Well, I just wanted to post a correction…in a previous post I had stated that my new GP was not a very fast boat and that it would max out at about 5.2 mph for me.
Well, I was wrong. As it turns out I had my hips foamed in a bit too tight. After doing a bit of sanding and fitting I found that my speed has increased.
I now can maintain between 5.6 - 5.9 mph when paddling at an exercise pace. I consider this to be pretty good speed for a boat of this class. It’s a little faster for me than my Aquanaut which I would paddle about 5.3 5.5 mph with a similar effort.
As stated in my previous post I also find that this boat surfs impressively on wind waves, thus adding to the boat’s average speed when paddled in conditions.
I was quite happy with the boat even when I felt like was rather slow…knowing that the boat is also fast is a bonus.
Not trying to raise the whole speed issue again…just wanted to make a correction based upon new information…also an intersting statement about how critical boat fit can be to not only handling but speed.
Matt
Fast boat
I paddled some trips in a GP last summer and found it one of the fastest sea kayaks I have tried, and also a kayak of fast acceleration. I maxed out at 13,3 km/hour in a sprint with a 210 cm Werner Corrywrecken paddle the first time in the kayak, and 11 km/hour was quite easy to hold for distances at exercise pace.
Greenlander Pro Speed
I owned a Greenlander Pro for two years and found it to be one of the fastest British Style Sea Kayaks. It was significantly faster than my Explorer at exercise pace but slower than my Epic Endurance 18. The kayak has the added bonus of being a strong rough water performer, manueverable yet a strong tracker. And mine was built like a tank! Unfortunately, the kayak didn’t have enough footroom for me so I sold it two years ago. I still think about it sometimes though.
Good speed! - “maintain” for how long?
Not doubting/debating, just looking for context on that 5.6 - 5.9 mph speed range regarding time frames/distances. “Exercise pace” gives no clue as to duration of said exercise. I start to to suspect speeds over longer sprints intervals (say @ 1 km duration) are being measured rather than touring distances when that sort of description is given.
There’s all kinds of “exercise”, so I’d rather not make such assumptions. Just as likely your in good shape and can do that all day!
For Sea Kayaks I tend think in terms average speeds over hours and at least 10 miles. I’m no speed demon and currently only good for 5 mph or so average on mild water - but that’s average speed over over 3-4 hours with GP/Aleut at what I’d call exercise pace (heart rate in zone but at upper end - which is partly a weight consequence for me I’m sure - and sustainable for long periods).
Anyway, just wondering how long you’re maintaining “exercise pace”. Thanks.
dude, check out Harald’s speeds!
In the post above yours he’s quoting 13.3 km/hr (8.2 mph) in a spring and 11 km/hr (6.8 mph) at an easy exercise pace. The guy has a racing background so who knows but to me that seems crazy fast. I’m seriously impressed if those numbers are for real!
Me and my Silhouette typically max out around 7 mph sprinting with the GP and 7.5 mph sprinting with the wing. I can cruise at 6 mph at an exercise pace but I don’t think there’s anyway I could possibly hold 6.8 mph. 5 mph is a good cruising speed for me if I’m putting on lots of miles.
Exercise Pace
Not sure why it matters as my speed ratings are relative to what I can do in other boats given the same relative paddling effort to assess the speed of one boat vs. another for me.
I consider an exercise pace to be physically difficult to maintain for several hours…if you can maintain it for several hours I would consider it more of an endurance pace…right?
No, the GP is not as fast as the QCC700, but they are far different boats, fillling somewhat different niches in my opinion. I consider the GP to be a fast boat relative to other rudderless sea kayaks. If I truly were after strictly speed I would have gotten a QCC or Epic 18…probably the QCC.
Matt
Matt
?
Nice dodge ans diversion into other topics! You in politics? If it’s only relative to you, why share the numbers?
I’ll try again - in a simpler and more specific way:
How long are you able to “maintain between 5.6 - 5.9 mph”?
I understand the relativity. I understand many people are faster than I am. I also understand many report speeds they “maintain” for a couple minutes. I’m not saying which group you fall into and don’t care. It’s not a competition, it’s just curiosity and desire for context so your reported speeds are more informative.
This makes more sense . .
These speeds seem more reasonable based on my experience with the GP. Of course every paddler is different but in my experience that GP can go 5+ knots all day long. I’ve sprinted to an indicated 6.4 knots and seen in pull 8-9 knots during down-wind surfing runs. I tend to use a knotmeter rather than a GPS for my speed comparisons between boats just because I think it’s marginally more accurate for speed over water vs speed made good.
