[Paddlewise] SV: SV: It's criminal

You are right Steve, it is not only dealers, but also manufacturers that do
not have a clue. The marked booming as it is, every body is building and
selling sea boats. Many manufacturers have been building WW boats and have
never got the idea about sea boats.
The German Seakayak organisations magazine had a very good article about
kayak outfitting=toggles and declines. (sorry it is not online)
British, being a lot better then American/Canadian.
Have a look at toggles, or as they say on the American continent: carrying
handles. These were primarily designed to hang on to the boat while in the
water, hence the should be mounted on the very end of the kayak in a way
that allows the kayak to turn and twist without hurting fingers, hand or
arm. Compare that with the many boats that have them fitted on top of the
foredeck!

It would be really fine if Seakayaker could print a translation of the
article. If any native English speaker would like to do the translation I
would be more than happy to sent the article.
Or maybe that is a job for you Peter Unold?

Lenze

<I agree with what you are saying about rec (or is that wreck) boats. But
the manufacturer of two of the boats today, says this about one of his
models.

If you want to go fast in the ocean with confidence this is the boat for
you.
This boat is a joy to paddle.

The models that were at our practice session, are advertised as good for
paddling around the marina or for a coastal paddle.

This particular manufacturer produces kayaks and paddles that he sells
direct to the paddler. There is no outfitter involved. He also sold one of
the paddlers, an extremely tight neoprene skirt. While trying to do a wet
exit, the paddler couldn't even remove it. I wound up demonstrating how to
do a "Hand of God" rescue to keep the paddler from drowning. Again, a
beginning paddler, should probably use a looser skirt until they get some
basic skills.

One of the other boats was a popular plastic boat that is used by many
people here for playing in rock gardens. That one had no front bulkhead or
floatation. Beginning kayakers don't know they need float bags and if the
outfitter doesn't tell them, they're not bought. If it was included as part
of the boat, everybody would be better off.

Just my 2 cents,

Steve>
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