Re: [Paddlewise] Another Tiderace Review

Doug wrote: 
>>>>>>>Matt was one of the early promoters of temporary outrigger re-entry
methodology; his rigging reflects that. Funny to now see almost all kayak
reviews include deck rigging as an integral component of good design.<<<<<<

Actually, Doug you have the cart before the horse. I was influenced by the
cool looking deck rigging I saw on some of the English designs such as the
VCP Nordkapp and McNulty Huntsman. I spent many late evenings (after my
family had retired) in early 1981 in my basement sitting in the original
Mariner kayak thinking about how to make deck riggings more functional and
add bow and stern towlines into the system that could be deployed with one
hand (while also trying to make the towlines longer--for better stretchiness
for shock absorption and to keep the kayaks further apart when towing in
rougher water) and still allow the bow towline to also rotate the point
where it clips together up to near the bow (in order to deploy sea anchors
and kite lines while sitting in the cockpit but then move the point of
contact forward to operate from the bow). Boy that last sentence runs on and
on doesn't it. Hey, it is 2:30 AM and I'm tired from skiing hard from 4 to
10 PM.

I didn't invent (and promote) the outrigger paddle float rescue (originally
called the Mariner self-rescue--see John Dowd's second edition of Sea
Kayaking) until a little after the deck line system was already in place.
Serendipitously, the back deck gear holding lines were already located where
it was easy to slip a paddle under them and use the drip ring as a stop so
the paddle didn't pull back out too easily while pulling on it some to slip
ones chest up onto the back deck. The rear towline cleat conveniently kept
the paddle mostly perpendicular to the boat (and from being able to scissor
in next to the boat).

Doug also wrote:
>>>>Kayak with a proven ability to ride over waves and not through then also

have a problem in high winds of being blow sideways. Just like boats with 
low volume give a wetter ride.<<<<<<<

While I'm sure you have experienced this I don't think you can make it a
general rule. I think you may be comparing apples to oranges here. In fact,
in some cases your experience could be just the opposite. Given all things
being kept equal (that is, an equal profile, draft, width, load weight, and
tracking stiffness) except for more fullness in the above waterline bow
lines in one of the kayaks than the other I'll bet the fuller bow blows over
less because it presents a more streamlined rounded profile to a side wind
rather than the more flat vertical ends on a finer bowed kayak. Even though
the finer bow may bury in the face of the waves it still comes out and is
exposed at the wave crest where the wind is strongest (because it is not
blocked by the waves as it is when the bow is in the trough). In fact, after
being buried deep in the wave face it may pop out even higher than a bow
with a more progressive lift. I can't help but remembering that old Current
Designs advertisement with the very fine bow Solstice at about a 45 degree
angle after punching a breaker (and while it made a dramatic photo my guess
was it was actually headed for a back ender in the next few seconds).

Greater fullness at the stern can also make for a wetter ride (all other
things being equal) because the previous wave may be (given a roughly kayak
length wavelength--the roughest kind) lifting it more and not letting the
bow pivot back up as easily as a finer stern (which can sink further
allowing the bow pivot up more). 

Matt Broze
www.marinerkayaks.com  
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