You are correct, Sir…
He first asked Frank Goodman for the Anas Acuta mold so he could figure out how to modify it for a schooling boat. Frank shrugged his shoulders and said no problem. The next time they spoke, Frank told Nigel that the “Pintail” was almost finnished. While the Pintail turned out to be a wonderful kayak in its own right, it didn’t cure Nigel’s budget issues. Hence, the Romany.
Agree w/ Evans…again
IMHO there is a definite bell curve of “boat stability” shall we say, for a paddler to learn skills (if I am clear on what you are asking). If the new paddler is “in the grip of terror”, then progressing along the learning curve will be inhibited by a more timid approach toward pushing the envelope. There needs to be a certain sense of confidence with ones kayak before one can move on and learn challenging skills. A certain comfort level with the boat must be acheived first to bond paddler with boat. Only then can a paddler begin to learn and become “one with the kayak”.
My good friend struggled for years in his first boat, a Nordkapp. He bought the Nordkapp because they told him he would grow into it. He took many courses and even began teaching, but I could always see his uneasiness in his boat. Soon after getting a more stable Romany, he literally blossomed as a paddler. The higher degree of boat stability gave him a base comfort zone and thus allowed him to concentrate more on the skills he wished to pursue. For him, it was a new found harmony between boat and paddler that had been lacking in the tippier kayak. He looked simply masterful. I’m not knocking the Nordkapp, Lord knows it has more expedition miles than any other paddle craft (if my good friends at VerlunKruegerforpresident.com see a challenge in that statement, we should be polite and start a new thread!!!) but even a master paddler such as Chris Duff made the switch to a more comfortable, more forgiving Explorer as he paddled solo around New Zealand.
I do belive a kayak can be too challenging for a paddler, and thus inhibit one’s learning to such a degree that one will never “grow into” that particular kayak, and not attain the skill level they may had they been in a slightly more forgiving boat.
Thanks for the post, Evans.
Bottom of the list
WOW…after reading the Majority of these post’s I have determined that Opinions are Like elbows…
I am Still new with my passion for Kayaking…My first was an Inflatable,I quickly “outgrew” that and Bought a 10.5 Recreational kayak…I have paddled with old ladies who Kicked my ass on the water…I have taken this boat in some extreme water.I have decided that I would prefer not to go Ocean kayaking…Hey ! My Choice …!
I have chosen a New Boat that SUITS MY NEEDS
A Current Design Whistler, Long enuff to Slice and stable enuff to Challenge Big or little rivers
or Intracoastal water…I have only met one Dealer that tried to SELL me something I didn’t want. His Stores Loss…The rest of the dealers have Listened,asked, and Allowed me to Choose based on their helpful input. If Ya’ wanna go in the ocean Wonderful…Buy an Ocean Kayak…BUT BUYER BEWARE…Shop around,Consider,Seek Council…DECIDE…If someone sells you something that doesn’t suit you You’re stuck with a dust collecter…Then you have to make up excuses why Theres a kayak stuffed in your Garage.
Good Luck everyone…Oh…Any feedback on the Whistler would be appreciated…Ken
Chris Duff made the switch
Many experienced paddlers have switched from Nordkapps to Explorers. Some, such as Tom Bergh, say it is because they “don’t have to think about the boat.”
I have only read “On Celtic Tides” and don’t know if NDK’s willingness to sponsor Chris Duff’s subsequent journeys may have played a decisive role in his switch of boats.
Evolved/derived from Anas…
That makes a lot of sense. The Romany is so wholly different from a Nordkapp, I wondered how it got to be so.
HUH
I’m not sure where this Watching the boat comes in…but this group is way too advanced to have to watch any boat…I paddle a Nordkapp, and have been in lots of conditions, and I trust my boat, never have to watch it, so I seriously doubt that this group would have to watch their boat if they were paddling a Nordkapp. They are way better than I am. I’ve seen this posted before an thought to speak up, might of been a off-handed or misquoted statement by someone at sometime. I seriously doubt it to be true. Ask any Nordkapp owner.
Not trying to argue, just my opinion
Best Wishes
Roy
“don’t have to think about the boat.”
– Last Updated: Jan-04-06 3:13 PM EST –
On July 8 of 2003 I asked Tom Bergh about the Nordkapp. He pointed to his, then affixed to the outside of his boathouse, and said he didn't paddle it anymore. I asked him what he paddled instead and he replied "An Explorer because I don't have to think about the boat."
He went on to describe how the forgiving nature of the Explorer afforded him more margin as a guide, coach, and paddler.
I am not conveying this in order to promote NDK boats nor denigrate Valleys. Tom is an expert paddler with more experience than I can ever dream of having. I, however, chose an Aquanaut over the Explorer because it felt more responsive to me.
Late for the party – but…
I’m late for this party, but I’m finding this particular thread to be both informative and gratifying.
Both my husband and I started out paddling in OT Egrets, also known as “Regrets”. After 4 paddles – including one lesson – we realized that we would never be able to do what Derek Hutchinson was doing in all his books. Bracing was a total mystery as were things like Bow Rudders and Low Brace Turns. The prospect that we would ever roll was highly laughable and used to cause us much merriment.
We got the smiles wiped off our faces when, after demoing on a pond, we gamely bought CD Slipstreams and thus became known in our kayaking world as “The Slipstream Twins”. “I think we should take a lesson,” I told my husband. “Just so we know what we’re doing.” Half way into our first two hours on that June evening in 2001, we both learned what “Tender Boat” meant, and I earned the nickname of “The Guppy”.
