Nordkapp HM.
How do you like it?
acmance on Oct-19-07 2:33 PM (EST
Good question. I haven’t even paddled it yet but once with yanoer in Lake of the Woods. A bitch and a half to get into; mixed feelings about the ocean cockpit. But I have to get used to it, and take some oppf the advice that others on here like derrickam, who is now by choice incommunicado with me for no reason whatsoever, about how to mount this steed.
I will get more time this winter and spring. If you are in central Illinois, let’s paddle and you can try it yourself. I want to write a review when I get the full poop on this boat.
If you need more specific info, please ask, andf I will check it out, acemance.
Wait, you have one!
Comments:
Paddle a Nordkapp HM Member of BASK Volunteer for ETC
Wow, I should be asking you.
Better still
Paddle it!
Nordkapp HM, Ocean Cockpit
Cooldoctor, I’m in the minority of kayakers who still much prefer an ocean cockpit for sea kayaks. Unless you are trying to get in from a high dock, or do a “scramble” type of entry, getting into an ocean cockpit is quick and easy; sit on the rear deck and, while keeping your legs straight, put your hands on each side of the cockpit and slide in. Getting out is much the same, keep your legs straight and “quiet” and push the kayak off of you like you would a pair of jeans. Quick, fast and easy – works fine for reentry and roll. Not so good if you want to do a scramble-type (cowboy) or paddle-float reentry.
You can’t enter butt first and then draw your legs in – as you can do with a keyhole. The ability to do that is sometimes very useful, but you can do much the same with an ocean cockpit using the paddle for a brace but it’s not as easy or convenient.
I had a Nordkapp HS for many years before switching to an Anas Acuta. The Nordkapp is an excellent “expedition” kayak (much better than the Anas Acuta in this regard), but is not particularly good for “Greenland-technique” due to its hull shape and depth. FWIW, I prefer the HS hull with an adjustable skeg over the HM hull (much more versatile IMO).
As always, your mileage may differ…
Greg Stamer
Thanks for your input, Greg.
– Last Updated: Oct-21-07 4:29 PM EST –
I can appreciate the OC, and might, with time adapt to it. Here is the rub, though. In central IL, we almost never put in from a beach. We put in from corrugated concrete boat ramps, docks that are literally three feet off the water and from riprap around lakes. Add in a few motorboat wakes, and getting into the boat in 2 feet of waves is a harrowing experience. I feel particularly obliged to get out into the water to enter the Nord HM because of the vulnerable fixed skeg, and it's sharply defined ends. One ill-placed riprap bang and I'll be learning how to repair kev carbon in my free time.
Thanks for the instruction though. I'll try it a tad more and see, and I will keep thinking "Greg says, like a pair of jeans." Your encouragment will help.
In my brief test paddle of the boat, the thing that discouranged me most was not so much the getting in (although that was a bear, as yanoer can attest), but it was the fact that I have nothing to grip my inner thighs to for boat control. And with this integrated skeg, laying that beast over to round the corner and get home is imperative, lemme tell you.
There is some minicell in the foredeck now, but perhaps I will need to build more of a masiq, if I am using that term properly, of more/thicker minicell. The issue then becomes, as the Nordkapps have a higher back deck (higher than would be advised for an OC, as some have pointed out on Pnet), one has increasing trouble getting in off the back deck with more and more paddling under the deck in front of the cockpit. I have flamingo legs, too, yet I believe it'd still be exasperating.
But if you paddled an HS for many years, and they are essentially identical boats (other than the fixed skeg), then I will keep trying.
foam masik
– Last Updated: Oct-21-07 4:49 PM EST –
Like Greg, I much prefer the oc to the keyhole cockpit: better boat control and easier rolling, but you are in a tough situation trying to slide in from a high dock. If you paddle Greenland and can balance pretty well, you can do an extended paddle brace off the back deck as Greg pointed out. Works expecially well with the Superior carbon fiber paddle because of the floatation that comes with the foam core. To make entry and exit easier, you can build up a moveable foam masik using 1" and, if needs be, 1/2" pieces of foam. Take 3" webbing doubled over and glued together with contact cement and glue the webbing between two pieces of the foam leaving 6-8" hanging out. You can then slide the foam away from you to get in and out and easily pull it over your thighs when you want a tight fit. I have two versions for my OC cockpit kayaks: one for rolling (very tight) and one for distance touring (looser). John
I much prefer the Jubilee
– Last Updated: Oct-21-07 6:33 PM EST –
with with a large keyhole to my old OC HM. Still, That HM is a great boat. The rear deck is not all that high. Once I got mine outfitted for me, it was great. Loved it in rough water.
For sale?
CoolDoc, I saw that you put it up for sale…
I took it out again Sunday. Long Paddle
– Last Updated: Oct-23-07 8:19 PM EST –
I cannot adjust to the ocean cockpit. I know, I should give it more time, but something about it makes me feel claustrophobic. Sort of like tsunamichuck's experience, it seems. I simply prefer the more forgiving keyhole. My legs seem better in the splayed keyhole position.
It is a very sweet boat. It is 44 lbs, and the link I provided shows it at 49 lbs in fiberglass, like all Valley boats. But this one, which is carbon kev hull and deck, is 44lbs with the hatch covers, Henderson built in pump, and compass. I adore this boat in every other way. I'm not a huge guy by any means, and thought that OC would be fine (it was at Canoecopia in the Anas Acuta. It was even easy to get in and out on the showroom floor.)
I think I'll stick to my rotomolded Avocet and Nordkapp, like I took on our Illinois River paddle this past springtime, JPC. So, this boat is a wonderful deal from someone who can appreciate an ocean cockpit and the legendary Nordkapp. I know there are plenty of ocean cockpit zealots out there.
If it sells, makes someone happy, great; I'll have more garage space to get a stand up paddle board. If not, I'll keep experimenting with it. I'd consider a trade, too. Cool any way.
http://tinyurl.com/3dv8dd
Leg position
You wrote: “I cannot adjust to the ocean cockpit. I know, I should give it more time, but something about it makes me feel claustrophobic. Sort of like tsunamichuck’s experience, it seems. I simply prefer the more forgiving keyhole. My legs seem better in the splayed keyhole position”.
The claustrophobic feeling will probably go away with some good-old wet-exit and rescue practice, but not everyone will like an ocean cockpit. That said, an ocean cockpit doesn’t dictate leg position, in fact it gives you more options: legs close together and up against the deck (not possible with a cavernous keyhole) or legs widely splayed apart. It simply depends on how you outfit the underside of the deck and the gunwales. What you can’t do is to bend your knees and stick them above the cockpit, of course, but if you need to stretch your legs a good balance brace or side scull is great for that.
Greg Stamer