Romany HV
The Romany Surf and Romany HV (aka Poseidon) are nearly identical. It can easily be used as an all round boat.
Every RM Romany I know of has had problems with the leakage at the coaming attachment.
follow up question on leaks
The SKUK website mentions a seat option other than the 'glass seat bucket. Do you know if ordering that option might avoid the leak issue?
seat
I hope they have a foam seat option. The glass seat I saw had two bolts pretruding into the seat at the hips. They had some foam around them to protect you hips but if that foam comes off your hips will get hurt and your drysuit, wetsuit, etc… is probably going to be damaged.
Slush, if the coaming on the non glass
– Last Updated: Jan-09-11 2:15 PM EST –
design is molded from poly, you will not get the same leaking. I have found however that my poly boats have leaked more at the skirt rand than my glass boats. The first thing I did with my Romany S was cut out the seat as it pinched me at my hip bones (like every other seat I have used except Eddyline and Valley's plastic seat). If you plan on spending much time upside down or sculling, ANY boat is going to let in some water. I have to believe you could seal the coaming to deck joint with several good flexiible sealers. 3M 4200 and West System G Flex come to mind first. I like this boat a good bit more than I thought I would. It was between it and the Eddyline, and at the time I had a burr up my ass with Eddyline so I bought the NDK instead. Nice boat. Bill
ps- The new Eddyline Fathom still strikes me as a great boat. If I fit in the Rockpool Alaw Bach I would seriously consider it as well. If I win the lotto, the new Thai Tiderace boats are the bomb. Sorry to get off track, sometimes I get a little too excited.
perhaps
It might be that the fiberglass coaming would keep a better seal with the boat if the seat weren’t attached to it, and constantly pulling on it. So a foam seat boat might decrease the leaks. Just speculation.
Nate
Design of NDK coaming means
that it has to be attached secondary, as it cannot be roto-molded as other coaming designs can. Now, if the coaming were roto molded seperately or vacuum formed out of polyethylene, it could be drader welded in place and be perfectly water tight. I got to where i could drader weld a cut out coaming from a production boat to a proto-type in about 15 minutes.
Problem would be having a skilled worker do this so it looked presentable. Valley has an exclusive source for their flat mesh wire, but that could be figured out easily as well.
other poly options?
Any other PE options one might suggest to match the intended use of the Romany S? I would look at other boats, but the ones I have in mind right now only come in composite.
Absolutely the best all around boat I
have ever owned is my Aquanaut LV RM. My problem with it is the weight and flex. An absolute winner in my opinion. Decent speed, carrying capacity, comfort, and rolls as well as my skin boat. Takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Bill
PS- I have trimmed the inner lip of the coaming for about six inches in my hip area removing approximately one inch of width. It looks factory (almost).
I’ll have to try that one
Another that I didn’t think of is the nordkapp RM.
Not clear on your intended use
– Last Updated: Jan-09-11 6:55 PM EST –
Even looking at a Romany S (or mentioning a Pintail) means that you want a high degree of maneuverability over tracking. But you also want a day boat, usually meaning a compromise in maneuverability towards tracking. The Nordie, unless it's the LV, is a tracker.
So - exactly what are you looking for in a boat's performance?
My Nordkapp is Carbon/Kevlar, I think of
a Nordkapp RM as a Delorean of sorts, great lines, but it ain’t going anywhere too fast. Mostly from the car to the water. The one thing I hate about my Aquanaut RM is carrying it. You are of course welcome to borrow it as well, or I think I will be at the Eastern MI University pool with it this Sunday if you feel like checking it out in a warmer climate :). Bill
RM Nordkapp
The RM Nordkapp is supposedly between the LV and the “normal” Nordkapp in size. I wonder if its handling is somewhat between the two.
I know someone who absolutely hated Valley kayaks, she loved her P&H kayaks and the RM Nordkapp was the one Valley kayak she liked.
Valley Avocet
Many use poly Avocets for the conditions for which an RM Romany Surf is designed.
good question
Something different than my explorer! 
Something for day trips and playing in conditions, something with more maneuverability and to use on the odd chance I get to play in surf and currents. And lastly, something that I don’t have to be as careful with as a composite boat.
Eddyline Fathom
Durable (brittle in high impact or freezing conditions), fast, manueverable, surfs well, tracks well,and is lighter than poly. I would give it a look. I don’t know your size, if you fit in the Avocet I would consider it as well. Bill
Chatham 16
– Last Updated: Jan-10-11 10:59 AM EST –
Or a Zephyr? The Alchemy also looks like a fun boat...
If different from Explorer…
I’d suggest going to something from a different manufacturer. That’d get you a different design ethic and a much more different feeling than you’ll get between a Romany and an Explorer. The latter was designed from the Romany platform.
Valley boats have a pretty lively feel compared to the security built into the Romany/Explorer, but are still just fine on stability. They just feel different. The Chatham 16 can be a fun boat as well, and there are others.
I can’t vouch for what boat you’d like. But I would definitely suggest that if you are going to add you try another manufacturer’s line to get a different flavor.
"don’t have to be as careful with"
You’re careful with your Explorer? Really?
I think Celia’s suggestion is good in trying boats not so closely related to your Explorer if you want a different feel. If you are willing to try composite, I would suggest a Pintail or Nordlow. In poly, I think a Chatham 16 could be a blast. I haven’t paddled an RM Nordkapp, but if it is even half as lively as a Nordkapp LV, it may also be worth a try. Many I know favor Avocets as poly play boats.
yep
It’s a gem, and my back pain often bears that out. I miss having a poly boat where I didn’t wince every time I dragged it over rucks and stumps.
Carbon Chatham 16
Maybe a carbon Chatham 16 would be light enough not to drag but more fun than a poly boat?
http://www.neckykayaks.com/kayaks/touring/Chatham_16_Composite/