well the brits …
http://cbs.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7BD9707432-91F9-4B8D-8318-1ECB5B2795D3%7D&siteid=google&dist=google
I also heard that Nigel Dennis Kayaks had HORRIFIC Quality Control on their peoducts.
Avocet
has tough, welded in bulkheads and can take the pressure of a closed cell foam footbrace. I’ve been using this method in my old Skerray rmx and it’s held up fine. Make a template from paper or cardboard and cut your foam to fit snug. I didn;t need much and used two layers from a thick camping pad. You may need to buy a block to carve to fit. This foot brace is a heck of a lot easier on the feet than the pegs.
well, lets tell her the rest!
what do you think about a 20 degree forward slant for the footrest?
VCP ovals work nice
– Last Updated: Jul-03-04 1:30 AM EST –
and swallow my 20 liter bags whole. Then again, the explorer cannnot handle them so I got a set of 15 liter bags and tapers. The explorer sits so low for me at 220 pounds plus an extensive day kit that I would really not want to paddle it for camping, that's what the seaward shadow with the ovals is for.
The REAL picture
at least down here:
HUGE SUVs driven by tiny women with nothing on the rack!
The kayaks are being hauled on Subaru Outbacks, Dodge Neons, and Mini Coopers!
About 15 degrees feels perfect
Tip from bnystrom (thanks) - did it on mine. Just right.
If they paddle in heaven
and I get there I’ll be almost as good as Fiona is here!
Wow! Boat Parade!
Seems SOOOOO long ago. Didn’t really know anyone. Had just joined SFP (that day). Had only been paddling my SOT about 5 months! Wouldn’t have recognized a Nordkapp (if your profile’s up to date) if I read the name on it! Didn’t know what Brit boats were.
Yeah, we’ll have to paddle together. Swap boats too (if you’ll fit, I’m short). Q700’s probably not what you think - seem to be a lot of misconceptions about QCCs among the Brit boaters.
Missed the parade last year. I’ll have to make a point next as it’s a good time.
Not all small
Valley has good big oval hatches.
Celia
Um…
Cause I tried a bunch of other stuff and the Cappela was the best! Although it does not have the round hatches… I guess I am not a true brit boat paddler yet… Maybe in 20 years when I bust this one I can buy the new version with the round hatches!
-Dan-
My Legend
Has nice big oval hatchs.
British Kayak like a Porsche
A British style kayak is like the Porsche of kayaks. It might not be the largest craft, but the feel is like no other.
I have tried both North American & British style kayaks and my preference is for the British style, in particular those made by P & H. There is nothing really wrong with the North American design’s but everyone I’ve tried has always had something missing and just didn’t feel right.
I’ve paddled in all types of conditions and have never had a British design let me down or make me feel uncomfortable, no matter what the conditions.
Having said that I know their style is not for everyone and I would not recommend a P & H Sirius to a complete beginner for example.
Different strokes for different folks!
I reall like your simile
Think of a porsche 914 vs a pontiac gto. The gto is fast in the straights and has a huge V8 motor. the porsche 914 had a volkswagen engine (in the middle) and would absolutely smoke the gto on a twisty mountaion road if both drivers had skills. Mid engine cars have incredible balance and cornering. But the 914 did not stand a chancet in a freeway leadfoot contest.
Some would differ on which is the performance vehicle. Depends wher they drove. doubt there are all that many of either around now.
It’s the up-swept ends…
Yup, As someone who paddles a Valley Aquanaut and whose wife paddles an NDK Explorer LV, I have to admit that after weeks of paddling the coast of Maine, it is those pointy ends that keep the boats confident in all seas:-)
The final proof of this is that the sweetest of Brit boats, the Nordkapp, has the pointiest ends of all!
914
– Last Updated: Jul-20-04 1:29 PM EST –
I had the priveledge to drive a 914 with the Porsche 6 cylinder it would take the GTO on the straights. Really fast car with a real engine in it.
A bit backward perhaps?
– Last Updated: Jul-20-04 2:12 PM EST –
If indeed the Nordkapp has pointier ends and is "sweetest" of the Brit boats because of this, then since the Nordkapp is the older design, the trend since would then seem to be away from the pointier ends, at least the more extreme ones, and toward less sweetness.
So are you suggesting Brit designs are actually getting worse over time? If they are getting less "sweet" over time, should you Brit fans be concerned?
