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Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board
Re: Q700 - Handling/skill level question
Posted By: Kris Buttermore In Response To: Q700 - Handling/skill level question *Pic* (Jim Kozel)
Date: Tuesday, 23 September 2003, at 6:35 p.m.
Your question (and the responses) actually makes me feel 100% better about my current comfort level in my Q700.
My Q700 seems to take pretty good care of me when I let it (that's the key). I'm 205# and have fewer years paddling. Skills sound similar otherwise. I've demoed a lot of other 21"-22" beam, but this the only one I've owned. I only have maybe 100 or so miles in it.
I've only dumped it once unintentionally - third time out - in the ocean - after paddling 15 miles - last 11 of that in a combination of rear quartering and beam seas and chop. The rest was in busy traffic and going through a fairly busy port. Mild fatigue (and high heat) had more to do with that one than anything. It definitely ain't the boat or I'd be swimming a lot more!
Each kayak certainly has a unique "presonality", and none is right for everyone. As you say though, the reactionary response issue is the real trouble. Constantly being tense and over-correcting gets tiring pretty fast and fatigued muscles magnify the problem. Once your stabizing muscles begin to tire - there's no way to effectively relax. Call it a day and save it for the next paddle.
Here's a recommendation I'm amazed no one offered yet: Work on rolling. Once you have a passable roll - you will push the edging and bracing more - and the narrow beam becomes an asset that should open a range of performance instead of being a stability limitation. Even just doing a few attempts, wet exits, and other rescues really goes a long way to tuning in to the boat and getting the confidence and ease on the water back. If I haven't paddled for a while the tension comes back. A few flops and things get better quickly.
Even if you sell it as you now have the Mariner II, the wet effort is well spent. Learn to roll the Mariner (since we know you'll have a million reasons to only paddle the new kayak) and then give the 700 another try if it hasn't sold already (but why wouldn't it!).
I think rolling may be the only way to get past "it's me not the boat" issues without limiting yourself to boats with excessive primary stability. Either that or borrow a racing surf ski for a while and see what tippy really is.
Comfort/confidence is required to really tap the speed potential too. I've still got a long way to go.
Kris
: Hi all -
: Is it possible to be the wrong physical size for a boat when it comes to
: stability? I'm 6'1", long-waisted with fairly broad shoulders. I wear
: a 46L to 48L sportcoat and shirtsleeve length is 36.5". I weigh
: 215lbs.: I'm having a hard time getting comfortable in the QCC Q700 I purchased last
: December. At times, I still feel like I'm balancing on a log. I removed
: the stock seat and installed a minicell seat with minicell hip braces,and
: there's excellent knee-bracing, too. I'm sitting barely 1/4" off the
: bottom of the boat.: ~ The Q700 is a John Winter's design, 18' long, 17'+ waterline, 21"
: beam, 20.5" waterline beam. It's very fast and has awesome secondary
: stability. When I've made an error and started to tip, the secondary
: kicked in like a supporting pair of hands. I have not flipped this boat,
: BTW. I've had other experienced paddlers try the Q700 and they all said,
: "Yep, it's a bit tender, but feels great...performance boats like
: this usually feel tender."
: ~ BUT, I find its initial stability downright twitchy and feel very unstable
: in it. The Q700 is advertised as an intermediate to advanced boat.
: ~My frame of reference is my Cape Ann Storm, which is a very different but
: still narrow design. It's got a 22" beam and a 20.5" waterline
: beam. In the same choppy conditions that freak me out in the Q700, the
: Storm feels completely comfortable and stable. The Storm just rides over
: beam waves, the Q700 feels like it wants to roll. Hmmm.: So, to my question: Is this a boat that I can use to take my skills to the
: next level, or am I simply a poor match for this boat? It certainly fits
: as far as size and displacement. I'm finishing my 3rd season of paddling
: and have taken to paddling Lake Erie. I haven't learned to roll yet, but
: have been pretty darn comfortable in the Cape Ann Storm. That's me in the
: Storm, in case a visual reference might help here.: I'm having a hard time evaluating this situation.
: Thanks for any suggestions/observations you might offer.
: Jim
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