One man's rush to jump on the kayaking bandwagon
The TideRace kayaks are the best made kayaks I have ever seen. The finish is nearly perfect and the design is just
smart. You can clearly see the localized reinforcements along the keel and the top deck. I've read online that these
boats have foot plates, but both boats I paddled had SmartTrack foot pegs.
TideRace Xplore S
This boat felt like a slightly faster version of my Explorer. Like my Explorer, it felt a little unstable while sitting
still. The seat in the particular boat was loose. I've read about the complicated seat adjustments available on
TideRace boats on other sites, but I don't remember seeing them on this boat. The 4th hatch just forward
of the cockpit is very nice. While not as big as the one on the Cetus, is should be big enough to store a GPS, camera,
radio, or snacks.
TideRace Xcite S
I want this boat. If I actually did what I wanted to do, this would be the perfect boat for me. Considering what I
actually do, I just couldn't justify spending the money. This is still an amazing boat. The fit was tight, but
perfect. The initial stability was rock solid and the secondary was more than enough to immediately feel comfortable on
edge. It seemed to accelerate fairly quickly, but I felt like I was easily hitting a wall. Without a GPS or an actual
timed run, I'm not sure if this was just an illusion caused by the significant bow wake or if the boat really is slow.
The tracking was nearly as good as the Explorer. The skeg flopped around quite a bit when down. I'm not sure if this
is intentional or not. Even with the small hatch in front of the cockpit, I would miss the day hatch. I would have to
somehow add restraints inside the bow and stern hatches as I find it very annoying when gear slides around in the
hatches. This boat is going to make a lot of people very happy.
P&H Cetus LV
After paddling the TideRace boats, I wanted to compare them to the Cetus LV. I'm still very impressed with the LV. It
feels much faster than the Xcite S, but as I said, its really hard to tell. I also don't know how either would handle
in less than ideal conditions.
If I were really in the market for a new boat, it would be a tough choice between the Cetus LV and the Xcite. Since
the Cetus LV isn't available, I'd go with the Xcite S.
April 19, 2009
The good news is that TideRace is here. The bad news is that TideRace is here.
Today was to be a shopping day, but I just didn't see anything I just had to have.
I didn't do any paddling today, but I'll be back tomorrow to try out those TideRaces.
April 18, 2009
Heath, Kate, and I headed down to Charleston again this year for the East Coast Canoe and Kayak Festival. As usual,
it's all about trying gear and adding to my dream list.
Last year's focus was on paddles. This year was all about boats. I like my Explorer, but I've grown a lot (skillz, not
weight) and would love to transition to a more responsive boat. I'm also on the lookout for a new boat for Heath.
Wilderness Systems Zephyr 15.5 Pro
According to the Wilderness Systems rep I spoke with, the Zephyr is an old Mariner design that was "cleaned up using
CAD". I remembered liking the RM version of this boat last year, but it really turned me off this time. The cockpit is
too tall and I just could not connect with the boat. The initial stability was high, but it has the same flopping from
one chine to another that my Tsunami has. I asked the rep is they would consider creating a lower volume version and
he said that they had received many similar requests.
Impex Force 4
I really liked this kayak last year. I thought the fit was perfect. What a difference a year makes. It just didn't do
anything for me this year. It felt stiff and unresponsive.
Impex Currituck
The fit was fine, but the back deck was very high. This boat felt neither fast nor maneuverable. I already have an
Explorer. Why would I want another one?
Valley Avocet
The flat lake was probably not the best place to demo this boat. It did nothing for me.
P&H Quest LV
The Quest LV was unmemorable.
P&H Cetus
P&H Cetus
Once you get rid of the silly glitter, the Cetus is a nice kayak. It tracks well yet responds to even the slightest
edging. P&H seems to have found just the right mix of tracking and maneuverability. I wish I had a better sense of
how the handling changes as the chop starts to pick up. The only negative is the skeg control. It took considerable
pinching effort to unlock the control so that the skeg could be moved. I just don't see how this is an improvement over
the older design. While there was nothing that was obviously wrong, the cockpit fit is lacking. The location of the
skeg line seems to reduce the amount of space available for my thighs. Even with the skeg control and cockpit fit, this
is currently the one kayak I'd most like to own. Unless...
