An online ad in our local newspaper:
Yes, we have no sprayskirt.
Do you look at that and think it could be a scam?..or at least predatory lending?
The FTC has posted warnings about these scams:
I think it is a scam. Why the ad appears on a legitimate online newspaper site for which I paid access, I don’t know.
It is likely a scam, but still funny. Although I did see a you tube video of a guy showing he could roll without a spray skirt. In some conditions he claimed it may be easier after a few breaths to get back in and roll up rather than right the boat and climb in.
Actually some research on skin on frame alaskan kayaks showed some areas where they built a kayak with a high front deck back to the cockpit. With cockpit edge looking like half again more than it should be. The original paddlers of the craft rarely used skirts and were said to be able to roll without a skirt. I’m sure the high deck kept the waves out but rolling without a skirt gives you, me, us a lot of water in the cockpit…and that means a lot of bailing.
https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=Iñupiaq+kayak&fr=mcafee&imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2F736x%2F54%2F22%2Fde%2F5422de26f4e5eb055b8d1c4d148b4c8d--my-people-people-art.jpg#id=2&iurl=https%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-NaTJVijznts%2FVk213hPsp7I%2FAAAAAAAAAao%2FR7CiZCm4WJE%2Fs1600%2FA%2B-%2BINUIT%2BKOTZEBUE%2BSOUND%2B-%2BHombre%2Ben%2Bkayak%2B-%2BE.S.%2BCurtis%2B-%2B1929%2B-Noatak_AK.jpg&action=click
I find in research that there were 17 major cultures of native alaskans. They all made boats different designs and uses.
I think the ad was just punning using “on a roll”. But the paddler has some nice shoulders and a fast cadence.
Rolling without a skirt is just as easy as without.
It’s staying upright and paddling away afterwards that’s the problem.
It’s a good reason to practice your skills with a half-swamped boat too.