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Re: Skin-on-Frame: Sizing out yaks
By:Kudzu
Date: 5/13/2009, 8:00 am
In Response To: Skin-on-Frame: Sizing out yaks (Kevin Colson)

The Nikumi is not a big boat at 19" wide. I have never paddled one but assuming you are also new to kayaking I wouldn't think that this is not a good choice. Now if you have paddled a lot and just new to building that's different.

I built a modified version of the Sea Ranger. It's 20" wide with hard chines and it's a tippy feeling boat. Not a boat a newbie is going to be comfortable in. I am not totally comfortable in that boat. Just putting a foam pad in the bottom to sit on raised the Center of Gravity to a point that the boat is very uncomfortable stability wise.

Recently I loaned the boat to a smaller paddler, Steve weights about 150 lbs vs my 200 lbs and he had no problem with it. I could tell immediately it was more stable with him in there than me. After a few minutes he was ripping around in it no problem. So your weight (and a lot of other things) have a big effect on how stable it is for you.

Assuming your are new to paddling, the Sea Tour design might be a better choice to start out in. Then again, if you can start and be comfortable in the Nikumi, you will be a better paddler faster than starting with a more stable boat.

Messages In This Thread

Skin-on-Frame: Sizing out yaks
Kevin Colson -- 5/13/2009, 2:16 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: Sizing out yaks
Tom Yost -- 5/13/2009, 2:37 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: Sizing out yaks
Kevin Colson -- 5/13/2009, 2:55 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: Sizing out yaks
Tom Yost -- 5/13/2009, 3:32 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: Question for Tom
wwfloyd -- 5/13/2009, 4:31 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: Question for Tom
Bill Hamm -- 5/22/2009, 6:46 pm
Hmmm
Dave Gentry -- 5/13/2009, 5:09 pm
Re: Hmmm
Bill Hamm -- 5/24/2009, 2:02 am
Re: Hmmm
wwfloyd -- 5/13/2009, 5:23 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: Sizing out yaks
Scott Shurlow -- 5/13/2009, 8:19 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: Sizing out yaks
Kudzu -- 5/13/2009, 8:00 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: Sizing out yaks
Don Goss -- 5/13/2009, 7:28 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: Sizing out yaks *LINK*
Daniel from sweden -- 5/13/2009, 4:40 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: Sizing out yaks
Kevin Colson -- 5/13/2009, 2:51 pm