In waves, CD boats
As far as behavior in waves, slicing thru via snaking over, I’ve had boats that did each thing. As long as the boat was fundamentally good about performing in seas, I didn’t find that it made a diff in any critical factors like safety or sense of security. The only thing that initially gave me pause was, with the Squall, her greater tendency to bury her nose briefly in high close lake stuff. The worst that ever happened was I got fully stalled in a big one that caught me head on while I was in the preceding trough. So I just got a bit wet - and she bobbed up again just fine once the wave had washed over us.
My current expedition boat clearly snakes around over the top and sides of things more - an Explorer LV. So I spend more time doing minor directional changes. But both boats have gotten me home safe, upright and physically comfortable every time. How they do it is not as important.
As to CD, I tend to like their boats except for the plastic bulkheads in their fiberglass boats. I’d hold out for the the upgrade to a fiberglass bulkhead were I to get one. If you are thinking plastic, both the Sirrocco and the Squamish are intersting boats and worth a try. I believe they are for different sized paddlers too so one may fit you better. The Caribou is a rather different handling boat than these other two and has, to me, a really awkward cockpit fit. But it’s a good boat, has a lot of very nice behaviors. All of them are solid boats that will do their best to get you home and still be up to using to learn more advanced skills when you want.
The Squamish and the Sirrocco are also officially Brit style boats I guess, since as I recall their design comes from the Derek Hutchinson style first enunciated in the Slipstream and the Gulfstream. All of these have somewhat lower rear decks than the older Solstice series, which is hugely helpful for paddle float re-entries.
My personal favorite of these is actually the Slipstream, but it is a lower volume boat than the others and takes some getting used to.
Straps
Yeah, you’re right about those. Pretty common with composite flush hatches though. I’d like to replace them with some sort of internal anchoring setup but I guess not badly enough to actually try to engineer something.
Mike
factors
if you can’t roll you probably don’t need to be looking for a few percentage points in “faster” in that it necessitates a narrower/less wetted area kayak that will provide less stability. If you expect to go in waves above 1 1/2’ in a “fast” kayak you really should learn how to roll. You can have a nice handling kayak with a wide range of stability. That’s why I suggested the QCC400. In that it’s forgiving but very efficient. It’ll be noticable faster than your Yukon but still provide a comfortable handling in waves. Don’t get hung up on “it has to be 17’ at x beam”,those numbers really don’t mean anything.
I had a Necky Swallow for a couple years and went into a LOT of stuff while I was getting comfortable rolling before getting a kayak that was meant to be controlled beyond the point of capsize as occures in surf landings.
about my budget
Someone asked what my budget is. I would like to stay around $1,500 if I buy new. I could go as high as $2,000 but that’s the max. When I posted this I didn’t realize how expensive some of the composites are. If I want a composite boat it looks like I would probably need to buy used because they are so expensive.
Now I am (again) leaning toward the Kodiak or Seayak. Need to find a good way to demo them though…
Classifieds
There are 5 Gulfstreams for sale all in your price range.
Kodiak, Kayaks not Bears
Check out Prijon Kayak Club (subject line) Forum in message boards and anyone who owns one (several have already posted) will answer questions, braintrust.
Speed in water , efficiency, is one factor and only one factor in your purchase. This chart ranks efficiency of speed for the top 104 boats. many CDs are ranked lower. The Prijon Kodiak, and I am biased braintrust but this is objective, is ranked at #35 (ie. better for efficiency at 4-5 knots speed).
http://www.unold.dk/paddling/articles/kayakvelocity.html
Finally, Renata Chlumska is paddling a red Kodiak as part of her 11k mile oddessey around the USA, and is you scroll through her pics, you can see how wonderful this boat is in many types of seas. As an owner of three (and soon to be four) Prijons, I think you should definitely make time to demo this super German boat.
www.renatachlumska.com
eBay, right at the moment has two demoed Kodiaks for sale, one by a tour specialist, who might be able to answer your queries.
Of course, braintrust, you already own a Prijon, so I am preaching to the converted.
Orion
If you get a chance to try one, check out the P&H Orion, hutchinson design, the Gulfstream is a clone (not as nice of a boat in my opinion) The Orion has its volume centered around the paddler with fine ends that make it great in rough water, It is all and all my favorite paddling rough water boat ever
i just wished
Prijon would bring their composites to North America, i would give dearly to get their Millenium laminate just because it has the hatch in front of the cockpit!