: My current kayak, which weighs 75 pounds is not that heavy once on
: the water...but if I had to make a lot of frequent turns,
: overcoming the extra inertia would quickly become a drag.

: I've done comparison tests between my 75 pound Great Auk with other
: kayaks, seeing how far after we stopped paddling they would
: coast before stopping. I've never found any momentum advantage
: from the extra (excess?) weight.
: In a race between friends, there's probably not much advantage or
: disadvantage from weight. At elite level there must be, probably
: greatest in the initial acceleration.

: And why aren't skin boats really fast? Sure the coverings flex,
: but... well, why not find a solution?
: Watching John Peterson move his beautiful SOF yaks around with such
: ease they seem a perfect design solution. Could a baidarka be
: faster if it had more chines?

: Will

Not all SOF covers are flexy :)

Bill H.