A couple of wees ago Pam and I met up at the Port Gamble kayak symposium... or show... or whatever it's called (it combined kayaks and bicycles which I thought was creative). Port Gamble is a small classic Puget Sound seaport town just beyond (north of) the Hood Canal Floating Bridge north of Bremerton and south of Port Townsend. It's "beach" is nowhere near as nice as the one at Port Townsend but the price was apparently right and I thought that there was hope for the venue. Since Pam has recently bought an Illusion which was designed by Sterling Donalson we more or less hung out there and watched the proceedings from a shady spot. Quite a few Puget Sound kayaking personalities paddle Sterling's kayaks (including Dubside) and just sitting around listening to him explain his designs to potential customers is a good education all by itself. One thing he said caught my attention. He mentioned to someone that big guys are reluctant to edge and that to overcome this he had designed a new version of the Illusion (the Grand Illusion) for big guys with some attention to the fact that we (ahem!) don't much like edging. I edge my kayaks pretty aggressively but I must also admit to a certain trepidation to really laying it up on edge. I wonder whether that has something to do with my size or whether it has something to do with the size of the boats I paddle. Most of the boats I have paddled and/or owned are not boats designed for "big" people but since I spent a number of years in the white water side of the sport I preferred the smaller, tighter feel of the standard designs. Yet I do have two boats clearly built for the larger guy: a Nimbus Telkwa HV and an SOF F-1 that Brian Schulz designed for a bigger paddler. Since I generally prefer to paddle a boat designed for someone smaller than I am (I loved my Coaster, after all) perhaps my own feelings towards really getting my boats on an edge stem from the fact that the boats just don't work as well with a big guy in the cockpit. Yet even the F-1 is, I feel, more difficult to get right up on edge. And the Nimbus is, as well. It makes sense that a lower displacement kayak will be narrow and a narrow boat will be easier to edge. I remember the flash of insight I had when I discovered that to a lot of paddlers the word "performance" meant how fast it was from edge to edge; I had always equated "performance" with precise and quick steering and movement. For me a shorter kayak with some rocker but a hull designed to also track when not on edge was perfect. For someone else a longer, more narrow hull was more important. I may be wandering a bit here but bear with me. My basic questions are: A) Do other "big" paddlers also have an aversion to really getting their kayaks on edge? B) Have they chosen a kayak based on that? C) Can a boat designed to "fit" a larger paddler be as quick and nimble as one designed for a smaller paddler? D) All else being equal is it possible to simply scale a design up or down to fit a larger or smaller paddler while retaining the characteristics that made the boat "good" at its original size? E) Can a big guy ever hope to get a boat with the same performance characteristics as an "average" (smaller) paddler can get or does "mass" play an important role here? Sterling obviously felt that he needed to redesign the Illusion to fit himself; the standard Illusion already has a way of scaling at least th cockpit size up or down within a range of paddler sizes and preferences. That wasn't, apparently, sufficient for Sterling; hence the "Grand Illusion". Matt and Cam Broze produced several versions of kayaks (the two sizes of the Express and the Elan come to mind) that seemed to fill a niche. All of those boats are still in high demand on the used market. It seems to me that if you weigh somewhere around 150 to 170 pounds you have a much better chance of getting excellent performance out of a kayak design than if you weight 240 to 300 pounds (or 100 pounds). Is there any basis for this? Craig Jungers Moses lake, WA www.nwkayaking.net *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Craig Jungers wrote: > It seems to me that if you weigh somewhere around 150 to 170 pounds you have > a much better chance of getting excellent performance out of a kayak design > than if you weight 240 to 300 pounds [edit]. Is there any basis for > this? Given what is on the market for big guys, probably so. Put the *average* big guy in one tailored as the larger Illusion is for a larger guy, probably not. Reason? Bigger guys tend to be less flexible and not as fit (Am There; Am That). On the other hand, a larger guy who is both *fit and