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Re: Seeking: A Boat design for My Daughter
By:Gordon Snapp
Date: 2/24/2003, 11:16 pm
In Response To: Seeking: A Boat design for My Daughter (Rick Sylvia)

Your daughter sounds great! I have a soon-to-be-15-year-old daughter that I love, but it's difficult to get her interested in my activities, including paddling (and bicycling), which are slow and involve strenuous movements for more than a few minutes (sound familiar anyone?) She's very fast and is joining the track team, but she's only interested in sprints - no way is she going to run one of those long events where you feel like barfing afterward! Get the picture?

Anyway, I've done a lot of kayaking with kids. I'm a 6th grade teacher, and 7 times I've taken the entire 6th grade to a science camp on Catalina Island where kayaking is one of the activities. They use Scupper Classics, which are sit-on-tops, about 14 feet, and weigh about 50 pounds. The kids do fine in them, even though to my way of thinking they feel slow and heavy. They don't even give the kids back bands or seat backs of any kind, so one reason some of the kids get discouraged is their backs get tired. You see a lot of lounge-lizard slouching going on.

At your daughter's age, I'd recommend sizing her boat based on her expected adult size; she'll be there before you know it, if she's not already. I think some kids are intimidated by long boats (17' or so) until they paddle a good one. When they feel how easily they move and how fast they are, the length is no longer such an issue. My daughter would like kayaking much better if she ever tried a really nice boat. Right now, all we have is my Chesapeake 17 and a Scrambler. She paddles the Scrambler, and likes it, but gets tired too quickly. I think she could go further and feel better about it in a faster, lighter boat.

Another issue is sit-on-top vs. sit-inside. My daughter is paranoid to try a sit-inside. She's afraid she'll tip over and won't be able to get out. I'm not going to waste my time building her one until she's had a chance to get in one in shallow (warm) water and try tipping over and sliding out a few times, with me right there to help. I think your daughter's preference for a boat that "won't tip over" might come from a similar fear.

I'd suggest you let her try some boats. When you finish your Outer Island, let her try it - first in shallow (warm) water where she can tip over a few times to feel what it's like and lose any fear she might have. Then see what you can find around - rental shops, friends, etc. Let her paddle "a real boat" a few times to see if she really likes it. I don't think I'd commit the time and effort (and emotion) into building her her own until I was sure she knew she was going to like the sport.

I think your Keowee is much like my Scrambler - fun at first, but not nearly as fun as a good boat. Since I finished my Chesapeake 17, I don't think I've paddled the Scrambler once; it's just no fun compared to my "good boat." Your daughter will probably be surprised at the difference when she paddles something more sleek and fast.

I'm building a Guillemot for my wife. My daughter swears she won't get into "one of those closed-deck things", but I'm hoping she'll change her mind after she's it, and then I can start building her one.

If you want a boat that builds fast, I think a stitch and glue, such as a Pygmy or Chesapeake would be a safe bet. I'm not as familiar with Pygmy, since I built a Chesapeake. I'd look at a Chesapeake 17LT, , or a Chesapeake 16LT for your daughter. Supposedly the LT versions have the same hull shape as the regular Chesapeakes, but with less volume in the back. The regular Chesapeakes are supposed to be touring boats. I know my Chesapeake 17 is 24" wide and carries a ton of stuff. The 24" wide part makes for pretty good initial stability, which might make your daughter feel more secure at first. I think the 16 would be almost as wide and stable. I wouldn't go for the Chesapeake 14 - I think your daughter is probably already big enough to paddle a bigger boat. Like I said, build a boat that will fit her into adulthood. Those 6th graders - who were a long way from full grown - did fine with those Scuppers, and would have done even better with my big Chesapeake, even though it is too big for them.

I wouldn't worry about her steering ability. I've watched many, many 6th graders who couldn't steer to save their lives at first, who were capable of playing follow the leader and other games after about 20 minutes on the water. By their third paddle, they were maneuvering without thinking. Your daughter will pick it up in no time. I think the same is true with stability. Your daughter may feel very tipsy at first - I did the first time I got in my Chesapeake - but after awhile sje will be as comfortable and stable as anyone else - maybe moreso since kids seem to adapt to new situations faster than we old farts.

