QCC fit question

OK. I’m a big dude. 6 foot 275. I am looking to get a QCC as they have an incredible warranty and return policy. Spoke with a guy at QCC who says skegs are “worthless” He is pushing the rudder. Also pushing me to get the Q700. I think I’m too big for the 700. I’d like it over the 500 if I fit in it. I mentioned this and he reminded me if it don’t fit “send it back”. Is it that easy or do they give you a hard time and you wait 6 months for your money?



Can I fit into a Q700??



Yeah I know all about demo but this is not possible with QCC. However I do like the kayaks they sell.



Thanks



Jack

where are you?
There might be paddlers not too far away from you that own QCCs

skegs are not "worthless"
Search the multiple threads here for skeg vs. rudder. Also ask yourself why so many Brit boats come with skegs and not rudders.



There are quite a few 700 owners on this list (including myself)who would be glad to let you test drive.

Dr._Disco
Where you located.?? I’m in North central Florida



Jack

fit
The real issue with fit will be the deck height and probably the seat. The cockpit openings are the same, but the added deck height makes the 500 easier to get into. The width difference shouldn’t matter.



Personally I think the stock seats are awful in the qccs but the seat pan is good. But it might cramp your style. Of course both boats have the same seat.



I have a 500 because I like the added room in the cockpit area. But really I would be fine in a 700. I’m about an inch or so taller and 50 lbs lighter.



Ryan L.

Skeg comment
Skegs are hardly worthless and I suspect you got someone at QCC who does not normally deal with the public. As far as I have heard their people are usually not so stupidly opinionated.



That said, a given boat hull is often designed to work best with a particular tracking device, either skeg (like the Brit boats) or rudder (like many of the North American boats especially of older design). It is possible that he was trying - badly - to say that the QCC boat(s) you were asking about have a hull design that is more compatible with a rudder. Or the guy is into racing and has little awareness of the needs of paddlers who don’t have the same interest.

Worthless, eh?
Are you sure you heard that properly?



Skegs are certainly not worthless. They don’t do everything that a rudder does, but they are very useful and simpler than a rudder (fewer parts to get screwed up). I’ve had both, now have a skeg and don’t miss the rudder.



All QCCs have a cockpit that measures 16" x 30". Disregarding the depth (which is important), whether you fit that cockpit opening is partly a matter of what you’re willing to put up with. You will most certainly need to get in and out by sitting on the rear deck (which takes some agility), and once in, you many well feel cramped. Is that acceptable to you?



In my opinion, the small cockpit is the biggest shortcoming of QCC. I’m guessing it’s a matter of economics—maybe it costs too much to retool for different sized cockpits. 16 x 30 is for a small to average person.



The chances that the 700, with its 12.5" depth and small cockpit opening, would fit you seem slim. The depth of the 500 is a cavernous 14.5". Although having more depth can help, it doesn’t really offset a small opening if you can barely get in and out of it.



Part of the fit depends on weight distribution, hence you will hear some people close to your weight say they can fit in a QCC, especially if their weight is in the upper body.



My guess is that you’re too large for QCC, period. A kayak that was made especially for a guy like you is the Eddyline Journey. There are others.

Rudder
Most of the QCC’s that I have seen(including the one I used to own) have the rudder option. They don’t turn all that well and you cannot lean them that much plus they have limited rocker. If I was going to get another QCC I would get a rudder.

You’re too big for the cockpit

– Last Updated: Jun-18-12 5:45 PM EST –

You are too big for the cockpit of the 700, almost for sure. I paddle with someone who is a bit taller than you at 6'4" but he is also at least 40-50lb lighter and he finds the 700 tight. He's currently selling it for this reason, mainly. If you care to share where you are located, you might find someone willing to let you try theirs. I am also 6'4" but only 180-190lb and I too find the fit a bit restrictive, especially in the foot room area (but I have large feet). And I do like tight boats that normally are not designed for someone my height...

I feel the thigh braces will be too low for you to be comfortable even if you manage to squeze in the seat or repace it with a custom seat...

EFIT: I do not remember if I could get in butt first, most likely not. It would not be a deal breaker for me if all else is fine, plus, if you love the boat otherwise it is not impossible to lenghten the cockpit a bit.

cockpit dimensions
Thanks for the info. RE: cockpit size. I have sat in a Delta 17 which is 16x32.5.



Was it snug, yes. Claustrophobic: NO.



What should the fit be like. I don’t see me in a WS Tempest 180 pro. Sat in that and I was swimming. Cockpit was I beleve 35x20.



Just how snug should a kayak fit?



I do think deck height is more important. In the Delta I just could not bend my knees much. And I have been told I “must” bend my knees to get into the “power position”?



Sure I’m comfortable in a bigger cockpit but don’t I “lose contact” with the boat in that case?



Are there any hard and fast recommendations?



BTW: Others I’m considering are Eddyline Falcon 18, NDK Explorer HV. Maybe the Point 65N XP18 or Current Design Infinity (nice deep cockpit)



I want longer (don’t we all?). More for long straight paddles as opposed to a shorter say 16 ft kayak that I can spin on a dime

Bending legs

– Last Updated: Jun-18-12 6:43 PM EST –

If you want to bend your legs a reasonable amount, I would go for the Q500. I've paddled a Q700 and found my legs had to be pretty much flat. Ditto what Radiomix said re: the QCC stock seat. I removed it and spray-glued Ridgerest foam directly to the pan - that makes a very comfortable, nice wide seat. If you can get yourself through the opening, the deep cockpit is comfortable. I would skip the QCC 'thigh braces', they really aren't placed correctly for bracing, and just interfere with entry and exit.