P&H Cetus LV
Prototype P&H Cetus LV
The Cetus LV was just a little too LV for me. The P&H rep I spoke with said that this was still a prototype version
and the production version would likely be a little closer to the normal Cetus. If that's the case, then the Cetus
LV is the kayak I'd most like to own.
P&H Capella 163
I paddled a Capella RM on a windy day on a large lake last spring and did not like it. The cockpit was too big, it
didn't track well, and skeg didn't seem to help. I was expecting this to be the same way. I was mostly wrong. The
tracking was much improved, but still not what I want. It was very maneuverable.
Overall, it was a great day at the show. Heading back to David's place for some home smoked ribs was the perfect ending.
April 17, 2009
When I tell someone that I had an Explorer HV and I replaced it with a normal Explorer, I usually get asked, "Were you
bigger then?" I guess they think the HV refers to the paddler. In truth, it's about the bumps.
Instead of HV, NDK should use LL -- Long Legs. Those bumps are for your knees. If you have short legs, then this won't
really work for you. If you have long legs, then HV is for you! To get those long legs in the boat, Nigel has also
made the front of the coaming an inch and a half higher than on the standard model. You may be asking, what difference
do those bumps and that extra 1.5" make?
It's all about edging. When I was in a relaxed position, I had to lift my knee up about 3 inches before making contact
with the boat. That's 3" less "edge" I can apply to the boat. With the standard Explorer, the deck is only about 3/8"
from my leg and it hits my thighs, bringing the leverage point closer to the center of the boat. The net result is that
I never felt comfortable edging or rolling my HV, but I can throw my standard Explorer around like it's attached to me.
To all the kayakers out there that are a little overweight, give the standard Explorer a try. All you skinny guys with
long legs out there, give the HV a try. To all the guys that think those bumps are where where the fat goes, go eat a
doughnut.
June 07, 2008
I knew Great Outdoor Provision Company was having a demo days event yesterday, but it until I left all my gear at home
that I found out the CD rep would be there with something other than the usual rec and whitewater boats. I must have
looked like an idiot standing there barefoot in my work outfit wearing some ill-fitting PDF and carrying a whitewater
paddle. I jumped in a
Gulfstream
and headed out into the lake. I'm not a fan of the Gulfstream. Its pointy ends and bathtub cockpit just don't do it
for me.
As I was pulling the Gulfstream back up the beach, a GOPC employee asked me what I thought. I replied, "I didn't like
it, but I bet I'd love that Cypress on the truck over there. Is it going in the water today?" He replied that it
wasn't a demo boat. I then exchanged my whitewater paddle for a nice low-angle Werner and headed out in an
Solstice.
It didn't work for me either, but then I hate ruddered boats.
I guess I must have done something to demonstrate that, despite my appearances, I was serious because the GOPC employee
was waiting for me when I came back in. He said that as long as we wet launched the Cypress, I could demo it.
The
Cypress
is CD's latest "British" style kayak. It has all the required elements you'd expect on a modern kayak. Tracking was
better than I expected, as was it's maneuverability. Skeg operation was very smooth and I didn't get a sense that the
skeg is needed very often. Primary stability was lighter than my Explorer and secondary seemed light as well. The
kayak seemed to accelerate fairly quickly, but it didn't feel fast. When moving quickly, the stern design resulted in
the sound of something being drug through the water. I've never before heard a wake this loud. The construction was
superb the seat seemed like it would be comfortable for extended periods of time.
Overall, I liked the kayak, but I think I'll stick with my Explorer.
June 05, 2008
Out with the old. In with the new, yet only slightly different.
I got a great deal on my ExplorerHV. So good that I could overlook at few things that were wrong with it. The seat was
a little off, the skeg fluttered every once and a while, and it was an HV. Coming from the world of super-sized rec
boats, the cockpit on a normal Explorer seemed fairly cramped. At the time, I still wasn't sure why you'd want your
knees to actually touch the boat. What a difference a year makes.
