I am 65 kg and my husband is 88kg and when I tested the LV Braveheart we spent some time assessing the waterline. The Skim Line (Finland) do list paddler weight. The dealer had me test paddle and the waterline was the main part of our discussion. It does have a very low center gravity.
Here is the LV model: (you can see I am in the middle of the ideal range)
The bottom line is you can do all the calculations you want, but you’ll never appreciate how it responds to your style until you paddle it. A symmetric hull form will settle fairly level for any weight, but a kayak that’s swede of fish form will surely settle differently for any paddler who is above or below the ideal weight. The deeper a boat sinks, the less responsive it’ll be for edging. The higher it sits, the less lateral resistance and more it’ll react to side pressure from wind. How deep it sinks in the bow or stern influences weather cocking. V-hull, round hull, multi-chine, soft chine all nehave differently.
Do all the number crunching you want, but calculate the size you need based on max, then get in the thing and paddle it, put it through the drills. If you like it keep it. I’m amazed by how many people regret selling certain boats. Why sell something you like?
Just thinking aloud - would the displacement equal the equivalent volume of water that equals the load (including boat, paddler and all gear aboard)? The water is displaced only by the load - if I’m thinking about this correctly. This is statically speaking. Not sure whether this might change slightly as boat speed increases?
Yes, except it’s weight rather than volume. That is, the weight of the displaced water equals the weight of the boat + paddler + gear.
Northstar also lists displacement at various loads. The following is for the B 17
Absolutely right. Thanks for clearing my brain fog. In fact, that’s one of the reasons I went with their Magic a couple of years ago.
I agree - yet it is a derived difference. A given volume of water will always have the same weight ( given minute temperature-based or salinity-related differences). So a weight of water displaced by weight of boat, person and gear weight should always have the same volume for a given load weight.
That’s not a kayak, it’s a submarine!
