foam footrest
I really like this option. More comfortable and reassuring for me. And it’ll save you quite a bit if you’re starting from scratch.
I’m curious about this boat’s history. Do you have any idea how it got out of the factory without any finishing? Was it a second that was sold as is or something like that? Nice find, (assuming you got it at a sufficient discout so that you still come out ahead after doing all the outfitting). There are some advantages to doing everything custom the first time, for instance being able to choose not to drill for footbraces if you want, or getting a seat that works for you.
In the seat department, I really like this one: http://www.pygmyboats.com/mall/HullGear.asp
(scroll down to spirit line seat). And it’s only $45
VCP Selkie
I own a Selkie, and I’ve always felt that it’s pretty well-mannered, just somewhat more difficult to catch rides in following seas compared to some of my others. So I made a plan to get out Saturday morning in the Selkie before offering my opinion.
The forcast leading up to Saturday had been 20 knot winds, so I was expecting to get out in some steep, local wind-blown open coast chop. It turned out to be drizzling and calm. It seems a rare thing to have only the smooth swells rolling in and breaking in the surf zone, and there were a couple of surfboard surfers who just arrived, so I was gifted a beautiful sea kayak surf zone situation. Nothing big, just 3 to 4 foot short period sets coming in representing the larger. I didn’t have to spend any time waiting around for catchable waves.
Now I know different steepness, different wave speed, etc, etc, all makes even the same kayak react a bit differently to every different wave. (I liked the comment in another recent thread about the ability to design a kayak for a specific wave type.) But this I felt would help with a fair fresh feel for it’s handling in steep chop. Honestly, the Selkie was quite easy to maintain running a straight line in front of the waves, and was easy to control. I could angle it a few degrees to the left or right, and I got to decide to commit to angle off to the right or left, and I never got the feeling the kayak was out of control or doing it’s own thing (other than during many unavoidable side surf finishes to avoid running straight up onto the sand.) It didn’t broach quickly when I angled off. It allowed a nice, gradual turn, and just gave me no problems. Again it gave me no indication of exceptional control difficulties in open water.
Now I’ve never been some huge fan of this kayak, but that’s because I often find it sluggish. I don’t recall finding it difficult to control. I have been using my Capella 169 for playing around in surf, and I actually had it loaded on the car too Saturday morning, thinking after I felt out the Selkie for a fresh perspective, I’d hop back into the Capella. But I was just having too much fun in the Selkie. The Selkie is much more stable, so I got rolled meeting the break on one of the first waves from being used to the easy edging of the Capella. But I got the feel for it quickly, and for someone who only gets to the coast occasionally, I would think the Selkie would be easy to control and very forgiving. As usual, well-mannered was my take. This is all without any skeg use, so there’s still that extra tool that someone could experiment with if they felt they needed something.
I know you already got yourself another kayak. Nothing wrong with that. I still wanted to put this out there. I usually think (even with a discontinued design) someone who loved to kayak thought they had designed a winner for whatever reason. I still found it sluggish. I had to get right in where the waves got steep to catch rides, and that makes for shorter rides. In open water, that means I will be paddling where I could be surfing along in a different design, and to me, open water surfing is what sea kayak surfing is all about. But on Saturday, I had a blast, and just couldn’t find anything worth complaining about.
Good luck with the new Chatham, but don’t sell the Selkie too short. I certainly did on Saturday when I brought a second boat along. The biggest key I’ve found to keeping your bow from completely submerging on any sea kayak is to keep some speed, and time powerful forward strokes so that you don’t end up dropping straight down from the steepest part of the wave. Without your help, a kayak will always travel down the path of least resistance, which will vary infinitely depending upon the submerged sections of the hull and the angle you’re taking.
Don’t forget the HERO CAM
Helmet Camera so he can show pictures of his friends of all the folks he runs over -and his woody stick paddle to impress the ladies.
Ooops this sounds like someone I have encountered…
CapeFear,…
I’m glad you had a good weekend paddling your Selkie in the ocean. I’ve enjoyed some good day trips in the bay and ocean in the Selkie. I like the low primary stability and the strong reliable secondary stability. I only have the skill level of a beginner, no real bracing technic and a roll that usually works in practice,…barely. I see you’re an intermediate paddler and you can react to what the kayak and water are doing, accordingly. I thought the rounded hull with a good amount of rocker of my Selkie was a lot of the reason I was a white knuckled paddler in certain conditions. The Chatham has a soft v hull and tracks very well, (on my little demo) so I thought it might be better for me on day trips. It also weighs a lot less than the Selkie which after a paddle will be real nice.
I’ve read this post
a half dozen times and it still makes me lol
I’ve only demoed a Chatham
in calm water, so I don’t know how your experience in that would compare. I hope it gives you what you’re looking for. As your skills advance, you’ll always be bringing new life to both of them. I know that hasn’t ended for me. I’ve never enjoyed learning more than I do in kayaks. Have fun.