Yeah, the guy must be nuts:)
Hi Joe, just out of curiousity, have you ever compared the Sea Wind and Loon and Monarch with the Sea-1? Just curious if there are significant performance differences.
Thanks
Andy
hey
what about the plastic ones?
Yeah actually
I have paddled the Sea 1 and the Seawind one after the other out on Lake Superior. I never posted that before in any of the discussions as I was likely to be conceived as heavily biased as I was working for Clipper for awhile.
In my oppinion though, both are nice boats but I’d still take the Clipper Sea 1 over the Seawind anyday. I find the Seawind just too heavy. I abused the heck out of the Sea 1 on that nearly 6 month trip and it held up very well. Speed wise, it seens to have better acceleration and a little more top end speed. I was amazed at how easily it handles large waves as well. I think it is faster, certainly lighter and has more gracefull lines. I’m certainly not knocking the Seawind. I’d just prefer the Sea 1 over it anytime.
Cheers…Joe O’
http://www.geocities.com/outrageous_outdoors/
it’s a good boat
although it’s taken me several years to get it right for me, and i’m still thinking of changes. i don’t disagree with a lot of your points; just saying that you can kneel as easy, if not more easily in a rob roy than a kruger. krugers are serious boats, and i’d recommend anyone try one. just wanted to put my two cents in. what are you paddling nowadays beachcomber?
Dream boat
I think my ultimate dream boat would be a Kruger canoe that weighed 40 pounds. I want it just as rock solid as the Kruger and the same shape and rigging. I just want it to be 40 pounds. The folks I see who are solo paddling in their 70’s have boats that are in the 40 pound range.
I wonder if it will ever be possible with future advances in materials.
If not then I’ll get as similar as I can and still have it in the 40 pound range. I want my ultimate boat to be a good day tripper are well and that means a lot of lifting on and off of racks.
Bell Rob Roy 15 - 35# black gold
comes under your 40 pound limit, still half the cost of the Sea Wind, weighs 35# in black gold layup, swift, stable, dry, an easy day tripper and smallish expedition…buy it without the seat and retro fit something comfortable, buy the spray skirt, and you’re good to go, eh?
Chad
I’ve got a Bell Merlin2 solo canoe with a cookes custom spray deck. Love the boat but in the gulf it still scares me in high winds (gusts to 30). How does the Rob Roy do out there in our winter conditions?
I don’t know
You’d have to make a lot of modifications to a Rob Roy to make it like a Kruger. I don’t think it comes with a rudder and I don’t think it is as durable and I don’t think the Kruger seat would work in it.
One thing I hear about the Kruger is that the adjustable seat is really comfortable with it set on the highest setting. If I out a high seat in a Rob roy wouldn’t it be a lot less stable than a Kruger.
I do still want to try paddling them all though.
I could trade rowing lessons and guideboat rides for the opportunity to paddle a Kruger or a Rob Roy. Any takers in NC?
pretty well
i don’t paddle in anything over 30 knots, though. just can’t make headway. the merlin is a DY design, too, if i’m not mistaken, so you have a good idea of how the hull handles. the deck obviously helps, with both wind and waves. the tighter cockpit also allows you to brace your knees and brace, etc.
RobRob in the wind
I own a RobRoy and a Magic and have been on more than one 10 day Quetico trip in each. The RobRoy is much easier to handle in big wind. One day I was always near shore so there were no whitecaps but the wind was pushing my partner in a Winona around and I had no problems. I have paddled small to medium whitecaps with no problem. On a 11 day trip I was a little crowded for gear space. I could make the portages in 2 carries. The poke boat looks a little bigger but not a lot bigger or heavier. I need a light boat for the long portages. The RobRoy is easy to paddle and I usually can keep up with tandems.