiful one with a stripped deck: http://users.moscow.com/bprice/ss/ > A 23" wide beam, as in the Tern would be considered massive by traditional Greenland standards. All our hardshell kayaks are considered massive by traditional Greenland standards! In strippers, the Outer Island, Guillemot, and Redfish King are all real "performers". Shawn __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! http://platinum.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/ ***************************************************************************
Great posting, Shawn! Your list of "serious" kayaks (forgive me, everyone, for coining such a term) is very informative. I love my Chesapeake 17. I appreciate how much it can carry, and I like it's stability in fairly flat water, but I'm thinking I might want something a little different - "a narrow, low-to-mid-volume kayak, with decent maneuverability, good rough water handling, and a low aft deck or coaming (for rolling ease)." I'm in the process of building my wife a Guillemot. After that, I'm slated to build another one for my daughter (actually, I think my daughter will get the first one - the prototype with all the mistakes - and my wife will get the second one - the better one.) After that there's my son. BUT, after that it will be time for another boat for myself. It seems as if I read on one of your postings that you were tall with big feet - like me. I'm 6'4" and have size 14 feet. How would the boats on your "serious" list fit someone of my stature? Suppose I really like the Guillemot. Would it be better to build a Guillemot 'L' for myself or an Expedition or the regular model? I'm thinking my next boat won't need to carry enough stuff for a camping trip, since I've got the Chesapeake for that. I would be paddling mostly off the central coast of California. Thanks. - Gordon Snapp San Luis Obispo County, California *************************************************************************** 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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