The Q500 is a boat that probably should have a rudder rather than a skeg, in my opinion. Q400/Q500 hulls are pretty free of rocker, so having a skeg will stiffen up the tracking of a boat that already tracks well. I wouldn't picture this as a boat that can turn on a dime, it is a good straight line boat and benefits from a rudder. Current design has some touring boats for big guys as well, they make a nice product.

PS re: cockpits, you can always pad out a cockpit that is too roomy to get better contact. But a too-small cockpit is not going to get any bigger....

I think snug is the wrong word
There are a lot of folks that just accept that discomfort is ok, often believing they get some kind of better control out of squeezing into the kayak. I think if you actually feel snugness, feel any kind of pressure just sitting relaxed in the kayak, you are sacrificing comfort and control. From the perspective of good forward stroke mechanics, and more powerful rotation through maneuvering strokes, you simply have to have a little room for your hips and thighs. Not involving hip rotation means you can’t utilize your lower torso, can’t connect leg power to the paddle, have much more difficulty keeping blood flowing through your legs, back discomfort, etc.

I paddle on the open coast, so I’m not simply a flatwater paddler that doesn’t require good contact, or hasn’t experienced getting pushed around and toppled. The best I can describe a good fit for me is room to rotate, completely free of any pressure, but a small slip to the side (finger width), raise of a knee, and the contact points are caught like a baseball into the pocket of a glove. It’s more important to me for control that my legs are caught comfortably right into the pocket of the thigh braces than it is to remove a couple inches of movement to get my legs locked in. That part has always been very instantaneous and natural to me.

Get yourself a comfortable fit. What feels like light pressure leading to discomfort over the hours is simply not necessary on any level. Engaging against thigh braces that curve down into the middle of your leg, hips pressing against the sides of the seat, these things sacrifice a good chunk of the entire experience.

im guessing
They were specifically referring to skegs and Qcc boats. Imo, I would agree with this as well. The rudder works perfectly with a low rocker plumb now design. Worthless is probably the wrong word however.



Ryan L.

Where am I located
Sorry, central Michigan.

qcc 500 vs 700
To start with, they are quite different designs. I have paddled both and own a 700. The 500 is a real slug compared to a 700. If you can fit into the 700 (with wiggle room) it is the much better choice. I am 5’10", 185 but used to be close to 200. I have no problem with the 700 cockpit. I have space on each side of my thighs and I can take my legs out while still sitting in the cockpit. I used to have an Eddyline Falcon 18 and the fit was almost identical. An often overlooked boat that would work for you and and still be a nice boat to paddle is the Current Designs Solstice Titan (or GT if you fit).

Don’t we all? No
Maybe we should start at the beginning and ask you what you plan to use this kayak for.



It takes a lot of consistent effort to take advantage of the speed potential of a long kayak. At slower speeds it can take more effort to get moving and keep moving.



If you found the Delta cockpit “snug” then it looks like QCC is really not for you. There’s a big difference between 30" and 32.5".



If you want to enter a kayak butt first rather than from the rear deck, the way to judge the length of the cockpit is, while seated, can your toe clear the coaming? Can you clear the coaming if you grab hold of your foot? Or can your foot not clear the coaming at all?



A desirable fit depends in part on the conditions you paddle in, so that’s hard to answer. Personally, I like to have knee contact by moving my knees from a relaxed position out about an inch to each side. I like to have no contact much of the time if the conditions don’t require it. I like about an inch on each side of my hips, to be able to grab seat straps, adjust my shorts, etc. A thigh brace that angles down and forces my knee downward is a killer. You have to be able to wiggle around in the cockpit to relieve pressure points.



The Tempest 180 Pro cockpit is 20" x 36". You’re right, that’s humongous. There’s lots of middle ground between that and a QCC.



From the experiences you report I’m guessing that a cockpit around 17 x 33 or 34 might feel right, with a depth of maybe 13". The Delta 16 has a depth of 12" and it sounds like you want deeper than that.



Mind if I ask how much kayaking experience you have? Some of your questions make me think perhaps not much? If that’s the case, why are you thinking about an 18’ kayak?


Second cd/titian for big guys…
I am 6’6" and 310lbs with limited knee flex. The CD Titian is great for me.have to enter cockpit from rear deck, but still have comfort inside boat. The thigh braces are flat and fit thighs fine, without cutting into. Foot pegs on next to last stop, but still can change foot position with touching bulkhead. Happy with boat after 2 years. Good luck on finding Big Boy Boat.

Make sure you are comparing the same
measurements. QCC and most? other kayak manufactures measure the cockpit on the inside of the combing. Wilderness cockpits are measured to the outside edge of the combing. The inside of my Tempest 180 Pro is two inches less in width and length than the specs Wilderness publishes.

You are too big for the Explorer HV

– Last Updated: Jun-19-12 6:46 AM EST –

It is the same hull volume as the regular Explorer, they just lifted the deck a bit with knee/thigh bumps. We have a friend your weight and, after considerable time spent really looking at his situation, even the coaches had to agree that he was actually too heavy to to be good match for the hull volume. Being 6'4" didn't help on the stability part either.

He stayed the course with the boat and made it work because everyone expected it'd be OK - but he had to learn much better balance in a boat than he would have had to in a hull that was better matched for his paddler size.

Also, do not assume that a 16 ft plus boat spins on a dime and a 17 ft plus boat goes straight. A Pintail is the longer length, and making it go straight isn't easy for many fairly experienced paddlers, let alone a beginner. And I could name many 16 plus some inches boats that can be a bear to turn compared to a full length boat like the Explorer.

Tracking is a factor of hull design - rocker, the shape of the slice thru the water - more than length.

Impex Assateague
That boat is made for big people, try one if you can. Pretty maneuverable and responsive to edging too.