RE: [Paddlewise] Advice on boats

I might have this wrong, so I'm posting it mainly to see how many arrows it
attracts.

First, semantics may play a role here. "Stable" sounds like a good thing
when you ask someone would you want your boat stable? But if you substitute
"strong righting moment with respect to the water's surface" it might make
one think a little before answering.

If the water is horizontal, the "stableness" of the boat will also tend keep
you horizontal. If the water were to incline to 45 degrees, that stableness
would tend to incline you to 45 degrees. Ditto 90. How strong this tendendcy
is depends on how "stable" the boat is.

Now taking the opposite extreme, if your boat had zero "stability", on flat
water it would have zero tendency to keep you horizontal. Your attitude is
all dynamic and up to you. If the water were to incline to 45 degrees, it
would have zero tendency to incline you to 45 degrees. Ditto 90. Your
attitude is all dynamic and up to you.

So, I'm thinking it's pick your poison. If you are all of the time in flat
water "stable" is good. If you are really worried about water with texture,
even if it's that one crossing back from the island when the sea gets up,
maybe not so much.

As long as you have a paddle in the water and are applying force, it's
pretty easy to control your attitude. It's only sitting with your paddle in
your lap that the boat needs to take over the job of staying upright. I
doubt Doug spends much time fishing or taking photograps when he paddles in
a gale at night.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net
[mailto:owner-paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net]On Behalf Of Jerry F
Sent: Saturday, May 09, 2009 12:23 PM
To: Doug Lloyd; Paddlewise
Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Advice on boats


----- Original Message -----
From: "Doug Lloyd" <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca>
To: "Jerry F" <gfoodma_at_earthlink.net>; "Dave Kruger" <kdruger_at_pacifier.com>;
"Paddlewise" <PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net>
Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 12:38 AM
Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Advice on boats

Doug,
The most telling phrase in your superb exposition is the final 'certain
essential wildness'.  So the Nordkapp aficionados have a spiritual
characteristic in their blood.  I can perhaps 'grok' that.  But from a
practical point of view I don't see any advantage to twitchiness/low
stability in a sea kayak.  If one wants highest top speed, one must accept
the the twitchiness of a 21 ft by 17 inch surf ski.  But for sea kayak hours
in unruly seas why not all the advantages one can get.  You use a rudder,
for example, and I heartily approve; it just makes things a bit easier, so
why not.  Likewise a bit of stability (not too much) will make things easier
after long rough hours at sea.

Or perhaps one is playing in wild tide races, and has the Olympic qualitiy
reflexes and skills of, say, a Sean Morley.  Then, perhaps, one is in
another realm where ultimate side to side quickness is an advantage.  Even
here, however, a bit of chine and its associated carving/turning response
can only be a positive.

If, as you say,  "in an all-day slog in lumpy, short-period seas, the
tight-ass Nordy delivers  consistent sea-kindly rides - all be it with
continued attention."  Then what practical advantage accrues from such
required continued attention?  That attention requires added effort, which
can be draining over time.  And as you note many good paddlers have switched
out of Nordkapps.

But I will be cool.  I only rant because I wish that the pleasure and
excitement of the Nordkapps were 'in my blood' as well.

PeterO,
I don't agree with getting a boat that is difficult to handle, just in order
to learn it.  For this reason I don't have a unicycle.

Jerry
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