Before I really dive in, let me establish, this post is NOT a negative review,,,
Left out of Bs early, very foggy near any and all water sources. Cleared up some by the time I made it to ‘My Beach’ on Laurel lake. Sat for a few, finished my breakfast of a 1.99 heart attack in a sack, then loaded out to the beach. FYI to Jim and Linda; that skirt fits me perfectly. I was afraid it was gonna pinch me in two, but it seems a better fit than my J-lo skirt for the ARC, which has proven to be one of the most comfortable skirts I own; Til now. (And it does not leak, not a single drop. As long as its on the lip,,, lol!!!)
Wet exit: only real difference being, lean forward and push off. Anything else will get ya hung up. I had to know what to do if things go inverted and I miss a roll. That whole ‘grabstrap, push, pull’ thing is a wee bit different to, but not horribly so.
Knew immediately I need to spend some bench time on this boat (working on a name though I’ve pegged it to down to three possibles.) My narrow ass slips around far more than it should. Shoulda known a trial fit with jeans on, was not gonna give me the right message. I need to work on the backband and hip pads to snug up the cockpit. The center knee pads work fine, but I am used to a much wider splay on my legs. That does NOT work so well in this design. Closer to center and you absolutely MUST use torso rotation or you will not get the full benefit of this boat: its very similar to how you would sit in a surfski, and the paddle stroke is identical. Not being snug, I was unable to get comfortable enough to utilize that twist very well. Hint to others: the boat MUST fit correctly or you will struggle. Hip and knee control is essential and if the hips aren’t making contact,,,
Bilge “Chimp” pump. Works well, but is not in the most stable of locations. Needs must: rafted up with another kayaker or a sponson float on a paddle end to help stablize an unstable swamped boat. Didnt try it while the boat was dry (duh!!!) And probably feels fine then, but swamped,,, oh hell no, get some support or you’re back in the drink!!!
Even so, I can tell, this boat is fast: quick on takeoff, and a higher than average cruise speed, and tracking that demands edging or you will just keep shooting straight. Exactly as described on several forums. Waves? Just like BlueJean and Duh!kee; the more the merrier. Flat water feels unstable and dancing water feels like a walk across plush carpet.
So, the synopsis? My learning curve just recieved a vertical boost and I have some work to do. And I cut my water time short so I wouldn’t create any bad habits. I only spent enough time to get a feel for what needs adjusted: the learning curve starts when that is done. (And I need a cart to get to the waters I use,, She’s lighter than BJ, but more likely to get out of hand if winds are blowing. BJs cart doesn’t want to work with this one.
Dio's Workshop 