After playing phone tag all week with Lamar, I drove down to
Barrier
Island Kayaks early Saturday morning. I wasn't sure which kayak I wanted until I got there. Lamar had a slightly
used 2007 that was just like my HV, British Racing Green with yellow trim, a dark blue with white trim, and the slate
blue with black trim. The British Racing Green color resulted in a lot of positive comments, but it shows every little
scratch and it just sucks in the heat and it's fairly hard to see. I wanted something that was easier to see and
lighter. The slate blue kayak was perfect.
More proof that I can't take a decent photo of a kayak
I took it out for a quick paddle just to make sure everything was as it should and let's just say it's an NDK. I found
a small hole in the gellcoat that holds in the bulkhead between the back of the cockpit and the day hatch. The back
hatch also has a very small leak somewhere, but I was unable to track it down. There's also quite a bit of excess
gellcoat. It's an NDK. It has character.
I can't say enough positive things about Lamar, David and the other guys at Barrier Island Kayaks. They really know
their stuff and the location is great.
May 31, 2008
One of the gripes I have with my Explorer HV is that it feels slow. Whether or not it is actually slow has to do with
the engine (aka me). Speed isn't the issue, efficiency is. Is the Explorer an efficient kayak? Compared to what? The
most common measure of efficiency is Winters/KAPER (
more info). Using that data as published in Sea
Kayaker Magazine, I was able to generate the following graph. The lines represent the percentage difference in
efficiency as compared to the explorer.
Based on this data, the Explorer doesn't do too badly below 4.5 knots. Between 4.5 and 5.0, the Explorer seems to hit a
wall. At 5 knots, the Valley Aquanaut is over 7% more efficient, the Impex Force 5 is 4% more efficient and the CD
Gulfstream is 1.6% more efficient. At 6 knots, the Explorer looks downright pokey. The Aquanaut is 16% more efficient,
the Force 5 is 10% more efficient, and the Gulfstream is 8% more efficient. There are clearly more efficient kayaks
than the Explorer at higher speeds. What about lower ones?
At 3 knots, the Valley Nordkapp LV is 5.88% more efficient, the CD Cypress is 3.3% more efficient, and the CD Gulfstream
is 3% more efficient. At 4 knots, the Nordkapp LV is 3% more efficient, the Cypress is 2.2% more efficient and the
Gulfstream is .5% more efficient.
None of these numbers seem to contradict conventional wisdom. It is generally believed that the Aquanaut is "fast" and
the Explorer is "slow". It's obvious that the Aquanaut is more efficient at higher speeds. The Nordkapp LV is a bit of
an oddball. It is said to be a fast kayak, but the data does not support that. It is more efficient than the Explorer
below 4.5 knots and less efficient above. That explains the kayak's quick acceleration, but not the perception of top
end speed.
What does all of this mean in the real world? Do a few percentage points of efficiency really matter? I don't think
so. If I'm going to go a long way really fast, then I'd prefer to do it in an Aquanaut. However, most of my paddling
is done right in the range in which the Explorer is fairly efficient. It may feel slow, but the data seems to indicate
that it's a problem with me, not the kayak.
May 21, 2008
I'm selling my Explorer HV and my wife is selling her Dirigo 140. After paddling the Explorer for a year now, I've
decided that I should have gotten a standard volume rather than the HV.
Here are some photos of the Explorer. Heath uses my old Tsunami now so we
no longer have a use for the Dirigo.
Here are some photos of the Dirigo.
If you are interested in either of these kayaks, email
thad@groundclutter.com.
UPDATE - Neither of these kayaks is still for sale.
May 18, 2008
A kayaker paddles towards the crowded beach. He weaves his way around swimming children, jet skis, and boats. He rides
a small wave up onto the sand between two of the many sunbathers. He undoes hit spray skirt and hops out of the kayak.
He sticks his paddle under the front bungees and opens the kayak's day hatch and pulls out a hacksaw. He then reaches
into the cockpit and rips out a piece of black foam. He lays the foam on sand and proceeds to use the hacksaw to trim
off about and inch from one end. He then puts the foam back and rips out another piece, trims and replaces it. He then
takes the saw and starts cutting small groove down the center of a piece of foam behind the seat. Satisfied that the
small groove will alleviate the pressure points on his spine, he places the hacksaw back in the drywell and pushes the
kayak out into the waves. He gets back into the kayak and paddles off.
