We have answered every one of your questions. You are not being “mocked”, but we do have legit concerns about your rejecting our advice. We gave you details on your boat, explained the performance issues, directed you to instructions, suggested safety gear and even looked up the links to your boat skirt fit for you to link one that would work.
You came here seeking advice from folks with more knowledge and experience. Many of us on here have probably been kayaking longer than you’ve been alive in what you say you like to do —Celia definitely has experience in whitewater. I don’t do it any more but I’ve done Class 2 through 5 in the past. Do a search for “image Coliseum rapid Cheat River” and get back to me about whether that is the kind of waterfalls you seek out.
But no matter what we made the effort to recommend you scoffed at it and made excuses for not taking it seriously. Can you blame us for being skeptical? You have rejected lessons and insisted that sprayskirts are both hard to find and “optional” when all of us know neither is true. So we have to wonder why you ask for advice and then turn up your nose at it. Really, who is doing the mocking here?
It’s pretty simple. I state the white water people I see around here don’t use skirts and I get a flurry of responses like yours saying I made a mistake for my boat. Or I am crazy. All I did was state what I see.
In your eyes it may be a mistake but not mine.
My 3rd response on this site was someone telling me my boat was a mistake. And it doesn’t seem to matter how many times I say it’s intentional. I keep getting my boat was a mistake rather than actual advice. Or better yet “take classes”.
That answer right there defeats the purpose of anyone asking for input. It is no wonder this site has been known for touring kayak users and not the wide spectrum.
You initially complained about the boat not paddling straight and professed not to know much about the model. So indicating you wanted a boat that tracked well but went ahead and bought one designed to do the opposite indicated to us you might need something different if tracking was a priority. Or kessons to develop better tecnique. You blew both off. You did NOT tell us at the outset anything about your intended use.
And you inexplicably went from asking which skirt would fit your boat and where to find one to insisting you don’t need one.
First you claim to be new to the sport and having just bought the Embudo but now you insist you have experience. Since you provide incomplete and conflicting information we did the best we could.
So excuse us if we are a bit testy about what seems to be YOU screwing around with US.
Leave if you want. but remember that being questioned and even challenged is not being “attacked”. Most of us have been involved in the sport long enough to have been involved in rescues and even knowing people who died practicing it, often due to being stubborn about listening to basic advice. Our suggestions could make kayaking way easier, more fun and safer for you and thise you paddle with. Be grateful for it rather than indignant.
I asked why it would do that. Not a complaint. And when I got the answer I said thanks. Ever since then it has been bashing towards myself when I ask questions.
I do get the occasional advice I’m looking for. But it is too far and short between the bashing on my “mistakes” rather than advice.
As a whitewater boater (formerly sponsored and a swiftwater rescue instructor), I would love to see this video. I’m not weighing in on this debate, but I’ve just never seen anyone run whitewater without a skirt, unless it was just some riffles.
Please include the specific stretch of water and the class rating in comments with that video. As I and others said above, introductory level WW can be run without a skirt as long as there are no strainers. That is not the same as operating with full WW skills, attainment, catching eddies etc. But if the goal is to get from upriver to downriver just riding the current it can be done.
You have not listed the class rating of any of the water you indicate you have been on.
PS, make sure you are not talking about paddlers in Sit On Tops in the skirt discussion…
kayakattack I think you got some useful advice: a brand and skirt size, a suggestion that paddling with other experienced paddlers is helpful for learning to paddle ww, and that a sprayskirt keeps water from filling up your boat in a ww environment.
Hopefully, you can find some youtube videos on “wet exits” and can practice them. Do dress for the water temp- my own experience with WA rivers is that they are cold (Nooksack/Skagit). I’d go with a dry suit.
Unfortunately, I’m not much help hooking you up where you live with experienced ww paddlers. The American Canoe Association or “ACA” is an organization that helps new paddlers enter the sport safely. You might check them out online or even give them a call, they may know someone in your area who can provide hands on assistance.
Also it is important to make sure that your boat has adequate flotation or float bags since this keeps the boat from filling up with water should you wet exit. To paddle ww safely, you need not only the proper equipment but also the support to do so.
I know you came to this website looking for that advice and support but there is only so much you can get online- perhaps a local paddling club can help you get started.