Skirt fit on Nordkapp

Seals Shocker
It looks like that may be the way to go.



Thanks for all the input.

My experience
The amount of water you’re getting does seem like a ton for the activity you’ve described and right off the bat, I would have immediately suspected the vast majority had to be tunnel water. Not sure if I caught it or not, but what are you wearing over/under the tunnel of the skirt? If you’re not rolling, could some of the water still be coming up high enough, over your tunnel?



I’m on my second Nord and have discovered (along with other owners) that the coaming leaks right at each side of my hips. When I bury the edge on each side, I can feel the water pouring in over my hip and right down my upper thigh and butt. Does it every time and did the exact same thing on my older Nord. I can feel where the skirt doesn’t make a tight connection to the coaming as in other areas, fore and aft.



I’ve tried a laundry list of skirts and the only one allowing the least amount of water in is the Chillcheater.

Hmmm…

– Last Updated: Aug-04-09 7:43 AM EST –

I hadn't known Valley changed the coaming size on the Nordlow. Mine was made in January 2008. The coaming opening of my boat is longer and narrower than yours. If I read correctly yours is a more recent boat...

I suppose widening the cockpit allows a greater array of paddlers (broader hipped) to fit in the boat. Although, I don't understand why Valley would choose to shorten the cockpit.

actually

– Last Updated: Aug-03-09 11:10 PM EST –

the inside length is not quite 30 1/2 on mine, (I'll fix the typo above) so almost an inch less than yours in length.. and half an inch wider at the widest part..

I got it in April of 09 but the hull says 08. I think it has the 09 coaming and seat.

The coaming appears to be thinner at the hip to have access to the mounting screws and give 1/2'' extra width..

My only guess why it's an inch not as long was to bring in the thigh braces, or change the angle.

on a side note I've been experimenting with thigh and knee padding. Just 1/16 of an inch difference is noticeable when edging.

I also ordered the Seals Shocker Pro from Rutabaga. My size wasn't in stock but it's not a special order and I can return it if it doesn't fit.

Hope it gets here by this weekend!

access to the mounting screws
That would be a good thing - I’ve had the seat out of mine and getting to the screw heads with the wide coaming lip is a bitch.



Peter Orton once said he was going to do a design and model history of Valley boats - especially the Nordkapp. Pieces have appeared from various sources. Maybe when the long promised new Valley website appears it will have more and accurate information…

Might have been a deal breaker…
… with the shorter cockpit. One of my requirements is being able to get my legs out first without scraping the skin off my shins. It already had a wide seat and I had to use the hip pads.



Oh well…

the width
of the seat would be the same because it’s mounted to the deck… only to coaming is half an inch wider…



My previous Valley coaming was an inch longer but the seat was forward several more inches so I have more leg room in the Nordlow with a smaller length… I can get my legs out. I’m 6’3’’. The only problem is it’s more narrow at the thigh braces so only one leg at a time lifts out, which isn’t a problem for me.



I actually have no idea why they changed the coaming size.



The seat pan may have also been lowered an inch.



I’ve also had mine out. I like it without the hip pads.



I hope the Seals fits but for me this was too much effort to explain 6 times that the new coaming is smaller.






may have also been lowered an inch

– Last Updated: Aug-04-09 7:47 AM EST –

That is probably good if the case. I lowered the seat a half inch in my Nordlow and would have lowered it a full inch if the rear coaming was not so high. Even the half inch difference gave me better leg room and a bit more stability.

From Valley Rep Rob Avery
I recently spoke to Rob concerning some issues on my Nordkapp LV, the skirt fit being one of them. I too noticed an inordinate amount of water inside after rolling practice, and asked him about it.



There is a known issue with the keyhole cockpit shape. If you support the kayak at eye level and look at lip below the combing, or run your finger along on it, you will see that there is a pronounced concave curve where the shape of the combing transitions. It is quite obvious to the eye or finger if you look below.



Clearly, any sort of rand is going to have a problem, because it is going to want to stretch from point to point, leaving that concave area somewhat loose and without a great seal. If you feel this area with the skirt on, you can see the issue.



Rob suggested 2 possible solutions - 1. Snap Dragon makes a neoprene skirt called the “Lip Lock”, which has a rand which seals very effectively. 2. You could shape some minicell foam such that you could fill in that concave area, forming a smoothly curving continuous line for your skirt to seal against.



I ordered a lip lock skirt and am going to start playing with the foam.



Another issue on some '07 boats. The skeg slider is secured to the cable sleeve with a metal lock screw. On some 07’s, that is made of steel and can rust so that you can’t adjust to take up slack on the skeg cable. Rob (or GRO) can send you a brass fitting to avoid that problem.

Metal screw
Been down that road. It was a complete PIA to get it off.

I’ll have to look into the SD skirt.