Re: [Paddlewise] Kaboose

On Fri, Mar 19, 2010 at 10:56 PM, Robert Livingston
<bearboat2_at_comcast.net>wrote:

> For about 5 years we towed a kayak behind our double kayak on our week long
> trips off the west coast of Vancouver Island. My wife and I had a double
> (Seascape II) and we had two kids in it (3 -> 9)and we towed a kayak so that
> we could bring more camping gear and live in greater comfort. It was
> surprisingly workable. We paddled in a group and managed to keep up without
> too much trouble. We were out there in the open ocean and experienced a
> variety of "conditions". Cape Scott, west Nootka, Esperanza
>

This is exactly the sort of input that makes Paddlewise useful. For me, with
limited towing experience, it just seems counter-intuitive that towing a
kayak full of gear would not be an almost never-ending hassle.

For three years we towed a Mariner (original). Once we learned to load it
> stern heavy that worked fine and gave us a nice single kayak to use when we
> got to our destination. I did not perceive it as being any more difficult
> than the Keowee - it may have been easier when you were trying to go "fast".
> We would typically travel at about 3.4 mph on our trips.
>

I like the idea of having a single to use for exploring.  The Mariner II, by
the way, does not seem tippy at all to me and I spend all my paddling in
either that or in the F-1. The Telkwa remains for friends to use and the
Express has become my wife's boat (unless she makes me give up the F-1).


> Anyway the Mariner is a fairly narrow kayak and some might say "tippy" but
> it was quite stable enough when it was loaded with gear with the heavy stuff
> low. If I were to do it again, I would create a towing point low at the bow
> of the towed kayak so that you were not pulling from such a high point as
> the bow of the Mariner. But we did not do it then and stern heavy loading it
> made it behave very well.
>

We found that when towing dinghies it helped to fabricate a "bridle" which
moved the tow-point aft from the bow of the dinghy. Failing that a lower
tow-point was important to keep the dink's bow up.

>
> We were not doing surf landings and we were camping at sheltered beaches
> but we had the range of summer kayaking conditions that you see off of
> Vancouver Island.
>

I'm convinced that it's workable, thanks to your input.

I don't think it is worth buying a dedicated trailer because a kayak will do
> fine.
>

Having a single kayak along would make all the difference as far as I'm
concerned. Especially when you can find decent boats on craigslist at prices
not much different from that of the Kaboose.


> We were quite happy when our kids got old enough to transition to a double
> and my wife paddling a single and then a double my wife in single and the
> kids alternating in a single and then, finally, to all singles.
>

When our children were younger we lived on a small lake north of Seattle and
grandma and grandpa lived in a house on the other end of the lake about 1/4
mile away. We canoed back and forth almost daily during the summers with the
kids and dogs. Later we got into cruising on a sailboat and then, when we
returned, we got into white water kayaking. By the time we returned to sea
kayaking (which we had done before the kids were born) our kids were on
their own and eager to kayak with us in their own boats. Once we moved away
from our 2-place Folbot (which was a LOT heavier than the canoe we moved
into) we didn't have a need for anything but singles.

However, we now have grandkids ranging from 9 down to 2 and while some of
them can be stuffed quite easily into the hatches of a Telkwa (hatch covers
removed completely) we have been considering a two-hole or even three-hole
Pygmy because, inevitably, they get bigger. I have not been all that excited
about giving up the speed and performance of my Mariner kayaks but now that
you have convinced me that they can be towed this changes everything!!!

Thanks, Robert. By the way, do you have any photographs of the little boat
that became the genesis for the Mariner Coaster and, subsequently, the F-1?
It would be very interesting for me, as a dedicated fan of that kayak, to
see how the design changed over the years. For those who may not know,
Robert Livingston built a small boat that caught the attention of Matt and
cam Broze about 30 years ago and that little design eventually became the
Mariner Coaster. Then Brian Schulz, of Cape Falcon Kayaks in Oregon
experimented, with the Broze's permission, with the design in SOF which
eventually became the F-1. The F-1 has a growing following all over the
world (Brian recently did some build-seminars in Australia). It must be nice
to know that your idea back then continues to live and make paddlers happy
after all these years.


Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA
www.nwkayaking.net


[Please remove all old content that is not pertinent to your reply
including old headers and footers.  It's list policy.... 
this post was modified to meet policy]

> We have always been non-minimalist, comfort camping kayakers.
***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************