Re: [Paddlewise] Innovations in sea kayak designs

On Sat, 18 Apr 2009 13:31:57 -0700 (PDT), gypsy_trillium_at_yahoo.ca said:
> Date: Fri, 10 Apr 2009 09:06:21 -0700
> From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>
> Subject: [Paddlewise] Innovations in sea kayak designs
> 
> I've been mulling over the thread that rotated around the video "a
> conversation with Derek Hutchinson" and some of the comments. Derek
> Hutchinson has said that he thinks design innovation in sea kayaking is
> moribund, if not dead, and this got me to thinking... clip
  
> ...about innovations.
>  
> I think it's about time we start looking back at the roots of our sport for
> 'improvements' in hull design. Storm-hungry multi-chined Aleutian Baidarkas,
> low profile East and South Greenland speed machines, flat-bottomed West
> Greenland playboats. The kayak has developed too far from it's intended use to
> address a consumer perceived flaw in it's design. Seems every design I see on
> the tops of cars these days, takes our beloved, and
> occasionally (delightfully) wet kayaks, and tries to make them into little
> 'Queen Mary's. The trade promotes this as an improvement over primitive
> designs, and if I was standing in a shop making comparisons, the slew of
> bad 'recreational' designs would seem to support this.

Having spent a few years playing with skin boats.  I'm not convinced the
current boats have reached the performance capabilities of the old
designs.  

The baidarka being the design which I think has higher performance
potential.   Greenland boats are great for rolling and playing, but if
you want to go somewhere, I'll take a baidarka.

I spent some time with a fellow skin boat paddler/builder this past
weekend.

We both think a skin/frame boat may be faster than a rigid kayak - of
any design.

With the baidarka there's a whole lot to the shape of the stern. 

As a surf ski paddler I find the stern of most surf ski's primitive in
comparison to the stern of a well built baidarka.  I've paddled a nicely
shaped 16' baidarka which doesn't squat when sprinted.  I can't think of
a 16' regular kayak which didn't squat if you sprint it - assuming you
could actually sprint the boat...

> Personally I'd like to see more folks starting in simpler, longer, narrower
> kayaks, with lower decks, that have been fitted, and fit them
> properly. 

I couldn't agree more.  Simple well fitted boats to start with.  Adding
the requirement that you need to be able to solo the boat on and off the
car.  There's no point in having a boat that's too heavy to single hand
load/unload.

Kirk

-- 
  Kirk Olsen
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