Paddlewisers, For me trim is all about how the kayak handles. In my kayak, about 2/3 of the weight has to go in the rear hatch, and being off trim even by about 10 pounds can have an effect, such as increased lee or weathercocking and broaching. As Rafael said, if you're a bit bow heavy, a skeg can be lowered to compensate. Since I haven't installed skegs in my kayaks, I carry a dedicated water/trim bag on trips when I do long crossings, and when necessary, I fill it up with ocean water and put it on the front or back deck to adjust the trim for better boat handling. The kayak is really stable with camping gear in it, so the higher center of gravity with the bag on top of the deck isn't a problem and actually makes the kayak easier to edge. Photo of water/trim bag being used on a crossing: http://duane.smugmug.com/gallery/2983329#161528726 Duane Southern 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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue Nov 06 2007 - 16:45:26 PST
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