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Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
By:RickSp
Date: 9/8/2008, 10:09 am

A newbie question.

The itch to build a strip kayak just won't go away but I am having trouble deciding on which design to build. I currently paddle a fiberglass Arctic Hawk with which I have a definite love/hate relationship. My first problem is that I don't seem to fit the boat. I am 6'2" and I have never felt that I had enough room for my knees. The Arctic Hawk just isn't a terribly comfortable boat for me to paddle over any sort of distance.

My second issue with the Arctic Hawk is weathercocking. I am always having to shift my paddle and cock a hip to keep the boat anywhere close to across the wind which with time gets annoying. (The boat does not have a skeg.)

I have been looking at the Guillemot "L" which may give my knees the room they need. I have seen the Guillemots described as "loose tracking". Not entirely sure what that means but it sounds worrisome. I like a boat which goes the direction that it is pointed.

Do the Guillemots weathercock? I understand the problem with lee-cocking and that a bit of weather helm is not a bad thing, nevertheless I am tired of fighting not to go to weather.

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

Messages In This Thread

Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
RickSp -- 9/8/2008, 10:09 am
Trim your Artic Hawk *Pic*
Dave Houser -- 9/11/2008, 4:20 pm
Re: Trim your Artic Hawk
Bill Hamm -- 9/12/2008, 1:23 am
Re: Trim your Artic Hawk
Dave Houser -- 9/12/2008, 3:13 pm
Re: Trim your Artic Hawk
RickSp -- 9/11/2008, 4:33 pm
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build *LINK* *Pic*
Charles Leach -- 9/10/2008, 7:24 pm
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
RickSp -- 9/10/2008, 8:14 pm
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
Len Thunberg -- 9/9/2008, 10:39 pm
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
RickSp -- 9/10/2008, 8:34 am
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
Podge -- 9/9/2008, 1:31 pm
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
RickSp -- 9/10/2008, 8:37 am
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
Podge -- 9/10/2008, 9:28 am
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
Tommy -- 9/8/2008, 11:40 am
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
John Eberly -- 9/8/2008, 11:54 am
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
RickSp -- 9/8/2008, 1:44 pm
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
Paul G. Jacobson -- 9/9/2008, 12:25 am
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
RickSp -- 9/10/2008, 8:46 am
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
Paul G. Jacobson -- 9/10/2008, 7:12 pm
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
RickSp -- 9/10/2008, 8:09 pm
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
Bryan Hansel -- 9/8/2008, 10:18 pm
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
BobKayes -- 9/8/2008, 2:58 pm
OOPS ! ! ! !
BobKayes -- 9/11/2008, 8:50 am
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
RickSp -- 9/10/2008, 8:40 am
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
Oliver Bloch -- 9/8/2008, 5:04 pm
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
Bill Hamm -- 9/10/2008, 1:32 pm
Re: Strip: Help in deciding on a design to build
RickSp -- 9/10/2008, 8:48 am