flexible* should be able to do as well in a boat tailored for his body mass as a smaller, equally fit guy would do in what the market currently provides. to wit: put LeBron James in one of those larger Illusions, and I bet he could do what Dubside does, after getting his moves down. Me, not so much, not so much, not so much, not ever! A bottom line for larger, average, guys might be: train *first* so as to get your percent body mass as fat down to something reasonable, and *then* try out an Illusion to see if it is a good investment. The boat will never make the man (or, woman). -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Craig asked: A) Do other "big" paddlers also have an aversion to really getting their kayaks on edge? Most folks have an aversion to really getting their kayak on edge. This is because once you have leaned the kayak beyond the point of maximum righting moment any further leaning momentum will result in a nearly instant capsize as the righting force will decrease quicker than you can stop your momentum (unless, of course, a solid brace is in place). Kayaks vary on how far over they can be tipped before this point is reached. This also varies by how much weight the paddler has above the center of gravity that they are shifting while leaning the kayak. Given the same hull, and if they want to avoid a capsize, the heavier paddler (and the more weight they have higher up--typically males) the less thay can lean that particular kayak without being dependent entirely on their bracing ability, their strength/weight ratio and their attention to where the kayak/paddler's capsize point is. B) Have they chosen a kayak based on that? Most likely they chose their kayak based more on the feelings of security (more based on initial stability) since a bigger taller person has a higher center of gravity and more weight that is shifting making a kayak that a smaller paddler would feel very stable in, feel quite tippy for them. C) Can a boat designed to "fit" a larger paddler be as quick and nimble as one designed for a smaller paddler? No, on average most bigger folks aren't as nimble as smaller folk. They have more mass to accellerate. However, relative to other paddlers of their weight, the kayak they choose will limit how nimble they can be. D) All else being equal is it possible to simply scale a design up or down to fit a larger or smaller paddler while retaining the characteristics that made the boat "good" at its original size? Yes, but you have to scale all the dimensions, not just make the kayak longer, wider, or deeper (just one dimension) so the paddler can physically fit the kayak. The Illusion came in many depths but most middle to larger paddlers feel it is pretty tippy (see latest Sea Kayaker review). Making it deeper might mean a bigger paddler could physically fit in it but it would need to be wider to have the same feeling of stability and likely longer or fuller in the ends to have it sit in the water the same (as a smaller kayak does for a lighter paddler). Sterling recognizes this (and is a huge guy himself) and that is why he is developing the Grand Illusion. E) Can a big guy ever hope to get a boat with the same performance characteristics as an "average" (smaller) paddler can get or does "mass" play an important role here? Wider and longer mean more wetted surface and more friction but typically the bigger paddler is stronger and is therfore more likely to be able to deal with the extra wetted surface and windage that his bigger kayak will have. The smaller paddler gets blown around easier and needs to be careful to get a smaller (in all dimensions kayak) so as to maximize the advantages of less wetted surface and less windage and lever arm for the windage to act on. A big paddler in too small a kayak also may have a rescueability problem in that that kayak might not support his weight when swamped. The small paddler has a problem with too wide a kayak because it takes too much effort to lean it on edge and they must lean their body way out into a much more vulnerable position to get the kayak to lean much. Because they have had to force the kayak up on edge (and had to lift their body more against gravity to do it) it is easier to go too far. The smaller paddler will have a problem with too long a kayak because of windage and the lever arm the wind has and the extra wetted surface will likely mean they won't be able to take advantage of the higher potential hull speed anyway but at the same time will have had to work against more friction all the time they paddle it. Both the longer and deeper kayak will increase the windage the smaller paddler will have