My friend , who really isn’t me, told me that the boats he has tried in some stout wind and 2’ waves tended to weathercock badly.They were all CDs.
They were being paddled unloaded.
Are there hulls that are less prone to weathercocking.
What About a Skeg?
String. I mean friend, are you averse to using a skeg? There are skegged boats out there that will weathercock, be neutral, or leecock if you just tweak the skeg some.
The CDs do have skegs.
String
I mean friend, is that true? The CD has a skeg?
Doesn’t it work?
My Solstice GTS did not weather cock
It was made by Current Designs and did not weather cock even without a load or using the rudder. On the other hand turning it was a pain. Even with the skirt in the water from edging it did not turn quickly.
My Tarpon 160 Lee cocked in any winds over 20mph, until I put a rudder on it.
Many many boats are designed to weather cock. Once I loaded them and learned how to use them a boat that weather cocks can be a pleasure to paddle. I’d much prefer it to a boat that Lee cocks.
Cobra Expedition
it won’t turn, period.
My Valley Aquanaut does pretty well
I think it’s mainly it’s shallow V designed hull that helps. I probably use my skeg about 10% of the time since it does track so well. After my horribly weathercocking Prijon Seayak (great in some other ways) that was one criteria when I test paddles some boats. BTW it’s also fairly fast in rough waters (others will be faster in calmer waters).
I talked to him tonight and he had been
– Last Updated: Jul-29-12 9:18 PM EST –
out experimenting with the skeg all day and getting some positive results. I told you I know nothing about sea kayaks.
My sea kayak is a Tarpon.
Dat’s what they do…
Skegs and rudders are there for that exact reason! I don’t think CD boats are more prone than others. The Cypress is the least affected by rear quartering winds than anything else we’ve got. The Kestral 140 could be second, or maybe the QCC.
I’m thinking soft chine may catch less “tail wind” than the hard chine.
But drop the rudder and it all goes away.
T
still nice to not need
Life is very much easier not having to deploy the skeg too often especially if you tend to change direction much. So as long as I don’t give up too much it’s nice to find a boat that only rarely needs a skeg
Is this person very light weight ?
Just wondering … This would have a lot to do with some boats blowing around too.
broad generality
A broad generality is that British style boats (generally defined as lower back deck, upswept bow and stern, skeg instead of rudder, day hatch, etc. - think Valley Avocet) will weather cock less than a North American style (higher back deck, rudder, etc. - think Necky Looksha 4 or 5).
The Siroca would be more brit than NA, so this person would likely not want to head more in the north american mold.
Of course, this is paddling without using skeg or rudder. On the whole, most boats are designed so that the skeg or rudder would offset any weather cocking.
Loading the boat could also help. I think putting some weight into the stern would help reduce weather cocking.
Yes
There are boats that weathercock less than others.
The S&G I made from a kit, a Shearwater Merganser 16, would not weathercock at all in light wind. It had a higher threshhold for starting to weathercock than the CD Squall I had before that. Did not need either rudder or skeg with the Merganser 16, and I’m light. But I didn’t like the hard-tracking feel of that boat. Your friend could probably benefit from more kayak-testing of different designs.
Have him try both the Tempest 165 and 170, among others.
Wouldn’t name CD hulls
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I've had a CD boat, paddled others, and they weathercocked a hell of a lot less than most Necky boats I have tried (and we have owned) or most P&H boats I have paddled (and own).
There may be families of designs that weathercock more. Whether that requires British style I am not sure - nor would anyone be who had to wrangle an older Looksha boat. But CD as a whole certainly is not on the top of that list.
I think your friend needs some more seat time.
false generalization?
Among my sea kayaks, this generalization does not hold true. I would suggest that characterization as North American vs. British style tells nothing of weathercocking behavior at all.
Take this example. CD Sirocco. British style. British designer. I’ve paddled one a couple times. Didn’t note anything particularly bad about weathercocking, just remember that it did to some extent. Well respected as an open water sea kayak around here, and I could see why. I don’t think it weathercocks as easily as my British, highly rockered P&H Capella 169 (had a lot of fun in this one yesterday in the shoals surrounding an inlet). If you go to CD’s N American style list, I own a Solstice GTS & Nomad. These boats do not have weathercocking issues. That’s not to suggest that this generalization is backwards. The CD Cypress, noted by CD as British style,that could likely fit this person very well, is noted above and also in its Sea Kayaker review as noteworthy for being neutral in both winds and seas. So we have neutral and weathercocking of both British and N American style, and I know we could easily run the spectrum of weathercocking with either style.
Try the kayak. A British or N American style label doesn’t seem to tell the story. A Valley, Current Designs, P&H label doesn’t tell the story. A soft chine/hard chine doesn’t tell the story, skegged or ruddered…etc.
Mariner Express
it tends to lee cock
which some argue makes it very dangerous
in high winds. A kayak that tends to into the wind and waves is the safer design when the proverbial crap hits the fan
Mariner Express
The Mariner Express was designed with a sliding seat. It changes the kayak trim (through weight shift) activating and diminishing the influence of the skeg aspect of the stern. Some were ordered with a hung seat (5 lbs lighter and cheaper) which reduced the effectiveness of the skegged stern by preventing the weight weight shift of the sliding seat.
While the Express is uncommon everywhere other than the Pacific Northwest and certainly is an acquired taste, I really like my Express. I find it’s behavior (with sliding seat) commendable.
Dave
Have 1 with a foam seat
not the sliding. Love the boat. Very nice in roughe conditions/
Balance
If your friend is paddling like the boat is a recliner it should weathercock. Have him lean forward or place some weight in the forward hull. A lot of people load all their stuff in the rear hatch/day hatch and wonder why the boat weathercocks.
GH