Agree with greyak
A friend was having the same problem. I kept telling him he needed a bigger boat. He bought a used CD Solstice GT and is now very happy, more confident and faster than he was in his smaller boat.
Try a bunch
Just go and try a bunch of kayaks. I’m sure there are plenty of stores in Chicago, and if not, then Rutabaga’s in Madison isn’t that far away from you.
I have a friend who is a little less heavy than you, but taller, who paddles a Dagger Apostle and loves it. And I have a friend who is your height, heavier than you, who paddles an Explorer HV and think it’s just fine. The CD Storm should be able to handle your load, although I’m not a fan of that kayak. There are plenty of other boats to look at:
Ask Wilco
You could ask Wilco on rec.boats.paddle. He’s 6’ 8".
thx 4 your insights
thanks v much for your insightful thoughts and for taking the time to lay it all out. that is just the sort of thing I was looking for. I could always use more core work, better flexibility and should definatly reintroduce myself to yoga for a variety of reasons. if you have any specific on water balance drills, or can direct me to a source to find them, I’d greatly apprecite it. thx aggain!
lead weigt
worth a try I suppose. I really don’t relish the idea of transporting a lead brick to and from the launch site. do you fix your rick to the kayak somehow? Doesn’t seem like something you would want bouncing around in the cockpit during rolls, etc.
chicago options
suprisingly there is only one kayak shop in the chicago area - Geneva Kayak - it’s a good shop, but it’s 45-60 minutes from Lake Michigan. a strange reality in our market.
my take also thanks greyak
– Last Updated: May-25-07 12:59 PM EST –
TT, I'm smaller in stature but built a bit like you, broad shoulders and small waist, much better now as I've slimmed down and emphasized cardio fitness over mass.
Greyak makes some great points. I agree that your current boat does not really come close to meeting your needs. Try some of the boats he mentioned, and try to remember also that you can't change the way a boat is built - with the exception of how you fit in it. In other words, if it takes an explorer HV, for example, to give you the stability you are looking for, but the hull is too big, well, you can pad it out as tightly as you need to. I paddle an explorer which at my height of 5'9" many people say is on the large size for me - but I can move it through the water, brace, and roll in some pretty challenging conditions because I padded it out to fit me, which made it easier to be confident to expand my comfort zone and develop my skills.
Good luck and don't give up on the kayak options out there. You'll find one that works with a little bit of customizing.
wilco
I am ignorant of what that is or how to contct Wilco. plse educate me. thx
Design not off the mark at all
Amazing thread really. There is a thing called “Design Displacement” which pertains to the load range a given hull is designed to work well within. Too light or too heavy and the hull is out of it’s design displacement range, and less than ideal.
You simply need to try different boats that are more appropriate for your size and ability. There are many…too many to list. Clearly the Capella is not ideal for you. Sometimes we want what just isn’t ideal for us. Down the road you may find your opinion changes as your skill level increases. I say try another kayak that you are more comfy with and enjoy paddling. Let things develop in a sensible way. Good luck.
another suggestion
is Pygmys Coho, yes it’s a kit boat. It’ll feel rolly like your Capella but the displacement is bigger and it’ll be more controllable near the capsize angle compared to your Capella. The Mariner Max would be even better for maneuvering. A lot of what the Capella can do can’t be done as well with your higher cg.
Many commercial sea kayaks
have the seat almost 1" off the bottom of the hull for whatever reason and they loose a lot of stability. I have built my last four kayaks and have played around with different seats and have found that I can gain a lot of stability by lowering the seat. If you have a kayak that you like and the seat is raised off the hull, maybe you could cut the factory seat out and install a foam seat that lets you sit as close as possible to the bottom of the kayak. My 19" wide kayak has more stability with out a seat in it than many commercial kayaks that are 21" wide. It might worth looking in to.
design displacement
I will try more boats and see. I think you are right, but I still think that weight limit alone does not tell the whole story. Looking at some of the hydrostatics on different kayaks, I noticed that they different stability curves assumed that a paddlers weight was 10" off the seat. It seems obvious that these statistics break down as CG raises. That said, I’ll try some other boats, look for a bit wider beam, and get more time in the seat. Thanks.
drop the seat
I’m very anxious to take out the seat and give her a try. thx.
Ballast
A soft container(drybags work) full of water is easier & safer.
I have also gained
more stability from a narrow kayak by having my legs braced flat down against the hull. I personally like my legs angled up to the deck and use knee/thigh hooks for bracing but I have found that by using a foam masik to keep my legs flat gives me a noticeable improvement of stability in rough seas. To give you an idea of the masik here is a link to a picture. http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2348923920063896127qqnHbC
chimin’ in late
been offline a week BUT…
try a tempest 180 or tsunami 175. specifically designed for high CG paddlers and size challenged, and still a FUN boat.
CWS thinks about it, let me tell you.
steve
CWS
will do thanks
Pardon,
but I’m quite slim at 190cm, and I have been where the OP describes - in boats which tipped over right away just because I sat 1cm too high…
Don’t confuse
Don’t confuse the number that Sea Kayaker Magazine uses for center of gravity in their stability curve calculations as a standard that all kayak designers adhere to. That height is just a number chosen so different kayaks can be compared in a controlled manner.
Trust your own feeling in the kayak over the numbers.
Offshore is another Chicago shop…
Geneva is simply the latest kayak shop and both Chicagoland Canoe Base and Offshore (located in Vernon Hills) have been the local kayak shops in the Chicagoland area for much longer.
http://www.offshore-chicago.com