to arm wrestle against (no advantage to a better strength to weight ratio a smaller paddler may have here--like they would with gravity). The deeper kayak will likely fit the smaller kayak so that they feel they are having to paddle out over the sides of a bathtub because they have to hold their paddle so high. Because their hands are lower to start with they will have to stroke further off center with a wider kayak (as well as find it too much work to lean the wider kayak to increase turning speed). Craig also wrote: "It seems to me that if you weigh somewhere around 150 to 170 pounds you have a much better chance of getting excellent performance out of a kayak design than if you weight 240 to 300 pounds (or 100 pounds). Is there any basis for this?" As a big paddler you will get way better performance out of your Nimbus Telkwa HV than a lot smaller paddlers will. It is kayak dependant, not a general rule. Of course, those in the middle of the bell-curve always have more choices in the market than those at the extremes. Most manufacturers are going to concentrate their energy (especially initially) towards the largest markets. As there became more customers for sea kayaks, sea kayak designers found they could also profitably make kayaks for market niches and so some do. Our Sprite model was designed for smaller paddlers, but it wasn't as small as some smaller paddlers actually needed. The Coaster was designed for playing in ocean surf (and fitting us more like a WW kayak) but at least half of those sold because they fit the niche for small paddlers (even though unintentionally). The Elan was derived from the Express but it was made narrower and more V-bottomed (as well as much lower and with the cockpit lowered even more by recessing it into the deck) so it wouldn't be too stable to easily lean with a gear load or sit too high in the water for smaller paddlers (who wanted a longer, narrower, kayak than the Coaster). The windage was also substantially reduced from the Express even though the lengths are about the same, again to make it easier for a smaller, lighter, less strong paddler to turn it into a higher wind when it was unladen (when these things matter most). Cam and I can't even fit into the Elan comfortably because our thighs are too deep and our feet are too big, but then it wasn't designed for folks our size. So my conclusion is, the world isn't picking on you Craig. Even if it sometimes feels to you like it is. Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2010 17:59:56 -0700 Subject: Fwd: Boat and People sizes From: crjungers_at_gmail.com To: marinerkayaks_at_msn.com Since you may not get this - or any replies - in a timely manner I thought I'd send this to you separately. :) Craig *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
On Sun, Jun 27, 2010 at 8:13 PM, MATT MARINER BROZE <marinerkayaks_at_msn.com>wrote: > > > So my conclusion is, the world isn't picking on you Craig. Even if it > sometimes feels to you like it is. > A Likely Story! :P Craig *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
To tag on to Craig's post, I have a friend who is trying to find a boat. He is, in one sense of the word, a "big" guy. But he's big across his .. uh .. derrihre, his stomach and he has large thighs. I'd guess he's about 250-275 pounds. He's only about 5'10" or 5'11", so boats that he can fit in, like the Seaward Navigator, or just too high and/or long to be able to get his knees locked in. There seem to be boats out there for the tall people, and boats for us svelte types (ignoring what I see in the mirror in the mornings!), but not much for the the medium height, 'stocky' builds. The Nimbus Telkwa made him happier than his current Navigator, but even that gives him issues trying to get his knees locked in to the thigh braces in bumpy water. Anyone care to offer any suggestions of boats that his body type might be better suited to? -- Darryl *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