I can only imagine how odd I must have looked to the people on the beach.
May 04, 2008
I hate the iPhone. I really do. The UI is NOT the future. Apple seems to have a problem with me developing
software for myself without jumping through more hoops than lions at a circus. However, it may be exactly what I've been waiting
for.
Considering the rumors that the 3G iPhones will
have a built in GPS and Apple's patent
filings for the
workout
manager and TomTom-like navigation device, it seems like Apple really wants me to buy an iPhone. Ideally it would
have the following features:
- "Splash proof" - I don't expect a battery powered GPS to ever be really waterproof, but a little rain or splash
shouldn't ruin a $500 gadget. Apple, if you won't let me replace the battery, then you have no excuses.
- Audible reporting - I don't care how nice the screen is, when there's water and salt all over your sunglasses,
the sun is bearing down, and the screen isn't at just the right angle, the screen is unreadable. I want my GPS to
speak to me and let me know my average speed over the last 30/60/90/120 seconds. I want it to tell me when my
ground track drifts off the desired track by more than 5 degrees. I want it to tell me when how far I've paddled
every 1/4 mile.
- Integration with Google Maps/Earth - Native KML support. Realtime integration would be nice as well, but I'd want to
turn this off.
- SiRFstar III - For the GPS to be accurate for kayaking, it
needs to be very accurate.
April 23, 2008
We went down to Charleston again this year for the
East Coast Canoe and Kayak Festival. What was the best part? Nigel
Foster? Dubside? Paddling boats I'd never have an opportunity to otherwise paddle? The opportunity to meet and talk
with people who share my obsession? It was a great weekend. Here's some random thoughts on various bits of gear I
tried over the weekend.
NDK Explorer
I already own an
NDK Explorer, but I had never
tried one with a foam block back rest. I liked it enough to buy one from the
Virginia Sea Kayak Center. I know I could have made my own, and I
just might use this one as a template. I also have to admit that I made a mistake by getting the Explorer HV. The
standard Explorer fits perfectly.
NDK Romany
The
Romany feels very similar to my Explorer. I
also have to admit that considering the paddling that I do, the Romany may be a better choice than the Explorer.
Impex Force4 and Force5
I paddled the
Impex Force5 last year and I didn't like it. This time
around, I was impressed. The boat is quite maneuverable for it's length and the finish is in a class above what I'm
used to with my Explorer. The Force5 is a bit too roomy, but the force4 is the best fitting kayak I've ever paddled.
Valley Aquanaut
The
Valley Aquanaut is Valley's Explorer. It's boring and
predictable and not for me. The keyhole is a little too wide making it uncomfortable.
Valley Q-Boat
The
Valley Q-Boat seems like a fun boat. Doesn't track well at
all with the skeg up, but then this boat isn't about getting places. I'm sure this boat would just kick my ass if I was
to take it out in some rough water.
Valley Nordkaap LV
It's hard to avoid the buzz surrounding the
Valley Nordkaap
LV. I have to say that it is completely justified. The acceleration is amazing. It is very responsive and feels
much shorter than it is. If I were to add another boat to the fleet, it would be this one.
P&H Cetus
The
P&H Cetus seemed to be last year's over-hyped
boat. Other than the forward day hatch and the built in kayak lock attachment, I just don't see the appeal. The odd
orange glitter finish didn't help. I just don't understand the glitter movement.
Wilderness Systems Tempest 170
The
Wilderness Systems Tempest 170 was one of the boats I had
considered when I was looking to replace my Tsunami. After finally paddling it, I can say that I'm glad I didn't buy
this boat. The outfitting is excellent, and the construction is solid, but it's just not exciting.
Wilderness Systems Zephyr 15.x5
This show was the coming out party for the
Wilderness Systems
Zephyr 15.x5. Stability was high and it was quite maneuverable. It feels like a non-chined Tsunami.
