Re: [Paddlewise] SOT's

In a message dated 6/4/2003 1:37:01 AM Central Daylight Time, 
dalloyd_at_telus.net writes:


> The latest issue of Canoe and Kayak has a good article by Rob Lyon about
> SOT's being used along the west coast of Vancouver Island.
> 
> His web site is:
> 
> http://lyonexpeditions.com/aboutus.html
> 
> Don't know about you guys, but SOT's still have a long way to go in terms of
> R&D. Closed-deck kayaks still present a safety hazard too. Both statements
> are true. What say you.
> 

I had a problem with the article. It is well written in the creative sense, 
however, the logic is a bit confused. He writes about being a hundred yards 
from shore and being slammed by wind as he rounded the northern tip of the Brooks 
Peninsula. He reported that his inflatable Aire Sea Tiger flipped up on its 
side, throwing him off balance and flopping him down again. He reports he made 
no progress until the wind abated somewhat (that's my read of the "space 
abated" comment he made). He then reports to have dug for all he was worth to make 
it back to shore. In other words, he got lucky the wind slowed down or he'd 
been found off Kamchatka next month.

If one looks at the photo of him (very wet and potentially hypothermic 
looking) surfing the Aire Sea Tiger (without a helmet nonetheless) one notices a 
huge amount of freeboard. No wonder the wind on the Brooks almost made a yard 
sale of him on the cape.

Later on he states that experience is overrated and that a sexy kevlar 
touring boat will take years of practice and a rabbits foot to master the Outside. 
Why not get a quality open top boat and ease yourself in that direction, he 
suggests.

Hmmm, let me answer that one. Paddling the sea anywhere, not just the outside 
is about experience and skill, not the vessel. If one has not the experience 
to handle ocean conditions or even inland water, I would suggest one find the 
appropriate coaching or one will find out the hard way what a burial at sea is 
like.

It matters not if one is in the sea in a Boston Whaler, a Zodiac, A Nordkapp 
or an Aire Sea Tiger. Be it fiberglass, vinyl or hypalon your skill set 
determines your level of risk in the sea not your vessel choice. I'm stunned C&K 
allowed this to get by the censors. I mean really, *hey rookies let's all have a 
good time up on the cape. Skip the helmets, we don't need 'em, we got our Aire 
inflatable to save the day. Wind? What wind?* No amount of waxing poetry 
about being a journeyman paddler on a big expedition will save that logic from its 
appropriate place.

Rob G

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