On Sat, Jul 3, 2010 at 6:29 AM, Darryl Johnson <darryl_johnson_at_rogers.com>wrote: > > There seem to be boats out there for the tall people, and boats for us > svelte types (ignoring what I see in the mirror in the mornings!), but not > much for the the medium height, 'stocky' builds. > > Okay... I'll take a shot at this. The "Illusion" by Sterling's Kayaks ( www.sterlingskayak.com) was mentioned in my original post on this thread and it is well worth looking at. Sterling has created a novel cockpit simulator where a potential paddler can see if any combination of volume will suit his/her body type. This is not a measure of how the kayak will paddle, mind you, but simply a way to determine which version of boat will fit your body type best. Once that's dialed in you can try a boat that's close and see how you like the way it performs. Failing that, there is always the SOF route. Brian Schulz, who created the F-1 in SOF from his virtually identical copies of the Mariner Coaster in SOF, is very good at creating a boat that fits the customer. You don't actually *have* to build it yourself as Brian can build the boat from your measurements (for a sum of money over and above the class "kit" version). When I took his course one of our class members was building what amounted to a Mariner Express in SOF but designed around his own body measurements. He seemed very happy with the finished product, too. It's no secret that I like my F-1 a lot but I've been a long-time fan of Mariner kayaks anyway. Many of my ideas about SOF kayaks were completely blown away by the F-1 but the biggest one was that it would feel like a folding boat. In stark contrast, my F-1 feels solid and stable in the water. I suppose it must be flexing somewhat but I certainly don't feel it. So there are two ideas. Craig Jungers Moses Lake, WA www.nwkayaking.net *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
The QCC 500 might do. I think they have one of the smallest cockpit lengths for a large man boat at 30" long. He may just have to get creative with minicel foam! Mark On 7/3/2010 6:29 AM, Darryl Johnson wrote: > To tag on to Craig's post, I have a friend who is trying to find a > boat. He is, in one sense of the word, a "big" guy. But he's big > across his .. uh .. derrihre, his stomach and he has large thighs. I'd > guess he's about 250-275 pounds. He's only about 5'10" or 5'11", so > boats that he can fit in, like the Seaward Navigator, or just too high > and/or long to be able to get his knees locked in. > > There seem to be boats out there for the tall people, and boats for us > svelte types (ignoring what I see in the mirror in the mornings!), but > not much for the the medium height, 'stocky' builds. > > The Nimbus Telkwa made him happier than his current Navigator, but > even that gives him issues trying to get his knees locked in to the > thigh braces in bumpy water. > > Anyone care to offer any suggestions of boats that his body type might > be better suited to? *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
On Sat, Jul 3, 2010 at 10:59 AM, Mark Sanders <marksanders_at_sandmarks.net>wrote: > The QCC 500 might do. I think they have one of the smallest cockpit lengths > for a large man boat at 30" long. > For me a short cockpit is anathema but that might be just the thing for Darryl's friend. It could put his knees in the perfect place without needing 18" of foam. > He may just have to get creative with minicel foam! > You can only go so far with that but it might be his last resort. I'm not a big fan of lots of foam fitting. I prefer the minimum for comfort and then pulling the foot pegs closer to keep my knees in contact with the deck. If you have short legs but need a wider cockpit and seat the corresponding high deck most manufacturers provide makes that difficult. QCC's support is also fantastic; just ask Mark. (grin) I would also take the kayak paddler-weight numbers with a grain of salt. As an example, in white water kayaks the RPM Max is recommended for "larger" paddlers (I paddle one and I think Mark still has his) and has a volume of 90 gallons. Most "sea" kayaks would list a 90-gallon boat for average to smaller paddlers. 90 gallons is also the volume of the Mariner Coaster, just fyi. A lot depends on what he wants to do, too. The Telkwa wouldn't be my choice for surfing but it is a fantastic boat if you like to do trips. Plus, for bigger paddlers, the Telkwa performs pretty well even as a day boat. Craig Jungers Moses Lake, WA www.nwkayaking.net *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
I don't know if Necky still males the Kyook but that would probably work for him. Of they don't make it any more, perhaps a used one might be available. Joan Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry -----Original Message----- From: Darryl Johnson <darryl_johnson_at_rogers.com> Sender: owner-paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net Date: Sat, 03 Jul 2010 09:29:45 Cc: Paddlewise Paddlewise<paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net> Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Boat and People sizes To tag on to Craig's post, I have a friend who is trying to find a boat. He is, in one sense of the word, a "big" guy. But he's big across his .. uh .. derrihre, his stomach and he has large