Subject: RE: [baidarka] Skinboats Rule!
From: Patrick Campbell (patrick@laurelglen.com)
Date: Wed Oct 17 2001 - 14:21:15 EDT
I have been paddling a West Side EFT for a while, and I think of all the
commercial (non-skin) boats, it has a lot in common with a baidarka, as odd
as this may seem at first. It has a rounded bottom, low intitial and high
secondary stability, low windage, long waterline, broad stern, modest
rocker. It's a great boat, quite fast, and a good surfer. At least one
commercial supplier, then, has apparently learned from the old guys and has
not prostituted sexiness for practicality.
Patrick (also a Youknowwhatcapp owner)
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-baidarka@cyclone.muddypuppies.com
[mailto:owner-baidarka@cyclone.muddypuppies.com]On Behalf Of Phil Ellis
Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2001 6:14 AM
To: baidarka@paddlewise.net
Subject: Re: [baidarka] Skinboats Rule!
Peter,
As a matter of fact, I've almost finished reskinning my baidarka and will be
able to make a direct comparison. My previous experience with it is that you
are about right on all counts...I'm able to paddle it about 1 mph faster
than I can my Greenlander, although whether that's because of the boat's
characteristics or mine is a good question.
The one thing I don't care for in the baidarka is how high off the water it
sits. In my Greenlander, I'm maybe three inches above the surface, which
feels very connected, and I like it. Also, the rear deck is too high for
good laybacks, although the baidarka is actually easier to roll than my
Greenlander, probably because it has a lot of secondary stability that kicks
in just as you're coming around.
They are homely, too. No way around it. When I was carrying the baidarka
around on my car, strangers would look at it and say "You make that
yourself?" in a real suspicious sort of way. With the Greenlander it's
usually more like "What a beautiful boat! Did you make it yourself?", and
they go on to ask how hard it is to build one and where they can get plans
(the answer, of course, is "nowhere").
Bill Lowe's boats are indeed mighty fine. I paddled two of them at the Skin
Boat Gathering and found them to be a lot more capable than I am. I
understand that our illustrious list master, Kirk Olsen, has done very well
racing them. Bill's bow treatment makes a lot of sense, too, although I've
rebuilt mine in the traditional manner.
Can you cite the SK tank test you mention? I'd like to read it.
Regards,
Phil
P.S. The rec boat kayakers I paddle with are a mixed bunch of bike racers,
adventure racers and triathletes, all of whom are 20 years younger than I
am, so cruising is only sort of cruising. If they ever catch on to the
light, narrow boat thing, I'll be paddling by myself.
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