Good news. But I will wait and see what they look like.
I am still waiting for the undesigned boat for long duration solo trips (30-50 days) that can handle a full load , no re-supply. I can and have done that in my Trailhead small tandem royalex prospector (15' 8", 34 inch beam, tumblehome, and 14 inch depth, but shallower near the sides). It’s very heavy, and a tad too long and not deep enough. Width-wise its just about perfect. I paddle Canadian classic style with an aggressive lean, but on very long trips on big water, also cruise with a sea kayak paddle leaned flat, so it can't be too wide.
I am waiting and hoping for the 15 1/2" long, 33-34 inch beam, prospector type boat, 15 inch depth, 2 inch rocker, symmetrical (so I can put the seat where I want), with fixed (bolted) center portage yolk, made of Twintex. Red twintex that is.
And the rocker should not be from the center. It should be flatter in the middle, and the rocker should be more abrupt towards the ends. That is a faster boat than a rocker from the middle, and it leans better with added benefit of a carving chine.
Gerald is right. We are all waiting for the solo expedition tripping boat in twintex. Bring it on.
I have little to no use for standard, narrow "solo" boats. They are too small for the long Arctic trips. I need a boat I can stand up in for navigating through rock gardens, photography, and fishing. And for carrying two barrels side by side, plus portage packs fore and aft, and room for a floating gun case (for griz and polar bear country), and a pelican case. I need a boat for 4 foot swells and chop on big arctic lakes, and for staying afloat running C3’s with big haystacks fully loaded (with spray deck of course). Wood gunwales. I need a small and narrow tandem type boat (but not tandem), that is under 60 pounds, preferably under 50.
Still waiting.
Last edited by HOOP_ on September 15th, 2008, 6:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
|