The Kayak Forum is Sponsored By
|
|
|
| |
Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board
Re: Keyhole cockpit
Posted By: Mike and Rikki In Response To: Re: Keyhole cockpit (Andy)
Date: Tuesday, 27 May 2003, at 2:57 p.m.
Andy
Your views are most appreciated. I keep tossing about different ideas on spraydecks, trying different ones. The trouble is that I built every cockpit for the optimum for the person I gave them to, so it's been a hassle to find a skirt. I've been studying your references carefully and penciled out some ideas for a line of custon sprayskirts using a stretch neo. The implosion issue is always the issue in every case, particularly since we generally paddle in the ocean and it's rarely calm or flat. In fact, yesterday a bd and I were paddling a Seda Tango double offshore and the strangest swell came along; a big hole followed by a breaking crest. The wavelength was short enough that the nose was buried up to the deckbag and surf gave me a good soaking. The sprayskirt was holding gallons of water with the didg camera bobbing about the little lake.
: > The last part really grabbed my interest. Care to elaborate?
: >> I also happen to be a big fan of the versatile, now discontinued
: Wildwasser
: >> (Prijon) spraydeck - the "Solstice" (for reasons best left
: to
: >> another thread).: Actually, I'm just assuming that the 'Solstice' is discontinued (it's no
: longer on their main website
: ("http://www.wildnet.com/inprog/decks.htm" - though still
: visible via the 'old' website link
: ("http://www.wildnet.com/decks.htm" and shows up on the
: 'Closeout Spraydecks' link
: "https://shop.wildnet.com/products.asp?pline=CLOSES").: I'm guessing the reason they killed it is because it wore out rather quickly
: (I'm in the 4th year with one and it will probably be it's last - though
: it's interesting how, when it develops a hole or tear - that (unless
: manually helped), it doesn't tend to "spread").: Now, the material. They use something they call "V-Tec" - it
: stretches and is waterproof. (I talked with a rep at the 'West Coast SK
: Symposium' (Port Townsend, WA) several years ago, he told me they got the
: material from - I think it was Northface, in any case, some outdoor gear
: company, that used it in their outdoor clothing line).: The "Solstice" is "all" v-tec. The product they sell now
: with the v-tec ("Pocket-System-Neo") has a "deck" of
: neoprene and the waist & above is V-tec. (The deck area is the part of
: the "Solstice" that wore out 1st - I suppose because when on the
: kayak it was in a "stretched" position).: They promoted it as being useful in all weather (warm or cold). Now, if I was
: to only use a spraydeck in cold weather (or surfplay) exclusively, I would
: use an all neoprene - all of the time. However, at the time I was
: preparing for an extended trip in a tropical environment (and also one
: with big waves). I did test it in the surf quite a bit and didn't have any
: implosion problems or excessive water intake (on a typical
: "break-out", assuming 2 or 3 crashing waves, very little would
: get in, maybe a cup full if a roll was required). (Note: it did implode on
: me once, while on the trip - in a bad place - I got "stuffed" by
: the pincer affect of the incoming swell and outgoing tide at a
: particularly tricky river bar - I would guess a typical neo deck would
: have imploded in this experience as well).: Now, unless I'm practicing in surf, the Solstice is the only spraydeck I'll
: use (at least until I wear out the 2 extra ones I bought).
: It's very breathable. On a previous "tropical" trip, I used a
: neoprene spraydeck and was very uncomfortable (heat) on the inside and
: developed salt water rash where the "tube" of the spraydeck
: pressed against the skin. The "suspender" type of spraydeck
: allows more airflow (as well as other benefits - eg: in heavy weather some
: access to inside the cockpit without removing deck).: Now, how about a thread on why 5-10 discontinued the (short version) of the
: Nemo (water shoe).: Andy
| |
Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board is maintained by Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks with WebBBS 5.12.
|
Kayaking Technique |
|
|
|
