The Tsunami series…
Were designed as transitional boats between recreational kayaks and real sea kayaks.
If you check the UK kayak builders you will see boats designed for expected conditions in the UK. You won't find any 12' boats designed for open water touring.
Get some sea kayaking lessons and you'll understand.
Concrete stuff versus death
Scoper didn't ask for specific advice no - but my thought was that the stuff that came by suggesting great risk without concrete ways to mitigate it was not going to be of great help either. At least, if I were in his shoes it wouldn't give me much to grab onto.
It is possible that the sponsors of this trip are providing more support than we know so far, or he has had a chance to check out. The more support there is, the less critical the boat gets which is where this post started. While I doubt that a Tsunami 120 would ever be an apt choice for those waters, he may be able to get by with less boat than some here would recommend based on how this trip is being run.
wow…beanie/weenie advice
funny thread!
longer doesn’t always get you better tracking.
news flash: Tsunami 120 tracks better than: tempests, Romany/Explorer, Force boats, Avocet, Aquawhatever, Chathams,etc.
Transitional touring is a dumb description (IMO)cuz many boats in this class bridge between REC and TOURING and many bridge between TOURING and SEA. The TS120, in question is waaaayyyy more like a sea boat than a rec boat. I have paddled one in some pretty gnarly sea conditions and it does GREAT, in fact better in some conditions than some sea kayaks. ie-Rock gardening and surf when distance wasn’t an issue. But this is going down the beanie/ weenie road.
If you want to paddle a 12’ boat in Brit conditions, retro-fit a backstrap instead of the backrest, get a good skirt and EDUcation and go for it! The Ts will do ya fine!
steve
Thanks Steve
As above - no comment re the tracking or performance. I don't know the boat well enough. I do question the storage capacity of a 12 ft boat for a trip if this scale, in those waters.
And the issue of the paddler - I keep hearing from more advanced paddlers that the T120 is a fine boat in big conditions. Serious question, does this play as well for a less experienced paddler? That is, as things get bigger does it allow the paddler the same latitude for error, or is there a point where the paddler might have to have better skills than in other boats like the Explorer that are patently kind to newbies?
I really don't know myself - may be good a good point for scoper given the other choices that are likely around for purchase or rent in the UK.
That was only my statement only to him
As an adult I have found that it is best to give advice when it is asked for. He asked about a kayak and at the rate the answers were going it wouldn’t be long before it would be setting up college funds for his children.
If he wants more advice then I believe he will ask for it.
Flatpick said it all below and to his comment I say…AMEN
ps,and pack 6 cans of Beanee Weemees.
sure
the forgiving/ friendly aspect of the Ts series makes it a fine learning boat that one can grow into. For teaching (with backstrap upgrade!) it’s great as edging and tracking are so well balanced. but I begin to sound like a sales pitch!
The capacity to haul a ton of expedition gear would be quite limited, yes. but safety/emergency gear, day kit and a change of clothes and a healty credit card and you stay at Bed and Breakies and eat at restuarants!!! true gnarly expeditioning! 
steve
Sales pitch OK
In fact you pretty much have me convinced that, if I want a short plastic guest or messing around in creeks or taking into rocks boat and see a T120 used, I should grab it. I am using the Dagger Piedra for some of that now, but a little deck rigging would be nice.
Hopefully scoper is getting something useful out of this thread as well.
From his profile…
“Comments:
Im new to kayaking,just got rid of my rib,bought an inflatable canoe,but it gets blown all over, im looking at wilderness system tsunami 120.to learn a bit more,”
Are you really encouraging him to do a 500 mile offshore UK expedition in a 120?
Maybe an expert paddler could do it as a stunt.
From my experience
as a long distance kayaker, the 120 and or the 125 has plenty of storage space of course that is if scoper doesn't pack the kitchen sink.
The real problem with packing for an extended trip is trying to remember where you put everything and to make sure that you put the things that you need near the cover.
Because a check off list has to be made I would mark which storage compartment each item in. I had a helluva time finding stuff on my 1st trip, got better on the 2nd and no comment on the 3rd long distance trip but I'm learning and I've had the time of my life.
Happy paddlin'
Richard
Hold on a minute.
We aren’t talking to a 15 year old kid. Scoper is a man with responsibilities and is aware of the risk.
Give him some space. Let him get in the kayak and get some experience. As time gets closer and his plans progress reality will make him aware of all things. Having the imagination to make this trip and planning it far in advance shows that he is not flying off the handle like I did. My first 486 mile trip was started on the 5th day after the idea and when I decided to make my first trip which was, to some expeditioners, pretty lame a NPS ranger told me I was crazy, that I didn’t have good sense and that I had a death wish which really pissed me off and convinced me that I would do it and make him eat crow…and I did… and he was transferred.
try it with
12 clients.
12 rather newbie clients, 7 days in the San Juan Islands of Washington, self contained sea kayaks…
now I KNOW someONE has the anchovie paste hidden in their yak and if I have to go find it I’m going to be pissed!!!
by day 4 or 5 they sorta have it figured out. usually.
ah… the romance of being a guide.
steve
What I am encouraging…
I have (and Tsunamichuck I think) have primarily been encouraging the guy to get lessons, gain skills and time in a boat, and find out what support is offered by the sponsoring organization. This all as a preamble to choosing a boat.
I doubt that any charity group would just fling paddlers out onto the water and say see ya in 550 miles. My guess is that we lack a lot of needed information about that right now. Without some serious support, I am not convinced that this is a wise idea regardless of the boat chosen. If scoper gets hooked up with people who know that environment better than those here and gets more details about the support available, he'll likely end up with the right boat.
Mayhaps I can be convinced that the T120 is a more robust boat than I realized for my own use. So I did say that. But I think it's a reach to say that I am advocating that scoper use it for his trip.
Celia, check the index…
My reply falls under Flatpick’s reply…
Oops
Some days I really need a keeper.
Here is his post on a uk paddling forum
http://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30196
re gear
Hi chaps,i seem to have stirred the hornets nest, I plan to break the journey into several runs(weather depending) if its too rough il take some time off,ive got the time,gear / clothes wet and dry gear,/cooking stuff 3 small cookers, all have been tested in similar circumstances+ 1 kettle 1 pan, 2 cups,some times a walker stumbles along, it,d be nice to offer a brew/gas lantern very small, plus LED head torches 2 gas+ batteries/sleeping bags very small down(mountain equipment) 1 synthetic /gore tex clothing tops bottoms ,dry socks + 2/+ woolies,boots lomo+teva/ I NEED NEW GLOVES/helmet neoprene skull cap,various north face base layers/ 2 dry bags, berghause rucksack=various other gear i need to check,and the trusty tarp -goes over the tent if im grounded pins the tent down and gives me an extended porch for messing/small strong fishing rod, with gear,///thats a rucksack and a dry bag filled,hypo thermic blankets 2/ first aid,phone and radio,some other stuff il have to check on, water purifier katadyne, knife, small folding shovel,my favourite north face summit pants= great jamas…theres more , and it all fits into a very small canoe,compases and maps, i think im three missing, but they are on the list,il add to as i remember,
re practice
my parents live in cleveleys, nr Blackpool,on the west coast of England,
Interesting
Mention of the club thing - something that occurs to me as being a likely source of support but they’d know more over there.
It sounds like concerns over the paddling conditions here are on target…
train
i plan too, high protein stuff ,carb powders, the usual body building gear- powdered meals,with powdered milk,
re sales pitch
I like to listen too, its taught me a few things,