5 years and, in my case, more than a few boats later, we have progressed through the BCU, have passed 3* and, in the husband’s case, 4*, and are on our way towards coaching both BCU and ACA. I have paddled a Slipstream (sold with no regrets in 2002), a Vela (which I still have & love), a Bahiya and, now an Explorer LV. My husband’s Slipstream is still to be sold, but he’s paddling a Tempest Pro165, which he loves.
We’ve often asked ourselves if it would have been easier – especially in my case as I’ve got some really weird left/right issues – if we’d started out in an “easier” boat than the Slipstreams. I feel – and for a long time I was a resolute hard-chined gal who vowed that she’d never, ever paddle an NDK – that our early paddling experience in boats that “we would grow into” has made us perhaps stronger paddlers. I’m not saying better paddlers because, really, what is a “Good Paddler” any way, but perhaps one’s who are aware of just how hard it can be in a kayak. Perhaps I was just fat, dumb and happy all those years in my Vela and the 1 year in my Bahiya, but I did learn to paddle inspite of my own ineptitude and frequent frustration.
I don’t regret what I’ve paddled in the past. I was practically jumping up and down for joy when I saw that neat little Vela elegantly playing in the chop 'n slop in “…Sea II”. But I do know when I plunked my butt down in the LV everything relaxed for me, just as when my husband demo’d the Tempest things just felt right for him. In the end – and this is just one of my typically looonnng postings - I think it matters much more how the boat feels for you than how someone else – dealer, instructor, your best friend who rolled their boat the first time they sat in it-- says it should feel. Ultimately, shouldn’t it all be for the joy of paddling?
Deb M
Thank you
That clarifies his thought some, I do understand that the Explorer makes a very fine rescue platform and a very fine Guide boat and is extreamly capable as a Symposiumn boat, I’m not sure what he ment by having to watch The Nordkapp however since as a paddling boat it is and has always been among the small group of boats designed for serious traveling and other than for the guide etc purposes it has very few equals as far as being excelent in rough conditions , with a load, and still retain a decent capability for speed. It is unbelieviable how it can shed waves from the side and ride waves in just about any direction. The Nordkapp is very stable (my opinion) for an experianced paddler, I’m sure that Tom’s issues with it stem more from the guide boat position. It is not as good as a guide boat where speed is a detriment sometimes, and you burn more enery just sitting and waiting for people or just lillydipping in order to travel at their speed. The Nordkapp is not as good a rescue platform as the explorer either. But then compared to an Explorer a Carolina might be considered a better rescue platform…maybe a Pungo…Woooooooa (forget I said that) If I was guiding I would probably pick an explorer too…but as a paddling boat, I would rather have a Nordkapp. I doubt that Tom , when paddling with a group of experanced friends or by himself, ever really considers having to watch his boat, A Nordkapp is a very dependable and reliable boat. as a guide boat, the Advocete, the Romany, the Explorer, the Capella are more suitable
Sorry to get so windy
Best Wishes
Roy
All Nordkapps are not egual…The Jubilee is what I paddle and it’s quite different that the older Nordkapp. My wife paddles my old Nordkapp
I interviewed chris duff for our club
newsletter and he told me it was primarily his sciatica that made him switch.
Context and uses
"Explorer makes a very fine rescue platform and a very fine Guide boat and is extreamly capable as a Symposiumn boat…"
Tom certainly really doesn’t have to think about whatever boat he is paddling as such. As a guide and coach, he has to be thinking of giving his boat to another paddler whose boat has gotten damaged or is too dicfficult for the paddler to handle for whatever reasons. This is also why he leaves the rails installed and foot pegs in the day compartment of his Explorer.
One coach I know has an Outer Island for personal pleasure and an Explorer as his coaching/guiding boat. Another uses his Romany for coaching etc…, but often uses his Silhouette or Avocet for personal paddling or play. I know for personal play, Tom often uses an Avocet or Romany.
I love my Aquanaut and, as noted, chose it over an Explorer. However, my Romany is a better guest boat and a pleasure when doing skills work.
Explorer better for those…
While in reality I know paddlers who have made varying adjustments because of their sciatica, I just had an amusing image of an NDK ad:
“Chris Duff, world class paddler and sciatica sufferer, uses an NDK Explorer as it is less painful than paddling a Nordkapp.”
it’d be sexy ad for sciatica
but maybe a bit of a downer for valley.
he hints at this in one of his books
how do you suppose the boat (as opposed to the seat and backband) contributes to sciatica?
i have doubts but
Yep I have doubts too, benefit of the doubt, as I have had this condition myself, and have an Explorer, the keyhole cockpit and the abiilty to shift around and still have contact helped me.
Evan
Thinking about the boat
– Last Updated: Jan-06-06 8:34 AM EST –
Any boat that you spend a lot of time in becomes pretty thoughtless. My two boats are Explorer LV and a Vela, a CD Squall before we had composite. I got to the point where I felt like I could just paddle where I wanted to go and let the boat flex around under me as it wanted as soon or slightly sooner with the Explorer than with the Squall. Vela has taken the longest of the three.
I do have some sciatica that kicks up after about three hours of straight paddling, on the right. I find that the lower deck in the LV allows me relieve it by just stretching my legs out straight for about 15-20 minutes into the paddle, and keeps it away for a decent long time after that. It'd come back faster in the Squall, once I had returned my legs to the more splayed out and up position necessary to fit into the braces. Haven't had the Vela out in the length of paddle that gave me a problem, but the butt and tailbone portion of that seat is by far the most comfortable of the three boats. So it may be overall less likely to cause it.