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Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board
Re: Sit On Top vs. Standard & Safety
Posted By: Ray In Response To: Re: Sit On Top vs. Standard & Safety (JohnT)
Date: Wednesday, 11 October 2000, at 8:50 a.m.
........I bought mine specifically to surf with and it has been a blast - great fun. I have found that my practicing surfing on the SOT has vastly improved my bracing and surfing abilities in all kayaks, though............
I totally agree. I've had experience with a Wilderness Kaos in moderate ocean surf ( 4 feet) and its a great learning platform for braces, surfing, etc. Get dumped, just climb back on and go again. No swimming, assisted rescues etc. as with a cockpit surf kayak. But, must have a backrest and leg straps to hang on to the boat with during a broach. Its not fun high bracing and having the kayak washed out from beneath you, which then deposits you onto coral ( ask me how I know..ouch). Can't beat a SOT for surf, and a single day with a SOT in surf will give most paddlers a season's worth of wave skill improvement, it did for me.
But for moderate calm water paddling, most longer SOT's I've tried feel heavy, wide and slow. I think the effort to learn and prepare for self rescues is well worth the reward of having a light, slim, fast, responsive, comfortable, dry, warm touring craft. I don't know anyone who, once having learned to safely paddle a responsive cockpit boat, will give it up for the relative discomfort of a SOT, except in tough surf/wave conditions where self rescue is an iffy prospect at best. Thats the only place I think SOT's really shine, and its a huge edge.
Ray.
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