Sparrow Hawk
I don’t know where you are but a sparrow hawk in Michigan just hit the classifieds posted here…
Arizona
– Last Updated: Jun-20-04 6:44 PM EST –
Is it kevlar? What is the price? Does it have contact info?
I found the ad and it is fiberglass. I found a kevlar for about the same money but they would not ship and a 5000 mile round trip is not practical.
ditto
I’m not small but for a smaller kayak the NightHawk16 is dynamite,similar displacement as the Avocet I believe. I think the problem is finding the small 16’ kayak that is a good day boat for the 125lb paddler, not necessarily one that’s good for the 125lb paddler plus 100lbs.
Shearwater Merganser 16
it’s a kit boat with a smidge more displacement than the Sparrow Hawk and more foot room. It’ll be a project but done up totally in 4oz glass with doubled 4oz on the bottom I think you could finish it out in 40lbs. if you’re familiar with glass/epoxy constructions.
Isn’t it the about the RATIO?
I thought it’s the RATIO of length to beam the define the boat efficiency? So for smaller displacement boats, it doesn’t need to be the same length as the big boat to be as efficient. It’ll need to be a bit narrower instead, I thought.
As a small paddler myself, I found majority of kayaks on the market way too wide to begin with! Narrow and unstable? What unstable? Most boats I tried are stable as barges!!!
Envyabull is right on
some of the best stuff I’ve read on this board.
low volume kayak not discussed
How about the Nelo Razor for a low volume kayak? I am taking a serious look at it as my winter boat. Granted I enjoy racing, but it seems with the Nelo’s narrow entry up front, it allows the shorter paddler the luxury of better paddle placement. Weight 30 lbs in the WWr construction, 17’ long x 20.5" beam behind the cockpit, and day tripping type hatches. I will review it after I try it. Another benefit is the adjustable tiller bar steering and seat.
Nelo Razor…
– Last Updated: Jun-22-04 4:26 PM EST –
I suspect is not the type of boat that the original poster had in mind...
That is boat is along the "high performance" line that Envybull has in mind -- a racing oriented kayak. I've tried it (Pam Browning's) and I'll readily admit I couldn't keep that thing upright for more than a few strokes on a flat water boat. With that open cockpit, I doubt I can roll it to save my life -- which is what I would have to try to do in any sort of wave action on the ocean.
sing
nelo
Sing, I suspect your right about the original post, and I was kind of addressing envyabull’s comments. I was told it was fairly stable, but compared to my K1 or surfski only. I am going to outfit it with straps that snug the knees when centered. I recently did this with the Mako surfski, which I think is helping. With the straps, I am still loose and able to fully rotate, but have the grip to use my legs instead of the paddle to keep from going over. I have yet to try a roll on the surfski, but one of these warm days I’ll try. I think if you paddled the nelo for a week, my guess is you would start to feel more comfortable in its stability. I do feel its a kayak pointed in the right direction as far as getting away from the fat boat models envyabull was describing.
Anyone Want A Good Laugh…
All this talk about “primary vs secondary stability” in other threads. With the Razor, I couldn’t find any stability. I was a funny sight I am sure, falling over every third stroke, emptying boat, falling when trying to get in, falling again every 2-3 strokes. I think it would take me way beyond a week.
Pam Browning who races and posts here every so often handled the Razor like it was nothing. She can fly with it. Her other boats were supposedly even more tippy than the Razor. I asked her whether she would use those boats in an ocean race. She said they were strictly flatwater racers.
sing
Look at the Impex Currituck
I demoed this boat a few months back. It’s longer (17’) and larger than my Romany 16, but is faster and handles well. I’m a “smaller paddler” but found the Romany Explorer LV too small (could barely squeeze myself into it).
Check out the Currituck http://www.impexkayak.com/currituck.html
Tracy