Ha! Well done.
To be honest
I respect a lot you have posted and take no offense.
not sure his goal is to have sex w/it
Nah, just a term
I run in rough circles I guess. It’s a way of saying “Buy the one that makes you happy and feels right”. All the internet pontificating about gear may be fun for some and part of some overall experience which is cool, BUT, at the end of it all it’s about what feels right for the individual.
Both are excellent kayaks, and there is no best kayak.
I think most paddlers would agree that
all the talk about flowing lines, fine bow and stern ends, gel coat hardness, kevlar this and fiberglass that doesn’t mean a thing when you are out in conditions that have you at your skills limits and all you care about at the moment is that the kayak you are paddling does what you want when you want it to! That’s the kayak you should own.
well
if you are at skills limits then the kayak will not do what you want it to…
just being donkey’s advocate 
"at skills limits "
Can be just before the situation exceeds your skills.
This is truly when the boat matters. It is part of why it is best to demo a boat in the conditions you are likely to encounter. I am reminded of the sell off of Nordkapp LVs from folk who had not had the boat in challenging conditions before they bought it.
I guess what I am really saying is
that when conditions get rough I would rather be impressed by how a Skerray’s strong secondary keeps me safe than how nicely a Nordkapp’s bow toggle fits in my hand as I am swimming it to shore! 
the funny part is that
sometimes your skills are not up to snuff to test the boat in ‘conditions’ but you are buying the boat on a ‘promise’ that it will be there for you… but if your skills are not adequate to handle the tool then the boat will not get it done by itself.
Some will increase their skills and eventually appreciate the feel of a Nordkapp (for example) and some won’t and thus the selloff of twitchy boats.
yes, I do have to. looks slick!
I wonder what the depth is but it looks slick. 23" sounds a bit beamy for 15’5" but not that bad. Great looking boat also.
Sometimes it is not about skills…
– Last Updated: Sep-23-11 8:58 PM EST –
When I was looking for a new boat in 2003 and asked Tom Bergh about the Nordkapp, he pointed to his affixed to the side of the boathouse, and said "I don't paddle mine anymore." He went on to explain why he preferred an Explorer. Tom Bergh is a highly skilled and experienced paddler. He certainly has the skills to handle a Nordkapp. However, he chose not to continue to paddle his, in part, because he didn't want to have to "think about the boat." Tom was still a full Valley dealer at the time and I bought my Aquanaut from him. So,this was not about him pushing NDK boats.
Aled Williams and Nigel Dennis can certainly handle any boat, but both design and paddle boats with head room - boats that are more forgiving.
I love my Nordkapp LV, but do not feel that everyone who chooses to not paddle a Nordkapp (or some other equally demanding boat) does so because they lack the skills to handle the boat.
Exactly, Jim…
After I got rid of my Slipstream, I spoke with a well-known coach who has published a few guides to paddling. She said that she got rid of her Slipstream (and I think she was what would be called a “team paddler” now for CD)because, like Mr. Bergh, she didn’t want to have to “think about the boat” and that it would be highly embarrassing if she capsized while teaching in it, even if she would immediately roll up.
Her skill level was and still is, not exactly basic.
It’s always annoyed me how people will call a Romany a beginner boat as any number of coaches I’ve worked with seem to do quite nicely teaching from one.
As for the Explorer: While P&H is making inroads in the long-haul expedition market, there’s got to be a good reason why trips to South Georgia, the Faroe Islands, and a few places I can mention are done in, oh my goodness, EXPLORERS, and by people who have more skills in their little fingers than I or others might have in their whole bodies.
Both the Romany and the Explorer (and the Pilgrim) are good, reassuring boats that go the distance and inspire confidence. Whether one chooses to paddle one (and, if one fits in one; I know people who actually don’t)is an individual decision.
ok
i did not intend this to be about one bost vs other. i used nordkapp as an example only.
for a highly skilled paddler who is not doing instruction I can not think of a situation when they are on their own and have to think about the boat. only when they have to pay attention to others and answer questions from others… essentially an activity when they lose their own perception of being in the boat then they could appreciate the log like reasurrance of the explorer.
“call a Romany a beginner boat”
– Last Updated: Sep-24-11 9:14 AM EST –
It is the genius of the design that the Romany is such a good novice and teaching boat while being an excellent performer for well skilled paddlers.