Romany
I’m 6 feet 180–last summer a friend let me try her Romany on a local lake—loved it–maybe not the best thing for long overnight trips but for day paddles, particulary in bumpy water just the thing
Fine for long trips.
I’m 210 and 5-10, and paddled a Romany on month long trips with no problems. I forget Matts weight and height, but my guess is he’s fit just fine and he’d have turned up wind better in the Romany. The Explorer has the advantage only in cargo capacity, and speed when pushed…
I’m
the same size (close anyway about an inch taller same weight) I have a Romany with the Valley foam seat and fit just fine.
maybe Matt should buy one next…
Best Wishes
Roy
Foam Seat…
That might do it. It would lower me a bit.
I have sat in several Romanys and the size seems to vary.
With several I have not even been able to fit my legs under the thigh braces. Seems that some (or maybe all) have thigh braces that seem to wrap down and inward, unlike the Explorer whose are pretty much straight / parallel to the water.
I owned a Romany for a very short period of time (decided it was just too small for me and sold it) but while I had it I really liked it.
I found it to be playful and a joy to paddle. I liked it even a bit better than my Avocet (which I really liked).
Believe it or not though I prefer the Explorer for surfing, as I find that it does not broach as readily and likes to track on the face of a wave making long rides easy.
I’ll probably add a Romany some day.
I took the Explorer out this weekend and surfed some standing waves on the Susquehanna River. Not real big but fast water and good to surf. I would have liked a bit more playfulness and maneuverability. A Romany would have been nice.
For surfing standing waves with the Explorer you just have to find some really big ones. Can’t find any big enough here without heading to the coast and hitting a good tide race.
matt
Matt
6’, 180+ in Romany
At my height and weight, my Romany fits and handles well. It has been the boat I’ve paddled most since getting it. I believe I have 4" of foam on the forward bulkhead. I too prefer it to an Avocet.
I think it is wholly plausible that Matt has found notable variance in cockpit fit of different Romanys - would they still be NDK boats if they were consistent?
yeah…
When I picked up my Explorer a couple of weeks ago I tried on the Romany the shop owner had…couldn’t even get my legs under the thigh braces.
I have found variance in the Romany cockpits. Again, seems like some of them have thigh braces that are bent inward.
I have not found much variance in the cockpit fit of the Explorer though.
As per my not fitting at my height. It would seem given my height of 5’8, but I have a stocky build at 200 pounds so I have had some issues with boat fit in the past given that most boats are probably intended for a taller and more slender build person.
Matt