thighs. I'd guess he's about 250-275 pounds. He's only about 5'10" or 5'11", so boats that he can fit in, like the Seaward Navigator, or just too high and/or long to be able to get his knees locked in. There seem to be boats out there for the tall people, and boats for us svelte types (ignoring what I see in the mirror in the mornings!), but not much for the the medium height, 'stocky' builds. The Nimbus Telkwa made him happier than his current Navigator, but even that gives him issues trying to get his knees locked in to the thigh braces in bumpy water. Anyone care to offer any suggestions of boats that his body type might be better suited to? -- Darryl *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Darryl asked: >>>>>....I have a friend who is trying to find a boat. He is, in one sense of the word, a "big" guy. But he's big across his .. uh .. derrihre, his stomach and he has large thighs. I'd guess he's about 250-275 pounds. He's only about 5'10" or 5'11", so boats that he can fit in, like the Seaward Navigator, or just too high and/or long to be able to get his knees locked in. ..... The Nimbus Telkwa made him happier than his current Navigator, but even that gives him issues trying to get his knees locked in to the thigh braces in bumpy water. Anyone care to offer any suggestions of boats that his body type might be better suited to?<<<<<< The Nimbus Telkwa Sport has a slightly shorter cockpit than the Telkwa but it is only 1/4" narrower (and recessed down more to fit shorter paddlers better). I can highly recommend the Telkwa's for bigger paddlers. If it is not too low to fit his thighs that might be his best choice. The older Nimbus Seafarer from the 1980's fit bigger guys. Several Necky Kayaks fit bigger guys. Probably because Mike Neckar himself didn't, shall we say, fit the physical profile of most other world class athletes. Besides the Kyook (first introduced in 1991--Necky's first plastic kayak), there are the Nootka (1986) and its update a few years later called the Tesla). In 1998 the Tesla NM came out and it was widened to 25" and made especially to better fit bigger guys. In 1997 the Necky Pinta came out for the truly huge paddlers. I suspect it will be too big and wide (27") for your friend though. Another plastic Necky that may be suitable is the Eskia that came out in 2001. Pacific Water Sports made the Thunderbird in 1991 for truly huge guys but a year later made a cut down version called the Thunderbird LP for shorter big paddlers. Still at 28.25" wide it is a pretty wide kayak for someone your friend's size. I talked to someone who wanted to buy another Thunderbird (because he liked the high stability for kayak sailing) and when I asked Lee Moyer about it he told me (a year or two ago) that they can still be made. Sometimes a kayak with a wide enough cockpit doesn't have a big enough seat. It is usually relatively easy to remove the original seat and replace it with some foam seat or seat pad. Wayne ?somebody? used to post a list of big guys kayaks he fit in on the internet. I think he was also on Paddlewise back in the 1990's. I looked to see if I had made a copy of his webpage before he closed it but couldn't find one. I once had a list of big guy boats (and also small person kayaks) posted in the back of my shop in order to help folks who's size made the kayak selection available to fit them rather small. I looked for it in my computer files but only found what I had written to someone on Paddlewise in 2000 (see edited version below). I'm sure others have come out in the last ten years as well. ....At your size some kayaks that I am pretty sure you will fit into and that probably will be stable enough are (in roughly alphabetical order): Current Designs Pachena Current Designs Breeze (plastic Pachena) Current Designs Solstice GTHV Easy Rider Seahawk Easy Rider Eskimo 17 (or 18-6) Eddyline Wind Dancer Necky Pinta Necky Tesla NM Nimbus Seafarer Nimbus Telkwa (or Telkwa HV) Northwest Kayaks Pursuit XL PWS Sea Otter 500 GP (or Expedition) PWS Thunderbird Seda Viking Wilkinson Boat Enetai HP Wilkinson Boat Polaris II Wilderness Systems Sealution XL I'm not recommending all these, some of them I really detest, but these should all fit you and be stable enough (at least once you become relatively skilled). Novice paddlers tend to overate stability and tracking stiffness to their detriment later but there does need to be a certain minimum stability or you will never get comfortable with it. Be careful of a smaller paddlers experiences or judgment concerning what is a good kayak here....... *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
