What About the Cape Horn 17?
With all the talk of the Tsunami vs. the Tempest, I’d be courious to know if anyone thinks the Cape Horn might be a good compromise between the two (and it’s still a Wilderness Systems boat)? My understanding is that the Cape Horn is closer to the Tsunami than the Tempest, but would it be a better choice if the original poster does not feel ready for the Tempest?
You’re welcome
BTW, if you make it to Charleston/James Island, you’ll hopefully be able to meet Steve, aka Flatpick, who designed both boats. He’s a terrific teacher and a really nice man–do take his class.
or something like that
I thought the ad copy read a bit different…
The Cape Horn 15 Might Be Worth
trying also.
ch
Other than water-seeping(in 1.5+ft waves) quirks of the cape horns, they have pathetic recreational outfitting (thigh braces placed god knows where on a weird funny angle) and cockpits are big and sloppy inside. Think of the cape horn as a quick rec boat unless you pad it out like crazy,seal a bunch of spots,change hatch strap mounts and change the seat back to a backband. mind you, the hull handles waves pretty good and is always reassurinly stable(long as you don’t lean it past the coaming-secondary isnt great at all)
Cape Horn
Thanks for your imput on the Cape Horn. I’ve demo’d all three boats discussed on this thread and found the Cape Horn the most difficult to get into because of the high seat back. A back band would surely help with that.
From what I’ve read at this site, the Tempest seems like the best choice (though I also have had the sales person try to steer me to the Cape Horn or Tsunami). The sales person told me that some people never get used to the tippyer boats and just get frustrated by being in a boat they are not comfortable with.
boats aren’t tippy
PEOPLE are tippy.
that said…yes some folks who think they want a stable boat soon realize, with some EDU, that the sporty feel of a narrow boat IS a good thing. Not only is the boat easier to ‘edge’ a technique used to change up the hull profile from ‘tracking’ to ‘turny’ but in rougher conditions the narrower hull will conform better to wave forms and be easier to manage.
Consider EITHER the Tsunami OR Tempest to be on the narrower side of the spectrum. there is a buttload of boats out there that are wider.
The CH is soooo yesterday. It really is marginal at best.
steve
boats aren’t tippy, people are
So true. But in my experience, I am tippier in some boats than others.
“soooo yesterday”
“marginal at best”
If the boys in PR offer you work, keep your day job in design.
Step Skipping
We’ve had this discussion before… some folks need a beginner boat and some folks can skip it.
Ya gotta go paddle some boats. Compare and contrast. If the bug grabs you your first boat will NOT be your last.
like, the lime green is so outre
for a Sea Kayak…
– Last Updated: Oct-24-06 11:32 PM EST –
forget the Tsunami.
Barge-Barge-Barge
As far as weight, why do people insist on selling folks over-sized kayaks?
Right now I am 6-1,200lbs & comfortably paddling a NDK Romany as a day boat.
When I first hopped in a Tempest-165pro (F/G) to see how it would fit (about a year & +15lbs ago) the salesman told me it was WAYYY too small & that I'd NEVER fit, submarine it, etc... & all his sales buddies agreed that I'd need at least a 170, even after I told them about "day boat use"
Well.. demo'ed the 165pro next to my Romany, which I'd brought along for a friend (even heavier) to compare as a benchmark.
Guess what? Fit great & no submarining.
The same people who insisted the boats we were demoing were too small, now wanted to know about the greenland paddles we were using, & never mentioned size or fit again after a sculling & rolling show.
The Tempest-165 is a fine boat for your size (for day trips).
Unless you're Expeditioning (lots of gear packed), the 170 is gonna' be way too big on a daily basis to establish skills quickly.
In plastic I would say the 165 is closest to the Chatham-16/Capella-160, in F/G I would say it's closer to the Capella-163.
But regardless, in the 16' F/G boat category, overall - the NDK Romany can't be beat for developing skills.
The F/G Avocet is a close second.
I know you weren't interested in alternatives, but in the 16' plastic sea kayak range of boats, the Valley Avocet-RM is tops.
IMHO
I guess
Flatpick must not have designed that one…hence it being “So yesterday”…Sheesh!
heywatch that lime green crack
owner of a lime green t170…and proud of it!
Ugh!
“The sales person told me that some people never get used to the tippyer boats and just get frustrated by being in a boat they are not comfortable with.”
I am sure that the salesperson has encountered these folks. But the people who show up here again and again saying they want a boat that’ll go faster, or that will work better when they take it to a skills class the next time… and in my local group as well. Over time I have encountered a significant number of stories of salespeople who sent a newbie paddler down a path where they find a year later that they have to go out and get another boat in order to do what they want because the first one wasn’t capable enough. It’s not nice, but I start to wonder if this isn’t just an attempt to make sure they get two sales out of the same customer.
There are boats that are so responsive that they will always require the paddler’s attention, for example the lower volume Foster designs. The Tempest is not one of these.
you’re soooooo…
right.
The CH was designed a bunch of years ago and needed a replacement. hense the Tsunami family.
better hull, stability, outfitting…etc.
modern vs ol’ school.
it’s not rocket science.
steve
Tempest 170
String and I stopped at an outfitter near Lake Jocassee several weeks ago. I looked around as we all do and noted a glass Tempest 170 hung in the rafters. I don’t know anything about these boats other than they look nice. But, what caught my eye was the sale price. It was marked down from somewhere in the 2000’s to 1299. String could tell you exactly where this was and if you decide on going Tempest 170 this seems like a good deal.
Happy Paddling,
Mark
Not quite as skepticle
>but I start to wonder if this isn’t just an attempt to make sure they get two sales out of the same customer.<
More likely, the sale people daily encounter folks who’re over-weight and non-althletic. Their perception had been tainted.
Ask any lefties who’s life in the right-handed world. We (average weight and athletic) folks are just as much minority as lefties! Have to make adjustments all the time!
uhhhhh
Well…I’m not really a fan of those Tsunmai’s either…the Tempest though is a nice design…when are they going to put decent hathes on them though? Teach the guys at the factory to seal bulkheads consistently yet? 
Wow
If that is for a NEW boat, it sounds like a smoking deal!