I like mine with a very loose fit, thin foam seat, no cheek pads and just a rolled up Ridge-rest 3/4 behind as a butt-stop. The GP is not as easy to paddle fast as an Epic 18 or the similar QCC but when we ran them in the Blackburn we had no trouble finishing ahead of many of those other boats (the majority of top positions were in Epic 18’s).
cheers,
Hi, Alex.
I’m seriously impressed with those speeds, too. Harald is a regular poster on the Norwegian equivalent of Paddling.net (padling.no); he’s a kind of anchor there; there’s less activity than here. Norway has a population of 4.5 million, after all. Oh, btw, I’m fluent in Norwegian. Husband was born and raised there.
Coming from just about anybody else, I’d blow those figures off, but coming from Harald, I’d say they’re at least close to reality. He’s extremely knowledgeable, has done just about everything except paddle Greenland style, with all the rolls you can do (meaning “you” as in you, Alex; I saw your UTube video, and asked about who it was on the ConnYak board), and I have developed tons of respect for him. If Harald ever decides to take up rolling seriously, and gets a chance to do some work with Cheri or Freya, look out! He has a younger brother, too.
Oh, yes. Congrats on the new roll you finally got nailed at Sweetwater. I can’t remember where I saw your post on that. Qajaq?? I lurk there a bit.
Cheers!
JeanM
Excercise vs touring pace
I read this with a bit of interest. I just calculated roughly my speed on a recent paddle I did. 8 miles upstream of a river flowing at about 1.5 mph and then 8 miles back. Total time actually paddling was approx. 3 hours. Math works out that my average speed was 5.33 mph. I don’t consider this paddle an excercise pace but rather a touring pace. A pace I can maintain for a long time.
I can maintain an excercise pace for a relatively short time and have reached (once only) 7.5 mph. Typically in an excercise pace of a duration of 15-20 minutes, I can maintain between 6.3 and 6.5 mph.
I paddle an 18’ 3" Artisan Millenium which is considered a fast touring boat.
Andy
Exercise pace
Sorry, I should have been a bit more specific about the words “exercise pace” - It is what I could do for about 1 hour of working out in the GP. But I guess I would be rather “worked out” then:-)
I have not paddled the GP for long days, so I dont know what my touring speed would be, but I found the GP quite close to the speeds I could get in my own CD Extreme, and that kayak is quite easy to glide around for hours in 9 km.hour in.<br /> <br /> The point of my posting was to say that the GP really is a fast kayak, and one of the fastest sea kayaks I have been in. It can not match the speed of the Epic Endurance 18, but I dont consider the Epic a sea kayak like the GP.
Thanks Jean
Thank you for the kind words Jean:-) We had a absolutely fantastic Sea Kayak gathering in southern Norway this weekend - you should have been there. Mostly regular sea kayakers, but also some greenland-style enthusiasts.
However, I am just an middle aged guy who likes paddling, both in sea kayaks and in fast kayaks/canoes. It is my little brother who really are a good paddler:-)
Hi, Harald.
I wish I could have been there! I’ve really been enjoying Padleforbundet’s forum, and practicing my Norwegian. Up until now, I’ve always avoided writing in Norwegian. You never know where kayaking will lead!
I think our paths will cross, sooner or later. It would be fun to meet you and the others—but first, a few things have to happen. Right now, I’m really keeping my fingers crossed that the rust gods and the mice have been kind to our car over there. It’s an old Ford station wagon, and it gets a year older each summer. :
Hi, Harald: Second Try
(This is the second try; the first one got cut off for some reason.)
I wish I could have been there! I’ve really been enjoying Padleforbundet’s forum, and practicing my Norwegian. Up until now, I’ve always avoided writing in Norwegian. You never know where kayaking will lead!
I think our paths will cross, sooner or later. It would be fun to meet you and the others—but first, a few things have to happen. Right now, I’m really keeping my fingers crossed that the rust gods and the mice have been kind to our car over there. It’s an old Ford station wagon, and it gets a year older each summer. [In the original post, I put in a scowling face here that the posting program didn’t like.]
Then, the boats we build this summer will have to function well. I’m soooo looking forward to that course with Anders Thygesen! I still can hardly believe that we’re going up to Brønnøysund to build SOF’s and carve Greenland paddles. To repeat: you never know where kayaking will lead!
Finally, we, and especially me, will have to be able to halfway keep up with you guys. Uff! That’s gonna mean a lot of hard work. I’d like to go on a paddle with a club or two, to see if I can measure up to you Norskies after a fashion.
Cheers!
Jean