Werner Paddles
I went to the festival in the market for a new paddle. The first thing I did was jump in an Explorer and paddle over to
the Werner booth. I tried the
Camino,
Shuna,
Cypress, and the
Ikelos. I tried lengths from 220mm down to 205mm, small
diameter shaft and the standard diameter, straight and bent shaft.
I ruled out the low angle paddles immediately. While the straight shaft paddles seemed to offer the most control, the
bent shaft felt better for a forward stroke. As of today, the 205mm bent shaft Cypress is the paddle that works right
for me. But, who knows how long that would last. It wasn't that long ago that I was using a 240.
I highly recommend
this post by Simon Willis on Werner paddles.
Lendal Kinetik Touring S
While Lendal was not officially at the festival, many vendors had Lendal paddles available. I tried a crank shaft
Kinetik Touring S. From what I've read about
it, I really thought I'd like this paddle, but I didn't. The crank shaft just feels odd compared to Werner's bent
shaft.
Reed
It seems that
Reed gear has finally arrived in the US. After seeing it, I
now understand why it is so popular. The spray skirts are much lighter weight than normal neoprene skirts. I wonder
how well they breath.
Pacific Horizons
I picked up a copy of
Pacific Horizons. I haven't watched it
all the way through yet, but so far, it's boring.
Justine takes me to places I've
never seen before. Watching Dubside drag his kayak on a public bus is entertaining at first, but not something I'd ever
want to watch over and over again.
The best part was watching Nigel Foster. Nigel is simply amazing. Disappointments include no
Seaward's
and therefore no
Nigel Foster Legend, no
Rumor -- except for Nigel's, not bringing my gear,
and not signing up early enough to get in on the master classes.
April 21, 2008
Colorado,
Garmin's new line of GPS's seems to be getting closer to what I'm
looking for.
It's a shame that the price is ridiculously high. If it drives down
the cost of the the GPS76's, I may wind up with one of those.
January 18, 2008
I need a new GPS. My current set up of a bluetooth GPS and
Cetus GPS running on my Treo is
too clunky.
I'm interested in something that's waterproof and can record tracks on
a removable memory card. Mapping would be nice, but it's not a
requirement. The obvious choice is a
Garmin
GPSMAP 76, but the large size, questionable GPS sensitivity, and
pathetic battery life are significant negatives. My current set up
has great battery life and has the added advantage of being able to
run
TomTom,
but I can't really use it while I'm on the water. The buttons are too
small and the touch screen just doesn't work with with my gloves on.
I could use the stylus, but that requires two hands.
While I don't have any nautical mapping software, my Treo does run
GoogleMaps. A satellite image does just as good a job at telling me
what's around the corner as a map. The only downside is that I need
cell reception, but this hasn't been a problem so far.
Overall, I'm just not impressed with the GPS's available today. If
anyone has any suggestions, feel free to send me a note.
December 10, 2007
The water level at Falls Lake is significantly lower than I've ever
seen it. It's really scary to see all of the stumps and rocks that
were just below the surface, just waiting to put a hole in my boat or
my head.
I've paddled my kayak behind this bench
Dry swim area on Falls Lake
My new
Snap
Dragon Ocean Trek skirt fits perfectly. Not having a clue what
I was doing, I was a bit worried that the skirt was too small for my
boat. I was sufficiently
smited
by the usual suspects who pointed what should have been obvious. It's
a lot easier to get it to fit when you're actually in the boat.
I also took the time to attach the front and rear hatches to the boat.
I still need to figure out a way to attach the day hatch cover.
September 20, 2007
Today is my birthday. My family gave me kayak porn:
This Is The
Sea and
This Is The Sea
2.
I guess I have to wait till Christmas to get
this.
August 27, 2007
It's hard to believe that my Explorer has been a flatwater boat until
today. I finally took my new kayak out in the ocean. It wasn't a
monumental adventure, but technically, it was in the ocean.
I left the house early and headed up Banks channel to Masonboro inlet.
The tide was coming in and I got quite a workout getting out past the
jetty. The swells were around 8 feet and there were scattered
whitecaps. The boat traffic was quite heavy.
