Allen's boat

[hoz]

[quote="Would our buddy be Mick Woods?[/quote]

Yes, I bougth a Souris River off Mick in 2000. We sort of hit it off and he joined me on the Spanish River a few years later and the Okefnokie last year. We have stayed in touch. He sure has a jones for those Krugers.

 

[Anonymous]

I paddled a Sit On Top that was supposed to be a bear to keep straight. My paddle stroke for a dual blade has the center of the paddle handle almost perpendicular to my knees. Then I rotate the paddle like you would if your hands were peddaling a bike. I'm pushing and pulling at the same time. Kept a mighty fine track and wasn't tiring.

i know exactly what your talking about Matt. thats how you gotta paddle the rig i have. the way that boat handles , if you tried using long hard strokes - youd weave back an forth off point something fierce. forget using a conventional single blade canoe paddle. but when you get the hang of how it was meant to be paddled with a double ender - its a whole nother world.

i just barely dip the end of the yak paddle in the water , a really short pull - then the same thing on the other side - to go as straight as you want. double dip your paddle on one side , or put some back into a single stroke to point your bow where you want it. your sitting so high in your boat , that if you got your back straight and your shoulders stay in line while you paddle - it really does feel effortless. can cruise along and hold a conversation feeling relaxed at speeds that would give a fella in a canoe a good workout and some sweat in his eyes.

 

[JEM]

It is a slick little stroke.

You can't grip the paddle tight either otherwise your wrists will hurt like hell. You have to let it be cupped in your hand. Push with the heel of your palms and pull with your fingers stiff but not gripped firm on the paddle. Some simple wieght lifting or biking glooves work nice for longer cruises as the paddle will wear down your skin with all that loose rotation.

 

[oldsparkey]

Guy's paddling is fun and it needs to be done in that manor. When using a Yak paddle hold on to it really loose and slightly pull with the fingers of one hand and push with the palm of the other. You can cover a lot of water that way and if you manage to get your body rotating at the same time then you are using your upper body strength to do the paddling and not your arms..... your arms are to hold the paddle not to provide the force on each stroke...... You can cover a lot of water this way and not be tired at the day's end.

It just takes a little pratice but is really worth the effort in the loooooong run. By working less you have more....that is what makes paddling so much fun.
Chuck.

 

[Swampy]

Right on Chuck. I used Chuck's doubble paddle on the St Mary and it was a LOT better than a single blade.... and I was in the pirogue!
I think that if the beam is short enough without banging your hands on the gunnels, a double paddle will work with less sweat.

swampy

 

[Kahuna]

Braver than me...

I am sceered to git in a Kayak :lol: If I flipped I'd be visiting Davey Jones Locker :shock: If I could build a Mississippi River Barge I'd feel more secure KAHUNA :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

i never even seen a conventional kayak up close - thats yankee stuff! as such , my uncles never had anything like that around. even if it does look like youd roll that sucker over if you sneezed - they look like they would just bout pull a skier with some effort on the paddle tho. same thing with a double end yak paddle - yankee stuff! but i was hooked first time i used one. i dont think ill use a single blade when paddling solo ever again.

as far as stability - i swear that tri-hull design like Matt has on the Buccaneer is mighty stable. look how high the seat is mounted on the boat i made - you know its got to be pretty sturdy to be riding high like that. i never sat in a pirogue or a conventional kayak , but between that tri - hull im paddling now and the canoes i have paddled in the past , stability wise there just isnt any comparison .


sitting high - your off the bottom of the boat a good ways , you have all kinds of leg room. and that high back seat gets real nice to ya after a couple hours! you can stretch your legs out and lean back. bout as comfortable as i ever been sitting in any boat - much less a 14' paddler.
im decking over the lower hull on one of the boats i made to seal up a flotation chamber. ill get back with you guys on how she acts when swamped.


with all the good stuff i just had to say about tri-hull designs , i just dont like those sit-on-top kayaks they sell , couple reasons. they remind me of something your mom would put potato salad in. the ones i have seen weigh a ton , and there isnt any room for gear. the colors i have seen em in and the people i have seen using em ... well lets just say it aint my style.

thats why i pestered Matt with all those ideas i had for the Buccaner 8)

canoe / sit on top kayak hybrid, whatever it is .. im real excited to build it and see how she does on the water. i think its the best of everything those two boats have to offer.

 

[Swampy]

Besides the center of gravity varible , I look at where I'm paddling.
Going down a stream/small river at 3-5 mph with the flow and you come across a strainer and a quick look tells you that the only way to get on the other side without take out and lining is to go under a branch.
Now here is where a high seat , and especially one with a ridgit back, will or could get you into some serious trouble. Having to "lay back" , or forward, and getting under the branch without hanging up on the branch might prove to be difficult with a high seat. You might lie out in front and make it, then the seat/backed might not. Something to look at down the river so to speak.
Allen, if the tri hull is comfortable, then anything would work for ya! I was surprised to see that seat so high. It would do good in the back waters... but without a fixed/ridgit back... Then too, Harry's canoe went into some tight places without suffering. Van and Comandor's paddling showed and taught a lot.
Swampy <---- this dummy can learn a lot from the best.

 

[oldsparkey]

There is a very comfortable seat to use when out paddling.........anyway I think so.

This is on the forum about the seat I designed and made for paddling http://www.neilbank.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=283

Here is the direct link to where you can get the plans to make one...... The back does fold down for going under things that are in your way. Here is the link to take a look.............
http://www.unclejohns.com/boat/seat/default.htm

Chuck

 

[Allen]

howdy swampus ,

looking forward to wetting a paddle with you on the st marys coming up here pretty soon..

i only have a single bench seat glassed permanent on that boat. i bolted the high back seat to a peice of plank with lag bolts , then i use a couple 2'' c-clamps to bolt the highback seat plank onto the bench. its right comfy. i can yank the seat out and stowe her upside down , and they stack pretty nice on th truck when i need tote a couple of em to th water. ducking under stuff on a river would be a new one tho


chuck ,

way i figure, that seat you put up on uncle johns going to be a huge part of me being able to really enjoy the boat. sitting indian style or kneeling puts my legs right to sleep and kills my knees. i plan on getting the seat same time i buy the stems and ribs for a pirogue.