In Jan '04 gpfafft mentioned that he and an instructor could not reenter the prijon capri from the water. It's cockpit is 36 x 18" with a 25" boat width, the same as the calabria, yukon epedition and maybe others in the line. What have been others experience with the prijon kayaks in that respect? I am thinking about getting the capri tour. Thanks.
Huh?
I took a rescue class where we used Prijon boats, I think I was using a Kodiak, are you talking about doing a cowboy, an assisted rescue or a paddle float rescue? Maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about but I think I could get in that boat in an assisted rescue or paddle float rescue.
The back deck of my Calabria
is rather high, actually the entire boat has a fairly tall profile, I would think this would make a cowboy entry a bit dicey.
.
Here is the thread,
http://www.paddling.net/message/showThread.html?fid=advice&tid=153093
The kodiak has the same size cockpit but is even narrower a boat.
Re-enter and roll
I’d found that this boat is much easier to re-enter and roll up than trying a paddle float or cowboy re-entry. Keep one leg inside the boat while attaching the paddle float, then take a breath and sit back in the cockpit underwater while holding the paddle. Then sweep out the paddle or just hold on to the float and execute a hip snap to roll the boat up. Works for me every time and helps one get more comfortable with being underwater when learning to roll. The Capri Tour has no flotation in the bow so you’ll need to install a float bag in the bow. I got a 42" float bag from REI for about $25.00 and it fits behind the footpegs without tethering it in.
Don’t know about the Capri but
the Calabria is fairly easy to re-enter with a paddle float (however I never tried it in rough water).
I agree with my colleague Bruce…
…I think the cockpits on all these prijons is quite generaous, and certainly no less than other keyhole shaped kayak pits. I love my Capri, I own two and would not trade them. If you have a defined purpose of use in mind, let us know and we can direct you to the proper Prijon to investigate.
Kodiak -was boat I used.
No problem with assisted or paddle float rescue.
Cockpit is huge and comfy; I also took this boat on a small ocean expedition trip in Baja. It’s a great boat when heavily loaded. The hardware did not seem very rugged but I liked it a lot.
Huh aquared?
The only thing I could possibly think of is that a kodiak, and maybe other Prijion boats, sits very high in the water when it is unloaded. But the boat is very wide, I think over 24 inches wide, and was the boat I learned how to Cowboy scramble on. I really can’t think of any reason that the boats would be difficult to do self or assisted rescues in. The cockpits are caverous - you coud throw your legs in and then turn around for a PF rescue. I’m at a loss.
I’m confused
I own a Seayak. I use it for almost all the classes I do. Because it’s so easy to do them with. I teach self rescues in this boat. I’m 6’tall and 240lbs. I can easily do paddle float with and without a stirup. Re-enter and roll with and without paddle float. And that’s in the Seayak, Capri,Calabria,and kodiak,!! The only thing I can’t do is a cowboy rescue. And that’s not the boat! I can’t seem to get that one in any of my boats. That and the capri has a regular cockpit. It’s not a keyhole so it would be easier?
Shawn