Sea Rover LC - too small for me?

Submitted byLowcountry onMon, 07/23/2018 - 16:24

Hi folks -

I'm building my first SOF and need some help with design selection.  I do have some (plastic) sea and whitewater kayak experience and a solid roll.  I currently mainly paddleboard on a generic 11 footer and usually go out and paddleboard 4-4.5mph for up to an hour.  Home waters are tidal rivers and inlets in the southeast, so currents and winds are a factor but no plans for big waves or beach surfing.  I want a beautiful fast sportscar of a kayak for fitness/touring paddling, generally 6-10 mile jaunts.  No plans to camp/overnight.

I'm a hair under 6ft, 170lb, 35 years old, and in good shape, built like a soccer player.  Relatively small feet at 9.5 or 10.

I'm attracted to the Yost Sea Rover LC - I've fully lofted it out on my Okhume ply ready to cut out, but it seems pretty small even after I raised the deckridge on section 4 by 15mm (and section 3 and 2 by smaller amounts).  Other intentions were to make the ends a bit more upright to increase LWL, and slight decrease in rocker at bow for more LWL and finer entry.  I'm worried I may sink this thing up to the gun'l's/rear deck, or legs won't fit, or otherwise be unhappy with the performance/fit after several hundred $ and a lot of hours invested. 

Can anyone give feedback on how it may fit someone my size?

I'd be open to suggestions about alternative designs.  I considered Nikumi/Nikumi 19 (especially since multichine = speed) but ended up shying away due to the complexity of the bow/stern for first build, and I'm not personally a fan of that style.   Would that be a better option for my desired use if I adapted a conventional bow/stern?

Thanks for any input!!

 

John VanBuren

Tue, 07/24/2018 - 07:43

Hi,

    I have a Sea Tour EXP that I built with a baidarka style bow and stern. I also raised the forward deck by about 1.5 inches.

Everything worked out fine.

So I can see no reason why the changes you want to make to a make a baidarka into a multichine "conventional" kayak would not work out as well.

John VB

Sea roverWe have a Sea Rover with the standard cockpit.   It seems pretty small because it is pretty small.  :-).   My son is 6’ , size 11 shoe , was about 180# in the pics.  He is about 195# now and it is still all good.  

Sea rover