Sorry, just saw a sort of reverse logic in your comment *L*
PS - What you call "confidence" from those ends, I would call mushiness. The ends give up a lot of energy and efficiency to the waves by cutting into them so much. Cross section shape (on the NDK at least) also seemed to have a similar dampening effect on beam waves/chop - slowing the reaction to the water motion down. If this is for seaworthiness in rougher conditions it's a more than fair trade and a rather good thing I suppose, assuming you need that steadiness more than speed. It does give a predictable and decidedly not "high strung" feel in moving water, but felt downright sluggish after my Q700 (which I consider equally predictable and stable but with a quite different feel.
Best way I can describe the differences:
Head/front qtr:
NDK - Cut into wave tops, and goes down into troughs more. More rocking horse motion (less LWL). More deceleration with each wave. Gave a slightly more dug in feel.
QCC - Bridges waves/chop more and while there is a bit more slap, it does not seem to bob up and down so much and tends to ride more level (more LWL).
Beam/rear qtr: NDK's rolling motion seemed to decelerate as it got more onto a chine. More resistance to rolling motions as lean is increased. More of a noticeable transition from primary to secondary. Feels different at different angles.
Q700: Smoother transition from primary to secondary. Almost continuous with no real stick point and feels much the same at all angles.
It's not that the NDK is less affected by waves, but its differences do sort of make it feel that way. To me the main difference paddling them is in timing - and the more you stay loose the less this difference really matters. Both hulls can be trusted to react predictably and take care of you. Preference being most likely dictated by what feel you're more familiar with.
Maybe those descriptions made no sense, and anyone who's been in both may be able to describe the differences better. These are just my rather limited impressions.
Note: I like the NDK Explorer (just prefer my Q700) and consider both kayaks to have very good and predictable primary and secondary stability - just different feel/handling. I suspect that if things were reversed and I was trying a Q700 after owning an NDK, I might feel the Q700 a bit skittish & twitchy in beam stuff, certainly harder to turn in waves (another timing issue), and quite unlike a comfy Nigel La-Z-Boy. Leaving it there with just the initial reaction would not do the Q700 justice though, as I believe it is a difference if feel more than ability, and a good part of that difference is simply from having more LWL. Beyond that - more similar than different (but then again, that sentiment could be partly because I've Britified my QCC with skeg, bulkhead style foam foot bracing, etc).
In the World of trade-offs known as kayak design, the Brit designs do very well. Their features and success are not ignored by other designers. Other than country of origin, it's really a bit hard to draw a hard line between Brit type designs and many others.
Them Brit Boats…
I’m the wife who now paddles an Explorer LV (post from Jim). But I am partial to pointy ends, my plastic boat is a CD Squall.
A couple of odds and ends - bracing against a foam block set against the bulkhead is way more secure than pedals were, including on a hip snap. I checked it out the other day and was shocked at how solid it felt. (Does require glass bulkheads though.)
The hard part is getting the darned block cut to fit the shape of the boat. Luckily Maine Island Kayak, from whom we got these boats, does that. Can’t say enuff about how great theya re to deal with.
Also, note on Valley and NDK, Valley has great quality control and this season’s loads of NDK are more consistent as well.
Finally, I am exactly average for my generation - 5 ft 4 inches and 135 (or so at times) pounds. There is nothing else out there in a full length composite layup touring boat that doesn’t requie expert skills that fits me - or anyone of the other legions of average size 50+ yr old females. Right now kayaks are about where bicycle makers were about 17 years ago in dealing with women, which means some improvement is needed.
Last word - I was being a dumb paddler and took my eyes off the waves for a little bit the other day. Got one in the side that tipped me closer than I ever have been to an unplanned swim, and the only thing I can credit for staying upright was the boat. It sure wasn’t me.
Celia
Explorer LV
– Last Updated: Jul-20-04 2:03 PM EST –
Celia,
Congrats on your new Explorer LV. May it give you many years of enjoyment. Jim has been keeping me updated along the way. I have also owned an Explorer since last Summer. What I enjoy the most about this kayak is how it makes me feel like I'm a much better paddler than I actually am. I'm sure you're finding that the rougher the water, the more the Explorer excels. Enjoy!
Racks
I happen to be a specialist in this field and we are living in the land of SUV and large racks. I dare you to show me a Fort laud SUV driver without a false large rack. : O)
Brian