For a couple of seasons I had a Pereption Captiva, 24" beam and rudder...I then purchased A Current Design Solstice GT with another rudder and again a 24" beam and that too recently sold..I am now looking for another vessel but do not want to be rudder dependent..I finally want to get a DAY HATCH as well !! I have demo'd an Eddyline Fathom 22" beam, like the lines ect. ect.. I am 235 lbs and fit !! Sure was TIPPY..I plan to get instruction to learn properly edging technics ect. ect...But it is still gonna be TIPPY initially or will it be something I will get use to and grow into OR get whats comfy now, another 24" beamer and learn the proper regiments with that...?? Thanks !!
I’m not your size
The Fathom was big for me, even the low volume seemed to be fairly high volume. And as a big guy you will have weight (and probably strength) up higher than I do.
The Fathom has a reasonably deep V to the keel line so it won’t want to sit flat on the water. Try to demo it again and see if you can get comfortable with it sitting over on it’s side a bit. Loosen up your hips so your body stays upright while your bottom moves with the boat. You don’t have to push it way over to the edge of your stability - just a few degrees so it is less twitchy. If you can get comfortable there and going from side to side then there is a good chance you will be happy with the boat.
Good luck.
Fathom
If you have been paddling several seasons now and the boat felt tippy for you, then I would say it is probably too tippy. You aren’t likely to adapt much more to stability at this point IMO, even if your skills could improve a lot.
Having owned a Fathom (which is a nice boat) when I weighed 235, it is my opinion that the boat is better for a bit lighter paddler. I thought it rode a bit low in the water, even though I know it has a higher payload. It would work, but you could probably find a more suitable boat if you demoed some more.
If you are like most of us, the 235# is out of the shower on a good day, and not ready to paddle on a typical day.
There are a lot of boats you might try that have skegs and day hatches and could be appropriate for you - and are beams of 22.5 to 23. A P&H Capella 173, a Valley Aquanaut HV (which comes in plastic too - and a bit smaller, an Impex Assateague,a WS Tempest 180 to name a few. You would probably love any of these, and might find a used one if price prohibitive.
will it be something I will get use to?
Yes. Go thinner. You’ll becomfy in it by your second time out, and be able to do edges and carves by your fourth time out. Enjoy!
you’ll get used to it
Where are you paddling? Your profile (no profile) doesn’t say. If it’s on flat water, you’ll look back and wonder what all the fuss was. On the other hand, if it’s on more wild water and you’re shaped like an upsidedown pear, you may feel on edge. The solution: move to flat water until you’ve adjusted. Then go out on big water again.
Every boat I ever had felt unstable at first. But, as Dostoevsky noted, man grows accustomed to everything.
It’s got a shallow v (stable). 22" is not a skinny boat. You’ll do fine.
The boat thing
– Last Updated: Feb-17-08 8:28 AM EST –
You will get used to the skinnier boats as you spend time in them and learn to use them. That said, I looked at the Fathom description on Eddyline's site and wonder if there are other about 22 inch beam boats out there that you could get used to faster. I couldn't find a weight range, but in the written info on the Fathom I say words like "lively", "higher performance" and a statement that the aggressive thigh braces make the boat useable by a smaller paddler.
I don't know this boat, but the above stuff from Eddyline's site makes me wonder if you should rely on your experience with this boat as a gauge of how far you need to go to get comfy in all 22 inch boats.
Thanks for the reponses
I am just south of Tampa Bay and paddle in the Bays and mangroves…But would like to paddle on occasion to an Island (Egmont Key) which is approx. 3 miles offshore, not far, but offshore in the gulf through a shipping channel and some nasty currents…Looking for that touring Kayak to also eventually let me enter the “Everglades Challenge”, St.Petersburg to Key Largo (300 miles) within eight days…(A pipe dream I have had for a number of years !!)
Thanks all…
I demo’d one…
…and LOVED it! If it wasn’t a “first boat” purchase for me, I probably would’ve bought it. It felt stable, and the look of it was just beautiful. I can’t see how you could go wrong with it.
You’ll be fine
Just get some seat time, not computer time…