Allow me to state the obvious. My Explorer is awesome. In conditions
like these, it handles exactly like one would want it to handle.
My only complaint -- it's hot! The green deck just soaks up the
heat. My legs were covered with sweat and the hatch covers were
bulging.
August 04, 2007
Why go to a demo day billed as the "largest thing to happen to
Farmville since Lee and Grant passed through town 130 years ago" a
month after getting a new kayak? Affirmation! I wanted to try out
all the other kayaks to prove to myself that my Explorer is the
perfect kayak.
I drove up to SML last night and Jean and I headed over to Farmville
for
Appomattox River Company's
demo days. I went looking for a PFD, a decent sprayskirt, a new
paddle, and many kayaks that didn't measure up to my new kayak.
Unlike me, Jean went looking for a boat she actually liked.
She was mainly interested in a
Riot Enduro.
She saw it in Charleston, but had not had a chance to paddle it. She
took it out today and found it to have horrible tracking and severe
weathercocking -- even with the skeg deployed. She also tried the
Riot Endeavor
and it was worse than the Enduro. I suggested she try a
Wilderness Systems
Pungo 120. She liked it a lot better than the Riot kayaks. And
she still thinks WS's seats are perfect. I also suggested she try the
Liquid
Logic Saluda. She liked it, but not as much as the Pungo.
I was very much looking forward to trying a
Wilderness
Systems Tempest 170, but the cockpit is too small. It's wide
enough, but it's about an inch too short. I did try an
Impex Force Cat5.
Overall, I didn't like it. The finish was very well done and I liked
the Immersion Research backband and seat, but the handling seemed
lacking. The tracking was not as tight as I would have expected with
the skeg up. My Explorer doesn't need the skeg until most sane people
are off the water, but the Force Cat 5 seemed to need it on perfectly
flat water with only a minor breeze. Initial stability seemed higher
than my Explorer. That was likely due to my being near the top of the
paddler weight range. As I had my keys, wallet and cell phone in the
pocket of my shorts, I didn't test the secondary stability.
Proving yet again that I don't look like a kayaker, the Impex rep
warned me that since the Force 5 was a long boat, I shouldn't expect
it to turn like the boats I'm used to. He suggested that I try
leaning a little, but not too much or I'd fall in. What is it about
me that makes people think I have no idea what I'm doing in a kayak.
Oh yeah, I don't. (The kayak turns quite easily with a simple sweep
stroke and a little edging.)
The only purchase of the day was a 220
Aquabound Manta
Ray.
June 09, 2007
Get it down from the top of the car without dropping it. Check.
Cary it down to the water. Check. Load up all my stuff. Much
easier since the hatches actually come on and off easily. Get in the
boat. Easier than with my Tsunami.
Attach the spray skirt. It fits perfectly. I guess I'll need a real
neoprene skirt now that I have a real boat. Oops. Almost flipped
over. I miss those two and a half inches. Wide, overloaded boat
means stability. Narrow, lightly loaded boat, and a nervous kayaker
means things are a little tense. That's good. That's what I wanted.
I paddle a mile or so. It feels familiar, but better. It's time to
fiddle with everything that can be adjusted. I find a sandy bit of
shoreline and get out. I adjust the seat, eat lunch, and stretch.
And stretch some more. And then some more. By body is still really
tight from the drive home yesterday. I adjust the backband so it no longer
pinched my ass fat.
I get back in the boat and paddle a few more miles. Lot's of idiots
out today means lot's of wake. Turns out this British Sea Kayak thing
actually handles boat wakes pretty well. This Nigel guy seems to know
his stuff. Even handles the dreaded Coast Guard attack conditions
without even a hint of twitch. I guess it helps to have a pointy end
at both ends.
Those real rubber hatch covers get much hotter than the ones on my
Tsunami. I lifted up the back hatch cover and air rushed out like the
hatch was inflated.
I return to my put in spot after around 12 miles of so. Took about an
hour less than the last time I did 12 miles. I love this boat.
