Friends and Neighbors, Or is that title too pejorative to kayaks not equipped with fore and aft recessed deck lines, a third bulkhead for a day hatch, or bulkheads at all, footpumps, etc? Ok, we'll call it Current Outfitting Theory on Kayaks Aimed At The Performance Market By Some Manufacturers. Whatever, we know what they look like. Some, don't like recessed deck lines as the molding produces a bump, intruding on interior space. Not only that, they are hard to grab. Some do not like deck lines at all as they mar the aesthetics of a boat. Some do not like bulkheads as they produce stress on areas of the hull where an inflexible bulkhead is located. And anyway,if one fails a bulkhead can fill up with water quite dangerously. Adding a third bulkhead is an intrusion on interior space yet again, and anyway day hatches are a fad. Damn those boats, the Coleman triple burner doesn't fit! What will I do with that 5L box o' wine? Are they carrying handles or end grabs, anyway? Black rubber hatches are ugly so it is best to create a flush cover and strap it down, some say. Others don't bother to gasket it, they rely on a neoprene slip cover, then a tightened top cover. Some of the best hatches I've seen are on home built wood boats...and then some of the worst, were, too. The ones with the little turn buttons, or the ones where a rescuee pulls on the lid as it is only restrained by bungie and it fills the bulkhead up with water. A hand pump is best. No, a foot pump is, you fool. Sorry, you're all fools, matey, electric is the way to go. The traditionalists think we are all paddling kayak-like boats as a proper qajaq is an SOF of little volume with a sharp stick on the right gunnel, even if it is for fun, and not hunting. I paddle two very different sea kayaks where one is Old School, meaning I'm forced to rely on a seasock, airbags and a small deck bag for lunch, snacks, etc. I use a handpump and my new Chillcheater spray deck has a really cool roll up bale hole that makes it alot safer than pumping from the side of a spray deck. It does have full perimeter lines so it is not entirely Old School. Many of my friends paddle with similar outfitting as we are bag boaters. My New School boat has 3 bulkheads, recessed deck lines, knee tube, fixed seat, D cell submersible electric pump, keel strip, end toggles, color coordinated to deck and hull black rubber hatches. If you've made it this far without hitting 'delete' what do you prefer and why? Or is it even preference? It is safety, not preference. Or is it a hindrance to large feet, interior space for expeditions, an anathema, El Guapo, an anathema to safety as broken boats in the surf line from bulkhead induced hull failures are jeopardizing you, me and everyone on this expedition from this faddish marketing gimmickry! Look, I can see your rear bulkhead filling up already and now I have to do a rescue described in a certain Canoeing book to empty out this hazard to proper navigation! Is anyone right? Rob G *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Rcgibbert_at_aol.com wrote: > > If you've made it this far without hitting 'delete' what do you prefer and > why? Or is it even preference? It is safety, not preference. Or is it a > hindrance to large feet, interior space for expeditions, an anathema, El Guapo, an > anathema to safety as broken boats in the surf line from bulkhead induced hull > failures are jeopardizing you, me and everyone on this expedition from this > faddish marketing gimmickry! Look, I can see your rear bulkhead filling up already > and now I have to do a rescue described in a certain Canoeing book to empty > out this hazard to proper navigation! Is anyone right? > > Rob G "A good boat is one that brings pleasure to her owner." "There is nothing, absolutely nothing half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats." Ratty, Wind in the Willows I have in my mind an ideal boat, with everything I need and nothing I don't need, beautiful and fast. The only problem is that the boat in my mind is a different boat for every trip. :-) In the world I will use a boat that is at hand rather than spend too much time on what is wrong with her. I serve her needs and she serves mine and after a time we part and both find new partners. Perhaps we both win in the end. michael *************************************************************************** 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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