Thanks ken , yes I need to clear up my description of the conditions i want by boat to be able to handle.
Lets forget swell as its no problem until it reaches land. Think say ....more the conditions on a rough Molokii race. Those guys are padling skis built for speed over handleing . I'm not after a race boat but I would probably paddle in conditions like that or should I say at some stage in the life of this kayak it may be subjected to that plus entering and arriving at a surf beach which at its safe end can still have waves with head height plus a bit waves crashing over you to wake you up in the morning. My favorite paddle it to go out from BONDI beach and travel south to Maroubra beach and back ,or up acroos Sydney heads to Manly beach and back.
If I straight line it from North head to Bondi I can be a couple of K's (about 1 mile) out and with a typical Sydney NE see breeze of 15 to 20 kn whipping up a decent sea of a couple of meters and with a swell of another couple of meters coming from say the south east. Every now and then you get a much bigger wave come through and the conditions will by this time have changed at my landing spot off North Bondi which is usually safe but you still need to be on your toes especially as it Sydneys busiest beach and your going to be the entertainment for several thousand people.
I landed there 1 summer with my wife and kid on the beach , did a few roles before catching a great wave and surfed it perfectly all the way to the sand only to trip over my paddle as I was doing my Bay Watch walk up the beach. Even I laughed at myself.
So any way thats the picture , I'm no superman.
The kayak I paddle at the moment is a Mirage 580 which is more than capable but I wanted a boat that was a little more playful and that surfed better. The mirage is good but I can't play on the wave like I would like and to be honest I want a traditional shape that I have to work to get the most out of , but that does what I want it to when its over on its side and doesn't nose dive or weather cock ......and looks cool at Bondi!! I know there are plenty of glass boats that will do all this but I'm thinking about a wood 1 thats not just a show pony.
I think the L Loon North star may be the boat. The design of a Baidarka make sense to me now . I just need to read more about Carbon kevlar linings and s glass with graphite powder mix on the keel and all those other interesting things.
Thanks to every one for all of the info on this site. I am finding my way through so much and wearing out the search button in the process.
Thanks again
Tim
the link pic is a guy I have had the pleasure off paddling with a few years back in a Mirage 530 trying to land during a Bass Straight crossing.
Looks like a mean sea dosn't it!!