May 20, 2007
I got my first electric guitar when I was in 10th grade. Like most
kids forced to take piano lessons, I hardly ever touched the piano but
played my guitar every second I could. After a couple of years, I got
pretty good. But, I still couldn't play like Steve Vai (and for some
reason, playing just like Steve Vai seemed like a sensible thing to do
at the time.) I blamed my guitar. Steve had the genius Japanese
scientists crafting custom guitars. I had a $150 Yamaha
somethingoanother that I'd painted blue and green. Obviously, you
can't play like Steve Vai on one of those.
Thanks to a going out of business sale, I managed to buy a
glow-in-the-dark, yellow and pink,
Steve
Vai Ibanez Jem 777. It had the classic hand grip, a fully locking
and floating tremolo, and it came with a case lined with pink fabric.
(In my defense, it was still the 80's.) No more excuses. If I
couldn't play like Steve Vai on Steve Vai's guitar, it was my fault,
not the guitar's. I practiced and practiced and was eventually able
to play most Steve Vai songs note for note.
I guess you could say that today I bought Steve Via's kayak.
I wanted a kayak I could take anywhere. I wanted a kayak that has
been everywhere and done everything. I wanted something I couldn't
blame for my mistakes. I wanted to know that if I failed, I failed,
and not the kayak.
The technical criteria were as follows:
- fiberglass - no more plastic and I can't afford kevlar
- must not be slow - It doesn't have the be fast, but it can't be slow
- no more than 22" wide - unlike my wife, I do not want a floating recliner
- I have be able to get my fat ass into it
The short list included the NDK Explorer, Valley Aquanaut, and the
Nigel Foster Legend. Yes, they are all big, British, skeg-boats. No,
I don't like rudders.
I found an Explorer on a trip up to Virginia and was quite surprised
that I had no trouble getting in and out. The problem was that the
thigh braces were too low.
I called around to try to find an Aquanaut and the only one I could
find as an RM version in GA. No thanks.
I found a Legend in a rental fleet at a place in Carolina Beach, NC.
I didn't rent it, but I didn't need to. I just didn't like it. I
can't tell you why specifically. I just didn't like it.
I then began the quest for a NDK Explorer HV. A place in Swansboro
had one in their demo fleet. Before I could make arrangements to demo
it, I saw that Appomattox River Company a 2004 demo model for sale in
Yorktown, VA.
The day I picked up the kayak was colder than usual with some light
rain. It was only fitting. British kayaking weather for a British
kayak.
My NDK Explorer HV
May 19, 2007
Heath's uncle needed help with his website and Heath suggested we
drive down to Charleston for a long weekend. The weekend we were
available just happened to coincide with the East Coast Canoe &
Kayak Festival. When we mentioned there would be kayaking of sorts,
Jean decided to meet us in Charleston.
I didn't really know much about the festival before we arrived
Saturday morning. None of the sessions appealed to me. I wasn't
really interested in a new boat. I was mainly just interested in a
seeing new gear.
As we walked around the lake, Jean was yet again struck with the
obvious fact that she needs a new kayak. She was impressed by one of
the new Riot designs. I was 12 feet long, had a skeg, a rod holder,
large cockpit opening and both front and rear bulkheads. She thought
the
Nigel
Foster Legend would be a good boat for me. I have to agree. It
looks very nice.
I was more impressed with seeing a glass Tsunami 140. It just feels
like a completely different boat than mine. It feels much more
solid. It was also considerably lighter.
One boat I wanted to see was the NDK Greenlander Pro. After seeing
it, I wasn't all that impressed. It looked crude. The seat looked
like some kind of torture device. I didn't even bother trying to see
how it fit. I could tell by looking, I couldn't fit my ass in that
thing.
I couldn't help but get a sense of just how small a world kayaking
is. I kept seeing people that I recognized from kayak magazines and
websites. Everyone also seemed to know everyone else.
I witnessed an interesting example of kayaking culture clash. A
relatively un-athletic looking woman was demoing some kind of Hobie SOT
kayak when she flipped over. Another kayaker saw her fall out and
turned and paddled over, his Greenland paddle moving furiously and his
gray ponytail flopping back and forth. He stowed his paddle under the
deckline, grabbed her boat in such a ways as to steady it. He them
began encouraging her to re-enter the boat. She wanted nothing to do
with it, stood up and walked the 15 feet to shore. As she was
climbing up the bank, he finally let go of her boat and paddled off.
