> I didn't try to roll, but coamig come off on two short trips. I too have had some problems with the big Kahuna combing. It hasn't really come off, but has come loose on one occasion to the point where I became unnerved and made an unscheduled put-in to fix it. I think this is still a weakness in the design which could benefit from some sort of locking device...preferably a retrofit. (Are you listening Feathercraft?) I have found two factors to be of importance in keeping the combing secure: 1-The combing needs to be really snug BEFORE inflating the sponsons. I also check as I'm huffing and wheezing to make sure it doesn't pop-out even the slightest bit as the skin tension increases. 2-Don't put any weight on the combing when climbing in or out. Instead, position the hands on top of the rear large crossrib for leverage/support. >Do you know if the sponsons were fully inflated? I'm wondering if it would be >better (for learning or demonstration purposes) NOT to have them fully >inflated. Is there a risk that the skin will slip out of the coming? I would imagine that trying to roll a Kahuna without inflating the sponsons would result in an unwanted "ejection-seat-style," wet-exit for both the paddler and the combing. (No doubt very humorous for any fish or sea lions in the vicinity and good for "top-gun" training...) >By the way I can roll a Klepper but certainly not with Dubside's finesse as >Ralph describes - just your very average Pawlatta roll - it wasn't any >harder than rolling a hardshell once I got my knees locked in I think Peter is right about the necessity of locking the knees into position. Since the standard Kahuna does not have thigh braces, the only place to get knee leverage for rolling or edging is to the outside of the cockpit between the deck and the sponsons...another reason for the sponsons to be inflated. Lest I be misunderstood...despite the above shortcomings, I'm extremely happy with this boat. I've logged 300 nm in a variety of conditions and always felt that it was sea-worthy and controllable. Keeping pace with hard-shells has so far never been an issue. Jeff *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 6/3/2003 8:40:42 AM Central Standard Time, jkayak_at_sopoint.com writes: > I think this is still a weakness in the design which could benefit from > some sort of locking device...preferably a retrofit. (Are you listening > Feathercraft?) I know FC is proud of their coaming but I've had the same troubles: it's very difficult to get it in properly on my BK. If you don't get it in right, it's not secure. And the recommendation about not putting weight on the coaming seems to be more evidence the thing doesn't work correctly. I'm not an engineer, but it looks to me like the rubber piece inside the lip is too short: my guess is that it's about 3/8" high and probably ought to be at least another 1/4" taller to allow you the mechanical advantage to securely seat it into the trough. Or use a spatula to poke the lip into the trough, like I read somewhere. I should say this is the most significant concern I have about an otherwise excellent boat I'm proud to own: overall, FC did a very nice job with this one. One of these days I'll get around to commenting on mine. Mike *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
----- Original Message ----- From: <Needfreed_at_wmconnect.com> > In a message dated 6/3/2003 8:40:42 AM Central Standard Time, > jkayak_at_sopoint.com writes: > > > > I think this is still a weakness in the design which could benefit from > > some sort of locking device...preferably a retrofit. (Are you listening > > Feathercraft?) > > I know FC is proud of their coaming but I've had the same troubles: it's very > difficult to get it in properly on my BK. If you don't get it in right, it's > not secure. And the recommendation about not putting weight on the coaming > seems to be more evidence the thing doesn't work correctly. Other Feathercraft singles have a way for the coaming to be secured with a clamp at each end of the coaming. That clamp comes up from the crossrib in each area. The attachment of the coaming in the later production years of the K-Light and on the entire Kahuna production run has been greatly improved. The improvement has come in the length of, and material used, for the beaded hem of the skin that fits into the groove on the coaming and effectively locks both together. The problem I see with loose coamings is that paddlers don't shove that bead in deeply enough. You can really feel a difference when you do it right. You can almost sense that final step clicking in. What I do is make certain I have the bead in all away around the coaming (starting with the rear area, switching the front end and then putting the sides in). Then I go around again shoving the bead deeply in using the heel of my hand and finger tips. That bead should disappear fully out of sight. Once fully inserted and the sponsons inflated, you can pick up the boat by the coaming and it will not come out. As for where to place weight on the coaming when entering and exiting the kayak, you definitely want to keep your weight off it and instead have your hands on the deck near the crossrib at the rear of the coaming. This was suggested by Jeff as helpful in keeping the bead on the coaming from pulling out. I think a more important reason is not to stress the coaming itself. People have cracked coamings by placing weight on them while entering or exiting. The coamings are free-floating similar to coamings on Greenland skinboats. Pressure on the coaming could crack them. Around 1997 or so, Feathercraft upgraded the construction of the coaming and this made them a lot tougher (you can tell the difference on older K-Lights by looking at the surface of the coaming--if it shiny, it is the old style, it is more of a matte finish, it is the newer one). But still keep weight off any vintage of coaming. ralph diaz-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
----- Original Message ----- From: "ralph diaz" <rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com> > Other Feathercraft singles have a way for the coaming to be secured with a > clamp at each end of the coaming. That clamp comes up from the crossrib in > each area. I would really love having this clamp as a measure of precaution. Is it possible to attach this clamp to Kahuna or Big Kahuna ribs? > The problem I see with loose coamings is that paddlers don't > shove that bead in deeply enough. You can really feel a difference when you > do it right. You can almost sense that final step clicking in. I think so too. It must be very deep shoving that helps me when I tuck it in for a second time (after it came off). Still I can't sense any pronounced locking when I do that. May be that "clicking feeling" is that subtle, or I'm not that observant, anyway chances are that I could tuck it not deep enough again. Alex. *************************************************************************** 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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