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Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
By:Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks
Date: 8/27/2010, 4:12 pm
In Response To: Other: Design characteristics for long touring (Stephen Troy)

: I've been thinking about doing a several week paddle down the
: Mississippi river next year. Before doing something quite that
: long, I was planning an initial trip down the Illinois from
: Chicago to St. Louis (~300 miles) to make sure I don't discover
: on day 2 "OMG I HATE THIS AND I HAVE 7 MORE WEEKS."

I think the most important design criteria is that the boat is comfortable. The actual speed capability of the boat, unless it is radically bad, probably is not that important.

One thing to consider is that on rivers the wind blows in two directions, up-river and down-river. So it is either with you or against you, and as you probably know, paddling with the wind is not nearly as helpful as paddling against the wind is harmful. So, you want a boat that will be easy and comfortable while paddling into the wind. Longer boats typically provide a smoother ride while bucking winds and will probably be drier.

Messages In This Thread

Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Stephen Troy -- 8/27/2010, 2:08 pm
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Eric -- 9/7/2010, 3:09 pm
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Robert N Pruden -- 9/1/2010, 12:06 am
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Bill Hamm -- 9/2/2010, 2:52 am
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Robert N Pruden -- 9/2/2010, 11:00 am
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Bill Hamm -- 9/2/2010, 2:28 pm
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Etienne Muller -- 9/3/2010, 4:50 pm
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Bill Hamm -- 9/4/2010, 5:41 am
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Robert N Pruden -- 9/2/2010, 4:23 pm
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Bill Hamm -- 9/3/2010, 2:13 am
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Bill Hamm -- 9/3/2010, 3:38 am
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Shark Bait -- 9/4/2010, 3:14 pm
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Bill Hamm -- 9/5/2010, 12:46 am
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Bill Hamm -- 9/3/2010, 1:00 am
Design characteristics for long touring
Jay Babina -- 8/29/2010, 9:34 am
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Shark Bait -- 8/28/2010, 8:04 am
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Stephen Troy -- 8/28/2010, 12:13 pm
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Malcolm Schweizer -- 8/28/2010, 6:24 am
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Stephen Troy -- 8/28/2010, 1:05 pm
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Kudzu -- 8/27/2010, 9:19 pm
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Stephen Troy -- 8/28/2010, 12:08 am
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Kudzu -- 8/28/2010, 9:09 am
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Bill Hamm -- 8/28/2010, 12:42 am
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Stephen Troy -- 8/28/2010, 1:10 pm
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Bill Hamm -- 8/29/2010, 12:31 am
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring
Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks -- 8/27/2010, 4:12 pm
Re: Other: Design characteristics for long touring *PIC*
Dave Gentry -- 8/27/2010, 3:48 pm