finally cut out the forward bulkhead and installed another one further back for footbracing, rigged the underside of the foredeck. They’ve got to come out with a version that’s at least a 1/2" lower. I mean the room is fun but damn it’s huge in there. If you can get into a kayak with size 11Tevas thats deep.
Gotta say that the aluminum seat brace idea is worth it cuz you can carve any kind of minicell seat you want in there.
Chatham 18
A Chatham 18 LV would be a good idea. Actually, if the foredeck were lowered an inch or so and the bulkhead brought in 8-12" it would be right for ‘medium’ paddlers. Afterall, my Aquanaut’s foredeck is 11.5" and MIKco tends to order most of their boats with 34" bulkhead.
I wish Sea Kayaker would do a review of the 18. It is a very different boat than the 16. It is fast AND responsive. While the 16 & 17 are as safe for beginners as Romanys and Explorers, the 18 is best for more advanced paddlers.
or
if not lv just lower the foredeck, the rest of the hull is fine,there’s really no reason for such a high cockpit for the average sized person,I wonder if someone pushed the numbers through a computer and out came the prediction of X sales for Y showroom comfort. Oh,and I put some of that fuzzy stuff used in dinghies for center board boxes, i’ll see how it works keeping rocks out of the skeg box. It’s 1" wide with 3/16" long stiff fibers.
Hull is very good.
I did not mean the hull of the 18 should be changed. Just lower the foredeck and shorten the distance to the front bulkhead. Of course, I would also prefer a true keyhole cockpit without moving parts.
I think that you are likely correct that the height of the foredeck (and placement of the forward bulkhead) were manufacturer’s decisions based on marketing, not the designer.
By the way, the designer of the Chatham does read this board. So any constructive suggestions will be seen by him.
you guys have me stoked
to try this boat. i am 6’5", 205 with 37" inseam and big feet. the fit sounds excellent with enough depth for long legs. i hope the designer is also listening and won’t do anything radical for the short people set, just yet.
Made for you
You should be comfortable in the Chatham 18. It is definitely made for those of your height and taller. It is a very neat boat.
It is one of the only North American designs that I think is as sexy as the best Brit boats. By sexy, I mean first its performance, and secondly its looks. The build quality of my friend’s Chatham 18 exceeds Valley and even P&H.
As far as your height, Valley standard forward bulkhead placement is at 37". I am not sure of NDK’s, but it is likely similar. I think to feel just how good of a design the Chatham 18 is, you should compare it to the best of Brit boats. (The designer of the Chatham owns a Romany and has paddled an array of Brit designs.)You would fit in an Argonaut (to be renamed Aquanaut HV) and probably a Nordkapp and an Aquanaut. You would likely fit in an Explorer and if needing more room an Explorer HV. You should have no problem fitting in a P&H Quest.
if you want a skinny boat
it’s built for you.
i have an Impex Assateague and
it’s a great boat. i’ve paddled some of these Brit boats and i feel that the Ass is right in that league.
Where?
Where are you measuring bulkhead placement from ie:37"???
Bulkhead distance measure
Tom Bergh informed me that the standard Valley forward bulkhead distance is 37". When he measured to decide placement when I was ordering my Aquanuat, he seemed to measure from the front of the seat pan (which was about at my crotch.) As my Naut came through with Valley’s ‘improved seat’ (soon to be replaced)that has a deeper pan, the distance from the front of the seat to the bulkhead measures somewhat less than the specified distance.