The whole incident just seemed totally absurd.
Jean picked up a few small things and an NRS paddle bag. I should
have demoed at least a couple of boats, but I didn't want to have my
first experience in a real kayak to be in front of a bunch of pro's.
Yes, I know. Who cares.
April 22, 2007
I really needed to go out on the lake today. I felt like I needed to
go, but I didn't feel like going. I went anyway, hoping that I'd feel
better once I got out. On one hand, I'm glad I went, on the other it
wasn't exactly fun.
We put in at a boat ramp we hadn't used before. Its located further
west on the lake than Upper Barton Creek, our usual spot. I liked it
much better. It has less boat traffic and much more room to launch.
We can even drive the car to within feet of the water. There's no
need to lug the loaded kayaks down slippery ramps and over rocks.
The water was even higher today than it was when we went out last
week. It makes finding a place to beach and have lunch or answer the
call of nature a little harder than usual.
Today was my second day out wearing my
Mukluk's.
While they are wonderful at keeping water out, they also excel at
keeping water in. I'm going to have to find some way to keep my feet
dry. No one wants to get
stinkfoot.
December 27, 2006
I picked up an
Aqua-Bound
MantaRay today from REI. Why this one? It was something
completely different.
November 20, 2006
Heath, Jean and I drove up to the
Appomattox River Company in
Farmville, VA. It wasn't at all what I expected. It looks like its
in an old lumber yard. Stacks of lumber have been replaced with
stacks of kayaks, still in their shipping wrappers. Its a great place
to go if you want to pick up a new kayak, but if you're just browsing,
its a bit of a disappointment.
Appomattox River Company's absurb collection of kayaks
The main "showroom" is very small, but it seems that everything you
could ever want is "in a box upstairs somewhere". I got a
skirt, Jean
got a new paddle, and Heath got a new drybag.
October 21, 2006
Today was the first day in my new kayak. I'm sure I made the right
choice with the Wilderness Tsunami 140. Now comes the quest to find
which kayak accessories define me as a person.
I think I hate my paddle already.
October 13, 2006
I got my kayak today. It is a used/demo blue Wilderness Tsunami 140. I hope to take it out tomorrow. A Werner Skagit was
included in the package. I'm not sure I like it, but I have no idea what I'd want instead.
Wilderness Systems Tsunami 140
It's odd that I got the kayak so close to home. After spending all day on the phone, planning to drive to Greensboro,
or Newport News, driving half a mile up the road makes it feel like an impulse buy. I guess it kind of was.
October 07, 2006
Today's goal was to determine if I'm really into the whole kayak thing
or not. We rented a couple of kayaks from Paddle Creek and took them
to Falls Lake. Jean and Suzanne joined us.
We rented a Tsunami 140 and a Cape Horn 160. We all swapped boats
throughout the day. Both Suzanne and I really liked the Tsunami 140.
The Cape Horn didn't do it for anyone. It may have had something to
do with me getting wet while trying to get out of it. Silly me.
Since this was an official Dalton Event, we packed a lunch. It was a
nice day, but the wind was blowing quite hard. At one point, we had a
few little whitecaps.
I really do like the Tsunami 140. It fit's just right. It's easy to
get in and out of. It feels fairly quick. And I like the color. I
may have found my new boat.
September 23, 2006
"No, I don't want to buy your kayak for $500. I want to know if $500
is a good price for one just like yours. But there's a catch. It has
a hole." My father in law seemed to think it was a decent price,
depending on the hole.
The hole didn't seem all that bad. A paperclip test seemed to
indicate that it was about 1/8th" deep and didn't go all the way
through. It seemed like some simple filler would solve the problem.
But, it was around 2:00PM and this was an REI garage sale. How could
anything worth anything still be around at 2:00PM? Would it still be
there at 4:00PM?
Here was an
Old
Town Dirigo 140, the exact kayak Heath wanted. Even the color was
right.
We went for it. The hole was quickly filled, sanded and it seems
like new.
Heath in her new kayak
September 17, 2006
