I am still new to this sport and enjoy reading about others experiences and seeing what kayaks are used in magazine articles. To me it would be interesting to see, read, what others paddle. In some forums, such as with motorcycles, the type of vehicle rode is listed as part of the signature regardless of the theme for the posting. I think it would be a good thing if this happened in this forum too. Any thoughts?
Cdneh
Necky Looksha Sport
BIG problem
Some people here would have boat lists longer than their post. I'm a small-fry (with only 5.) I have seen that in other forums--good idea...uhhhh...I mean BAD idea. Yeah, bad idea.
krousmon
CD Extreme
WS Tempest 170
Perception Shadow
Perception Madness
Clearwater Inuvik
Boats
Black Hawk Ariel
Old Town Canadian
Current Designs Solstice GT
That’s What The Profile Is For…
I’ve seen this used in different club sites. I guess it serves a purpose for those who are likely to run into each other on a club outing.
I actually think it’s pretty pointless. I don’t care what others paddle as much as how they paddle if they out on a trip/session with me.
sing
Yep
I have 11 at last count (or is it 12? 
but how you paddle is more important than what you paddle.
I like sing’s idea
HOW you paddle is far more important than WHAT.
Bohemia
Paddles like cr*p
IMO it’s a bad idea…
“To me it would be interesting to see, read, what others paddle. In some forums, such as with motorcycles, the type of vehicle rode is listed as part of the signature regardless of the theme for the posting. I think it would be a good thing if this happened in this forum too. Any thoughts?”
I’m new to the sport as well but I personally think that listing your equipment as part of your signature is not really beneficial to the community. I see this in the amateur photography forums quite a bit and it drives me bonkers. For starters it makes doing a search nearly impossible on some systems. Let’s say you searched for “Wilderness Systems” or “Necky”. Everyone who has a WS or Necky yak listed in their .sig will have their post show up in a search even though the post has NOTHING to do with WS or Necky yaks (so search engine pollution is one problem).
I think it also promotes a “such and such uses this yak and they’re the guru here so it must be the boat to get”. It promotes a mentality that gear plays the biggest role in the sport (and that goes for everything else too… cycling, skiing, photography, music, autocrossing (an experienced driver in a Honda Civic will ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS SPANK a novice driver in a Porche, experience trumps all). As a professional photographer people ask me what gear I’m using as if it’s the gear that takes great pictures. Gear is important BUT… I could hand over my $6500+ camera over to an amateur and I could grab their point and shoot and I’d still take MUCH better pictures than they would and it’s no surprise either as I’ve invested a lot of time and practice into studying the art. The same goes for music. I own a Bobby Shew signature trumpet. I love the horn to death but unfortunately it doesn’t make me play like Bobby Shew (I bought it after trying numerous horns because I just love the way it plays). I sound more like a cat stuck in vacuum cleaner.
That’s a good tangent back to kayaking. I’d rather see people list their skills if they’re going to list anything. At least that might encourage people to take lessons. You can never take enough lessons. I’ve been downhill skiing for 28 years. I still take lessons whenever I can.
I think that instead of asking “what boats are you paddling” a better question to ask would be “why did you choose the boat you did”? At least that would give you some insight into what different people prefer and get you thinking about trying to detect these characteristics when demoing boats.
Anyhow… to answer your question (LOL) I bought a Wilderness Systems Tempest 170. I wanted something I could take out in the ocean but most importantly, ergonomics were fairly important to me. I’ve busted up my vertebrae, pelvis, scapula, ribs, etc. so I carry the odd ache and pain here and there. The Tempest was just really comfy from the get go and will require the least amount of tweaking for me to thoroughly be able to enjoy it. Just keep in mind that just because it’s a comfy boat for me doesn’t mean that it will be a comfy boat for you.
Regarding lessons… I’m doing a stroke technique and rescue class in the ocean (Portsmouth, NH) on Saturday. I’m looking forward to picking up some new tricks and improving/fine tuning what I already have.
Cheers, Joe
Check my profile
You can check my profile - I agree that the addition of boats to a signature would make searching a nightmare.
That said for now . . .
I paddle an Eddyline Nighthawk 16 and a carbon layup Necky prototype women’s boat that’s 15’6" X 21 at 40 lbs.
Paula
Thistleback-
Did you go on yer trip yet?
Disagree
I think that WHERE you paddle is much more important than WHAT or HOW you paddle.
Yeah
On the bike my name is Wrecks Land Sharks. On the water my name is Kudzu Tempest. My Indian name is Dances With Difficulty.
But everyone knew me as Nancy.
The question would be better put as
"Who do you paddle?"
I paddle water. ;^) I paddle canoes.
I also catch way too much flack when I post all my water rides. And besides I do not have the hour to do so tonite. ;^)
Look at the archives as we have done this way too many times.
Paddle on!
:^)
Mick
chuck!
you naughty boy. 
seriously, put me in the non-status camp.
if my boat make and model is relevant to any given conversation, then i’m happy to have it known. if it’s just a matter of curiosity, that’s dangerously close to classification by association.
i do name my boat in my profile so it’savailable information for anyone whobothers to look, but other than that, i am not my boat.
No, no, no
WHEN you paddle is much more important than “how”, “why” or “what” you paddle.
cheers,
JackL
my paddling fleet
http://users.frii.com/uliasz/wayfarer/paddling_fleet.htm
Sea Wind canoe - WaterTribe Challenges in Florida, some river paddling (Colorado River, Dismal River)
Spencer X-treme canoe - Texas Water Safari, Colorado River 100, training
Sisson Nucleus 100 - local rivers upstream/dowstream, training, some racing in Colorado
Surfrigger outrigger canoe - occasionally, local lakes
CLC Patuxent 19.5, built 7 years ago, after a longer break I am starting to paddle her again with a new seat installed
“Who?” NM
Boats are like skis…
you can never have too many.
Perception Acadia 12
Wilderness Seacret
Current Design Scirocco
OLD home-made C2
Blue Hole 17' royalex (thats old, too)
Grumman 15' w/ home-made sail rig (older still!)
West Side Boat
21"x18" Thunderbolt & 13’10" Delta. Also have a 20 year old XR-5 (Downriver) Wave Piercer & even older Javelin K-1, ICF c-1 canoe. I paddle the T-bolt most, but have run the Delta lately, with temps of 108 & 109 the kv deck stays cooler than the carbon/kv on the T-bolt.
I knew that was coming …sheesh