Good luck, and wish me luck when it's my turn to try to get my daughter into my wife's Guillemot.

Messages In This Thread

Seeking: A Boat design for My Daughter
Rick Sylvia -- 2/24/2003, 11:42 am
too this & too that
Erez -- 3/2/2003, 6:09 am
THANKS!!!
Rick Sylvia -- 2/26/2003, 3:17 pm
Check Klepper site before dissing S_O_F :)
Paul G. Jacobson -- 2/26/2003, 7:38 pm
Re: Check Klepper site before dissing S_O_F :)
Topher -- 2/27/2003, 12:38 pm
Re: Check Klepper site before dissing S_O_F :)
Rick Sylvia -- 2/27/2003, 8:41 am
Re: Check Klepper site before dissing S_O_F :) *LINK* *Pic*
Tom Yost -- 2/28/2003, 10:37 am
Re: Check Klepper site before dissing S_O_F :)
Rick Sylvia -- 2/28/2003, 10:55 am
Hmmm. You aren't doing your reading :)
Paul G. Jacobson -- 2/28/2003, 12:47 am
Re: Hmmm. You aren't doing your reading :)
Rick Sylvia -- 2/28/2003, 10:48 am
folding sof
Larry -- 2/27/2003, 9:03 pm
Re: THANKS!!!
Peter Robinson in Oz -- 2/26/2003, 5:12 pm
Re: THANKS!!!
Rick Sylvia -- 2/27/2003, 8:48 am
Re: Seeking: A Boat design for My Daughter
John Schroeder -- 2/25/2003, 9:21 pm
Re: Seeking: A Boat design for My Daughter
LeeG -- 2/25/2003, 12:19 pm
Re: Seeking: A Boat design for My Daughter
LisaS -- 2/25/2003, 10:27 pm
Re: Seeking: A Boat design for My Daughter
Charles Leach -- 2/25/2003, 7:58 am
Re: Seeking: A Boat design for My Daughter
Don Lucas -- 2/25/2003, 12:08 pm
Re: Seeking: A Boat design for My Daughter
emmett bowen -- 2/25/2003, 10:06 am
Re: Seeking: A Boat design for My Daughter *LINK*
Ron Friedman -- 2/25/2003, 7:40 am
Re: Seeking: A Boat design for My Daughter
RickR -- 2/25/2003, 6:12 am
consider a skin covered boat.
Paul G. Jacobson -- 2/25/2003, 12:08 am
Re: Seeking: A Boat design for My Daughter
Gordon Snapp -- 2/24/2003, 11:16 pm
Re: Seeking: A Boat design for My Daughter
Mort -- 2/25/2003, 5:24 am
Re: Seeking: Great Projects !!
Rehd -- 2/24/2003, 7:19 pm
Re: Seeking: Compromise on the hull material *Pic*
Scott Ferguson -- 2/24/2003, 6:57 pm
Re: Seeking: A Boat design for My Daughter
Dave -- 2/24/2003, 6:14 pm
Re: Seeking: A Boat design for My Daughter
Mark Normand -- 2/26/2003, 8:29 am
Re: Seeking: A Boat design for My Daughter *LINK*
Dave -- 2/26/2003, 11:06 am
Re: Dave's 16 ft. Little Auk *Pic*
Scott Ferguson -- 2/25/2003, 6:50 pm
Biblical quotations
Dean Trexel -- 2/25/2003, 8:52 pm
Re: Biblical quotations
Roger Nuffer -- 2/26/2003, 10:38 am
Re: Seeking: A Boat design for My Daughter
Scott Ferguson -- 2/24/2003, 7:10 pm
Re: Seeking: A Boat design for My Daughter *LINK*
srchr/gerald -- 2/24/2003, 5:05 pm
Storm SLT or LT? *LINK*
David Hanson -- 2/24/2003, 3:30 pm
Re: Seeking: A Boat design for My Daughter
Mark Normand -- 2/24/2003, 2:14 pm