MATT MARINER BROZE wrote: > Darryl asked: > > > > ....I have a friend who is trying to find a boat. He is, in one sense of > the word, a "big" guy. But he's big across his .. uh .. derrihre, his > stomach and he has large thighs. I'd guess he's about 250-275 pounds. > He's only about 5'10" or 5'11", so boats that he can fit in, like the > Seaward Navigator, or just too high and/or long to be able to get his > knees locked in. Coming in late to this, Darryl, but your big guy may find that a little creative outfitting/redesign of the seat will enable him to enjoy a wider range of boats. For example, the Eddyline seats of an older vintage (pre-1998 or so) are best removed and replaced with minicell custom versions, or maybe a Redfish kayaks custom seat, both for comfort, fit, and to lower the derrihre an inch or two, which allows the thighs to fit under the deck and/or thigh hooks for a good tight embrace. My Eddyline Wind Dance, perhaps the prototypical example of a "high volume" boat in the nineteen eighties and into the nineties would not fit him, despite its presence on Matt's list, for that reason. He may not want to cut and carve on a new boat, but an older Wind Dancer (or similar), if he can find one, might be a cost effective way to get into the game, and with the assistance of a person handy with tools, he can make the boat fit him. Links to help him out: http://www.redfishkayak.com/seats.htm http://www.kayakfit.com/ Sympathetic anecdote: Matt probably does nor recall this, but I stumbled into his shop back in the summer of 1992 and asked about his boats, my first venture into this game. He quickly (and mercifully) passed me on to NWOC next door, where they had boats more my style. On the NWOC float, twenty minutes later, I had shoehorned my 220 lbs into a boat that on paper was just right for me, and while struggling to get back out (this is on the float, mind you, *not* in the water!), I asked the Gen-X attendant what was wrong. He sized me up (after extraction) for a couple seconds, blinked twice, and said, "Ohhhh! You need a *high volume* boat!" I stepped into a Wind Dancer and that was it for me. I'm on my second one, and it is a pig to paddle in the wind, but is a ginormous cargo hauler, sometimes labeled "the slowest boat I've ever paddled" by folks I loan it to. Works for me. And, your buddy, Darryl, can always use my throwaway line when people harass him subtly or not about his "shape:" "Oh, yeah, I'm a big guy in the cockpit area!" Heads always turn when I toss that out. Some of them even turn my way ... [wink] -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Some other kayaks that may fit a wide but not especially tall paddler are: Boreal Design Nanook Current Designs Isle Current Designs Kestral 160 Some of the wider cockpit Delta kayaks models Eddyline Nighthawk Formula Kayaks (Impex) Serenity or lower Serenity Sport Natural Designs Polaris II (may still be available new from Wilkinson Boat) Sedas Viking Max (a newer Viking with, among other things, a bigger cockpit) Wilderness Systems Tsunami 175 *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> Anyone care to offer any suggestions of boats that his body type might > be better suited to? > > Know a couple of stocky people including myself that love the Necky Tesla. High volume boat that is a treasure if you do a lot of kayak camping. Regards, Mo *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Don't know if this was already mentioned, but another good boat for a big guy is the Necky Tesla. In a message dated 7/5/2010 4:04:47 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, marinerkayaks_at_msn.com writes: Some other kayaks that may fit a wide but not especially tall paddler are: Boreal Design Nanook Current Designs Isle Current Designs Kestral 160 Some of the wider cockpit Delta kayaks models Eddyline Nighthawk Formula Kayaks (Impex) Serenity or lower Serenity Sport Natural Designs Polaris II (may still be available new from Wilkinson Boat) Sedas Viking Max (a newer Viking with, among other things, a bigger cockpit) Wilderness Systems Tsunami 175 *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
A truly huge friend of mine loves his Nordkapp, the original version (he's over 2 meters tall and strong as an ox, little or no fat). Others seem to like the single-seat Klepper Aerius, while others modify their Aerius II to single person use :-)! Tord PS My wife has found a new water-proof camera with excellent optics: The Sony DSC-TX5. It takes amazing macros, and has a fairly long zoom. Over and out! *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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