: Hi All, Today I launched my new modified Night Heron and it wants
: to make circles, in flying lingo it's called a ground loop, when
: I get
: to a moderate speed it wants to turn and as the turn progresses it
: becomes more acute. the boat is square and plumb I made sure
: by stretching a string fore and aft, I also put small bits of blue
: tape on the water line which came from the plans fore and aft
: and when sitting in the boat someone
: on shore said the forward tape was water level and aft tape was 1/2
: to 3/4/ in. above the water I want to cut the seat and bring it
: back 1 in. but before I start cutting I would like some pro
: advise. thanks again for all your help Nick R.
:

It certainly seems that weight in the boat is too far forward. A test of this is to learn what your boat does in a crosswind when you are underway. If the bow tends to point into the wind, teh weight is indeed to far forward.

Moving the seat back would be the easiest solution. Check your seat and cockpit position against the plans.

Also, the Night Heron is intended for paddlers 200 pounds and up. Less than that and the trackign stinks. That boat has a very flat bottom, and lighter paddlers don't sink it enough to get decent tracking. I ended up addling a little more fixed skeg to my Night Heron, keeping a fair curve on the bottom for aesthetics (photo below. See also http://www.outdoorplace.org/paddling/NH/NH5.htm ).

John C