Hey thanks for all input on this one I have learned that my thoughts are probly not as silly as they could have been. More importantly that I was confusing SPEED with EFFICIENCY. I guess I'll never be fast but I'm more likely to be lazy I might as well be efficient!
Fast or slow
- Thread starter tx river rat
- Start date
G'day John,
What I was trying to say but was probably doing an appalling job of is this,
A very fast boat is not necessarily the best boat to cover a long distance in. Like wise a slow boat.
For me, the ideal is somewhere in between.ie,
I like a boat that is EFFICIENT through the water. By efficient, I mean a boat that will travel at close to it optimum hull speed with the least possible effort on my part to mke it do so. At the same time, part of that EFFICIENCY also involves how much work I have to do to balance the thing. An unstable boat can be very tiring just keeping the water underneath without even going anywhere.
If you compare a K1 or racing solo kayak with its very narrow beam and sleek hull lines
http://www.natureline.com.au/woodpecker.htm
to a TK1 or a Touring/racing kayak with its slightly wider, more stable hull,(but still very slippery through the water)
http://www.natureline.com.au/wanderer.htm
I would choose the TK1 every time as being, overall, a more suitable and enjoyable craft to paddle. While the TK1 requires a little more effort to go forward, It requires MUCH less effort to keep upright. Overall, I would call the TK1 as being a more effecient, and certainly, more enjoyable boat to paddle.
I have paddled both of these superbly fast kayaks and I own a TK1 like the one in the link. Neither boats have a round bottom and both boats are cosistent place getters in all our major down river marathons. For me, the TK1 is a much more enjoyable boat to paddle and is only marginally slower than the K1.
Bar none, the fastest working hull (as opposed to a racing hull) that I've ever seen is Kruger's Sea Wind. It will walk away from a kayak. Matt's Northwind and Southwind hulls would be next in my estimation. Exceedingly easy to cruise.
Mic
I love the looks of the k1 I paddled a tripper 19 ft patterened after it had a very small flat bottom and then round it looks like the same design as the boat you have.
Jack the Sea Wind hull is awesome and If I had the money to just throw around I would own one Verlan Kruger is the ultimate tripper 100,000
miles in a yak wow.
Ron
I love the looks of the k1 I paddled a tripper 19 ft patterened after it had a very small flat bottom and then round it looks like the same design as the boat you have.
Jack the Sea Wind hull is awesome and If I had the money to just throw around I would own one Verlan Kruger is the ultimate tripper 100,000
miles in a yak wow.
Ron
Agreed,
I have nevr seen a Sea Wind in the flesh, much less paddled one but from the lines of her, i think such a boat comes very close to the ideal compromise.Over long distance, in an endurance event certainly. (Hull effeciency and paddler comfort)
Yes, while my Wanderer TK1 is faster than the Southwind and has a much lower wind signature, the South Wind is darn near as quick, is oh so comfortable and stable with endless glide and also has immense load carrying capacity.
In a home built, stitch and glue, plywood boat, I believ my Southwind has no peer on overall paddlabilty. Northwind would come very close or even exceed this but as far as I am aware, none have been built yet.
A smaller South Wind, say around 14 or 15 feet in length with propertionately smaller beam etc. will be a beautiful thing as a day paddler or compact tourer and would come very close IMHO, to the ideal G.P. paddlecraft.
I will be building one fairly soon.