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(zak) wrote in news:d555d383.0306302245.63daac41
@posting.google.com:

Thanks again to everyone who gave me advice before. I figured I'd let
you know what I thought about the boats I tried Sunday.

I tested two Current Design boats - the Storm and the Sirocco. I also
tried a Dagger Magellan (discontinued this year) and a Necky Looksha
IV.

I was a little disappointed as neither of the Current Designs fit me
well and I wasn't really impressed with either - probably because they
were a bad fit. The Storm was okay tracking, the Sirocco was all over
the place (I guess you'd call that responsive) unless I put the skeg
down.

The Dagger fit well, but there were no thigh braces. Other than that I
really liked the Magellan. It felt like it knew what I was thinking.
Tracked well, turned well. This was a used boat. Looked a bit beat up,
some deck lines were not attached, it had a rudder but was unmounted
for whatever reason (was sitting in the rear bulkhead). They wanted
$750 for it.

That sounds like a pretty good deal for the Magellan. You can always add a
bit of closed cell foam for additional padding if you need it.

From researching different models, some your comments and a glowing
recommendation from an experienced kayaking guide I know - I thought
the Necky would be the boat for me. After testing it...I'm not sure.
It fit me very well snug and tight - but not confining. I know
secondary stability is the key with this boat, and I've heard I'd feel
tippy - so I was prepared for that. It did feel tippy...a little like
sitting on a ball, but other than that it seemed all right. Is this
initial stability problem something I'd get used too?

Yes, and most likely after a long day paddle or two. The Necky Looksha IV
is also one of my favorite boats and I don't think it's particularly tippy.
One thing the may have caused the initial tippiness for you is that it fit
you snug and tight you may have tightened up your stomach a bit more than
you did in a boat that was a bit roomier. Slouching back into the seat a
bit locks your hips, abdomen, and upper body more and makes a boat feel more
tippy because any movement in your upper body laterally is felt right down
to the hull. If you try it again, try to keep an erect posture, with your
chest out and slightly forward, and try to disengage your upper body from
your hips by keeping your stomach loose. You'll find that the boat can tip
side to side easily but your center of gravity remains over the center of
the boat.

A shop nearby has a Looksh IV that he's had for a while...I'm going to
take a look at it next weekend and see if I can negotiate. I think he
wants $1120

Unless that's a fiberglass version $1120 is a bit steep for a used plastic
boat unless it is in very good condition.