ditto, Coaster and Sportee
not the same. The Express isn’t stiff tracking
ISnt the Eddyline Merlin LT close ??
If you look at the dimensions of the Merlin LT 13.5ft long waterline length 12’4" and 23" wide 12" deep weighing 42lbs thats very very close to the Mariner Coaster. Merlin even has the hard chined veed hull and Swede formed shape.Just that its made in Carbonlite.Does it perform about the same then?
that is what I like about the express
– Last Updated: Dec-13-08 4:41 PM EST –
it is so easy paddle. I have never paddled another sixteen foot sea kayak that can be told what to do with such confidence. The boat wants to go the last place I told it to. It's nice not to fight the boat. It behaves. Its predictability is comforting. In moving water it is not what I think of as a stiff tracker. I lean and the boat follows my thoughts. Or is it the other way around?
It tracks pretty stiff if you leave it level. Like straight as an arrow all day. Breaks free from it's track easily with little more than a nudge from shifting body weight. Pretty sweet ride. Pretty difficult to duplicate that "feel" in any other boat I have sat in. Perfect cruiser.
Probably not
Actually, I think definitely not, but I haven’t actually paddled a Merlin LT. I don’t think there’s much similarity between the boats other than the gross dimensions. Look around Brian’s site and you can get a sense of how thoroughly thought-out the shape of the F-1/Coaster is - not your standard transitional touring kayak - check out the stern chines in the first picture on this page:
http://www.capefalconkayak.com/f1.html
Coaster has fuller ends
than most any other smallish kayaks.Maybe this is why Matt broze compares the Tsunami 12 favorably with the Coaster. As I recall, Matt said that if he were designing a small rec kayak, he couldn’t do better than the T-12. John
what a twit
Scott, it’s obvious the guy is jealous of the Broze brothers, and has never paddled a coaster. Ignore him, and maybe pray to god, he will go away.