Got the boat, yeah! It is a 2002 bought from the original owner. It is the Modulus version. Came with a Snap Dragon spray skirt and cockpit cover still serviceable, bilge pump and a Werner two piece paddle (230 cm). I even got the factory owner’s manual.
I plan to take it down to the town lake/pond tomorrow and see if I can get arrested . . . or drown.
Congratulations
If you are interested in getting together with some local (Corpus Christi area) touring paddlers you can join the CC Paddlers e-mail list by e-mailing Ken Johnson at johnsonkw@earthlink.net. Ken maintains the master list.
I saw that they were trying to put together a 7.5 mile paddle on the lower Nueces River (downstream from Labonte Park) for this Saturday.
Mark
Should be fun
The Nighthawk 16 is a very sweet feeling boat.
FYI, if you want to get that paddle shortened in the future I think Werner can do it for you. Over the last several years we have seen recommendations on paddle length get shorter, for ex my husband started out with a fairly common length for his size of 230 cm but over the last three years and a few forward stroke classes has been getting them shortened to 215 cm.
A very nice boat!
We use ours for expeditions. They can hold a BUNCH of gear! Enjoy.
Maiden voyage . . .
. . . this afternoon on Lake LaCour, actually a pond in Bishop, Texas. Someone should have videotaped this for America’s Funniest Videos. Kayaking is definately harder than it looks but I didn’t get wet.
Seat Time . . .
Seat time will help with this. The Nighthawk 16 was my first serious kayak. I still have it, but now paddle a Necky Eliza in carbon fiber. It has a shallower vee bottom than the Nighthawk, and I’ve gotten a little careless about entering the boat. I let someone else use the Necky the other day . . . I took the Nighthawk and fell in trying to enter casually like I do in the Eliza . . . boy, I sure looked dumb! I’ve been kayaking for 5 years and that’s the first time I did that - I was always uber-careful entering the Nighthawk because it’s initial stability isn’t exactly rock-hard! But oh, it is sweet in the rough stuff! Enjoy! It won’t take long at all to get used to it. Take it on some water with texture, and you won’t notice all the little twitches you make . . .
Paula
It will make you better.
The Nighthawk is designed for performance without many compromises. But, that will make you a better paddler and reward you as you progress.
Congratulations on acquiring a fine boat.
Nighthawk 16 for Apostles?
I enjoy my Merlin LT, but think it is probably too short for Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands. Would the Nighthawk 16 be adequate to haul the gear and keep up with a group paddling the Apostles for a week or less? And yes, that would be predicated on plenty of seat time and practice with rescues and rolls, well before such a trip.
Enough space for WEEKS
if you pack right. 